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HISTORY 


WINONA  COUNTY, 


TOGETHER   WITH 


BIOGRAPHICAL  MATTER,  STATISTICS,  ETC. 


GATHERED    FROM    MATTER    FURNISHED    BY    INTERVIEWS  WITH    OLD    SETTLERS, 

COUNTY,    TOWNSHIP    AND    OTHER    RECORDS,    AND    EXTRACTS    FROM 

FILES    OF    PAPERS,  PAMPHLETS,  AND    SUCH    OTHER 

SOURCES    AS     HAVE    BEEN 

AVAILABLE. 


CHICAGO: 

H.  H.  HILL  AND  COMPANY,  PUBLISHERS. 

1883. 


^(h 


■^  JS^  ^  ir  t* 


// 


PEEFACE. 


In  presenting  the  history  of  the  County  of  Winona  to   the 
pnbhc,  the  editors  and  publishers  have  had  in  view  the  preser- 
vation of  certain  valuable  historical  facts  and  a  vast  fund  of  in- 
formation which  without  concentrated  effort  could  never  have  been 
obtained,    but,   with   the  passing  away  of  the  old  pioneers,    the 
failure  of  memory,   and  the  loss  of  public  records  and  private 
diaries,    would  soon   have   been   lost.      This  locality  beinj.  com- 
paratively new,    we    flatter    ourselves    that,    with    the    zeal    and 
mdustry  displayed  by  our  general  and  local  historians,  we  have 
succeeded  in  rescuing  from  the  fading  years  almost  eve„  scrap 
of  history  worthy  of  preservation.      Doubtless    the  work   is    in 
some  respects,  imperfect;  we  do  not  present  it  as  a  model  liter- 
ary eifort,   but  in  that  which  goes  to  make  up  a  valuable  book 
of  reference    for    the   present    reader    and    future    historian,    we 
assure  our  patrons  that  neither  money  nor  time  has  been  spared 
in  the  accomplishment  of  the  work.     Perhaps  some  errors  will 
be  found.     With   treacherous    memories,   personal,    political  and 
sectarian  pre|udices  and  preferences  to  contend  against,  it  would 
be  almost  a  miracle  if  no  mistakes  were  made.     We  hope  that 
even  these  defects,   which  may  be  found  to  exist,  may  be  made 
available   m    so    far    as    Ihey  may   provoke   discussion    and    call 
attention  to  corrections  and  additions  necessary  to  perfect  history 
llie  mam  part  of  the  work  has  been  done  by  Messrs.  Dr  L  H 
Bunnell,  Dr.  J.  M.  Cole,  Hon.  O.  M.  Lord,  Prof  C.  A.  Morev,' 
Gen.  a  H.  Berry,  Hon.  W.  H.  Hill,   P.  G.  Hubbell,  Esq.,  and 
l^ev    W.   S.   Messmer,  and  we  believe  that  no  corps  of  writers 
could  have>  been   found  who  could  have  done  the  subject  more 


PREFACE. 


ample  justice.  We  are  also  largely  indebted  to  Hon.  Thomas 
Simpson  for  extensive  criticism  and  correction  of  matter  furnished 
by  various  persons,  as  well  as  to  Elder  E.  Ely,  for  the  use  ot 
notes  covering  the  entire  history  of  the  county.  All  these 
gentlemen  have  i)ut  the  citizens  of  Winona  county  under  lasting 
obligations  for  rescuing  this  most  valuable  matter  from  oblivion, 
whither  it  was  surely  tending. 

The  biographical  department  contains  the  names  and  ])rivate 
sketches  of  nearly  every  pei-son  of  importance  in  the  county. 
A  few  persons,  whose  sketches  we  would  be  pleased  to  have  pre- 
sented, for  various  reasons  refused  or  delayed  furnishing  us  with 
the  desired  information,  and  in  this  matter  only  we  feel  that  our 
work  is  incomplete.  However,  in  most  of  such  cases  we  have 
obtained,  in  regard  to  the  mostt  important  persons,  some  items, 
and  have  woven  them  into  the  county  or  township  sketches,  so 
that,  as  we  believe,  we  cannot  be  accused  of  negligence,  partiality 
or  prejudice. 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 


Chapter  I. 

Aboriginal  History 17 

Chapter  II. 

Explorations 22 

Chapter  III. 

Among  the  Indians 28 

Chapter  IV. 

Trouble  with  the  Indians 38 

Chapter  V. 

Personal  Recollections 47 

Chapter  VI. 

Winona  City  in  Embryo 61 

Chapter  VII. 

Interesting  Incidents  and  Cus- 
toms       77 

Chapter  VIII. 

Prehistoric  89 

Chapter  IX. 

Geographical 96 

Chapter  X. 

Railroads 1 06 

Chapter  XI. 

Navigation 117 

Chapter  XII. 

Courts  and  Officers  of  Courts.  .  119 
Chapter  XIII. 

Banking  in  Winona  County ...  127 
Chapter  XIV. 

Early  Settlers,  Pioneei-s,  etc.  . .  131 
Chapter  XV. 

Treaties  with  the  Indians 137 

Chapter  XVI. 

The  Fur  Traders    146 

Chapter  XVII. 

Early  Land  Titles 157 


Chapter  XVIII. 

The  Pioneers 171 

Chapter  XIX. 

First  Improvements 180 

Chapter  XX. 

Western  Farm  and  Village  As- 
sociation     185 

Chapter  XXI. 

The  Association  Crystallized . .   197 
Chapter  XXII. 

Emigrants  Coming 204 

Chapter  XXIII. 

Other  Settlements 215 

Chapter  XXIV. 

First  Settlements   at    Winona 
City 224 

Chapter  XXV. 

Incidents  of  the  Early  Times  .   237 

Chapter  XXVI. 

The    Association     at    Rolling 

Stone 247 

Chapter  XXVII. 

Crystallization 264 

Chapter  XXVIII. 

Respectability     277 

Chapter  XXIX. 

Looking  Around 291 

Chapter  XXX. 

Reflections 298 

Chapter  XXXI. 

Personal  Paragraphs 307 

Chapter  XXXII. 

Postoftices 325 

Chapter  XXXIII. 

Incidents 335 


6 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 


Chapter  XXXIV. 

A  Bloody  Conflict 343 

Chapter  XXXV. 

A  Celebration 359 

Chaitkr  XXXVI. 

Chatfield  .Settled  and  Winona 

County  Organized 366 

Chapter  XXXVII. 

The  District  Schools  of  Winona 

County 370 

Chapter  XXXVIII. 

The  State  Normal  School 383 

Chapter  XXXIX. 

Birds  of  Winona  County 399 

Chapter  XL. 

Winona  Public  Schools 405 

Chapter  XLI. 

History  of  Winona  City 423 

Chapter  XLII. 

Roads 437 

Chapter  XLIII. 

Societies   443 

Chapter  XLIV. 

Churches 463 

Chapter  XLV. 

Business  Incorporations 487 

Chapter  XLVI. 

Manufacturing  Industries 499 

Chapter  XLVII. 

St.  Charles  Township 528 

Chapter  XLVIII. 

Rolling  Stone  Township 554 


Chapter  XLIX, 

Dresbach  Township 562 

Chapter  L. 

New  Hartford,  Richmond,  Ho- 
mer and  Pleasant  Hill  Town- 
ships    572 

Chapter  LI. 

Wiscoy,  Warren  and  Hillsdale 

Townships 585 

Chapter  LI  I. 

Norton,  Mount  Vernon,  White- 
water and  Elba  Townships. .  596 
Chapter  LIII. 

Hartj  Fremont   and    Saratoga 

Townships 606 

Chapter  LIV. 

Biographical — Pioneers 616 

Chapter  LV. 

Pioneers — Continued 656 

Chapter  LVI. 

Utica  Township 703 

Chapter  LVII. 

Early  Settlers 711 

Chapter  LVIII. 

Early  Settlers — Continued  . . . .  753 
Chapter  LIX. 

Other  Prominent  Citizens  ....  790 
Chapter  LX. 

Winona  as  it  Is 839 

Chapter  LXI. 

Military  Record 910 

Chapter  LXII. 

Miscellaneous 932 


Il^DEX 


Aboriginal  17 

Adams,  A.  O 749 

Adams,  G.  R 508 

Aldermen 432 

Allouez,  Claude 22 

Anding,  C.  W 650 

Animals 63,  64,  101,  592 

Artz,  Nicholas 722 

Assessors,  254,  338,  432,  532,  558, 
573,   576,  586,   589,   591,   598, 

605,  607,  612,  706 

Attorney,  City 432 

Aurora  Grove  of  Druids 710 

Babcoek,  David  S 777 

Bachelder,  Charles  (I 790 

Bachelor  Dinner 170 

Bailej^  Hiram  D 718 

Balch,  John  E 670 

Balcom,  H.  C ' 639 

Balcom,  Joseph 639 

Balcombe,  Dr.  John  L . . .  234,  236,  349 

Banking  Houses 127,  426 

Banks,  State  and  National.  .  .128,  131 

Baptisms 336 

Baptist  Church 482,  541,  558,  560 

Barker,  William  M 630 

Barr,  Thomas  C (531 

Barrie,  J  755 

Bartholme,  Nick 652 

Basford,  R.  B 805 

Batchelor,  B.  S 505 

Bear  and  Beaver  Hunting  .  .  .  .63,     64 

Beaver  Village (i02 

Beck,  C.  C. ." 724 

Becker,  Fredereck  E 820 

Bell,  J.  M 494 

Beman,  Samuel  S 65fi 

Bennett,  Wm.  H 524 

Bentley,  A.N 737 

Berry,  Hon.  Charles  H 644,  899 

Berry,  James  P 735 

Berry,  William  C 782 

Biever,  Nick 765 

Birds 10] ,  399 

Birge,  Joseph  L 716 

Births,  76,  225,  257,  539,  571,  578, 

609,  613,  704 

Black  Hawk 48 

Black  River 56 


Blair,  George  W 643 

Blair,  John 946 

Blair,  John  T 947 

Blair,  Luke 626 

Blake,  James  C 493 

Bloody  Conflict,  A 343,  346 

Blunt,  John  E 525 

Board  of  Trade 881,  885 

Bogart,  Edwin  V. 815 

Bohemian  Church 486 

Bohn,  Conrad 509 

Bole,  John 675 

Bonds  Authorized,  Issued  and  Re- 
deemed   894,  899 

Bonner,  C.  L 743 

Borrette,  Joseph 53 

Boschee,  Julius  F 773 

Bosworth,  William  Dexter 797 

Botanical  Features 101 

Boynton,  G.  C 748 

Boynton's  Sons,  G.  C 747 

Boysen,  Peter  Ferdinand 746 

Bracketts'  Cavalry  Battalion  ....  926 

Brewer,  Hatsel 661 

Brewer,  Ira  Carlos 661 

Bridges 251,  336,  526 

Brink,  John  L .^ 815 

Brink,  V.  A 744 

Brizius,  Jacob 714 

Brooks,  L.  R 490 

Brown,  Alexander 618 

Brown,  David  W 719 

Brown,  Enoch 653 

Brown,  John  C- 635 

Brown,  Nathan 149 

Brutal  Treatment 537 

Bryan,  Franklin  C 717 

Bub,  Peter 521 

Buck,  Hon.  C.  F 272,  821 

Buck,  Miss  M.  A 549 

Buck,  Hon.  Norman 89;* 

Buckingham,  William 82S 

Bunnell,  Bradlej^ 44 

Bunnell,  L.  H . .  ^ 47 

Bunnell,  Willard  B.  .94,  147,  172, 

175,  273,  577 

Burger,  Andrew 681 

Burke,  Daniel 744 

Burley,  Daniel  Q 619 


INDEX. 


Burns,  John 273,  275, 

Burns,  Robert 

Burns,  Timothy 

Burt,  Rev.  David 

Business  Incorporations,  487,  41)9, 

Busmann,  Christopher 

Byerstedt,  Arthur 

Byrne,  A.J 

Cameron,  Peter 

Camp,  (ieor^'e  L 

Cami)l)ell,  Alexander 

Camj)])ell,  Joseph 

('ampbell,  Hiram 

Cami)bell,  Mark 

Cantield,  Ira 

Carlson,  Ciustaf 

Carver,  Jonathan 

Celebrations 1559, 

Cemeteries  ....5()8,  573,  584,  59(5, 
598,  (iOO,  (ilO,  844,  889, 

Census  and  Valuation 892, 

Chappell,  Thdnias. 

Charter  of  Winona  Citv 

Chattield  Settled " 

Chicago  and  Northwestern  Rail- 
road   521, 

Childs,  George  F 227, 

Chickasaw  Inthans 

Chippewa  Indians ... 

Churches.. 254,  42ti,  4()3,  540,  544, 
554,  5()0,  5<)9,  578,  580,  584, 
587,  590,  595,  598,  (iOO,  ()03, 
605,    608,   609,   705,  708,  844, 

Churchill,  Eben ... 

Chute's  Addition 

Citizens,  Prominent 790, 

City  Officials 431, 

Claim  Shanty,  First 

Claims,  Location  of,  KHi,  257,  259, 

Claims,  Lease  of 

Claim  Fight 172,  311, 

Claim  Troubles  .  . .  .191,  2(i6,  279, 
281,  289,  311,  317,  343, 

Clark,  George  AV    535, 

Clark,  Charles 

Clerks  of  Courts 

Clemmec,  Mrs.  Mary  W 

Clyde,  John  D 

Coon  Creek 

Cole,  Andrew 

Collectors,  531,  558,  576,  586,  591, 
594,  598,  605,  607, 

Co.sgrove,  Wm.  P 

Cooms,  F.  A 

Congregational  Church.  .469,  487, 

Cone,  R.I) 

Cockrell.F.  M 

Cooper,  Joseph 

Consta])les 254,  423,  532,  558, 

573,  .586,  589,  591,  594,  605,  607, 
612, 


277 
768 
503 
901 
5()6 
783 
758 
786 

66 
760 
943 
943 
309 
()68 
701 
723 

29 
361 

892 
894 
711 
427 
366 

5<)0 

229 

26 

28 


932 
823 
427 
839 
436 
164 
261 
167 
317 

536 
616 
653 
121 
904 
946 
56 
289 

612 
527 
518 
844 
641 
652 
636 


706 


Cotter,  J.  B 832 

Cotter,  F.  L  711 

Courts 119,  126,  534 

Cotton,  Samuel  E 619 

Cox,  Lyman  D 632 

Covey,  Stephen 638 

Cox,  Henry  G 697 

Ctcur  de'  Lion  Commandery 455 

County  Organization 337,  362 

County  Officials 338,  805 

County  Commissioners.  .338,  3()], 

363,  367,  424,  531 

C(  >ngress.  Members  of 363 

Countv  Seat 369 

Council  Acts 114,  847,  853 

Cook,  Daniel 749 

Crops.  .99,  100,  262,  559,  571,  573, 

576,  588,  590,  840,  846 

Crooks,  John 822 

Crooks,  Robert 662 

Crow,  George  H 676 

Crandall,  Walter  S 788 

Cummings,  J.  B 803 

Curtis,  E.  F 774 

Dakota  Village  567 

Dakotah  Indians 27 

Dakotahs,  Song  of  the 32 

Davidson,  William 351,  623 

Davis,  E.  S 497 

Deaths.  . .  .222,  237,  243,  248,  539, 

557,  568,  609,  613,  705 
Deeds,  First  Made  and  Recorded,  341 

Deer,  Elk  and  Buffalo 63 

DeGraff  &  Co 108 

Delworth,  Laurence 622 

Demoth,  Francis 789 

Dennian,  Jacob  S 224,  226 

Dentists 426 

Denzer,  Frederick 756 

Detrich,  August 761 

Dickson,  James  J.  H 799 

Dickson  (Trader) 39 

District    and    County    Attornevs 

122,  3b"3,  783 

Dixon,  F 789 

Dobbs,  John 689 

Doctors 426 

Doig,  Alex 526 

Donoghue,  Michael  F 825 

Doolittle,  Clinton 800 

Doud,  Chauncv 517 

Doud,  R.T...  ." 756 

Downing,  BenjaTnin  F 751 

Downing,  John  L 713 

Drake,  Reu))en 741 

Dresbach,  George  B 715 

Dresbach,  George  B.,  Jr 716 

Dresbach  Townshiji 562,  572 

Dresbach  Village 565 

Drew,  Edward  B 620 

Drew,  M.  K 806 


INDEX. 


Drew,  W.  S 806 

Drinehahan,  Christian 652 

Druids,  Order  of 458,  710 

Dubuque,  Julien 36 

Dunkhorn.  Charles  P'raneis  762 

Dunnell,  Hon.  Mark 901 

Durham,  John 502 

Dyckson,  J.  W 777 

Dye,  W.  G 640 

Early  Land  Titles 157 

Early  Navigators 117 

Education,  Board  of 407,  421 

Eggleston,  Edward 903 

Eitrhtli  ^Minnesota  Infantry 923 

Elba  Township .". .  .603,  606 

Elba  Village 605 

"  Elder  Ely's  Hat" 326 

Elections  .253,  363,  424,  431,  532, 

558,  573,  576,  612,  706,  840 

Elections,  Judges  of 362,  531,  612 

Eleventh  Minnesota  Infantry  .  .  .  925 

Ellis,  Edward  C ". 829 

Ellsworth,  A.  D 804 

Ellsworth,  Benjamin 834 

Elmer,  E.  S 778 

Elv,  Rev.  P]d ward.. 215,  329,  335, 

540,  830,  877 

Evans'  Addition 427 

Evans,  Daniel 686 

Evans,  (leorge 951 

Evans,  Royal  B 335 

Evergreen  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M . .  615 
Execution  of  Little  Six  and  Medi- 
cine Bottle 80 

Explorations  .  .  .22,  292,  297,  299,  558 

Fabrie,  Antoine 775 

Fakler,  David 738 

Faransworth,  Francis 701 

Farming,  First  Attempt 225 

Feigert,  Jacob 696 

Fellows,  John  B 650 

Fellows,  Rebstock  &  Clarke 649 

Ferries 567,  885,  889 

Ferrin,  Lewis  B. 660 

Filitz,  F 774 

Fillmore  County 337,  369 

Finley,  David 684 

Fink,  Carl 760 

Fire  Department 865,  869 

Fire  Department,  Present  Equip- 
ment   867 

Fire  of  July  5, 1862 870 

Fires 869,  877 

First  Fire  Company 865 

First  Battery  Light  Artillery 927 

First  Heavy  Artillery 925 

First  Minnesota  Infantry 911 

First  Mounted  Rancers ...  926 

Firth,  John  H  . . . . '. 792 

Fish 102 

Fleishman,  S 822 


Floods 162,  561,  604 

Fohl,  John 795 

Ford,  Dr.  John  D 837 

Fourth  Minnesota  Infantry 921 

Fourth  of  July  Celebration. .  .359,  361 

Fox  Indians 26 

Fox,  Samuel 649 

Fremont  Township 608,  610 

Fruit  Trees,  First  Planted 224 

Fry,  William  H .• 820 

Fuller,  Clark  Apollis 731 

Fur  Traders 146 

Gage,  A.  W 513 

Gage,  Daniel 513 

(jainey,  William 683 

Gallup,  E.  M 750 

Garlock,  William 686 

Garrison,  Addison 760 

Gates,  M.  H 695 

Gates,  Reuben 728 

Gault,  N.  C 519 

Geological  Features 528,  563 

(ierdtzen,  E.  A 685 

(jermania  Lodge,  A.O.U.W 553 

Germania  Band 462  • 

Gernes,  Charles 836 

Gere,  George  INI   288 

Gere,  Henry  C  .281,  311,  313,  315,  317 

Gere,  William  B 279 

Gerrish,  Charles 653 

Gilmore,  Alexander 633 

Gleason,  Amasa 644 

Goddard,  Abner  S 229,  233,  327 

Goddard, "  Aunt  Catharine  " . .  229, 

233,  316,  335 

Goddards'  Hotel 230,  233 

Good  Templars 460 

"  Gophers  " 206,  223 

Gorr,  Peter 181,  618 

Gould,  Hon.  O.  B 765 

Goulet,  Death  of 61 

Granger  Societies 542 

Green  Bay,  Lake  Pepin  &  Minn. 

Railroad  113 

Gregory, A.  S 700 

Gregory  &  Co 699 

Groesbeck,  John 759 

Gunderson,  Kjostol 788 

Haddock,  William 197,  207 

Haddock's  Letter 186 

Hagan,  Martin 775 

Ham,  John 659 

Hamberg,  Peter 764 

Hamilton,  Andrew 507 

Hamilton,   Charles  S...277,  279, 

280,  336 
Hamilton,  Rev.  Hiram  S 277, 

279,  281 

Hamilton,  S.  W 711 

Hamilton's  Addition 427 

Hanley,  John 666 


10 


INDEX. 


Hanley,  Michael 

Hannony  Lodge,  A.F.  &  A..M 

Harris,  David 

Harris,  Nathan 

Harris,  Samuel  T 

Harris,  Cai)t.  Smith 

Hart  Township 606, 

Hatfh,  Major 

Hatch's  Battalion  Cavalry 

Hayes,  William 

Hedge,  Asa 

Heim,  Anthony 

Heintz  i<:  Brotlier,  C 

Heller,  Father  Alois 

Heller,  T.J 

Hemmelberg,  William 

Hennepin,  Father  Louis 24, 

Hess,  Timothy 

Hidershide,  Peter 

Hilbert,N.F 

Hill,  E.  G 

Hill,  Lemuel 

Hill.  AVeslev 

Hille,  Charles 

Hillsdale  Township 592, 

Hiltz,  David 

Hiltz,  Solomon 

Hodgins,  A.  F 

Holbrook,  David  R 

Holland,  A 

Holland,  John 

HoUowell,  George  Lane 

Holmes,  Thomas 

Homer  Township 271,  576, 

Homer  Village 

Horton,  Charles 

Hotels,  Inns  and  Taverns.  . .  .287, 

320,  347,  353,  426,  534,  560,  567, 

579,  587,  594,  603,606,615,  651, 

706,  779, 

Hubbard,  (t.  F ■ 

Hubbard's  Addition 

Hubbell,  Father 453, 

Huff,  Henry  D 266,  270, 

Huff  House 

Humboldt  Lodge,  LO.O.F. ...... 

Hunt,  Oliver  W 

Hurlbert,  W.  M 

lams,  John 255,  310, 

Ice  Floes .' 

Improvements 180,  225,  287, 

Incidents  of  Interest 210,  239, 

241,  243,  246, 333,  836,  342,  351 , 
537,571,601,613,  704, 

Incorporation  of  St.  Charles  ( 'ity . . 

Incorjwration  of  Winona  Citv".  . . 

Incorporations— Business. . .  '487, 

499, 

Indian  Burials 

Indian  Chieftains 

Indian  Dancing  Ground 


837 
710 
665 
700 
()63 
118 
608 

79 
926 
507 
346 
719 
687 
832 
773 
680 
133 
759 
722 
806 
765 
739 
7^ 
780 
596 
941 
940 
505 
682 
811 
664 
817 

60 
580 
578 
508 


782 
691 
427 
457 
353 
651 
446 
794 
527 
55§ 
68 
845 


889 
554 
431 

566 
92 

138 
83 


Indian  Graves 227,  275 

Indian  Incidents  and  Customs  ...     77 

Indian  Imjjlements 91,  227,  564 

Indian  Jealousy 152 

Indian  Legends 85,    86 

Indian  Mounds 90,  564 

Indian  Names,  their  Meaning.  .18,    57 

Indian  Sacred  Dance 81 

Indian  Sun  Dance 81,    83 

Indian  "  Shanty  tax  " 179,  238 

Indian  Tribes 21 

Indians,  Treaties  with 137 

Indians,  Troubles  with 38 

Industries,  Manufacturing 499,  528 

Jacobs,  ( )scar 779 

Jacobs,  Philip 76 

Jewell  House 779 

Johnson  Destroys  the  Shanty. . . .   174 

Johnson,  S.  A 655 

Jones,  Berry  &  Smith,  Bankers. . .  127 

Jones,  J.  H 488 

Jones,  Thomas 617 

Judges 1 20 

Judges  of  Probate 290,  338,  363 

Jury,  Grand 338 

Jury,  Petit ».. . .  338 

Justices  of  the  Peace 253,  276, 

289,  302, 338,  363, 423, 432,  532, 
558,  571,  573, 576, 586,  589, 591, 

594,  59S,  605,  607,  612,  706 

Kaiser,  Emil 520 

Keeler,  Henry  J .... 733 

Kellogg,  Roderick 323 

Kendall,  J 767 

Kennedy,  Robert 60 

Keyes,  John 355 

King,  James 505 

Kincsburv,  Holland  &  Co 811 

Kingsbury,  W.  F 811 

Kinney,  H.  M 493 

Kirch,  John  B 809 

Knights  of  Honor 460,  542 

Knights  Templar 455 

Kramer,  Charles 7:^2 

Kramer,  Ferdinand 721 

Kramer,  Joseph 720 

Krumdick;  G.  H 785 

La  Bath 49 

La  Bathe,  Francois 146 

Iva  Crosse,  Name  of 56 

La  Crosse,  Trem])ealeau  &  P.  R.  R    847 

Laemkuhl,  John 701 

Laird,  John  C  .  .310,  312,  314,  316, 

318,  335 

Laird,  W.  H 502 

Laird's  Addition 427 

Lalor,  J.  W 498 

Lamprecht,  John 520 

Land  Titles,  Earlv 157 

Langley,  Benton  H 805 

Larrabee,  II.  O 781 


INDEX. 


11 


La  Salle 24 

Latscli,  John 768 

Lauer  and  Anding 650 

Laiier,  J.  W • ...  650 

Lawyers 426 

Lawsuits,  Civil  and  Criminal .  -  302, 

314,  342,  537,  539,  848,  851 
Legislature,  Members  of.  .2-53, 363, 

364,  544 

Leonard,  Joseph  L 740 

Le  Seur 24 

Levee 270 

Lewis,  Aaron 796 

Lewis,  Jonathan 795 

Lewiston  Village 707 

Lindeman,  Christian 694 

Liquor,  First  Sold 246 

Little  Crow 43 

Lockwood,  John  W 717 

Looking  Around 291 

Loppnow,  Ferdinand 824 

Lord,  Hon.  O.  M. . .  .207,  253,  306, 

308,  559,  621 

Lord's  Hearty  Meal 219 

Lord's  Lumber  Yard 215 

Lovers  Leap 81 

Luark,  William  T 255,  310 

Ludwig,John 802 

Lutheran  Church  .  .  483,  598,  608,  709 

Lybarger,  Hezekiah 632 

Lyman,  Raymond 640 

Lynx,  Accident  to  Steamer 73 

McCarty,  Hon.  David 657 

McCauly,  Terence 634 

McCutchen,  Wm.  G 808 

McKay,  George 498 

McNie,  Alexander 737 

McNie  and  Company 736 

McRay,  Andrew  Jackson 659 

Macomber,  John 791 

Mail  Routes 298,  559 

Maire,  Henry 780 

Majerus,  Michael 622 

Manufacturing  Interests  and  In- 
dustries..  .426,  499,  528,  561, 

666,  579,  841,  845 

Marfleld,O.L 519 

Marquette,  Father  Joseph 133 

Marquette,  Pierre 23 

Marriages,  330,  539,  571,  587,  609, 

613,  706 

Marshals 432,  863 

Marsland,  J 786 

Martin,  Isaac 827 

Martin,  Wesley 753 

Martin,  William  Harrison 741 

Marvin,  Matthew 807 

Masons,  Free  and  Accepted.  .449, 

542,  580,  615,  710 

Mathews,  John  A 674 

Matzke,  C 727 


May,  Thomas 731 

Maybury,  C.  G 690 

Maybury  and  Son 689 

Mayors 431 

Mead,  E.  S 497 

Mead.  Lorenzo  D 755 

Menard,  Rene 22 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  475, 

540,  544,  569,  591,  595,  (500,  603, 

610,  708,  844 
Military  Record  . . .  .543,  600,  910,  931 

Miller,  George 789 

Minneowah 271,  578 

Minnesota  City  Colony,  247,  325,  560 
Minnesota  Territory  Organization  134 
Minnesota  State  Normal  School. .  391 

Missionaries 150,  151 

Mitchell,  Hon.  William 712,  899 

Monk,  Nicholas 515 

Montezuma 270,  326 

Montgomery,  James 652 

Moran,  Jerry 699 

Morgan,  E.S 757 

Morgan,  S.  W 741 

Morganatic  Marriages 77 

Morgeneier,  Robert 835 

Moravian  Church,  Bethany 932 

Morey,  Charles  Anson 944 

Morley,  John  H 784 

Morrill,  William  H 698 

Morrison,  R.  H.  D 507 

Morse,  H.  D 648 

Mosher,  Jonathan 934 

Mount  Vernon  Township 598,  601 

Mowbray,  A.  G 490 

Murder  of  Sheriff  Lester 74 

Museum  of  Science,  etc 397 

Murrav,  Patrick 714 

Myers'"  Holds  the  Fort " 173 

Myrick,  Nathan 76 

Navigation 117 

Navigation  Table 119 

Navigators,  Early 117 

Neiheisel,  Peter  H 819 

Nellson,  John 693 

Nevill,  John 622 

Nevius  and  Brother,  W.  L 762 

Nevius,  E.  G 764 

Nevius,  W.  L 763 

New  Arrivals 188,  190 

New  Hartford  Township 572 

New  Hartford  Village 573 

Newspapers,  Early 354,  365 

Newspapers,      Winona     County 

Press 400,405,  933 

Nicholls,  Alonzo  D 701 

Nicklin,  Jolm 309 

Nienow,  William 824 

Ninth  Minnesota  Infantrv 924 

Nisbit,  David 694 

Noonan,  William 512 


12 


rNi)p:x, 


NoracoiifT,  Isaac  M 208,  292,  555 

Norton,  Hon.  D.  S 899 

Norton  James  L 502 

Norton.  Leander 765 

Norton.  Matthew 502 

Norton.  Robert  F 035 

Norton  Township 590,  598 

Notaries,  Public 254 

Nusslock,  Henry 793 

Oak  Grove  Druids 459 

O'Brien,  James  P 764 

O'Brien,  Peda<;o^ue 45 

Odd-Fellows,  Order  of 443,  542 

Old  To-ma-ha 145 

( )lnisted,  Hon.  David 287 

O-man-haugh-tny,  Release  of  ... .     75 

O'Neill,  H.J 769 

Orient-Chapter,  R.A.M 542,  551 

Orphan.s'  Home 905,  910 

Overseers  of  Highways,  533,  598,  612 
Overseers  of  the  Poor. .  .532,  576, 

586,  591,  605,  612 

Oviatt,  Samuel  W 942 

Palmer,  R.  K 494 

Parks 842 

Parochial  Schools 477,  484 

Parr,  AVilliam  R 825 

Parrott,  H.  C 695 

Patterson,  Richard 937 

Patterson,  Silas  B 829 

Pelzer,  Edward 712 

Pennover,  L.  A 491 

Perkins,  H.  D 691 

Perrot,  Nicholas 23 

Perrott,  Z 774 

Perry,  James  H 933 

Personal  Paragraphs 307,  325 

Pers(jnal  Recollections 47 

Persons,  George 628 

Persons,  William 687 

Peshon,  Peter 758 

Peterson,  Jacob  K 776 

Peterson,  Swan 784 

Petheram,  William 625 

Pfeil,  Christopher 732 

Phelps,  Prof.  Wm.  F 800,  902 

Philharmonic  Societv 462 

Pickert,  John .' 748 

Pickwick  Village 579 

Pike,  Robert,  Jr. . .  .248,  255,  292,  305 

Pike,  Zebulon  M 37 

Pierson,  Miss  Louisa 76 

Pilots 73 

Pioneers..  171,  533,  535,  601,  604, 

607,  610,  616,  703 

Pleasant  Hill  Township 581 

Ploof,  John 828 

Police  Department 863,  865 

PoHce  Force 865 

Population,  170,  248,  335,  425,  554, 

558,  560,  563,  603,  606,  707,  839 


Porter,  Lemuel  C 517,  672 

Postal  Business 879 

Postoffices  and  Postmasters  .  .248, 

325,  535,  557, 5()5,  567,  573,  576, 

587,  589, 590, 594,  603,  605,  608, 

705,  877,  880 

Posz,  John 935 

Pottle,  C.  L 770 

Prairie 98 

Prairie  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F 444 

Prehistoric 89 

Presbyterian  Church 4()3,  592, 

609,  709,  844 

Preston,  Joseph  S   666 

Projects,  Abandoned 290 

Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  472. 

541,595,  844 

Public  Halls 350,  365,  612 

Puder,  C.  C 526 

Putnam,  Pliny 658 

Putnam,  Alonzo  D 658 

Putsch,  C.  F 755 

Railroad      History,      Prominent 

Names 109 

Railroads,  108,  115,  521,  528,  560,  847 

Railroads,  First  Charter 104 

Railwav,  Street 851.  853 

Randall,  C.  S 727 

Randall,  J.J 726 

Raymond,  W.  L 505 

Recorders 431 

Reed,  James 55,  57,    59 

Regimental   Colors,  Presentation 

of 913,  930 

Registers  of  Deeds 338,  363 

Reinortze,  Peter 781 

Religious  Meetings,  233,  235,  254, 

335,  540,  558,  575,  932 

Rescue  Lodge,  LO.G.T 933 

Rheinberger  Brothers 821 

Richards,  William  Franklin 788 

Richardson,  Thomas  A 688 

Richmond,  Joseph 777 

Richmond  Township 574 

Richmond  Village 575 

Ridges 97 

Rising  Moose 42 

Rising  Sun    Lodge,    A.F.  &  A.M 

542,  549 

Ritz,  Nicholas 785 

Rivers  and  Springs 97 

Roads.  .362,  437,  443,  570, 575,  577, 

583,  599 

Roan,  James 745 

Roberts,  Nicholas 702 

Robinson,  James 941 

Rocks 102,  103 

Rohweder,  Prof.  Hermann 837 

Rogers,  William 505 

Rolling  Stone  Settlement 205,  247 

Rolling  Stone  Township 554,  562 


INDEX. 


13 


Rolling  Stone  Village 560 

Roman  Catholic  Church .  .  477, 542, 

5()0,  584,  600,  605,  709,  844 

Ross,  Walter  M 790 

Rowell,  Franklin  B 810 

Rowell,  Mrs.  Ruth  M <)27 

Rowell,  Warren 627 

Rowley,  Lorenzo  W 826 

Royal  Arcanum  Society 542 

Rude  Hospitality 169 

Russell,  James 489 

Sacred  Dance  of  Indians  81 

Saloons 426,  560,  707 

Sanborn,  S 527 

Sanborne's  Addition 350,  427 

Saratoga  Township 611,  616 

Sargeant,  M.  Wheeler 356 

Savage  Hospitality 65 

Sawyer,  F.  P " 497 

Scandinavian  Grove  Druids 459 

Schartan,  Charles 797 

Schell,  Nicholas,  Jr  772 

Schermerhorn,  Perry 939 

Schermerhorn,  William 939 

Schmidt,  Frank  W 810 

Schmidt,  H.  G.  C 769 

Schmitz,  J.  P 757 

Schnell,  Louis 772 

Scholars'  Names 370 

School  Money 371 

School,  State  Normal 383,  397,  843 

School  Statistics 381 

School  Superintendents 374,  380 

School  Tax 372 

Schools,  Private,  District  and  Pub- 
lic . . 230,  252, 347, 370, 383,  405, 
422,  538,  546,  559,  568, 573,  575, 
583,  587, 591,  593,  597,  599,  603, 

605,  608,  610,  615,  705,  844 
Schools,  Sabbath. . .  .468,  470,  474, 

476, 482,  484, 569,  580,  588,  594,  708 

Schoonmaker,  James  H 520 

Scott,  W.  A 523 

Schroth,  C.  F 511 

Second  Advent  Church 485 

Second  Battery  Light  Artillery  . .  928 

Second  Minnesota  Cavalry 927 

Second  Minnesota  Infantrv 919 

Seefield,  C.W : 754 

Seeman,  Bernhard 794 

Settlements  and  Settlers.  .215,  217, 
219, 239, 570, 572,  575,  591, 

593,711,  789 

Settler,  Oldest  Native 226 

Settlers,  Names  of. .  .204,  211,  335, 

347,  363,  564 

Seventh  Minnesota  Infantry 921 

Shank,  J.  G 780 

Shay,  Amos 636 

Sheardown,  J.  M 712 

Shelton,  Leonard  M 948 

Shelton,  Mrs.  Louisa 949 


Shelton,  William  Henrv 

Sheriffs 125,  338,  363, 

Sherwood,  S.  F 

Shooting  of  Henry  D.  HuflF 

Shooting  of  Simonds 

Short,  John  W 

Sickness 300, 

Simon,  Ghehart 

Simpson,  Hon.  Thomas 

Simpson,  V 

Sims,  W.  H 

Sixth  Minnesota  Infantry 

Skeletons  Found 

Skidmore,  Lewis 

Slade,  A.  O 

Slocumb,  William  Wright 

Small,  William 

Smith,  A.  B.,  Disappearance  of  . . 

Smith,  Charles 

Smith,  J.  F 

Smith,  John 

Smith,  M.  M 

Smith,  H.  H 

Smith,  Capt.  Orrin. . .  118, 163,  264, 

Smith,  W.  E 

Snow,  A.  H 

Snow,  Doctor 

Social  Enjoyments 333, 

Societies. . .  .443, 463, 480,  486,  542, 

545,  569,  580,  588, 

Society    of    Arts,    Sciences    and 

Letters 

Soldiers'  Ori^han  Home 905, 

Soil 

Song  Composed  by  Pike 

Song  by  the  Dakotah's 

Sontag,  Otto 

Spalding,  Samuel  W 

Speltz,  Peter 

Spielman,  Philip 

Springer,  L.  H 

St.  Aloysius  Young  Men's  Society 
St.  Charles,  City  of,  Incorporation 

St.  Charles  Township . 528, 

St.  Charles  Lodge,  I.O.O.F 

St.  Paul  and  Chicago  Railroad  . .  . 

Steamboat  Arrivals,  Table- 

Steamboats 73,  118, 

Stebbins,  Jonas  B 

Stellwagen,  John 

Stevens  &  Son,  Henry 

Stevens,  Silas 

Stevens,  William  H 283,  292, 

Steward,  D 

Stewart,  William  Riley 

Stirneman,  Jacob 

Stockton  Village 

Stone,  Daniel  W 

Stores  and  Shops 225,  252,  331, 

350,  364,  426,  535,  560,  565,  568, 

573,  575,  578,  587,  594,  603, 

Story,  Jacob 


948 

815 
779 
266 
343 
782 
570 
734 
899 
642 
519 
921 
5(54 
656 
746 
817 
937 
320 
734 
774 
723 
774 
497 
270 
808 
767 
76 
334 

596 

397 
910 

99 
360 

32 
775 
(594 
758 
742 
353 
462 
554 
554 
552 
110 
118 
426 
936 
512 
833 
282 
335 
549 
641 
812 
594 
770. 


708 
691 


14 


INDEX. 


Story,  George  F 

ytovall,  James  W 

Straw,  Henry  Hymen 

Street  Railway 851, 

Sun  Dance  of  Indians  81, 

Supervisors,  532,  573,  57(5,  588,  5;»1, 
594,51)8,  ()05,  G07,  ()12, 

Surveyor 

Swayne,  Henry 

Sweet,  Rev.  William 207, 

Talbot,  George  B 

Talbot,  William 

Taloujian,  Winslow 

Taylor,  diaries  H 

Taylor,  Henry 

Taylor,  Jonathan  F 

Taylor,  Thomas  15 

Taylor  and  Company's  Addition. . 

Teachers'  Institute 377, 

Temperance  Societies. . .  .4()1,  542, 

570, 

Temple  of  Honor 

Tenney,  C.  A 

Tenth  Minnesota  Infantry 

Third  Battery  Light  Artillery .... 

Third  Minnesota  Infantry 

Thomas,  Azariah 

Thomas,  Lauren 

Thomas,  W.  AV 

Thompson,  S.  K 

Thornton,  Job 

Thorp,  Robert 220, 

Tierney,  James 

Timber 

Todd,  Addison  E 

Todd,  Dexter  J 

Todd,  Lorenzo  U 

Tourtellotte,  Dr.  Francis  J 

Town  Clerks. .  .532,  573,  57(),  586, 
588,  5<n,  598,  ()05,  607,  609,  612, 

Township  Organization 

Townships— Dresbach 5()2, 

Elba <i03, 

Fremont •.()08, 

Hart 606, 

Hillsdale 592, 

Homer 57(5, 

Mount  Vernon.. 598, 

New  Hartford 

Norton 596, 

Pleasant  Hill 

Richmond 

Rolling  Stone  . .  .554, 

Saratoga 611, 

St.  Charles 528, 

Utica 703, 

Warren 589, 

Whitewater 601, 

Wilson   

Wiscoy  

Toye,  M 


810 
812 
f)47 
853 
83 

70() 
432 
733 
209 
()30 
629 
680 
M7 
784 
939 
()47 
427 
379 

595 
460 
778 
925 
929 
92J 
816 
670 
757 
330 
6()3 
621 
703 
98 
677 
678 
679 
814 

706 
530 
572 
606 
(;10 
608 
596 
580 
601 
572 
598 
581 
574 
562 
(516 
554 
710 
592 
603 
588 
585 
776 


Trade  of  Winona 

Trading  Hxi)edition 

Trades 252,  289, 

Treasurers 338,  431,  591,  594, 

Trowbridge,  Alexander!) 

Tucker,  Otis  C 

Turmjuest,  Charles  L 

United  Brethren  Church 591, 

United  Workmen,  Order  of. .  .459, 

Utica  Township 703, 

Utica  Village 

Valentine,  John 

Valuations  426,  531,  892, 

Vance,  D.  E 

Xan  Dyke,  John 

Van  Gorder,  Samuel  D. .  .440,  442, 

Viets,  Byron  A 

Viets  Tavern 

Vila,  W.  K.  F 

Yon  Gentskow,  George 

Von  Rohr,  John 

Von  Winpflen,  L.  F 

Wabasha  Cbunty 253, 

Wal)asha,  Arrest  of 

Wabashaw  Protection  Club 

Wiikefield,  Charles  N 

Walker,  James 

Walker,  William  E 

Walker's  Barricade 

Walters,  John 

Wah-pa-sha 

Warehouses 

Wai'ner,  George 

Warren  Township 589, 

Wasem,  Jacob 

Waterman,  Harrison  B 302, 

Waterworks  Department 844, 

853, 

Watson,  Marquis  Waldo 

Webber,  M.B 

Webster,  Hiram 

Wedell,W.. 

Welch,  Alfred 

Welch,  Hon.  William  H 

Wells,  James 

We-no-nah 78, 

West,  Frank  A 

Western  Farm  and  Village  Asso- 
ciation . .185,  198,  200,  201, 203, 
301,334, 

Wheeland  Claim  Trouble 

White,  E 

White,  S.C 

White,  William  T 

Whitewater  Townshij) 601, 

Whiting,  ('apt.  Sam 

Widmoyer,  Godfrey 

Wilder,  Levi  C 

Williams,  Charles  Colwell 

Williams,  G.  W 

Williams,  William  Henry 


846 
67 
426 
706 
949 
813 
743 
605 
542 
710 
708 
623 
894 
737 
723 
514 
284 
287 
804 
739 
771 
787 
338 
157 
176 
693 
669 
667 
184 
789 
29 
350 
684 
592 
682 
620 

863 
938 
783 
674 
738 
818 
120 
135 
140 
950 


boo 
536 
507 
690 
618 
603 
902 
753 
727 
653 
523 
676 


INDEX. 


16 


Willson,  Mark 762 

Wilmot,  Allen  G 945 

Wilmot,  Edwin  D 945 

Wilson,  J()sei>h  S 319 

Wilson,  David  H 798 

Wilson,  John  Q 798 

Wilson,  Hon.  George  P 899 

Wilson,  Hon.  Thomas 120,  899 

Wilson  Township 588 

Windom,  Hon.  William 899 

Winkles,  J 813 

Winnebagoes,  Removal  of. . .  .155,  156 
Winona,  Attempt  to  Establish  •  •  ■  ■     59 

Winona  as  it  is 839 

Winona  &  Southwestern  R.  R 115 

Winona  &  Transit  R.  R 107 

Winona  (Chapter,  R.A.M 454 

Winona  City  in  Embrj'o.  .61,  224, 

236,  270 

Winona  City,  History  of 423,  435 

Winona  City  Council  Acts.  .  .  .114, 

847,  853 
Winona    County,    Early     .Settle- 
ment   131,  132 

Winona     County,     ({eographical 

Position    96 

Winona  County ,  Organization  of.  .  369 

Winona  County  Press 400,  405 

Winona  County  Abstract  Office . .  649 
Winona  Encampment,  I.O.O.F.  .  .  446 
Winona  Equitable  Aid  Union ....  461 


Winona  (Trove  Druids 458 

Winona  Harvester  Works 802 

Winona  Lodge,  A.F.  &  A.M 450 

Winona  Lodge,  A.O.U.W 459 

Winona  Names,  Some 899,  905 

Winona  Postoffice 328 

Winona  Soldiers'  Aid  Society ....  930 
Winona,  State  Normal  School ....  391 
Winona,  St.  Peter  &  Mo.  R.R.108,  521 
Winona,  Suggestion  of  Name. . . .  328 

Winters,  Frank  Marion 726 

Wiscoy  Township 585 

Witch-e-ain 78 

Witoka  Village 586 

Wol{!Ott,  William 671 

Wollsey,  Joseph  E 786 

Woman's  Temperance  Union ....  461 

Wonder,  John 648 

Woodlawn  Cemetery. .  .  .844,  889,  892 

Wright,  James 620 

Wright,  Thomas 818 

Yale,  Hon.  W.  H 833,  899 

Yosemite  Valley,  Discovery  of. . .     93 

Youmans,  A.  B 504 

Youmans,  E.  S 504 

Youmans,Dr.  W.  J 904 

Young,  Henry  A 671 

Young,  James  W 729 

Zickrick,  Rev.  Michael 751 

Zion  (Evangelical)  Church 484 


HISTORY  OF  WINONA  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  I. 


ABORIGINAL    HISTORY. 


A  HISTORY  of  the  first  settlement  of  Winona  county,  and  es- 
pecially that  of  the  city  of  Winona,  requires  that  some  notice  be 
given  to  the  Indian  tribes  that  have  occupied  the  territory  in  which 
it  lies,  and  of  that  adjacent,  and  also  that  some  notice  be  given  to 
the  early  efforts  of  missionaries  and  explorers  to  christianize  and 
render  the  savages  obedient  to  the  wants  of  commerce  and  of  French 
or  English  ascendanc3^  The  fur  trade  was  the  most  important  ele- 
ment in  the  early  explorations  and  settlement  of  the  Northwest,  as 
commerce  generally  has  been  in  the  civilization  of  the  world. 

The  limited  space  allowed  for  this  subject  admits  of  but  slight 
mention  of  the  authorities  drawn  upon,  but  it  is  imperative  that 
the  aid  afforded  by  the  researches  of  the  Smithsonian  Institute,  of 
Eev.  Edward  Duffield  Neil,  and  of  Judge  George  Gale,  be  acknowl- 
edged. 

Absolutely  nothing  is  known  of  the  origin  of  the  Indians ; 
neither  the  mound-builders,  nor  the  more  modern  tribes ;  and  the 
naturalist  is  led  to  ponder  over  the  suggestion  ascribed  to  Voltaire, 
"that  possibly,  in  America,  while  God  was  creating  different  spe- 
cies of  flies,  he  created  various  species  of  men." 

Be  that  as  it  may,  their  differentiations  in  languages  and  cus- 
toms, forming  different  tribes  from  more  original  stocks,  or  sources, 
have  been  noticed  by  writers  upon  ethnology ;  but  aside  from  the 
knowledge  aflbrded  by  their  various  languages  and  traditions  all  is 
doubt  and  mystery.  Their  traditions,  even,  are  so  blended  with 
superstitions  and  romances  that  the  most  critical  judgment  is  re- 
quired in  giving  credit  to  any  portion  of  them  ;  the  more  especially 
to  times  and  distances  that  extend  beyond  the  Indian's  present 
capacity  to  realize.  The  territory  between  the  lakes  and  the  Missis- 
2 


18  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

sippi  river  seems  to  have  been  peculiurly  fitted  by  its  topograpliy 
and  natural  productions  for  a  grand  nursery  of  savage  tribes ;  and 
there  are  evidences  still  remaining  in  the  languages  and  traditions 
of  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  this  territory,  and  in  the  remains 
of  ancient  tumuli,  stone  and  copper  implements,  to  warrant  this 
belief.  It  is  probable,  as  claimed  by  tradition,  that  some  tribe  of 
Algonquin  origin  was  in  possession  of  this  vast  territory,  and  were  • 
dispossessed  by  confederated  Sioux,  whom  tradition  says  came  from 
the  New  Mexican  frontier.  The  Chippewa  names  for  different  local- 
ities, now  corrupted,  but  familiar  to  us,  warrants  this  belief,  if  it 
does  not  establish  the  fact.  The  Sauks  and  Min-o-min-ees,  both  of 
Chip])ewa  origin,  say  they  were  the  original  owners  of  the  whole 
territory,  but  they  shed  no  light  upon  the  origin  of  the  mound- 
builders.  Those  people  may  have  been  drawn  to  this  territory  from 
the  far  south  in  search  of  copper,  which  to  them,  probably,  was  as 
the  gold  of  California  to  modern  adventurers,  and  been  expelled 
again  by  wars,  or  have  voluntarily  abandoned  their  industrious 
mode  of  life  to  become  engrafted  into  the  new  nations  that  were 
springing  up  around  them.  Such  industrious  people  would  natu- 
rally become  the  prey  of  more  warlike  tribes,  and  the  more  especially 
so  because  of  their  cranial  development,  indicating  a  lack  of  aggress- 
ive character.  In  support  of  the  claim  to  have  been  the  oldest  of 
modern  tribes  to  occupy  the  territory,  the  Chippewa  race  mention 
the  names  given  by  tlieii*  ancestors  to  prominent  localities.  For  ex- 
ami)le,  Michigan,  a  word  of  Chippewa  origin,  is  derived  from  Mich- 
e-gah-ge-gan,  meaning  the  lake  country,  or  "skye  bound  waters."" 
Wisconsin  is  from  Gy-osh-kon-sing,  the  name  of  its  principal  river, 
and  means  the  place  of  little  gulls.  Chicago  is  from  Gah-che-gah- 
gong,  a  place  of  skunks.  Milwaukee  is  from  Mim-wa-ke,  meaning 
hazel-brush  land,  equivalent  to  good  land,  as  upon  good  land  only 
will  this  shrub  grow.  The  astringent  bark  was  used  as  a  medicinal 
remedy,  and  hence  the  shrub  was  known  as  the  good  shrub  by  the 
Indians. 

Galena  was  known  as  Ush-ke-co-man-o-day,  the  lead  town ; 
Prairie-du-Chien  as  Ke-go-shook-ah-note,  meaning  where  the  fish  rest, 
as  in  winter  they  are  still  known  to  do.  St.  Anthony's  Falls  was 
calhnl  Ke-che-ka-be-gong,  a  great  waterfall  ;  the  Mississippi  as 
Mielie-see  bee,  or  Miche-gah-see  bee,  meaning  the  great  or  endless 
river,  or,  more  literally,  the  river  that  runs  everywhere  ;  and  Lake 
Superior  was  known  as  Ke-che-gun-me.,  or  "the  great  deep."     Only 


ABORIGINAL     HISTORY.  19 

a  few  Chippewa  names  have  been  given,  and  those  simply  to  show 
the  famiharity  of  the  Chippewas  with  characteristics  of  the  various 
localities  named  by  them  and  now  so  familiar  to  us.  It  may  be 
added  that  St.  Paul,  or  its  site,  was  known  as  Ish-ke-bug-ge,  or  new 
leaf,  because  of  the  early  budding  out  of  the  foliage  below  St.  An- 
thony's. It  has  been  a  custom  of  Indian  tiibes,  as  with  other  primi- 
tive peoples,  to  name  persons  and  tribes  from  peculiarities,  from 
resemblances  and  from  localities. 

This  rule  has  been  followed  in  naming  the  separate  tribes  of 
the  great  Algonquin,  Iroquois  and  Dah-ko-tah  nations,  as  well  as  of 
those  of  the  Pawnee,  Shosh-o-me,  Kewis,  Yu-mah  and  Apachee  or 
Atha-pas-can  nations.  For  many  years  the  records  of  the  early 
Spanish  and  French  explorers  were  hidden  from  the  researches  of 
modern  investigators,  but  those  of  Marco-de  Nica  and  of  Coronado, 
have  come  out  at  last  from  their  mouldy  recesses,  and  documents 
that  had  lain  in  the  archives  of  France  for  long  years  have  been 
copied  and  published  to  aid  the  modern  historian.  In  these  records 
of  the  early  explorers,  errors  in  writing  and  on  maps  have  been 
made ;  but  they  are  of  considerable  value  to  modern  research,  be- 
cause of  the  light  they  shed  upon  the  explorations  of  their  authors, 
and  upon  some  Indian  traditions  concerning  them. 

The  Chippewa  name  for  Lake  Winnepec  is  Win-ne-ba-go-shish- 
ing,  the  meaning  of  which  is  a  place  of  dirty  water.  The  name 
Win-ne-ba-go  was  interpreted  to  mean  '' stinking  water, "  and  the 
Indians  of  the  tribe  were  called  by  the  early  French  explorers  the 
"Stinkards,"  under  the  impression  that  they  had  come  from  a  place 
of  stinking  water.  Lake  Winnebago,  in  Wisconsin,  was  supposed 
to  be  that  locality,  but  it  may  be  observed  here  that  the  water  of 
that  lake  is  not,  or  was  not,  before  the  advent  of  the  white  people, 
impure. 

Another  reason  given  for  the  name  was,  that  they  had  come 
from  the  Western  sea  or  ocean,  imagined  by  .the  first  French  ex- 
plorers to  exist  in  the  region  of  the  Mississippi  river  ;  and  as  the 
Algonquin  name  Winnebagoec,  for  salt  and  stinking  water,  was  the 
same,  except  in  accent,  their  name  was  supposed  by  some  to  desig- 
nate a  people  from  the  Western  ocean.  The  traditions  and  legends 
still  existing  among  the  Winnebagoes  render  it  probable  that  they 
once  inhabited  the  territory  adjacent  to  lake  Win-ne-ba-go-shish-ing 
(modernly  called  Winnepec),  and  probably  long  anterior  to  the 
occupancy  by  the  Sioux  of  the  Mille-Lac  country,  as  while  acknowl- 


20  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

edging  tlioir  relationship  to  the  Dah-ko-tah  nation,  they  claim  a  more 
ancient  lineage.  Lieut.  Pike  refers  to  the  statement  of  an  old  Chip- 
j»ewa  that  the  Sioux  once  occupied  Leach  Lake;  and  Winnebago 
shishing,  <)r  the  ',' Dirty  Water  lake, "  is  but  twenty-five  miles  dis- 
tant from  Leach  Lake. 

The  Winnebagoes  call  themselves  Ho-chunk-o-rah,  meaning 
"the  deep  voiced  people."  The  Dah-ko-tahs  call  them  Ho-tau-kah, 
full  or  large  voiced  people,  because  of  their  sonorous  voices  being 
cons]>i('uously  prominent  in  their  dance  and  war  songs.  Many 
words  in  Winnebago  and  Sioux  are  very  similar.  Wah-tah  is  the 
Sioux  word  for  canoe;  watch-er-ah,  the  Winnebago.  Shoon-kah  is 
the  Sioux  word  for  dog;  shoon-ker-ah,  is  the  AVinnebago  name. 
No-pah  is  nine  in  Sioux ;  Nope  is  the  same  numeral  in  Winnebago. 

Numerous  other  examples  might  be  given  of  resemblances  in 
their  respective  languages,  but  these  will  suffice.  The  Chip})ewa 
language  is  wondeifully  artistic  in  construction  and  rich  in  sugges- 
tions;  hence  we  find  many  of  their  words  accepted  by  other  tribes 
as  classic.  Manito-ba,  God^s  land,  suggests  the  idea  of  a  God-given 
country  or  Indian  paradise.  Superior  in  intellectual  capacity  to 
most  other  tribes,  their  names  seem  to  have  been  accepted  by  others 
as  something  better  than  their  own.  It  is  believed  by  the  writer 
that  in  this  way,  probably,  the  Chippewa  name,  W^innebago.  was 
given  and  accepted  by  the  Ho-chunck-o-rah. 

The  Northeastern  Sioux  claimed  to  have  owned  the  Mille  Lac 
country  from  time  immemorial.  It  seems  quite  probable  that 
before  the  "  hmg  war,"  and  during  some  long  era  of  peace,  the 
Winnebagoes  may  have  inhabited  the  shores  of  Lake  Winnepec, 
perhaps  while  the  Sioux  were  at  Leech  lake.  The  Kneesteneau, 
or  (Jhippewas,  would  have  been  their  neighbors,  and  from  them  the 
Winnebago  may  have  acquired  some  of  the  tastes  and  habits  that 
have  so  marked  his  character. 

As  is  still  customary  with  bordering  tribes,  intermarriages  were 
no  doubt  of  frequent  occurrence,  and  in  this  way,  it  is  conceivable, 
that  the  Dah-ko-tah  progenitors  of  the  Winnebagoes  may  have 
established  themselves  among  some  Chippewa  tribes,  and  their  off- 
spring have  been  led  to  accept  flag-mat  wigwams,  deer,  fish  and 
water-fowl  in  lieu  of  skin  tents  and  buffalo  meat.  The  Sioux 
language  even  differs  in  each  band.  Prol)ably,  soon  after  the 
Spanish  conquest  of  Mexico,  many  of  the  red  rovers  of  the  ])lains, 
as  their  traditions  tell,  left  for  more  northern  climes.     The  inviting 


ABORIGINAL    HISTORY.  21 

prairies  of  Minnesota,  with  their  countless  herds  of  buffalo  and 
elk,  would  for  a  time,  at  least,  content  the  warlike  Sioux,  who,  pro- 
vided with*  some  of  the  "big  dogs"  (horses)  of  the  Spaniards, 
could  roam  at  will  over  these  boujidless,  beautiful  plains.  It  seems 
also  likely  that  reports  of  the  more  than  savage  cruelty  of  the 
Spaniard  had  gone  out,  with  accounts  of  the  destructive  nature  of 
his  "deadly  thunder";  and  if  so,  a  common  dread  would  have  kept 
a  superstitious  people  at  peace. 

Friendly  alliances  would  most  naturally  have  sprung  up  among 
border  tribes,  and  in  but  a  few  generations  old  tribes  would  have 
been  multiplied  into  new  ones,  as  appears  to  have  been  done  dur- 
ing some  long  era  of  peace.  It  is  true  tliat  the  problem  may  be 
as  readily  solved  by  supposing  a  state  of  civil  war  to  have  existed, 
but  in  that  case  there  still  must  have  been  lohg  eras  of  peace,  or 
the  race  would  have  become  extinct.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  forests 
of  Minnesota  and  Wisconsin  limited  the  range  of  the  buffalo  in 
these  states,  and  in  doing  this  determined  the  character  of  the  native 
inhabitants. 

The  Sioux  soon  asserted  his  savage  sway  over  the  whole  prairie 
region  west  of  the  Mississippi  river,  and  drove  into  the  forests  of 
Wisconsin  his  less  formidable  neighbors.  In  after  years,  by  com- 
bined attacks  with  firearms,  lie  was  driven  back  by  those  he  had 
dispossessed  of  their  patrimony,  and  was  c(mtent  to  plant  himself 
upon  the  western  shore  of  his  watery  barrier ;  keeping  as  neuti-al 
ground,  for  a  time,  a  strip  of  territory  along  the  east  side  of  the 
Mississippi. 

This  region  remained  neutral  but  for  a  short  time  only,  for  w^ 
Hnd  by  the  accounts  of  the  earliest  Fj-ench  explorers  that  the  Da- 
kotah  and  Algonquin  nations  were  in  an  almost  constant  state  of 
warfare  when  first  visited  by  them,  and  during  the  whole  time  of  the 
French  occupation  of  the  territory. 

The  water-courses  afforded  ready  access  to  the  greater  part  of 
the  region  between  the  lakes  and  "  Great  river,"  and  the  dense 
forests  concealed  the  approach  of  the  wily  foes.  While  the  "  battle- 
ground "  presented  opportunities  for  a  surprise,  it  was  no  less  ser- 
viceable for  those  who  waited  in  ambush.  Many  a  war  party  of  both 
nations  have  been  cut  off  by  a  successful  ambush,  and  their  people 
left  to  mourn  and  plot  new  schemes  of  vengeance. 

Other  tribes  suffered  by  these  national  animosities,  and  aban- 
doned   the    noted  theatres   of    war  for   more    peaceful   localities. 


22  hist6ry  of  winona  coxjnty. 

Thf  Winnebagoos,  according  to  their  traditions,  suffered  from 
tlie  incursions  of  both  nations  ;  and  at  the  time  of  the  first  visit 
of  the  French  at  Green  Bay  thej  were  found  there  and  on  Fox 
river,  living  in  amity  with  the  rice-eaters,  or  Min-o-min-nee,  and 
other  tribes  of  Algonquin  origin,  though  known  to  be  closely  re- 
lated to  the  almost  universal  enemy,  the  Sioux.  During  the  summer 
months  the  Indians  on  Fox  river  appeared  sedentary  in  their  habits, 
living  in  bark  houses  and  cultivating  Indian  corn  and  other  products 
of  Indian  agriculture,  or  gathering  the  wild  potatoes  and  wild  rice 
that  served  them  for  their  winter  stores  of  vegetable  food.  During 
seasons  of  scarcity  from  frosts,  or  fi-om  disaster,  edible  nuts  and 
acorns  were  secured  against  times  of  want ;  and  if  famine  came  upon 
them  in  their  extremity,  they  supported  life  by  feeding  upon  trie 
inner  bark  of  the  slippery  elm,  linden  and  white  pine.  Those  were 
happy  times  for  the  peaceful  tribes,  and  of  sorrow  for  those  in 
enmity  with  one  another. 


CHAPTEE  II. 


EXPLORATIONS. 


The  Minominnees,  Pottawattamies  and  the  Foxes  occupied  the 
water-courses  tributary  to  Green  Bay,  while  the  Winnebagoes  and 
the  kindred  tribes  of  lowas,  Missouris,  Osages,  Kansas,  Quajjaws, 
Ottoes,  Ponkas  and  Mandans,  possessed  the  country  south  and 
west,  bordering  upon  the  territory  of  the  Sauks,  the  Illanois  and  the 
Sioux.  This  territory  seems  to  have  been  visited  by  the  French  as 
early  as  1634,  and  in  1660  Father  Rene  Menard  went  on  a  mission 
to  Lake  Superior,  where  the  furs  of  that  region  and  of  Green  Bay 
had  ah'eady  begun  to  attract  adventurous  Frenchmen. 

Poor  zealous  Menard,  the  first  missionary,  never  returned  to 
civilization  ;  he  was  lost  in  the  wilds  of  a  Black  river  forest,  separated 
in  a  swamp  from  his  faithful  follower  and  assistant  Guerin,  and  all 
that  was  ever  known  of  his  fate  was  inferred  from  the  agony  of  his 
com])anion  and  the  priestly  robe  and  prayer-book  of  the  aged  pre- 
late found  years  aftei-ward  in  a  Da-ko-tah  lodge. 

In  1665  Father  Claude  Allouez,  with  but  six  French  voyageurs, 
but  with  a  lai-ge  number  of  savages,  embarked  from  Montreal  for 


ABORIGESTAL     HISTORY.  23 

Lake  Superior,  where  he  established  himself  for  a  time  at  a  place 
called  by  the  French  La  Pointe,  because  of  its  jutting  out  into  tlie 
beautiful  bay  of  Bayfield.  Here  at  once  was  erected  the  mission  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  good  offices  of  the  priest  tendered  to  the 
untutored  and  savage  tribes  of  that  vast  wilderness.  The  peaceful 
mission  of  Allouez  was  soon  known  among  the  warring  tribes,  and 
Sauks  and  Foxes,  Illani  and  other  distant  tribes,  sent  messengers  of 
peace  or  curiosity  to  the  "Black  Gown,"  and  he  was  admitted  to 
their  counsels.  In  turn,  "their  tales  of  the  noble  river  on  which 
they  dwelt,"  and  which  flowed  to  the  south,  "interested  Allouez, 
and  he  became  desirous  of  exploring  the  territory  of  his  proselytes." 
Then,  too,  at  the  very  extremity  of  the  lake,  the  missionary  met  the 
wild  and  impassioned  Sioux,  who  dwelt  to  the  west  of  Lake  Superior, 
in  a  land  of  prairie,  with  wild  rice  for  food,  and  skins  of  beasts  instead 
of  bark  for  roofs  to  their  cabins,  on  the  bank  of  the  Great  river,  of 
which  Allouez  reported  the  name  to  be  Mississippi.  To  Father 
Allouez  belongs  the  honor  of  liaving  first  given  this  name  to  the 
world.  In  speaking  of  the  Da-ko-tahs,  he  says  :  "These  people 
are,  above  all  others,  savage  and  warlike.  *  *  *  They  speak 
a  language  entirely  unknown  to  us,  and  the  savages  about  here  do 
not  understand  them." 

In  1669  the  zealous  Marquette  succeeded  to  the  mission  estab- 
lished by  Allouez,  and  his  writings  give  a  somewhat  florid  account 
of  Sioux  character.  He  says:  "The  Nadawessi  (the  Chippewa 
name  of  the  Sioux),  are  the  Iroquois  of  this  country  beyond  La 
Pointe,  but  less  faithless,  and  never  attack  until  attacked.  Their 
language  is  entirely  difierent  from  the  Huron  and  Algonquin ;  they 
have  many  villages,  but  are  widely  scattered  ;  they  have  very  extra- 
ordinary customs.  *  *  *  AH  the  lake  tribes  make  war  upon 
them,  but  with  small  success.  They  have  false  oats  (wild  rice),  use 
little  canoes,  and  keep  their  word  strictly. 

At  that  time  the  Dah-ko-tahs  used  knives,  spears  and  arrow- 
heads made  of  stone.  About  that  time,  one  band  of  Dah-ko-tahs 
were  allied  to  a  baud  of  Chippewas  by  intermarriage  and  commer- 
cial relations,  and  for  a  time  were  living  in  fi-iendly  relations  with  a 
band  of  Huron s,  who  had  fled  from  the  Iroquois  of  New  York. 
Lfostilities  breaking  out  between  these  people  and  the  Sioux,  they 
joined  the  people  of  their  tribe  at  La  Pointe. 

To  Nicholas  Perrot  is  due  the  honor  of  having  first  established 
a  trading  post  on  the  Mississippi  below  Lake  Pepin,  and  according 


24  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

to  Neil's  History  of  Minnesota,  Perrot  inspired  the  enterprise  of 
La  Salle,  who  sent  Louis  Hennepin  to  explore  the  Mississip})i. 
Hennepin  was  first  to  explore  the  river  above  the  mcnith  of  the  Wis- 
consin, the  first  to  name  and  describe  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony,  the 
first  to  present  an  engravinc;  of  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  and  it  may  be 
added,  the  first  to  translate  the  Winnebago  name  of  Trempealeau 
Mountain  into  French.  The  Winnebagoes  call  that  peculiar  mount- 
ain Haj-me-ah-chaw,  which  is  well  rendered  in  French  as  the  Soak- 
ing Mountain,  as  it  stands  isolated  from  its  fellow  peaks  entirely 
surrounded  by  water. 

Afler  reaching  the  Illinois  river,  La  Salle,  in  1680,  sent  Henne- 
pin on  his  voyage  of  discovery,  with  but  two  voyageur  assistants. 
After  reaching  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  river  he  commenced  the 
hazardous  ascent  of  the  "  Grreat  river,"  traversed  before  only  by 
-Joliette  and  Marciuette,  when  they  descended  from  the  Wisconsin. 
Hennepin  encountered  war-parties  of  Dah-ko-tahs,  and  was  taken 
a  prisoner  by  them  up  the  Mississippi  to  St.  Paul,  to  St.  Anthony's 
Falls,  and  to  Mille  Lac.  While  in  the  land  of  the  Sioux  he  met 
Du  Luth,  who  had  come  across  from  Lake  Superior. 

Du  Luth  obtained  the  release  of  Hennepin,  and  gave  him  much 
information  of  value.  Du  Luth  seems  to  have  been  the  real  dis- 
coverer of  Minnesota. 

Owing  to  the  war  inaugurated  against  the  English  by  Denon- 
%alle,  in  1687,  most  of  the  French  left  the  Mississippi,  and  concen- 
trated for  defense  under  Du  Luth  at  Green  Bay. 

In  16.88  Perrot  returned  to  his  trading-post  below  Lake  Pepin, 
and  the  year  following,  by  proclamation,  claimed  the  country  for 
France.  In  the  year  1695  Le  Seur  built  the  second  post  established 
in  Minnesota,  on  an  island  not  far  from  Red  Wing. 

During  this  3x\ar  Le  Seur  took  with  him  to  Canada  the  first 
Dah-ko-tah  known  to  have  visited  that  country.  The  Indian's  name 
was  Tee-os-kah-tay.  He  unfortunately  sickened  and  died  in  Mont- 
real. 

Le  Seur  hoped  to  open  the  mines  known  to  be  on  the  Mississippi, 
and  went  to  France  for  a  license.  The  license  to  work  them  was 
obtained,  but  Le  Seur  was  captured  by  the  English  and  taken  to 
England,  but  was  finally  i-eleased.  After  overcoming  great  and 
renewed  opposition,  and  making  one  more  trip  to  France,  he,  in 
1700,  commenced  his  search  for  copper,  which  was  said  to  be 
abundant  on  the  upj^r  Mississippi. 


EXPLORATIONS.  25 

Some  time  in  August  of  this  year  he  entered  Fever  or  Galena 
river,  whose  banks  were  known  to  the  Indians  to  contain  lead,  but 
Le  Seur  was  the  first  to  mention  the  existence  of  those  lead  mines. 
After  many  incidents  of  interest,  Le  Seur  reached  the  Blue  Earth 
river,  and  established  himself  in  a  fort  about  one  mile  below  the 
mineral  deposits,  from  which  the  Dah-ko-tahs  obtained  their  paint 
for  personal  adornment.  In  1701  Le  Seur  took  to  the  French  post, 
on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  a  large  quantity  of  this  mineral,  and  soon 
thereafter  sailed  for  France. 

At  this  time,  according  to  Le  Seur's  journal,  there  were  seven 
villages  of  the  Sioux  on  the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi,  and  nine  on 
the  west. 

The  Wah-pa-sha  band  was  anciently  known  as  the  Ona-i)e-ton  or 
falling  leaf  band,  and  their  village  of  Ke-ox-ah  was  upon  the 
prairie  now  occupied  by  the  city  of  Winona.  Keoxa  is  difficult  of 
translation,  but  it  may  be  rendered  as  "The  Homestead,"  because 
in  the  springtime  there  was  here  a  family  reunion  to  honor  the 
dead  and  invoke  their  blessings  upon  the  band. 

The  site  of  Winona  was  known  to  the  French  as  La  Prairie  Aux- 
Ailes  (pronounced  O'Zell)  or  the  Wing's  prairie,  presumably  because 
of  its  having  been  occupied  by  members  of  Red  Wing's  band.  The 
Americans  called  it  Wah-pa-sha's  prairie. 

Under  the  impression  that  it  drew  from  Canada  its  most  enter- 
prising colonists,  the  French  government  for  some  years  discour- 
aged French  settlements  among  the  Indians  west  of  Mackanaw  ;  but 
very  soon  the  policy  of  the  English  in  estranging  the  Foxes  and 
other  tribes  from  the  French,  compelled  a  renewal  of  the  licenses 
that  had  been  canceled  by  the  French  authorities. 

4l^he  Foxes  had  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  upon  the  French 
fort  at  Detroit  (known  as  Wah-way-oo-tay-nong,  or  the  Wy-an-dotte 
fort),  and  smarting  under  defeat  they  made  an  alliance  with  their 
old  enemies  the  Dah-ko-tahs.  This  alliance  and  the  enmity  of  the 
Foxes  made  it  unsafe  for  the  French  to  visit  the  Mississippi  by  way 
of  Fox  and  Wisconsin  rivers,  and  for  some  , years  the  Sauks  and 
Foxes  scalped  the  French  traders,,  and  waged  war  against  their 
Indian  allies.  The  Foxes  were  finally  overcome  by  the  French  in 
1714,  and,  capitulating,  they  gave  six  hostages  as  security  for  a 
peaceful  treaty  to  be  agreed  upon  in  Montreal.  Pemoussa,  their 
greatest  warrior,  and  others  sent  as  hostages,  died  there  of  small- 
pox.    One  who  had  recovered  with  the  loss  of  an  eye  was  sent  to 


2(>  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Mackaiiaw  to  treat,  but  he  escaped  and  again  stirred  up  the  Indians 
to  revolt. 

The  Chick-a-saws  in  the  south  and  Dah-ko-tahs  in  the  north 
made  the  country  exceedingly  dangerous  to  the  French.  They  now 
became  assured  that  the  English  were  undermining  their  influence 
with  the  Indians,  for  in  a  dispatch  written  about  1726  it  is  stated 
that  the  English  "entertain  constantly  the  idea  of  becoming  7nasters 
of  North  America.'''  Licenses  to  traders  were  once  more  abundantly 
issued,  and  the  prohibition  against  the  sale  of  liquors  that  had  been 
'established  by  the  influence  of  the  pious  missionaries  was  removed. 
In  1718  Capt.  St.  Pierre  was  sent  with  a  small  force  to  reoccujiy 
La  Pointe,  now  Bayfleld.  The  Indians  there  and  at  Kee-wee-naw 
had  threatened  war  against  the  Foxes.  During  this  year  peace  was 
established  at  Green  Bay  with  the  Sauks  and  Foxes  and  Winne- 
bagoes,  who  had  taken  part  against  the  French.  An  endeavor  was 
now  made  to  detach  the  Dah-ko-tahs  from  friendly  alliances  with  the 
Foxes,  and  to  secure  a  treaty  of  peace  between  the  Chippewas  and 
Dah-ko-tahs,  with  a  promise  of  renewed  trade  with  them  if  they 
remained  at  peace.  To  accomplish  this  purpose,  two  Frenchmen  were 
sent  to  the  Dah-ko-tahs,  but  it  would  appear  were  not  entirely  suc- 
cessful, and  wintered  among  the  Menominee  and  Winnebago  Indians 
on  Black  river.  In  order  to  obtain  a  strategic  point  it  was  resolved 
by  the  French  to  build  a  fort  in  the  Sioux  country.  On  June  16, 
1727,  the  expedition  left  Montreal,  accompanied  by  missionaries  and 
traders,  and  on  September  17  of  the  same  year  reached  their  desti- 
nation on  Lake  Pepin.  A  stockade  was  soon  built  on  the  north  side 
near  Maiden  Rock  that  inclosed  buildings  for  troops,  missionaries 
and  traders.  The  fort  was  named  "Beauharnois,"  in  honor  of  the 
governor  of  Canada,  and  the  mission  named  "  St.  Michae^phe 
Archangel. ''  The  commander  of  this  fort  was  De  la  Perriere  Boucher, 
noted  for  his  savage  brutality  and  bigotry.  This  fort  was  overflowed 
in  1728  and  its  site  abandoned.  According  to  Sioux  tradition,  tlie 
prairie  on  which  Winona  is  now  situated  was  also  overflowed  at  that 
time.  During  this  j'ear  a  large  force  of  French  and  Indians  left 
Canada  with  the  intention  of  destroying  the  Sauks  and  Foxes.  On 
August  17  they  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  Fox  river.  Before  the 
dawn  of  day  an  attempt  was  inade  to  surprise  the  Sauk  village,  but 
they  escaped,  leaving  only  four  of  their  people  to  reward  the  French 
for  their  midnight  vigils.  A  few  days  later  the  French  ascended  the 
rapid  stream  to  a  Winnebago  village,  but  it  also  was  deserted;  still 


EXPLORATIONS. 


27 


pursuing  their  search,  on  the  twenty-fifth  they  came  to  a  large  Fox 
village,  but  that  too  was  abandoned.  Orders  were  now  given  to 
advance  the  command  to  the  grand  portage  of  the  Wisconsin  river; 
but  thig  move  was  as  fruitless  as  those  which  had  preceded  it,  and 
the  expedition  returned  to  Green  Bay  without  results.  The  Foxes 
retired  to  Iowa,  and,  establishing  still  closer  relations  with  the  lowas 
and  Sioux,  were  allotted  hunting-grounds  to  which  have  been  at- 
tached some  of  their  names.  The  Kick-ah-poos  and  Masco-tens  were 
allies  of  the  Foxes  and  their  conge7iers^  the  Sauks,  and  took  part 
with  them  against  the  French. 

In  1736  St.  Pierre  was  in  command  at  Lake  Pepin  and  regarded 
the  Sioux  as  friendly,  but  they  still  remained  objects  of  suspicion  to 
the  French  Canadian  government,  as  some  of  them  had  attacked  an 
expedition  under  Yeranderie,  undertaken  at  that  early  period  to  open 
a  route  to  the  Pacific. 

In  1741  the  Foxes  killed  some  Frenchmen  in  the  territory  of  the 
Illinois,  and  this  so  aroused  the  authorities  in  Canada  that  they 
determined,  if  possible,  to  overthrow  and  completely  subdue  the 
Foxes.  The  officer  selected  for  this  purpose  was  the  Sieur  Moran 
or  Marin,  who  had  once  been  in  command  at  Fort  St.  Nicholas  near 
Prairie  du  Chien.  With  the  cunning  of  a  savage,  Marin  placed  his 
men  in  canoes  under  cover,  as  if  they  were  merchandise,  and  when 
ordered  by  the  Foxes  opposite  or  near  the  Butte  des  Morts  to  land  and 
pay  the  usual  tribute  exacted  from  all  traders  passing  their  village, 
lie  opened  fire  upon  the  assembled  multitude  and  killed  indiscrimi- 
nately men,  women  and  children.  Marin  had  anticipated  the  Foxes' 
consternation  and  flight,  and  before  reaching  the  village  had  sent  a 
detachment  of  his  force  to  cut  them  off.  There  was  great  slaughter 
and  but  a  remnant  of  the  village  escaped.  These  people  were  again 
surprised  by  Marin  and  his  forces  on  snowshoes  in  their  winter 
encampment  on  the  Wisconsin,  and  were  utterly  destroyed. 

The  Dah-ko-tahs  had  during  this  period  been  at  war  with  the 
Chippewas,  but  in  1746  were  induced  by  the  French  to  make  peace. 
Many  of  the  French  voyageurs,  and  in  some  few  instances  French  offi- 
cers even,  had  taken  wives,  after  the  Indian  method  of  marriage,  from 
among  the  Dah-ko-tahs  and  other  tribes,  and  by  this  means  their  in- 
fluence was  still  great  among  their  Indian  followers.  Yet,  English 
influence  had  commenced  its  work,  and  soon  after  this  period  French 
power  seems  to  have  begun  to  wane.  The  French,  however,  still 
continued  to  make  a  struggle  for  existence,  if  not  supremacy. 


28  EIISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

The  t'hippewas  of  Lake  Superior  showed  a  dis))osition  to  aid  the 
Englisli,  and  committed  a  robbery  at  the  Sault  St.  Marie  ;  "  even  the 
commanchmt  at  Mackanaw  was  exposed  to  insolence."  St.  Pierre 
was  sent  to  the  scene  of  disorder.  His  judgment  and  courage  was 
undoubted.  St.  Pierre  seized  three  murderers  and  advised  that 
no  French  traders  should  come  among  the  Chippewas.  While  the 
Indians,  secured  by  the  boldness  of  St.  Pierre,  were  on  their  way  to 
Quebec  under  a  guard  of  eight  French  soldiers,  by  great  cunning  and 
daring  they  managed  to  kill  or  drown  their  guard,  and  though 
manacled  at  the  time,  they  escaped,  severing  their  irons  with  an  axe-. 
"Thus  was  lost  in  a  great  measure  the  fruit  of  Sieur  St.  Pierre's 
good  management,  "as  wrote  Galassoniere  in  1741>. 

Affairs  continued  in  a  disturbed  state,  and  Canada  finally  became 
involved  in  the  war  with  New  York  and  the  New  England  colonies. 
In  the  West,  affairs  were  for  some  time  in  doubt,  but  the  influence 
of  the  Sieur  Marin  became  most  powerful,  and  in  1753  he  was  able 
to  restore  tranquillity  between  the  French,  and  Indian  chiefs  assem- 
bled at  Green  Bay. 


CHAPTEK  III. 


AMONG  THE   INDIANS. 


As  the  war  between  the  colonies  became  more  desperate,  the 
French  officers  of  experience  and  distinction  were  called  from  the 
AVest  to  aid  the  Eastern  struggle.  Legardeur  de  St.  Pierre  in  1755  fell 
in  the  battle  upon  Lake  Champlain,  and  Marin,  Langlade,  and  others 
from  the  West,  distinguished  themselves  as  heroes.  After  the  fall  of 
Quebec  the  Indians  of  the  Northwest  readily  transferred  their  alle- 
giance to  the  British.  In  1761  the  English  took  possession  of  Green 
Bay,  and  trade  was  once  more  opened  with  the  Indians.  A  French 
trader  named  Penneshaw  was  sent  b^^  the  English  into  the  country 
fo  the  Dah-ko-tahs,  and  in  March,  1763,  twelve  Dahkotah  warriors 
arrived  at  Green  Bay,  and  offered  the  English  the  friendship  of  their 
nation.  They  told  the  English  commandant  that  if  any  Indians 
obstructed  the  passage  of  traders  to  their  country,  to  send  them  a 
belt  of  Wampum  as  a  sign,  and  "they  would  come  and  cut  them  off, 
as  all  Indians  were  their  slaves  or  dogs."  After  this  talk  they  pro- 
duced a  letter  from  Penneshaw,  explaining  the  object  of  their  visit. 


AMONG    THE    mDIANS.  29 

In  June  Penneshaw  himself  arrived  with  most  welcome  news  from 
the  land  of  the  Dah-ko-tahs,  bringing  with  him  for  the  commander 
ot  the  post  a  pipe  of  peace,  and  a  request  that  English  traders  be 
sent  to  trade  with  the  Sioux  ot  the  Mississippi. 

A  tradition  still  exists  among  the  Sioux  that  the  elder  Wah-pa- 
sha,  or,  as  we  might  say,  Wah-pa-sha  the  First,  was  one  of  the 
twelve  Da-ko-tahs  who  visited  Green  Bay.  Notwithstanding  the 
English  had  conquered  all  the  vast  territory  between  the  lakes  and 
the  Mississippi,  and  had  the  proffered  friendship  of  the  Sioux 
to  strengthen  their  influence  with  all  the  other  Indian  tribes, 
the  lines  of  trade  between  the  territory  of  Louisiana  and  the 
newly  acquired  territory  of  the  English  were  not  closely  drawn,  and 
French  influence  was  sufficiently  potent  to  send  most  of  the  furs  and 
peltries  to  their  post  at  New  Orleans.  The  cause  of  Indian  prefer- 
ence for  the  French  may  be  found  in  the  latter's  gaiety  of  character, 
and  their  ability  to  conform  to  the  circumstances  that  may  surround 
them.  The  Canadian  voyageurs  and. woodmen  displayed  a  fondness 
for  high  colored  sashes  and  moccasins  that  was  pleasing  to  the  bar- 
baric tastes  of  the  Indian  women,  and  many  of  them,  joining  their 
fortunes  and  their  honors  with  those  of  the  French,  raised  children 
that  were  taught  to  reverence  and  obey  them. 

In  addition  to  the  influences  extended  by  these  ties  of  blood, 
the  kindness  and  devotion  to  their  religious  faith  exhibited  by  the 
(Jatholic  missionaries  won  upon  the  imaginations  of  the  Indians, 
and  many  were  won  over  to  a  profession  of  their  faith.  The  tribes 
which  came  under  their  influences  looked  upon  the  priests  as  verita- 
ble messengers  from  God,  and  called  them  the  "good  spirits,"  be- 
lieving that  they  were  the  mediums  only  of  '*  good  spirits." 

All  Indians  are  spiritists,  believing  implicitly  that  the  spirits  of 
departed  human  beings  take  an  interest  in  mundane  aftairs. 

The  English,  in  contrast  with  French  management,  had  a  bluft' 
and  arbitrary  way  of  dealing,  that,  however  successful  it  may  have 
been  with  eastern  tribes,  was  for  a  time  very  distasteful  to  the  Sioux. 
However,  the  English  learned  something  in  due  time  by  contact 
with  these  Indians,  and  from  French  politeness ;  but  some  years 
were  required  before  their  success  with  the  Sioux  was  established. 

For  some  years  the  trade  seems  to  have  been  abandoned  west  of 
Mackanaw,  to  the  French.  In  the  year  1766  Jonathan  Carver,  a 
native  of  Connecticut,  visited  the  upper  Mississippi,  and  his  reports 


30  JIISTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

coneei'iiing  the  beauty,  fertility  and  resources  of  Minnesota  aroused 
some  attention  to  the  vahie  of  these  new  possessions. 

Carver  was  a  man  of  keen  observation  and  discernment,  and 
some  of  his  predictions  regarding  the  "new  northwest,"  tliough 
scoffed  at  by  some  at  that  time,  proved  almost  prophetic.  Carver 
died  in  England  in  1780.  Alter  his  death,  a  claim  was  set  up  to  a 
large  tract  of  land  said  to  have  been  given  him  by  the  Sioux,  and 
since  known  as  the  ' '  Carver  tract. " 

The  claim  was  investigated  after  the  territory  came  into  the  pos- 
session of  the  United  States,  but  it  was  found  to  be  untenable. 

Carver  found  the  Sioux  and  Chippewas  at  war  when  he  arrived 
among  them,  and  was  told  that  "war  had  existed  among  them  for 
forty  years."  Chippewa  and  Sioux  tradition  both  make  the  time 
much  longer.  It  was  supposed  by  the  English  that  the  policy  of 
the  French  traders  fostered  war  between  the  Sioux  and  Chi])pe\va 
nations.  Wliether  this  be  true  or  not,  it  is  certain  that  French  in- 
fluence continued  paraniount  in  the  country  for  some  years,  but  as 
the  French  that  remained  after  the  ti-ansfer  of  the  country  to  the 
English  were  inferior  in  intelligence  to  those  in  authority  while 
the  French  held  possession,  we  are  principally  dependant  upon 
Indian  and  mixed  blood  tradition  for  what  occurred  in  this  vast 
territory  until  after  the  revolution.  , 

Tradition  tells  us  that  an  Englishman,  located  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Min-ne-so-ta  river,  was  killed  while  smoking  his  pipe,  by  an 
Indian  named  Ix-ka-ta-])e.  He  was  of  the  M'de-wa-kan-ton-wan 
band  of  Dah-ko-tahs. 

As  a  result  of  this  unprovoked  murder,  no  other  trader  would 
visit  this  band,  which  had  already  been  divided  by  dissensions,  and 
been  driven  by  the  Chippewas  from  territory  formerly  occupied  east 
of  the  Mississi})pi. 

In  earlier  times  this  decision  of  the  traders  would  have  been 
disregarded,  but  then  it  was  of  vital  importance  to  their  well-being 
if  not  their  existence  ;  for  they  had  learned  to  depend  ujion  guns 
instead  of  bows  and  arrows,  and  therefore  suffered  for  want  of  am- 
munition and  other  supplies,  and  were  at  the  mei-cy  of  their  well- 
armed  enemies.  After  a  grand  council  it  was  determined  to  give 
up  the  murderer  to  English  Justice. 

Accordingly  a  large  party  of  Sioux,  with  their  wives  and  the 
murderer,  started  for  Quebec.  In  order  to  avoid  their  enemies  the 
Chippewas,  they  took  the  usual  canoe  route  by  the  Wiscoi)sin  and 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS.  81 

Fox  rivers  to  Green  Bay.  While  on  this  journey,  the  ridicule  of 
other  tribes  and  their  own  dissensions  caused  a  desertion  of  over 
half  of  their  number,  and  upon  their  arrival  at  Green  Bay,  but  six, 
of  whom  some  were  women,  persevered  in  their  intention  to  go  on. 
When  about  to  start,  the  murderer  also  disappeared  ingloriously. 
The  leader  of  the  little  band  of  six,  then  called  Wa-pa  "The  Leaf," 
told  his  followers  that  he  himself  would  go  as  an  offering  to  the 
British  commander,  and  if  required,  would  give  up  his  life  that  his 
people  might  not  be  destroyed.  On  arriving  at  Quebec,  his  motive 
and  heroism  were  both  appreciated  by  the  English  governor,  and 
the  chief  was  sent  back  to  his  prairie  home,  loaded  with  abundant 
supplies  of  the  coveted  ammunition  and  Indian  trinkets  ;  and  as 
evidence  of  his  gratitude  demanded  a  British  flag  to  wave  over  his 
territory.  A  gaudy  uniform,  which  included  a  red  cap,  common 
enough  in  early  days,  was- also  given  "The  Leaf,"  or  as  Grignon 
calls  him,  the  "Fallen  Leaf,"  and  as  he  represented  the  Da^-ko-tas 
as  a  nation  of  seven  principal  bands,  he  was  given  seven  medals  for 
tlie  respective  bands,  the  one  for  himself  being  hung  by  a  tassel 
cord  upon  his  neck  by  the  English  commander  at  Quebec  in  person. 
This  noble  band  of  Spartan  Sioux  wintered  in  Canada  and  had 
sraall-pox,  though  in  a  mild  form,  and  when  the  navigation  of  the 
great  lakes  was  fully  opened  in  the  spring  they  safely  returned  to 
their  tribe. 

Before  reaching  their  village,  which  ha^  been  again  divided 
during  their  absence,  they  dressed  themselves  in  their  finest  apparel, 
and  marching  in  Indian  file  at  the  head  of  his  devoted  companions, 
the  chief  entered  his  village  with  red  cap  and  flag  conspicuously 
displayed. 

The  chief  was  hailed,  after  Indian  custom  as  Wah-pa-ha-sha,  or 
' '  Red  Cap, "  which,  by  abbreviation  soon  became  Wa-pa-sha. 

Wapasha's  successful  return  and  denunciation  of  the  cowardly 
desertion  by  his  comrades,*  created  another  division,  which  was 
made  permanent  by  his  leaving  "Red  Wing's  "  band  and  removing 
to  the  present  site  of  Minnesota  City,  known  to  the  Wah-pa-sha 
band  as  0-ton-we,  "the •village,''  probably  because  of  its  having 
been  a  very  ancient  dwelling  and  burial  place  of  Indians. 

There,  at  Gilmore  and  Burn's  valleys,  they  had  th^r  cornfields 
and  summer  residences.  The  band  also  had  a  village  near  Trempea- 
leau mountain  and  at  Root  river.  At  times,  when  not  occupied 
with  field  work,  they  assembled  upon  the  site  of  Winona  (known  as 


32  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTV. 

Keoxa)  and  La  (^rosse,  lield  their  sun  and  otlier  religious  dances, 
})layed  their  games  of  "  La  Crosse,"  or  we]>t  over  the  remains  of 
their  dead.  Nostrils  and  sight  both  reminded  them  of  this  sacred 
duty,  as  the  dead  of  tlieir  l)and  were  phiced  upon  scaffohls,  and  left  to 
fester  and  bleach  in  the  open  air  until  whitened  by  time.  The  bones 
and  burial  garments  were  buried  in  some  secluded  spot,  or  placed 
under  stones  in  some  ancient  ossuary.  This  custom  was  soon 
abandoned,  and  in  later  years  their  dead  were  at  once  buried. 
Wa-pa-sha  was  very  proud  of  ^lis  success  with  the  English,  and 
during  one  of  his  visits  to  Mackanaw,  stipulated  that  when  visiting 
English  forts,  the  British  commanders  should  salute  him  and  his 
staff  with  solid  shot,  alined  a  little  high. 

For  much  of  the  foregoing  tradition,  and  very  much  more  of 
like  character,  the  writer  is  indebted  to  Thomas  Le  Blanc,  born  in 
1824,  son  of  Louis  Provosal,  or  Louis  Provencalle,  an  old  French 
trader,  whose  post  was  at  or  near  the  site  of  Pennesha's,  on  tlie 
Minnesota  river,  at  Traverse  des  Sioux,  and  where,  for  a  time,  in 
ancient  days,  some  of  Wa-pa-sha's  people  were  encamped.  Thomas 
was  related  to  Wah-pa-sha,  to  the  Grignons  and  to  Faribault,  and 
was  well  versed  in  Indian  and  French  traditions.  lie  spoke  French, 
English  and  Dah-ko-tah  about  equally  well,  and  during  the  four 
months  employed  by  the  writer  he  was  found  singularly  intelligent 
and  truthful. 

The  first  Wah-pah-sha  was  grandfather  to  the  one  removed  from 
his  Winona  village  by  treaty  in  1851-3.  His  memory  is  still  held 
in  great  reverence  by  his  descendants  and  the  whole  Sioux  nation. 
His  deeds  of  prowess  and  of  benevolence  are  still  preserved  in  tra- 
ditions and  songs  that  are  sung  by  medicine-men  or  priests  to  the 
young  of  the  ti'ibe ;  and  even  the  Winnebago  members  of  the 
Wah-pa-sha  family  have  learned  to  sing  them. 

As  a  s]>ecimen  of  these  rude  verses,  compelled  into  rhyme,  the 
following  song  is  given  :  -  • 

SONG  OY  THE  DAH-K(3-TAIIS. 

Wah-pa-sha !  Wali-pa-slia  !  jiood  and  great  brave, 
You  rode  into  battle,  made  enemies  slaves; 
Your  war-chief  was  strong  in  sjnrit  and  frame, 
An4  many  the  s('ali)S  he  hung  on  his  chain. 

Your  "  lied  Caj)"  was  kudwn  in  the  East  and  the  West ; 
You  honored  the  English,  and  hoi)ed  to  be  blessed  ; 
You  clothed  your  red  children  in  scarlet  and  blue; 
You  ever  were  kind,  devoted  and  true. 


AMONG    THE    INDIANS.  Hb 

The  skins  of  your  Te-pee  were  brought  from  the  plains ; 
Your  moccasins  dressed  with  C^hippewa  brains,* 
Your  war-whoop  saluted  bj'  British  real  shot,t 
Gave  peacefullest  token  they  harmed  you  not. 

Then  rest  thee,  brave  chieftain,  our  night  has  come  on, 
The  light  has  departed  from  all  thou  hadst  won ; 
Thy  people  lie  scattered  on  hillside  and  plain  ; 
Thy  corn-lields,  thy  prairie,  we  cannot  regain. 

Notwithstanding  the  esteem  in  which  his  memory  is  now  held, 
during  his  lifetime  Wah-pa-sha  became  the  subject  of  dissensions  in 
his  tribe,  and  leaving  the  cares  of  chieftainship  principally  to  his 
son,  he  roamed  at  will  with  a  small  band  of  devoted  followers  of 
his  own  tribe,  and  a  few  Win-ne-bagoes,  one  of  whom  had  married 
his  sister  Winona,  and  whose  daughter  Winona,  called  the  sister 
of  the  last  Wah-pa-sha  (though  but  a  cousin),  played  so  important 
a  part  in  the  removal  of  the  Winnebagoes  in  1848.  Old  Wah-pa- 
sha  finally  died  at  a  favorite  winter  encampment  on  Root  river,  and 
was  taken  to  Prairie  du  Chien  for  burial.  When  news  reached  the' 
Mississippi,  in  1780,  that  Col.  George  R.  Clark,  of  Virginia,  was 
in  possession  of  Illinois,  and  was  likely  to  take  possession  of  Prairie 
du  Chien,  a  lieutenant  of  militia,  twenty  Canadians  and  thirty-six 
Fox  and  Dah-ko-tah  Indians  were  sent  with  nine  bark  canoes  to 
secure  the  furs  collected  at  that  post.  Wah-pa-sha  was  in  command 
of  the  Indians. 

The  canoes  were  filled  with  the  best  furs,  and  sent  by  Capt. 
Langlade,  who  had  chai'ge  of  them,  out  of  danger  from  capture,  and 
a  few  days  afterward  the  Americans  arrived  with  the  intention  of 
attacking  the  post.  During  this  year,  also,  a  squaw  discovered  a 
lead  mine  near  the  present  site  of  Dubuque.  During  1783-4  the 
Northwestern  Companj^  was  organized,  but  some  of  the  members 
becoming  dissatisfied,  an  opposition  company  was  formed  by  Alex- 
ander McKenzie  and  others.  After  a  sharp  rivalry  for  some  time 
the  two  companies  were  consolidated. 

In  1798  there  was  a  reorganization  of  the  company,  new  part- 
ners admitted,  and  the  shares  increased.  The  new  management 
was  thoroughly  systematized,  and  their  operations  made  very  profit- 
able. 

*The  brains  of  animnls  are  used  in  dressing  deer  skins. 
t  A  stipulation  at  Mackinaw,  required  a  salute  to  Wah-pa-sha  of  solid  shot 
when  he  visited  that  fort. 


3()  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

In  about  the  year  1785  Julien  Dubuque,  who  had  settled  at 
"La  Prairie  du  Chien,"  and  had  heard  of  the  discovery  by  a  Fox 
squaw  of  a  lead  vein  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi,  obtained 
permission  at  a  council  to  work  those  mines,  and  he  established  him- 
self upon  the  site  of  the  city  that  bears  his  name. 

Dubuque  was  the  confrere  of  De  Marin,  Provosal,  Poquette  and 
others  who  have  prominently  figured  in  the  fur  trade  of  that  period. 
The  princi})al  traders,  however,  were  Dickson,  Frazer,  Renville  and 
Grignon.  James  Porlier,  an  educated  French  Canadian,  was  acting 
as  clerk  for  Grignon,  on  the  St.  Croix,  at  this  time,  together  with 
the  pompous  and  eccentric  Judge  Reaume,  afterward  so  noted  at 
Green  Bay. 

Porlier,  while  with  Dickson  at  Sauk  Rapids,  gave  Pike  useful 
information  during  his  visit  to  the  upper  Mississippi  in  1805,  and 
afterward,  moving  to  Green  Bay,  acted  as  chief-justice  of  Brown 
county  for  sixteen  years.  The  treaty  of  1783  failed  to  restore  good 
feeling  between  England  and  the  United  States,  as  the  British  posts 
were  not  at  once  surrendered,  and  this  fact  served  to  keep  the 
Indians  hostile. 

The  English  pretended  not  to  have  authority  to  give  up  posts  on 
Indian  territory.  This  excuse  was  set  up  in  the  interest  of  the  En- 
glish fur  traders,  but  it  was  finally  agreed  by  the  treaty  efiected  by 
Mr.  Jay  that  Great  Britain  should  withdraw  her  troops  by  June  1, 
1796,  from  all  posts  within  the  boundaries  assigned  by  the  treaty, 
and  that  British  settlers  and  traders  might  remain  for  one  year  with 
all  their  former  })rivileges,  without  becoming  citizens  of  the  United 
States.  The  Northwest  Company  seized  upon  this  opportunity  to 
establish  posts  all  over  Minnesota.  They  paid  no  duties,  raised  the 
British  flag  in  many  instances  over  their  posts,  and  gave  chiefs 
medals  with  English  ensignia  upon  them.  By  these  means  they 
impressed  the  savages  with  the  idea  that  their  power  still  remained 
6U])reme,  and  this  impression  was  a  fruitful  source  of  annoyance, 
and  even  danger,  to  Americans,  for  years  afterward.  In  May, 
1800,  the  Northwestern  territory  was  divided. 

In  December,  1803,  the  province  of  Louisiana  was  officially 
delivered  by  the  French  to  the  United  States  government,  and  in 
March,  1804,  Cai)t.  Stoddard,  U.S.A.,  as  agent  of  the  French  govern- 
metit,  received  troni  the  Spanish  authorities  in  St.  Louis  actual 
possession  of  this  important  territory,  transferring  it  very  soon  there- 
after to  the  United  States, 


AMONG    THE    INTHANS.  37 

It  was  now  deemed  expedient  that  this  valuable  territory,  so  • 
recently  purchased,  should  be  fully  explored,  and  the  Indians  be 
made  to  acknowledge  the  full  sovereignty  of  the  Federal  govern- 
ment. Upper  Louisiana,  including  a  large  part  of  Minnesota,  was 
organized  immediately  after  the  transfer,  and  on  January  11,  1805, 
Michigan  territory  was  also  organized.  Gen.  Wilkinson,  placed  in 
command  at  St.  Louis,  finding  that  the  laws  of  his  government  were 
still  unrecognized  b}^  the  English  traders  in  the  new  territory,  in 
1805  sent  Lieut.  Zebulon  M.  Pike  to  expel  the  traders  and  bring 
some  of  the  prominent  Indian  chiefs  to  St.  Louis.  Pike  was  cour- 
teously received  and  hospitably  entertained  by  the  wily  Scotch  and 
English  traders  of  that  period,  but  they  secretly  resolved  to  dis- 
regard and  circumvent  the  policy  of  the  United  States  government 
in  its  proposed  management  of  the  Indians. 

Pike  visited  the  different  tribes  along  the  Mississippi  as  far  up 
as  Sandy  and  Leech  lakes,  and  made  a  treaty  with  the  Dah-ko-tahs 
for  sites  for  forts  at  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Croix  and  Minnesota 
rivers. 

Wintering  in  the  country  of  the  Chippewas,  he  was  enabled  to 
induce  them  and  tjie  Sioux  to  smoke  the  pipe  of  peace,  and  in  the 
early  springtime  started  with  representatives  of  both  nations  for 
St.  Louis  to  conclude  articles  of  friendship  and  commerce  intended 
for  the  benefit  of  these  hostile  races. 

Upon  the  "Aile  Rouge,"  or  "Red  Wing,"  hearing  of  a  secret 
attempt  to  shoot  Lieut.  Pike  by  a  3'Oung  Sioux,  he  spoke  with 
vehemence  against  the  character  of  some  encamped  at  the  month  of 
the  Minnesota  river,  and  offered  to  bring  the  would-be  assassin  to 
Pike  for  punishment.  Pike  found  at  the  Red  Wing  village  an  old 
chief  known  as  Roman  Nose,  and  who  had  been  the  second  chief  of  his 
tribe,  desirous  of  giving  himself  up  for  some  instrumentality  in  the 
death  of  a  trader.  Tlie  Indian  name  of  the  chief  was  not  given, 
but  it  was  said  he  had  been  deposed  in  consequence  of  the  murder 
of  tlie  trader.  Pike  thought  it  impolitic  to  tell  the  penitent  chief 
that  the  matter  was  beyond  his  jurisdiction. 

On  his  way  down  the  river  Pike  speaks  of  Winona  prairie  by' 
its  French  name  of  "Aile"  or  "Wing"  prairie,  and  of  Wah-pa- 
shas  encampment  below  La  Ci'osse,  probably  at  mouth  of  Root 
river.  He  also  gives  Wah-pa-sha  his  French  name  of  La  Feuille, 
"The  Leaf"  La  Crosse  he  calls  De  Cross,  but  when  speaking  of 
the  game  played  at  Prairie  du  Chien  by  Sioux,  Fox  and  Winnebago 


;{.S  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

contestancs,  lie  calls  that  "a  great  game  of  the  cross,"  showing 
clearly  that  he  did  not  know  the  French  origin  of  the  name.  While 
at  Prairie  dii  ('hien,  Wah-pa-sha  sent  for  Lieut.  Pike,  "and  had  a 
long  and  interesting  conversation  with  him,  in  which  he  spoke  of 
the  general  jealousy  of  his  nation  toward  their  chiefs,"  and  wished 
the  "'■Nez  Corbeau,"  as  the  French  called  the  "Roman  Nose," 
reinstated  in  his  rank  as  "the  man  of  most  sense  in  his  nation." 
This  conversation  shows  another  noble  trait  in  the  character  of  Wah- 
pa-sha. 

Before  leaving  Prairie  du  Chien  for  St.  Louis,  Pike  established 
regulations  for  the  government  of  the  Indian  trade,  but  his  disap- 
pearance from  "La  Prairie"  was  the  signal  for  Cameron,  Rolette, 
Dickson  and  their  subordinates  to  disregard  them.  Cameron  and 
Dickson  were  both  bold  Scotch  traders,  who  seem  to  have  disre- 
garded all  regulations  and  laws,  except  those  of  hospitality  and 
humanity.  Cameron  died  in  1811,  and  was  buried  on  the  Minnesota 
river.  Dickson  lived  to  take  an  active  part  in  the  war  of  1812,  and 
have  few  but  his  ill  deeds  spoken  of  in  history. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


TROUBLES   WITH  THE   INDIANS. 


In  1807  it  was  becoming  evident  that  the  various  Indian  tribes  in 
the  Northwest  were  forming  a  hostile  league  against  the  United 
States  government.  In  1809,  a  Nicholas  Jarrot  made  affidavit 
that  English  traders  were  suj^plying  [ndians  for  hostile  purposes. 
Indian  runners  and  envoys  from  the  "Prophet"  were  visiting  the 
(/hippewas,  while  Dickson,  who  was  the  principal  trader  in  Minne- 
sota, held  the  Indians  along  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi  subject  to 
his  will. 

Gov.  Edwards,  of  Illinois,  reported  to  the  secretary  of  war  that 
*'Tlie  oi)inion  of  Dickson,  the  celebrated  British  trader,  is  that,  in 
the  event  oi  a  war  with  (xreat  Britain,  all  the  Indians  will  be 
opposed  to  us,  and  he  hopes  to  engage  them  in  hostility  by  making 
peace  between  the  Sioux  and  Chippeways,  and  in  having  them  declare 
war  against  us."  A  principal  cause  of  the  great  influence  of  Dick, 
son  was  his  alliance  by  marriage  with  the  noted  Dah-ko-tah  chief 
"Red  Thunder,"  whose  sister  he  had  taken  as  his  wife. 


TKOUBLES    WITH    THE    INDIANS.  39 

In  May,  1812,  two  Indian  couriers  were  arrested  in  Chicago, 
supposed  to  have  letters  for  Dickson.  The  Indians  had  anticipated 
twrest,  or  else,  for  greater  security,  had  buried  their  letters  until 
they  should  resume  their  journey,  and  nothing  being  found  upon 
their  persons  they  were  released.  A  Mr.  Frazer  was  present  when 
the  letters  were  tinally  delivered  to  Dickson,  who  was  then  at  "the 
Portage  "  in  Wisconsin,  and  said  the  letters  conveyed  the  intelli- 
gence that  the  British  flag  would  soon  be  flying  upon  the  fort  at 
Mackanaw. 

During  this  period,  Cadotte,  Deace  and  others  were  collecting 
the  Chippewas  of  northeastern  Minnesota  on  Lake  Superior,  and  at 
Green  Bay.  Black  Hawk  was  given  command  of  the  Indian  forces  to 
be  assembled.  Dickson  gave  him  a  certificate  of  authority,  a  medal 
and  a  British  flag.  Before  it  was  known  that  war  had  been  declared, 
the  American  commandant  at  Mackanaw  was  surprised  by  the  land- 
ing of  British  troops  and  traders,  and  a  demand  for  the  surrender 
of  the  garrison. 

With  the  British  army  came  well  known  traders,  prepared  with 
goods  to  trade  under  the  British  flag. 

An  American,  taken  prisoner  at  the  time,  wrote  to  the  Secretary 
of  War :  "  The  persons  who  commanded  the  Indians  are  Robert 
Dickson,  Indian  trader  ;  John  Askin,  Jr.,  Indian  agent,  and  his 
son,"  both  of  whom  were  painted  and  dressed  in  savage  costume. 
Neill  says  :  "The  next  year  (1813)  Dickson,  Renville,  and  other  fur 
traders,  are  present  with  the  Kaposia,  Wah-pa-sha,  and  other  bands 
of  Dah-ko-tahs,  at  the  siege  of  Fort  Meigs." 

While  Renville  was  seated,  one  afternoon,  with  Wah-pa-sha  and 
the  then  chief  of  the  Kaposia  band,  a  deputation  came  to  invite 
them  to  meet  the  other  allied  Indians,  with  which  the  chief  complied. 
"•Frazer,  an  old  trader  in  Minnesota,  told  Renville  that  the  Indians 
were  about  to  eat  an  American."  *  *  *  '•'The  bravest  man  of 
each  tribe  was  urged  to  step  forward  and  partake."  *  *  *  A 
Winnebago  was  urging  a  noted  Sioux  hunter  to  partake  of  the  horrid 
feast,  when  his  uncle  told  him  to  leave,  and  addressed  the  assembled 
warriors  as  follows  :  "My  friends,  we  came  here  not  to  eat  Ameri- 
cans, but  to  wage  war  against  them;  that  will  suffice  for  us." 
Trah-pa-sha  said:  "We  thought  that  you,  who  live  near  to  white 
men,  were  wiser  and  more  refined  than  we  are  who  live  at  a  distance, 
but  it  must  indeed  be  otherwise,  if  you  do  such  deeds."  Col. 
Dickson  sent  for  the  Winnebago  who  had  arranged  the  intended 


40  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

fi'iist  and  demanded  his  reason  for  doing  so  disgusting  a  deed.     His 
answer  sheds  no  liglit  upon  his  motive. 

The  fall  of  Maekanaw  alarmed  the  people  of  the  Mississippi 
valley,  and  they  called  loudly  for  the  defense  of  Prairie-du-Chien. 

In  May,  1814,  Gov.  Clark  left  St.  Louis  for  this  purpose,  and 
taking  possession  of  the  old  Mackinaw  House,  found  a  number  of 
trunks  full  of  papers  belonging  to  Dickson,  one  of  which  contained 
this  interesting  extract  :  "Arrived  from  below,  a  few  Winnebagoes 
with  scalps.  ^  (rave  them  tobacco,  six  pounds  of  powder  and  six 
pounds  of  ball." 

A  fort  was  built  by  the  Americans,  and  named  "  Shelby."  The 
Maekanaw  traders,  hearing  of  this,  organized  a  force  under  McKay, 
an  old  trader,  and  started  in  canoes  to  dispossess  the  Americans, 

The  British  force  was  guided  by  Joseph  Rolette,  Sr.,  and,  land- 
ing some  distance  up  the  Wisconsin  river,  marched  to  the  village 
and  demanded  its  surrender. 

The  fort  was  unfinished  and  scarcely  defensible,  but  its  com- 
mander, Lieut.  Perkins,  replied  that  he  would  defend  it  to  the  last. 

On  July  17  the  gunboat,  under  command  of  Capt.  Yeiser,  was 
attacked  by  the  British  and  Indians.  The  boat  moved  to  a  com- 
manding position  above,  but  was  soon  dislodged  by  the  enemy,  who 
crossed  to  the  island,  where  they  availed  themselves  of  the  shelter  of 
trees. 

The  boat  was  then  run  a  few  miles  below,  but  was  unable  to  do 
much  execution.  For  three  days  Lieut.  Perkins  made  a  brave 
resistance,  but  was  finally  compelled  to  capitulate,  reserving  the  pri- 
vate property  of  his  command. 

After  placing  his  prisoners  on  parole,  the  British  victor  escorted 
them  to  one  of  the  gunboats,  upon  which  they  had  but  about  a 
month  before  come  up,  and,  crestfallen  at  their  discomfiture,  they 
were  sent  back  down  the  river,  pledged  not  to  bear  arms  until 
exchanged. 

Some  bloodthirsty  savages  followed  them  in  canoes,  but  made 
no  victims. 

Lieut.  Campbell  came  up  from  St.  Louis  about  this  time  with  a 
small  force  to  strengthen  the  garrison,  and,  landing  at  Kock  Island, 
held  a  conference  with  Black  Hawk  at  his  village  nearby.  Directly 
after  leaving,  news  came  to  Black  Hawk  of  the  defeat  at  Prairie-du- 
Chien.  His  braves  at  once  started  in  pursuit  of  Campbell's  com- 
mand.      A    severe    encounter  was   incurred,    the    lieutenant   was 


TROUBLES    WITH    THE    INDIANS.  41 

wounded  and  some  of  his  men  killed.  During  the  fight  a  boat  was 
captured,  and  the  force  was  compelled  to  retreat  back  to  St.  Louis. 

After  the  capture  of  Fort  Shelly,  it  was  named  by  the  British 
Fort  McKay. 

In  August,  1814,  Maj.  Zachary  Taylor  was  sent  up  with  a  force 
in  gunboats  to  punish  the  Indians  who  had  attacked  Lieut.  Campbell, 
but  to  his  astonishment  found  the  British  and  Indians  in  possession 
of  Rock  Island. 

Fire  was  opened  upon  Taylor  from  a  battery,  and  the  first  ball 
fired  passed  through  a  gunboat  commanded  by  Capt.  Hempstead. 

Taylor's  boats  were  all  disabled  and  he  was  compelled  to  retreat 
down  the  river  a  short  distance  for  repairs.  In  that  engagement 
one  was  killed  and  eleven  wounded.  With  the  Americans  who 
came  down  to  St.  Louis  after  the  surrender  of  Prairie-du-Chien  was 
a  ' '  one-eyed  Sioux, "  who  had  aided  in  the  defense  of  Capt.  Yeiser's 
gunboat. 

During  the  autumn  of  1814,  in  company  with  another  Sioux  of 
the  Kaposia  band,  he  ascended  the  Missouri  to  a  convenient  point 
above,  and,  crossing  the  country,  enlisted  a  number  of  his  people 
in  favor  of  the  Americans. 

After  these  professions  of  friendship,  most  likely  from  Sioux 
nearest  St.  Louis,  he  went  down  to  Prairie-du-Chien.  Dickson, 
upon  his  arrival,  asked  his  business,  and  snatched  from  him  a  bundle, 
expecting  to  find  letters. 

The  Indian  told  Dickson  that  he  was  from  St.  Louis,  and  would 
give  no  further  information. 

Dickson  confined  the  Sioux  in  Fort  McKay,  and  threatened  him 
with  death  if  he  did  not  give  information  against  the  Americans. 
The  "one-eyed  Sioux"  was  proof  against  all  threats,  and  he  was 
finally  released. 

The  stubborn  savage  soon  left  for  a  winter  sojourn  among  the 
river  bands,  and  returning  in  the  spring  of  1815  he  soon  heard  the 
news  of  peace  having  been  restored. 

As  the  British  evacuated  the  fort  they  set  it  on  fire,  with  the 
American  flag  flying  as  it  had  been  run  up,  seeing  which,  the  "  one- 
eyed  Sioux  "  rushed  into  the  burning  fort  and  saved  the  flag.  A 
medal  and  a  commission  were  given  him  by  Gov.  Clark,  which  he 
treasured  and  exhibited  upon  frequent  occasions,  while  rehearsing 
his  many  exploits. 

These  interesting  facts  taken  from  Neill's  valuable  history,  relate 


42  HIRTOTIY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

to  Ta-ha-mie,  tlie  ''Rising  Moose,"  mentioned  by  Lieut.  Pike  in  his 
journal. 

He  was  well  known  to  the  writer  as  the  "one-eyed"  medicine 
chief,  or  priest,  of  the  Wah-pa-sha  band  of  Sioux,  though  he  seemed 
equally  at  homo  with  other  bands  and  with  the  Winnehagoes,  all  of 
whom  reverenced  him  for  his  bravery  and  intelligence.  His  fre- 
quent boast  of  having  been  the  only  American  Sioux  during  the  war 
of  1812,  made  him  quite  famous  among  the  American  settlers  of 
Winona  county,  while  the  pretentious  cock  of  his  stove-pipe  hat  and 
the  swing  of  his  mysterious  medicine-bag  and  tomahawk-pipe  gave 
him  character  among  his  Sioux  and  Winnebago  patrons.  His  serv- 
ices were  in  frequent  demand;  and  even  now,  in  1882,  he  is  spoken 
of  by  the  older  Indians  as  a  great  hunter,  a  great  warrior,  and  a 
good  priest.  His  more  modern  name  of  Tah-my-hay,  "the  Pike," 
corrupted  into  Tom-my-haw  by  the  American  settlers,  was  probably 
taken  by  himself  as  the  adopted  brother  of  Lieut.  Pike,  after  an 
Indian  custom.  His  Winnebago  name  of  jSTa-zee-kah,  an  interpreta- 
tion of  his  Sioux  name,  shows  clearly  that  he  was  known  as  "The 
Pike."  In  regard  to  the  "Tomahawk,"  that  so  mystified  Dr.  Foster, 
whose  interesting  and  elaborate  article  is  quoted  from  by  Neill,  it 
appears  probable,  allowing  something  to  imagination,  that  the  father 
of  Lieut.  Pike  had  a  tomahawk,  the  head  and  handle  of  which  formed  a 
pipe,  and  that  Lieut.  Pike  had  taken  it  with  him  on  his  mission  to  the 
Sioux  and  Chippewas  as  a  calumet  or  pipe  of  peace.  That,  meeting 
with  and  forming  a  close  tie  of  triendship  with  Ta-ha-mie,  the  "  Rising 
Moose,"  he  gave  him  a  memento  of  his  everlasting  friendship,  in 
peace  or  war,  by  presenting  the  "  pipe  tomahawk, "  in  such  common 
use  along  the  (Canadian  border  in  early  days.  The  writer's  memory 
was  in  fault  as  to  tlie  certainty  of  its  being  Tah-my-hay  who,  of  all 
the  Sioux,  was  so  expert  in  the  use  of  the  tomahawk,  but  R.  F.  Nor- 
ton, a  merchant  of  Homer,  Minnesota,  comes  to  his  aid  by  relating 
the  following  incident : 

During  the  early  days,  said  Norton,  my  brother,  the  doctor, 
and  myself,  were  listening  to  an  old  dragoon  settler's  account  of 
his  skill  and  prowess  with  the  sabre.  Flourishing  a  stick,  he  told 
how  easy  it  was  to  defend  himself  against  the  assault  of  lance  or 
bayonet.  Tom-my-haw  happened  to  be  present,  and  understanding 
more  than  the  valorous  cavalryman  supposed,  or,  as  proved  agree- 
able, asked  the  white  warrior  to  strike  him  with  his  stick.  This 
the  dragoon  declined  to  do,  but,  being  urged,  he  made  a  demon- 


TROITBLES    WITH    THE    INDIANS.  43 

stration  as  if  intending  to  strike,  when,  with  a  movement  of 
Tom-my-haw's  tomahawk,  the  stick  was  caught,  and  whirled  to  a 
safe  distance.  Norton  described  the  tomahawk  as  a  combined 
hatchet  and  pipe. 

In  liis  youth,  Tom-my-haj  was  a  noted  hunter,  and  after  the 
disruption  of  the  Me-day-wa-kant-wan  band,  joined  Red  Wing's 
subdivision,  and  afterward  that  of  Wah-pa-sha.  He  told  the  writer 
that  during  one  of  liis  hunts,  while  following  the  game  into  a  dense 
Tamarach  thicket,  a  sharp,  dry  twig  entered  one  eye  and  destroyed 
its  sight.  The  vanity  of  Tah-my-hay  was  something  remarkable, 
but  his  devotion  to  the  Americans  was  vouched  for  by  his  tribe. 

After  the  war  had  closed.  Little  Crow  and  Wah-pa-sha,  by 
request  of  the  British  command,  made  a  long  journey,  in  canoes,  to 
Drummond's  Island,  in  Lake  Huron. 

After  lauding  their  valor,  and  thanking  them  in  the  name  of  his 
king,  the  officer  laid  some  few  presents  before  them  as  a  reward 
for  their  meritorious  services.  The  paltry  presents  so  aroused  the 
indignation  of  Wah-pa-sha,  that  he  addressed  the  English  officer,  as 
appears  in  Neill's  History  of  Minnesota,  as  follows  : 

"My  Father,  what  is  this  I  see  before  me?  A  few  knives  and 
blankets  !  Is  this  all  you  promised  at  the  beginning  of  the  war? 
Where  are  those  promises  you  made  at  Michilimackinac,  and  sent 
to  our  villages  on  the  Mississippi?  You  told  us  you  would  never 
let  fall  the  hatchet  until  the  Americans  were  driven  beyond  the 
mountains  ;  that  our  British  father  would  never  make  peace  with- 
out consulting  his  red  children.  Has  that  come  to  pass  ?  We  never 
knew  of  this  peace.  We  are  told  it  was  made  by  our  Great  Father 
beyond  the  water,  without  the  knowledge  of  his  war-chiefs ;  that 
it  is  your  duty  to  obey  his  orders.  What  is  this  to  us  ?  Will  these 
paltry  presents  pay  for  the  men  we  have  lost,  both  in  the  battle  and 
in  the  war?  Will  they  soothe  the  feelings  of  our  friends?  Will 
they  make  good  your  promises  to  us  ? " 

"For  myself,  I  am  an  old  man.  I  have  lived  long,  and  always 
found  means  of  subsistence,  and  I  can  do  so  still ! " 

Little  Crow,  with  vehemence,  said  :  ' '  After  we  have  fought  for 
you,  endurecl  many  hardships,  lost  some  of  our  people,  and  awak- 
ened the  vengeance  of  our  powerful  neighbors,  you  make  a  peace 
for  yourselves,  and  leave  us  to  obtain  such  terms  as  we  can.  You 
no  longer  need  our  services,  and  offer  these  goods  as  a  compen- 
sation for  having  deserted  us.     But  no !     We  will  not  take  them  ; 


44  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

we  liold  them  and  yourselves  in  equal  contempt."  So  saying,  he 
spurned  the  presents  with  his  foot,  and  walked  away. 

Tlie  treaty  that  soon  followed  at  Portage-des-Sioux,  won  over  to 
the  United  States  the  fealty  of  the  Dah-ko-tahs,  of  Minnesota,  and 
the  disgust  expressed  by  "Little  Crow"  and  Wah-pa  sha  on  their 
return  to  their  pe<)})le,  for  a  time,  at  least,  rendered  any  further 
serious  difficulty  with  them  improbable. 

A  period  has  now  been  reached  in  the  early  exploration  and 
occu])ation  of  the  territory  of  the  Dali-ko-tahs,  when  the  traditions 
relating  to  that  era  have  been  merged  in  the  experiences  of  the 
writer,  [t  is  not  merely  the  vanity  of  self-assertion  that  induces 
him  to  give  his  own  personal  experiences  in  early  pioneer  life,  but, 
to  connect  the  past,  with  the  present  mode  of  life  in  Minnesota,  he 
thinks,  may  give  a  clearer  impression  of  the  character  of  the  early 
pioneers  than  has  generally  hitherto  obtained. 

The  writer's  father,  Dr.  Bradly  Bunnell,  was  born  in  New 
London,  Conneticut,  in  about  1781,  and  his  mother,  Charlotte 
Houghton,  was  bom  in  Windsor,  Vermont,  in  about  1785.  Soon 
after  their  marriage  they  came  to  Albany,  New  York,  where  the 
eldest  sister  of  the  writer  was  born,  and  where  also  was  born  her 
husband,  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer.  From  Albany  his  parents 
moved  to  Homer,  New  Yoi-k,  where  the  eldest  son,  Willard 
Bradly  Bunnell,  was  born  in  1814.  Ten  years  later,  1824,  the 
writer  was  born  in  Kochester,  New  York. 

While  living  in  that  beautiful  city,  his  father  conceived  the  idea 
of  visiting  the  Territory  of  Michigan,  and  in  1828  went  to  Detroit. 
The  writer  is  made  sure  of  the  time,  by  the  date  of  a  diploma  of 
his  father's  membership  in  the  Detroit  Medical  Society,  signed  by 
Stephen  C.  Henry,  president,  and  II.  S.  Rice,  secretary,  and  other 
papers  in  his  possession. 

In  the  autumn  of  1831,  Bradley  Bunnell  started  for  Detroit, 
with  the  intention  of  establishing  himself  in  the  practice  of  his 
profession,  but,  delayed  by  the  inclemency  of  the  season,  and  lack 
of  secure  transportation,  was  induced  to  open  an  office  in  Buffalo. 

His  jiractice  grew  into  importance,  and  during  the  season  of 
(tholera,  1832,  the  calls  for  his  services  to  relieve  the  distressed  and 
d^-ing  were  almost  c(mstant. 

The  writei'  had  an  attack  of  Asiatic  cholera,  and  passed  into  what 
was  8U]»posed  by  consulting  physicians  to  be  a  collapsed  stage  of  the 
disease,  but  the  heroic  treatment  decided  upon  caused  a  rally  of 


TROUBLES    WITH    THE    USTDTANvS.  45 

the  vital  forces,  and  the  grim  enemy  was  routed.  Although  but 
eight  years  old  at  the  time  of  the  Black  Hawk  war,  that  event,  and 
incidents  connected  with  it,  he  distinctly  remembers.  The  passage 
through  Buffalo  of  United  States  troops  on  their  way  to  the  scene 
of  conflict  made  a  vivid  impi-ession  that  years  have  failed  to  eradi- 
cate. In  1833  it  was  thought  advisable  by  the  writer's  father  to 
move  up  to  Detroit,  but  meeting  with  what  he  thought  a  better 
opportunity  to  establish  himself,  after  a  short  delay  at  Detroit,  con- 
tinued on  up  to  Saginaw.  There  he  purchased  forty  acres  of  land, 
that  now  forms  part  of  that  flourishing  city.  He  also  bought  forty 
acres  that  forms  the  site  of  Carrolton.  Soon  dissatisfied  with  his 
purchase,  and  the  felicity  afforded  by  howling  wolves  and  croaking 
bullfrogs  in  their  gambols  and  songs  of  love,  he  left  in  the  sweet 
spring-time  for  metropolitan  life  in  the  French  village  of  Detroit. 
His  family,  on  the  score  of  economy,  and  most  likely  for  want  of 
ready  funds,  were  left  in  Saginaw  to  care  for  the  household  goods 
and  garden,  and  the  children  to  cultivate  their  unfolding  intellects  at 
a  country  school.  The  writer  was  called  "Pef'  by  his  mother,  and 
was  allowed  to  run  at  large  with  Chippewa  children  (whose  tongue 
wsis  soon  acquired),  visit  their  camps,  sugar-groves,  hunt,  fish,  swim, 
skate  and  fight,  to  his  unbounded  satisfaction.  His  pride  was  to 
excel  his  dusky  competitors  in  all  things,  and  this  was  soon  accom- 
])lislied,  to  the  admiration  of  an  old  Chippewa  warrior  instructor  by 
his  killing  two  immense  bald  eagles  at  the  age  of  eleven.  The 
writer  was  not  then  aware  of  the  importance  Indians  attach  to  the 
killing  of  an  eagle. 

His  mother  soon  became  satisfied  that  her  "Pet"  was  learning 
more  of  the  camp  than  tlie  school,  more  of  the  hi-yah,  of  Indian 
music,  than  of  that  taught  by  his  sisters.  After  a  few  written  notes 
received  from  his  teacher  (confidential),  and  a  vain  attempt  to  take 
all  of  "his  hide  off,"  after  the  most  approved  methods  of  that 
''''good  old  time''\%').  It  was  thought  best,  upon  one  of  his  father's 
periodical  visits,  to  place  the  writer  in  a  Detroit  "classical  school." 

At  about  the  age  of  twelve  the  misguided  boy  was  placed  in  the 
Latin  school  of  Mr.  O'Brien,  of  Detroit,  who  has  for  many  years 
taught  the  3'oung  ideas  "to  shoot,"  fitting  many  young  men  with 
preparatory  instruction  for  useful  lives.  Mr.  O'Brien  had  been 
educated  for  the  Catholic  priesthood,  but  discovering  some  peculi- 
arity in  his  character  (it  was  thought  to  be  his  temper)  un suited  to 
so  sacred  an  office,  he  opened  his  Latin  school  in  Detroit. 


46  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  masterly  ability  of  O'Brien  as  a 
teacher  ;  but  his  method  was  the  old  one  he  learned  in  his  bible,  to 
"spare  not  the  rod  !"  So,  after  a  very  short  term  at  that  school, 
receiving  in  the  meantime  a  few  extr'a  lessons  in  the  manly  art  ot 
self-defense^  the  writer  one  day  with  a  ty-yah !  left  the  school  and 
his  books  never  to  return. 

A  new  method  was  then  tried  with  the  young  savage,  and  his 
experiences  at  the  "Bacon  Select  or  High  School,"  of  Detroit,  are 
cherished  in  grateful  memory.  The  writer  made  rapid  progress 
toward  the  goal  of  his  ambition,  a  liberal  education,  but  the  "wild- 
cat mania"  had  seized  upon  his  father,  and  as  a  consequence  of 
losses,  sickness  and  deaths  in  his  family,  the  boy  aspirant  had  to  be 
made  self-supporting. 

He  was  placed  in  the  drug  store  of  Benjamin  T.  Le  Britton, 
opposite  Ben  Woodworth's  hotel,  where  he  boarded  for  a  time  upon 
his  arrival  in  Detroit,  and  with  that  kind  and  upright  gentleman, 
and  his  successor  in  business,  he  remained  until  the  fires  that  raged 
in  the  wooden  buildings  of  that  period  had  destroj^ed  them. 
Before  the  destruction  of  the  American  or  Wale's  Hotel  by  fire 
the  writer  was  boarded  at  that  house  by  his  employer,  and 
while  there  remembers  that  Henry  R.  Schoolcraft  boarded  there  also 
for  some  considerable  time,  engaged,  probably,  upon  his  Indian 
works.  A  Chippewa  maiden  in  attendance  upon  his  invalid  wife 
(who  was  of  mixed  blood),  though  shy,  seemed  pleased  when  spoken 
to  in  Chippewa,  which,  boy  like,  the  writer  would  do. 

For  a  time,  at  intervals,  though  young  for  the  work,  he  was  sent 
by  his  employer  to  take  orders  and  make  collections  in  Ohio,  Ken- 
tuck}'  and  Virginia. 

It  was  now  thought  advisable  to  engage  the  writer  in  the  study 
of  medicine.  This  was  distasteful  to  him,  but  finally,  with  his  ex- 
perience as  a  druggist  to  build  on,  in  1840  he  went  into  his  father's 
office  in  Detroit,  and  in  winter,  for  want  of  other  resources,  attended 
private  clinics  and  demonstrations. 

The  reading  and  confinement  involved  was  too  great  a  change 
from  his  former  and  accustomed  habits,  but  nevertheless,  in  order 
not  to  disappoint  the  fond  expectations  of -his  parents,  he  worked 
against  his  inclinations.  He  had  continued  liis  studies,  more  or  less 
regularly,  when  a  most  welcome  letter  from  his  brother,  Willard  B. 
Uunnell,  decided  him,  in  the  spring  of  1842,  to  go  to  Bay-du-Noquet, 
where  Willard  was  engaged  in  the  fur  trade. 


CHAPTER  V. 

pp:rsonal  ep:collp:(  rriONS. 

A  POINT  has  now  been  reached  in  this  paper  where  it  will  be  more 
convenient  to  use  the  pronoun  oi  the  first  person  singular,  and 
accordingly  I  will  say  that  my  recollections  of  the  passage  of  Gen. 
Scott  and  his  troops  up  the  lakes,  in  1832  ;  my  intimacy  with  Indians, 
annually  renewed  by  their  visits  to  Detroit  and  Maiden,  Canada,  to 
receive  payments  ;  my  acquaintance  with  all  the  old-time  French  fur 
traders  and  their  offspring,  at  Detroit,  and  of  the  traditions  told  me 
by  the  Snelling  boys  of  their  father  and  their  grandfather,  Col. 
Snelling,  all  conspired  to  imbue  me  with  a  romantic  idea  of  ^'^  going 
out  West "  into  the  Indian  territory  that  has  never  yet  been  realized. 
At  my  father's  table  I  had  heard  Col.  Boyer,  the  Indian  agent  at 
Green  Bay,  speak  in  glowing  terms  of  that  beautiful  sheet  of  water 
and  its  rock-bound  islands  and  harbors  ;  and  I  had  also  heard  the 
Williams,  of  Pontiac  and  Saginaw,  as  well  as  my  mother's  cousin, 
Dr.  Houghton,  speak  in  my  presence  of  Indian  traditions  relating 
to  silver  and  copper  mines  upon  Lake  Superior.  I  asked  myself 
then,  with  boyish  fancies,  why  I  could  not  find  one.  My  dream  of 
the  conquest  of  fortune  was  at  first  rather  rudely  dispelled  upon  my 
arrival  at  my  brother's  house,  but  upon  mature  reflection  I  decided 
not  to  return  to  Detroit. 

I  found  my  brother  in  very  poor  health  and  about  to  move  to 
the  upper  Mississippi.  The  climate  of  this  lovely  region,  even  at 
that  early  day,  was  extolled  by  the  fur  traders  for  its  salubrity,  and 
for  persons  suffering  from  any  form  of  lung  disease  it  was  thought 
to  be  almost  a  specific.  Exposures  and  excesses  frequently  incident 
to  frontier  life  had  left  their  marks  upon  Willard,  and  I  at  once 
decided  to  aid  in  his  removal  to  a  dryer  atmosphere. 

Will  bought  of  the  Chippewas  and  fitted  out  two  of  their 
largest  bark  canoes,  and  after  selling  to  Mr.  Lacy,  of  Green  Bay, 
all  of  his  stock  of  furs,  and  loading  his  sloop,  "The  Rodolph," 
with  choice  maple  sugar,  he  closed  out  the  remnant  of  his  winter 
stock  of  goods  to  the  Indians  encamped  on  the  shores  of  Green  Bay, 
taking  in  payment  their  choicest  furs  and  peltries. 


48  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Upon  his  arrival  at  the  city  of  Green  Bay  all  of  the  purchases 
made  from  the  Indians  were  disposed  of  at  enormous  profits,  includ- 
ing one  of  the  bark  canoes,  capable  of  carrying  about  four  thousand 
pounds.  The  other  canoe  Will  loaded  with  the  lighter  fabrics  of  his 
trade,  and,  after  a  few  days'  delay  in  procuring  a  suitable  pilot,  or 
guide,  started  up  through  the  rapids  of  Fox  river. 

My  brother  was  accompanied  by  his  wife,  nee  Matilda  Des- 
noyer,  who  was  of  the  old  French  stock  of  Desnoyers,  myself,  a 
voyager,  and  an  old  Menominee  Indian  pilot,  who  spoke  Chippewa 
well,  and  said  he  belonged  to  the  band  of  Osh-kosh.  The  Indian 
went  with  us  only  to  the  head  of  the  rapids,  or  foot  of  Lake  Winne- 
bago, as  agreed  upon,  but  gave  us  so  clear  a  description  of  the 
route  to  be  followed  to  Fort  Winnebago,  that  we  reached  that 
ancient  portage  without  assistance  or  difficulty. 

At  tlie  Buttes  du  Mort  (the  mounds  of  the  dead),  we  found  a 
most  intelligent  mixed-blood  trader,  named  Grignon,  a  descendant 
of  the  celebrated  French  officer  Langlade,  who  oft'ered  us  generous 
hospitality  and  inducements  to  remain  with  him.  I  think  that  the 
maiden  name  of  my  brother's  wife,  Desnoyer,  influenced  the  old 
trader  u})on  its  incidentally  becoming  known  to  him,  for  he  spoke 
in  the  highest  terms  of  the  Desnoyer  family  as  personal  friends  of 
his  in  troubled  times.  Grignon  told  us  that  "the  mounds  of  the 
dead  "  had  no  relation  to  the  battle  with  the  Fox  Indians,  fought  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  stream,  but  were  ancient  tumuli,  of  which 
none  but  the  most  vague  traditions  existed. 

After  a  day's  rest,  we  pushed  on  up  through  the  intricate  wind- 
ings of  Fox  river. 

We  were  not  very  heavily  loaded,  our  cargo  consisting  for  the 
most  part  of  calicoes,  red,  green  and  blue  cloths,  blankets,  cutlery, 
beads,  and  other  baubles,  so  that  upon  the  whole  our  trip  was  a 
very  pleasant  one.  Some  of  the  Winnebagoes  encountered  on  the 
way  were  at  first  inclined  to  be  somewhat  surly,  and  demurred  to 
the  prices  fixed  u]>on  the  goods,  and  no  doubt  our  firm  and  non- 
chalant demeanor  was  all  that  ])revented  an  attack  from  one  encamp- 
ment, where  it  was  intimated  a  tribute  would  be  acceptable.  This 
intimation  angered  my  brother,  and  in  a  choice  vocabuhiry  oilJank 
Chi})jjewa,  which  their  association  with  the  Menominees  of  (treen 
Bay  enabled  them  to  understand,  Will  poured  into  their  unwilling 
ears  sounds  that  utterly  silenced  them.  Tiie  Ho-chunk-o-raws,  or 
"Sweet   Singers,"  as  some  translate   their  name,    changed    their 


PERSONAL    RECOLLECTIONS.  49 

tune  and  brought  out  their  remaining  furs,  and  would  have  loaded 
our  frail  bark  at  our  own  prices,  to  the  top  of  the  gunnels. 

Willard  expected  to  sell  the  furs  collected  on  this  journey  at 
Fort  Winnebago,  but  failed  to  do  so,  as  the  enterprising  trader  and 
commercial  traveler  of  the  St.  Louis,  or  Choteau  Company,  had 
already  made  his  annual  rounds,  and  had  started  for  Prairie  Du 
Chien.  However,  by  some  unexpected  delay,  we  met  La  'bath 
after  we  had  started  from  the  Portage,  and  were  assured  of  a  sale 
at  "La  Prairie." 

At  the  Portage,  our  canoe  and  its  bulkj^  cargo  were  transported 
by  wagon  to  the  Wisconsin,  down  which,  after  having  been 
"pocketed"  a  few  times  in  misleading  channels,  we  journeyed  tri- 
umphantly. 

At  Prairie  Du  Chien,  we  met  Charles  Le  Grave,  a  merchant, 
whose  family  I  had  known  in  Detroit,  and  also  the  trader  La  'bath, 
both  of  whom  were  willing  to  purchase  our  furs,  but  at  reduced 
rates. 

We  did  not  quite  realize  expectations  in  the  final  sale  of  our 
Indian  commodities,  for  the  season  had  too  far  advanced  for  the 
profitable  sale  of  furs.  Consulting  with  Le  Grave,  after  a  long 
conversation  with  La  'bath  regarding  the  upper  Mississippi,  we  took 
their  advice  and  decided  to  go  to  the  "Soaking  Mountain,"  known 
now  as  Trempealeau. 

We  were  told  that  in  the  near  future  the  site  of  the  village 
would  be  the  emporium  of  trade,  and  we  were  assured  of  a  hearty 
welcome  from  a  hospitable  Kentucky  pioneer  named  Reed.  By  the 
treaty  of  November  1,  1837,  the  Sioux  and  the  Winnebagoes  mixed 
bloods  ceded  to  the  United  States  all  their  territory  on  the  east  side 
of  the  Mississippi,  and  it  was  su^jposed  by  the  old  traders  that  town 
sites  would  become  of  great  value.  Francis  La'bath,  though  a  half- 
breed  Sioux,  had  the  energy,  if  not  the  business  capacity,  of  a 
railroad  magnate,  and  as  a  trader  and  collector  of  furs  for  the 
American  Fur  Company,  he  had  become  familiar  with  the  Indian 
territory  of  the  Wisconsin  and  Mississippi  rivers. 

In  addition  to  his  trips  of  purchase  for  the  fur  company  he  had 
personal  interests  to  supervise,  for  he  had  established  small  posts 
and  wood-yards  at  several  points  for  trade  on  the  Mississippi  between 
Prairie  du  Chien  and  Lake  Pepin.  La'bath's  first  post  was  at  the 
head  of  the  "Battle  Slough,"  where  Black  Hawk  was  defeated,  and 
it  was  generally  managed  by  La'bath  in  person.     He  had  another 


50  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

siiuill  post  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  about  three  miles  below 
La  Crosse,  that  coninianded  the  trade  of  Root  river  and  vicinity  and 
was  an  important  winter  post.  Root  river  was  known  to  the  Winne- 
bagoes  as  Caii-he-o-mon-ah,  or  Crow  river,  and  not  the  Cah-he-rah, 
or  Menominee  river,  as  stated  by  some  writers.  The  Sioux  also 
called  Root  river  Cah-hay  Wat-pah,  because  of  the  nesting  of  crows 
in  the  large  trees  of  its  bottom  lands.  In  the  wintei-  of  1838-9 
James  Douville  and  Antoine  Reed  (Canadians)  established  them- 
selves at  Trempealeau  in  the  interest  of  La'bath,  but  more  to  hold 
the  town  site  than  for  the  purposes  of  trading  with  the  Indians.  A 
wood-yard  was  established  on  the  head  of  the  island  opposite  Trem- 
pealeau, and  some  land  cultivated  by  Douville,  but  nothing  of  con- 
sequence done  to  induce  a  settlement  at  Trempealeau.  La'bath  was 
a  cousin  of  the  last  chief  Wah-pa-sha,  and  as  a  half-breed  was  allowed 
to  establish  himself  where  white  men  were  prohibited  from  settling. 

In  accordance  with  La'bath's  privileges  he  was  interested  in  the 
half-breed  tract  at  what  is  now  Wabasha,  and  had  petty  posts  estab- 
lished at  every  point  where  trade  might  be  secured.  At  or  !iear 
what  is  now  Minnesota  City,  on  the  Rolling  Stone,  Labeth  placed 
his  nephew,  Joseph  Bonette,  to  trade  with  the  Wah-pa-sha  band, 
and  abandoning  his  lower  posts,  established  one  a  few  miles  below  the 
mouth  of  White-water,  at  a  point  known  as  the  Bald  Bluff.  This  i)Ost 
was  known  to  the  Winnebagoes  as  Nees-skas-hay-kay-roh,  or  White- 
water Bluff,  while  his  Rolling  Stone  post  was  called  Nees-skas-hone- 
none-nig-ger-ah,  or  Little  White-water.  The  Sioux  name  lor  White- 
water is  Minne-ska,  and  for  Rolling  Stone  E-om-bo-dot-tah.  Wat-pah, 
a  river  or  creek,  is  sometimes  added,  though  not  often,  as  the  creek, 
like  many  words  in  Indian,  is  to  be  understood.  It  should  be 
understood  that  most  of  the  petty  posts  established  on  Indian  terri- 
tory were  temporary  huts  of  logs  for  winter  quarters,  occupied  and 
again  abandoned  when  no  longer  serviceable  to  an  ever-changing 
trade. 

A  short  time  previous  to  the  breaking  out  of  the  Black  Hawk 
war,  a  war-party  of  Sauks  attacked  an  encamjjment  of  Dali-ko-tahs 
on  Money  creek.  The  young  daughter  of  the  Sioux  war-chief 
AVah-kon-de-o-tah  was  captured  and  was  being  hurried  from  the 
cam]),  when  her  cries  were  heard  by  her  father.  With  a  spirit 
worthy  of  his  name  he  rushed  through  the  rear  guard  of  the  foe,  and 
with  his  own  war-club  alone  brained  three  of  those  who  had  opposed 
the  rescue  of  his  child.     At  the  sound  of  his  war-whoop  his  braves 


PERSONAL    EECOLLECTIONS.  53 

instantly  came  to  his  support,  and  few  of  the  Saiiks  were  left  to  tell 
of  their  defeat.  This  attack,  though  so  bravel}^  repulsed,  alarmed 
the  Wah-pa-sha  band,  and  after  the  fight  they  made  their  principal 
encampment  in  Wisconsin,  near  the  Trempealeau  mountain,  until 
after  the  treaty  of  1837.  Their  spring  gatherings  and  dances  were 
still  held,  however,  at  Keoxa.  This  statement  was  recently  given 
me  by  a  half-blood  Sioux  and  Winnebago  relative  of  Wah-pa-sha, 
who  was  in  the  fight  of  over  fifty  years  ago  on  Money  creek. 

This  statement  is  confirmed  by  the  Grignons,  who  inform  me 
that  their  uncle  La  Bath  vacated  many  petty  posts  when  threatened, 
and  reoccupied  them  again  when  the  supposed  danger  was  past. 

The  post  at  the  Eolling  Stone  was  finally  abandoned  in  about 
1840.  Joseph  Borrette,  who  was  then  in  charge  of  La  Bath's  trading 
post,  built  a  small  cabin  near  the  site  of  the  Green  Bay  elevator,  at 
East  Moor,  which  served  as  a  winter  post  until  about  1843,  when  it 
too  was  abandoned.  During  the  winter  of  1842-3  I  attended  a  pay- 
ment held  in  the  oak  grove  below  where  the  elevator  now  stands, 
and  which,  I  think,  proved  to  be  the  last  one  made  individually  to 
the  Wa-pa-sha  band.  Mr.  Dousman  and  others  from  Prairie  du 
Chien  were  present  to  look  after  their  interests,  but  with  all  their 
sagacity  and  experience  there  were  transient  traders  enough  with 
"spirit  water"  to  gobble  up  a  liberal  share  of  the  five-iranc  pieces 
then  paid  the  Indians,  to  the  no  small  disgust  of  the  agent.  All 
after-payments  were  either  paid  in  goods,  or  if  in  coin,  the  payment 
was  paid  in  bulk  at  Fort  Snelling.  La  Bath's  relationship  to  Wah- 
pa-sha  gave  him  great  personal  influence,  and  by  his  advice  James 
Keed  was  selected  and  appointed  as  their  farmer  and  storekeeper. 
Soon  after  Reed's  appointment  he  employed  Alexander  Chienvere, 
a  son-in-law,  to  break  fifteen  acres  of  land  at  the  Gilmore  valley  for 
the  band,  and  Charles  H.  Perkins,  who  married  Miss  Farnam,  Reed's 
stepdaughter,  was  soon  after  employed  to  break  ten  acres  more  for 
Wah-pa-sha  on  the  east  side  of  Burns'  creek,  on  what  is  now  Miss 
Maggie  Burns'  farm.  When  that  work  was  done  tlie  chief  declared 
himself  well  satisfied,  and  sent  the  workmen  back  to  Reed. 

La  Bath  himself  was  employed  by  the  fur  company  for  a  number 
of  years,  but  his  nephew,  Joseph  Borrette,  kept  up  the  trade  of  his 
uncle,  with  varying  success,  until  about  1844,  when  all  of  the  petty 
posts  were  abandoned.  Those  old  cabins  served  as  stopping-places 
in  winter  for  the  old  mail-carriers,  Lewis  Stram,  Baptist  and  Alex. 
Chienvere,  and  others,  and  the  one  on  the  Prairie  island  above 
4 


54  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Winona  was  occupied  bj  old  Goulab,  a  French  Canadian,  who  had 
been  for  some  years  in  the  service  of  La  Bath,  but,  growing  too  old 
for  journeyings  in  the  wilderness,  was  placed  in  charge  of  a  wood- 
yard  established  by  La  Bath  on  the  island  above  the  Wah-ma-dee 
bluffs,  now  Fountain  City.  But  to  return.  We  renewed  our  sup- 
plies of  provisions  and  left  "La  Prairie"  buoyant  with  hope,  a  south 
wind  wafting  our  harh  up  the  Me-ze-see-bee,  or  great  river,  of  the 
Chi])pewas.  We  arrived  at  La  Crosse  in  the  delightful  month  of 
June,  1842,  and  were  received  by  the  trading  tirm  of  Myrick  &  Mil- 
ler in  a  very  courteous  manner.  They  then  occupied  a  mere  shanty 
or  small  log  cabin,  but  were  at  work  upon  the  foundation  of  what 
afterward  grew  to  a  house  of  fair  dimensions,  though  the  archi- 
tecture was  somewhat  of  the  composite  order.  To  their  original 
structure  they  afterward  added  a  hewn  block-house,  Indian  room, 
and  frame  addition,  and  this  building,  a  warehouse,  stable,  and 
other  outbuildings  belonging  to  the  firm,  formed  the  nuclei  of  La 
Crosse.  There  has  been  some  discussion  between  Mr.  Nathan 
Myrick,  of  the  old  firm  of  Myrick  &  Miller,  relating  to  the  first 
settlement  of  La  Crosse  ;  and  while  I  concede  the  possibility  of  a 
house  having  been  erected  on  the  prairie  before  that  of  Mr.  Myrick's 
was  built,  I  do  not  believe  it,  as  no  evidence  of  the  fact  was  seen,  or 
the  event  talked  of,  by  any  of  the  old  traders.  On  the  contrary, 
Keed,  who  as  a  soldier  had  camped  on  the  prairie  some  years  before 
1842,  spoke  of  Myrick  &  Miller  as  the  pioneer  settlers  of  La  Crosse. 
Even  though  a  small  cabin  had  been  built  before  Myrick's  arrival, 
running  fires  or  government  steamboats,  the  crews  of  which  had  to 
provide  wood  while  on  their  voyages,  would  have  removed  every 
vestige  of  the  fact  of  the  building  s  previous  existence ;  and  besides 
this,  until  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  of  November,  1837,  the 
Winnebago  Indians  would  allow  no  permanent  settlement  upon  their 
domain  east  of  the  Mississippi  without  a  special  arrangement  with 
them. 

Upon  landing  at  La  Crosse,  Miller  was  especially  hos])itable,  and 
offered  to  wager  us  "theskoots"  that  we  would  not  find  another 
such  a  chance  for  settlement  as  La  Crosse  afforded,  and  urged  us  to 
remain  and  helj)  build  up  a  city.  We  were  not  then  very  favorably 
impressed  with  the  advantages  claimed  for  La  Crosse,  but  thanked 
Miller  for  his  courtesy  and  interest  in  our  behalf.  Finding  us  firm 
in  our  purpose  of  visiting  the  "Rattlesnake  hills,"  as  he  and  Dous- 
man  called   the  Trempealeau  bluffs,  he  volunteered  to  aid  us  in 


PEKSOlSrAL    RECOLLECTIONS.  55 

locating  a  claim,  and  to  break  up  sufficient  ground  for  a  potato-patch 
should  we  return  after  seeing  how  immense  the  rattlesnakes  were  up 
at  "Jim  Reed's  town." 

Miller  was  a  man  of  most  generous  impulses  and  strong  attach- 
ment, but  crosses  rendered  him  as  stubborn  as  resistance  itself, 
and  tliis  quality  subsequently  marred  his  happiness. 

After  renewed  assurances  of  good  fellowship  between  "Willard 
and  Miller,  mellowed,  no  doubt,  by  a  few  private  interviews,  we 
continued  on  up  the  broad  river,  resting  in  the  shade  of  the  forest- 
clad  bluffs,  while  our  light  canoe  ploughed  its  course  at  their  base, 
or  stopping  at  other  times  where  a  gusliing  crystal  fountain  invited 
us  to  blend  its  limpid  waters  with  our  midday  lunch. 

The  Eagle's  Nest  (the  remains  of  which  may  still  be  seen),  now 
knoAvn  as  the  ' '  Queen  Bluff, "  because  of  its  surpassing  beauty  and 
perpendicular  height,  had  living  occupants,  as  we  were  informed, 
that  had  held  possession  for  many  years  before.  Subsequently 
they  were  disj)ossessed  by  Reed  and  some  of  his  Dah-ko-tah  friends 
to  celebrate  a  war-dance.  At  Catlin's  Rocks,  now  Richmond,  we 
found  the  red  paint  discernible  that  marked  Catlin's  name;  and  had 
it  been  used  to  paint  one  of  his  savage  chiefs,  it  would  have  ren- 
dered the  canvas  more  imperishable  than  the  rocks  that  still  bear 
his  name. 

The  wind  rising  up  for  a  vesper  breeze,  we  put  on  all  sail,  and 
in  a  short  lialf-hour's  run  landed  at  Trempealeau. 

James  Reed,  liis  son-in-law,  James  Danville,  Joseph  Borrette, 
and  others  of  the  family,  came  down  to  the  river  bank  to  greet  us, 
and  after  explaining  our  purpose  in  coming,  and  presenting  a  letter 
from  Le  Grave,  Reed  invited  us  to  liis  house,  and  soon  had  his 
whole  household  interested  in  our  welfare.  We  were  invited  to 
supper,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  was  done  precluded  a  declina- 
tion of  the  hospitality.  We  retired  early,  but  not  until  a  sheltered 
place  for  a  winter  home  had  been  suggested  for  us  by  Reed. 

Reed  was  at  our  camp  early  next  morning,  and  leading  the  way 
to  a  most  refreshing  spring  in  a  little  valley  above  the  jDresent  site 
of  the  village,  Willard  selected  it  for  a  temporary  residence,  until, 
as  he  said,  he  should  be  able  to  learn  something  of  the  country.  We 
asked  Reed  in  reference  to  danger  from  rattlesnakes,  and  were 
told  that,  to  annoy  him,  or  retaliate  for  disparaging  remarks  he  had 
made  about  a  miserably  poor  dog  having  been  used  in  naming  the 
"  Dog  Prairie  "  (Prairie  du  Chien),  Dousman  had  retorted  by  calling 


56  HISTORY    OF    WmOlSrA    COUNTY. 

his  Trempeleau  village  site  "The  Rattle-Snake  Hills'-;  and  the 
worst  part  of  it  is,  said  Reed,  "he  directs  all  his  letters  by  steam- 
boat in  that  way,  and  nervous  people  will  scarcely  land."  It  was 
evident  to  both  Willard  and  myself  that  Dousman's  name  was  not 
entirely  a  iiction,  and  we  adroitly  returned  to  the  subject.  Reed 
finally  confessed  that  though  he  had  been  there  but  two  years, 
having  established  himself  in  1840,  he  had  seen  quite  a  number  of 
rattlesnakes;  but  his  hogs,  he  said,  were  fast  exterminating  them, 
and  he  hoped  they  would  soon  disappear,  for,  said  he,  ' '  old  hunter 
as  I  am,  /  step  high  in  going  through  the  ferns  and  grasses  of  the 
hhiffs.'*''  The  Winnebago  name  of  the  locality,  Wa-kon-ne-shau- 
ah-ga,  means  the  place  of  rattlesnakes  on  the  river.  We  were  told 
by  Reed  that  it  was  the  westernmost  peak  of  the  range  that  was 
called  by  Hennepin  La  Montaigne,  qui  Trompe-a  L'eau,  and  that 
the  name  was  a  translation  (probably  understood  by  signs)  of  the 
Winnebago  name  of  Hay-nee-ah-chaw,  which  signified  about  the 
same  thing,  that  is,  that  the  mountain  was  "getting  pretty  wet." 
The  Sioux  called  the  mountain  Pah-ha-dah,  "The  Moved  Moun- 
tain." La  Crosse  was  so  named  by  the  French,  because  during 
peaceful  eras  the  most  athletic  of  the  Indian  tribes  in  the  surround- 
ing country  assembled  to  play  Indian  shinny-ball,  called  Wah-hin- 
liin-ah,  staking  horses,  blankets,  wampum,  and  sometimes  even 
their  squaw  slaves,  on  the  issues  of  their  national  game.  The 
lower  end  of  the  prairie,  near  Michel's  brewery,  was  the  place  of 
assembly;  but  the  game  of  ball  was  so  common  among  all  Indians, 
that  the  name  of  their  game  was  never  given  to  a  locality.  At  one 
time,  along  the  foot  of  the  bluffs,  back  of  the  sandy  portion  of  the 
prairie,  within  the  memory  even  of  white  settlers,  that  locality  was 
famous  for  strawberries,  and  for  this  reason  the  Sioux  called  La 
Crosse  Wah-zoos-te-cah,  meaning  the  place  of  strawberries,  when  La 
Crosse  was  designated,  but  the  Winnebagoes,  more  given  to  naming 
localities  from  peculiarities  in  the  geological  formation  of  their 
country,  called  the  La  Crosse  valley  to  its  junction  with  the  Missis- 
sippi, E-nook-wah-zee-rah,  because  of  the  fancied  resemblance  of  two 
prominent  mound-shaped  peaks  north  of  La  Crosse  to  a  woman's 
breasts. 

Coon  creek  was  called  Wah-keh-ne-shan-i-gah,  and  the  mounds 
situated  on  Coon  prairie  were  said  to  have  been  remarkable  for  the 
number  of  stone  and  copper  implements  found  in  and  about  them. 
Black  river  was  appropriately  called  Minnesap-pah,  by  the  Dah-ko- 


PEESOIS-AL    EECOLLECTIOISrS.  57 

talis,  and  ]N"e-slieb-er-ali  by  the  Winnebagoes,  both  names  signity- 
ing  black-water.  The  Trempealeau  river  was  called  Ne-chaun-ne- 
shan-i-gah  by  the  Winnebagoes,  and  Wat-a-Pah-dah,  both  meaning 
the  overflowing  river.  TJie  Chippewa  was  called  by  the  Winne- 
bagoes Day-got-chee,  ne-shan-i-ga,  meaning  the  river  of  the  gartered 
tribe,  as  they  called  the  Chippewas,  and  the  Sioux  called  it  Ha- 
ha-tone  Wat-pah,  meaning  the  river  of  the  dwellers  at  the  falls  (as 
the  Chippewas  were  known  to  the  Sioux),  as  it  was  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal routes  of  travel  to  the  Chippewa  country.  Beef  slough  and 
Beef  river  were  both  called  by  the  Sioux  Tah-ton-kah-wat-pah,  and 
by  the  Winnebagoes  Te-chay-ne-shan-i-gah,  because  of  the  locality 
being  the  last  resort  of  the  bufi'alo  east  of  the  Mississippi,  though 
some  were  seen  on  Trempealeau  prairie  at  a  very  late  date.  The 
Winnebagoes  called  the  site  of  Winona,  De-cone-uck,  and  the  whole 
prairie  Ose-cah-he-aitch-chaw,  meaning  the  prairie  village,  or  its 
equivalent.  The  Dah-ko-tahs  called  it  Ke-ox-ah,  translated  to  mean 
the  homestead.  The  French  called  it  La  Prairie  Aux-Ailes  (pro- 
nounced O'Zell),  or  Prairie  of  W'iug\s,— for  what  reason  I  have  been 
unable  to  learn,  but  as  the  Wah-pa-sha  village  was  colonized  from 
the  Eed  Wing  band,  it  would  appear  as  if  the  Indians  of  the  village 
of  Ke-ox-ah  might  have  been  known  to  the  early  French  traders  as 
one  of  the  Red  Wing  villages. 

Ke-ox-ah  seems  to  have  a  specific  meaning,  like  Tee-pe-o-tah,  or 
0-ton-we,  both  of  which  mean  a  village  or  collection  of  tents,  but 
Reed  thought  "The  Homestead"  as  good  an  interpretation  as  could 
be  given  the  word.  Reed  was  not  a  very  good  linguist,  and  said 
that  he  had  been  frequently  misled  like  Gov.  Doty,  who,  while 
mapping  Fox  river,  supposed  Ne-nah,  or  water,  to  be  the  Indian 
name  of  the  river,  and  at  once  put  it  down  on  his  map  as  ISTe-nah,  or 
Fox  river,  and  for  a  number  of  years  it  so  appeared  on  the  official 
maps  of  the  state.  James  Reed  informed  us  that  he  had  been  in  the 
United  States  army  under  Col.  Zuchary  Taylor  at  Prairie  du  Chien, 
and  that  during  trips  to  the  pineries  of  the  Chippewa,  under  com- 
mand of  Lieut.  Jefferson  Davis  and  others,  the  beauty  of  the  site  of 
Trempealeau,  and  the  scenery  of  the  river  above  and  below,  had  so 
impressed  him  that  he  had  resolved  to  settle  there  when  his  term  of 
service  should  have  expired.  His  purpose  was  delayed  for  various 
causes,  as  he  came  to  Prairie  du  Chien  when  quite  young,  but 
finally,  after  many  years,  Reed  had  established  himself  and  was  in 
comfortable  circumstances.     At  the  time  of  our  arrival  Reed  had  a 


58  HISTORY    OF    WIlSrONA    COUNTY. 

large  drove  of  cattle  and  young  horses,  which  tlie  Indians  never 
stole,  but  would  ride  occasionally,  to  his  great  annoyance,  as  they 
galled  the  backs  of  his  horses  and  thus  exposed  their  brutality.  The 
houses  erected  by  Gavin,  the  Swiss  missionary,  and  his  associates, 
Louis  Stram  and  others,  in  1837-8,  upon  the  land  now  owned  by  the 
Trowbridge  brothers,  east  of  tlie  Lake  of  the  Mountain,  were  used 
by  the  Winnebagoes  and  their  Sioux  relations  to  catch  the  horses, 
as  in  fly-time  the  horses  would  go  into  the  dark  log  cabins  to  escape 
these  pests.  During  the  summer  of  our  arrival  Reed  burnt  uj)  the 
cabins  to  abate  the  nuisance,  saying  that  they  would  never  be  of 
ftirther  use  for  missionary  purposes.  By  the  treaty  of  1837  the 
Sioux,  and  the  Winnebagoes  allied  to  them,  had  agreed  to  remove 
west  of  the  Mississippi.  This  agreement  was  not  fulfilled  until 
1840,  the  year  of  Reed's  settlement  at  "Monte-ville,"  as  he  used  to 
call  his  location  at  times,  and  this  fact  will  account  for  the  persistent 
efforts  of  the  Swiss  to  establish  their  mission.  The  SiO'Ux  Indians, 
according  to  Reed,  were  very  willing  to  have  Monsieur  Gavin, 
Lewis  Stram,  and  others  on  the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi,  culti- 
vate corn  and  vegetables  to  give  them  (all  for  the  love  of  God),  but 
they  preferred  their  dog-feasts,  sun  and  scalp  dances,  to  the  pious 
teachings  of  the  missionaries,  and  after  one  or  two  years  of  hopeless 
work  the  missionaries  left  their  Trempealeau  mission  and  farm  work 
in  disgust. 

Like  most  Kentuckians,  Reed  was  very  fond  of  horses,  and  had 
improved  his  stock  by  the  importation  of  a  young  thoroughbred 
stallion.  The  brute  was  a  very  intelligent  animal,  and  refused  to  be 
ridden  by  any  of  Reed's  family  of  boys,  who  were  then  quite  young. 
Reed  bantered  me  to  ride  the  horse,  saying,  "If  you  will  subdue 
him  you  can  use  him  as  your  own." 

Reed  himself  was  a  good  horseman,  but  thought  himself  rather 
old  to  ride  the  colt.  I  accepted  the  old  Kentuckian's  kindly  offer, 
and  so  won  uj^on  him  by  subduing  his  stallion  that  a  horse  was 
always  at  my  service.  The  stallion,  a  beautiful  iron-gray,  after  a 
term  of  service,  was  sold  to  an  officer  at  Fort  Snelling. 

James  Reed  was  a  remarkable  man  in  many  respects,  and  one  ot 
the  best  types  of  a  ])ioneer  hunter  and  trapper  I  ever  knew.  His 
first  wife  was  a  Pottawatomie  woman,  by  whom  he  had  five  children, 
four  of  whom  are  still  living  ;  his  son  John,  also  a  great  hunter,  died 
from  a  gunshot  wound  accidentally  inflicted  by  his  own  hand  while 
hunting  deer.     Reed's  second  wife   was  the  widow  of  the  trader 


PEESONAL    RECOLLECTIONS.  59 

Farnam,  a  partner  ot  Col.  Davenport,  who  was  murdered  at  Rock 
Island  a  number  of  years  since.  Reed's  stepdaughter,  Miss  Mary 
Ann  Farnam,  married  Mr.  Charles  H.  Perkins,  and  is  still  living 
near  Ti-empealeau.  Reed's  last  wife  was  the  estimable  widow  Grig- 
non,  mother  of  Antoine  and  Paul  Grignon,  of  Trempealeau.  Mrs. 
Grignon  was  the  sister  of  Francis  La  Bath,  the  noted  fur-trader,  and 
a  cousin  to  the  younger  chief  Wah-pa-sha.  She  was  first  married  to 
a  French  Canadian  named  Borrette,  to  whom  was  born  Joseph  Bor- 
rette,  who  so  many  years  managed  La  Bath's  post  at  the  Rolling 
Stone. 

To  Mrs.  Grignon-Reed  and  her  intelligent  family  I  am  much 
indebted  for  interesting  facts  connected  with  the  pioneer  settlement 
of  Trempealeau  and  Winona  counties.  Mrs.  Reed's  death  was  an 
irreparable  loss  to  her  family,  and  a  subject  of  regret  to  all  who  knew 
her.  For  several  years  in  succession  Reed  used  the  land  cultivated 
by  Louis  Stram,  the  first  Indian  farmer,  who  had  tried  to  act  in 
concert  with  his  countrymen  the  Swiss  missionaries;  and  while 
thanking  his  stars  for  finding  land  already  for  his  use.  Reed  said 
that  the  austere  and  industrious  character  of  the  missionaries  ren- 
dered them  unpopular  with  Wah-pa-sha  and  his  band. 

According  to  La  'bath,  both  Stram  and  the  government  black- 
smith at  the  present  site  of  Homer  were  somewhat  afraid  of  the 
Sioux  Indians.  Francis  du  Chouquette,  the  blacksmith,  removed 
his  forge  to  the  island  opposite  Homer,  known  as  The  Blacksmith's 
Island,  and  after  a  raid  by  a  war-party  upon  the  Wah-pa-sha  village 
he  left  his  forge  and  anvil  upon  the  island  and  fled  to  Prairie  du 
Chien.  My  brother  Willard  found  tlie  anvil,  and  it  was  in  use  for 
some  years  in  Homer.  Upon  the  site  of  Du  Chouqaette's  shop  in 
Homer  I  occasionally  find  fragments  of  iron  and  cinder,  and  the 
spring,  walled  up  by  him,  was  intact  only  a  few  years  since. 

The  next  attempt  to  proselyte  the  Sioux  and  establish  in  their 
village  at  Winona  was  made  by  the  Rev.  J.  D.  Stevens,  who,  ac- 
cording to. my  information,  had  an  appointment  of  some  kind  as 
farmer  and  chaplain.  His  efforts  were  no  more  successful  than  had 
been  his  Swiss  predecessors  Louis  Stram  and  Mr.  Gavin.  Reed  used 
to  regard  the  discomfiture  of  Protestant  missionaries  with  resigna- 
tioT).,  and  say  that  if  the  Sioux  would  not  receive  the  Roman 
Catholics,  with  the  influence  of  the  French  mixed  bloods  to  aid 
them,  it  was  simply  out  of  the  question  for  Protestants  to  succeed. 

According  to  Reed  and  La  'bath,  Stevens  got  lost  in  an  attempt 


60  HISTOEY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

to  reach  the  camp  of  Wah-pa-sha,  but  was  found  and  kindly  treated 
by  one  of  the  band,  and  after  an  interview  with  the  chief,  in  which 
he  was  told  that/no  white  man  woukl  be  allowed  to  settle  on  their 
territory,  Stevens  crossed  over  to  the  "Wisconsin  shore  opposite 
Winona  and  made  a  temporary  shelter  for  himself  and  assistants, 
and  then  left  for  provisions  and  to  confer  with  the  authorities.  He 
finally  abandoned  his  attempt  to  make  unwilling  christians  of 
heathen  savages.  La  'bath  could  probably  have  changed  the  order- 
ing of  affairs  in  Wah-pa-sha's  counsels,  but  it  was  not  his  interest  to 
do  so,  and  besides,  he  believed  that  but  one  revealed  religion  existed 
upon  earth,  the  Catholic,  which  he  professed.  The  half-breeds  were 
all  Catholics;  and  although  they  exerted  a  most  potent  influence 
against  any  Protestant  interference  with  the  Sioux,  they  never  inter- 
fered with  the  medicine-men,  but  joined,  like  Frontenac,  in  their 
scalp-dances  and  ceremonies.  Hence  their  great  influence  with 
them. 

In  1841  another  attempt  to  settle  u])on  the  site  of  Winona  was 
made  by  Thomas  Holmes  and  Eobert  Kennedy  and  their  families, 
but  they  were  not  allowed  to  establish  themselves  on  the  prairie. 
After  several  offers  made  to  Wah-pa-sha,  and  his  refusal  to  allow 
the  establishment  of  those  men  among  his  people,  they  opened  a 
trading-post  at  the  Wah-ma-dee,  or  Eagle  Bluffs.  This  point  of  trade 
was  for  some  years  known  as  Holmes'  Landing,  but  is  now  called 
Fountain  City,  from  the  numerous  fountain-like  springs  that  sujiply 
its  inhabitants.  Soon  after  we  arrived  at  Eeed's  village  of  "  Monte- 
ville,"  we  made  the  acquaintance  of  Holmes  and  Kennedy  and  their 
families,  and  a  man  in  their  employ  named  Smothers,  Tom  Holmes, 
the  moving  spirit  of  the  trio,  was  the, most  persistent  of  pioneers, 
and  had  aided  in  the  early  settlement  of  Rockford,  and  other  towns 
in  Illinois,  and  after  leaving  the  "Landing,"  commenced  the  settle- 
ment of  Shockpay  on  the  Minnesota  river. 

Holmes'  first  wife  was  the  sister  of  Kennedy,  who  was  from 
Baltimore,  and  both  were  accustomed  to  good  living  and  knew  how 
to  prepare  it,  as  they  had  kept  a  hotel  in  Maryland.  My  brother 
and  myself  took  dinner  at  tlieir  house  while  aiding  Captain  Eaton 
(of  the  firm  of  Carson  &  Eaton)  to  drive  cattle  up  the  Chippewa. 
Eaton  and  a  man  named  Darby  had  had  their  horses  stolen  from 
them  by  the  Winnebagoes  near  La  Crosse,  and  were  left  on  foot  to 
drive  a  large  drove  of  cattle.  Near  the  head  of  what  is  now  called 
the  Mississippi  slough  six  shots  were  fired  at  us  by  a  small  ])arty  of 


WESrONA    CITY    IlSr   EMBRYO.  61 

Sioux  from  Eed  Wing's  band,  one  of  which  broke  a  leg  of  an  ox, 
and  the  others  cut  twigs  of  trees  over  our  heads.  While  this  in- 
teresting target  practice  was  going  on  I  ambushed  the  Sioux  rifle- 
men, and  but  for  Captain  Eaton  and  my  brother  would  have  killed 
two  of  the  vxtrjparty,  as  I  had  them  at  mj  mercy.  While  relating 
our  experience  to  Holmes,  I  observed  a  peculiar  smile  and  glance  of 
intelligence  from  his  wife,  and  upon  inquiry  found  that  in  our 
ignorance  of  Dah-ko-tah,  Captain  Eaton  had  offered  a  deadly  insult 
to  the  Indians  while  trying  to  ask  our  way.  However,  the  Red 
Wing  band  subsequently  paid  for  the  ox  disabled  by  the  Sioux,  as 
I  was  informed,  a  year  or  two  afterward. 


CHAPTER  YI. 

WINONA  CITY  IN  EMBRYO. 

Afteb  considerable  exploration  of  the  country,  charmed  with  the 
scenery  and  pleased  with  the  soil  and  water,  we  decided  to  build  a 
house  in  the  little  valley  pointed  out  to  us  by  Reed,  and  where  we 
had  before  built  a  small  cabin.     When  our  determination  was  made 
known,  Reed,  his  son-in-law  Dauville,  and  a  hired  man  and  team, 
came  at  once  to  aid  us,  and  we  soon  had  raised  up  a  comfortable  log 
house.     A  year  or  two  after  Reed's  appointment  as  farmer  and  sub- 
agent  of  the  Wah-pali-sha  band,  I  returned  the  favor  in  part  by  aid- 
ing Reed  to  construct  the  body  of  the  first  house  ever  built  in  Winona. 
Tlie  men  who  aided  me  in  "carrying  up  the  corners"  were  Joseph 
Borrette,  Reed's  wife's  son,  a  nephew  of  La  Bath,  James  Dauville, 
Reed's  son-in-law,  and  a  Canadian  named  Goulet,  alternately  em- 
ployed by  Reed   as   cattle-grazer,  woodchojiper  and   storekeeper. 
Goulet  had  been  previously  emjjloyed  by  La  Bath  at  Minnesota 
City,  knew  Wah-pa-sha  and  his  band  thoroughly,  and  was  quite  a 
favorite  with  them.     While  in  Reed's  service  at  Prairie  island,  he 
was  found  by  some  of  the  Sioux  in  a  state  of  intoxication,  badly 
burnt  from  having  fallen  in  the  fire,  and  died  soon  after  from  the 
effects  of  his  debauch.    After  the  loss  of  his  oflice  by  the  prospective 
removal  of  the  Sioux,  Reed  took  down  the  building  and  floated  the 
sawed  lumber,  the  valuable  portion  of  it,  to  Trempealeau,  where  it 
was  used  as  an  addition  to  his  residence.     When  he  settled  upon  his 


62  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

farm  at  Little  Tamaracli,  he  sold  his  residence  and  lots  in  the  village 
to  Mr.  Ben  Ilealy,  and  some  clear  joists  and  other  lumber  that  had 
been  used  in  Reed's  Winona  building  now  constitute  a  part  of  the 
large  wooden  store  building  of  Mr.  Fred  Kribs,  the  principal  hard- 
ware merchant  of  Trempealeau.  During  a  recent  visit  Mr.  Kribs 
and  Antoine  Grignon  pointed  out  to  me  some  of  the  identical  joists 
used  in  1844  by  us  in  the  construction  of  Reed's  storehouse  for  gov- 
ernment sup])lies,  and  which  was  also  used  as  a  residence  for  him- 
self and  men  while  performing  their  duties.  The  body  of  the  house 
was  built  of  white-ash  logs,  cut  by  Jolm  La  Point  and  Goulet, 
Reed's  men,  and  floated  from  the  islands  above  the  present  city,  and 
it  occupied  a  spot  near  the  store  of  S.  C.  White.  It  has  been  sup- 
posed by  some  that  the  Rev.  J.  D.  Stevens  built  a  temporary  abode 
upon  the  site  of  Winona,  but  there  were  no  inducements  offered 
liim  to  do  so,  and  after  his  decided  repulse  by  tlie  Wah-pa-sha  band, 
it  would  have  been  foolhardy  for  him  to  have  attempted  it.  Reed, 
the  Grignons,  and  the  Indians  all  agree  in  this,  that  no  missionaries 
were  acceptable  to  Wah-pa-sha,  and  when  he  made  his  final  treaty, 
he  insisted  as  a  condition  of  the  treaty  that  money  alone  should  be 
paid  him,  and  that  he  should  be  allowed  to  manage  his  own  affairs 
without  interference  of  any  kind  with  his  band.  Some  ash  logs  left 
by  Reed  were  used  in  erecting  a  cabin  which  was  pulled  down  by 
Capt.  Johnson,  and  they  were  finally  cut  up  for  firewood. 

My  brother  Willard  was  much  pleased  with  the  game  the  country 
afforded,  and  made  frequent  excursions  with  Reed  for  brook-trout 
and  deer.  Reed  was  a  great  hunter,  but  had  been  too  long  among- 
Indians  to  needlessly  offend  them  by  slaughtering  their  game,  but 
as  he  had  a  large  family  he  needed  large  supplies  of  meat,  and  it 
was  no  unusual  occurrence  for  him  and  my  brother  to  return  from  a 
fire-hunt  with  three  or  four  red  deer  in  their  canoes,  or  from  a  fish" 
ing  excursion  with  a  gross  or  more  of  brook-trout.  A  favorite  resort 
for  trout  was  the  S])ring  brook  or  creek  upon  which  the  Pick- Wick 
mills  are  situated,  and  which  AVillard  named  Trout  creek.  The  east 
branch  of  the  creek,  where  he  caught  six  dozen  in  about  two  hours' 
fishing,  he  called  "Little  Trout." 

As  for  deer,  there  was  never  a  scarcity,  for  the  whole  range  of 
bluffs  on  the  Minnesota  side,  or  right  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  was  a 
favorite  resort  for  them.  Here  were  acorns  in  plenty,  and  after  they 
had  eaten  what  satisfied  them,  the  deer  wont  out  upon  some  prom- 
ontory of  bluff  to  watch  theu'  enemies,  or  descended  to  some  breezy 


WEsroNA  CITY  nsr  embryo.  65 

sandbar  to  escape  the  stings  of  the  deer-fly.  At  nightfall  the  mer- 
ciless attacks  of  gnats  and  mosquitos  drove  the  deer  into  the  waters 
of  creeks  and  rivers,  and  as  the  bewildering  firelight  of  the  hunter 
noiselessly  approached  them  in  the  light  canoe,  the  deer  fell  a  victim 
to  his  curiosity.  The  flashing  eyes  of  the  deer  reflected  back  the 
torchlight,  and  told  with  unerring  certainty  where  to  direct  the  mur- 
derous shot.  Outside  of  the  timber,  on  the  borders  of  the  prairies 
but  a  short  distance  from  Winona,  elk  were  abundant,  and  a  little 
farther  west  buffalo  were  still  to  be  found  quite  numerous.  We  were 
told  by  Reed  that  only  a  few  years  previous  to  our  arrival  buffalo- 
were  seen  on  Trempealeau  prairie  and  on  the  big  prairie  slough  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Chippewa  river  known  as  Buffalo  Slough  prairie. 

Upon  one  of  my  numerous  excursions  to  St.  Paul  and  Fort 
Snelling  I  remember  seeing  Gen.  Sibley  return  from  a  successful 
buffalo  hunt,  and  he  told  me  that  in  times  past  they  had  been  seen, 
from  the  knobs  almost  in  sight  of  his  establishment.  The  General 
was  noted  as  an  expert  hunter  and  scientific  rifle-shot,  but  upon  tlie- 
expedition  referred  to  his  delight  in  the  chase  was  cut  short  by  a 
sprained  ankle  received  by  the  fall  of  his  horse. 

On  the  buffalo  slough  or  channel  of  the  Chippewa,  around  jutting 
points,  deep  trails  were  visible,  where  buffalo  had  repeatedly  passed 
to  water,  and  these  were  in  common  use  by  elk  and  deer  at  the  date 
of  our  arrival  in  the  country. 

Willard's  use  of  the  Chippewa  tongue  for  a  time  prejudiced  his 
interests  as  a  trader,  and  he  did  not  embark  in  the  business  among 
the  Sioux  for  some  time  after  his  arrival  here.  In  the  autumn  of 
1842  he  and  a  Menominee  Indian  of  great  repute  went  up  the  Trem- 
pealeau river  to  hunt  and  trap,  and  in  order  to  escape  observation, 
and  perhaps  for  convenience,  he  duplicated  his  Indian  comrade's  cos- 
tume throughout.  At  that  time  there  was  some  danger  from  raiding 
parties  of  Chippewas,  and  Will  said  that  if  any  should  be  encoun- 
tered, his  knowledge  of  their  language  and  liis  costume,  unlike 
that  of  the  Sioux,  would  be  his  safeguard. 

Will  made  a  very  successful  Imnt,  and  as  furs  were  quite  high 
in  those  days,  the  skins  brought  in  sold  for  a  considerable  sum  of 
money.  In  an  oak  grove  above  the  site  of  Dodge  my  brother  killed 
three  bears  in  one  day.  His  dog,  a  very  noted  one,  obtained  from 
Capt.  Martin  Scott,  brought  the  bears  to  a  stand,  and  he  killed  them 
in  quick  succession.  At  Elk  creek,  named  during  his  hunt,  he  killed 
a  couple  of  elk,  and  the  Indian  killed  some  also,  but  how  many  I 


64  HISTORY    OF    WINON^V    COimTY. 

have  forgotten.  The  Menominee  had,  during  the  fall  before,  caught 
over  fifty  beavers,  but  while  upon  the  hunt  with  Willard  he  had 
almost  totally  failed  to  trap  that  cunning  animal.  Finding  himself 
outwitted  by  the  beaver,  and  surpassed  in  skill  as  a  hunter,  the 
Indian  became  moody,  and  began  a  fast  to  propitiate  the  evil  influ- 
ences that  he  believed  were  assailing  him.  Will  tried  to  reassure 
him,  but  to  no  purpose ;  so,  after  repeated  successes  on  Will's  part, 
and  failures  of  the  Menominee  to  catch  the  coveted  beaver,  they  dried 
their  meat,  and  taking  tlie  skins  of  the  elk  killed,  they  stretched 
them  over  a  willow  boat-frame,  and  thus  equipped,  their  hunting 
canoes  on  each  side  of  their  skin  boat,  they  descended  the  Trem- 
pealeau just  as  the  ice  was  about  to  close  the  Mississippi.  Will 
returned  alone  to  that  once  noted  resort  of  beaver,  mink  and  otter, 
and  as  the  warm  spring  branches  were  seldom  closed  by  ice,  he  was 
able  to  catch  those  valuable  furred  animals  in  winter.  The  beaver 
skins  were  at  that  time  worth  about  $4  per  pound.  Game  was 
quite  abundant  in  those  early  days,  for  there  were  no  vandal  hunters 
to  wantonly  destroy  it,  or  if  they  did  the  Indians  were  very  likel}^ 
to  destroy  them.  Wild  fowl  and  pigeons  nested  in  the  country  and 
raised  their  broods  undisturbed.  As  for  myself,  I  was  no  hunter  in 
its  proper  sense,  and  having  repeatedly  missed  deer  at  short  range, 
and  standing  broadside  to  me,  I  determined  to  learn  the  only  art 
that  would  command  the  respect  of  the  pioneer  settlers,  or  instill  a 
wholesome  dread  of  my  marksmanship  among  the  warlike  Sioux. 
M}^  failure  to  kill  deer  was  more  a  habit  of  preoccupation  than  a 
want  of  ability  to  shoot,  for  with  my  rifle,  a  target  gun,  I  could  ])ick 
off  the  heads  of  grouse  or  pigeons,  and  at  a  mark  I  had  repeatedly 
excelled  AVillard  and  Reed,  who  were  noted  among  the  Indians  even 
as  the  best  hunters  on  the  Mississippi,  excepting,  perhaps,  Joe  Rock, 
of  Wah-pa-sha,  and  Philo  Stone,  of  the  Chippewa  river.  The  grand 
climax,  to  my  chagrin,  was  reached  when  Reed  accused  me  of 
"buck  fever."  I  repelled  the  accusation  with  scorn,  and  aiming  at 
the  eye  of  the  next  deer  I  shot  at,  it  fell  in  its  tracks,  and  for  ever 
after  I  was  able  to  kill  elk,  bear  and  deer,  with  about  equal  facility. 
In  September,  1843,  in  company  with  Tom  Holmes,  Wm. 
Smothers  and  my  brother,  I  went  up  the  Trempealeau  river  for  the 
purpose  of  hunting  elk,  but  our  purpose  was  frustrated  by  almost 
incessant  rain  while  we  were  on  the  hunt.  A  few  deer  were  killed 
by  my  brother,  who  knew  the  ground  hunted  over,  but  I  killed 
nothing  but  a  few  pinnated  grouse,   and  a  goose  which  I  brought 


WrNOJSTA    CITY    EST   EMBEYO.  65 

down  with  my  rifle  as  it  was  flying  over  our  camp.  Neither  Holmes 
nor  Smothers  killed  anything,  but  they  caught  a  few  beavers  and 
muskrats,  the  skins  of  which  were  not  prime.  While  at  the  mouth 
of  Elk  creek  we  saw  an  aerolite  pass  over  our  camp,  which  must 
have  been  of  unusual  size,  judging  from  the  attending  phenomena. 
We  were  afterward  informed  that  several  had  been  seen  within  the- 
memory  of  some  old  Indians,  to  their  great  bewilderment. 

During  the  winter  of  1842-3  we  made  some  improvements,  vis- 
ited La  Crosse,  Holmes'  Landing,  Black  River  Falls,  and  made  a 
few  trading  expeditions  to  winter  encampments  of  the  Sioux  and 
Winnebagoes.  Our  commerce  was  carried  on  principally  by  the 
sign-language,  sticks  often  representing  numerals  above  the  capacity 
of  the  fingers  and  memory  of  the  Indians  to  carry.  Although  the 
Sioux  still  called  my  brother  Ha-ha-tone,  the  Chippewa,  he  was  rap- 
idly gaining  their  esteem,  and  his  success  as  a  hunter  commanded 
their  admiration.  As  a  consequence  he  was  in  demand  as  a  trader. 
I  made  several  trij)s  with  him  that  were  very  successful,  and  one 
with  Nathan  Myrick  that  was  memorable.  Upon  one  occasion, 
while  Nathan  Myrick  and  myself  were  attempting  to  reach  Decorah's 
camp  upon  the  "Broken  Gun  Slough,"  a  branch  of  Black  river, 
during  an  exceedingly  cold  night  in  winter,  Myrick  drove  his  horse 
into  an  air-hole  that  had  been  filled  by  drifted  snow,  and  but  for  the 
well-known  war-whoop  of  Decorah,  who  I  had  informed  of  the  event 
upon  running  to  his  camp,  the  horse  would  have  disappeared  under 
the  ice,  for  Myrick  was  nearly  benumbed  with  the  cold  when  I  re- 
turned to  him  with  the  aid  the  war-whoop  had  instantly  called  to  our 
assistance.  A  few  minutes  sufficed  for  the  Winnebagoes  to  get  the 
horse  out  of  the  Mississippi,  but  being  unable  to  rise  to  his  feet,  the 
horse  was  dragged  to  the  shore,  blanketed  and  rubbed  until  warmth 
was  restored,  when  he  was  taken  to  Decorah's  camp  and  a  fire  built 
for  his  comfort  by  order  of  the  chief.  It  is  due  to  savage  hospitality 
that  the  event  be  recorded. 

The  Indians  of  those  early  times  were  not  always  as  humane' 
and  considerate  as  Decorah.  Many  times  I  have  been  fired  at 
while  passing  them  in  a  canoe,  simply  to  gratify  their  innate  dislike 
of  white  men.  Sometimes  my  canoe  would  be  hit,  but  as  a  rule  they 
would  direct  their  shots  so  as  to  skim  the  water  at  my  side  or  just 
ahead  of  me.  To  vary  their  diversion,  if  they  caught  me  pre- 
occupied, they  would  steal  upon  me  and  discharge  their  rifles  so- 
near  as  to  give  the  impression  that  it  was  not  really  all  fim  that  was- 


66  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

intended.  Reed  assured  me  that  I  was  daily  gaining  in  favor  among 
the  Sioux,  and  that  if  I  would  join  in  one  of  their  sun-dances  and 
go  through  the  ordeal  I  might  become  a  chief  He  further  informed 
me  that  I  was  called  Wali-sheets-sha,  meaning  the  Frenchman,  a  dis- 
tinguishing mark  of  their  favor,  that  most  likely  had  saved  my  scalp 
from  adornment  with  vermilion  and  ribbons.  Partly  to  reciprocate 
tlieir  interest  in  me,  and  to  confirm  them  in  the  good  opinion  Reed 
had  facetiously  said  they  were  forming  of  me,  against  the  advice  of 
the  old  ti-aders,  I  pitched  two  Winnebagoes  out  of  the  house  when 
the  next  proof  of  their  friendship  was  offered  me,  and  giving  the 
oldest  son  of  Decorah  (then  head  chief  by  inheritance)  a  deserved 
thrashing  for  a  wanton  display  of  his  affection,  I  was  not  again 
troubled  by  any  of  their  ordeals. 

Previous  to  that  time  Willard  and  myself  had  been  frequently 
annoyed,  and  sometimes  angered,  by  the  insults  offered  us,  although 
aware  that  our  nerve  was  simply  being  tested;  but  we  had  decided 
to  put  an  end  to  all  future  attempts  at  Indian  levity;  and  when  soon 
after  five  rifles  of  a  hunting  party  were  leveled  at  me  when  I  was 
unarmed,  I  told  the  Indians,  who  complemented  me  for  not  flinch- 
ing, that  it  was  well  for  them  I  had  no  rifle  to  aim  at  them  ! 

Willard  and  myself  were  both  able,  in  due  time,  to  make  the 
Indians  respect  us,  but  many  white  people  had  their  traps  stolen 
and  their  blankets  appropriated  by  the  young  warriors  anxious  to 
win  a  reputation  for  bravery. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1843  Peter  Cameron,  a  transient  trader 
aixl  fur  buyer,  came  to  La  Crosse  with  a  kind  of  keelboat  loaded 
with  goods,  and  after  taking  possession  of  an  unoccupied  cabin,  and 
securing  the  services  of  Asa  White  to  manage  his  aftairs  in  La  Crosse, 
concluded  to  make  a  trading  voyage  up  the  Mississippi  in  advance 
of  an}'  steamboat. 

Camer(Hi  made  me  a  proposition  to  go  with  him,  allowing  me 
pay  for  niy  services,  and  the  privilege  of  taking,  as  a  venture  in 
trade,  certain  goods  I  wished  to  dispose  of,  and  of  a  kind  he  had 
not  in  his  cargo. 

I  had  almost  an  intuitive  perception  of  the  draft  of  water,  and  had 
picked  up  considerable  of  the  Sioux  tongue.  My  prospective  useful- 
ness induced  Cameron  to  make  me  a  good  offer,  and  I  accepted  it. 

Cameron  was  a  sharp,  keen  trader,  and  one  of  the  best  judges  of 
furs  that  ever  came  up  the  river. 

The  boat  selected  for  the  voyage  up  the  Mississippi  was  built  for 


WINONA    CITY    IN    EMBRYO.  67 

a  supply  boat  on  Black  river.  It  was  about  forty  feet  long,  seven  or 
eight  feet  wide,  and  eighteen  inches  deep,  too  low  for  safety,  in 
Lake  Pepin,  but  the  trader  was  anxious  and  adventurous,  and  Dous- 
man,  Brisbois,  Kice  and  Sibley  had,  by  astute  management,  got 
possession  of  the  trade,  not  only  at  Fort  Atkinson,  but  of  the  entire 
upper  Mississippi.  Hence,  if  any  furs  were  to  be  purchased  by  out- 
side traders,  they  were  required  to  be  sharp  and  adventurous.  It 
was  rumored  that  the  Ewing  company  of  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana,  were 
first  crippled  and  then  floored  by  Rice,  who  succeeded  Dousman  in 
the  management  of  the  Choteau  company  below,  while  Gen.  Sibley 
had  control  of  the  trade  at  the  mouth  of  the  Minnesota  river. 

The  great  St.  Louis  company  were  also  filling  up  the  spaces  be- 
tween their  largest  stations  with  smaller  traders  in  their  interest. 
Therefore  transient  traders  had  to  watch  their  opportunities,  and 
pounce  down  upon  the  tidbits  as  occasion  aftbrded. 

Cameron  and  myself  decided  that  if  we  c6uld  get  safely  through 
Lake  Pepin  in  advance  of  the  steamboat  Otter,  which  it  was  under- 
stood would  go  through  the  lake  as  soon  as  the  ice  was  out,  we 
would  be  reasonably  sure  of  making  handsome  profits  on  our  ven- 
tures. 

^  My  packages  were  light,  but  Cameron  piled  in  barrel  after  barrel 
of  whisky,  pork,  flour  and  heavy  articles  that  greatly  endangered 
our  safety. 

We  started  as  soon  as  loaded,  taking  as  pilot  an  old  French 
voyageur  named  Le  Yecq,  and  a  half-breed  that  had  been  employed 
by  James  Pteed  at  times,  and  who  was  a  most  excellent  hand 
when  on  duty.  We  rigged  a  large  square-sail,  and  had  a  long 
line  to  run  out  ahead  in  swift  water,  but  were  so  favored  by  the 
southerly  spring  winds  that  we  ran  up  to  the  foot  of  the  lake  with- 
out having  had  to  dip  an  oar.  At  the  widow  Hudson's  (now  Reed's 
Landing)  we  had  a  good  trade,  and  by  my  advice  Cameron  was 
induced  to  sell  a  few  barrels  of  pork  and  flour  to  ligliten  our  boat 
through  the  lake.  As  the  nights  had  been  clear  we  determined  to 
make  an  attempt  to  go  througli  the  lake  by  moonlight  if  the  wind 
should  go  down  with  the  sun.  Tlie  night  came  on  with  weird  still- 
ness and  gloom,  but  later  on  toward  midnight  the  moon  came 
through  the  clouds  and  all  was  changed  to  brightness. 

Le  Point  had  been  given  permission  by  Cameron  to  go  down  to 
Rock's,  or  Campbell's,  a  short  distance  below  where  we  were  to 
await  his  coming.     Cameron's  orders  were  imperative  to  be  back 


68  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

when  the  wind  fell.  The  wind  lulled  to  a  calm,  but  Le  Point  did 
not  come;  so  after  many  henedictions  had  been  left  at  the  camp  we 
started  through  the  lake.  The  upper  air  had  given  token  by  scud- 
ding clouds  of  fleecy  vapor  that  the  calmness  of  the  lower  stratum 
might  be  broken  at  any  time,  but  my  moral  courage  was  not  great 
enough  for  me  to  tell  my  fears.  Cameron  was  very  deaf,  and  un- 
conscious of  danger  that  did  not  aj^peal  to  him  through  his  sight; 
and  as  for  Le  Yecq,  he  seemed  to  have  no  judgment,  and  I  had  lost 
all  faith  in  him  long  before  we  had  reached  the  lake.  We  coasted 
along  near  the  north  shore  until  nearing  North  Pepin  we  were 
forced  out  from  the  jutting  point  by  ice  lodged  upon  the  coast.  Here 
for  some  time  we  halted,  uncertain  what  to  do,  but  discovering  a 
narrow  opening  in  the  floe,  that  seemed  to  extend  up  to  open  water, 
we  ventured  in,  rowing  most  lustily.  We  had  got  almost  through 
the  icy  strait  when  I  heard  a  roar  as  if  Dante's  inferno  had  been  in- 
vaded and  the  troubled  spirits  let  loose.  The  noise  came  gradually 
nearer,  and  I  was  then  able  to  comprehend  its  cause.  It  M^as  the 
ice  piling  higher  and  still  higher  upon  the  distant  point  above  us,, 
and  as  the  wind  had  veered  around  to  the  westward  a  few  points, 
the  ice  was  being  driven  down  upon  us  with  great  rapidity. 

Time  is  required  to  tell  the  story,  but  not  much  was  needed  for 
the  crisis  to  reach  us.  I  was  steering  the  boat,  while  Cameron  and 
Le  Vecq  were  rowing.  Cameron  at  first  did  not  heed  my  warning  to 
prepare  for  danger,  and  showed  more  courage  than  discretion  ;  but 
when  he  saw  that  we  had,  as  if  by  magic,  become  blockaded  in  front, 
and  that  no  time  was  allowed  us  for  retreat,  he  wrung  his  hands  and 
cried  out,  as  if  in  agony  of  grief,  "My  God,  Bunnell !  what  shall 
we  do  ?"  I  answered :  "  Face  the  danger  like  men  ;  our  goods,  not 
ourselves,  are  threatened  ;  we  can  run  ashore  on  the  ice. " 

The  ice  was  thick  enough  to  have  borne  up  a  horse. 

Our  worthy  bishop  (LeYecq)  seemingly  was  not  of  my  opinion, 
for  dropping  upon  his  knees,  he  poured  forth  such  a  torrent  of 
invective,  or  invocation,  it  was  uncertain  which,  as  would  have 
moved  anything  less  cold  than  ice.  The  ice,  however,  came  crowd- 
ing on,  and  I  instantly  formed  a  plan  to  save  the  boat.  All  appeals 
to  the  devout  Frenchman  were  useless,  so  I  motioned  Cameron  to  my 
aid,  and  we  drew  the  boat  to  the  edge  of  the  ice  on  the  north  side 
of  the  narrowing  channel,  where  we  awaited  its  close.  My  plan  was 
to  tilt  up  the  shore  side  of  tlie  boat  as  the  ice  approached  to  crush 
it,  and  thus  make  use  of  the  overlapping  ice  to  carry  us  up  the 


d 


G 


€-^1^^ 


s-^^ij-v:s_s^i  kSm,i3S^.Tarsdrz 


wrsroisrA  city  in  embryo.  71 

inclined  plane  of  ice  that  the  pressure  in  tilting  the  boat  would 
form. 

I  unstepped  the  mast  and  placed  it  in  readiness  for  use  as  a  lever. 
I  placed  one  oar  beside  our  pilot  voyageur,  for  use  when  his  prayer 
should  end,  but  all  to  no  purpose — he  could  not  be  aroused.  I  called 
upon  him  in  most  vigorous  terms,  but  in  vain.  Cameron  again 
offered  his  services,  but  I  wished  him  to  bale  his  valuables,  and  he 
had  scant  time  to  do  it  ere  the  floe  I  knew  would  be  down  upon  us; 
besides  he  was  too  deaf  to  hear  in  the  noise,  and  as  the  sky  was  be- 
coming rapidly  overcast,  sight  could  not  be  entirely  depended  upon. 
Exasperated  beyond  further  endurance,  I  jerked  our  paralyzed  guide 
from  his  prayerful  stupor  out  uj)on  the  ice,  and  having  made  him 
comprehend  my  intention,  he  took  the  oar,  the  boat  was  tilted  up  at 
the  right  moment,  and  all  was  saved. 

We  were  swept  toward  the  shore  with  great  steadiness  and 
power,  but  as  the  ice  was  smooth,  without  injury  of  any  kind. 
Le  Yecq  was  sent  to  sleep  on  the  land,  where  we  had  transferred  our 
lighter  goods,  but  Cameron  and  myself  returned  to  the  boat  and 
slept  soundly  until  daylight,  when  a  storm  of  wind  and  rain  came  to 
break  up  the  ice,  and  we  were  able  before  nightfall  to  cross  to  Bully 
Wells'  (now  Frontenac)  in  safety.  It  was  April,  and  the  wind  that 
had  subsided  with  the  fall  of  rain  sprang  up  again.  The  lake  above 
was  all  open,  but  we  were  held  wind-bound  to  enjoy  the  pioneer  sto- 
ries of  Mr.  Wells,  who  had  established  himself  with  a  native  woman 
some  years  before.  Cameron  chafed  at  Wells'  recitals,  and  as  night 
fell  upon  us,  insisted  that  the  wind  had  died  out  and  that  we  could 
go  on.  Wells  told  him  that  if  we  attempted  it  we  would  probably 
swamp  or  water-log  on  Point-no-Point,  as  we  could  scarcely  clear 
that  iron-bound  shore  with  the  wind  beating  on  it  as  it  did  at  the 
time.  I  was  able  to  hold  Cameron  in  check  until  about  two  in  the 
morning,  when,  exasperated  by  his  seemingforgetfulnessof  the  danger 
we  had  so  narrowly  escaped,  I  told  him  that  if  we  beached  or  water- 
logged, his,  not  mine,  would  be  the  loss,  and  we  started  out  into  the 
lake  to  clear  the  point. 

We  got  well  out  into  the  lake  and  had  made  a  good  ofiing,  before 
we  caught  the  swell,  when  it  was  soon  made  manifest  to  me  that  a 
sail  should  be  set  to  give  us  headway,  or  we  would  swamp  before 
reaching  the  point.  I  proposed  the  sail,  but  Le  Yecq  said  to 
Cameron,  ' '  Suppose  you  hist  ze  sail,  you  go  to  ze  dev. ''  Just  then 
a  white  cap  broke  over  the  bow  gunnel  of  the  boat,  and,  taking  a 
5 


72  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

wooden  bucket  in  liand,  Cameron  gave  it  to  tlie  Canadian,  tolling 
him  to  bail,  and  without  reservation  gave  me  charge  of  the  boat.  I 
caHed  him  to  the  tiller  while  I  bent  on  the  sail,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
we  were  skimming  the  water  like  a  gull.  Dropping  a  lee-board  I 
had  taken  the  precaution  to  rig,  we  crawled  off  Point-no-point,  and 
rounding  into  the  cove  above,  landed  as  daylight  appeared.  This 
second  display  of  incapacity  in  Le  Vecq  ended  his  career  as  principal 
voyageur,  and  I  was  installed  as  captain  and  supercargo. 

We  run  on  up  to  lied  Wing  atler  breaking  our  fast,  and  had 
already  disposed  of  a  large  quantity  of  our  heavy  goods,  relieving 
our  boat  the  better  to  encounter  the  more  rapid  current,  when  look- 
ing down  the  river  we  saw  the  Otter  steaming  to  the  landing.  Le 
Point  was  on  board,  so  we  at  once  pulled  out  for  the  St.  Croix.  We 
made  a  rapid  run  to  Still-Water  and  Taylor's  Falls,  and  after  soiling 
out  everything  at  high  prices,  Cameron  commenced  buying  furs  for 
cash,  having  ample  supplies  of  coin  for  that  purpose.  Taking  our 
way  back  leisurely,  sometimes  floating  with  the  current,  at  others 
pulling  enough  for  steerage  way,  we  were  able  to  see  and  stop  at 
every  trading  post  and  Indian  encampment  on  our  way  down  to  La 
Crosse.  At  Wah-pa-sha's  Yillage,  then  situated  on  the  high  ground 
back  of  the  river  front,  west  of  Main  street,  we  stayed  over  night. 
Wah-pa-sha's  sister,  We-no-nah,  (really  a  cousin)  gave  us  a  tent  in 
which  to  quarter  for  the  night,  saying  that  it  was  better  than  our  cloth 
tent,  as  there  was  a  cold  rain  falling  at  the  time.  In  recognition  of 
the  woman's  hospitality  and  forethought,  I  gave  her  upon  leaving  in 
the  morning,  a  six  quart  pan  of  flour  from  our  scanty  stores,  as  we 
had  no  goods  of  any  kind  left.  Cameron's  subsequent  aireer  in  La 
Crosse  was  unfortunate. 

Soon  after  my  return  to  La  Crosse  I  made  a  trip  to  St.  Louis, 
and  having  an  Indian's  memory  of  localities,  I  was  able  to  flx  the 
course  of  the  Mississippi  as  far  as  Galena  in  my  mind.  There  were 
but  two  steamboat  pilots  in  those  days  for  the  entire  river  above 
Prairie  Du  Chien,  and  the  services  of  those  wore  always  retained  by 
the  American  or  Chouteau  Company,  or  by  the  supply  steamers  of 
the  United  States  contractors  for  the  Indian  and  military  depart- 
ments. 

Louis  Morrow,  one  of  the  pilots,  was  in  the  full  vigor  of  mature 
manhood,  and  a  more  noble  specimen  it  would  be  difflcult  to  find ; 
but  the  other  pilot,  Lewis  De'-Marah,  was  getting  old,  and  his  sight 
was  failing  him  so  fast,  that,  as  he  himself  said,  he  would  soon  have  to 


WIliTOlSrA    CITY    EN^    EMBRYO.  73 

leave  the  river  to  younger  eyes.  Finding  me  interested  in  the  course 
of  the  channel,  De  Marah  would  point  it  out  to  me  when  traveling 
with  him,  and  in  a  short  time  after  our  first  acquaintance  he  ofi'ered 
to  teach  and  retain  me  with  him  on  the  river.  I  declined  the  offer, 
but  my  taste  and  passion  for  beautiful  scenery  led  me  to  study  the 
river  while  traveling  upon  it.  At  that  time  there  were  but  few  boats 
running  above  Prairie  Du  Chien  regularly,  and  those  of  the  smallest 
kind,  such  as  the  Rock  River  and  the  Otter.  The  Harrises  of 
Galena  were  so  successful  with  the  latter  boat,  that  they  soon  brought 
out  the  Light  Foot,  the  Time  and  Tide,  the  Senator,  the  War  Eagle 
and  others  in  quick  succession.  The  demand  for  those  steamers 
created  a  demand  for  pilots,  and  Sam  Harlow,  Pleasent  Cormack, 
Rufus  Williams  and  George  Nichols  came  to  the  front  and  proved 
themselves  as  capable  men  as  ever  turned  a  wheel.  Of  the  lower 
river  pilots  I  remember  Hugh  White  of  St.  Louis  as  one  of  the  best, 
and  his  services  were  always  in  demand  by  the  Falcon  Cecilia, 
General  Brooke  and  other  boats  of  the  lower  trade.  Although  I  was 
never  a  member  of  any  legislature,  I  was  as  welcome  to  a  free  ride 
on  any  of  the  boats  named,  as  a  modern  "dead  head"  on  any  of  the 
subsidized  railroads.  As  there  was  seldom  but  one  pilot  on  a  boat 
above  Prairie  Du  Chien  who  knew  the  river  well,  my  services  were 
thought  to  be  an  equivalent  for  all  the  favors  shown  me,  and  I  could 
go  to  St.  Louis  or  St.  Paul  at  will.  Upon  one  occasion  I  saved  De 
Marah  from  a  blunder  at  night,  similar  to  the  one  which  happened 
him  while  on  the  Lynx  in  1844.  That  new  and  beautiful  steamer 
was  run  out  in  1844  on  the  shore  below  the  Keye's  residence  by  De 
Marah.  The  night  was  inky  black,  and  as  the  fast-running  steam- 
boat steered  a  little  hard,  the  watchman  was  called  to  aid  De  Marah 
at  the  wheel.  The  Lynx  was  on  her  down  trip  from  Mendota  and 
St.  Paul,  and  was  running  at  a  fair  rate  of  speed.  As  they  reached 
the  shore  at  Keye's  point,  a  thunderstorm  burst  upon  them  ;  and  as 
the  lightning  flashed,  the  open  sky  of  Pleasant  Yalley  revealed  the 
overflowing  water  at  the  lower  end  of  the  prairie,  and  it  was  mis- 
taken for  the  Mississippi. 

The  annual  fires  had  at  that  time  kept  down  all  arbol  growths 
except  at  the  water's  edge,  and  the  sandy  ridge  of  prairie  between 
the  river  and  the  open  water  beyond  had  been  overlooked  during  the 
momentary  flash  of  lightning.  The  shadows  of  the  Min-ne-o-way 
bluffs  joined  with  the  dense  foliage  of  the  islands  and  shut  out  the 
view  to  the  east.     The  Lynx  was  run  out  several  rods  upon  the 


74  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

overflowed  land  before  "fetching  up,"  and  when  she  halted,  no 
means  at  the  dis])osal  of  Captain  Hooi)er  could  get  her  back  into  the 
channel.  The  most  of  the  men  were  discharged  and  with  a  few  pas- 
sengers left  in  a  yawl  for  Praii-ie  Du  Chien. 

A  few  days  after,  while  at  work  ujion  ways  to  slide  the  boat  into 
river,  the  Gen.  Brooke  came  steaming  up  the  channel,  and  was  hailed 
for  assistance.  After  landing  and  viewing  the  situation,  Capt. 
Tlirocmorton  decided  to  go  on  to  Fort  Snelling  and  discharge  his 
cargo,  lest  some  accident  might  forfeit  his  insurance,  but  gave  Capt. 
Hooper  assurances  of  aid  on  his  return.  Capt.  Throcmorton's  great 
experience  suggested  work  to  be  done  during  his  absence,  and  on 
his  return  he  was  enabled  to  at  once  pull  the  disabled  boat  into  the 
river  and  take  her  in  tow.  The  Ljn\  was  docked  and  lengthened, 
but  she  never  recovered  her  speed,  and  was  soon  disposed  of  by  her 
builders.  The  brick  and  mortar  thrown  overboard  on  the  prairie  in 
taking  out  her  boilers  has  been  taken  by  some  for  the  remains  of  an 
old  building.  A  short  time  since,  while  strolling  on  the  river  bank 
near  the  locality  of  the  disaster,  I  picked  from  the  sandy  shore  an 
iron  pulley- wheel  that  probably  was  dropped  overboard  by  some  one 
on  the  Lynx,  as  the  deeply  rust-eaten  wheel  indicated  that  it  had 
been  many  years  in  the  sand.  It  may  be  seen  in  the  museum  of  the 
Winona  Normal  school. 

On  May  21,  1844,  a  few  weeks  before  the  misfortune  happened  to 
the  Lynx,  Robt.  D.  Lester,  sheriff  of  Crawford  county,  Wisconsin, 
was  murdered  by  a  Sioux  of  Little  Crow's  band,  named  0-man- 
haugh-tay.  A  fruitless  search  had  been  made  for  the  body,  which 
was  known  to  be  in  the  river,  but  as  the  boat  from  the  Lynx  was 
descending,  on  its  way  to  Prairie  du  Chien,  the  occupants  of  the  boat 
found  the  swollen  body  in  a  pile  of  driftwood,  and  towed  it  to 
La  Crosse,  where  it  was  buried.  Mr.  Lester's  successor  in  office, 
Mr.  Lockhart,  subsequently  had  it  removed  and  buried  at  Prairie  du 
Chien.  The  murder  occurred  within  the  limits  of  Winona  county, 
opposite  the  "Queen  Bluff,"  and  not  "six  miles  below  Reed's  Land- 
ing," nor  "twenty  miles  from  La  Crosse,"  as  the  historian  of  La 
Crosse  county  has  stated. 

Mr.  Lester  was  returning  from  an  official  visit  to  the  Chippewa 
mills,  and  stopped  at  Trempealeau  on  his  way  down  in  a  canoe.  His 
old  friend  Reed  offered  him  hospitality,  which  he  declined,  but 
accepted  a  lunch  to  eat  on  his  way.  Lester  sto|>ped  at  a  spring  rivu- 
let just  above  the  Queen  bluff,  and  while  eating  his  lunch,  which 


WINONA    CITY    IN    EMBRYO.  75 

was  scanty  enough,  0-man-liaugli-tay,  on  his  way  up  from  La  Crosse 
in  a  canoe,  landed  and  demanded  a  part  of  it.  Lester  declined  a 
division  of  his  scanty  fare,  and  soon  after  started  on  his  journey  to 
Prairie  du  Chien.  He  had  proceeded  but  a  few  rods,  his  back  turned 
to  the  Indian,  when  the  rej)ort  of  0-man-haugh-tay's  rifle,  and  the 
body  of  the  sheriff  seen  falling  out  of  his  canoe  informed  La  Bath, 
who  just  then  came  in  sight,  that  a  murder  had  been  committed. 
0-man-haugh-tay  jumped  into  his  canoe  and  fled  from  La  Bath's  ap- 
proach, but  not  before  he  was  recognized  by  La  Bath,  who  knew  the 
Indian  as  a  vicious  member  of  Little  Crow's  band. 

La  Bath  informed  the  authorities  that  though  he  did  not  see  the 
Indian  until  after  the  shot  was  fired,  there  could  be  no  doubt  but  that 
0-man-haugh-tay  had  committed  the  murder.  After  considerable 
delay  and  the  use  of  an  escort  of  troops  to  capture  hostages,  the 
murderer  was  delivered  up  and  taken  to  Prairie  du  Chien.  He  was 
kept  there  in  prison  for  some  time,  and  then,  for  reasons  best 
known  to  the  authorities  of  that  period,  he  was  taken  across  the  river 
in  the  night  to  a  landing  above  McGregor,  and  was  turned  loose,  as 
stated  by  himself  to  his  listening  auditors. 

James  Keed  happened  to  be  at  Keoxa  (Winona)  when  0-man- 
haugh-tay  arrived.  Wah-pa-sha  and  his  band  received  the  Indian 
with  consideration,  and  while  a  repast  was  being  prepared  for  him. 
Reed  listened  to  the  recital  of  the  murderer,  who,  among  his  Indian 
friends,  made  no  concealments  of  his  motives  or  of  the  murder. 
O-man-haugh-tay's  conclusion  was  that  the  white  men  of  the  prairie 
were  gopd  to  him,  but  that  they  were  afi-aid  of  him.  During  his 
recital,  after  the  Sioux  custom,  a  i3ipe  of  friendship  was  passed 
around  the  circle  of  the  tent,  and  noticing  that  Reed  declined  the 
proffered  pipe,  0-man-liaugh-tay  oftered  it  to  Reed  in  person.  The 
audacity  of  the  Sioux  fired  the  old  hunter,  and  although  Reed  was 
the  only  white  man  present,  he  struck  the  ]3ipe  to  the  ground  and 
told  the  Indian  that  there  was  one  white  man  who  was  not  afraid  of 
a  dog.  That  epithet  applied  to  a  Sioux  was  the  greatest  insult  that 
could  be  oftered,  but  it  was  not  resented,  and  0-man-haugh-tay  soon 
took  his  departure  from  the  village. 

Reed  was  a  man  of  sterling  integrity  of  character,  hospitable,  and 
devoted  to  his  friends,  and  had  the  murderer  of  Lester  but  have 
made  a  movement  of  resentment,  his  life  would  probably  have  paid 
the  forfeit.  Reed  was  a  bearer  of  dispatches  in  the  Black  Hawk 
war,   and  had  good  opportunities  for  observation.     He  took  dis- 


76  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

patches  from  Prairie  du  Chien  to  the  commander  of  the  American 
forces  when  no  other  messenger  coidd  be  induced  to  incur  tlie  risk, 
and  just  after  the  slaughter  at  Battle-slough,  found  a  joung  squaw 
whose  father  and  mother  had  been  killed.  Heed  took  her  with  him 
on  his  return  to  Fort  Crawford,  from  whence  she  was  finally  sent  to 
her  tribe  in  Iowa.  James  Reed  had  a  personal  acquaintance  with 
all  the  historical  personages  of  his  time,  and  it  is  a  subject  of  regret 
that  his  family  and  friends  have  not  recorded  more  of  his  experi- 
ences in  pioneer  life.  Charles  Reed,  of  "Reed's  Landing,"  should 
note  down  his  recollections  of  early  times,  for  the  pioneers  of  Wa- 
pa-sha  county  have  had  interesting  experiences. 

From  Reed  I  learned  of  the  existence  in  Beef-slough  of  a  large 
quantity  of  square  timber  and  shingle  logs  that  had  been  gotten  out 
under  direction  of  Jefferson  Davis  and  other  army  officers  for  use  in 
building  Fort  Crawford.  This  timber  was  said  to  have  been  run 
into  the  slough  under  the  impression  that  it  was  the  main  channel  of 
the  Chippewa  river,  and  as  there  was  no  outlet  at  that  time,  a  large 
raft  of  flood- wood  and  trees  obstructing  the  channel,  the  lumber  was 
abandoned,  and  new  material  prepared  and  run  down  the  proper 
channel  of  the  Chi})pewa.  Reed's  statement  was  confirmed  to  me 
by  one  made  by  James  T.  Ruth,  who  had  also  been  a  soldier  at 
Fort  Crawford.  In  company  with  James  McCain,  a  Pennsylvanian, 
we  broke  the  drifts  and  opened  the  channel  of  the  slough,  and  were 
well  rewarded  for  our  labor. 

During  the  spring  and  summer  of  1843  Philip  Jacobs  and 
Dr.  Snow  put  up  a  trading-house  in  La  Crosse,  and  the  Doctor 
gave  some  attention  to  the  practice  of  medicine.  During  the  month 
of  November  of  that  year  he  attended  my  brother's  wife  at  the 
birth  of  her  son  Porter,  who  was  the  first  white  child  born  in  Trem- 
])ealeau  county.  My  brother's  daughter,  Frances  Matilda  Bunnell, 
now  Mrs.  Frank  Ilampson,  of  River  Falls,  Wisconsin,  who  was 
bom  at  Homer,  Minnesota,  on  February  22,  1850,  was  the  first 
white  child  born  within  the  limits  of  Winona  county.  There  were 
eight  children  in  Willard  Bunnell's  familj^,  five  of  whom  are  still 
living. 

In  1843  Nathan  Myriek  was  married  and  brought  his  wife  to 
La  Crosse.  Accom])anying  Mrs.  Myriek,  as  companion  and  friend, 
was  Miss  Louisa  Pierson,  of  Burlington,  Vermont.  Like  most  Ver- 
mont girls.  Miss  Pierson  was  rosy  and  bright,  and  as  fearless  as 
were  "The  Green  Mountain  Boys.""     If  a  horse  had  balked  in  the 


INTERESTING    INCIDENTS    AND    CUSTOMS.  77 

sand  of  the  prairie,  her  hand  would  soothe  the  stubborn  brute  into 
forgetfulness,  and  he  would  then  do  his  duty.  No  saddle  or  bridle 
was  needed  to  ride  her  favorite  chestnut,  and  at  her  call,  even  the 
pacing  Indian  ponies  belonging  to  the  firm  would  amble  to  her  feet. 
Such  a  woman  among  frontiersmen  would  command  admiration, 
and  for  a  time,  at  least,  her  conquests  were  numerous  and  her 
influence  beneficial,  but  soon  it  became  but  too  evident  that  her 
preference  had  been  given  to  Myrick's  partner,  H.  J.  B.  Miller,  and 
her  whilom  admirers  turned  their  inconstant  devotion  to  the  native 
daughters  of  the  realm. 

Among  the  traders  of  that  early  period  there  were  some  who 
took  squaws  for  wives,  either  permanent  or  after  the  morganatic 
fashions  of  the  highly  civilized  courts  of  Europe.  The  usual  method 
of  obtaining  a  help-meet  from  among  the  Indians  was  to  pay  court 
to  the  parents  of  the  maiden  desired,  and  after  incidentally  inform- 
ing them  of  the  esteem  in  which  their  offspring  was  held,  obtain 
some  approximate  idea  of  her  value. 

It  was  also  thought  advisable  to  make  a  present  to  the  medicine- 
man, with  an  intimation  that  if  the  spirits  were  friendly  to  your 
suit  a  larger  gift  might  be  expected.  Two  traders  of  my  acquaint- 
ance, Asa  White  and  Tom  Holmes,  formally  espoused  native 
queens,  and  remained  faithfully  with  them  and  their  children 
through  all  changes  of  fortune  and  civilization  that  drove  them 
fartlier  and  still  farther  to  the  frontier.  Others,  not  so  true  to  the 
parental  instinct,  because  in  higher  life^  left  their  squaw  wives,  but 
their  children  remain  in  the  tribe,  cared  for  and  reared  by  their 
mothers,  vigorous  emblems  of  the  love  once  borne  for  their  fathers. 


CHAPTEE  VIL 

INTERESTING  INCIDENTS  AND  CUSTOMS. 

In  company  with  my  old-time  friend  Maj.  E.  A.  C.  Hatch,  who 
has  quite  recently  gone  to  a  higher  plane  of  existence,  I  once 
attended  a  virgins'  feast  at  Ke-ox-ah  (Winona),  presided  over  by 
"Wah-pa-sha.  The  whole  band  was  assembled,  and  after  elaborate 
preparation  and  sanctification  of  the  ground,  by  invocations  and  in- 
cense, and  sacrificial  offerings  had  been  placed  for  the  vestal  at  the 


78  IIISTOEY    OF    WrNOKA    COUNTY. 

foot  of  the  altar-pole,  Mock-ali-pe-ali-ket-ali-pali,  the  chief  speaker, 
came  forward,  and  in  a  sonorous  address  lauded  the  virtues  of 
chastity  and  warned  "the  denouncers"  against  the  sin  of  bearing 
false  witness.  He  also  told  the  young  braves  that  if  they  knew  of 
the  lapse  from  virtue  of  any  virgin  applicant  for  vestal  honors, 
it  was  their  duty,  having  in  keeping  the  honor  of  their  tribe,  to 
denounce  her.  These  young  men  were  selected  as  the  flower  of 
Indian  chivaby,  and  in  addition  to  their  duties  as  "denouncers," 
if  occasion  required,  they  guarded  the  sacred  precincts  of  the  assem- 
bly from  defilement.  In  this  respect  Indians  surpass  white  people, 
as  seldom,  if  ever",  has  any  police  regulations  to  be  enforced. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  chief  speakers  address,  Wah-kon-de-o- 
tah,  the  great  war-chief  of  the  band,  addressed  his  warriors  in  a 
quiet  and  affectionate  manner,  and  told  his  braves  to  maintain  the 
truth  as  sacred,  and  not  offend  the  spirits  of  their  ancestors.  "VVah- 
pa-sha  then  called  for  the  virgins  and  matrons  to  come  forth,  after 
the  manner  still  in  vogue  in  Mexico,  and  for  some  time  there  was 
the  silence  of  expectation.  Again  the  call  was  made  for  any  virgin 
to  come  forward  and  receive  her  reward.  Two  maidens  came  partly 
forward,  but,  upon  reaching  the  line  of  denunciation,  faltered  and 
turned  back  from  modesty  or  fear,  when,  at  this  crisis,  We-no-nah, 
the  wife  of  the  speaker,  and  eldest  sister  (or  cousin)  of  Wah-pa-sha, 
motioned  to  her  youngest  daughter,  Witch-e-ain,  a  maiden  of  per- 
haps fifteen  summers,  and  then  in  confident  tones  challenged  the 
assembled  throng  to  say  aught,  if  they  could,  against  the  purity  of 
her  maiden  child. 

No  answer  was  given  to  this  challenge,  and,  after  repeated  calls 
by  the  crier  of  the  assembly,  Witch-e-ain  came  modestly  forward 
and  was  crowned  goddess  of  the  feast  that  immediately  followed. 
Her  head  was  encircled  with  braids  of  rich  garniture  and  scented 
grass,  and  presents  of  colored  cloths,  calicoes,  yarns,  beads  and 
ribbons  were  lavished  upon  her  as  the  tribe's  representative  of 
purity.  Her  fame  went  out  among  the  traders,  and  soon  after  that 
vestal  feast  she  became  the  wife  of  a  distinguished  trader.  Like  a 
caged  bird,  she  soon  pined  for  her  prairie  home,  and  died  of  con- 
sumj)tion  ere  the  leaves  of  spring  bloomed  to  welcome  her  coming. 

Her  mother,  We-no-nah,  is  still  living,* and  visits  me  occasion- 

*  Since  writing  the  above  We-no-nah  has  gone  to  her  spirit-home.  She  died 
about  November  1,  1882,  and  was  buried  near  Treuipoaleau.  It  was  she  who 
pave  the  notice  to  my  brother's  wife,  Matilda  Bunuell,tluit  so  excited  the  war- 
spirit  of  the  home-guard  of  Winona  county. 


INTERESTING    INCIDENTS    AND    CUSTOMS.  79 

ally,  always  referring  to  the  good  old  times  of  tlie  past,  when  she 
was  young  and  Wah-pa-sha  in  power.  Her  age  is  not  known  with 
certainty,  but  it  is  probably  at  this  time,  1882,  not  less  than  ninety 
years.  Cho-ne-mon-e-kah,  Green-Walk,  a  half-blood  Winnebago 
brother  of  the  girl,  is  still  living,  and  the  most  expert  hunter  of  his 
band. 

Wah-pa-sha  intimated,  upon  one  occasion,  his  approval  of  any 
choice  I  might  make  of  a  wife  from  among  his  people;  and  iinally, 
an  unusual  thing  for  an  Indian  maiden  to  do,  Witch-e-ain  herself 
told  me  of  her  dislike  of  the  engagement  made  for  her  with  the 
trader,  and  asked  me  to  take  her  as  a  free-will  offering,  saying  that 
as  she  was  the  niece  of  Wah-pa-sha  she  would  be  allowed  to  choose 
between  the  trader  and  myself.  I  was  compelled,  kindly,  to  decline 
her  offer,  but  assured  her  of  my  high  esteem  and  faith  in  the  person 
chosen  for  her  by  her  mother.  Not  Rachael  herself,  in  her  highest 
tragedy,  could  have'  thrown  from  her  sparkling  orbs  such  burn- 
ing glances  of  hate  as  were  shot  forth  upon  me  by  Witch-e-ain  at 
my  refusal  of  her  love.  Such  withering  but  silent  contempt  can 
only  be  expressed  by  a  woman  scorned. 

Years  have  passed,  and  trader  and  girl  are  both  in  the  spirit- 
world,  or  I  would  not  speak  of  the  incident;  but  in  this  article  I 
wish  to  show  that,  however  different  in  customs,  the  Indians  still 
have  universal  feelings  of  nature,  that  make  them  akin. 

At  another  feast  Tom  Holmes  was  so  enchanted  that  he  decided 
at  once  to  make  the  damsel  his  wife.  His  offers  were  accepted, 
and,  so  far  as  I  was  able  to  trace  his  career,  she  appeared  to  have 
made  him  a  good  wife. 

Upon  another  occasion  Major  Hatch  and  myself  visited  Wah-pa- 
sha's  village  in  Indian  disguise,  and  if  our  presence  was  recognized 
it  was  not  noticed. 

Major  Hatch  was  a  man  of  the  finest  perceptions  and  most  prac- 
tical judgment.  To  a  stranger  he  was  polite,  though  taciturn,  but 
to  his  friends  he  was  open  and  generous  to  a  fault.  The  major's 
descriptive  power  was  quite  remarkable.  As  early  as  1859  he  gave 
me  a  description  of  the  Yellowstone  country,  that  I  urged  him  to 
have  published,  as  well  as  some  of  his  experiences  among  the  Wah- 
pa-sha,  Sioux  and  Blackfeet  Indians,  with  whom  he  had  been  inti- 
mately associated,  as  trader  and  agent,  for  a  number  of  years. 
The  major  was  not  indifferent  to  his  literary  attainments,  for  lie  was 
a  close  student,  but  his  reply  was  to  the  effect  that  no  description 


80  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

could  do  the  Yellowstone  valley  justice,  and  that  any  one  who 
deviated  from  Cooper's  or  Ned  Forrest's  model  of  the  American 
savage  would  be  laughed  to  scorn  in  the  great  republic  of  letters. 
In  speaking  of  the  true  inter])retation  of  the  word  Minnesota,  the 
major  said,  "in  that  word  you  have  a  fair  example  of  the  extravagant 
taste  for  romance  of  Americans.  The  word  is  compounded  from 
Min-ne,  water,  and  Sota,  smoke,  and  means  literally  smoky  or 
clouded  water,  because  of  the  clouded  or  smoky  ap])earance  the 
water  of  the  river  assumes  in  its  course  to  the  Mississippi."  "Sky- 
tinted  water,"  said  the  major,  "  is  entirely  fanciful,  as  any  one  may 
see  by  looking  at  the  river  at  Mendotah." 

Major  Hatch  served  the  Federal  government  long  and  well.  He 
was  postmaster  at  La  Crosse  in  1846  ;  aided  in  the  removal  of  the 
Winnebagoes  in  1848  ;  was  appointed  agent  of  the  Blackfeet  Indians 
in  1855,  and  served  in  that  extremely  dangerous  position  in  the 
Yellowstone  and  Big  Horn  country  for  two  years.  At  that  time 
none  but  those  well  versed  in  Indian  character,  could  by  any 
possibility  preserve  their  scalps  among  those  war-like  people.  Major 
Hatch  became  almost  an  idol  among  them,  and  performed  his  duties 
to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  government. 

On  his  return  to  St.  Paul  he  was  appointed,  in  1860,  deputy  col- 
lector for  that  port,  and  in  1863,  after  again  aiding  in  the  removal 
of  the  Winnebagoes  to  the  Missouri,  he  was  commissioned  major  by 
the  war  department,  and  was  authorized  to  raise  an  independent 
battalion  to  serve  upon  the  Indian  and  British  frontier.  I  was 
oifered  a  commission  by  the  major  in  his  battalion.  While  in  com- 
mand of  his  battalion,  he  devised  a  scheme  in  which  Little  Six  and 
Medicine  Bottle  were  finally  brought  to  the  gallows.  Thomas  Le 
Blanc  and  an  associate  in  daring  crossed  the  British  frontier,  and 
while  those  Sioux  murderers  were  boasting  of  their  crimes,  they  were 
captured  and  brought  into  Minnesota,  bound  on  a  dog  train,  and 
turned  over  to  justice  and  to  death. 

Major  Hatch  died  in  St.  Paul  of  cholera  morbus,  September  14, 
last,  aged  fifty-seven  years,  loved  and  honored  by  his  wife  and  six 
children,  and  esteemed  by  all  who  had  the  privilege  of  his  acquaint- 
ance. As  for  myself,  I  regret  his  departure  as  a  long-tried  friend. 
I  was  one  year  his  senior  in  age  and  strength  of  body,  but  not  of 
mind,  and  in  our  youth  had  the  good  fortune  twice  to  save  him 
from  assault  where  his  life  was  endangered, — once  by  a  vicious  son 
of  Decorah,  and  at  another  time  by  a  no  less  vicious  white  mjm, 


INTERESTING    INCIDENTS    AND    CUSTOMS.  81 

who  had  assaulted  him  unawares,  and  who  afterward  committed  a 
murder.  Those  eaily  experiences  were  remembered  as  a  tie  between 
us,  that  time  nor  distance  could  wholly  sever,  and  now  that  he  has 
left  us,  I  wish  to  record  my  esteem  and  friendship  for  one  of  the 
noblest  Romans  of  them  all. 

There  are  but  few  of  the  earliest  pioneers  left ;  James  Reed  died 
June  2,  1873,  aged  about  seventy-five. 

It  would  be  useless  to  attempt  the  destruction  of  a  popular  idol, 
for  there  is  too  little  of  romance  in  this  mattei'-of-fact  age,  but  it  is 
well  to  state  here  that  the  Indians  laugh  when  the  legend  of  the 
"Lover's  Leap"  is  repeated  to  them. 

A  very  casual  survey  of  the  ground  at  the  foot  of  "The  Leap" 
will  show  what  a  prodigious  jumper  the  girl  must  have  been,  to  have 
jumped  into  the  lake,  as  many  believe  she  did.  If  the  legend  had 
any  foundation  at  all,  it  was  most  probably  based  upon  the  rebellion  of 
some  strong-minded  We-no-nah  (meaning  the  first-born  girl)  to  a  sale 
of  her  precious  self  to  a  gray-bearded  French  trader,  as  James  Reed 
supposed,  from  a  tradition  said  to  exist  concerning  such  an  event. 
As  there  was  an  old  trading-post,  fort  and  mission  established  in  1727 
on  the  north  shore  near  the  Lovers'  Leap,  it  is  more  probable  that  some 
ti-ader  of  that  post  made  the  purchase,  than  any  at  the  foot  of  the 
lake,  as  Reed  supposed  from  the  Indian  account  of  the  affair. 

It  may  be  that  the  girl  threatened  to  jump  fro'm  the  cliif,  so  near 
to  the  old  post,  but  if  she  did,  like  Reed,  I  will  venture  the  predic- 
tion that  she  was  cuffed  into  submission  to  the  will  of  her  dear  mother. 

I  have  known  of  but  few  instances  of  rebellion  of  daughters  to 
the  wills  of  their  parents,  when  sold  into  matrimony  ;  hence  submis- 
sion may  be  said  to  be  almost  universal.  Extremes  will  sometimes 
meet,  and  here  we  see  the  untutored  savage,  and  the  belles  of  Sara- 
toga and  of  Paris  join  hands  in  sympathy. 

The  American  Indians  have  distinctive  customs  and  traits  of 
character,  but  none  perhaps  more  peculiar  than  belong  to  other  bar- 
barous peoples.  The  language  of  the  Algonquin  race  may  be  regarded 
as  the  most  manly  in  expression  and  in  poetic  beauty,  but  the  char- 
acter of  the  Dah-ko-tahs  should  be  deemed  the  type  of  all  that  is 
possible  in  human  endurance,  craft  and  ferocity.  Their  sun-dance, 
or  We-wan-yag-wa-ci-pi  can  only  be  endured  by  men  of  the  most 
determined  will,  and  that,  too,  sustained  by  the  fanaticism  of  a 
heathen  devotion.  Their  sacred  dance,  Wah-kon-wa-ci-pi,  like  the 
Winnebagoes'  medicine  dance,  Mah-cah-wash-she-rah,  is  as  close  and 


82  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

exclusive  a  communion  of  men  of  liigli  degree,  as  one  given  by 
Kniglits  Templars.  None  but  the  invited  and  initiated  are  ever 
allowed  to  be  present  during  some  of  the  ceremonies,  but  after  the 
ground  has  been  prepared  and  the  dance  has  been  inaugurated  by 
its  leader,  the  less  favored  barbarians  are  allowed  to  witness  the 
splendor  of  the  dresses  worn  on  the  occasion,  and  hear  some  of  the 
laudations  of  valor,  and  the  monotonous  Hy-yi-yah  that  forms  the 
burden  of  their  songs. 

Tlie  poetic  element  is  not  absolutely  wanting  in  an  Indian,  but  it 
requires  a  good  degree  of  imagination  in  a  white  man  to  comprehend 
their  efforts  in  song,  and  considerable  ingenuity  to  connect  their 
disjointed  rhythms  into  rhyme. 

For  some  days  previous  to  any  sacred  dance  the  chief  medicine- 
men, or  priests,  and  their  neophites  fast,  or  eat  sparingly.  If  a  dog 
is  to  be  eaten  at  the  conclusion  of  their  fast,  or  if  a  beaver  has  been 
secured  for  the  feast  that  will  follow,  they  are  both  lauded  for  their 
respective  qualities ;  the  dog  for  his  feithfulness,  and  the  beaver  for 
his  wisdom.  The  dog  is  well  fed  and  told  not  to  be  offended  because 
of  the  intention  of  sending  him  to  the  spirit-world,  as  there  he  will 
find  all  that  a  good  dog  can  desire,  and  that  his  bones  shall  be  pre- 
served in  the  medicine  lodges  of  the  band. 

The  bones  of  dogs,  beaver,  bear  and  eagles  are  often  taken  to  the 
high  priests  for  their  blessings  ;  and  they  are  then  preserved  in  bags 
or  pouches  and  held  sacred  as  charms  against  evil.  These  medicine- 
bags  are  a  badge  of  membership  in  the  sacred  order,  and  are  sacredly 
preserved  from  generation  to  generation. 

Upon  one  occasion  I  witnessed  what  might  be  termed  the  ago- 
nized regret  of  a  medicine-chief  at  the  loss  of  one.  While  intoxi- 
cated his  canoe  and  its  cargo  of  household  goods  had  escaped  him, 
and  was  picked  up  by  a  wood-chopper  named  Johnson,  who  robbed 
the  canoe  of  its  contents  and  then  set  it  adrift.  I  recovered  for  the 
learned  priest  all  but  his  sacred  pouch,  which  had  been  cast  into  the 
fire  as  a  thing  of  no  value  whatever,  containing,  as  Johnson  said, 
nothing  but  a  bear's  claw,  an  eagle's  beak,  a  filthy  rag,  and  some 
bones  that  he  supposed  to  have  belonged  to  a  human  hand.  The 
medicine-man  was  a  half  Sioux  and  half  Winnebago,  named  Xe-ra- 
choose-sep-kah,  to  whom  Black  Hawk  surrendered  after  his  defeat  at 
Bad-axe,  and  who,  in  company  with  Nee-no-hump-e-cah,  delivered 
him  to  the  military  autliorities  at  Prairie  du  Chien.  Big-nose,  as  the 
Indian  was  more  generally  known,  after  vainly  searching  for  the 


INTERESTING    INCIDENTS    AND   CUSTOMS.  83 

medicine-bag,  oftered  me,  if  I  would  find  it,  all  I  had  recovered  for 
him,  which,  including  coin,  was  of  at  least  the  value  of  three 
hundred  dollars.  I  never  told  the  chief  that  the  bag  was  burned 
up,  and  advised  the  thief,  after  compelling  restitution  of  all  except 
the  bag,  to  leave  the  country,  which  the  rascal  did  at  once.  The  son 
of  the  great  chief  Big-nose  stayed  at  my  house  two  nights  recently, 
and  referring  to  the  loss  of  his  father's  medicine-bag,  he  regretted 
it,  he  said,  because  it  contained  powerfully-charmed  relics  of  both 
tribes,  besides  a  piece  of  cloth  given  him  by  Black  Hawk  as  a 
memento  of  his  friendship  for  having  saved  him  from  butchery.  I 
thought  it  best'  to  tell  him  the  bag  was  burned,  and  he  seemed 
relieved  when  told  the  truth,  as  now  he  knew  that  the  bag  had  not 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  an  enemy  to  work  his  destruction,  thus  show- 
ing that  he  had  faith  in  "his  own  medicine. '^ 

The  only  way  in  which  a  white  man  can  fully  understand  an  In- 
dian and  secure  his  full  confidence  is  to  join  the  tribe  and  be  initiated 
into  their  medicine-lodges,  like  Frank  H.  Gushing,  commissioned  by 
the  Smithsonian  Institution  to  investigate  the  history  of  the  Pueblo 
Indians  as  it  may  be  traced  in  their  present  life  and  customs.  Few 
men  would  be  found  fitted  for  such  an  office,  and  if  a  similar  attempt 
were  to  be  made  among  the  Sioux,  it  would  probably  involve  the 
taking  part  in  a  sun-dance,  an  ordeal  that  a  white  man,  however 
brave,  would  not  have  fortitude  enough  to  go  through.  A  sun-dance  is 
sometimes  given  by  an  individual  who  has  made  a  vow  to  the  sun, 
and  in  such  cases,  after  having  gone  through  the  tortures  of  the 
ordeal,  he  gives  away  all  his  property  and  commences  life  anew. 
As  a  general  rule  the  dance  is  given  as  a  test  of  courage  and  faith 
in  the  religious  belief  of  the  Dah-ko-tah,  that  the  sun  is  the  all- 
powerful  deity  of  the  universe,  who  controls  their  destiny  and 
deser\"es  their  worship. 

The  high  ground  near  the  present  residence  of  Mayor  Lamberton 
was  the  dancing-ground  of  the  Wah-pa-sha  band,  and,  strange  as  it 
may  appear,  the  scaffoldings  for  the  dead  were  in  the  immediate 
Ticinity.  The  dance  or  altar  pole  was  erected  on  a  level  place,  and 
various  devices  and  totems  were  then  cut  upon  it  and  figured  in  yellow 
■ochre  and  vermilion.  Conspicuous  among  the  hieroglyphs  was  a 
central  circle,  with  rays  to  represent  the  sun,  and  above  all  were 
flags  and  gay  streaming  ribbons.  The  ground  was  sanctified,  after 
the  usual  Indian  method,  by  incense,  down,  and  evergreens  of  cedar 
or  juniper,  though  the  white  cedar  was  preferred,  and  distance  marks 


84  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

set  up  to  indicate  wliicli  portion  of  the  ground  was  to  be  regarded  as 
sacred. 

Sometimes  young  dogs  were  slaughtered  and  left  at  the  base  of 
the  pole,  with  head  a  little  raised  and  their  legs  stretched  out  as  if  to 
climb  up.  The  blood  of  those  innocent  victims  was  sanctified  by 
the  great  high  priest  of  the  band,  and,  soaking  into  the  sacred 
earth,  it  was  supposed  to  be  a  sweet  savor  in  the  nostrils  of  the 
spirits  whom  it  was  believed  were  present  at  the  dance.  To  show 
the  high  estimation  in  which  Christianity  is  held  by  the  Indians,  I 
will  state  that  I  was  patronizingly  told  by  one  of  them  that  the  pup- 
pies were  placed  on  the  altar  to  call  good  spirits  to  the  dance,  ''just 
like  Jesus." 

The  final  ceremonies,  fi'om  all  I  could  learn,  were  regarded  as 
too  sacred  for  the  unanointed  to  witness,  but  I  gleaned,  from  con- 
versations at  various  times,  that  for  the  most  part  they  consist  of 
cabalistic  utterances  in  dead  or  extinct  languages,  or  perhaps  that  of 
some  living  but  foreign  tribes  held  to  be  more  potent  than  their 
own.  As  morning  approaches  the  camp  is  aroused,  and  the  whole 
village  moves  en  masse  to  the  altar-pole.  Here  quick  preparation  is 
made  to  greet  the  rising  sun  with  the  dance  of  his  votaries  and  the 
shouts  of  his  red  children.  Incisions  are  quickly  made  in  the  skin 
in  various  parts  of  the  body  of  those  who  are  to  be  tested,  and 
thongs  of  rawhide  are  passed  through  and  tied  securely  to  the  pole, 
from  which  the  victim  is  expected  to  tear  loose  during  the  dance. 

As  the  sun  appears  a  universal  shout  is  given  as  an  all-hail,  and 
the  dance  begins.  Drums  are  beaten  by  relays  of  vigorous  drum- 
mers, while  each  dancer  pipes  a  shrill  whistle  held  in  his  mouth 
while  dancing.  At  intervals  chosen  bands  of  singers  shout  their 
approval  of  the  tortures  endured,  while  the  dftncer  is  stimulated  to 
frenzy  by  his  family  and  friends  to  tear  loose  from  his  fastenings  and 
join  in  the  honored  circle  of  the  dance.  After  many  plunges  the 
brave  neophyte  breaks  loose  and  dances  until  exhausted,  when  he  is 
taken  to  the  tepee  of  his  family  and  cared  for  as  a  hero. 

Should  one  of  the  poor  martyrs  to  his  faitli  fail  to  free  himself, 
his  friends  reproach  him,  or  throw  themselves  upon  him,  until  their 
added  weight  tears  loose  the  thongs,  when,  without  a  murmur  of 
pain,  he  will  join  in  the  dance,  and,  without  sustenance  of  any  kind, 
continue  to  dance  until  exhausted.  Should  it  happen  that  the  terrors 
of  the  ordeal  should  overcome  the  courage  and  endurance  of  any 
who  have  aspired  to  the  roll  of  honor,  he  is  at  once  cast  out  from 


INTERESTING    INCIDENTS    AND    CUSTOMS.  85 

among  the  braves  and  told  to  fish  or  work,  but  never  to  bear  arms. 
One  Sioux  of  the  Wah-pa-sha  band  was  degraded  to  the  rank  of  a 
woman,  and  made  to  wear  the  apparel  of  a  female.  He  left  for  a 
time  and  joined  a  western  band,  but  his  reputation  for  cowardice  fol- 
lowed him,  and  he  was  driven  back  by  the  contempt  of  the  squaws, 
with  whom  he  was  again  made  to  associate.  He  finally  settled  down- 
to  his  fate,  and  learned  some  of  the  industries  of  Sioux  womanhood. 
The  festival  of  the  sun  is  held  in  midsummer,  and  lasts  several  days. 
During  its  continuance  the  whole  band  join  in  merriment  and  games, 
and  the  orators  and  medicine-men  receive  large  donations  as  a 
reward  for  their  most  important  services.  The  young  graduates  of 
the  dance  have  medicine-bags  presented  them,  made  up,  for  the 
most  part,  of  old  relics  of  battles  fought  by  their  sires,  together  with- 
anything  most  horribly  disgusting  that  may  appeal  to  the  credulity 
of  ignorance.  With  these  sacks  the  medicine-men  pretend  to  work 
spells  that  will  cause  the  death  of  an  enemy  or  chase  sickness  from 
tlieir  friends. 

The  sun-dance  is  one  of  the  many  evidences  of  the  Dah-ko-tahs' 
southwestern  origin,  as  the  same  torture  is  submitted  to  by  the- 
Indians  of  New  Mexico,  who  are  also  sun-worshipers.  The  Winne- 
bagoes  are  also  sun-worshipers,  and  usually  bury  their  dead  at  sun- 
rise, with  head  to  the  west.  As  far  as  I  know,  no  northern  or 
eastern  tribe  submits  to  the  torturing  pain  of  a  sun-dance,  except  in 
a  few  instances,  when  it  was  imposed  upon  the  credulity  of  one 
tribe  by  fanatical  emissaries  of  the  Sioux. 

The  Dah-ko-tahs  have  many  legends,  and  may  be  regarded  as 
greatly  given  to  romance.  They  believe  themselves  to  be  the  very 
salt  of  earth,  and  that  Minnesota  was  the  center  of  creation.  How 
else  can  it  be,  say  they,*  when  the  water  runs  off  from  our  land,  are 
we  not  above  all  others  ?  This  idea  gave  them  self-importance  and 
arrogance  in  their  dealings  with  other  nations.  The  Sioux,  though 
generous  and  hospitable,  are  yet  quarrelsome,  and  the  establishment 
of  the  Wah-pa-sha  band  was  the  result  of  a  long  continued  traditional 
quarrel,  first  of  the  Isanti,  and  then  of  the  Wah-pe-ton,  or  New  Leaf 
bands  of  Sioux.  According  to  this  tradition,  given  me  by  Le  Blanc, 
the  chiefs  of  the  Isanti,  or  knife  band,  quarreled  about  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  chert,  or  knifestone  quarries  in  the  Mille  Lac  country, 
and  to  avoid  bloodshed,  the  ancestors  of  Wah-pa-sha  established 
themselves  upon  the  Me-day-wah-kon,  or  Good  Spirit  lake.  There- 
they  remained  for  a  number  of  generations,  until  by  magic  the- 


86  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

spirits  of  maligiuuit  chiefs  entered  into  the  medicine  lodges  of  the 
tribe,  and  again  tlie  band  was  torn  asunder  ;  tlie  peaceful  portion 
emigrating  from  their  pine  forests  and  rice  swamps  to  a  country  of 
earlier  and  different  foliage,  and  the  band  then  took  the  name  of 
Wah-pe-tou,  or  the  new  leaf  band.  It  is  somewhat  remarkable  that 
the  Chi])pewas  call  the  country  and  river  immediately  below  the  falls 
of  St.  Anthony,  includingthesiteofSt.  Paul,  Ish-ke-bug-ge-see-bee,  or 
the  New  Leaf  river,  because  in  the  early  spring-time  the  leaves  shoot 
out  earlier  than  above  the  'falls.  The  Sioux  tradition  goes  on  to  relate 
that  there  they  established  themselves  in  comfort,  some  going  up  the 
Minnesota,  where  buffaloes  were  plenty^  others,  as  their  numbers 
increased  at  the  Wah-coo-tay  village,  s]»read  themselves  along  down 
to  the  Cannon  river  and  to  Rem-ne-cha,  or  the  Red  Wing  village, 
where  for  many,  many  years  they  fattened  on  the  game  and  wild  rice 
of  the  region  about  them. 

Again  they  tell  that  in  this  paradise  of  hunters  dissensions  once 
more  arose  among  them,  and,  disregarding  the  warnings  of  previous 
counsels  to  avoid  strife,  the  great  Red  Wing  and  the  noble  Wah-pa- 
sha  became  involved  in  that  quarrel.  The  friends  and  adherents  of 
both  were  equall}'  strenuous  in  the  support  of  their  resjjective  chiefs, 
and  after  a  prolonged  council  of  the  entire  band,  ending  in  an  out- 
burst of  angry  passion,  the  respective  ])artisans  seized  theii'  war-clubs 
and  quivers  and  were  about  to  fight,  but  before  the  war-whoop  was 
given  for  battle  Wah-pa-sha  commanded  silence  by  a  wave  of  his 
red  cap,  and  telling  the  assembled  multitude  to  cease  their  strife, 
tlii'ew  his  totem  or  badge  of  authority,  the  red  cap,  into  air.  A  whirl- 
wind took  it  up  and  it  instantly  disappeared.  At  the  same  moment 
a  convulsion  of  the  earth  was  felt,  darkness  fell  upon  them,  and  in 
the  morning,  when  all  was  once  again  serene*,  they  found  that  a  por- 
tion of  tlie  bluff  containing  the  bones  of  their  dead,  had  disappeared. 
A  party  of  their  principal  braves  were  dispatched  in  search  of  the  lost 
mountain,  and  as  they  descended  in  canoes  they  recognized  what  is 
now  known  as  the  "  Sugar  Loaf,""  as  the  red  ca])  of  their  chief,  trans- 
formed into  stone. 

The  distant  peak  of  Trempealeau  mountain  was  soon  discovered 
to  be  a  part  of  their  lost  inheritance,  and  hastening  on.  the  moving 
or  moved  mountain,  or  Pah-ha-dah,  as  it  is  called  in  the  Dah-ko-tah 
tongue,  was  overtaken  just  as  it  made  a  vain  effort  to  plunge  into 
the  lake  of  Me-day  Pah-ha-dah.  The  other  peaks  of  the  Red  Wing 
range  had  already  caught  u])on  the  sandy  ])()iiit  of  the  i)rairie,  and 


PREHISTOEIC.  89 

therefore,  claiming  their  truant  possessions,  they  made  those  peaks 
the  dividing  line  between  themselves  and  the  Winnebagoes. 

It  only  remains  for  me  to  say,  in  proof  of  the  entire  authenticity 
of  this  tradition,  that  until  defaced  by  the  growing  wants  of  a  city, 
the  bluff  resembled  in  shape  a  voyageur  cap  of  ancient  date,  and  the 
red  appearance  of  the  face  of  the  clif  justified  its  Sioux  name  of 
Wah-pa-ha-sha,  or  the  cap  of  Wah-pa-sha. 


CHAPTEK   VITI. 


PREHISTORIC. 


Going  back  beyond  tradition,  we  find  in  our  midst  evidences  of 
a  numerous  people  having  once  occupied  the  adjacent  territory. 

Judge  George  Gale,  the  founder  of  the  university  at  Galesville, 
Wisconsin,  in  his  very  valuable  work,  "  Upper  Mississippi, "  says, 
"To  us  of  the  New  World  there  is  a  'Greece'  that  literally 
'slumbers  in  the  tomb.'  A  nation  or  people  which  for  centuries 
occupied  a  territory  nearly  as  large  as  all  Europe,  and  had  a  popula- 
tion which  probably  numbered  its  millions,  have  left  the  graves  of 
their  fathers  and  the  temples  of  their  gods  so  unceremoniously  that 
their  very  name  has  disappeared  with  them,  and  we  only  know  of 
their  existence  by  their  decayed  walls  and  tumuli,  and  by  their 
bones,  exhibiting  the  human  form,  although  in  a  far-gone  state  of 
decay. " 

Judge  Gale's  book  shows  great  research  and  critical  acumen,  and 
the  calamity  which  befell  the  plates  in  the  great  Chicago  fire  should 
be  repaired  by  a  new  imprint  of  the  volume.  My  space  will  only 
admit  of  a  reference  to  the  work,  but  I  cannot  forego  the  justice  to 
say  that,  so  far  as  I  know.  Judge  Gale  was  first  to  notice  in  print 
the  mounds  and  other  earthworks  in  Trempealeau  county,  Wiscon- 
sin, and  at  La  Crescent  in  Minnesota. 

Few  persons  have  any  adequate  conception  of  the  vast  area  cov- 
ered by  earthworks  in  the  United  States,  or  of  the  immense  labor 
expended  in  their  construction.  A  mound  in  Montgomery  county, 
Ohio,  according  to  Gale,  contains  311,353  cubic  feet  of  earth.  One 
in  Virginia  is  seventy  feet  high  and  1,000  feet  in  circumference,  and 


<)0  inSTOIlY    OF    WIXONA    COUNTY. 

the  great  Caliokia  mound  of  Illinois  is  ninety  feet  high  and  over 
2,000  feet  in  circumference,  containing  over  20,000,000  cubic  feet, 
and  one  in  the  State  of  Mississippi  covers  an  area  of  six  acres. 

Jn  these  mounds  there  are  sometimes  found  pearls,  sharks'  teeth 
and  marine  shells,  obsidian  or  volcanic  glass,  native  copper  and  native 
silver,  sometimes  united  unalloyed,  as  found  only  in  Russia  and  on 
Lake  Superior,  where  innumerable  stone  implements  are  still  to  be 
found  that  have  evidently  been  used  in  extracting  those  metals. 
Lead  has  also  occasionally  been  found,  but  not  so  frequently  as 
copper.  Stone  implements  are  found  in  mounds  and  upon  the  sur- 
face, especially  after  j)lowing,  wherever  these  ancient  works  appear. 
The  implements  are  generally  manufactured  from  syenite  or  some 
hard  trap  rock,  and  consist  of  stone  pipes,  hammers,  axes,  scrapers 
or  fleshers,  pestles,  spinners  or  twisters,  still  used  by  Mexican  In- 
dians. Obsidian,  chert  and  copj^er,  spear  and  arrow  heads  are  quite 
common.  About  the  mounds  of  the  lower  Mississippi  old  ])ottery  is 
qyite  common,  but  among  those  of  the  upper  Mississippi  it  is  only 
occasionally  found.  The  mound-builders  nmst  have  possessed  some 
mathematical  knowledge,  as  some  of  their  earthworks  show  a  good 
degree  of  geometrical  skill,  as  well  as  military  ideas  of  defense 
against  assaults  of  enemies. 

Ten  miles  below  La  Crosse,  on  Coon  prairie,  there  is  a.  line  of 
earthworks  and  mounds  of  considerable  size  and  interest,  and  on  the 
Clark  farm,  on  the  La  Crosse  river,  the  works  all  seem  to  be  of  a 
defensible  character.  At  Onalaska  they  are  also  quite  numerous, 
and  about  one  mile  above  McGilvray's  ferry  on  Black  river  there  is 
an  old  earth  fort  and  mounds  that  still  remain  quite  conspicuous. 

At  Galesville  and  vicinity  are  (piite  a  number  of  mounds,  includ- 
ing some  built  in  the  shape  of  man,  and  many,  according  to  Grale,  in 
the  shape  of  animals.  The  most  conspicuous,  because  most  accessi- 
ble, are  the  mounds  in  and  near  the  village  of  Ti-enqjealeau.  One, 
west  of  Mr.  Boer's  residence,  commands  a  fine  view  from  its  eleva- 
tion above  the  surrounding  surface.  In  the  neighborhood  of  the 
Fiaptist  church  there  are  also  several  of  an  intei-esting  character. 
Near  Pine  Creek  station  there  are  some  very  fine  ones.  At  La 
Ci-escent  and  on  Pine  ( 'reek,  Minnesota,  there  are  a  number  of 
mounds  of  small  size  ;  anil  coming  u]i  to  Winona,  on  the  south 
shore,  at  intervals  they  appear  at  Dresbach,  Dah-co-tah,  Richmond, 
La  Moille,  Cedar  Creek,  Homer,  Pleasant  and  Burns  valleys.  Upon 
the  fai'in  of  Miss  Maggie  Burns  there  are  several  mounds  that  still 


PEE  HISTORIC. 


91 


remain  undisturbed,  but  along  the  public  road  several  very  sym- 
metrical mounds  have  been  leveled  in  construction  and  repaii-s  of 
the  thoroughfare. 

Upon  the  table  of  West  Burns  valley  the  Rheibeau  boys  plowed 
up  some  of  the  most  elegantly-shaped  stone  implements  ever  dis- 


covered in  any  country.     To  my  chagrin,' after  a  vain  attem]>t  to 
purchase  them,  I  was  told  that  a  gentleman  from  Milwaukee  had 


induced  Mrs.  Eheibeau  to  part  with  them,  and  thus  were  lost  to  the 
museums  of  Winona  a  few  celts  not  surpassed  by  any  in  the  large 
collection  at  the  Centennial  Exposition. 

My  niece,  Mrs.  Louise  Page,  found  a  number  of  arrow  and  spear 
heads  and  a  few  fragments  of  pottery  in  Homer,  and  near  the  Keys 


92  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

mansion  she  picked  from  the  river  bank  a  large  stone  hammer, 
which  is  now  in  the  museum  of  tlie  Winona  normal  school.  The 
hammer  was  imbedded  about  two  feet  in  the  soil,  and  was  most 
likely  buried,  like  the  silver  ornaments  found  near  it,  in  the  grave 
of  some  dead  warrior.  The  Catholit  emblems  in  silver  were  those 
in  common  use  among  the  Catholic  Indians  and  half-breeds  of  Can- 
ada within  mj  recollection,  and  most  probably  belonged  to  some 
Canadian  voyageur,  or  perhaps  was  buried,  after  the  Indian  custom, 
with  the  body  of  some  Indian  (or  S(|uaw)  convert  to  the  Catholic 
faith.  The  high  point  at  Keys'  was  a  favorite  burying-ground,  be- 
cause of  its  extreme  height  above  the  river  during  an  ovei'flow  of 
the  lower  land  of  tiie  prairie.  The  sites  selected  for  their  burying- 
grounds  indicated  to  the  old  traders  the  Indian's  anticipations  of  a 
possible  overflow  of  the  ])rairie. 

Upon  the  farm  of  Myles  Roach,  in  the  town  of  Homer,  a  num- 
ber of  stone  arrow  and  spear  heads  have  been  found  by  the  sons  of 
Mr.  Roach,  and  one  of  copper  was  found  which  was  purchased  by 
R.  F.  Norton,  now  of  the  village  of  Homer.  There  have  also  been 
found  along  the  river  front  in  Winona  copper  implements,  one  of 
which,  found  by  Geo.  Cole,  is  in  the  possession  of  his  father.  Dr. 
James  M.  Cole,  of  Winona. 

Most  of  the  implements  found  on  the  surface  have,  no  doubt, 
been  lost  while  in  use,  but  those  found  in  mounds  and  in  ossuaries 
have  been  placed  there  with  the  remains  of  the  dead.  The  ossuaries 
of  Barn  Bluff  and  of  Minnesota  City  were,  no  doubt,  places  of 
interment  of  the  bones  of  the  dead,  which  had  been  divested  of 
their  flesh  by  exposure  upon  scaffolds  or  trees. 

In  the  early  days  of  my  first  acquaintance  with  the  Dah-ko-tahs, 
no  other  mode  of  burial  would  satisfy  their  ideas  of  a  proper  sepul- 
ture, but  after  a  time  the  example  set  by  the  white  people  of  burying 
their  dead  had  its  influence,  and  in  modern  times,  except  among  the 
wildest  bands,  the  Sioux  began  to  bury  their  dead  soon  after  their 
demise.  The  body  of  Cliandee,  son  of  Wah-kon-de-o-tah,  the  war- 
chief  of  Wah-pa-slia,  was  buried  upon  my  brother's  property  at 
Homer  by  special  request  of  his  relatives.  His  sister,  Shook-ton-ka, 
the  champion  girl  racer  of  the  band,  and  some  children  of  Wah-pa- 
sha,  were  buried  near  the  site  of  the  Huff  house.  After  the  treaty 
was  decided  upon  by  the  band,  many  bones  of  the  dead  were  removed 
and  buried  in  secret  places  at  night,  lest  they  should  be  disturbed  by 
white  settlers,  whom  the  Indians  knew  would  eventually  occupy  the 


PEEHISTORIC.  93 

country.  Some  of  the  ancient  mounds  have  been  used  by  modern 
tribes  as  receptacles  for  their  dead,  but  in  such  cases  the  fact  is 
readily  discernible,  as  no  regard  has  been  paid  by  the  modern  In- 
dians to  the  strata  of  earth,  clay  and  sand,  or  gravel,  of  which  the 
burial  or  sacrificial  mounds  have  been  composed.  It  is  believed  by 
some  that  the  circle  of  scnlls  found  in  an  ancient  ossuary  at  Minne- 
sota City  were  the  crania  of  victims  to  some  religious  sacrifice  around 
the  altar-pole,  or  else  of  captives  slaughtered  and  left,  as  puppies 
are  left  in  modern  times,  with  heads  to  the  pole,  which  might  account 
for  the  position  the  sculls  were  found  in.  At  Bluft"  Siding,  opposite 
Winona,  along  the  wagon-road  to  Galesville,  a  number  of  mounds 
may  be  seen,  occupying  an  admirable  position  for  defense. 

The  limits  of  my  paper  have  been  reached,  and  I  must  hasten  to 
a  close  ;  but  I  crave  my  readers'  interest  in  behalf  of  my  brother 
Willard,  in  connection  with  his  settlement  in  Winona  county.  As 
for  myself,  it  will  suffice  for  me  to  say  that,  dissatisfied  with  what 
appeared  to  me  as  time  thrown  away  upon  the  frontier,  I  returned 
to  Detroit  and  recommenced  the  study  of  medicine  in  the  otfice 
of  Dr.  Scoville,  an  eminently  successful  physician  and  surgeon. 
Upon  the  appointment  of  Adrian  R.  Terry,  uncle  of  Gen.  Terry,  to 
the  surgeoncy  of  the  1st  Mich.  reg.  during  the  Mexican  war,  I  was 
given  the  hospital  stewardship  of  that  regiment,  and  served  to  the 
close  of  that  war.  While  quartered  in  Cordova,  Mexico,  I  was 
placed  in  full  charge  of  the  post  hospital  during  the  illness  of  Drs. 
Terry  and  Lembke,  and  returned  to  Detroit,  Michigan,  at  the  close 
of  the  war  in  medical  charge  of  one  detachment.  Having  acquired 
a  taste  for  a  free  life  when  the  gold  discovery  in  California  hecmne  a 
fact^  I  went  overland  through  Mexico  to  Mariposa,  where,  com- 
pelled at  first  to  fight  Indians  in  self-defense,  I  finally  became  a 
member  of  the  Mariposa  battalion.  While  on  duty  in  that  organi- 
zation I  became  one  of  the  discoverers  of  the  now  famous  Yoseinite 
valley,  the  name  of  which  was  given  by  myself,  as  will  appear  in 
my  book,  ''Discovery  of  the  Yosemite,"  published  by  F.  H.  Revell, 
of  Chicago. 

During  the  war  of  the  rebellion  I  served  in  the  ranks  as  a  pri- 
vate, and  through  successive  promotions  (having  had  conferred  upon 
me  a  degree)  reached  the  rank  of  major  by  a  commission  as  surgeon 
of  the  36th  reg.  Wis.  Inf  Assigned  to  detached  duty  on  March  27, 
1865,  witli  the  1st  Minn.,  I  served  in  that  regiment  as  its  sole  medical 
officer  until  its  return  to  Washington  at  the  close  of  the  war. 


94  mSTOlIY    OF    WINONA    COUXTY. 

4 

I  will  close  this  pa[>er  witli  an  extract  troni  a  series  of  articles 
turnished  the  "La  Crosse  Chronicle,""'  that  I  hope  may  be  deemed  a 
litting  close  to  my  subject. 

In  1848  and  later,  my  brother  Willard  was  employed  in  moving 
the  Indians.  Some  of  them,  the  Winnebagoes  especially,  were  very 
much  dissatislied,  and  declared  they  would  nt)t  leave  for  the  home 
selected  for  them  on  the  Minnesota  river.  Will's  influence  was  great 
among  them  at  that  time,  and  he  succeeded  in  collecting  about  three 
liundred  of  them.  Having  arranged  with  Miller  for  the  use  of  the  ware- 
house of  his  old  Arm,  he  quartered  them  in  it.  They  seemed  contented 
enough  until  a  shoit  time  before  the  steamer  came  to  carry  them  up 
the  river,  when  they  set  up  a  most  unearthly  yell,  broke  through 
their  guard,  seized  their  ponies  from  an  adjacent  corral  and  disap- 
peared. Other  means  were  then  resoited  to,  and  they  were  removed 
in  smaller  squads  or  details  ;  but  they  would  return  again  and  again 
to  their  native  haunts  as  if  drawn  back  by  some  occult  force.  Will's 
discernment  would  penetrate  all  disguises  of  paint,  red,  green  or 
blue  blankets,  until  at  last  they  yielded  to  his  persisted  efforts  and 
remained  upon  the  new  reservation. 

My  brother  has  assured  me  that  many  of  the  Indians  receipted 
for  by  the  officers  at  Fort  Snelling  he  had  removed  over  and  over 
again.  With  Indian  cunning  they  would  assume  a  new  name  with 
each  new  disguise,  and  the  officers  were  unable  to  discover  or 
remedy  it. 

With  the  Indians  went  Asa  White  and  Tom  Holmes,  both  of 
whom  had  squaws  for  wives.  Miller  &  Myrick  had  already  dis- 
solved })artnership  before  the  Indians  were  removed,  and  were  vir- 
tually out  of  the  Indian  trade,  but  their  influence  was  still  more  or 
less  potent  in  Indian  attairs,  and  they  were  advised  with  as  to  their 
management.  My  brother's  })ersevering  energ}^  in  removing  the 
Winnebagoes  was  awarded  by  a  permit  to  trade  with  the  Wabasha 
band,  and  he  settled  upon  their  reservation. 

This  gave  him  great  advantages,  and  obtaining  the  consent  of 
Wah-pa-sha,  rewarding  him  liberally.  Will  planted  old  Mr.  Burns 
and  his  remaining  family  upon  what  has  since  been  known  as  the 
Burns''  farm,  providing  each  member  old  enough  witli  a  claim. 

Will  was  unable  to  choose  as  well  for  himself  as  he  had  for  the 
Burns  family,  for  being  under  the  impression  that  the  site  of  Winona 
was  subject  to  overflow,  he  located  at  Homer,  which  he  named  after 
his  birthplace,  the  village  of  Plomer,  New  York  state.       Here  he 


FREIII8T01HC.  95 

bnilt  the  first  bouse  in  1849,  and  in  1850-5J  made  a  large  addition 
to  the  building  and  moved  into  it.  Peter  Burns  and  himself  became 
interested  in  a  scheme  to  control  the  trade  of  the  interior,  by  secur- 
ing the  nearest  "high- water  landing "  below  Winona,  and  for  that 
purpose,  in  conjunction  with  Borup,  an  old  trader  and  a  brother  of 
Senator  Alex.  Ramsey,  of  St.  Paul,  they  laid  out  the  village  of 
Minne-o-way,  building  a  large  hotel  and  storehouses  to  accommo- 
date the  very  large  business  destined  to  reward  their  enterprise.  By 
some  oversight  they  had  neglected  to  comply  with  some  provision 
of  the  law,  and  a  keen-sighted  man  by  the  name  of  Dougherty,  dis- 
covering their  neglect,  pounced  down  upon  their  claim,  and  in  a  suit 
that  followed  secured  land,  hotel  and  storehouses  as  his  homestead. 
Burns  was  lucky  enough,  before  the  final  decision  was  rendered,  to 
sell  his  interests  for  $4,000. 

As  to  the  site  of  Winona,  known  to  the  Dah-co-tahs  as  Keoxa,  it 
was  firmly  believed  by  the  old  traders  and  lumbermen  to  be  subject 
to  overflow  in  the  highest  water.  From  the  deck  of  a  steamer  pass- 
ing at  the  highest  stage,  the  space  left  dry  really  appeared  very  small. 
In  very  high  water  all  of  the  low  land  of  the  prairie  was  submerged 
and  a  volume  sufficient  to  run  a  steamboat  ran  down  south  of  the 
city,  before  the  railroad  embankment  was  raised.  The  Indians 
laughed  at  the  supposed  folly  of  the  white  men  in  building  on  the 
"island,"  and  it  was  an  anticipated  joke  that  Will  would  sometime 
be  seen,  pikepole  in  hand,  rescuing  the  floating  property  of  this 
embryo  city  and  hauling  it  out  upon  his  higher  landing. 

Poor  Will !  He  had  been  out  so  long  upon  the  frontier  that  he 
failed  to  realize  what  money  and  enterprise  would  do  to  improve  and 
protect  a  city  so  advantageously  situated  as  Winona.  He  and  his 
brave  wife  are  both  gone  now  from  the  scenes  of  their  early  hopes 
and  perils.  He  left  in  August,  1861,  and  she  in  1868,  leaving  a 
family  of  two  sons  and  four  daughters. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


GF.OGRAPHICAL. 


The  geographical  position  of  Winona  county  is  between  parallels 
43  and  45  north  latitude,  44  passing  through  tlie  center  of  the  county, 
and  between  meridians  91  and  92  west,  a  small  poition  of  the  county 
lying  west  of  92.  It  is  organized  from  townships  Nos.  105,  106,  107 
north,  of  ranges  No.  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9  and  10  west,  and  contains  twenty 
organized  townships,  fifteen  of  which  are  full  townships,  containing 
thirty-six  sections.  "One  is  organized  from  half  a  township,  and  one 
is  formed  of  townships  Nos.  107  and  108,  of  range  No.  8.  Four  are 
irregular  in  form  on  the  northern  boundary,  and  are  fractional.  The 
county  is  located  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  State  of  Minnesota, 
and  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Wabasha  county  and  partly  by  the 
Mississippi  river,  and  on  the  east  by  the  Mississippi,  which  flows 
here  in  a  southeasterly  direction,  and  on  the  south  by  Houston  and 
Fillmore  counties,  and  on  the  west  by  Olmsted  and  Wabasha  coun- 
ties. In  shape,  nearly  a  right-angled  triangle,  longest  on  the  south- 
em  boundary,  being  about  forty  miles  or  six  and  a  half  townships 
in  length,  and  twenty-four  miles  or  four  townships  in  width  from 
north  to  south.  It  is  regular  in  form  on  the  southern  and  western 
boundaries,  the  Mississippi  river  forming  nearly  the  hypothenuse  ol 
the  triangle  from  northwest  to  southeast. 

The  surface,  within  the  distance  of  about  twelve  miles  from  the 
Mississippi  river,  is  bluffy  or  broken,  the  river  being  about  five 
hundred  feet  below  the  general  surface.  Houston  county  is  a  trifle 
higher  in  altitude  ;  with  that  exception  this  county  is  the  highest  on 
this  side,  and  contiguous  to  the  river  from  its  source  to  its  mouth. 
Bold  perpendicular  ledges  of  rock  form  the  sides  of  the  bluff  in 
many  places  along  the  river,  and  a  considerable  portion  of  the  south 
part  of  the  county  contiguous  to  the  Root  river  is  of  the  same  char- 
acter. Four  townships  of  the  northwest  part  of  the  county  along 
the  Whitewater  are  also  rough  and  rocky.  The  remainder  of  the 
surface  is  undulating  prairie,  irregular  in  extent,  comprising  not  far 
from  six  townships,  and  located  in  the  central  and  western  parts  of 
the  county. 


GEOCiKAPHICAL.  9  7 

When  the  altitude  is  reached  there  is  great  uniformity  in  the 
apj^earance  of  the  surface,  and  any  other  highland  may  be  visited 
without  materially  ascending  or  descending,  the  high  lands  being  all 
connected  by  a  series  of  ridges  which  form  the  divides  between  the 
streams  which  flow  into  the  Mississippi  and  those  which  flow  into 
the  Root  river  on  the  south  and  the  Whitewater  on  the  north. 

There  are  no  swamp  lands  in  the  county,  and  not  a  regular 
quarter-section  that  would  be  benefited  for  agriculture  by  artificial 
drainage.  There  are  a  few  acres  in  patches  along  the  Mississippi  and 
along  the  margins  of  some  of  the  smaller  streams  of  marsh  or  bog 
lands,  liable  to  overflow,  but  ])roducing  excellent  grass.  The  waters 
of  the  county  all  find  their  way  to  the  Mississippi ;  those  in  the  north 
part  of  the  county  furnish  the  south  branches  of  the  Whitewater. 
On  the  noi"th  and  east  each  townshi})  contributes  a  stream  to  the  Mis- 
sissippi. The  largest  and  most  important  of  these  is  the  Rolling- 
stone,  which  drains  nearly  one  hundred  square  miles  of  surface,  and 
afiords  water-power  for  six  large  flouring  mills.  There  are  also 
several  unoccupied  powers  on  the  diflerent  branches  of  the  stream. 

Each  township  of  the  southern  tier  also  furnishes  a  stream  to 
Root  river.  All  these  streams  are  formed  by  springs,  and  are 
nearly  uniform  throughout  the  year  as  to  supply  of  water,  and, 
having  considerable  fall,  aflbrd  water-power  which  in  the  future 
may  be  developed. 

The  surplus  water  of  the  county  finds  its  way  to  these  streams 
through  the  ravines  and  small  valleys  reaching  out  toward  the 
prairie  in  all  directions. 

Utica,  or  town  106,  range  9,  occupies  the  summit,  being  drained 
on  the  northeast  into  Rollingstone,  on  the  northwest  into  White- 
water, and  on  the  south  into  Rush  creek  ;  and  this  township  is  also 
nearly  the  center  of  the  prairie  surface. 

The  longest,  largest,  main  ridge  of  the  county  begins  in  the 
southeastern  part,  on  the  divide  between  the  waters  which  flow  in- 
to the  Mississippi  and  those  which  flow  into  Root  river,  and  extends 
in  a  noi-thwesterly  direction  through  the  townships  of  Dresback, 
New  Hartford,  Pleasant  Hill,  Wilson  and  Warren  into  Utica. 
From  this  main  ridge  branches  innumerable  extend  in  every  direc- 
tian.  The  most  important  ones  are  Homer  ridge  between  Cedar 
and  Pleasant  Valley  creeks,  and  Minneiska  ridge  between  White- 
water and  Rollingstone,  both  ridges  leading  to  the  Mississippi 
river. 


98  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

In  the  south  part  of  St.  Charles  in  Saratoga,  and  the  northwest 
l)art  of  Fremont,  are  to  be  found  some  broken  ridges  or  liills,  none 
of  them  rising  above  the  general  surface  of  the  county.  The  valleys 
surrounding  these  hills  are  not  so  deep  as  the  valleys  along  the 
streams  in  other  parts  of  the  county,  and  in  some  places  they  gradu- 
ally rise  and  extend  into  broad  upland  prairies. 

In  this  part  of  the  county,  or  among  these  hills,  there  are  several 
tine  groves  of  timber.  Cheatem's  grove  in  the  southwest  ]^art  of 
rtica,  Blair's  grove  in  the  northeast  part  of  Saratoga,  and  Harvey's 
grove  on  the  line  between  Saratoga  and  St.  Charles,  are  the  most 
notable.  They  contain  a  tine  thrifty  growth  of  oak,  po])lar  and 
buttei'nut,  with  a  dense  growth  of  underbrush  in  some  places. 

At  the  heads  of  all  the  streams,  or  along  their  margins,  timber  of 
various  kinds  is  found.  As  we  approach  the  top  of  the  bluffs  it 
consists  mostly  of  white  and  red  oak,  with  patches  of  white  birch. 
In  the  valleys  are  found  burr  oak,  hard  maple,  white  ash,  rock  and 
red  elm,  basswood,  hackberry,  black  walnut,  butternut  and  poplar. 
The  bluff  lands,  which  include  the  ])arts  of  the  county  lying  along  the 
i\[ississip])i,  the  Whitewater  and  the  branches  of  Root  river,  and 
the  ridges  connecting  them,  are  generally  well  timbered,  especially 
on  their  sides  facing  the  north,  the  fires  of  early  spring  burning 
the  south  sides  before  the  snow  has  left  the  north  sides,  or  before 
they  become  sufficiently  dry  to  burn.  Where  the  tire  is  kept  out 
timber  rapidly  springs  up. 

As  the  line  of  the  county  extends  to  the  middle  of  the  channel 
of  the  Mississippi,  and  the  channel  sometimes  passes  next  to  the 
Wisconsin  side,  there  is  in  the  townships  of  Tiollingstone  and 
Winona  a  large  amount  of  bottom-hmds  covered  with  timber.  Oak, 
ash,  elm,  birch,  cottonwood,  willow  and  maple  are  most  abundant. 

In  the  two  townships  last  mentioned,  there  is  lying  between  the 
bluffs  and  the  river  a  sand  or  gravel  prairie  six  or  seven  miles  in 
length  and  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  in  width,  which  is  a  few 
feet  above  high  water,  and  of  nearly  unifoi-m  level  surface.  Con- 
tiguous to  this  prairie,  and  next  to  the  bluffs,  is  a  series  of  terrace 
or  table  lands,  which  are  timbered  with  the  three  kinds  of  oak 
before  mentioned.  The  same  character  of  table-lands  also  occur  at 
the  mouths  of  all  the  streams  that  flow  into  the  Mississippi. 

As  we  leave  the  timber  and  ridges  approaching  the  jn-airie 
throughout  the  whole  county,  there  is  more  or  less  grub  or  brush 
land,  which  is  usually  a  small  2:r()wth  of  oak,  red  and  white.     There 


GEOGRAPHICAL.  99 

are  also  patches  of  brush  land  consisting  of  hazelnut,   wild  plum 
and  crab-apple. 

The  bluff  and  ridge  lands  throughout  the  county,  especially  the 
part  that  is  timbered,  consist  of  a  clay  loam  varjang  from  one  foot  to 
twenty  feet  in  depth.  As  the  Mississippi  and  the  larger  streams 
are  approached,  the  sides  of  the  bluffs  are  in  many  jjlaces  quite 
precipitous,  the  rocks  cropping  out  to  the  surface.  As  the  bluffs  are 
descended,  the  soil  changes  in  composition  by  an  admixture  of  sand 
and  lime  from  the  decomposed  rocks. 

Lands  lying  close  b}'^  the  river  at  the  mouth  of  the  valleys  have 
little  or  no  clay  at  the  surface,  but  the  soil  is  underlaid  by  a  stratum 
of  clay  or  loess  almost  impervious  to  water  before  reaching  the 
gravel  or  sand  rock  of  the  bed  of  the  river. 

As  we  ascend  the  streams  that  flow  into  the  Mississippi,  if  the 
valleys  are  broad  the  soil  is  a  stiff',  tenacious  clay  of  bluish  cast,  but 
darkens  in  color  on  exposure  to  the  air. 

This  clay  is  evidently  local  drift,  as  it  is  stratified  and  does  not 
contain  any  boulders,  drift  coal,  nor  other  matter  indicating  true 
northern  drift.  Where  the  valleys  have  retained  the  wash  of  the 
bluffs,  and  the  water-courses  have  not  interfered,  the  clay  is  covered 
and  mixed  with  vegetable  mould,  sand  and  lime,  in  some  places 
several  feet  deep. 

The  soil  of  the  upland  prairie  is  a  deep  dark  loam,  and  is  uuder- 
layed  by  stiff  clay  or  by  rock.  This  soil  does  not  materially  change 
in  color  nor  in  texture  by  cropping.  Among  the  broken  ridges  or 
hills  of  the  south-central  and  west  parts  of  the  county  the  rocks  come 
very  near  to  the  surface  of  the  upland,  and  the  lower  ground,  though 
gradually  rising  into  upland  prairie,  is  in  places  quite  sandy.  There 
is  upon  the  surface  of  this  sandy  land  an  accumulation  of  decomposed 
vegetable  matter  very  dark  in  color,  indicating  the  presence  of  lime 
in  its  composition. 

The  soil  of  the  brush  or  grub  lands  is  similar  in  appearance  to 
that  of  the  timber  lands,  but  contains  a  much  greater  amount  of 
crude  vegetable  matter. 

Spring  wheat  has  been  considered  as  the  staple  crop,  but  oats, 
corn,  barley  and  potatoes  in  the  order  named  are  largely  grown. 

The  timbered  or  ridge  lands  have  produced  good  crops  of  winter 
as  well  as  spring  wheat  for  twenty-five  years,  and  winter  wheat 
was  also  grown  in  the  valleys  near  the  Mississippi  for  several  years 
very  successfully.     It  has  not,  however,  succeeded  on  the  prairie. 


100  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Tlioiigli  this  county  does  not  claim  to  be  tlie  banner  county  of 
tlie  state  in  wlieat-raising,  it  is  entitled  to  its  full  share  of  the  credit 
for  the  popularity  to  which  Minnesota  wlieat  has  attained  for  (juality 
and  amount  to  the  aci-e  under  cultivation.  It  is  said  to  be  a  fact 
that  any  soil  which  will  produce  good  crops  of  wheat  will  also  grow 
good  crops  of  any  of  the  cereals  adapted  to  the  climate.  Whatever 
failures  m^y  have  occurred  in  the  production  of  the  common  cereals 
in  this  county,  in  no  case  can  the  failure  be  attributed  wholly  to  the 
character  of  the  soil.  For  the  production  of  these  grains  the  average 
yield  compares  favorably  with  any  portion  of  the  state.  One  instance 
of  the  marvelous  productiveness  of  the  soil  may  be  given.  Upon 
the  first  farm  opened  in  the  Rollingstone  valley  there  was  sown,  in 
the  first  week  in  October,  1852,  some  winter  wheat.  It  was  har- 
vested the  first  week  in  July  of  the  next  year,  threshed  upon  the 
ground  with  a  flail  and  cleaned  with  a  sheet  in  the  wind,  and  yielded 
thirty-seven  bushels  to  the  acre.  The  same  ground  produced  nine 
successive  crops  of  wheat,  and  the  ninth  was  the  best  that  had  been 
raised.  This  ground  has  now  been  under  cultivation  for  thirty  years 
without  any  particular  rotation  of  crops  and  without  artificial 
manure,  and  is  apparently  as  productive  as  ever  for  any  crop  except 
wheat,  yielding  large  crops  annually  of  com,  oats,  barley  or  grass. 
The  average  yield  of  wheat  has,  however,  materially  decreased  in 
this,  as  well  as  in  other  counties  of  the  state  for  a  few  years  past. 
It  is  believed  to  be  owing  entirely  to  climatic  reasons,  as  there  has 
been  no  diminution  in  the  yield  of  other  grains.  The  grass  product 
ranks  next  to  oats  in  acreage,  being  somewhat  more  than  corn,  and 
within  the  last  few  years  stock  of  all  kinds  is  receiving  much  atten- 
tion, and  so  far  no  general  diseases  have  appeared  among  swine, 
cattle  and  horses. 

Of  other  productions  than  those  already  named  there  is  found  in 
our  market  rye,  buckwheat,  beans,  flax-seed,  timothy  and  clover 
seed,  grapes,  tobacco,  onions  and  honey. 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  blufls  contiguous  to  the  Mississippi,  and 
along  the  margins  of  the  smaller  streams,  crab-apples,  wild 
plums  and  grapes  are  abundant. 

In  the  timbered  belt,  about  the  groves,  and  in  sheltered  locations, 
several  varieties  of  the  cultivated  ap|)les  are  grown.  As  reported 
by  the  assessors,  there  are  at  present  growing  in  the  county  about 
51,000  apple-trees. 


GEOGK  APiriC  AL.  101 

Of  the  smaller  fruits,  grapes,  strawberries,  raspberries,  currants, 
etc.,  are  grown  in  all  parts  of  the  county,  and  yield  abundantly. 

In  character  and  variety  of  wild  plants  and  flowers,  this  county 
does  not  differ  materially  from  others  similarly  situated.  The  up- 
land prairie  produces  grass  mainly.  Thei-e  is,  however,  during  the 
summer,  a  great  profusion  of  wild  flowers.  Upon  the  warm  hill- 
sides, or  on  sandy  land,  in  early  spring,  sometimes  before  the  snow 
has  disappeared,  the  well-known  anemone  is  the  most  conspicuous  ; 
during  May  and  June,  blue  or  violet  and  scarlet  are  the  predomi- 
nating colors  ;  in  July  and  August,  white  and  yellow  adorn  the 
roadsides  and  uncultivated  places.  In  the  fall  the  moist  grounds 
are  literally  covered  with  purple  and  white. 

In  the  whole  timbered  belt  and  along  the  margins  of  the  streams 
the  ground  is  loaded  with  a  dense  growth  of  rank  vegetation. 

Wild  deer  had  been  kept  out  by  the  Indians,  but  for  a  few  years 
after  the  first  settlements  were  made  they  gradually  increased  in 
numbers ;  a  few  are  yet  seen  every  winter. 

The  black  bear,  being  somewhat  migratory,  has  been  occasion- 
ally seen.  Both  timber  and  prairie  wolves  were  at  first  quite 
common ;  the  prairie-wolf  is  still  annoying  the  flocks,  but  the 
timber- wolf  is  rarely  seen.  Foxes,  red  and  gray,  stay  about  the 
rocky  ravines  and  bluft's.  Beaver  were  quite  plenty  in  many  of 
the  streams.  Several  otters  have  been  caught,  also  mink,  weasel, 
and  large  numbers  of  musk-rats. 

The  badger,  raccoon,  woodchuck  and  polecat  are  common. 

The  large  gray  wood-squirrel  and  the  prairie  gray  squirrel,  the 
red  squirrel,  the  chipmuck  (the  black  squirrel  has  visited  us,  but  is 
not  at  home),  and  both  varieties  of  gopher  are  numerous. 

Of  the  rabbit  the  gray  is  most  common. 

Of  the  migratory  feathered  species  that  remain  here  a  short  time 
in  the  spring,  but  do  not  nest,  the  wild  goose,  the  brant,  and  several 
varieties  of  ducks,  are  the  most  plenty.  These  confine  themselves 
mostly  to  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Mississippi  river.  The 
curlew  is  occasionally  sfeen,  also  the  pelican.  Of  those  that  remain 
during  the  summer  and  nest  here,  the  wild  pigeon  and  blackbird 
are  most  numerous.  The  bittern,  the  sand-hill  crane  and  bald- 
eagle  are  common.  The  mallard  and  wood-duck  frequent  the  small 
streams  and  nest  here,  but  not  abundantly. 

All  the  migratory  birds  common  to  this  latitude  are  to  be  seen 
here. 


102  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

( )f  tliose  tluit  ivniain  all  winter  tlie  ])rairie-lien  is  most  general ; 
the  partridge,  the  (jiiail,  the  bhiejay,  and  several  vai'ieties  of  owls, 
are  usually  about  the  sheltered  ])laces  in  the  timber. 

Speckled  trout  were  in  all  the  small  streams  of  this  county  and 
very  plenty.  There  are  a  few  left  in  nearly  all  of  them.  The  state 
fish  commissioners  have  placed  young  ones  in  some  of  the  streams. 
The  water  coming  from  springs  and  being  rapid  is  nicely  adapted  to 
their  habits,  and  some  efforts  have  been  made  to  propagate  them. 
There  are  several  fine  springs  well  adapted  to  fisli  culture.  The 
main  difficulty  seems  to  have  been  to  guard  against  sudden  overflow, 
as  the  streams  are  liable  to  rise  very  high  and  (piickly.  Fish  com- 
mon to  the  Mississippi  river  run  up  several  of  the  streams  in  the 
S])ring  and  return  to  the  river  again.  The  Mississippi  furnishes  a 
large  quantity  of  fish  yearly,  the  greater  portion  being  taken  with 
the  seine.  The  varieties  generally  caught  are  buffalo,  catfish,  pick- 
erel, bass  and  wall-eyed  pike.  There  are  also  sturgeon,  suufish, 
perch,  suckers,  and  several  other  kinds. 

The  geological  formation  of  the  county  is  quite  uniform  in  char- 
acter. The  ap})earance  of  the  rocks  at  the  surface,  in  St.  Charles, 
Saratoga,  and  part  of  Fremont  and  Utica,  is  somewhat  difterent  from 
those  lying  along  the  Mississippi,  the  Whitewater,  and  the  streams 
that  flow  into  Root  river.  Here,  also,  the  valleys  are  much  broader, 
antl  the  loam,  or  top-soil,  thicker  and  more  evenly  spread.  The 
hio-hest  lands  are  tillable  and  nsuallv  turfed  all  over. 

The  lowest  visible  rock  along  the  Mississippi,  and  probably 
underlying  the  whole  county,  is  the  St.  Croix  sandstone.  This 
sandstone  varies  somewhat  in  appearance  and  texture.  In  the  south- 
east part  of  the  county  the  quarries  show  a  fine  building-stone  of 
sui)erior  quality  for  working,  of  a  grayish  color,  that  hardens  on 
exjjosure  to  the  air.  In  some  places  the  rocks  are  of  a  reddish  cast, 
probably  owing  to  the  presence  of  iron.  Some  of  the  layers  are 
quite  sort  and  are  readily  excavated.  In  the  south  part,  Utica,  St. 
Charles,  part  of  Fremont  and  of  Saratoga,  the  sand-rock  cropping 
out  of  the  hills  or  low  blufts  is  nearly  white  in  color,  loose  in  texture 
and  disintegrates  rapidly,  forming  a  beautiful  white  sand.  0\er- 
lying  the  sandstone  is  the  lower  magnesian  formation,  which  also 
probably  underlies  most  of  the  county.  It  is  a  hard,  fiinty,  whitish 
or  light  gray  rock,  composed  of  lime  and  sand,  with  streaks  of  calcite 
along  the  larger  streams.  The  upper  portion  only  is  visible,  the  lower 
part  being  covered  with  wash  from  the  blufls.      This  rock  is   not 


GEOGRAPHICAL.  IQii 

available  for  use,  being  very  hard  and  of  irregular  fracture,  not 
easily  quarried  or  worked.  In  some  places  along  the  Mississippi 
there  is  seen,  overlying  the  lower  magnesian,  a  sandstone  loose  in 
texture,  crumbling  rapidly  and  largely  forming  the  soil  of  the  sides 
of  the  bluffs.  It  is  probably  not  more  than  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  in 
thickness.  Corresponding  with  this  sandstone,  there  extends  through 
a  part  of  the  towns  of  Wilson,  Hart,  and  part  of  Norton,  a'sandstone 
of  similar  texture,  but  deeper  colored,  more  firm,  and  in  some  cases 
regularly  and  beautifully  corrugated.  Overlying  this  sand- 
stone is  magnesian  limestone,  its  layers  generally  regular,  but  vary- 
ing in  thickness.  This  is  the  generally-used  building  stone  of  tfie 
county.  This  stone  does  not  change  on  exposure,  and  large  quanti- 
ties are  used  by  the  railroads  and  shipped  to  Wiscorsin.  There  are 
some  small  specimens  of  fossil  remains  to  be  seen  in  this  limestone. 
In  the  vicinity  of  St.  Charles  the  limestone  is  largely  composed  of 
fossil  remains,  trilobites  and  cretaceous  shells  of  several  varieties. 

There  are  no  evidences  of  northern  drift  in  this  county.  Probably 
owing  to  its  altitude  no  boulders  are  to  be  found.  The  clay  gener- 
ally exists  in  pockets,  and  is  stratified.  There  are  some  small 
deposits  of  loess  usually  in  the  valleys,  and  mound-like  in  appearance. 
Where  wells  have  been  sunk  in  diifferent  parts  of  the  county,  upon 
the  higher  lands,  the  rocks  are  found  to  be  of  nearly  uniform'  char- 
acter, and  water  is  not  usually  found  till  the  sandstone  is  reached. 
The  well  of  Mr.  Clawson,  in  Saratoga,  presents  an  unusual  phe- 
nomena. At  the  depth  of  seventy-five  feet  the  drill  opened  into  a 
crevice  or  a  cave,  and  the  air  rushed  out  with  great  violence.  At  the 
distance  of  four  feet  more  the  rock  was  again  struck,  and  water 
obtained  at  the  depth  of  o- e  hundred  and  forty  feet  from  the  sur- 
face. The  current  of  air  in  the  well  changes  with  the  wind,  the 
downward  current  in  winter  freezing  the  water  in  the  pipe  to  the 
depth  of  the  crevice,  seventy  or  more  feet,  and  again  rushing  out,  so 
as  to  thaw  all  the  ice  about  the  well. 

In  numerous  places  along  the  Mississippi,  especially  upon  the 
gravelly  headlands,  are  yet  evidences  of  the  mound-builders. 
Where  the  mounds  have  been  examined  little  has  been  discovered 
beyond  stone  implements,  arrow-heads,  and  in  some  places  skeletons, 
which  are  no  doubt  intrusive  burials.  Large  quantities  of  clam  shells 
and  bones  of  various  animals  are  also  found,  mixed  with  pieces  of 
charcoal  and  with  ashes.  In  one  case  a  charred  package  of  white 
birch  bark  was  found  of  nearly  a  cubic  foot  in  size,  and  scattered 
about  the  mounds  is  usually  found  much  fragmentary  rude  poftei-v. 


CHAPTER   X. 

RAIT.ROADS. 

Bkfore  the  ratitication  of  the  treaty  by  whicli  the  Sioux  surren- 
dered their  lands  for  settlement,  a  party  of  three,  headed  by  Robert 
Pike,  was  dispatched  from  Minnesota  City  to  ascertain  whether  a 
practicable  route  for  a  railroad  to  Traverse  des  Sioux,  on  the  Minne- 
sota river,  existed.  Early  in  July,  1852,  Mr.  Pike  made  a  favorable 
report,  and  urged  the  ado})tion  of  some  plan  for  building  the  road, 
but  he  was  then  accounted  an  enthusiast,  and  his  scheme  dismissed 
as  visionary  and  impracticable.  Early  in  1854,  however,  the  project 
was  revived,  and,  after  several  ineffectual  attempts  at  organization, 
a  charter  was  obtained  from  the  legislature  March  4,  1854,  b>' 
Orrin  Smith,.  Henry  D.  Huff,  Abram  M.  Fridley,  Lorenzo  D.  Smith, 
John  L.  Balcombe,  Alexander  Ramsey,  W.  A.  Gorman,  Henry  H. 
Sibley,  J. Travis  Rosser,  Andrew  G.  Chatfield,  Henry  McKenty,  O.  M. 
Lord,  Samuel  Humbertson,  Martin  McLeod,  Benjamin  Thompson, 
William  H.  Newton,  James  Hanna,  G.  Addison  Brown  and  Robert 
Helm,  under  the  name  and  style  of  the  Transit  Railroad  Company, 
authorizing  them  to  construct  a  railroad  from  Winona  westward  to 
the  Minnesota  river.  In  March,  1855,  an  amended  charter  was 
obtained  from  the  legislature,  and  the  incorporators  met  at  St.  Paul 
on  the  25th  of  January,  1856,  accepted  the  charter,  and  gave  official 
notice  thereof  to  the  secretary  of  the  territory.  On  the  12th  of 
May  the  sum  of  $240,000  had  been  subscribed  to  the  capital  stock 
of  the  company,  the  subscribers  being  the  following  named  per- 
sons: L.  D.  Smith,  IL  D.  Huff,  Wm.  Ashley  Jones,  Charles  H. 
Berry,  M.  Wheeler  Sargent,  H.  H.  Johnson,  E.  H.  Johnson,  H.  J. 
Hilbert,  E.  S.  Smith,  David  Olmsted,  M.  K.  Drew,  A.  P.  Foster, 
Wm.  H.  Stevens,  John  Evans,  ('has.  Hamilton,  O.-'S.  Holbrook, 
Orrin  Smith,  John  C.  Laird,  Wm.  H.  Laird,  M.  J.  Laird,  J.  H. 
Jacoby,  Royal  B.  Evans  and  L.  H.  Springer.  All  these,  with  the 
exception  of  Orrin  Smith  and  L.  H.  Springer,  were  residents  of 
Winona.  The  first  officers  of  the  comjjany  were  H.  H.  Johnson, 
president;  Wm.  Ashley  Jones,  vice-president ;  JT.  J.  Hilbert,  sec- 
retary and  engineer ;  H.  D.  Huff,  treasurer. 


EAILROADS.  107 

The  organization  of  the  company  was  only  the  prehide  to  a  ])ro- 
longed  and  bitter  contest  with  parties  interested  in  other  localities, 
and  more  particularly  with  the  owners  and  promoters  of  the  town- 
site  of  La  Crescent.      After  various  vicissitudes,  among  them  the 
defeat   in   1854   of  H.  D.  Pluff  for  the   legislature  by  Clark  W. 
Thompson  on  this  issue,  the  conflict  finally  resulted  in  a  victory  for 
Winona   and    the   Transit  railroad.     On    the  3d  of   March,   1857, 
Congress  passed  an  act  by  which  the  munificent  gift  of  1,200,000 
acres  of  public  lands  was  conferred  upon  the  state  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Transit   road.      An    extra   session  of   the   legislature   was 
at  once   called   to  consider  this    and  other   grants  of  lands,   and 
on  the  22d  day  of  May,   1857,  an  omnibus  bill  was  passed  con- 
firming the  grants,  and  amending  the  charter  of  the  Transit  road 
so  as  to  authorize  it  to  construct  and  operate  a  railroad  from  Winona 
via  St.  Peter  to  the  Big  Sioux  river.     In  February,  1858,  what  is 
known  as  the  five-million  loan  amendment  to  the  constitution  was 
adopted  by  the  first  state  legislature,  and  was  ratified  by  a  vote  of 
the  people  April  15,  1858.     By  the  terms  of  this  amendment  state 
bonds  were  to  be  issued  and  delivered  to  the  various  railroad  com- 
panies at  the  rate  of   $100,000  for  every  ten   miles   graded   and 
bridged  ready  for  the  iron,  the  state  taking  a  first  mortgage  upon  the 
road-bed  so  graded,  together  with  the  lands  and  franchises  of  the 
company,  as  security  for  the  loan.     The  Transit  company  at  once 
filed  their  acceptance  of  the  terms  of  the  amendment,  and  proceeded 
to^  let  the  contract  for  the  grading  and  construction  of  seventy-five 
miles  of  the  line  as  surveyed  west  of  Winona.     In  the  letting  of  this 
first  contract,  as  well  as  in  the  location  of  the  line  out  of  Winona, 
there  was  a  most  determined  effort  on  the  part  of  a  few  men  to  divert 
the  road  from  Winona,   and  so  build  it  as  to  eventually  make  La 
Crescent  the  eastern  termiims.     Selah  Chamberlain,  of  Ohio,  after- 
ward the  builder  of  several  roads  in  the  state,  and  the  largest  holder 
of  the  state  bonds  issued  under  the  five-million  loan  amendment, 
was  a  bidder  for  the  contract.     It  was  understood  that  if  he  secured 
it  work  would  be  begun  at  or  near  Lewiston,  and  that  the  matter  of 
the  eastern  terminus  would  remain  unsettled,  with  a  strong  proba- 
bility that  the   road  would   be  diverted  down  the  ridge  back  of 
Winona  to  La  Crescent.     De Graff  &  Co.,  also  bidders  for  the  con- 
tract, were  favored  by  most  of  the  directors,  who  were  desirous  of 
beginning  the  work  of  construction  at  Winona,  and  thus  at  the 
outset  fixing  the  terminus  and  settling  that  question  forever.     This 


7 


108  IIISTOIIY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

company  was  composed  of  ('ol.  Andrew  DeGrait',  B.  F.  Barnard, 
Hernando  Fuller  and  William  DeGrait',  Gol,  DeGraff  being  the 
head  and  sole  manager  of  the  concern.  The  contest  waxed  hot, 
but  on  the  8th  day  of  June,  1858,  the  board  of  directors,  after 
proti'acted  discussion,  awarded  the  contract  to  De  Graff  tfe  Co. 
Previous  to  this  time  there  had  been  much  strife  between  the 
various  town  proprietors  as  to  whether  the  road  should  leave  the 
city  by  way  of  lower  town  and  the  Sugar  Loaf  valley,  or  from 
upper  town  via  the  Tiollingstone  valley.  The  history  of  this  feature 
of  the  matter  more  properly  belongs  to  that  of  the  city  of  Winona, 
and  will  not  be  further  discussed  here.  The  upper  town  interest 
won  the  victory,  and  on  the  9th  day  of  June,  1858,  ground  was 
broken  at  or  near  the  present  machine-shops,  the  event  being  duly 
celebrated  by  the  delighted  people. 

DeGraff  &  Company  were  strictly  loyal  to  Winona,  although 
tem])ting  ofiers  were  made  them  to  carry  out  the  plans  of  the  La 
Cres(;ent  men,  and  the  work  of  grading  the  road  went  rapidly  for- 
ward dui'ing  the  following  summer  and  winter,  until  fifty  miles  of 
grading  and  bridging  had  been  completed,  inspected  and  accepted 
by  the  state  authorities,  and  $500,000  of  state  bonds  delivered  to 
the  company.  Then  came  the  financial  crisis  of  1858-9.  These  bonds 
were  denounced  as  illegal  and  fraudulent.  They  became  almost 
valueless  in  the  market,  and  all  work  came  to  a  standstill.  DeGraff 
&  Company  were  unable  to  pay  their  men  for  work  and  supplies, 
and  much  hardship  resulted.  Upon  default  in  the  terms  of  the 
mortgage  given  by  the  Transit  company  to  secure  the  loan  made  by 
the  state,  a  foreclosure  was  had,  and  on  June  23,  1860,  the  road 
franchises,  and  other  grants,  including  lands,  were  sold  to  the  state 
for  the  nominal  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars.  March  8,  1861,  the 
tlie  legislature  granted  and  transferred  all  claim  upon  the  property 
to  Orville  Clark,  Abraham  Wing,  John  W.  Kirk,  Robert  Higham, 
W.  H.  Smith,  Nelson  P.  Stewart  and  B.  W.  Perkins,  and  consti- 
tuted them  a  corporati(m  under  the  name  of  the  Winona,  St.  Peter 
&  Missouri  River  Railroad  (vompany,  upon  condition  that  the 
road  be  fully  equipped  and  trains  running  to  Rochester  and  Owa- 
tonna  at  certain  fixed  times.  No  attempt  having  been  made  to 
comply  with  these  conditions,  the  legislature,  on  March  10,  1862, 
made  a  similar  grant  to  William  Lamb,  S.  S.  LTIomedieu,  John 
W.  Kirk,  Herman  Gebhart  and  H.  C.  Stimson,  under  the  name  and 
style  of  the  Winona   tfe  Saint  Peter  Railroad  (,'ompany,  fi-ee  and 


RAILROADS.  109 

clear  of  all  claims  and  liens  upon  the  property,  and  upon  much  more 
lenient  conditions.  Work  was  at  once  resumed  by  the  new  owners, 
and  on  December  9,  1862,  a  passenger  train  was  run  by  Col.  De- 
Graff  from  Winona  to  Stockton  and  back,  the  day  being  marked  by 
another  enthusiastic  celebration.  December  10,  1862,  the  first  car- 
load of  wheat  was  shipped  to  Winona  by  L.  Raymond  and  pur- 
chased by  Asa  Forsyth.  From  this  time  the  work  of  construction 
proceeded  rapidly.  In  1864  the  trains  reached  Rochester,  a  distance 
of  fifty  miles  from  Winona.  In  1865  the  road  was  completed  sixty- 
six  miles  to  Kasson  ;  in  1866,  ninety  miles  to  Owatonna ;  in  1868, 
one  hundred  and  six  miles  to  Waseca ;  in  1870,  one  hundred  and 
thirty-nine  miles  to  Mankato  and  St.  Peter;  in  1871,  one  hundred 
and  sixty-five  miles  to  New  Ulm  ;  in  1872  two  hundred  and  eighty- 
four  miles  of  track  were  completed  west  of  Winona,  and  the  grading 
extended  three  hundred  and  thirty-one  miles  to  Lake  Kampeska  in 
Dakota  Territory.  In  1879  another  line,  diverging  from  the  old 
track  at  Tracy,  in  L3'on  county,  was  begun  and  pushed  with  such 
energy  that  in  two  years  trains  were  running  to  Old  Fort  Pierre,  on 
the  Missouri  river,  connecting  with  daily  stages  for  the  Black  Hills. 
The  entire  property,  save  the  land  grant,  liad,  however,  in  Novem- 
ber, 1867,  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern 
Railroad  Company  and  become  a  part  of  that  great  system,  although 
still  retaining  its  name  and  corporate  existence.  The  lands  thus 
separated  from  the  general  ownership  of  the  company  and  its 
franchises  became  the  property  of  A.  H.  Barney  and  a  company 
of  New  York  capitalists,  and  are  still  so  owned,  excepting  those 
since  sold  to  settlers.  A  brancli  from  Eyota  to  Chatfield  was 
opened  for  business  December  8,  1878 ;  from  Eyota  to  Plain- 
view  October  22,  1878  ;  from  Rochester  to  Zumbrota  November  2, 
1878  ;  from  Sleepy  Eye  to  Redwood  Falls  August  4,  1878  ;  from 
Huron  to  Ordway  November  20,  1881  ;  from  Watertown  to  Clark 
Centre  June  18,  1882  ;  from  Volga  to  Castlewood  September  29, 
1882;  from  Clark  Centre  to  Redfield  October  22,  1882;  from 
Ordway  to  Columbia  October  22,  1882,  making  a  grand  total  of  863 
miles  of  this  road  now  directly  tributary  to  Winona. 

The  following  named  men,  prominent  in  the  railroad  histor}^  of 
the  West,  have  been  connected  with  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter 
company  :  S.  S.  Merrell,  now  general  manager  of  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railroad,  was  general  manager  of  the  Winona 
and  St.  Peter  railroad  from  February  to  May,  1865.     Dwight  W. 


110  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Keyes,  now  assistant  general  freight  agent  of  the  Chicago,  Milwau- 
kee &  St.  Paul  railroad,  came  with  Mr.  Merrell  to  the  Winona  & 
St.  Peter  company  as  auditor,  and  was  lett  in  charge  of  the  road 
in  May,  1865.  John  Newell,  now  general  manager  of  the  Lake 
Shore  &  Micliigan  Southern  railroad,  was  at  that  time  superin- 
tendent and  chief  engineer.  H.  C.  Atkins,  now  assistant  general 
superintendent  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railroad,  was 
superintendent  of  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  railroad  during  the  years 
1866  and  1867,  being  succeeded  by  J.  H.  Stewart,  now  superin- 
tendent of  the  Marietta  &  Cincinnati  railroad.  Gen.  J.  W  Sprague, 
late  general  superintendent  of  the  western  division  of  the  Northern 
Pacific  railroad,  at  the  same  time  becoming  general  manager  of  the 
Winona  &  St.  Peter  railroad.  April  20,  1874,  J.  H.  Stewart  was 
succeeded  by  Sherburn  Sanborn  as  superintendent,  a  position  which 
he  still  occupies. 

The  magnificent  iron  bridge  across  the  Mississippi  river  used  by 
this  road  was  built  during  the  winter  of  1871-2.  The  draw-span  of 
this  bridge  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  longest  in  the  world  (363  feet). 
It  takes  the  place  of  a  combination  wood  and  iron  draw-span  built 
in  the  winter  of  1870-1,  which  fell  on  the  27th  day  of  May,  1871, 
and  was  entirely  removed.  This  bridge  forms  a  connection  with  the 
La  Crosse,  Trempealeau  &  Prescott  railroad,  of  which  mention  will 
be  made  hereafter.  The  bridge  was  constructed  for  the  company 
by  the  American  Bridge  Company,  of  Chicago  ;  the  piling  was  done 
by  Frank  A.  Johnston,  and  the  stonework  by  Jones  &  Butler,  of 
Winona.  The  shops  of  this  company  are  located  at  the  west  end 
of  the  city,  are  large  and  fully  equipped  for  the  business  of  keep- 
ing the  road-bed  and  rolling  stock  of  the  road  in  the  best  condition . 
They  have  been  fully  described  among  the  institutions  of  the  city  of 
Winona. 

St.  Paul  (&  Chicago  Railway. — The  corporate  name  of  this  com- 
pany in  the  original  charter,  dated  May  22,  1857,  was  the  Minnesota 
&  Pacific  liailroad  Company.  By  an  act  of  the  legislature  approved 
March  2,  1867,  the  directors  were  authorized  to  change  the  name  of 
the  company  or  that  of  any  of  the  branches  of  the  road  provided  for 
in  their  charter.  Accordingly,  on  the  19th  day  of  March  the  board  of 
directors  gave  the  name  of  "The  St.  Paul  &  Chicago  Railway"  to 
that  part  of  their  line  to  extend  from  St.  Paul  to  Winona  and  thence 
to  the  Iowa  line.  Work  was  begun  u])on  this  line  at  or  near  St.  Paul 
in  1865,  but  nothing  was  done  in  Winona  county  until  1870,  when 


EAILR0AD8.  HI 

the  road  was  built  from  Minnesota  City  to  Weaver  and  put  in  opera- 
tion by  the  Northwestern  Eailroad  Corajmnj.     In  1871  the  road- 
bed was  completed  between  St.  Peter  Junction  and  St.  Paul,  and  in 
December  of  that  year  was  sold  to  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St. 
Paul  Eailroad  Company,   who   immediately   took  possession,  and 
began  operating  the  road  in  connection  with  their  line  from  Chicago 
and  Milwaukee  to  La  Crosse,  making  connection  over  the  La  Crosse, 
Trempealeau  &  Prescott  road  and  the  bridge  at  Winona  when  com- 
pleted.    In  1872,  however,  the  road  was  extended  from  St.   Peter 
Junction  to  La  Crescent,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi  river, 
and  thereafter  all  freight  trains  used  this  route,  being  ferried  across 
the  Mississippi  to  La  Crosse.     Passenger  trains,  however,  continued 
to  run  over  the  Winona  bridge  and  the  La  Crosse,  Trempealeau  & 
Prescott  road  until  1875,  when  the  magnificent  iron  bridge  between 
La  Crescent  and  North  La  Crosse  was  completed  and  brought  into 
use  for  all  traffic  over  the  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  line.     As  a  bonus 
for  the  construction  of  this  line  the  city  of  Winona,  on  the  21st  day 
of  April,  1870,  voted  and  thereafter  issued  $100,000  of  its  bonds,  to 
be  delivered  upon  the  fulfillment  of  certain  conditions  by  the  com- 
pany.    The  bonds  having  been  prematurely  delivered  to  the  con- 
struction company,  suit  was  brought  by  the  city,  in  which,  after 
protracted  litigation,  it  was  finally  determined  that  the  prescribed 
conditions  had  not  been  fulfilled,  and  that  the  city  have  damages 
equal  to  the  amount  of  the  bonds,  with  interest,  which  sum  has 
been  paid. 

The  La  Crosse,  Trempealeau  and  Prescott  Railroad.  — After  the 
passage  of  the  bill  by  congress,  March  3,  1857,  providing  for  cer- 
tain land  grants  to  aid  in  the  construction  of  railroads  in  Min- 
nesota, and  among  them  the  Transit  railroad,  with  its  eastern 
terminus  at  Winona,  the  next  important  project  was  to  connect 
Winona  and  the  Transit  railroad  with  the  railroads  in  Wisconsin 
and  Illinois,  and  through  them  with  the  railroad  system  of  the 
United  States.  It  was  also  proposed  by  means  of  this  connection 
to  cut  off  La  Crosse,  Winona's  most  formidable  rival,  from  the 
benefits  of  northern  and  western  connections,  as  it  was  thought 
that  but  one  road  would  ever  cross  the  Mississippi  river  in  this 
section  of  country.  It  was  therefore  resolved  to  keep  the  matter 
of  this  "cut  off,"  or  eastern  connection,  in  the  hands  of  Winona 
men.  In  the  winter  of  1858-9,  in  the  midst  of  the  pinching 
hard  times  brought  on  by  the  financial  crisis  of  that  time,  Capt 


112  HISTORY    OF    WrNONA    COUNTY. 

Sam    Whiting,    Tliomas   Simpson   and   M.    K.    Drew   started    out 
one    severely   cold    day   to   look   out   a    practicable    route    for    a 
railroad  east  from  Winona  to  a  point  of  intersection  with  the  pro- 
posed  line  of  the   Milwaukee   &   La  Crosse  railroad.     They   cut 
their  way  from  Altoona,  now  Bluff  Siding,  through  the  swamps,  and 
camped  the  first  night  in  the   heavy  timber.     The  next  morning, 
after  eating  frozen  bread  and  meat  for  breakfast,  they  proceeded 
with  their  work,  and  in  about  half-an-hour  came  out  upon  a  prairie 
covered  with  fenced  fields  and  farm-houses.     They  had  spent  a  night 
in  the  snow,   which  Capt.  Whiting  said  was   equal  to  any  of  his 
arctic  experiences,  within  half  a  mile  of  a  substantial  and  comforta- 
ble farm-house.     The  people  of  Winona  had  been  so  occupied  with 
their  own  great  prospects  and  those  of  the  country  west  of  them,  that 
they  had  no  knowledge  of  this  well-settled  country  just  east  of  them. 
The  following  spring  Z.  H.  Lake  and  Thomas  Simpson  were  again 
sent  over  the  proposed  route,  and  instructed  to  go  to  La  Crosse  to  see 
if  that  city  would  not  unite  with  Winona  in  building  this  connection, 
the  extreme  hard  times  having  somewhat  modified  the  ambitions  and 
claims  of  Winona.     A  preliminary  survey  of  the  route  was  made  by 
these  gentlemen,  which  coincides  almost  exactly  with  the  line  as 
afterward  built.     They  met  with  a  very  cool  reception  at  La  Crosse, 
being  informed  that  that  city  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  the 
project,  and  that  they  would  prevent  if  possible  the  granting  of  a 
charter  by  the  Wisconsin  legislature.     Subsequent  investigation,  how- 
ever, developed  the  fact  that  several  years  before  a  charter  had  been 
granted  by  the  legislature  of  Wisconsin  to  some  parties  to  build  a 
railroad  from  a  point,  at  or   near   La   Crosse' to   Point   Douglass, 
opposite  Hastings,  to  be  called  the  La  Crosse,  Trempealeau,  Lake 
Pepin   &   Prescott  railroad,  and   that  this  old   charter  had   been 
kept  alive.     Possession  of  it  was  obtained,  the  company  reorganized, 
and  Timothy   Kirk,  Thomas    E.   Bennett,  M.   K.   Drew,  William 
Mitchell,  Thomas  Wilson,  Thomas  Simpson,  A.  W.  Webster,  and 
five  men  from  Trempealeau,  were  elected  directors.     Thomas  Simp- 
son was  elected  president ;  A.  W.  Webster,  vice-president ;  J.  H. 
Newland,  secretary,  and  Thomas  E.  Bennett,  treasurer.     The  com- 
pany began  at  once  to  locate  the  line,  obtained  right  of  way,  etc., 
in  order  to  secure  vested  rights  before  the  Wisconsin  legislature 
could  convene  and  repeal  the  charter.     But  no  money  was  to  be 
had.     N.   F.   Hilbert  was  employed  as  chief  engineer,    to  be  paid 
whenever  the  company  became  able  to  pay.     Others  were  employed 


RAILK0AD8.  113 

upon  similar  terms.  To  board  the  force,  a  subscription  in  provi- 
sions and  supplies  was  taken  up  among  the  citizens  of  Winona. 
Upon  this  subscription  being  read  at  a  large  meeting  of  all  interested, 
the  following  items  appeared  together:  "P.  W.  Gaines  &  Co.,  ^ 
bbl.  whisky.      Robert  Clapperton,  1  loaf  bread. " 

Wm.  Lamb,  who  had  been  appointed  superintendent  of  con- 
struction, rose  and  interrupted  the  reading  with  the  remark  that 
there  was  altogether  too  much  bread  for  that  quantity  of  whisky. 

The  company  succeeded  in  holding  their  charter,  and  work  was 
kept  up  until  an  agreement  was  made  with  parties  interested  in 
the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  company  to  complete  it  and  make 
it  a  part  of  that  great  system,  which  was  done  in  1870.  The  road 
is  still  owned  and  operated  by  that  company,  but  under  the  original 
charter  and  organization. 

Green  Bay^  Lake  Pepin  <&  Minnesota  Railroad. — In  February 
1873,  a  proposition  was  made  by  the  officers  of  the  above-named 
road  to  extend  its  line  from  Merrillan,  Wisconsin,  to  Winona,  pro- 
vided the  city  would  grant  them  a  bonus  of  $100,000.  As  the 
line  would  form  a  valuable  connection  with  the  lake  system  of 
navigation,  and  also  furnish  the  city  directly  with  many  of  the 
products  of  the  Wisconsin  forests,  a  very  decided  disposition  to 
accept  this  proposition  was  manifested  by  the  citizens  of  Winona. 
A  series  of  public  gatherings  terminated  in  a  large  meeting  of 
citizens,  at  which  it  was  determined  by  a  general  expression  to 
accept  the  proposition.  President  Ketchum,  of  the  railroad  com- 
pany, being  present  at  the  meeting.  A  committee  of  eight  lead- 
ing citizens  was  selected  and  instructed  to  proceed  to  St.  Paul 
and  procure  from  the  legislature  then  in  session  authority  for 
the  city  to  take  the  necessary  steps  in  granting  the  required  aid. 
This  committee  accordingly  went  to  St.  Paul  and  had  the  proper 
bill  introduced  for  the  purpose,  but  only  one  day  remaining  of  the 
session  it  failed  to  pass  from  lack  of  time.  The  committee  returned, 
and  the  company,  learning  of  the  failure  to  secure  legislation,  modi- 
fied t}ieir  proposition  and  suggested  that  the  citizens  should  secure 
them  the  sum  named  by  subscription  or  otherwise.  Another  meet- 
ing of  citizens  was  held,  and  a  committee  appointed  to  wait  upon 
and  confer  with  the  city  council  upon  the  matter  in  hand.  As  the 
result  of  such  conference  the  city  council,  on  March  14,  1873,  adopted 
the  following  resolutions : 

'-''Be  it  resolved^  by  the  city  council  of  the  city  of  Winona,  that 


114  illSTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

fifty  thousand  dollars,  or  so  much  thcM-eof  as  may  be  practicable, 
shall  be  raised  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  terminus  of  the  Green 
Bay  &  Lake  Pepin  railroad  at  the  city  of  Winona,  under  and 
pursuant  to  the  recommendation  of  the  committee  ap])ointed  by  the 
city  council  to  confer  upon  said  matter,  on  March  12,  1873. 

"■And  it  is  further  resolved,  that  the  city  of  Winona  hereby 
pledges  its  faith  to  repay  to  each  and  every  person,  his  heirs  or 
assigns,  all  sums  of  money  which  said  person  or  persons  shall  ad- 
vance for  that  purpose,  with  interest  on  the. sums  so  advanced  not 
to  exceed  the  rate  of  ten  per  cent  per  annum;  provided  always, 
that  the  obligation  so  made  and  taken  shall  in  no  event  bind  the 
city  to  such  repayment  unless  the  proper  legal  authority  for  such 
repayment  be  obtained. 

'-''Resolved,  That  the  recorder  be  authorized  and  is  hereby  required 
to  have  prepared,  and  to  issue  and  deliver  under  his  hand  as  recorder 
and  the  seal  of  said  city,  to  each  person  advancing  money  for  the 
above  purpose,  a  certificate  for  all  sums  so  advanced  by  each  person 
respectively,  bearing  interest  as  aforesaid. 

'■'■Resolved,  That  as  soon  as  practicable  proper  legislation  author- 
izing and  legalizing  the  present  action  of  the  city  council,  so  far  as 
such  legislation  may  be  necessary,  or  any  other  needed  legislation, 
shall  be  obtained." 

Upon  the  basis  of  this  action  on  the  part  of  the  city  council  a 
canvassing  committee  was  set  at  work,  and  the  sum  of  $35,000 
subscribed  by  the  citizens  for  the  purpose  set  forth  above.  The 
railroad  company,  upon  being  notified  of  the  result,  finally  accepted 
the  situation,  and  proceeded  during  the  summer  and  fall  of  1873  to 
build  the  road  as  proi)Osed.  An  act  of  the  legislature  authorizing 
the  city  to  make  good  its  agreement  with  the  subscribers,  but  un- 
wiselj^  ])roviding  for  making  up  the  amount  to  $50,000  for  the 
company,  was  approved  February  5,  1874,  the  act  providing,  how- 
ever, that  the  question  should  be  submitted  to  the  people  at  a  general 
or  special  election  upon  five  days'  notice  by  publication.  A  special 
election  was  accordingly  called  for  and  held  on  February  23,  1874, 
which  resulted  in  a  defeat  of  the  proposed  bonds,  largely  on  account 
of  the  provision  for  making  up  the  sum  to  be  paid  the  company  to 
$50,000,  the  vote  standing  275  for  to  785  against  it.  The  citizens 
were  justified  in  this  vote  for  the  reason  that  it  was  sought  to  make 
the  city  liable  for  $15,000  more  than  the  amount  of  the  subscrip- 
tion, a  provision  in  the  bill  insisted  on  by  the  representatives  of  the 


RAILROADS.  115 

company,  but  for  which  the  subscribers,  ahnost  without  exception, 
were  in  no  way  chargeable.  Chagrined  and  disappointed  at  this 
result,  and  there  being  grave  doubt  of  their  legal  liability,  the 
subscribers  refused  to  pay  their  subscriptions ;  but  suits  were  insti- 
tuted by  the  company  in  the  United  States  circuit  court  against 
them,  and  a  test  case  being  carried  to  a  final  decision  it  was  held 
that  the  subscribers  were  liable,  and  the  several  amounts  were 
accordingly  paid  over,  each  subscriber  receiving,  according  to  the 
original  agreement,  stock  of  the  company  to  the  amount  of  his 
subscription,  which  stock  was  not  and  never  has  become  of  any 
considerable  value. 

There  still  being  a  widespread  feeling  that  the  subscribers  to  the 
bonus  had  suffered  an  injustice,  another  act  of  the  legislature  was 
obtained  March  6,  1876,  providing  for  a  special  election  in  April  of 
that  year  to  determine  whether  the  city  would  indemnify  the  sub- 
scribers by  an  issue  of  its  bonds  in  the  amount  of  the  subscriptions 
actually  paid,  the  city  to  take  the  stock  originally  issued  to  the  sub- 
scribers. Accordingly  an  election  was  called  and  held  on  April  3, 
but  although  every  moral,  if  not  legal,  obligation  rested  upon  the 
city  to  indemnity  its  public-spirited  citizens  for  the  money  paid  by 
them  to  secure  a  railroad  connection  of  conceded  value  to  the  town, 
the  proposition  again  failed  to  carry,  the  vote  being  737  for  to  1004 
against  the  bonds,  and  liere  the  matter  rests.  The  road  has  since 
practically  passed  into  the  hands  of  John  I.  Blair,  of  New  Jersey, 
and  its  name  has  been  changed  to  the  Green  Bay,Winona  &  St.  Paul 
Railroad  Company. 

Wlno7ia  and  Southwestern  Railroad. — In  February,  1856,  the 
legislature  of  the  territory  incorporated  the  Winona  &  La  Crosse 
Railroad  Company,  with  authority  to  build  and  operate  a  railroad 
from  Winona  to  a  point  opposite  La  Crosse,  Wisconsin.  February 
9,  1872,  the  state  legislature  passed  an  act  reviving  this  old  charter 
and  amending  it  so  as  to  incorporate  the  Winona  &  Southwestern 
Railroad  Company,  composed  of  the  following  named  persons,  viz : 
William  Windom,  Thomas  Simpson,  Wm.  H.  Yale,  J.  C.  Easton, 
John  Robson,  William  Mitchell,  H.  W.  Lamberton,  M.  G.  Norton, 
E.  S.  Youraans,  R.  D.  Cone,  Tliomas  Wilson,  M.  K.  Drew,  E.  D. 
Williams,  Geo.  P.  Wilson,  Thomas  Abbott  and  Ignatius  O'Ferral, 
and  authorizing  the  building,  equipment  and  operation  of  a  railroad 
from  Winona  to  the  Iowa  line  east  of  range  14  and  west  of  the 
fifth  principal  meridian,  and  also  granting  the  right  to  extend  the 


116  HISTORY    OF    WE^ONA    COUNTY. 

line,  by  tlie  most  feasible  route,  from  Winona  to  St.  Paul  and 
Minneapolis,  the  road  to  be  completed  and  equipj)ed  witliin  four 
years  from  the  date  of  the  act. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  incorporators  held  at  Winona  April  16, 
1872,  William  Mitchell  was  elected  president;  E.  D.  Williams,  vice- 
president;  Thomas  Simpson,*secret{iry,  and  M.  G.  Norton,  treasurer. 
William  Mitchell,  John  Kobson  and  H.  W.  Lamberton  were  made  an 
executive  committee,  and  E.  S.  Youmans,  Ighatius  O'Ferral  and 
M.  G.  Norton  were  appointed  conmiissioners  to  receive  subscriptions 
to  the  stock  of  the  company,  to  collect  five  p«r  centum  thereon 
for  the  expenses  of  a  survey  and  for  the  purchase  of  necessary  raai)s, 
profiles,  etc.,  for  the  use  of  the  comjiany.  Stock  to  the  amount  of 
$67,500  was  subscribed.  At  the  same  session  of  the  legislature 
an  act  was  passed  authorizing  the  city  of  Winona  and  the  towns  and 
villages  on  the  proposed  line  of  the  road  to  vote  a  five  per  cent  tax 
in  aid  of  the  road.  Under  this  authority  the  city  of  Winona,  on 
April  9,  1872,  at  a  s])ecial  election  voted  bonds  to  aid  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  road  to  the  amount  of  $150,000.  Several  of  the 
towns  in  Winona  and  Fillmore  counties,  and  the  village  of  Chat- 
field,  voted  liberal  bonuses  tf)  the  road.  Two  or  more  surveys  were 
made  under  the  direction  of  N.  F.  Hilbert,  one  by  way  of  Saratoga 
and  Fremont,  the  other  by  way  of  the  Money  Creek  valley.  For  a 
time  there  was  every  prospect  that  the  road  would  be  built. '  It 
would  have  fiirnished  an  invaluable  outlet  for  the  lumber  and  other 
products  of  the  Winona  manufactories,  and  would  have  been  a 
potent  element  in  the  growth  of  the  city.  The  severe  financial 
crisis  of  1873,  however,  and  the  subsequent  hard  times,  ])rought 
delays  and  embarrassments  which  prevented  the  building  of  the 
road,  and  it  still  remains  one  of  the  '"glorious  possibilities."  In 
1875  it  was  voted  by  the  company  to  accept  the  projiosition  of  certain 
Iowa  parties  to  build  a  narrow-gauge  road  from  IIes]>er,  Iowa,  to 
Houston,  Minnesota,  provided  the  company  would  build  a  similar 
road  from  Winona  to  Houston.  Money  was  raised  and  a  prelimi- 
nary survey  made,  but  nothing  further  came  of  the  j)roject.  The 
charter  was  extended  by  the  legislature  of  1873,  and  by  reason  of 
the  surveys  and  otlier  work  done  thereunder  is  considered  to  be 
still  alive.  Both  the  line  to  the  southwest  and  the  one  from  Winona 
to  St.  Paul  are  still  feasible,  and  would  be  valuable  to  the  builders 
as  well  as  to  Winona  aiid  the  territory  through  which  they  would 
pass. 


CHAPTER   XI. 


NAVIGATION. 


The  "Father  of  Waters  "  forms  the  eastern  boundary  of  Winona 
county,  and  with  its  various  channels  and  sloughs  constitutes  the 
only  navigable  water  in  the  county.  Probably  the  first  white  man 
who  traversed  the  forty-five  miles  of  its  length  in  which  we  are  now 
interested  was  Father  Hennepin,  who  in  the  month  of  April,  1680, 
explored  the  Mississippi  from  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  to  the  falls 
of  St.  Anthony.  In  the  month  of  May,  1689,  Nicholas  Perrot, 
accompanied  by  Le  Sueur,  Father  Marest  and  others,  sailed  up  the 
Mississippi  from  the  mouth  of  Wisconsin  river  to  the  mouth  of  the 
St.  Croix,  and  formally  took  possession  of  the  country  in  the  name 
of  the  king  of  France.  In  September  of  the  year  1700  Le  Sueur 
passed  upward  with  a  party  of  Frenchmen  to  explore  and  work 
some  reported  mines  near  the  mouth  of  the  Chippewa  river.  In  the 
year  1766  that  enterprising  Connecticut  Yankee,  Jonathan  Carver, 
traveled  extensively  in  the  Northwest,  and  on  October  29  of  that 
year  passed  by  the  future  county  of  Winona,  noting  in  his  journal 
some  shrewd  observations  upon  the  numerous  mounds  which  he 
saw  along  the  shores  and  bluffs.  In  September,  1805,  Lieut.  Zebu- 
Ion  Pike  visited  this  region  by  order  of  President  Jefferson,  to  expel 
British  traders,  who  were  found  violating  the  laws,  and  to  form  alli- 
ances with  the  Indians.  In  the  summer  of  1819  a  party  of  officers 
and  soldiers,  with  their  wives  and  children,  passed  by  our  county 
in  keelboats  on  their  way  to  establish  a  post  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Minnesota  river,  by  order  of  John  C.  Calhoun,  then  secretary  of 
war.  The  next  year  Gov.  Cass  of  Michigan  headed  an  exploring 
expedition  by  way  of  the  lakes,  and,  descending  the  Mississippi  in 
canoes,  spent  the  afternoon  of  August  4  at  Wapashaw  village,  the 
site  of  the  present  city  of  Winona. 

Previous  to  the  year  1823  it  had  been  supposed  that  the  rapids 
at  Rock  Island  were  an  insurmountable  barrier  to  the  navigation  of 
the  upper  Mississippi ;  but  on  the  second  day  of  May  of  that  year 
the  Virginia,  a  steamer  one  hundred  and  eighteen  feet  in  length, 
left  her  moorings  at  St.  Louis,  destined  for  Fort  Snelling.  Success- 
fully passing  the  rapids,  this  pioneer  craft  made  her  way  slowly  up 


118  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

the  Mississippi,  producing  tbe  greatest  terror  and  consternation 
among  the  Indians,  who  su])posed  that  it  was  some  enormous  water- 
spirit,  cougliing,  ])ufiing  out  hot  breath  and  spUishing  the  water  in 
all  directions.  This  pioneer  steamer  passed  Wabasha  prairie  toward 
the  last  of  the  month  and  reached  Fort  Snelling  in  safety.  From 
tliis  time  occasional  trips  were  made  as  the  necessity  of  the  govern- 
ment and  trading-posts  required.  Among  the  great  number  of  steam- 
ers which  have  passed  and  repassed  the  county  in  years  gone  by,  all 
old  settlers  will  remember  the  Minnesota  Belle,  Gray  Eagle,  War 
Eagle,  Northern  Belle,  Nominee,  Ben  Corson,  The  Adelia,  Frank 
Steele,  Keokuk,  Jeanette,  Tishimingo,  Annie  Johnson,  Addie  John- 
son, Phil.  Sheridan,  and  many  others. 

Of  the  captains  of  all  these  and  other  unnamed  steamers  Capt. 
Smith  Harris  and  Capt.  Orrin  SmitH  are  most  frequently  mentioned. 
The  latter  was  one  of  the  earliest  proprietors  and  admirers  of  the 
town  site  of  Winona,  and  the  former,  being  interested  in  Kasota,  and 
other  towns  on  the  Minnesota  river,  was  never  tired  of  pointing  out 
the  disadvantages  of  Wabasha  prairie.  It  is  said  that  during  the 
high  water  in  1852,  in  order  to  demonsti-ate  the  truth  of  his  state- 
ment tliat  Smith's  town  was  on  a  mere  sand-bar  in  the  Mississippi, 
he  ran  his  boat  straight  by  Minneowah  up  into  Lake  Winona,  and 
out  across  near  the  Den  man  farm  into  Crooked  Slough  and  the  river 
again.  Captains  Hatcher  and  Bryant,  long  in  the  service,  afterward 
made  their  homes  in  Winona.  Before  the  day  of  railroads  great 
importance  attached  to  the  coming  and  going  of  these  river  steamers, 
which  formed  the  only  connection  with  the  outside  world.  The 
familiar  whistle  of  a  steamboat  would  frequently  cause  a  stampede 
even  from  the  church  service  or  prayer  meeting,  particularly  if  it 
was  the  first  boat  of  the  season. 

The  following  table  shows  the  arrivals  of  the  first  boat  for  a 

period  of  years  commencing  with  1856: 

Keokuk,  April  5. 
Addie  Johnston,  March  18. 
Belle  of  La  Crosse,  April  9. 
Union,  April  3. 
Northwestern,  A'pril  6. 
Lake  Superior,  April  12. 
1876.  Dubuque,  April  10. 
Red  Winjr,  April  II. 
Penguin,  March  12. 
Maj^rgie  Reanev,  April  4. 
Belle  of  Bellvue,  March  22. 
Josie,  April  24. 
Robert  Harris,  March  1. 


1856. 

Alhambra,  April  8. 

1870. 

1857. 

Hamburg,  April  2. 

1871. 

18.5^. 

Brazil,  March  23. 

1872. 

1859. 

Grey  Eagle,  March  18. 

1873. 

1860. 

Chippewa,  March  13. 

1874. 

18(51. 

Northern  Light,  March  26. 

1875. 

1862. 

Keokuk,  April  2. 

1876. 

1863. 

Keokuk,  March  20. 

1877. 

1864. 

Union,  March  16. 

1878. 

1865. 

Lansing,  March  30. 

1879. 

1866. 

Addie  Johnston,  April  13. 

1880. 

1867. 

City  of  St.  Paul,  April  13. 

1881. 

1868. 

Diamond  Jo,  March  21. 

1882. 

1869. 

Buckeye,  April  6. 

COURTS    AND    OFFICERS    OF    THE    COURTS. 


119 


The  following  table  shows  the  dates  of  the  closing  of  navigation 
for  a  series  of  years: 


1856 November  27 

1857 November  19 

1858 December     2 

1859 December    3 

1860 November  24 

1861 November  27 

1862 December    1 

1863 November  27 

1864 December    4 

1865 December    5 

1866 December    9 

1867 December    5 

1868 December    8 

1869 December  18 


1870 December  15 

1871 November  22 

1872 November22 

1873 November29 

1874 November  30 

1875 November20 

1876 December    1 

1877 December    8 

1878 December  13 

1879 December  12 

1880 November20 

1881 Jamiary  2,  1882 

1882 December   6 


CHAPTEK  XII. 


COURTS  AND  OFFICERS  OF  THE  COURTS. 

The  territorial  courts  of  record  were  organized  under  the  act  of 
congress  passed  March  3,  1849,  called  the  "Organic  act,"  supple- 
mented by  acts  passed  from  time  to  time  by  the  territorial  legis- 
lature. By  the  organic  act  three  judges  were  provided  for,  which 
were  appointed  by  the  president,  "by  and  with  the  advice  and  con- 
sent of  tlie  senate."  One  was  styled  "chief-justice,"  the  other  two 
"associate-justices."  These  together  constituted  the  supreme  court, 
one  term  of  which  was  required  to  be  held  annually  at  the  seat  of 
government  of  the  territory.  It  was  also  provided  that  the  terri- 
tory should  "be  divided  into  three  judicial  districts,"  in  each  of 
which  a  district  court  was  required  to  be  held  by  one  of  the  justices 
of  the  supreme  court,  at  such  times  and  places  as  the  territorial 
legislature  might  prescribe,  and  that  ' '  the  said  judges  shall,  after 
their  appointment,  respectively,  reside  in  the  districts  which  shall 
be  assigned  them."  Each  district  court,  or  the  judge  thereof,  was 
by  such  act  empowered  to  appoint  its  own  clerk,  which  clerk  was 
to  hold  his  office  at  the  pleasure  of  the  court.  The  supreme  court 
and  district  courts  were  invested  with  chancery  as  well  as  common 
law  jurisdiction.  Ttie  extent  of  this  jurisdiction  of  these  courts  was 
substantially  the  same  as  like  courts  under  the  present  constitution 
of  the  state  ;  that  of  the  several  district  courts  was  general.     Bj 


120  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

act  of  the  territorial  legislature  the  territory  now  included  within  the 
limits  of  Winona  county  was  made  a  part  of  the  first  judicial  dis- 
trict, and  so  remained  until  the  adoption  of  the  constitution.  Pre- 
vious to  February  23,  1854,  what,  is  now  Winona  county  was  a  part  of 
the  county  of  Fillmore.  On  the  day  last  above  named  Winona 
county  was  formed  and  organized  for  judicial  and  other  purposes. 
Up  to  this  time  the  writer  is  not  aware  that  any  term  of  the  district 
court  was  held  in  Fillmore  county,  though  all  other  county  business 
affecting  this  section,  such  as  filing  })lat8  of  town  sites,  recording 
deeds  and  the  levy  of  taxes,  was  done  at  the  county  seat  of  Fillinore 
county,  then  located  at  Chatfield. 

At  the  date  of  our  county  organization  Hon.  Wm.  H.  Welch 
was  chief-justice  of  the  territory,  to  whom  was  assigned  the  first 
judicial  district.  He  was  therefore  the  first  judge  of  the  district 
court  in  and  for  this  county.  He  resided  at  Red  Wing,  in  the 
county  of  Goodhue.  He  continued  to  fill  that  oflice  until  January 
1,  1858,  when  the  territorial  judicial  officers  were  superseded  by 
judges  elected  under  the  state  constitution  adopted  at  the  fall  elec- 
tion in  1857.  Much  of  the  good  order  of  our  judicial  afiairs  in  ter- 
ritorial times,  and  the  ease  and  regularity  with  which  our  state  courts 
were  organized  and  went  into  effect,  were  due  to  this  judge.  W^hile 
he  was  not  a  man  of  great  learning  or  superior  ability,  as  the  world 
recognizes  learning  and  ability,  yet  he  had  the  rare  quality  in  a 
judge  of  commanding  universal  confidence,  a  feeling  among  all  that 
the  judicial  authority  was  reposed  in  proper  hands.  Judge  Welch 
died  at  his  liome  in  Red  Wing. 

At  the  fall  election  in  1857  Hon.  Thomas  Wilson  was  chosen  as 
judge  of  the  third  judicial  district  of  the  state,  comprising  the  coun- 
ties of  Houston,  Fillmore,  Olmsted,  Wabasha  and  Winona.  With 
the  beginning  of  the  year  1858,  pursuant  to  a  provision  of  the  state 
constitution,  but  before  the  formal  admission  of  the  state  by  congress 
Judge  Wilson  entered  upon,  his  duties  as  judge,  and  continued  to 
hold  until  1864,  when,  having  been  appointed  to  the  supreme 
court,  he  resigned  the  office  of  district  judge,  and  Hon.  Lloyd 
Barber,  of  Olmsted  county,  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy  so 
made.  He  was  elected  at  the  fall  election  in  1864,  for  the  full  term 
of  seven  years,  and  held  the  office  until  succeeded  by  Hon.  C.  N. 
Waterman,  January  4,  1872.  Judge  Waterman  held  the  office 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  February  18,  1873,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded   by  Hon.    John  Van  Dyke,    who   was   appointed   for  the 


COURTS    AND    OFFICERS    OF    TilE    COURTS.  121 

remainder  of  the  year  1873.  At  the  fall  election  of  that  year  Hon. 
Wm.  Mitchell  was  elected  for  the  full  term  of  seven  years, 
from  the  beginning  of  1874.  He  discharged  the  duties  during  this 
term,  and  in  1880  was  re-elected  for  another  term,  to  commence  with 
the  ensuing  year.  At  the  session  of  the  legislature  of  1881  the 
number  of  judges  composing  the  supreme  court  was  increased  to 
five.  This  made  it  necessary  that  two  judges  should  be  appointed 
to  the  supreme  court  until  after  the  next  ensuing  general  election. 
Judge  Mitchell  was  selected  as  one  of  the  new  judges,  and  Hon.  C. 
M.  Start,  then  attorney-general  of  the  state,  but  residing  in  the 
third  judicial  district,  at  Rochester,  Olmsted  county,  was  ap- 
pointed district  judge,  to  succeed  Judge  Mitchell.  At  the  general 
election  in  November,  1881,  Judge  Start  was  elected  for  a  full  term, 
commencing  with  the  year  1882.  At  this  writing,  January  1,  1883, 
Judge  Start  is  in  the  discharge  of  his  official  duties. 

Of  the  seven  judges  who  have  presided  in  our  district  courts, 
three.  Judge  "Welch,  Judge  Waterman  and  Judge  Van  Dyke,  are 
dead.  All  the  others  are  still  living  within  the  district,  and 
engaged  in  the  duties  of  their  profession. 

Clerks. — As  before  stated,  during  our  territorial  existence  clerks 
of  district  courts  held  by  appointment  of  the  judge  and  during  his 
pleasure.  The  first  clerk  of  the  district  court  in  and  for  Winona 
county  was  Martin  Wheeler  Sargeant.  He  was  appointed  by  Judge 
Welch  in  1854,  and  held  until  superseded  by  the  appointment  of 
John  Keyes,  on  or  about  July  14,  1856.  The  record  of  Mr.  Keyes' 
appointment  cannot  be  found,  but  his  first  official  act  as  clerk 
bears  date  on  that  day.  Mr.  Keyes  continued  to  hold  the  office 
until  after  the  admission  of  the  statein  to  the  Union  under  the  state 
organization,  his  last  official  act  as  clerk  bearing  date  May  25, 
1858.  Under  the  constitution  the  office  of  clerk  was  made  elective, 
and  at  the  general  election  in  October,  1857,  Henry  C.  Lester  was 
elected  clerk,  and  entei-ed  on  the  discharge  of  his  duties  on  the  re- 
tirement of  Mr.  Keyes.  He  held  the  office  until  April  27,  1861. 
He  resigned  to  enter  the  volunteer  service  of  the  United  States  in 
the  war  of  the  rebellion.  He  was  succeeded  by  E.  A.  Gerdtzen, 
who  was  appointed  in  place  of  Col.  Lester  until  the  next  general 
election,  at  which  he  was  elected,  and  by  subsequent  elections  held 
without  interruj^tion  for  nearly  seventeen  years.  In  November, 
1877,  John  M.  Sheardown  was  elected,  has  been  re-elected,  and  still 
holds  the  office. 


122  HISTORY    OF    WLNONA    COUNTY. 

Of  the  live  persons  who  have  held  tlie  (office,  two,  Mr.  Sargeant 
and  Mr.  Keyes,  are  deceased;  CoL  Lester  has  removed  from  the 
state,  wliile  Messrs.  Gerdtzen  and  Sheardown  still  reside  at  the  city 
of  Winona. 

DintHct  and  County  Attorneys. — Under  the  territorial  organiza- 
tion, the  United  States  attorney,  as  he  was  called,  usually  attended 
at  the  sessions  of  the  district  courts,  and  performed  most  of  the 
duties  now  devolving  upon  county  attorneys.  An  ofHcer  called  a 
district  attorney  was  also  provided  for  by  territorial  statute,  and  was 
elected  in  each  of  the  organized  counties.  In  the  act  organizing 
the  county  of  Winona,  approved  February  23,  1854,  such  officer 
was  to  be  elected  at  an  election  to  be  held  in  April  of  that  year. 
The  election  was  duly  held,  and  C.  F.  Buck,  Esq.,  then  residing  at 
Minneowa,  was  elected.  We  may  say  in  passing  that  the  village 
of  Minneowa  was  a  rival  of  Winona  for  metropolitan  honors,  and 
stood  on  the  Mississippi  river,  about  one  mile  above  the  present 
village  of  Homer.  The  curious  in  such  matters  may  still  find  some 
traces  of  it  on  the  river  bank,  and  especially  in  the  office  of  the 
register  of  deeds,  where  the  plat  was  recorded.  Its  proprietors 
were  Isaac  Van  Etten,  William  L.  Ames,  brother  of  Oakes  Ames, 
of  credit  mohilier  and  Union  Pacific  railroad  fame.  Governor 
Willis  A.  Gorman,  and  S.  R  Babcock,  all  of  St.  Paul.  The 
fact  is  noteworthy  as  showing  the  confidence  of  shrewd  and  far- 
seeing  men  in  the  then  future  existence  of  the  city  of  southern 
Minnesota  at  or  near  this  point.  Their  selection  was  probably  made 
more  from  an  examination  of  the  territorial  map  than  of  the  respect- 
ive sites  of  Minneowa  and  Winona.  If  not,  time  has  demonstrated 
that,  however  close  they  shot  to  the  mark  in  this  their  judgment 
was  slightly  at  fault.  But  to  return  to  the  district  attorney.  Mr, 
Buck  held  the  office  until  the  beginning  of  1856.  Edwin  M.  Bierce 
had  been  elected  in  the  fall  of  1855,  and  held  the  office  during  the 
years  1856  and  1857.  By  the  constitution  adopted  in  that  year 
it  was  provided  that  "each  judicial  district  might  elect  one  prose- 
cuting attorney  for  the  district."  Under  this  provision  Sam  Cole, 
Esq.,  was  elected  "  prosecutiiig  attorney"  for  the  third  judicial  dis- 
trict, comprising  the  counties  of  Houston,  Fillmore,  Olmsted,  Wa- 
basha and  Winona.  Although  this  office  was  wholly  unknown  to 
teri-itorial  laws,  continued  in  force  by  the  constitution,  and  no  state 
legislation  had  been  had  to  supply  the  deficiency,  still  Mr.  Cole,  as 


COURTS    AND    OFFICERS    OF    THE    COURTS.  125 

an  officer  of  the  courts,  qualified  witli  the  judges  at  the  beginning  of 
the  year  1858.  As  no  legislation  was  ever  had  upon  the  subject  of 
the  duties  of  this  office,  we  shall  probably  continue  in  ignorance  as 
to  what  they  were.  Practically  Mr.  Cole  did  about  what  the  United 
States  attorney  had  done  in  territorial  times,  and  which  comprised 
about  all  that  was  required  under  the  statutes  of  the  district  attorney. 
The  effect  of  it  was  in  a  large  degree  to  supersede  the  last-named 
officer,  and  for  two  years  no  district  attorney  was  elected  in  Winona 
county.  In  this  county  at  least  the  constitution  operated  as  an 
extinguishment  of  the  office. 

By  act  of  February  6,  1860,  the  office  of  county  attorney  as  now 
existing  was  created.  Under  this  act  the  board  of  supervisors  of 
Winona  county,  on  the  15th  day  of  March,  1860,  appointed  one 
A,  S.  Seaton  count}^  attorney,  who  held  the  office  until  the  1st 
of  January,  1861. 

At  the  general  election  in  1860  Hon.  William  H.  Yale  was 
elected,  and  held  the  office  one  term  of  two  years.  On  the  1st  of 
January,  1863,  he  was  succeeded  by  Hon.  William  Mitchell,  who  was 
county  attorney  during  the  years  1863  and  3  864.  Mr.  Yale,  in  the 
fall  of  1864,  was  re-elected,  and  held  during  the  years  1865  and 
1866.  He  was  succeeded  at  the  beginning  of  1867  by  Hon.  George 
P.  Wilson  who,  by  re-election  was  continued  in  office  until  the 
beginning  of  1871,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Norman  Buck.  Mr. 
Buck  held  during  the  years  1873  and.  1874,  and  was  succeeded  by 
A.  H.  Snow,  Esq.,  who  by  re-election  held  from  the  beginning  of 
1875  to  the  1st  of  January,  1879.  Mr.  A.  N.  Bentley  then  suc- 
ceeded for  one  term,  followed  by  Mr.  M.  B.  Webber,  one  term, 
closing  with  1882.  At  the  fall  election  in  1882  Mr.  Patrick  Fitz- 
patrick  was  elected,  and  now  holds  the  office.  Of  the  twelve  persons 
who  have  held  these  offices,  only  one  (Mr.  Cole)  is  known  to  have 
died.  Both  A.  S.  Seaton  and  E-  M.  Bierce  left  this  county  about 
1860,  since  which  little  or  nothing  seems  to  be  known  of  either. 
Mr.  Buck  is  now  associate  justice  of  the  territory  of  Idaho.  Hon. 
George  P.  Wilson  is  following  his  profession  at  Fargo,  Dakota 
Territory.     All  others  still  reside  in  the  city  of  Winona. 

Sheriffs. — The  first  sheriff  of  the  county  was  John  lames.  He 
was  elected  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  April,  1854.  He  was  succeeded 
by  Charles  Eaton,  who  was  elected  in  the  fall  of  1855,  and  held  the 
office  for  two  years.  At  the  election  in  1857  Mr.  F.  E.  Wlijton  was 
elected,  and  held  during  the  years  1858  and  1859.     At  the  fall  elec- 


126  HISTORY    OF    WESrONA    COUNTY. 

tion  in  1859  Messrs.  L.  R.  King  and  E.  D.  Williams  were  opposing 
candidates  for  this  office.  The  canvass  was  close  and  spirited,  and 
the  register  of  deeds,  whose  duty  it  was  "  to  canvass  the  votes,"  was 
unable  to  determine  which  had  been  the  successful  candidate.  The 
greatest  number  of  votes  cast  at  the  election  for  one  office  was  2,023. 
As  allowed  by  the  register,  the  whole  number  of  votes  cast  for  both 
candidates  for  sheriff  was  1,970.  In  reaching  this  result  votes  were 
rejected  as  irregular,  and  the  conclusion  was  arrived  at  that  each 
candidate  had  received  985,  making  it  "a  tie."  It  thus  became 
necessary  to  decide  "by  lot"  which  of  the  candidates  was  elected. 
Various  stories  were  told  as  to  how  this  "casting  of  lots"  was  per- 
formed— one  to  the  effect  that  a  game  of  "euchre"  was  played 
between  two  persons,  each  representing  one  of  the  opposing  candi- 
dates. The  writer  cannot  affirm  that  such  was  the  fact,  though  the 
circumstantiality  of  the  account,  other  things  considered,  gives  it 
some  weight.  But,  however  the  lot  was  cast,  Mr.  King  was  declared 
elected,  and  to  him  was  awarded  the  certificate.  The  case  was  then 
taken  by  appeal  to  the  district  court.  Judge  Wilson  presiding.  After 
a  long'  and  patient  hearing  the  decision  of  the  canvassing  officer  was 
affirmed,  and  Mr.  King  was  declared  sheriff.  By  re-election  from 
term  to  term  he  held  the  office  without  interruption  for  eight  years. 
J.  F.  Martin  was  his  successor,  beginning  with  the  year  1868.  Mr. 
Martin  was  twice  re-elected  and  held  for  six  years,  and  was  succeeded 
at  the  close  of  1873  by  Wm.  H.  Dill.  Mr.  Dill  was  re-elected  three 
times  in  succession,  and  held  the  office  in  all  eight  years,  ending 
with  the  year  1881.  Mr.  E.  Y.  Bogart  succeeded  and  is  now  (1883) 
in  office.     Ex-Sheriffs  lames,  Whiton  and  King  are  deceased. 

Probate  Courts. — By  the  act  of  congress  organizing  the  terri- 
tory probate  courts  were  established.  A  special  election,  to  be  held 
in  April,  1854,  was  authorized  for  the  election  of  county  officers  by 
act  organizing  the  county  of  Winona.  A  judge  of  probate  was 
one  of  the  officers  to  be  elected.  Andrew  Cole  was  elected.  He 
held  the  otHce  until  January  1,  1855,  when  he  was  succeeded  by 
Alfred  P.  Foster.  Mr.  Foster  filled  the  office  until  October  10,  1856, 
when  it  was  made  vacant  by  the  removal  of  Judge  Foster  from  tlie 
territory,  and  on  that  date  Sam  Cole  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy. 
E.  II.  Murray  succeeded  by  election,  and  held  during  the  years  1857 
and  1858,  followed  by  Warren  Powers,  who  was  elected  in  the  fall 
of  1858.  By  re-election  Judge  Powers  held  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  June,  1865.     He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Norman  Buck, 


BANKING    IN    WINONA    COUNTY.  127 

who  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy  in  July  of  that  year.  In  the 
fall  of  1865  Judge  Buck  was  elected.  He  held  the  office  until  the 
fall  of  1867,  when  he  resigned,  and  was  succeeded  for  the  remainder 
of  the  year  by  appointment  of  C.  N.  Wakefield.  At  the  general 
election  in  the  fall  of  1868  Jacob  Story  was  elected  to  the  office. 
Judge  Story  has  been  re-elected  at  the  expiration  of  each  succeeding 
term,  and  is  still  the  incumbent  of  the  office.  Aside  from  Mr.  E.  A, 
Gerdtzen's  tenure  of  the  office  of  clerk  of  the  district  court,  which 
was  about  seventeen  years,  Judge  Story  has  enjoyed  a  longer  official 
term  than  any  other  officer  of  Winona  county. 


CHAPTEK  XIII. 


BANKING  IN  WINONA   COUNTY. 


As  is  generally  the  case  in  new  towns,  several  branches  of 
business  ai-e  conducted  by  the  same  person  or  firm.  It  was  so  in 
Winona  in  the  banking  business.  The  United  States  land  office 
for  the  Winona  land  district,  having  been  opened  in  Winona  in 
December,  1854,  land  agents,  money  loaners  and  speculators  in  real 
estate  soon  followed. 

■  The  first  office  of  this  kind  was  opened  in  June  in  1855,  by  Will- 
iam Ashley  Jones,  Charles  H.  Berry  and  E.  S.  Smith,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Jones,  Berry  &  Smith.  They  were  succeeded  by 
Berry  &  Waterman,  who  added  to  their  law  business  that  of  receiving 
deposits  and  selling  exchange  on  different  points.  This  was  done 
more  as  a  convenience  to  others  than  of  profit  to  themselves.  This 
was  continued  until  others  engaged  in  more  exclusive  blinking 
business. 

Early  in  1856  Timothy  Kirk  and  his  brother  had  a  banking  office 
on  the  corner  of  Front  and  Main  streets. 

John  Mobley  opened  a  banking  and  exchange  office  near  the 
corner  of  Second  and  Main  streets  in  1856,  and  did  considerable 
business  for  some  two  years,  and  retired  in  1858. 

J.  T.  Smith  had  an  exchange  and  loan  office,  in  1856  or  1857,  on 
Center  street,  between  First  and  Second  streets.  He  was  here  about 
three  years. 


r2<S  iriSTOHY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Voiglit  &  Bergentlial  had  a  banking  and  loan  office,  in  1856 
and  1857,  on  Front  street,  near  where  Krumdich's  elevator  now 
stands. 

BennsWs  Bank. — In  the  fall  ot  1855  Thomas  PI  Bennett  opened 
a  bank  and  loan  office,  and  succeeded  to  the  business  of  Voight  & 
Bergentlial,  in  a  building  on  the  levee.  In  the  winter  following 
Taylor,  Richards  &  Burden  purchased  Bennett's  business,  and  in 
May,  1857,  the  firm  was  changed  to  Taylor,  Bennett  &  Co.,  and  in 
1858  it  was  again  changed  to  Burden,  Bennett  tfe  Co.,  and  in  1859 
was  dissolved  and  the  business  was  continued  in  the  name  of 
Thomas  E.  Bennett  until  1861. 

BanJi'  of  Southern  Mlnnemta. — The  Bank  of  Southern  Minne- 
sota was  organized  in  1861.  Lemuel  C.  Porter,  Thos.  E.  Bennett, 
Wm.  Garlock  and  others  were  stockholders  and  directors.  L.  C. 
Porter  was  made  president  and  Thomas  E.  Bennett  cashier.  This 
bank  was  merged  in  the  First  National  bank  in  August,  1864. 

The  BanJi'  of  Wmona. — This  bank  was  located  on  Center  street, 
in  the  building  now  occupied  by  the  Winona  Deposit  Bank.  Bank 
of  Winona  commenced  business  in  May,  1863,  Samuel  McCord 
and  H.  N.  Peabody  being  the  principal  partners,  and  the  manager 
was  I.  Voswinkle  Dorselin.  Subsequently  the  business  was  done 
under  the  name  of  McCord  &  Dorselin.  In  December,  1868, 
Dorselin,  appearing  to  be  the  owner  of  the  concern,  closed 
business  and  went  into  bankru])tcy.  On  the  final  winding  up  of 
business,  in  August,  186!),  it  paid  its  creditors  about  twenty-five 
cents  on  a  dollar. 

The  United  National  Bank-. — The  United  National  Bank  was 
organized  in  1865,  with  Thomas  Wilson,  Otto  Troost,  Charles  Ben- 
son, A.  W.  Webster  and  Thomas  E.  Bennett  as  stockholders  and 
directors,  with  a  capital  of  $50,000.  A.  W.  Webster  was  president 
and  Thomas  E.  Bennett  cashier. 

This  bank  was  located  on  Second  street,  in  the  building  since 
used  by  the  Savings  Bank,  and  in  January,  1871,  was  sold  out  by  its 
stockholders  to  the  First  National  Bank  of  Wmona. 

The  Winona  Deposit  Bamk  was  organized  and  commenced  busi- 
ness in  1868.  li.  W.  Lamberton  was  president  and  I.  J.  Cummings 
cashier.  It  was  a  private  bank,  and  changed  to  a  national  organiza- 
tion under  the  name  of  Winona  Deposit-  National  Bank,  in  which 
name  the  business  was  conducted  two  or  three  years,  when  they  dis- 
continued the  national  organization  and   retui-ned  to  the  original 


BAiSTKITiTG    IN    WHSTONA    COUNTY.  129 

name  of  Winona  Deposit  Bank.      Its  present  officers  are  H.  W. 
Lamberton,  president,  and  W.  C.  Brown,  cashier. 

Winona  County  Banh. — Zaplina  H.  Lake  and  A.  W.  Webster 
organized  the  Winona  County  Bank  in  1859,  and  they  filed  their 
organization  papers  and  deposited  Minnesota  raih'oad  bonds  with 
the  state  auditor  to  secure  the  payment  of  their  circulating  notes 
under  the  then  existing  laws  of  the  state.  This  was  the  first  and 
only  bank  having  circulation  in  Winona.  They  did  a  straightfor- 
ward, legitimate  banking  business  for  several  years,  and  went  out 
of  business  in  1865.  Mr.  Webster  took  part  in  the  organization  of 
the  United  National  Bank,  and  Mr.  Lake  engaged  in  other  business 
in  Winona.  Their  banking  office  was  near  the  corner  of  Second 
and  Main  streets. 

Tlie-  Banh  of  St.  Charles.,  at  St.  Qiarles,  Winona  county,  was 
organized  as  a  private  bank  in  the  spring  of  1869,  with  a  capital  of 
$30,000.  The  stockholders  were  E.  S.  Youmans,  of  Winona  ;  S.  T. 
Hyde,  J.  S.  Wheeler,  J.  W.  Brockett,  of  St.  Charles,  and  H.  K. 
Heath,  of  New  York  city.  The  stockholders  were  directors.  E.  S. 
Youmans  was  president  and  J.  S.  Wheeler  was  cashier. 

J.  C.  Woodard,  in  June,  1877,  succeeded  to  the  Bank  of  St. 
Charles,  and  the  business  is  now  conducted  in  the  name  of  J.  C. 
Woodard,  banker. 

The  First  National  Bank  of  Winona  (successor  to  the  Bank  of 
Southern  Minnesota)  was  organized  August  20,  1864,  with  a  capital 
of  $50,000.  The  original  stockholders  were  Thomas  E.  Bennett, 
Gabriel  Horton,  Lemuel  C.  Porter,  George  W.  Nefi',  William  Gar- 
lock,  William  Wedel,  each  of  whom  was  elected  a  director.  In 
October,  1864,  at  a  meeting  of  the  directors  the  following  officers 
were  elected,  viz  :  L.  C.  Porter,  president ;  William  Garlock,  vice- 
president  ;  Thomas  E.  Bennett,  cashier.  L.  C.  Porter  has  been 
elected  president  at  each  annual  meeting  of  the  directors  since  the 
organization  of  the  bank  to  this  time,  a  period  of  eighteen  years. 
The  following  persons  have  been  elected  cashiers  at  different  times 
since  1866 :  I.  J.  Cummings,  G.  A.  Burbank,  Herman  E.  Curtis, 
C.  H.  Porter  and  E.  D.  Hurlbert,  who  is  now  filling  that  position. 
William  Garlock  resigned  the  office  of  vice-president  in  1868.  C.  H. 
Porter  was  elected  vice-president  in  1881,  and  is  at  this  time  filling 
that  office. 

Second  National  Ba/nJc. — The  Second  National  Bank  of  Winona 
was  organized  April  29,   1871,  with  a  capital  of  $100,000.     The 


1 30  HISTORY    OF    WINONA-  COUNTY. 

incorporators  were  Thomas  Simpson,  John  H.  Prentiss,  Joseph  A. 
Prentiss,  Ilenrv  Stevens,  Mark  Willson,  Gustavus  A.  Biirbank  and 
W.  H.  Richardson.  Eacli  of  the  above  stockholders  was  elected 
a  director,  and  the  bank  engaged  in  active  business  in  August,  lS71, 
with  the  following  officers  :  Thomas  Simpson,  president ;  G.  A. 
Burbank,  cashier.  Mr.  Burbank  resigned  in  October,  1871,  and 
Mark  Willson  was  elected  assistant  cashier,  and  in  February,  1872, 
E.  H.  Bailey  became  cashier. 

In  January,  1873,  Joseph  A.  Prentiss  was  chosen  cashier  and 
Mark  Willson  vice-president.  In  January,  1875,  Mr.  Willson 
resigned  and  Lester  R.  Brooks  became  vice-i)resident,  and  in 
1876  was  made  cashier.  In  1878  Thomas  Simpson  resigned  his 
position  as  president,  which  he  had  tilled  from  the  first  organization 
of  the  bank,  and  was  succeeded  by  Joseph  A.  Prentiss.  In  1880 
William  II.  Garlock  was  chosen  cashier  and  L.  R.  Brooks  vice- 
president,  who,  with  J.  A.  Prentiss,  president,  are  the  present 
officers. 

The  Merdicmts  National  Bank  of  Winona  was  organized  May  18, 
1875,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $100,000,  and  at  the  tirst  meeting  of 
the  stockliolders  the  following  persons  were  elected  directors: 
Mark  Willson,  G.  W.  Bennett,  N.  F.  Hilbert,  H.  D.  Perkins,  C.  H. 
Berry,  Conrad  Bohn  and  C.  C.  Beck.  Mark  Willson,  president ; 
N.  F.  Hilbert,  casliier ;  H.  D.  Perkins,  vice-president. 

The  bank  opened  for  business  in  July  1875.  On  April  9,  1879, 
N.  F.  Hilbert  resigned  his  position  as  cashier,  and  was  succeeded 
by  J.  M.  Bell.  July  1,  1879,  it  was  voted  to  change  the  organiza- 
tion from  a  national  to  a  state  bank  under  the  laws  of  Minnesota, 
and  to  transfer  its  entire  business  to  the  new  organization. 

The  Merchants  Bank  of  Winona  succeeded  to  the  Merchants 
National  Bank,  and  was  organized  in  August,  1879,  with  the  follow- 
ing directors  :  Charles  H.  Berry,  H.  D.  Perkins,  J.  M.  Bell,  Mark 
Willson,  C.  C.  Beck,  L.  J.  Allred  and  C.  Heintz,  and  who  proceeded 
to  the  election  of  officers,  as  follows :  Mark  Willson,  president ;  J.  M. 
Bell,  casliier ;  H.  D.  Perkins,  vice-president. 

In  December,  1879,  J.  M.  Bell  tendered  his  resignation  as  cashier, 
which  was  accepted,  and  Geo.  F.  Crise  was  elected  in  his  place.  The 
officers  of  the  bank  at  this  time  are  Mark  Willson,  president; 
Chas.  H.  Berry,  vice-president,  and  Geo.  F.  Crise,  cashier. 

The  Winona  Savings  Bank  was  organized  July  1,  1874,  and 
lasted  five  years.     The  depositors  were  notiMed  to  withdraw  their 


EARLY    SETTLEMENT,    PIONEERS,    ETC.  131 

deposits  July  1,  1879,  and  were  paid  in  full,  principal  and  interest. 
The  trustees  were  William  Mitchell,  W.  H.  Laird,  H.  E.  Curtis, 
F.  A.  Rising,  Thomas  Wilson,  E.  S.  Youmans  and  C.  J.  Camp. 
The  officers  were  Wm.  Mitchell,  president ;  W.  H.  Laird,  vice-presi- 
dent; F.  A.  Rising,  treasurer. 

The  bank  was  located  on  Second  street,  in  the  old  United  National 
Bank  building. 

The  foregoing  is  believed  to  be  a  correct  history  of  banks  and 
of  the  banking  business  in  Winona  county  since  its  early  settlement. 
It  is  possible  that  other  parties  and  facts  have  been  overlooked,  but 
the  writer  has  endeavored  to  include  everything  pertaining  to  the 
subject. 

From  the  time  the  first  deposits  were  received  and  the  first  drafts 
on  eastern  banks  were  drawn  by  Berry  &  Waterman,  in  1855,  the 
banking  business  has  grown  with  the  increased  mercantile  and 
manufacturing  business  of  Winona  in  proportion  until  this  time. 
We  have  now  in  this  city,  in  successful  operation,  four  banks,  two 
of  which  are  working  under  the  national  banking  laws,  one  under 
state  organization,  and  one  a  private  bank. 

The  whole  amount  of  capital  invested  at  this  time  in  the  bank- 
ing business  in  Winona  county  aggregates  $250,000,  not  including 
surplus  and  undivided  profits. 

The  amount  of  deposits  in  the  banks  in  Winona  is  about 
$900,000,  and  bills  discounted  are  about  the  same  amount.  The 
rates  of  interest  charged  by  the  banks  are  from  seven  to  ten  per 
cent  per  annum. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

GENERAL    HI8T0RY   OF   WINONA    COUNTY— ITS    PEARLY    SETTLE- 
MENT, PIONEERS,  ETC. 

The  local  history  of  this  county,  as  an  organization,  hardly  ex- 
tends beyond  the  personal  recollections  of  the  present  generation. 
Many  of  its  earliest  settlers  are  yet  residents  of  this  locality.  Less 
than  a  third  of  a  century  ago  the  country  lying  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi in  the  State  of  Minnesota  was  the  almost  exclusive  domain  of 
bands  of  savages — the  possessions  of  the  aborigines,  occupied  by  the 


132  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

same  race  and  by  the  same  nation  of  people  wlio  held  it  when  the 
western  continent  was  first  discovered. 

Its  early  settlement  by  the  pioneer  successors  of  this  savage  race 
was  begun  somewhat  after  the  same  general  plan,  although  on  a  very 
much  smaller  scale,  of  that  adopted  by  tlie  Europeans  in  their  first 
occupancy  of  North  America.  They  made  claims  and  held  them  by 
their  rights  of  discovery.  This  part  of  the  country  was  first  discov- 
ered and  held  in  possession  by  the  Fi'ench. 

To  maintain  a  proper  connection  with  the  past,  a  brief  synopsis 
of  historical  events  relative  to  this  section  of  country,  prior  to  the 
time  this  county  was  created,  has  been  compiled  as  an  introductory 
chapter  to  this  record  of  events  and  incidents  of  more  modern  times. 

After  the  discovery  of  the  western  continent,  the  maritime 
nations  of  Europe  sent  out  expeditions  to  make  explorations.  The 
parts  of  the  continent  first  visited  in  these  voyages  were  taken 
possession  of  in  the  name  of  the  government  represented.  When 
these  explorations  were  extended  inland  the  localities  were  claimed 
by  the  same  powers.  It  was  in  this  manner  that  the  whole  Missis- 
sippi valley  became  at  one  time  a  part  of  the  foreign  possessions  of 
France,  acquired  by  their  rights  of  discovery  and  held  by  their  power 
as  a  nation. 

In  1534  Jacques  Cartier,  a  French  navigator,  discovered  the  Gulf 
of  St.  Lawrence  and  sailed  up  the  St.  Lawrence  river,  supposing 
from  its  size  and  depth  that  he  had  found  the  western  passage  to  the 
Indian  ocean,  for  which  he  was  seeking.  He  claimed  the  newly 
discovered  country  in  the  name  of  the  sovereign  of  France.  As  an 
emblem  of  his  first  discovery,  and  as  a  symbol  of  possession,  he 
erected  a  large  wooden  cross  on  a  conspicuous  elevation  of  land. 
This  was  the  first  claim  mark  of  France  in  this  part  of  North 
America. 

The  French  afterward  extended  their  explorations  west  to  the 
great  lakes,  assuming  possession  in  their  progress.  It  was  not  until 
1654  that  they  reached  the  region  of  Lake  Superior.  The  real 
explorers  of  this  part  of  the  country  were  the  fur  traders.  They 
advanced  with  their  trafiic  as  far  west  as  Green  Bay  in  1659. 

In  these  expeditions,  from  the  time  the  cross  was  erected  by 
Cartier,  these  adventurous  explorers  were  usually  accompanied  by 
zealous  representatives  of  different  orders  in  the  Roman  Catholic 
church,  apparently  to  maintain  religious  advantages  coequal  with 
the  civil  and  military  authority  claimed  over  the  extended  possessions. 


EAKLY    SETTLEMENT,    PIOISTEERS,    ETC.  183 

Father  Joseph  Marquette  accompanied  Louis  Jolliet  with  five 
French  or  Canadian  voj^ageurs  up  the  Fox  river  from  Oreen  Bay. 
Crossing  the  portage  to  the  Wisconsin  river  they  descended  it  to  its 
mouth  and  discovered  the  Mississippi  river  on  June  17,  1673. 

To  Father  Marquett  has  been  given  the  honor  of  having  been 
the  first  to  discover  the  upper  Mississippi.  The  river  had,  however, 
been  visited  by  Europeans  prior  to  this  date.  In  1541  the  lower 
Mississippi  was  crossed  by  Hernando  de  Soto,  a  Spanish  adventurer, 
in  his  exploration  of  that  part  of  the  country. 

In  1679  Father  Louis  Hennepin  accompanied  Robert  La  Salle  on 
his  expedition  along  the  shores  of  Lake  Michigan  to  Illinois,  where 
he  spent  the  winter.  In  the  following  spring,  1680,  he  was  intrusted 
by  La  Salle  to  make  explorations.  With  two  French  voyageurs  he 
went  down  the  Illinois  river  to  its  mouth,  and  then  ascended  the 
Mississippi.  On  his  voyage  up  this  river  he  was  made  prisoner  by 
a  war  party  of  Dakota  Indians  and  taken  into  the  Mille  Lac  region, 
on  the  headwaters  of  the  Mississippi.  He  was  here  found  by  Du- 
Luth,  who  was  exploring  the  country  of  the  Dakotas  by  way  of  Lake 
Superior.  Father  Hennepin  visited  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  to 
which  he  gave  its  present  name.  He  was  the  first  to  explore  the 
Mississi])pi  above  the  mouth  of  the  Wisconsin,  and  the  first  white 
man  that  ever  visited  the  vicinity  of  this  county. 

In  1682  La  Salle  descended  the  Illinois  to  its  junction  with  the 
Mississippi,  down  which  he  continued  until  he  entered  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico.  He  took  possession  of  the  country  through  which  he 
passed  in  the  name  of  France,  and  gave  it  the  name  of  Louisiana. 

In  the  spring  of  1683  Capt.  Nicholas  Perrot,  a  Canadian,  with 
twenty  men,  established  a  fort  or  trading-post  in  what  is  now  the 
State  of  Minnesota,  below  and  near  the  mouth  of  Lake  Pepin. 
This  was  the  first  location  occupied  by  a  white  man  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Mississippi.  It  was  soon  abandoned  by  Perrot  to  carry 
on  his  traffic  elsewhere.  In  1688  he  returned  with  forty  men,  and 
again  took  possession  of  his  trading-post  below  Lake  Pepin. 

In  1689  Capt.  Nicholas  Perrot,  in  the  name  of  the  king  of 
France,  by  formal  proclamation  took  possession  of  all  of  the  country 
on  the  headwaters  of  the  Mississippi.  Not  long  afterward  the 
whole  country  from  the  Alleghanies  to  the  Pacific  ocean  was  claimed 
by  the  French  and  called  the  territory  of  Louisiana. 

This  territory  remained  in  possession  of  France  until  1760,  when 
the  country  west  of  the  Mississippi  was  ceded  to  Spain,  and  in  1763 


134  JIISTOllY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

all  of  the  country  east  of  the  Mississippi  claimed  by  the  French  was 
formally  ceded  to  Great  Britain. 

In  1800  the  country  west  of  the  Mississippi  known  as  Louisiana 
was  retroceded  to  France,  and  in  1803  the  United  States  acquired 
possession  of  it  by  purchase  from  the  French  government. 

By  act  of  congress  in  1804  Louisiana  was  divided  ;  the  southern 
part  was  called  the  territory  of  Orleans,  the  northern  portion  the 
district  of  Louisiana. 

In  1812  Orleans  was  admitted  into  the  Union  under  the  title  ot 
State  of  Louisiana,  and  the  district  of  Louisiana  given  the  name  of 
Territoi-y  of  Missouri. 

In  1821  the  Territory  of  Missouri  was  divided ;  from  the  southern 
portion  the  Territory  of  Arkansas  was  formed,  and  the  State  of  Mis- 
souri created  and  admitted. 

The  country  north  of  the  State  of  Missouri  was  left  without  ter- 
ritorial organization.  In  1834  it  was  placed  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Territory  of  Michigan,  and  in  1837  under  thef  judicial  authority 
of  the  Territory  of  Wisconsin. 

In  1838  the  Territory  of  Iowa  was  created.  It  embraced  all  of 
the  country  north  of  the  State  of  Missouri  between  the  Mississippi 
and  Missouri  rivers  to  the  northern  line. 

The  State  of  Iowa  was  constituted  from  the  southern  part  of  this 
territory  and  admitted  in  1846.  The  northern  portion  was  left  with- 
out territorial  organization  until  by  act  of  congress,  March  3,  1849, 
the  Territory  of  Minnesota  was  created. 

The  largest  portion  of  this  territory,  that  lying  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, was  the  northeastern  part  of  the  "Louisiana  Purchase." 
The  portion  lying  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  was  a  part  of  the 
territory  of  Wisconsin  not  included  in  the  boundaries  of  the  State  of 
Wisconsin  when  admitted  in  1848. 

The  territory  of  Minnesota,  when  organized,  was  without  divi- 
sions, except  two  or  three  counties  on  the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi, 
which  had  been  created  while  they  were  a  part  of  the  Territory  of 
Wisconsin. 

By  proclamation' Governor  Ramsey  divided  the  territory  into 
three  judicial  districts.  The  country  west  of  the  Mississippi  and 
south  of  the  Minnesota  formed  the  third  judicial  district,  to  which 
Judge  Cooper  was  assigned.  The  first  court  was  held  at  Mendota 
in  August,  184!>. 

(Trovenior  Ramsey,  by  proclamation,  made  the  first  apportion- 


EARLY    SETTLEMENT,    PIOlSrEERS,    ETC.  135 

ment  of  council  districts.  The  settlements  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
Mississippi,  south  of  the  Crow  village  to  the  Iowa  line,  were  included 
with  a  part  of  St.  Croix  county  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  and  con- 
stituted the  first  council  district.  The  settlements  on  the  west  side 
of  the  river  were  of  half-breed  Sioux. 

The  iirst  territorial  legislature  held  its  session  in  St.  Paul,  the 
capital  of  the  territory.  It  began  on  September  3  and  adjourned  on 
November  1,  1849.  The  members  from  the  first  council  district 
were  :  James  S.  JSTorris,  in  the  council  ;  Joseph  W.  Furber  and 
James  Wells,  in  the  house.  David  Olmsted,  of  Long  Prairie,  was 
president  of  the  council  ;  Joseph  W.  Furber,  of  Cottage  Grove, 
spea'ker  of  the  house. 

James  Wells  was  the  first  representative  to  the  territorial  legis- 
lature from  the  country  along  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi.  He 
was  an  Indian  trader  living  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Pepin,  twelve 
miles  below  Red  Wing.  Among  his  friends  and  associates  he  was 
generally  known  as  "Bully  Wells."  He  was  elected  by  the  half- 
breeds  and  a  few  traders  and  government  employes  at  the  election 
held  on  August  1.  The  total  votes  polled  were  thirty-three.  At  this 
election  Hon.  H.  H.  Sibley  was  elected  delegate  to  congress  without 
opposition. 

The  first  territorial  legislature,  at  its  session  in  1 849  (October  2T), 
created  several  counties,  two  of  which,  Dakota  and  Wabasha  on  the 
west  side  of  the  Mississippi,  included  all  of  the  territory,  south  of  the 
Minnesota  river — Wabasha  in  the  eastern  part  and  Dakota  lying 
west  along  the  Minnesota. 

In  1853  (March  5)  the  county  of  Wabasha  was  divided  by  act  of 
the  territorial  legislature  and  a  part  of  the  southern  portion  desig- 
nated as  Fillmore  county.  In  1854  (February  23)  Fillmore  county 
was  divided,  and  from  the  portion  along  the  river  the  counties  of 
Houstou  and  Winona  were  created — Houston  next  to  the  Iowa  line 
and  Winona  between  Houston  and  Wabasha  counties.  The  bound- 
aries given  Winona  county  in  the  act  by  which  it  was  created  have 
since  been  maintained  unchanged.  These  outlines  of  history  gene- 
alogize  this  county  from  the  days  of  the  advent  of  the  first  white  man 
to  the  present  time,  a  period  of  little  more  than  two  hundred  years. 

In  this  abstract  of  jurisdiction  an  omission  has  been  made — the 
proprietary  of  this  part  of  the  country  before  it  was  so  formally 
taken  possession  of  by  Captain  Perrot.  At  the  time  France  assumed 
control  it  was  held  by  tribes  of  savage  Indians.     Of  them,  prior  to 


186  iriSTOHY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

that  period,  but  little  is  known  with  any  degree  of  certainty.  Hav- 
ing no  written  records  their  earliest  traditions  have  long  been  for- 
gotten, their  more  modern  history  only  known  by  its  connections 
with  that  of  their  successors,  the  white  race. 

Traditions,  with  mounds  and  relics  antedating  traditionary  lore, 
afford  speculative  study  for  the  antiquary,  and  present  corroborative 
evidence  to  the  historian  that  in  the  unknown  periods  of  the  past 
this  section  of  country  was  inhabited,  and  that  its  population  was 
p7'ohahly  of  the  Indian  race.  Their  first  occupancy  is  veiled  in  dark 
obscurity.  Their  rights  of  possession  have,  however,  been  continu- 
ously acknowledged  and  recognized  from  the  time  jurisdiction  was 
claimed  for  France  in  1689  until  the  treaty  by  which  their  lands  west 
of  the  Mississippi,  in  what  is  now  the  State  of  Minnesota,  were  pur- 
chased and  ceded  to  the  United  States,  when  their  title  was  formally 
transferred  to  their  successors. 

Tlie  Dakota  nation,  which  held  tliis  country,  was  probably  one 
of  the  largest  warlike  nations  of  the  aborigines  of  North  America. 
When  first  visited  by  Europeans  their  territory  extended  from 
Lake  Superior  to  the  Eocky  Mountains.  This  Indian  nation  was 
composed  of  numerous  general  divisions  and  subdivisions  or  bands, 
having  a  language  common  to  all  (only  varied  by  dialects),  with  man- 
ners, customs,  etc. ,  differing  but  little  in  different  localities.  Although 
united  as  a  confederacy  for  common  defense  or  warlike  purposes, 
each  division  held  a  separate  interest  in  the  localities  they  occupied. 

The  eastern  division  of  the  Dakota  nation  was  the  Mdaywakan- 
tonwan,  or  Spirit  Lake  villagers.  It  was  this  division  that  made 
prisoner  of  Father  Hennepin  in  1680.  At  that  time  they  were  in 
possession  of  the  country  on  the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi  to  Lake 
Superior.  The  country  south  of  the  lake  was  held  by  the  Ojibways, 
who  were  the  first  to  hold  communication  with  the  traders.  They 
were  the  first  supplied  with  fire-arms,  which  gave  them  su(;h  an  ad- 
vantage over  the  more  warlike  Sioux  that  they  drove  them  back  and 
took  possession  of,  their  homes  in  the  Mille  Lac  region.  The  Sioux 
were  forced  to  the  southward  and  westward,  but  successfully  main- 
tained their  lands  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi,  and  a  strip 
along  the  east  side,  from  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  above  the 
Falls  of  St.  Anthony  to  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  below. 

There  were  seven  bands  in  this  division.  The  villages  of  three 
of  them  were  on  the  Mississippi,  below  the  falls  ;  the  others  were  on 
the  lower  part  of  the  Minnesota  river. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


TREATIES   WITH   THE   INDIANS. 


By  treaty  in  18<»5,  tlirougli  Lieut.  Pike,  the  first  representative 
of  our  government  that  visited  this  part  of  the  "Louisiana  pur- 
chase," this  division  of  Sioux  made  the  first  sale  of  any  of  their 
lands.  For  the  establishment  of  military  posts  the  United  States 
purchased  from  them  a  section  of  country  nine  miles  square,  on  each 
side  of  the  Mississippi,  which  included  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony  and 
the  present  site  of  Fort  Snelling.  A  section  of  country  nine  miles 
square,  at  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Croix,  was  also  secured  for  the  same 
purpose.  It  was  not  until  several  years  after  that  this  purchase  was 
utilized  by  government.  The  corner-stone  of  Fort  Snelling  was  laid 
on  the  10th  of  September,  1820,  but  it  was  not  occupied  by  soldiers 
until  the  following  year.  The  site  was  first  taken  possession  of  by 
Col.  Leavenworth  with  a  company  of  soldiers  in  1819. 

The  transportation  of  troops,  supplies,  material,  etc.,  for  the 
fort  was  principally  by  keelboats,  which  at  that  time,  and  for  some 
time  afterward,  were  used  in  the  navigation  of  the  Upper  Missis- 
sippi. The  trip  from  St.  Louis  to  this  point  was  a  long  and  tedious 
one.  The  first  steamboat  that  ever  came  up  the  Mississippi  to  Fort 
Snelling  at  the  mouth  of  the  Minnesota  river  was  a  stern-wheel  boat 
called  the  Virginia,  in  1823, 

By  treaty  in  1830  government  secured  from  this  part  of  the 
Sioux  nation  the  section  of  country  known  as  the  "Half-breed  Tract," 
for  the  benefit  or  exclusive  use  of  their  descendants  of  mixed  blood. 
This  tract  of  land  was  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi  and  Lake 
Pepin,  fifteen  rniles  wide,  and  extending  down  the  river,  from 
Barn  Bluff,  near  Red  Wing,  thirty-two  miles,  to  a  point  opposite 
Beef  river,  below  the  present  village  of  Wabasha. 

In  1837  a  deputation  of  chiefs  of  this  division  of  Dakotas  was 
induced  to  visit  Washington,  where  they  made  a  treaty  by  which 
they  "ceded  to  the  United  States  all  their  lands  east  of  the  Missis- 
sippi river,  and  all  of  their  islands  in  said  river."  This  treaty  was 
ratified  by  the  senate  on  the  17th  of  July,  1838,  when  the  Sioux  re- 
moved all  of  their  bands  to  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi. 


188  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Until  1851  the  Mdaywakiintonwan  Sioux  were  the  only  division 
of  the  Dakota  nation  with  whom  the  United  States  had  made  formal 
treaty  stipulations  for  the  sale  of  any  part  of  their  lands.  They 
were  the  only  branch  ol'  the  whole  Sioux  confederacy  who  received 
annuities  from  the  government.  Under  the  treaty  of  1837  they  re- 
ceived annually,  for  twenty  years  from  the  date  of  the  treaty,  $10,000 
in  money,  $10,000  in  goods,  $5,500  in  provisions,  and  $8,250  "in 
the  purchase  of  medicines,  agricultural  implements  and  stock  ittid 
for  the  support  of  a  ])hysician,  farmers  and  blacksmiths,  and  for 
other  beneficial  objects."  In  the  first  article  of  this  treaty  it  was 
provided  that  a  portion  of  the  interest  on  the  whole  sum  invested — 
$5,000  annually — was  "to  be  applied  in  such  manner  as  the  presi- 
dent may  direct."  This  occasioned  some  trouble,  as  it  was  proposed 
to  expend  tliis  sum  for  the  purposes  of  education,  schools,  etc.,  which 
the  Indians  strongly  opposed.  This  fund  was  not  used,  but  allowed 
to  accumulate  until  the  treaty  of  1851  before  settlement  was  effected 
and  the  amount  paid  over  to  them. 

At  that  time  these  seven  bands  comprised  a  population  of  about 
2,200  in  number.  The  nominal  head  chief  of  the  division  was  Wa- 
basha, who  was  also  chief  of  a  band.  His  village  was  at  Wabasha 
Prairie,  and  had  a  population  of  about  300.  The  Red  Wing  band — 
chief,  Wakoota — numbered  about  300;  the  Kaposia  band — chief. 
Little  Crow — had  about  400;  the  Black  Dog  band — chief.  Gray  Iron — 
had  250  ;  Cloud  Man's  band,  at  Lake  Calhoun,  250  ;  Good  Road's 
band,  about  300  ;  Six's  band — chief,  Shakopee — about  450.  The  last 
four  bands  named  were  on  lower  part  of  the  Minnesota  river. 

By  treaties  made  in  1851  the  Sioux  sold  their  lands  in  what  is 
now  the  State  of  Minnesota.  The  Sisseton  and  Wahpaton  divisions 
in  the  west,  called  the  "upper  bands,"  signed  the  treaty  at  Traverse 
des  Sioux,  July  23,  1851,  and  the  "lower  bands,"  the  Wahpakoota 
and  "Mdaywakantonwan  divisions,  signed  the  treaty  at  Mendota, 
August  5,  1851. 

These  treaties  were  amended  by  the  senate  at  Washington  the  fol- 
lowing year.  The  amendment  was  ratified  by  the  "lower  bands" 
at  St.  Paul,  September  4,  1852.  The  treaties  as  amended  were 
formally  ratified  by  the  president's  proclamation,  dated  February 
24,  1853. 

By  this  sale  the  Dakotas  relinquished  possession  of  their  lands 
in  this  vicinity — their  title  t(j  it,  held  from  time  unknown,  was 
extinguished  for  ever.     Prior  to  this,  occupancy  of  these  lands  by 


TREATIES    WITH    THE    INDIANS.  139 

the  whites  was  considered  trespass,   except  by  special  permit  or 
license  from  government. 

After  the  treaty  in  1 851,  and  before  its  ratification,  settlements 
were  made  or  commenced  by  the  whites,  without  action  on  the  part 
of  the  government,  and  without  much  show  of  opposition  from  the 
Sioux.  It  was  during  this  period  that  the  first  bona-fide  settlements 
were  made  within  the  boundaries  of  what  is  now  known  as  Winona 
county.  Previous  to  this,  however,  Indian  traders  and  government 
employes  had  located  temporarily  at  different  places  along  the 
Mississippi,  some  of  whom  remained  and  afterward  became  citizens 
of  the  county. 

The  Mississippi  river  is  the  eastern  boundary  of  this  county, 
and  from  time  immemorial  has  been  what  may  be  called  the  grand 
highway  between  the  north  and  the  south,  and,  through  its  tribu- 
taries, the  means  of  communication  between  the  east  and  the  west. 
Over  its  waters  the  savages  paddled  their  canoes,  and  the  Canadian 
voyageurs  propelled  their  batteaux.  It  was  the  course  over  which 
the  early  traders  carried  on  their  traffic.  Their  goods,  brought 
from  the  east  by  way  of  the  great  lakes,  and  down  the  Wisconsin 
river,  were  transported  up  the  Mississippi  to  their  trading  stations 
in  the  north.  The  furs  for  which  they  were  exchanged  were  returned 
over  the  same  route.  With  the  increase  of  this  commercial  business 
Prairie  du  Chien  became  the  emporium  of  the  fur-traders,  and  held 
its^  importance  for  nearly  a  century. 

During  this  period  French  names  were  given  by  the  traders  and 
voyageurs  to  persons,  places  and  things  which  were  in  common 
use,  the  names  designative  of  localities  which  served  as  land- 
marks in  their  adventurous  expeditions  being  the  most  important. 

There  are  not  more  than  one  or  two  localities  in  this  county  that 
can  now  be  identified  by  the  names  thus  given,  and  in  no  instance 
has  the  name  been  preserved. 

The  most  familiar,  if  not  the  only  locality,  is  that  of  the  prairie 
on  which  the  city  of  Winona  is  now  situated.  This  was  designated 
as  the  "•Prairie  aux  Aile,"  the  literal  translation  of  which  is  the 
"Wing  Prairie."  Its  signification  is  unknown  except  as  a  matter 
of  opinion. 

This  prairie  and  vicinity  was  the  home  of  one  of  the  most  influ- 
ential of  the  Dakota  chiefs.  It  was  the  grand  gathering-place  of 
his  once  numerous  warriors.  The  Dakota  name  of  this  chief  was 
Wa-pa-ha-sa.     It  was  hereditary.     Besides  being  chief  of  his  own 


140  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

band,  lie  was  the  head  chief  of  the  bands  along  the  Mississippi. 
These  official  ])Ositions  were  also  hereditary.  The  early  voyageurs 
gave  him  the  name  of  Wa-pa-sa.  The  more  modern  traders  and 
river  men  called  him  Wa-ba-shaw,  and  gave  the  same  name  to  the 
prairie  on  which  his  village  was  located.  It  was  known  as  Waba- 
shaw  prairie  until  the  name  was  superseded  by  Winona,  its  present 
one.  Winona  ( Wee-no-nah)  is  a  Dakota  name,  signifying  a  daughter, 
the  Urst-born  child.  It  is  a  name  usually  given  to  the  lirst-born 
child,  if  a  daughter,  and  never  conferred  upon  a  locality  by  the  Sioux. 
The  name  was  selected  by  the  early  settlers  on  Wabasha  prairie  as 
the  name  of  the  post-office  established  there,  and  was  afterward 
adopted  by  the  town  proprietors  for  the  village.  When  the  county 
was  created  the  same  name  was  conferred  upon  it. 

The  following  story  in  Neil's  History  of  Minnesota  gives  another 
name  to  Wabasha  prairie.  The  story  is  apj)arently  founded  on  the 
Dakota  legend  of  Maiden's  rock,  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Lake  Pe])in. 
This  is  the  only  instance  known  where  the  name  of  "Keoxa"  has 
ever  been  given  to  Wabasha's  village  on  this  prairie.  It  is  indeed 
a  query  whether  it  is  a  Dakota  name. 

"In  the  davs  of  the  great  chief  Wapash  aw  there  lived' at  the  vil- 
lage of  Keoxa,  which  stood  at  the  site  of  the  town  which  now  bears 
her  name,  a  maiden  with  a  loving  soul.  She  was  the  first-bom 
daughter,  and,  as  is  always  the  case  in  a  Dahkotah  family,  she  bore 
the  name  of  Weenonah.  A  young  hunter  of  the  same  band  was 
never  liappier  than  when  he  played  the  flute  in  her  hearing.  Having 
thus  signified  his  affection,  it  was  with  the  whole  heart  reciprocated. 
The  youth  begged  from  his  friends  all  that  he  could,  and  went  to 
her  parents,  as  is  the  custom,  to  purchase  her  for  his  wife,  but  his 
proposals  were  rejected. 

"A  warrior  who  had  often  been  on  the  war-path,  whose  head- 
dress plainly  told  the  number  of  scalps  he  had  wrenched  from 
Ojibway  heads,  had  also  been  to  the  parents,  and  they  thought  that 
she  would  be  more  honored  as  an  inmate  of  his  teepee. 

"Weenonah,  however,  could  not  forget  her  first  love,  and  though 
he  had  been  forced  away,  his  absence  strengthened  her  affections. 
Neither  the  attentions  of  the  warrior,  nor  the  threats  of  parents,  nor 
the  persuasions  of  friends  could  make  her  consent  to  marry  simply 
for  position. 

"One  day  the  band  came  to  Lake  Pepin  to  fish  or  hunt.  The 
dark   green   foliage,  the   velvet   sward,    the   beautiful   expanse   of 


■^^^-^^-g^ 


fT^^-t^K-J 


TEEATIES    WITH    THE    INDIANS.  143 

/ 
water,  the  shadj  nooks,  made  it  a  place  to  utter  the  breathings  of 
ove.     The  warrior  sought  her  once  more  and  begged  her  to  accede 
to  her  parents'  wish  and   become  his  wife,   but   she   refused  with 
decision. 

''  ^^ile  the  party  was  feasting  Weenonah  clambered  to  the  lofty 
bluff,  and  then  told  to  those  who  were  below  how  crushed  she  had 
been  bj  the  absence  of  the  young  hunter  and  the  cruelty  of  her 
friends.  Then  chaunting  a  wild  death-song,  before  the  fleetest  runner 
could  reach  the  height  she  dashed  herself  down,  and  that  form  of 
beauty  was  m  a  moment  a  mass  of  broken  limbs  and  bruised  flesh 

"The  Dahkotah  as  he  passes  the  rock  feels  that  the  spot  is 
Wawkawn."  '■ 

The  name  of  Wabasha  rightfully  belonged  to  this  locality:  Its 
alienation  was  not  from  premeditated  design.  Before  Wabasha 
prairie  was  settled,  or  even  a  white  settler  had  located  in  what  is 
now  Winona  county,  the  settlement  on  the  "half-breed  tract"  was 
c;alled  Wabasha.  The  first  postofiice  along  the  river  was  established 
there  and  given  the  name  of  Wabasha  postofiice,  although  it  was  for 
a  while  at  Eeed's  Landing.  It  having  been  thus  appropriated,  but 
little  eftoit  was  ever  made  to  reclaim  it.  But  few  of  the  settlers 
cared  about  preserving  or  adopting  it  in  a  second-hand  condition 

When  keelboats  and  steamboats  took  the  place  of  the  canoes  and 
batteaux  m  the  navigation  of  the  river,  the  names  conferred  on 
localities  by  the  Dakotas  and  French  were  quite  generally  dropped 
and  less  expressive  ones  usually  substituted.  Where  Dakota  or 
French  names  have  been  retained  in  this  state,  they  have  in  very 
many  instances  been  so  modified  by  "Yankee  improvements"  that 
It  IS  dilhcult  to  trace  their  derivation. 

In  this  county  no  distinctive  name  of  locality  or  landmark  given 
by  the  French  has  been  retained.  Neither  is  there  a  single 
instance  where  the  name  given  by  the  Dakotas  to  mountain  or 
stream,  hill,  valley  or  prairie,  has  been  preserved  and  is  now  in  use 
by  the  whites.  Nothing  designated  by  the  Sioux,  the  immediate 
predecessors  of  the  present  generation,  is  now  known  by  its  Dakota 
name. 

It  is  not  so  much  a  matter  of  surprise  that  Indian  names  have 
not  been  retained,  or  that  they  are  now  unknown  to  the  present 
inhabitants  of  the  county,  if  the  abruptness  of  the  change  of  occu- 
pants IS  taken  into  consideration.  When  the  Sioux  relinquished 
possession  ef  their  lands  here  they  at  once  left  this  vicinitv      Tl.- 


144  IILSTOUy    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

wliite  settlers  tbund  the  country  without  a  po])ulatioii.  The  two 
races  were  strangers — unknown  to  eacli  othei-;  no  association  or 
intercourse  ever  existed  between  them. 

There  are  two  or  three  instances  where  the  Enii:lish  interpretation 
has  been  substituted  for  the  original  Dak(jta.  White  Water  is  the 
name  of  a  river  which  runs  through  the  northern  part  of  the  county. 
It  is  the  translation  of  the  Dakota  "Minne-ska,"  signifying  "White 
Water."  The  village  at  the  mouth  of  that  stream  in  Wabasha  county 
is  called  Minneiska.  The  name  of  Rolling  Stone  is  another  instance. 
This  is  an  interpretation  of  the  name  given  by  the  Dakotas  to  the 
Rolling  Stone  Creek,  "Eyan-omen-man-met-pah,"  the  literal  trans- 
lation of  which  is  "the  stream  where  the  stone  rolls."  Its  true 
signification  is  not  known.  It  was  called  by  the  French  traders  of 
more  modern  times  "Roche  que  le  Boule."  These  names  were 
obtained  from  O.  M.  Lord,  who  acquired  them  from  Gen.  Sibley. 

Wabasha  and  the  most  of  his  peojjle  left  their  homes  on  the 
Mississi])pi  in  1852.  Nothing  marks  the  localities  in  this  county  as 
evidence  of  where,  for  so  man)-  generations,  their  race  once  lived. 
Even  the  old  and  deeply  worn  trails,  over  which  they  filed  away 
toward  the  setting  sun,  are  now,  like  the  wakes  of  their  canoes, 
obliterated  and  unknown.  Some  "old  settlers"  ma}'  perhaps  from 
memory  be  able  to  point  out  the  general  course  of  these  trails,  over 
which  they  explored  the  country  in  their  "claim  hunting"  excur- 
sions, and  on  which  they  were  accustomed  to  traverse  the  country 
until  the  plow  and  fences  of  improvements  debarred  further  use  of 
them. 

The  Sioux  were,  by  the  conditions  of  the  treaty,  transferred  to  a 
reservation  on  the  head-waters  of  the  Minnesota  river.  Here  they 
were  taught  and  encouraged  to  adopt  a  new  system  of  life  and  be- 
come an  agricultural  people.  It  was  supposed  that  some  progress 
was  mtide  toward  civilization,  but,  as  in  many  similar  philanthropic 
efforts,  the  ultimate  results  proved  a  failure.  The  Sioux  massacre 
of  1862  originated  with  the  bands  of  Wabasha's  division,  which  had 
given  the  most  encouraging  prospects  of  their  becoming  "good 
Indians. "  The  first  outrages  were  perpetrated  by  some  of  Shakapee's 
band.  A  war  party  was  at  once  organized  with  the  bands  of  Gray 
Iron,  Little  ( 'row  and  detachments  from  other  divisions.  The  band 
of  Wabasha  and  the  Red  Wing  band  were  compelled  to  participate 
in  tlu!  proceedings,  and  the  whole  Dakota  nation  was  soon  involved 
in  the  affair. 


TREATIES    WITH    THE    INDIANS.  145 

This  chapter  would  perhaps  be  considered  incomplete  without 
mention  of  one  of  the  chiefs  of  Wabasha's  band  who  was  more  gen- 
erally known  to  the  early  settlers  of  Winona  county  than  any  other 
of  the  Indians  who  originally  claimed  this  part  of  the  country.  The 
most  of  the  "  old  settlers  "  probably  remember  "  Old  To-ma-ha,"  the 
old  one-eyed  Sioux,  who  kept  up  his  rounds  of  visitations  to  the 
settlements  until  about  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1860 
at  about  one  hundred  years  of  age.  When  on  his  customary  visits 
among  the  whites  he  was  usually  accompanied  by  a  party  of  his  own 
descendants  and  family  relatives — from  ten  to  twenty  in  number.  His 
figure  was  erect  and  movements  active,  notwithstanding  his  advanced 
age.  His  dress  on  these  occasions  was  a  much  worn  military  coat  and 
pantaloons  of  blue  cloth  trimmed  with  red,  and  an  old  stove-pipe  hat 
with  the  same  color  displayed.  He  always  carried  with  him  a  large 
package  of  papers  inclosed  in  a  leather  or  skin  pocket-book,  and  also 
a  large  silver  medal,  which  he  wore  suspended  from  his  neck  in  a 
conspicuous  place  on  his  breast.  His  large  red  pipe-stone  hatchet 
pipe,  with  a  long  handle,  was  generally  in  his  hands.  It  was  his 
usual  custom  to  attract  attention  by  his  presence  and  then  allow  the 
curious  to  examine  his  pipe  and  medal,  when,  if  there  appeared  to  be 
a  prospect  of  getting  money  for  the  exhibition,  he  would  produce  his 
pocket-book  and  allow  an  examination  of  its  contents,  for  which 
privilege  he  expected,  and  usually  received,  at  least  a  dime,  and 
perhaps  from  the  more  liberal  a  quarter  of  a  dollar.  This  Indian 
was  a  historical  character.  His  pocket-book  contained  his  commis- 
sion as  a  chief  of  the  Sioux  nation,  given  him  by  Governor  Clark,  of 
Missouri  territory,  in  1814,  who  at  the  same  time  presented  him 
with  a  captain's  uniform  and  a  medal  for  meritorious  services  ren- 
dered the  government  as  a  scout  and  messenger.  His  papers  con- 
tained testimonials  and  recommendations  from  prominent  govern- 
ment officials  and  other  persons.  Mention  is  made  of  him  in  the 
reports  of  officials  who  had  jurisdiction  in  the  northwest  territories, 
one  by  Lieut.  Pike,  who  was  sent  by  the  government  of  the 
United  States  in  1805  to  explore  the  northern  part  of  the  "Louis- 
iana purcliase,"  then  recently  acquired,  and  to  make  treaties  with 
the  Dakotas.  In  1812,  when  the  Sioux  joined  the  English  in  the 
war  with  the  United  States,  Tomaha  went  to  St.  Louis  and  gave  his 
services  to  fight  against  the  British  forces.  He  had  the  confidence 
of  the  military  officers,  and  in  all  of  the  frontier  difficulties  on  the 
upper  Mississippi,  where  fighting  was  done,  he  was  employed  as 


146  HISTORY    OF    WLNONA    COUNTY. 

scout  and  messenger.     When  bis  services  were  no  longer  required 
by  government  be  returned  to  bis  Dakota  home. 

Wlien  tlie  Sioux  left  tbis  vicinity  and  went  to  tbeir  reservation 
on  tbe  Minnesota  river,  Tomaba  remained  to  die  in  tbe  locality 
wbere  he  was  born  and  where  be  spent  his  youth.  He  sometimes 
visited  bis  friends  on  tbe  reservation,  but  never  made  it  bis  home. 


CHAPTER  XYI. 


THE  FUR  TRADERS. 


The  first  white  men  to  establish  themselves  among  these  Indians 
were  tbe  fur  traders  and  voyageurs  —  tbe  early  pioneers  of  com- 
merce. Of  tbe  hardy  adventurers  who  in  generations  past  engaged 
in  commercial  pursuits  in  tbis  vicinity  nothing  is  now  known. 

The  earliest  of  these  traffickers,  who  bad  a  fixed  place  of  busi- 
ness in  this  county,  of  which  there  is  even  a  traditional  record,  was 
Francois  La  Bathe.  His  business  location  was  in  the  nortbei'n  j)art 
of  tbe  county,  on  tbe  Mississippi.  Tbe  date  of  bis  establishment 
of  a  trading  station  in  this  vicinity  is  not  now  detinitely  known.  He 
bad  trading  posts  in  other  localities  along  the  river  at  the  same  time — 
one  at  Bad  Axe,  below  La  Crosse.  His  more  permanent  stations 
were  usually  under  tbe  charge  of  partners  and  assistants  or  clerks. 
Mr.  O.  M.  Lord  informed  tbe  vn-iter  that  Hon.  N.  W.  Kittson,  of 
St.  Paul,  was  in  tbe  employ  of  La  Bathe  &  Co.  for  a  year  or  two, 
in  1840,  or  about  that  time,  and  bad  charge  of  a  trading  station 
above  the  Rolling  Stone.  Tbe  location  of  tbe  station  was  described 
by  Mr.  Kittson  as  being  above  Minnesota  City,  at  tbe  foot  of  tbe 
bluff,  wbere  tbe  slough  leaves  tbe  mainland  (Haddock's  slough). 
Tbe  land  in  tliis  vicinity  is  now  owned  by  D.  L.  Burley,  who  has 
occupied  it  about  thirty  years.  Mr.  Burley  says  be  has  never  seen 
any  indications  that  would  lead  him  to  think  the  locality  bad  ever 
been  occupied  for  any  pur])08e  prior  to  bis  taking  possession  of  it. 
Others  say  La  Bathe's  trading  post  was  above  that  place.  Near 
where  tbe  river  leaves  tbe  mainland,  about  four  miles  below  tbe 
mouth  of  the  Wliite  Water,  there  is  a  bluft  and  a  location  that  re- 
semble the  description  given  to  Mr.   Lord.     At  that  place  tbe  early 


THE    FUR    TRADERS.  147 

settlers  of  1852  found  the  ruins  of  a  large  cabin.  The  writer  saw 
it  frequently  in  1854.  There  was  a  huge  stone  fireplace  and  chim- 
ney then  standing  entire,  in  a  tolerable  state  of  preservation,  but 
the  logs  were  a  mass  of  ruins,  and  bushes  were  growing  up  among 
the  logs  where  the  house  once  stood. 

It  is  said  that  La  Bathe  spent  the  most  of  his  life  with  the  Da- 
kotali  Indians ;  that  though  of  French  descent  he  was  in  some  way 
related  to  them  either  by  birth  or  marriage,  or  perhaps  both.  His 
influence  with  the  Indians  was  an  advantage  to  him  in  his  commer- 
cial transactions.  He  was  intimately  connected  in  business  affairs 
with  prominent  traders.  His  history  is  unknown  in  this  vicinity. 
La  Bathe  went  with  the  Sioux  to  their  reservation  on  the  head-waters 
of  the  Minnesota  river,  where  he  was  killed  by  the  savages  with 
whom  he  had  spent  his  life.  He  was  among  the  fii'st  victims  at  the 
outbreak  of  the  Sioux  massacre  in  1862. 

Although  there  were  quite  a  number  of  traders  who  lived  on  the 
Wisconsin  side  of  the  river,  at  La  Crosse  and  at  what  is  now  Trem- 
pealeau and  Fountain  City,  who  traded  with  the  Sioux  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river,  there  are  but  two  or  three  others  of  this  class  to 
mention  who  were  established  in  business  and  had  a  residence  in 
Winona  county.  First  among  these  were  Willard  B.  Bunnell  and 
Nathan  Brown,  both  of  whom  came  into  the  Territory  of  Minnesota 
after  it  was  organized. 

"Bill"  Bunnell  had  been  for  five  or  six  years  prior  to  his  coming 
here  living  on  the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi,  at  La  Crosse  and  at 
what  is  now  Trempealeau  village,  but  the  most  of  the  time  in  what 
was  called  the  Trempealeau  country,  hunting,  trapping  and  trading 
with  the  Indians.  His  Indian  trade  was  principally  with  the  Win- 
nebagoes  who  were  living  in  that  vicinity  and  in  the  Black  River 
country.  He  had,  before  coming  to  the  Mississippi  river,  been  a 
trader  in  the  vicinity  of  Green  Bay,  with  the  Menomines  and  Chip- 
pewas.  From  his  fluency  in  speaking  the  language  of  the  Chippe- 
was  the  Sioux  for  some  time  after  his  arrival  in  this  vicinity  were 
jealous  and  suspicious  of  him  as  a  friend  of  their  hereditary  enemies. 
He  was  unable  to  secure  their  confidence  until  he  had  learned  their 
language  and  proved  himself  to  be  a  "professional"  hunter  and 
their  friend.  He  joined  them  in  their  hunting  excursions,  and  for 
the  time  adopted  their  style  of  "undress," — a  breech-clout,  buckskin 
leggings  and  moccasins.  In  this  rig,  with  his  rifle  or  fowling-piece 
and  blanket,  he  spent  weeks  with  them  on  Root  river  and  its  tribu- 


148  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

taries.  He  was  the  lirst  white  resident  of  tliis  locality  to  explore 
tlie  country  back  of  tlie  bluffs. 

Willard  Bradly  Bunnell  located  as  a  licensed  trader  with  the 
Sioux  of  Wabasha's  band,  August  20,  1849.  His  house  was  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  in  what  is  now  the  village  of  Homer.  It  was 
built  of  hewed  logs,  and  had  a  shingled  roof — the  first  shingled 
roof  ever  put  on  any  structure  in  this  part  of  Minnesota.  This  was 
the  first  permanent  improvement  made  in  the  settlement  of  the 
county.  To  this  place  Bunnell  brought  his  family.  It  was  the 
home  of  an  estimable  wife  and  their  three  children.  It  was  here 
that  the  first  white  child  was  born.  Frances  Matilda  Bunnell  was 
born  February  20,  1850.  She  was  the  first  white  native  resident  of 
this  part  of  the  territory. 

Mrs.  Bunnell  was  the  first  white  woman  that  came  into  this  part 
of  the  Territory  of  Minnesota  to  live — the  first  to  make  her  home 
within  the  boundaries  of  Winona  county.  She  was  a  model  repre- 
sentative of  a  frontier  woman.  Although  remarkably  domestic  in 
her  habits,  and  observant  of  matters  connected  with  her  household 
duties,  which  make  home  desirable,  she  was  able  to  paddle  her  own 
canoe,  and  was  a  sure  shot  with  either  the  rifle  or  fowling-piece. 
While  in  general  appearance  and  manners  ladylike  and  modestly 
feminine,  she  had  remarkable  courage  and  self-possession,  and  was 
decisive  to  act  in  cases  of  emergency,  when  danger  threatened  her- 
self or  family — qualifications  that  were  respected  by  her  dusky 
neighbors,  the  friends  of  the  trader.  Possessing  good  mental  abili- 
ties, her  experience  in  frontier  life  and  intuitive  knowledge  of 
Indian  character  gave  her  an  influence  over  the  wild  customers  who 
visited  their  trading-post,  that  was  as  much  a  matter  of  surprise  to 
herself  as  to  others.  The  Indians  respected  and  feared  her  although 
only  a  "woman." 

Mrs.  Bunnell  was  of  French  descent.  Besides  sj)eaking  French, 
she  was  able  to  converse  fluently  with  the  Chippewas,  Winnebagoes 
and  Sioux,  and  had  some  knowledge  of  other  dialects.  She  was 
brought  up  in  the  Catholic  faith,  but  in  the  latter  part  of  her  life 
she  professed  the  Protestant  religion,  and  became  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  church.  Mrs.  Bunnell  died  in  April,  1867,  at  about  the 
age  of  forty-five.    Some  of  her  children  are  yet  residents  of  this  state. 

The  house,  a  story  and  a-half  building,  built  by  "Will"  Bun- 
nell in  1849,  is  still  standing  in  the  upper  part  of  the  village  of 
Homer,  at  what  was  once  called  BunnelPs  Landing.     The  building 


THE    FUR    TRADERS.  149 

and  grounds  are  now  tlie  property  of"  Dr.  L.  H.  Bunnell,  a  younger 
brother  of  the  trader.  The  house  lias  been  moved  a  little  back 
from  where  it  was  originally  built,  and,  to  keep  pace  with  the  times, 
this  relic  of  the  first  settlers'  early  home  has  been  somewhat  modern- 
ized by  a  covering  of  clapboards  and  painted.  It  is  still  a  com- 
fortable dwelling,  and  is  occupied  by  Dr.  Bunnell  as  his  residence 
and  permanent  home. 

Willard  B.  Bunnell  took  an  active  interest  in  the  early  settle- 
ment of  this  county,  and  was  connected  with  many  of  the  incidents 
of  pioneer  life  which  will  be  noticed  in  the  progress  of  events.  He 
died  in  August,  1861,  at  about  the  age  of  forty-seven.  His  death 
was  caused  by  consumption. 

ISTathan  Brown  came  into  the  territory  as  a  trader  September  29, 
1849.  His  location  was  on  the  river  below  Bunnell's,  in  what  is 
now  the  southern  part  of  the  county.  Mr.  Brown  was  then  a  young 
man  without  a  family.  His  cabin  in  which  he  made  his  home  was 
a  one-story  log  building,  12x16.  His  storehouse,  12x16,  was  a 
story  and  a-half,  of  hewed  logs.  These  buildings  were  covered  with 
shingled  roofs  and  substantially  made. 

Although  Mr.  Brown  was  a  trader  with  the  Indians,  he  did  not 
hold  his  position  through  a  license  from  government.  He  made  a 
sort  of  miniature  treaty  with  Wabasha  and  his  braves,  and  pur- 
chased from  them  the  privilege  of  occupying  as  much  of  the  locality 
as  he  chose  to  carry  on  his  business.  For  this  permit  he  paid  them 
$50 — making  payment  in  flour  and  pork  from  his  store.  Mr.  Brown 
states  that  "during  the  early  days  of  his  residence  there,  while 
engaged  in  trade  with  the  Winnebagoes  and  Sioux,  he  never  locked 
his  cabin  door,  not  even  when  absent  from  home,  and  never  lost 
anything  by  theft,  through  either  Indians  or  white  people." 

Mr.  Brown  and  Mr.  Bunnell,  as  the  last  of  the  Indian  traders, 
appear  to  constitute  a  connecting  link  between  the  past  and  present 
condition  of  this  part  of  the  country.  Both  settled  here  while  the 
land  was  held  by  the  Sioux.  Both  were  residents  of  Winona  county 
after  its  organization. 

Following  in  the  order  of  pioneer  life,  the  missionaries  have  been 
among  the  first  to  venture  into  countries  inhabited  by  the  savages, 
and  the  first  to  attempt  to  improve  their  condition.  Their  zealous 
efforts  entitle  them  to  be  called  the  pioneers  of  civilization.  Fore- 
most among  these  have  been  the  missionaries  connected  with  the 
Catholic  church. 


150  JIISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

In  the  earliest  explorations  of  this  part  of  the  country,  the 
traders  were  accompanied  by  the  priests.  The  early  French  traders 
and  voyageurs  were  of  that  religious  belief,  and  their  descendants, 
for  all  of  them  intermarried  with  the  Indians,  were  taught  the  same 
faith.  Tiiese  missionaries  were  the  first  to  visit  the  Dakotas — the 
first  to  visit  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi  river. 

From  the  days  of  the  Rev.  Louis  Hennepin  to  more  modern 
times  they  held  a  strong  influence  over  the  traders  and  voyageurs, 
and  their  descendants,  and  perhaps,  to  a  limited  extent,  succeeded 
in  influencing  the  savage  natives  by  their  teachings. 

The  first  Catholic  missionaries  of  more  modern  times,  of  whom 
there  is  even  traditionary  knowledge  in  tliis  section  of  country,  were 
at  the  half-breed  village  where  now  stands  the  city  of  Wabasha, 
There  the  first  church  in  southern  Minnesota  was  built  in  1845. 
With  the  exception  of  the  very  Rev.  A.  Ravoux,  the  names  of  these 
missionaries  are  unknown. 

The  first  attempt  to  establish  a  Protestant  missionary  station  in 
this  vicinity,  of  which  there  is  any  record,  was  in  1836.  Rev. 
Daniel  (xavan,  a  French num,  sent  out  as  a  missionary  by  the  Evan- 
gelical Society  of  Lausanne,  Switzerland,  established  a  mission  for 
the  benefit  of  the  Sioux  of  Wabasha's  band.  At  that  time  the 
Sioux  held  possession  of  the  east  side  of  the  river.  Mr.  Gavan 
located  on  the  Wisconsin  side,  and  built  his  cabin  near  Trempealeau 
mountain.  He  remained  here  until  the  fall  of  1838,  when  he 
visited  the  missions  on  the  Minnesota  river,  at  Lac  qui  Parle,  for 
the  purpose  of  learning  the  Sioux  language  from  the  missionaries, 
who  were  then  translating  the  Scriptures  into  that  tongue. 
While  thus  engaged  he  became  acquainted  with  and  afterward 
married  Miss  Lucy  C.  Stevens,  who  had  been  a  teacher  in  a  mis- 
sion school  at  Lake  Harriet,  near  Fort  Snelling.  Miss  Stevens 
was  a  niece  of  Rev.  J.  D.  Stevens,  a  missionary.  Mr.  Gavan, 
after  his  marriage,  removed  to  Red  Wing,  where  he  remained 
until  1845. 

In  1838  the  Rev.  Jedediah  D.  Stevens  came  into  this  vicinity  in 
th'e  double  capacity  of  missionary  or  teacher,  and  "Indian  Farmer." 
Mr.  Stevens  was  one  of  the  earliest  Protestant  missionaries  to  visit 
the  Dakotas  on  this  side  of  the  river.  In  the  spring  of  1835  he 
with  his. family  came  to  Ft.  Snelling,  and  shortly  afterward  removed 
from  there  to  Lake  Harriet,  as  missionary  to  "Cloud  Man's"  band 
of  Sioux,  where  he  remained  until  the  fall  of  18^8,  when  he  Was 


THE    FUR    TRADERS.  151 

appointed  "Indian  Farmer"  to  the  Sioux  of  Wabasha's  band,  at 
Wabasha  jjrairie.  Ma].  Talliaferro,  the  Indian  agent  for  the  Sioux, 
aided  some  of  the  early  missionaries  by  such  appointments,  with 
the  design  to  benefit  the  savages  by  thus  providing  them  with 
means  of  civilization. 

Late  in  the  Ml  of  1838  Mr.  Stevens  moved  his  family  to  his 
appointed  field  of  labor,  but  was  not  favorably  received  by  the 
Indians.  He,  however,  located  himself  on  the  Wisconsin  side  of  the 
river  on  the  island,  about  opposite  where  Laird,  Norton  &  Go's 
saw-mills  now  stand,  where  he  built  a  comfortable  log  cabin  for  his 
family,  and  a  stable  for  the  team  of  horses  he  brought  with  him. 
He  there  passed  the  winter  with  his  wife  and  children  and  a  young 
girl,  an  assistant  and  companion  of  Mrs.  Stevens.  Mr.  G.  W. 
Clark  says  the  ruins  of  this  cabin  were  to  be  seen  when  he  came 
here  in  1851.  Expecting  to  get  his  winter  supply  of  provisions  from 
down  the  river  before  the  close  of  navigation,  he  brought  only  a 
small  supply  with  him,  and  was  seriously  disappointed  to  learn  that 
no  supplies  could  be  procured  from  that  source.  He  was  compelled 
to  go  to  Prairie  Du  Chine  for  the  provisions  he  had  ordered.  This 
trip,  over  one  hundred  miles  distant,  he  made  with  his  team  on  the 
ice,  leaving  his  family  alone.  It  was  during  this  winter  that  Mr. 
Gavin,  who  had  been  living  near  Trempaeleau,  was  visiting  the 
missions  on  the  Minnesota  river. 

Neither  Mr.  Stevens  nor  his  family  were  in  any  way  molested 
or  disturbed  by  the  Sioux  during  the  winter,  but  he  failed  to  secure 
the  confidence  or  friendship  of  Wabasha  or  his  people,  although  he 
was  able  to  converse  with  them  in  their  own  tongue.  They  were 
dissatisfied  with  his  appointment  as  "Indian  Farmer,"  and  from 
the  time  of  his  arrival  had  refused  to  recognize  him  as  a  govern- 
ment agent,  or  in  his  capacity  as  a  teacher.  In  the  spring,  when  he 
began  to  make  preparations  to  build  on  the  prairie,  their  dissatis- 
faction began  to  assume  a  threatening  form  of  opposition.  His 
perseverance  excited  their  hostilities  to  the  extent  that  he  was 
ordered  to  keep  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  where  he  was  then 
living,  and  not  attempt  to  locate  on  their  lands.  Deeming  it  unsafe 
to  remain  with  his  family,  against  the  opposition  exhibited,  Mr, 
Stevens  resigned  his  position  and  left  the  locality.  He  went  down 
the  river  and  found  more  civilized  society. 

The  young  girl  (now  Mrs.  Griggs)  who  lived  with  Mrs.  Stevens 
on  the  island  during  that  winter,  resides  near  Minneapolis. 


152  HISTORY    OF    WLNONA    COUNTY. 

Tliis  appointment  of  Mr.  Stevens  to  the  position  of  Indian 
farmer  at  Wabaslia  Prairie  was  the  lirst  special  appointment  made 
for  the  Sioux  in  this  locality.  It  was  made  in  accordance  with  the 
terms  of  the  treaty  in  1837,  by  which  they  sold  their  lands  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Mississippi,  witli  all  of  their  island  in  the  river. 
This  treaty  was  not  ratified  by  government  until  the  following  year, 
1838,  only  a  short  time  before  Mr.  Stevens  was  assigned  to  the 
locality. 

Althongh  the  Sioux  continued  to  occupy  the  islands  and  lands 
on  the  east  side  of  the  river  in  common  with  others,  during  their 
stay  in  this  vicinity,  they  never  assumed  jurisdiction  over  them, 

Tlie  Sioux  were  jealous  of  the  rapid  advances  of  the  white  people, 
and  firmly  opposed  any  measures  which  gave  them  privileges  on 
their  lands.  The  trader  was  to  them  a  necessity.  The  Catholic 
missionaries  had  for  generations  been  mysteriously  associated  with 
the  presence  of  the  trader  and  tolerated.  But  the  missionary  Indian 
farmer  they  were  not  prepared  to  receive — they  were  indifferent  as 
to  what  Mr.  Stevens  knew  about  farming  or  schools.  It  was  sup- 
posed by  some  that  the  Indians  were  influenced  in  this  matter  by 
the  traders  and  half-breeds,  with  a  design  to  drive  Mr.  Stevens  off 
and  make  a  vacancy  in  the  position.  This  may  have  been  the  case ; 
but  it  was  evident  that  Wabasha  did  not  favor  measures  that 
tended  to  civilization.  Afterward,  when  the  treaty  was  made  for 
the  sale  of  their  lands,  in  1851,  he  opposed  the  sale  until  the 
treaty  was  ready  for  signature,  and  then  acquiesced  only  because  he 
feared  the  treaty  would  be  made  with(jut  his  touch  of  the  pen.  He 
was  opposed  to  the  terms  of  the  treaty,  and  in  a  speech  in  opposi- 
tion to  it,  he  said  to  the  commissioners  in  council :  "You  have 
requested  us  to  sign  this  ])aper,  and  you  have  told  these  people 
standing  around  that  it  is  for  their  benefit ;  but  I  am  of  a  different 
opinion.  In  the  treaty  I  have  heard  read  you  have  mentioned 
farmers  and  schools,  physicians,  traders  and  halt-breeds.  To  all 
these  I  am  opposed.  You  see  these  chiefs  sitting  around.  They 
and  others  who  are  dead  went  to  Washington  and  made  a  treaty 
(in  1837),  in  which  the  same  things  were  said  ;  but  we  have  not 
been  benefited  by  them,  and  I  want  them  struck  out  of  this  one. 
We  want  nothing  but  cash  turned  over  to  us  for  our  lands." 

At  about  the  time  that  Mr.  Stevens  was  appointed  Indian  farmer, 
a  government  blacksmith  was  also  assigned  to  this  band.  Ilis 
name,  the  place  where  located,  or  the  length  of  time  he  was  here. 


THE    FUR    TRADERS.  153 

is  somewhat  uncertain.  It  is  said  by  some  that  he  was  located  near 
La  Bathe's  trading  station.  Of  this  nothing  reliable  is  learned. 
About  the  same  time  a  blacksmith  was  assigned  to  the  half-breeds. 
Oliver  Cratt,  from  Fort  Snelling,  was  appointed  to  that  position, 
and  he  located  himself  at  the  half-breed  settlement,  now  Wabasha. 
Whether  he  also  supplied  Wabasha's  band  is  not  known. 

Dr.  Bunnell,  of  this  county,  says  that  he  learned  from  some 
old  Indians,  Sioux  and  Winnebagoes,  and  from  descendants  of  half- 
breed  natives  of  this  vicinity,  that  the  first  blacksmith  appointed  to 
Wabasha's  band  was  a  halt-breed  Sioux.  That  he  located  himself 
on  the  very  site  where  W.  B.  Bunnell  afterward  settled,  and  which 
is  now  the  property  of  Dr.  Bunnell.  He  says  that  in  cultivating 
his  garden,  in  that  locality,  he  has  found  cinders  and  scraps  of  iron 
that  would  confirm  the  statement.  The  tradition  of  the  Indians 
is  that  the  half-breed  blacksmith  did  not  stay  but  a  short  time  on  the 
west  side  of  the  river.  To  avoid  threatened  danger  to  himself  he 
moved  his  blacksmith-shop  onto  an  island  opposite  Homer.  In  this 
way  he  held  for  awhile  his  position  of  an  eiuploye  under  govern- 
ment. 

The  doctor  also  states  that  after  W.  B.  Bunnell  was  located  at 
his  trading  station,  he  found  on  the  island  an  old  anvil  and  evidence 
that  a  blacksmith  had  occupied  the  locality.  The  island  was  given 
the  name  of  "Blacksmith  Island"  by  the  trader,  and  it  is  yet 
known  by  that  name. 

The  Sioux  of  the  "lower  bands"  along  the  river  were  all  opposed 
to  the  payment  of  teachers  or  for  the  establishment  of  schools,  etc., 
from  their  annuities.  No  schools  were  ever  established  with  Wa- 
basha's band.  It  was  not  until  several  ^^ears  after  the  treaty  of  1837 
that  the  consent  of  any  of  this  division  was  obtained.  Little  Crow, 
of  the  Kaposia  band,  was  the  first  to  ask  for  a  school,  in  18-16.  The 
mission  schools  were  previous  to  this,  and  until  after  the  treaty  of 
1851,  supported  at  the  expense  of  missionary  societies. 

In  1842  James  Keed  was  appointed  Indian  farmer  to  Waba- 
sha's band,  and  held  this  position  under  government  for  three  years 
afterward.  He  built  a  log  storehouse  on  Wabasha  prairie,  which 
he  used  as  his  headquarters  when  engaged  in  his  official  duties. 
This  building  stood  about  where  S.  C  White's  store  now  stands,  on 
the  corner  of  Second  and  Center  streets,  in  the  city  of  Winona. 

The  lands  cultivated  by  the  Sioux,  under  the  management  and 
instruction  of  Mr.  Reed,  were  in  the  mouth  of  what  is  now  called 


164  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Gilmore  valley,  the  bottom  lands  in  front  of  the  residence  of  C.  C. 
Beck.  Prior  to  this  the  same  locality  had  been  used  by  generations 
of  Sioux  squaws  for  cultivation  after  their  primitive  manner.  This 
was  the  favorite  planting-grounds  of  Wabasha's  village,  although 
other  localities  were  also  used  for  purposes  of  cultivation.  The 
mouth  of  Burns  valley  was  another  favorite  locality  and  the  special 
home  of  the  chief  Wabasha  and  his  family  relatives.  The  main 
village  of  this  band  was  on  the  slough  at  the  up])er  end  of  the  prairie, 
near  where  the  railroad  machine-shops  are  now  located. 

James  Reed  was  a  native  of  Kentucky.  When  a  young  man  he 
enlisted  as  a  soldier  and  was  stationed  at  Fort  Crawford,  Prairie  du 
Chine.  After  his  discharge  he  adopted  the  life  of  a  hunter  and 
trapper,  and  spent  the  greater  part 'of  his  life  among  the  Indians 
along  the  upper  Mississippi.  As  was  common  among  men  of  his 
class,  he  took  a  wife  oi*  two  among  the  people  with  whom  he  was 
living.  His  last  wife,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  1840,  or  about 
that  time,  in  Prairie  du  Chine,  was  a  half-breed  Sioux,  a  cousin  of 
the  chief  Wabasha,  and  said  to  be  a  sister  of  Francois  la  Bathe,  the 
trader  of  whom  mention  has  been  made. 

The  section  ot  country  fixed  upon  by  James  Reed  as  his  favorite 
locality  was  the  Trempealeau  country,  where  he  was  successful  in 
raising  stock  on  the  free  ranges  of  government  lands.  He  made  it 
his  home  at  what  is  now  the  village  of  Trempealeau.  It  was  here 
he  was  living  when  he  was  appointed  Indian  farmer  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Sioux  on  Wabasha  prairie.  He  did  not  change  his 
residence  while  holding  this  official  position. 

Mr.  Reed  lived  in  the  Trempealeau  country  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  but  a  few  years  ago  at  what  is  called  the  "Little 
Tamerack,"  in  the  Trempealeau  valley. 

How  much  the  Indians  were  benefited  by  the  instructions  of  an 
inexperienced  agriculturist  it  is  now  difficult  to^  determine.  The 
first  settlers  on  Wabasha  prairie  found  some  parts  of  broken  plows 
among  the  ruins  of  the  old  storehouse  used  by  Mr.  Reed.  An  old 
breaking  plow  was  found  and  taken  2)Ossession  of  by  some  of  the 
settlers  at  Minnesota  city.  This  was  claimed  and  carried  away  by 
some  of  the  squaws  in  1852. 

It  is  questionable  whether  the  people  of  this  band  were  benefited 
by  agents  of  government  or  missionaries  while  they  remained  in 
this  section  of  countrv.      There  is  no  evidence  to  show  a  single 


THE    FUR    TRADERS.  155 

instance  where  a  missionary  was  ever  permitted  by  Wabasha  to 
locate  witliin  what  are  now  the  boundaries  of  this  county. 

The  Catholic  missionaries  were  the  religious  instructors  of  the 
half-breeds.  To  what  extent  they  had  influence  with  this  band  is 
now  unknown.  From  several  graves  disclosed  by  the  caving  of  the 
bank  of  the  river,  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city  of  Winona,  a  number 
of  large  silver  crosses  and  other  Catholic  emblems  were  taken  by 
some  boys  fishing  in  the  vicinity.  One  of  these  crosses  was  pur- 
chased by  W.  H.  St.  John,  a  jeweler  in  Winona,  who  exhibits  it  in 
his  store  as  a  relic  of  the  past.  The  graves  were  evidently  those  of 
females. 

In  the  summer  of  1848,  the  Winnebago  Indians  were  removed 
from  the  reservation  in  the  northeastern  part  of  Iowa,  which  they 
had  occupied  for  a  limited  time,  to  a  reservation  established  for 
them  by  government  on  Long  Prairie,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, about  forty  miles  back  fi-om  the  river,  and  about  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  miles  above  St.  Paul. 

They  were  opposed  to  the  arrangements,  and  objected  to  their 
removal  to  the  locality  selected  for  their  future  Borne.  Military  aid 
was  required  to  induce  them  to  move.  After  considerable  delay  a 
part  of  them  were  persuaded  to  start  up  the  Mississippi  in  their 
canoes,  under  charge  of  H.  M.  Rice,  accompanied  by  a  company 
of  volunteers  from  Crawford  county,  Wis.,  in  boats.  The  other 
portion  was  induced  to  start  by  land,  with  their  ponies,  under  the 
care  of  Indian  agent  Fletcher,  with  a  company  of  dragoons  from 
Fort  Atkinson,  and  a  train  of  baggage  wagons.  By  agreement  these 
two  parties  were  to  meet  at  Wabasha  Prairie. 

The  party  by  water  reached  the  prairie  and  landed  near  where 
Mrs.  Keyes  now  lives,  where  they  camped.  The  land  party  came 
into  this  part  of  the  country  by  following  up  what  is  now  called 
Money  Creek  valley,  and  arrived  at  the  prairie  by  following  the 
Indian  tr4il  on  the  divide  between  the  Burns  and  Gilmore  valleys. 
This  trail  led  down  a  steep  ravine  back  of  where  George  W.  Clark  now 
lives.  It  was  here  necessary  to  let  the  baggage  wagons  down  with 
ropes  attached  to  the  trees  on  the  east  side  of  the  ravine.  This  trail 
over  the  ridge  was  afterward  known  to  the  early  settlers  as  the 
"Government  Trail." 

When  the  Winnebagos  reached  Wabasha  Prairie  they  revolted, 
and  decidedly  refused  to  go  farther.  With  the  exception  of  one 
small  band,  who  remained  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  they  all  went 


166  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

round  the  lake?  to  tlie  mouth  of  Burns  valley,  where  they  camped 
with  Wabaslia's  band,  which  liad  collected  there,  and  with  whom  they 
were  on  friendly  terms. 

Finding  it  necessary  to  have  more  aid,  reinforcements  were  sent 
for.  AVhile  the  government  officials  were  waiting  for  helj)  from 
FortSnelling,  the  Winnebagos  negotiated  with  Wabasha  for  the  pur- 
chase of  the  prairie,  and  expressed  a  determination  to  remain  here. 
Wabasha  and  his  braves  joined  in  with  them — took  an  active  inter- 
est in  their  proceedings,  and  encouraged  them  in  their  revolt 
against  the  authority  of  Indian  agent  J.  E.  Fletcher  and  his 
assistants. 

A  steamboat  brought  down  from  the  fort  a  company  of  soldiers 
and  two  pieces  of  artillery,  which  were  landed  at  tiie  camp  on  the 
lower  part  of  the  prairie. 

A  council  with  the  Indians  was  agreed  upon,  the  day  appointed, 
and  the  place  selected.  The  location  was  above  the  camp  and  back 
from  the  river.  To  guard  against  a  surprise  the  officers  in  charge 
made  their  strongest  preparation  lor  defense,  in  case  an  attack 
should  be  made.  The  teamsters  and  every  available  man  of  the 
party  was  armed  and  detailed  for  active  duty.  On  the  day  fixed  all 
of  the  .warriors  of  the  combined  tribes  of  Winnebagos  and  Sioux, 
many  of  them  mounted  on  their  ])onies,  marched  around  the  head 
of  the  lake  from  Burns  valley  and  moved  down  the  prairie.  When 
about  half  a  mile  from  the  council  grounds,  where  the  Indian  agent 
awaited  them  surrounded  by  his  forces,  a  detachment  rode  forward 
as  if  to  reconnoit'er.  The  whole  body  of  Indians  then  moved  down 
as  if  at  a  charge,  and  began  the  wildest  display  of  their  capacity  to 
represent  demons,  on  foot  and  on  horseback.  Their  man(puver8 
might  indicate  a  peaceful  display  or  represent  a  threatened  assault. 
It  was  supposed  at  the  time  that  an  attack  was  designed  by  the 
wild  devils. 

One  of  the  land  escort,  McKinney,  pointed  out  the  locations  and 
described  the  incidents  to  the  writer,  and  said  that  he  certainly 
expected  to  lose  his  scalp  that  day.  As  he  watched  their  wild  evo- 
lutions, circling  on  every  side,  charging  with  fierce  yells  and  firing 
of  guns,  his  scalp  seemed  to  fairly  start  from  his  head.  His  fear 
of  attack  was,  however,  second  to  his  astonishment  and  admiration 
of  the  extraordinary  and  unexpected  display. 

The  council  was  held  without  any  attending  difficulty,  but  the 
agents  failed  to  secure  the  consent  of  the  Indians  to  move  on  up  the 


EARLY    LAND    TITLES.  157 

river.  After  a  delaj  here  of  about  a  month  the  Winnebagoes  con- 
sented to  go  to  Long  Prairie.  Many  of  them,  however,  went  back 
to  Iowa,  or  crossed  the  river  to  their  old  homes  in  Wisconsin. 

Wabaslia  was  arrested  and  taken  up  to  Fort  Snelling  for  the  part 
he  had  taken  in  the  affair.  The  sale  of  Wabasha  Prairie  to  the 
Winnebagos  was  never  consumnated,  or  agreed  to  by  the  Sioux. 
The  negotiations  for  it  were  simply  "talks"  to  delay  any  move- 
ments. The  Winnebagos  were  then  desirous  of  going  to  the  Mis- 
souri river  country,  instead  of  up  the  Mississippi. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


EARLY   LAND  TITLES. 


Following  the  trader,  the  missionary  and  the  government  em- 
ploye, the  town-site  hunters,  the  pioneer  land  speculators,  crowded 
the  advance  of  civilization.  In  this  county  the  town-site  speculators 
were  in  the  van  of  settlers  seeking  permanent  homes.  In  the  selec- 
tion of  town  sites  the  traders  had  some  advantage  in  securing  the 
first  choice  of  locations  ;  but  their  selections  did  not  always  prove 
to  be  the  most  successful  speculations.  The  professional  town-site 
operators  were  generally  more  than  their  equals  in  management 
after  selections  were  made  and  the  tide  of  immigration  began  its 
movement. 

It  may  perhaps  be  truly  said  that  the  first  town-site  claimants — 
the  first  to  secure  locations  for  town  sites  in  what  is  now  Winona 
county — were  the  traders  W.  B.  Bunnell  and  jSTathan  Brown.  Bun- 
nell's selection  for  his  trading  station  was  made  more  directly  with 
a  view  of  convenience  for  the  special  business  in  which  he  was  en- 
gaged, but  with  the  design  of  making  it  his  future  home.  The 
Territory  of  Minnesota  had  just  been  organized,  and  he  was  aware 
that  the  time  was  not  far  distant  when  the  Sioux  would  be  compelled 
to  move  back  and  give  way  to  the  advance  of  the  white  race  and 
civilization. 

His  selection  was  made  in  anticipation  that  when  this  part  of  the 
country  should  become  settled  it  would  be  an  important  business 
point.     Bunnell  was  familiar  with  the  back  country  and  with  the 


158  HISTORY    OF   WINONA    COUNTY. 

river,  and  took  possession  of  his  chosen  locality  with  the  impression 
and  an  honest,  belief  that  he  was  securing  the  best  steamboat  landing 
and  town  site  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  between  Lake  Pepin 
and  the  Iowa  line,  and  there  waited  the  progress  of  events. 

Nathan  Brown's  trading-post  was  a  town  site.  B.  W,  Brisbois, 
a  trader  residing  at  Prairie  du  Chine,  and  F.  S.  Richards,  a  trader 
at  the  foot  of  Lake  Pe])in,  made  choice  of  this  locality  with  the  same 
ideas  of  the  future  development  of  the  country  that  had  influenced 
Bunnell.  They  selected  Mr.  Brown  as  a  proper  person,  one  in 
whom  they  had  conlidence  and  considered  trusty,  to  join  with  them 
in  this  speculation,  and  hold  the  location  by  establishing  a  trading 
station.  The  location  was  not  the  choice  of  Mr.  Brown.  At  the 
time  this  proposition  was  made  to  him  he  was  at  St.  Anthony,  where 
he  liad  about  decided  to  locate  himself.  He  consented  to  become  a 
partner,  but  not  with  the  design  of  making  it  liis  future  home.  By 
agreement  they  were  to  take  his  share  off  from  his  hands  whenever 
he  should  choose  to  leave,  and  to  pay  him  for  holding  the  situation. 
This  they  failed  to  do  when  required,  and  Nathan  Brown  became  a 
permanent  resident  of  that  locality.  Brisbois  and  Richards  furnished 
Brown  with  goods  for  the  Indian  trade,  and  he  here  carried  on  quite 
a  flourishing  business,  principally  with  the  Winnebagoes,  who  lived 
across  the  river  in  the  Trempealeau  country.  His  trade  with  the 
Sioux  was  more  limited.  He  also  engaged  in  furnishing  wood  for 
steamboats,  employing  choppers  during  the  winter  for  that  purpose, 
paying  them  principall}^  from  his  store. 

Another  town  site  was  selected  by  Chute  and  Ewing  about  three 
fourths  of  a  mile  below  Brown's,  in  which  Capt.  D.  S.  Harris  had 
an  interest  for  awhile.  This  was  also  a  trading  station.  A  Canadian 
Frenchman  held  the  locality  for  about  a  year,  when  he  left,  and 
Jerry  Tibbits  took  his  place.  Mr.  Tibbits  is  still  a  resident  of  that 
vicinity,  living  in  the  town  of  New  Hartford.  This  town  site  was, 
after  two  or  three  years,  attached  to  the  one  held  by  Mr.  Brown  and 
its  name  of  Catlin  dropped. 

This  trading  station  Nathan  Brown  held  for  the  company  from 
1849  to  1855,  when  it  was  duly  entered  at  the  United  States  land 
ofl&ce  as  a  town  site  under  the  name  of  Dacota. 

As  a  speculation  it  did  not  prove  to  be  a  successful  undertaking 
or  a  profitable  investment  for  its  proj)rietors.  A  few  settlers  made 
it  their  home  for  awhile,  but  were  compelled  to  leave  and  earn  a 
living  elsewhere.     Mr.  Brown  says  he  could  not  aftbrd  to  support 


EARLY    LAND    TITLES.  161 

the  settlers  who  located  there,  and  bought  out  all  who  had  an  interest 
in  the  town  and  converted  the  tillable  land  into  a  farm. 

It  failed  as  a  steamboat  landing,  but  the  railroad  station,  Dacota, 
on  the  river  road,  marks  the  location  of  the  ancient  town  site  and 
trading  station  of  Brisbois,  Richards  and  Brown,  Indian  traders  and 
town-lot  speculators. 

Nathan  Brown  yet  lives  on  the  same  claim,  and  near  the  site  of 
the  cabins  he  built  there  in  1849.  He  has  a  large  farm  in  that 
vicinity,  and  is  now  the  oldest  resident  in  the  county  or  in  southern 
Minnesota,  having  occupied  the  same  locality  about  thirty-four 
years. 

Mr.  Brown  and  Mr.  Bunnell  came  here  about  the  same  time.  In 
conversation  relative  to  early  days  Mr.  Brown  said :  ' '  The  first 
time  I  ever  saw  Bunnell  was  in  the  spring  of  1849.  [  was  going 
down  the  river,  footing  it  on  the  ice,  on  my  way  from  St.  Anthony 
to  Prairie  du  Chine.  Finding  the  traveling  unsafe,  i  left  the  river 
at  Holmes',  now  Fountain  City,  and  took  the  trail  along  the  blufl's. 
I  got  wet  crossing  the  Trempealeau  river,  and  as  it  was  then  dark  I 
camped.  In  the  morning,  after  going  a  short  distance,  I  came  to  a 
cabin  wliich  I  found  occupied  by  Bunnell's  family.  He  had  been 
living  there  during  the  winter." 

Aside  from  the  trading  stations  already  mentioned,  there  were 
no  other  settlements  made  or  commenced  in  this  vicinity  until  after 
the  treaty  with  the  Sioux  in  1851,  when  the  first  settlement  was 
made  on  Wabasha  prairie. 

This  prairie  had  but  little  to  recommend  it  to  the  attention  of 
either  the  town-site  hunter  or  settlers  seeking  choice  locations  for 
farms  and  homes  in  the  new  country  which  the  Sioux  were  soon  to 
relinquish  to  the  whites.  It  was  a  sandy  plain,  apjjarently  level  as 
viewed  from  the  river,  and  scantily  covered  with  a  stunted  growth 
of  wild  grass.  A  few  trees  and  bushes  fringed  the  immediate  bank 
of  the  river,  while  but  a  single  tree  stood  on  any  other  part  of  the 
prairie  on  which  the  city  of  Winona  now  stands.  A  striking  con- 
trast with  its  present  appearance — covered  as  it  now  is  with  such 
vast  numbers  of  lofty  and  beautiful  shade-trees,  giving  it  a  resem- 
blance to  a  forest,  with  varied  thickets  of  undergrowth  through 
which  broad  avenues  and  partial  clearings  had  been  made.  The 
one  lone  tree  was  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city.  It  stood  in  the 
valley,  between  Third  and  Fourth  streets,  in  front  of  where  the 
Washington  school  building  now  stands. 
10 


162  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Ill  tlie  time  of  high  water,  when  tlie  Mississippi  seemed  to  dis- 
regard boundaries,  this  prairie  was  but  an  ishmd,  apparently  so  low 
and  level  that  it  was  but  little  above  the  water  which  lapped  onto  its 
banks.  A  rushing  torrent  then  flowed  through  the  slough  above, 
where  now  the  embankments  of  the  railroads  form  a  dam.  In  the 
rear  a  broad  current  of  water,  tliree  fourths  of  a  mile  wide,  separated 
it  from  the  mainland. 

Bunnell,  the  trader,  living  three  or  four  miles  below,  had  learned 
through  the  traditions  of  the  Indians  from  the  Sioux,  with  whom  he 
was  intimate  and  had  familiar  ac(iuaintance,  that  the  whole  of 
Wabasha  prairie  had  been  entirely  submerged  during  some  of  the 
most  extreme  floods  of  the  river. 

No  story  was  more  current  during  the  earlier  days  of  the  settle- 
ment of  this  locality,  or  told  with  more  apparent  candor  and  truth- 
fulness, than  that  about  the  general  overflow  of  high-water  on  this 
prairie.  Frond  the  traditionary  evidence  flrst  citqd,  it  soon  reached 
the  stage  where  positive  proof  could  be  readily  made.  Many  of 
the  old  experienced  river  men  claimed,  and  positively  asserted,  that 
they  had  passed  over  the  highest  part  of  the  prairie  on  rafts  and 
with  boats.  Not  to  be  behind  in  experience,  steamboat  men  stated 
that  they,  too,  had  found  there  sufficient  depth  of  water  for  any  boat. 

The  story  that  steamboats  had  passed  over  may  possibly  have 
started  from  the  fact  that  during  the  high  water  of  1849  a  small 
steamboat  did  get  aground  on  the  lower  part  of  the  prairie.  The 
pilot  of  the  Lynx  mistook  the  channel  one  dark,  stormy  night,  and 
ran  his  craft  out  on  the  low  land,  just  below  where  the  house  of  Mrs. 
Keves  now  stands.  To  return  the  boat  to  the  river  it  was  necessary 
to  take  everything  out  of  her,  even  her  boilers  and  the  brickwork 
of  the  arches  in  which  they  were  set. 

It  was  said  that  during  the  high  water  of  1852  it  was  not  uncom- 
mon to  hear  the  raftsmen  hail  the  residents  of  the  prairie  with, 
''You'd  better  get  out  o'  there  or  you'l  get  drowned  out.  I've  seen 
that  prairie  all  under  water."  A  raftsman  was  considered  a  green 
one  if  in  his  experience  he  liad  never  seen  Wabasha  prairie  covered 
with  water. 

Strangers — passengers  on  the  steamboats — were  commonly  enter- 
tained as  they  approached  the  prairie  with  the  stereotyped  remark, 
"It  looks  like  a  nice  place  to  build  a  town,  but  it  overflows."  The 
persistent  repetition  of  such  remarks  was  as  annoying  to  the  settlers 
as  it  was  irritating  to  the  proprietors  of  the  eml)ryo  city  plotted  there. 


EARLY    LAND    TITLES.  163 

The  proprietor  of  a  rival  town  site  was  holding  forth  on  this 
subject  to  a  crowd  of  passengers,  as  the  steamboat  approached  the 
prairie  from  below,  saying,  "It  is  true  it  does  look  like  a  nice  place 
to  build  a  town,  but,  gentlemen,  I  have  passed  ovei-  the  highest 
land  on  Wabasha  prairie  in  a  boat."  He  was  here  interrupted  by 
a  passenger,  a  resident  of  the  prairie,  the  dignified  and  gentlemanly 
appearing  Rev.  H.  S.  Hamilton,  who  removed  his  hat  as  he  stepped 
forward  and  gravely  said:  "Excuse  me,  sir,  but  can  it  be  possible 
that  your  name  is  Ngah  ?  There  is  no  record  that  any  one  has 
passed  over  that  prairie  since  the  days  of  that  ancient  navigator  of 
the  deep."  The  town-site  blower  was  forced  to  retreat  from  the 
laughter  of  the  amused  crowd  of  passengers. 

To  Capt.  Orin  Smith  belongs  the  credit  of  selecting  Wabasha 
prairie  as  a  location  for  a  town  site.  He  was  the  founder  of  the  city 
of  Winona.  At  that  time  he  was  a  citizen  of  Galena,  Illinois,  and 
the  captain  of  the  steamboat  Nominee,  running  between  Galena 
and  St.  Paul.  He  had  seen  western  towns  spring  up  like  magic, 
enriching  the  lucky  proprietors.  Land  speculations  and  town-site 
operations  were  the  most  common  topics  of  conversation  among  his 
passengers.  From  a  desire  to  engage  in  some  profitable  speculation, 
should  opportunity  ofi^er,  he  watched  for  a  chance  to  secure  a  town 
site  on  the  river.  His  observations  convinced  him  that  eventually, 
when  the  Indian  title  should  become  extinct  on  the  West  side  of  the 
river  in  the  Territory  of  Minnesota,  an  important  point  must  spring 
up,  and  he  early  comprehended  that  Wabasha  prairie  possessed  the 
most  favorable  and  decided  advantages  for  the  rapid  growth  of  a 
large  commercial  town  when  the  country  should  become  settled. 

The  treaty  with  the  Sioux  in  1851  presented  an  opportunity 
which  Capt.  Smith  at  once  took  advantage  of,  although  the  treaty 
had  not  been  ratified  and  the  Indians  were  still  occupying  tlie 
country.  He  was  familiar  with  the  river,  and  was  aware  that  there 
were  but  two  locations  suitable  for  steamboat  landings  on  Wabasha 
prairie.  One,  the  present  levee — the  other  about  a  mile  below. 
Capt.  Smith  was  aware,  from  his  own  personal  knowledge  (he  had 
navigated  the  upper  Mississippi  many  years),  that  Wabasha  prairie 
was  liot  subject  to  an  entire  overflow,  neither  had  it  been  submerged 
within  the  traditional  recollections  of  the  "oldest  inhabitants"' 
among  the  whites  ;  yet  he  was  to  a  certain  extent  influenced  by  the 
Indian  traditions,  by  Bunnell's  opinion  and  by  the  opinions  of  some 
of  the  old  river  men  of  his  acquaintance  in  his  first  choice  of  location. 


164  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

He  selected  the  lower  landing  for  his  town  site  because  the  banks 
were  higher,  the  shore  bolder,  with  a  good  de])th  of  water  at  all 
seasons  of  navigation.  He  was  also  aware  that  the  up])er  landing 
was  subject  to  overflow,  although  available  and  satisfactory  at  other 
times.     He  therefore  decided  to  secure  and  control  both  landings. 

In  accordance  with  this  plan  he  made  his  arrangements  to  take 
})08session,  and  selected  as  his  agent  in  this  transaction  Erwin  H. 
Johnson,  the  carpenter  on  his  steamboat,  the  old  Nominee.  He 
made  a  written  agreement  with  Johnson  to  hold  the  two  claims  he 
had  selected,  for  which  Johnson  was  to  have  an  undivided  half  of 
both  claims.  Capt.  Smith  ^ilso  agreed  to  pay  Johnson  twenty- 
live  dollars  per  month  and  furnish  all  necessary  subsistence,  John- 
son was  to  engage  in  banking  steamboat  wood,  which  Captain 
Smith  proposed  to  have  cut  on  the  islands  opposite  during  the 
winter. 

Capt.  Smith  landed  Erwin  H.  Johnson  from  the  Nominee  at 
the  lower  landing  on  Wabasha  prairie  at  about  ten  o'clock  at  night, 
on  the  15th  of  October,  1851.  He  also  left  with  him  two  men,  em- 
ployed as  wood-choppers.  One  of  these  men  was  Caleb  Nash.  The 
name  of  the  other  is  unknown ;  he  left  on  the  return  of  the  Nomi- 
nee' down  the  river. 

Johnson  was  furnished  by  Capt.  Smith  with  a  small  quantity  of 
lumber  for  a  shanty,  a  yoke  of  oken  and  abundant  supplies  of  pro- 
visions and  blankets.  These,  with  Johnson's  tool-chest,  a  few  neces- 
sary tools,  a  bucket  or  two,  an  iron  pot,  a  bake-kettle,  an  iron  spider 
and  a  few  dishes,  comprised  the  entire  outfit. 

They  camped  for  that  night  on  the  beach  where  they  landed, 
and  slept  under  a  few  boards  which  they  laid  against  the  bank  above. 
The  next  day  they  built  a  small  cabin  on  the  same  locality  where 
they  had  passed  the  night.  This  structure  was  about  10x12,  with 
a  shed  roof  sloping  toward  the  bank.  The  back  end  of  this  cabin 
was  the  bank  against  which  it  was  built.  A  fireplace  was  formed  in 
one  corner,  a  hole  above  in  the  lower  part  of  the  roof  afforded  exit 
for  the  smoke.  The  material  used  for  this  fireplace  was  the  brick 
thrown  from  the  Lynx  when  aground  about  half  a  mile  below  in 
1849. 

This  shanty,  as  it  was  called,  was  the  first  "claim  shanty"  put 
up  on  Wabasha  prairie.  It  stood  on  the  beach,  below  the  high  bank 
of  the  river,  nearly  in  front  of  where  the  planing-mill  of  the  Winona 
Lumber  Company  now  stands.     Johnson  built  a  stable  for  the  oxen 


EARLY    LAND    TITLES.  165 

on  the  bank  ten  or  fifteen  rods  back  from  the  river.  This  was  made 
of  poles  and  covered  with  coarse  grass  from  the  bottoms.  In  the 
absence  of  any  other  means  of  conveyance  a  crotch  of  a  tree  was 
used  as  a  sled  to  transport  such  things  as  the  oxen  were  required  to 
haul.  Johnson  afterward  built  a  rough  sled  for  his  use  in  banking 
wood  on  the  island  during  the  winter. 

Not  long  after  Johnson's  arrival  on  Wabasha  prairie  another  town- 
site  speculator  made  his  appearance  in  this  locality.  On  the  12th  of 
November,  1851,  Silas  Stevens,  a  lumber  dealer  in  La  Crosse,  landed 
from  the  Excelsior  at  the  upper  landing,  abcnit  where  the  L.  C. 
Porter  fiouring-mill  now  stands.  With  him  came  Geo.  W.  Clark, 
a  young  man  in  his  employ,  and  Edwin  Hamilton,  a  young  man 
from  Ohio,  looking  for  a  chance  to  speculate  in  claims,  who  had 
been  induced  to  come  up  from  La  Crosse,  where  he  had  been  stop- 
ping for  a  short  time. 

Mr.  Stevens  brought  with  him  lumber  for  a  shanty,  a  cooking 
stove,  and  a  liberal  supply  of  provisions,  blankets,  etc.  It  was  about 
eleven  o'clock  at  night  when  this  party  left  the  steamer  Excelsior. 
Mr.  Stevens  was  aware  that  Capt.  Smith  had  made  a  claim  here 
and  placed  a  man  on  it  to  hold  possession,  and  the  party  at  once 
made  search  for  his  cabin.  The  night  was  intensely  dark,  and  they 
were  compelled  to  hunt  for  sometime  before  the/ found  Johnson. 
His  locality  was  unknown  to  eitlier  of  them.  Mr.  Stevens  had  a  few 
days  before  been  up  the  river  as  far  as  Bunnell's  landing,  and  from 
the  bluff  above  hatd  seen  some  men  and  a  yoke  of  oxen  on  the  lower 
end  of  the  prairie,  but  no  cabin  was  in  sight. 

Fortunately,  by  following  down  the  bank  of  the  river,  they  dis- 
covered the  shanty  and  were  furnished  by  Johnson  with  the  best 
accommodation  the  cabin  afforded,— a  bed  of  hay  on  the  floor 
where  all  slept  together,  covered  with  blankets.  Johnson  had  not 
then  completed  his  shanty.  He  afterward  improved  the  interior  by 
putting  up  a  shelf  or  two  to  hold  his  supplies  and  dishes,  and  two 
double  berths,  one  over  the  other  in  one  corner.  These  were  made 
of  poles,  his  supply  of  lumber  was  insufficient.  For  comfort  these 
berths  were  filled  with  dry  prairie-grass,  covered  with  blankets. 

This  party  took  breakfast  with  Johnson  before  beginning  the 
business  of  the  day.  Up  to  this  time  the  question  of  boundaries  to 
their  claims  had  not  been  considered  either  by  Capt.  Smith  or  John- 
son. Capt.  Smith  had  simply  proposed  to  claim  the  two  landings, 
with  at  least  160  acres  of  prairie  in  each  claim,  and  as  much  more  as 


166  IIIvSTOHY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

they  could  control.  It  now  became  necessary  to  have  their  bounda- 
ries more  accurately  defined. 

Mr.  Stevens  had  come  u])  for  the  express  purpose  of  securing  one 
of  the  landings,  not  being  aware  that  Capt.  Smith  proposed  to  hold 
them  both  through  Johnson,  who  he  supposed  was  only  an  em])loye, 
without  an  individual  interest  in  the  matter.  Mr.  Stevens  expected 
to  take  possession  of  and  hold  the  upper  landing  through  an  employe 
of  his  own,  Mr.  Clark,  who  had  come  for  that  jnirpose.  He  was 
somewhat  surprised  to  lind  that  Johnson  had  already  laid  claim  to 
it,  with  the  approval  of  Capt.  Smith,  but  no  improvements  had  been 
made.  Not  being  of  an  aggressive  nature,  Mr.  Stevens  hesitated  to 
take  advantage  of  this  and  take  possession  without  Johnson's  con- 
sent, which  he  could  not  obtain. 

After  a  general  consultation,  in  which  the  whole  party  })artici- 
pated,  it  was  finally  agreed  that  the  land  along  the  river  should  be 
divided  into  "claims"  of  half  a  mile  square,  and  that  Johnson 
should  have  the  first  choice  of  two  of  the  claims,  one  for  Capt. 
Smith  and  the  other  for  himself. 

Accordingly,  on  the  morning  of  November  13,  1851,  the 
first  claim-stakes  were  driven  on  Wabasha  prairie,  and  the  first 
defined  claims  made  within  what  are  now  the  boundaries  of  Winona 
county.  The  stake  agreed  upon  as  the  starting-point  was  driven  on 
the  bank  of  the  river  below  the  present  residence  of  Mrs.  Keyes. 
From  this  stake  a  half-mile  was  measured  off  with  a  tape-line  up  the 
river,  where  another  stake  was  driven.  This  half-mile  was  chosen 
by  Johnson  for  Capt.  Smith  and  was  called  "Claim  No.  1."  The 
next  half-mile  measured  off  up  the  river  bank  was  called  "(ylaim 
No.  ,2."  This  was  at  once  chosen  and  claimed  by  both  Stevens  and 
Nash. 

Mr.  Stevens  expected  that  claim  No.  2  would  be  awarded  to 
him.  lie  had  been  influenced  by  the  recommendations  and  per- 
suasions of  Capt.  Smith  to  come  up  and  select  a  claim  to  hold 
possession,  and  he  now  supposed  that  after  Smith  and  Johnson  he 
was  entitled  to  the  next  choice  ;  but  he  was  again  disappointed,  and 
again  gave  way  to  Johnson's  decision  in  the  matter.  Nash,  sup- 
ported by  and  under  the  instructions  of  Johnson,  claimed  it  by 
seniority  as  a  settler.  He  had  been  a  resident  on  the  prairie  about 
three  weeks,  and  claimed  the  land  by  his  rights  of  first  discovery. 

The  next  half-mile,  claim  No.' 3,  was  assigned  to  Mr.  Stevens. 
It  could  hardlv  be  called  his  choice.     Claim  No.  4  was  awarded  to 


EARLY    LAND    TITLES.  1(>7 

Johnson  as  per  agreement.  The  next  half-mile,  claim  No.  5,  was 
selected  by  Edwin  Hamilton,  who  claimed  precedent.  He  had  seen 
the  prairie  some  weeks  before  from  the  deck  of  a  steamboat  while 
on  a  trip  up  the  river  with  Mr.  Stevens.  No  farther  measurements 
were  made  at  this  time,  but  the  next  half-mile  was  duly  awarded  to 
George  "W.  Clark,  the  junior  settler  and  the  last  of  the  party.  No 
one  disputed  his  rights  to  claim  No.  6. 

These  claims,  made  as  described,  were  afterward  designated  by 
the  numbers  then  given  and  by  the  names  of  the  persons  to  whom 
they  were  awarded  by  this  party  until  after  the  government  survey 
of  the  public  lands  in  this  part  of  the  territory.  The  township  lines 
were  surveyed  in  1853,  but  the  subdivisions  were  not  completed 
until  1855. 

The  following  cojiy  of  a  lease  is  presented  as  documentary  evi- 
dence to  show  that  these  claims  were  generally  known  by  the  num- 
bers given,  and  also  as  a  relic  of  early  days  in  this  locality. 

"  Wabashaw,  July  8th,  1852. 

"  Whereas  I  have  this  day  lUDvecl  into  the  shauty  on  Claim  No.  T),  called 
Hamilton's  claim,  on  Wabashaw  prairie,  Minnesota  territory  ;  there fi^re  I  here- 
by a<free  with  John  L.  Balcombe,  Edwin  Hamilton  and  Mark  Howard,  the 
owners  of  said  claim,  that  in  consideration  of  the  use  of  said  shanty,  I  will,  to 
the  utmost  of  my  ability,  prevent  all  other  persons  from  occupying  or  injuring 
said  claim,  and  that  I  will  vacate  said  shanty  and  surrender  the  possession 
thereof,  together  with  the  whole  claim,  to  said  owners  whenever  requested  to 
do  so  by  them  or  either  of  them.  O.  8.  Holbrook. 

"  Witness:  Walter  Brown, 

"  George  G.  Barber." 

The  original  paper,  of  which  this  is  a  copy,  is  in  the  hands  of 
Mrs.  Calista  Balcombe,  the  widow  of  Dr.  John  L.  Balcombe,  now 
living  in  the  city  of  "Winona.  The  shanty  spoken  of  stood  about 
where  the  present  residence  of  Hon.  H.  W.  Lamberton  now  stands, 
on  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Huff  streets.  This  shanty  was  never 
destroyed ;  the  body  of  it  is  still  preserved.  When  the  Hamilton 
claim  became  the  property  of  Henry  D.  Huff,  the  shanty  was  moved 
from  its  original  site  and  attached  to  the  cottage  in  which  Mr.  Huft 
lived  for  several  years,  and  which  is  now  the  residence  of  Mr.  Lafay- 
ette Stout,  No.  52  West  Fourth  street. 

On  the  same  day  that  these  claims  were  measured  off  and  located, 
Mr.  Stevens,  with  the  assistance  of  Clark  and  Hamilton,  built  a 
shanty  on  claim  No.  3.  This  shanty  stood  a  little  east  of  Market 
street,  between  First  and  Second  streets.     To  move  his  lumber  and 


168  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

s\i])plies  to  the  place  selected  the  services  of  Johnson's  ox-team  and 
crotch-sled  were  obtained. 

Mr.  Stevens  went  back  to  La  Crosse  the  same  evening  on  a  boat 
which  chanced  to  come  down.  Mr.  Clark  remained  to  hold  posses- 
sion of  the  claim  for  him.  Clark  was  to  receive  eighteen  dollars  per 
month  and  all  necessary  supplies  furnished.  He  was  to  occupy 
his  time  in  cutting  steamboat-wood  on  the  island  convenient  for 
banking.  Hamilton  remained  and  lived  with  Clark  in  the  Stevens 
shanty.  He  also  chopped  tor  Mr.  Stevens.  No  one  ever  accused 
Mr.  Stevens  of  Having  made  a  big  speculation  on  steamboat-wood 
cut  on  government  land  that  winter.  < 

The  last  boat  down  in  1S51  was  the  Nominee.  About  November 
21  Capt.  Smith  passed  Wabasha  prairie  without  landing. 

Mr.  G.  W.  Clai'k  says  that  on  December  4  he  with  Johnson  went 
down  the  river  in  a  canoe  to  La  Crosse.  The  weather  was  pleasant 
but  cool.  This  was  their  first  trip  from  home.  After  having  accom- 
plished the  objects  of  their  visit,  they  started  back  on  the  fifth  and 
arrived  at  Wabasha  prairie  on  the  sixth.  The  river  closed  a  day  or 
two  after. 

While  on  this  trip  to  La  Crosse  Johnson  hired  two  men,  Allen 
Gilmore  and  George  Wallace,  to  come  to  Wabasha  prairie  with  him 
and  work  for  Capt.  Smith  cutting  wood.  To  accommodate  these 
men  Johnson  secured  another  canoe,  in  which  he  took  one  of  the 
men  while  Clark  with  the  other  managed  their  own,  the  one  in  which 
they  went  down.  The  weathei-  had  become  very  cold,  with  the 
wind  strong  from  the  west.  Soon  after  they  started  it  increased  to 
a  fierce  gale.  The  spra}'  from  the  waves  as  they  struck  against  the 
bows  oi  the  canoes  soon  covered  everything  about  them  with  ice  and 
chilled  them  through.  Being  unable  to  manage  their  canoes  against 
such  a  strong  head-wind  they  landed,  and  towed  them  along  the 
shore  until  they  arrived  at  Nathan  Brown's  trading-station,  which 
they  reached  about  dark,  almost  frozen.  Mr.  Brown  was  absent, 
but  finding  the  door  of  his  cabin  unfastened  the  party  took  possession 
and  soon  started  a  hot  fire  in  the  stove  with  the  abundance  of  dry 
wood  provided.  Finding  a  plentiful  supply  of  provisions  they  made 
tiiemselves  comfortable  for  the  night,  and  the  next  day  safely 
reached  the  prairife.  This  was  December  6,  the  date  of  the  arrival 
of  Allen  Gilniore  and  George  Wallace  at  what  is  now  the  city  of 
Winona. 

Brown's  was  then  the  only  stoi)ping-place  below  lUmnell's,  and 


EARLY    LAND    TITLES.  169 

it  was  often  made  a  haven  of  rest  to  the  weary  traveler.  Mr.  Brown 
usually  lived  alone  and  he  enjoyed  these  forced  visits  to  his  cabin, 
more  for  the  company  they  afforded  than  for  the  profit  of  it.  He 
seldom  made  any  charge  for  his  accommodations. 

Bunnell's  was  a  favorite  stopping-place.  It  was  the  onlv  place 
on  the  west  side  of  the  river  where  travelers  could  be  comfortably 
accommodated  with  sheets  on  their  beds  and  clean  table-cloths.  It 
was  the  only  place  on  the  west  side  of  this  river  in  the  part  of  the 
territory  where  a  white  woman  lived.  Mrs.  Bunnell  was  a  good 
cook,  and  her  guests  usually  appreciated  her  efforts  to  make  them 
comfortable. 

In  connection  with  his  business  as  a  trader,  Bunnell  employed  quite 
a  number  of  men,  cutting  steamboat-wood  and  in  cutting  oak-timber 
for  rafting.  The  following  were  living  on  the  west  side  of  the  river 
during  the  winter  of  1851-2,  or  afterward  made  it  their  residence  : 
Harry  Herrick,  Leonard  Johnson,  Hirk  Carroll,  Henry  J.  Harring- 
ton and  a  man  by  the  name  of  Myers,  who  came  after  January  1, 
1852.     They  boarded  at  Bunnell's.' 

Two  young  men,  Jabez  McDermott  and  Josiah  Keene,  were 
in  his  employ  until  after  the  holidays,  and  "kept  bach"  in  a  small 
cabin  on  the  banks  of  the  river  a  little  below  Bunnell's. 

Peter  Gorr,  with  his  wife  and  three  children,  and  Augustus 
Pentler  and  his  wife,  lived  together  in  a  cabin  on  an  island  opposite 
Bunnell's  landing.  Gorr  and  Pentler  worked  for  Bunnell  until  in 
February. 

Soon  after  the  river  was  frozen  over,  or  as  soon  as  it  was  safe  to 
travel  on  the  ice,  Israel  M.  iSToracong  and  William  G.  McSpadden 
came  up  from  La  Crosse.  They  brought  with  them  two  yoke  of 
oxen  and  a  large  sleigh-load  of  lumber  and  supplies,  which  they 
took  up  Wabasha  prairie  to  the  mouth  of  the  Kollingstone  valley. 
They  put  up  a  shanty  a  little  north  from  where  Elsworth's  flouring 
mill  now  stands,  in  Minnesota  city.  These  men  were  engaged 
during  the  winter  in  cutting  black-walnut  logs.  Black-walnut 
timber  then  grew  plentifully  along  that  stream, 

Abo'ut  the  same  time  John  Farrell  came  up  from  La  Crosse, 
bringing  with  him  ox-teams  and  supplies  and  quite  a  number  of  men. 
He  established  a  logging  camp  on  the  Wisconsin  side  of  the  river. 
His  cabin  and  stables  were  at  the  foot  of  the  bluff,  about  where  the 
wagon-road  across  the  bottoms  strikes  the  mainland.  He  had 
selected  his  location  and  cut  a  quantity  of  hay  early  in  the  fall. 


170  IIISTOHV    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Some  of  tlie  most  valuable  oak  timber  on  the  islands  opposite 
the  city  of  Winona  was  cut  down  during  that  winter  by  Farrell's 
gang  of  choppers.  Many  of  the  logs  were  never  removed  from 
the  places  where  they  were  cut. 

To  aid  in  floating  the  heavy  oak  logs  when  they  were  rafted  in 
the  spring,  almost  an  equal  quantit}'  of  the  finest  ash-timber  was  also 
slaughtered  and  taken  away. 

The  total  number  of  white  inhabitants  living  within  the  bound- 
aries of  what  is  now  Winona  county  at  the  close  of  the  year  1849 
was  six — W.  B.  Bunnell,  wife  and  three  children,  at  Bunnell's 
landing,  and  Nathan  Brown. 

The  total  white  population  at  the  end  of  1850  was  seven.  This 
increase  of  one  over  the  preceding  year  was  from  natural  cause — by 
the  addition  of  another  child  to  Bunnell's  family.  During  the 
winter  of  1850-1  Buimell  and  Brown  had  a  few  transient  wood- 
choppers  in  their  employ,  who  lived  on  the  islands. 

The  total  white  population  December  31,  1851,  was  twenty-one, 
all  of  whom,  if  the  family  of  Bunnell  is  excepted,  were  engaged  in 
the  same  occupation,  cutting  timber  on  public  lands.  It  was  then 
a  common  practice  for  people  who  chose  to  do  so  to  appro] )riate  the 
timber  on  lands  belonging  to  the  United  States  for  individual  use 
and  for  purposes  of  speculation.  Such  operations  were  not  con- 
sidered dishonorable.  The  choicest  pine,  oak,  black-walnut,  ash 
and  maple  timber  was  cut  on  public  lands,  i-afted  down  the  Missis- 
sippi and  sold  by  men  respected  for  their  business  enterprise  and 
honorable  dealings  with  their  fellow-men  as  individuals.  It  will  be 
safe  to  say  that  fifty  per  cent  of  the  timber  on  the  islands  in  the 
Mississippi  was  cut  for  steamboat  wood  and  other  pui-poses  while 
the  title  to  lands  was  in  the  United  States. 

Among  the  enjoyments  of  holidays  observed  by  the  bachelor 
settlers  on  Wabasha  prairie  was  the  Christmas  diilner  given  by  Clark 
and  Hamilton  December  25,  1851.  Hamilton  was  chief  cook,  and 
made  an  extra  effort  for  special  dishes  on  this  occasion. 

Mr.  Clark  says  that  in  addition  to  the  best  of  their  common  fare, 
good  wheat-bread,  hot  corn-bread,  ham,  good  butter,  syrup  and 
strong  coffee,  Hamilton  got  up  a  most  delicious  squin-el  pot-pie,  and 
for  dessert  a  splendid  pheasant-] >ie.  Neither  vegetables  nor  fruit 
were  on  this  bill  of  fare.  They  had  already  learned  to  dispense 
with  such  delicacies. 

To  this  feast  Johnson,  Nash,  Gilmore  and  Wallace  were  invited. 


THE    PIONEERS.  171 

All  without  a  single  apology  promptly  responded  to  the  alarm  for 
help  from  the  Stevens  shanty. 

This  was  the  first  special  assemblage  of  the  settlers  on  Wabasha 
prairie  for  social  enjoyment.  No  rivalries  or  claim  jealousies  existed 
among  them  at  that  time.  With  this  little  party  on  the  outskirts  of 
civilization  genuine  friendship  in  the  rough  was  the  prevailing  feel- 
ing exhibited,  uninterrujited  by  the  hilarities  which  accompanied. 
As  a  closing  ceremony  at  this  first  reunion  of  the  settlers  on  the 
prairie,  Hamilton  gave  as  the  parting  toast,  ' '  May  the  six  bachelors 
here  assembled  be  long  remembered  by  each  other."  This  was 
responded  to  by  a  shake  all  around  as  they  separated. 

The  success  of  the  Christmas  dinner-party  induced  Johnson  to 
return  the  "compliments  of  the  season,"  and  extend  a  general  in- 
vitation to  all  to  assemble  around  his  hoard  on  New  Year's  day. 
This  was  marked  as  another  of  the  really  enjoyable  days  of  that 
winter  to  the  lonely  bachelors  of  the  prairie.  The  crowning  dish 
on  this  occasion,  the  one  most  vivid  in  the  recollection  of  Mr.  Clark, 
was  an  unlimited  supply  of  wild  honey,  which  Johnson  had  secured 
from  a  bee-tree  on  the  island. 


CHAPTER  XVHI. 


THE  PIONEERS. 


Quite  a  number  of  persons  came  up  from  La  Crosse  on  the  ice 
about  the  first  of  January,  1852,  to  see  the  country  and  select  claims 
on  Wabasha  prairie.  As  everybody  stopped  at  Bunnell's,  he,  too, 
became  infected  with  the  prevailing  epidemic  of  claim-making  from  his 
guests.  Although  he  had  no  confidence  in  the  success  of  Capt.  Smith's 
undertaking  to  build  up  a  commercial  port  on  "that  sand-bar  in  the 
Mississippi,"  Bunnell  had  the  shrewdness  to  surmise  that  there 
might  be  a  chance  for  speculation  in  the  attempt,  provided  he  could 
sell  out  before  it  should  be  again  flooded  with  water.  He  at  once 
concluded  to  take  a  chance  in  the  venture,  and  decided  that  he,  too, 
would  have  a  claim  on  Wabasha  prairie. 

At  that  time  Capt.  Smith's  claim'  on  the  lower  landing,  claim 
No.  1,  was  considered  the  most  valuable  and  the  most  desirable  as  a 


172  illSTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

town  site.  No.  4  was  estimated  as  the  next  in  value.  Nos.  2,  3,  .5 
and  0  were  valued  in  the  order  named. 

Having  determined  on  making  a  claim  Bunnell  went  up  to  the 
prairie  and  looked  the  ground  over.  lie  found  that  the  most  de- 
sirable locations  had  already  been  taken.  Notwithstanding  this  he 
fixed  upon  one  of  the  unoccupied  claims,  and  selected  claim  No.  4 
for  his  purpose.     This  claim  he  considered  really  the  most  valuable. 

To  get  possession  Bunnell  stated  to  Johnson  that  he  had  been 
looking  for  a  claim,  and  had  found  one  that  suited  him  just  above 
the  Stevens  claim  that  was  not  occupied,  and  he  intended  to  take 
possession  of  it.  Johnson  replied  by  telling  him  that  he  could  not 
have  it ;  that  he  had  already  made  a  claim  there  and  should  hold 
it.  Bunnell  inquired  how  many  claims  he  expected  to  hold  ;  that 
he  was  already  holding  two  at  the  lower  end  of  the  prairie.  This 
Johnson  denied,  and  explained  to  him  that  the  one  he  was  living 
on  was  Capt.  Smith's  and  that  the  other  belonged  to  Nash. 

Bunnell  then  tried  to  convince  Johnson  that  it  would  be  to  the 
advantage  of  all  who  had  claims  there  to  give  him  an  interest  on  the 
prairie,  for  the  Sioux  were  then  talking  of  driving  the  whites  away 
until  the  treaty  was  ratified  ;  that  with  his  influence  over  them  lie 
would  be  able  to  prevent  trouble.  Johnson  replied  that  he  would 
not  give  up  that  claim  to  an 3'  man,  that  he  was  not  afraid  of  trouble 
with  the  Indians,  that  he  should  hold  both  claims  as  long  as  he 
staid  there.  Finding  that  Johnson  could  not  be  influenced  by  argu- 
ment, he  left  with  the  threat  that  he  would  have  it,  even  if  he  had 
to  help  the  Indians  drive  them  all  ofJ'  from  the  prairie. 

Not  long  afterward  Bunnell  drove  up  to  the  prairie  again  and 
brought  with  him  on  his  train  two  fine-looking  young  Sioux  braves 
in  their  holiday  attire.  He  saw  Johnson  and  told  him  the  Sioux 
were  getting  to  be  more  dissatisfied  with  the  settlers  for  coming  on 
their  lands  without  their  permission  ;  that  there  would  soon  be  a 
disturbance  unless  something  was  done  to  keep  them  quiet  ;  that  he 
should  not  try  to  control  them  unless  he  could  have  that  claim  ;  if 
the  settlers  got  into  trouble  they  would  have  to  go  to  some  one  else 
for  help. 

Although  no  serious  difficult}'  was  anticipated,  the  alarm  was 
given  as  soon  as  Bunnell  came  (m  the  prairie  with  the  Sioux  and  the 
"boys"  who  were  on  the  island  chopping  came  Jumie  in  a  hurry. 
After  explaining  matters  to  the  others,  Bunnell  told  Johnson  he  had 
come  uj)  on  pui*pose  to  have  a  talk  with  him  about  that  claim,  and 


THE    PIONEEES.  173 

asked  him  what  lie  was  going  to  do  about  it.  "  Nothing,"  was  John- 
son's reply,  and  remarked  that  he  did  not  believe  such  good-natured 
looking  fellows  as  Bunnell  had  on  his  sleigh  would  do  any  harm  if 
they  were  well  treated. 

Bunnell  had  taken  a  dram  or  two  and  was  excitable.  He  lost 
his  temper,  talked  loud  and  made  a  great  many  violent  gestures. 
The  Sioux  sat  quietly  in  their  places  on  the  train  and  indulged 
themselves  with  their  pipes  and  some  of  Bunnell's  tobacco.  They 
were  impassive  and  apparently  indifferent  spectators  of  the  pro- 
ceedings. 

Johnson,  believing  that  this  was  a  ruse  of  Bunnell's  to  try  and 
frighten  them,  told  him  that  he  "did  not  scare  easy  and  could  not 
be  bluffed  with  a  little  noise."  Bunnell  was  annoyed  that  his  dra- 
matic display  was  a  failure,  and  as  he  got  on  his  sleigh  answered : 
"  You  will  have  to  take  care  of  yourself  if  the  Indians  get  after  you; 
I  shall  not  interfere  again."  Johnson  laughed  and  gave  some 
derisive  reply,  telling  him  "not  to  bother  himself  about  the  affairs 
of  others  until  he  was  asked." 

The  next  trip  Bunnell  made  to  Wabasha  prairie  he  brought  with 
him  two  men,  Harrington  and  Myers,  and  built  a  small  log  v'shanty 
or  pen  on  Johnson's  claim  at  the  upper  landing.  The  logs  used  in 
the  construction  of  this  claim  shanty  were  once  a  ])art  of  Indian 
farmer  Reed's  old  store  cabin,  tiie  ruins  of  which  furnished  material 
sufficient  for  the  body  of  the  crib.  It  was  covered  with  broad  strips 
of  elm  bark  brought  from  the  Indian  tepees  in  the  month  of  Burns' 
valley. 

In  this  little  pen,  not  more  than  six  feet  square  and  not  high 
enough  for  a  man  to  stand  up  in,  Bunnell  left  Myers  to  hold  the 
fort  and  guard  the  claim,  which  he  had  now  taken  possession  of  in 
a  formal  manner.  Bunnell  furnished  Myers  with  supplies  and 
brought  up  some  lumber  and  put  up  the  framework  of  a  board 
shanty,  but  did  not  complete  it  for  want  of  material  to  cover  it. 
Myers  remained  in  quiet  possession  of  the  claim  for  about  a  week, 
when,  considering  everything  safe,  as  he  had  not  been  disturbed  or 
observed  any  hostile  movements,  the  settlers  on  the  prairie  being 
absent  on  the  island,  he  ventured  down  to  Bunnell's  for  a  little 
recreation  and  relief  from  his  lonely  and  uncomfortable  confine- 
ment. 

Although  no  demonstrations  had  been  made,  Johnson  had 
watched  these  proceedings  and  closely  observed  all  of  the  movements 


]  74  lUSTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

of  Myers.  It  was  a  gratification  to  see  the  man  with  his  gun  leave 
tlie  prairie,  lie  at  once  took  advantage  of  the  absence  of  the  occu- 
pant of  the  cabin  and  demolished  the  impnivements.  He  leveled 
the  structure  with  the  ground,  and  then  deliberately  cut  the  old  logs 
and  the  lumber  into  firewood. 

Bunnell  was  enraged  when  he  found  that  Johnson  had  destroyed 
his  shanty,  and  threatened  to  whip  him  the  next  time  he  saw  him. 
Myers  did  not  return  to  Wabasha  prairie.  He  was  dismissed  by 
Bunnell  for  neglect  of  duty  and  left  the  country. 

Bunnell  sent  messages  to  Johnson  warning  him  to  leave  the 
prairie,  or  the  next  time  he  came  up  he  would  whip  him  like  a  dog. 
Johnson  sent  back  answers  that  he  was  prepared  to  defend  himself 
and  his  claims  ;  that  if  Bunnell  came  on  the  prairie  again  it  would 
be  at  his  peril. 

Neither  of  these  men  were  cowards,  and  serious  trouble  was 
anticipated.  They  were  small  men — hardly  of  medium  size,  John- 
son a  littlt'  larger  and  heavier  of  the' two  and  of  coarser  make-up. 
Bunnell  was  firmer  built  and  active  in  his  movements,  a  dangerous 
antagonist  for  a  much  larger  man  in  any  kind  of  a  fight. 

Satisfied  tliat  "talk"  w^ould  not  vrin  the  claim  and  irritated  by 
Johnson's  successful  opposition,  Bunnell,  in  company  with  Harring- 
ton, drove  up  to  the  prairie  one  evening  for  the  purpose  of  assault- 
ing Johnson  if  a  favorable  opportunity  offered.  Both  had  stimulated 
to  a  fighting  degree  and  were  primed  for  the  purpose. 

Going  first  to  the  Stevens  shanty,  Bunnell  there  found  Clark 
and  Nash,  who  had  called  on  a  social  visit.  He  inquired  for 
Hamilton  and  learned  that  he  was  at  Johnson's.  Gilmore  and 
Wallace  were  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  at  Farrell's.  After  a 
short  visit  they  left  without  betraying  the  object  of  their  evening 
visit  on  so  dark  a  night. 

Tliey  went  directly  down  to  Johnson's  shanty.  Bunnell  knocked 
at  the  door.  On  being  told  to  "come  in"  he  entered,  saying,  as  he 
rushed  toward  Johnson,  who  with  Hamilton  was  sitting  by  the  fire, 
"Get  out  of  this  if  you  want  to  live."  Johnson  sprang  for  his 
revolver,  which  was  in  his  berth,  but  the  attack  was  too  sudden ;  he 
had  no  oi)portunity  to  use  it  before  he  was  knocked  down  and  dis- 
armed. 

Hamilton  bolted  from  the  shanty  at  the  first  clash  of  the  combat 
and  ran  for  hel]).  He  arrived  almost  breathless  at  the  other  shanty, 
a  mile  away,  and  gave  the  alarm  by  excitedly  exclaiming,    "  Bun- 


THE    PIONEERS.  175 

nell  is  killing  Johnson  ;  come  down  quick  as  jou  can.''  Clark  and 
Nash  at  once  started  back  with  Hamilton  on  a  run  for  the  scene  of 
conflict.  When  about  half  way  thev  were  met  by  Johnson,  who, 
although  apparently  injured,  returned  with  them.  They  found  that 
the  shanty  had  been  demolished,  but  the  assailants  had  disap- 
peared. 

Johnson  was  taken  up  to  Clark's  shanty,  where  he  was  provided 
tor  and  carefully  attended.  He  was  found  to  have  been  badly 
bruised  about  the  head,  chest  and  arms.  His  face  and  hands  were 
badly  swollen  and  covered  with  blood,  but  no  bones  were  broken. 
It  afterward  proved  that  no  serious  injuries  had  been  received. 
Johnson  had  been  terribly  beaten  by  Bunnell  and  was  compelled  to 
lay  up  for  repairs. 

When  the  battle-ground  was  visited  in  the  morning  the  full 
extent  of  damages  to  the  "pioneer  claim  shanty"  was  revealed. 
The  first  evidence  oi  actual  settlement  on  Wabasha  prairie  had  been 
destroyed.  The  pile  of  brick  and  stone  which  formed  the  fireplace, 
with  some  broken  dishes,  marked  the  locality  where  the  little  cabin 
once  stood.  It  had  been  turned  over  and  with  its  contents  thrown 
on  the  ice  of  the  river. 

Johnson's  supplies  and  other  traps  were  secured  and  carried  up 
on  the  bank,  where  they  were  sheltered  with  the  lumber  from  the 
shanty.  The  stable  and  cattle  had  not  been  disturbed.  Johnson 
and  Nash  lived  with  Clark  until  their  shanty  was  reconstructed. 
Johnson's  revolver  and  double-barreled  gun  were  carried  off'  by 
Bunnell  as  trophies  of  his  victory. 

Soon  after  this  affray,  Peter  Gorr  and  Augustus  Pentler  came 
over  from  the  island  to  visit  the  settlers  on  the  prairie.  Mr.  Gorr 
had  his  rifle  with  him,  which  he  was  induced  to  leave  with  Johnsoii 
after  hearing  the  incidents  of  his  quarrel.  Johnson  then  sent  word 
to  Bunnell  that  he  would  shoot  him  on  sight  if  he  ever  made  his 
appearance  on  the  prairie  again. 

Bunnell  had  no  design  to  interfere  with  the  occupancy  of  the 
claim  at  the  lower  landing.  His  attack  on  Johnson  and  destruction 
of  the  shanty  was  for  retaliation  and  to  intimidate  him.  He  became 
satisfied  that  he  would  not  be  able  to  hold  the  claim  at  the  upper 
landing  without  some  serious  fighting,  and,  having  no  desii-e  to  kill 
Johnson  or  be  killed  himself  in  the  attempt,  he  decided  to  abandon 
his  claim  speculation  on  Wabasha  prairie  and  turn  his  attention  to 
what  he  thought  was  something  better  nearer  home.      The  scheme 


176  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

of  building  \i\)  a  town  along  the  bluflfs  abov^e  the  present  villag*^  of 
Homer  was  stiirted  about  this  time,  in  which  Bunnell  was  for  awhile 
interested.  Bunnell  returned  to  Johnson  the  revolver  and  gun  he 
had  taken  from  him,  peace  was  negotiated,  and  the  "little  diifer- 
ence "  that  had  existed  between  the  parties  "dropped"  without 
farther  action.  Bunnell,  however,  became  more  emphatic  in  main- 
taining and  more  free  in  expressing  his  opinicms  of  "  that  sand  bar  up 
there,"  and  more  zealously  advocated  his  tlieorj  that  the  "main 
land"  was  the  only  place  for  a  permanent  settlement. 

This  was  the  first  attempt  at  "claim  jumping"  ever  made  in  the 
settlement  of  this  county.     It  was  afterward  a  common  occurrence. 

M.  Wheeler  Sargeant,  an  early  settler,  once  gave  a  very  appro- 
priate definition  of  a  claim  in  an  address  before  the  Winona  Lyceum 
in  1858.  He  said:  "A  claim  is  a  jightmg  hitei^ed  in  land,  osten- 
sibly based  upon  priority  of  possession  and  sustained  by  force." 
Many  of  the  old  settlers  will  readily  recognize  the  pertinency  of  this 
description.  The  law  of  might,  as  well  as  the  law  of  right,  was  often 
the  means  by  which  possession  of  claims  were  retained. 

Soon  after  this  first  claim  quarrel,  a  claim  association  or  club  was 
was  formed  for  the  mutual  protection  of  settlers  in  holding  possession 
of  their  claims.  The  first  meeting  was  called  to  meet  at  Bunnell's 
about  March  1.  The  prime  movers  in  the  matter  were  some  resi- 
dents of  La  Crosse  who  had  recently  selected  claims  on  the  west  side 
of  the  Mississippi.  They  came  up  prepared  to  complete  the  busi- 
ness and  the  organization  was  created  at  this  meeting.  It  was  called 
the  Wabashaw  Pi-otection  Club.  The  important  matters  of  consti- 
tution and  by-laws  were  duly  discussed  and  gravely  adopted,  and 
officers  elected  with  customary  formality.  The  settlers  from  Wa- 
basha prairie  attended  the  meeting,  but  were  in  the  minority  and 
failed  to  secure  any  of  the  offices.  The  officials  were  residents  of 
La  Cn^sse.  Mr.  George  W.  Clark  was  a  member  of  the  club  and 
was  present  at  that  meeting.  He  says  from  the  best  of  his  recol- 
lection the  president  was  George  G.  Bai"ber,  the  secretary,  William 
B;  Gere. 

The  Wabasha  Protection  Club  was  the  first  regular  organization 
of  any  kind  among  the  settlers  ever  formed  in  the  county. 

It  was  not  entirely  a  fable  coined  by  Bunnell  when  he  repre- 
sented to  Johnson  that  the  Sioux  were  dissatisfied  with  the  manner 
in  which  the  settlers  were  taking  possession  of  tlieir  lands  before  the 
treaty  was  ratified.     Whether  l^unnell  was  aware  of  the  fact  or  not 


WILLIAM   GARLOCK. 


THE    PIONEERS.  179 

is  not  now  positively  known  ;  but  it  is  very  probable  that  he  knew 
the  Indians  designed  to  demand  a  bonus  from  the  settlers  for  the 
privilege  of  remaining  undisturbed.  It  was  supposed  that  the  treaty 
would  be  ratified  during  that  winter,  but  it  was  not  fully  confirmed 
by  government  until  the  next  year. 

During  the  winter  some  officious  personages  had  given  the 
,  Indians  begging  letters  addressed  to  the  settlers  recommending  that 
contributions  be  given  to  the  Sioux  of  Wabasha's  band  to  keep  them 
quiet  and  peaceable  until  the  ratification  of  the  treaty.  That  the 
Indians  were  needy,  and  to  prevent  dissatisfaction  the  settlers  were 
advised  to  contribute  to  their  wants,  and  suggested  that  a  barrel  of 
flour,  or  its  equivalent  in  money,  be  given  for  every  cabin  built  on 
their  lands. 

Some  of  Wabasha's  band  came  over  from  the  other  side  of  the 
river  where  they  were  camped  and  presented  their  written  docu- 
ment. To  avoid  any  difficulties  or  annoyance  from  them,  Johnson 
agreed  to  give  them  the  flour,  but  told  them  they  must  wait  until 
the  Nominee  came  up  in  the  spring.  To  this  they  consented  and 
went  off  apparently  satisfied  with  the  arrangement.  Johnson  sup- 
posed this  was  one  of  Bunnell's  tricks  to  alarm  them  and  that  was 
the  finale  of  it ;  but  in  the  spring  the  Indians  returned  and  demanded 
the  flour.  This  "shanty  tax''  assessed  by  the  Sioux  was  paid  by 
a  few  of  the  earliest  settlers. 

The  Sioux  and  Winnebago  Indians  visited  the  settlers  on  Wa- 
basha prairie  frequently  during  the  winter  and  were  at  all  times 
friendly.  There  was  not  a  single  instance  where  it  was  known  that 
they  disturbed  a  settler  or  his  property,  not  even  in  the  absence  of 
the  owner. 

Johnson  rebuilt  the  shanty  on  Capt.  Smith's  claim,  but  put  it  on 
the  bank  a  little  way  back  from  the  river  and  a  few  rods  below 
where  it  first  stood.  This  was  an  improvement  on  the  first  struc- 
ture. It  was  about  8  x  12.  The  fireplace  so  much  valued  by 
Johnson  in  his  first  cabin  was  omitted  in  its  reconstruction.  John- 
son induced  Augustus  Pentler  with  his  wife  to  occupy  this  shanty. 
He  boarded  with  them  and  made  it  his  home  until  he  built  a  shanty 
on  his  claim  at  the  upper  landing.  Mr.  Pentler  lived  in  this  place 
three  or  four  months  and  then  made  a  claim  on  the  river  below 
Bunnell's  along  the  bluffs,  where  he  lived  for  several  years.  He  is 
now  living  in  the  western  part  of  the  state. 

Mrs.  Pentler  was  the  first  white  woman  among  the  early  settlers 


180  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

to  make  Wabaslia  prairie  her  place  of  residence — the  first  white 
woman  that  settled  in  what  is  now  the  city  of  Winona. 

About  March  1,  Silas  Stevens  and  his  son,  William  H.  Stevens, 
came  up  from  La  Crosse  on  the  ice.  They  brought  with  them  a 
pair  of  horses,  wagon  and  sleigh.  This  was  the  lirst  span  of  horses 
brought  into  the  county  by  a  settler.  There  had  been  no  demand 
or  use  for  horse-teams.  In  banking  wood  and  hauling  logs  ox-teams 
were  the  most  useful  and  economical.  Bunnell  kept  a  saddle-horse, 
which  in  winter  he  drove  harnessed  to  a  kind  of  sleigh  called  a 
train,  a  kind  of  conveyance  peculiarly  adapted  to  travel  over  un- 
broken trails  drifted  with  snow. 

On  the  arrival  of  Silas  Stevens  Mr.  Clark  delivered  up  to  him 
his  claim  and  gave  possession  of  the  shanty  and  other  property  en- 
ti-usted  to  his  care.  About  this  time,  or  not  long  afterward,  Mr. 
Nash  put  up  a  small  log  cabin  on  claim  No.  2.  Clark  and  Gilmore 
occupied  this  with  Nash  as  their  headquarters  until  they  built  shan- 
ties on  their  own  claims.  Tliis  shanty  stood  about  two  blocks  back 
from  the  river  on  what  is  now  High  Forest  street.  It  was  about 
10  X  12,  built  of  small  logs  and  covered  with  bark.  The  bark  for 
the  roof  and  the  lumber  used  in  its  construction  was  taken  from  the 
old  Indian  huts  or  tepees,  which  were  standing  on  the  prairie  about 
a  mile  above  the  upper  landing. 


CPIAPTER  XIX. 


FIRST  IMPROVEMENTS. 


During  the  latter  part  of  the  winter  and  early  in  the  spring  of 
1852  quite  a  number  of  claims  were  selected,  and  on  some  improve- 
ments commenced.  These  "betterments  "  were  simply  a  few  logs 
thrown  together,  forming  a  sort  of  pen  and  designed  to  represent 
the  nucleus  of  a  future  residence.  When  the  Indians  assessed  the 
settlers  they  did  not  consider  these  improvements  sufhcient  to  justify 
the  levying  of  a  tax,  notwithstanding  the  importance  attached  to 
them  as  evidence  that  the  land  was  claimed  and  settled  upon. 

The  claim  made  by  (xeorge  W.  Clark  in  the  fall  previous  was 
staked  ofi  and  possession  indicated  by  a  few  logs.    The  half  mile  west 


FIRST    IMPROVEMENTS.  181 

of  it  was  taken  by  Jabez  McDermott  and  the  next  by  Josiah  Keen. 
These  two  young  men  had  been  living  at  Bunnell's  Landing,  but 
about  the  time  they  made  their  claims  they  went  up  to  the  Rollino- 
Stone,  where  they  engaged  in  getting  out  black  walnut  logs  with 
Noracong  and  McSpadden, 

Clark  also  selected  a  location  across  the  slough,  which  he  held  in 
the  name  of  his  brother,  Scott  Clark,  then  living  in  New  York. 
This  claim  is  now  the  farm  on  which  George  W.  Clark  resides. 

Allen  Gilmore  made  his  claim  next  west  of  the  one  selected  for 
Scott  Clark.  He  built  a  log  cabin  in  the  grove  west  from  where  the 
Clark  school-house  now  stands.  It  was  from  Allen  Gilmore,  and 
because  of  his  living  nearest,  that  Gilmore  valley  was  given  its  pres- 
ent name.  Mr,  Gilmore  occupied  this  locality  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  March  29,  1854r.  It  was  purchased  from  the  administrator 
of  the  estate.  Dr.  John  L.  Balcombe,  by  Orin  Clark,  a  brother  of 
G.  W.  Clark,  who  came  into  the  county  that  spring.  Mr.  Clark 
occupied  it  for  many  years.  He  now  lives  in  the  city  of  Winona, 
but  still  retains  possession  of  the  grove.  The  other  portion  of  the 
claim  is  owned  and  occupied  by  Mr.  Celestial  Peterman. 

George  Wallace  made  choice  of  a  location  back  of  the  lake, 
where  John  Zenk  now  lives.  It  also  included  what  is  now  Wood- 
lawn  cemetery. 

Peter  Gorr  made  a  claim  on  the  river  just  above  Bunnell's.  He 
here  built  a  small  log  cabin,  which  he  occupied  with  his  wife  and 
three  children. 

In  narrating  some  incidents  of  early  days,  Mr.  Gorr  says  that 
during  the  winter  of  1850-51  Augustus  Pentler  worked  for  Bunnell 
by  the  month  chopping  on  the  islands.  In  the  spring  he  returned 
to  Blinois,  where  his  wife  was  then  living.  During  the  summer 
Pentler  and  Gorr  came  up  the  river  together  and  stopped  off  at  La 
Crosse,  where  they  remained  for  a  few  days,  but  not  finding  employ- 
ment, they  crossed  the  Mississippi  and  came  up  the  river  on  foot 
over  the  trail  along  the  bluffs.  At  Brown's  they  stopped  to  rest  and 
get  something  to  eat.  Mr.  Brown  furnished  them  a  luncheon,  but, 
learning  that  they  were  going  up  to  Bunnell's  for  work,  he  declined 
to  receive  pay  for  the  refreshments  provided. 

In  speaking  of  Mr.  Brown  he  very  emphatically  remarked  :  "I 
have  known  Nathan  Brown  a  great  many  years.  He  was  the 
whitest  white  man  among  all  the  old  settlers  in  this  county.  He 
always  had  the  courage  to  do  right  and  never  wronged  any  man 


18 -J  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

willt'ullv  that  I  ever  hoard.  He  feared  no  man,  but  he  treated 
evervlK)dv  witli  decency  and  gentlemanly.  That  was  the  reason 
why  he  was  respected  by  everybody.  Even  the  'cussed'  Indians 
respected  hhn  and  had  confidence  in  his  integrity.  Strangers  as 
well  as  acquaintances  were  always  welcome  to  his  hospitalities.  No 
one  ever  left  Brown's  suffering  from  hunger  if  he  made  his  wants 
known.'' 

Gorr  and  Pentler  worked  by  the  month  for  Bunnell  during  that 
season.  In  the  fall  they  built  a  comfortable  log  cabin  on*  the  island 
oi)posite  Bunnell's  and  brought  their  families  from  Illinois,  with  the 
design  of  settling  on  the  Sioux  lands  in  the  spring.  They  moved 
across  the  river  about  the  last  of  February,  1852,  and  made  their 
first  settlement  in  this  county. 

About  the  time  of  the  quarrel  between  Bunnell  and  Johnson, 
some  difficulties  occurred  from  business  transactions  between  Bun- 
nell and  Gorr.  These  choppers  took  sides  with  Johnson  against 
their  employer.  Johnson  went  down  with  his  oxen  and  sled  and 
moved  them  off  from  the  island  and  drew  the  logs  for  the  shanty. 

Mr.  Gorr  selected  this  location  as  a  temporary  stopping-place 
for  his  family  to  live  until  he  found  a  more  suitable  place  for  a  per- 
manent home.  Bunnell  objected  to  his  occupying  it.  Anticipating 
trouble  about  the  matter,  Johnson  and  the  settlers  on  Wabasha 
prairie  went  down  and  helped  put  up  the  cabin.  Bunnell  met  them 
and  strongly  protested  against  their  building  a  shanty  on  his  claim. 
Gorr  started  toward  him  in  a  threatening  manner  and  told  him  to 
"•drvup  and  go  home."  Bunnell,  being  alone,  considered  discre- 
tion the  better  part  of  valor,  and  did  not  interfere  with  the  house- 
raising. 

"When  W.  B.  Bunnell  and  Timothy  Burns,  lieutenant-governor 
of  the  State  of  Wisconsin,  with  others,  originated  the  scheme  of 
making  that  locality  a  town  site,  they  found  Gorr  an  encumbrance. 
Lieut. -Gov.  Burns  offered  him  twenty-five  dollars  for  his  cabin,  with 
a  promise  of  further  payment  in  lots  when  the  town  sjte  was  sur- 
veyed, provided  he  would  abandon  tlie  locality.  This  offer,  Mr. 
Gorr  accepted,  and  on  June  6  made  a  claim  in  what  is  now  Pleasant 
valley,  about  a  mile  above  wliere  Laird's  fiouring-mill  stands.  He 
built  a  log  house  on  it  and  moved  his  family  there  on  June  9. 

The  valley  was  for  several  years  known  as  Gorr  valley — until  it 
was  given  its  ]>resent  name.  Mr.  Gorr  was  the  first  to  settle  in  this 
\-alley.  and  among  the  first  in  this  county  to  make  farming  a  busi- 


FIEST    IMPKOVEMENTS.  .    183 

ness  occupation.  He  settled  here  with  the  design  of  making  it  his 
permanent  home,  and  occupied  this  farm  about  ten  years,  when  lie 
sold  out  and  invested  in  other  farming  lands.  Mr.  Gorr  is  yet  a 
resident  of  the  county  and  is  now  living  on  the  bank  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, above  the  village  of  Homer.  The  locality  was  once  the  town 
site  of  Minneowah.  His  house  is  within  ten  yards  of  the  site  where 
he  built  the  log  cabin  which  lie  sold  to  Lieut. -Gov.  Burns  in  the 
spring  of  1852. 

Henry  J.  Harrington  made  a  claim  in  the  mouth  of  Pleasant 
valley,  of  what  is  now  known  as  "Hamilton's  Farm."  During  the 
season  of  navigation  Mr.  Harrington  was  employed  as  mate  on  one 
of  the  steamboats  running  on  the  upper  Mississippi.  Early  in  the 
spring  of  1S52  he  brought  his  family  to  Bunnell's,  where  they 
boarded  until  he  had  a  shanty  built  on  his  claim.  His  first  cabin 
was  a  low  one-story  structure,  made  of  small  logs  or  poles,  roofed 
with  bark  from  the  Indian  tepees  in  that  vicinity.  This  shanty 
stood  in  a  grove  on  the  table  east  of  the  present  farm  buildings  and 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream.  Here  Mrs.  Harrington,  with  a 
family  by  the  name  of  Chamberlain,  lived  until  Mr.  Harrington 
built  a  more  permanent  house  on  the  west  side  of  the  stream. 

This  second  building  was  a  very  comfortable  story  and  a  half 
hewed  log  house,  about  16x20,  with  a  cellar  under  it,  walled  with 
stone.  This  building  formed  a  part,  of  the  old  farm  buildings  on 
"the  farm."  Mr.  Harrington  made  some  improvements.  He  had 
about  ten  acres  of  breaking  fenced  in  with  a  rail  fence,  which  he 
planted  to  corn.  He  also  cultivated  a  garden  and  set  out  some  fruit- 
trees.  It  was  his  design  to  open  up  a  stock  farm  here,  but  he  did 
not  live  to  carry  out  his  plans.  He  died  in  1853.  His  funeral  was 
on  Sunday,  June  12. 

Mrs.  Harrington  leased  the  house  and  cultivation  to  Patrick Nevil, 
who  came  into  the  county  that  fall.  She  stored  her  household  goods 
in  a  part  of  the  house  and  went  down  the  river  among  her  friends  to 
spend  the  winter,  leaving  the  care  of  her  property  to  her  agent, 
George  M.  Gere,  Esq.  Early  in  the  spring  Mr.  Gere  sold  the 
claim  to  M.  K.  Drew  for  $1:00,  giving  a  quit  claim  deed  subject  to 
the  lease  of  Mr.  IN'evil.  Some  incidents  relative  to  this  claim  will 
illustrate  the  uncertainty  of  real  estate  transactions  while  the  title  to 
the  land  was  in  the  United  States. 

Mr.  IS'evil  lived  on  the  Harrington  place  through  the  winter,  and 
in  the  spring  made  a  garden  and  planted  the  enclosed  field  with 


184  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

corn.  During  this  time  he  made  a  claim  in  the  valley  opposite  to 
Gorr's,  where  he  had  some  breaking  done  an<l  ])iiilt  a  shanty.  This 
is  now  the  farm  of  his  son,  Jolin  Nevil.  Having  an  oj)portunity  to 
dispose  of  his  cro})  to  a  cash  customer,  lie  sold  his  lease  to  John  C. 
Walker,  a  recent  arrival  with  a  family,  and  moved  on  his  own  claim. 

In  this  transaction  Mr.  Nevil  gave  Walker  a  quit  claim  deed  and 
possession  of  the  house.  Walker  then  assumed  to  be  the  proprietor 
and  real  owner  of  the  claim,  and  successfully  resisted  all  attempts 
of  Mr.  Drew  to  acquire  possession,  even  after  the  lease  had  expired 
or  was  declared  void.  He  bamcaded  the  house  and  with  his  family 
closely  guarded  the  ]>remises.  Under  no  pretext  was  anyone  per- 
mitted to  pass  the  boundaries  of  the  fence  which  inclosed  the 
impi-ovements. 

Mr.  Gere,  justice  of  the  peace  and  agent  of  Mrs.  Harrington, 
with  the  constable,  Harvey  S.  Terry,  attempted  to  obtain  entrance 
to  the  house  by  demanding  the  household  goods  of  Mrs.  Harring- 
ton stored  in  the  dwelling.  They  were  met  at  the  "bars,"  by  the 
whole  Walker  family.  Mr.  Walker,  with  his  gun  in  his  hands  and 
revolver  in  his  belt,  Mrs.  Walker,  armed  with  a  huge  carving  knife, 
the  children  carrying  an  ax,  a  scythe  and  a  pitchfork.  The  officers 
of  the  law  hesitated  "  to  storm  the  castle  against  such  an  armed  lorce," 
and  called  a  parley  for  negotiations.  Mr.  Walker  did  not  object  to 
deliver  up  the  goods,  but  would  not  admit  them  into  the  enclosure. 
He  stood  guard  while  Mrs.  Walker  and  the  children  brought  the 
furniture  from  the  house  and  delivered  it  outside  the  fence.  Walker 
refused  to  relinquish  the  claim  to  Mr.  Gere,  but  sent  word  to  Mr. 
Drew  that  he  did  not  desire  to  be  mean  about  the  transaction,  and 
would  pay  him  $400  for  the  claim,  the  amount  he  had  paid  to  Mrs. 
Harrington,  provided  they  would  give  a  quit  claim  and  leave  him 
in  peaceable  })ossession  of  the  property.  Finding  the  s [peculation  an 
unprofitable  one,  and  glad  to  get  his  money  back,  Mr.  Drew  accej)ted 
the  proposition  and  the  claim  became  the  "Walker  Farm."  Mr. 
Walker  occui)ie(l  this  locality  about  ten  or  twelve  years,  when  he 
sold  out  and  went  south. 

Hirk  Carroll  made  a  claim  in  the  timber  below  Harrington's, 
which  he  sold  to  Silas  Stevens.  He  also  made  other  selections  along 
the  river  at  various  places,  but  did  not  locate  on  any  until  he  made 
a  claim  on  the  head  waters  of  Pine  .creek,  in  what  is  now  the  south- 
ern part  of  this  county,  where  he  made  a  permanent  settlement  and 
home  for  his  familv. 


WESTERN"    FARM    AND    VILLAGE    ASSOCIATION.  185 

The  sale  made  by  Hirk  Carroll  to  Silas  Stevens  was  the  first 
"•  real  estate"  transaction,  the  first  sale  of  a  claim  ever  made  in  the 
early  settlement  of  this  county.  Mr.  Stevens  had  such  confidence 
in  the  development  of  the  country  and  future  growth  of  a  com- 
mercial town  on  Wabasha  prairie  that  he  gave  Carroll  $50  if  he 
would  relinquish  the  claim  and  let  him  have  possession  of  it.  It 
was  held  by  Mr.  Stevens  for  a  year  or  two  afterward  in  the  name  of 
his  son,  Wm.  H.  Stevens.  It  was  the  design  of  Mr.  Stevens  to 
make  this  locality  a  site  for  a  steam  saw-mill,  expecting  to  use  the 
slough  for  the  purpose  of  storing  logs  brought  down  the  river. 

Mr.  Stevens  gave  his  claim  on  Wabasha  prairie  into  the  hands 
of  his  son,  Wm.  H.  Stevens,  to  hold  possession,  and  returned  to 
La  Crosse,  where  he  continued  to  carry  on  his  lumber  business. 


CHAPTEE   XX. 

WESTERN   FARM   AND   VILLAGE   ASSOCIATION. 

On  February  26,  1852,  William  Haddock  and  Arthur  Mur- 
phy arrived  in  this  part  of-  the  Territory  of  Minnesota.  They 
were  agents  of  an  organization  called  the  Western  Farm  and  Village 
Association,  explorers  and  prospectors  for  a  town  site  and  farming 
lands.  With  packs  on  their  backs,  each  carrying  a  buffalo-skin  and 
some  camp  supplies,  they  came  up  the  river  on  skates  from  La 
Crosse. 

In  a  letter  or  report  to  the  Association,  published  in  the  ofiicial 
organ  of  that  body,  "  The  Farm  and  Yillage  Advocate,"  Mr.  Had- 
dock says:  "After  leaving  La  Crosse  we  pursued  our  journey 
slowly  up  the  river  on  the  ice,  hugging  as  closely  as  possible  the 
Minnesota  side  of  the  river,  for  the  purpose  of  making  observations. 
After  traveling  until  about  noon  we  stopped  for  dinner  at  a  young 
trader's,  who  happened  to  have  a  smoking  dinner  just  ready  for  con- 
sumption. 

"  Having  no  time  to  lose,  we  resumed  our  tramp.  Without  per- 
ceiving any  cabin  or  other  dwelling,  we  proceded  on  our  journey 
until  the  shades  of  evening  began  to  gather  round.  Having 
brought  up  at  the  lower  extremity  of  a  sandy  island,  we  doffed  our 


186  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

buffalo-skins,  selected  a  spot  for  a  camp,  collected  wood,  lit  uj)  a 
fire,  spread  out  our  skins,  and  entered  u])on  the  full  enjoyment  of 
the  dubious  pleasures  of  'camping  out.'  To  camp  out,  however,  is 
not  a  very  agreeable  thing  to  a  person  not  accustomed  to  it,  especi- 
ally in  a  cold  February  night. 

"  A  few  miles  of  travel  in  the  morning,  after  camping,  brought 
us  to  a  new  town  site,  just  developed,  called  Waubashaw,  situated 
on  a  small  prairie  running  out  from  the  foot  of  a  range  of  bluffs 
toward  the  river. 

"  According  to  the  opinion  of  many  persons  at  La  Crosse,  this 
place  is  destined  to  be  the  largest  town  below  Lake  Pepin.  Although 
there  are  only  four  or  five  shanties  on  the  prairie  at  the  present  time, 
yet  the  whole  site  is  taken  up,  and  already  have  the  claimants  begun 
,to  fight  about  their  'claims.'  Waubashaw  will  yet  furnish  some 
rich  examples  of  discord,  and  is  destined,  I  fear,  to  become  a  prey 
to  speculation,  whatever  may  be  its  natural  advantages.  In  our 
opinion  it  has  not  much  to  boast  of  except  a  good  landing.  The 
land  is  poor  and  generally  low,  and  a  portion  of  it  subject  to  over- 
flow. 

"A  few  miles  above  Waubashaw  we  came  to  a  quiet  little  open- 
ing in  the  almost  endless  range  of  bluffs,  and  hove  to  on  our  skates 
for  the  purpose  of  making  observations.  On  reaching  the  shore  we 
passed  over  an  open,  but  rather  a  low  and  marshy  prairie,  for  about 
half  a  mile,  when  we  came  to  a  most  beautiful  opening  of  compara- 
tively high  table-land,  covered  with  oak. 

"The  extent  of  this  opening  is  fully  large  enough  for  our  entire 
village  plat,  exclusive  of  the  low  land  on  the  river,  which  can  ulti- 
timately  be  filled  up  and  divided,  as  business  plats  among  all  our 
members,  proving  a  source  of  great  gain  as  business  increases  and 
the  town  becomes  settled.  There  is  considerable  variety  of  surface 
in  the  town  plat  which  settlement  will  remedy,  but  take  it  as  a 
whole,  I  do  not  know  that  I  have  seen  anything  to  surpass  it.  In- 
deed, I  may  say  that  it  is  beautiful,  and  throws  Waubashaw  and 
Prairie  La  Crosse  entirely  in  the  shade." 

Haddock  and  Murphy,  on  their  way  from  La  Crosse,  passed 
Wabasha  Prairie  and  skated  up  Straight  Slough,  supposing  it  to  be 
a  main  channel  of  the  river.  On  their  way  up  the  slough  their  at- 
tention was  attracted  to  the  general  appearance  of  the  mouth  of  the 
TtoUing  Stone  Valley.  On  examination  of  this  locality  these  town- 
site  hunters  found,  to  their  disappointment,  that  their  ideal  village 


WESTEKK    FARM    AND    VILLAGE    ASSOCIATION.  187 

sight,   SO  opportunely  discovered,  was  occupied.     Civilization  had 
already  sprouted  on  this  part  of  the  late  "Sioux  Purchase." 

Israel  JVI.  Noracong  claimed  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  the 
mouth  of  the  Kolling  Stone  Valley,  where  he  had  built  his  shanty, 
his  claim  covering  the  present  village  of  Minnesota  City.  They  put 
up  with  Noracong  and  explained  to  him  the  object  of  their  visit,  the 
designs  and  advantages  of  the  association  represented  by  them,  and 
the  benefit  the  organization  would  be  in  the  settlement  of  the  part 
of  the  territory  in  which  it  was  located.  Mr.  Noracong  at  once  be- 
came interested  in  their  plan  of  colonization. 

Finding  that  he  was  willing  to  compromise  matters  with  them, 
they  made  arrangements  hy  which  he  was  induced  to  relinquish  all 
of  his  claim,  except  about  fifteen  acres  of  land  where  his  cabin  stood, 
which  included  a  mill-site  on  the  stream.  This  mill-site  is  the  local- 
ity where  the  flouring  mill  of  A.  E.  Elsworth  now  stands. 

After  satisfactory  arrangements  had  been  made  with  ISToracong, 
and  before  any  explorations  of  the  surrounding  country  had  been  at- 
tempted. Haddock  and  Murphy,  in  the  name  of  the  association, 
made  claim  to  all  the  lands  in  the  valley  of  the  Rolling  Stone,  and 
to  all  the  country  lying  adjacent.  This  was  the  largest  claim  ever 
made  in  the  county  under  any  pretense  whatever. 

They  at  once  commenced  to  lay  out  a  village  plat  in  accordance 
with  a  general  plan,  previously  adopted  by  the  association,  which 
they  had  brought  with  them.  This  was  the  first  town  site 
survej^ed  and  platted  in  southern  Minnesota. 

A  rough  plat  of  the  locality  was  made,  with  which  Mr.  Murphy 
returned  to  New  York  city  to  report  their  discoveries.  Mr.  Had- 
dock remained  to  hold  the  claim  and  continue  his  survey  of  village 
lots.  The  survey  was  commenced  with  a  pocket  compass;  the 
measurements  were  made  with  a  tape  line  belonging  to  Mr.  Nora- 
cong. 

This  locality  was  the  scene  of  many  important  events  in  the  early 
settlement  of  this  county,  some  of  which  will  be  noted  in  other 
chapters. 

In  the  spring  of  1852  the  ice  went  out  and  the  Mississippi  was 
open  in  this  vicinity  on  March  15.  The  first  steamboat  from  below 
was  the  Nominee,  which  arrived  at  Wabasha  prairie  on  April  1. 
This  boat  only  went  up  as  far  as  Lake  Pepin  on  account  of  the  ice. 
On  its  second  trip  it  passed  through  the  lake  April  16,  and  was  the 
first  steamboat  to  arrive  at  St.  Paul. 


ISS  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Ciipt.  Smith  brought  up  on  the  Nominee  quite  a  number  of  pas- 
sengers, who  landed  on  Wabasha  prairie,  and  also  some  lumber  and 
supplies  for  the  settlers.  As  soon  as  the  material  arrived,  Johnson 
built  a  shantv  on  No.  4,  his  claim  at  the  upper  landing.  This  build- 
ing was  on  what  is  now  Center  street,  between  Second  and  Front 
streets.  It  was  12  X  16,  with  a  shed  roof  of  boards,  the  eaves  of 
which  were  about  five  feet  from  the  ground.  This  was  f(jr  awhile 
the  hotel,  the  general  stopping-place  for  all  who  got  off  at  what  was 
then  known  as  Johnson's  Landing.  Every  claim  shanty  was,  how- 
ever, the  stranger's  home,  if  application  was  made  for  shelter  and 
food. 

Jabez  McDermott  built  a  log  shanty  on  his  claim,  a  little  south- 
east from  where  the  shops  of  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  railroad  now 
stand.  The  roof  was  a  covering  of  bark.  All  of  the  material  for 
this  shanty  was  taken  from  the  Indian  tepees  which  stood  near  by. 
This  locality  was  the  site  of  Wabasha's  village — the  village  of  the 
band  of  Sioux  of  which  he  was  the  chief,  and  their  general  gather- 
ing-place. There  were  seven  or  eight  of  their  cabins  standing  when 
McDermott  made  a  claim  of  their  village. 

These  Indian  tepees  were  constructed  with  a  framework  of  posts 
and  poles  fastened  together  by  withes  and  covered  with  broad  strips 
of  elm  bark.  The  roof  was  peaked,  the  bark  covering  supported  by 
a  framework  of  poles.  For  the  sides  the  strips  of  bark  were  of  suit- 
able length  to  reach  from  the  ground  to  the  eaves.  They  were 
oblong  in  shape,  about  15  X  20  feet,  the  sides  about  four  or  five  feet 
high.  The  bark  covering  was  fastened  by  poles  outside  secured  by 
withes.  No  nails  or  pins  were  used  in  their  construction.  Inside 
they  were  provided  with  benches,  or  berths,  from  two  to  three  feet 
wide  and  about  two  feet  from  the  ground,  extending  around  three 
sides  of  the  hut.  These  seats,  or  sleeping-places,  were  composed  of 
poles  and  bark.  Some  sawed  lumber  was  also  used  about  these 
tepees.  The  lumber,  boards  and  planks,  found  there  by  the  early 
settlers  was  probably  taken  from  the  river,  brought  down  by  floods 
from  wrecks  of  rafts. 

There  were  two  or  three  of  these  tepees  in  the  mouth  of  Gilmore 
valley  near  the  Indian  cultivation.  One  much  larger  than  the  others 
was  about  20  X  30.  There  were  also  two  or  three  in  the  mouth  of 
Burns  valley.  They  were  all  of  the  same  style  of  architecture  and 
similarly  constructed. 

These  cabins  were  but  summer  residences  for  the  Sioux  and  were 


WESTERN    FARM    AND    VILLAGE    ASSOCIATION.  189 

but  temporarily  occupied  in  cold  weather,  when  they  usually  fixed 
their  hunting  camps,  of  skin  or  cloth  tents,  in  the  timber  on  the 
river  bottoms.  The  Indians  sometimes  halted  in  their  migration  and 
stopped  in  them  for  two  or  three  days  at  a  time  after  the  first  settlers 
came  here  in  1851,  but  they  abandoned  them  entirely  in  the  spring 
of  1852.  These  tepees  were  torn  down  in  the  forepart  of  this  season. 
While  the  Sioux  remained  in  this  vicinity  they  sometimes  visited 
the  settlements,  and  were  at  all  times  friendly  without  being  familiar 
or  troublesome. 

Soon  alter  tlie  opening  of  navigation  another  town  site  was  dis- 
covered on  the  Mississippi  below  the  mouth  of  the  White  Water. 
Two  or  three  brothers  by  tire  name  of  Hall  selected  this  location. 
It  was  known  as  Hall's  Landing.  No  special  effort  was  made  to 
develop  its  advantages  until  the  following  year,  when  the  town  ol 
Mt.  Yernon  was  laid  out,  about  two  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the 
White  Water. 

During  1851  and  1852  there  was  quite  a  rush  of  immigration  to 
the  country  on  the  upper  Mississippi.  Among  the  localities  in  the 
western  part  of  the  State  of  Wisconsin  which  attracted  considerable 
attention  from  this  moving  population  was  La  Crosse.  After  the  treaty 
with  the  Sioux  in  1851  many  of  these  immigrants  made  La  Crosse  a 
temporary  halting  place  until  opportunity  was  given  to  make 
selections  of  locations  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  A  very  large 
majority  of  the  first  settlers  in  southern  Minnesota  were  of  this  class. 

With  the  exception  of  the  colony  that  settled  at  Minnesota  City, 
Winona  county  was  first  settled  almost  entirely  by  these  temporary 
residents  of  La  Crosse.  During  the  winter  some  of  these  citizens  of 
Wisconsin  came  up  the  i-iver  on  the  ice  and  selected  locati(m8  on 
Wabasha  prairie  and  in  its  vicinity.  In  the  spring  they,  with  others, 
visited  this  part  of  the  territory  to  see  the  country,  and  made  claims 
in  a  more  formal  manner. 

These  claims  were  usually  marked  by  writing  the  name  of  the 
dawi-maker  on  the  stakes  which  defined  the  location  selected,  or,  if 
in  the  timber,  the  trees  were  blazed  and  the  name  of  the  claimant 
conspicuously  displayed.  As  the  season  advanced  it  became  neces- 
sary to  represent  some  improvements.  A  few  logs  laid  up,  as  if  a 
future  cabin  was  contemplated,  a  few  furrows  with  a  plow,  or  a  little 
corn  or  vegetables  planted,  gave  evidence  that  the  claim  was  occu- 
pied.  '  These  claims  were  usually  acknowledged  by  the  settlers  and 


190  IIISTOKY    OF    AVINONA    COUNTY. 

mutual  protection  given,  although  the  laws  governing  claims  were 
not  fully  com})lied  with. 

Among  those  who  came  up  during  the  winter  and  selected  loca- 
tions, and  who  afterward  became  residents  of  Wabasha  prairie,  was 
"William  B.  Gere,  commonly  called  "Beecher  Gere."  He  made  a 
claim  south  of  and  joining  both  of  the  claims  of  Johnson  and 
Stevens.  Although  a  settler  could  not  hold,  legally,  but  160  acres, 
this  claim  was  laid  on  a  sliding  scale,  and  for  awhile  Beecher  Gere's 
claim  covered  twice  that  amount  of  land. 

Enos  P.  Williams,  then  in  the  employ  of  Silas  Stevens  at  La 
Crosse,  selected  the  location  adjoining  Gere's  on  the  east.  This  is 
now  known  as  Hubbard's  addition. 

Elijah  Silsbee  selected  the  one  next  west  of  that  claimed  by  Gere, 
and  a  man  by  the  name  of  Hobbs  took  that  next  to  Silsbee's  on  the 
west. 

Frank  Curtiss  discovered  that  there  was  room  for  another  claim 
between  that  selected  for  Scott  Clark  and  the  claims  of  McDermott 
and  Keene,  and  located  himself  there. 

Walter  Brown  selected  a  location  in  what  is  now  Gilmore  valley, 
in  the  mouth  of  the  ravine  about  where  the  brickyard  of  Mr.  Ber- 
sange  is  now  located. 

George  G.  Barbei*  made  choice  of  one  adjoining  Brown's  in  the 
valley  above. 

Rev.  George  Chester,  a  Methodist  minister — the  lirst  that  settled 
in  La  Crosse — made  a  claim  in  Gilmore  valley  where  the  county  farm 
is  now  located.  The  first  sermon  ever  delivered  to  the  early  settlers 
of  Winona  county  was  j^reached  by  Mr.  Chester  on  Wabasha  prairie 
while  on  this  visit  to  Minnesota.  Mr.  Chester  never  made  any 
improvements  on  his  claim,  neither  was  he  ever  a  resident  of  the 
county. 

A  colored  man,  a  barber  in  La  Crosse,  by  the  name  of  Williams, 
made  the  first  claim  across  the  slough  on  the  upper  ])rairie.  It  is 
now  the  residence  of  George  I.  Parsons,  The  claim  shanty  was 
near  the  railroad. 

Some  of  the  early  visitors  from  La  Crosse  who  came  up  with  Mr, 
Chester,  Mr.  Barber  and  others,  returned  without  selecting  locations, 
although  they  afterward  became  residents  of  Wabasha  i)rairie.  Dr. 
John  L.  Balcombe,  John  C.  Laird  and  Abner  S.  Goddard  were 
among  this  number.     Mention  will  be  made  of  them  at  a  latel*  date. 

Henry  C.  Gere  came  up  from  La  Crosse  early  in  the  s[)i'ing,  and 


WESTEKN   FARM    AND    VILLAGE    ASSOCIATION.  191 

landed  at  what  was  then  known  as  Jolmson's  landing,  with  his 
family,  household  goods,  and  lumber  for  a  shanty.  During  the 
winter  previous  he  visited  the  prairie  and  professed  to  have  selected 
a  claim,  but  refused  to  point  it  out, — none  of  the  settlers  were  aware 
of  his  choice  of  location. 

It  afterward  appeared  that  about  the  time  of  the  "difference" 
between  Bunnell  and  Johnson,  a  friendship,  or  rather  an  acquaint- 
ance was  formed  between  Gere  and  Bunnell,  and  a  plan  laid  to  jump 
the  Stevens  claim.  As  Mr.  Stevens  was  a  non-resident,  Gere  was  to 
locate  himself  on  the  claim  with  his  family,  and  Bunnell  was  to  aid 
him  to  keep  possession  of  it.  It  was  represented  by  Bunnell  that 
he  had  selected  this  claim  for  -H.  C.  Gere,  and  had  made  some 
designative  marks  on  the  back  side  of  it,  next  to  the  claim  selected 
by  Wm.  B.  Gere.  Until  spring  no  boundaries  were  marked  on  any 
of  the  claims,  except  the  claim-stakes  driven  along  the  bank  of  the 
river  by  Stevens  and  Johnson  in  the  fall  of  1851.  After  the  frost 
left  the  ground  in  the  spring  these  claims  were  marked  by  corner 
stakes  in  the  rear. 

Gere  also  pretended  that  he  was  a  partner  with  Stevens  in  the 
lumber  business  at  La  Crosse  when  the  claim  was  made, — that  it  was 
a  joint  speculation  which  Mr.  Stevens  ignored. 

A  day  or  two  before  Gere  left  La  Crosse  with  his  family,  Silas 
Stevens  learned  that  he  professed  to  have  an  interest  in  claim  No. 
3  on  "Wabasha  prairie,  and  that  he  was  going  there  to  live.  Being 
well  acquainted  with  Gere,  and  fearing  trouble  from  him,  Mr.  Stevens 
came  up  to  the  prairie  and  there  awaited  his  arrival. 

"With  well-assumed  confidence  that  he  had  an  undisputed  right 
to  the  Stevens  claim,  Gere  seciired  the  services  of  Johnson  with  his 
oxen  and  sled,  loaded  with  lumber,  and  started  with  a  friend  or  two 
to  take  possession  of  it.  As  he  approached  the  west  boundary  of 
the  claim  with  his  load  of  lumber,  he  was  met  by  Silas  Stevens,  Wm. 
H.  Stevens,  George  "W.  Clark  and  Allen  Gilmore.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  Silas  Stevens  this  party  was  armed,  although  no  revolvers 
were  in  sight.  Each  carried  a  strong  cudgel,  except  Wm.  H.  Stevens, 
who  handled  a  gun  and  assumed  the  position  of  leader.  He  ordered 
Gere  to  halt  and  not  attempt  to  cross  the  claim  line  with  his  lumber. 
This  claim  boundary  was  a  line  due  south  from  the  claim  stake, 
which  stood  on  the  bank  of  the  river  about  midway  between  what  is 
now  Walnut  and  Market  streets.  Meeting  so  firm  an  obstruction, 
Gere  and  his  party  with  the  load  of  lumber  moved  back  on  the 


1V>2  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

prairie  alona;  the  designated  line,  escorted  by  the  Stevens  pai'ty, 
until  the  south  boundary  of  the  claim  was  passed.  The  escort  then 
stood  guard  while  Gere  put  up  a  shanty  on  the  claim  of  his  nepliew, 
Wm.  B.  (^ere. 

The  shanty  built  by  II.  C.  Gere  stood  on  the  east  side  of  Franklin 
street,  between  Wabasha  and  Sanborn  streets,  on  the  lot  where 
Thomas  Burk  now  lives.  It  was  12  X 12  wlien  first  built,  and  cov- 
ered with  a  board  roof,  but  was  afterward  enhirged  to  12x18."  and 
centered  with  a  shingled  roof,  sloping  the  length  of  the  shanty.  Mr. 
Gere  lived  there  until  the  s])ring  of  1854,  when  he  moved  onto  a 
claim  in  the  mouth  of  West  Burns  valley.  The  writer  occupied 
this  shanty  as  his  residence  and  business  ofHce  in  July  and  August, 
1854. 

This  was  but  the  beginning  of  Gere's  efforts  to  get  possession  of 
the  Steven/  claim.  Other  incidents  relative  to  this  claim  will  be 
given. 

Among  the  earliest  arrivals  this  spring  were  John  Evans  and  S. 
K.  Thompson.  Mr.  Thompson  did  not  at  once  make  a  claim,  but 
lived  on  Wabasha  prairie,  a  passive  looker-on  for  some  time  before 
he  took  an  active  part  as  a  bona-fide  settler. 

Mr.  Evans  was  an  old  pioneer,  familiar  with  pioneer  life  and  the 
settlement  of  a  claim  country.  He  at  once  commenced  prospecting, 
and  soon  discovered  that  Clark  was  holding  two  claims.  Consider- 
ing this  to  be  a  favorable  oppoi'tunity  to  secure  a  good  location  near 
the  landing,  he  selected  the  one  Mr.  Clark  had  made  and  was  hold- 
ing in  the  name  of  his  brother,  and  announced  his. purpose  to  make 
that  his  claim.  Clark  earnestly  protested  against  this,  but  Evans 
asserted  that  he  had  a  right  to  it,  that  Scott  Clark  had  never  been 
in  the  territory,  and  George  W.  Clark  was  then  holding  a  claim  on 
the  prairie.  Evans,  with  the  helj)  of  Th()mi)Son.  had  already  com- 
menced cutting  logs  for  a  cabin,  but  seeing  that  Clark  was  extremely 
anxious  to  retain  the  claim  across  the  slough,  offered  to  let  him  take 
his  choice  of  the  two  he  was  holding.  Finding  that  Evans  was 
determined  in  the  matter,  Clark  very  reluctantl}'  decided  to  relin- 
quish the  first  claim  he  had  made,  claim  No.  6.  provided  Evans 
would  abandon  the  other. 

John  Evans  then  took  possession  of  the  claim  relinquished  by 
Clark  and  commenced  making  improvements.  This  was  afterward 
known  as  the  "  Evans  Claim.''  Chute's  and  Foster's  additions  were 
parts   of  that  claim.     It  was  on  what  is  now  known  as  Foster's 


WESTEEN    FARM    AND    VILLAGE    ASSOCIATION.  193 

addition  that  Mr.  Evans  placed  his  buildings.  It  was  here  that  he 
lived  while  a  resident  of  the  county,  and  where  he  died.  While 
living  here  Mr.  Evans  opened  up  a  farm  and  inclosed  the  whole  claim 
with  a  rail  fence.  He  at  one  time  had  a  field  under  cultivation  which 
comprised  about  half  of  his  claim,  on  which  he  raised  several  crops  of 
wheat,  corn,  etc.  He  then  disposed  of  a  part  of  it  (Chute's  addition), 
and  divided  a  portion  into  suburban  lots,  retaining  what  is  now 
Foster's  addition  as  his  homestead. 

Mr.  Evans  did  not  bring  his  family  here  until  late  in  the  summer 
of  1852. — not  until  he  had  built  a  house  for  them  to  move  into.  His 
house  was  covered  with  the  first  shingled  roof  ever  put  on. any  build- 
ing on  Wabasha  prairie  ;  the  first  shingled  roof  in  the  city  of 
Winona. 

The  family  of  Mr.  Evans,  when  he  located  here  in  1852,  consisted 
of  a  wife,  two  daughters  and  a  son.  One  of  the  daughters  married 
O.  S.  Holbrook ;  the  other  became  the  wife  of  Erwin  H.  Johnson. 
Another  daughter,  the  wife  of  James  Williams,  came  here  about 
two  years  after.  James  Williams  is  yet  a  resident  of  the  county. 
Mr.  Evans  and  all  of  his  family  mentioned  above  are  now  dead, 
except  his  son,  Royal  B.  Evans,  who  is  a  resident  of  the  county, 
living  in  the  town  of  W^ilson. 

Wlien  George  W.  Clark  relinquished  his  claim.  No.  6,  to  John 
Evans,  he  took  possession  of  the  land  across  the  slough  in  his  own 
name.  When  his  brother  came  on  he  aided  liim  in  securing  another 
location.  Mr.  Clark  never  speculated  in  city  lots  or  suburban  prop- 
erty. His  choice  of  claims  was  undoubtedly  the  decisive  point  in 
his  life  as  to  his  future  business  occupations  and  liome. 

Mr  Clark  left  the  State  of  New  York  in  1851.  with  the  design  to 
secure  to  himself  a  farm  somewhere  in  tlie  western  country.  He  first 
went  to  Fond  rlu  Lac,  Wisconsin,  where  he  had  relatives;  but  learn- 
ing there  of  the  rush  to  the  upper  Mississippi  country,  he  with  others 
started  on  foot  across  the  state  to  La  Crosse.  He  there  sought 
employment  and  secured  a  situation  in  the  lumber  yard  of  Silas 
Stevens,  where  he  proposed  to  remain  until  he  should  learn  of  a 
satisfactory  location  for  a  permanent  settlement.  Influenced  by  a 
higher  rate  of  interest  than  he  had  been  familiar  with  in  the  east,  he 
placed  what  funds  he  had  with  him  in  the  hands  of  his  employer. 
Familiar  acquaintance  increased  a  mutual  confidence  of  the  two  in 
each  other,  and  when  Mr.  Stevens  decided  to  make  a  speculative 
investment  on  Wabasha  prairie,  in  the  Territory  of  Minnesota,  he 


194  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

selected  Mr.  Clark  as  his  agent.  His  arrival  here  on  November  12, 
1851,  has  already  been  narrated. 

The  force  of  circumstances  compelled  Mr.  Clark  to  make  selection 
of  the  farm  for  which  he  had  left  his  father's  house  and  come  west. 
Having  decided  to  locate  on  his  claim  across  the  slough,  he  gave 
his  whole  time  and  attention  to  its  improvement  and  increasing  his 
possessions  by  securing  adjoining  i)roperty  by  way  of  speculation. 

Tlie  tirst  rails  used  by  Mr.  Clark  in  his  farming  o])erations  were 
the  relics  of  a  fence  built  by  the  Sioux  to  keep  their  ponies  from 
ranging  over  their  cultivation  in  the  mouth  of  the  valley  above.  This 
Indian  fence  .extended  from  the  bluffs  to  the  lake  or  slough  on  the 
bottom,  about  on  the  west  boundary  of  his  claim,  and  nearly  on  the 
west  line  of  his  farm. 

These  were  some  of  the  circumstances  of  his  first  settlement 
here,  which,  with  his  determined  purpose  to  locate  on  a  farm,  made 
George  W.  Clark,  the  pioneer  farmer,  the  first  practical  farmer  to 
settle  on  a  claim  held  exclusively  for  farming  purposes.  He  began 
his  first  improvements  on  this  claim  in  March,  1852,  using  the  horses 
of  Mr.  Stevens  for  his  first  team-work,  to  haul  the  logs  together 
which  he  had  cut  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  claim  shanty,  before 
it  was  jumped  by  John  Evans.  Mr.  Clark's  original  claim  shanty 
was  located  about  where  his  hay-shed  now  stands,  in  the  meadow 
near  where  the  lane  leading  to  his  present  residence  leaves  the  Gil- 
more  valley  road. 

Mr.  Clark  has  lived  on  the  farm  he  now  occupies  about  thirty- 
one  years.  The  little  log  shanty  and  straw-covered  sheds  have  been 
superseded  by  a  large  farmhouse  and  a  commodious  barn  and  sheds. 
He  has  been  a  prosperous  farmer.  Although  -others  engaged  in 
farming  ojierations  early  in  the  season  of  1852  and  made  as  much 
improvement  on  their  claims  as  Mr.  Clark,  he  was  the  first  to  settle 
on  any  land  now  held  as  a  farm  in  this  county. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE  ASSOCIATION  CRYSTALLIZED. 

The  association  by  which   Minnesota  Qty  was  first  settled  origi- 
nated m  the  city  of  New  York  in  the  summer  of  1851.    This  organi- 
zation was  never  generally  understood  by  the  western  public,  nor  its 
special  objects  clearly  comprehended  by  the  early  settlers  in  this 
part  of  the  territory.     It  is,  indeed,  more  than  probable  that  some 
of  Its  members  had  but  indifferent  ideas  of  its  operations  and  special 
design  when  practically  demonstrated.    The  people  generally  consid- 
ered the  association  to  be  a  body  of  fanatical  communists— a  social- 
istic organization  with  such  visionary  and  impracticable  theories  ot 
colonization  that  failure  was  but  an  inherent  destiny.     These  mis- 
taken ideas  and  false  impressions  prejudiced  other  settlers  against 
them  from  the  first.      The  apparently  clannish  exclusiveness  and 
mysterious  manner  of  the  colonists  confirmed  these  vague  opinions 
and  excited  a  jealous  rivalry  with  settlements  in  other  localities      A 
mutual  antagonism  resulted,  which  time  alone  dissipated,  but  not 
until  long  after  the  association  had  ceased  to  exist  as  an  organization. 
This  association  was  composed  of  persons  of  dift'erent  nationali- 
ties, different  religious  and  political  opinions,  and  of  difierent  busi- 
ness occupation,  united  for  a  special  object.     It  was  an  emigration 
society,  designed  to  aid  its  members  in  leaving  the  city  and  forming 
a  colony  on  government  lands  in  the  west.     The  organization  was 
but  a  temporary  one,  and  never  designed  for  any  other  purpose. 

That  the  plan  of  colonization  was  practicable  under  favorable 
circumstances,  in  the  hands  of  practicable  men  and  under  the  man- 
agement of  practicable  leaders,  there  is  but  little  doubt.  That  it 
was,  to  a  great  extent,  a  failure,  that  the  results  were  not  fully  in 
accordance  with  that  anticipated  from  its  programme  of  operations 
was  evidently  attributable  to  the  incapacity  and  inexperience  of  the 
leaders  rather  than  to  radical  defects  in  the  plan.  Justice  to  these 
pioneer  settlers  of  the  county  exacts  a  brief  sketch  of  the  organiza- 
tion by  which  the  colony  was  located. 

_    William  Haddock,  one  of  the  discoverers  of  the  town  site  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Eolling  Stone  valley,  was  the  founder  and  president  of 


198  HISTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

tlie  association.  In  July,  1851,  Mr.  Haddock,  then  a  journeyman 
printer  living  in  New  York  city,  conceived  the  idea,  and  in  a  public 
lecture  at  a  meeting  of  mechanics  called  by  him  for  the  purpose,  pre- 
sented the  outlines  of  a  plan  whereby  the  mechanics  of  the  city 
would  be  able  to  secure  "homes  in  the  west,"  to  leave  the  city  and 
locate  on  government  lands,  to  go  in  a  body  and  form  a  colony. 

His  audience  manifested  considerable  interest  in  the  subject  of 
his  lecture,  and  appointed  a  committee  to  take  the  matter  into  con- 
sideration and  draw  up  a  code  of  laws  for  an  organization  on  the  plan 
proposed.  The  committee  made  a  report  the  following  week,  and  a 
form  of  organization  was  effected,  with  William  Haddock  as  presi- 
dent and  Thomas  K.  Allen  secretary.  It  was  not,  however,  until 
about  the  middle  of  September  that  the  association  was  considered 
fairly  organized,  although  weekly  meetings  were  held  for  the  pur- 
pose of  perfecting  the  laws  and  in  many  ways  modifying  the  original 
plan  proposed  by  Mr.  Haddock. 

That  tfie  plan  adopted  may  be  impartially  presented,  the  follow- 
ing extracts  have  been  copied  from  the  "  Constitution  and  By-Laws 
of  the  Western  Farm  and  Yillage  Association." 

PREAMBLE. 

Whereas,  We  whose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed  are  desirous  of  locat- 
ing ourselves  advantageously  on  governinent  lands  in  some  of  our  western 
states  or  territories,  and, 

AVhereas,  We  wish  at  the  same  time  to  avail  ourselves  of  all  the  advan- 
tages of  civilization  which  can  be  immediately  secured  only  bj'^  emigrating  in 
large  companies  and  settling  in  close  proximity,  we  do  hereby  adopt,  for  the 
more  effectual  attainment  of  our  object,  the  following  constitution  and  by-laws, 
t(3  which  each  one  of  us  subscribes  and  pledges  himself  to  conform  : 

CONSTITUTION. 

Article  I.  Section  1.  This  assot-iation  shall  be  styled  "The  Western  Farm 
and  Village  Association,  No.  1,  of  the  City  of  New  York." 

(Sec.  2  enumerates  the  officers.) 

Article  II.    Object  and  plan  of  action. 

Sec.  1.  The  object  of  this  association  shall  be  the  organization  aftd  setth'- 
ment  of  one  or  more  townshii)s  and  villages  on  the  public  lands,  in  some  of  the 
western  stati'S  or  territories  of  the  United  States,  with  the  view  of  obtaining,  if 
possible,  a  free  grant  of  the  same  from  congress. 

Sec.  2.  The  number  of  members  which  this  association  may  embrace  shall 
not  exceed  five  hundred,  and  shall  consist  of  a  pro])ortional  number  from  each 
of  theprincii)al  departments  of  industry. 

Sec.  3.  The  condition  upon  which  congress  shall  be  solicited  to  make  a  free 
grant  of  land  to  members  of  this  assoi'iation  shall  be  actual  settlement  and  im- 


THE    ASSOCIATION    CEYSTALLIZED.  199 

provement;  and  no  member  shall  be  allowed  t..  subscribe  for  more  than   KiO 
acres  and  a  village  plat  of  four  acres. 

Sec'  4  As  soon  as  the  funds  of  this  ass..ciation  shall  permit,  an  experienced 
and  reliable  member  shall  be  commissioned  to  look  for  a  site  or  sites  for  a 
township  and  village,  who  shall,  while  thus  employed,  act  under  the  instruc- 
tioiis  of  this  association,  and  make  such  reports  to  the  same  from  time  to  time 
as  he  may  deem  necessary,  or  may  be  required  of  him. 

Sec.  o.     When  the  member  thus  commissioned  shall  have  performed  the 

abor  assigned  him  a  competent  committee  shall  be  elected  to  re-examine  such 

locahties  as  may  have  been  reported  by  him,  or  such  other  places  as  may  be 

authorized  by  the  association  ;  which  committee  shall  give  a  full  and  true  -ic- 

count  of  each  locality  to  this  body. 

Sec.  6.  The  sight  of  the  township  and  village  shall  be  determined  by  a  vote 
of  this  association  before  any  choice  of  land  shall  have  been  made  by  anv  of 
its  members;  such  determination  to  be  based  upon  the  committee  of  examina- 
tion, or  upon  such  other  facts,  circumstances  or  information  as  may  be  deemed 
important. 

_  Sec.  7.  When  the  site  of  the  township  shall  have  been  chosen  by  the  asso- 
ciation, the  different  kinds  of  land  outside  the  village  plat,  such  as  timber 
prairie  and  suburban  land,  shall  be  so  laid  off  as  to  render  all  the  landed 
advantages  growing  out  of  this  association  as  equally  available  as  possible. 
Maps  shall  be  drawn  representing  the  village,  suburban,  farming  and  wood 
plats,  accompanied  by  a  brief  description  of  each  and  every  lot  When 
this  shall  have  been  done  and  approved  by  the  association,  the  order  of  choos- 
ing aniong  the  members  shall  be  settled  by  numbers,  after  which  each  shall 
make  his  selection  of  lots  according  to  the  number  of  his  choice. 

Sec.  8.  The  village  site  shall  be  so  surveyed  as  to  allow  each  member  of 
this  association,  after  deducting  liberally  for  streets  and  parks,  to  have  a  village 
plat  ot  ab(jut  four  acres. 

Sec.  9.  The  time  of  emigration  for  this  association  shall  not  extend  bevond 
the  15th  of  April,  1852. 

Article  III.  (Defines  the  duties  of  officers). 

Article  IV.  Membership. 

Sec.  1.  The  qualifications  for  membership  in  this  association  shall  be  good 
moral  character,  industrious  habits,  and  a  willingness  to  conform  to  the  consti- 
tution and  by-laws. 

Sec  2.  Applications  for  admission  into  this  association  may  be  made 
through  any  member  of  the  same,  at  any  regular  meeting ;  whereupon  the 
application  shall  be  immediately  laid  before  the  board  of  directors  •  if  upon 
investigation,  he  or  she  shall  be  found  acceptable  by  a  majority  of  the  board 
they  shall  report  accordingly  at  the  next  meeting,  when,  if  the  candidate  re- 
ceive a  majority  of  votes  of  the  members  present,  he  or  she  shall  be  entitled 
to  a  certificate  of  membership  on  payment  of  the  initiation  fee. 

Sec  3.  Every  person  on  being  elected  a  member  of  this  association,  shall 
pay  an  initiation  fee  of  one  dollar.  (This  was  afterward  raised  to  five 
dollars). 

Sec  4.  No  member  of  this  association  shall  be  allowed  to  subsci-ibe  for  or 
hold  more  than  160  acres  of  land  and  a  village  plat  of  four  acres. 


200  lilSTOIlY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Sei'.  5.  An)' ineiuber  of  this  association  may  be  suspended  or  expelled  (nr 
misconduct  or  neglect  of  olHcial  duties;  but  no  member  shall  be  expelled 
without  a  fair  trial  ])y  a  committee  of  five  members. 

Sec-.  6.  Should  any  member  desire  to  withdraw  from  this  association,  he  or 
she  may  transfer  his  or  her  interest  to  any  person  not  already  a  member,  sub- 
ject to  the  api)roval  of  the  association  ;  the  said  |»erson  shall  pay  a  transfer 
fee  of  fifty  cents,  which  shall  be  an  acknowledgment  of  his  or  her  member- 
.ship.  But  in  the  event  nf  this  association  obtaining  a  free  grant  of  the  land, 
this  section  shall  be  rendered  null  and  void. 

Sec.  7.  In  the  event  of  the  death  of  a  member  of  this  association,  all  moneys 
paid  by  the  deceased  into  the  society  shall,  at  the  option  of  the  association, 
be  promptly  restored  to  his  or  her  legal  representatives. 

Sec.  8.  Persons  residing  at  a  distance  may,  on  being  elected  members  of 
this  association,  remit  their  initiation  fee  and  weekly  dues  to  the  financial 
secretary,  in  sums  of  one  dollar  for  every  eight  weeks. 

Article  V.  On  the  election  of  otficers. 

Sec.  1.  All  othcers  shall  he  elected  by  ballot,  and  shall  .serve  until  the  ob- 
jects of  this  association  shall  be  attained,  unless  disqualitied  by  misconduct  or 
incapacity. 

Article  VI.  Dues. 

Sec.  1.  The  weekly  dues  of  all  members  of  this  association  shall  be  twelve 
and  a  half  cents,  commencing  the  first  day  of  August,  1851. 

Sec.  2.  No  dues  or  initiation  fees  shall  be  refunded  to  members  of  tWs 
association  in  conse((uence  of  their  withdrawal"  from  the  same. 

Sec.  .3.  If  any  member  of  this  association  shall  neglect  the  payment  of  his 
or  her  dues  for  a  longer  time  than  four  weeks,  he  or  she  shall  be  subject  to  a 
fine  of  twelve  and  a  half  cents  for  each  succeeding  week  while  in  arrears. 

Article  VII.  (Relates  to  drawing  money  on  deposit).  \ 

Article  VIII.  On  disbursement  of  moneys. 

Sec.  1.  All  moneys  paid  into  this  association  shall  be  devoted  to  the  pay- 
ment of  such  expenses  as  are  necessary  to  the  attainment  of  its  object,  and  to 
no  other  purpose,  and  no  moneys  shall  be  paid  out  without  a  vote  of  the 
association. 

Sec.  2.  When  this  associati(  »n  shall  di8s<jlve,  by  its  <  )wn  mutual  consent,  the 
books  of  all  officers  shall  be  balanced,  and  if  any  funds  remain  on  hand  after 
settlement  of  all  liabilities  of  the  associati(m,  they  shall  be  equally  divided 
among  the  members  that  then  exist. 

Article  IX.  (Enjoins  harmcmy  among  the  members). 

Article  X.  (Relates  to  altering  or  amending  constitution). 

BY-LAWS. 

Artk  i,K  I.  I  Time  and  place  of  meeting). 
Article  II.  (Quorum  tor  transaction  of  business). 
Article  III.  (Fines  of  officers  for  non-attendance). 
.Vrticle  IV.  (How  discussions  shall  be  conducted). 

Article  V.  Rule  of  Order. — As  this  association  is  organized  for  a  specific 
object,  its  rule  of  action  shall  be  distinct,  and  no  question  shall  be  in  order  or 


THE    ASSOCIATION    CRYSTALLIZED.  201 

entertained,  that  does  not  apply  clearly  to  the  object  specified  in  the  constitu- 
tion, and  the  means  of  carrying  such  object  into  effect ;  neither  shall  anything 
of  a  sectarian  or  political  character  Vje  introduced  into  the  discussions  of  this 
association. 

The  officers  were :  President,  William  Haddock  ;  vice-president, 
Wm.  Skinner ;  recording  secretary,  Thomas  K.  Allen  ;  financial 
secretary,  Charles  E.  Wheeler ;  corresponding  secretary,  E.  B. 
Thomas ;  treasurer,  John  Brooks. 

The  board  of  directors  were  Augustus  A.  (lilbert,  -I.  T.  (Cald- 
well, James  Wright,  James  Potter,  E.  B.  Taimer,  Charles  Bannan, 
John  Hughes  and  D.  Robertson. 

As  soon  as  the  organization  was  effected  the  scheme  was  favor- 
ably advertised  in  the  editorial  columns  of  the  New  York  "Tribune" 
and  other  papers.  A  few  numbers  of  an  official  paper,  called  the 
"Western  Farm  and  Village  Advocate,"  was  issued  by  the  associ- 
ation, under  the  editorial  management  of  Mr.  Haddock.  The  asso- 
ciation increased  in  numbers,  but  very  many  of  the  later  members 
were  from  outside  the  city,  in  New  York  and  other  states. 

About  the  first  of  November  Ransom  Smith  was  commissioned 
to  select  a  suitable  location  for  the  colony.  After  exploring  some 
parts  of  the  States  of  Wisconsin  and  Iowa  along  the  Mississippi 
without  accomplishing  his  object,  he  resigned  his  position  about  the 
first  of  January,  1852.  When  Mr.  Smith  was  appointed  ex])loring 
agent,  he  was  specifically  instructed  as  to  the  kind  of  location  that 
he  was  expected  to  make  choice  of  The  city  members  of  the  associ- 
ation apparently  desired  him  to  make  discovery  of  another  garden 
of  Eden,  with  all  modern  commercial  advantages  attached.  Mr. 
Smith  failed  to  discover  any  locality  that  very  much  resembled  the 
one  pictured  in  the  written  instructions  furnished  for  his  guidance. 
The  local  members  who  controlled  the  organization  were  nearly  all 
mechanics,  the  most  of  them  inexperienced  in  matters  outside  of 
their  business  occupations. 

The  leaders  of  the  organization  were  aware  that,  to  insure  suc- 
cess and  move  on  the  opening  of  navigation  in  the  spring,  prompt 
action  would  be  necessary  iii  the  selection  of  a  location  for  the  colony. 
Accordingly  a  locating  committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  Mr. 
Haddock  of  New  York,  Arthur  Murphy  of  Hem])Stead.  L.  I.,  and 
A.  E.  Bovay,  a  resident  of  Wisconsin. 

The  discoveries  and  selection  of  Rolling  Stone  as  a  location 
for  the  colony  have  been  related.     This  selection  was  made  with- 


202  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

out  proper  investigation  of  its  litness  tor  the  purpose  designed. 
Their  examination  was  l)ut  superticial,  and  their  decision  prematurely 
made.  They  assumed  that  tlie  village  site  was  on  the  Mississippi, 
but  it  ]»roved  to  be  six  miles  from  a  navigable  channel.  This  selec- 
tion was  a  serious  mistake.  It  was  not  a  proper  location  for  the 
proposed  colony.  This  very  serious  mistake  was,  unfortunately,  the 
cause  of  its  failure.  It  is  true  Rolling  Stone  was  Urst  settled  by  the 
members  of  the  association,  but  the  organization  collapsed  before 
its  speciJic  object  was  accomplished. 

When  the  association  was  first  organized  it  was  supposed  possible 
to  secure  from  congress  a  free  grant  of  public  lands  for  the  member^ 
to  settle  upon,  but  in  case  this  failed  the  lands  were  to  be  purchased 
from  the  government  by  the  members  of  the  association,  and  each 
pay  for  the  land  he  occupied. 

Petitions  numerously  signed  by  members  of  the  association  and 
others  were  sent  to  congress,  asking  this  appropriation  for  the  benefit 
of  the  members  of  the  colony.  These  petitions  were  presented  by 
Hon.  H.  H.  Sibley,  the  delegate  frorti  the  territor}^  of  Minnesota. 
No  action  was  taken,  except  that  the  petitions  were  received  and  dis- 
posed of  by  being  referred  to  the  house  committee  on  public  lands. 

On  the  return  of  Mr.  Murphy  to  ISTew  York  city  from  Rolling 
Stone,  the  report  of  the  locating  committee  was  duly  made  to  the 
association.  It  was  received  and  approved  without  delay,  such  was 
the  confidence  of  the  members  in  the  judgment  of  the  committee. 
Rolling  Stone  was  then  formally  selected  as  the  location  for  the  pro- 
posed colony. 

A  more  elaborate  plat  of  the  village  site  was  drawn  from  that 
furnished  by  the  committee  and  lithographed  for  the  members.  It 
was  numbered  preparatory  for  the  drawing,  which  took  place  Mai'ch 
81,  1852. 

The  following  circular  was  then  issued,  and  sent  to  each  of  the 
members  of  the  organization: 

Western  Farm  and  N'illage  AssueiATioN  Office,  \ 
>'e\v  York,  Ai)ril  3,  1852.      » 

Dear  Sui, — The  iis.sociation  at  length  have  the  i)leasnri'  of  iiiAjrmiu^  you 
of  their  location.  Mr.  Arthur  Murphy,  one  of  our  locating  committee,  has  just 
returned  tf)  this  city,  having  in  conjunction  with  our  jiresident  selected  a  spot 
which  has  been  unanimously  adopted  as  our  homes.  It  is  situated  in  the  Ter- 
ritory of  Minnesota,  on  the  Mississippi  river,  about  forty  miles  above  Root 
river,  and  six  miles  above  a  i)lace  called  W'abesha  i)rairie,  on  a  stream  of  water 
known  as  Rolling  Stone  creek;  for  a  full  description  of  which,  with  the  report 


THE    ASSOCIATION    CRYSTALLIZED.  203 

(.f  the  committee,  the  curresi)C)ndini;  sea-etary  refers  you  tc.  the  forthcoming 
Advocate.  In  the  meantime,  lie  has  been  instructed  to  send  you  the  following 
circular,  embodying  so  much  of  the  report  of  its  last  meeting  as  is  herein  coh'- 
tained. 

After  the  adoption  of  the  report  of  Mr.  Murphy,  the  association,  on  motion, 
went  into  the  choosing  of  lots;  all  members  whose  dues  were  not  paid  up 
to  the  first  of  January  being  declared  by  vote  ineligible  to  participate.  A  com- 
mittee, consisting  of  Messrs.  Cauldwell,  Potter  and  Bannan,were  appointed  to 
choose  ^  for  country  members.  The  names  of  all  those  eligible  were  then 
placed  in  one  hat,  and  numbers  to  the  corresponding  amount  of  members  in 
another.  Messrs.  Thorp  and  Stradling  presided  over  the  names,  and  Messrs. 
Gilbert  and  Fitzgibbons  superintended  the  numbers.  A  number  was  then 
taken  from  a  hat,  and  a  name  from  the  other,  and  the  number  so  drawn  was 
the  choice  of  the  member  whose  name  was  drawn  with  it.  The  entire  list  of 
drawing  so  made  is  herein  contained,  with  a  map  showing  the  position  of  the 
lot  up  to  132.  The  reason  of  there  being  none  higher  than  this  is  that  the 
committee,  deeming  that  sufficient,  surveyed  no  more ;  and  members  who  have 
drawn  a  choice  over  that  number  will  be  allowed  to  choose  on  the  ground, 
from  lots  to  be  surveyed,  or  from  lands  forfeited  by  the  non-settlement  of  mem- 
bers in  July,  in  the  order  they  run  above  the  lots  numbered.  Mr.  Haddock, 
who  is  now  on  the  ground,  has  been  telegraphed  to  survey  100  more  ;  and  per- 
sons joining  now  will  choose  in  the  order  as  admitted  members. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  the  corresponding  secretary  has  to  state  that  the 
pioneer  squad  will  start  from  here  on  Wednesday,  the  7th,  and  passing  over  the 
Erie  Eailroad,  will  probably  arrive  at  Chicago  on  or  about  the  14th  ;  thence  by 
rail  and  team  to  Galena,  and  boat  up  the  river.  This  will  also  be  the  route  of 
the  main  body,  and  all  members  who  live  near  the  city,  or  who  can  make  New 
York  in  their  route,  will  meet  here  on  April  14,  to  start  on  the  loth,  so  as  to 
arrive  at  Galena  by  May  1. 

Should  the  lakes  not  be  open  on  April  Li  the  association  will  not  start  on 
that  day,  but  wait  until  they  are. 

Those  of  our  members  who  may  not  arrive  at  Galena  by  May  1,  can  learn 
full  particulars  of  us  by  inquiring  of  Col.  James  Robinson  there. 

Very  respecthdly,  your  obedient  servant, 

^'"' E.  B.  Thomas,  Cor.  Sec'y, 

102  Nassau  street. 

Accompanying  this  circular  was  a  plat  of  the  village  site  and  a 
list  of  the  names  of  174  members,  with  the  order  of  their  choice 
and  the  number  of  the  lot  chosen  by  or  for  132  of  them. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


EMIGRANTS  COMING. 


It  was  designed  that  settlement  on  the  lands  selected  for  the 
colony  should  be  made  simultaneously  by  the  members  of  the  asso- 
ciation, or  as  near  so  as  practicable,  to  prevent  intrusion  from  per- 
sons not  belonging  to  the  organization.  As  soon  as  thejlocality  was 
formally  decided  upon  a  volunteer  party  already  organized  started 
west  for  the  Rolling  Stone,  to  hold  possession  of  the  "claim"  made 
by  Haddock  and  Murphy,  until  the  arrival  of  the  main  body  of  the 
association.  This  advance  guard,  to  which  the  name  of  "pioneer 
squad  "  had  been  given,  was  a  j^arty  of  eleven  men  who  left  New 
York  cit}^  on  A])ril  7.  On  their  way  they  were  joined  by  three 
others,  making  the  total  number  of  this  guard  fourteen.  All  of 
these  were  }' oung  unmarried  men  except  one.  Mr.  B.  Mauby,  of 
New  York,  was  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  seven  childi-en. 

The  pioneer  squad  of  the  Western  Farm  and  Village  Associa- 
tion came  up  the  Mississippi  from  Galena  on  the  steamboat  Caleb 
Cope,  and  landed  at  Johnson's  Landing  on  Wabasha  prairie  on 
April  14,  1852.  The  Caleb  Cope  was  under  the  command  of  Ca]jt. 
Harris,  who  had  chartered  her  to  run  as  an  opposition  boat  against 
the  Nominee,  in  place  of  the  West  Newton,  which  was  not  then 
ready  for  the  early  spring  business.  The  fare,  on  this  trip,  was  but 
fifty  cents  each,  for  passengers  from  Galena  to  Wabasha  prairie. 
Freight  was  in  about  the  same  proportion  of  discount  from  regular 
rates. 

This  party  of  immigrants  were  warmly  vi^elcomed  at  the  landing 
by  Mr.  Haddock,  who  had  been  anxiously  expecting  them,  and  had 
come  from  Rolling  Stone  on  purpose  to  meet  and  guide  them  to 
"  the  promised  land." 

The  following  names  of  this  })arty  were  furnished  by  a  member 
of  the  squad  who  yet  lives  in  Rolling  Stone,  at  Minnesota  City.  The 
names  of  some  of  his  old  comrades  have  faded  from  his  memory. 
He  is  the  only  one  of  the  "old  guard''  that  is  now  a  resident  of 
Winona  county.  His  name  heads  this  list  of  names :  Hezekiah 
Jones,  Wm.  Stevens,  J.  W.  Viney,  David  Robertson,   D.  Hollyer, 


EMIGRAISTTS    COMING 


205 


R.  H.  Boothe,  S.  K.  Schroeder,  John  Hughes,  Talmadge, 

Randall,  and  D.  Maiibv  and  family. 

They  had  with  them  quite  a  large  amount  of  supplies  and  camp 
fixtures,  including  a  large  tent,  household  furniture,  a  cook-stove, 
tools,  etc.,  and  also  brought  with  them  two  yoke  of  oxen  and  a 
wagon.  The  cattle,  wagon  and  household  furniture  were  the  prop- 
erty of  Mr.  Mauby.  The  oxen  and  wagon  were  purchased  for  him 
in  Illinois,  by  Mr.  H.  Jones,  who  came  west  in  the  fiill  before,  .and 
joined  this  party  at  Cherry  Yalle\%  then  the  terminus   of  the   rail- 


SCENE    NEAR    THE    FiRST    SETTLEMENT   OF    RoLLlNC    StONE.* 

road.  The  team  and  wagon  were  used  in  transporting  tlieir 
baggage  from  Cherry  Valley  to  Galena,  where  their  supplies  were 
])urchased. 

This  party  landed  at  about  the  foot  of  Main  street ;  their  freight 
was  piled  on  a  mound  on  the  bank  of  the  river  and  covered  with 
the  tent.  It  was  there  left  in  charge  of  one  of  their  number,  whose 
name  is  now  forgotten,  but  who  was  designated  as  the  "cigar- 
maker.""  Leaving  Mr.  Mauby  and  his  family  here  the  others  has- 
tened on  to  their  destination. 

*  The  above  cut  is  from  a  sketch  taken  and  kindly  furnislied  by  Anstin  W. 
Lord. 


200  lIISTOrvY    OF    WIXONA    COUNTY. 

Mr.  INFauby  engaged  Johnson's  shanty,  at  the  upper  hmding,  as 
a  home  for  his  family,  until  he  could  buihl  a  cabin  for  them  at  the 
Rolling  Stone.  He  remained  with  them  until  the}''  were  settled  in 
their  temjiorarv  abode. 

No  prt)vi8ion  had  been  made  for  tlie  subsistence  of  the  cattle.  No 
supplies  had  been  brought  ah)ng  for  them,  as  it  was  supposed  that 
hay  could  be  readily  prf)cured,  but  none  was  to  be  had.  There 
was  an  unusual  rise  of  water  in  the  river  for  the  time  of  year,  and 
a  strong  current  was  running  through  the  slougli,  making  it  difficult 
for  strangers  to  ford  to  the  upper  prairie,  and  no  wagon  trail  had 
yet  been  opened  along  the  bluffs.  It  was  decided  to  leave  the 
wagon  with  the  freight,  but  to  take  the  cattle  along,  as  they  might 
have  use  for  them.  The  oxen  were  taken  up  to  the  Rolling  Stone, 
where  they  were  turned  loose  to  procure  a  living  for  themselves, 
from  the  old  grass  on  the  bottoms,  and  such  l5rowse  as  they  were 
able  to  get  from  the  brush  along  the  stream. 

Temporary  supplies  were  packed  up  by  the  party.  They  were 
ferried  over  the  slough  by  the  Indians  in  canoes.  AYith  Mr.  Had- 
dock as  guide,  they  followed  the  trail  along  the  bluffs  to  Noracong's 
shanty,  where  Mr.  Haddock  was  living.  Noracong  and  his  i)arty 
were  then  away  rafting  the  black  walnut  logs  they  had  cut  during 
the  winter. 

Noracong's  little  shanty,  about  S  x  12,  stood  a])out  where  the  rail- 
road crossing  now  is  —  north  from  Elsworth's  flouring-mill.  It  was 
the  headquarters  of  the  pioneer  squad.  Finding  their  accommoda- 
tions insufficient,  some  of  the  party  constructed  a  kind  of  hut,  to  which 
the  name  of  ''  Goi)lier  house''  was  given.  One  of  these  ''gophers  " 
was  built  on  the  table,  about  fifty  rods  above  where  Troosts' 
flouring  mill  lately  stood.  Another  one  was  on  the  table,  about 
forty  rods  west  from  where  the  school  building  now  stands.  These 
huts  were  of  logs,  placed  in  the  form  of  a  house  roof,  and  covered 
with  dry  grass  from  the  bottoms,  over  which  was  a  layer  of  earth 
covered  with  strips  of  turf  arranged  to  shed  the  rain.  The  earth 
inside  of  the  hut  was  excavated  to  the  depth  of  a  foot  or  more  to  in- 
crease the  area  inclosed.  These  huts  were  filled  with  dry  grass  and 
used  as  sleeping  quarters. 

This  advance  guard  had  volunteered  to  come  on  for  the  express 
purpose  of  keeping  off  trespassers.  Although  designated  the 
])ion('er  squad,  n<>  other  duties  were  assigned  to  them  or  expected 
from  them.     They  spent  their  time  in  explorations  of  the  immediate 


EMIGRANTS    COMHSTG.  '  207 

viciiiitv  of  their  camp,  and  in  hunting  and  lisliing,  furnishing  plenti- 
ful supplies  of  ducks  and  trout.  They  all  lived  in  common,  each 
contributing  from  his  own  stores  for  general  use.  A  cook  was  ap- 
pointed to  take  charge  of  this  department,  who  called  for  assistants 
when  aid  was  required.  Mr.  Jones  and  one  or  two  others  assisted 
Mr.  Haddock  in  his  survey  of  the  village  plat,  to  which  he  was 
giving  his  whole  attention. 

In  this  survey,  the  base  of  operations  was  a  straight  line  along 
the  edge  of  the  table  on  which  Troosts'  flouring-mill  recently  stood. 
It  was  there  the  tirst  street  was  laid  oif,  extending  from  the  lower 
end  of  the  table  to  the  bluff  at  the  upper  end.  The  village  lots  and' 
streets  were  laid  off  parallel  with  and  at  right  angles  to  this  street 
as  a  base  line. 

Mr.  Haddock  attempted  to  make  the  survey  with  his  pocket 
compass,  to  wliicli  he  affixed  some  sights  of  his  own  invention  or 
construction,  but  was  cora])elled  to  abandon  this  uncertain  process, 
and  rely  on  his  guide  poles  and  measurements.  A  long  rope  and 
poles  superseded  the  tape-line  and  pocket  compass.  About  two 
hundred  acres  were  thus  surveyed  before  Mr.  Haddock  procured  a 
surveyor's  compass  and  chain,  with  which  the  survey  of  village  lots 
and  farms  were  completed. 

Mr.  Mauby  built  a  log  shanty  for  his  family.  This  stood  near 
where  the  railroad  station  at  Minnesota  City  now  stands.  It  was 
about  12x16  feet  in  dimensions.  The  shed  roof  was  covered  with 
strips  of  elm  bark,  fastened  to  poles.  This  cabin  was  built  on  the 
village  lot  drawn  by  Mr.  Mauby  at  the  meeting  of  the  association 
in  New  York  city,  March  31. 

On  May  1,  1852,  O.  M.  Lord,  Eev.  William  Sweet  and  Jonathan 
Williams  landed  on  Wabasha  prairie  from  the  Dr.  Franklin.  They 
were  left  by  the  boat  at  the  lower  landing,  at  about  ten  o'clock  in 
the  evening.  Applying  for  lodgings  at  Pentlers,  they  found  the 
little  cabin  already  full,  densely  crowded  to  overflowing.  On  look- 
ing about  to  discover  what  other  chances  were  possible  for  sleeping 
quarters,  they  saw  what  in  the  darkness  they  su]>posed  to  be  a  hay- 
stack, apparently  not  far  back  on  the  prairie.  ■  As  nothing  more 
favorable  presented  itself,  they  started  out  from  the  landing  with  the 
expectation  that  they  would  be  able  to  make  a  comfortable  bed  from 
the  hay  at  the  stack.  After  traveling  a  short  distance  they  suddenly 
became  aware  that  what  they  had  imagined  to  be  a  stack  was  but 
the  form  of  the  bluffs — the  outlines  of  which  could  be  seen  in  the 


20^  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

distance — tliey  were  in  front  of  the  "Sugar  Loaf,"  tlie  top  of  which, 
a  mile  and  a  lialf  awav,  could  be  dimly  seen  above  the  horizon. 
Disappointed  in  their  ])ursuit  of  lodgings  in  that  direction,  they  re- 
turned to  the  river  and  passed  the  night  on  the  sand,  sleeping 
soundly  wra])ped  in  their  blankets. 

A.t  daylight  they  prefaced  their  explorations  of  tlie  country  by 
taking  observations  of  their  surroundings.  Exce])t  the  broad  river, 
then  a  raging  flood  overflowing  the  lowlands,  and  the  general  pictu- 
resque views  extending  in  every  direction  from  the  landing,  there  was 
nothing  in  Capt.  Smith's  town  site  to  excite  their  admiration  or 
arouse  any  practical  interest.  The  barren,  sandy  prairie,  recently 
burned  over,  was  almost  entirely  destitute  of  any  appearance  of 
vegetable  life,  excej^t  that  the  few  trees  and  bushes  along  the  river 
bank  were  just  beginning  to  exhibit  a  taint  appearance  of  green. 
Wabasha  ])rairie  was  of  no  apparent  value  to  these  practical  men, 
prospecting  for  good  farming  land. 

Without  longer  delay  than  to  indulge  a  good  ap]ietite  for  break- 
fast, they  started  for  the  Rolling  Stone,  their  point  of  destination. 
Following  the  trail  along  up  the  river  to  the  np])er  landing,  they 
took  a  straight  course  over  the  prairie  toward  the  mouth  of  the  Gil- 
more  valley.-  They  were  compelled  to  ford  the  slough,  which  was 
then  flooded  from  the  high  water  in  the  river.  The  crossing  place, 
on  the  ti-ail  which  they  struck,  was  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  above 
where  the  bridge,  on  the  Gilmore  Valley  road,  now  stands.  To 
keep  their  clothing  dry  they  stripped,  and  carried  it  over  on  their 
shoulders,  with  their  packs.  Following  the  trail  along  the  bluffs 
they  readily  reached  Noracong's  shanty,  and  found  themselves  on 
the  grounds  claimed  by  the  Western  Farm  and  Village  Association, 
and  were  hospitably  received  by  Mr.  Haddock  and  such  of  the 
]>ioneer  guard  as  were  not  absent  on  foraging  expeditions  to  the 
trout  streams  in  the  valleys. 

Mr.  Sweet  was  the  only  one  of  his  party  who  was  a  member  of 
the  association.  Mr.  Williams,  although  not  a  member,  was  a 
proxy  repi'esentative,  prospecting  for  his  son-in-law,  H.  H.  Hull, 
who  belonged  to  the  organization.  Mr.  Lord  was  not  then  in  any 
way  connected  with  the  association.  He  was  favorably  impressed 
with  its  plan  of  colonization,  but  was  desirous  of  exploring  the  sur- 
roundings of  the  locality  before  deciding  to  make  it  his  home.  He 
was,,  however,  afterward  prominently  identifled  with  the  afl'airs  of 
the  colony. 


EMIGllAIs^'i\S    COMING.  209 

Although  the  ahiianac  phiinly  showed  that  the  day  of  their 
arrival  at  Rolling  Stone  was  Sunday,  the  Rev.  William  Sweet  and 
Deacon  Jonathan  Williams  accompanied  the  more  liberal-minded  O. 
M.  Lord  on  a  Sabbath  day's  journey  into  the  wilderness  back  of  the 
bluffs,  to  view  the  land.  Proceeding  up  the  valley  of  the  Rolling 
Stone,  they  followed  the  trail  leading  out  through  what  is  now 
known  as  Straight  Valley,  onto  the  dividing  ridge  between  the  Roll- 
ing Stone  and  Whitewater.  Following  up  this  divide  they  came 
upon  a  beautiful  prairie,  on  the  edge  of  which  they  camped  for  the 
night.  The  next  day  they  explored  this  locality,  and  each  made 
choice  of  a  claim.  They  gave  it  the  name  of  Rolling  Stone  prairie, 
by  which  it  was  for  a  while  designated.  After  selecting  their  claims 
they  returned  to  the  headquarters  of  the  embryo  colony,  Nora- 
cong's  shanty,  -and  made  report  of  their  discoveries. 

This  party  of  three  was  the  first  of  any  of  the  settlers  to  visit 
the  country  back  of  the- bluffs  of  tljie  Mississippi.  The  claim  made 
by  Mr.  Sweet  was  the  farm  occupied  by  him  for  many  years  after- 
ward. The  name  of  Rolling  Stone  prairie  was,  because  of  his  resi- 
dence here,  changed  and  given  the  name  of  Sweet's  prairie.  Mr. 
Sweet  is  now  living  near  Minnesota  City.  The  claim  made  by  Mr. 
Williams,  adjoining  that  of  Mr.  Sweet,  was  for  H.  H.  Hull,  who 
was  then  living  at  Scales  Mound,  near  Galena.  Mr.  Hull  came  on 
with  his  wife  later  in  the  season,  and  occupied  the  claim  shanty  of 
Mr.  Sweet  through  the  winter.  In  the  spring  he  sold  the  claim 
made  for  him  by  Mr.  Williams,  and  located  himself  a  few  miles 
farther  south,  in  what  is  n(^w  the  town  of  Utica.  He  lived  there  a 
few  years,  when  he  sold  out  and  went  back  to  Illinois. 

After  making  this  claim  Mr.  Sweet  went  back  to  his  home  -and 
brought  on  a  part  of  his  family.  About  the  middle  of  June,  he 
with  the  aid  of  the  settlers  at  Rolling  Stone  built  a  small  log-house, 
and  made  some  improvements  on  his  claim.  In  the  fall  he  returned 
home,  leaving  his  son,  a  boy  about  twelve  years,  to  remain  and  live 
with  Mr.  Hull,  who,  with  his  wife,  was  to  occupy  Mr.  Sweet's  shanty 
during  the  winter.  It  was  made  the  duty  of  tfiis  boy  to  drive  the 
cattle  down  into  the  Whitewater  Yalley  to  water.  The  boy  was 
treated  with  a  great  deal  of  severity.  During  one  of  the  coldest 
days  of  that  winter,  the  boy  without  sufficient  protection  was  sent  to 
drive  the  cattle  down  into  the  valley — but  he  never  returned.  Mr. 
Hull  found  him  a  few  rods  from  the  house  frozen  to  death.  The 
body  was  put  into  a  sink-hole,  and  not  buried  until  the  next  spring. 


210  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Tlie  cliiiin  made  by  Mr.  Lord  on  Sweet's  i)rairie  was  never  im- 
proved by  him  ;  some  otlier  settler  had  the  benefit  of  his  choice. 

On  the  second  of  May  a  large  detachment  of  the  main  body  of 
colonists,  about  fifty  in  number,  men,  women  and  children,  bound 
for  the  Rolling  Stone,  came  up  the  river  on  the  Excelsior  from 
St.  Louis.  This  party  did  not  land  at  Wabasha  prairie.  Supposing 
it  to  be  practicable  for  steamboats  to  go  through  Straight  slough,  if 
the  ofiicers  of  the  boats  were  inclined  to  make  the  attempt,  and  on 
account  of  the  extreme  high  water  which  made  it  difticult  to  get  to 
the  mainland  from  Wabasha  prairie,  Mr.  Haddock  had  advised 
this  party  to  make  it  a  condition  of  their  passage  that  they  should 
be  landed  at  Rolling  Stone.  Captain  Ward,  of  the  Excelsior, 
promised  to  land  them  anywhere  they  wished,  provided  it  could  be 
done  w^th  safety  to  the  boat. 

On  arriving  at  Wabasha  prairie,  the  pilot  refused  to  attempt  the 
passage  through  Straight  slough,  deciding  that  it  was  not  a  navi- 
gable channel.  The  party  continued  on,  expecting  to  find  a  land- 
ing-place somewhere  above.  At  Holmes'  landing  (now  Fountain 
City),  the  boat  stopped  to  replenish  its  supply  of  wood.  They  here 
found  Thomas  K.  Allen,  the  secrehiry  of  the  association,  who,  with 
Augustus  A.  Gilbert,  one  of  the  directors,  had  landed  from  the 
Dr.  Franklin  during  the  previous  night.  Mr.  Gilbert  had  taken  a 
canoe  and  crossed  over  to  the  Minnesota  side  of  the  river,  leaving 
Mr.  Allen  in  charge  of  their  baggage.  A  cow  and  a  breaking  plow 
was  a  part  of  their  freight. 

Learning  that  there  was  no  prospect  of  landing  from  the  steam- 
boat near  their  destination,  they  bargained  with  the  master  and 
owner  of  the  wood-boat  to  transfer  them  to  the  other  side  of  the 
river.  The  German  agreed  to  undertake  the  trip  for  fifteen  dollars, 
although  he  was  unacquainted  witli  the  river  in  that  vicinity,  pro- 
vided they  would  help  him  get  his  boat  back  to  his  woodyard  again. 

Taking  Mr.  Allen  and  his  freight  on  board  with  the  loaded 
wood  craft  in  tow,  the  steamboat  proceeded  on  up  the  river,  unloading 
while  on  the  way.  The  colonists  with  their  freight  and  live  stock 
were  transferred  to  the  empty  scow,  which  was  cast  off  when  about 
a  mile  below  the  mouth  of  the  White  Water  and  near  the  Minne- 
sota shore.  From  there  they  drifted  down  to. Rolling  Stone.  It 
was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  they  left  the  Excelsior.  By  carefiilly 
hugging  the  shore  they  fortunately  succeeded  in  safely  landing, 
about  fifty  rods  above  where  Troosts'  flouring-mill  recently  stood. 


EMIGRANTS    COMING.  ,  211 

It  was  long  after  dark  before  the  weary  immigrants  gathered  around 
the  camp-iire  of  the  pioneer  squad,  which  had  been  a  beacon  to 
guide  them  as  thej  poled  the  sluggish  craft  across  the  overflowed 
bottoms  from  Haddock  slough,  down  which  they  had  drifted 
until  nearly  opposite  theii-  landing-place. 

ISToracong's  little  shanty  was  literally  packed  full  of  children 
with  a  woman  or  two  to  care  for  them.  The  "gophers"  were 
crowded  to  their  fullest  capacity.  The  colonists  not  provided  with 
shelter  bivouaced  around  the  camp-fires.  The  night  was  a  cool 
but  pleasant  one.  Xone  seemed  to  suffer  from  the  exposure  they 
were  subject  to  on  the  first  night  of  their  arrival  in  their  new  home. 

Among  the  party  landed  from  the  wood-boat  were  S.  E.  Cot- 
ton, wife  and  child ';  H.  W.  Driver  and  wife,  Lawrence  Dilworth, 
wife  and  four  children;  James  Wilson  and  wife;  James  Ilatton, 
wife  and  four  children  ;  Mrs.  Charles  Bannon ;  Dr.  George  F. 
Childs,  wife  and  niece ;  David  Densmore,  John  Shaw,  M.  Fitzgib- 
bons,  D.  Jackson,  William  Harris,  Horace  Ranney,  William  Sperry, 
A.  A.  Gilbert,  Thomas  K.  Allen  and  others  —  some  families  whose 
names  are  now  forgotten. 

It  was  under  such  circumstances  and  condition  of  affairs  that 
this  colony  was  settled,  and  some  of  tlie  members  of  the  associatir»n 
initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  pi(^neer  life.  Many  were,  greatly 
disappointed  ;  the  realities  presented  to  view  served  to  somewhat 
cloud  the  illusive  fancies  pictured  in  their  imaginations,  of  com- 
fortable homes  in  the  west.  Some  were  discouraged  and  home- 
sick. Others,  strongly  dissatisfied  with  the  location,  decided  to 
abandon  the  colony  and  return  down  the  river.  Some  of  the  more 
courageous  announced  that  they  had  come  to  stay,  and  notwith- 
standing the  prospective  hardships  to  be  endured,  they  cheerfully 
set  about  making  their  arrangements  accordingly. 

At  daylight  the  next  morning  tlie  freight  was  unloaded  from 
the  wood-boat,  and  a  party  of  nine,  principally  members  of  the 
pioneei-  squad,  among  whom  were  H.  Jones  and  William  Stevens, 
assisted  the  proprietor  to  land  it  on  the  Wisconsin  side  of  the  river. 
On  their  return  the  same  day  they  brought  with  them  a  small  flat- 
boat,  which  was  at  first  hii-ed  and  afterward  purchased  by  the  asso- 
ciation. This  craft  was  called  the  Macedonian.  It  was  a 
roughly-constructed  affair  of  sufficient  capacity  to  carry  about  three 
cords  of  wood,  and  proved  really  serviceable  to  the  settlers. 

The  following  morning  some  of  the  pioneer  squad  started  with 


212  JIISTOm     OF    WINO.NA    COUNTY. 

the  Macedonian  for  Wabasha  prairie  to  bring  u])  their  freight  and 
baggage  left  on  their  arrival  in  charge  of  the  "cigar-maker."  Dr. 
('hilds,  William  Sperry,  and  two  other  disaffected  ones,  who  had 
decided  to  abandon  the  colony,  embraced  the  opportunity  and  en- 
gaged passage  with  their  families  and  all  of  their  possessions  and 
moved  down  to  Johnson's  landing.  The  liatboat  was  landed  on  Keen\s 
claim,  a  little  north  from  where  the  fair  grounds  were  once  located. 
From  there  the  party  walked  to  Johnson's  and  waited  for  a  steam 
boat  to  take  them  back  down  the  river.  Dr.  C^hilds  remained  in 
charge  of  the  goods  until  they  were  hauled  down  by  Johnson's 
ox-team,  which,  with  Mauby's  wagon,  moved  the  freight  of  the 
pioneer  scpiad  up  to  the  landing-place  of  the  Macedonian.  The 
tlatboat  returned  with  the  goods  of  the  pioneer  party  and  also  car 
ried  u])  the  family  of  Mr.  Mauby,  who  had  been  living  in  Johnson's 
shautv  at.  the  upper  landing. 

The  Macedonian  was  used  as  a  freight  boat  during  the  time  of 
the  high  water  and  was  most  of  the  time  under  the  control  of  Cap- 
tain Jackson.  On  this  first  trip  it  was  under  the  management  of^ 
Mr.  Jones.  In  speaking  of  the  matter  Mr.  Jones  said:  *'The 
wind  was  blowing  quite  strong  from  the'  east  that  day  and  we  were 
heavy  loaded  both  ways.  The  trip  down  was  a  hard  one.  Think- 
ing to  make  the  return  trip  easier,  I  tore  off  two  or  three  strong- 
poles  from  the  Indian  tepees,  which  we  passed  on  our  way  up  from 
Johnson's,  and  rigged  a  sail  by  hoisting  a  portion  of  the  canvas  of 
our  tent.  We  went  up  at  a  good  rate  of  speed,  but  ke])t  in  shoal 
water  to  ])lease  some  who  were  afraid  to  venture  out."  'This  flat- 
boat  was  usually  [)ropelled  by  oars  and  poles  or  was  dragged  over 
the  flooded  bottoms  on  the  upper  prairie  by  means  of  long  ropes, 
the  men  who  performed  this  service  sometimes  wading  in  the  shal- 
low water. 

The  large  tent,  which  had  been  brought  along  by  the  advance 
party  and  uswl  to  shelter  their  goods  at  Johnson's  landing,  was  put 
up  al  Rolling  Stone  as  soon  as  it  arrived  at  that  place.  Its  location 
was  about  twenty  rods  east  of  where  Stewart's  hotel  now  stands.  It 
afi:'orded  some  accommodations  for  the  houseless  settlers,  until  they 
could  build  more  comfortable  places  for  themselves.  With  their 
cooking-stoves  arranged  under  the  trees,  where  they  cooked  and 
took  their  meals,  the  tent  aflbrded  shelter  and  sleeping  quarters  for 
several  families,  besides  protection  for  some  of  their  most  valuable 
goods.     They  were  abundantly  supplied  with  provisions.      Unaccus- 


'£0, 


U 


OTHER    SETTLEMENTS.  215 

toraed  to  pioneer  life  they  hardly  knew  what  to  do  or  where  to 
begin  to  make  homes  for  themselves  on  the  village  lots  apportioned 
to  each  member  before  he  left  New  York.  They  were  mechanics 
of  different  trades,  and  were  willing  to  use  any  means  in  their 
knowledge  to  make  their  families  comfortable,  but  they  could  not 
build  houses  without  lumber,  and  none  was  to  be  obtained  at  any 
•  price.  But  few  of  the  men  were  handy  with  the  axe  or  understood 
how  to  build  a  log  house. 

Seeing  the  urgent  necessity  and  imperative  demand  made  for 
lumber,  O.  M.  Lord,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Densmore,  went  up  the 
Chippewa  river  and  brought  down  a  small  raft  of  lumber,  which  he 
landed  safely  about  where  the  wood-boat  with  its  passengers  reached 
the  shore. 

Mr.  Lord  here  opened  the  first  lumber  yard  ever  in  operation  in 
this  county.  He  leadily  retailed  liis  lumber  in  small  lots  and  soon 
exhausted  his  stock  without  supplying  the  demand.  He  was  then 
engaged  by  the  members  of  the  association  to  go  up  to  the  mills  on 
the  Chippewa  and  purchase  a  large  bill  of  lumber  which  they 
ordered.  He  was  to  attend  to  the  sawing,  rafting  and  delivery  of 
the  same.  This  raft  was  brought  down  from  the  Chippewa,  attached 
to  a  large  raft  destined  for  some  point  on  the  Mississippi  below, 
and  cast  off  at  the  head  of  the  slough.  He  made  a  successful  trip 
and  landed  his  raft  at  "Lord's  Lumber  Yard." 


CHAPTER  XXin. 

OTHER   SETTLP]MENTS. 

Late  in  the  evening  of  May  4,  1852,  a  party  of  immigrants, 
destined  for  the  colony  at  Eolling  Stone,  landed  from  the  Nominee 
at  Johnson's  landing.  With  this  party  were  Rev.  E.  Ely,  E.  B. 
Drew,  C.  R.  Coryell,  W.  H.  Coryell,  Jacob  S.  Denman"i '  E.  b! 
Thomas,  Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  Ira  Wilcox,  Isaac  A.  Wlieeler,  H.  Clary, 
D.  Jackson,  William  Christie,  and  others  whose  names  are  now  for- 
gotten. 

Rev.  Edward  Ely  came  up  fi-om  La  Crosse  as  a  passenger  on 
this  boat.     He  did  not  belong  to  the  association,  neither  was  he 


216  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

ever  a  member  of  that  organization.     It  was,  liowever,  through  its 
inilnence  that  he  was  induced  to  come  to  Minnesota. 

Mr.  Ely  was  at  that  time  a  Baptist  preacher — a  shepherd  without 
a  flock,  a  pastor  awaiting  a  providential  call  to  a  ministerial  charge. 
While  in  St.  ^iouis  with  his  family,  171  transitu  from  the  State  of  Ohio 
to  wherever  the  Lord  in  his  wisdom  might  send  him,  he  was 
accosted  by  Horace  Ranney,  an  acquaintance  of  his  boyhood,-  who 
was  a  member  of  the  Western  Farm  and  Village  Association,  and  one 
of  the  party  then  embarking  on  the  Excelsior  for  the  colony  at  Roll- 
ing Stone  in  the  Territory  of  Minnesota. 

In  a  few  words  Mr.  Ranney  explained  the  object  of  the  associa- 
tion, and  readily  induced  Mr.  Ely  to  put  his  faifiily  and  effects,  which 
were  then  on  the  levee,  on  board  the  steamboat  and  accompany 
'them  to  the  promised  land.  This  party  was  the  one  that  landed 
from  the  wood-boat  on  May  2,  as  already  related.  He  accompanied 
them  as  far  as  La  Crosse,  where  he  stopped  off  with  his  wife  and 
two  children  to  afford  them  comfortable  quarters  while  he  visited 
the  colony  and  acquired  some  knowledge  of  the  country  into  which 
he  had  almost  involuntarily  drifted  without  any  special  information 
relative  to  its  demands  or  resources. 

Leaving  his  family  with  some  kind  Baptist  friends,  he  came  up 
on  the  Nominee  to  Wabasha  prairie,  intending  to  join  Mr.  Ranney 
and  his  friends  at  Rolling  Stone.  The  disaffection  exhibited  by 
some  of  the  members  who  landed  with  him,  and  the  action  of  Dr. 
Child,  influenced  him  to  abandon  his  design  to  locate  himself  in  the 
colony  and  perhaps  decided  his  future  course  in  life.  He  settled  at 
Johnson's  landing  on  Wabasha  prairie  and  became  a  pernument 
resident  of  the  county  and  of  the  city  of  Winona,  where  he  yet 
lives. 

The  estimable  qualities  of  his  excellent  wife  endeared  her  to  the 
early  pioneers.  Words  will  hardly  express  the  high  esteem  enter- 
tained by  the  citizens  of  Winona  for  Mrs.  Ely.  Her  remarkable 
talent  as  a  portrait  i^ainter,  duly  appreciated  by  her  many  friends, 
has  been  for  many  years  utilized  as  a  source  of  income. 

E.  B.  Drew  and  the  Coryell  brothers,  C.  R.  and  W.  H.  Coryell, 
were  relatives— cousins.  They  were  also  partners  in  their  business 
transactions.  These  hardy  young  men  were  practical  farmers  and 
had  previously  had  some  familiarity  with  pioneer  life.  They  brought 
with  them  three  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  cow.  A  large  breaking  ])low 
and  an  assortment  of  farming  tools  formed  a  part  of  their  outtit  and 


OTHER    SETTLEMENTS.  217 

freight.  The  big  covered  wagon  with  which  they  came  through 
from  Chicago  to  Galena,  where  they  took  the  boat,  was  one  that  had 
been  constructed  for  them  the  year  before  for  a  proposed  trip  across 
the  country  to  Oregon.  The  wagon-box  was  made  water-tight,  that 
it  might  be  serviceable  as  a  float  in  fording  streams.  This  was 
liberally  stored  with  supplies. 

J.  S.  Denman  was  accompanied  by  his  mother,  wife  and  four 
children,  and  brought  with  him  a  team  of  four  horses  and  a  large 
covered  wagon,  which  he  used  in  transporting  his  family  fi'om 
Brooklin,  Michigan,  to  Galena.  He  also  had  a  breaking  plow,  farm- 
ing tools  and  abundant  provisions. 

E.  B.  Thomas  was  from  the  city  of  New  York.  From  the  first 
organization  of  the  associ-ation  he  had  been  an  active  official  member, 
the  corresponding  secretary  and  a  financial  agent. 

Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  and  Elder  Wilcox  were  on  a  prospecting  trip, 
having  left  their  families  in  Illinois.  As  soon  as  it  was  light,  they, 
with  others,  went  directly  to  the  colony. 

Mr.  Pike  had  been  engaged  for  several  years  in  teaching  and 
lecturing  on  a  system  of  mnemonics,  which  he  had  cultivated  and  on 
which  subject  he  had  published  a  book  of  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  pages.  He  joined  the  association  in  the  fall  previous,  while 
living  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and  came  to  Illinois,  where  he  had 
been  lecturing  on  his  favorite  topic  and  teaching  a  school  during  the 
winter.  After  he  came  here  he  became  prominently  identified  in 
the  matters  of  the  colony  and  in  county  affairs,  and  held  official 
positions. 

Isaac  A.  Wheeler,  with  his  son  John  and  H.  Clary,  came  on 
with  Mr.  Drew's  party.  They  each  brought  with  them  a  yoke  of 
oxen.  These  men  remained  at  Rolling  Stone  until  fall,  when  they 
left  and  went  down  the  river  to  Indiana. 

The  reports  brought  down  by  Dr.  Childs  were  somewhat  dis- 
couraging to  these  members  of  the  association.  Mr.  Denman 
and  Mr.  Thomas  forded  the  back  slough  on  horseback  and  went  up 
to  Rolling  Stone.  Having  been  previously  prejudiced,  they  very 
promptly  expressed  their  dissatisfaction  of  the  selection  made  for 
the  village  site  and  at  once  abandoned  all  ideas  of  settling  in  that 
locality.     Without  delay  they  returned  to  the  landing. 

Greatly  surprised  at  this  abrupt  and  decisive  action  on  the  part 
of  these  members,  Mr.  Haddock  accompanied  them  down.  He  did 
not  like  to  lose  the  aid  and  influence  of  his  ardent  co-worker  in  the 


218  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

organization  and  management  of  the  association  without  some  effort 
to  rechiim  him,  but  he  failed  by  any  arguments  presented  to  induce 
him  to  reconsider  his  decision. 

Learning  that  Mr.  Thomas  designed  to  witluh-aw  from  them 
entirely,  Mr.  Haddock  made  a  formal  demand  for  the  funds  in  his 
hands.  Mr.  Thomas  had  in  his  possession  a  small  amount  of 
money,  initiation  fees  and  weekly  dues,  but  he  declined  to  surren- 
der it  until  his  accounts  were  properly  audited  and  accepted.  He 
was  then  denounced  as  a  defaulter  to  destroy  his  influence  with 
other  members.  This  tinancial  matter  was  subsequently  settled  at 
the  flrst  meeting  of  the  association  in  Rolling  Stone. 

Mr.  Drew  and  the  Coryells  wei-e  not  satisiied  with  the  reports 
made  by  Denman  and  Thomas,  nor  influenced  by  the  0])inions  of 
Dr.  Childs  and  his  friends,  who  were  then  stopping  in  Johnson's 
shanty.  They  "proposed  to  go  up  there  and  look  around  for  them- 
selves." In  the  afternoon  Mr.  Drew  and  C.  R.  Coryell  accom- 
panied Mr.  Haddock  on  his  return. 

At  the  crossing  place  on  the  back  slough  an  old  canoe  was  kept 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  settlers.  It  would  carry  two  persons 
comfortably  but  was  unsafe  with  more.  Mr.  Coryell  took  the  pad- 
dle to  set  Mr.  Haddock  across,  intending  to  return  foi-  his  partner. 
To  save  time  Mr.  Drew  stripped  and,  throwing  his  clothing  into  the 
canoe,  followed  them  over.  The  water  was  about  four  and  a  half 
feet  dee])  on  the  trail,  but  deeper  above  and  below.  The  current 
was  strong,  and  a  person  was  liable  to  drift  into  deep  water. 

By  permission,  the  following  entries  have  been  copied  from  the 
diary  and  memoranda  of  E.  B.  Drew : 

"Landed  on  Wabasha  prairie,  Minnesota  Territory,  Tuesday 
night  after  11  o'clock,  May  4,  1852. 

"  "Wednesday,  May  5  :  Went  up  to  Rolling  Stone  this  afternoon 
and  visited  the  new  settlement.  Some  are  homesick  and  talk  of 
leaving.  Found  O.  M.  Lord,  from  Michigan,  there.  He  was  help- 
ing to  cover  Mauby's  shanty  with  a  roof  of  elm-bark.  He  has 
been  back  twenty-five  or  thirty  miles  and  reports  a  good  country 
and  rich  soil,  and  says  he  shall  settle  in  this  part  of  the  country. 
We  have  no  women  or  children  to  get  homesick,  and  we  shall  stop 
here  too.  Took  the  flatboat  down  to  the  lower  prairie.  Mr.  Lord 
came  dovm  to  our  camp  and  staid  all  night  with  us. 

"Thursday,  May  6:  Left  Wabasha  prairie.  It  is  a  barren, 
sandy,  desolate-looking   place,  recently  burnt   over.     Would    not 


OTHER    SETTLEMENTS.  219 

give  ten  cents  an  acre  for  the  whole  of  it.  Forded  the  slough  with 
our  teams  and  cow ;  crossed  witliout  accident,  although  the  water 
was  deep  with  a  strong  current.  Had  to  raise  the  wagon-box  on 
the  bolsters  to  keep  the  water  out.  All  our  traps  are  now  at 
Eoiling  Stone." 

Mr.  Clary  crossed  the  slough  with  his  oxen  at  the  same  time 
and  went  up  with  Mr.  Drew.  Mr.  Wheeler  remained  on  the  prairie 
for  a  day  or  two  before  he  joined  them  at  the  colony. 

When  Mr.  Lord  was  consulted  relative  to  these  incidents  he 
assumed  a  reflective  attitude  for  a  moment  and  then  with  an  almost 
audible  smile,  replied  :  "  That  is  correct.  Wheeler  did  not  come  up 
with  Drew.  I  have  reason  to  remember  it.  I  went  down  to  the 
prairie  the  next  day  and  stopped. at  his  camp,  not  far  from  where 
the  road  now  crosses  to  the  upper  prairie.  After  the  usual  saluta- 
tions, Wheeler  remarked  :  '  I  suppose  you  are  hungry  about  this 
time  of  day.'  I  was  hungry  as  a  wolf,  and  I  told  him  I  would 
take  a  bite  if  it  was  handy.  We  were  not  very  regular  in  our 
meals  at  that  time,  and  I  saw  the  coffee-pot  and  a  few  brands  smok- 
ing where  they  had  had  a  fire.  He  then  took  out  two  or  three 
handfuls  of  hard  biscuit,  which  he  laid  on  the  box  where  he  had 
been  sitting,  and  said  to  his  son,  '  Bring  on  that  meat.'  Just  then 
he  discovered  that  his  cattle  were  straying  off  and  started  after  them. 

''The  boy  brought  the  meat  in  a  frying-pan  and  put  it  on  the  box. 
I  took  hold  and  made  out  quite  a  hearty  meal  before  Wheeler  got 
back.  When  he  returned  he  glanced  at  the  empty  frying-pan  and 
called  out  to  his  son,  'Ho,  Donald!  didn't  I  tell  you  to  cook 
some  of  that  ham  for.  supper  ? '  '  Yaas, '  replied  the  youngster,  in 
a  surly  tone ;  '  I  got  a  right  smart  chance  on  it,  but  that  chap 
gobbled  it  all.'  Wheeler  saw  the  state  of  affairs  almost  as  soon  as 
I  did,  and  said,  'Wal,  wal,  cut  some  more,  can't  you?  there's 
plenty  of  it. '  I  was  somewhat  surprised  and  not  a  little  chagrined 
to  discover  that  I  had  eaten  up  the  supper  of  two  hearty  and  hungry 
persons,  which  they  had  just  prepared  for  themselves.  I  supposed 
that  they  had  just  completed  their  meal  as  I  came  into  their  camp." 

E.  B.  Drew's  loaded  wagon  was  the  first  to  ford  the  slough  and 
the  first  along  the  bluffs.  No  wagon  trail  had  ever  been  opened. 
O.  M.  Lord  was  the  pilot  and  guide  on  the  trail.  In  crossing  the 
slough  Mr.  Drew  gave  his  special  attention  to  the  care  of  his  cow. 
In  his  anxiety  for  her  safety  he  was  forgetful  of  self  and  got  a 
"duck  "  or  two.  His  clothing  was  in  the  wagon  and  did  not  suffer 
from  his  mishaps. 


220  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

This  loaded  wagon  was  the  first  to  make  its  entrance  into  the 
colony  of  the  Western  Farm  and  Village  Association.  They  crossed 
the  creek  near  Noracong's  shanty,  Mr.  Noracong  himself  selecting 
the  fording  place  and  directing  their  movements.  This  covered 
wagon  was  used  b}^  Drew  and  the  Coryells  as  their  headquarters  — 
their  home  for  some  time  after  their  arrival. 

The  cow  was  an  important  item  of  their  possessions.  Bread 
and  milk,  mush  and  milk,  and  milk  as  a  beverage,  were  staple  luxu- 
ries. Fresh  butter  of  home  production  was  sometimes  indulged  in. 
Their  cooking  was  done  by  their  camp-fires.  Bread  was  baked  in  a 
tin  oven  before  the  fire.  Sometimes  they  used  an  iron  bake-kettle, 
which  they  covered  with  hot  ashes  and  coals.  For  boiling,  a  kettle 
was  usually  suspended  over  the  fire  from  a  pole  supported  on 
crotches.  Mr.  Drew  says  a  heavy  tin  bucket  made  the  best  camp- 
kettle.  It  would  heat  quickly  and  economized  time  in  cooking. 
These,  with  the  frying-pan  and  coft'ee-pot,  were  the  most  important 
cooking  utensils  of  their  camp  outfit.  Their  supplies  furnished 
them  a  variety  in  the  way  of  diet.  Fresh  brook  trout  were  plentiful 
and  common  in  their  camp. 

About  daylight  on  the  morning  of  Simday,  May  9,  1852,  another 
large  party,  on  their  way  to  Rolling  Stone,  was  landed  on  Wabasha 
prairie  from  the  Dr.  Franklin.  Among  these  passengers  were 
Robert  Thorj)  and  son,  Robert  Taylor,  wife  and  three  children,  D. 
McRose,  wife  and  three  children,  John  Burns,  wife  a  d  three 
children,  James  Gardner,  wife  and  daughter,  a  young  woman,  and 
quite  a  number  of  others. 

On  account  of  the  flood  and  insufticient  means  for  transportation 
they  were  detained  at  Johnson's  landing  several  days.  They  built 
a  shelter  on  the  bank  of  the  river  by  piling  up  their  boxes,  forming 
a  small  inclosure  which  they  covered  with  boards  found  near  by. 

One  of  the  party,  Robert  Thorp,  furnished  the  following  inci- 
dent. He  is  yet  a  resident  of  the  county,  a  hale  and  hearty  old 
farmer,  living  in  the  town  of  Rolling  Stone.  He  has  preserved  his 
certificate  of  membership  and  a  copy  of  it  has  been  procured  to  show 
the  form  of  this  relic  of  the  association  : 

No.  37.  This  is  to  certify  that  Robert  Thorp  has  paid  his  initiation  fee  and 
has  been  elected  a  member  of  the  AVesterii  Farm  and  Villa>re  Association  No.  1 
of  the  city  of  New  York.  William  Haddock,  President. 

CiiARLivS  K.  Whkklkk,  Financial  Secretary. 

October  1."),  IS;")]. 


OTHER    SETTLEMENTS.  221 

These  certificates  are  embellished  with  emblems  of  industry  and 
civilization.  But  two  of  them  have  been  preserved.  The  other  is 
held  by  James  Wright,  of  Minnesota  City,  to  whom  it  was  given. 
It  is  No.  15,  and  dated  August  15,  1851. 

When  the  association  was  first  organized  its  members  were 
mechanics  of  different  occupations  living  in  the  city.  Mr.  Thorp 
was  a  blacksmith,  and  had  worked  at  his  trade  in  New  York  for 
about  twenty  years.     He  was  born  in  England. 

He  left  New  York  on  April  15,  1852,  with  the  members  of  the 
association  who  started  at  that  date,  taking  with  him  his  eldest  son, 
John.  The  remainder  of  his  family,  consisting  of  his  wife  and  three 
boys,  Thomas,  Robert  and  William,  remained  in  the  city  about  a 
month  before  they  joined  him  in  Minnesota.  All  except  the  last  are 
yet  living. 

Mr.  Thoi-p  brought  with  him  his  blacksmith  tools  and  all  things 
necessary  to  start  a  shop  in  the  new  colony,  and  also  some  house- 
hold goods.  On  account  of  delay  in  the  transfer  of  his  heavy  freight 
at  Dunkirk  he  was  left  behind  his  party.  On  reaching  Chicago  he 
shipped  his  own  goods  and  the  goods  and  baggage  of  William 
Christie,  D.  Jackson  and  others  down  the  canal  and  Illinois  river  to 
St.  Louis,  taking  passage  over  the  same  route. 

At  St.  Louis  Mr.  Thorp  bought  his  supplies  in  connection  with 
Taylor,  Burns,  McE-ose  and  Gardiner,  members  of  the  association, 
who  were  there  on  their  way  to  the  colony.  They  took  passage  to 
Galena,  where  they  were  transferred  to  the  Dr.  Franklin. 

To  his  great  surprise  and  sorrow  Mr.  Thorp  learned  that  William 
Christie,  who  left  liim  at  Chicago  and  whose  baggage  was  with  his 
own  freight,  had  died  but  a  few  hours  before  and  was  then  lying  in 
Johnson's  shanty.  Mr.  Christie  had  arrived  a  few  days  previous  on 
the  Nominee  and  had  been  up  to  Rolling  Stone.  On  Saturday  he 
came  down  expecting  to  meet  Mr.  Thorp  at  the  landing.  On  his 
way  he  forded  the  back  slough,  and  without  changing  his  wet  cloth- 
ing lay  down  to  rest,  complaining  of  not  feeling  well.  He  was 
taken  with  what  was  supposed  to  be  cholera,  and  died  before 
morning. 

Mr.  Christie  was  a  Scotchman — a  large,  strong  and  healthy 
young  man  when  he  landed  here.  He  was  highly  respected  by  his 
acquaintances  for  his  good  qualities.  He  joined  the  association  in 
New  York  city,  where  he  was  working  at  his  trade  as  a  machinist. 
For  economy  he,  with  others,  walked  from  Cherry  Valley  to  Galena 


"222  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

and  cuine  up  tlie  i-iver  as  deck  passengers,  While  at  Rolling  Stone 
he  had  been  almost  without  shelter;  the  demand  was  much  greater 
than  the  accommodation.  Provisions  of  every  kind  were  abundant 
and  none  suffered  from  want  of  sufficient  food.  The  colonists  werje 
libei-al  in  relieving  each  other  when  aid  was  required. 

William  Christie  was  buried  on  the  Evans  claim.  Ilis  coffin 
was  made  by  E.  H.  Johnson  from  the  common  unseasoned  pine 
boards  lying  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  A  short  funeral  service  was 
held  in  the  open  air  in  front  of  the  shanty  by  the  Rev.  Edward  Ely. 
Mr.  Thorp,  with  other  members  of  the  association,  accompanied  by 
the  settlers  and  strangers  on  the  i)rairie,  followed  the  dead  body  to 
the  grave  and  aided  in  depositing -it  in  its  last  resting-place. 

The  occurrence  was  one  long  to  be  remembered.  William 
Christie  was  comparatively  a  stranger.  He  had  died  suddenly,  far 
away  from  the  land  of  liis  birth  and  from  his  personal  friends  and 
relatives.  His  death  was  the  first  on  Wabasha  prairie,  the  first 
among  the  members  of  the  association  and  the  first  among  the 
settlers  in  the  county.  His  funeral  was  the  first,  but  before  the 
summer  was  passed  funerals  were  frequent  both  on  Wabasha  prairie 
and  in  the  settlement  at  Rolling  Stone.  A  young  man  by  the  name 
of  Morgan,  a  stranger,  died  after  a  short  sickness  not  long  after 
Christie's  death. 

A  fatal  sickness  attacked  the  families  camped  on  the  bank  of  the 
river.  Robert  Taylor  lost  two  of  his  children  here.  He  removed 
his  sick  wife  to  La  Crosse,  where  she  soon  after  died.  Mr.  McRose 
lost  two  children  ;  one  of  them  died  on  the  fiatboat  while  on  the  way 
to  Rolling  Stone. 

Mr,  Thorp  stopped  at  Johnson's  landing  for  a  few  days  until  he 
could  got  transportation  for  his  freight  and  su])plies.  He  then  went 
to  Rolling  Stone  to  prepare  for  the  arrival  of  his  family.  For  tem- 
porary accommodation,  which  could  be  the  most  readily  provided, 
he  built  a  ''gopher"  on  the  lot  drawn  by  him  before  he  left  New 
"^'ork.  This  location  was  in  the  field  a  little  above  where  the  bam 
of  James  Kennedy  now  stands.  This  hut  was  an  improvement  on 
the  ordinary  structures  of  the  kind.  It  was  about  12x12.  The 
basement,  or  part  below  the  surface,  was  lined  with  a  framework  of 
logs.  It  was  here  that  the  family  of  Mr.  Thorj)  began  housekeeping 
in  Minnesota. 

In  the  morning  of  May  12th  another  large  ])arty  of  immigrants  for 
the   colony  landed   from   the  Caleb    Cope   at  .Johnson's    landing. 


OTHER    SETTLEMENTS.  2^3 

Owing  to  unfavorable  I'eports  in  circulation  down  the  river  relative 
to  the  condition  of  affairs,  some  left  their  families  at  Galena  and 
came  up  to  explore  the  country.  Among  these  were  James  Wright, 
John  Nicklin,  David  Durjee,  James  Brooks  and  many  others. 
Some  who  landed  with  their  families  were  compelled  to  put  up 
temporary  shelters  on  the  bank  of  the  river  to  protect  themselves 
from  the  drizzling  rain  while  waiting  for  transportation. 

Although  the  day  proved  to  be  stormy,  a  large  number  of  the 
men  went  directly  to  Kolling  Stone.  As  there  was  insufficient  shelter,  a 
company  of  nine  built  a  "gopher"  for  their  immediate  use.  This 
was  constructed  by  digging  a  hold  about  8x12  and  about  eighteen 
inches  deep,  over  which  a  cover  was  made.  The  body  of  this  struc- 
ture was  of  small  basswood  logs,  about  eight  feet  long  and  about 
eight  or  ten  inches  in  diameter.  These  logs  were  split  and  placed 
on  end  close  together  along  the  sides  and  one  end  of  the  hole  in  the 
ground,  with  the  tops  resting  on  a  ridge-pole  supported  on  posts 
with  a  crotch  at  the  top.  This  framework  was  covered  with  coarse, 
dry  grass  and  a  layer  of  earth,  over  which  was  laid  a  covering  of 
sod.  The  turf,  by  careful  arrangement,  made  a  roof  that  readily 
shed  the  rain  of  ordinary  showers. 

In  this  "gopher  hole,"  on  a  floor  of  dry  grass,  the  nine  men  of 
this  company  slept  the  first  night  of  their  arrival,  and  occupied  it  as 
their  lodging-place  for  a  week  or  two  afterward.  This  "gopher" 
was  built  on  the  land  now  owned  by  James  Wright,  and  where  he 
now  lives  in  Minnesota  city.  It  was  afterward  used  as  a  stopping- 
place  for  the  family  of  Mr.  Wright.  The  most  of  this  party  of 
explorers  decided  to  continue  in  the  colony.  Some  sent  for  their 
families,  others  went  down  the  river  to  escort  them  up.  Mr.  Wright 
and  Mr.  Mcklin  were  among  the  latter. 

Mr.  Charles  Bannon  came  up  the  river  on  the  Caleb  Cope.  He 
was  one  of  the  directors  of  the  association  and  one  of  its  earliest 
members.  He,  with  his  wife,  started  from  Xew  York  with  the  party 
that  landed  from  the  wood-boat  at  Rolling  Stone.  While  on  the 
way  up  the  river  he  left  the  boat  at  Davenport  and,  in  company  with 
M.  A.  Allen,  stopped  to  buy  cattle.  Mr.  Bannon  purchased  three 
yoke  of  oxen  and  Mr.  Allen  two  yoke,  which  they  drove  through 
the  country  to  Dubuque,  where  they  took  passage  with  their  stock. 
These  oxen  were  designed  for  use  as  breaking-teams  and  for  general 
farm  work. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

FIRST  SETTLEMENTS   AT  WINONA   CITY. 

To  catch  the  drift  from  the  colony  above,  Jolinson  offered  the 
choice  of  an  acre  of  his  claim  on  Wabasha  prairie  to  eacli  of  tlie 
disaffected  ones  who  would  stop  tliere,  build  a  house,  and  make  it 
their  residence  for  one  year.  At  that  time  the  claim  had  not  been 
surveyed  or  divided  into  lots  and  streets.  This  ofier  was  accepted 
by  several  and  a  number  of  locations  selected. 

Rev.  E.  Ely  made  choice  of  an  acre  south  of  Johnson's  shanty, 
about  where  the  Ely  block  now  stands,  on  the  corner  of  Center 
and  Second  streets.  Jacob  S.  Denman  selected  an  acre  adjoining 
that  of  Mr.  Ely's  on  the  east ;  Dr.  Childs  an  acre  on  the  south  of 
Mr.  Ely's ;  E.  B.  Thomas  on  the  south  of  Mr.  Denman's  and  east 
from  that  of  Dr.  Childs' ;  John  Evans  selected  an  acre  west  of  Jolm- 
son's  shanty  ;  John  Burns,  a  member  of  the  association  and  one  of 
the  party  who  camped  on  the  bank  of  the  river  from  the  Dr.  Frank- 
lin on  the  9th  of  May,  accepted  the  offer  of  an  acre  from  Ed.  Ham- 
ilton on  his  claim  on  the  same  conditions  as  the  others.  The  acre 
chosen  by  him  was  in  what  is  now  the  front  yard  of  the  residence  of 
Hon.  H.  W.  Lamberton,  on  the  corner  of  Huff  and  Harriett  streets. 

Mr.  Burns  planted  a  small  garden  and  set  out  a  few  small  apple- 
trees,  which  he  had  brought  up  the  river.  Some  of  these  trees 
afterward  grew  to  be  of  considerable  size.  These  were  the  first 
fruit-trees,  or  trees  of  any  kind,  planted  on  Wabasha  prairie  by  the 
early  settlers.  These  fruit-trees  were  planted  in  a  trench  near 
together,  as  in  a  nursery.  When  Mr.  Huff  took  possession  of  the 
namilt(m  claim  he  built  a  fence  around  the  few  trees  that  had 
escaped  the  ravages  of  the  cattle,  and  after  two  or  three  years  trans- 
planted them  in  his  garden. 

W.  H.  Stevens  gave  the  use  of  his  shanty  on  the  Stevens 
claim  to  Mr.  Denman  until  he  could  ]»rocure  lumber  and  build  a 
residence  for  his  family.  Mr.  Denman  found  occupation  for  his 
team  and  plow  by  breaking  the  land  selected  for  himself  and  others. 
They  all  made  small  gardens  by  way  of  occupancy  and  improve- 
ments.     Mr.  Denman  enclosed  his  acre  and  that  selected  by  Mr. 


FIRST    SETTLEALENTS    AT    WINONA    CITY.  225 

Thomas  with  a  temporary  fence  and  planted  the  field  with  com. 
This  was  his  first  attempt  at  farming  in  Minnesota.  It  was  not  a 
profitable  enterprise.  The  fence  that  enclosed  this  corn-field  was 
the  first  fence  built  on  the  prairie  by  the  settlers.  It  was  put  up  by 
George  W.  Clark  and  his  brother  Wayne  Clark.  Mr.  Denman  paid 
them  for  it  by  breaking  four  acres  of  land  on  Clark's  claim  across 
the  slough. 

Neither  Mr.  Thomas,  Dr.  Childs  or  Mr.  Burns  ever  made  any 
other  improvements  on  the  lots  selected.      They  abandoned  them 
and  made  locations  elsewhere.     Mr.  Thomas  and  Mr.  Burns  held 
claims  in  the  colony,  but  left  the  territory  in  the  fall.     Dr.  Childs , 
remained  on  the  prairie  for  several  years  after. 

Mr.  Denman  built  a  house  on  his  acre  of  prairie  as  soon  as  he 
could  procure  lumber.  Mr.  Ely  built  one  in  the  fall.  During  the 
summer  his  famil}^  lived  in  Johnson's  shanty  after  they  came  up 
from  La  Crosse,  where  they  staid  for  a  short  time.  He  paid  John- 
son four  dollars  per  month  rent  for  the  use  of  the  "Hotel." 

The  house  built  by  Mr.  Denman  stood  on  Lafayette  street,  be- 
tween Second  and  Third  streets.  This  was  the  first  house  built  by 
the  settlers  on  Wabasha  prairie,  not  expressly  designed  as  a  "claim 
shanty."  It  was  a  balloon  frame  building  of  considerable  preten- 
sions for  that  date  of  improvements,  about  16x32,  one  story  high, 
the  sides  boarded  "up  and  down"  with  rough  boards  and  the 
cracks  battened.  The  roof  was  of  boards,  and  because  of  its  pecu- 
liar construction  the  building  was  given  the  name  of  "  car-house," 
from  its  fancied  resemblance  to  a  railroad  car.  The  doors  and  win- 
dows were  furnished  with  frames  and  casings  —  the  first  improve- 
ments of  the  kind.  The  floor  was  of  dressed  lumber,  a  luxury 
heretofore  unknown.  This  building  was  divided  into  rooms  by 
board  partitions,  and  parts  of  it  ceiled  with  dressed  lumber. 

Mr.  Denman  occupied  this  house  as  his  residence  until  fall, 
when  he  moved  on  his  claim.  About  the  first  of  July  he  opened  a 
store  in  the  front  room  of  this  building.  He  brought  up  from 
Galena  a  small  stock  of  goods  suitable  for  the  market,  and  here 
started  the  first  store  on  Wabasha  prairie  for  the  sale  of  goods  to 
the  settlers.  Jacob  S.  Denman  was  the  first  merchant  to  establish 
himself  in  business  in  what  is  now  the  cit}^  of  Winona. 

It  was  in  the  "car  house"  that  the  first  white  child  was  born 
within  the  limits  of  this  city.  While  living  here  the  family  of  Mrs. 
Denman  was  increased  by  the  addition  of  a  daughter  on  the  18th  of 


226  -  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

July,  1S52.  Mrs.  (loddard,  after  consultation  with  Mrs.  Ely.  tjave 
to  this  first  native  settler  the  name  of  "Prairie  Louise  Denman," 
tlie  name  by  which  she  was  afterward  known.  She  has  been  dead 
many  years.  The  oldest  native  settler,  born  in  the  city  of  Winona, 
who  is  now  living,  is  Mason  Ely,  the  second  son  of  Rev.  Edward 
Ely,  born  in  1853. 

The  primary  object  of  all  of  the  early  settlers  was  to  secure  land 
for  farming  purposes  on  which  to  locate  a  future  home.  About  the 
first  thing  done  was  to  "make  a  claim."  Mr.  Denman  began 
prospecting  as  soon  as  he  landed,  and  on  the  9th  of  May  discovered 
•and  formally  made  a  claim  on  the  upper  ^  prairie.  He  and  his 
mother  there  held  320  acres.  The  high  water  flooded  the  bottom 
lands,  and  their  claims  covered  all  of  the  land  not  overflowed,  lying 
east  from  the  Rolling  Stone  creek,  to  about  where  the  highway  now 
crosses  the  railroads,  and  extended  south  far  enough  to  include  the 
table  next  to  the  bluffs.  It  was  on  this  table  that  he  blazed  the 
trees  and  inscribed  his  name  as  proprietor  of  the  claim.  It  was 
on  this  table  that  he  built  a  very  comfortable  log  house,  made  other 
improvements,  and  moved  his  family  there  in  September.  The 
land  selected  by  Mr.  Denman  had  been  previously  claimed  by  Had- 
dock and  Murphy  for  the  Western  Farm  and  Village  Association. 
Mr.  Denman  was  duly  notified  that  he  was  trespassing  on  grounds 
claimed  for  the  colony,  but  he  persisted  in  holding  it  and  making 
imj^rovements,  without  regard  to  the  protestations  of  the  members 
of  the  association. 

This  was  the  first  collision  of  a  settler  with  that  organization. 
The  first  person  to  encroach  on  the  territory  claimed  was  an  ex- 
member.  To  get  Denman  off,  the  colonists  tried  "moral,  legal  and 
physical  suasion,  but  he  tenaciously  adhered."  He  lived  in  this  log 
cabin  under  the  bluffs  for  about  three  years,  until  he  built  a  more 
modern  house  and  large  barns  near  the  center  of  his  farm.  This 
claim,  or,  more  properly,  the  claims  of  Denman  and  his  mother,  are 
now  known  as  the  Denman  farm.  It  is  at  present  owned  and  occu- 
pied by  Mr.  George  Fifield. 

Mr.  Denman  sacrificed  this  large  farm,  which  he  had  secured  by 
honest  industry  and  years  of  hard  labor,  in  his  mistaken  zealous 
efibrts  to  aid  the  "Grange  movement"  for  chea])er  freights,  cheaper 
supplies  and  cheaper  agricultural  implements.  He  removed  to 
Texas",  but  his  good  luck  at  farming  failed  him  there.  It  is  said  that 
Mr.  Denman  is  now  a  poor  man,  and  in  his  old  age  again  a  pioneer, 


FIRST    SETTLEMENTS    AT    WLNONA    CITY.  227 

looking  for  "a  home  in  the  west"  in  one  of  the  territories.  None 
of  his  family  are  now  living  in  this  county. 

Dr.  George  F.  Childs,  with  his  wife  and  niece,  lived  for  a  short 
time  in  Johnson's  shanty.  While  there  liis  niece  was  taken  with  the 
measles  and  died  after  a  few  days'  sickness.  The  remains  were 
taken  to  La  Crosse  for  burial. 

About  the  middle  ol  May  Dr.  Childs  bought  the  east  half  of  the 
claim  made  by  Jabez  McDermott.  He  paid  McDermott  eighty  dol- 
lars for  a  quit-claim  deed  and  possession  of  the  eighty  acres.  This 
was  the  lirst  claim  sale  on  Wabasha  prairie.  Whether  this  deed  was 
ever  made  a  matter  of  record  is  now  very  uncertain,  as  at  that  time 
there  was  no  county  organization  in  Wabasha  county,  of  which 
Winona  county  was  a  part.  All  matters  of  record  were  filed  in 
Washington  county,  with  which  Wabasha  was  connected  for  -all 
judicial  purposes.  Possession  of  land  was  then  more  important  than 
title-deeds.  The  land  still  belonged  to  government  and  no  surveys 
had  been  made. 

The  machine-shops  and  surrounding  buildings  of  the  Chicago  & 
Northwestern  Railroad  Company,  the  Winona  wagon-works  and 
the  Winona  plow-works  are  on  what  was  once  the  McDermott  claim. 
This  locality  was  a  favorite  camping-place  of  Wabasha's  band. 
When  Dr.  Childs  took  possession  there  were  about  half-a-dozen  of 
their  large  bark  cabins,  or  tepees,  yet  standing,  but  in  a  somewhat 
dilapidated  condition,  the  settlers  having  taken  material  from  them 
for  use  in  other  localities.  In  the  vicinity  of  the  machine-shops  was 
an  old  Indian  burying-place.  The  graves  were  scattered  over  that 
locality  ;  very  many  were  exposed  and  destroyed  in  the  excavations 
made.  Relics  of  the  past — stone  hatchets,  flint  arrowheads  and 
pipes  of  red  pipestone — were  found.  Sometimes  fragments  of  bones 
or  a  tolerably  well  preserved  skeleton  would  be  unearthed  and  used 
to  help  form  a  railroad  embankment  in  som§  other  locality. 

Indian  graves  have  been  found  in  several  places  on  Wabasha 
prairie  and  in  the  mouths  of  the  valleys.  Quite  a  number  were 
exposed  by  the  caving  of  the  river  bank  on  the  lower  part  of  the 
prairie.  Two  modern  Indian  graves  were  on  Johnson's  claim  when 
the  whites  first  took  possession  of  the  prairie.  They  were  left  undis- 
turbed for  several  years.  The  covering  of  sticks  which  were  placed 
over  them  by  the  natives  marked  their  location  until  the  ground  was 
plowed  by  Johnson  in  the  spring  of  1855.  These  graves  were  on 
lot  2,  block  17.     When  it  was  improved  and  buildings  were  erected, 


228  HISTORY  OF  wlnona  county. 

tlie  boTies  buried  there  were  thrown  out  in  excavating  a  cellar  and 
taken  j)ossession  of  by  Dr.  Franklin  Staples.  These  bones  were  the 
remains  of  young  persons  and  were  vei-y  much  decayed.  It  has 
been  stated  that  some  of  Wabasha's  children  wjere  buried  in  these 
graves,  but  there  is  no  evidence  contlrming  this  statement.  Wa- 
basha's special  home  was  in  the  mouth  of  Burns  valley. 

The  Indian  village  located  on  the  McDermott  claim,  a  ])art  of 
which  was  purchased  by  Dr.  Childs,  was  said  to  be  the  grand 
gathering-place  of  the  Mdaywakantonwan  division  of  Sioux.  It 
was  in  this  vicinity  that  Wabasha's  bands  met  for  their  amusements, 
sports  and  games,  as  well  as  more  serious  and  important  affairs. 
From  this  village  the  Indian  trails  diverged  as  fi-om  a  common  cen- 
ter, some  leading  to  the  valleys,  others  up  and  down  the  bank  of 
the  river.  The  wild  grass,  common  on  every  other  part  of  the 
prairie,  had  almost  entirely  disappeared  around  this  village  or  sum- 
mer resort,  and  had  been  replaced  by  a  fine  turf  of  blue-grass  found 
in  no  other  place  exce])t  along  the  bank  of  the  river  on  the  lower 
part  ()f  the  prairie,  where  Mrs.  Keyes  now  lives. 

Mr.  George  W.  Clark  says  "That  on  McDermott's  claim  there 
was  a  large  flat  stone,  the  center  of  a  large  circle  of  smooth,  level 
ground,  with  well  defined  boundaries,  plainly  to  be  seen  in  1851. 
This  stone  was  taken  away  by  some  of  the  early  settlers. " 

Dr.  Childs  lived  during  the  summer  of  1852  in  the  little  cabin 
with  a  bark  roof  which  McDermott  occupied  as  his  claim  shanty. 
He  built  a  comfortable  cottage  near  by  it,  in  which  he  lived  for  sev- 
eral years.  The  logs  and  poles  of  the  Sioux  tepees  were  used  in  the 
construction  of  sheds  and  as  posts  for  his  fences.  The  bark  covering 
of  the  huts  was  carefully  gathered  and  used  as  firewood  for  his  kit- 
chen stove. 

It  was  the  custom  of  Dr.  Childs  to  date  all  of  his  correspondence 
and  business  papers  from  his  residence  on  this  claim,  to  which  he 
gave  the  name  of  "Ozelle  cottage."  This  name  was  derived  from 
the  one  given  by  the  old  French  voyageurs  to  Wabasha  prairie. 
Ozelle  was  but  the  French  pronunciation  of  A/x  Aile  anglicized  by 
Dr.  Childs  in  writing. 

When  Dr.  Childs  left  New  York  he  supposed  that  he  would  find 
the  Indians  occupying  this  part  of  the  territory,  and  brought  along 
an  assortment  of  goods  for  the  purpose  of  bartering  with  them,  but 
found  that  the  Sioux  had  forsaken  their  liomes  in  this  locality.     He 


FIRST    SETTLEMENTS    AT    WINONA    CITY.  229 

after  a  time  traded  his   Indian  goods  with  tlie  Winnebagoes  for 
dressed  deerskins  and  got  rid  of  his  goods  without  loss. 

Dr.  Childs  was  a  botanic  physician,  but  never  practiced  liis  pro- 
fession in  tliis  vicinity,  or  only  to  a  very  limited  extent.  He  engaged 
in  mercantile  business  for  a  year  or  two  after  he  sold  his  land.  He 
moved  to  Minneiska,  Wabasha  county,  where  he  lived  for  awhile. 
Dr.  G.  F.  Childs  is  now  a  resident  of  the  State  of  Maryland,  where 
he  has  charge  of  a  benevolent  institution,  a  home  for  aged  people. 

Among  the  passengers  who  landed  at  Johnson's  landing  from 
the  steamer  Caleb  Cope  on  May  12,  1852,  were  Abner  S.  Goddard, 
wife  and  three  children,  from  La  Crosse.  They  arrived  at  about 
four  o'clock  on  a  dark  and  rainy  morning,  and  went  directly  from 
the  landing  to  the  shanty  on  the  Stevens  claim,  in  accordance  with 
a  previous  arrangement  made  with  Silas  Stevens.  On  reaching  the 
shanty  they  were  surprised  to  find  the  table,  benches  and  other  fur- 
niture of  the  cabin,  which  they  supposed  to  be  occupied,  irregularly 
piled  outside.  When  the  inmates  were  aroused  they  discovered 
that  the  furniture  had  been  removed  to  aftord  sleeping  quarters  for 
the  occupants.  William  H.  Stevens  and  a  young  man  living  with 
him  held  one  corner,  while  the  family  of  Mr.  Denman,  seven  in 
number,  were  in  possession  of  the  remainder  of  the  little  10X12 
shanty,  not  occupied  by  the  cook-stove.  To  accommodate  the  new- 
comers, the  future  occupants  of  the  cabin,  Mr.  Denman  provided  for 
his  family  by  making  a  shelter  for  them  with  the  lumber  he  had  laid 
up  loosely  to  dry  for  use  in  the  house  he  was  then  building.  While 
living  in  tliis  manner  the  loose  boards  were  blown  from  over  their  , 
heads  during  a  severe  thunderstorm  one  night  when  they  were 
all  in  bed.  They  were  compelled  to  seek  shelter  in  Johnson's 
shanty,  but  again  occupied  their  lumber  piles  in  the  morning  and 
continued  to  do  so  until  their  house  was  finished. 

During  the  previous  winter  Mr.  Goddard  had  been  living  in  La 
Crosse.  He  there  taught  the  village  school — the  first  school  ever 
taught  in  La  Crosse,  the  first  school  ever  taught  on  the  Mississippi 
river  between  Prairie  du  Chien  and  St.  Paul,  if  the  Indian  mission 
schools  at  Ked  Wing  and  Kaposia  are  excepted.  His  schoolroom 
was  in  the  court-house,  which  was  built  during  the  fall  and  fore  part 
of  the  same  winter.  To  add  to  their  income  and  to  accommodate 
some  personal  friends,  Mrs.  Goddard  opened  a  boarding-house. 
''Aunt  Catharine's"  table  was  then,  as  it  is  now,  always  full,  with- 
out soliciting  patronage.     Silas  Stevens  became  a  boarder  and  made 


230  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

it  his  home  with  them  while  in  La  Crosse.  After  the  attempt  of  Mr. 
Gere  to  jump  the  Stevens  claim  Mr.  Stevens  ofiered  to  furnish  Mr. 
(4oddard  a  shanty  of  sutticient  capacity  to  keep  a  boarding-house  on 
Wabasha  prairie  if  he  would  go  up  and  live  on  his  claim,  and  also 
promised  him  an  acre  of  the  claim  on  which  to  build  a  house  if  he 
would  continue  to  reside  there.  Others,  then  living  in  La  Crosse, 
who  had  made  claims,  urged  him  to  accept  Mr.  Stevens'  proposition. 
As  Mr.  Goddard  had  been  up  to  the  prairie  with  a  party  of  claim- 
hunters  early  in  the  spring,  and  had  been  solicited  by  the  settlers 
in  that  locality  to  come  up,  he  was  the  more  readil}"  induced  to 
change  his  residence. 

Immigrants  were  landed  from  every  boat,  and  the  little  shanty 
was  crowded  with  hungry  guestte  as  soon  as  their  arrival  was  known. 
Meals  were  provided  for  all  that  came,  but  they  were  required  to 
look  out  for  their  own  lodging-places.  The  beds  of  their  guests  were 
sometimes  the  soft  sands  of  the  prairie,  the  bed  clothing  their  ordi- 
nary wearing  apparel  with  the  addition  of  a  blanket. 

Three. or  four  days  after  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Goddard,  another 
shanty  was  put  up  by  Mr.  Stevens  to  meet  the  increasing  business 
and  the  demand  foj*  better  accommodations.  This  shanty  was  a  one- 
story  building  about  16x32.  To  increase  its  capacity  an  awning  of 
canvas  was  stretched  from  one  side,  which  served  as  a  shelter  for 
the  cooking  department.  The  two  rooms  were  subdivided  by  can- 
vas partitions.  It  was  customary,  however,  for  guests  who  lodged 
there  to  blow  out  the  candle  and  go  to  bed  in  the  dark.  This  was  a 
rule  of  the  house. 

This  shanty  stood  about  where  the  "Davenport  house"  now 
stands,  not  far  from  the  corner  of  Third  and  Kansas  streets.  The 
original  shanty  on  the  Stevens  claim  was  torn  down,  and  the 
material  used  in  the  construction  of  this  second  one. 

"  Goddard 's  "  was  the  favorite  stopping-place — the  most  popu- 
lar and  commodious  "  hotel"  on  Wabasha  prairie.  This  shanty  was 
the  "home"  of  many  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  county  who  came 
that  season.  It  was  here  they  gathered  for  social  enjoyment,  to  get 
the  latest  news,  to  discuss  the  matters  of  claims  and  current 
events.  It  was  the  yjlace  of  gathering  for  all  public  meetings,  and 
the  headquarters  of  the  Wabasha  Protection  Club,  of  which  Mr. 
Goddard  was  elected  secretary.  A  select  school  was  oi)ened  here 
by  Miss  Angelia  Gere,  a  young  daughter  of  IL  (1  Gere.  This 
was  the  first  school  attempted  on  tlie  prairie.     It  was  kept  in  opera- 


FIRST    SETTLEMENTS    AT    WUSTONA    CITY.  283 

tion  but  a  short  time.  Here  the  first  stated  religious  meetings  were 
held,  with  regular  preaching  on  the  Sabbath  day.  This  history 
would  be  incomplete  without  some  special  notice  of  Mr.  Goddard 
and  his  familj-,  so  intimately  were  the  early  settlers  connected  with 
this  "settlers'  home." 

The  summer  of  1852  was  known  in  the  west  as  the  sickly  season. 
The  extreme  high  water  of  the  early  spring  was  followed  by  another 
extreme  of  low  water,  with  remarkably  dry  and  hot  weather.  This 
occasioned  a  general  epidemic  of  severe  forms  of  malarial  diseases, 
which  were  unusually  fatal.  These  diseases  prevailed  extensively 
along  the  river.  Wabasha  prairie  and  the  colony  at  Minnesota 
City  were  seriously  affected  by  it.  The  settlement  of  this  county 
was  retarded  through  the  loss  of  many  of  the  settlers  by  death,  and 
the  removal  of  very  many  others  to  escape  the  tlireatened  dangers 
of  sickness  in  a  locality  where  there  was  so  limited  accommoda- 
tions, even  for  the  healthy. 

The  settlers  considered  themselves  fortunate,  indeed,  if  in  their 
attack  of  sickness  they  could  get  in  at  Goddard's.  The  accommo- 
dation was  prized,  for  there  they  felt  sure  of  kind  attention  and 
watchful  nursing.  There  were  no  regular  medical  practitioners  in 
the  county  who  followed  their  profession  —  none  nearer  than  La 
Crosse,  and  domestic  management  was  an  important"  consideration 
with  the  sufferers. 

The  following  extract  from  a  letter  to  "Aunt  Catharine  "  (Mrs. 
Goddard),  written  a  score  of  years  afterward,  will  illustrate  some- 
what the  general  sentiments  of  the  early  settlers  in  connection  with 
the  occurrences  of  that  year  :  "■  I  cannot  forget  the  many  deeds  of 
kindness  and  motherly  care  my  brothers  and  myself  received  at  your 
hands  when  your  house  was  a  hospital  and  you  the  ministering 
angel.  With  nine  sick  persons,  including  your  husband  ;  with  but 
two  rooms  in  which  to  lodge  and  make  comfortable  your  sick  house- 
hold, how  admirably  and  patiently  all  was  managed." 

In  the  latter  part  of  this  season  Mr.  Goddard  and  his  two  young- 
est children  were  prostrated  with  the  prevailing  diseases  and  died. 
Mr.  Goddard's  death  occurred  September  11.  The  loss  of  a  citizen 
of  such  promising  usefulness  in  the  new  settlement  was  a  calamity 
seriously  felt.  He  was  a  man  of  the  strictest  integrity  and  of  cor- 
rect moral  principles. 

In  his  native  state,  Pennsylvania,  Mr.   Goddard  was  honored 
with  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace,  and   held  that  position  for 
14 


234  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

many  years,  lie  there  acquired  the  title  of  "  Squire  Goddard,"  by 
which  name  he  was  generally  known.  He  was  appointed  post- 
master, and  received  his  commission  during  his  last  sickness,  but 
never  qualified  or  attemj)ted  to  serve  in  that  capacity. 

Mrs.  Goddard,  now  known  as  Mrs.  Catharine  Smith,  is  yet  a 
resident  of  Wabasha  prairie.  She  is  the  oldest  female  resident  of 
the  citv  of  Winona.  Indirectly  through  her  some  of  the  best 
citizens  of  Winona  became  residents  of  this  county.  She  is  a  sister 
of  the  Lairds'.  Although  the  mother  of  many  children,  she  has 
but  one  living,  a  son,  Orrin  F.  Smith. 

Aunt  Catharine  is  a  woman  whose  social  nature,  kind  heart  and 
real  worth  have  secured  to  her  hosts  of  sincere  friends.  Her  Easter 
parties,  birthday  gatherings  and  social  reunions  of  old  settlers  are 
annual  enjoyments  to  herself  as  well  as  to  her  numerous  relatives 
and  friends.  Mrs.  Goddard  was  connected  with  many  incidents  of 
pioneer  life  which  might  be  mentioned,  some  of  which  will  be 
noticed. 

Prominent  among  the  settlers  who  located  on  Wabasha  prairie 
this  season  was  Dr.  John  L.  Balcombe.  About  April  1  he  came  up 
the  river  on  the  Nominee  and  stopped  at  La  Crosse.  Being  a  gen- 
tleman of  much  more  than  usual  general  intelligence,  with  fine 
social  qualifications,  and  also  an  invalid,  he  readily  formed  acquaint- 
ances and  found  friends'among  the  best  citizens  of  that  place.  Wa- 
basha prairie  was  then  attracting  considerable  attention  from  the 
residents  of  La  Crosse,  and  not  long  after  his  arrival  he  was  induced 
to  join  a  party  who  proposed  to  explore  the  late  Sioux  purchase  for 
farming  lands.  Their  prospecting  excursions  only  extended  to  the 
valleys  along  the  river,  where  some  claims  were  selected.  It  being 
too  early  in  the  season  to  attempt  any  very  extended  trip  without  a 
more  suitable  outfit  than  could  be  procured,  they  returned  to  La 
Crosse. 

In  the  forepart  of  May  Dr.  Balcombe  again  visited  Wabasha 
prairie.  He  brought  with  him  a  horse,  or  pony,  and  camp  supplies. 
He  Irere  secured  the  services  of  lid.  Hamilton,  whose  robust  strength 
and  experience  as  a  cook  made  him  a  valuable  acquisition  in  the 
exploring  excursion  he  proposed  to  make.  After  transporting  their 
outfit  across  the  slough  they  started  for  the  back  country,  Hamilton 
leading  the  way  on  the  trail  with  a  heavy  pack  of  supplies,  the 
doctor  following  on  horseback  with  the  balance  of  their  outfit,  which 
included  a  sack  of  corn  and  a  bundle  of  hay. 


FIRST    SETTLEMENTS    AT    WESTONA    CITY.  285 

Following  the  trail  to  Minnesota  City  thej  went  up  the  south 
valley  and  out  on  Sweet's  prairie  on  a  trail  marked  by  the  settlers  of 
the  colony.  They  spent  three  or  four  days  in  exploring  the  country 
along  the  branches  of  the  White  Water  and  Root  river  as  far  as  the 
western  part  of  this  county.  In  the  vicinity  of  what  is  now  the  town 
of  Saratoga  they  saw  a  large  herd  of  elk,  the  last  that  have  been  seen 
in  this  vicinity. 

They  returned  through  the  Rolling  Stone  and  arrived  at  John- 
son's landing  on  the  evening  of  May  12,  and  went  directly  to  the 
shanty  of  Mr.  Goddard,  where  the  doctor  was  provided  for  as  a 
guest  with  such  accommodations  as  the  place  afforded,  although  Mrs.. 
Goddard  had  hardly  taken  possession  of  the  premises.  The  next 
day  he  returned  to  La  Crosse. 

About  the  last  of  May  another  exploring  party  was  organized  in 
La  Crosse  by  Dr.  Balcombe,  Rev.  J.  C.  Sherwin,  Rev.  William  H. 
Card,  and  other  prominent  citizens.  Provided  with  horses  and 
necessai-y  supplies  for  camping  out,  they  took  passage  to  Wabasha 
prairie.  The  services  of  Ed.  Hamilton  were  again  secured.  As  the 
grass  had  by  this  time  become  sufficient  for  the  support  of  their 
horses,  the  trip  was  only  limited  by  their  inclinations  or  the  extent 
of  their  camp  supplies. 

This  party  went  out  through  Gilmore  valley.  Keeping  on  the 
divide  between  the  Root  river  and  the  White  Water  and  Zombro 
rivers,  they  explored  the  country  as  far  west  as  the  head-waters  of 
the  Cedar  river.  On  their  return  they  camped  on  the  head-waters 
of  the  White  Water,  spending  the  Sabbath  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
present  village  of  St.  Charles.  Religious  exercises  were  observed 
and  Elder  Sherwin  delivered  a  sermon  to  his  companions.  This 
was  the  first  religious  meeting  held  in  the  country  back  from  the 
river. 

While  on  this  excursion  Dr.  Balcombe  made  discovery  of  many 
choice  locations.  His  habits  of  close  observation,  with  a  retentive 
memory,  gave  him  a  decided  advantage  over  other  explorers,  which 
were  afterward  of  pecuniary  value.  He  could  long  afterward  point 
out  the  choicest  locations  to  the  early  settlers  seeking  farming  lands. 
While  on  this  trip  he  first  discovered  and  located  the  present  site  of 
High  Forest.  It  was  not  until  a  year  or  two  afterward  that  he  found 
sale  for  his  rights  of  discovery. 

This  exploring  excursion  satisfied  Dr.  Balcombe  that  the  resources 
of  this  part  of  the  Sioux  purchase,  when  developed,  would  amply 


236  iirsTouY  of  winona  county. 

Bupport  a  large  commercial  town  on  the  river  and  that  the  outlet 
must  be  in  this  vicinity.  He  decided  to  locate  on  Wabasha  prairie, 
and  accepted  Johnson's  offer  of  an  acre  of  ground  on  the  same  terms 
offered  others.  The  acre  selected  was  west  of  and  adjoining  that 
chosen  by  John  Evans.  He  built  a  shanty  on  Main  street,  between 
Front  and  Second  streets,  near  the  alley.  It  was  12x16,  one  story, 
of  little  better  style  than  common  claim  shanties.  It  had  a  gable 
roof  instead  of  the  ordinary  shed  roof.  This  was  at  first  of  boards, 
but  was  afterward  covered  with  shingles. 

Dr.  Balcombe  also  bought  an  undivided  one-third  of  the  Hamil- 
ton claim,  No.  5.  Mark  Howard,  a  gentleman  residing  in  Hartford, 
Conn.,  purchased  another  third,  Edwin  Hamilton  retaining  one- 
third.  Walter  Brown,  of  La  Crosse,  was  appointed  agent  for  Mr. 
Howard.  This  property  is  now  known  as  Huff^'s  addition  to  the 
original  town  plot  of  Winona.  The  claim  was  valued  at  $200.  The 
shares  were  $66.66  each.  Mr.  Hamilton  then  sup])osed  he  had 
made  a  good  sale. 

About  June  1,  Dr.  Balcombe  brought  his  wife  from  Illinois, 
where  she  was  on  a  visit  with  her  son.  Stopping  at  La  Crosse  for 
awhile,  she  came  to  Wabasha  prairie  on  June  13.  They  boarded  at 
Goddard's  until  they  commenced  housekeeping  in  their  own  shanty 
in  July..  About  July  1  he  built  a  shanty  on  the  Hamilton  claim, 
which  he  leased  to  O.  S.  Holbrook,  of  which  mention  was  made  in 
earlier  pages. 

Early  in  July  Dr.  Balcombe  went  down  the  river  and  brought  up 
some  household  furniture  and  supplies.  He  also  brought  back  with 
him  a  span  of  horses  ajid  a  colt,  double  and  single  harnesses,  a 
lumber  wagon  and  a  buggy.  This  was  the  first  buggy  ever  brought 
iiito  the  county  and  the  only  one  for  nearly  a  year  afterward. 

After  spending  the  summer  and  fall  in  Minnesota,  Dr.  Balcombe 
sold  his  interest  in  the  Hamilton  claim,  with  his  horses  and  wagons, 
to  Edwin  Hamilton  for  $661,  and  with  his  wife  went  down  the  river 
on  the  last  boat  in  the  fall.  He  spent  the  winter  with  his  only 
child,  a  son,  St.  A.  D.  Balcombe,  then  a  druggist  doing  business 
in  Elgin,  Illinois.  He  returned  the  following  spring.  Further 
attention  will  be  given  him  in  the  occurrences  of  that  year. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

INCIDENTS   OF  THE   EARLY   TIMES. 

Among  the  settlers  who  came  into  this  county  in  the  spring  of 
1852  were  Wayne  Clark  and  Scott  Clark,  brothers  of  George  W. 
Clark.  Wayne  arrived  about  the  first  of  May,  Scott  a  little  later 
in  the  season.  Scott  Clark  was  an  invalid,  and  came  on  from  the 
State  of  New  York  with  the  hope  that  the  climate  of  Minnesota 
would  prove  beneficial  to  his  health.  Re  made  a  claim  in  the 
mouth  of  Gilmore  valley.  It  included  the  Indian  cultivation  and 
extended  onto  the  table  where  the  residence  of  C.  C.  Beck  now 
stands.  His  claim  shanty,  a  small  log  house,  stood  on  the  same 
plateau  but  near  the  point  next  to  the  creek.  He  held  this  claim 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  June,  1854.  He  was  buried  on 
the  grounds  of  what  is  now  Woodlawn  cemetery.  His  grave  was 
the  first  in  that  locality.  He  was,  however,  buried  there  several 
years  before  the  spot  was  selected  as  a  public  cemetery. 

Wayne  Clark  did  not  come  to  Minnesota  for  the  express  purpose 
of  making  it  a  home  as  an  actual  settler.  His  principal  object  was 
speculation.  He  brought  with  him  quite  a  number  of  land  war- 
rants, which  he  expected  he  would  be  able  to  use  in  securing  lands 
on  the  "Sioux  purchase"  in  the  territory,  but  the  lands  had  not 
been  surveyed  and  he  found  that  land  warrants  were  not  available 
property  here.  To  preserve  them,  he  carefully  laid  them  away  in 
his  trunk,  in  which  he  also  secreted  other  valuables.  He  brought 
with  him  from  Fond  du  Lac,  Wisconsin,  the  trunk  and  "good 
clothes "  of  his  brother,  left  there  the  year  before,  when  George 
abandoned  all  superfluities  of  that  kind. 

These  trunks  were  stored  in  Kash's  slianty  on  claim  No.  2, 
which  they  then  occupied  as  their  headquarters.  Nash  and  Gil- 
more  were  away,  rafting  logs  for  Farrell  that  had  been  cut  on  the 
islands  opposite  during  the  winter.  Although  living  in  this  shanty 
on  the  prairie,  they  were  engaged  in  making  improvements  on  the 
claim  of  George  Clark  across  the  slough,  putting  in  a  crop  of 
potatoes,  corn,  making  garden  and  building  a  cabin. 

One  day,   while  engaged   in   putting  the  cabin  in  a  habitable 


2;-i8  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COLTNTY. 

condition,  they  were  alarmed  by  a  messenger,  William  H.  Stevens, 
crossing  over  in  haste  to  inform  them  that  the  Sioux  threatened  to 
burn  the  shanty  on  the  Nash  claim,  and  that  they  had  better  come 
over  and  take  care  of  their  traps  or  their  property  would  be  burned 
up  in  it. 

Startled  by  this  report,  they  hastened  to  secure  their  valuables 
from  threatened  destruction.  On  arriving  at  the  landing  they 
found  all  of  the  settlers  gathered  at  Goddard's  shanty,  with  about 
half  a  dozen  Indians  as  the  center  of  attraction.  They  here  learned 
that  the  cause  of  the  alarm  was  from  the  -neglect  of  Nash  to  pay 
the  Indian  tax  which  had  been  levied  on  the  shanty  by  the  Sioux, 
or  to  provide  for  its  payment  as  he  had  promised  the  Indians.  On 
this  visit  the  Indians  collected  a  barrel  of  flour  from  Gere,  and 
another  from  Dr.  Childs.  There  were  but  six  inhabited  claim  shan- 
ties on  Wabasha  prairie  at  this  time.  All  had  paid  their  tax  except 
Nash.  Wabasha's  ''infernal"  revenue  collectors  were  somewhat 
irritated  at  not  being  able  to  secure  the  delinquent  tax  on  the  shanty 
of  claim  No.  2.  The  leader  and  spokesman  of  the  party  expressed 
his  dissatisfaction  forcibly  and  emphatic  in  the  Dakota  language. 
The  settlers  standing  around  readily  comprehended  what  he  meant, 
although  they  could  not  understand  but  a  single  word  of  all  that  he 
said.  By  signs  lised  in  his  demonstrations  he  intimated  that  they 
had  promised  to  give  them  the  flour  when  the  Nominee  came  up  in 
the  spring,  but  had  failed  to  do  as  agreed.  Gesticulating  with  his 
hands,  he  pointed  down  the  river,  then  moving  them  slowly  up  until 
he  pointed  up  stream.  This  he  performed  several  times,  each  time 
repeating,  distinctly,  "Nominee,"  pointing  toward  the  shanty,  shak- 
ing his  fist  and  giving  strong  expressions  of  dissatisfaction.  The 
interpretation  as  understood  was  that  the  Nominee  had  been  up  and 
down  a  number  of  times  and  Nash  had  not  furnished  the  flour. 
Apparently  becoming  terribly  excited  in  his  manner,  the  Indian 
rushed  to  the  cook-stove  of  Mrs.  Goddard,  which  stood  at  the  side 
of  the  building,  and  drawing  out  a  blazing  fire-brand,  started  to- 
ward the  delinquent  shanty  as  if  he  was  gohig  to  set  it  on  fire.  This 
the  settlers  comprehended  as  only  a  threat  that  they  would  burn  it 
if  the  flour  or  its  equivalent  was  not  forthcoming.  lie  was  easily 
pacified  and  induced  to  drop  the  incendiary  torch  when  assured  he 
should  have  the  flour.  Johnson  furnished  it  from  his  own  supplies 
and  settled  the  matter  at  once. 

This  was  tlu'  only  "Indian  scare"  ever  attempted  by  the  Sioux 


INCIDENTS    OF    THE    EARLY    TIMES.  239 

with  the  eai'ly  settlers  in  this  county.  The  alarm  was  soon  over, 
and  an  amicable  shake  all  around  indicated  a  satisfactory  adjust- 
ment of  difficulties  and  a  truce  to  all  hostile  demonstrations. 

In  transporting  the  flour  collected  by  the  Indians,  the  barrels 
were  opened  with  their  hatchets  and  the  flour  transferred  to  sacks. 
The  barrels  were  then  destroyed. 

The  only  claim  shanties  on  Wabasha  prairie  for  which  this  tax 
was  paid  to  the  Sioux  were  on  claims  Nos.  1,  2,  3  and  4,  and  on  the 
claim  of  Dr.  Cliilds  and  for  Henry  C.  Gere's  shanty.  John  Burns 
paid  them  for  his  privileges  in  the  mouth  of  Burns  valley.  Four 
barrels  of  flour  settled  all  Indian  claims  on  the  colony  at  Minnesota 
City.  These  were  all  that  paid  the  Indian  tax  that  season.  Finding 
the  settlers  were  becoming  too  numerous  to  be  easily  alarmed,  the 
Indians  abandoned  their  compulsory  plan  of  begging  and  let  them 
remain  undisturbed. 

Notwithstanding  the  amicable  adjustment  with  the  Sioux  in 
relation  to  the  shanty  they  were  occupying  on  the  prairie,  the  Clarks 
removed  their  deposits  and  transferred  all  of  their  efiects  across  the 
slough,  where  they  were  under  their  personal  care.  They  commenced 
housekeeping  in  their  own  shanty,  George  W.,  Wayne  and  Scott 
Clark  living  together. 

Wayne  Clark  spent  that  season  in  Minnesota,  exploring  the 
country  looking  for  chances  to  speculate,  but  went  down  the  river 
on  the  last  boat  in  the  fall  vrithout  making  a  claim  or  investing  his 
surplus  funds  in  a  country  where  securities  (claims)  were  such  un- 
certain property. 

■With  the  crowd  of  passengers  brought  up  the  river  by  the  Nomi- 
nee on  the  19th  of  May,  who  landed  on  Wabasha  prairie,  were  quite 
a  number  of  immigrants  for  the  colony.  For  convenience  in  dis- 
charging freight  and  live  stock.  Captain  Smith  landed  them  at  the 
lower  landing,  his  favorite  claim  and  special  preference  for  a  town 
site. 

Among  the  members  of  the  association  who  stopped  here  were 
Hiram  Campbell,  wife  and  three  children,  Mrs.  Thorp  (wife  of 
Kobert  Thorp)  and  three  sons,  H.  B.  Waterman,  wife  and  son, 
Asa  Waterman,  Eufiis  Waterman,  Andrew  Petee,  D.  Q,  Burley, 
H.  Shipley  and  son,  Mr.  Hunt  and  others. 

Tliis  party  had  quite  a  large  herd  of  cattle — oxen,  cows  and 
young  stock.  The  greater  part  of  them  belonged  to  Hiram  Campbell. 
Mr.  Waterman  had  two  yoke  of  oxen  and  two  cows,  and  Mr.  Hunt 


240  IIIf^TORY    OF    WINONA    ("OTTNTY. 

two  joke  of  oxen.  As  soon  as  tlie  cattle  were  landed  they  scattered 
(»ver  the  prairie  in  si)ite  of  the  efforts  of  their  owners  to  restrain 
them.  The  new-comers  were  not  then  aware  that  they  were  on  an 
island,  from  which  their  cattle  would  not  attempt  to  escape  even  if 
allowed  to  range  over  it.  It  was  not  until  late  in  the  day  that  all  of 
tlie  frisky  herd  were  collected  at  the  lower  end  of  the  prairie.  The 
tents  were  pitched  and  the  party  remained  at  the  landing  until  the 
next  morning,  when  the  wagons  were  loaded,  the  cattle  collected, 
and  all  moved  up  to  the  upper  end  of  the  prairie,  where  they  again 
cam})ed  near  the  landing-place  of  the  Macedonian. 

The  following  morning  the  cattle  were  again  collected  and  after 
much  trouble  driven  aci-oss  the  back  slough  at  the  crossing  on  the 
trail  below  where  they  camped.  Mr.  Campbell  divested  himself  of  all 
clothing  and  followed  them  over  alone  to  aid  his  young  stock  if  occa- 
sion required.  The  wagons,  with  the  men,  women  and  children,  were 
transferred  across  the  slough  to  the  upper  prairie  by  the  Macedonian, 
landing  about  where  the  present  road  is  laid.  Several  trips  were 
made  to  carr}"  them  all  over.  From  here  they  made  their  way  along 
down  the  slough  and  then  moved  on  up  to  the  table-land  along  the 
bluffs  above  the  mouth  of  Gilmore  valley,  where  they  camped  for 
the  night.  The  next  day,  May  23,  they  made  their  entry  into  the 
settlement  and  mingled  with  the  crowds  there  collected.  Some  of 
this  party  are  yet  residents  of  that  vicinity. 

On  account  of  the  difficulties  in  getting  to  Rolling  Stone  from 
Wabasha  prairie,  and  because  of  the  strong  feeling  of  jealousy  and 
rivalry  that  began  to  be  exhibited  ])etween  the  two  localities,  Mr. 
Haddock  urgently  requested  the  members  of  the  association,  by 
messages  and  letters  sent  to  those  on  their  way  uj),  not  to  land  on 
Wal^asha  prairie.  If  the  boats  could  not  be  induced  to  land  them  at 
Kolling  Stone  by  going  up  Straight  Slough,  they  were  advised  to 
continue  on  up  the  river  and  land  on  the  Minnesota  side  below  the 
mouth  of  the  White  Water.  From  there  he  supposed  it  would  be 
practicable  to  reach  the  colony  by  land,  or  tliey  could  be  brought 
down  by  water  on  the  Macedonian. 

But  one  small  party  attempted  to  reach  the  colony  over  this 
route.  They  came  up  the  river  on  the  Dr.  Franklin.  At  Johnson's 
landing,  where  the  boat  stopped,  they  were  advised  by  O.  M.  Lord, 
who  chanced  to  see  them,  that  they  had  better  land  there  with  the 
other  passengers,  and  assured  them  tliat  it  would  be  more  difficult 
to  get  to  Rolling  Stone  from  above  than  from  the  prairie. 


OCCIDENTS    OF    THE    EARTY    TIMES.  241 

Mr.  Wright,  who  had  previously  visited  the  colony,  and  who  now 
assumed  the  leadership,  had  such  unlimited  confidence  in  the  judg- 
ment and  advice  of  Mr.  Haddock  in  the  matter,  that  he  decided  to 
follow  the  instructions  of  the  president  of  the  association.  They 
continued  on  and  landed  on  the  morning  of  May  23  about  three 
miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  White  Water  and  about  a  mile  below 
Hall's  landing,  afterward  known  as  Mt.  Vernon. 

The  members  of  this  party  were  James  Wright,  wife  and  six 
children,  Jolm  JSTicklin,  wife  and  two  children,  and  S.  M.  Burns, 
wife  and  three  children. 

Mr,  Wright  was  one  of  the  directors  of  the  association  and  one 
of  its  earliest  members.  He  had  been  a  resident  of  the  city  of  New 
York,  where  he  followed  the  occupation  of  a  wood-turner.  Mr. 
Nicklin  was  from  the  same  place,  where  he  was  a  lithographer.  Mr. 
Burns  was  from  eastern  Pennsylvania,  where  he  had  been  a  hotel-' 
keeper,  or  keeper  of  a  restaurant.  It  was  said  that  Mr.  Burns 
brought  more  money  with  him  than  any  other  member  of  the 
colony. 

With  their  freight  they  had  a  large  supply  of  provisions  and 
quite  an  amount  of  household  goods.  Mr.  Burns  brought  with  him 
a  very  fine  pair  of  horses,  a  wagon  and  a  general  assortment  of 
farming  tools.  The  experiences  of  this  party  during  their  stay  here 
are  given  as  related  by  Mr.  Wright  to  illustrate  some  of  the  inci- 
dents of  pioneer  life  in  the  early  settlement  of  this  county. 

When  the  horses  of  Mr.  Burns  were  landed  from  the  steamboat, 
they  were  not  securely  fastened  by  the  deck-hands  who  had  them  in 
charge.  Their  halters  were  loosely  tied  to  the  brush  that  grew  along 
the  bank,  and  by  their  restlessness  they  soon  released  themselves. 
Attracted  by  the  fresh  grass,  they  quietly  enjoyed  their  liberty  by 
grazing  in  the  vicinitj^  Thinking  it  safe,  Mr.  Burns  indulged  them 
while  he  was  putting  liis  wagon  together,  which  had  been  taken 
apart  for  convenience  in  transportation. 

After  completing  his  task  Mr.  Burns  attempted  to  secure  his 
team,  but  the  horses  playfully  eluded  his  grasp  of  their  halters  and 
kept  just  beyond  his  reach.  Startled  by  some  sudden  movement, 
they  sprang  off  as  if  for  a  race,  but  again  halted  to  feed  until  he  came 
near,  when  they  again  left  him.  At  length,  turning  up  a  valley, 
they  disappeared.  He  would  occasionally  get  a  glimpse  of  them  on 
the  sides  c^f  the  ravine  and  then  lost  sight  of  them  entirely.  He  fol- 
lowed tlieir  trail  to  the  ridge  on  the  top  of  the  bluffs,  where  he  lost 


242  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

all  trace  and  returned  to  the  river  at  evening,  tired  and  hungry, 
without  his  horses. 

During  the  day,  Mr.  Wright  and  Mr.  Nicklin  arranged  their 
goods  in  the  form  of  a  hollow  square,  and  with  poles  and  blankets 
formed  a  temporary  covering  over  it.  This  provided  a  common 
shelter  for  the  whole  party.  A  cook-stove  was  adjusted  for  business 
near  by,  and  as  they  had  a  variety  of  provisions  and  good  cooks, 
their  camp  was  comfortably  established  and  well  provided  for,  ex- 
cept protection  from  heavy  rains.  Plenty  of  dry  grass  and  an 
abundance  of  blankets  and  quilts  furnished  them  beds  of  whic;h  they 
had  but  little  reason  to  complain.  They  had  the  material  for  tents 
in  their  boxes,  but  they  did  not  consider  it  worth  while  to  un])ack 
them  for  the  short  time  they  proposed  to  stay  there. 

The  following  morning  Mr.  Burns  resumed  his  search  for  the 
truant  animals.  As  the  fiatboat  was"  expected  from  Rolling  Stone, 
Mr.  Wright  and  Mr.  Nicklin  remained  in  camp.  When  at  Wabasha 
prairie  they  had  sent  word  to  Mr.  Haddock,  notifying  him  of  their 
arrival  and  asking  to  have  the  boat  sent  up  for  them. 

In  the  afternoon  Mr.  Robei'tson  and  Mr.  Woodcock  came  up 
from  the  colony  with  the  report  that  an  attempt  had  been  made  to 
bring  up  the  Macedonian,  but  it  was  found  to  be  almost  impossible  to 
manage  it  and  the  effort  had  been  abandoned ;  that  Capt.  Jackson 
proposed  to  take  them  down  in  his  small  boat  and  would  come  up 
in  the  morning  to  begin  the  undertaking.  They  also  reported  that 
there  was  no  roadway  along  the  bluffs  that  was  passable  for  wagons, 
although  there  was  a  well-worn  Indian  trail. 

Mr.  Burns  returned  without  his  horses.  He  was  unable  to  trace 
them,  and  for  awhile  was  himself  lost  and  gave  up  his  search.  He 
was  tired  out  and  discouraged  with  his  fruitless  efforts  to  find  his 
stray  property.  He  had  paid  a  high  price  for  his  horses  in  Chicago, 
and,  being  fearful  that  he  would  lose  them  without  a  chance  for 
tlieir  recovery,  he  offered  a  reward  of  fifty  dollars  for  them  delivered 
in  camp  or  at  Minnesota  City. 

Stimulated  by  this  liberal  offer  Robertson  and  Woodcock  volun- 
teered to  hunt  for  the  estrays.  After  a  late  but  hearty  dinner  they  took 
the  trail  at  about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  and  found  them  before 
dark  in  the  head  of  the  north  Rolling  Stone  valley  and  rode  them  to 
Minnesota  City  the  same  evening.  The  horses  were  returned  to 
Mr.  Bums  uninjured  by  their  frolic.  He  promptly  paid  over  the 
reward. 


INCIDENTS    OF    THE    EARLY    TIMES.  243 

Captain  Jackson  made  the  attempt  to  transfer  this  party  with  his 
Bmall  boat,  and  commenced  with  the  family  and  freight  of  Mr.  Nick- 
lin.  To  accomplish  this  required  several  trips.  He  was  successful 
except  with  the  last,  which  was  a  valuable  load  in  bulky  boxes.  The 
boat  was  capsized  and  the  cargo  a  total  loss— ''no  insurance."  Some 
relics  of  the  contents  of  the  boxes  were  found  the  following  winter  in 
the  brush  on  an  island,  but  nothing  of  value  recovered.  This  acci- 
dent suspended  that  line  of  transportation. 

Robertson  and  Woodcock,  with  an  eye  to  speculation,  offered  to 
deliver  the  goods  of  Mr.  Wright  and  Mr.  Burns  at  Rolling  Stone  for 
fifteen  dollars.  A  bargain  was  at  once  closed  with  them  and  they 
proceeded  to  construct  a  raft  from  some  dead  oak-trees  standing  on 
the  bank  of  the  river.  After  the  logs  were  secured  together  and 
loaded  with  a  barrel  of  pork,  a  barrel  of  beef,  a  barrel  of  vinegar  and 
"a  cask  of  hams,  but  little  of  the  raft  was  above  water.  Lashing  the 
freight  to  the  logs  they  added  a  cook-stove,  shoved  off  into  the  cur- 
rent and  safely  landed  it  at  "Lord's  lumber  yard"  without  accident 
and  without  delay. 

After  the  raft  \iad  left  the  shore,  Burns  decided  that  he  would 
not  move  down  to  the  settlement.  He  had  made  an  arrangement 
with  the  Halls  for  an  interest  in  their  town  site  and  concluded  to 
remain  on  the  river.  He  immediately  commenced  to  build  himself 
a  log  house,  and  moved  his  family  and  goods  up  to  the  landing. 

On  Saturday  Mr.  Hunt  and  Mr.  Shipley  came  up  along  the  bluffs 
with  two  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  wagon  for  the  pui-pose  of  moving  them 
down.  This  was  the  first  wagon  that  ever  passed  between  the  two 
places.  They  met  with  no  serious  obstruction  for  the  passage  of  an 
empty  wagon,  although  the  way  was  rough  and  uneven. 

When  they  left  Rolling  Stone  Mr.  Shipley  was  apparently  in  his 
usual  health.  He  had  that  morning  parted  with  his  son,  a  young 
man  about  sixteen  years  old,  and  sent  him  down  to  Galena  to  bring 
up  his  family,  which  he  had  left  there  two  weeks  before.  While  on 
his  way  up  along  the  blufi's  he  began  to  complain  of  not  feeling  well, 
and  soon  became  too  sick  to  even  follow  on  the  trail.  Mr.  Hunt  made 
him  as  comfortable  as  he  could  on  a  bed  of  grass  in  the  wagon,  and 
brought  him  through  to  Wright's  camp.  Here  everything  was  done 
for  his  relief  that  they  were  able  to  do,  but  without  avail.  He  died 
a  few  hours  after  his  arrival,  at  about  twelve  o'clock  at  night.  His 
disease  was  supposed  to  be  cholera. 

The  remains  of  Mr.  Shipley  were  buried  the  next  day  at  about 


244  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

12  o'clock,  Sunday,  May  30,  1852.  The  grave  was  on  the  bank  of 
the  river,  near  where  he  died.  His  coffin  was  a  few  pieces  of  slabs 
taken  from  the  drift-wood  of  the  river  and  arranged  around  the  body, 
while  lying  in  the  grave.  After  the  grave  was  filled,  a  piece  of  a  slab 
was  placed  at  the  head  and  his  name,  "H.  Shipley,"  marked  on  it. 
The  last  resting-place  of  this  early  pioneer  is  now  unknown.  The 
personal  effects  of  Mr.  Shipley  were  taken  in  chai-ge  by  Mr.  Wright 
and  sent  to  his  wife.  The  oxen  and  wagon  belonged  to  Mr.  Hunt. 
Mr.  Shi])ley  had  no  interest  in  them. 

Mr.  Wright  now  became  anxious  to  leave  that  locality,  and  as 
soon  as  the  rude  burial  was  completed  he  loaded  the  wagon  with 
some  of  his  household  goods  and  decided  to  attempt  to  go  through 
by  land,  but  the  attempt  proved  a  failure  at  the  start.  The  wagon 
was  upset  within  a  few  rods  of  where  it  was  loaded,  the  boxes  were 
smashed  and  their  contents  scattered  as  they  tumbled  and  rolled 
promiscuously  down  tlie  bank,  almost  into  the  river.  A  large  look- 
ing-glass rolled  on  the  edges  of  its  frame  for  several  rods  and  lodged 
in  an  upright  position  against  a  tree,  without  injury.  The  same 
mirror  is  yet  in  use  by  Mrs.  Wright  in  Minnesota  City. 

At  about  the  time  the  loaded  wagon  uj)set  a  steamboat  appeared 
in  sight,  coming  down.  Mr.  Wright  abandoned  his  damaged  [)rop- 
erty  and  devoted  all  his  energies  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  pilot. 
He  hoisted  signals  of  distress  and  hailed  the  boat  most  vociferously, 
and  was  actively  seconded  in  his  efforts  b}-^  his  family,  one  using  a 
tin  horn  and  another  beating  an  accompaniment  on  a  tin  pan. 
Alarmed  by  these  jjroceedings,  the  captain  of  the  boat  cautiously 
ran  over  toward  the  Minnesota  shore,  expecting  to  learn  that  the 
Sioux  had  risen  against  the  settlers.  He  was,  however,  soon  re- 
lieved of  any  anxiety  on  that  score,  and  discovered  as  he  drew  near 
that  they  were  some  of  the  passengers  he  had  landed  there  on  his 
way  up — that  their  noisy  demonstrations  were  made  because  they 
were  anxious  to  leave  that  locality  and  go  down  to  Johnson's  landing. 
He  good-naturedly  consented  to  take  them  on  board.  As  the  boat 
swung  round  to  the  shore  the  captain  hailed  Wright  and  inquired, 
"Where's  your  freight  ?  "  Pointing  to  the  wreck  of  the  wagon-load, 
Wright  replied,  "There  is  some  of  it,  as  soon  as  we  can  get  it 
together."  Observing  the  condition  of  affairs,  the  captain  called  to 
the  men  forward  as  the  gang-plank  was  launched  out,  "  Get  ashore 
there,  some  of  you,   and  bring  them  duds  aboard  in  bulk." 

To  Mrs.  Wright's  extreme  surprise,  and  before  she  could  rally 


INCIDENTS    OF    THE    EARLY    TIMES.  245 

from  her  helpless  astonishment,  her  clean  household  stuff,  bedding 
and  clothing  of  every  description,  was  carried  off  in  the  arms  of 
the  dirty  roustabouts,  and  before  she  could  offer  even  a  feeble 
remonstrance  they  were  piled  promiscuously  on  the  greasy,  dirty  deck. 

All  of  Mr.  Wright's  goods  were  taken  aboard  except  four  barrels 
of  flour  which  he  had  brought  up  for  the  association,  designed  to  be 
used  in  payment  of  the  Indian  tax  on  the  shanties  in  the  colony. 
The  flour  was  taken  down  by  Mr.  Hunt  in  his  wagon,  the  firet 
freight  carried  through  by  a  wagon  over  tlmt  trail. 

When  Mr.  Wright  reached  Johnson's  landing  he  there  found 
Willie  Shipley,  waiting  foi-  the  down  boat.  He  informed  the 
astonished  boy  that  his  father,  from  whom  he  had  parted  not  two 
days  before,  looking  healthy  and  strong,  was  dead  and  in  his  lonely 
grave  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  Mr.  Wright  gave  him  the  property 
found  with  his  father — his  watch,  a  pocket-book  with  papers  and 
a  small  amount  of  money — to  be  carried  to  his  mother. 

His  family  were  not  left  without  means  of  support.  Mr.  Shipley 
had  left  a  considerable  sum  of  money  on  deposit  in  Galena,  under 
the  control  of  his  wife.  The  family  returned  to  their  former  home. 
Their  experience  in  the  west  was  a  sorrowful  one. 

At  Johnson's  landing  Mr.  Wright,  with  his  family,  was  per- 
mitted by  Mr.  Denman  to  pass  the  night  in  the  unfinished  house 
he  was  then  building.  They  reached  Minnesota  City  the  next  day, 
June  1,  and  went  directly  to  the  "gopher"  Mr.  Wright  had  helped 
to  build  nearly  three  weeks  before.  It  was  near  here  that  his  pro- 
visions and  cook-stove  had  been  stored  when  landed  from  the  raft. 
This  gopher-house  was  their  first  home  in  the  colony.  Mr.  Wright 
has  retained  possession  of  and  lived  continuously  with  his  family  on 
the  same  land  and  in  the  same  locality  ever  since  that  period,  about 
thirty-one  years.  They  occupied  the  "gopher"  and  a  tent  until  he 
could  procure  lumber  and  build  a  more  comfortable  place  to  move 
into.  Soon  after  their  arrival  the  whole  family  were  prostrated  with 
sickness  in  some  form.  Two  of  the  children  died  with  measles,  then 
prevailing. 

-  Like  most  of  the  members  of  the  association  from  New  York 
city,  Mr.  Wright's  previous  experience  had  but  poorly  fitted  him  to 
meet  the  demands  of  pioneer  life.  Many  things  were  learned  from 
practical  experience.  Incidents  that  may  now  be  pleasantly  related, 
and  are  amusing  to  listen  to,  which  occurred  in  their  acquisition  of 
a  western  education,  were  once  really  serious  matters  with  them. 


24t)  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

The  provisions  brought  down  on  the  raft  were  jointly  owned  bj 
Mr.  Wright  and  ^Ir.  Burns.  The  morning  after  his  arrival  Mr. 
Wright  went  out  to  inspect  the  condition  of  his  supplies,  and  discov- 
ered that  his  cask  of  hams  liad  been  broken  open  and  the  contents 
carried  off.  The  fact  becoming  known,  the  indignant  colonists  pro- 
ceeded to  investigate  the  affair.  A  careful  examination  of  the  matter 
was  commenced,  but  tlie  mystery  of  the  transaction  was  soon 
revealed  without  a  shadow  ot  suspicion  resting  on  any  member  of 
the  association.  The  cattle  of  the  settlers  had  been  corraled  in  the 
bend  of  the  stream  near  by  to  prevent  their  wandering  off*  to  parts 
unknown  or  trespassing  in  the  settlement.  In  their  eagerness  to  get 
salt,  the  cask  had  been  broken  open  and  the  hams  eaten  by  the 
ravenous  bovine  monsters.  All  of  the  cattle  in  the  settlement  were 
under  suspicion  as  being  implicated  in  the  transaction,  but  the  herd 
of  Hiram  Campbell  were  charged  with  being  the  principal  and  lead- 
ing offenders.  The  fragments  of  partly  eaten  hams  were  found 
scattered  over  the  ground  in  the  vicinity  of  the  empty  cask. 

To  prevent  any  further  loss  to  Mr.  Burns,  it  was  proposed  by 
Mr.  Wright  that  an  equitable  division  of  the  pork  and  beef  be  made. 
In  the  absence  of  Mr.  Burns,  friends  of  both  parties  were  selected  to 
make  the  division.  The  meat  in  each  barrel  was  taken  out  and 
accurately  weighed.  One  half  of  each  was  then  piit  into  one  of  the 
barrels  for  Mr.  Burns  and  the  other  half  into  the  other  barrel  and 
turned  over  to  Mr.  Wright  as  his  individual  property.  This  was 
apparently  a  just  dissolution  of  partnership,  but  Mr.  Wright  soon 
discovered  that  the  mixing  of  the  two  kinds  of  meat  did  not  improve 
the  quality.  It  was  soon  understood  that  Mr.  Wright  and  Mr. 
Burns  had  a  surplus  of  meat,  and  some  less  fastidious  persons  pur- 
chased it  at  less  than  cost. 

Although  transportation  had  proved  to  be  barely  possible  from 
Hall's  landing  to  Rolling  Stone  without  considerable  expense  in  open- 
ing a  wagon  trail,  there  was  to  Mr.  Burns  more  than  a  glimmer  of  a 
prospective  landing-j)lace  for  the  colony,  and  he  located  himself 
where  he  could  have  the  benefit  of  the  river  trade  in  the  business  in 
which  he  proposed  to  engage.  Having  money  to  invest,  he  built  a 
large  hotel.  His  bar  was  the  main  source  of  profit.  He  ])aid  no 
license,  for  the  law  prohibited  the  sale  of  intoxicating  drinks.  His 
hotel  became  a  favorite  resort  for  the  rivermen  and  traveling  public, 
and  was  not  entirely  shunned  by  -the  settlers.  The  Indians  resorted 
to  Burns'    for  trade.      During   the  years  of    1852-3-4   there  was 


THE    ASSOCIATION    AT    ROLLING    STOKE.  247 

more  liquor  sold  by  Mr.  Burns  than  in  all  other  parts  of  southern 
Minnesota.  He  brought  on  quite  a  stock  of  general  merchandise 
and  opened  a  store.  A  postoffice  was  established  and  S.  M.  Burns 
was  postmaster.  He  furnished  employment  for  a  large  number  of 
men  cutting  steamboat  wood  on  government  lands,  on  which  large 
profits  were  made. 

After  a  heavy  expense  trying  to  bujld  up  a  business  point  at  this 
place,  Mr,  Burns  was  forced  to  abandon  the  attempt,  and  the  village 
of  Mt.  Yernon  ceased  to  exist.  The  scheme  to  make  it  the  land- 
ing-place for  the  colony  did  not  prove  practicable,  although  a  wagon 
road  was  opened  between  the  two  places. 

The  town  of  Mt.  Vernon, '  in  the  northwest  part  of  Winona 
county,  took  its  name  from  the  village  of  that  name  at  what  was 
once  known  as  Hall's  landing,  on  the  Mississippi.  Not  a  trace  of 
any  of  the  improvements  made  by  Mr.  Burns  are  now  to  be  seen. 
The  village  site  is  almost  unknown. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE  ASSOCIATION  AT  ROLLING  STONE. 

The  Western  Farm  and  Village  Association,  as  organized  in  the 
city  of  New  York  in  1851,  was  transferred  to  Rolling  Stone  in  1852 
under  the  same  officers  and  with  the  same  laws  governing  its  mem- 
bers. The  mode  of  doing  business  adopted  and  practiced  in  the  east 
was  continued  in  the  west. 

The  first  regular  meeting  of  the  association  held  in  the  colony  at 
Rolling  Stone  was  on  May  6.  The  officers  present  were  Wm. 
Haddock,  president ;  Thos.  K.  Allen,  recording  secretary  ;  and  a 
majority  of  the  board  of  directors,  Augustus  A.  Gilbert,  James 
Wright,  Charles  Bannon,  John  Hughs  and  D.  Robertson. 

At  this  meeting  fifty-two  responded  to  their  names  when  the  roll 
of  members  was  called.  Some  of  these  were  young  unmarried  men, 
but  a  majority  of  the  members  present  were  men  with  families. 

At  a  general  meeting  of  the  colonists  on  Sunday,  May  9,  the 
name  of  Minnesota  City  was  given  to  the  village  of  the  colony.  The 
name  was  unanimously  adopted  by  a  viva-voce  vote.      Prior  to  this 


248  HISTORY  OF  winona  corxTv. 

the  locality  was  only  known  as  Rollin<^  Stono,  and  afterward  it  was 
the  most  familiar  name  to  the  early  settlers. 

At  this  same  meeting,  May  9,  a  Congregational  minister  from 
La  Crosse,  by  the  name  of  Reynolds,  preached  the  first  sermon  ever 
delivered  in  Minnesota  City.  Elder  Reynolds  was  a  missionary  sent 
out  by  the  Home  Mission  Board  of  the  denomination  to  which  he 
belonged. 

Business  meetings  of  the  association  were  called  to  consider  mat- 
ters relating  to  the  common  interests.  At  one  of  these  meetings,  about 
the  first,  Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  was  elected  surveyor  for  the  colony,  to 
establish  the  lines  of  claims  designated  as  farms,  which  were  to  be 
assigned  to  the  choice  of  the  members  of  the  association  according 
to  numbers  drawn  for  that  purpose.  E.  B.  Drew  and  C.  R.  Coryell 
were  Pike's  assistants  in  these  surveys,  which  were  made  under  the 
general  supervision  of  the  president,  Mr.  Haddock. 
^  At  a  meeting  held  on  May  19  the  question  of  making  application 
for  the  establishment  of  a  postoffice  was  considered  and  a  choice  for 
postmaster  made  by  ballot.  Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  received  a  majority 
of  votes.  A  petition  in  proper  form  was  drawn  up  and  signed, 
soliciting  the  establishment  of  a  postoffice  at  Minnesota  City  and 
recommending  Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  as  a  proper  appointment  for  post- 
master. This  petition  was  forwarded  to  the  Postoffice  department  at 
Washington.  In  due  time  Mr.  Pike  received  his  commission  and 
the  office  was  established,  but  with  the  proviso  and  on  condition  that 
the  mails  should  be  transported  to  and  from  the  nearest  postoffice 
on  the  river  free  of  charge  to  the  Postoffice  department.  The  near- 
est postoffice  was  then  at  La  Crosse.  The  mail  was  dependent 
on  chance  opportunities  or  private  enterprise.  Even  such  postal 
facilities  were  considered  of  advantage  to  the  settlement. 

The  family  of  Mr.  Pike,  consisting  of  his  wife  and  two  children 
and  two  of  his  sisters  (afterward  Mrs.  H.  Jones  and  Mrs.  D.  Ken- 
nedy), came  on  about  the  last  of  June.  While  on  their  passage  up 
the  river  the  postoffice  keys  were  handed  to  Mrs.  Pike  at  La  Crosse 
by  Brooks  and  Hancock,  two  members  of  the  association  there  on  a 
visit,  to  be  delivered  to  her  husband  on  her  arrival  at  Minnesota 
City.     This  was  the  first  knowledge  Mrs.  Pike  had  of  the  matter. 

On  May  20  a  census  of  the  colony  was  taken,  when  it  was  ascer- 
fciined  that  there  were  ninety  male  members  of  the  association  on 
the  grounds  and  about  400  women  and  children. 

The  first  death  in  the  colony  was  on  May  25,  that  of  David 


^'TO'^'^.'iyt^ 


THE    ASSOCIATION    AT    ROLLING    STONE.  '251 

Densmore,  a  man  about  sixty  years  of  age.  He  was  from  the  State 
of  Maine.  He  had  no  family  with  him.  Mr.  Densmore  was  buried 
in  the  grounds  selected  lor  a  cemetery,  a  little  above  the  forks  of  the 
Rolling  Stone  creek,  near  Minnesota  City. 

The  first  bridge  built  in  the  county  was  across  the  Rolling  Stone, 
near  where  James  Wright  now  lives  in  Minnesota  City.  Long  logs, 
used  as  stringers,  were  laid  over  the  stream  from  one  bank  to  the 
other.  Across  these  stringers  logs  were  laid  instead  of  plank.  The 
colonists  all  united  in  this  public  improvement. 

The  next  morning  after  this  bridge  was  completed  the  settlers 
found  that  their  engineering  was  not  practicable  in  this  structure. 
The  long  stringers  of  green  timber,  without  central  support,  had 
given  way  and  broken  down  from  weight  of  the  green  logs  b}'-  which 
they  were  covered.  The  middle  of  the  bridge  was  resting  in  the 
center  of  the  stream,  the  logs  retained  in  their  position  across  the 
stringers.  Although  not  available  as  a  wagon  bridge,  it  was  used 
during  the  season  as  a  crossing-place  by  persons  on  foot. 

The  first  bridge  that  was  of  any  practicable  use  was  one  built  by 
the  colonists  across  the  Rolling  Stone  just  below  the  forks  of  that 
stream,  above  Minnesota  City.  The  location  is  now  covered  by  the 
mill-pond.  This  was  called  the  "herd  bridge"  by  the  settlers. 
The  cattle  belonging  in  the  colony  were  placed  under  the  charge  of 
a  herdsman,  who  had  the  general  management  of  them  during  the 
grazing  season.  Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  was  the  first  appointed  and  acted 
in  that  capacity  for  that  season.  A  fence  was  built  running  from 
the  bluff  on  the  south  side  to  the  stream,  and  the  cattle  were  allowed 
to  range  above  it  in  the  south  valley.  The  "herd  bridge*"  was 
designed  and  built,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Pike,  to  serve  as  a 
crossing-place  for  the  stock  under  his  charge.  It  was,  however,  used 
as  a  wagon  bridge  for  two  or  three  years  after  a  road  was  opened  up 
through  the  south  valley. 

During  that  season  the  wagon  trail  leading  to  Wabasha  prairie 
was  on  the  south  side  of  the  stream,  next  to  the  blufts,  and  the  only 
practical  fording-place  of  the  stream  was  where  Elsworth's  mill  now 
stands.  Late  in  the  fall,  or  early  in  winter,  the  settlers  opened  a 
road  along  down  the  table,  on  the  north  side  of  the  stream,  about 
where  it  now  is,  and  built  a  bridge  near  the  angle  where  the  creek 
leaves  the  bluff  and  flows  north,  about  a  mile  below  the  present  vil- 
lage of  Minnesota  City.  This  was  the  first  public  bridge  in  common 
use  in  the  county.  It  was  maintained  for  three  or  four  years  until 
15 


252  IIISTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

the  present  road  between  Minnesota  and  Winona  was  opened  and 
another  bndtj;e  was  built  about  fifty  rods  beh)w,  in  tlie  same  locality 
where  the  present  bridge  stands. 

The  first  store  for  the  sale  of  merchandise  to  the  settlers  in  the 
colon}'  was  opened  about  June  1  of  this  season  by  a  Mr.  Robertson. 
He  closed  out  his  establishment  and  left  the  colony  early  in  the  fall. 

The  first  school  opened  in  the  county  was  a  select  school,  started 
in  Minnesota  City  in  the  early  part  of  this  season.  The  first  district 
school  in  the  county  was  established  here  later  in  the  season.  The 
district  was  organized  under  the  general  law  of  the  territory  and 
comprised  the  whole  colony.  Miss  Ilouk  was  the  teacher.  Schools 
have  been  uniformly  maintained  in  that  locality  from  that  time  to 
the  present. 

The  first  blacksmith-shop  started  in  this  county  by  the  early 
settlers  was  in  the  colony  at  Minnesota  City.  James  and  John 
Prosser,  father  and  son,  opened  a  shop  and  commenced  business 
early  in  the  season.  Josiah  Keene  also  started  a  shop.  The  Prossers 
left  the  colony  in  the  fall.  O.  M.  Lord  bought  their  shop,  tools  and 
stock,  and  also  that  of  Keene,  and  carried  on  the  business  for  a  year 
or  two  afterward.  This  was  the  only  blacksmith-shop  in  the  county 
until  the  spring  of  1854,  when  a  shop  was  opened  at  Winona,  pre- 
vious to  which  the  settlers  on  Wabasha  prairie  were  dependent  on 
Minnesota  City,  or  they  were  compelled  to  go  to  La  Crosse  for  their 
blacksmith  work.  Sometimes  jobs  of  blacksmithing  were  ordered 
by  the  boats  from  Galena. 

The  first  horseshoeing  done  in  the  county  was  by  O.  M.  Lord. 
In  the  fall  of  1852  he  shod  a  pair  of  horses  for  Hon.  Wm.  11.  Stevens, 
of  the  city  of  Winona.  The  shoes  were  brought  up  from  La  Crosse. 
In  the  spring  of  1853  he  shod  fourteen  horses  for  Wm.  Ashley 
Jones,  a  government  surveyor. 

From  1849  to  1853  the  county  of  Winona  was  a  part  of  Wabasha 
county.  By  act  of  the  First  Territorial  Legislature,  October  27, 
1849,  "  all  that  portion  of  said  territory  lying  east  of  a  line  running 
due  south  from  a  point  on  the  Mississip})i  river  known  as  Medicine 
Bottles  Village,  at  Pine  Bend,  to  the  Iowa  line,  was  erected  into  a 
county  to  be  known  by  the  name  of  Wabashaw.'' 

The  extent  of  territory  included  in  the  boundaries  of  Wabasha 
county  by  that  act  was  what  is  now  a  part  of  the  coimty  of  Dakota 
and  the  present  counties  of  Goodhue,  AVabasha,  Olmsted,  Dodge, 
Mower,  Fillmore,  Houston  and  Winona. 


THE    ASSOCIATION    AT    ROLLING    STONE.  253 

■ 

Wabasha  county  was  lirst  created  for  the  special  pur])ose  of 
affording  certain  political  privileges  to  the  settlers  within  its  bound- 
aries, nearly  all  of  whom  were  half-breed  Sioux,  living  on  the  "Half- 
breed  Tract,"  who  were  recognized  as  bona  fide  citizens.  The  other 
parts  of  the  county  were  then  in  possession  of  the  Sioux. 

It  was  made  part  of  a  council  district,  but  was  declared  to  be  a 
representative  district,  entitled  to  elect  one  representative  to  the 
territorial  legislature. 

The  first  representative  from  Wabasha  county  was  James  Wells. 
He  was  also  a  member  of  the  second  and  fourth  territorial  legisla- 
tures in  1851  and  in  1853.  In  the  third  legislature,  the  session  of 
1852,  Wabasha  county  was  represented  by  Fordyce  S.  Richards, 
another  trader,  living  at  Reed's  landing. 

The  fourth  territorial  legislature  in  1853  (March  4)  divided  Wa- 
basha county  and  created  Fillmore  county  from  the  southern  por- 
tion along  the  Mississippi,  which  included  the  present  county  of 
Winona.  The  same  council  and  representative  districts  were,  how- 
ever, continued  until  1855,  when  a  new  apportionment  was  made  by 
the  legislature. 

At  the  election  held  in  the  fall  of  1853,  Hon.  O.  M.  Lord,  of 
Minnesota  City,  was  elected,  from  Fillmore,  representative  of  this 
district  to  the  fifth  territorial  legislature,  which  held  its  session  in 
1854.  At  this  session  Winona  county  was  created,  February  23, 
1854. 

When  Wabasha  county  was  created  in  1849  it  was  "declared 
to  be  organized  only  for  the  appointment  of  justices  of  the  peace, 
constables  and  such  other  judicial  and  ministerial  officers  as  might 
be  specially  provided  for."  It  was  attached  to  Washington  county 
for  judicial  purposes  and  was  entitled  to  any  number  of  justices  not 
exceeding  six,  and  to  the  same  number  of  constables,  who  were  to 
receive  their  appointment  from  the  governor  and  to  hold  their  oflice 
for  two  years,  unless  sooner  removed. 

The  first  justice  of  the  peace  appointed  by  Gov.  Ramsey  in 
accordance  with  this  act  creating  Wabasha  county,  was  Thomas  K. 
Allen,  the  recording  secretary  of  the  association  at  Minnesota  City. 
Mr.  Allen  was  compelled  to  go  to  the  capital  of  the  territory — to  St. 
Paul,  in  order  to  qualify — to  take  the  oath  of  office  required.  There 
was  no  one  nearer  who  was  empowered  to  administer  it  to  him. 

At  a  general  meeting  of  the  members  of  the  association  living  in 
the  colony  at  Minnesota  City,  held  July  12,  1852,  an  election  pre- 


254  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

cinct  was  organized  and  the  following  officers  elected  by  ballot : 
Thomas  K.  Allen,  justice  of  the  peace;  Josiah  Keen,  constable; 
James  Wright,  assessor ;  and  Augustus  A.  Gilbert,  notary  public. 

These  proceedings  were  without  proper  authority,  and  only  de- 
signed to  represent  an  expression  of  the  wishes  of  the  people  in  the 
colony.  The  governor  was  duly  notified  of  this  action  of  the  settlers 
and  the  appointment  of  the  officers  selected  formally  recommended 
and  solicited. 

Gov.  Ramsey  confirmed  the  election  by  making  the  appointment 
accordingly.  Mr.  Allen  took  the  oath  of  office  on  July  28,  1852. 
By  vote  of  the  association,  O.  M.  Lord,  John  lams  and  Hiram 
Campbell  were  elected  road  commissioners  for  the  colony  or 
precinct. 

The  first  sermon  delivered  to  the  settlers  in  Rolling  Stone  was 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Reynolds,  a  missionary  of  the  Congregational 
church.  He  kept  up  regular  appointments  and  ])reached  during  the 
summer  at  Minnesota  City  and  at  Wabasha  prairie.  His  audiences 
were  representatives  of  all  denominations,  Presbyterians,  Baptists, 
Methodists,  etc.  A  general  Sabbath-school  was  started  in  the  early 
part  of  this  season.  The  members  of  the  association  held  to  the 
religious  faith  or  belief  they  had  professed  before  joining  the  colony. 
If  there  was  any  change  it  was  exhibited  in  a  general  feeling  of 
toleration.  The  Protestants  and  Catholics  shared  with  each  other 
in  their  comforts  and  privations,  and  in  their  joys  and  sorrows,  with- 
out question  of  religious  opinions.  All  grades  of  liberalism,  spirit- 
ualism and  other  "isms"  had  advocates. 

The  first  church  organized  in  this  county  was  by  the  Baptist 
members  of  the  association.  This  was  the  first  Protestant  church 
organization  in  southern  Minnesota.  The  appropriate  ceremonies 
were  held  on  July  II,  1852.  The  pastor  of  this  church  was  the  Rev. 
T.  R.  Cressey,  a  missionary  appointed  by  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Missionary  Society  at  a  salary  of  $600  per  annum.  He  made 
Minnesota  City  his  headquarters,  but  preached  in  other  localities. 

After  remaining  in  this  vicinity  for  two  or  three  months,  Mr. 
Cressey  had  a  call  to  locate  himself  in  charge  of  the  Baptist  church 
in  St.  Paul.  As  the  failing  condition  of  the  colony  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  season  offered  less  inducements  to  remain,  he  left  this  county 
and  located  himself  in  the  capital  of  the  territory. 

Another  Baptist  preacher.  Rev.  Henderson  Cressey,  a  brother  of 
T.  R.  Cressey,  preached  to  the  settlers  at  Minnesota  City  and  on 


THE    ASSOCIATION    AT    ROLLING    STONE.  255 

Wabasha  prairie  for  about  two  years  afterward,  but  did  not  reside 
in  this  vicinity.     He  held  a  claim  for  awhile  on  the  upper  prairie. 

There  was  such  a  general  immigration  of  preachers  among  the 
early  settlers  that  about  every  settlement  was  represented  by  one  or 
more  of  some  denomination.  It  is  now  difficult  to  ascertain  the 
names  of  many  of  those  who  for  a  time  held  claims  in  this  county. 
The  most  of  them  apparently  preferred  the  blouse  of  the  settler  to 
the  garb  of  their  profession. 

The  Eev.  William  Sweet  occasionally  preached,  but  made  no 
regular  appointments.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Henderson,  a  member  of  the 
association,  living  at  Minnesota  City,  was,  or  had  been,  a  Metliodist 
paeacher.  It  was  said  that  he  gave  the  settlers  a  most  enthusiastic, 
patriotic  sermon  on  Sunday,  July  4,  1852.  From  many  peculiarities 
of  belief  or  opinions  expressed  in  public,  his  influence  among  the 
Methodists,  of  which  denomination  there  was  quite  a  number,  was 
not  sufficient  to  induce  them  to  acknowledge  him  as  a  leader  or 
combine  in  a  church  organization.  Mr.  Henderson,  with  others 
holding  different  "isms,"  made  an  unsuccessful  effort  to  create  a 
society  called  "The  Universal  Church." 

It  is  difficult  to  ascertain  the  exact  date  of  the  arrival  of  very 
many  of  the  early  settlers  who,  as  members  of  tlie  association, 
located  in  this  county.  The  greatest  number  and  largest  bodies  of 
them  arrived  in  May,  but  they  continued  to  come  during  June  and 
until  about  the  middle  of  July,  after  which  but  few  if  any  of  the 
immigrants  in  this  part  of  the  territory  were  members  of  that  organ- 
ization. 

Among  those  who  located  in  the  colony  in  Rolling  Stone  whose 
arrival  has  not  been  specially  mentioned  were  the  following.v  The 
most  of  these  came  in  May.  The  list  might  be  largely  extended  by 
adding  the  names  of  those  who  remained  so  sliort  a  time  that  with 
propriety  they  should  be  classed  as  a  part  of  the  transient  population 
of  tlie  colony.  Prominent  among  the  more  permanent  settlers  were 
Wm.  T.  Luark,  John  lams,  S.  D.  Putnam,  S.  A.  Houk,  O.  H. 
Houk,  George  Foster,  Egbert  Chapman,  Harvey  Stradling,  P.  D. 
Follett,  Samuel  Hancock,  John  Cook  and  V.  G.  Wedon.  The  last 
is  but  the  nom  de  plume  of  Robert  Pike,  Jr. 

The  time  set  by  the  association  for  drawing  numbers  for  the 
choice  of  farming  lands  was  May  15.  The  drawing  took  place  at 
that  date,  although  the  survey  was  not  completed ;  neither  was  there 
a  full  representation  of  members  present.     The  selections  of  claims 


256  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

were  afterward  made  as  fast  as  the  reports  of  the  surveyor  were 
received,  which  were  almost  daily.  All  of  the  available  farming 
land  in  each  of  the  valleys  of  the  Rolling  Stone  were  surveyed  and 
assigned  to  the  colonists.  Some  made  choice  of  lands  and  made 
claims  which  they  retained  and  still  occupy  as  farms,  but  the  most 
of  the  selections  made  by  the  numbers  drawn  were  abandoned.  The 
selections  first  made  were  not  in  all  cases  satisfactorj'-,  and  ex- 
changes were  effected  without  disturbing  the  harmony  of  the 
settlement. 

By  special  action  of  the  association  before  they  left  New  York, 
exemptions  were  given  certain  members  who  were  unable  to  move 
in  the  spring,  by  which  their  rights  and  privileges  were  protected  by 
proxy.  These  exemptions  were,  however,  but  temporary  arrange- 
ments. The  limit  of  this  e:ttension  of  time  was  fixed  to  expire  on 
July  15,  at  which  date  a  general  meeting  of  the  association  was  to  be 
held  for  the  purpose  of  determining  which  village  lots  and  farming 
lands  had  been  forfeited. 

The  following  extract  from  the  diary  of  Mr.  E.  B.  Drew  notes 
this  general  gathering  :  "Thursday,  July  15,  1852.  The  Western 
Farm  and  Village  Association  all  met  at  Mr.  Lord's  new  house  to 
transact  important  business  pertaining  to  individual  interests  in  city 
lots  and  farms.  Some  interesting  times.  The  population  is  now 
over  three  hundred."  "July  16.  To-day  O.  M.  Lord  arrived  with 
his  family,  bringing  with  him  a  horse-team  and  a  cow." 

Mr.  Lord's  new  house,  mentioned  by  Mr.  Drew,  was  located  on 
the  same  table,  but  about  a  Imndred  rods  above  where  O.  M.  Lord 
now  lives  in  Minnesota  Cit}^  The  "interesting  times"  was  the 
scramble  for  forfeited  village  lots  and  farms.  The  horse-t^am 
brought  by  Mr.  Lord  was  the  first  span  of  horses  brought  into  the 
colony. 

The  village  lots  of  the  colony,  which  embraced  over  1,000  acres, 
covered  the  land  from  below  the  farm  now  owned  by  Robert  Duncan 
to  the  bluffs  neai"  the  farm  of  D.  Q.  Burley  and  up  the  valley  above  the 
fork  of  the  stream,  including  the  Watei*man  farm.  The  bottom 
lands  and  a  part  of  the  Denman  farm  were  plotted  as  suburban  lots. 

The  most  of  the  improvements  on  village  lots  were  from  where 
James  Kennedy  now  lives  to  about  half  a  mile  above  where  Troost's 
mill  stood.  It  was  here  that  a  large  number  of  the  settlers  who 
wintered  in  the  colony  made  their  homes.  Although  all  had  claims, 
but  few  occupied  them  until  the  following  spring. 


THE    ASSOCIATION    AT    ROLLING    STONE.  257 

Some  members  of  the  association  made  claims  outside  the  juris- 
diction assumed  for  the  colony.  In  June  Mr.  D.  Holljer  made  a 
claim  in  what  is  now  the  town  of  Utica,  which  he  abandoned  in  the 
fall  when  he  left  the  territory.  Dr.  J.  W.  Bentley  took  possession 
and  moved  on  it  in  the  spring  following.  It  was  afterward  known 
as  "Bentlev's.'"  Dr.  Bentley  was  not  a  member  of  the  association, 
although  he  came  to  Minnesota  City  in  the  fall  of  1852  and  lived 
there  during  the  winter  with  H.  B.  Waterman,  a  relative.  While 
living  at  Minnesota  City  Mrs.  Bentley  increased  the  population  of 
the  colony  by  the  addition  of  a  daughter  to  her  family.  This  was 
the  first  white  child  born  in  Rolling  Stone.  The  first  male  child 
born  in  Minnesota  City  was  the  eldest  son  of  Mrs.  H.  B.  Waterman, 
January  5,  1854.  This  child  was  the  first  born  in  the  colony  whose 
parents  were  members  of  the  association.  George  B.  Waterman 
died  in  1881. 

S.  E.  Cotton  made  a  claim  near  Hollyer's,  a  little  east  from 
where  the  Utica  railroad  station  now  stands.  He  had  ten  acres  of 
breaking  done  on  it  by  Charles  Bannon.  Mr.  Burley  was  in  the 
employ  of  Mr.  Bannon  and  drove  the  team  for  this  job.  This  was 
the  first  breaking  done  back  of  the  bluffs — the  first  breaking  done 
within  the  boundaries  of  the  county  back  from  the  Mississippi, 
except  in  the  valley  of  the  Boiling  Stone. 

Robert  Taylor  made  a  claim  of  what  is  now  the  village  of  Stock- 
ton, on  the  east  side  of  the  valley.  D.  Q.  Burley  made  a  claim 
adjoining  Robert  Taylor's  on  the  west.  Mr.  Taylor  abandoned  his 
location  the  following  year,  when  Mr.  Burley  absorbed  it  by  moving 
his  claim  to  the  center  of  the  valley.  Mr.  Burley  traded  this  claim 
for  a  house  and  lot  in  Minnesota  City  to  S.  A.  Houk,  who  in  1854 
sold  it  to  J.  B.  Stockton,  the  original  proprietor  of  the  village  of 
Stockton.  Mr.  Burley  then  made  a  claim  of  the  farm  on  which  lie 
now  lives.     His  family  did  not  come  here  until  the  spring  of  1854. 

Above  Stockton,  on  the  south  fork  of  the  Rolling  Stone,  Mr. 
Hunt  made  a  claim.  He  was  a  proxy  or  substitute  in  the  employ  of 
a  wealthy  member  living  in  New  York  city,  who  furnished  him  with 
two  yoke  of  oxen  and  all  necessary  supplies.  Mr.  Hunt  did  some 
breaking  and  put  up  about  fifty  tons  of  hay.  This  hay  was  cut  with 
scythes  by  Mr.  Burley  and  Mr.  Thorp,  who  helped  put  it  in  the 
stacks.  They  camped  on  what  is  now  the  L.  D.  Smith  farm  while 
at  this  job,  but  made  their  homes  in  Minnesota  City. 

Mr.  Hunt  went  back  to  New  York  in  the  fall  and  left  the  cattle 


258  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

and  eliiim  in  charge  of  Mr.  Burley.  A  few  days  after  he  left  the 
tifty  tons  of  luiy  were  burned  by  a  fire  wliich  swept  through  the 
valley.  Mr.  Burley  wintered  the  stock  in  Minnesota  City.  The 
following  spring  the  oxen  were  taken  up  the  river  by  a  Mr.  Bertram 
to  another  association  colony  in  the  vicinity  of  Lake  Minnetonka. 
The  claim  made  by  Mr.  Hunt  was  abandoned. 

Egbert  Chapman  made  a  claim  on  Sweef  s  prairie  and  built  a 
cabin,  in  which  he  lived  with  his  family  through  the  winter.  He  is 
yet  a  resident  t)f  the  county,  living  in  Minnesota  City.  His  son, 
Edgar  Chapman,  is  now  living  in  Dakota  Territory. 

Harvey  Stradling  also  selected  a  location  on  Sweet's  praii-ie  near 
Chapman's.  He  was  then  a  j'oung  man.  In  June,  1853,  he  mar- 
ried Anna  Chapman,  a  daughter  of  Egbert  Cliapman.  The  Rev. 
William  Sweet  ofiiciated  at  this  marriage  ceremony.  This  was  the 
first  wedding  among  the  colonists. 

Mr.  Stradling  afterward  located  in  the  valley  above  Minnesota 
City.  He  died  tliere  many  years  ago.  His  widow  (now  Mrs.  John 
Ni('klin)is  living  in  Dakota  Territory. 

In  July,  1852,  John  Cook  made  a  claim  in  the  White  Water 
valley  about  a  mile  above  White  Water  Falls.  He  built  a  comfort- 
able log  house  and  lived  here  during  the  winter  and  for  several 
years  after.  His  brother,  David  Cook,  also  made  a  claim  in  this 
vicinity,  which  he  occupied  the  following  year. 

S.  D.  Putnam  selected  his  claim  about  a  mile  below  Stockton 
and  built  a  comfortable  log  house  the  following  spring  near  where 
he  now  resides.  This  was  on  the  farm  owned  and  occupied  by  J.  J. 
Mattison  for  about  twenty  years.  Mr.  Putnam  occupied  the  log 
house  about  four  years.  It  was  a  favorite  stopping-place  for  excur- 
sionists, travelers,  explorers  and  claim-hunters,  and  had  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  the  best  ''hotel"  in  the  county.  Mr.  Putnam  is  a 
prosperous  farmer,  and  quietly  enjoys  his  comfortable  home. 

O.  H.  Houk  made  a  claim  next  below  Putnam's,  which  lie  held 
for  a  year  or  two.  He  built  a  log  house  on  it.  The  location  was 
long  known  as  the  Evans  place. 

C/harles  Bannon  chose  a  location  about  a  mile  below  Putnam's, 
and  is  yet  living  on  the  claim  selected  by  him  as  a  member  of  the 
association  in  1852.  He  did  not  occupy  or  make  any  improvements 
on  it  until  the  following  spring.  During  this  time  he  looked  with 
longing  eyes  on  another  claim  in  the  valley  about  a  mile  below. 
The  claim  which  disturbed  his  contentment  had  been  chosen  by  a 


THE    ASSOCIATION"    AT    ROLLING    STOKE.  259 

member  of  the  association  tbi-  Miss  Amidon  on  a  mimber  drawn  bj 
or  for  her.  She  was  not  a  resident  in  the  colony,  and  no  improve- 
ments had  been  made  to  indicate  that  it  was  occupied. 

Mr.  Bannon,  supposing  that  the  claim  had  been  abandoned, 
went  on  to  it  and  t(wk  possession  by  cutting  house-logs  enough  to 
build  a  comfortable  log  house,  which  he  drew  together  preparatory 
to  calling  his  friends  to  his  house-raising. 

A  night  or  two  before  the  contemplated  "raising"  was  to  have 
taken  place,  the  friends  of  Miss  Amidon,  or  Miss  Amidon's  claim, 
got  together  and  cut  each  of  the  house-logs  in  two,  and  notified  Mr. 
Bannon  not  to  jump  the  claim  of  an  unprotected  female. 

This  was  the  first  clash  among  "the  faithful  members,"  and  to 
prevent  a  serious  collision,  which  apparently  threatened,  the  friends 
of  the  parties  induced  Mr.  Bannon  to  abandon  the  idea  of  making  a 
change  of  location  and  settle  on  his  own  claim.  All  parties  united 
and  moved  the  crippled  house-logs  up  to  his  original  choice  of  loca- 
tion by  number,  and  there  constructed  an  octagon  log  house  for  him 
as  a  compromise  of  the  difficulty. 

Having  no  desire  to  encourage  contention,  Mr.  Bannon  acquiesced 
in  the  movement,  although  satisfied  in  his  own  mind  that  he  had  a 
just  right  to  the  claim  and  could  have  held  it  without  wi'onging  any 
person.  Suffice  it  to  say  of  this  matter  that  Miss  Amidon  never 
made  her  appearance  in  the  valley.  The  disputed  claim  was  after- 
ward disposed  of  by  the  friend  or  agent  of  that  lady  to  Henry  W. 
Di'iver.  Mr.  Driver  pre-empted  it  as  a  homestead,  and  after  living 
on  it  for  five  or  six  years  sold  his  farm  and  moved  to  Winona,  where 
he  resided  for  a  year  or  two  and  then  went  south. 

Mr.  Bannon  moved  on  his  claim  in  the  spring  of  1853,  and  has 
occupied  it  as  a  farm  for  over  thirty  years.  He  has  been  a  success- 
ful farmer.  His  comfortable  buildings,  fine  stock  and  well  cultivated 
fields  represent  that  as  a  member  of  the  Western  Farm  and  Village 
Association  he  found  that  "home  in  the  west"  for  which  he  aban- 
doned his  business  as  a  carman  in  New  York  city  and  helped  to 
form  a  colony  in  the  Territory  of  Minnesota.  ^ 

Lawrence  Dilworth  made  choice  of  his  claim  in  accordance  with 
his  number  drawn  as  a  member  of  the  association,  and  selected  the 
one  next  below  and  adjoining  that  of  Mr.  Bannon's.  He  moved  on 
his  claim  in  the  spring  of  1853,  and  has  lived  there  from  that  time  to 
the  present.  His  good  buildings  and  the  well-tilled  fields  of  his  fine 
farm  indicate  the  prosperous  farmer  and  demonstrate  that  he  too 


260  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

secured  the  farm  for  which  lie  came  to  Rolling  Stone.  Mr.  Dilwortb 
and  family  were  of  the  party  that  landed  at  the  colony  from  the 
wood-boat  on  the  evening  of  May  2.  They  are  Catholics.  Religious 
faith  was  not  a  test  of  friendship  in  the  Rolling  Stone  colony.  The 
high  respect  entertained  by  the  early  settlers  for  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dil- 
wortb has  never  been  dimmed  by  the  years  that  have  passed  since 
tlieir  pioneer  days  as  colonists.  The  writer  hopes  for  pardon  if  tres- 
passing on  their  private  affairs,  but  a  remarkable  peculiarity  in 
manner  of  doing  business  is  worthy  of  mention  as  an  uncommon 
incident  in  pioneer  life.  It  is  said  by  one  familiar  with  his  affairs 
that  Mr,  Dilwortb  has  not  during  the  past  thirty  years  allowed  an 
account  to  be  opened  against  him.  He  has  paid  cash  down  fV»r 
whatever  he  has  bought  or  gone  without  articles  required. 

On  a  farm  about  a  mile  below  Mr.  Dil worth  there  is  now  living 
another  member  of  the  association,  who,  like  bis  neighbors  above, 
remained  in  the  colony,  and  lias  secured  the  home  in  his  old  age  for 
which  he  left  New  England  and  came  west  more  than  thirty  years 
ago.  This  farm  is  now  owned  and  occupied  by  S.  E.  Cotton. 
When  the  members  of  the  association  made  choice  of  farms  by  their 
numbers,  this  locality  was  chosen  by  John  lams,  and  purchased 
from  him  by  E.  B.  Drew.  This  was  the  first  claim  sale  in  the 
colony.  Mr.  Drew  as  assistant  surveyor  had  taken  a  liking  to  the 
place,  and  when  he  learned  that  it  had  been  selected  by  Mr.  lams 
he  offered  him  $10  for  his  number,  or  right  to  it.  The  offer  was 
accepted  and  the  claim  given  up  to  Mr.  Drew,  who  held  it  and 
entered  it  at  the  United  States  land  office  when  the  land  was  sur- 
veyed. It  was  held  by  Mr.  Drew  until  1857,  when  he  sold  it  to 
Mr.  Cotton. 

When  Mr.  Cotton  first  landed  at  Rolling  Stone  he  built  a  log 
house  on  his  village  lot  previously  selected,  and  made  it  his  home. 
After  the  collapse  of  the  association  he  retained  his  location,  and 
when  the  land  was  surve3'ed  by  government  he  made  a  claim  of 
eighty  acres  and  pre-empted  the  village  lots  as  a  homestead.  He 
sold  it  in  1857  and  moved  to  his  present  home.  His  claim  in  Min- 
nesota City  is  now  the  farm  of  James  Kennedy. 

Between  the  "Drew  claim"  (where  Mr.  Cotton  now  lives)  and 
Minnesota  City  a  claim  was  made  by  llezakiah  Jones,  who  occupied 
the  locality  for  several  years,  and  then  sold  the  homestead  he  there 
pre-empted.  Mr.  Jones  is  yet  a  resident  of  Minnesota  City.  He  is 
the  oldest  settler  in  that  part  of   the  county  north  of  the  city  of 


Tire    ASSOCIATION    AT    ROLLING    STONE.  261 

Winona.  He  came  here  on  April  14,  1852,  as  one  of  the  ''pioneer 
6quad"  (the  only  one  now  living),  and  was  one  of  the  first  members 
of  the  association  to  locate  in  Rolling  Stone.  Mr.  Jones  has  not 
been  as  fortunate  as  some  who  came  later  in  the  season. 

North  from  the  "Drew  claim"  and  west  from  the  present  village 
of  Minnesota  City  were  the  claims  of  T.  K.  Allen  and  A.  A.  Gilbert. 
These  claims  were  parts  of  the  grounds  of  the  original  village  site. 
They  held  claims  in  the  valley  above,  but  when  the  survey  of  y)ublic 
lands  was  made  they  located  themselves  here,  and  each  pre-empted 
,  a  quarter-section  of  the  land  surveyed  for  the  village  of  the  colony. 
Neither  of  these  men  are  now  residents  of  the  county.  Both  were 
successful  in  acquiring  the  homes  in  the  west  for  which  they  helped 
to  organize  the  association  in  New  York  city  in  1851.  The  first 
grist  mill  in  the  county  was  started  by  Allen  and  Gilbert,  one  of 
Burr's  horse-power  mills,  in  1853. 

Mr.  Allen  was  the  recording  secretary  from  the  first  meeting  of 
the  association  in  New  York  city,  until  its  last  meeting  in  Minne- 
sota city.  He  is  now  a  clergyman  of  the  Episcopal  church,  living 
in  Alexandria,  Douglass  county,  Minnesota. 

Mr.  Gilbert  lived  for  several  years  in  the  city  of  Winona.  His 
present  residence  is  unknown. 

The  farm  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Mr.  E.  B.  Drew  was  held 
by  Mr.  Drew  as  a  claim,  but  it  was  the  choice  of  W.  H.  Coryell  on 
his  number  drawn  as  a  member  of  the  association.  It  was  on  this  • 
claim  that  E.  B.  Drew,  C.  R.  Coryell  and  W.  H.  Coryell  made  their 
camp  when  they  first  came  to  Rolling  Stone.  This  was  their  home- 
stead, where  they  lived  and  made  their  first  begiiming  in  farming 
operations  in  the  Territory  of  Minnesota.  By  mutual  agreement 
they  worked  together  and  held  property  in  common. 

When  these  men  first  came  here  it  was  not  their  design  to  settle 
in  the  valley.  From  the  description  given  by  Mr.  Lord  of  the 
country  lying  west  they  expected  to  locate  themselves  on  prairie 
farms  back  from  the  Mississippi.  They  selected  this  location  to  keep 
up  their  connection  with  the  association  and  as  their  headquarters 
until  they  found  claims  that  were  more  satisfactory. 

They  explored  the  country  west  and  made  selections  of  locations 
in  what  is  now  known  as  the  town  of  Saratoga,  in  the  western  part 
of  the  qounty,  in  the  vicinity  of  what  has  since  been  called  the  Blair 
settlement.  With  their  teams  and  big  wagon  they  spent  about  a 
week  in  prospecting  and  marking  their  claims  with  the  customary 


262  HISTORY    OF    WDS^ONA    COUNTY. 

marks  and  a  small  ]>ile  of  logs  for  each  location,  but  never  made 
any  further  improvements,  their  interests  in  the  valley  engaging 
their  attention  until  their  prairie  claims  wer^  taken  by  others. 

Mr.  Drew  broke  about  twenty-five  acres,  on  the  farm  where  he 
now  lives,  in  the  spring  of  1852,  and  planted  some  corn  and  culti- 
vated a  garden.  In  the  fall  he  sowed  a  small  patch  of  wheat  by 
way  of  experiment.  The  following  year,  1853,  he  harvested  the 
first  crop  of  wheat  ever  raised  by  the  settlers  in  southern  Minnesota. 
From  one  sack  of  seed  wheat,  about  two  bushels,  sown  on  about 
two  acres  of  breaking,  he  secured  seventy  bushels  of  superior  winter 
wheat,  which  he  threshed  and  cleaned  by  hand-labor. 

The  following  extract  is  co])ied  from  "The  Democrat,"  published 
at  St  Paul,  August  3,  1853 : 

0.  M.  Lord,  Esq.,  of  Filniore  county,  a  delegate  to  the  late  democrat  con- 
vention, has  deijosited  in  this  office  a  sample  of  winter  wheat  of  the  red  chaft' 
bearded  variety,  raised  on  the  form  of  ^Messrs.  Drew  and  Coryell,  in  the  Rolling 
Stone  valley,  which  we  regard  as  the  finest  specimen  of  this  grain  that  we  have 
ever  seen.  Messrs.  D.  &  C.  have  harvested  several  acres  of  this  wheat,  and 
good  judges  estimate  that  it  will  yield  at  the  rate  of  forty  bushels  to  the  acre. 

This  is  the  first  winter  wheat  ever  sown  in  that  vicinity,  but  Mr.  Lord 
informs  us  that  a  large  quantity  will  be  put  in  the  groimd  this  fall.  There  is 
little  dmibt  that  wheat  is  to  become  one  of  the  great  staple  productions  of 
Minnesota,  and  that  fiour  of  the  best  quality  will  soon  form  the  most  important 
item  in  the  lists  of  our  exports.     Up  with  your  mills,  gentlemen. 

In  1853  Mr.  Drew  increased  his  cultivation  by  another  field  of 
breaking,  and  raised  a  large  crop  of  corn.  In  the  fall  he  sowed 
about  eight  acres  of  winter  wheat.  In  the  spring  of  1853  he  sowed 
a  sack  of  spring  wheat,  and  harvested  about  fifty  bushels.  About 
thirty  bushels  of  this  he  sold  to  Sanborn  &  Drew,  in  the  spring  of 
1854.  This  was  the  first  load  of  wheat  ever  sold  in  the  city  of 
Winona,  or  in  southern  Minnesota. 

In  the  season  of  1854  Mr.  Drew  harvested,  from  the  eight  acres 
sowed  to  winter  wheat  the  fall  before,  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
bushels.  Some  of  this  he  sold  to  the  settlers  for  seed,  reserving 
enough  for  his  own  seed,  and  about  eighty  bushels  which  was  ground 
into  flour.  The  first  wheat  raised  in  southern  Minnesota  that  was 
made  into  flour  was  a  part  of  this  crop. 

During  the  winter  W.  R.  Stewart  and  Albion  Drew  took  two 
loads  of  this  wlieat,  of  forty  bushels  eacii,  to  a  mill  in  La  Crosse 
valley,  about  sixty  miles  distant,  where  they  waited  until  their  grist 
was  ground,  when  they  I'eturned  home  with  their  flour.     They  were 


THE    ASSOCIATION    AT    ROLLING    STONE.  263 

about  a  week  making  the  trip,  the  teams  going  on  the  ice  to  La 
Crosse  and  thence  up  the  La  Crosse  valley.  The  loads  were  much 
lighter  on  their  return,  for  one  fourth  of  the  wheat  was  taken  as  toll. 
The  wheat  was  of  No.  1  grade  and  the  flour  proved  to  be  of  supe- 
rior quality,  fully  equal  to  the  best  now  made  by  improved  mills 
and  more  modern  processes. 

Mr.  Drew  increased  the  size  of  his  farm,  extended  his  breaking 
and  cultivation,  and  increased  his  acreage  of  wheat,  but  at  the  same 
time  growing  large  crops  of  other  kinds  of  farm  produce  without 
making  a  specialty  of  any  particular  branch  of  his  business.  He 
has  given  his  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  fruit,  and  engaged  con- 
siderably in  stock  raising,  horses,  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs.  Although 
he  has  extensive  ranges  of  fine  pasturage  on  his  large  farm,  he 
abandoned  sheep  farming,  on  account  of  the  extreme  care  necessary 
to  protect  his  flocks  from  the  wolves  that  infested  the  vicinity. 

Mr.  Drew  has  been  a  prosperous  farmer.  He  has  given  his  per- 
sonal attention  to  all  of  liis  farming  operations  and  has  made  it  a 
practical  business  occupation.  He  has  held  ofiicial  positions  in  the 
town  of  Rolling  Stone,  in  which  he  resides ;  has  served  as  county 
commissioner,  and  was  a  member  of  the  state  legislature  in  1875, 
and  also  in  1876. 

C.  R.  Coryell  remained  with  Mr.  Drew  for  about  a  3^ear  and 
then  went  back  east  to  live.  W.  H.  Coryell  staid  with  him  about 
two-  years,  when  he  married  and  settled  on  a  claim  on  the  upper  part 
of  Wabasha  prairie,  where  W.  L.  Burr  now  resides.  After  a  resi- 
dence here  of  about  a  year  he  left  the  territory. 

Robert  Thorp  is  living  on  the  farm  chosen  for  him  on  his  num- 
ber drawn.  It  adjoins  that  of  Mr.  Drew.  Mr.  Thorp's  family  lived 
in  Minnesota  City  about  two  years  before  they  moved  to  their  pres- 
ent location.  To  hold  the  claim,  and  prevent  others  from  jumping 
it  while  Mr.  Thorp  was  absent  working  at  his  trade  as  a  blacksmith, 
he  built  a  small  shanty,  which  Mrs.  Thorp  sometimes  occupied 
temporarily. 

Mr.  Thorp  is  now  occupying  his  comfortable  stone  cottage  and 
broad  acres  of  cultivated  fields,  for  which  he  abandoned  his  black- 
smith shop  in  New  York  city.  He  has  held  the  office  of  treasurer 
of  the  town  of  Rolling  Stone,  in  which  he  lives,  for  the  past  fifteen 
years. 

Although  Mr.  Thorp  brought  to  the  colony  a  large  supply  of 
material,  stock  and  tools,  he   never'  opened   a  shop  in  Minnesota 


264  HISTORY    OF    WLNONA    COUNTY. 

City.  Ho  left  his  family  there  in  a  comfortable  hewed  log  house 
about  14-X 16,  and  went  down  to  Galena,  where  he  worked  a  part  of 
the  years  1852  and  ISr)3.  When  he  moved  on  his  farm  he  built  a 
small  shop  in  wliich  he  sometimes  does  blacksmithing  for  himself  or 
to  accommodate  a  neighbor. 


CHAPTER   XXYII. 


CRYSTALLIZATION. 


From  personal  observations  made  during  the  extreme  high  water 
in  the  spring  of  1852,  and  from  the  course  of  events  and  progress 
of  afJairs  generally  at  Wabaslia  prairie,  Captain  Smith  decided  or 
consented  to  locate  his  contem}>lated  town  site  on  claim  No.  4,  at  the 
upper  landing,  instead  of  on  claim  No.  1,  as  he  had  at  first  intended. 
Circumstances  apparently  compelled  him  to  change  his  original 
plans.  He  did  not,  however,  at  once  abandon  his  first  impressions, 
that  claim  No.  1  was  the  most  valuable  on  the  prairie. 

From  letters  now  in  the  hands  of  the  writer,  correspondence 
between  old  settlei'S,  who  were  then  holding  claims  on  the  prairie, 
it  is  evident  that  for  awhile  Captain  Smith  was  suspicious  of  his 
agent  and  partner  in  this  speculation,  and  feared  that  he  might 
attempt  to  appropriate  the  upper  landing  as  an  individual  posses- 
sion. With  the  rush  of  immigration  into  the  territory,  Johnson's 
ideas  were  considerably  inflated,  and  he  apparently  assumed  the 
entire  control  of  affairs  at  Johnson's  landing,  but  no  evidence  of 
treachery  was  ever  developed. 

About  the  first  of  June  Captain  Smith  brought  up  a  survej'or 
from  Iowa,  whose  services  he  secured  to  lay  out  a  town  at  the  upper 
landing.  To  John  Ball,  United  States  deputy  surveyor,  he  in- 
trusted the  business  of  laying  off  and  plotting  claim  No.  4  into  lots, 
streets,  etc.  The  original  survey  of  the  town  plat  of  what  is  now 
Winona  was  accordingly  made  by  John  Ball  for  the  proprietors. 
Smith  an^  Johnson. 

No  government  survey  of  lands  had  been  made  on  the  west  side 
of  the  river  by  which  to  locate  the  plat  of  the  new  town.  Mr.  Ball 
took  its  bearings  from  a  point'established  by  government  surveyors 


CRYSTALLIZATION.  265 

on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  Its  location  was  described  by 
him  as  follows:  "From  the  northwest  corner  of  Block  9,  the 
meander  post  in  Wisconsin  on  the  Mississippi  river,  between  Sees. 
1  and  6,  T.  18  N".,  R  10  and  11  W.,  4th  M.,  bears  35°  east,  39  chains 
distant. " 

After  due  consideration  of  the  matter  it  was  decided  to  lay  off 
the  streets  parallel  with  and  at  right  angles  to  the  river,  which  at 
this  place  runs  a  little  south  from  an  east  course  (21"  south  of  east). 
It  therefore  became  necessary  that  the  boundaries  should  be  estab- 
lished satisfactorily  with  the  holders  of  the  adjoining  claims.  Each 
of  the  claims  along  the  river  were  half  a  mile  square.  The  division 
lines  between  them  were  a  direct  north  and  south  course. 

The  corner  stake  between  Ko.  4,  the  Johnson  claim,  and  No.  3, 
the  Stevens  claim,  stood  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  about  midway 
between  Walnut  and  Market  streets.  The  corner  stake  between 
JSTo.  4  and  No.  5,  tlie  Hamilton  claim,  stood  on  the  bank  of  the 
river  about  midway  between  Winona  and  Huff  streets. 

Several  days  were  spent  in  general  measurements  and  negotia- 
tions before  the  boundaries  of  the  plat  were  established,  extending  on 
the  river  from  the  corner  stake  of  the  Stevens  claim  to  the  center 
of  Washington  street,  and  running  back  to  the  center  of  Wabasha 
street.  The  proprietors  of  the  claims  on  the  river  were  to  retain 
their  rights  to  their  claims  as  originally  made  without  regard  to  the 
survey  and  plat  made  by  Mr.  Ball. 

Tlie  boundary  line  on  Wabasha  street  was  established  by  special* 
agreement  with  the  holders  of  the  claims  on  the  south.  An  agree- 
ment, made  a  matter  of  record,  is  as  follows : 

This  article  of  agreement,  made  this  fifteenth  day  of  June,  a.d.  Eigliteen 
hundred  and  fifty-two.  Between  AVm.  B.  Gere  and  Erwin  Jolinson,  both  of 
the  County  of  Wabashaw  and  Territory  of  Minnesota,  Witnesseth :  That  the 
said  (parties)  do  hereby  agree  and  bind  ourselves  to  abide  by  the  following 
specified  stipulations  in  regard  to  boundary  or  division  line  between  their 
respective  claims  on  the  Prairie  of  Wabashaw.  The  street  designated  on  the 
Town  Plot  as  Broadway  shall  be  the  division  line  between  said  claims  as  far  as 
said  Gere's  extends,  and  furthermore  the  lots  in  the  next  Block  or  Blocks 
south  of  and  bordering  on  Broadway  shall  be  equally  divided  between  said 
Gere  and  Johnson,  and  after  said  Gere  has  the  same  measurement  of  land 
south  of  said  division  Block  as  said  Johnson  has  north  of  said  division  Block, 
the  remaining  strip  of  land  bordering  on  the  lake  shall  be  equally  divided 
between  the  said  parties. 

•  In  witness  whereof  we  have  herewith  set  our  hands  and  seals. 
In  presence  of  \  Wm.  B.  Geke.  [seal] 

John  Ball.     /  E.  Johnson.  [seal] 


266  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

The  boundaries  between  the  chiiras  on  the  river  and  those  in 
the  rear  were  irre^uhir  and  "a  great  deal  mixed.''  To  illustrate 
tlieir  relation  to  each  other:  The  original  claims  on  the  river  began 
at  a  certain  stake  or  starting  point  on  the  bank  of  the  i-iver,  thence 
i-unning  south  lialf  a  mile  to  a  corner  stake;  thence  west  half  a  mile 
to  a  corner  stake;  thence  north  to  the  bank  of  the  river  to  a  corner 
stake ;  thence  east  along  the  bank  of  the  river  to  the  place  of 
beginning. 

As  the  line  of  the  river  bank  is  about  21°  south  of  east,  it  is 
readily  seen  that  the  west  line  was  much  the  longest,  and  that  the 
boundaries  described  included  more  that  160  acres  of  land.  The 
claim  adjoining  on  the  west,  if  defined  in  the  same  manner,  will  not 
extend  as  far  south  on  its  east  line  as  the  western  boundary  of  the 
first  described. 

The  irregularity  of  these  boundaries  on  the  south  produced 
corresponding  irregularities  in  the  claims  in  the  rear,  which  were 
sources  of  claim  difficulties  and  contentions.  In  a  matter  arising 
from  this  peculiarity  of  claim  boundaries  Henry  D.  Huff  narrowly 
escaped  the  loss  of  his  life  in  the  spring  of  185-1. 

Mr.  Huff  was  then  the  proprietor  of  claim  No.  5,  the  Hamil- 
ton claim.  The  land  in  the  rear  of  the  east  eighty  acres  was  held 
by  George  H.  Sanborn.  The  land  south  of  the  west  eighty  was 
occupied  by  Elijah  Silsbee.  With  the  consent  of  Mr.  Sanborn,  but 
in  opposition  to  Mr.  Silsbee's  claim  rights,  Mr.  Huff  attempted  to 
•change  the  original  line  of  his  claim  on  the  south,  and  make  it 
parallel  with  the  river,  or  with  the  line  of  the  streets.  To  accomplish 
this,  he  proposed  to  mark  his  boundary  by  a  furrow  extending  from 
the  southwest  corner  of  the  Johnson  claim,  No.  4,  to  the  southwest 
corner  of  his  own  claim,  No.  5.  He  sent  his  team  with  a  plow  to 
mark  the  line,  and  take  possession  by  breaking  and  cultivation, 

Mr.  Silsbee  had  previously  marked  his  boundaries  by  a  single 
furrow  with  a  plow.  "When  the  team  of  Mr.  Huff  approached  this 
furrow,  Silsbee  stopped  them,  and,  threatening  the  driver  with  his 
gun,  drove  him  off.  He  then  stood  guard  to  prevent  any  further 
attempts  to  trespass  on  his  rights.  The  tract  of  land  in  dispute  was 
but  three  or  four  acres.  It  was  not  so  much  the  amount  or  value 
involved  as  it  was  what  he  supposed  to  be  disregard  of  the  rights  of 
others  that  aroused  the  angry  passions  of  Silsbee.  It  was  not  alone 
the  protection  of  property,  but  an  impulsive  resistance  of  what  he 
considered  arbitrary  oppression. 


CRYSTALLIZATION.  2(59 

Learning  the  state  of  affairs  from  the  teamster,  Mr.  Huff  went 
back  on  the  prairie  toward  where  Silsbee  had  stationed  himself.  As 
he  approached  the  furrow  which  marked  the  original  claim  line 
Silsbee  ordered  him  to  halt,  and  bringing  his  gun  to  his  shoulder 
called  to  him  not  to  cross  the  furrow,  that  he  would  shoot  him  if 
he  attempted. 

Fearless,  and  paying  no  attention  to  the  order  to  halt,  Mr.  Huff 
continued  to  advance,  and  crossed  the  furrow.  Approaching  in  a 
confident  manner  he  said,  ''  You  do  not  intend  to  shoot  me,  do 
you?"  Silsbee  replied,  '^  do,"  and  taking  deliberate  aim  fired 
upon  him. 

The  gun  was  a  double-barrel  fowling-piece,  owned  by  M. 
Wheeler  Sargeant,  which  Silsbee  had  borrowed.  Both  barrels  were 
heavily  loaded  with  fine  shot  and  small  gravel  stones.  The  con- 
tents of  one  barrel  were  lodged  in  Mr.  Huff's  left  side  and  arm. 
Fortunately,  he  had  a  large  pocket-book  filled  with  closely-folded 
papers  in  the  breast-pocket  of  his  inner  coat,  and  both  coats  but- 
toned close.  Nearly  the  whole  charge  lodged  in  the  pocket-book. 
A  part  of  the  missiles  were  burrowed  in  the  muscles  of  his  chest  and 
left  arm. 

Mr.  Huff  was  knocked  down  and  disabled  by  the  shock  and 
injuries  received.  He  was  taken  home,  and  was  under  the  care  of 
a  surgeon  for  several  weeks.  No  serious  results  followed  tJie  in- 
juries.     He  readily  recovered. 

Silsbee  was  immediately  arrested,  and  aftei-  an  examination 
before  a  justice  of  the  peace  he  was  bound  over  for  trial  at  the 
next  term  of  the  United  States  court,  and  released  on  bail.  On 
account  of  some  informality  no  court  was  held  that  year.  Tlie  fol- 
lowing year  the  case  was  continued  over  on  account  of  serious  sick- 
ness of  Silsbee.  In  the  meantime  Mr.  Huff  purchased  the  Silsbee 
claim,  and  the  matter  was  permitted  to  pass  without  legal  action  in 
court. 

With  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  his  claim  Mr.  Silsbee,  with 
Charles  S.  Hamilton  as  partner,  opened  a  store  on  the  corner  of 
Center  and  Front  streets,  where  a  warehouse  now  stands,  and  for 
awhile  he  was  considered  to  be  a  respectable  citizen,  but  for  many 
years  previous  to  his  death,  which  occurred  about  ten  or  twelve 
years  ago,  he  was  an  outcast  in  community. 

It  is  said  by  an  old  settler  that  when  the  town  plot  was  first 
made  by  John  Ball  the  present  levee  was  laid  off  into  blocks,  num- 
16 


270  HISTORY    OF    WIJSUNA    COUNTY. 

berod  from  1  to  6,  and  divided  into  lots,  but  that  the  plan  wa8 
changed  by  the  special  directions  of  Capt.  Smith  and  a  public  levee 
substituted.  The  high  water  of  that  season  overflowed  the  bank  as 
far  as  the  south  side  of  Front  street,  making  the  water-lots  of  less 
immediate  value  in  the  estimation  of  the  proprietors.  The  landing 
was  one  of  .the  important  items  of  the  claim  with  Capt.  Smith,  and 
he  was  desirous  of  making  it  available  to  its  greatest  extent. 

It  is  to  Capt.  Smitli  that  the  city  of  Winona  is  indebted  for  the 
commodious  levee  it  now  holds.  It  was  the  pride  of  its  citizens 
before  it  was  deformed  and  crippled  by  railroad  tracks  and  other 
modern  improvements,  and  suffered  to  wear  and  waste  away  from 
neglect  of  attention  by  those  whose  duty  it  is  to  protect  and  care 
for  it. 

Blocks  1  and  6  on  the  river  were  reserved  from  the  public  levee 
and  divided  into  lots  as  plotted.  It  is  said  that  this  was  done  by 
Mr.  Huff  before  the  plot  was  recorded.  Block  1  contained  but 
three  lots  belonging  to  Smith  and  Johnson  ;  the  other  two,  lots  1  and 
2,  belonged  to  the  Stevens  claim. 

When  the  town  site  of  Smith  and  Johnson  was  surveyed  and 
plotted  by  John  Ball,  United  States  deputy  surveyor,  it  was  given 
the  name  of  Montezuma,  by  E.  H.  Johnson.  He  was  afterward 
extremely  tenacious  of  the  name,  and  strongly  opposed  the  sub- 
stitution of  Winona.  No  record  was  made  of  the  plot  until  the 
following  year.  Wabasha  county  had  no  county  records.  In 
1853,  when  Fillmore  county  (which  also  included  this  county)  was 
created  and  regularly  organized,  the  plot  was  recorded. 

Henry  D.  Huff  bought  an  interest  in  this  town  site  in  1853,  and 
also  had  claim  No.  5  surveyed  and  plotted  as  a  i)art  of  the  town. 
In  a  newspaper  article,  published  several  years  ago,  Mr.  Huff  said 
relative  to  this  matter,  "The  town  pr<)i)er  had  been  surveyed, 
plotted  and  named  Montezuma  by  Smith  and  Johnson.  With  the 
consent  of  Capt.  Smith  I  erased  the  name  of  Montezuma  and 
inserted  the  name  of  Winona  on  the  plot,  and  paid  Mr.  Stoll,  of 
Minneowah,  for  recording  the  same  as  Winona.  I  found  out  after- 
ward that  the  name  Montezuma  was  retained  (m  the  record,  and 
asked  Mr.  Stoll  why  he  put  in  the  name  of  Montezuma  when  it  did 
not  appear  on  the  plot.  He  said  Johnson  wanted  it  Montezuma, 
80  he  recorded  it  Montezuma,  adding  a  note  that  the  proprietors 
had  changed  it  to  Winona." 

During  the  early   part  of  this  season   another  town  site  was 


CRYSTALLIZATION.  271 

located  in  this  county.  The  location  selected  was  along  the  river 
just  above  what  is  now  tlie  village  of  Homer  —  the  claim  purchased 
of  Peter  Gorr  by  Timothy  Burns.  This  town  site  did  not  include 
BunnelFs  landing,  but  extended  from  Bunnell's  claim  up  the  river 
along  the  bluffs.  It  was  on  the  "main  land,"  two  or  three  miles 
below  "that  bar  in  the  river,"  Wabasha  prairie. 

A  stock  company  was  organized.  There  were  eight  shares 
valued  at  $200  each.  The  stockholders  and  proprietors  were 
Timothy  Burns,  lieutenant-governor  of  Wisconsin,  residing  at 
La  Crosse,  Willard  B.  Bunnell,  of  Bunnell's  landing,  Isaac  Van 
Etten,  Charles  W.  Borup,  Charles  H.  Oakes,  Alexander  Wilkin, 
Justus  C.  Ramsey  and  William  L.  Ames,  of  St.  Paul. 

This  company  was  a  strong  and  influential  one,  and  with  the 
exception  of  Bunnell  they  were  all  men  of  considerable  capital. 
With  them  their  investments  here  were  wholly  matter  of  specula- 
tion. It  was  supposed  to  be  a  "good  thing,"  and  strong  efforts 
were  made  by  them  to  build  up  a  town  that  would  successfully 
compete  with  Capt.  Smith's  claims  for  the  business  of  the  interior 
when  the  back  country  should  become  settled. 

Soon  after  Smith  and  Johnson  had  their  town  site  plotted  the 
speculation  began  to  be  developed,  and  in  July  this  rival  town  was 
surveyed  and  plotted  by  Isaac  Thompson  for  the  proprietors,  and 
the  name  of  Minneowah  given  to  it.  This  name  is  of  the  Dakota 
language.  It  was  selected  by  the  proprietors  of  the  new  town,  and 
not  given  to  the  locality  by  the  Sioux.  It  is  not  now  known 
whether  the  Indians  had  a  name  designative  of  this  place  or  not. 
None  was  ever  known  by  any  of  the  settlers.  The  literal  transla- 
tion of  the  name  Minneowah  is  "Falling  Water." 

In  a  description  of  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony  by  the  Rev.  John  A. 
Merrick,  an  Episcopal  clergyman  at  St.  Paul,  published  about  the 
Ist  of  January,  1852,  he  says,  "By  the  Dahcota  or  Sioux  Indians 
they  are  called  'Minne-ha-hah,'  or  '  Minne-ra-ra, '  (Laughing  Water,) 
and  also  'Minne-owah'  (Falling  Water) — general  expressions 
applied  to  all  waterfalls." 

The  historical  address  of  M.  Wheeler  Sargeant,  from  which 
extracts  have  been  made,  says,  "The  town  contained  318  lots; 
consequently  at  that  early  day  looked  quite  imposing  on  paper — still 
more  so  on  the  spot;  for  at  least  one  half  of  it  was  400  feet  above 
the  river  and  of  w.ig«rZ?/ perpendicular  access;     *     *     *     and  for  the 


272  JIISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

next  year  it  was  by  far  the  most  pretentious  place  below  St.  Paul. 
*  *  *  Except  the  unimportant  items  of  locality,  buildings  and 
inhabitants,  it  had  all  the  characteristics  of  a  great  city.'''' 

The  plot  was  put  into  market  at  St.  Paul  and  lots  were  bought 
and  sold,  without  knowledge  of  their  locality — whether  on  the  table 
along  the  river  or  on  the  bluff  above.  Not  much  was  done  there  by 
way  of  improvements  until  the  following  year. 

In  the  spring  of  1853  a  large  hotel  was  built  by  the  proprietors — 
much  the  largest  and  best  building  on  the  west  side  of  the  river 
below  St.  Paul.  For  awhile  Minneowah  was  truly  a  rival  town,  and 
strongly  contested  with  Montezuma  for  public  attention.  Its  advan- 
tages of  location  "on  the  main  land,"  over  that  "sand-bar,"  liable 
to  overflow  any  year,  were  loudly  proclaimed,  and  its  prospects  were 
for  awhile  apparently  promising. 

The  hotel  was  opened,  and  steamboats  landed  passengers  who 
were  prospecting  for  locations.  Stores  were  built  and  goods  brought 
on, — dwellings  commenced,  but  dividends  for  the  sale  of  lots  were 
unknown  ;  the  expense  column  was  much  the  heaviest.  The  origi- 
nal stockholders  divided  up  their  shares  and  generously  allowed 
others  to  hold  stock  in  Minneowah. 

Among  the  new  proprietors  who  became  residents  were  Myron 
Toms,  who,  while  living  in  St.  Paul,  purchased  a  half-share.  H.  B. 
Stoll  purchased  a  halt-share  from  Mr.  Van  Etten.  James  F.  Toms, 
Charles  G.  Waite  and  others  became  proprietors.  Peter  Burns  held 
an  interest  as  successor  of  his  brother  Timothy  Burns,  whose  death 
occulTed  about  this  time.  He  was  the  only  shareholder  who  claimed 
to  have  made  anything  from  the  transaction.  He  says  that  when 
the  prospects  of  success  were  the  most  flattering  he  sold  his  interest 
to  the  other  proprietors  for  $4, 000,  and  went  back  to  La  Crosse. 

An  addition  to  Minneowah  was  surveyed  and  plotted  for  Bun- 
nell, Stoll  and  John  Lavine.  This  addition  was  principally  suburban 
lots  of  from  five  to  ten  acres  each  for  residence  property.  It  was 
located  above  the  original  town,  extending  along  the  bluffs  to  the 
mouth  of  Pleasant  valley.  Mr.  Lavine  occupied  this  land  and  held 
it  as  a  claim. 

Among  the  early  residents  of  Minneowah  was  the  Hon.  C.  F. 
Buck,  of  tlie  town  of  Winona,  then  a  young  lawyer  just  starting  in 
business.  Mr.  Buck  came  here  about  the  first  of  September,  1853, 
and  remained  until  1855,  when  he  moved  to  Winona.  Charles  M. 
Lovel,  of  Fillmore   county,  was  for  awhile  a  merchant   here  and 


CRYSTALLIZATION.  273 

carried  on  considerable  of  a  trade.  There  were  manj  others  who 
were  temporary  residents  of  that  locality.  A  man  by  the  name  of 
Dougherty  remained  there  for  several  years. 

The  town  plot  of  Minneowah  was  never  recorded.  It  was  placed 
on  file  in  the  office  of  the  register  of  deeds  of  Fillmore  county,  while 
Mr.  Stoll  was  register  and  had  his  office  at  Minneowah.  In  1855 
Myron  Toms,  holding  power  of  attorney  from  the  proprietors,  with- 
drew the  plot  from  the  files  for  the  purpose  of  entering  the  land  as 
a  claim.  The  town  site  of  Minneowah  was  then  unknown  on  any 
record.  It  was  said  that  this  was  done  to  oust  some  of  the  propri- 
etors and  holders  of  lots,  but  the  location  was  jumped  by  some  of 
the  citizens  residing  there  who  filed  their  claims  in  the  United  States 
land  office  as  actual  settlers  on  the  land.  The  matter  was  contested, 
but  the  resident  settlers  held  their  claims  as  homesteads. 

Mr.  Dougherty  drew  the  hotel  and  a  store  with  his  share 

of  the  spoils.  The  stockholders  and  owners  of  lots  lost  all  right 
and  title  to  the  locality.  The  commercial  town  "on  the  main  land  " 
vanished.  Minneowah  is  now  known  only  by  tradition  to  the 
residents  of  the  county. 

Willard  B.  Bunnell,  one  of  the  original  stockholders  of  Minneo- 
wah, the  resident  proprietor,  was,  in  the  beginning,  the  most  zealous 
and  active  of  the  company  in  his  efforts  to  build  up  this  town,  and 
gave  most  of  his  time  and  attention  to  the  scheme,  but  later  he 
learned  he  was  but  a  tool  in  the  hands  of  his  more  experienced  and 
wealthy  associates.  The  professional  town-site  speculators  were 
'"too  much"  for  the  little  Indian  trader.  He  became  a  silent  part- 
ner in  the  concern  for  awhile,  and  then  relinquished  his  share  to  the 
others. 

No  one  intimately  acquainted  with  Will  Bunnell  had  reason  to 
doubt  the  sincerity  of  his  belief  that  "Wabasha  prairie  had  been 
entirely  flooded,  and  was  liable  to  be  again  submerged  in  extreme 
high  water.  This  idea  he  imbibed  from  his  belief  at  that  time  in 
many  of  the  traditions  and  some  of  the  superstitions  of  the  Indians, 
although  he  was  a  man  of  intelligence  and  of  some  acquirements. 
Notwithstanding  his  active,  restless  temperament  and  impulsive 
manners,  he  was  popular  with  his  acquaintances.  He  was  a  genial, 
social  companion,  and  a  gentleman  when  frontier  sociability  was 
not  carried  to  excess. 

About  the  first  of  June,  1852,  John  Burns  brought  his  family  into 
the  territory  of  Minnesota  and  settled  in  this  county.     He  located 


274  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

liimself  in  the  mouth  of  the  valley  to  wliich  his  name  was  afterward 
given,  and  which  is  now  known  as  "Burns  Valley."  His  family 
then  consisted  of  his  wife,  three  daughters  —  Mary,  "Maggie," 
Elicia  —  and  his  son  William.  Elicia  died  not  long  after  she  came 
here. 

Mr.  Burns  had,  prior  to  this,  been  a  resident  of  the  State  of 
Wisconsin,  living  near  Mineral  Point,  where  he  had  been  engaged 
in  farming  and  stock-raising.  On  his  arrival  here,  he  landed  at 
Bunnell's  landing,  with  all  of  his  household  goods,  farming  imple- 
ments, and  a  large  herd  of  cattle,  horses,  hogs,  fowls,  etc.,  to 
transport  all  of  which  Mr.  Burns  used  to  say  he  had  to  charter  the 
Nominee  for  the  trip.  He  moved  direct  from  the  landing  to  his 
claim,  where,  instead  of  the  ordinary  claim  shanty,  the  family  found 
a  home  ready  to  receive  them.  They  never  had  any  experience  of 
shanty  life  in  Minnesota. 

The  claim  on  which  Mr.  Burns  settled  was  selected  for  him  by 
his  son,  Timothy  Burns,  lieutenant-governor  oi  Wisconsin.  The 
claim  was  chosen  early  in  the  fall  of  1851,  soon  after  the  treaty  with 
the  Sioux  for  the  sale  of  their  lands,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Missis- 
sippi. During  the  winter,  about  the  first  of  February,  Mr.  Burns 
came  up  the  river  on  the  ice,  with  the  mail  carrier,  to  see  the  loca- 
tion in  the  Indian  country,  which  he  had  been  notified  had  been 
selected  for  him  as  a  stock  farm  and  family  homestead. 

After  stoi)ping  a  few  days  at  La  Crosse  to  visit  his  sons,  Timothy 
and  Peter  Burns,  he  came  uj)  to  look  at  the  claim  and  found  it  to  be 
a  choice  satisfactory  to  himself  He  decided  to  secure  it  and  bring 
his  family  on  in  the  spring.  Making  his  headquarters  at  Bunnell's, 
he  took  possession  of  the  claim  and  proceeded  to  get  out  timber 
with  which  to  build  a  frame  house  on  it  in  the  spring. 

About  the  first  of  April  he  returned  home,  going  down  the  river 
on  the  Nominee,  then  on  her  first  trip.  He  left  his  claim  in  the 
care  of  his  sons  in  La  Crosse.  The  special  charge  of  the  claim  was 
imder  the  watchful  eye  of  W.  B.  Bunnell,  whose  sister  was  the  wife 
of  Peter  Burns.  It  was  through  the  aid  of  Bunnell  that  the  claim 
was  first  selected  and  held. 

Early  in  the  spring  Timothy  Burns  had  a  house  built  on  this 
claim  for  his  father.  It  was  at  that  time  the  best  building  in  southern 
Minnesota.  It  was  a  commodious  but  rather  old-fashioned  farm- 
house. The  frame  was  of  oak  timber  with  posts  and  braces,  covered 
with  a  shingled  roof,  the  sides  clapboarded  and  painted.     It  was 


CRYSTALLIZATION.  275 

into  this  house,  just  completed,  that  Mr.  Barns  moved  his  iamily 
about  the  first  of  June.  Its  pleasant  location  among  the  large  old 
oaks  on  the  bank  of  the  stream  gave  it  a  cozj'  and  homelike 
appearance. 

This  house  was  occupied  by  Mr.  Burns  and  his  family  for  several 
years,  until  it  took  fire  from  some  defect  in  the  chimney  and  burned 
to  the  ground  with  the  most  of  its  contents.  He  then  built  another 
house  on  the  site  of  the  first,  which  it  somewhat  resembles  in  gen- 
eral external  appearance,  although  its  internal  arrangements  are  of 
more  modern  style.  This  building  is  yet  standing,  and  is  used  as 
the  farm  residence  of  the  occupant  of  the  land. 

Mr.  Burns  opened  up  a  farm  on  his  claim,  but  gave  his  attention 
principally  to  stock-raising  and  the  dairy.  The  early  settlers  were 
for  many  years  greatly  dependent  on  Mr.  Burns  for  gfood,  fresh 
butter,  eggs  and  chickens,  while  Mr.  Burns  furnished  them  fresh  beef 
from  his  herd.  The  claim  and  vicinity  furnished  an  extensive  range 
for  his  cattle,  and  afforded  unlimited  meadows  of  grass-land  for 
their  winter's  supply  of  hay.  His  surplus  of  the  farm  always  found 
ready  sale  on  Wabasha  prairie  or  with  the  immigrants  that  came 
into  the  county  to  settle. 

When  Mr.  Burns  first  took  possession  of  his  claim  he  obtained 
permission  of  the  Sioux  to  occupy  the  land,  cut  the  timber  and  build 
a  house  on  it.  For  this  permit  he  gave  the  Indians  two  barrels  of 
flour  and  a  barrel  of  pork.  This  he  paid  under  the  impression  and 
with  the  belief  that  he  was  purchasing  their  rights  to  the  laud.  He 
always  after  maintained  that  he  bought  his  claim  from  their  chief 
Wabasha,  and  that  no  one  had  a  better  right  to  it  than  liimself. 

At  the  time  he  took  possession  there  were  two  or  three  large 
Indian  tepees  standing  in  the  vicinity  of  where  his  house  was  built. 
They  were  about  15x20,  of  the  same  style  and  structure  as  those 
found  on  Wabasha  prairie  and  in  the  mouth  of  Gilmore  valle3^ 
This  locality  was  the  special  home  of  AVabasha  and  his  family  rela- 
tives when  living  in  this  vicinity.  It  was  sometimes  called  Wabasha's 
garden  by  the  old  settlers. 

Quite  a  number  of  Indian  graves  were  on  these  grounds.  Nearly 
in  front  of  the  farmhouse  there  were  two  or  three  graves  of  more 
modern  burial  lying  side  by  side.  These  were  said  to  be  the  last 
resting-place  of  some  of  Wabasha's  relatives.  The  Sioux  made 
a  special  request  of  Mr.  Burns  and  his  family  that  these  graves 
should  not  be  disturbed.     This  Mr.  Burns  promised,  and  the  little 


276  IIISTOKY    OF    WIXOXA    COrNTY. 

mounds,  covered  witli  billets  of  wood,  were  never  molested,  although 
tliey  were  in  his  garden  and  not  far  from  his  house.  For  many 
years  they  remained  as  they  were  left  by  the  Indians,  until  the 
wood  by  which  they  were  covered  had  rotted  away  entirely.  A  light 
frame  or  fence  of  poles  put  there  by  Mr.  Burns  always  covered  the 
locality  during  his  lifetime. 

For  several  years  after  Mr.  Burns  located  here  the  Sioux  who  visited 
this  part  of  the  territory  were  accustomed  to  make  it  their  camping- 
grounds.  Although  they  were  unwelcome  visitors,  and  their  arrival 
always  dreaded  by  the  female  portion  of  the  family,  Mr.  Burns  was 
never  annoyed  by  their  presence, —  they  were  never  troublesome. 
To  alia}'  any  demonstrations  of  timidity  on  the  part  of  Mrs.  Burns 
or  her  daughters,  he  woiild  chidingly  remark,  "Sure  ye  have  no 
cause  for  fear, —  didn't  I  buy  the  land  from  old  Wabasha  himself — 
and  pay  him  his  own  price  for  it  too — a  barrel  of  pork  and  two 
barrels  of  flour?  They  will  not  harm  ye  —  don't  be  bothering  about 
the  Indians,  now." 

Mr.  Burns  never  lost  anything  by  tlie  Indians.  His  property 
was  never  disturbed,  and  in  but  one  particular  were  they  ever 
familiar  or  assumed  possession  of  anything  without  permission. 
During  the  first  season  Mr.  Burns  had  a  field  of  corn  and  pumpkins 
on  new  breaking.  The  corn  was  a  poor  crop,  but  the  pum^^kins 
were  plentiful.  Thinking  to  make  some  contributions  to  them,  Mrs. 
Burns  gave  the  squaws  permission  to  take  all  the  pumpkins  they 
desired.  The  squaws  helped  themselves  liberally.  Every  season 
afterward  the  squaws  made  an  annual  visit  and  swarmed  into  Mr. 
Burns'  cornfields.  They  carried  off  "  Mrs.  Burns'  jiumpkins,"  but 
left  the  corn  for  the  blackbirds  to  forage  on. 

Mr.  Burns  was  appointed  a  justice  of  the  peace,  by  Gov.  Ram- 
sey, not  long  after  he  came  here.  He  was  the  second  justice  of  the 
peace  appointed  in  Wabasha  cdunty;  the  first  "was  T.  K.  Allen, 
of  Minnesota  City.  He  held  the  position  until  his  successor  was 
elected  in  the  fall  of  1853. 

"The  rich  Irish  brogue"  plainlj-  revealed  the  Milesian  origin  of 
Mr.  Burns.  His  quaint  expressions  are  pleasantly  remembered  by 
his  friends  and  acquaintances.  As  a  justice  of  the  peace  his  court 
was  a  session  of  comic  drollery  that  was  heartily  enjoyed  by  the  set- 
tlers. His  rulings  and  decisions  were  given  from  an  intuitive  and 
impulsive  feeling  of  right  and  justice,  rather  than  from  his  compre- 
hension of  the  law  governing  the  cases.     His  h«mesty  of  purpose 


RESPECTABILITY.  ^  '  ' 

was  never  questioned;  as  a  citizen  he  had  the  respect  of  the  early 

'''Mr"  Burns,  his  wife,  and  their  daughter  EUcia,  died  on  their 
farm  in  the  mouth  of  Burns  valley,- on  the  ^^^^^j}^;'^'^'^^ 
letUed  in  1852.  Mrs.  Burns  died  in  September,  1860  M.  Burns 
in  March  1870.  The  homestead  is  yet  m  possession  of  one  ot  the 
IX  It  is  owned  by  Miss  Maggie  Burns,  o- of  their  daug^^r. 
Mary,  the  other  daughter,  is  now  known  as  Mrs.  E.  ^-  Smith  ot 
the  city  of  Winona.  An  interesting  family  of  sons  and  daughters 
young  ladies  and  gentlemen,  now  call  her  "mother."  ''Bdl 
Burns  has  gone  west. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

RESPECTABILITY.    . 

Among  the  settlers  on  Wabasha  prairie  during  the  early  part  of 
the  summer  of  1852  were  the  Rev.  Hiram  S.  Hamilton  and  his  son 
Charles  S.  Hamilton,  who  arrived  about  the  first  of  June.  After 
exploring  the  prairie  in  search  of  claims,  without  settling  on  any, 
theVmale  choL  of  one  across  the  slough  at  the  foot  of  the  Sugar- 
Loaf  Bluff,  where  they  built  a  small  claim  shanty  and  commenced 
pioneer  life.  Finding  the  location  a  lonesome  and  unpleasant  one, 
they  moved  their  shanty  and  housekeeping  materuil  over  on  the 
praiie,  and  put  it  up  on  the  bank  of  the  river-on  a  mound  at 
about  what  is  now  the  foot  of  Main  street.  .  •   ,     ,u. 

After  living  on  the  levee  for  a  short  time,  they  moved  into  the 
shanty  on  claim  No.  2 -the  claim  held  by  Caleb  Nash  While 
living  there,  H.  S.  Hamilton  acquired  possession  of  the  claim,  and 
soon  after  built  a  house  on  the  bank  of  the  river  a  little  way 
above  where  the  saw-mill  of  the  Winona  Lumber  Company  now 
stands.  He  here  located  himself  with  his  family,  consisting  of  his 
wife  and  two  sons,  Charles  S.  and  Eugene,  and  made  it  his  home 
for  about  ten  years,  when  he  sold  his  property  on  Wabasha  prairie 
to  Henry  D.  Huff  and  moved  on  a  farm  m  the  southeast  part  of 
Wisconsin,  where  he  died  a  few  years  ago. 

Rev    Hiram  S.  Hamilton,  or,  as  he  was  most  commonly  called, 
-  Elder  Hamilton,"  was  a  prominent  and  well-known  citizen  of  this 


278  HISTOllY    OF    WINONA    ("OTTNTY. 

county  in  tlie  pioneer  days  of  its  settlement.  Tlirough  his  influence 
very  many  of  the  early  settlers  came  into  the  territory,  and  a  large 
n,uraber  of  his  relations  and  personal  friends,  as  well  as  strangers, 
were  induced  to  settle  in  this  county,  many  of  them  on  Wabasha 
prairie,  now  the  city  of  Winona. 

Mr.  Hamilton  was  a  gentleman  of  liberal  education,  of  fine 
personal  appearance,  pleasing  and  entertaining  in  his  manners,  but 
of  quiet,  unobtrusive  habits.  He  was  a  Congregational  minister, 
and  had  preached  for  many  years  before  he  came  here.  On  account 
of  poor  health  he  resigned  his  position  as  pastor  of  a  church  in 
Dubuque  and  came  to  Minnesota,  expecting  to  be  benefited  by  the 
change  of  climate  and  locality.  At  Dubuque  he  was  po])nlar  witli 
his  congregation  and  held  in  high  esteem  as  a  citizen.  During  his 
residence  in  Minnesota  he  was  popular  as  a  ])reacher  and  respected 
by  the  early  settlers,  among  whom  he  had  many  warm  friends  who 
knew  him  }>ersonally,  many  who  now  hold  pleasant  recollection  and 
retain  that  respect  to  his  memory. 

From  the  time  he  first  landed  on  Wabasha  prairie  until  after 
the  society  of  the  Congregational  church  was  organized,  of  which  he 
was  the  pastor,  he  })reached  quite  regularly  to  attentive  coiigrega- 
tions  of  mixed  religious  ideas  and  beliefs.  His  well  written  and 
impressively  delivered  sermons  were  interesting  and  instructive,  and 
were  always  listened  to  with  respectful  attention.  Their  influence 
helped  to  maintain  a  moral  restraint  over  the  community  of 
unorganized  citizens,  of  a  locality  in  which  uncertain  public  opinion 
was  the  controlling  law.  Plis  services  were  gratuitously  disposed, 
but  were  none  the  less  valued  or  beneficial  in  the  settlement. 

Although  Elder  Hamilton  lawfully  came  in  possession  of  and 
lawfully  held  claim  No.  2,  the  circumstances  and  manner  by  which 
the  claim  was  secured  caused  a  feeling  of  opposition  frorh  interested 
individuals,  which,  for  a  time,  threatened  to  lessen  his  influence  as 
a  teacher  or  adviser,  but  public  opinion  indorsed  his  acti(m  in  the 
matter.  His  popularity  as  a  preacher  was  maintained,  and  his 
reputation  as  a  citizen  was  unimpaired  b}'  the  transaction. 

The  charges  against  him  by  his  opponents  were,  that  he  had 
taken  possession  of  and  held  the  claim  regardless  of  the  rights  of 
others  ;  that  in  his  proceedings  in  the  matter  he  had  laid  aside  his 
"Sunday  clothes"  and  descended  to  the  level  of  other  settlers,  and 
"jumped  the  claim." 

Claim  jumping  was  not  considered  as  a  criminal  offense  in  public 


RESPECTABILITY.  279 

Opinion  if  sustained  by  tlie  laws  governing  claims.  The  wrong,  if 
any  was  committed,  was  generally  forgiven  and  forgotten  by  the 
public  if  the  attempt  was  successful,  and  particularly  if  the  claim 
proved  to  be  valuable.  Some  incidents  relative  to  the  change  of 
proprietors  of  claim  No.  2  will  be  given  to  show  the  circumstances 
under  which  it  was  jumped. 

Charles  S.  Hamilton  was  about  seventeen  or  eighteen  years  of 
age  when  he  came  here  with  his  father.  He  was  a  reckless,  dashing 
and  rather  fast  young  man,  inclined  t<:)  be  inconsiderate  and  forward 
in  his  manners.  He  was  brought  here  to  withdraw  him  from  the 
evil  influences  of  "young  America"  in  Dubuque.  Although 
"gassy"  and  volatile,  Charlie  was  not  considered  a  vicious  boy,  and 
for  awhile  he  was  a  general  favorite  with  the  settlers, —  his  restless 
freedom  was  more  amusing  than  offensive.  Many  things  were  over- 
looked because  he  was  Elder  Hamilton's  son.  Without  occupation 
he  amused  himself  in  hunting  and  fishing  and  in  explorations  of  the 
country.  He  studied  the  mystery  of  claims  among  the  groups  of 
settlers  who  gathered  to  discuss  this  general  topic  of  conversation. 

Learning  the  history,  condition  and  approximate  value  at  which 
every  claim  was  held,  he  became  interested  in  the  idea  of  forming  a 
stock  company  and  laying  out  another  town  site  on  the  I*^ash  claim. 
Nash  had  made  his  claim  under  the  instructions  of  Johnson,  and 
held  it  under  liis  directions  and  patronage,  hardly  conscious  that  it 
was  his  own  by  right.  Knowing  this  condition  of  the  claim, 
Charlie  proposed  his  plan  to  Johnson  and  W.  B.  Gere,  who  favored 
the  scheme.  Johnson  readily  induced  Nash  to  enter  into  an  arrange- 
ment with  them  and  become  one  of  the  company. 

The  plan  proposed  was,  that  Nash  should  transfer  his  claim  to 
the  new  company  for  a  specified  consideration,  when  it  was  to  be 
surveyed  and  plotted  for  the  company,  composed  of  E.  H.  Johnson, 
W.  B.  Gere,  Caleb  Nash  and  Charles  S.  Hamilton.  To  secure 
equal  rights  and  privileges  to  the  proprietors,  the  services  of  a  lawyer 
in  La  Crosse  were  secured,  to  draw  up  all  necessary  papers,  by 
making  him  also  one  of  the  stockholders. 

As  a  preliminary  movement,  a  quit-claim  deed  was  drawn  up, 
transferring  all  of  the  right  and  interest  of  Nash  in  the  claim  to 
Johnson  and  Co.  This  deed  was  given  to  Charlie  Hamilton,  to  pro- 
cure the  signature  of  Nash.  Except  a  nominal  consideration,  the 
payment  of  the  full  amount  agreed  upon  was  postponed  until  the 
company  was  organized. 


280  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

To  get  the  signature  of  Nash  to  this  quit-claim  deed  Charlie  went 
to  "Goddard's,"  where  Nash  was  then  st()j)ping,  laid  up  on  ac- 
count of  sickness.  On  learning  the  object  of  his  visit  Mrs.  Goddard 
advised  Nash  against  signing  any  papers  until  he  received  the 
money  down  for  his  claim.  Her  advice  was  unheeded.  Charlie 
Hamilton's  representations  that  ''it  was  all  right" — "only  to 
show  that  he  meant  business,  so  that  they  could  organize  the  com- 
pany " —  induced  Nash  to  sign  his  name. 

In  narrating  this  occurrence  "Aunt  Catharine"  said,  "I  sup- 
pose the  boys  thought  I  did  not  know  anything  about  business,  but 
poor  Nash  was  sorry  enough  afterward  tliat  he  did  not  listen  to  me, 
when  I  told  him  he  was  giving  his  claim  away." 

The  deed  was  given  into  the  hands  of  the  "attorney  of  the  com- 
pany," at  La  Crosse,  for  safe  keeping.  To  secure  the  claim  and  pre- 
vent Nash  or  anyone  else  from  attempting  to  get  possession,  it  was 
proposed  to  allow  Elder  Hamilton  to  occupy  the  claim,  and  utilize 
him  as  a  tool  in  the  affair. 

H.  S.  Hamilton  and  Charlie  were  then  living  in  their  shanty  on 
the  public  levee.  By  "  request  of  the  company,"  he  was  induced  to 
move  into  and  occupy  the  Nash  shanty  until  the  necessary  papers 
were  made  out  and  the  company  were  ready  for  business.  He  ac- 
cordingly took  possession,  sent  for  his  family  and  made  it  his  home. 
He  thus  became  an  actual  settler  on  the  claim,  and  its  sole  possessor 
in  full  conformity  with  the  laws  governing  claims. 

The  "joint  stock  company"  lost  all  right,  title  and  interest  in 
the  claim  they  had  induced  Nash  to  transfer  to  them.  Neither  the 
company  nor  individuals  of  the  company  were  ever  able  to  dispossess 
Mr.  Hamilton,  or  obtain  remuneration  for  the  losses  resulting  from 
this  ftiilure  of  their  scheme,  although  several  suits  at  law  were 
brought  to  recover  damages.  Some  effort  was  made  to  arouse  sym- 
pathy for  Nash,  whose  claim,  it  was  reported,  had  been  jumped  by 
Elder  Hamilton,  but  without  avail.  The  settlers  generally  under- 
stood the  matter  and  took  sides  with  the  elder. 

H.  S.  Hamilton  afterward  obtained  a  quit-claim  deed  direct 
from  Caleb  Nash,  giving  him  a  reasonable  compensation  for  it, 
although  he  had  previously  relinquished  his  rights  to  it  to  Johnson 
and  Co.  It  is  said  of  Nash,  by  those  who  knew  him,  that  he  was  an 
industrious  and  well-disposed  young  man,  of  very  moderate  acquire- 
ments. He  had  unlimited  confidence  in  Johnson,  who  really  held 
the  claim  through  liim  and  actually  controlled  it.     Caleb  Nash  left 


RESPECTABILITY.  281 

Wabasha  prairie  and  went  down  the  river  in  the  spring  of  1853. 
It  is  not  known  that  he  ever  returned  to  the  territory. 

Rev.  H.  S.  Hamikon  held  quiet  possession  of  claim  No.  2,  now 
known  as  "Hamilton's  addition,"  until  about  the  time  of  the  public 
land  sale,  when  he  became  involved  in  another  "difference"  rela- 
tive to  it,  which  eventually  resulted  in  bringing  about  a  division  of 
the  Congregational  church,  by  the  withdrawal  of  a  part  of  its  mem- 
bers and  an  organization  of  another  society,  the  Presbyterian 
church. 

When  Henry  C.  Gere  brought  his  family  to  Wabasha  prairie  he 
attempted  to  take  possession  of  the  Stevens  claim,  but  was  prevented 
by  the  decisive  opposition  of  Mr.  Stevens  and  his  friends.  Profess- 
ing to  hav.e  a  just  right  to  the  claim,  he  w^as  not  satisfied  to  let  the 
matter  rest.  Not  daring  to  attempt  a  forcible  entry  on  the  land,  and 
as  there  was  no  legal  authority  to  appeal  to,  Mr.  Gere  made  applica- . 
tion  to  the  Wabasha  Protection  Club  for  aid  to"  secure  })Ossession. 

A  majority  of  the  members  of  the  claim  club  w^ere  non-residents, 
living  in  La  Crosse.  The  constitution  and  by-laws  of  the  club,  to 
which  every  member  was  required  to  afiix  his  signature,  provided 
that  all  questions  of  difference  relative  to  claims  should  be  examined 
by  d  committee  of  three  appointed  by  the  club  for  that  purpose, 
who  were  required  to  make  a  report  of  their  action  to  that  body  for 
its  final  decision.  Each  party  was  entitled  to  counsel  and  allowed 
to  present  witnesses. 

Mr.  Gere's  appeal  was  duly  referred  to  a  special  committee  for 
investigation.  After  numerous  adjourned  meetings,  at  which  the 
parties  appeared  with  their  attorneys  and  witnesses,  without  arriving 
at  a  decision,  it  was  agreed  to  submit  the  matter  to  arbitrators. 
The  referees  were  Jacob  S.  Denman,  of  Wabasha  prairie,  and  F.  M, 
Kublee,  of  La  Crosse. 

Attorneys  and  witnesses  came  up  from  La  Crosse  two  or  three 
times  to  attend  this  arbitration  court  before  an  agreement  could 
be  effected.  The  case  was  finally  settled  by  the  parties  consenting 
to  divide  the  claim  between  them, — Silas  Stevens  to  retain  the  west 
eighty  acres,  and  the  east  eighty  was  to  be  given  up  to  Henry  C. 
Gere. 

It  was  said  that  the  sympathies  of  the  members  of  the  club  and 
of  the  referees  were  on  the  side  of  Gere.  Mr.  Gere  was  a  large, 
fine-looking  man  of  social  habits  and  pleasing  manners,  a  smooth 
talker  that  could  represent  his  own  side  of  the  question.     He  was  a 


282  IIISTOHY    OF    WCSrONA    COUNTY. 

poor  man  and  had  a  large  family  dependent  on  his  individual  efforts 
for  their  support. 

Mr.  Stevens  was  supposed  to  have  considerable  capital  which  he 
was  using  in  speculations.  He  was  not  a  ])<)pular  man  with  settlers 
in  a  new  country.  He  was  a  rigid  church  member,  a  strict  and 
zealous  temperance  man,  and  in  |)olitics  an  abolitionist  from  the  old 
whig  })arty.  He  was  a  man  firm  in  his  own  opinions  and  in  his  own 
ideas  of  right,  and  was  self-reliant  in  all  of  his  business  affairs. 
He  discouraged  familiarity  and  but  few  comprehended  him  as  a  man. 

Silas  Stevens  was  a  native  of  the  State  of  New  York,  born  in 
1799  ;  in  1829  removed  to  Pennsylvania;  in  1840  moved  to  Illinois, 
driving  through  with  his  own  teams  ;  in  IS-tl  settled  on  a  farm  in  Lake 
county,  Illinois.  In  the  spring  of  1851,  leaving  the  mahagement 
of  his  fiirm  to  his  son  Wm.  H.  Stevens,  then  a  .young  man  living 
with  his  mother  and  sister  on  the  homestead,  he  visited  the  upper 
Mississippi  for  the  purpose  of  making  investments.  He  stopped  at 
La  Crosse,  where  he  o})ened  a  lumber  yard  and  speculated  in  real 
estate,  claims,  etc. — moderately  and  carefully,  never  indulging  in 
wild  schemes. 

It  was  through  Mr.  Stevens  that  Gere  came  to  La  Crosse,  where 
he  placed  him  with  his  family  on  a  claim  to  hold  until  a  sale  could 
be  effected.  Mr.  Stevens  furnished  the  supplies,  and,  with  the  men 
employed  in  his  lumber  yard,  boarded  with  the  family.  He  also 
employed  Gere  in  his  lumber  yard  as  salesman,  where  Gere's  pre- 
tentious style  led  many  to  suppose  that  he  was  the  responsible  head 
in  the  business. 

In  Illinois  both  Stevens  and  Gere  were  zealous  members  of  the 
same  church.  In  La  Crosse  Mr.  Gere  found  different  society.  The 
free  and  easy  sociability  and  western  style  of  speculation  to  which 
he  was  introduced,  suited  his  active  temperament  and  visionary  style 
of  business. 

Early  in  the  winter  Gere  attempted  to  secure  the  claim  he  was 
holding  for  Mr.  Stevens,  but  was  prevented  by  Mr.  Stevens  entering 
it  at  the  land  office  before  Gere  could  file  his  pre-emption  pa])er8. 
From  this  transaction  Mr.  Stevens  lost  confidence  in  Gere,  and  all 
friendship  ceased.  He  dissolved  all  association,  for  Gere  had 
represented  that  they  were  partners  in  their  business  ti*ansactions. 

Mr.  George  W.  Clark,  who  was  in  Mr.  Stevens'  employ  at  that 
time,  says  he  never  heard  of  a  i)artnership  between  the  two  men. 
Gere  took  charge  of  business  when  Mr.  Stevens  was  temporarily 


RESPECTABILITY.  283 

absent.  Mr.  Stevens  once  bought  a  rait  of  lumber  on  which  he  was 
given  thirty  days'  time.  Being  asked  for  an  indoi-ser,  he,  for  form's 
sake,  asked  Gere  to  sign  the  note  with  him.  The  security  was 
satisfactory  and  the  note  was  paid  by  Mr.  Stevens  when  due. 

Mr.  Stevens  retained  tlie  half  of  the  claim  which  he  had  made 
in  good  faith  for  himself,  in  the  fall  previous.  The  other  half  as 
justly  belonged  to  him.  Pie  submitted  to  this  division  as  a  final 
settlement  of  all  difficulties  with  Gere.  The  west  eighty  of  the 
original  Stevens  claim  is  now  known  as  Stevens'  addition. 

Leaving  his  afiairs  in  Minnesota  in  the  hands  of  his  son,  W.  H. 
Stevens,  Silas  Stevens  continued  his  speculations  elsewhere  for  a 
year  or  two  longer,  when  he  made,  arrangements  to  locate  perma- 
nently in  Winona,  but  never  accomplished  this  design.  "While  on 
his  way  here  from  Galena  with  horses,  traveling  by  land,  he  was 
taken  with  cholera  and  died  after  a  few  hours'  sickness.  His  death 
occurred  at  Fayette,  La  Fayette  county,  Wisconsin,  on  July  20,  1854. 

His  wife  and  daughter  had  already  moved  to  Winona,  where 
they  made  it  their  home  while  living.  His  daughter  was  the  wife  of 
H.  C.  Bolcom,  a  well  known  citizen,  who  came  here  in  1854. 

Wm.  H.  Stevens  is  the  oldest  settler  now  living  on  Wabasha 
prairie,  the  oldest  inhabitant  of  the  cit}^  of  Winona.  Norman  B. 
Stevens,  an  older  brother,  came  here  in  1856,  and  is  now  living  in 
the  city  of  Winona. 

After  the  death  of  Silas  Stevens  the  Stevens  claim  passed  into 
the  possession  of  W.  H,  Stevens.  He  sold  an  undivided  interest  in 
it  to  Wm.  Ashley  Jones  and  E.  S.  Smith.  It  was  surveyed  into  lots 
and  streets  on  the  same  scale  as  the  original  town  site  of  Smith  and 
Johnson,  and  designated  as  Stevens'  addition. 

Wm.  H.  Stevens  has  been  interested  in  many  of  the  enterprises 
by  which  the  city  of  Winona  has  been  developed.  He  has  held 
several  official  positions.  In  the  fall  of  1853  he  was  elected  justice 
of  the  peace.  He  has  served  as  deputy  sheriff.  In  later  years  he 
was  a  member  of  the  board  of  education.  In  1872  and  in  1873  he 
was  a  member  of  the  state  legislature  as  senator  from  the  eighth 
dtstrict  in  Winona  county,  ' 

Mrs.  Stevens,  the  wife  of  Wm.  H.  Stevens,  was  an  early  settler 
in  this  county.  She  came  here  in  1852  and  lived  in  the  colony  at 
Eolling  Stone  with  her  relatives.  She  is  a  sister  of  Mi's.  S.  D. 
Putman  and  of  S.  A.  and  O.  H.  Houk,  who  were  members  of  the 
association.     In  the  fall  and  winter  of  that  year  Mrs.  Stevens  (then 


284  HISTOEY    OF    WINONA    COINTY. 

Miss  ''  Ilettj  "  Houk)  taught  the  tirst  district  school  at  Minnesota  city 
that  was  ever  held  in  southern  Minnesota ;  she  also  taught  the  first 
district  school  ever  opened  in  the  city  of  Winona,  in  the  full  of  1854. 

About  Julj  1,  .1852,  Byron  A.  Viets  came  up  from  La  Crosse 
with  a  small  drove  of  cattle,  principally  cows  and  young  stock.  He 
landed  them  on  Wabasha  prairie,  where  he  was  siiccessful  in 
disposing  of  his  entire  herd  to  the  settlers  on  the  prairie  and  at 
Rolling  Stone. 

In  a  trade  with  Johnson  he  purchased  two  or  three  lots  in  the 
town  plot.  This  was  the  first  sale  of  lots  after  the  claim  was 
surveyed  and  plotted  ;  the  first  sale  of  real  estate  in  the  new  town 
or  village  of  Montezuma,  now  city  of  Winona. 

One  of  these  lots,  purchased  by  Mi',  Viets,  was  lot  2,  block  10, 
on  Front  street  ;  another  was  lot  4,  block  14.  The  quit-claim  deeds 
by  which  the  title  to  these  lots  was  transferred  from  Smith  and 
Johnson  to  Byron  A.  Viets,  were  placed  on  record  in  the  office  of 
the  register  of  deeds  of  Washington  county  at  Stillwater,  the  county 
seat. 

Mr.  Viets  also  bought  a  claim  of  eighty  acres  lying  between  the 
claim  held  by  Wm.  B.  Gere  and  the  one  held  by  Elijah  Silsbee.  It 
was  early  discovered  that  the  Beecher-Gere  claim  was  an  expansive 
one,  covering  more  territory  than  allowed  by  law,  and  S.  K. 
Thompson  gave  notice  that  he  had  selected  a  claim  in  that  locality, 
but  he  failed  to  protect  it  by  improvements. 

It  was  in  nominal  possession  of  several  different  persons  who 
jumped  it  one  from  another,  while  each  failed  to  occupy  it.  Early 
in  the  summer  Isaac  W.  Simonds  came  up  from  La  Crosse  and  took 
possession  of  it.  It  was  said  that  he  was  in  the  employ  of  Peter 
Burns.  To  show  that  it  was  a  claim  held  by  a  bona  fide  settler,  he 
planted  a  few  potatoes  and  cultivated  a  small  patch  of  ground. 
This  garden  spot  was  in  the  vicinity  of  where  the  State  Normal 
School  now  stands. 

It  was  generally  understood  among  the  settlers  that  this  was 
Thompson's  claim,  although  he  had  not  occupied  it, —  he  was  living 
with  John  Evans  at  the  time.  In  the  absence  of  Simonds  at  Lg, 
Crosse,  where  he  made  his  home,  Thompson  took  possession  by 
building  the  customary  log  pen,  and  with  the  aid  of  John  Evans 
held  it  for  a  short  time.  To  settle  this  claim  dispute,  it  was  agreed 
that  Thompson  and  Simonds  should  hold  the  land  jointly  or  divide 
it  between  them. 


E    .  ELY. 


RESPECTABILITY.  287 

Without  the  knowledge  of  Thompson,  Mr.  Simonds  traded  off  the 
claim  to  Mr.  Viets,  and  gave  him  possession.  Thompson  lost  his 
interest  without  realizing  anything  from  the  sale.  Mr.  Yiets  built 
a  shanty  on  it,  and  on  the  20th  of  July  brought  his  family  from  La 
Crosse,  and  became  an  actual  resident  on  the  prairie. 

Having  some  surplus  funds,  Mr.  Yiets  at  once  made  arrange- 
ments to  improve  his  town  lots.  He  decided  to  build  a  house  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  traveling  public  on  lot  2,  block  10,  front- 
ing on  the  levee.  He  brought  up  material  and  carpenters  from  La 
Crosse,  and  put  up  a  building  about  24  X  28,  a  story  and  a  half 
high  —  a  low  porch  extended  across  the  front.  It  was  afterward,  in 
1853,  improved  by  the  addition  of  a  long  one-story  attachment  in 
the  rear  for  dining-room,  kitchen,  etc.  This  was  at  first  known  as 
"Yiets  Tavern,"  then  as  the  "Yiets  House,"  but  was  better 
known  to  the  early  settlers  as  the  "  Winona  Hotel,"  and  later  as  the 
old  "  Winona  House." 

This  house  was  built  in  August.  The  roof  was  the  second  on 
the  prairie  covered  with  shingles.  The  first  was  on  the  house  of 
John  Evans,  on  the  Evans  claim,  the  third  was  on  the  shanty  built 
bj  Dr.  Balcombe,  and  the  fourth  on  the  house  built  by  Elder  Ely, 
on  the  corner  of  Center  and  Second  streets.  In  October  the  rooms 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  house  were  plastered.  The  first  plastered 
rooms  on  the  prairie  were  in  the  house  of  Elder  Ely.  Mr.  Yiets 
occupied  this  tavern  for  about  two  months,  when  he  leased  it  to 
David  Olmsted  for  a  private  residence,  and  moved  his  family  down 
to  La  Crosse  to  spend  the  winter. 

Late  in  this  season  Hon.  David  Olmsted,  accompanied  by  a 
brother,  arrived  at  Winona  from  Fort  Atkinson,  Iowa.  They  came 
through  the  country  on  the  same  trail  Mr.  Olmsted  had  traveled 
before  when  he  accompanied  the  Winnebagoes  on  their  removal  from 
Iowa  to  Long  Prairie,  Minnesota.  The  trail  was  up  through  Money- 
Creek  valley,  and  along  the  divide  between  the  Burns  and  Gil  more 
valley,  on  the  old  government  trail  leading  down  the  ravine  back 
of  George  W.  Clark's  residence.  They  traveled  on  foot  from  Fort 
Atkinson  to  Wabasha  prairie,  packing  their  camp  supplies  on  a  ponj 
which  they  brought  along. 

Mr.  Olmsted  then  proposed  to  locate  himself  on  Wabasha  prairie 
and  make  it  his  home.     He  leased  the  Yiets  House  for  a  residence, 
and  had  some  furniture  sent  on  and  stored  there,  but  his  wife  re- 
mained east  on  a  visit,  and  did  not  return  until  the  following  spring. 
17 


288  HISTORY  OF  winona  county. 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Olmsted  changed  his  plans  and  located  in  St. 
Paul.  This  part  of  the  territory  was  always  a  favorite  locality  with 
Mr.  Olmsted.  He  came  to  Winona  in  1855,  and  made  it  his  home 
while  he  remained  in  Minnesota.  On  occount  of  poor  health  he 
removed  to  Vermont,  wher6  he  died  of  consumption  in  1861.  The 
memory  of  David  Olmsted  deserves  more  than  this  brief  notice  of 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  county,  and  if  space  permits  farther 
reference  will  be  made  of  his  residence  in  this  locality. 

In  1852,  when  David  Olmsted  leased  the  house  of  Mr.  Yiets,  he 
placed  it  and  the  furniture  stored  there  in  the  care  of  Edwin  Hamil- 
ton, who  lived  alone  in  it  during  the  winter. 

About  the  last  of  January,  1853,  Mr.  Viets  learned  that  a  stranger 
was  occupying  his  claim  on  Wabasha  prairie  that  he  bought  of 
Simonds.  He  came  up  with  his  wife  to  look  after  it.  On  arriving 
here,  he  found  that  a  man  by  the  name  of  Benjamin  had  jumped  his 
claim,  and  was  then  in  possession  of  it,  jjrofessing  to  hold  it  as  an 
abandoned  claim. 

Mr.  Yiets,  accompanied  by  Wm.  B.  Gere,  went  immediately  to  his 
shanty  with  their  revolvers  in  their  hands  and  requested  the  claim 
jumper  to  vacate  the  locality  as  soon  as  possible.  Not  being  able  to 
resist  so  urgent  a  request  presented  for  his  consideration,  he  hur- 
riedly left  the  claim  and  went  back  to  La  Crosse,  where  he  had  been 
living.  It  was  said  this  man  was  in  the  employ  of  a  Mr.  Healy, 
for  whom  lie  had  jumped  the  claim. 

In  the  spring  Mr.  Yiets  sold  out  all  of  his  interest  on  Wabasha 
prairie  and  moved  back  to  La  Crosse,  where  he  settled  in  La  Crosse 
county. 

About  the  first  of  July,  1852,  George  M.  Gere  came  up  from  La 
Crosse  and  settled  on  Wabasha  prairie.  He  brought  with  him  his 
wife  and  a  very  large  family  of  children.  He  also  brought  up,  with 
his  household  furniture,  tools  and  material  for  a  boot  and  shoe  shop. 
He  was  the  father  of  Wm.  B.  Gere,  and  brother  of  H.  C.  Gere. 

For  temporary  accommodation  they  went  to  the  shanty  of  H.  C. 
Gere,  where  the  two  families  lived  together  for  a  month  or  two.  It 
was  said  that  there  were  eighteen  regular  occupants  of  that  little 
shanty,  12X16.  The  summer  was  dry  and  warm,  and  they  found 
plenty  of  room  outside  without  inconvenience. 

In  September,  when  Mr.  Denman  closed  out  his  mercantile 
business  and  moved  out  on  his  claim.  Mr.  Gere  leased  his  house  on 
La  Fayette  street  and  occupied  it  with  his  family  during  the  winter. 


RESPECTABILITY.  289 

He  was  a  boot  and  shoe  maker  by  trade,  and  occupied  the  front 
room  of  his  residence  as  a  shop.  He  here  started  the  first  shop  in 
the  county  for  the  manufacture  and  repairs  of  boots  and  shoes  of  the 
settlers.  ' 

The  following  spring  he  built  a  shanty  on  his  son's  claim.  It 
stood  on  the  south  side  of  Wabasha  street,  back  of  where  the  high 
school  building  now  stands.  It  was  16x32,  one  story  with  a  shin- 
gled roof     He  occupied  this  locality  until  he  left  Winona. 

ISTot  long  after  Mr.  Gere  came  into  the  territory  he  was  appointed 
a  justice  of  the  peace  for  the  county  of  Wabasha,  by  Gov.  Ramsey. 
After  Fillmore  county  was  created  he  was  continued  in  the  same 
official  position.  He  was  also  elected  justice  of  the  peace  at  the  first 
election,  inthe  fall  of  1853. 

His  shoe  shop  was  his  office  and  where  he  held  his  court.  When 
he  moved  from  the  house  belonging  to  Mr.  Denman  he  built  a  small 
shop  on  the  alley  near  the  west  side  of  La  Fayette  street,  between 
Front  and  Second  streets.  His  shop  was  a  favorite  lounging  place 
for  the  settlers  to  while  away  an  idle  hour.  His  house  was  often 
used  on  Sundays  for  preaching  and  other  religious  exercises. 

Mr.  Gere  was  a  large,  dignified  appearing  man,  about  fifty  years 
of  age.  His  intimate  friends  speak  of  him  with  respect,  as  being 
an  intelligent,  consistent  and  exemplary  christian  gentleman ; 
usually  cheerful ;  a  good-humored,  companionable  man,  who  enjoyed 
a  harmless  joke  and  innocent  sport, — one  who  did  not  consider  it  a 
sin  to  smile  when  pleased. 

Soon  after  Winona  county  was  created  Mr.  Gere  moved  to  Chat- 
field,  then  the  county  seat  of  Fillmore  county.  He  left  Winona 
about  the  first  of  July,  1854. 

During  the  spring  and  summer  of  1852  Andrew  Cole,  a  lawyer, 
living  in  La  Crosse,  made  frequent  visits  to  Wabasha  prairie. 
These  visits  were  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the  country,  to  form 
the  acquaintance  of  the  settlers,  speculate  in  claims,  and  also  to 
attend  to  professional  business. 

Although  there  were  no  courts  of  justice,  nor  even  a  county  or- 
ganization, there  was  business  for  the  lawyers  in  contesting  the 
claim  difficulties,  which  became  frequent  as  soon  as  the  settlers 
began  to  wrangle  for  what  they  considered  to  be  the  best  claims  or 
choicest  locations.  These  claim  disputes  were  sometimes  brought 
before  the  claim  clubs  for  settlement.  It  was  important  to  have 
counsel  who  had  some  knowledge  of  claim  laws.     When  justices 


290  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

were  appointed  these  claim  disputes  were  for  awhile  tried  before 
them,  until  it  was  discovered  that,  as  matters  relating  to  title  in  real 
estate,  they  were  not  under  the  jurisdiction  of  that  court. 

In  the  fall  Mr.  Cole  brought  his  wife  up  from  La  Crosse  and  be- 
came a  resident  of  Minnesota.  He  was  the  first  lawyer  to  settle  on 
Wabasha  prairie  —  the  first  to  settle  in  southern  Minnesota  for  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  Being  the  only  lawyer  on  the  west  side 
of  the  river,  it  was  said  that  for  the  accommodation  of  his  clients,  he 
sometimes  acted  as  counsel  on  both  sides  in  the  same  suit,  and  at 
the  same  time  acting  as  confidential  adviser  to  the  claim  committee, 
or  of  the  court,  if  matters  of  law  were  not  clear  to  the  inexperienced 
justices. 

The  house  he  occupied  was  one  built  by  E.  H.  Johnson,  which 
stood  on  lot  4,  block  10,  fronting  on  the  levee.  It  was  a  small 
one-story  building  about  16x24,  with  a  lean-to  on  the  back  part  of 
the  east  side  about  10  X 12.  This  was  the  third  house  with  plastered 
rooms.  The  roof  was  shingled.  There  were  seven  buildings  with 
shingled  roofs  at  the  close  of  this  year. 

Mr.  Cole  had  his  office  in  his  residence.  He  occupied  this  place 
for  three  or  four  years,  when  he  built  a  house  on  the  corner  of  Fifth 
and  Harriet  streets,  opposite  the  First  Ward  Park,  where  he  lived 
during  the  remaining  time  of  his  residence  in  Winona.  In  about 
1858  he  went  east  and  located  himself  in  Poughkeepsie,  New  York, 
where  he  yet  resides. 

When  Fillmore  county  was  created  Mr.  Cole  was  appointed 
judge  of  probate  by  Gov,  Ramsey.  He  was  the  first  official  in  that 
position  in  this  part  of  the  territory  along  the  Mississippi. 

During  the  first  three  or  four  months  after  the  settlement  at 
Minnesota  City  was  commenced,  commendable  zeal  was  exhibited  by 
the  members  of  the  association  at  their  meetings  in  providing  for 
the  general  interest  and  future  development  of  the  colony.  Matters 
of  town  organization,  providing  for  public  improvements — public 
buildings,  roads,  bridges,  etc., — were  earnestly  discussed  and  under- 
taken with  a  spirit  of  enterprise  that  was  worthy  of  success. 

Thev  were  ambitious  and  desirous  of  having  a  newspaper  pub- 
lished in  the  colony,  A  subscription  was  circulated,  and  quite  a 
sum  promised  as  a  bonus  and  for  its  support,  provided  a  paper  was 
started  and  a  printing-ofiice  established  at  Minnesota  Gty.  Mr. 
Haddock  was  a  practical  printer,  and  from  the  encouragement  offered 
decided  to  make  the  attempt  and  bring  on  material  for  starting  a 


LOOKn^G    AROUND.  291 

small  weekly  newspaper,  to  be  called  the  "Minnesota  City  Standard." 
While  east  after  his  family,  then  living  in  the  city  of  New  York,  he 
procured  a  press  and  material  for  a  printingroffice,  which  he  brought 
along  as  far  as  Dubuque,  where  he  was  compelled  to  leave  it  in  store 
for  want  of  funds  to  pay  freight.  He  never  brought  his  press  up  the 
river. 

Tljey  decided  to  build  a  town  hall :  the  lumber  and  material  was 
purchased  and  brought  on  the  grounds,  but  owing  to  sickness  and 
its  attendant  misfortunes  the  project  was  abandoned  and  the  mate- 
rial used  for  other  purposes.  The  public  spirit  of  the  settlers  of  this 
colony  would  have  made  the  association  a  success  if  the  location 
had  been  a  proper  one. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


LOOKING  AROUND. 


Eably  in  the  season  prominent  individuals  from  St.  Paul  visited 
the  colony  and  made  considerable  effort  to  induce  the  members  of 
the  association  to  abandon  Rolling  Stone  and  locate  themselves  on 
the  Minnesota  river  above  St.  Paul.  It  was  said  that  Gov.  Ramsey 
himself  visited  the  colony  for  that  purpose.  Mr.  Haddock  was 
opposed  to  any  movement  of  this  kind,  and  his  influence  was  such 
that  no  propositions  for  a  change  of  locality  were  for  a  moment 
entertained. 

Mr.  Haddock  and  the  members  of  the  association  were  under  the 
impression  that  Minnesota  City  was  on  a  navigable  portion  of  the 
Mississippi,  although  the  officers  of  the  steamboats  refused  to  go  up 
through  Straight  slough  and  establish  a  landing  place  for  the  colony. 
They  early  took  into  consideration  the  advantages  that  would  arise 
from  making  Minnesota  City  the  terminus  of  a  wagon-road  into 
the  interior,  between  the  Mississippi  and  Minnesota  rivers. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  explore  the  interior  of  the  territory 
and  "find  the  most  feasible  route  for  a  wagon-road  from  Minnesota 
City  to  the  Great  Bend  of  the  St.  Peters  river  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Blue  Earth,"  with  instructions  to  note  the  quality  of  the  land,  water 
and  timber  observed  on  the  route  over  which  they  might  pass.  The 
committee  were  each  allowed  a  dollar  a  day  to  defray  their  expenses 
while  on  the  survey. 


292  HISTORY    OF    WrtSrONA    COUNTY. 

The  committee  consisted  of  Robert  Pike,  jr.,  Isaac  M.  Noracong 
and  William  Stevens.  They  left  the  colony  on  the  26th  of  June 
and  reached  Traverse  des  Sioux  on  the  3d  of  July,  where  Mr.  Pike 
was  compelled  to  lay  up  from  disability  to  travel.  Mr.  Noracong 
and  Mr.  Stevens  completed  the  survey  to  the  mouth  of  the  Blue 
Earth  river.  Mr.  Noracong  stopped  for  a  few  days  at  Mankato  to 
consult  with  the  proprietors  of  the  new  town  then  but  just  starting 
at  that  place,  and  returned  by  another  route  across  the  country, 
accompanied  by  D.  A.  Robertson,  one  of  the  proprietors  of  Mankato. 
Mr.  Pike  and  Mr.  Stevens  took  passage  on  the  Black  Hawk  down 
the  Minnesota  river  to  St.  Paul,  and  from  there  to  Wabasha  prairie, 
and  thence  by  land  to  Minnesota  City. 

Mr.  Pike  drew  up  a  report  of  the  expedition,  which  was  indorsed 
by  Mr.  Stevens,  and  presented  it  to  the  association  as  the  report  of 
the  committee.  It  was  formally  accepted.  Neither  this  report  made 
by  Mr.  Pike  nor  a  copy  of  it  can  now  be  found.  It  is  said  to  have 
been  a  fair  description  of  the  country  over  which  they  passed,  and 
recommended  the  route  by  way  of  Faribault  to  Traverse  des  Sioux 
as  practicable  for  either  a  wagon-road  or  for  a  railroad  at  a  com- 
paratively moderate  expense. 

On  his  return,  Mr.  Noraeong  presented  his  report  recommending 
a  more  southern  route  to  Mankato.  He  found  that  the  report  made 
by  Mr.  Pike  had  been  adopted,  the  matter  disposed  of  and  the 
committee  discharged.  The  report  of  Mr.  Noracong  was  listened  to, 
but  no  action  was  taken  by  the  association. 

The  re])ort,  in  the  handwriting  of  Mr.  Noracong,  has  been 
preserved  by  the  Hon.  ().  M,  Lord.  The  following  was  copied 
from  it : 

Started  June  26,  1852,  and  went  to  Mr.  Sweet's  claim  on  Rolling  Stone 
prairie,  a  distance  of  about  twelve  miles ;  course  south  of  west. 

June  27,  7  a.m.  From  Sweet's  took  a  south  course  one  and  a-half  miles,  and 
then  a  west  course  across  a  fine  prairie  to  a  grove  of  burr-oak  timber,  where  we 
found  a  fine  spring  of  water  discharging  itself  in  a  sink  ;  this  place  was  claimed 
by  Mr.  Hollyer.  From  thence  took  a  west  course  and  at  noon  came  to  a  spring 
brook,  and  thenc^e,  after  going  a  short  distance  came  to  a  branch  of  the  White 
"Water  running  to  the  north.  Continued  traveling  over  burr-oak  openings  until 
3  P.M.,  when  we  came  to  the  head  branch  of  the  White  Water,  a  fine  brook 
sixteen  feet  in  wi<Jth  and  an  average  depth  of  two  inches,  rock  bottom,  good 
cool  water  to  drink ;  saw  some  trout.  Went  on  three  miles  and  crossed  a 
tributary  of  the  same.  Here  is  a  prairie  eight  miles  wide  east  and  west,  and 
extending  north  and  south  as  far  as  the  eye  can  see.  This  prairie  is  in  the 
valley  of  the  White  Water  ;  the  rise  of  land  on  either  side  is  about  thirty  feet- 


LOOKING    AROUND.  293 

We  rose  on  the  upland  and  continued  west  on  burr-oak  openinirs.  The  upland 
here  is  not  as  good  as  that  back  of  the  valley  we  crossed,  beiny;  more  gravelly. 
Traveled  on  through  openings  sometimes  thickly  set  with  hazel  and  tall  grass. 
At  sundown  came  to  a  small  ravine,  where  we  found  good  running  water, 
bearing  to  the  northeast,  and  well  timbered  with  maple,  ironwood,  basswood* 
white  and  burr  oak,  and  some  willows. 

Monday  28, 6:15  a.m.  Started,  and  at  7:20  a.m.,  after  about  three  miles'  travel, 
came  to  a  small  stream  of  pure  w^ter  running  to  the  north  through  a  splendid 
burr-oak  opening,  good  timber  and  land  of  good  soil.  To  the  view  north,  this 
brook  seems  to  run  through  a  splendid  prairie  valley  of  great  extent.  We  here 
saw  a  wolf  catching  mice  or  frogs.  At  8:10  a.m.  the  openings  run  as  far  north 
as  the  eye  can  see.  At  8:40  a.m.  we  came  on  an  elevated  prairie  of  first-rate 
quality ;  cannot  see  the  extent  to  the  southeast ;  six  miles  to  the  south  there  is 
timber ;  north  the  openings  continue  about  ten  miles.  Soon  after,  we  came  to  an 
elevated  prairie  where  we  could  see  a  large  valley  to  the  south  of  us.  This 
valley  lies  east  and  west.  We  continued  west  along  the  high  lands  of  this 
valley,  supposing  it  to  be  the  head  source  of  Root  river;  traveling  bad;  the 
face  of  the  country  being  much  broken  and  thickly  set  with  oak  underbrush 
and  hazel.  The  most  of  the  ravines  we  crossed  were  dry,  and  we  became  very 
thirsty  for  water ;  after  some  trouble  we  found  a  spi'ing.  There  are  several 
high  mounds  or  bluffs  standing  in  the  midst  of  the  valleys  that  we  crossed, 
surrounded  by  good  grass  lands ;  they  make  a  very  imposing  appearance  and 
look  beautiful  in  the  distance.  We  have  crossed  some  red-top  meadow  lands 
that  would  cut  from  three  to  four  tons  of  hay  to  the  acre.  At  4  p.m.  came  to  a 
stream  of  water  bearing  northward,  which  I  called  at  the  first  glance  the 
Wassioshie ;  overhead,  where  I  am  writing,  is  floodwood  and  grass  in  a  tree 
eighteen  feet  above  the  water  in  the  river.  The  bed  of  this  stream  is  about 
sixty  feet  wide,  and  an  average  depth  of  water  of  about  five  inches.  The 
majority  of  the  company  being  in  favor  of  following  the  stream  down  (not 
being  satisfied  that  it  is  the  Wassioshie),  we  went  down  on  the  east  side  some 
three  or  four  miles,  forded  the  river  and  pitched  our  tent,  while  Stevens  and 
Pike  went  north  to  an  elevated  bluff"  to  reconnoiter ;  from  their  observations 
they  were  willing  to  proceed  west  and  leave  the  river. 

Tuesday,  June  29.  A  very  foggy  morning.  Through  the  heavy  mist  we 
could  hear  the  distant  roar  of  a  cataract,  to  the  northward.  We  went  over  the 
bluffs  to  the  northwest,  through  the  dew  and  hazel-brush,  until  we  mounted  an 
elevated  place  where  we  could  see  some  distance.  On  the  south  there  was  a 
heavy  and  extensive  grove  of  timber ;  also  on  the  west — the  greatest  quantity 
we  have  yet  seen.  We  here  saw  two  deer  feeding  at  a  distance.  From  this 
point  we  diverged  from  our  course  to  the  north  and  east,  in  search  of  the  cata- 
ract. We  descended  about  two  miles  to  the  river,  and  found  a  heavy  tributary 
coming  in  from  the  west,  and  at  the  immediate  junction  was  the  fall  of  water 
we  had  heard.  The  water  here  falls  about  eight  or  ten  fqet  in  thirty  or  forty. 
Here  is  quite  a  curiosity.  The  water  at  its  highest  pitch  rises  some  sixteen  feet 
above  where  it  now  is.    Altogether,  the  scenery  is  romantic. 

This  stream  proved  to  be  the  Wassioshie  river.  In  these  waters  I  saw  the 
largest  brook-trout  that  I  have  ever  seen  in  the  Western  waters,  and  also  some 
fine  black  bass.  The  blufffs  are  about  two-thirds  as  high  as  they  are  in  the 
rear  of  Wabasha  prairie.     We  here  saw  the  tepees  of  the  redmen  for  the  first 


294  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COLrNTY. 

time,  but  they  were  of  ancient  date.  Returned  to  where  we  left  our  baggasie, 
two  miles  to  the  southwest ;  then  took  a  west  course,  and  traveled,  over  some 
rolling  prairie  and  broken  woodland,  about  six  miles,  wh^^n  we  came  to  a  tribu- 
tary of  the  north  branch  of  the  Wassioshie  running  north.  This  is  also  a  fine 
stream  of  water — sufficient  to  do  a  large  business.  Forded  the  stream  and 
pitched  tent.  We  left  this  place  on  our  regular  west  course  ;  traveling  bad,  the 
lands  being  thickly  set  with  different  kinds  of  brush  and  tall  grass  foimd  on 
prairies.  Came  into  what  we  called  second-growth  timber,  very  thickly  set  with 
underbrush  of  the  yellow  oak,  hazel,  plum,  crab-apple,  whitethorn,  blackberry, 
briers,  etc.  Not  being  of  a  disposition  to  bolt  the  course,  we  penetrated  into 
them,  and  continued  on  for  some  time;  but,  finding  such  bad  traveling,  we 
made  a  halt  and  mounted  a  tree  to  reconnoiter.  Nothing  was  to  be  seen  south 
and  west  but  the  same  that  we  had  been  in  for  two  or  three  hours.  On  the 
north  of  the  west  branch  of  the  Wassioshie  saw  a  large  prairie  about  two  miles 
distant.  We  struck  north  for  the  prairie.  In  this  valley  is  a  fine  steam  of 
water  sixty  feet  wide,  with  four  to  six  inches  depth.  Camped  for  the  night. 
Saw  some  large  suckers  and  black  bass. 

Wednesday,  June  30.  Took  our  coifrse  northwest  to  a  high  mound  and  re- 
connoitered.  Found  that  the  stream  we  camped  on  came  from  the  west  of 
north,  and  that  the  south  side  was  thickly  set  with  second-growth  timber. 
Having  found,  by  experience  the  day  before,  that  we  had  better  keep  clear  of 
that  kind  of  traveling,  we  continued  on  the  north  side.  After  following  up  this 
branch  about  ten  miles  we  struck  north  about  a  mile  and  came  on  an  elevated 
prairie,  that  we  could  not  reach  its  eastern  extent  with  the  naked  eye,  and  ap- 
peared to  extend  some  distance  north.  On  the  west  we  could  not  see  its  limits ; 
it  was  dotted  with  groves  of  burr-oak  and  poplar.  Starting  west,  we  encoun- 
tered some  large  tracts  of  hazel-brush,  but  continued  to  travel  on  until 
sundown.  We  here  found  ourselves  on  a  dividing  ridge  without  water  or 
wood,  and  could  not  pitch  our  tent.  In  the  west  we  could  see  timber  in  the 
distance,  about  eight' miles  off;  in  the  south  the  timber  opened  so  that  we 
could  see  through,  and  discovered  that  there  was  a  largS  jirairie  in  that  direc- 
tion. We  continued  west  through  grass  on  the  prairie  often  as  high  as  the 
brim  of  my  hat,  and  scarce  any  less  than  to  my  hi{)s.  The  rain  was  falling  and 
wind  blowing  strong  from  the  northeast.  Traveling  on,  by  wind  and  compass, 
we  came  to  a  swamp,  where  we  found  some  good  swamp  water.  Taking  a  bucket- 
ful with  us,  we  reached  the  timber,  and  penetrated  an  awful  thicket,  to  get  out 
of  the  wind.  When  we  had  pitched  our  tent  and  made  a  fire  the  watch  said 
11  o'clock,  in  a  rainy  night.  We  then  had  our  suppers  to  cook,  for  we  had  eaten 
nothing  from  the  time  we  took  our  breakfast  exirept  dry  bread  and  raw  pork. 

Thursday,  July  1.  We  made  a  start  west.  The  water  here  evidently  runs 
to  the  west  and  north.  We  found  bad  traveling  through  hazel-brush,  swamps 
and  wet  meadows,  with  very  high  grass  of  bluejoint. 

At  11  o'clock  A.M.  we  came  to  a  small  stream  of  water  running  to  the  north 
and  west,  that  proved  to  be  a  branch  of  the  Cannon  river.  Continuing  west 
through  thickets  thickly  set  with  underbrush,  consisting  of  prickly  ash,  black- 
berry-briers, grcenbriers,  grapevines  and  nettles,  we  struck  a  small  stream  of 
water,  the  bottoms  of  which  were  covered  with  heavy  timber.  Following  this 
down,  we  came  to  a  large  stream,  which  proved  to  be  the  eastern  branch  of  the 
Cannon  river.    On  the  west  side  was  a  large  prairie.    A  majority  of  the  company 


LOOKTS'a    AROUND.  295 

being  in  favor  of  following  down  this  stream,  we  at  once  forded  it,  and  after  going 
about  two  miles  struck  an  Indian  trail,  which  we  traveled  on  down  to  the 
valleys,  where  we  foimd  a  Frenchman  who  could  talk  good  English.  From  him 
we  learned  that  we  were  forty  miles  from  Traverse  des  Sioux,  and  from  thence 
eighteen  miles  to  the  Blue  Earth.  We  then  set  out  on  the  Indian  trail  for 
Traverse  des  Sioux,  the  trail  leading  through  a  fine  valley  of  bottom  prairie,  in 
which  flows  the  north  branch  of  the  Cannon  river.  On  the  north  of  this 
branch  the  whole  country  is  heavy  timbered  to  its  soiirce ;  the  east  side  of  the 
south  branch  is  also  heavy  timbered  with  elm,  maple,  black-walnut,  butternut, 
ash,  etc.  Between  these  forks  are  extensive  rolling  prairies,  frequently  dotted 
with  burr-oak  groves. 

Traveling  until  nearly  sunset,  we  pitched  our  tent  on  the  bank  of  a  beautiful 
lake.  There  are  three  beautiful  small  lakes  on  this  branch,  with  pretty 
generally  bold  gravelly  shores  and  clear  water.  There  were  numerous  dead 
fish  lying  on  the  beach, —  suckers,  mullet,  bass,  pant  and  pickerel.  On  the  north 
of  the  lakes  is  heavy  timber ;  some  on  the  south. 

Friday  July  2.  Took  an  early  start  expecting  to  get  through  today.  We 
traveled  over  a  very  broken  country ;  not  so  bad,  however,  as  to  be  unfit  for 
cultivation.  The  country  over  which  we  passed  in  the  forenoon  is  better 
adapted  for  stock,  there  being  extensive  meadow  lands  on  the  shores  of  the 
lakes. 

After  dinner  we  came  to  the  head  of  the  lakes,  where  we  were  some 
troubled  in  finding  the  right  trail ;  the  trail  diverging  ofi"  in  different  direc- 
tions and  very  dim  at  this  place.  Soon  after  we  succeeded  in  getting  on  the 
right  trail  we  found  ourselves  in  a  different  country  altogether;  it  was  up 
hill  and  down,  through  a  swamp,  over  a  knoll,  through  the  brush,  into  a  swamp, 
and  so  on  until  3  p.m.,  when  we  came  to  a  lake  on  our  left,  or  south  side ; 
following  along  this  lake,  winding  our  way  through  a  swamp  connected  with 
it,  then  through  an  island  of  timber  and  another  swamp,  and  so  on  until  we 
camped  for  the  night,  on  the  bank  of  the  lake,  in  an  Indian  tepee.  The  water 
of  the  lake  was  so  full  of  particles  of  something,  that  we  were  obliged  to  strain 
it  for  drinking  or  cooking  purposes. 

The  lake  was  on  the  south  and  a  large  watery  marsh  on  the  north,  the 
outlet  of  which  we  forded  a  short  distance  fi'om  our  camp.  All  the  dry  land, 
from  the  place  where  we  struck  the  lake,  is  heavy  timbered  and  of  good  soil. 
I  think  three-fourths  of  the  face  of  the  country  here  is  taken  up  with  lakes  and 
swamps. 

On  the  north  side  of  this  lake  there  were  several  swamps  connecting  with 
it,  and  there  was  a  plain  visible  embankment  of  stone  and  earth  thrown  across 
them ;  the  stone  were  granite  boulders  or  hard  head,  of  which  there  were  an 
abundance  of  this  section  of  country.  These  embankments  could  not  be  easily 
mistaken,  for  some  parts  of  them  were  four  or  five  feet  high,  where  the  rocks 
could  be  seen  on  both  sides ;  they  answered  for  a  road  to  cross  on.  At  one 
place,  where  it  appeared  the  outlet  of  the  lake  was,  there  were  two  streams  of 
water  flowing  out  of  the  lake  into  the  marsh  ;  here  the  boulders  could  be  seen 
peering  above  the  water  in  a  direct  line,  from  one  point  of  high  land  to  another, 
on  the  opposite  side. 

These  stone  have  evidently  been  placed  there  by  artificial  means  —  of  this 
there  i-^  no  doubt,  but  by  whom  is  not  known  and  probably  never  will  be. 


296  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

This  lake  is  very  likely  the  head  fountain  of  the  Vermilion  river,  that  empties 
into  the  Mississippi,  some  distance  above  the  Cannon.  On  the  shores  of  this 
lake  there  were  dead  fish  of  different  kinds,  showing:  that  these  waters  were 
stocked  with  fish. 

Saturday,  July  3.  Traveled  over  islands  of  timber,  and  through  brush  and 
morasses  —  the  timber  was  of  godd  quality  —  saw  several  small  lakes  and  some 
sugar-houses.  It  was  a  rainy  morning,  and  although  it  continued  raining  we 
kept  on  traveling,  and  came  out  of  the  timber  into  brush  from  two  to  eight  feet 
high,  overhanging  the  trail ;  the  only  way  to  follow  a  trail  in  such  a  case  is  to 
go  where  the  feet  go  the  easiest.  We  crossed  several  morasses  and  at  last 
reached  a  bank,  and  down  a  hill  we  soon  came  out  into  the  valley  of  the  Min- 
nesota, opposite  Traverse  des  Sioux.  We  followed  the  trail  down  a  short 
distance  and  then  struck  for  the  buildings  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  We 
soon  found  ourselves  in  a  morass,  or  quagmire,  which  had  the  appearance 
as  if  there  was  sulphur  or  salt  water  in  it;  did  not  admire  the  place  and  did 
not  taste  of  the  water.    This  continued  from  the  bank  nearly  to  the  river. 

At  the  river  an  Indian  boy  came  to  us  with  a  canoe,  but  no  paddles ;  we 
managed  to  cross  safely  by  using  small  round  sticks  for  i)addles.  We  proceeded 
direct  to  the  house  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Huggins,  at  the  Mission,  and  took  dinner 
at  a  house  for  the  first  time  in  seven  days.  Mr.  Huggins  and  lady  appeared 
to  be  very  accommodating  and  refined  people  ;  they  were  good  and  kind  to  us, 
and  will  be  remembered  by  nie  in  time  to  come.  This  place  has  been  long 
settled  by  civilized  people. 

Our  provisions  having  run  out,  we  here  got  a  new  supply.  Stevens  and 
myself  started  for  the  Blue  Earth  (Mr.  Pike  having  a  boil  on  his  ankle,  which 
affected  the  nerve  to  the  knee  and  upward).  We  fell  in  with  two  young  men 
that  were  going  to  where  a  Mr.  Babcock  was  building  a  saw-mill,  and  reached 
the  place  about  sundown.  It  was  on  the  east  side  of  the  Minnesota,  five  miles 
above  Traverse  des  Sioux.  We  were  kindly  received  and  put  up  for  the  night 
with  them.  Here  fell  in  with  a  company  of  men  that  came  the  overland  route 
from  Jackson,  Iowa,  with  two  wagons  and  sixteen  yoke  of  cattle,  some  cows, 
one  horse,  breaking  plows,  etc.    They  were  twenty-one  days  coming  through. 

Sunday,  July  4.  We  shouldered  our  packs  and  wended  our  way  for  the 
Blue  Earth.  The  trail  led  through  a  fine  prairie  descending  toward  the  river ; 
the  high  lands  to  the  east  are  heavy  timbered.  We  diverged  from  the  trail  to 
get  a  drink,  and  in  the  bed  of  the  stream  we  found  stone  coal.  A  specimen  I 
brought  home  and  tested  by  the  fire,  and  found  that  it  burned  well. 

Arrived  at  the  town  of  Mankato  about  noon.  Finding  that  the  boys  of  this 
place  were  dressing  a  large  turtle,  we  held  on  and  took  dinner  with  them. 
After  dinner,  started  for  the  Blue  Earth,  a  distance  of  two  miles  above  the 
town,  and  soon  reached  the  long  looked-for  locality.  Traveled  up  ^ome  dis- 
tance and  then  returned  to  the  junction  and  down  the  Minnesota  to  Mankato, 
where  we  put  up  for  the  night.  Having  accomplished  our  purpose,  we  resolved 
to  make  a  canoe  on  the  following  day,  and  return  home  by  descending  the 
Minnesota  and  Mississippi  rivers. 

Monday,  July  5.  Slejit  late  ;  soon  after  getting  up,  news  came  that  a 
steamboat  was  within  hearing;  soon  after,  the  Black  Hawk  made  her  appear- 
ance. We  at  once  resolved  to  return  on  the  steamer.  The  Mankato  company 
came  on  this  boat.    Learning  where  I  was  from  and  the  business  I  was  on, 


LOOKIN^G    AROUND.  297 

they  wished  me  to  stop  a  few  days  with  them.  I  accordingly  did  so.  Stevens 
left  with  the  boat  for  home. 

Mankato  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the  east  side  of  the  Minnesota, 
directly  on  the  great  bend  of  the  river  and  two  miles  below  the  confluence  of 
the  Blue  Earth,  on  an  elevated  rise  of  ground,  sufficiently  above  high-water 
mark,  but  not  so  much  so  as  to  make  it  inconvenient  of  access  at  any  place  for 
some  distance  up  and  down  the  river.  It  is  located  on  a  prairie  of  good  quality 
of  soil,  well  watered  and  plenty  of  timber.  It  has  been  regularly  laid  out  by  a 
competent  surveyor.  This  place,  from  the  observations  I  could  make,  must 
eventually  be  the  great  western  terminus  of  a  railroad  from  Minnesota  city  on 
the  Mississippi  to  the  waters  of  the  Minnesota  river.  Having  traveled  through 
the  country  on  two  different  routes,  mostly,  I  find  no  obstacles  in  the  way  of 
any  kind  of  a  road  from  the  former  to  the  latter  place.  My  impression  is,  that 
Mankato  is  decidedly  the  place  for  the  termination  of  roads  of  any  kind. 
The  face  of  the  country  farther  north  is  so  thickly  set  with  lakes  and  swamps 
and  marshes,  that  it  will  cost  a  vast  amount  of  money  to  erect  bridges  and 
build  roads.  The  route  for  a  road  from  Mankato  to  the  southeast  waters  of  the 
Cannon  river  is  mostly  on  a  dividing  ridge  and  principally  on  prairie  of  good 
soil,  well  adapted  for  farming  purposes  and  the  raising  of  stock. 

From  Mankato  to  the  La  Seur  river,  which  empties  into  the  Blue  Earth  about 
two  miles  from  its  junction  with  Minnesota,  is  about  six  miles.  The  land 
is  good  for  a  road  and  is  well  timbered.  After  crossing  the  La  Seur  there  is 
timber  for  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile,  then  it  is  prairie  and  opening  to  the 
southeast  waters  of  the  Cannon^i^where  there  is  a  prairie  extending  east  out  of 
reach  of  the  naked  eye.  I.  M.  Noracong. 

The  country  over  which  we  have  traveled  in  the  direction  of  Minnesota 
City  is  well  adapted  fof  roads,  and  I  have  no  doubt,  from  what  I  have  seen, 
that  a  good  wagon-road  may  be  made  at  a  small  expense  from  Mankato  to 
Minnesota  City.  I  also  believe  that  the  Mankato  company  would  unite  with 
the  Minnesota  City  company  in  making  the  roads,  and  make,  as  their  proposi- 
tion, the  western  fifty  miles.         .  D.  A.  Robertson. 

Mr.  Robertson  was  one  of  the  "Mankato  Company" — one 
of  the  original  town  proprietors  and  first  settlers  in  Mankato.  It 
was  through  his  influence  that  Mr.  Noracong  remained  at  that 
place  to  discuss  the  feasibility  of  opening  a  road.  Mr.  Robertson 
accompanied  Mr.  Noracong  on  his  return  across  the  country,  and 
appended  the  above  proposition  to  the  report  of  Mr.  Noracong  to 
the  association. 

This  committee  was  sent  out  by  the  association  to  explore  the 
country  and  ascertain  the  feasibility  of  opening  a  wagon-road  from 
Minnesota  City  to  the  great  bend  of  the  Minnesota  river,  and  not 
for  the  purpose  of  making  a  prelirninary  survey  for  a  proposed  rail- 
road route  to  St.  Peters,  as  has  been  sometimes  represented  in 
newspaper  articles.  The  real  object  was  to  establish  a  highway  into 
the  back  country  from  the  colony ;  to  secure  the  advantages  of  a 


298  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

main  traveled  route,  when  the  country  should  be  settled,  and  to 
make  the  terminus  of  the  road  at  Minnesota  City,  The  recom- 
mendation of  the  route  for  the  purposes  of  a  railroad  was  but  an 
incidental  part  of  the  report. 

The  iirst  mail  route  ever  established  across  the  country  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  territory  was  between  Minnesota  City  and 
Traverse  des  Sioux,  over  nearly  the  same  route  traveled  by  this  com- 
mittee.    The  contractor  was  O.  M.  Lord,  of  Minnesota  City. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


REFLECTIONS. 


Theke  is  no  doubt  but  what  Haddock  and  Murphy  were  consci- 
entious in  their  acts  when  they  located  the  colony  at  Rolling  Stone. 
They  reported  to  the  association  that  their  village  site  was  on  the 
Mississippi,  and  it  was  believed  that  such  was  tlie  case.  Mr.  Had- 
dock was  the  leading  spirit  of  the  organization,  and  apparently 
controlled  it  by  a  sort  of  mesmeric  influence.  For  the  first  three 
months  the  colonists  had  almost  unbounded  confidence  in  their 
leader.  He  made  a  mistake  when  he  assumed  it  to  be  a  fact  that 
Straight  slough  was  a  navigable  channel  ;  and,  firm  in  his  belief,  he 
impressed  the  same  idea  on  the  settlers,  and  it  was  a  year  or  two 
before  they  were  fully  convinced  to  the  contrary. 

Mr.  Haddock  assumed  that  the  reason  why  Minnesota  City  was 
not  made  a  landing-place  for  the  steamboats  was  because  the  man- 
agement of  the  boats  was  in  the  hands  of  men  interested  in  rival 
town  sites.  This  was  believed  by  the  settlers,  because  repeated  ap- 
plications had  been  made  to  have  the  boats  land  passengers  at  the 
colony  during  the  high  water,  but  without  success  ;  none  would 
make  the  attempt. 

When  the  flood  in  the  river  had  subsided  and  the  water  was  con- 
fined to  its  ordinary  channels,  and  about  the  time  that  the  report  of 
the  committee  which  had  been  sent  to  explore  the  back  country  was 
received,  it  was  considered  im])ortant  that  a  landing  should  be  estab- 
lished on  Straight  slough.  The  matter  was  freely  discussed  in  the 
meetings  of  the  association,  and  referred  to  a  committee  for  investi- 
gation. 


KEFLECTIONS.  299 

This  committee,  with  other  members  equally  interested  in  estab- 
lishing the  fact  that  navigation  was  practicable,  made,  as  they  siip- 
posed,  a  thorough  survey  of  Straight  slough,  from  its  head,  above 
Minnesota  City,  to  its  mouth,  a  short  distance  above  Johnson's 
landing.  A  chart  was  drawn  showing  soundings,  etc.  The  com- 
mittee reported  that  there  were  no  serious  obstacles  in  the  way,  and 
that  the  slough  was  navigable  for  the  largest  boats  running  on  the 
upper  Mississippi. 

At  the  time  of  this  survey  the  slough  next  to  the  bluff,  which 
empties  into  Straight  slough  nearly  opposite  Minnesota  City,  was 
given  the  name  of  Haddock  slough,  the  name  by  which  it  is  now 
known.  Mr.  Haddock  had  selected  the  shore  next  to  the  bluffs, 
above  where  Mr.  Burley  now  lives,  as  a  proper  landing-place  for 
immediate  purposes.  A  landing-place  on  the  slough  below  was 
selected  for  future  improvement. 

The  committee  were  instructed  to  present  the  matter  before  the 
proprietors  of  the  steamboat  lines  at  Galena,  by  whom  it  was  re- 
ferred to  Capt.  Smith.  Notwithstanding  their  chart  demonstrated 
the  feasibility  of  a  free  passage  through  Straight  slough,  Capt. 
Smith  considered  the  route  impracticable  ;  and,  as  it  was  charged 
against  him  that  his  opposition  to  it  was  because  of  his  holding  an 
interest  on  Wabasha  prairie,  he  consented  to  allow  his  own  boat, 
the  Nominee,  to  make  a  trial  trip  under  the  pilotage  of  the  com- 
mittee. 

The  success  of  the  committee  thus  far  was  duly  reported  to  the 
to  the  Association.  So  confident  were  the  colonists  of  the  arrival 
of  the  steamboat  that  many  of  them  went  down  to  the  landing  at 
Wabasha  prairie  to  meet  the  boat,  while  the  whole  settlement  pre- 
pared to  give  it  a  joyful  welcome.  For  this  trip  the  Nominee  was 
given  in  charge  of  the  first  clerk,  with  instructions  to  go  through 
the  slough,  if  possible,  without  delay.  The  boat,  with  Mr.  Brook 
as  captain,  arrived  at  Johnson's  about  noon  on  Sunday.  As  the 
trip  was  a  holiday  excursion  the  settlers  on  the  prairie  were  invited 
to  make  a  social  visit  to  the  colony. 

The  Nominee  started  up  Straight  slough  under  the  guidance  of 
the  committee.  After  ascending  for  a  mile  or  so  the  boat  Struck  a  bar 
and  came  to  a  sudden  stop.  By  some  oversight  this  obstruction  had 
not  been  noted  on  the  chart.  After  repeated  attempts  to  pass  this 
barrier  without  success,  the  ofllcers  of  the  boat  decided  that  Straight 
slough  was  not  navigable  by  the  Nominee  at  that  stage  of  water. 


300  IIISTOIIY    OF    WINOlSrA    COUNTY. 

This  failuiv  was  a  great  disappointment  to  the  settlers,  both  at 
Minnesota  City  and  at  Wabasha  prairie.  Tlie  boat  swung  around 
and  steamed  back  to  Wabasha  prairie,  and,  after  discharging  the 
excursionists,  started  up  the  river  under  the  guidance  of  lier  own 
pilot. 

The  failure  of  the  Nominee  to  go  through  Straight  slough  was 
a  serious  blow  to  the  colony.  The  ideal  maritime  port  of  Mr.  Had- 
dock was  unfortunately  at  least  six  miles  from  any  practicable 
steamboat  landing.  Still  the  colonists  were  not  wholly  disheart- 
ened. Many  of  them  believed  that  the  slough  might  be  made 
practicably  navigable  by  opening  a  passage  over  the  bar,  the  only 
obstruction  that  was  supposed  to  exist.  During  the  following  winter 
the  colonists  built  a  large  log  building  on  the  bank  of  the  slough 
opposite  Minnesota  City,  which  they  designed  for  a  warehouse 
and  landing-place.  A  road  was  surveyed  across  the  bottom,  but 
never  improved.  No  passengers  or  freight  were  ever  landed  there. 
No  attempt  was  ever  made  to  improve  the  navigation  of  Straight 
slough. 

The  extreme  high  water  was  followed  by  an  extreme  low  stage 
of  water  in  the  river.  The  summer  of  1852  was  hot  and  dry,  and  the 
miasma  eliminated  from  the  sloughs  and  large  marshes  in  the  im- 
mediate vicinity  of  Minnesota  City  rendered  that  locality  particu- 
larly unhealthy.  Serious  bilious  diseases  afflicted  the  settlers  in 
the  colony.  They  were  mostly  from  the  Eastern  States,  unacclima- 
ted,  unprotected  by  suitable  dwellings,  and  a  large  majority  of  them 
incompetent  and  unsuited  for  pioneer  life.  A  few  deaths  occuri'ed 
early  in  the  season,  and  exaggerated  accounts  of  the  sickness  and 
mortality  at  Minnesota  City  were  put  in  circulation  and  prevented 
many  from  locating  there.  The  most  common  disease  was  inter- 
mittent and  remittent  fevers. 

There  were  no  regular  medical  practitioners  belonging  to  the 
association  or  living  on  the  west  side  of  the  river ;  domestic  treat- 
ment and  patent  medicines  were  generally  depended  on.  Quinine 
was  quite  extensively  relied  upon  in  these  malarious  diseases.  One 
of  the  colonists  was  attacked  with  intermittent  fever,  for  which  a 
neighbor  recommended  quinine.  He  sent  for  a  pound  or  two  of 
quinine  by  a  friend  who  had  business  at  St.  Paul.  From  insuth- 
-cient  funds  only  four  ounces  were  procured.  When  the  bill  of  $20 
was  presented  the  exorbitant  charges  of  the  St.  Paul  druggist  was 
strongly  condemned.     The  neighbor  who  had  prescribed  the  article 


REFLECTIONS.  301 

was  called  in  to  dose  out  the  medicine,  and  lie  explained  that  it  was 
a  dram  or  two  he  had  recommended  him  to  send  for  instead  of  a 
pound  or  two.  "The  Squire"  said,  in  relating  the  incident,  "I 
knew  nothing  about  the  stuff —  anv  way ,  it  was  no  serious  mistake, 
because  it  was  needed  in  the  settlement,  and  the  neighbors  took  it 
off  my  hands  without  any  pecuniary  loss. " 

It  was  said  that  not  a  settler  in  the  colony  escaped  an  attack  of 
fever  and  ague.  Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  in  a  letter  published  in  1854, 
says,  "Although  most  were  prostrated  by  sickness,  only  fourteen 
deaths  occurred  (^V^  185'2')  and  a  majority  of  these  were  young 
children.     The  wonder  is  that  the  mortality  was  not  greater." 

Among  the  deaths  which  occurred  was  that  of  Mrs.  Haddock, 
the  wife  of  the  president  of  the  association.  Mr.  Haddock  went 
down  to  New  York  city  and  brought  her  here  to  make  her  a  home 
in  the  colony  he  had  labored  so  hard  to  build  up.  She  arrived  on 
the  13th  of  July  and  died  on  the  24th  of  August. 

After  the  death  of  his  wife  Mr.  Haddock  became  disheartened 
and  completely  discouraged.  Many  of  the  settlers  were  compelled 
to  leave  because  they  could  find  nothing  to  do  by  which  to  earn  a 
living.  The  most  of  them  were  mechanics  from  the  city  of  New 
York,  and  they  went  down  the  river  to  find  employment.  Although 
the  association  maintained  its  organization,  it  was  no  longer  attract- 
ive to  Mr.  Haddock.  It  had  apparently  accomplished  all  that  could 
be  expected  from  it.  With  a  large  party  of  his  friends  Mr.  Haddock, 
left  the  colony  on  the  lltli  of  September  and  went  down  the  river. 
He  stopped  for  awhile  at  Dubuque,  and  moved  from  there  to  Ana- 
mosa,  Jones  county,  Iowa,  where  he  engaged  in  publishing  a  news- 
paper, using  the  press  and  material  designed  for  a  printing-office  in 
Minnesota  City. 

Although  the  organization  was  kept  up  in  the  colony  during  the 
next  year,  but  comparatively  few  members  of  the  association  re- 
mained to  become  citizens  of  this  county. 

Quite  a  number  of  the  members  of  the  association  lived  on  their 
village  lots  in  Minnesota  City  until  after  the  survey  of  public  lands 
in  this  part  of  the  territory.  Several  of  them  then  made  claims  of 
the  locality  they  were  occupying  according  to  the  divisions  made  by 
the  government  surveyors,  without  regard  to  the  previous  divisions 
made  by  Mr.  Haddock. 

The  town  site  of  the  Western  Farm  and  Village  Association  was 
never  made  a  matter  of  record.     The  whole  village  plot  was  ab- 


302  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COITNTY. 

sorbed  by  claims  which  were  pre-empted  as  homesteads  by  their 
resident  claimants.  Tlie  plot  of  the  original  village  of  Minnesota 
City  was  thus  wiped  out — swept  entirely  away.  The  name  has 
been  preserved  for  the  locality,  and  a  more  .diminutive  and  modern 
village  has  grown  up  under  it,  on  what  was  originally  the  claim  of 
Israel  M.  Noracong. 

The  original  village  plot  was  pre-empted  by  T.  K.  Allen,  A.  A. 
Gilbert,  H.  B.  Waterman,  Kobert  Pike,  Jr.,  James  Wright,  O.  M. 
Lord,  Hiram  Campbell,  S.  E.  Cotton  and  D,  Q.  Burley,  all  mem- 
bers of  the  association.  Each  of  them  had  held  claims  in  other 
localities,  which  were  abandoned  to  enable  them  to  share  in  the 
spoils  of  the  dead  metropolis  of  the  colony.  ^ 

H.  B.  Waterman  and  family  have  continuously  occupied  the 
same  locality  he  settled  upon  in  1852,  when  he  first  came  into 
the  colony.  When  Mr.  Waterman  came  to  Minnesota  City  he  built 
a  very  comfortable  house,  a  part  of  it  of  logs  and  a  part  of  frame 
and  boards.  This  he  inhabited  for  several  years.  After  the  gov- 
ernment survey  was  made  he  selected  this  locality  as  a  homestead, 
and  claimed  a  quarter-section  of  land  in  the  vicinity,  which  he  pre- 
empted after  the  land-office  was  opened  at  Winona. 

With  the  exception  of  a  large  and  comfortable  dwelling-house 
and  a  good  barn,  which  stand  in  a  beautifiil  grove  on  a  sightly  eleva- 
tion, with  a  small  field  of  cultivation,  but  little  improvement  was 
made  on  this  claim  until  within  a  few  years  past.  The  table  on 
which  it  lies  was  covered  with  groves  of  oak.  As  this  timber  is 
cut  away  and  the  clearing  enlarged  a  fine  farm  is  becoming 
developed. 

Mr.  Waterman  was  a  lawyer  by  profession  when  he  joined  the 
colony,  but  he  never  practiced  his  profession  in  Minnesota.  He 
had  but  little  taste  for  agricultural  pursuits,  and  but  little  inclination 
to  make  it  an  occupation.  He  made  the  farm  his  home  without 
making:  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  his  business. 

In  November,  1852,  Mr.  Waterman  was  appointed  by  Gov. 
Ramsey  one  of  the  justices  of  the  peace  for  Wabasha  county.  He 
was  subsequently  elected  to  the  same  office,  and  held  the  official 
position  of  justice  of  the  peace  over  twent}^  years  for  Winona  county, 
in  the  town  of  Rolling  Stone,  where  he  resided.  He  was  also  elected 
judge  of  probate  at  the  election  in  the  fall  of  1853. 

The  first  case  on  his  docket  in  1852  was  Jacob  S.  Denman  vs. 
individual  members  of  the  association.     This  was  a  matter  which 


REFLECTIONS.  305 

grew  out  of  the  claim  difficulty  already  mentioned.  These  mem- 
bers of  the  association  went  on  to  Denman's  claim,  destroyed  his 
fences  and  burned  his  rails,  with  the  intent  to  drive  him  off  the 
claim.  Denman  refused  to  leave,  and  sued  them  for  damages  to 
his  property.  The  matter  had  been  commenced  before  Squire 
Allen,  but  when  Squire  Waterman  received  his  commission  the  case 
was  discontinued  and  again  brought  on  before  the  new  justice  of  the 
peace,  where  it  was  settled  by  the  members  of  the  association  paying 
the  costs  of  prosecution  and  the  damages  assessed. 

Kobert  Pike,  Jr.,  made  a  claim  among  the  village  lots  of  the 
colony  on  the  same  table  on  which  the  school-building  now  stands. 
He  here  used  his  pre-emption  right  and  made  a  farm  of  part  of  the 
original  village.     A  part  of  this  claim  is  still  in  possession  of  Mrs. 
Pike,  his  widow. 

Mr.  Pike  came  to  Rolling  Stone  early  in  May,  1852,  and  at  once 
became  prominently  active  in  the  enterprises  of  the  association  to 
develop  the  resources  of  the  country  and  build  up  the  colony.  His 
eccentric  genius  and  zealous  efforts  made  him  popular  in  the  settle- 
ment. Soon  after  his  arrival  he  was  appointed  surveyor  for  the 
colony,  explored  a  road  to  the  Minnesota  river.  He  was  chosen  as 
a  proper  person  to  be  appointed  postmaster.  He  was  elected  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  served  as  county  commissioner  and  as  county 
surveyor.  During  his  whole  life  he  was  active  in  all  of  his  public 
duties. 

Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  died  about  the  middle  of  April,  1874.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  he  was  interested  in  an  effort  to  start  a  colony  in 
the  vicinity  of  Lake  Kampeska,  Dakota  Territory.  His  widow  is 
yet  a  resident  of  Minnesota  City.  One  of  the  two  children  who 
came  here  with  her  in  1852  died  many  years  ago.  The  other  is  the 
wife  of  Frank  D.  Stewart,  living  in  the  town  of  Rolling  Stone. 

Mr.  Pike  was  in  many  respects  a  very  remarkable  man.  Natu- 
rally ingenious,  he  made  mechanical  improvements  a  study.  On 
most  of  the  questions  of  the  day,  religious  and  political,  he  es- 
poused the  radical  side.  Among  his  many  friends,  his  special  peculi- 
arities were  overshadowed  by  the  open-handed  generosity  of  the 
man  toward  his  fellow-man. 

As  a  specimen  of  his  eccentricity,  his  business  card  has  been 
copied  from 'the  "Winona  Republican,"  as  regularly  advertised  in 
1856,  as  follows  : 
18 


306  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

"Robert  Pike,  who  writes  this  ditty, 
Lives  at  Minnesota  City  ; 
Is  Postmaster,  Mapistrato, 
Buys  and  sells  Peal  Estate, 
Conveyancer  and  County  Surveyor, 
(The  City's  small  and  needs  no  Mayor). 
Sectarian  rules  he  dares  resist, 
And  thinks  Christ  was  a  Socialist. 
Loving  mankind  and  needing  dimes, 
He  waits  to  serve  them  at  all  times." 

When  disaffected  members  of  the  association  decided  to  aban- 
don the  colony,  O.  M.  Lord  purchased  tlieir  interest  in  such  of  the 
village  lots  as  were  in  the  vicinity  of  where  he  resided  ;  and  after 
the  government  survey,  when  the  village  plot  was  comparatively 
abandoned,  he  made  a  claim  of  the  quarter-section  on  which  he  was 
living  and  pre-empted  it.  The  village  lots  surveyed  by  Mr.  Had- 
dock fpr  the  association,  that  were  included  in  this  claim,  are  a  part 
of  the  homestead  on  which  the  Hon.  O.  M.  Lord  now  resides. 

The  first  claim  selected  by  Mr.  Lord  was  before  he  joined  the 
association,  while  on  the  first  exploration  made  into  the  country 
back  from  the  Mississippi.  This  he. abandoned  for  another  about 
three  miles  above  Minnesota  City,  in  what  is  now  known  as  Deer- 
ing's  Valley,  where  he  then  proposed  to  establish  a  stock-farm.  On 
account  of  its  isolated  situation  he  did  not  move  his  family  there, 
but  located  them  in  the  settlement  or  village.  Like  many  others,  he 
also  made  other  selections  of  good  claims  which  were  marked  with 
his  name. 

From  the  time  Mr.  Lord  came  here  in  the  spring  of  1852  to  the 
present  time  he  has  been  prominently  before  the  public,  in  very 
many  instances  intimately  connected  with  events  that  make  up  the 
history  of  Winona  county.  Owing  to  his  habitual  modest  reserve, 
no  record  of  these  instances  has  ever  been  compiled  for  reference. 
It  is  indeed  questionable  whether  a  connected  biographical  sketch  of 
this  pioneer  settler  has  ever  been  given  to  the  public.  Advantage 
of  a  long-time  acquaintance  and  personal  friendship  has  been  the 
source  of  the  following  memoranda  of  events  in  history  with  which 
he  has  been  connected. 


CHAPTEK  XXXI. 


PERSONAL  PARAGRAPHS. 


Hon.  O.  M.  Lord  was  a  native  of  the  State  of  New  York ;  born 
in  Wyoming  county  in  1826.  In  1837  he  moved  with  his  father's 
family  to  Michigan.  He  attended  school  winters  until  he  was  about 
sixteen,  after  which  he  attended  a  select  school  for  about  three 
months.  His  education  has  since  that  been  acquired  by  private 
study  in  active  life.  His  younger  days  were  spent  on  a  farm  and  in 
sometimes  assisting  his  father  in  his  blacksmith  shop. 

Mr.  Lord  was  married  in  1848,  and  settled  on  a  farm.  He  was 
elected  town  clerk,  and  was  ex-officio  school  inspector  for  two  years. 
In  the  spring  of  1852  he  sold  his  farm  in  Lapeer  county,  Michigan, 
and  came  to  Minnesota,  where  he  arrived  May  2.  He  brought  on 
his  family,  a  wife  and  two  children,  on  July  16.  He  brought  with 
him  all  of  his  household  goods,  a  span  of  horses  and  farming  tools, 
intending  to  make  farming  his  exclusive  business.  His  horses  were 
the  first  brought  into  the  colony. 

Instead  of  settling  on  a  claim,  as  he  had  at  first  designed,  Mr. 
Lord  located  himself  in  the  village  of  the  colony  at  Minnesota  City. 
He  bought  several  village  lots  and  built  a  house.  Having  acquired 
some  knowledge  of  blacksmithing  when  young,  he  bought  the  tools 
of  a  blacksmith  and  carried  on  the  business  for  a  year  or  two,  his 
shop  being  the  only  blacksmith  shop  in  the  county  during  that  time. 
In  1852  he  shod  the  first  span  of  horses  ever  brought  into  this 
county  by  a  settler,  and  the  first  horses  ever  shod  here.  The  shoes 
were  brought  from  La  Crosse.  They  belonged  to  Hon.  William  H. 
Stevens.  In  the  spring  of  1853  he  shod  fourteen  horses  for  Wm. 
Ashley  Jones,  government  surveyor. 

July  2,  1853,  Mr.  Lord  was  appointed  coroner  for  Fillmore 
county.  This  appointment,  unsolicited,  was  conferred  by  Gov. 
Gorman,  who  had  recently  assumed  his  official  position. 

At  the  election  held  in  the  fall  of  1853  Mr.  Lord  was  elected  as 
representative  to  the  territorial  legislature  from  this  district.  The 
session  was  held  from  January  4  to  March  4,  1854. 

Among  the  acts  of  which  he  secured  the  passage  were  the  original 


308  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

charter  for  the  Transit  raih-oad,  tlie  division  of  Fillmore  county 
and  creating  of  Winona  county,  and  the  establishment  of  the  county 
seat  at  what  is  now  the  city  of  Winona.  The  present  boundaries  of 
Winona  county  were  defined  by  Mr.  Lord,  and  submitted  to  Mr. 
Huff  and  other  citizens  of  the  village  of  Winona  for  their  approval. 
He  also  secured  the  passage  of  a  memorial  for  a  post-route  from 
Minnesota  City  to  Traverse  des  Sioux. 

In  1854:  Mr.  Lord  built  the  first  saw-mill  in  the  county  at  Minne- 
sota city.  In  1855  he  was  awarded  a  contract  for  carrying  the  mail 
from  Minnesota  city  to  Traverse  des  Sioux,  and  carried  the  mails  for 
about  two  years  —  a  part  of  the  time  semimonthly.  This  was  the 
first  post-route  across  the  country. 

In  1857  or  1858  Mr.  Lord  was  appointed  by  Gov.  Medavy  com- 
missioner for  selecting  land  for  the  Transit  Eailroad  Company.  He 
was  also  appointed  by  Gov.  Medavy,  October  12,  1857,  as  a  notary 
public.  These  appointments  were  unsolicited  by  Mr.  Lord.  In  1859 
he  was  a  candidate  for  the  legislature,  but  was  defeated  by  Judge 
Orlando  Stevens. 

When  questioned  as  to  his  war  record,  he  replied,  '*I  fought, 
bled  and  died  for  my  country  by  able-bodied  substitute  during  the 
war  — price  $600." 

Mr.  Lord  moved  back  to  Michigan,  and  lived  near  Kalamazoo 
from  1861  to  1864,  when  he  returned  to  Minnesota,  and  again  took 
up  his  residence  at  Minnesota  City.^  He  was  a  candidate  for  the 
legislature  in  1871,  and  was  defeated  by  seven  votes  by  H.  A. 
Covey.  In  1873  he  was  elected  to  the  legislature,  and  served  at  the 
next  session. 

On  September  28,  1875,  Mr.  Lord  was  appointed  county  superin- 
tendent of  schools,  to  fill  tlie  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  resignation 
of  Rev.  David  Burt,  who  had  been  appointed  state  superintendent 
of  public  instruction.  He  has  been  elected  continuously  to  the 
position  of  coimty  su])erintendent  of  schools  since  that  time,  and  is 
yet  serving  the  people  in  that  capacity.  He  was  president  of  the 
last  annual  meeting  of  county  superintendents,  held  at  St.  Paul 
about  rlanuary  1,  1883. 

Mr.  Lord  has  always  taken  an  active  interest  in  popular  educa- 
tion, and  in  addition  to  his  other  official  positions  has  been  almost 
continuously  one  of  the  school  committee  in  Minnesota  City  since 
the  first  school  was  started  there  in  1852.  He  is  at  present  director 
of  the  district.     He  has  been  a  member  of  the  town  board  of  the 


PERSOlSrAL    PARAGRAPHS. 


809 


town  of  Rollin,^  Stone  for  the  past  twelve  years,  and  is  now  cliair- 
man  of  board  of  supervisors.  Mr.  Lord  was  made  a  Mason  in  1862. 
He  never  united  with  any  other  organization.  If  circumstances  per- 
mitted, he  would  take  more  pride  and  pleasure  in  stock-raising  and 
cultivation  of  small  fruit  than  in  any  other  pursuit. 

Hiram  Campbell  settled  on  his  village  lot  and  built  a  house,  which 
he  occupied  with  his  family  for  several  years.  With  this  as  his 
place  of  residence,  he  made  a  claim  and  pre-empted  a  homestead 
which  included  a  portion  of  the  village  lots  of  the  colony.  This 
claim  is  now  known  as  the  ' '  Campbell  Farm. "  It  joins  the  farms  of 
O.  M.  Lord  and  James  Kennedy.  The  present  farm  house  is  of  brick. 
Hiram  Campbell  has  been  dead  many  years.  His  widow,  with 
his  family,  owned  and  occupied  the  farm  until  about  two  years  ago, 
when  she  sold  out  and  moved  west.  Wiith  other  branches  of 
farming  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Campbell  took  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  the 
cultivation  of  fruit,  particularly  of  different  varieties  of  apples, 
which  they  were  very  successful   in  growing. 

When  David  Densmore  and  John  Shaw  came  to  Rolling  Stone 
they  brought  with  them  a  large  supply  of  apple-seeds  which  they 
procured  from  the  State  of  Maine.  These  seeds  were  planted  on 
their  village  lots.  The  lot  of  Mr.  Densmore  was  on  the  land  now 
owned  by  O.  C.  Tucker.  The  lot  of  Mr.  Shaw  was  on  the  Campbell 
farm.  Both  Mr.  Densmore  and  Mr.  Shaw  died  early  in  the  summer 
of  18.52,  and  their  lots  passed  into  other  hands.  Mr.  Densmore  left 
his  nursery  for  the  general  benefit  of  the  colonists. 

Mr.  Campbell  assumed  charge  of  the  lot  of  Mr.  Shaw  and  started 
a  nursery  of  fruit-trees  from  the  seed  sown  on  it.  From  this  little 
nursery,  started  by  Mr.  Campbell  on  his  own  claim,  sprang  some  of 
the  finest  varieties  of  apples  that  have  ever  been  known  in  Min- 
nesota. 

John  Nicklin,  with  his  family,  settled  on  his  lot  selected  by 
number  in  New  York.  His  location  was  on  the  table  above  where 
Troust's  mill  recently  stood.  He  built  a  log  house,  lived  here  two 
or  three  years  and  made  a  claim  of  forty  acres  among  the  village 
lots.  He  also  had  a  farm  claim  in  the  valley  about  two  miles  above 
the  village.  To  hold  them  both  he  pre-empte&  the  farm  claim, 
and  his  son  pre-empted  a  part  of  the  village  property.  He  lived  on 
his  farm  for  a  number  of  years,  when  he  sold  out  and  moved  back  to 
New  York,  where  he  died  a  few  years  ago.  None  of  his  family  are 
now  living  in  this  county.     A  son  resides  in  Dakota  Territory. 


310  IIISTOIIY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

George  Foster  pre-empted  a  forty  of  village  lots  ;  sold  out  and 
moved  to  Winona.  He  left  there  and  moved  south.  None  of  his 
family  are  now  living  in  this  county. 

Other  members  of  the  association  besides  Mr.  Denman  and 
"W.  PI.  Coryell  made  claims  below  Minnesota  City.  Nearly  the 
whole  upper  prairie  was  at  one  time  claimed  by  the  colonists, 
although  unimproved. 

P.  D.  Follett  made  a  claim  adjoining  the  farm  now  occupied  by 
Mr.  Charles  Vila.  He  built  a  log  house  and  occupied  it  for  two  or 
three  years,  when  he  sold  out  and  left  the  county. 

William  T.  Luark  made  a  claim  along  the  bluffs  below  Mr. 
Den  man's,  where  Mr.  Colman  now  lives.  He  improved  this  by 
building  a  log-house  and  making  some  cultivation,  and  held  it  for 
several  years.  He  moved  to  Winona,  where  he  opened  the  first 
wagon-shop  started  in  the  county.  The  first  wagon  was  made  by  , 
Mr.  Luark  in  the  spring  of  1855.  About  ten  years  ago  he  moved  to 
Milwaukee,  where  he  died  after  a  residence  there  of  a  year  or  two. 

John  lams  also  made  a  claim  along  the  bluffs,  the  next  below 
that  made  by  Mr.  Luark.  He  Built  a  log-house  and  occupied  this 
locality  two  or  three  years,  and  then  moved  to  Winona,  and  after  a 
few  years'  residence  there  left  the  county  and  went  into  the  western 
part  of  the  state  to  reside.  Mr.  lams  was  the  first  sheriff  appointed 
or  elected  to  serve  in  that  ofiice  in  this  part  of  the  territory.  He 
was  the  first  sheriff  in  Fillmore  county  in  1853. 

John  C.  Laird  came  to  Wabasha  prairie  about  the  last  of  August, 
1852,  to  attend  upon  Abner  S.  Goddard  during  his  last  sickness. 
After  the  death  of  Mr,  Goddard,  which  occurred  on  the  11th  of  Sep- 
tember, he  decided  to  remain  and  make  it  his  future  home. 

Mr.  Laird  was  a  citizen  of  La  Crosse  at  the  time  he  came  up  to 
help  his  sister  in  the  care  of  her  sick  husband.  It  was  on  her  ac- 
count that  he  changed  his  place  of  residence  and  came  to  Minnesota, 
where  he  has  ever  since  resided.  He  was  deputy  register  of  deeds 
for  La  Crosse  county.  The  register  elected  was  a  resident  of  a  dis- 
tant part  of  the  county,  and,  not  wishing  to  change  his  location,  Mr. 
Laird  was  deputized  to  act  for  him  and  receive  the  emoluments  of 
the  position. 

In  the  winter  and  spring  previous  Mr.  Laird  had  visited  Waba- 
sha prairie,  but  never  /Selected  any  special  location  as  a  claim.  After 
he  had  decided  to  settle  here  he  explored  the  country  until  in  Octo- 
ber, when,  observing  that  the  east  "eighty"  of  the  original  Stevens 


PERSONAL    PARAGRAPHS.  311 

claim  was  unoccupied,  and  without  im^Drovements  of  any  kind,  he 
was  induced  to  take  possession  of  it  as  an  abandoned  claim.  Mr. 
Laird  quietly  procured  the  necessary  material,  and  before  the  settlers 
were  aware  of  his  intention,  they  were  surprised  to  see  a  snug  and 
comfortable-looking  shanty  on  "that  lower  eighty  of  Stevens's." 
This  shanty  stood  about  where  Laird  Norton  &  Go's  stables  now 
stand,  —  on  the  west  side  of  Chestnut  street,  between  Second  and 
Third  streets. 

As  soon  as  the  circumstance  became  known,  H.  C.  Gere  made 
application  to  the  members  of  the  claim  club  for  aid  to  remove  the 
trespasser  on  the  land  relinquished  to  him  by  Silas  Stevens.  Some 
of  the  members  of  the  club  came  together  and  called  on  Mr.  Laird 
to  learn  why  he  had  built  the  shanty  and  to  ascertain  if  he  really 
intended  to  jump  Gere's  claim. 

Mr.  Laird  informed  them  that  he  had  taken  possession  of  "that 
eighty  "  because  there  was  no  one  occupying  it  -^—  nothing  to  indicate 
that  any  one  had  possession  of  it,  and  informed  them  that  his 
shanty  was  the  only  improvement  on  the  claim.  This  self-consti- 
tuted claim  committee  decided  to  let  Mr.  Gere  take  care  of  his  own 
affairs  if  he  had  got  into  trouble  from  his  own  mismana'^ement. 
He  was  then  holding  other  claims. 

Mr,  Laird  completed  his  shanty  on  Saturday  evening,  and,  sup- 
posing that  he  had  possession  safe  enough,  stayed  contentedly  at 
Mrs.  Goddard's,  because  it  was  Sunday  and  a  day  of  rest  generally 
observed  by  the  settlers.  It  chanced  to  be  the  day  on  which  Elder 
Hamilton  had  made  an  appointment  to  preach  at  Mrs.  Goddard's 
shanty,  and  there  the  settlers  assembled  to  listen  to  one  of  his  best 
sermons. 

Taking  a  great  interest  in  the  subject  of  the  discourse,  Mr. 
Laird  for  the  time  forgot  about  his  recently  acquired  earthly  posses- 
sion, and  gave  his  undivided  attention  to  the  sermon  of  the  elder. 
After  the  service  was  over  and  the  audience  begah  to  disperse,  he 
cast  his  eyes  toward  his  new  shanty,  not  fifty  rods  away,  and  dis- 
covered Henry  C.  Gere  on  its  roof.  Accompanied  by  Wm.  H. 
Stevens,  and  followed  more  deliberately  by  Elder  Hamilton  and  his 
whole  congregation,  he  rushed  toward  his  unprotected  claim  im- 
provement and  found  that  Gere  had  jumped  the  shanty,  if  not  the 
claim. 

Taking  advantage  of  the  security  from  observation  afforded 
while  the  attention  of  the  settlers  were  engaged  by  Elder  Hamilton, 


312  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

Mr.  Gere  had  taken  a  load  of  his  houseliold  goods  to  tlie  shanty 
and  taken  possession  of  it. 

On  reaching  the  locality  Mr.  Laird  found  the  shanty  occupied ; 
a  table  with  a  few  dishes  and  a  chair  or  two  were  on  one  side  of  the 
room,  and  on  the  other  a  cook-stove,  on  which  was  a  tea-kettle,  a 
pot  of  potatoes,  and  a  frying-pan  with  a  slice  of  ham  ready  for  cook- 
ing. Mrs.  Gere  was  comfortably  seated  in  a  rocking-chair  in  front 
of  the  stove,  waiting  to  touch  a  match  to  the  kindling-wood  as  soon 
as  the  stove-pipe  was  put  in  place,  and  Mr.  Gere  was  on  the  roof 
cutting  a  hole  for  it  to  ]^ass  through. 

Mr.  Laird  called  to  Gere  to  come  down,  but  he  refused,  rej^ly- 
ing,  "You  are  too  late,  for  I  now  hold  possession."  Laird  and 
Stevens  then  tore  off  the  boards  from  the  roof,  and  notwithstanding 
Gere's  resistance,  caught  him  by  the  legs  and  dragged  him  to  the 
ground.  They  then  proceeded  to  carry  the  stove  and  other  furni- 
ture outside,  except  the  rocking-chair,  which  Mrs.  Gere  occupied, 
and  very  composedly  maintained  possession  of  the  roofless  shanty. 

Elder  Hamilton  sedately  seated  himself  on  one  of  the  chairs 
ejected  from  the  cabin  and  calmly  watched  the  proceedings.  Occa- 
sionally *a  quiet  smile  would  illumine  his  dignified  expression  as  he 
observed  the  demonstrative  movements  of  the  noisy  and  excited 
settlers,  who  but  a  very  few  minutes  before  had  been  model  repre- 
sentatives of  a  moral,  intellectual  and  order-loving  community. 
Feelings  of  partisanship  were  exhibited  b}"  loud  expressions  of  opin- 
ion in  emphatic  language  rather  than  by  active  participation.  Men 
and  women  espoused  the  cause  of  one  side  or  the  other.  Some 
threats  were  ])assed,  but  no  serious  collisions  occurred. 

Mrs.  Goddard  took  a  firm  and  determined  stand  in  support  of  the 
rights  of  her  brother  to  the  claim.  While  Laird  and  Stevens  were 
tearing  or  knocking  the  boards  Irom  the  roof  on  which  Gere  stood, 
she  observed  a  second  load  ol  Gere's  furniture  approaching  from  the 
east ;  they  had  gone  down  the  prairie  and  come  up  along  the  river. 
Rushing  toward  the  team  and  brandishing  a  cudgel,  which  she 
caught  up  on  the  first  alarm,  Mrs.  Goddard  ordered  the  driver  to 
stop,  and,  taking  the  horses  by  the  bridles,  led  them  back  across  the 
line  of  the  claim  and  told  the  driver  to  leave  as  soon  as  possible. 
Without  a  show  of  resistance  the  teamster  drove  ofi.  The  team 
belonged  to  John  Evans.  In  speaking  of  the  occurrence  afterward, 
Frank  Curtiss,  the  driver,  said  it  was  not  the  first  time  he  had  been 


PERSONAL    PARAGKAPHS.  313 

captured  by  a  woman,  and  he  did  not  propose  to  get  into  a  quarrel 
witli  Mrs.  Goddard. 

It  was  charged  that  Elder  Hamilton  had  a  foreknowledge  of 
Gere's  design,  and  had  selected  one  of  his  most  interesting  and 
lengthy  sermons  to  give  him  ample  opportunity  to  accomplish  his 
purpose  unmolested.  "Aunt  Catharine"  says  "that  was  not  so. 
Elder  Hamilton  and  John  C.  were  always  warm  friends,  but  Elder 
Ely  knew  all  about  it,  for  he  kept  going  out  every  few  minutes  as  if 
to  see  if  a  steamboat  was  coming.  I  know  Elder  Hamilton  was  on 
John's  side  that  day,  because  he  beckoned  to  me,  and  when  I  went 
over  to  where  he  was  sitting  on  one  of  the  chairs  he  said,  'The 
boys  had  better  tear  the  shanty  down  now  they  are  at  it'  I  told  the 
boys  and  they  tore  the  whole  thing  down  without  disturbing  Mrs. 
Gere,  and  left  her  sitting  in  her  rocking-chair  on  the  bare  prairie. " 
As  soon  as  the  shanty  was  demolished  the  excitement  subsided 
and  all  started  for  their  homes,  leaving  Laird  and  Gere  to  watch 
each  other  and  hold  the  claim.  Mrs.  Gere  went  to  her  own  shanty 
and  sent  her  liusband  his  supper,  while  Mrs.  Goddard  bountifully 
iurnished  rations  for  JohnC.,  who  stood  guard  over  his  promiscuous 
pile  of  lumber. 

The  night  was  a  cold,  disagreeable  one ;  a  chilly  west  wind  swept 
over  the  bleak  prairie  and  compelled  the  lonely,  unsocial  watchmen 
to  keep  in  motion  to  preserve  proper  circulation.  Although  each 
had  a  blanket  in  which  they  wrapped  themselves,  Mr.  Laird  formed 
a  windbreak  -of  boards.  Mr.  Gere  solicited  the  loan  of  a  few 
boards  for  a  like  protection,  but  Laird  objected  to  his  lumber  being 
used  for  such  purposes. 

Finding  it  impossible  to  get  any  rest  while  so  uncomfortable, 
Gere  called  to  Laird  about  midnight  and  said  —  "I  have  a  proposition 
to  make  to  you  which  I  think  will  be  of  advantage  to  both  of  us.  I 
have  no  more  confidence  in  your  honesty  than  I  have  in  men  gen- 
erally, but  I  believe  you  will  keep  your  word  when  you  make  a 
promise.  Now,  suppose  we  agree  to  let  this  claim  matter  remain 
just  where  it  is,  without  either  of  us  doing  anything  until  to- 
morrow ;  we  can  then  go  home  and  get  some  sleep. "  Mr.  Laird 
was  amused  at  the  proposition,  but  did  not  object  to  it.  The  two 
men  solemnly  pledged  themselves  to  leave  the  claim  undisturbed 
until  the  next  morning,  and  bidding  each  other  "  good  night "  in 
more  social  tones  than  they  had  previously  observed,  they  left 
the  locality. 


314  HISTORY    OF    WDSrONA    COUNTY. 

Both  parties  made  their  appearance  at  sunrise,  and  hostilities 
were  resumed.  Mr.  Laird  rebuilt  his  shanty,  but  moved  to  another 
location  nearer  the  river  and  a  little  below,  on  what  is  now  block  5 
in  Laird's  addition.  Gere  tried  fo^  two  or  three  months  to  obtain 
possession,  but  without  effect,  the  cold  weather  interfering  with  any 
active  measures.  On  the  night  of  January  24,  1853,  while  Mr. 
Laird  was  tem])orarily  absent  from  the  prairie,  his  shanty  was  torn 
down  and  the  lumber  destroyed — chopped  in  pieces.  Mr.  Laird 
built  another  cabin  on  the  same  ground.  It  is  said  that  this  destruc- 
tion of  the  claim-shanty  was  effected  by  a  young  man  employed  by 
Gere  for  that  purpose,  who  received  a  hundred  pounds  of  flour  for 
his  services. 

Satisfied  that  it  would  not  be  possible  for  him  to  get  possession 
and  hold  it  against  the  opposition  he  had  to  contend  with,  Mr.  Gere 
appealed  to  Justice  Burns  for  aid  to  remove  the  trespasser,  feeling 
confident  that  a  select  jury  would  award  him  his  rights. 

There  were  at  this  time  two  justices  in  this  vicinity,  George  M. 
Gere,  on  Wabaslia  prairie,  and  John  Burns,  at  the  mouth  of  Burns 
valley.  Jabez  McDermott,  of  Wabasha  prairie,  was  constable.  In 
February,  IL  C.  Gere  sued  John  C.  Laird  before  John  Burns,  Esq., 
for  trespass,  etc..^  to  get  possession  of  the  claim.  The  trial  by  jury 
came  off  in  Marcli.  This  was  the  first  jury  trial  ever  held  in  this 
part  of  the  territory  —  the  first  jury  ever  called  in  what  is  now 
Winona  county.  The  court  was  held  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
"  Yiets  House"  (the  old  Winona  House),  which"  was  then  unfin- 
ished, Squire  Burns  having  adjourned  the  court  from  liis  office  at 
his  house  to  this  place  to  accommodate  all  parties  interested.  The 
trial  was  considered  an  important  event  by  the  settlers. 

Mr.  Gere  engaged  the  professional  services  of  Mr.  Flint,  a  law- 
yer living  in  La  Crosse,  and  of  Andrew  Cole,  of  Wabasha  prairie. 
Mr.  Cole  was  then  the  only  practicing  attorney  living  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river.  Mr.  Laird  had  for  counsel  and  management  of 
his  defense,  a  lawyer  from  La  Crosse  by  the  name  of  French.  The 
jury  im])aneled  to  try  the  case  was  George  W.  Clark,  Scott  Clark, 
O.  S.  Holbrook,  William  Hewitt,  W.  IL  Coryell  and  Hiram 
Campbell. 

This  being  the  first  important  case  brought  before  Squire  Bums, 
his  inexperience  in  his  official  position  made  it  necessary  for  him  to 
seek  advice  as  to  his  own  duties.  He  selected  as  his  confidential 
adviser  the  "home  attorney."     He  was  personally  acquainted  with 


PERSONAL    PARAGRAPHS.  315 

Mr.  Cole,  and  had  great  confidence  in  his  opinions  of  law.  This 
peculiarity  in  the  case  excited  some  comment  from  outsiders, —  Mr. 
Cole  being  attorney  lor  the  plaintiff,  but  no  charges  were  ever  made 
that  any  improper  or  unjust  proceedings  were  entertained  by  the 
court.  Notwithstanding  the  very  marked  eccentricities  exhibited  by 
the  squire,  his  court  and  official  position  was  duly  respected.  His 
comical  expressions  and  blundering  style  of  doing  business  afforded 
considerable  amusement  during  the  trial,  and  were  subjects  for  many 
a  hearty  laugh  for  a  long  time  afterward. 

About  two  days  were  spent  in  the  examinations  of  witnesses  and 
speech-making  by  the  attorneys  before  the  case  was  submitted  to  the 
jury.  After  due  deliberation  it  was  ascertained  that  there  was  no 
probability  of  the  jury  agreeing,  and  they  were  discharged.  The 
court  adjourned  until  the  next  Monday,  March  14,  at  which  time 
another  jury  was  im]3aneled  and  the  trial  of  the  case  again  re- 
peated. 

In  the  first  trial  the  jury  stood  five  for  the  defendant  and  one 
for  the  plaintiff.  The  one  who  stood  out  against  his  fellow  jurors 
was  Hiram  Campbell.  The  jury  on  the  second  trial  was  John 
lams,  S.  A.  Houck,  H.  B.  Waterman,  Wm.  L.  Luark,  S.  D.  Putnam, 
and  EHjali  Silsbee,  all  residents  of  Minnesota  City  except  the  last. 
After  about  the^  same  amount  of  time  consumed  as  with  the  first 
trial  the  case  was  given  to  the  jury,  and  at  about  11  o'clock  at 
night,  March  16,  the  jury  decided  unanimously  in  favor  of  the 
plaintiff,  Hemy  C.  Gere. 

The  next  morning  Mr.  Laird  and  "Wm.  H.  Stevens  started  for 
La  Crosse,  and  took  the  lawyers  home.  The  condition  of  the  ice 
in  the  river  would  not  permit  of  delay  —  even  then  traveling  on 
the  river  was  unsafe.  The  ice  in  the  river  appeared  as  if  it  might 
break  up  in  a  few  days.  It  did  leave  the  river  in  front  of  the  prairie 
on  the  20th  of  March. 

Mr.  Laird  left  the  claim  in  charge  of  Mrs.  Goddard  to  hold  until 
his  return,  not  supposing  that  any  movement  would  be  made  be- 
fore that  time.  Mrs.  Goddard,  with  a  young  lady.  Miss  Salina 
Kellogg,  of  La  Crosse,  who  was  up  on  a  visit,  accordingly  took  pos- 
session of  the  shanty,  with  a  firm  determination  to  hold  the  fort. 

The  suit  had  been  decided  in  Gere's  favor,  and  he  became  anx- 
ious to  get  the  claim  into  his  possession  before  Mr.  Laird  should 
have  an  opportunity  to  appeal  to  a  higher  court,  as  he  had  given 
notice  that  he  should  do  on  his  return.     Under  the  management  of 


316  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Mr.  Cole,  liis  attorney,  judgnieiit  was  entered  up  against  Mr.  Laird 
on  the  justice's  docket,  and  an  attacliment  issued  to  take  possession 
of  his  property  for  the  payment  of  the  costs  in  the  suit.  A  writ  of 
restitution  was  also  issued,  under  which  it  was  supposed  possession 
would  be  acquired  and  the  claim  held. 

The  constable,  McDermott,  was  friendly  and  in  full  sympathy 
with  ]\rr.  Laird,  and  was  also  a  boarder  with  Mrs.  Goddard.  Before 
the  papers  were  placed  in  his  hands,  he  notilied  Mrs.  Goddard  of  the 
proceedings,  and  arranged  with  her  a  plan  of  defense.  He  aided 
them  to  procure  material  and  barricade  the  building,  so  as  to  resist 
an  assault  if  Gere  and  his  friends  attempted  to  take  forcible  posses- 
sion of  the  shanty.  It  was  supposed  that  they  were  provided  with 
firearms.  Being  forewarned,  they  had  the  courage  to  believe  that 
they  w^ould  be  able  to  resist  the  officer  of  the  law,  with  his  consent, 
and  hold  Gere  and  his  friends  at  bay  until  the  return  of  Mr.  Laird 
from  La  Crosse. 

Learning  from  Mcl^ermott  that  the  yoke  of  oxen  would  be 
attached  when  they  came  across  the  river  from  their  work,  Mrs. 
Goddard  sent  for  the  cattle  and  had  them  brought  over  and  chained 
to  a  post  by  the  side  of  the  shanty,  while  the  constable  had  business 
elsewhere. 

When  the  writ  was  placed  in  McDermott's  hands  he  went  down 
to  the  claim.  As  he  advanced,  Mrs.  Goddard  warned  him  that  if 
anyone  attempted  to  come  near  the  shanty  it  would  be  at  their  own 
peril.  The  constable  withdrew  to  a  safe  distance  and  apparently 
waited  for  a  more  favorable  opportunity  to  perform  his  official  duties. 
Neither  Mr.  Gere  or  any  of  his  friends  ventured  within  short  range 
of  the  cabin  where  Mrs.  Goddard  and  Miss  Kellogg  stood  guard, 
and,  to  the  surprise  of  the  settlers,  successfully  resisted  the  execution 
of  the  law  and  boldly  defied  any  one  who  should  dare  molest 
them. 

These  two  women  held  the  claim  and  retained  possession  of  the 
oxen  until  Mr.  Laird  returned  from  La  Crosse  with  the  money  to 
defray  the  expenses  of  the  suit,  which  had  been  the  principal  object 
of  his  tri]).  He  at  once  paid  the  cost  and  ap]iealed  the  case  to  the 
Uuited  States  district  court.  The  writ  of  restitution  was  never 
enforced. 

Of  the  proceedings  in  the  district  court,  nothing  official  can  be 
learned.  It  is  said  that,  from  some  cause,  judgment  in  the  justice's 
court  was  suspended  and  the  case  dismissed.     Mr.  Laird  was  never 


PERSONAL    PARAGRAPHS.  317 

afterward  disturbed  in  his  possession  of  the  claim.     It  is  now  known 
as  Laird's  Addition. 

Although  Mr.  Gere  never  made  any  actual  attempts  to  obtain 
possession  of  the  claim,  he  several  times  threatened  suits  tor  its 
recovery.  Mr.  Laird  soon  found  that  a  little  money  would  stop  all 
proceedings  —  less  than  the  fee  of  a  lawyer  to  defend  the  case.  Gere 
consulted  about  every  lawyer  that  located  here  lor  the  next  two  or 
three  years.  He  was  among  the  first  clients  of  Hon.  Judge  "Wilson, 
when  he  came  here  in  1855.  Mr.  Wilson,  then  a  young  lawyer, 
became  interested  in  the  story  of  Gere,  and,  considering  it  an  im- 
portant case,  at  once  commenced  suit  against  Mr.  Laird.  He  was 
greatly  surprised  a  day  or  two  after  to  learn  from  his  client  that,  on 
account  of  a  satisfactory  arrangement  with  Mr.  Laird,  he  wished  to 
stop  all  proceedings  against  him.  The  lawyers  never  shared  in 
these  periodical  settlements.  When  Gere  again  ran  short  of  funds, 
he  again  called  on  his  attorney  to  bring  suit  against  Laird,  but  Mr. 
Wilson  indignantly  refused  to  have  anything  further  to  do  with  the 
case. 

Mr.  Laird  became  a  permanent  settler  on  Wabasha  prairie, 
where  he  was  prominently  identified  with  public  and  private  enter- 
prises which  tended  to  the  development  of  the  resources  of  the 
county.  Although  for  many  years  Mr.  Laird  gave  his  attention  to 
the  cultivation  of  a  large  farm  in  the  eastern  part  of  Olmsted 
county,  and  lived  there  with  his  famil}'^  a  portion  of  each  year,  he 
has  maintained  an  interest  in  Winona  county  and  occupied  his  resi- 
dence in  the  city  of  Winona. 

John  C.  Laird  now  lives  on  the  same  claim  he  "jumped"  from 
Henry  C.  Gere,  on  Wabasha' prairie,  in  the  fall  of  1852.  His  pres- 
ent residence  is  within  two  blocks  of  where  his  claim-shanties  stood 
while  contesting  possession  with  Mr.  Gere.  This  is  the  only  instance 
where  any  one  of  the  original  claimholders  of  land  on  Wabasha 
prairie,  now  the  city  of  Winona,  is  living  on  the  claim  he  held  in 
1852,  and  with  one  exception  Mr.  Laird  is  the  only  one  in  the  city 
living  on  land  which  they  held  prior  to  the  sale  of  public  lands  in 
1855.  A  part  of  the  original  claim  of  Captain  Smith,  claim  No.  1, 
was  pre-empted  by  John  Keyes.  His  widow  and  family  are  yet  resi- 
dents of  that  locality. 

In  the  spring  of  1853  Mr.  Laird  built  quite  a  stylish  and  com- 
fortable one-story  house,  with  two  wings,  on  his  claim,  and  made  it 
his  headquarters.     He  brought  up  a  breaking-team  of  three  yoke 


318  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

of  large  oxen  and  two  large  breaking-plows.  His  reason  for  having 
two  plows  to  one  team  was,  that  he  found  it  economical  to  send  his 
plows  to  Galena  bj  steamboat  for  repairs  —  to  keep  his  team  at  work 
an  extra  plow  was  necessary.  This  team  he  kept  busy  breaking  for 
the  settlers  by  the  acre  during  the  season,  under  the  management  of 
A.  B.  Smith. 

Mr.  Laird  started  the  first  livery  stable  in  the  county  of  Winona. 
The  heavy  hors6s  and  wagons  he  furnished  for  hire  in  1853  would 
hardly  represent  the  business  if  compared  with  the  dashing  turn- 
outs now  furnished  from  the  "  liveries  "  in  the  city  of  Winona. 

Although  not  strictly  the  first  man  to  deal  in  lumber,  Mr.  Laird 
was  the  first  to  commence  the  business  and  estabish  a  lumber-yard 
for  the  retail  of  lumber  as  a  regular  business  occupation.  He  com- 
menced the  lumber  business  a  little  above  where  the  sawmill  of 
Laird,  Norton  &  Co.  now  stands.  His  little  retail  yard  was  the 
nucleus  from  which  the  vast  lumber  establishments  and  immense 
business  of  Laird,  Norton  &  Co.  has  been  developed.  John  C. 
Laird  was  once  a  member  of  this  firm,  but  withdrew  from  it  many 
years  ago.  It  was  through  him  and  his  influence  that  many  of  our 
best  citizens  came  into  tliis  county. 

In  the  summer  of  1852  Enos  P.  Williams,  who  made  the  claim 
next  east  of  that  held  by  Beecher  Cere,  traded  it  to  B.  B.  Healy  for 
three  or  four  village  lots  in  La  Crosse.  Mr.  Williams  had  made  no 
improvement  except  a  pretense  of  a  garden.  He  was  then  living 
in  La  Crosse,  where  he  remained  for  three  or  four  years,  after  which 
he  came  up  the  river  and  settled  in  this  county,  in  what  is  now  the 
town  of  Utica,  where  he  yet  resides. 

Mr.  Healy  built  quite  a  comfortable  house  on  the  Williams  claim 
and  placed  a  man  on  it  to  hold  possession.  The  claimkeeper  neg- 
lected his  charge  and  it  was  jumped  by  Rufus  Emerson,  who  was 
employed  by  Andrew  Cole.  Mr.  Healy  contested  the  matter,  and 
after  a  suit  or  two  at  law  recovered  possession  of  the  claim  and  then 
disposed  of  it  to  Rev.  H.  S.  Hamilton,  who  bought  it  for  some  of 
his  relatives,  John  I.  and  Harvey  Hubbard.  It  was  then  called  the 
John  I.  Hubbard  claim,  and  is  now  known  as  Hubbard's  Addition  to 
the  plat  of  Winona. 

But  few  claims  were  made  in  the  southern  part  of  what  is  now 

Winona   county  during  the  season  of  1852.     Two  or  three  were 

selected  on  Pine  creek,  one  or  two  along  the  river  and  in  the  valleys. 

Hamilton  McCollum  settled  on  the  river  in  the  lower  part  of  the 


PERSON^AL    PARAGRAPHS.  319 

county.  His  house  was  for  a  year  or  two  a  favorite  stopping- 
place  for  travelers  by  land  on  the  trail  between*  "Winona  and  La- 
Crosse. 

James  Campbell,  a  Scotchman,  settled  in  Cedar  creek  valley  three 
or  four  miles  from  its  mouth.  William  and  Robert  Campbell  came 
not  long  after.  Mr.  Campbell  now  holds  a  large  amount  of  land 
in  that  vicinity,  where  he  yet  resides. 

Leonard  Johnson  lived  with  W.  B.  Bimnell  for  a  year  or  two, 
and  then  with  Frank  Wilson  started  a  wood-yard  at  Johnson's  Point, 
below  the  present  village  of  Homer.  Mr.  Johnson  is  yet  a  resident 
of  the  county,  living  in  the  town  of  Pleasant  Hill,  on  a  farm  selected 
by  him  in  an  early  day. 

Harry  Herrick,  for  many  years  a  man  of  all  work  for  Bunnell, 
made  a  claim  in  Burns  valley,  about  two  miles  above  its  mouth, 
where  the  road  crosses  the  stream.  He  built  a  small  log  cabin, 
which  is  yet  standing  and  is  a  part  of  the  old  building  on  the  upper 
side  of  the  road,  east  of  the  bridge. 

Mr.  Herrick  held  this  claim  for  a  year  or  two,  when  he  sold  it 
and  went  back  to  live  with  Bunnell,  where  he  died  two  or  three 
years  after.  The  claim  was  purchased  by  Rev.  Edward  Ely,  and 
was  long  known  as  the  ' '  Ely  claim. "  It  is  now  a  part  of  the  farm 
of  Mr.  Henry  Bitner. 

William  Hewett  came  into  the  county  in  the  latter  part  of  this 
season  and  made  a  claim  in  Burns  valley,  next  above  Herrick.  He 
built  a  frame  house  near  the  big  spring  next  to  the  road  and  settled 
there  with  his  family'.  This  house  was  burned  down  several  years 
after.  A  log  house  now  occupies  the  same  site.  Mr.  Hewett 
occupied  the  locality  for  two  or  three  years  and  then  sold  out  and 
left  this  part  of  the  country. 

Joseph  S.  Wilson  selected  his  claim  in  Burns  valley,  next 
above  Hewett's,  where  Charles  Miller  now  has  a  stock-farm.  He 
built  lijs  claim  shanty  about  where  the  present  farm  buildings  stand, 
near  the  spring.  His  first  shanty  was  only  designed  to  show  that 
the  claim  was  ' '  occupied  by  a  settler. "  He  left  his  claim  in  the 
care  of  Roderick  Kellogg  until  the  next  spring,  when  he  returned 
with  his  family,  built  a  comfortable  house  and  opened  up  a  farm, 
which  he  cultivated  for  three  or  four  years.  He  then  sold  his  farm 
and  moved  into  Winona,  where  he  carried  on  the  business  of  harness- 
making  until  about  1880,  when  he  went  west  and  located  in  the 
territory  of  Dakota.     Mr.  Wilson  was  a  well-known  citizen  of  the 


320  IIISTOKY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

county.     Tlie  town    of  Wilson  was  given  its  name  from  him,  lie 
being  one  of  its  oldest  settlers  and  the  best  known  in  that  locality. 

The  same  season  that  Mr.  Wilson  brought  his  family  to  live  in 
Burns  valley,  a  German  by  the  name  of  Schabe,  or  Selia])e,  made 
a  claim  above  Wilson's.  He  built  a  log  house  near  the  spring  by  the 
side  of  the  road  and  lived  there  until  his  death,  ten  or  twelve  years 
ago.  This  house  was  the  last  one  in  that  direction  until  the  spring 
of  1854. 

The  log  house  built  by  Mr.  Schape  was  standing  until  within  the 
past  year.  On  Christmas  day,  1882,  the  writer  passed  the  locality 
and  found  the  present  owner  of  the  property  tearing  down  the  old 
house.  The  timber  of  which  it  was  composed  was  apparently  sound; 
the  oak  logs  were  hard  and  dry  ;  the  oak  shingles,  or  more  properly 
shakes,  were  sound  on  the  under  side,  but  nnich  worn  on  the  outer 
side. 

Al  man  by  the  name  of  Blodgett  made  a  claim  in  West  Bums 
valley,  where  P.  B. '  Palmer  now  lives.  He  brought  with  him  a 
small  herd  of  cows  and  lived  on  this  claim  during  the  summer. 
AV^hile  here  he  lost  two  children  from  sickness.  He  sold  out  his 
stock  and  abandoned  the  claim  in  the  tall  and  went  back  down  the 
river. 

In  the  fall  of  this  year  A.  B.  Smith  came  to  Wabasha  prairie,  and 
for  awhile  had  the  west  half  of  the  McDermott  claim  —  the  eighty 
next  west  of  the  claim  owned  by  Dr.  Childs.  It  was  said  that  he 
was  holding  this  for  Mr.  Ilealey,  by  whom  he  was  employed.  It 
was  difficult  to  tell  who  was  the  real  owner  of  the  claim  ;  it  was 
jumped  several  times  by  different  individuals.  It  was  sold  by  Mc- 
Dermott to  David  Olmsted.  M^r.  Smith  did  not  reside  on  any 
claim,  although  he  held  several.  Prior  to  his  coming  here  he  had 
been  engaged  in  lumbering  business,  cutting  and  rafting,  and  as  a 
pilot  in  running  lumber  down  the  Ohio  and  on  the  Mississippi 
rivers.  He  spent  the  winter  as  a  regular  boarder  with  Mrs.  God- 
dard,  and  married  the  widow  the  following  season. 

A.  B.  Smith  was  well  known  to  all  of  the  early  settlers  as  a  hotel 
keeper, — as  the  landlord  of  the  old  '^ Minnesota  House,"  built  by 
him  in  1853,  on.the  corner  of  Center  and  Second  streets,  where  S. 
C.  White's  store  now  stands.  Pie  was  also  the  proprietor  of  the 
"Wabasha  Prairie  House,"  which  stood  on  the  corner  of  Front  and 
Franklin  streets,  built  by  him  in  the  summer  of  1855.  While  living 
here  he  suddenly  left  home  in  the  night,  without  the  family  or  any 


/!^^il&^^    y^  Jt^I^jTI^i/j-^ 


PERSONAL    PARAGRAPHS.  323 

one  connected  with  the  house  being  aware  of  his  intentions  to  do 
so.  Nothing  of  a  certainty  was  ever  learned  relative  to  any  circum- 
stances connected  with  his  mysterious  disappearance.  It  was  known 
that  at  about  that  time  lie  was  accustomed  to  carry  a  considerable 
sum  of  money  about  his  person.  lie  sometimes  indulged  freely  in 
intoxicating  drinks.  It  was  generally  supposed  that  he  had  been 
foully  dealt  with — probably  murdered  for  his  money  and  his  body 
thrown  into  the  river.  Suspicion  rested  on  some  with  whom  he 
familiarly  associated  at  about  that  time,  but  no  evidence  was  ever 
secured  that  appeared  to  justify  making  any  arrests.  There  was 
no  proof  of  his  death. 

During  the  latter  part  of  this  season  Roderick  Kellogg  came 
up  from  La  Crosse  to  do  some  mason-work  for  the  settlers  on 
Wabasha  prairie.  He  was  a  competent  mechanic  in  his  line  of  busi- 
ness, and  a  man  of  more  than  usual  abilities  and  general  informa- 
tion, but  his  intemperate  habits  had  isolated  him  from  his  family. 
He  was  readily  induced  to  come  here  and  work  at  his  trade,  although 
there  was  but  little  to  do,  because,  as  he  expressed  himself,  he 
"would  by  so  doing,  get  away  from  the  temptation  of  the  hell-holes 
where  intoxicating  drinks  could  at  all  times  be  procured."  Mr. 
Kellogg  was,  for  a  year  or  so,  benefited  b}'^  the  change,  but  when 
the  hell-holes  opened  in  Winona  he  found  them,  although  they 
were  small  ones. 

The  first  regular  mason-work  done  in  this  county  was  by  Rod- 
erick Kellogg.  His  first  job  of  work  was  on  Wabasha  prairie, 
where  he  plastered  two  rooms  for  Rev.  Edward  Ely,  on  the  corner 
of  Center  and  Second  streets.  This  was  the  first  plastered  house  in 
the  county.  His  next  job  of  plastering  was  the  lower  rooms  in  the 
"  Viets  House,"  afterward  known  as  the  Winona  House  —  it  stood 
on  Front  street,  on  the  levee.  The  first  brick  chimney  built  in  the 
county  was  by  Mr.  Kellogg,  in  the  Yiets  House.  His  third  job  of 
plastering  and  chimney-building  was  in  a  small  one-story  house  of 
two  rooms  built  by  Johnson  for  Andrew  Cole,  on  lot  4,  block  10. 
Johnson's  original  claim  shanty,  on  claim  No.  4,  was  torn  down 
and  used  in  the  construction  of  this  building.  These'  three  build- 
ings were  the  only  houses  in  the  county  with  plastered  rooms  until 
the  season  of  1853. 

Nearly  all  of  the  mason-work  required  by  the  settlers  of  this 
vicinity  was  done  by  Mr.  Kellogg.  He  worked  at  his  trade  here 
for  three  or  four  years,  and  then  went  back  to  La  Crosse.,  He 
19 


;^'24  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

owned  tlie  lot  on  the  corner  of  Franklin  and  Second  streets,  where 
Rolivveder''s  meat-market  now  stands.  In  the  spring  of  1853  he 
built  a  small  one-story  house  on  the  corner,  about  12x20,  plastered 
inside  and  outside.  This  he  occu])ied  as  his  residence  —  his  family 
living  in  La  Crosse.  He  also  built  the  house  which  stands  on  the 
same  lot  next  to  the  alley.     It  was  at  one  time  used  as  a  hotel. 

Roderick  Kellogg  was  an  industrious  man,  seldom  idle  if  there 
was  anything  to  do,  except  when  intoxicated  ;  then  he  was  inclined 
to  be  quarrelsome.  He  was  a  handy  man  of  all  work,  and  when  not 
engaged  at  his  trade  he  was  always  ready  to  undertake  any  small 
jobs  for  the  settlers,  such  as  rough  carpenter  work,  gardening,  etc. 

Mr.  Kellogg  always  found  a  sym])atliizing  friend  in  Rev.  Mr. 
Ely,  who  had,  from  his  lirst  acquaintance  with  him,  taken  an  inter- 
est in  trying  to  bring  about  a  reform  in  his  life,  but  without  success: 
the  series  of  efforts  were  balanced  by  a  like  series  of  failures. 
After  Mr.  Ely  engaged  in  mercantile  business,  in  1854,  he  sometimes 
found  Mr.  Kellogg's  services  about  the  store  a  convenience,  and  at 
times  employed  him.  On  one  occasion  Kellogg  made  his  appear- 
ance when  partially  intoxicated.  He  was  told  that  his  services  were 
not  needed  while  in  that  condition.  He  attempted  by  argument  to 
show  that  he  was  not  drunk — that  he  knew  what  he  was  about, 
although  he  had  taken  a  drink.  His  remarks  became  insulting,  and 
Mr.  Ely  told  him  to  leave  the  store — to  go  away  and  not  come  back 
again,  for  he  would  have  nothing  more  to  do  with  him. 

Kellogg  went  outside  and  became  noisy  and  abusive — attracting 
the  attention  of  the  idlers  about  (of  whom  the  writer  was  one). 
Becoming  excited  in  his  harangue,  he  fairly  jumped  up  und  down, 
until  suddenly  he  stopped,  as  if  strongly  impressed  with  a  new  idea 
of  retaliation  for  the  fancied  wrong  done  him,  and  exclaimed,  "D — 
you,  Elder  Ely  !  I'll  get  even  with  you  yet — I'll  go  and  jump  your 
claim  for  this."  He  at  once  turned  and  marched  off  down  the  street 
as  if  his  determination  was  a  fixed  one.  He  did  not  attempt  to  carry 
out  his  threat,  for  when  sober  he  respected  the  elder.  The  idea  was 
a  popular  one,  that  the  greatest  wrong  that  could  be  inflicted  on  a 
settler  was  to  jump  his  claim. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  season  John  and  Ruftis  Emerson, 
brothers,  came  into  this  county  and  settled  on  Wabasha  prairie. 
John  Emerson  had  a  wife  and  two  or  three  children.  After  looking 
about  for  awhile  he  selected  a  location  south  of  the  Evans  claim, 
toward  the  upper  end  of  the  lake.     He  built  a  shanty  on  it  and  made 


POSTOFFICES.  325 

it  his  home,  with  his  iamily,  for  about  two  years,  wlien  he  sold  it  to 
Edwin  Foster.  Taylor's  Addition  is  a  part  of  the  Emerson  claim. 
Mr.  Emerson  moved  to  the  western  part  of  the  county,  where  he 
located  himself  on  a  farm. 

Rufus  Emerson  was  a  single  man.  Without  permanently  locating 
himself,  he  speculated  in  claims  by  taking  possession  oi  some  un- 
occupied land  (jumping  claims)  and  selling  out  his  interest  to  other 
settlers.  He  was  identified  with  several  difficulties  where  claim- 
jumping  was  charged,  either  for  his  own  individual  benefit  or  as  an 
employe  of  others.  He  pre-empted  a  claim  on  the  bottom-land 
west  of  Gilmore's.  Rufus  Emerson  built  a  house  on  the  Stevens 
claim  in  the  spring  of  1854.  This  house  is  yet  standing.  It  is  on 
Second  Street,  between  Market  and  Franklin  streets,  on  lot  2,  block 
143.  This  building  was  constructed  from  lumber  found  floating 
down  the  river  and  picked  up  at  different  times.  Emerson  sold  it 
before  it  was  completed.  It  was  afterward  clapboarded  and  finished 
by  W.  H.  Stevens,  into  whose  hands  it  fell. 


CHAPTER 


POSTOFFICES. 


During  the  season  of  1852  there  were  two  postoffices  created  in 
this  county  by  the  postoffice  department,  although  there  was  but 
one  in  regular  operation  until  about  the  beginning  of  the  following 
year.  The  first  was  at  Minnesota  City,  with  Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  as 
postmaster.  The  other  at  Wabasha  prairie,  with  George  G.  Barber 
as  postmaster. 

The  office  at  Minnesota  City  was  established  with  the  proviso 
that  the  mails  should  be  transported,  free  of  charge  to  the  depart 
ment,  to  and  from  the  nearest  postQffice  on  the  Mississippi.  The 
mails  were  made  up  and  received  in  regular  form  at  this  office, 
but  no  regular  carrier  employed.  The  special  mail-bag  provided, 
was  usually  carried  by  some  of  the  colonists  who  chanced  to  go  to 
La  Crosse,  the  nearest  postoffice  on  the  river,  or  it  was  taken  to 
Wabasha  prairie  and  sent  down  by  the  boats.  On  certain  days, 
about  every  week,  the  mail-bag  was  brought  up  from  La  Crosse  by 


32(3  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

the  boats  and  left  at  Wabasha  prairie,  wliere  some  one  from  the 
colony  awaited  its  arrival.  Prior  to  this  all  mail  matter  belonging 
to  the  members  of  the  association  was  usually  carried  and  looked 
after  by  the  settlers  of  the  colony. 

It  was  usual  for  the  postmaster  at  La  Crosse  to  deliver  to  some 
well  known  settler  all  of  the  mail  matter  of  the  settlement  to  which 
he  belonged.  Where  parties  were  well  known,  their  letters  were 
sometimes  sent  to  them  by  the  clerks  of  the  boats,  to  be  left  at  their 
nearest  landing-place.  In  this  way  Nathan  Brown  received  letters 
at  his  landing.  Bunnell  took  charge  of  all  mail  matter  for  Bunnell's 
landing,  and  in  the  early  part  of  the  season  all  letters  for  settlers 
on  Wabasha  prairie  were  left  in  the  care  of  Johnson. 

During  the  summer  and  early  ])art  of  the  winter  the  Rev.  Ed- 
ward Ely  made  frequent  visits  between  Wabasha  prairie  and  La 
Crosse.  A  portion  of  the  time  his  family  was.  living  at  the  latter 
place.  When  he  brought  his  family  to  Johnson's  landing,  he  for 
awhile  occupied  Johnson's  claim  shanty  on  claim  No.  4.  His  fre- 
quent trips  between  the  two  places  were  made  the  means  by  which 
the  settlers  on  Wabasha  prairie  received  and  sent  away  their  letters. 

Mr.  Ely  always  made  it  a  duty  to  bring  up  all  mail  matter  be- 
longing to  this  locality,  and  was  accustomed  to  carry  it  about  with 
him  until  distributed  to  the  settlers,  who  usually  flocked  around  him 
as  soon  as  his  arrival  was  known.  This  was  readily  ascertained, 
for  it  was  the  usual  custom  for  everybody  to  visit  the  landing  on  the 
arrival  of  a  steamboat  from  below.  All  letters  sent  by  the  boats 
were  then  left  in  his  care  for  delivery.  It  was  from  this  matter  of 
accommodation,  and  from  his  custom  of  carrying  all  letters  about  his 
person,  the  traditional  story  originated,  that  "in  the  early  days  of 
the  settlement  of  this  county  the  postofSce  was  in  Elder  Ely's  hat." 

The  second  postofhce  in  the  county  was  on  Wabasha  ]irairie.  It 
was  called  Montezuma  ;  the  postmaster  was  George  G.  Barber. 
The  first  movement  toward  making  application  for  this  office 
originated  with  the  Wabasha  Protection  Club.  Mention  has  already 
been  made  that  a  majority  of  the  members  of  this  organization 
were  residents  of  La  Crosse,  who  held  claims  on  this  side  of  the 
river,  many  of  them  never  residents  of  the  territory.  The  laws  of 
the  club  allowed  its  members  to  hold  claims  for  six  months  without 
making  a  residence  on  them,  and  with  but  nominal  improvements. 
The  members  were  pledged  to  aid  each  other  in  retaining  possession 
during  that  time.     This  law  conflicted  with  the  United  States  and 


POSTOFFICES.  327 

Territorial  claim  laws,  and  led  to  frequent  differences  among  the 
early  settlers. 

At  one  of  the  meetings  of  the  club  the  necessity  of  a  postoffice 
was  discussed  and  action  taken  in  favor  of  making  application  to 
the  postofRce  department.  A  blank  jpetition  was  signed,  but  the 
drawing  up  of  the  necessary  papers  and  forwarding  the  same  was 
referred  to  Andrew  Cole,  a  lawyer  in  La  Crosse  and  a  member  of 
the  club.  It  was  then  supposed,  and  generally  understood,  that  the 
secretary,  Abner  S.  Goddard,  would  be  recommended  in  the  petition 
for  postmaster,  and  that  the  name  of  the  postoffice  would  be 
Wabasha  prairie. 

When  the  papers  were  drawn  up,  the  attorney,  with  the  approval 
of  some  of  the  members  of  the  club,  inserted  Montezuma  as  the 
name  of  the  postoffice,  and  recommended  George  G.  Barber  as  post- 
master. Mr.  Barber  was  a  resident  of  La  Crosse.  He  had  made  a 
claim  in  Gilmore  valley  early  in  the  spring,  but  never  improved  it. 
The  blank  petition  filled  out  at'  La  Crosse  was  forwarded  to  the 
postoffice  department  and  the  appointment  duly  made.  Mr.  Barber 
received  his  commission  about  the  middle  of  June,  gave  the 
required  bonds  and  took  the  oath  of  office.  He  came  up  to  make 
his  arrangements  for  supplying  the  settlers  of  Wabasha  prairie  with 
their  mail  and  offered  the  position  of  deputy-postmaster  to  Mr. 
Goddard,  who  indignantly  refused  to  accept  the  position.  Mr. 
Barber  returned  to  La  Crosse  without  being  able  to  secure  a  deputy. 
The  settlers  on  Wabasha  prairie  declined  the  honor, —  the  only 
instance  in  the  history  of  this  county  where  official  position  has  been 
generally  declined. 

No  improvements  were  made  in  postal  facilities;  "the  elder" 
continued  to  carry  the  "mail  in  his  hat."  About  the  20th  of  July 
"Byron  Yiets  mewed  up  from  La  Crosse  and  accepted  the  position  of 
deputy-postmaster  from  Mr.  Barber. 

Mr.  Yiets  did  not  open  the  office  regularly.  The  mails  were 
made  up  and  distributed  as  before,  at  La  Crosse.  The  only  additional 
advantage  afforded  was  that  the  mail  was  carried  by  the  boats  in  a 
canvas  bag  without  a  lock.  By  request  of  Mr.  Yiets,  the  .elder 
distributed  the  contents  of  the  bag  left  in  his  charge  as  he  had 
previously  done. 

The  settlers  were  dissatisfied  with  the  a])pointment  of  a  non- 
resident as  postmaster,  who  lived  thirty  miles  away.  The  name  of 
Montezuma    was    equally   objectionable,    although    Johnson    had 


328  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

adopted  it  as  the  name  of  the  town-site,  then  just  plotted  by  John 
Ball  on  "Wabasha  prairie, 

A  public  meeting  was  called  to  consider  the  matter  and  the 
question  freely  discussed.  All  united  in  a  petition  to  the  postoffice 
department  ior  the  appointment  of  Abner  S.  Goddard  as  postmaster 
in  place  of  George  G.  Barber,  a  resident  of  another  state.  Nearly 
all  petitioned  to  have  the  name  of  the  office  changed  from  Monte- 
zuma to  Winona.  In  discussing  tliis  change  several  names  were 
proposed,  Winona,  Wabasha,  Wabasha  City,  Prairie  and  Ozelle. 
The  name  of  Winona  was  adopted  by  a  majority  of  one  when  the 
vote  was  taken. 

It  is  now  uncertain  who  first  suggested  the  name  of  Winona. 
It  has  been  said  that  it  was  proposed  by  Captain  Smith.  Some  are 
equally  positive  that  it  was  suggested  by  Dr.  Balcombe.  Others 
say  it  was  Dr.  Childs.  Dr.  Childs  was  noted  for  his  peculiarity  of 
giving  names  to  localities,  and  to  all  animals  in  liis  possession. 
Gilmore  valley  was  called  by  him  "Winona  valley,"  about  the  time 
the  name  of  Winona  was  selected  as  the  name  of  the  postoffice. 

Letters  in  the  hands  of  Mrs.  Calista  Balcombe,  the  widow 
of  Dr.  John  L.  Balcombe,  show  that  Dr.  Balcombe,  Mr.  How- 
ard and  Ed.  Hamilton,  then  the  proprietors  of  No.  5,  the  Ham- 
ilton claim  urged  upon  Ca]3tain  Smith  the  propriety  of  c;alling 
the  new  town  plot  Wabasha.  This  Captain  Smith  consented  to 
do,  provided  he  could  induce  Alexis  Bailey  to  have  the  name 
of  the  })ostoffice  at  Wabasha  changed,  but  Bailey  would  not  con- 
sent. The}'  then  proposed  to  call  it  Wabasha  City,  and  adopted 
the  name  themselves  for  use  in  their  correspondence.  Dr.  Bal- 
combe was  always  anxious  to  have  a  Dakota  name  given  to  the 
town.  Neither  Captain  Smith  nor  the  proprietors  of  claim  No.  5 
were  present  when  the  name  of  Winona  was  ado])ted.  The  post- 
office  department  promptly  changed  the  name  of  the  postoffice  to 
Winona  and  appointed  Mr.  Goddard  postmaster.  AVhen  his  com- 
mission arrived  he  was  lying  on  his  bed  of  sickness,  from  which 
he  never  recovered.  He  died  before  he  was  able  to  qualify  for  the 
position.  The  postoffice  was  without  a  legal  postmaster.  The 
boats,  however,  carried  the  mails  between  La  Crosse  and  the  prairie, 
where  they  were  taken  care  of  by  the  volunteer  postmaster.  Elder 
Ely  obtained  possession  of  the  keys  and  acted  in  that  capacity  with- 
out taking  the  oath 'of  office  required  from  those  who  handle  the 
United  States  mail.     No  mails  were  made  up  or  officially  received 


POSTOFFICES. 


329 


at  this  office.     This  duty  was  performed  at  La  Crosse.     The  elder 
was  simply  acting  in  the  same  capacity  of  messenger  that  he  had 
been  previously  doing,   except  instead  of  carrying  the  letters  "in 
his  hat "  he  was  accommodated  with  a  mail  bag.     The  faithfulness 
shown  by  Mr.  Ely  in  his  attention  to  this  self-imposed  duty  was 
satisfactory  to  the  settlers.     Among  the  traditional  anecdotes  of  the 
early  days  is  one  showing  the  zeal  of  the  elder  in  the  performance 
of  his  duties.     He  received  the  mail  bag  from  the  boat  and  also  de- 
livered it  with  the  letters  to  be  posted  at  La  Crosse.     It  was  his 
custom  to  preach  here  on  Sundays  when  not  engaged  at  La  Crosse, 
where  he  had  regular  appointments,  alternating  with  Elder  Hamil- 
ton—  one  preaching  on  one  Sunday  and  the  other  on  the  next. 
While  holding  forth  eloquently  to  an  attentive  congregation,  in  his 
own   shanty,  on  one  of  his  days  to  speak  to  the  people,  the  settlers 
were  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  startled  by  the  whistle  of  a  steam- 
boat approaching  the  landing.     The  elder  brought  his  sermon  to  a 
close  very  abruptly,  with  the  remark,    "There's   a  boat  from  be- 
low," and  hastened  to  the  levee  to  receive  the  expected  mail.     The 
elder  denies  having  any  recollection  of  this  occurrence.     Those  who 
are  familiar  with  his  eccentricities  believe  it.     George  W.  Clark  says 
it  is  true,  for  he  was  one  of  his  audience — that  the  elder  stopped  short 
in  one  of  the  best  sermons  he  ever  heard  him  attempt  to  deliver, 
and  left  his  astonished  congregation  to  ponder  on  the  finale  of  the 
discourse  if  completed,  or  to  follow  him  to  the  levee  and  see  if  there 
was  any  one  on  the  boat  that  they  knew,  and  inquire  for  long  ex- 
pected letters  when  the  elder  had  secured  the  United  States  mail  bag. 
To  remedy  all  difficulties  arising  from  the  irregularities  of  mail 
facilities,  a  meeting  of  the  settlers  was  called  to  take  the  matter 
under  consideration  and  recommend  a  candidate  to  fill  the  vacancy 
of  postmaster.     The  Kev.  Edward  Ely  was  selected  for  the  position 
by  an  unanimous  vote,  and  a  petition,  signed  by  all  on  the  prairie, 
forwarded  to  the  department  in  Washington. 

At  this  meeting  an  effort  was  made  to  again  change  the  name  of 
the  postoffice  —  to  call  it  Wabasha  City — but  the  matter  was  settled 
by  a  vote,  and  one  majority  for  Winona.  The  elder  says  that  his 
vote  retained  the  name  of  Winona. 

Elder  Ely  duly  received  his  commission  and  became  the  lawful 
postmaster  at  Winona,  on  Wabasha  prairie,  where  he  had  had  the 
distribution  of  letters  that  came  by  mail  about  nine  months 
unofficially.    The  first  regular  mail  made  up  by  him  after  receiving 


330  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

his!  appointment  was  on  the  Sth  day  of  January,  1853.  The  office 
was  in  his  residence  on  the  corner  of  Center  and  Second  streets, 
where  now  the  ''Ely  block  "  stands.  Mr.  Ely  held  this  position 
until  early  in  the  spring  of  1855,  when  he  was  superseded  by  J.  W. 
Downer,  and  the  postofiice  removed  to  the  "Downer  building," 
which  stood  about  midway  between  Market  and  Walnut  streets,  on 
the  north  side  of  Front  street. 

Tliis  change  was  a  political  movement.  When  the  United  States 
land-ortice  was  established  at  Winona  and  the  little  settlement  at 
Johnson's  landing  began  to  assume  some  importance  it  was 
considered  advisable  that  the  postmaster  should  be  one  in  sympathy 
with  the  party  in  power.  The  administration  was  democratic,  and 
as  the  elder  was  of  different  political  faith  the  services  of  the 
pioneer  postmaster  were  no  longer  required. 

Tlie  first  marriage  on  Wabasha  prairie,  now  the  city  of  Winona, 
and  the  first  marriage  within  the  present  boundaries  of  this  county, 
was  that  of  S.  K.  Thompson  and  Mrs.  Sutherland,  on  the  9th  of 
November,  1852.  The  marriage  ceremony  was  performed  by  the 
Rev.  Edward  Ely  at  his  own  house,  where  the  parties  were  stopping 
temporarily  while  waiting  for  a  down  boat  to  take  them  to  LaCrosse. 

S.  K.  Thompson  was  among  the  first  arrivals  here  in  the  spring. 
Without  locating  himself  on  a  claim  he  had  remained  on  Wabasha 
prairie  during  the  season  and  made  his  home  witii  John  Evans.  He 
was  about  forty-five  years  old,  a  man  of  good  general  intelligence 
and  of  dignified  personal  appearance.  Mrs.  Sutherland  was  a 
widow  about  forty  years  of  age.  She  came  here  with  her  brother, 
O.  S.  Holbrook,  and  kept  house  for  him  until  her  marriage,  after 
which  Thou)pson  and  Holbrook  lived  together  for  awhile  on 
Ilolbrook's  claim,  which  he  had  discovered  lying  south  of  and 
adjoining  the  McDermott  claim,  until  Thompson  made  a  claim  back 
of  the  lake  and  moved  on  it. 

The  claim,  back  of  the  lake,  made  by  George  Wallace  early  in 
the  spring  of  1852,  liad  laid  during  this  season  with  but  little,  if  any- 
thing, to  show  that  it  was  claimed.  Its  exposed  situation  was  a 
temptation  for  some  one  without  a  claim  to  watch.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Ely  had  not,  as  yet,  taken  a  claim.  On  the  2d  of  December,  1852, 
he,  with  his  axe  on  his  shoulder,  crossed  the  lake  on  the  ice  and 
jumped  Wallace's  claim*.  He  took  possession  by  chopping  down 
some  trees  and  blazing  others,  on  which  he  conspicuously  displayed 
his  name. 


POSTOFFICES.  331 

Mr.  "Wallace  was  a  nephew  of  Thompson's  wife,  the  late  "Widow 
Sutherland.  Considering  the  "Wallace  claim  to  be  a  family  posses- 
sion which  should  be  guarded,  Thompson  jumped  it  from  Mr.  Ely  on 
January  15,  1853,  while  the  elder  was  at  La  Crosse  holding  a  series 
of  revival  meetings  for  which  he  had  been  employed.  The  elder 
was  too  much  engaged  in  his  professional  labors  to  devote  his  time 
and  attention  to  the  protection  of  his  rights,  and  Thompson  estab- 
lished himself  on  the  claim  by  building  a  cabin  on  it,  which  he  occu- 
pied with  his  wife.  Mr.  Thompson  afterward  bought  the  claim  of 
George  Wallace  and  built  a  comfortable  frame  house,  a  story  and  a 
half  building,  in  which  he  lived  for  ten  or  twelve  years,  or  while  he 
remained  in  this  part  of  the  country.  The  house  is  yet  standing,  and 
forms  part  of  the  present  farmhouse  of  Mr.  John  Zenk. 

S.  K.  Thompson  was  a  gentlemanly  appearing  man  in  dress  and 
manners,  and  always  seemed  to  have  control  of  funds  to  engage  in 
business.  He  held  official  positions, —  was  county  commissioner, 
and  for  several  years  was  justice  of  the  peace.  In  his  younger  days 
he  had  been  a  merchant  in  Ohio.  For  about  ten  years  before  set- 
tling in  this  county  he  had  been  engaged  in  speculative  investments 
along  the  upper  Mississippi.  He  was  for  awhile  in  business  as  a 
merchant  at  Winona. 

It  has  been  already  related  that  when  Elijah  Silsbee  sold  his 
claim  in  1854,  he,  with  Charles  S.  Hamilton,  started  a  store  on  the 
corner  of  Front  and  Center  streets.  About  January  1,  1855,  they 
dissolved  partnership,  Mr.  Silsbee  retaining  the  stock  of  goods. 
Soon  after  this  S.  K.  Thompson  bought  the  goods  and  carried  on 
the  business  for  about  one  year.  In  the  fall  of  1855  he  purchased 
quite  a  large  stock  of  general  merchandise,  groceries,  etc.  During 
the  winter  he  sold  out  to  Burr  Deuel  and  Luke  Blair.  The  incidents 
of  this  sale  are  noted  to  show  something  of  the  manner  of  doing 
business  at  that  date.  When  Mr.  Thompson  sold  out  to  Deuel  & 
Blair  he  gave  possession  at  once,  and  was  to  receive  the  first  pay- 
ment as  soon  as  the  inventory  was  taken,  and  the  balance  in  notes  of 
the  firm.  The  inventory  was  taken  by  Thompson  and  Ilolbrook. 
Before  the  inventory  was  completed  enough  was  realized  from  sales 
to  make  the  first  payment.  The  notes  for  the  balance  at  six  and 
twelve  months  were  paid  before  due,  the  firm  buying  their  own 
paper  through  an  agent,  A.  P.  Foster,  at  a  liberal  discount  of  3  per 
cent  per  month.  A  portion  of  the  Silsbee  stock  had  been  damaged 
by  the  sinking  of  the  barge  in  which  it  was  brought  up  the  river  in 


332  JIISTOUY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

1854.  To  get  rid  of  all  of  tlie  unsalable  goods,  auction  sales  were 
held,  at  which  "Uncle  Luke"  was  himself  the  auctioneer  and  a  pop- 
ular salesman.  It  was  a  current  report  that  D.  &  B.  made  about 
$3,000  clear  in  this  transaction  before  the  opening  of  navigation  in 
the  spring,  when  they  renewed  their  stock. 

Two  or  three  years  before  Mr.  Thompson  left  this  part  of  the 
country  the  community  was  somewhat  startled  to  learn  that  he  had 
two  wives,  a  married  daughter  and  a  very  affectionate  adopted 
daughter  living  with  him  in  his  house  across  the  lake  back  of  Wino- 
na. Some  inquisitive  ones,  whose  sensibilities  were  shocked  by  the 
revelations,  attempted  to  have  the  affair  investigated  by  the  grand 
jury,  to  whom  complaint  was  made,  but  the  harmony  of  the  happy 
family  prevented  a  full  expose  of  the  scandal.  After  remaining  here 
about  a  year  the  wife  with  the  married  daughter  moved  to  N^ebraska. 
Thompson  followed  in  a  year  or  two  after  with  wife  No.  2  and  the 
adopted  daughter.  It  is  rumored  that  Thompson  and  wife  No.  2 
died  from  the  effects  of  i)oisonin  Nebraska. 

The  stores  started  by  Mr.  Kobertson  at  Minnesota  City,  and 
Mr.  Den  man  at  Wabasha  prairie,  were  closed  out  early  in  the  fall. 
To  procure  their  supplies  for  the  winter,  the  settlers  sent  orders  to 
Galena  by  the  boats;  some  combined  and  bought  their  groceries 
and  provisions  at  wholesale  prices  through  Mr.  Den  man  as  agent. 
Mr.  Johnson  went  down  to  Galena  and  purchased  goods  for  the 
settlers  on  the  prairie.  These  supplies  were  brought  up  by  the 
Nominee  on  her  last  trip  and  left  at  La  Crosse  on  November  15. 
Captain  Smith  was  afraid  to  venture  farther  up  the  river  against  the 
ice  that  had  began  to  form  in  the  river.  A  severe  snowstorm 
occurred  on  November  11,  followed  by  intense  cold,  the  thermome- 
ter indicating  several  degrees  below  zero. 

Mr,  Burley  says  that  he  went  down  to  La  Crosse  with  Mr.  Den- 
man,  and  was  there  when  the  Nominee  turned  back  down  the  river. 
They  came  up  with  Johnson  the  next  day  on  foot,  on  the  west  side 
of  the  river;  the  snow  was  about  six  inches  deep.  They  stayed  all 
night  at  Brown's.  The  news  that  their  supplies  were  stopped  at 
La  Crosse  was  not  very  cheering  to  the  settlers,  for  the  most  of 
them  had  but  a  limited  amount  on  hand,  and  the  prospect  was  that 
they  would  be  unable  to  procure  more  until  the  ice  formed  sufficient 
to  enable  them  to  travel  on  the  river.  The  weather  moderated,  the 
enow  melted  away  and  the  river  cleared  of  ice.     It  was  then  expected 


POSTOFFICES. 


333 


that  the  steamboats  would  again  come  up  and  bring  their  freight,  but 
no  boats  ventured  on  another  trip. 

On  December  9  a  party  of  five  men  from  the  Rolling  Stone, 
with  half-a-dozen  from  Wabasha  prairie,  went  down  to  La  Crosse 
for  the  supplies  left  by  the  Nominee,  expecting  to  bring  them  up  on 
one  of  the  Black  River  boats.  Among  this  party  were  D.  Q.  Burley,^ 
S.  E.  Cotton,  Wm.  T.  Luark,  J.  S.  Denman  and  Charles  Bannan,  of 
Minnesota  City;  from  the  prairie  were  E.  H.  Johnson,  A.  B.  Smith, 
John  C.  Laird,  George  W.  Clark,  Wm.  H.  Stevens  and  Peter  Gorr. 
The  weather  became  intensely  cold  and  ice  formed  in  the  river,  mak- 
ing the  trip  a  laborious  one.  They  reached  Brown's  the  first  day 
from  La  Crosse,  and  stopped  all  night.  The  following  day  they 
landed  their  freight  on  the  lower  end  of  the  prairie  late  in  the  even- 
ing. The  boat  was  at  once  unloaded  and  started  back  to  La  Crosse 
under  the  pilotage  of  A.  B.  Smith  and  an  assistant.  Elder  Ely  also 
took  passage  down.  They  landed  at  Brown's  and  stayed  until  day- 
light, when  they  safely  reached  La  Crosse  without  accident,  although 
the  channel  was  filled  with  floating  ice. 

The  settlers  who  remained  in  the  colony  and  made  their  homes 
in  Minnesota  City  during  the  winter  of  1852-3  had  comfortable 
cabins,  in  which  they  passed  the  winter.  Some  of  these  cabins  were 
of  logs,  others  were  of  boards.  No  cases  of  suffering  from 
insufficient  food  or  clothing  were  known  in  the  settlement.  Their 
.  principal  employment  was  providing  firewood  for  present  use  and 
laying  in  a  supply  for  the  ensuing  year. 

After  the  sloughs  were  frozen  over  they  engaged  in  chopping  on 
the  islands,  cutting  and  banking  steamboat-wood,  getting  out  logs, 
timber,  posts  and  rails  for  use  in  claim  improvements.  Their  social 
enjoyments  were  quiet  visits  exchanged  with  each  other  and 
occasional  meetings  of  the  association. 

Among  the  incidents  of  the  winter  was  the  loss  of  the  horses  of 
S.  M.  Burns.  On  Christmas  day  he  with  his  wife  left  their  home 
on  the  bank  of  the  river  at  what  was  afterward  called  Mt.  Yernon, 
for  the  purpose  of  visiting  the  settlement  at  Minnesota  City.  He 
started  down  on  the  ice  with  his  horses  and  sleigh.  While  on  Had- 
dock slough  his  horses  broke  through  the  ice  and  were  drowned. 
Burns  and  his  wife  narrowly  escaped  the  same  fate.  This  team 
was  the  one  Burns  brought  with  him  when  he  came  to  Minnesota. 
There  was  but  one  other  team  of  horses  in  the  north  part  of  the 
county,  that  belonging  to  O.  M.  Lord,  of  Minnesota  City. 


334  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Mr.  Burns  and  his  wife  spent  the  day  witli  their  friends  in  the 
colony.  In  tlie  evening  Mr.  Lord  took  tliem  up  to  their  home  with 
his  horses  and  sleigh,  over  the  trail  along  the  blufts.  He  came  near 
losing  his  own  team  while  on  this  neighborly  trip.  In  crossing  tiie 
ruh  in  the  mouth  of  Deering's  valley  he  missed  the  trail  and  drove 
below,  where  the  banks  were  higher  and  drifted  with  snow.  The 
horses  attempted  to  jump  across,  but  fell  head  first  into  the  little 
stream  and  were  unable  to  rise.  The  long  sleigh-tongue,  which 
projected  two  or  three  feet  in  front  of  the  horses,  was  driven  into 
the  bank  and  held  them  fast.  Their  bodies  formed  a  dam  and  the 
water  was  soon  pouring  over  their  backs.  Mr.  Lord  never  traveled 
without  his  ax  ;  he  was  a  natural  pioneer  and  prompt  to  act  in  cases 
of  emergency.  Although  it  was  dark  he  comprehended  the 
difficultv,  and  with  two  or  three  blows  with  his  ax  severed  the  sleigh- 
tongue  in  the  rear  of  the  horses  and  set  them  at  liberty,  but  not 
until  they  were  nearlj^  drowned.  The  tongue  was  soon  repaired 
with  cord  brought  along  in  the  sleigh,  and  Mr.  Lord  made  the  trip 
without  other  accident.  His  team  occupied  Burns'  stable  until  the 
next  morning. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  members  of  the  Farm  and  Village 
Association  who  settled  in  the  colony  at  Rolling  Stone  in  1852  with 
their  families,  and  who  in  1883  are  yet  residents  of  that  locality: 
O.  M.  Lord  and  wife,  James  Wright  and  wife,  Egbert  Chapman  and 
wife,  Mrs.  H.  B.  Waterman,  Mrs.  Pike  (widow  of  Robert  Pike, 
Jr.,)  and  her  daughter  p]mma,  now  Mrs.  Frank  D.  Stewart,  Robert 
Thorp  and  wife,  E.  B.  Drew,  S.  E.  Cotton  and  wife,  Lawrence 
Dil worth  and  wife,  Charles  Bannon,  S.  D.  Putnam  and  wife, 
William  Sweet,  D.  Q,  Burley  and  .H.  Jones.  II.  B.  Waterman 
resides  in  the  State  of  New  York.  Rufus  Waterman  is  living  in 
the  city  of  Winona. 

The  settlers  on  Wabasha  prairie,  like  others  along  the  river,  in 
the  winter  of  1852-3  engaged  in  cutting  steamboat-wood,  logs, 
timber,  etc.,  on  the  island  o})posite.  Among  their  social  enjoy- 
ments was  a  general  gathering  and  Christmas  dinner  held  at  the 
Viets  House,  then  occupied  by  Edwin  Hamilton.  At  the  Christmas 
gathering  held  on  the  ])rairie  twelve  months  before,  Ed.  Hamilton 
was  the  chief  cook  and  general  manager  of  the  bachelor  dinner. 
At  this  second  affair  he  was  general  manager,  but  Mrs.  Goddard 
had  charge  of  the  cooking  department,  although  it  is  stated  that  Ed. 
Hamilton  provided  a  roast  coon  of  his  own  preparation  for  the  table. 


INCIDENTS.  335 

This  dinner  was  got  up  bj  a  general  contribution  of  material  from 
those  interested.  Each  family  provided  a  part  ;  even  the  furniture 
and  dishes  were  furnished  for  the  occasion.  It  is  said  by  one  who 
enjoyed  it  that  the  dinner  was  a  good  one.  About  half  of  the 
settlers  on  the  prairie  attended  this  gathering.  Charles  Bannon 
and  S.  E.  Cotton  with  their  wives  were  present  from  Eolling  Stone. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  settlers  living  on  Wabasha  prairie 
at  that  date :  Kev.  H.  S.  Hamilton,  wife  and  two  sons,  Charles  S. 
and  Eugene  ;  Eev.  Edward  Ely,  wife  and  two  children,  "Charhe" 
and  "Nellie";  Dr.  George  F.  Childs  and  wife  ;  Mrs.  Goddard  and 
son  Charles  ;  George  M.  Gere,  wife  and  a  large  family  ;  Wm.  B. 
Gere,  Edwin  Gere,  Mary  Gere,  Henry  C.  Gere,  wife  and  a  large 
family ;  Angelia  Gere,  Helen  Gere,  John  Evans  and  wife,  Abigal 
Evans,  Royal  B.  Evans,  John  Emerson,  wife  and  children  ;  S.  K. 
Thompson  and  wife,  E.  H.  Johnson,  Ed.  Hamilton,  George  W. 
Clark,  Scott  Clark,  John  C.  Laird,  Wm.  H.  Stevens,  O.  S.  Holbrook, 
Frank  Curtiss,  Rufus  Emerson,  A.  B.  Smith,  Allen  Gilmore,  Caleb 
Nash,  Jabez  McDermott, Roberts  and  Elijah  Silsbee. 

Of  the  settlers  living  on  Wabasha  prairie  at  the  close  of  the  year 
1852  the  following  are  yet  living  in  the  county  of  Winona  in  1883  : 
Mrs.  Goddard,  now  known  as  Mrs.  Catharine  Smith,  Elder  Ely  and 
wife,  Wm,  H.  Stevens,  John  C.  Laird,  Royal  B.  Evans  and  George 
W.  Clark. 

Without  the  aid  of  an  official  census,  it  was  estimated  by  M. 
Wheeler  Sargent  "that  the  population  within  the  present  boundaries 
of  Winona  county  on  the  1st  day  of  January,  1853,  was  about  350, 
of  whom  a  majority  were  or  had  been  members  of  the  Western 
Farm  and  Village  Association." 


CHAPTER  XXXIH. 

INCIDENTS. 

Among  the  incidents  of  this  winter  at  Winona,  noted  by  Dr. 
Childs  in  his  diary,  was  the  following  —  "  Sunday,  January  30,  1853: 
Attended  meeting  ;  Elder  Hamilton  preached.  At  night  had  the 
privilege  of  leading  a  prayer  meeting  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Evans  — 
the  first  prayer  meeting  ever  held  on  the  prairie ;  Elder  Ely 
present." 


88()  JIISTOHY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

The  building  of  the  first  bridge  across  the  Gilmore  valley  creek, 
the  first  bridge  in  this  part  of  the  county,  is  thus  noted  by  Dr. 
Childs — "Monday,  January  31,  1S53  :  Very  mild,  snow  fast  dis- 
ap|)earing.  Engaged  building  a  bridge  on  the  Winona  creek,  aided 
by  George  and  Scott  Clark,  Koyal  Evans,  Edwin  Hamilton  and 
Allen  Gilmore.  Of  all  the  men  who  voted  at  the  meeting  in  favor 
of  the  work,  pledging  their  assistance,  from  the  village  and  lower 
end  of  the  prairie,  but  one  was  present." 

The  following  is  also  copied  from  the  diary  of  Dr.  Childs  — 
"Sunday,  February  27,  1853:  Thawing,  with  rain;  Allen  Gil- 
more immersed."  At  a  prayer  meeting  held  at  Mr.  Evans'  on  Sun- 
day, February  20,  "Allen  Gilmore  expressed  a  wish  to  be  im- 
mersed, which  was  decided  to  take  place  next  Sabbath."  This  was 
the  first  instance  of  the  observance  of  this  religious  ordinance  in 
what  is  now  the  city  of  Winona.  It  is  said  that  Rev.  E.  Ely  oflS- 
ciated  at  this  ba])tism. 

An  incident  which  occurred  about  the  first  of  March  of  this  year 
(1853)  will  illustrate  the  reckless  impulsiveness  of  Charles  S.  Ham- 
ilton, of  whom  mention  has  been  made.  During  the  winter  a  party 
of  Winnebago  Indians  were  camped  over  on  the  Trempealeau 
bottoms,  and  for  the  purpose  of  selling  venison  and  furs  and  skins 
they  frequently  visited  the  settlement  on  the  prairie.  Aside  from 
being  inveterate  beggars,  they  were  in  no  way  troublesome.  At  the 
time  spoken  of,  two  of  these  Indians,  who  had  been  up  to  the  vil- 
lage, stopped  at  II.  S.  Hamilton's  while  on  their  way  back  to  their 
camp.  They  asked  permission  to  sharpen  their  knives  on  the 
grindstone  which  stood  outside.  This  was  readily  allowed  by 
Charlie,  who,  with  his  young  brother  Eugene,  were  the  only  ones  at 
home.  The  Indians  (piietly  used  the  grindstone  and  started  across 
the  river  on  the  ice.  When  they  were  at  full  long  range  distance 
of  his  rifle  from  the  house,  Charlie,  standing  in  the  doorway,  de- 
liberately took  aim  and  fired  at  them.  One  fell  senseless.  Fearing 
another  shot,  his  comrade  seized  and  dragged  him  beyond  the  range 
of  the  gun.  The  wounded  Indian,  after  lying  a  short  time  on  the  ice, 
got  up  and,  with  the  help  of  the  other,  went  on  over  to  the  Trempea- 
leau. 

The  Winnebagoes  complained  to  Bunnell  of  the  unjustifiable 
assault.  Bunnell  called  at  Elder  Hamilton's  to  learn  the  cause  of 
the  shooting,  but  Charley  had  no  excuse  for  the  cowardly  act  except 
that  he  only  shot  at    them   to    scare   them,   supposing  they   were 


INCIDENTS. 


337 


beyond  the  range  of  his  rifle.  The  ball  struck  the  Indian  on  the 
head  and  glanced  off,  inflicting  a  scalp-wound.  The  force  was 
sufiicient  to  knock  him  down  and  render  him  senseless  without 
producing  serious  injuries.  Bunnell  warned  Charley  to  be  on  his 
guard  and  take  care  of  himself,  for  the  Indian  might  attempt  to 
retaliate  if  he  had  an  opportunity.  Charlie  was  afraid  of  the 
Winnebagoes  after  this  occurrence,  but  no  hostihties  were  ever 
threatened  that  was  known. 

During  the  winter  the  matter  of  a  county  organization  was  a 
general  topic  of  discussion  among  the  settlers  along  the  river.  The 
counties  of  Dakota  and  Wabashaw  had  remained  unorganized,  as 
they  were  created  in  1849.  The  territorial  legislature,  during  its 
session  of  1853,  divided  them  and  made  provision  for  several  counties 
from  these  divisions.  While  this  matter  was  under  consideration 
the  question  of  the  establishment  of  the  county  seats  of  the  new 
counties  became  an  important  matter  ;  almost  every  settlement  pre- 
sented claims  for  the  location  of  the  county  offices.  Every  settle- 
ment along  the  river  in  this  part  of  Wabashaw  county  had  lobby 
representatives  in  St.  Paul  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  location 
of  the  county  seat  of  this  division.  Minnesota  City,  Winona,  Min- 
neowah  and  Brownsville  were  rivals  for  the  honor.  By  a  general 
act  the  legislature  conferred  the  authority  on  the  county  commis- 
sioners to  locate  the  county  seats. 

When  Wabashaw  county  was  divided  and  Fillmore  county  was 
created  from  the  southern  portion,  March  5,  1853,  its  boundaries 
were  described  as  "Beginning  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Wabashaw 
county,  thence  southeast  to  the  Iowa  state  line,  thence  east  on  said 
Iowa  state  line  to  the  Mississippi  river,  thence  up  the  middle  of  said 
river  to  the  mouth  of  the  Minneska  or  White  river,  thence  up  said 
river  on  the  south  line  of  Wabashaw  county  to  the  place  of  begin- 
ning." The  western  boundary  of  Fillmore  county  was  then  supposed 
to  include  the  present  city  of  Kochester,  in  Olmsted  county,  and  the 
present  village  of  Chatfield  in  Fillmore  county.  Its  northern  and 
western  boundaries  were  not  clearly  defined. 

The  act  by  which  Fillmore  county  was  created  declared  it  to  be 
an  organized  county,  "invested  with  all  and  singular  the  rights  and 
privileges  and  immunities  to  which  all  organized  counties  are  in  this 
territory  entitled  to  by  law,"  and  that  it  was  the  duty  of  the  gover- 
nor "at  so  soon  a  time  as  possible  to  appoint  all  county  officers, 
justices  of  the  peace  and  constables,  as  said  county  may  be  entitled 


338  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

to  by  law,  who  shall  hold  their  offices  until  their  successors  shall  be 
elected  and  qualitied  at  the  next  general  election." 

Wabashaw  county,  before  it  was  divided,  had  no  county  seat. 
The  act  creating  Fillmore  count}^  provided  as  follows  :  "It  shall  be 
the  duty  of  the  iirst  board  of  county  commissioners  which  shall  be 
hereafter  elected  in  any  county  laid  off  in  pursuance  of  this  act,  as 
soon  after  said  board  shall  have  been  elected  and  qualitied  as 
provided  by  law,  as  the  said  board  or  a  majority  of  them  shall 
determine,  to  locate  the  county  seat  of  the  county,  and  the  iQcation 
so  made  as  aforesaid  shall  be  the  county  seat  of  the  county,  to  all 
intents  and  purposes,  until  otlierwise  provided  by  law. " 

Under  this  act  the  governor  appointed  the  following  officers  : 
Register  of  deeds,  H.  B.  Stoll,  of  Minneowah  ;  treasurer,  Erwin  II. 
Johnson,  of  Winona  ;  judge  of  probate,  Andrew  Cole  ;  sheriff,  John 
lams.  The  justices  of  the  peace  previously  appointed  for  Wabashaw 
county  were  continued,  viz,  T.  K.  Allen,  John  Burns,  Geo  M. 
Gere  and  H.  B.  Waterman,  The  county  commissioners  appointed 
were  Henry  C.  Gere,  of  Winona,  Myron  Toms,  of  Minneowah,  and 
William  T.  Luark,  of  Minnesota  City. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  board  of  county  commissioners  was  held 
at  the  "  Winona  House  "  on  May  28.  H.  C.  Gere  was  chairman 
and  H.  B.  Stoll  as  register  of  deeds  was  clerk.  The  business  trans- 
acted was  the  aj)pointment  of  three  assessors, —  S.  A.  Houck,  J.  C. 
Laird  and  Jeremiah  Tibbets.  The  approval  of  the  bond  of  sheriff 
John  lams,  with  O.  M.  Lord  and  E.  B.  Drew  as  sureties. 

The  following  names  were  ordered  to  be  entered  as  a  grand  jury 
list  for  the  June  circuit  court :  H.  B.  Stoll,  James  F.  Toms,  Myron 
Toms,  Nathan  Brown,  Willard  B.  Bunnell,  H.  Carroll,  Henry  C. 
Gere,  George  M.  Gere,  Wm.  T.  Luark,  George  H.  Sanborn,  Har- 
vey Hubbard,  Isaac  Hamilton,  O.  S.  Holbrook,  Wm.  B.  Gere,  S. 
A.  Houk,  S.  A.  Putnam,  H.  B.  Waterman,  E.  B.  Drew,  O.  M. 
Lord,  T.  K.  Allen,  Egbert  Chapman,  A.  A.  Gilbert,  Robert  Taylor 
and  A.  P.  Hall. 

The  petit  jurors  for  the  same  court  were  Edwin  B.  Gere,  John 
Evans,  Erastus  H.  Murray,  Edwin  Hamilton,  William  II.  Stevens, 
John  C.  Laird,  Alex.  Smith,  John  Emerson,  Erwin  Johnson,  John 
Burns,  Frank  Curtiss,  George  W.  Clark,  Scott  Clark,  Allen  Gilmore, 
H.  B.  Thompson,  Isaac  W.  Simonds,  Jerry  Tibljets,  Asa  Pierce. 
— —  Fortune,  S.  J.  Burnet,  H.  J.  Harrington,  William  E.  Hewitt, 
Henry  Herrick,   Warren  Rowell,   James  Kinkade,   Fletcher, 


INCroENTS.  341 

Squire  Day,  A.  T.  Pentler,  James  Campbell, Thompson, 

Webster,  Peter  Gorr,  O.  H.  Houk,  J.  S.  Denman,  Charles  Bannan, 
S.  E.  Cotton,  H.  Stradlin^,  Wm.  H.  Coryell,  H.  Hull,  J.  W.  Bently, 
D.  Q.  Burly,  J.  Nicklin,  J.  Wright,  P.  D.  Follett,  K.  Thorp,  Louis 
Krutzly,  Henry  W.  Driver,  C.  K.  Coryell  and  Alex.  McClintock. 

The  second  meeting  of  the  board  of  county  commissioners  was 
held  at  the  house  of  John  Burns,  in  the  mouth  of  Burns  valley. 
Mr.  Toms,  Mr.  Luark,  and  the  clerk,  Stoll,  were  present,  but  there 
is  no  record  of  any  business  except  to  approve  the  bonds  of  the 
assessors,  Mr.  Toms  acting  as  chairman. 

The  next  meeting  was  July  4,  at  Minneowah,  at  which  no  one 
was  ])resent  except  Mr.  Toms  and  the  clerk.  "The  chairman  ad- 
journed to  meet  at  Winona  July  5." 

The  next  meeting  was  held  pursuant  to  adjournment,  and  the 
following  entry  afterward  made  on  the  record  by  Mr.  Stoll,  who  was 
not  present.  It  was  evidently  designed  as  a  squib  at  Wabasha 
prairie  :  "  Winona,  July  5,  1853  —  H.  C.  Gere  and  Wm.  T.  Luark, 
commissioners,  met  pursuant  to  adjournment  at  the  Winona  hotel. 
Myron  Toms,  one  of  the  absent  commissioners,  not  being  able  to, 
reach  Winona  on  account  of  the  high  state  of  water  and  the  then 
impassable  gulf,  the  former  commissioners  adjourned  to  meet  at  the 
Winona  Hotel  July  9,  1853.  Approved  the  bond  of  E.  H.  Johnson, 
county  treasurer  of  Fillmore  county.     H.  B.  Stoll,  clerk." 

The  office  of  II.  B.  StQll,  the  register  of  deeds,  was  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Minneowah.  The  first  deed  recorded  was  one  from  Isaac 
Van  Etten  to  H.  B.  Stoll,  dated  January  4,  1853,  and  filed  in  the 
office  May  11,  1853.  This  conveyed  one  half  of  Van  Etten's  inter- 
est in  Minneowah.     The  consideration  was  $300. 

The  first  deed  made  in  this  county  that  was  placed  on  record 
was  a  quit-claim  from  William  B.  Gere  of  part  of  his  claim  on 
Wabasha  prairie  to  A.  M.  FrMley,  of  St.  Paul.  It  is  dated  No- 
vember 1,  1852,  but  not  filed  for  record  until  the  29th  of  June,  1853. 
The  consideration  was  $150.  The  acknowledgment  was  before 
George  M.  Gere,  justice  of  the  peace,  November  4,  1852.      • 

The  part  of  William  B.  Gere's  claim  transferred  by  this  deed 
was  eighty  acres,  on  which  the  shanty  of  Henry  C.  Gere  stood. 
The  incidents  of  this  transaction  were  given  to  the  writer  by  Mr. 
Fridley  many  years  ago.  During  the  latter  part  of  the  season  of 
1852  Mr.  Fridley  made  the  acquaintance  of  Henry  C.  Gere,  while 
on  a  steamboat  between  La  Crosse  and  Wabasha  prairie.  Gere 
20 


342  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

tlu'Ti  projiosed  to  sell  him  a  claim  of  eighty  acres  he  held  on  War 
basha  ])rairie.  Mr.  Fridley  purchased  the  eighty  acres  where  H. 
C.  Gere  was  then  living  for  $150,  receiving  a  quit-claim  from 
William  B.  Gere.  He  also  gave  H.  C.  Gere  $50  to  hold  the  claim 
for  him  until  the  following  spring.  Gere  continued  to  occupy  the 
shanty  until  the  spring  of  1854,  drawing  upon  Mr.  Fridley  during 
that  time,  in  consideration  of  his  services  as  chiimkeeper,  until  the 
sum  total  paid  H.  C.  Gere  by  A.  M.  Fridley  for  that  eighty  was 
$1,200.  The  claim  was  then  placed  in  possession  of  L.  D.  Smith, 
who  came  here  from  St.  Paul  with  his  family  in  the  s])ring  of  1854. 
It  is  now  known  as  Plummer's  Addition  to  the  plat  of  Winona. 

During  the  season  of  1852,  and  until  the  following  year,  the 
claim  of  Captain  Smith  at  the  lower  end  of  the  prairie  —  claim 
No.  1, —  held  by  Smith  and  Johnson,  had  remained  undisturbed, 
no  attempt  having  been  made  to  molest  it.  Johnson  removed  tlie 
shanty,  using  the  lumber  for  other  purposes  at  the  upper  landing. 

Early  in  the  spring,  in  April,  1853,  the  unoccupied  claim  was 
jumped  by  Isaac  W.  Simonds.  As  soon  as  this  was  known  to  E. 
H.  Johnson,  he,  by  direction  of  Captain  Smith,  commenced  suit 
against  Simonds  in  justice's  court,  before  Squire  Gere,  to  oust  him 
from  the  possession  he  had  assumed.  The  defense  was  under  the 
management  of  a  lawyer  by  the  name  of  Stevens,  from  La  Crosse, 
^t  was  then  learned  that  Simonds  had  taken  possession  of  the  claim 
for  a  stock  company,  composed  of  William  E.    Gere,   Charles  S. 

Hamilton,  Isaac  W.  Simonds  and Stevens,  the  attorney  in  the 

claim  suit.  The  suit  was  adjourned  from  time  to  time,  from  in 
April  to  about  the  first  of  June,  without  coming  to  trial.  In  the 
meantime  the  company  had  a  town  surveyed  and  })latted  cover- 
ing 141  acres  of  the  claim.  It  was  given  the  name  of  Wabasha 
City.  The  claim  shanty  stood  a  little  in  front  of  where  the  residence 
of  Mrs.  Keyes  now  stands.  This  Was  occupied  by  Simonds  and 
Charlie  Hamilton. 


CHAPTER  XXXIY. 


A   BLOODY   CONFLICT. 


During  the  winter  and  spring  Jolmson  had  made  his  head- 
quarters at  the  house  he  had  built  on  Front  street  for  the  use  of 
Andrew  Cole,  which  he  afterward  sold  to  him.  He,  however,  made 
his  home  with  John  Evans,  whose  daughter,  Abigal  M.  Evans,  he 
married  later  in  the  season.  He  usually  spent  his  evenings  at 
Evans'  when  on  the  prairie.  Johnson  became  impatient  at  the 
delay  in  the  trial  of  his  suit  against  Simonds,  and  while  at  supper 
one  evening  he  remarked  that  he  would  have  to  go  down  to  the 
lower  claim  and  "clean  them  out"  himself  if  he  ever  expected  to 
get  possession.  He  soon  after  started  for  the  village.  This 
indicated  another  claim-fight.  Johnson  "cleaned  them  out  "that 
night.  The  particulars  of  this  fight  were  related  to  the  writer  by 
Royal  B.  Evans,  a  son  of  John  Evans,  who  took  part  in  the  affray. 
Mr.  Evans  says  :  "It  was  about  the  middle  of  May  or  a  little  after 
that  Johnson  shot  Simonds.  I  came  home  rather  late  that  day  and 
found  that  the  rest  of  the  family  had  been  to  supper  ;  they  wer6 
talking  about  Johnson,  who  had  just  gone  down  to  tlie  village. 
Father  said  Johnson  would  get  into  trouble  if  he  attempted  to  drive 
Simonds  and  Charlie  Hamilton  off  from  the  lower  claim  without  he 
had  some  help.  My  sister  wanted  I  should  find  him  and  tell  him 
that  father  wished  to  see  him. 

"After  supper  I  went  down  to  the  landing  ;  a  steamboat  had  just 
come  up  and  almost  everybody  living  on  the  prairie  was  on  the 
levee.  Simonds  and  Charlie  Hamilton  were  conspicuous,  but 
Johnson  was  not  there.  John  McDermott  told  me  he  saw  him 
going  back  on  the  prairie  just  after  the  boat  landed.  It  was  then 
dark.  I  expected  I  should  find  him  at  the  lower  claim,  and  went 
down  there  in  search  of  him.  As  I  approached  the  Simonds  shanty 
Jolmson  hailed  me  and  ordered  me  to  halt.  I  answered  him  and  he 
told  me  to  come  in.  Johnson  said  he  expected  to  have  a  fight  and 
was  ready  for  them.  He  had  a  Colt's  rifle  and  an  old  'pepper 
box '  pistol.  I  had  brought  nothing  with  me,  not  even  a  club.  He 
said  that  when  he  saw  Simonds  and  Hamilton  up  at  the  village  he 


344  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

went  and  got  his  gun  and  pistol  and  started.  We  sat  down  in  front 
of  the  shanty  and  examined  them  ;  they  had  not  been  used  in  a  long 
time.  The  rifle  was  out  of  repair  and  would  not  work.  Finding  it 
was  of  no  use,  he  took  the  barrel  off  and  stood  it  beside  the  door, 
saying,  '  That  will  do  to  use  as  a  club. ' 

"About  ten  o'clock  we  heard  some  one  coming  down  the  prairie, 
and  knew  that  it  was  Simonds  by  his  loud  voice.  Johnson  hailed 
them  to  stop,  and  threatened  them  if  they  adv^anced.  He  then 
snapped  two  caps  on  the  pistol  without  a  discharge.  They  came  on 
to  where  we  were  standing,  near  the  shanty,  when  Simonds  pitched 
at  Johnson  and  they  two  had  a  regular  fist-tight,  which  lasted  some 
time.  Charlie  and  I  looked  on  without  doing  anything.  We  were 
about  the  same  age  and  size.  Simonds  was  much  the  larger  and 
stronger  man,  and  was  too  much  for  Johnson.  They  clinclied,  and 
Johnson,  finding  that  Simonds  had  the  advantage,  drew  his  pistol 
and  shot  him.  The  ball  passed  through  the  muscles  of  the  forearm 
and  broke  the  bone  above  the  elbow.  They  continued  clinched  for 
awhile  after,  when  Simonds  called  for  Hamilton  to  take  him  off. 
Hamilton  caught  Johnson  by  the  throat  and  tried  to  choke  him.  I 
then  attacked  (.harlie  with  my  tists  and  knocked  him  down." 

"It  was  a  still,  clear,  starlight  night,  and  the  noise  made  while 
the  fight  was  going  on  was  heard  at  Hamilton's  house,  where  some 
one  halloed  in  return.  Simonds  called  to  them  to  bring  his  shot- 
gun. Elder  Hamilton  and  Jake  McDermott  came  up  just  after 
Charlie  and  I  had  had  our  set-to ;  Johnson  kept  back  out  of  sight. 
Simonds  complained  of  being  faint,  and  asked  the  elder  to  take  him 
over  to  his  house.  I  had  not  received  any  very  hard  blows,  but 
Johnson,  as  well  as  the  other  two,  had  been  severely  pounded. 

"Elder  Hamilton  took  hold  of  Simonds  and  supported  his 
wounded  arm,  while  I  took  hold  of  him  on  the  other  side  to  help  take 
him  to  Hamilton's  house.  Just  as  we  started,  Charlie  Hamilton 
attacked  me  from  behind  with  a  club  —  one  of  the  oak  stakes  used  in 
surveying  the  plot.  He  hit  me  once  before  I  turned,  and  then  struck 
me  once  or  twice  across  the  face,  cutting  me  severely  before 
McDermott  separated  us.  McDermott  then  helped  the  elder  take 
Simonds  home.  Not  hearing  anything  of  Johnson  I  went  over  to 
Hamilton's  to  see  what  was  going  on  there.  A  steamboat  chanced 
to  be  coming  down  and  the  elder  signaled  them  with  his  lantern  to 
stop  at  his  landing,  intending  to  send  Simonds  to  La  Crosse.  A 
doctor  on  board  examined  and  dressed  the  wounded  arm,  and  word 


A    BLOODY    CONFLICT.  345 

was  sent  by  the  boat  to  La  Crosse  to  have  a  surgeon  come  up  from 
there.  The  elder  washed  the  blood  oif  from  my  head  and  face  and 
bandaged  up  nay  wounds.  The  scalp-cut  on  the  back  of  my  head 
was  the  worst,  but  my  face  was  badly  cut  and  bruised.  I  then  went 
back  down  the  prairie  in  search  of  Johnson.  While  I  was  up  at 
Hamilton's  he  had  torn  the  shanty  down,  and  thrown  it  and  every- 
thing belonging  to  it  into  the  river.  We  then  went  up  home  ; 
Johnson  was  living  with  us.  The  next  morning  we  were  both 
arrested  by  McDermott,  the  constable.  After  we  had  had  our 
breakfast  he  took  us  down  to  Squire  Gere's  office,  where  we  were 
detained  some  time,  when  the  justice  decided  that  the  examination 
could  not  go  on  without  the  testimony  of  Simonds,  and  adjourned 
the  court  to  H.  S.  Hamilton's  house.  Johnson  refused  to  walk  down 
there.  Squire  Gere  then  sent  the  constable  to  find  a  conveyance. 
We  walked  down  toward  the  river,  when  the  justice  called  to  us  not 
to  go  away,  but  stay  around  where  we  could  be  found  when 
McDermott  came  back.  Johnson  made  no  reply  —  I  told  him  I  was 
not  going  very  far  away.  Johnson  went  over  to*  Andrew  Cole's 
house  to  change  his  clothes.  Mr.  Cole  was  then  absent.  I  went 
home,  had  my  wounds  dressed  and  went  to  bed,  where  I  slept  until 
the  next  morning.  I  then  came  down  to  the  justice's  office  and  was 
discharged  from  custody." 

Considerable  excitement  was  arous/ed  over  the  matter  by  the  new 
town  site  company,  and  when  Johnson  failed  to  make  his  appear- 
ance Sheriff  lams  was  sent  to  tind  him  and  bring  him  before  the 
court.  The  sheriff  got  trace  of  him  at  Minnesota  City,  and  overtook 
him  at  Hall's  landing,  below  the  mouth  of  the  White  Water,  where 
he  was  waiting  for  a  steamboat  to  come  along.  Johnson  left  the 
river  and  went  up  the  bluff  with  the  sheriff'  after  him.  Johnson 
could  outrun  and  outclimb  the  sheriff,  and  when  beyond  reach  he 
stopped  and  told  lams  if  he  came  any  farther  he  would  send  some 
loose  rocks  down  on  him.  The  sheriff  went  back  to  the  trail  and 
watched  for  Johnson  to  again  make  his  appearance.  He  was  com- 
pelled to  return  without  his  prisoner.  Johnson  succeeded  in 
reaching  the  river  without  being  observed.  The  steamboats  at  that 
time  would  land  anywhere  if  hailed  by  a  passenger.  Johnson  went 
to  St.  Paul,  where  he  secured  counsel  and  returned  to  have  the  case 
disposed  of  and  settled  in  some  manner.  He  delivered  himself  up, 
and  no  one  appearing  against  him  he  was  discharged  from  custody. 
Simonds  had  been  detained  on  the  prairie  to  await  the  examination, 


346  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUJSTY. 

but  went  to  La  Crosse  two  or  three  days  before  Jolmson's  return, 
which  was  on  June  3. 

As  soon  as  Captain  Smith  learned  of  the  shooting  of  Simonds  by 
Johnson  he  sent  liis  son  S.  J.  Smith  liere  to  take  charge  of  matters. 
By  the  advice  of  John  Evans  it  was  deemed  necessary  to  put  up  a 
shanty  on  the  lower  claim  to  hold  possession.  Mr.  Smith  secured 
the  services  of  Mr.  Evans  and  his  son  Royal,  and  took  a  load  of 
lumber  down  to  build  a  cabin.  He  was  met  there  by  Mr,  Stevens 
from  La  Crosse,  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  new  town,  who  warned 
him  not  to  attempt  to  occupy  it,  for  they  should  defend  their  rights 
to  the  claim.  Mr.  Smith  decided  not  to  have  any  more  lighting,  but 
trust  to  the  law  for  redress.  He  ordered  the  lumber  taken  back  to 
the  upper  landing,  notwithstanding  the  protests  of  Mr.  Evans,  who 
asserted  that  he  could  stand  as  much  shooting  as  they  could.  Mr, 
Smith  then  remained  quiet  at  the  hotel  where  he  was  stopping. 

As  soon  as  Stevens  returned  to  La  Crosse  he  sent  Asa  Hedge  up, 
who  built  a  shanty  and  took  possession  of  the  claim.  The  next 
day  after  he  was  discharged  from  custody  Johnson  went  down  and 
put  up  a  shantj  about  where  the  one  stood  which  Augustus  Pentler 
once  occupied.  This  was  held  by  John  Evans  and  Johnson,  No 
collisions  occurred  between  the  occupants  of  the  two  shanties. 

About  a  week  afterward  Captain  Smith  brought  up  from  Galena 
a  house  ready  made  for  claim  No,  1,  It  was  put  up  a  few  rods 
above  where  the  house  of  Mrs,  Keyes  now  stands.  The  same  day 
Mr,  Hedge  went  to  La  Crosse  and  his  shanty  was  torn  down.  It 
was  done  by  the  consent  of  Mr,  Hedge,  who  sold  the  possession 
of  the  claim  to  Captain  Smitli  for  one  or  two  lots  on  Front  street, 
fronting  on  the  levee. 

Mr.  Hedge  at  once  built  a  small  house  on  lot  1,  block  11  — 
brought  his  family  from  La  Crosse  and  made  it  his  home  for  many 
years.  He  here  opened  a  restaurant  and  saloon — the  first  saloon  or 
place  where  intoxicating  drinks  were  sold  in  the  city  of  Winona. 
His  liquors  were  bought  up  by  the  citizens  and  destroyed.  The 
ladies  were  the  movers  in  this  transaction.  He  afterward  opened 
his  saloon  with  a  new  stock,  when  they  were  again  destroyed  or 
seized  by  the  sherift".  He  afterward  put  up  a  better  building  and 
opened  a  grocery  store,  where  he  carried  on  quite  a  trade  for  two 
or  three  years.  Frank  D.  Sloan  was  his  clerk  and  salesman  in  the 
grocery  business. 

As  an  illustration  of  valuation  of  real  estate  and  manner  of 


A    BLOODY    CONFLICT.  847 

doing  business,  the  following  incident  is  noted  relative  to  this  prop- 
erty. In  about  1856  or  1857  Mr.  Hedge  found  it  necessary  to  secure 
a  loan  to  carry  on  his  business.  Gable  &  Werst,  money  loaners  and 
dealers  in  real  estate,  advanced  him  $5, 000  and  took  a  mortgage  on 
the  lot  and  store  to  secure  the  payment  of  his  notes  drawing  two 
per  cent  per  month.  As  a  matter  of  course  Mr.  Hedge  failed  in 
business  and  the  property  was  sold  under  the  mortgage. .  How 
much  Gable  and  Werst  posted  to  profit  and  loss  in  this  transaction 
is  unknown.     They  held  the  property  for  many  years. 

Among  the  early  arrivals  this  season  were  Ithael  Hamilton,  the 
father,  and  Enoch  0.  Hamilton,  the  brother,  of  H.  S.  Hamilton,  and 
Erastus  H.  Murray,  a  brother-in-law.  Harvey  Hubbard  and  John  I. 
Hubbard  were  also  relatives  of  the  Hamiltons. 

Enoch  C.  Hamilton  made  a  claim  where  the  city  hospital  is  now 
located.  His  claim  shanty  stood  twenty  oi-  thirty  rods  south  of  the 
building  now  used  as  a  hospital.  While  living  here  the  house  was 
struck  by  lightning,  during  a  severe  thunderstorm  on  Sunday,  June 
19,  1853,  and  his  wife  instantly  killed. 

Mrs.  Hamilton  opened  a  select  school,  which  she  had  been  teach- 
ing for  a  week  or  two  previous  to  her  death.  This  may  with  a  great 
deal  of  propriety  be  called  the  first  school  on  the  prairie.  Tlie 
school  opened  in  Mrs.  Goddard's  shanty,  in  1852,  by  Miss  Gere,  then 
a  girl  of  fourteen  or  fifteen,  was  hardly  entitled  to  mention  as  an 
institution  for  instruction.  Mrs.  Hamilton  was  an  experienced 
school-teacher.  She  left  three  children,  Alvin,  Alice  and  Julia. 
Previous  to  her  marriage  Miss  Alice  Hamilton  was  for  many  years 
a  well  known  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  the  city  of  Winona. 

Mr.  Hamilton  married  again  and  pre-empted  his  claim  as  a  home- 
stead. It  is  now  known  as  E.  C.  Hamilton's  addition.  Mr.  Ham- 
ilton, with  his  second  family,  is  now  living  at  Minnesota  City. 

Ithael  Hamilton  and  his  son  Otis  Hamilton  made  claims  on  the 
lower  end  of  the  prairie.     They  have  been  dead  many  years. 

Harvey  and  John  I.  Hubbard  built  two  large  dwelling-houses 
on  what  is  now  block  5,  Hamilton's  addition,  which  they  occupied 
for  several  years.  None  of  their  families  are  now  residents  of  this 
county. 

Erastus  H.  Murray  bought  the  Viets  House,  and  improved  it  by 
putting  on  additions  in  the  rear,  finishing  off  the  second  story,  and 
building  a  good  frame  barn  on  the  rear  of  the  lot.  He  made  it  a 
comfortable  hotel,  although  limited  in  capacity,  to  accommodate  the 


348  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COTTNTY. 

traveling  public.  He  i^iive  it  the  name  of  "  Winona  House,"  and 
kept  it  until  early  in  the  spring  of  1854,  when  he  sold  it  to  Charles 
Eaton,  who  came  here  at  that  time.  The  following  June  Mr.  Eaton 
sold  out  his  interest  in  the  Winona  House  to  S.  H.  Lombard,  a 
recent  arrival,  and  moved  upon  his  claim,  where  George  I.  Parsons 
now  lives.  He  is  now  a  citizen  of  St.  Paul.  S.  H.  Lombard  kept 
the  Winona  House  a  year  or  two,  when  he  leased  or  sold  it.  The 
building  was  burned  in  the  big  fire  of  1862.  Mr.  Lombard  is  yet  a 
resident  of  Winona. 

Mr.  Murray  built  a  dwelling  on  Fourth  street,  which  is  yet  stand- 
ing and  is  part  of  the  New  England  House.  In  1854  he  built  a 
dwelling  on  lot  4,  block  14,  and  also  a  building  for  a  boot  and  shoe 
shop  on  lot  5  of  the  same  block,  on  the  corner  of  Second  and  Lafay- 
ette streets,  where  " Mues'  Block"  now  stands.  He  carried  on 
business  here  for  two  or  three  years  with  his  brother,  W.  H.  Mur- 
ray. His  shoe-shop  was  afterward  used  for  the  postoffice.  Kone 
of  Mr.  Murray's  family  are  now  residents  of  this  part  of  the  state. 

Warren  Rowell  became  a  resident  of  this  county  in  April,  1853. 
He  landed  on  Wabasha  prairie  and  staid  there  with  his  family  for 
about  a  month.  During  that  time  he  occupied  a  ])art  of  the  shanty 
built  by  Mr.  Stevens  the  year  before  for  Mr.  Goddard.  Late  in  the 
fall  Mrs.  Goddard  had  built  a  house  on  the  southeast  corner  of 
Franklin  and  Front  streets,  where  she  lived  during  the  winter. 

Finding  no  better  accommodations,  Mr.  Kowell  fixed  up  a  part 
of  the  Stevens  shanty  as  a  place  for  his  family  to  stay  in  for  a  few 
weeks,  until  he  could  select  a  location  suitable  for  a  farm.  The 
other  end  of  the  shanty  (a  long  building)  was  used  as  a  barn,  or 
place  for  the  storage  of  hay  and  corn.  This  building  was  afterward 
burned  by  a  prairie  fire. 

Mr.  Rowell  selected  a  claim  next  above  Gorr's,  in  what  is  now 
Pleasant  Valley,  built  a  log  house,  and  moved  there  about  the  first 
of  June.  Some  of  the  settlers  from  the  prairie  went  out  and  helped 
raise  his  cabin.  The  claim  he  made  in  the  spring  of  1853  he  still 
occupies  ;  it  is  the  farm  where  he  now  resides,  and  has  been  his 
home  about  thirty  years.  The  claim  shanty  —  the  log  cabin  of  early 
days  —  has  been  superseded  by  more  modern  buildings.  Large 
barns  and  outbuildings  have  taken  the  place  of  the  pole  sheds 
covered  with  wild  grass. 

Mr.  Rowell  was  among  the  earlier  settlers  in  this  county  to 
locate  on  farming  lands  as  a  home.     By  attentively  minding  his 


A    BLOODY    CONFLICT.  349 

own  business  he  has  made  farming  a  profitable  business  in  the  vallej 
where  he  lives. 

In  May,  1853,  Dr.  Jolm  L.  Balcombe  returned  to  Wabasha 
prairie  from  Illinois,  where  he  had  spent  the  winter.  When  he  left, 
in  the  fall  previous,  he  sold  out  his  interest  here,  including  his 
houses,  to  Edwin  Hamilton,  retaining  his  shanty  on  the  acre  given 
him  by  Johnson.  During  the  winter  Ed.  Hamilton  had  used  his 
dwelling  as  a  stable.  When  the  doctor  resumed  possession  he 
found  it  more  economical  and  agreeable  to  move  the  cabin  to  a  new 
locality  rather  than  attempt  to  remove  the  refuse  and  renovate  the 
building  as  it  stood.     He  occupied  this  temporarily. 

Not  liking  his  location  on  the  acre  he  had  first  selected,  he  aban- 
doned it,  and  purchased  lot  3  in  block  9  of  Smith  and  Johnson,  for 
which  he  paid  twenty  dollars.  The  deed,  a  quit-claim,  was  made 
September  29,  1853,  and  filed  for  record  January  25,  1854.  He 
had  had  possession  of  the  lot  for  two  or  three  months  previous,  and 
built  a  house  on  it.  This  building  fronted  toward  the  river,  and 
was  designed  for  a  store.  It  was  about  20x40,  two  stories  high. 
The  front  of  the  lower  story  was  finished  with  large  windows  and 
folding  doors.  On  the  east  side  of  the  building  a  lean-to  was 
attached,  about  12x24.  Before  it  was  completed  Dr.  Balcombe 
sold  this  structure  to  Horace  Kanney,  but  did  not  deliver  possession 
of  it  until  the  spring  of  1854.  It  was  afterward  known  as  the 
''Ranney  Building,"  and  was  used  for  quite  a  variety  of  purposes 
—  as  a  private  dwelling,  for  offices,  as  a  hotel,  and  lastly  as  a  tene- 
ment house  for  several  families.  It  was  burned  in  the  fire  of  1862. 
Early  in  the  summer  of  1853  (July  11)  Dr.  Balcombe  bought 
an  undivided  half  of  twenty  acres  of  the  Beecher  Gere  claim,  east  of 
the  eighty  sold  to  A.  M.  Fridley,  and  of  twenty  acres  west  of  the 
Fridley  claim.  The  other  half  of  these  two  lots  was  purchased  by 
Sanborn  and  Colburn.  He  also  made  a  claim  on  the  upper  prairie, 
where  Charles  Riley  now  lives.  This  he  afterward  improved,  and 
built  the  farmhouse  now  standing,  which  he  occupied  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  September  24,  1856.  Although  poor  health  prevented 
Dr.  Balcombe  from  being  prominent,  he  took  an  active  interest  in 
the  development  of  this  part  of  the  territory  and  in  the  political 
questions  of  his  day.  M.  Wheeler  Sargent  says,  in  his  historical 
address,  "Dr.  John  L.  Balcombe  was  a  man  of  the  most  extended 
information  of  any  among  the  early  settlers,  *  *  *  one  of  the 
first  and  hest  of  our  early  citizens." 


350  HISTOHV    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

George  H.  Sanborn  came  into  the  county  early  in  the  spring  oi 
1853  and  settled  on  Wabasha  prairie.  Soon  after  Wm.  H.  Colborn 
came  on  and  joined  him  here.  About  the  middle  of  June  these  two 
young  men  o])ened  the  lirst  store  iii  the  county,  with  a  general 
assortment  of  goods.  For  temporary  occupancy,  the  "car-house" 
of  Denman  was  moved  to  lot  5,  block  10,  and  covered  with  a 
shingled  roof.  They  here  commenced  business  as  Sanborn  &  Col- 
born. During  the  summer  they  built  a  store  on  the  corner  of  the 
same  lot,  about  20x40,  two  stories  high,  and  continued  in  business 
until  the  sj)ring  of  1854,  when  Mr.  Colborn  withdrew  and  a  new 
Ihrni  was  formed,  consisting  of  G.  H.  Sanborn  and  M.  K.  Drew.  E. 
L.  King  became  a  partner  the  same  s])ring.  They  carried  on  the 
business  during  that  season  and  then  sold  their  stock  of  goods  to 
Dr.  Childs,  who  continued  business  for  a  short  time  in  the  same 
location.  In  1855  Sanborn  &  King  started  in  the  forwarding  and 
commission  and  wholesale  and  retail  grocery  business  at  the  foot 
of  Johnson  street. 

Mr.  Sanborn  in  1856  built  a  very  large  three-story  building  on 
the  river,  at  the  foot  of  Washington  street,  which  was  known  as 
Sanborn's  warehouse.  The  third  story  of  this  building  was  used  as 
a  hall  for  public  meetings.  It  was  fitted  up  with  a  stage  and  scenery 
by  the  Philharmonic  Society  soon  after  it  was  first  organized,  and 
used  by  them  until  they  moved  to  their  present  location.  The 
building  was  torn  down  many  years  ago  by  the  railroad  company, 
into  whose  possession  the  property  passed. 

Soon  after  he  came  here  in  1853  Mr.  Sanborn  purchased  the 
Viets  claim  and  subsequently  had  it  surveyed  and  plotted.  It  is 
now  known  as  Sanborn's  addition.  He  built  his  first  residence  on 
this  claim  in  1855,  a  small  story-and-a-half  house,  on  the  corner  of 
Lafayette  and  Wabasha  streets.  It  is  yet  standing,  and  forms  a 
part  of  the  present  residence  of  J.  L.  Brink.  Mr.  Sanborn  was 
engaged  in  business  for  several  years  in  Winona.  About  1859  he 
closed  up  his  affairs  here  and  went  east  to  live.  He  is  now  in 
Northern  Dakota,  where  it  is  reported  that  he  has  made  some 
fortunate  speculations  as  a  pioneer  in  that  locality. 

As  an  incident  of  early  days,  an  adventure  of  Mr.  Sanborn's, 
brought  to  the  mind  of  the  writer,  is  thought  worthy  of  notice.  Mr. 
Sanborn  was  the  owner  of  a  pair  of  fine  driving-horses.  One  of 
these  was  a  valuable  horse,  which  he  used  as  a  saddle-horse. 
Although  broken  to  harness,  he  had   nothing  that   he   considered 


A    BLOODY    CONFLICT.  351 

suitable  to  drive  him  in  during  the  winter.  Having  business  in  St. 
Paul,  he  adopted  the  idea  of  taking  his  horse  with  him  and  bringing 
back  a  stylish  cutter.  There  was  not  sufficient  snow  to  drive  up, 
and  he  proposed  to  ride  his  horse  to  St.  Paul. 

On  the  first  of  January,  1855,  he  started  on  his  trip,  taking 
along  a  new  single-harness,  with  blankets  and  a  buifalo-skin,  on 
which  he  proposed  to  ride,  instead  of  a  saddle,  expecting  to  reach 
Wabasha  that  day.  He  went  up  Straight  slough  on  the  ice.  When 
he  reached  Haddock  slough,  about  where  S.  M.  Burns  lost  his 
horses  two  years  before,  his  horse  broke  through  the  ice,  which  was 
thin  at  that  place,  and  took  Mr.  Sanborn  into  the  water  with  him. 
With  some  difficulty  he  crawled  out  on  the  ice,  which  was  brittle 
and  gave  way  to  his  weight.  He  was  within  about  twenty  reds  of 
the  shore,  for  which  he  was  headed  wheji  the  accident  occurred. 

The  day  was  intensely  cold,  with  a  piercing  wind,  and  a  cold 
bath  was  far  from  agreeable  with  the  thermometer  showing  zero. 
His  .horse  remained  afloat  and  broke  the  ice  in  his  effi^rts  to  climb 
out  after  his  master.  Mr.  Sanborn  hastened  to  the  shore  and 
procured  some  logs  of  wood  and  rocks,  with  which  he  broke  the  ice 
and  opened  a  channel  to  where  the  water  was  less  than  two  feet 
deep.  The  intelligent  animal  followed  him  closely,  but  was  unable 
to  climb  out  on  the  ice.  He  was  chilled  through  by  the  length  of 
time  he  had  been  in  the  water.  Mr.  Sanborn  was  completely 
exhausted  from  the  fatigue  and  cold,  he  having  slipped  in  several 
times  while  breaking  the  ice. 

Feeling  benumbed  and  unable  to  do  more  for  his  horse,  he 
started  ofi  for  help.  When  he  reached  Mr.  Burley's,  nearly  a  mile 
below,  he  was  almost  unconscious.  His  clothing  was  frozen  stiff 
and  solid,  and  he  was  compelled  to  crawl  on  his  hands  and  knees  to 
reach  the  house.  He  was  taken  care  of,  and  men  went  up  to  help 
the  horse,  if  he  was  not  beyond  help.  They  found  him  dead.  Mr. 
Sanborn  had  loosened  the  harness  and  blankets  while  the  horse  was 
in  the  deep  water,  and  they  had  floated  away  under  the  ice. 

Mr.  Sanborn  recovered  from  his  exposure  with  some  frost-bites, 
but  without  any  serious  illness  following.  He  returned  to  Winona 
as  soon  as  he  was  able  to  be  moved,  which  was  in  a  day  or  two 
after,  and  sent  to  St.  Paul  for  his  cutter,  which  was  brought  down 
by  the  mail-carrier.  His  second-best  horse  was  promoted  and 
became  the  pet. 

William  Davidson  came  into  this  county  April  6,  1853.     After 


352  PIISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

some  time  spent  in  prospecting  and  explorations  in  the  western  part 
of  the  county,  he  selected  a  claim  at  the  head  of  a  small  branch  of 
the  White  Water,  in  what  is  now  the  town  of  St.  Charles,  on 
Sec.  10,  T.  106,  R.  10.  He  returned  to  Clayton  county,  Iowa, 
where  his  family  were  then  living,  and  made  his  arrangement  to 
transport  them  with  his  household  goods,  farming  implements  and 
live  stock,  up  through  the  country  to  the  location  he  had  selected  in 
Minnesota  as  his  future  home. 

Mr.  Davidson  started  with  four  yoke  of  oxen  and  three  wagons  ; 
these,  with  his  cows  and  young  stock,  and  a  saddle-pony  used  to 
collect  the  cattle,  made  up  quite  an  immigrant  train.  They  came 
into  this  county  on  the  ''old  government  trail,"  —  the  trail  over 
which  the  Winnebagoes  were  taken  when  removed  from  Iowa  to 
Long  Prairie  in  1848,  up  through  Money  Creek  valley  and  out  on 
the  ridge  near  the  head  of  Burns  valley.  They  then  went  west, 
keeping  on  the  high  land  to  avoid  the  ravines  leading  into  the 
Rolling  Stone,  to  Bentleys,  now  Utica,  and  reached  their  destination 
about  the  first  of  June.  They  were  eleven  days  making  this  trip  of 
about  125  miles. 

Mr.  Davidson  was  the  first  settler  to  come  into  the  county  by 
the  "overland  route."  He  immediately  set  his  breaking  team  to 
work  and  put  in  a  field  of  seed-corn  and  planted  a  garden.  He 
built  a  commodious  log  house,  making  a  trip  to  Winona  in  the  latter 
part  of  June  for  lumber  to  complete  it.  Until  their  log  house  was 
ready  for  occupancy  they  lived  in  camp  with  but  temporary  shelter. 
He  raised  a  good  crop  of  corn  and  vegetables  the  first  season, 
sufhcient  for  his  own  use.  The  cornmeal  used  in  his  family  was 
ground  by  hand  in  a  large  coffee-mill. 

Mr.  Davidson  here  opened  up  a  large  farm,  and  in  early  days 
was  prominently  active  in  public  affairs  relative  to  the  development 
of  the  county.  He  was  county  commissioner  and  held  other  official 
positions.     He  is  now  a  resident  of  the  city  of  St.  Charles. 

L.  H.  Springer  and  Benjamin  Langworthy  landed  on  Wabasha 
prairie  on  May  31,  1853.  They  brought  witli  them  their  families 
and  four  yoke  of  oxen,  three  horses,  eight  cows  and  other  animals, 
and  also  two  wagons.  Mr.  Laird  gave  them  the  use  of  his  shanty 
for  temporary  occupancy  until  they  found  satisfactory  locations. 
They  made  claims  on  the  White  Water,  and  moved  there  with  their 
families  about  the  middle  of  June. 

L.  H.  Springer  settled  at  what  is  now  the  village  of  St.  Charles. 


\ 
A    BLOODY    CONFLICT.  353 

He  built  a  large,  substantial  log  bouse  and  comfortable  stables,  and 
opened  up  a  farm  in  tliis  locality.  This  log  house  was  used  as  a 
hotel  for  two  or  three  years.  "  Springer's  "  was  a  favorite  stopping 
place  for  all  who  bad  business  in  that  vicinity.  These  were  the  only 
settlers  in  the  west  part  of  the  count}'  in  1853. 

In  the  fall  of  1854  L.  H.  Springer,  George  H.  Sanborn  and 
M.  Wheeler  Sargent,  laid  out  the  land  claimed  by  Springer  as  a 
town  site,  and  gave  it  the  name  of  St.  Charles.  It  was  advertised  as 
being  "  on  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  19,  T.  106,  R  10,  twenty-five  miles  west 
from  Winona  on  the  south  fork  of  the  Meniska  or  White  Water  river, 
in  the  midst  of  as  good  farming  lands  as  can  be  found  anywhere." 
Mr.  Springer  was  prominently  active  in  all  measures  to  promote  the 
general  good.  He,  with  William  Davidson,  was  the  first  to  open  a 
wagon  trail  from  St.  Charles  to  Winona.  Mr.  Springer  lived  at  St. 
Charles  for  several  years  and  then  removed  to  Olmsted  county, 
where  he  yet  resides. 

Alexander  McClintock  came  into  the  county  this  season  and 
settled  on  a  claim  in  the  south  Eolling  Stone  valley,  above  Putnams. 
He  built  a  log  house,  and  pre-empted  this  as  a  homestead  after,  and 
lived  here  with  his  family  for  several  years,  until  his  death.  None 
of  his  family  are  now  residents  of  the  county. 

Henry  D.  Huff"  landed  on  Wabasha  prairie  Sunday,  June  26, 
1853.  He  stopped  at  the  Winona  House,  then  kept  by  E.  H.  Mur- 
ray. It  was  supposed  at  the  time  that  he  came  to  assume  charge  of 
Capt.  Smith's  interest  in  the  town,  which  his  son,  S.  J.  Smith,  was 
then  here  flooking  after.  He  purchased  an  undivided  interest  in 
the  original  town  plot  of  Smith  and  Johnson,  and  later  in  the  season 
also  purchased  the  claim  of  Ed.  Hamilton —  claim  No.  5.  Hamilton 
had  previously  sold  undivided  interests  to  others  ;  Mark  Howard 
held  a  third  ;  David  Olmsted  and  Orlando  Stevens  held  an  interest. 
Through  an  arrangement  with  Hamilton  and  the  others  the  whole 
claim  was  transferred  to  Mr.  Huff,  who  at  once  had  it  surveyed  and 
plotted,  and  recorded  with  the  plot  of  Smith  and  Johnson's  claim  as 
the  "original  plot"  of  the  city  of  Winona. 

Mr.  Huff  built  the  cottage  now  occupied  by  Lafayett  Stout,  near 
the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Huff  streets,  and  brought  bis  family  here. 
He  lived  in  this  cottage  for  several  years,  when  he  built  the  house 
on  the  same  corner  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Hon.  H.  W.  Lam- 
berton,  in  which  he  resided  until  he  left  Minnesota.  From  the  first  of 
his  coming  here  he  was  prominently  active  in  all  public  enterprises. 


354  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Mr.  Ilutt'liiul  ])een  in  morct\ntile  business  in  Kenosha,  and  a 
dealer  in  real  estate,  before  coming  here.  He  had  prior  to  that 
passed  some  years  of  pioneer  life  in  Wisconsin  and  Illinois,  and  was 
familiar  with  early  settlements  in  towns  and  country.  His  expe- 
rience, with  his  natural  sagacity  and  enterprise  and  his  indomitable 
will  power,  made  him  a  leader  in  all  public  matters  or  affairs  in 
which  others  were  associated  with  him.  His  interests  were  inti- 
mately coimected  with  the  development  and  j)ros])erity  of  the  county 
and  cit}'  of  Winona.  There  was  no  one  among  the  pioneer  settlers 
who  accomplished  so  much  by  his  individual  efforts  to  build  up  the 
city  of  Winona  as  Henry  D.  Huff".  To  him  more  than  to  any  other 
person  this  city  is  justly  indebted  for  its  early  prosperity  and  many 
of  its  present  advantages.  It  was  by  him  that  the  name  of  Winona 
was  substituted  for  that  of  Montezuma,  [t  was  through  his  efforts 
that  Fillmore  county  was  divided  and  Winona  county  created  with 
the  county  seat  at  the  vilUige  of  Winona. 

Mr.  Huff'  started  the  second  newspaper  in  Winona —  the  first  was 
the  "Winona  Argus,"  edited  by  Wm.  Ashley  Jones.  The  first 
issue  was  September  20,  1854.  In  April,  1855,  Mr.  Huff' issued  the 
first  number  of  the  "Winona  Express,"  edited  by  W.  Creek.  In 
November,  1855,  Mr.  Huff'  sold  the  establishment  to  W.  G.  Dye  & 
Co.,  who  started  the  "Winona  Kepublican."  Soon  after  D.  Sinclair 
became  connected  with  it,  and  the  paper  has  since  been  continuously 
issued  under  that  name  by  D.  Sinclair  &  Co.  with  the  addition  of  a 
daily  yjaper. 

Huff's  Hotel  was  built  by  Mr.  Huff' in  1855.  In  1867  he  built  a 
large  flouring-mill  near  Youmans  Bros.  &  Hodgins'  sawmill.  It 
was  built  at  a  cost  of  about  $25,000,  and  was  burned  a  few  years 
after.  He  was  one  of  tlie  stockholders  in  the  original  Transit 
Railroad  Company. 

Mr.  Huff  sold  out  the  most  of  his  property  here  about  ten  years 
ago  and  went  to  Chicago. 

The  time  set  by  .Tudge  A.  G.  Chatfield  for  holding  the  first 
session  of  a  district  court  in  what  was  then  Fillmore  county  was  at 
Wabasha  prairie,  on  Monday,  June  27,  1853,  but  the  judge  failed  to 
reach  Winona  on  that  day.  On  Tuesday,  June  28,  he  arrived  with 
quite  a  large  party  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  from  St.  Paul,  among 
whom  were  two  attorneys,  L.  A.  Babcock  and  H.  L.  Moss.  He 
opened  court  in  the  Winona  House.  Wm.  B.  Gere  was  appointed 
clerk  of  the  court.     The  petit  jury  was  dismissed.     The  grand  jury 


A    BLOODY    CONFLICT.  355 

was  organized  and  held  a  sitting  on  that  day.  On  Wednesday,  June 
29.  the  grand  jury  made  a  presentment  in  the  case  of  Erwin  H. 
Johnson,  for  the  shooting  of  Isaac  W.  Simonds,  and  indicted  S.  M. 
Burns,  of  Mt.  Vernon  (Hall's  landing),  for  selling  liquor  to  the 
Indians.  They  were  dismissed  at  noon  on  that  day  and  the  court 
adjourned.  This  was  the  lirst  district  court  held  in  southern  Min- 
nesota. In  the  afternoon  Judge  Chatfield,  with  the  party  from  St. 
Paul,  visited  Minnesota  City  and  the  valley  of  the  Rolling  Stone. 

John  lams  was  the  sheriff  in  attendance  on  the  court.  It  is  said 
that  the  sheriff  brought  his  dinner  with  him  from  home  each  day. 
On  the  first  day,  as  he  approached  the  crowd  assembled  around  the 
Winona  House,  he  was  greeted  by  W.  T.  Luark,  who,  with  a  laugh 
of  ridicule,  cried  out,  ''Here  comes  the  great  high  sheriff"  of  Fillmore 
county  with  his  dinner  pail  on  his  arm !"  At  noon  the  same  crowd 
saw  the  sheriff  and  Mr.  Luark  sitting  on  the  bank  of  the  river  eating 
their  dinner  from  the  dinner-bucket  of  the  sheriff",  and  washing  it 
down  with  river  water. 

Grove  W.  Willis  came  to  Wabasha  prairie  about  the  first  of  July 
of  this  year.  Before  coming  here  he  had  been  promised  the  posi- 
tion of  clerk  of  the  court  by  Judge  Chatfield,  but  on  account  of  his 
failure  to  arrive  in  time  to  attend  to  the  duties  of  the  office,  the 
Judge  was  compelled  to  appoint  Wm.  B.  Gere  to  the  place.  When 
Judge  Chatfield  was  notified  that  Mr.  Willis  was  at  Winona  await- 
ing his  order,  he  revoked  the  appointment  of  Gere  and  gave  the 
position  to  Mr.  Willis,  who  was  appointed  clerk  of  the  district  court 
about  the  7th  of  July. 

Mr.  Willis  brought  his  family  here  and  rented  the  building  on 
Front  street  built  by  Dr.  Balcombe  (the  Ranney  building ),  where  he 
lived  during  the  winter.  He  used  the  lean-to  of  the  building  as  his 
office.  The  same  room  was  also  used  as  a  schoolroom  for  a  select 
school  kept  by  his  daughter,  now  Mrs.  Giliett,  living  in  the  village 
of  Chatfield.  This  school  is  really  entitled  to  be  called  the  first 
fully  established  school  taught  in  Winona.  It  was  kept  three  or 
four  months  with  about  twenty-five  pupils. 

Mr.  Willis  lived  at  Winona  during  the  winter  and  moved  to  Chat- 
field in  the  spring  of  1854.  About  ten  or  twelve  years  ago  he  re- 
turned to  Winona,  and  has  since  made  it  his  home. 

John  Keyes  came  to  Winona  on  September  12,  1853.  He  landed 
with  his  wife  and  two  children  at  Hamilton's,  on  the  lower  end  of  the 
prairie.     He  bought  an  undivided  one-eighth  of  H.  S.  Hamilton's 


356  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

claim,  and  lived  in  a  part  of  his  house  durinijj  the  winter  and  follow- 
ing; summer.  While  living  here  he  procured  timber  and  lumber  to 
build  a  house  on  the  upper  part  of  the  claim  next  below  where  the 
Hubbards  built  their  houses.  The  following  season  he  became  dis- 
satisfied with  his  investment  with  Mr.  Hamilton,  and  having  an 
opportunity  purchased  the  interest  of  Cajjtain  Smith  in  claim  No. 
1,  the  lower  claim.  The  claim  had  been  divided  between  Smith  and 
Johnson,  Johnson  taking  the  west  part,  leaving  the  eastern  portion 
for  Captain  Smith. 

Mr.  Keyes  at  once  put  up  a  shanty  and  took  possession.  He 
moved  his  family  there  about  September  1,  1854,  and  the  same  fall 
built  the  house  in  which  he  lived  nearly  a  score  of  years  before  he 
built  the  brick  house  (to  which  the  old  one  is  attached)  where  his 
family  now  resides.  John  Keyes  died  in  November,  1877.  Mr. 
Keyes  was  a  lawyer  by  profession,  and  held  his  office  in  his  house 
when  he  commenced  business  here.  In  the  fall  of  1855  he  was 
appointed  clerk  in  the  United  States  land  office  by  L.  D.  Smith,  the 
receiver,  and  continued  in  that  position  until  the  spring  of  1857,  after 
the  land  office  was  removed  to  Faribault.  He  then  resumed  the 
practice  of  law.  His  office  was  in  a  small  building  on  the  levee 
near  the  Winona  House,  owned  and  occupied  by  John  A.  Mathews 
as  a  real  estate  and  loan  office.  In  1862  this  office  was  burned.  He 
was  afterward  one  of  the  firm  of  Sargent,  Franklin  &  Keyes,  and 
at  the  time  of  his  death  one  of  the  law  firm  of  Keyes  &  Snow. 

From  an  early  day  Mr.  Keyes  took  a  great  interest  in  the  public 
schools  of  the  city  of  Winona.  He  was  a  director  and  clerk  of  the 
board  from  the  time  the  first  district  school  was  opened  until  long 
after  the  present  system  was  established.  The  city  of  Winona  is 
more  indebted  to  John  Keyes  for  its  present  system  of  graded 
schools  than  to  any  other  one  person  among  the  pioneer  settlers  or 
citizens  of  more  modern  days. 

M.  Wheeler  Sargent  came  to  Winona  in  this  year.  His  arrival, 
given  in  his  address,  from  which  quotations  have  been  made,  is 
mentioned  as  follows:  "I  first  saw  this  county  August  1,  1853, 
carrying  a  chain  northward  between  towns  105  of  ranges  8  and  9. 
The  first  house  I  saw  was  that  of  Wm.  Davidson,  August  11. 
Town  105  of  ranges  7,  8,  9  and  10  had  no  occupants.  Town  106, 
of  the  same  ranges,  had  no  inhabitants  except  L.  II.  Springer,  Wm. 
Davidson  and  families,  in  106.  range  10,  and  Hull  and  Bently  in 
range  9. 


BENJAMIN      ELLSWORTH. 


A    CELEBEATION.  359 

"Town  107,  range  9,  had  Wra.  Sweet  and  family  — 107,  range 
10,  none  — 108,  range  10,  had  John  and  David  Cook.  The  other 
settlers  of  our  county  were  on  the  Mississippi,  or  in  the  immediate 
valleys  of  some  of  its  tributaries. 

"On  the  19th  of  September  of  that  year  the  speaker  first  saw 
this  prairie,  coming  in  from  the  Gilmore  valley.  Fancy  he  made 
something  of  a  spread  that  night,  for,  with  a  half-dozen  others,  he 
slept  at  full  length  on  the  ground,  between  his  present  ofiice  and  the 
Mississippi,  with  his  hat  for  a  nightcap  and  boots  for  a  pillow.  His 
toilet  he  prefers  giving  in  an  autobiography  when  called  for  ;  it  is 
not  particularly  allied  to  the  history  of  this  county." 

When  Mr.  Sargent  came  into  this  county  he  was  in  the  employ 
of  Wm.  Ashley  Jones,  who  was  engaged  in  surveying  the  public 
lands  in  this  part  of  the  territory.  On  reaching  Wabasha  prairie 
he  decided  to  locate  there  and  establish  himself  in  the  practice  of 
his  profession  as  a  lawyer.  He  was  appointed  district  attorney 
before  the  county  of  Fillmore  was  divided,  and  after  Winona  county 
was  created  he  was  elected  register  of  deeds  and  appointed  clerk  of 
the  district  court.  He  was  the  first  mayor  of  the  city  of  Winona  ; 
he  was  also  a  member  of  the  legislature  from  this  county.  When 
he  first  came  here  he  began  the  practice  of  law  by  himself ;  in  1855 
he  was  of  the  law  firm  of  Sargent,  Wilson  &  Windom,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1866,  he  was  one  of  the  firm  of 
Sargent,  Franklin  &  Keyes. 

More  extended  notices  of  these  two  prominent  pioneer  settlers 
(John  Keyes  and  M.  Wheeler  Sargent)  would  be  made  if  it  were 
not  that  their  biographical  sketches  will  be  given  under  another 
division  of  this  history. 


CHAPTEK  XXXY. 


A   CELEBRATION. 


The  fourth  of  July,  1853,  was  celebrated  with  a  great  deal  of 
patriotic  enthusiasm  at  Minnesota  City.  The  settlers  of  Rolling 
Stone  invited  the  citizens  of  Wabasha  prairie  to  join  them  in  the 
customary  honors  and  hospitalities  of  "independence  day."  The 
invitation  was  accepted,  and  many  from  the  prairie  were  in  attend- 
21 


360  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

ance.     The  occasion  was  said  to  have  been  one  of  unusual  interest 
and  gratification  to  the  settlers  assembled. 

The  celebration  was  held  in  "the  public  square,"  under  the 
oaks.  The  introductory  was  the  following  song,  written  by  Kobert 
Pike,  Jr.,  the  ])oet  of  the  colony.  It  was  sung  to  the  tune  of 
'^ Baker's  Farewell": 

"  We've  left  the  homes  our  childhood  loved, 
The  friends  we  never  can  forget; 
The  friends  that  long,  long  years  have  proved, 
The  friends  who  still  in  dreams  are  met. 

We've  come  to  make  us  other  homes, 

On  Minnesota's  garden  lands, 
Where  ev'ry  gen'rous  heart  that  comes 

Is  met  by  loving  hearts  and  hands. 

What  though  the  red-man  roams  the  woods, 
And  wild  and  rude  the  landscape  seems ; 

Is  it  not  fairer  than  it  stood, 

As  seen  in  fancy's  brightest  dreams? 

What  though  our  domes  are  all  unreared, 

And  labor  in  our  pathway  lies ; 
Labor  is  pleasant,  when  'tis  cheered 

By  helping  hands  and  loving  eyes. 

No  greener  valleys  meet  the  sight, 

No  purer  fountains,  gushing  free. 
No  birds  of  song,  or  flowers  more  bright, 

Bringing  perfum.e  and  melody. 

Hurra !  then,  for  our  chosen  home, 

While  bound  by  friendship's  silken  bond ; 

Our  feet  no  more  shall  seek  to  roam. 

Our  hearts  shall  never  more  despond." 

The  orator  of  the  day  was  Egbert  Chapman,  who,  it  is  said,  gave 
an  admirable  and  exceedingly  appro})riate  address.  He  was  fol- 
lowed by  Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  who  became  really  eloquent  in  his 
remarks,  which  were  listened  to  with  pleased  expressions  by  the 
assemblage. 

An  elegant  re^jast  was  furnished  by  the  ladies,  to  which  all  were 
invited.  The  concourse  then  adjourned  from  "the  park"  to  the 
tables  prepared  under  the  shade  of  the  walnuts,  wliere  ample  justice 
was  awarded  the  good  things  provided.  After  all  were  satisfied, 
volunteer  toasts  were  drank  from  glasses  filled  with  pure  cold  water 
plentifully  furnished. 


A    CELEBEATION.  361 

Toasts  were  given  by  Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  Edwin  Hamilton,  W.  H. 
Colburn,  R.  Taylor,  O.  M.  Lord,  T.  K.  Allen,  S.  J.  Smith,  and 
others.  Some  of  them  are  given  to  show  the  character  of  the  enter- 
tainment. 

The  first  was  by  Robert  Pike,  Jr.:  "The  ladies.  May  they 
ever  be  pure,  as  our  own  bright  fountains  ;  beautiful,  as  our  wild 
flowers  ;  as  even  of  temper  as  our  own  delightful  climate  ( except 
the  thunderstorms ),  and  as  fruitful  as  the  soil  to  which  they  have 
been  transplanted." 

The  second  was  by  Edwin  Hamilton  :  "  Superior  cookery.  The 
art  that  makes  us  happy,  and  that  none  better  understand  than  the 
ladies  of  Minnesota  City." 

The  third  was  by  W.  H.  Colburn  :  "The  motto  of  our  glorious 
country,  '  Union  is  Strength.'  Minnesota  City  and  Winona, —  may 
they  be  ever  thus  united  is  the  earnest  wish  of  Winona  to-day." 

The  sixth  was  by  Robert  Pike,  Jr.:  "Winona  and  Minnesota 
Gty.  May  all  the  rivalry  which  exists  between  them  be  the  rivalry 
of  good  neighborhood,  and  the  desire  to  excel  in  oflices  of  kindness 
and  humanity." 

The  eighth  was  by  T.  K.  Allen:  "Peace,  prosperity  and 
equality.     May  it  long  be  enjoyed  in  Minnesota." 

The  twelfth  was  by  E.  Chapman:  "The  glorious  4:th  of  July. 
May  the  remembrance  of  the  day  ever  be  in  the  hearts  of  the 
people." 

The  thirteenth  was  by  O.  M.  Lord  :  "  Winona.  Like  her 
namesake,  wild  and  beautiful,  may  she  prosper  till  the  height  of 
her  aspiration  is  amply  rewarded." 

The  eighteenth  was  by  S.  J.  Smith:  "Here  is  to  Minnesota 
City  from  her  eldest  daughter,  Winona.  Although  the  Dark  Water 
city,  yet  her  waters  are  clear  and  sparkling  ;  and  to  its  men,  who 
being  Rolling  Stone  men,  yet  gather  commercial  moss  ;  and  to  its 
ladies,  who  are  blooming." 

Another  by  O.  M.  Lord  :  "The  Mississippi  river,  the  highway 
of  the  nation.  As  long  as  the  water  flows  in  its  channel  may  her 
valleys  annually  resound  with  the  sound  of  cannon  proclaiming  the 
independence  of  the  American  people." 

The  day's  enjoyment  closed  with  another  song  written  by  Robert 
Pike,  Jr.  This  was  the  first  time  the  "  Glorious  Fourth  "  was  ever 
celebrated  in  southern  Minnesota. 

July  9  the  board  of  county  commissioners  of  Fillmore  county 


362  HISTORY    OF    WnsrONA    COUNTY. 

met  at  the  Wiiiona  hotel,  and  divided  the  county  into  precincts  and 
appointed  judges  of  election,  ' 

The  part  of  tlie  county  north  of  a  line  west  from  a  point  five 
miles  below  the  town  plat  of  Mt.  Vernon  on  the  Mississippi  river 
to  the  west  line  of  the  county  was  called  Mt.  Yernon  precinct. 
James  Kirkraan  and  Louis  Krutzly,  living  at  the  mouth  of  the 
White  Water,  and  A.  P.  Hall,  of  Mt.  Vernon,  were  appointed 
judges  of  election.     This  precinct  had  twelve  legal  voters. 

The  Minnesota  City  precinct  was  the  next  south  of  the  Mt.  Ver- 
non precinct.  The  judges  of  election  were  H.  B.  Waterman,  O.  H. 
Hauk  and  E.  B.  Drew.  This  had  the  largest  number  of  voters  of 
any  precinct. 

The  Winona  precinct  included  Wabasha  prairie  only.  The 
judges  of  election  were  Harvey  Hubbard,  O.  S.  Holbrook  and 
George  F.  Childs. 

The  Minneowah  precinct  extended  south  to  a  line  due  west  from 
a  point  on  the  Mississippi  opposite  the  mouth  of  Black  river  to  the 
west  line  of  the  county.  The  line  between  this  and  the  Minnesota 
City  precinct  was  not  defined.  The  judges  of  election  were  W.  B. 
Bunnell,  of  Bunnell's  landing,  James  F.  Toms,  of  Minneowah,  and 
William  Hewitt,  of  Buyns  valley.     This  had  sixteen  voters. 

The  Root  River  precinct  was  between  the  south  line  of  the  Min- 
neowah precinct  and  a  line  west  from  the  mouth  of  Root  river  to 
the  west  line  of  the  county.  The  judges  of  election  were  G.  W. 
Gilfillan,  Joseph  Brown  and  John  L.  Looney.  It  had  ten  legal  voters. 

The  Brownsville  precinct  was  all  of  the  county  lying  between 
the  Root  River  precinct  at  the  Iowa  state  line.  The  judges  of  elec- 
tion were  Charles  Brown,  Samuel  McPhail  and  M.  C.  Young. 

At  this  meeting  of  the  board  of  commissioners  a  school  district 
was  established  at  Minnesota  City,  but  no  specific  boundaries  given. 
It  was  presumed  to  include  the  whole  precinct. 

A  petition  for  a  public  road  from  Winona  to  Minnesota  City  was 
received  and  the  following  examiners  appointed  —Harvey  Hubbard 
and  E.  B.  Drew.  These  road  examiners  were  to  meet  on  Tuesday, 
July  19,  at  Minnesota  City.  C.  R.  Coryell,  of  Rolling  Stone,  was 
appointed  county  surveyor. 

The  next  meeting  of  the  board  was  at  the  Winona  House,  on  July 
22,  1853.  At  this  meeting  Gere  and  Luark  were  present.  In  the 
absence  of  Mr.  Stall,  the  commissioners  appointed  Sylvester  J. 
Smith  clerk  of  the  board  pro  tern. 


A    CELEBRATION.  363 

"The  examiners  of  the  road  between  Minnesota  City  and 
Winona  reported  that  they  had  located  the  road.  The  report  was 
received,  examined  and  fully  accepted,  and  an  order  issued  to  the 
county  surveyor  to  locate  and  survey  the  same." 

This  was  the  first  public  road  ofiicially  located  in  the  county. 
The  above  copy  of  the  record  is  the  only  documentary  evidence  of 
the  fact.  All  books  and  papers  relative  to  the  proceedings  of  this 
board  of  county  commissioners  were  taken  to  Chatfield,  the  first 
county  seat  of  Fillmore  county.  Mr.  E.  B.  Drew,  one  of  the  exam- 
iners, says  the  road  was  surveyed  and  located  about  where  the 
present  road  from  Minnesota  City  to  Winona  is  now  iaid.  It  was 
resurveyed  after  Winona  county  was  created. 

The  first  general  election  held  in  the  county  was  on  the  second 
Tuesday,  the  11th  of  October,  1853.  At  this  general  election  Hon. 
H.  M.  Rice  was  elected  delegate  to  congress  from  the  Territory  of 
Minnesota.  Hon.  O.  M.  Lord  was  elected  a  representative  to  the 
territorial  legislature  from  this  representative  district.  In  Jan- 
uary, 1854,  when  Mr.  Lord  attended  the  fifth  legislature  to  which 
he  was  elected,  he  walked  from  Minnesota  City  to  St.  Paul  for  that 
purpose. 

At  this  election  the  following  officers  were  elected  in  Fillmore 
county:  county  attorney,  Andrew  Cole;  judge  of  probate,  H.  B. 
Waterman  ;  register  of  deeds,  William  B.  Gere  ;  sheriff,  John  lams; 
county  commissioners,  John  C.  Laird,  Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  and  W.  B. 
Bunnell. 

"The  justices  of  the  peace  elected  were  —  for  Wabasha  prairie, 
George  M.  Gere  and  Wm.  H.  Stevens  (Mr.  Stevens  had  previously 
served  as  justice  of  the  peace.  He  was  appointed  in  July,  1853, 
by  Governor  Gorman) ;  for  Minnesota  City,  H.  B.  Waterman  and 
Robert  Pike,  Jr.;  for  Mt.  Yernon,  S.  M.  Burns;  for  Minneowah, 
Mynon  Lewis. 

Among  the  settlers  who  came  into  the  county  later  in  this  season 
were  Mathew  Ewing,  Dr.  Allen,  E.  S.  Smith,  A.  C.  Smith,  James 
McClellan,  Luke  Blair,  G.  W.  Wiltse,  Lysander  Kately,  James 
Worrall,  George  Gay  and  T.  B.  Twiford. 

Mathew  Ewing  settled  on  H.  S.  Hamilton's  claim,  where  he  built 
a  comfortable  frame  house  and  opened  a  store  with  a  fair  assortment 
of  goods.  He  sold  goods  during  the  winter  and  in  the  spring  closed 
out  his  stock  and  gave  up  the  business.  He  then  located  himself  in 
the  village  and  purchased  two  lots  on  the  corner  of  Third  and  John- 


364  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

8on  streets,  and  also  a  lot  on  the  corner  of  Johnson  and  Front  streets, 
where  he  built  the  building  now  standing  on  it.  After  two  or 
three  years  here  he  sold  out  and  left  the  county. 

James  McClellan  brought  a  stock  of  goods  with  him  and  opened 
a  store  in  the  front  part  of  the  main  portion  of  the  residence  of  Rev. 
E.  Ely,  which  was  built  this  year.'  Mr.  McClellan  remained  here 
until  early  in  the  spring,  when  he  moved  his  family  and  goods  to 
Chattield. 

Dr.  Allen  (his  initials  are  unknown  to  the  writer)  came  here  and 
located  himself  as  a  practicing  physician.  He  was  the  first  to  settle 
in  the  county  to  make  that  profession  his  special  business.  He 
remained  here  until  the  spring  of  1854,  when  he  moved  to  Chatlield. 

E.  S.  Smith  bought  an  interest  in  the  Stevens  claim,  and  for  a 
year  or  two  lived  in  Winona,  dealing  in  real  estate,  etc.  He 
married  Miss  Mary  Burns,  and  settled  in  Burns  valley,  where  he 
built  the  Glen  Flouring  Mill,  He  remained  there  several  years  and 
then  sold  out  and  moved  to  Winona,  where  his  family  yet  resides. 
Mr.  Smith  went  to  Washington  Territory,  where  he  was  for  awhile 
connected  with  the  western  portion  of  the  North  Pacific  railroad. 
Although  he  occasionally  visits  his  home  in  Minnesota,  he  is  yet 
engaged  in  business  in  Washington  Territory,  which  requires  his 
personal  attention  there  much  of  his  time. 

Andrew  C.  Smith  settled  in  Winona.  In  1855  he  started  the 
first  drug  store  ever  opened  in  the  county.  After  several  years' 
residence  here  he  moved  to  Stockton.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
State  legislature  from  this  county  in  1869.  He  is  now  a  resident  of 
Rochester,  Olmsted  county. 

L.  D,  Smith  visited  Wabasha  prairie  during  the  fall  and  winter 
of  1853,  but  did  not  bring  his  family  here  to  live  until  the  spring  of 
1854.  He  purchased  the  "  Fridley  claim"  and  built  a  house  on  it, 
where  he  lived  several  years.  This  house  is  yet  standing  near  the 
corner  of  Franklin  and  Wabasha  streets.  He  then  moved  to  his 
farm  in  the  south  Rolling  Stone  valley  about  half  a  mile  above  the 
village  of  Stockton,  where  he  lived  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
He  was  appointed  receiver  in  the  United  States  la'nd  office  in  1854, 
and  was  one  of  the  most  active  in  securing  the  land  grant  for  the 
benefit  of  the  railroads  in  this  state.  Further  mention  will  be  made 
of  him  in  other  divisions  of  this  history. 

Wm.  Ashley  Jones  was  a  deputy  United  States  surveyor. 
During  the   summer  of  1853    he   was   engaged  in   the  survey  of 


A    CELEBRATION.  365 

public  lands  in  southern  Minnesota.  In  the  fall  of  this  year  he 
visited  Wabasha  prairie,  and  in  the  spring  following  moved  his 
family  there  and  made  Winona  his  home  for  about  ten  years,  when 
he  moved  to  Dubuque.     He  is  now  a  resident  of  Dakota. 

Mr.  Jones  held  an  undivided  interest  in  the  Smith  and  Johnson 
town  plot,  and  also  an  interest  in  the  Stevens  claim  (Stevens'  addi- 
tion). He  opened  up  a  large  farm  in  the  town  of  St.  Charles.  It  is 
now  known  as  the  "Lamberton  Farm."  Besides  dealing  in  real 
estate,  Mr.  Jones  found  time  and  means  to  start  the  first  newspaper 
published  in  the  county,  "The  Winona  Argus." 

Luke  Blair  came  to  Wabasha  prairie  in  the  fall  of  this  year.  He 
bought  two  lots  on  the  corner  of  Center  and  Second  streets,  where 
the  "Simpson  Block"  now  stands.  He  brought  with  him  a  small 
drove  of  cattle,  which  he  wintered  in  stables  built  on  the  back  part 
of  these  lots.  He  made  a  claim  in  what  is  now  the  town  of 
Saratoga,  but  did  not  occupy  it  until  the  following  season.  Early  in 
the  spring  of  1854  he  built  a  store  on  lot  4,  block  16,  and  brought 
on  a  stock  of  general  merchandise. 

During  the  summer  he  moved  his  family  out  on  his  claim.  In 
the  fall  he  sold  the  two  lots  with  his  store  building  to  W.  G.  Dye, 
who  sold  them  to  V.  Simpson,  the  present  owner,  and  sold  his  stock 
of  goods  to  James  H.  Jacoby,  who  continued  the  business  in  the 
same  locality  under  the  name  of  Day  &  Co.  The  upper  part  of 
Blair's  building  was  used  as  a  public  hall.  Meetings  were  held  here 
until  it  was  used  as  a  printing-office  by  Wm.  Ashley  Jones.  This 
was  where  the  "Winona  Argus"  was  started,  with  Samuel  Melvin 
as  associate  editor  and  foreman  in  the  office.  W.  G.  Dye  set  the  first 
type  for  this  paper. 

Mr.  Blair  settled  on  his  claim,  which  has  been  his  permanent 
home.  The  vicinity  was  long  known  as  the  Blair  settlement.  Mr. 
Wiltse  and  Mr.  Kately  made  claims  in  that  part  of  the  county,  and 
wintered  there  in  1853-4. 

George  Gay  made  a  claim  in  Burns  valley,  on  what  was  after- 
ward known  as  the  Salisbury  Place.  He  remained  here  a  year  or  two 
and  moved  to  Wabasha  county.  James  Worrall  settled  in  Winona, 
and  about  two  years  after  went  to  Wabasha  county. 


CHAPTER  XXXVL 

CHATFIELD  SETTLED  AND  WINONA  COUNTY  ORGANIZED. 

In  the  fall  of  this  year,  1853,  T.  B.  Twiford  came  into  this  county 
from  Lansing,  Iowa.  In  his  prospecting  excursions  and  explorations 
he  discovered  the  present  site  of  Chatfield,  in  the  northern  part  of 
Fillmore  county,  and  conceived  the  project  of  making  it  a  town  site. 
At  Winona  he  formed  the  acquaintance  of  Grove  W.  Willis,  and  a 
scheme  was  concocted  to  form  a  stock  company  and  make  Twiford's 
newly-discoTcred  town  site  the  county  seat  of  Fillmore  county. 

The  plan  proposed  was  to  divide  the  stock  into  twelve  shares. 
The  shareholders  were  T.  B.  Twiford,  G.  W.  Willis,  H.  C.  Gere, 
Myron  Toms,  William  B.  Gere,  Harvey  Hubbard,  John  I.  Hub- 
bard, Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  James McClellan  and  W.  B.  Bunnell.  It  was 
designed  that  each  of  the  members  of  the  board  of  county  commis- 
sioners should  be  presented  with  a  share  in  the  new  town  site —  the 
proposed  county  seat,  but  Mr.  Luark  of  the  appointed  board  was 
absent  from  the  territory,  and  John  C.  Laird,  of  the  newly-elected 
board  was  too  strongly  interested  in  Winona  to  be  utilized.  Neither 
of  these  men  were  shareholders  in  the  project. 

Twiford  and  Willis  put  up  a  log  shanty  on  the  proposed  town 
site,  to  which  they  gave  the  name  of  Chatfield,  and  placed  a  man  by 
the  name  of  Case  in  the  shanty  temporarily,  to  hold  the  locality  for 
the  company.  It  was  generally  known  that  the  inembers  of  the  old 
board  of  county  commissioners,  Gere  and  Toms,  whose  term  of  office 
expired  on  January  1,  1854,  were  in  favor  of  locating  the  county 
seat  in  the  locality  selected  by  Mr.  Twiford,  but  it  was  considered 
extremely  doubtful  if  they  had  any  authority  to  act  in  the  matter. 
The  law  provided  that  it  should  be  the  duty  of  the  first  board  of 
county  commissioners  elected  to  locate  the  county  seat.  The  first 
board  had  been  appointed  by  the  governor  as  provided  by  the  act 
creating  Fillmore  county. 

In  furtherance  of  the  plan  of  Twiford  and  Willis  the  appointed 
board  assumed  the  authority  to  locate  the  county  seat,  although  it 
was  generally  conceded  by  everybody  that  this  power  belonged  to 
the  first  elected  board. 


CHATFIELD    SETTLED.  367 

The  following  entry  was  made  on  the  record  of  the  proceedings 
of  the  county  commissioners  by  the  clerk  : 

Pursuant  to  agreement,  the  commissioners  of  Fillmore  county,  Minnesota 
Territory,  on  December  19,  a.d.  1853,  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  Case,  in  Root  River 
precinct,  in  the  town  of  Chatfield —  present  Henry  C.  Gere  and  Myron  Toms. 
The  object  of  said  meeting  was  to  locate  the  county  seat  of  said  Fillmore 
county,  pursuant  to  the  statute  in  such  case  made  and  provided.  It  was  then 
and  there  resolved  that  the  county  seat  should  be  located  at  Chatfield,  in  the 
center  of  section  6,  town  104  north,  of  range  11  west.  Then  the  commissioners 
adjourned,  to  meet  at  the  residence  of  W.  B.  Bunnell,  in  Minneowah,  on  Tues- 
day, December  27,  a.d.  1853.  G.  W.  Willis, 

Clerk  County  Commissioners,  pro  tern. 

The  commissioners  Gere  and  Toms  met  at  Bunnell's  on  the 
27th  of  December,  1853,  and  appointed  C.  F.  Buck  clerk  of  the 
board.  They  here  audited  the  accounts  of  county  officers  presented, 
and  issued  county  orders  to  the  amount  of  $411.47.  This  was  the 
last  meeting  of  this  board  of  commissioners. 

At  the  time,  the  county  seat  of  Fillmore  county  was  located  at 
what  is  now  Chatfield.  The  nearest  settler  was  at  Springer's,  now 
St.  Charles.  There  was  not  even  a  claim  shanty  within  ten  miles 
of  the  log  pen  designated  as  "the  residence  of  Mr.  Case."  It  was 
then  considered  uncertain  whether  the  county  seat  was  located 
within  the  western  boundary  of  Fillmore  county. 

It  was  estimated  that  on  January  1,  1854,  there  were  about  800 
inhabitants  within  the  present  boundaries  of  Winona  county.  This 
is  thought  to  be  a  liberal  estimate  and  probably  a  large  excess  over 
actual  numbers. 

The  board  of  county  commissioners  of  Fillmore  county  elected 
October  11,  1853,  met  at  the  liouse  of  Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  in  Minne- 
sota City  January  2,  1854.  Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  John  C.  Laird  and 
W.  B.  Bunnell  were  present.  The  register  of  deeds,  W.  B.  Gere, 
clerk  of  the  board,  was  also  present.  The  board  was  organized 
by  electing  W.  B.  Bunnell  chairman.  This  session  of  the  board 
continued  two  days.  It  is  evident  from  the  records  that  consider- 
able business  was  done. 

The  following  extract  was  copied  from  the  record  :  "The  board 
then  proceeded  to  ballot  for  the  location  of  the  county  seat,  which 
resulted  in  one  vote  for  Winona,  one  vote  for  Chatfield  and  one  vote 
for  Minnesota  City.  As  the  board  could  not  agree  upon  the  loca- 
tion, they  decided  that  the  locating  should  be  postponed  until  a 
future  meeting." 


368  IIISTOUY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Aside  from  the  stock  company,  the  shareholders,  there  was  not 
a  settler  in  the  county  that  favored  the  location  of  the  county  seat  at 
Chatfield.  Meetings  were  held  at  Minnesota  City,  Winona  and 
Minneowah  condemning  the  action  of  the  appointed  board,  but  each 
locality  instructed  its  representative  commissioner  to  locate  the 
county  seat  at  his  own  home  or  place,  and  under  no  circumstances 
to  give  it  to  a  rival  town. 

Mr.  Sinclair  says  in  his  historical  sketch  in  1876:  "At  these 
meetings  the  commissioner  from  Minnesota  City,  Mr.  Pike,  was 
instructed  by  his  constituents  to  vote  for  the  location  of  the  county 
seat  at  that  place,  and  in  no  event  at  Winona;  but  if  it  became 
necessary  for  him  to  exercise  discretionary  power  in  making  a  second 
choice,  to  vote  in  favor  of  Chatfield.  The  reason  is  obvious  :  the 
location  at  Chatfield,  upon  the  division  of  the  county,  would  give 
Minnesota  (^ity  another  chance,  whereas  locating  the  county  seat 
at  Winona  would  forever  debar  Minnesota  City  from  securing  the 
coveted  prize.  The  same  reasoning  led  Bunnell,  from  his  stand- 
point, to  operate  in  like  manner  in  favor  of  that  other  rival  of 
Winona,  the  much-vaunted  Minneowah." 

While  each  of  the  i-ival  localities  was  clamorous  for  the  county 
seat,  without  a  prospect  of  either  securing  it,  there  were  conserva- 
tive men  in  each  locality  who  favored  a  division  of  the  county  rather 
than  liave  the  county  seat  located  at  Chatfield,  as  indications  showed 
it  would  be.  This  was  most  strongly  advocated  at  Winona.  H. 
D.  Huff  assumed  the  leadership  of  this  scheme  for  the  purpose  of 
securing  the  county  seat  at  his  town.  It  was  found  that  Mr.  Lord, 
the  representative  in  the  territorial  legislature  from  this  district, 
although  a  resident  of  Minnesota  City,  was  in  favor  of  a  divisioii  of 
Fillmore  county,  and  promised  his  aid.  He  gave  Mr.  Huff  what  he 
considered  the  proper  boundaries  for  a  new  county — the,  same  that 
are  now  the  boundaries  of  Winona  county. 

Every  means  available  was  brought  to  bear  to  induce  commis- 
sioners Bunnell  and  Pike  to  cast  their  vote  for  Winona.  Friendship 
and  diplomacy  failed  to  win,  the  desired  vote.  There  was  no 
compromise  with  Bunnell.  It  was  said  that  a  bribe  of  a  block  of  land 
was  offered  to  Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  from  two  prominent  citizens  of 
Winona,  in  consideration  of  his  vote,  which  he  indignantly  refused 
to  accept. 

On  January  7  the  board  met  at  the  office  of  John  C.  Laird  and 
accomplished  considerable  business,  but  failed  to  settle  the  county- 


CHATFIELD    SETTLED.  369 

seat  question.  Tlie  following  extract  from  record  shows  the  financial 
condition  of  the  county:  "There  being  no  receipts,  the  liabilities 
of  the  county  at  this  date,  by  reference  to  the  bills  on  file,  is 
$536.86." 

M.  Wheeler  Sargent  says  in  his  address:  "L.  H.  Springer 
and  myself  met  H.  D.  Huff"  at  his  residence,  where  we  agreed  upon 
the  outlines  of  a  new  county,  to  be  called  Winona,  with  exactly  its 
present  boundaries.  Huff,  having  the  most  time  and  money,  agreed 
to  engineer  it  through  the  legislature.  Upon  this  mission,  armed 
with  a  petition  having  as  many  names  as  we  thought  the  population 
would  justify,  and  the  other  documents  adapted  to  various  sup- 
posable  emergencies,  he  started  for  St.  Paul. 

On  January  30,  1854,  the  board  of  county  commissioners, 
pursuant  to  adjournment,  met  at  the  house  of  Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  in 
Minnesota  City,  at  which  meeting  Robert  Pike,  Jr.,  John  C.  Laird 
and  W.  B.  Bunnell,  the  chairman,  were  present.  The  register  of 
deeds,  W.  B.  Gere,  was  clerk  of  the  board.  At  this  meeting 
vacancies  were  filled  by  the  following  appointments  :  M.  Wheeler 
Sargent,  district  attorney,  and  C.  F.  Buck,  judge  of  probate.  The 
clerk  was  ordered  to  notify  them  of  their  appointments.  Robert 
Pike,  Jr.,  had  been  appointed  county  surveyor  at  a  previous 
meeting. 

The  all-absorbing  topic  of  conversation,  the  vexed  question  of 
location  of  the  county  seat,  was  settled  at  this  meeting.  The 
following  copy  of  the  record  of  their  proceedings  shows  their  action 
in  the  matter:  "In  pursuance  of  and  in  accordance  with  the 
eighteenth  section  of  the  eleventh  chapter  of  the  session  laws  of 
Minnesota  Territory,  passed  by  the  legislative  assembly  at  the  session 
commencing  January  5,  a.d.  1853,  the  county  commissioners 
proceeded  to  locate  the  county  seat  of  Fillmore  county.  It  was 
decided  by  the  board  of  commissioners  that,  the  county  seat  of  said 
Fillmore  county  should  be  at  Chatfield,  in  said  county,  on  section  6, 
township  104  north,  of  range  11  west." 

It  was  charged  by  some  of  the  disappointed  Winonians  that 
John  C.  Laird  sold  out  his  constituents  for  a  share  in  Chatfield.  G. 
W.  Willis,  now  living  in  the  city  of  Winona,  says  this  was  not  so ; 
that  Mr.  Laird  never  held  a  share  in  the  Chatfield  Land  Company. 
Although  Mr.  Twiford  was  the  originator,  Mr.  Willis  was  the 
leader  and  manager,  of  the  scheme  to  locate  the  county  seat  at 
Chatfield.     He  says:  "Bunnell  and  Pike  located  the  county  seat 


370  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

—  a  majority  of  the  board  could  do  it.  I  never  knew  that  Laird 
voted  for  it,  and  doubt  that  he  did  so,  for  he  always  opposed  us. 
None  of  the  commissioners  were  bribed  to  vote  for  it,  although 
everything  else  was  done  to  influence  them.  Bunnell  and  Pike 
would  have  voted  for  Tophet  rather  than  have  given  it  to  Winona." 

Mr.  G.  W.  Willis  went  to  St.  Paul  to  procure  a  charter  for  the 
Chattield  Land  Company,  and  to  defeat  the  proposed  division  of  the 
county.  He  was  successful  in  securing  the  charter  for  the  company 
from  the  legislature,  then  in  session,  but  his  influence  there  was  in- 
suflicient  to  prevent  the  passage  of  the  act  creating  Winona  county. 

The  bill  for  the  division  of  Fillmore  county  and  forming  of  the 
present  county  of  Winona  was  introduced  and  supported  by  Hon. 
O.  M.  L<:)rd,  in  the  house.  He  was  strongly  backed  by  H.  D.  Huff* 
as  a  lobby  member  and  general  manager.  Winona  county  was 
created  by  act  of  the  territorial  legislature  February  23,  1854. 


CHAPTER  XXXYII. 

THE   DISTRICT  SCHOOLS   OF   WINONA   COUNTY. 

Winona  county  was  formed  by  the  territorial  legislature  of 
1854,  from  a  part  of  Fillmore  county,  which  had  previously  com- 
prised the  southeastern  portion  of  the  state.  The  first  ])ermanent 
settlements  were  made  along  the  Mississippi  river  in  the  spring  of 
1852.  There  was  no  school  taught  in  what  is  now  Winona  county 
during  that  summer.  A  subscription  school  was  opened  for  a  term  of 
three  months  in  the  autunm  by  Miss  Ann  Orton,  with  an  attendance 
of  about  twenty  pupils,  at  Minnesota  City.  July  9,  1853,  a  school 
district  was  formed  by  the  county  commissioners  at  Minnesota  City, 
and  organized  under  the  territorial  law,  and  Miss  Hester  A.  Houck 
was  employed  to  teach.  The  term  began  October  31  and  continued 
thirteen  weeks.  The  names  and  ages  of  the  children  that  attendied 
this  term  of  school  are  given  from  the  rate  bill,  by  which  the  wages 
of  the  teacher  were  collected.  The  sum  agreed  upon  was  $48. 
There  were  twenty-seven  pupils,  eighteen  of  whom  are  now  living 
(1883).     The  list  is  as  follows  :    Mathew  Foster,*   age  11  years  ; 

*  Dead. 


THE    DISTRICT    SCHOOLS.  37 1 

George  Foster*,  6  ;  Milo  Campbell,  7  ;  Thomas  Thorpe,  8  ;  Robert 
Thorpe,  6  ;  John  Thorpe,  13  ;  William  Thorpe,*  3  ;  Mary  E. 
Cotton,  6  ;  Randolph  Wright,*  12  ;  Dan'l  W.  Wright,  9  ;  John  H. 
Wright ;  Edith  Pike,*  11 ;  Emma  Pike,  8  ;  Charlotte  Denman,*  9  ; 
Mary  E.  Denman,  5  ;  James  L.  Denman,  7  ;  Robert  S.  Denman,* 
3  ;  Chas.  Kellogg,  15  ;  Rollin  Hotchkiss,  13  ;  Robert  Hotchkiss, 
13  ;  Lycurgus  Luark,  11  ;  Achilles  Luark,*  5  ;  Elbridge  G.  Lord,* 
4 ;  David  Imes,  13  ;  Samuel  Imes,  7  ;  Herman  Hopson,  6  ;  Ger- 
lana  McClintock,  12.  This  school  district  was  designated  as 
No.  1.  May  1,  1854,  a  petition  was  presented  and  district  No.  2 
was  formed,  comprising  the  town  of  Winona,  and  on  June  5 
following  No.  3  was  formed,  comprising  the  north  part  of  township 
105  and  the  whole  of  106,  range  10.  At  a  meeting  of  the  county 
commissioners  held  July  3,  1854,  the  whole  amount  of  tax  autho- 
rized to  be  raised  for  school  purposes  for  the  current  year  was 
$152.05.  In  October  district  No.  4  was  formed  at  Dakota  precinct. 
Schools  were  opened  in  Nos.  2,  3  and  4  before  the  districts  were 
formally  organized,  and  the  wages  of  the  teachers  were  paid  by  rate 
bill  or  by  subscription.  No.  1  was  for  this  year  the  only  one  that 
reported  a  three  months'  term  to  the  state  department.  At  the 
January  meeting  of  the  county  commissioners,  1855,  the  boundaries 
of  No.  1  were  designated.  Yoting  precincts  had  at  first  been  estab- 
lished by  the  governor,  and  were  afterward  so  established  by  the 
county  commissioners,  and  the  first  school  districts  embraced  the 
election  precincts  which  were  not  clearly  defined.  At  this  meeting 
No.  2  was  divided.  July  3  the  amount  of  school-tax  voted  was 
$632.34.  At  one  of  the  meetings  in  this  year  a  district  was  organ- 
ized at  Springers',  or  St.  Charles,  and  one  in  Lanes'  Yalley,  New 
Hartford  township,  one  at  Geo.  Wiltzies'  in  Saratoga,  and  one  in 
Whitewater  at  John  Cook's.  The  school  districts  of  the  county  now 
numbered  eight.  At  the  January  meeting  of  1856  they  were  in- 
creased to  fifteen  ;  at  the  April  meeting  to  twenty-three  ;  at  the 
July  meeting  to  thirty-five. 

At  the  January  meeting  of  1856  the  first  record  was  made  of  the 
distribution  of  the  school  money.  The  amount  collected  was 
$1,336.47,  which  was  apportioned  among  thirteen  districts. 

At  the  meetings  of  1857  the  number  of  districts  increased  to 
forty-eight.     January  9,    1858,    the   county   treasurer  reported   as 

*Dead. 


372  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

apportioned  among  thirty-five  districts  $3,583.50.  The  hirgest  sum 
to  one  district  was  $662,  the  smallest  was  $22. 

The  aj^parently  unequal  distribution  of  this  fund  gave  rise  to 
much  dissatisfaction.  The  distribution  was  based  upon  the  number 
of  residents  of  each  district  between  the  ages  of  live  and  twenty- 
one.  In  many  cases  district  boundaries  were  not  definitely  recorded, 
and  it  was  claimed  that  the  residents  were  more  than  once  reported. 
It  was  also  claimed  that  some  districts,  instead  of  revising  the  lists 
from  year  to  year,  simply  added  new  names  each  year  to  the  reported 
list,  and  consequently  drew  more  money  than  they  were  legally 
entitled  to.  At  the  last  meeting  of  the  school  board  for  the  year 
1858  the  districts  numbered  sixty-two,  an  increase  of  fourteen  for 
the  year. 

The  amount  of  money  apportioned  among  forty-seven  districts 
for  the  year  1859  was  $662.  There  were  some  complaints  in  regard 
to  this  distribution,  as  the  organized  districts  numbered  sixty-five, 
and  while  one  district  drew  $90.75  another  only  received  $3. 85  ;  but 
as  the  county  business  was  now  transacted  by  the  chairman  of  the 
township  supervisors,  and  each  town  in  the  county  was  represented, 
there  was  no  cause  of  complaint,  except  as  to  unfair  reports  of  resi- 
dents of  districts. 

The  first  record  of  the  number  of  persons  upon  which  the 
apportionment  was  based  was  made  at  the  January  meeting  of  this 
year  (1859),  the  number  recorded  being  2,392.  This  was  the  num- 
ber reported  by  the  forty-seven  districts,  upon  which  the  apportion- 
ment was  made,  although  there  were  eighteen  more  organized  at 
the  time.  During  the  year  ten  more  were  added  to  that  number, 
making  in  all  seventy-five,  showing  a  remarkable  growth  for  the 
two  years. 

The  school  tax,  as  reported  by  the  finance  committee  of  the 
county  board  for  the  year  1859,  was  $5,346.37. 

In  1860  the  legislature  changed  the  law  in  regard  to  county 
boards,  and  the  commissioner  system  was  again  adopted,  and  the 
county  treasurer,  in  his  report  to  the  board,  February  1,  1860, 
reported  as  school  money  on  hand  $2,967.72,  and  in  March  follow- 
ing an  apportionment  of  $4,480.96  was  made  among  the  districts, 
which  reported  2,724  persons  of  schoolable  age. 

March  7,  1861,  the  school  law  was  materially  changed  by  the 
legislature  in  regard  to  forming  school  districts,  etc.  There  was  a 
revision  of  the  whole   code,  which  was  framed  from  that  of  the 


THE    DISTRICT    SCHOOLS.  373 

State  of  Michigan.  In  unorganized  townships  the  county  commis- 
sioners were  authorized  to  form  districts,  but  where  townships  were 
organized  the  supervisors  had  authority  to  change  boundaries,  to 
form  new  districts,  to  levy  taxes,  to  appoint  a  town  superintendent 
and  to  direct  the  collection  of  taxes  through  the  town  treasurers. 

The  legislature  having  neglected  to  provide  for  blank  books, 
reports,  records,  etc.,  there  was  no  uniformity  of  reports  or  records! 
In  some  towns  the  teachers  were  licensed  and  the  school  business 
transacted  without  regard  to  any  particular  form  or  system,  and  if 
any  records  were  made  they  have  not  been  preserved. 

Although  the  law  required  that  existing  boundaries  of  districts 
should  remain  if  practicable,  the  loose  records  and  changes,  and 
want  of  system,  involved  the  district  boundaries  in  great  confusion. 
Township  lines  interfered  with  district  authority,  and  under  this  law 
districts  were  divided  and  new  ones  created  without  regard  to  desig- 
nation by  numbers  as  recorded  in  the  county  auditor's  office. 
Owing  to  this  condition  of  things  it  was  found  difficult  to  properly 
and  legally  levy  school  district  taxes  and  tp  collect  delinquencies. 
The  delinquent  taxes  were  reported  by  the  town  treasurer  to  the 
county  auditor  to  collect  with  the  county  taxes,  which  placed  a  part 
of  the  fund  in  the  hands  of  the  county  treasurer. 

When  districts  were  without  funds  to  pay  their  teachers,  orders 
were  issued  upon  the  district  treasury,  whether  the  particular  district 
was  entitled  to  any  money  from  the  county  treasury  or  not.  If  the 
county  treasurer  had  no  fund  collected  for  that  district  the  orders 
wei-e  usually  sold  to  outside  parties  at  a  discount.  The  collection  of 
these  orders  gave  teachers  a  good  deal  of  trouble.  It  was  said  that 
the  county  treasurer  always  stood  behind  outside  parties  in  buying 
them  at  a  discount,  and  that  the  district  accounts  were  not  properly 
adjusted.  This  system  was  not  satisfactory  to  the  people.  Some  of 
the  local  boards  would  not  levy  a  sufficient  tax  to  maintain  good 
schools,  and,  owing  to  delinquencies,  funds  could  not  at  all  times  be 
made  available. 

There  are  very  few  names  on  record  of  town  superintendents. 
Among  them  are  found  Charles  Heublin,  A.  T.  Castle,  William 
Murray  and  Milton  Buswell. 

From  the  years  1861  to  1866  there  was  no  material  change  in  the 
school  work.  The  attention  of  the  people  was  directed  almost 
wholly  to  the  war,  and  little  or  no  attention  was  in  some  places  paid 
to  school  matters.     January  4,  1866,  the  county  board  appointed  to 


374  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

the  county  superintendency  Albert  Thomas,  salary  fixed  at  $1,200 
per  year.  Mr.  Thomas  had  taught  the  village  school  at  Stockton  for 
several  terms.  He  w^as  the  principal  of  the  first  liigh  school  in  Win- 
ona City,  and  was  known  as  a  teacher  of  marked  ability.  A  previous 
business  engagement  prevented  him  from  accepting  the  appoint- 
ment. May  22,  1866,  the  county  was  divided  into  five  commis- 
sioner districts,  and  a  school  examiner  appointed  for  each  district, 
in  lieu  of  township  supervision.  Geo.  P.  Wilson  was  appointed 
for  No.  1,  V.  J.  Walker  No.  2,  M.  K.  Lair  No.  3,  Thomas  P.  Dixon 
No.  4,  and  Henry  Gage  No.  5.  Under  the  operation  of  this  plan 
the  experience  was  found  to  be  dearly  bought.  Certificates  of  quali- 
fication to  teach  were  obtained  by  asking  for  tliem.  "There  was 
no  definite  standard  of  examination  and  no  uniformity  among 
examiners.  They  were  not  required  to  visit  the  schools,  or  to  exert 
any  official  influence  for  their  welfare,  and  they  felt  no  responsibility 
for  the  work  of  the  persons  licensed."  There  being  no  unity  nor 
system,  no  reliable  statistics  could  be  gathered  from  the  districts  and 
no  groundwork  laid  for  improvement.  The  county  board  now  con- 
sisted of  J.  J.  Kandall  (chairman),  P.  P.  Hubbell,  Collins  Rice,  H. 
C.  Jones  and  S.  W.  Gleason.  After  mucli  discussion,  and  owing 
mainly  to  the  influence  of  Mr.  Randall,  it  was  resolved  to  cKange 
the  plan  of  school  work,  and  at  a  meeting  of  the  board,  Septem- 
ber 7,  1867,  a  resolution  was  adopted  to  organize  the  school  work 
of  the  county  under  a  provision  of  the  school  law  of  1864,  pro- 
viding for  a  county  superintendency,  in  lieu  of  the  general  law  as 
specified  in  section  28  of  the  same  act.  In  this  resolution  was  also 
embodied  the  appointment  of  Luther  A.  West  as  school  superin- 
tendent, to  hold  his  oflice  until  January,  1868,  at  an  annual  salary 
of  $1,000.  January  1,  1868,  Mr.  West  was  reappointed  to  serve 
until  January,  1869.  Mr.  West  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his 
office  in  1867.  He  was  a  good  scholar,  a  teacher  of  large  experience, 
and  was  well  qualified  to  perform  the  duties  of  the  office.  A  great 
deal  of  the  work  required  was  of  the  missionary  order,  as  the  teach- 
ers and  the  people  did  not  clearly  understand  the  duties  of  the 
superintendent.  Mr.  West  met  with  considerable  opposition  at  first. 
Some  persons  supposed  that  the  whole  school  authority  was 
transferred  from  the  district  officers  to  the  superintendent.  Some 
were  opposed  on  account  of  the  large  salary,  and  some  regarded  the 
office  as  entirely  useless.  Mr.  West  made  his  first  special  efibrt  in 
the   direction   of  improving  the   scholarship  and    methods  of  the 


THE    DISTEICT    SCHOOLS.  377 

teachers,  in  which  he  was  very  successful,  and  as  the  people  became 
acquainted  with  his  plan  of  work  his  efforts  were  appreciated  and 
cordially  seconded. 

The  first  teachers'  institute  held  in  Winona  county  was  organized 
by  Mr.  West,  assisted  by  Prof.  Wm.  F.  Phelps  and  his  corps  of 
instructors  of  the  normal  school.  It  was  held  at  St.  Charles,  in 
October,  1867,  with  twenty-three  teachers  ha  attendance,  and  was 
considered  very  profitable  to  those  in  attendance. 

From  the  annual  report  for  the  year  1868  it  is  shown  that  ten 
good,  attractive  and  convenient  schoolhouses  have  been  built  this 
year,  at  a  cost  of  $11,000  ;  also  a  building  at  St.  Charles  for  the 
graded  school,  at  a  cost  of  $15,000.  During  this  year  Mr.  West 
made  a  strong  effort  to  secure  greater  regularity  of  attendance  on 
the  part  of  the  pupils,  and  to  awaken  a  deeper  interest  in  the 
schools  on  the  part  of  parents.  That  he  succeeded  in  doing  a  good 
work  in  this  direction  will  be  seen  from  the  statistical  reports  to  the 
state  superintendent.  The  average  daily  attendance  for  the  year 
1867,  winter  and  summer  terms  being  2,699,  increased  in  1868  to 
4,393,  though  the  enrollment  of  pupils  in  the  last  year,  according 
to  school  population,  had  decreased  from  52  per  cent  in  1867  to  48 
per  cent  in  1868.  Excellent  schoolhouses  were  built  at  Pickwick, 
Saratoga  and  Witoka.  A  teachers'  association  was  formed  and 
meetings  were  held  at  four  different  places  in  the  county.  These 
meetings  produced  good  results.  The  people  became  interested  and 
took  part  in  the  discussions,  and  extended  to  teachers  in  attendance 
the  hospitalities  of  their  homes. 

In  October  a  state  teachers'  institute  was  held  at  St.  Charles, 
with  seventy-five  in  attendance.  The  exercises  were  conducted  by 
an  able  corps  of  instructors,  and  diffused  among  the  teachers  a  great 
deal  of  enthusiasm. 

October  26,  1869,  a  county  teachers'  institute  was  held  at  the 
normal  school  in  Winona,  in  charge  of  Prof.  Wm.  F.  Phelps.  The 
attendance  numbered  118.  The  lessons  were  presented  by  the 
teachers  of  the  normal  school  and  of  the  public  schools  of  Wiiaona. 
Gymnastic  exercises  were  introduced  by  Prof  McGibney.  Prof. 
Carson  gave  instruction  in  penmanship.  On  Tuesday  evening  Dr. 
Guthrie,  of  St.  Charles,  gave  a  lecture  on  geology.  Prof  Hood,  of 
the  city  schools,  participated  in  the  discussions.  On  Thursday  even- 
ing the  Hon.  Mark  H.  Dunnell,  state  superintendent  of  public 
instruction,  addressed  a  large  audience  upon  "Education."  The 
22 


378  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

success  of  this  institute  was  due  mainly  to  the  ability,  activity  and 
earnest  supervision  of  Prof.  Phelps. 

In  the  report  of  Mr.  West  for  the  year  ending  September  80, 
1869,  he  regrets  that  he  is  not  able  to  make  the  financial  part 
accurate,  owing  to  the  errors  of  district  clerks.  He  reports  having 
granted  certificates  to  eighty-four  teachers — twenty-three  to  males 
and  sixty-one  to  females;  fourteen  of  first  grade,  forty-five  of  second, 
and  twenty-five  of  third,  and  in  a  comparison  of  the  year's  work 
with  that  of  1867  shows  that  great  progress  has  been  made,  not 
only  in  the  character  of  the  certificates,  but  in  the  increased  interest 
in  school  matters  by  the  parents,  as  shown  by  the  increase  of 
teachers'  wages,  and  in  the  discipline,  order  and  conduct  of  the 
schools.  This  improvement  he  attributes  to  the  institute  work  and 
to  the  influence  of  professional  training  of  some  of  the  teachers  in 
the  normal  school.  There  were  eleven  new  schoolhouses  built,  at 
an  aggregate  cost  of  $9,227. 

At  the  legislative  session  of  1869  the  law  was  changed  as  to  the 
term  of  county  superintendents,  and  the  county  board  appointed  Mr. 
West  again  to  serve  until  April,  1870.  At  the  meeting  of  the  county 
board  in  March  the  Rev.  David  Burt  was  appointed,  and  entered 
upon  the  duties  of  his  office  April  5,  1870.  Mr.  Burt  had  taught  in 
the  common  schools  of  Massachusetts  for  ten  years,  when  he  entered 
upon  an  academic  course  to  prepare  for  college.  He  graduated  at 
Oberlin,  Ohio,  in  1848,  and  then  spent  three  years  in  the  theological 
seminary  at  Andover,  Massachusetts.  He  removed  to  Winona  in 
1858,  and  took  an  active  part  in  all  educational  work  ;  he  acted  as 
member  of  the  school  board  of  Winona  city,  and  served  as  superin- 
tendent of  its  public  schools.  In  1866  he  assumed  the  duties  of 
general  superintendent  of  the  colored  schools  of  Tennessee,  where 
he  served  for  two  years.  Impaired  health  compelled  him  to  return 
to  Winona. 

His  appointmeVit  to  the  county  superintendency  was  considered, 
and  afterward  proved  to  be,  a  fortunate  and  wise  measure  for  the 
public  schools.  In  addition  to  his  great  natural  ability,  he  was  for- 
tified in  the  work  by  a  useful  and  varied  experience  and  untiring 
energy  and  faithfulness.  He  continued  to  hold  the  office  until  ap- 
pointed by  Gov.  Davis  to  the  state  superintendency  in  1875. 

Mr.  Burt's  first  public  examination  for  teachers  was  held  at 
Stockton,  April  22,  1870,  and  before  the  close  of  the  month  others 
were  held  at  Winona,  Fremont,  Elba  and  Witoka.     For  this  year 


THE    DISTRICT    SCHOOLS.  379 

there  were  issued  114  certificates  ;  ninetj-three  schools  were  visited 
and  lectures  given  on  "Our  Common  Schools"  at  Utica,  White- 
water, Elba,  New  Hartford,  Saratoga,  Hillsdale,  Lewiston,  Stock- 
ton, Pickwick,  Minnesota  City  andlDresback  ;  also  in  districts  Nos.  9 
and  74. 

From  his  report  to  the  state  department  of  November  1,  .1870, 
there  were  ninety-nine  organized  districts  and  eight  unorganized. 
The  schoolable  population  was  5,463  ;  number  enrolled,  4,059. 

A  teachers'  institute  in  charge  of  Mr.  Burt  was  held  at  St. 
Charles,  October  3,  4,  5  and  6,  1871.  The  enrollment  of  actual 
teachers  was  sixty-five,  and  the  institute  was  conducted  on  the 
plan  of  class  recitations,  and  was  pronounced  by  all  in  attendance  a 
decided  success.  The  instructors  are  named  as  L.  T.  Weld,  J. 
E.  Kichards,  E.  Holbrook,  Miss  C.  Harding,  Miss  F.  Barber,  C. 
Pickert,  G.  Olds,  Miss  E.  Fisher,  Geo.  Wilson,  Miss  A.  Bingham, 
Miss  N.  Taft  and  C.  Boyd.  There  were  three  evening  lectures  :  on 
Tuesday  evening,  on  Reading,  by  Mr.  Burt ;  on  Wednesday,  Mo- 
tions of  the  Earth,  by  Mr.  Richards ;  and  on  Thursday  evening. 
Our  Common  Schools,  by  Hon.  Wm.  H.  Yale. 

At  the  fall  examinations  of  1874  sixty-one  teachers  were  licensed. 
The  schools,  except  ten,  were  visited  during  the  winter  following. 
In  the  spring  of  1875  Mr.  Burt,  having  accepted  an  appointment  as 
state  superintendent,  was  requested  by  the  county  commissioners  to 
grant  certificates  to  a  sufficient  number  of  teachers  to  enable  the  dis- 
tricts to  go  on  with  their  schools  for  the  summer  terms,  or  until  his 
successor  could  be  appointed.  The  school  law  at  this  time  required 
a  county  superintendent  to  hold  a  state  certificate.  Special  exami- 
ners were  appointed  and  held  a  meeting  in  Winona,  at  which 
there  were  only  two  or  three  candidates.  The  successful  one  was 
Mr.  John  M,  Cool,  of  St.  Charles,  who  was  then  appointed  county 
superintendent  by  the  board.  Mr.  Cool  had  received  a  common 
school  education  in  Tomkins  county.  New  York,  where  he  had  also 
taught  two  terms  of  school.  He  came  to  Minnesota  in  1857,  and 
taught  in  St.  Charles  seven  terms  of  school.  He  was  recognized  as 
a  very  capable  and  efficient  teacher.  Mr.  Cool  issued  two  certifi- 
cates of  second  grade,  four  of  third  and  rejected  two  applicants. 
He  visited  a  few  schools  in  the  beginning  of  summer,  and  was 
taken  sick,  from  which  he  was  unable  to  do  any  more  school- 
work.  At  his  death  the  vacancy  was  filled,  at  a  special  meeting  of 
the  county  commissioners  on  the  28th  of  September,  1875,  by  the 


380  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

appointment  of   O.    M.  Lord,  who  entered  immediately   upon  the 
duties  of  the  office. 

Owing  to  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Burt  and  to  the  sickness  of  Mr. 
Cool,  the  summer  schools  received  very  little  supervision. 

The  county  superintendents'  report  to  the  state  department  was 
required  to  be  made  October  10,  the  school  year  closing  September 
30.  The  new  incumbent  found  in  the  office  teachers'  term  reports 
for  the  winter  term,  but  some  teachers  did  not  report  the  summer 
terms,  and  several  district  clerks  failed  to  make  financial  reports. 
There  was  only  ten  days  of  time  in  which  to  report  to  the  state 
department,  and  no  personal  knowledge  could  be  obtained  of  the 
condition  of  the  schools  in  that  limited  time  ;  the  consequence  was, 
that  the  county  superintendent's  report  for  the  year  1875  was  very 
imperfect,  but,  from  observations  subsequently  made,  there  was 
probably  no  material  growth  or  change  in  the  condition  or  character 
of  the  schools  from  that  reported  for  the  year  1874. 

The  superintendent  held  five  examinations  in  the  fall,  and  spent 
the  winter  in  visiting  the  schools  and  in  becoming  acquainted  with 
the  teachers  and  school  oflScers.  Examinations  were  also  held  in 
the  spring  and  the  schools  visited  during  the  summer.  In  this  year, 
1876,  under  the  state  supervision  of  Mr,  Burt,  a  very  important 
change  was  made  in  county  school  work  by  issuing  a  more  simple 
form  of  blanks  to  school  ofiicers  and  to  teachers,  and  by  fiirnishing 
a  better  form  of  clerks'  and  treasurers'  books,  and  of  school  registers. 
A  change  was  also  made  in  the  law  in  regard  to  reporting  persons 
entitled  to  appointment  of  the  state  school  fund.  Only  those 
reported  by  the  teachers  as  enrolled  in  the  public  schools,  of  school- 
able* age,  were  now  entitled  to  the  school  fund,  instead  of  the 
resident  population  of  the  same  ages.  Through  these  changes  and 
by  this  system  the  school  statistics  may  be  considered  as  entirely 
reliable. 

For  the  purpose  of  showing  the  extent  of  the  growth  of  the 
schools  of  Winona,  the  following  statistical  tables,  taken  from  the 
reports  of  the  county  superintendents  of  schools  to  the  state  depart- 
ment for  the  years  1867  and  1882  respectively,  are  given. 

It  may  be  mentioned  here  that  the  table  of  1867,  which  was 
prepared  by  the  then  superintendent,  Mr.  Luther  A.  West,  pre- 
viously mentioned,  is  an  especially  valuable  one,  as  it  is  the  first  on 
record  of  the  schoolwork  of  the  county  combined  as  a  whole. 
Attention  is  called  to  a  comparison  of  the  following  items  of  both 


THE    DISTRICT    SCHOOLS.  381 

tables,  whereby  some  idea  can  be  formed  regarding  the  growth  of  the 
schools  of  the  county  for  a  period  of  fifteen  years. 

SCHOOL    STATISTICS    OF    WINONA   FOR   THE    TEAR    1867. 

Number  of  school  districts  99  ;  frame  schoolhouses  71,  brick  1, 
log  14 — 86;  value  of  all  schoolhouses  and  sites  $92,194;  whole 
number  of  scholars,  male  3,248,  female  3,259  ;  whole  number  of 
scholars  in  winter  schools,  male  1,475,  female  1,218  ;  average  daily 
attendance  in  winter  scoools  1,721  ;  length  of  winter  schools  in 
months  216  ;  number  of  teachers  in  winter  schools,  male  42,  female 
41 ;  average  wages  per  month  of  each  teacher  in  winter  schools, 
male  $29.24,  female  $19.24;  whole  number  of  pupils  in  summer 
schools,  male  789,  female  720  ;  average  daily  attendance  in  summer 
978  ;  length  of  summer  schools  in  months  229  ;  number  of  teachers 
in  summer  schools,  male  5,  female  80  ;  average  wages  per  month  of 
teachers  in  summer  schools,  male  $18.66,  female  $16.92;  whole 
number  of  different  schools  for  the  year  168  ;  whole  number  of 
different  persons  in  school  for  the  year,  male  1,833,  female  1,661  ; 
per  cent  of  aggregate  attendance  to  the  whole  number  of  pupils  in 
the  county  .  53 ;  whole  amount  of  wages  paid  teachers  for  the  year 
$11,608  ;  for  building,  parchasing,  hiring,  repairing  or  furnishing 
schoolhouses  and  purchasing  lots  $6,500,12  ;  amount  paid  as  teach- 
ers' wages  $17,185.53  ;  amount  paid  for  other  school  purposes 
$1,551.79;  cash  on  hand  in  district  treasuries  $718.45  ;  number  of 
new  schoolhouses  built  during  past  year  11,  value  of  same  $62,800  ; 
amount  received  from  state  school  fund  $92,194;  amount  received 
by  taxes  voted  by  districts  $30,550.84;  percent  of  school  money 
raised  by  tax  on  taxable  property  in  county  .0101. 

1882.  - 
Number  of  school  districts,  common  school  111,  special  2  — 113  ; 
number  of  frame  schoolhouses  91,  brick  7,  log  7,  stone  2  — 107; 
value  of  schoolhouses  and  sites  $58,210,  of  school  libraries  $59,  of 
school  apparatus  $695  ;  whole  number  of  schools  enrolled,  summer 
4,089,  winter  5,351  ;  average  daily  attendance  in  winter  3,677  ; 
average  length  of  school  in  months  61  ;  number  of  teachers  in 
winter  schools,  male  47,  female  107;  average  monthly  wages  of 
teachers  for  the  year,  male  $35il,  female  $281?;  average  daily 
attendance  in  summer  3,082  ;  number  of  teachers  in  summer 
school,  male  18,  female  114  ;  paid  for  teachers'  wages  and  board 


382  JIISTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

$21,465.00 ;  paid  for  building,  purchasing,  hiring,  repairing  or 
furnishing  schoolhouses,  purchasing  lots,  etc.,  $10,545.53  ;  cash  on 
hand  at  end  of  the  year  $18,021.59  ;  number  of  new  schoolhouses 
built,  frame  2,  value  of  same  $1,100  ;  received  from  school  fund, 
liquor  licenses,  fines  and  estrays  $8,068.55,  from  one-mill  tax 
collected  $6,978.98,  from  special  taxes  collected  $21,937.03,  from 
bonds  sold  $850,  from  all  other  sources  $914.56. 

From  the  report  of  the  county  superintendent  for  1867  it  appears 
that  there  were  sixty-three  certificates  granted,  eleven  of  them  to 
males  and  fifty-two  to  females.  Of  these  certificates,  three  were  of 
the  first  grade,  fifteen  of  the  second  and  forty-five  of  the  third. 

The  superintendent  complains  of  the  parsimony  of  boards  in 
hiring  teachers,  and  in  supplying  the  schoolhouses  with  comfortable 
seats,  desks  and  other  fixtures.  The  average  wages  for  the  year 
was  $19  per  month. 

Prom  the  report  of  Mr.  Lord,  the  present  superintendent,  for 
1882  we  learn  that  one  hundred  and  forty-two  certificates  were 
granted  in  the  previous  school  year  ;  of  these,  thirty-four  were 
received  by  males  and  one  hundred  and  eight  by  females. 

The  class  of  certificates  issued  were  three  only  of  the  first  grade, 
while  there  were  ninety -four  of  the  second  and  forty-five  of  the  third 
grades.  This,  together  with  the  fact  that  thirty-four  applicants  were 
rejected,  goes  to  show  that  the  standard  of  teachers'  examinations 
in  Winona  under  Mr.  Lord  is  a  high  one. 

From  the  year  1880  until  the  present  (1883)  there  have  been  no 
marked  changes  in  the  condition  and  character  of  the  schools,  ex- 
cept such  slight  ones  as  might  be  expected  in  the  natural  growth  of 
educational  work.  With  the  yearly  development  of  the  country,  its 
increase  in  wealth  and  material  prosperity,  the  expenditures  for 
school  purposes  have  been  more  liberal,  tending  to  better  scliool- 
houses  and  fixtures,  and  to  the  employment  of  a  higher  grade  of 
teachers.  At  the  close  of  this  year,  thirty  years  will  have  passed 
since  the  organization  of  the  first  school  district  in  this  county.  As 
the  present  superintendent  of  schools  for  this  county  was  one  of  the 
trustees  of  that  first  organized  district,  and  for  the  past  eight  years 
has  been  engaged  in  -  active  schoolwork,  it  affords  us  pleasure  to 
give  the  following  brief  recapitulation,  furnished  by  him,  of  some 
of  the  important  matters  connected  with  the  schools  of  then  and  now: 
"Thirty  years  ago  our  only  schoolhouse  was  a  small,  roughly- 
covered  log  cabin,  furnished  with  one  small  window  and  a  door 


SKETCH    OF    THE    STATE    NOKMAL    SCHOOL.  383 

creaking  upon  wooden  hinges  and  listened  with  a  wooden  latch. 
This  rude  structure  was,  after  a  short  time,  superseded  by  a  small 
but  snug  frame  building,  which,  soon  proving  too  small  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  rapidly  growing  district,  was  enlarged  by 
putting  an  addition  to  it.  This  enlarged  frame  schoolhouse  in  turn 
gave  place  to  a  substantial  brick  one,  which  Mr.  Burt  has  described 
as  having  been  built  at  Minnesota  City.  The  teacher  of  that  first 
school  received  $48  for  three  months'  work.  The  trustee  made  the 
rate-bill  and  collected  the  wages,  and  the  text-books  used  by  the 
scholars  had  been  formerly  used  by  fathers  and  mothers  in  nearly 
every  state  between  the  Atlantic  seaboard  and  Minnesota. 

'■'■Now  there  are  in  "Winona  county  (outside  of  Winona  and  St. 
Giarles  City)  one  hundred  and  eight  schoolhouses,  valued  at  over 
$50,000,  while  the  teachers'  wages  for  a  single  year  aggregate 
$214,650.  Besides  this  increase  in  the  county  schools,  the  school 
buildings  and  educational  expenses  of  one  independent  district  in 
the  county  aggregates  a  much  larger  amount  than  that  above  noted. 
Then  (thirty  years  ago)  there  were  about  twenty  children  in  that 
one  school  district  of  the  county.  Now^  including  those  in  attend- 
ance at  the  normal  and  parochial  schools,  they  number  nearly 
7,000." 


CHAPTEE  XXXYni. 

HISTORICAL  SKETCH   OF  THE  STATE   NORMAL  SCHOOL  OF 
MINNESOTA,  AT  WINONA. 

Near  the  close  of  the  session  of  the  first  legislature  of  the  state, 
August  2,  1858,  an  act  was  passed  providing  for  the  establishment 
of  three  state  normal  schools.  This  legislation  was  suggested  by 
Dr.  John  D.  Ford,  of  Winona,  and  secured  by  his  untiring  efforts 
through  the  legislature  delegation  from  Winona  county.  Lieut. 
Gov.  Wm.  Holcombe,  of  Stillwater,  gave  the  measure  his  earnest  and 
cordial  support,  and  became  the  first  president  of  the  state  normal 
board  of  instruction.  This  board,  consisting  of  Lieut. -Gov.  Hol- 
combe, Dr.  A.  E.  Ames,  Dr.  E.  Bray,  of  Carver,  and  Dr.  J.  D. 
Ford,  of  Winona,  held  their  first  meeting  at  the  Capitol  at  St. 
Paul,  August  16,  1859.  After  receiving  and  considering  an  appli- 
cation from  the  city  of  Winona,  accompanied  by  a  subscription  of 


384  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

$7,000 —  $2,000  in  excess  of  the  amount  required  by  the  act — 
the  following  resolution  was  offered  by  Dr.  Ford,  and  passed  unani- 
mously : 

Resolved,  That  the  first  state  normal  school  be  located  at  Winona,  provided 
the  subscription  from  Winona  of  $7,000  be  satisfactorily  secured  to  the  uses  of 
said  school,  as  directed  by  the  board  of  directors. 

And  thus  was  located  at  Winona  the  first  state  normal  school  of 
Minnesota,  and  at  that  time  the  only  state  normal  school  west  of  the 
Mississippi. 

The  following  named  citizens  of  Winona  were  appointed  as  the 
first  prudential  committee :  Sylvester  J.  Smith,  Dr.  J.  D.  Ford, 
Rev.  D.  Burt  and  Wm.  S.  Drew. 

The  second  meeting  of  the  board  was  held  at  Winona,  November 
9,  1859,  at  which  meeting  block  17,  Sanborn's  addition,  was,  after 
considerable  deliberation,  selected  as  a  suitable  site  for  the  proposed 
school,  the  board  wisely  preferring  a  central  location,  in  order  that 
a  model  department  miglit  be  maintained  in  connection  with  the 
normal  school.  On  the  evening  of  November  9,  Lieut. -Gov.  Hol- 
combe,  president  of  the  board,  delivered  in  the  Baptist  church  an 
address  on  the  subject  of  "Education  with  reference  to  the  establish- 
ment of  the  first  normal  school  of  Minnesota."  This  address,  which 
appears  in  full  in  the  printed  report  of  the  board  for  1859,  was  one  of 
great  merit.  It  is  said  to  have  made  a  deep  impression  upon  the  young 
community,  and  doubtless  did  much  to  elevate,  if  not  to  create,  that 
sentiment  of  earnest  support  of  educational  interests  which  has 
marked  the  history  of  this  city.  In  the  closing  paragraph  of  this 
admirable  address  the  governor  said  :  "I  have  in  my  hand  a  paper 
which  contains  the  origin,  the  source  and  the  earnest  of  the  first 
normal  school  of  Minnesota.  It  had  its  origin  here  in  this  city, 
and  the  names  written  on  that  paper  are  as  pictures  of  gold,  and 
should  be  handed  down  to  future  generations  as  evidence  of  their 
wisdom  and  benevolence.  This"  paper  subscribes  about  $7,000  to 
the  establisliment  of  the  normal  school  here,  the  most  of  which, 
over  $5,000,  has  been  secured  promptly  to  the  state  for  that  object. 
The  duty  I  have  discharged  is  everywa}-  an  agreeable  one  ;  no  cir- 
cumstances could  have  occurred  with  respect  to  the  interests  of  the 
state  to  afford  me  higher  gratification  than  to  meet  you  here  on  such 
an  occasion  as  this.  The  city  of  Winona  has  distinguished  herself 
in  taking  the  lead  in  establishing  for  the  benefit  of  the  rising  gene- 
ration of  this  state  [an  institution]  for  all  who  shall  yet  call  the  state 


SKETCH    OF    THE    STA.TE    NORMAL    SCHOOL.  385 

their  home.  I  think  the  normal  schools  should  precede  the  common 
schools  of  the  country,  for  then  we  should  have  trained  teachers  to 
conduct  them.  When  this  school  shall  be  in  operation  it  may  be 
regarded  as  an  auspicious  era,  whence  to  date  in  future  the  origin 
of  many  blessings,  and  the  commencement  of  a  perpetual  course  of 
improvement  and  prosperity  to  the  people  at  large." 

In  the  first  annual  report  of  the  normal  board  to  the  governor, 
Dr.  J.  D.  Ford  set  forth  in  a  clear  and  forcible  manner  the  claims  of 
the  normal  school  to  generous  support,  and  its  vital  relation  to  the 
common  schools  of  the  state.  In  addition  to  other  recommenda- 
tions to  the  legislature,  he  urged  in  behalf  of  the  normal  board  that 
"a  competent  superintendent  of  public  instruction  be  appointed," 
that  "a  general  supervision  of  the  subjects  of  schools,  school  teach- 
ing and  school  lands  is  absolutely  necessary,"  and  that  "the  school 
lands  should  be  put  into  a  condition  to  realize  the  largest  possible 
annual  fund  for  the  support  of  schools."  To  the  credit  of  this 
normal  board,  and  its  able  secretary  Dr.  Ford,  it  may  be  said  that 
the  iirst  state  tax  for  school  purposes  was  authorized  and  levied  upon 
their  urgent  recommendation. 

An  appropriation  of  $5,000  having  been  secured,  it  was  decided 
to  open  the  school  on  the  first  Monday  in  September,  1860.  Prof. 
John  Ogden,  A.M.,  of  Columbus,  Ohio,  was  elected  principal  for 
one  year  at  a  salary  of  $1,400,  and  William  Stearns,  a  graduate  of 
Harvard  University,  was  chosen  tutor. 

The  school  was  opened  for  the  admission  of  pupils  on  the  first 
Monday  of  September.  A  teachers'  institute,  the  first  ever  held  in 
this  state,  was  convened  at  the  commencement  of  the  term.  Teachers 
from  various  parts  of  the  state  were  present,  and  a  number  of  distin- 
guished gentlemen,  including  Rev.  E.  D.  Neill,  chancellor  of  the 
university,  ex-officio  superintendent  of  public  instruction,  Ex-Lieut. 
Governor  Holcomlje,  J.  W.  Taylor,  Esq.,  Rev.  Mr.  Strong,  and 
many  others.  On  the  evening  of  the  first  day  Prof  Ogden  gave  his 
inaugural  address.  On  the  next  evening  superintendent  Neill  deliv- 
ered an  eloquent  address  on  "  Education,"  the  closing  paragraph  of 
which  we  cannot  forbear  to  quote  :  "Twelve  years  ago  the  Winne- 
bago nation,  by  a  treaty  stipulation,  abandoned  their  old  homes  in 
Iowa  and  commenced  their  long  weary  march  to  their  new  home 
near  Sauk  Rapids,  in  the  northern  part  of  this  state.  In  the  charm- 
ing mouth  of  June,  by  mutual  agreement,  parties  by  land  and  water 
to  the  number  ot  2,000  arrived  on  this  prairie.     As  they  viewed  the 


386  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

vast  amphitheatre  of  lofty  blufis,  the  narrow  hike  on  one  side,  the 
great  river  in  front,  they  felt  that  it  was  tlie  spot  above  all  others  for 
an  Indian's  lodge,  and  purchasing  the  privilege  of  Wabasha,  the 
chief  of  tlie  Dakota  band  that  then  lived  here,  they  drew  themselves 
up  in  battle  array,  and  signitied  to  the  United  States  troops  that 
they  would  die  before  they  would  leave. 

Twelve  years  hence,  if  the  citizens  who  have  taken  the  place  of 
the  rude  aborigines  will  be  large-hearted  and  foster  the  normal 
school,  the  public  schools  and  the  churches  of  Christ,  Winona  will 
be  lovelier  than  the  "  Sweet  Auburn  "  of  the  poet;  and  educated 
men  and  cultivated  women,  as  they  gaze  on  your  public  edifices  and 
other  evidences  of  refinement,  will  be  attracted,  and  feel  that  here 
is  the  spot  for  a  home,  and,  like  the  Indians  in  1848,  they  will 
desire  to  tarry  until  they  die." 

The  donation  to  the  board  of  the  use  of  the  city  building  (now 
the  Winona  Library  building)  was  another  evidence  of  the  friendli- 
ness of  the  citizens  to  this  struggling  institution.  The  use  of  this 
building  was  continued  for  eight  years  without  charge  to  the  state. 

The  $7,000  subscribed  by  the  citizens  of  Winona  was  not  used 
for  running  expenses,  but  was  reserved  for  the  construction  of  the 
permanent  building  in  1867-8,  at  which  time  the  subscription  with 
its  appreciated  values  amounted  to  $10,000. 

The  first  year  was  one  of  great  promise  throughout.  Com- 
mencement exercises  were  held  at  the  Baptist  church  on  the  last 
week  in  June,  1861,  continuing  the  entire  week.  Mr.  Allen,  of 
Wisconsin,  a  distinguished  educator,  Mr.  Hickock,  ex-superinten- 
dent of  schools  in  Pennsylvania,  Hon.  Ignatius  Donnelly,  and  Gen. 
C.  C.  Andrews  made  addresses.  A  part  of  the  literary  exercises 
consisted  of  a  colloquy  between  Miss  Charlotte  Denman,  Miss 
Thorne  and  others,  in  which  was  set  forth,  in  an  amusing  and 
graphic  manner,  the  current  opinions  concerning  the  establishment 
of  normal  schools,  an  exercise  which  will  never  be  forgotten  by 
those  who  were  present. 

At  the  session  of  the  legislature  in  1 861  a  special  act  was  passed 
creating  the  first  board  of  education  of  Winoua.  This  board  was  to 
consist  of  one  school  director  elected  from  each  of  the  three  wards, 
the  principal  and  such  members  of  the  normal  school  —  at  Winona 
as  sliall  be  residents  of  said  city  and  qualified.  The  word  "board" 
was  left  out  of  the  law  between  the  words  "school"  and  "at," 
which  made  a  very  unwieldy  board,  or  an  intangible  body. 


SKETCH    OF    THE    STATE    NORMAL    SCHOOL.  387 

The  idea  was  to  copy  somewhat  after  the  Oswego  plan  of  uniting 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  normal  and  public  schools  of  Winona,  using 
the  public  scliools  as  graded  and  model  schools.  At  the  municipal 
election  held  in  April,  1861,  Messrs.  Thomas  Simpson,  Richard 
Jackson  and  John  Keyes  were  elected  members  of  the  board  of 
education,  from  the  lirst,  second  and  third  wards  respectively  ;  and 
these,  with  Prof.  Ogden  as  principal  of  State  Normal  School,  consti- 
tuted the  first  board  of  education.  Mr.  Simpson  was  elected 
president,  Mr.  Keyes,  recorder  and  John  Ogden  first  superintendent 
of  schools  in  city  of  Winona. 

In  the  following  year  this  law  was  repealed  and  the  joint  juris- 
diction ceased. 

The  normal  sclv^ol  opened  in  the  fall  of  1861,  with  an  increase 
of  students.  Prof.  J.  Q.  McMynn  had  been  engaged  as  assistant 
teacher.  He  remained,  however,  but  a  short  time,  resigning  early 
in  October,  to  take  a  position  as  major  in  a  Wisconsin  regiment.  It 
may  be  noted  that  many  of  the  students  of  the  normal,  during  Prof. 
Ogden's  principalship,  entered  the  volunteer  army  in  defense  of  the 
Union. 

Prof.  Ogden  resigned  the  principalship  of  the  school  December 
14,  1861,  at  the  close  of  the  first  term  of  that  year. 

The  following  extract  from  his  letter  of  resignation  clearly  reflects 
the  spirit  of  those  stirring  times  : 

Winona,  Minnesota,  December  14, 1861. 
To  the  Prudential  Committee  of  the  State  Normal  School. 

Gentlemen, — I  hereby  tender  you  my  resignation  of  the  principalship  of 
the  institution  intrusted  to  my  care,  thanking  you  most  sincerely  for  the 
generous  support  and  counsel  you  have  given  me. 

In  taking  this  step,  it  is  proper  that  you  and  the  public  should  understand 
the  reason  that  impels  me  to  it. 

1.  My  distracted  and  dishonored  country  calls  louder  for  my  poor  service 
just  now  than  the  school  does.  I  have,  ever  since  our  national  flag  was 
dishonored,  cherished  the  desire  and  indulged  in  the  determination  that  — 
whenever  I  could  do  so  without  violation  of  a  sense  of  duty  —  I  would  lay  aside 
the  habiliments  of  the  schoolroom  and  assume  those  of  the  camp,  and  now  I 
am  resolved  to  heed  that  call  and  rush  to  the  breach,  and  with  my  life,  if 
necessary,  stay,  if  possible,  the  impious  hands  that  are  now  clutching  at  the 
very  existence  of  our  free  institutions.  What  are  our  schools  worth  ?  What 
is  our  country  worth  without  these?  Our  sons  and  our  daughters  must  be 
slaves.  Our  beloved  land  must  be  a  hissing  and  a  byword  among  the  nations 
of  the  earth.  Shall  this  fair  and  goodly  land,  this  glorious  Northwest  become  a 
stench  in  the  nostrils  of  the  Almighty,  who  made  it  so  fair  and  so  free?    No, 


388  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

not  while  there  is  one  living  soul  to  thrust  a  sword  at  treason.    I  confess  my 
blood  boils  when  I  think  of  the  deep  disgrace  of  our  country. 

My  brethren  and  fellow-teachers  are  in  the  field.  Some  of  them  —  the 
bravest  and  the  best  —  have  already  fallen.  Their  blood  will  do  more  to 
cleanse  this  nation  than  their  teaching  would.  So  will  mine.  I  feel  ashamed 
to  tarry  longer.    You  may  not  urge  me  to  stay. 

********** 
With  these  feelings,  I  am  with  very  great  respect, 

Your  most  obedient  servant,  John  Ogden. 

Prof.  Y.  J.  Walker,  principal  of  the  "Winona  high  school,  was 
placed  in  charge  of  the  school  temporarily,  during  the  second  term, 
which  closed  March  2,  1862,  and  remained  suspended  until  Novem- 
ber 1, 1864.  The  reasons  for  .this  suspension  of  over  two  years  may 
be  inferred  from  Prof.  Ogden's  letter  of  resignation,  and  may  be 
stated  as  follows  :  (1)  The  interest  in  the  great  struggle  then 
pending  for  national  life  overshadowed  and  overwhelmed  everything 
else,  and,  as  a  natural  corollary  of  this,  (2)  competent  teachers 
could  not  be  found  to  take  charge  of  the  school.  Such  men  were 
generally  in  the  war.  (3)  The  means  for  the  support  of  the  school 
was  inadequate.  The  state  had  made  no  appropriations  beyond  the 
first  $5,000.  The  state  was  too  busy  in  the  war  to  care  for  its 
educational  interests. 

During  the  session  of  the  legislature  in  the  spring  of  1864,  at 
the  earnest  solicitation  of  the  citizens  of  Winona,  led  by  Dr.  J.  D. 
Ford,  an  act  was  passed  renewing  the  appropriations  to  the  school  and 
re-establishing  it  on  a  permanent  basis.  This  act  provided  that  the 
sum  of  $3,000  be  appropriated  for  the  current  year,  $4,000  for  the 
following  year,  and  $5,000  annually  thereafter.  At  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  normal  board  in  the  following  May  Prof.  John  G. 
McMynn  was  elected  principal.  No  movement  was,  however,  made 
to  reopen  the  school  until  the  next  meeting  in  the  following  Septem- 
ber, when  the  resignation  of  Prof.  McMynn  was  accepted,  and 
Prof.  W.  F.  Phelps,  former  principal  of  the  State  Normal  School  of 
New  Jersey  was  unanimously  elected.  The  principal-elect,  being 
present,  accej)ted  the  position  in  person  and  immediately  entered 
upon  the  duties  of  his  office.  Professor  Phelps'  rare  ability  as  an 
organizer  and  disciplinarian  was  at  once  apparent  in  the  prompt  and 
efficient  measures  taken  to  re-establish  the  school  on  a  permanent 
basis.  To  the  wisdom  of  these  measures  and  the  executive  ability 
of  their  author  is  largely  due  the  high  standing  which  the  normal 


SKETCH    OF    THE    STATE    NORMAL    SCHOOL.  389 

school  at  Winona  has  subsequently  attained,  and  still  holds,  among 
the  educational  institutions  of  this  country. 

The  location  of  the  site  on  block  17,  Sanborn's  addition,  was  not 
favored  by  the  citizens  generally.  At  the  meeting  of  the  board 
held  in  June,  1866,  the  following  communication  was  received: 

To  the  State  Normal  School  Board: 

The  city  council  of  the  city  of  Winona  makes  the  following  proposition  to 
your  honorable  board:  That  if  the  board  will  erect  the  normal  school  build- 
ing upon  the  present  site,  viz :  block  4,  Sanborn's  addition,  the  city  will  pur- 
chase and  donate  to  the  state  the  east  half  of  block  3,  Sanborn's  addition,  and 
vacate  and  donate  to  the  state  that  part  of  Johnson  street  lying  between  blocks 
3  and  4;  or,  in  case  it  can  be  procured,  the  city  will  purchase  and  donate  to  the 
state  the  whole  of  said  block.  This  provided  that  the  board  will  convey  to 
the  city  block  17  in  Sanborn's  addition.  R.  D.  Cone,  Mayor. 

This  proposition  was  promptly  accepted  by  the  board.  Subse- 
quently the  city  bought  the  whole  of  block  3,  Sanborn's  addition, 
and  gave  it  outright  to  the  state,  waiving  the  condition  stated  in  the 
communication  of  the  mayor.  t 

During  the  session  of  the  legislature  of  1866  the  first  appropria- 
tion of  $10,000  for  the  building  was  obtained  mainly  through  the 
efforts  of  Hon.  E.  S.  Youmans,  then  a  member  of  the  house,  and 
Hon.  Thos.  Simpson  in  the  state  senate. 

This  appropriation  was  designed  to  secure  plans  and  to  supple- 
ment the  contributions  of  the  citizens  and  city  of  Winona,  and  was 
entirely  used  in  constructing  a  foundation, — an  important  measure 
which  committed  the  state  fully  to  the  erection  of  a  building  at 
Winona. 

The  plans  for  the  building  were  drawn  by  the  architect,  G.  P. 
Randall,  Esq.,  of  Chicago,  and  were  adopted  by  the  board  at  its 
meeting  in  June,  1866. 

On  the  19th  of  October,  1866,  the  corner-stone  was  laid  with 
interesting  ceremonies  by  Gov.  Marshall,  in  the  presence  of  a  large 
and  deeply  interested  assembly,  citizens  of  Winona  and  surrounding 
country.  Hon.  Thos.  Wilson,  chief-justice  of  the  supreme  court  of 
the  state,  delivered  the  address  on  this  memorable  occasion. 

The  foundation  was  erected  under  the  direction  of  the  credential 
committee,  consisting  of  Dr.  Ford,  Hon.  E.  S.  Youmans  and  W.  S. 
Drew,  Esq.  Mr.  Drew  was  appointed  superintendent  of  the  work, 
and  gave  it  his  personal  and  efficient  supervision  throughout  the 
session  of  1867,  until  the  basement  walls  were  completed  and  made 
ready  for  the  superstructure. 


390  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

In  the  spring  of  1867  an  appropriation  by  the  legislature  of 
$50,000  for  building  purposes  was  secured,  largely  through  the  influ- 
ence of  Hon.  Win.  H.  Yale,  then  in  tlie  state  senate.  Only  one  half 
of  this  amount  was  appropriated  for  the  tirst  year.  The  citizens  of 
Winona  cashed  the  orders  of  the  board  for  the  other  half,  making 
the  entire  sum  available  for  immediate  use. 

The  contract  for  the  erection  of  the  superstructure  was  made 
with  C.  Bohn,  Esq.,  of  Winona,  who  had  already  demonstrated  his 
qualifications  as  a  builder  in  the  construction  of  the  high-school 
building  of  the  city.  In  1869  the  sum  of  $34,000  additional  was 
appropriated  '■'•to  complete  the  building,^''  and  in  1870  nearly  $9,000 
"more  was  generously  granted  by  the  legislature  to  liquidate  the 
halance  due  the  contractor. 

The  building  was  occupied  by  the  school  September  1,  1869,  and 
completed  in  the  following  December. 

The  following  description  of  the  building  is  taken  from  the 
report  of  the  normal  board  for  1859  : 

The  general  form  of  the  buildir^g  is  in  the  form  of  a  cross.  The 
main  edifice  is  63  X  78  feet ;  the  wings  are  each  50  X  75  feet.  The 
basement  story  is  10  feet  high ;  the  first  story  is  13  feet ;  the  second, 
16  feet ;  the  third,  19  feet,  and  the  fourth  story  of  the  west  wing  is 
28  feet  to  the  crown  of  the  ceiling  at  the  base  of  the  skylights.  The 
southeast  corner  of  the  west  wing  terminates  in  a  ventilating  shaft 
8x8  feet  and  105  feet  high  ;  and  the  northwest  corner  of  the  east 
wing  terminates  in  the  main  tower,  15x15  feet  at  base  and  130  feet 
high.  The  building  is  of  red  bricks,  with  facings  and  trimmings  of 
a  drab-colored  calciferous  limestone.  Its  beauty  is  due  not  to  super- 
fluous ornamentation,  but  to  the  harmony  of  its  pro})ortions  and  its 
massiveness.  Through  the  basement  there  is  a  corridor  10  feet  wide 
running  through  the  center  from  end  to  end.  The  first  story  has  a 
main  corridor  10x166  feet,  running  entirely  thi-ough  the  building. 
This  is  intersected  by  cross-corridors  extending  from  the  front  to 
the  rear  entrances.  On  the  north  side  of  the  main  corridor  there 
are  four  large  schoolrooms  fol*  the  use  of  the  model  classes.  On 
the  right  of  the  entrance  of  the  main  tower  there  is  a  reception- 
room  20x25  feet.  On  the  opposite  or  south  side  of  the  main  cor- 
ridor the  rooms  above  described  are  duplicated.  Opposite  the 
reception-room  is  a  gentlemen's  cloakroom.  In  the  main  building, 
in  the  second  story,  is  the  normal  school  "assembly-room";  its 
dimensions  are  63  X  78  feet.     In  the  east  wing,  beginning  with  the 


392  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

main  tower,  we  find  the  principal's  oflSce,  the  library  and  two  large 
recitation-rooms.  In  the  west  wing  are  two  large  recitation-rooms, 
one  in  each  corner,  and  two  large  wardrobe-rooms  for  ladies,  each 
12x35  feet,  communicating  with  corridor  and  assemblj-room.  In 
the  third  story  of  main  building  we  have  "Normal  Hall,"  capable  of 
seating  800  to  1,000  persons.  In  the  west  wing,  and  connecting 
with  corridor  and  Normal  Hall,  are  four  recitation-rooms.  The  east 
wing  is  occupied  by  a  suite  of  rooms  connected  by  open  arches, 
designed  to  be  used  for  a  museum.  In  fourth  story  of  the  west 
wing  there  are  two  rooms,  32  X  35  feet  each,  separated  by  a  corridor, 
and  with  ceiling  extending  to  the  crown  of  th6  roof,  23  feet  in 
height.  These  rooms  are  lighted  by  skylights,  and  are  intended  for 
a  gallery  of  art.  The  steps  at  each  of  the  five  entrances  of  the 
building  are  of  massive,  solid  masonry,  and  are  of  easy  ascent. 
The  corridors  at  each  extremity  are  entered  by  spacious  vestibules. 
The  stairs  leading  to  the  several  stories  are  easy  of  ascent,  the  risers 
being  seven  inches  each,  and  the  treads,  which  are  very  wide,  being 
made  of  solid  two-inch  oak  plank,  finished  in  oil.  The  heating  and 
ventilation  of  the  building  are  upon  the  plan  known  as  the  Ruttan 
system.  There  are  seven  furnaces  properly  located  in  the  basement. 
Underneath  the  furnaces  the  cold  air  from  without  is  introduced 
through  ducts  having  an  area  of  section  equal  to  from  eight  to  ten 
square  feet  each. 

Space  cannot  be  given  to  a  further  description  of  this  beautiful 
structure,  which  is  acknowledged  to  be,  even  at  the  date  of  this 
writing,  in  1883,  the  most  perfect  building  of  the  kind  in  the 
Northwest.  The  plans  of  this  building  were  subsequently  adopted, 
with  little  change,  for  the  State  Normal  Schools  at  Buffalo,  New 
York,  and  at  Carbondale,  Illinois. 

It  should  be  stated  that  the  admirable  adaptation  of  this  building 
to  the  existing  and  prospective  wants  of  the  school,  and  its  nearly 
faultless  construction,  are  largely  due  to  the  experienced  judgment, 
wise  forethought  and  energetic  management  of  the  principal.  Prof. 
Wm.  F.  Phelps,  who  was  permitted  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  zealous 
labors,  and  to  carry  forward  in  this  building  his  plans  for  the 
organization  of  a  normal  school  of  national  reputation,  until  he 
voluntarily  resigned  this  position  in  1876. 

The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  contributions  made  by  the 
citizens  of  Winona  to  the  school  and  building  : 


^^''^^;^,:^  ^^^^, 


SKETCH    OF    THE    STATE    NORMAL    SCHOOL.  395 

Original  subscription  of  $7,000  to  secure  site,  with  appreciation  in  values  $10,000 

Subscription  for  ])urchase  of  block  4,  Sanborn's  addition 5,000 

Donation  by  city  of  block  3,  Sanborn's  addition »     6,000 

The  vacation  of  street  and  alleys 2,500 

Cash  in  bonds  of  city 15,000 

Use  of  city  building  for  eight  years,  and  furnishing  expenses 4,500 

Total  contribution 43,000 

In  addition  to  the  above  the  citizens  of  Winona  have  paid  into 
the  treasury  of  the  school  for  the  tuition  of  pupils  in  the  model 
department  the  average  sum  of  $1,500  annually  for  twenty  years, 
amounting  to  about  $3,000.  The  present  valuation  of  the  site  of 
the  building  is  $25,000. 

The  state  appropriations  for  building  purposes  at  various  times 
amount  to  the  gross  sum  of  $115,837. 

In  accordance  with  a  plan  proposed  by  Principal  Phelps,  the 
legislature,  in  1871,  passed  an  act  establishing  in  Winona  the  State 
Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home,  and  providing  tor  the  education  of  the 
children  in  the  normal  school.  This  plan  proved  to  be  a  wise  and 
economical  one  for  the  state,  and  of  the  greatest  value  to  the 
children.  Nearly  one  hundred  of  the  soldiers'  orphans  received 
training  for  several  years  in  the  model  and  normal  departments.  A 
number  completed  the  entire  course,  and  are  now  filling  important 
positions  in  the  schools  of  the  state.  The  growth  of  the  school  in 
numbers,  in  reputation,  and  in  all  the  characteristics  of  an  excellent 
training  school  for  teachers,  continued  without  marked  interruption 
until  the  legislature  in  1876,  partly  by  design  and  partly  by  neglect, 
failed  to  make  the  usual  annual  appropriation  for  the  support  of  tliQ 
three  normal  schools  of  the  state. 

The  normal  board  was  called  in  extra  session.  During  that 
meeting  several  propositions  to  close  the  schools  at  once  were  voted 
down  by  a  bare  majority.  The  opposition  to  these  propositions  was 
led  by  Hon.  Thos.  Simpson,  the  resident  director  at  Winona. 

Finally  the  board  took  action,  which  was  intended  merely  to 
give  the  normal  schools  a  chance  for  continuance  if  they  could  find 
any  means  of  existing  without  involving  the  board  or  incurring  a 
debt.  It  was  really  a  life  and  death  struggle  with  the  normal 
schools  of  our  state.  Had  they  been  closed  then,  they  would  have 
remained  closed,  perhaps  for  ever. 

The  action  of  the  board  availed  little  ;  it  said,  "  Live  if  you  can, 
but  don't  involve  us."  Liberal-hearted  citizens  of  this  city  offered 
23 


396  HISTORY    OF    WENONA    COUNTY. 

to  advance  money  to  carry  on  the  school  at  Winona,  but  this  could 
not  be  accepted  under  the  action  of  the  board.  Gen.  Sibley,  the 
president  of  the  board,  and  Prof.  Wm.  F.  Phelps,  the  principal  at 
"Winona,  resigned. 

The  resident  director  determined  that  the  school  should  not  go 
down.  He  made  a  temporary  reduction  of  the  teaching  force,  some 
abatements  of  salaries,  and  some  extra  charges  for  tuition.  He 
appealed  to  the  soldiers'  orphans'  board,  who  generously  responded 
by  paying  tuition  for  the  pupils  under  their  care.  By  these  means, 
supplemented  by  a  cash  contribution  from  his  own  pocket,  the  school 
was  kept  in  vigorous  operation  until  the  following  year,  when  the 
appropriation  was  not  only  restored,  but  was  made  permanent.  The 
action  at  Winona  had  much  to  do  with  inspiring  a  like  spirit  and 
determination  on  the  part  of  the  local  management  of  the  schools 
at  Mankato  and  St.  Cloud. 

Prof,  Charles  A.  Morey,  a  member  of  the  faculty  and  a  former 
graduate  of  the  school,  was  elected  principal. 

The  following  year  saw  the  school  restored  to  its  former  condition 
of  efficiency.  In  1878  Principal  Morey  inaugurated  an  important 
change  in  the  organization  of  the  school  by  extending  the  element- 
ary course,  and  establishing  an  advanced  four  years'  course  of  study 
designed  to  prepare  teachers  for  the  principalship  of  high  and  graded 
schools. 

In  May,  1879,  Principal  Morey  resigned  his  position  to  enter 
upon  the  practice  of  law.  On  the  27th  of  June  Prof.  Irwin  Shep- 
ard,  superintendent  of  the  city  schools  of  Winona,  was  elected  prin- 
cipal ;  since  which  time  the  growth  of  the  school  in  numbers,  in 
efficiency,  and  in  the  confidence  of  the  citizens  of  the  state,  has,  we 
believe,  continued  without  interruption. 

The  following  shows  the  increase  of  attendance  during  the  past 
four  years:  1878-1879,  302;  1879-1880,  342;  1880-1881,  388; 
1881-1882,  439;  1882-1883,  485. 

Hon.  Thos.  Simpson,  the  present  resident  director,  has  been  a 
member  of  the  state  normal  board  continuously  since  1868,  and  has 
served  as  president  of  the  state  board  and  resident  director  at  Win- 
ona during  most  of  that  time. 

The  first  state  teachers'  institute,  in  1859,  the  first  state  conven- 
tion of  county  superintendents,  in  1866,  and  the  first  institute  of 
normal  instructors,  in  1872,  were  all  held  at  the  Winona  normal 
school. 


SKETCH    OF    THE    STATE    NORMAL    SCHOOL.  397 

The  first  class  which  finished  the  course  of  this  school  numbered 
sixteen  members  and  were  graduated  June  28,  1866.  Since  that 
date  to  June  1,  1883,  twenty-five  classes  numbering  480  members 
have  graduated,  while  nearly  3,000  other  students  have  received 
instruction  for  one  or  more  terms.  These  students,  as  well  as  the 
graduates,  have  fulfilled  their  pledges  to  the  state  with  singular 
fidelity  and  success.  Many  of  the  graduates  have  been  called  to 
important  and  lucrative  positions  in  other  states  from  California  to 
Maine.  Several  have  received  appointments  to  leading  positions  in 
the  normal  schools  of  the  Argentine  Eepublic,  S.  A.,  at  salaries 
ranging  from  $1,200  to  $2,500. 

Prominent  among  the  causes  which  have  contributed  to  place 
the  State  Normal  School  at  Winona  in  the  foremost  rank  of  similar 
institutions  in  America  should  be  mentioned  the  liberal  enterprise 
and  singular  devotion  to  its  interests  on  the  part  of  the  citizens  of 
Winona,  as  shown  by  their  munificent  donations  of  lands  and 
money,  by  their  loyal  and  unwavering  championship  in  the  trying 
times  of  legislative  inaction  and  indifierence  ;  by  their  establishment 
of  an  extensive  museum  and  gallery  of  art  for  the  free  use  of  the 
students  ;  by  their  continued  patronage  and  support  of  the  model 
school,  and  by  their  just  and  generous  pride  in  the  past  history,  the 
present  prosperity  and  the  future  promise  of  this  educational 
institution  of  the  state. 

THE  SOCIETY  OF  ARTS,   SCIENCES  AND  LETTERS. 

On  May  24,  1871,  a  preliminary  meeting  was  held  in  Normal 
Hall  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  society  for  the  promotion  of  a 
knowledge  of  art,  science  and  literature. 

At  an  adjourned  meeting  held  June  12,  articles  of  association 
were  adopted.  The  corporate  members  were  Wm.  F.  Phelps,  Thos. 
Simpson,  Abner  Lewis,  Mary  V.  Lee,  C.  C.  Curtiss,  O.  B.  Gould, 
Sarah  L.  Wheeler  and  C.  H.  Berry.  The  plans  of  the  society 
provided  for  "the  fitting  of  rooms  in  the  First  State  Normal 
building  for  a  museum  of  natural  history  and  physical  science;  and 
for  a  department  of  drawing  and  the  arts  of  design  ;  the  collection, 
classification  and  arrangement  of  specimens  in  natural  history  and 
archieology,  and  of  models  in  physics  and  the  fine  arts  ;  the  collec- 
tion of  facts  and  objects  pertaining  to  local  or  general  history ;  the 
establishment  and  support,  on  the  grounds  of  the  normal  school,  of 
a  botanical  garden ;    the    arrangement  and  ornamentation  of  the 


398 


HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 


grounds ;  the  gatliering  of  a  library  of  standard  works  in  all  depart- 
ments of  science,  literature  and  art ;  the  collection  and  preservation 
of  all  collections,  and,  by  lectures  and  other  appropriate  means,  the 
elevation  of  the  public  taste." 

Previous  to  the  organization  of  this  society,  citizens  of  Winona 
had  placed  in  the  normal  school  building,  for  the  use  of  the  students, 
private  collections  of  minerals  and  otlier  specimens.  Principal 
Phelps  had  contributed  a  valuable  collection,  and  the  Hon.  Thos. 
Simpson  had  donated  his  entire  cabinet  of  mineral  specimens,  which 
lie  had  been  gathering  for  many  years  in  Iowa,  Wisconsin  and 
Minnesota.  The  proprietorship  of  these  collections  was  vested  in 
the  new  society.  The  collections  were  increased  from  time  to  time 
by  additional  contributions. 

In  1875  the  citizens  of  Winona,  at  the  advice  and  solicitation  of 
Professor  Wm.  F.  Phelps,  contributed  about  $3,500  for  the  purchase 


of  the  Woodman  collection  of  corals,  shells,  minerals  and  fossils. 
This  valuable  collection,  and  those  previously  belonging  to  the 
society,  were  arranged  in  suitable  cases  in  the  geological  hall  of  the 
normal  building  in  1878,  under  the  superintendence  of  Principal 
Chas.  A.  Morey.  The  following  contract  was  subsequently  made 
with  the  state  normal  board : 

1.  The  society  agrees  that  its  collections,  apparatus,  pictures,  etc.,  shall 
remain  in  the  rooms  now  occupied  by  them  so  long  as  the  building  shall  be 
used  for  the  purpose  of  a  state  normal  school. 

2.  That  said  (■oUections,  etc.,  shall  be  forever  free  to  the  use  of  the  normal 
school  in  said  building,  its  teachers  and  pui)ils,  and  that  said  collections  shall 
not  be  removed,  either  in  whole  or  in  part,  for  any  jjurpose  whatever. 

3.  That,  to  prevent  interference  with  the  oi)enitions  of  the  school,  the  times 
of  opening  said  rooms  to  the  public  shall  be  as  the  jirincipal  and  resident 
director  of  the  school  shall  from  time  to  time  direct,  and  not  otherwise. 

4.  That  the  society  shall  bear  all   expense  of  classifying,  arranging  and 


BIRDS    OF    WmONA    COUNTY.  399 

putting  in  position  all  specimens  and  objects,  and  of  preserving  the  order  and 
condition  of  the  same:  Provided,  That  the  state  normal  board  agrees:  1.  To 
furnish  to  the  society,  rent  free,  the  room  now  occupied  by  its  collections  ;  to 
heat,  light  and  keep  the  same  in  repair  as  long  as  the  buildimi  shall  be  used 
for  the  purposes  of  a  normal  school.  2.  To  give  to  the  society  the  use  of  such 
cases,  platforms  and  fixtures  as  are  already  placed  in  said  rooms,  and  to  build 
others  as  the  acquisitions  of  the  society  may  demand.  3.  To  furnish  janitor's 
services  for  said  rooms,  as  their  use  may  demand. 

This  museum  has  become  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  com- 
plete in  the  west.  Three  large  rooms,  connected  by  arches,  are 
lined  with  cases  which  are  filled  with  specimens  of  minerals,  fossils, 
birds  and  animals.  A  large  case  in  the  center  of  the  room  contains 
the  skeleton  of  a  mastodon.  Two  spacious  rooms  in  the  fourth 
story  of  the  building  are  devoted  to  the  exhibition  of  art  subjects. 
A  curator  devotes  a  large  portion  of  his  time  to  the  care  of  the 
museum  and  to  the  collection,  classification  and  arrangement  of 
specimens  in  all  departments  of  natural  history. 


CHAPTER  XXXIY. 


BIRDS  OF   WIx\ONA   COUNTY. 


The  following  are  the  birds  known  to  exist  in  this  county  :  duck 
hawk,  pigeon  hawk  (common),  sparrow  hawk,  sharp-shinned  hawk, 
Cooper's  hawk,    marsh  hawk,   harrier    or   mouse  hawk,   red-tailed 
hawk  (common),  red-shouldered  hawk  (scarce),  broad- winged  hawk, 
bald  eagle,  great-horned  owl,  long-eared  owl,  screech  owl,  barred 
owl  (summer),   short-eared  owl,    snowy  owl,  saw-whet  owl,   hawk 
owl,  day  owl,  black-billed  cuckoo,  yellow-billed  cuckoo,  hairy  wood- 
pecker,  downy  woodpecker,   black-backed  three-toed   woodpecker, 
yellow-bellied    woodpecker,    pileated  woodpecker,    log    cock,    red- 
headed woodpecker,   pigeon  woodpecker,  ruby-throated  humming- 
bird, chimney  swallow,  night  hawk,  bull-bat,  whippoorwill,  belted 
kingfisher,    kingbird,   wood-pewee,    olive-sided  flycatcher,    pewee, 
Phebe-bird,    wood    thrush,    robin,    brown    thresher,    catbird,   red- 
breasted    bluebird,    titmouse,    chickadee,    white-bellied    nut-hatch, 
American  creeper,  long-billed  marsh  wren,  short-billed  marsh  wren, 
house  wren,  skylark,  shorelark,  black  and  white  creeper,  Maryland 
yellow-throat,  black-poll  warbler,    scarlet    tanager,   barn   swallow, 
blue-backed  swallow,  eave  swallow,  bank  swallow,  purple  martin. 


400  HISTORY    OF    WINOJfA    COUNTY. 

wax-wing,  Bohemian  chatterer,  cedar-bird,  clierry-bird,  great  north- 
ern shrike,  red-eyed  vireo,  purple-finch,  red-poll  linnet,  snow  bunt- 
ing, snowbird,  swamp  sparrow,  song  sparrow,  tree  sparrow,  field 
sparrow,  chipping  sparrow,  fox  sparrow  (frequent),  rose-breasted 
grossbeak,  ring-rail  (occasional),  bobolink,  ricebird,  cowbird,  red- 
winged  blackbird,  yellow-headed  bird,  meadow  lark,  orchard  oriole 
(not  common),  Baltimore  oriole  (common),  crow  blackbird,  crow 
(on  the  increase),  bluejay,  wild  pigeon  (never  abundant),  common 
dove,  pinnated  grouse  (scarce),  rufi"ed  grouse,  quail  (nearly  exter- 
minated), woodcock,  Wilson  snipe,  jack  snipe,  bittern,  stakedriver, 
least  bittern  (on  river  bottoms),  marsh  hen,  Virginia  rail,  coot  (in 
marshes).  Besides  these,  there  are  met  occasionally  the  sandpiper, 
the  great  blue  heron,  the  green  heron,  the  wild  goose  and  brant, 
the  blue-winged  teal,  the  hooded  merganser,  the  widgeon,  the  pin- 
tail, the  mallard,  the  butterball  duck,  the  wood  duck,  and  other 
ducks.     The  wood  duck  breeds  here. 

THE  WINONA  COUNTY  PRESS. 

The  pioneers  of  Winona  evinced  a  thorough  appreciation  of  the 
power  of  the  press  as  an  important  element  in  promoting  the  welfare 
ol  the  young  city,  and  in  the  development  of  the  promising  terri- 
tory of  Minnesota.  The  first  newspaper  established  was  the  "Winona 
Argus,"  September  7,  1854.  It  was  published  by  Wm.  Ashley 
Jones  &  Co.,  weekly,  democratic  in  politics.  Wm.  Ashley  Jones, 
Captain  Sam  Whiting,  M.  Wheeler  Sargent  and  Eobert  T.  Hunter 
were  among  the  contributors.  Samuel  Melvin,  at  the  present  time 
a  merchant  in  Winona,  was  foreman  in  the  Argus  office.  He  pur- 
chased an  interest  in  the  paper  in  January,  1855,  and  continued  about 
a  year  and  a  half,  when  he  sold  back  to  Wm.  Ashley  Jones,  and  the 
paper  continued  about  a  year  and  a  half  longer,  during  which  Mr. 
Cozzens  was  for  a  time  editor.  After  vicissitudes  incident  to  a 
western  town  twenty  years  ago,  it  was  compelled  to  suspend  its  pub- 
lication in  the  month  of  September,  1857,  not  however,  until  it  had 
accomplished  a  good  work  for  southern  Minnesota. 

The  "Winona  Weekly  Express"  was  the  next  venture  in  jour- 
nalism. It  was  established  about  August  1,  1855,  Wilson  C.  Huff, 
son  of  H.  D.  Huff,  being  the  editor.  The  Express  continued  until 
after  the  election  in  November,  when  the  office  and  material  were 
pui-chased  by  a  company  formed  to  establish  "The  Winona  Repub- 
lican." 


THE  WLNONA  COUNTY  PKESS.  401 

In  the  fall  of  1855,  some  earnest  republicans  formed  a  joint- 
stock  company,  purchased  the  material  of  the  "Winona  Express," 
and  on  the  21st  of  November,  1855,  issued  the  first  number  of  the 
"  Winona  Weekly  Republican. "  The  names  of  these  stockholders 
were  Charles  Eaton,  E.  L.  King,  C.  F.  Buck^  A.  P.  Foster,  H.  C. 
Jones,  A.  C.  Jones,  E.  H.  Murray,  J.  B.  Stockton,  J.  S.  Denman, 
H.  T.  Wickersham,  Rufus  Crosby,  O.  S.  Holbrook,  St.  A.  D.  Bal- 
combe,  John  L.  Balcombe,  Matthew  Ewing,  W.  G.  Dye,  J.  H. 
Jacoby,  L.  H.  Springer.  The  newspaper  was  a  seven-column 
sheet  and  conducted  with  ability.  The  editor  was  Captain  Sam 
Whiting.  The  business  manager  was  Walter  G.  Dye,  who  continued 
to  occupy  that  position,  with  slight  intervals,  for  about  twenty-five 
years.  Messrs.  Foster  and  Dye  purchased  the  stock  of  the  other 
shareholders  and  became  sole  proprietors.  On  the  19th  of  June, 
1856,  D.  Sinclair  purchased  the  interest  of  A.  P.  Foster  in  the  estab- 
lishment, and  it  thus  became  the  sole  property  of  Messrs.  Sinclair 
&  Dye.'  In  the  fall  of  1856  Mr.  Dye  disposed  of  his  interest  in  the 
concern  to  Messrs.  Balcombe,  Murray,  Buck  and  King,  who  in  a 
short  time  sold  out  to  W.  C.  Dodge.  The  latter  continued  his  con- 
nection with  the  paper  only  a  few  months,  retiring  on  the  3rd  of 
February,  1857,  and  being  succeeded  by  Mr.  Dye,  who  repurchased 
one  half  of  the  establishment.  At  this  time  the  firm  name  was 
changed  to  D.  Sinclair  &  Co.,  and  has  so  remained  ever  since. 

On  the  2d  of  April,  1864,  Sheldon  C.  Carey  purchased  one  half 
interest  in  "The  Republican"  from  Mr.  Dye,  who  retired.  Mr.  Carey 
continued  a  member  of  tlie  firm  until  his  death  on  the  night  of  De- 
cember 28  of  the  same  year  he  entered  it,  when  he  was  drowned  in 
the  Mississippi  river,  Wisconsin,  while  out  with  a  small  party  on  a 
sleighing  excursion.  His  death  caused  the  most  poignant  grief  in 
the  community. 

On  the  first  of  July,  1865,  Mr.  Dye  resumed  connection  with  "The 
Republican  "  as  joint  partner  with  Mr.  Sinclair,  and  November  25, 
1866,  Mr.  John  Dobbs,  an  experienced  practical  bookbinder,  became 
one  of  the  firm,  purchasing  one  third  interest  in  "The  Republican" 
establishment.  In  1859  the  proprietors  of  "  The  Republican  "  de- 
termined to  try  the  experiment  of  a  daily  paper  in  Winona,  and  on 
the  19th  of  November  issued  the  first  number  of  the  "Daily  Re- 
view," a  three-column  paper  somewliat  larger  than  a  sheet  of  fools- 
cap. The  publication  of  this  little  paper  demonstrated  the  readiness 
of  the  people  of  Winona  to  support  —  not  a  first-class  journal,  but 


402  jriSTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

one  of  respectable  size,  considering  tlie  times.  Accordingly  the 
"Daily  Review"  was  sto])ped,  and)  on  the  19th  of  December,  1859, 
the  "Winona  Daily  Republican  "  was  started  on  its  career.  It  was  a 
five-column  sheet,  but  was  enlarged  to  a  six-column  sheet  on  the  8th 
of  April,  1861,  and  on  the  1st  of  July,  1865,  it  was  enlarged  to  a 
seven-column  sheet,  its  present  form.  The  "  Weekly  Republican" 
has  the  honor  of  being  the  oldest  republican  newspaper  in  the  state. 

In  1867  the  "well  arranged  three-story  brick  "Republican" 
building  with  basement  was  built.  It  was  occupied  in  February, 
1868.  On  the  first  of  January,  1881,  Mr.  Dye  retired,  selling  his 
interest  to  Mr.  Sinclair.  Mr.  P.  G.  Hubbell,  who  had  been  con- 
nected with  the  ofl&ce  since  1864,  was  appointed  business  manager, 
and  so  continued  until  the  first  of  January,  1883,  when  Mr.  W.  E. 
Smith  bought  a  third  interest  in  the  establishment,  and  Mr.  Hub- 
bell  assumed  the  duties  of  managing  editor  of  "The  Republican." 
Through  a  long  established  career  "The  Republican,"  under  the 
superior  editorial  management  of  Mr.  Sinclair,  has  wielded  a  potent 
influence  on  the  affairs  of  the  county  and  state,  while  for  the  city  of 
its  choice  it  has  ever  been  the  zealous  advocate  and  faithful  friend. 
It  is  entitled  to  great  credit  as  one  of  the  important  agencies  in  the 
development  of  Winona. 

Returning  to  the  history  of  other  newspapers  in  the  early  years 
of  the  county,  "The  Times"  was  started  by  a  man  who  came 
from  Fountain  City,  Wisconsin.  The  proprietor  purchased  the  ma- 
terial of  the  "  Argus,"  but  continued  only  a  few  months. 

"The  Democrat"  was  started  on  September  9,  1858,  by  C.  W. 
Cottom,  who  came  here  from  Rochester.  He  published  an  eight- 
column  paper.  In  the  course  of  a  year  or  two  he  sold  out  to  the 
Democrat  Printing  Company. 

On  the  11th  of  December,  1860,  the  "Tri-Weekly  Democrat" 
was  started  by  the  Democrat  Printing  Company,  with  J.  L.  Thomp- 
son, printer  ;  C.  W.  Cottom,  editor  ;  Wm.  T.  Hubbell,  city  editor. 
This  was  a  five-column  sheet.  In  the  following  summer  the  paper 
was  closed  out  and  was  succeeded  by  "The  State." 

"The  Winona  Daily  State"  was  established  by  Massey  & 
Wheeler,  July  11,  1861.  It  was  a  six-column  paper.  The  daily 
was  a  morning  paper,  but  it  existed  only  a  few  weeks.  Mr.  Wheeler 
retired  and  Mr.  Massey  continued  the  publication  of  the  "Weekly 
State,"  which  was  first  issued  Jul}^  17,  1861.  After  an  existence  of 
a  year  or  two  the  "State"  suspended. 


THE  WINONA  COUNTY  PRESS.  403 

"The  Winona  Weekly  Democrat"  was  established  by  A.  G. 
Reed  September  17,  1864.  It  was  a  seven-column  paper  and  lived 
some  two  or  three  years. 

The  "Democratic  Press,"  which  was  issued  by  Messrs.  Mes- 
ervey  &  Pomeroy,  was  another  venture,  which  appeared  in  the  fall 
of  1865,  but  continued  only  about  six  months. 

"The  Winona  Daily  Democrat"  was  established  January  8, 
1868,  by  Green  &  Gile.  It  was  a  four-page,  seven-column  journal. 
It  was  after\^ard  owned  by  Green  &  Dresbacli,  and  then  by  the 
Democrat  Printing  Company.     It  suspended  after  a  few  months. 

On  the  Yth  of  May,  1869,  "The  Winona  Herald,"  a  demo- 
cratic weekly  newspaper,  was  established  by  Mr.  W.  J.  Whipple. 
It  is  still  in  existence  under  the  proprietorship  of  Mr.  Whipple, 
though  leased  to  Mr.  T.  A.  Dailey  in  the  summer  of  1882. 

On  February  13,  1869,  an  amateur  paper  entitled  "The  North 
Star"  was  started  by  some  young  men,  with  Geo.  T.  Griffith,  editor ; 
Wm.  F.  Worthington,  publisher  ;  H.  G.  Smith,  treasurer  ;  JohnN. 
Nind,  subscription  agent.  The  little  journal  subsequently  passed 
into  the  hands  of  Fred.  W.  Flint  and  John  N.  Nind,  by  whom  it 
was  published  for  several  months. 

In  1872  another  amateur  paper,  "The  Novelt}^  Press,"  was 
started  at  Homer  by  R.  F.  Norton.  It  was  afterward  removed  to 
Winona  and  conducted  by  Eber  Norton.  In  1879,  November  28,  it 
was  bought  by  Geo.  B.  Dresbach  and  the  name  changed  to  "The 
Democrat."  In  January,  1880,  it  was  sold  to  Hiler,  Busdicker 
and  Dresbach,  and  was  purchased  in  January,  1882,  by  Fred.  W. 
Flint. 

On  the  9th  of  October,  1873,  E.  Gerstenhauer  established  a 
German  weekly  called  "The  Winona  Adler,"  which  still  con- 
tinues under  the  same  proprietor. 

On  the  4th  of  July,  1873,  the  "St.  Charles  Times"  was  estab- 
lished by  H.  W.  Hill.  It  was  democratic  in  politics  and  continued 
until  January  1,  1883,  when  it  suspended. 

On  May  24,  1875,  "The  Sunday  Morning  Dispatch"  was 
issued  by  D.  B.  Sherwood.  Only  one  number  appeared,  the  pro- 
prietor returning  to  Michigan. 

On  the  24th  of  April,"  1876,  "  The  Monday  Morning  Bulletin " 
was  started  by  John  Seigler.  It  continued  for  a  few  months  and 
was  removed  to  Wabasha,  Minnesota. 

In  1877,  August  11,  "Tlie  Saturday  Evening  Postman  "  appeared 


404 


irrSTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 


under  the  editorsliij)  mid  management  of  W.  A.  Oliapman.     It  ex- 
isted for  only  a  short  time. 

On  Januarys,  1877,  the  -St.  Charles  Union"'  was  established 
by  Joseph  S.  Whiton.  It  is  independent  republican  in  politics, 
and  a  paper  of  general  circulation  in  the  western  part  of  the  county! 


January  21,  1881,  a  German  weekly  newspaper,  "The  West- 
licher  Herald,"  was  started  bj  Leicht  &  Schmid.  The  firm  changed 
to  Leiclit  &  Hunger  July  1,  1881,  and  again  to  Joseph  Leicht  Jan- 
uary 1,  188;],  who  is  the  present  proprietor. 


WESrONA    PUBLIC    SCHOOLS.  405 

During  1881  the  ^'Utica  Transcript,"  a  short-lived  paper,  was 
started  at  Utica  by  O.  S.  Keed. 

On  the  2d  of  July,  1881,  "The  Winona  Daily  Tribune"  was 
established  by  F.  W.  Flint  as  an  evening  independent  republican 
paper.  About  the  first  of  July,  1882,  it  was  sold  to  Morrissey  & 
Bunn  and  changed  to  a  democratic  paper  in  politics,  still  retaining 
the  name  of  "The  Tribune."  In  January  following  the  paper  was 
sold  to  a  stock  company  and  changed  to  a  morning  paper.  It  con- 
tinued until  April,  1882,  when  it  suspended. 

The  year  1883,  therefore,  finds  the  following  newspapers  in 
existence  in  this  county:  "The  Winona  Republican,"  daily  and 
weekly,  republican  in  politics,  established  in  1855;  "The  Winona 
Herald,"  weekly,  democratic,  established  in  1869;  "The  Winona 
Adler,"  German  weekly,  democratic,  established  in  1873;  "The 
St.  Charles  Union."  weekly,  independent  republican,  established  in 
1877;  "The  Westlicher  Herald,"  German,  weekly,  democratic, 
established  in  1881. 


CHAPTER   XL. 


WINONA  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 


As  introductory  to  the  history  of  the  public  schools  of  the  city  of 
Winona,  as  they  have  existed  since  the  organization  of  the  "board 
of  education  of  the  city  of  Winona,"  April  19,  1861,  some  mention 
is  necessary  to  be  made  of  the  early  educational  work  of  the  territory 
now  included  within  the  city  limits.  The  first  attempt  at  school 
teaching  that  was  ever  made  in  this  region  was  in  the  summer  of 
1852,  by  Miss  Angelia  Gere,  a  young  girl  of  fourteen  or  fifteen 
years  of  age,  who  collected  a  few  small  children  in  the  shanty  of 
Mrs.  Goddard  (known  through  all  this  region  for  the  past  twenty- 
five  years  as  Aunt  Catharine  Smith).  As  nearly  as  the  memory  of 
old  residents  can  fix  such  matters,  this  school  was  only  continued 
for  a  few  weeks,  the  instruction  was  of  the  most  primitive  kind,  and 
the  number  of  little  ones  eight  or  ten.  The  following  summer,  1853, 
Mrs.  E.  B.  Hamilton  opened  a  school  in  her  own  little  house  at  the 
lower  end  of  the  prairie.  This  school  had  been  in  session  about  two 
or  three  weeks  when  it  was  abruptly  closed  by  the  death  of  the 
teacher,  who  was  killed  by  a  stroke  of  lightning,  June  19. 


406  JIISTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

In  the  fall  of  1853  a  private  school  was  opened  by  Miss  Willis, 
long  since  married  and  settled  in  Chatfield,  and  this  was  the  first 
school,  that  really  deserved  the  name,  opened  on  the  prairie.  Miss 
Willis  was  followed  in  1854  by  Miss  Hettie  Hoiick,  now  Mrs.  W.  H. 
Stevens,  of  this  city,  who  taught  a  subscription  school  in  a  building 
belonging  to  Aunt  Catharine  Smith,  on  the  corner  of  Front  and 
Franklin  streets.  The  number  of  ])upils  in  this  school  was  about 
twenty-five ;  the  teacher  was  engaged  at  a  regular  salary  ;  no  tuition 
fee  was  demanded ;  the  funds  were  provided  by  voluntary  subscrip- 
tion, and  the  school  is  really  entitled  to  the  name  of  the  first  public 
school  of  Winona. 

During  the  winter  of  1854-5  a  school  was  opened  by  Mr.  Henry 
Hoi  com,  in  a  small  building  on  Second  street,  afterward  known 
as  Wagner's  saloon.  This  school  was  supported  largely  in  the  same 
manner  as  that  of  Miss  Houck's,  the  school-tax  for  the  district 
never  having  been  collected.  The  pupils  in  attendance  during  the 
winter  term  numbered  about  thirty. 

In  the  summer  of  1855  Miss  Almeida  Trutchell,  subsequently 
Mrs.  David  Smith,  taught  school  in  the  embryo  city.  The  following 
winter,  1855-6,  Geo.  C.  Buckman,  now  of  Waseca,  Minnesota, 
wielded  the  birch.  Mr.  H.  C.  Bolcom,  who  had  been  attending 
term  at  Oberlin  College,  Ohio,  having  returned  to  Winona,  was 
employed  as  teacher  during  the  winter  of  1856-7,  and  his  work  in 
that  line  closed  with  the  closing  of  the  spring  term.  The  original 
school  district  No.  2  had  been  divided  in  the  spring  of  1854,  prior 
to  which  time  there  was  but  one  school  district  on  the  prairie.  No. 
14,  the  new  district,  comprised  that  part  of  the  town  plat  west  of 
Lafayette  street ;  but  for  particulars  concerning  these  matters,  see 
history  of  Winona  county  schools.  In  the  fall  of  1857  a  union,  by 
mutual  agreement  of  the  two  districts,  was  eft'ected,  and  the  trustees 
of  the  separate  districts  became  informally  the  board  of  the  qtiasi 
united  one.  These  trustees  wei'e  for  No.  2,  Col.  H.  C.  Johnson, 
Andrew  Smith  and  H.  C.  Bolcom  ;  tor  No.  14,  Dr.  J.  D.  Ford, 
Dr.  A.  S.  Ferris  and  John  lams.  Rev.  Geo.  C.  Tanner  was 
employed  as  principal  for  the  union  or  grammar  school,  as  it  was 
called ;  commenced  his  work  November  17,  1857,  and  before  the 
close  of  the  winter  four  schools  were  in  operation.  The  teachers  of 
these  schools  were  :  Rev.  Tanner,  his  wife.  Miss  Wealth_y  Tucker, 
who  taught  the  ])rimary,  in  what  is  now  ward  1  of  the  city,  and  John 
Sherman,  wIk)  taught  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city.     Of  the  early 


WINONA    PUBLIC    SCHOOLS.  407 

Winona  schools,  from  1856  to  1860,  at  which  time  his  services  were 
transferred  to  the  normal  schools,  Dr.  Ford  was  the  mainstay,  and 
pages  might  be  written  concerning  the  straits  into  which  the 
hoard  were  often  driven  to  maintain  the  schools.  As  an  instance, 
we  may  note  the  concert  held  in  the  L.  D.  Smith  building,  with  Dr. 
Ford  and  his  daughter  and  W.  S.  Drew  as  principal  fuglemen.  The 
proceeds  were  applied  to  the  purchase  of  a  terrestrial  globe,  the 
first  article  of  school  apparatus  purchased  for  the  Winona  public 
schools.  This  globe,  which  should  have  been  preserved  as  a  relic, 
was  burned  in  the  fire  of  July  5,  1862.  Rev.  Tanner  was  succeeded 
in  the  fall  of  1858  by  Mrs.  A.  W.  Thomas,  who  was  his  assistant 
during  the  latter  part  of  his  schoolwork  here. 

There  was  a  constant  increase  in  the  work  of  the  schools  from 
this  time  forward.  In  the  fall  of  1859  Mr.  V.  J.  Walker  was 
employed  as  principal,  and  his  work  continued  long  after  the  city 
schools  were  established  upon  a  solid  foundation.  In  this  work  his 
wife,  a  most  excellent  teacher,  was  associated  with  him,  and  their 
influence  in  the  young  life  of  the  city  and  its  schools  cannot  be  told 
in  words.  For  the  eighteen  months  elapsing  from  the  time  of  Mr. 
Walker's  assuming  charge  of  the  schools  until  they  were  turned  over 
to  the  city  board  of  education  at  its  organization,  no  record  survives. 
The  final  report  of  the  districts  to  that  board  are  lost,  and  all  we 
know  is  by  the  memories  reviving  twenty-four  years  of  eventful 
history,  in  which  so  much  relating  to  those  early  times  has  passed 
into  forgetfulness  that  it  is  impossible  to  reproduce  it  even  approxi- 
mately. We  only  know  that  the  schools  had  no  permanent  abiding- 
places,  that  accommodations  were  difficult  to  be  found  and  good 
quarters  impossible  to  be  received,  money  scarce  and  times  hard,  yet 
out  of  all  the  schools  emerged  tried  as  by  fire,  to  approve  the  wisdom 
of  their  early  management. 

BOAKD    OF    EDUCATION. 

By  special  act  of  Minnesota  state  legislature,  approved  March  7, 
1861,  under  the  title  "An  act  for  the  establishment  and  better 
regulation  of  the  common  schools  of  the  city  of  Winona,"  all  the 
school  districts  and  parts  of  school  districts  within  the  corporate 
limits  of  the  city  of  Winona  were  consolidated  to  form  one  district, 
the  regulation  and  management  of  which  was  committed  to  a  ' '  board 
of  education,"  for  the  creation  and  government  of  which  the  special 
act  above  cited  made  provision.     By  the  terms  of  this  act  it  was 


408  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

ordered  that  at  the  time  of  holding  the  regular  charter  election  in 
the  city,  one  school  director  in  each  ward  should  be  elected,  who,  in 
order  to  qualify,  should  take  a  prescribed  oath  of  office,  and  that 
the  directors  thus  chosen,  together  with  tlie  princi])al  of  the  State 
Normal  School  at  Winona,  should  form  the  city  board  of  education. 
It  was  plainly  the  intention  of  the  act,  as  indicated  by  its  wording, 
to  make  all  resident  members  of  the  normal  school  board  ex  officio 
inembers  of  the  city  board  of  education,  but  this  intention  was 
defeated  by  the  omission  of  a  material  word  in  the  engrossing  of  the 
act.  Thus  the  school  board  of  the  city  at  its  organization  was  con- 
stituted with  but  four  members,  one  each  from  the  three  wards  of  the 
city,  and  the  principal  of  the  State  Normal  School  at  Winona.  The 
special  provisions  of  this  act  of  March  7,  1861,  it  is  not  necessary 
to  make  further  allusion  to,  as  it  was  superseded  by  the  act  of 
legislature  approved  March  8,  1862,  which  latter  act  it  was  declared 
should  be  construed  as  of  a  public  nature  and  subversive  of  the  act 
of  the  previous  year.  By  the  terms  of  the  new  act  the  election 
of  two  school  directors  from  each  ward  was  ])rovided  for,  the  terms 
of  office  of  such  directors  fixed  at  two  years,  and  the  directors  thus 
chosen  to  constitute  the  '"city  board  of  education,"  thus  effectually 
severing  all  connection  with  the  normal  school  authorities  in  the 
management  of  the  public  schools  of  the  city.  By  the  act  of  March, 
1862,  provision  was  also  made  for  the  election  of  a  superintendent 
for  the  city  schools ;  members  of  tiie  board  of  education  were 
deban-ed  from  receiving  compensation  for  their  services  as  such  ; 
annual  reports  were  required  to  be  made  to  the  county  auditor  and 
to  the  state  superintendent  of  schools,  and  the  board  of  educaticm 
was  invested  with  such  powers  as  were  deemed  necessary  to  their 
existence,  government  and  effective  work  as  a  corporate  body 
entrusted  with  the  onerous  duty  of  providing  the  best  possible 
educational  facilities  for  the  children  and  youth  of  a  growing  city. 
To  preserve  the  homogeneousness  of  the  educational  work  throughout 
the  state,  the  board  of  education  was  made  amenable  (as  far  as 
practically  applicable)  to  the  general  school  law  of  the  state,  and  to 
the  rules  established  by  the  state  superintendent  of  public  instruc- 
tion. There  was  one  provision  of  this  act  destined  in  the  course  of 
events  to  become  a  fruitful  source  of  contention  between  the  common 
council  of  the  city  and  the  city  board  of  education,  and  for  this 
reason,  if  no  other,  it  must  be  specially  noted.  This  was  the  clause 
by  which  the  city  council  was  empowered  to  pass  upon  the  annual 


♦  WLPTONA    PUBLIC    SCHOOLS.  409 

estimates  for  school  expenses  presented  by  the  board  of  education, 
and  to  accept  or  reject  the  same  in  whole  or  in  part  as  they  deemed 
best.  The  city  treasurer  was  made  the  custodian  of  all  school 
funds  paid  in  under  the  tax  levies  ordered  by  the  council  or  other- 
wise derived,  and  required  under  penalty  to  keep  the  same  separate 
and  distinct  from  all  other  funds  in  his  hands.  The  act  also  pro- 
vided for  equitable  payment  of  all  judgment  liens  against  the  board 
without  issuing  execution  against  the  school  property  of  the  city. 

At  the  time  the  act  of  the  legislature  creating  the  "board  of 
education  of  the  city  of  Winona"  became  operative,  March  7,  1861, 
the  city  was  divided  into  three  wards,  and  at  the  charter  election  in 
April  of  that  year  the  several  wards  elected  members  of  the  board 
of  education  as  follows :  First  ward,  Thomas  Simpson  ;  second 
ward,  Richard  Jackson  ;  third  ward,  John  Keyes  ;  and  these  gentle- 
men, with  Prof.  John  Ogden,  principal  of  the  State  Normal  School  at 
"Winona,  were  the  original  board  of  education  for  the  city  of 
Winona.  The  "board"  met  April  13,  1861,  for  organization  and 
elected  Thomas  Simpson  president  and  John  Keyes  clerk  ;  Prof. 
John  Ogden  was  made  superintendent  of  city  schools,  and  the 
"board  of  education  of  the  city  of  Winona"  became  a  fixed  insti- 
tution. 

Concerning  these  gentlemen,  who  twenty-two  years  ago  com- 
posed the  first  board  of  education  of  this  city,  it  may  not  be  amiss 
to  state  that  Prof  Ogden  left  the  city  in  December,  1861,  and  is  now 
in  charge  of  a  private  normal  school  at  Fayette,  Ohio.  Thomas 
Simpson  is  still  a  resident  of  the  city,  in  active  professional  life, 
and  president  of  the  State  Nornuil  School  board.  Richard  Jackson 
was  several  years  in  business  in  this  city  and  died  here  early  in  1875. 
John  Keyes,  justly  entitled  to  the  honor  so  generally  accorded  him 
as  "father  of  the  Winona  public  schools,"  died  on  the  old  Keyes 
homestead  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city,  December  2,  1876,  at 
which  time  he  had  been  a  resident  of  Winona  a  little  over  twenty- 
three  years.  The  informal  union  of  the  two  school  districts  within 
the  city  limits,  and  their  harmonious  working  f(3r  nearly  four  years 
prior  to  their  legal  consolidation,  were  very  largely  owing  to  the 
disinterestedness,  good  judgment  and  abiding  interest  in  educa- 
tional matters  displayed  by  Mr.  Keyes.  His  work  by  no  means 
ended  with  the  formation  of  the  school  board.  As  clerk  of  that 
board  during  the  first  seven  years  of  its  existence,  during  which 
time  the  high  school  building  was  erected,  he  became  so  much  an 


410  lirSTOUY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

integral  part  of  the  public  school  administration  of  the  city  during 
that  early  formative  period,  that  his  intiuence  in  the  educational 
life  of  the  city  can  scarcely  be  overrated.  Appropriate  resolu- 
tions bearing  testimony  to  his  valuable  services  as  an  officer  and 
member  of  the  city  school  board  were  spread  upon  the  records  of 
that  body,  and  the  memory  of  his  labors  will  long  survive  his 
generation.  • 

The  great  tire  of  July  5,  1863  (to  which  reference  is  so 
frequently  made  in  this  work)  destroyed  the  records  of  the  board  of 
education,  including  the  records  of  the  schools  wliich  had  preceded 
the  organization  of  the  board.  It  is  therefore  impossible  to  give  any 
authentic  statement  concerning  the  condition  of  the  schools  at  the 
time  they  passed  under  the  control  of  the  board  of  education.  A 
general  statement  made  by  Mr.  Keyes,  as  secretary  of  the  board, 
shortly  after  the  fire,  appears  among  the  records.  From  this  we 
learn  that  April  13,  1861,  the  board  of  education,  on  assuming 
charge  of  public  school  matters  in  Winona,  found  themselves  in 
possession,  by  transfer  from  the  old  school  districts  numbers  two 
and  fourteen,  of  some  old  school  furniture,  one  terrestrial  globe, 
one  set  of  outline  maps,  some  rented  rooms  in  various  parts  of  the 
city,  some  indebtedness,  no  school  buildings  or  sites  in  fee,  or 
money.  The  sum  of  $285  was  subsequently  paid  to  settle  the 
accounts  of  one  of  the  old  districts,  and  it  is  only  a  reasonable 
probability,  from  information  obtained,  that  the  board  expended 
about  $500  in  settling  the  affairs  of  the  old  districts.  The  public 
schools  as  then  existing,  April  13,  1861,  were  one  grammar  school, 
or  high  school,  as  it  was  called,  of  which  Y.  J.  Walker  was  principal, 
and  five  primary  schools  scattered  through  the  various  wards  of  the 
city,  occupying  such  buildings  as  could  be  the  most  cheaply  rented 
for  that  purpose.  The  systematic  grading  of  the  schools  was 
immediately  undertaken  by  the  board  and  the  entire  schoolwork  of 
the  city  reorganized.  The  schools  as  thus  established  were  one 
high  school,  one  grammar  school,  three  secondary  and  four  primary 
schools.  The  estimate  made  for  the  ensuing  three  months'  expenses, 
at  the  expiration  of  which  the  school  year  as  equally  established 
would  close,  was  $1,000.  This  estimate  was  approved  by  the 
council  and  the  schools  opened  as  organized  undei*  the  new  arrange- 
ment. A  report  of  the  schoolwork  for  the  fractional  year  ending 
August  31,  1861,  gives  the  following  figures  :  Number  of  children 
of  school  age  in  the  district,  772  ;  number  of  children  enrolled  in 


WINONA    PUBLIC    SCHOOLS.  413 

the  schools,  382  ;  average  attendance,  252.  The  total  expenditures 
for  the  three  school  months  were  $932.68,  itemized  as  follows: 
Teachers'  salaries  $703,  repairs  and  furniture  $151.64,  rents  $73.04, 
fuel  $5. 

The  estimated  expenses  of  the  schools  from  September,  1861,  to 
close  of  the  spring  term  of  1862  were  $2,175,  which  added  to  the 
amount  previously  levied,  $1,000,  gives  a  total  of  $3,157,  to  carry 
on  the  nine  schools  of  the  city  from  April,  1861,  to  the  close  of  the 
school  year,  August  31,  1862.  The  work  of  grading  the  schools 
undertaken  and  partially  accomplished  the  previous  year  was  now 
completed.  The  number  of  schools  remained  as  previously  estab- 
lished and  the  several  rooms  occupied  by  them  prior  to  the  fire  of 
July  5,  1862,  were:  primary  —  (1)  Kenosha  Ale  House;  (2)  Hancock's 
building,  upstairs  ;  (3)  Hubbard's  Hall,  second  story  ;  (4)  Mrs.  J, 
S.  Hamilton's  building,  in  the  third  ward.  Secondary — (1)  South 
room  Hancock's  building  ;  (2)  Cooper's,  then  Hancock  building  ; 
(3)  Hubbard's  Hall,  first  floor.  Grammar  school  was  held  on  the 
first  floor  of  the  Hancock  building,  north  room  until  April,  when  it 
was  removed  to  the  brick  schoolroom  on  Front  street. 

The  high  school  was  first  in  the  Hancock  building,  then  in  the 
"brick  schoolroom,"  and  from  thence  removed  to  the  city  building 
when  the  grammar  school  took  possession  of  the  brick  room  on 
Front  street.  The  rentals  for  the  year  were  $293,  exclusive  of 
the  Hancock  building,  the  use  of  which  had  been  generously  do- 
nated to  the  school  board  by  the  proprietors. 

The  election  for  members  of  the  school  board  in  1862  was 
under  the  act  of  legislature,  approved  March  8  of  that  year,  re- 
quiring the  return  of  two  members  from  each  ward.  The  members 
of.  the  board  as  thus  constituted  were  :  first  ward  — Thomas  Simp- 
son ;  W.  S.  Drew,  who  did  not  qualify,  and  the  board  filled  the 
vacancy  by  electing  E.  Worthington;  second  ward  —  T.  B.  Welch, 
E.  D.  Cone  ;  third  ward  —  F.  Kroeger,  John  Keyes. 

On  the  third  Monday  in  April,  as  required  by  law,  the  board 
met  and  organized,- with  Thomas  Simpson  president  and  John  Keyes 
clerk.  The  Rev.  David  Burt  was  elected  superintendent  of  schools 
for  the  city,  his  compensation  for  services  fixed  at  $100  per  annum, 
and  a  like  amount  voted  the  clerk  as  salary.  The  estimated  ex- 
penses for  carrying  on  the  schools  for  the  year  beginning  Sep- 
tember 1,  1862,  are  not  given  in  full,  but  the  tax  levy  submitted  to 
the  council  for  approval  was  for  $2,945.  The  whole  amount  ex- 
24 


414  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

pended  certainiy  doubled  that  sum.  The  public  moneys  of  1858  for 
districts  numbers  two  and  fourteen  aggregated  $1,130,  and  at  this 
time,  1862,  there  was  not  only  a  marked  increase  in  the  number  of 
school  age  within  the  district,  but  also  in  the  ratio  of  appropriation 
to  each  individual.  The  wages  paid  teachers  by  the  board  at  this 
time  were  as  follows  :  principal  of  high  school,  per  month,  $55  ; 
teacher  of  grammar  school,  per  month,  $35  ;  secondary  school, 
per  month,  $22, 50  ;  primary  school,  per  month,  $20. 

The  necessity  of  establishing  the  schools  in  permanent  quarters 
had  long  been  apparent  to  the  friends  of  education  in  the  city,  and 
the  question  of  building  schoolhouses  as  the  state  of  the  treasury 
would  permit  from  time  to  time  was  freely  agitated.  At  some 
meeting  of  the  board  prior  to  July  5,  1862,  a  resolution  to  build  a 
schoolhouse  in  ward  No.  3  was  adopted.  Lots  5  and  6  in  block 
15,  Hamilton's  addition  to  the  city  of  Winona,  were  purchased  and 
the  contract  let  for  building  a  ward  schoolhouse,  at  a  cost,  including 
lots,  of  $1,760.  As  we  do  not  intend  to  lollow  the  history  of  the 
several  schools  through  their  temporary  quarters  to  their  final  es- 
tablishment in  their  present  permanent  homes,  we  state  here  that 
this  first  purchase  of  two  lots  in  block  15  was  subsequently  followed 
by  the  purchase  of  the  entire  block,  and  upon  it  in  1876  the  present 
"Washington  school  building  was  erected,  as  will  be  more  particu- 
larly noted  hereafter.  It  was  at  this  juncture,  close  of  spring  term 
of  1862,  that  the  fire,  before  mentioned,  swept  away  the  brick 
schoolroom  on  Front  street,  and  destroyed  (among  scores  of  others) 
the  office  of  secretary  John  Keyes,  obliterating  every  vestige  of 
record  concerning  the  schoolwork  of  the  city,  from  the  opening  of 
Miss  Angelia  Gere's  nursery  school  in  1852  to  the  latest  minute  of 
the  board  of  education  made  in  June,  1862.     *     *     * 

The  first  meeting  after  the  fire  was  held  June  9,  1862,  in  the 
office  of  the  secretary,  and  vigorous  efforts  made  to  provide  accom- 
modations for  the  schools  to  be  opened  the  ensuing  term.  These 
efforts  were  eminently  successful,  and  the  work  of  the  schools  was 
systematically  resumed  at  the  opening  of  the  , school  year.  The 
school  report  for  the  year  then  ended,  August  31,  1862,  showed  no 
change  in  the  census  returns  of  children  of  school  age  within  the 
district  from  those  presented  for  the  previous  year,  but  the  enroll- 
ment had  increased  from  382  in  1861  to  419  in  1862.  A  reduction 
had  in  the  meantime  been  made  in  the  number  of  schools  sus- 
tained by  the  board,  one  of  the  secondary  grade  having  been  discon- 


WIKONA    PUBLIC    SCHOOLS.  415- 

tinued.  In  October  of  this  year  the  clerk  of  the  board,  as  required 
by  law,  took  the  census  of  children  of  school  age,  upon  which  cen- 
sus returns  the  division  of  public  moneys  to  the  schools  throughout 
the  state  was  based,  and  reported  an  increase  of  188  over  the  census 
of  1861-2.  ISTo  special  change  is  to  be  noted  in  the  school  work  for 
the  year  ending  August  31,  1863.  The  number  of  schools  remained 
unchanged,  and  the  old  officers  of  the  board  were  continued  at  the 
head  of  affairs,  as  was  also  the  superintendent.  Though  no  special 
changes  occurred  in  the  schoolwork  the  board  itself  was  making 
progress.  The  school  building  in  ward  three  was  completed  as  per 
contract  some  time  in  December,  1862,  and  on  January  1,  1863,  this, 
the  first  school  building  erected  for  school  purposes  by  the  school 
authorities  of  Winona,  was  dedicated  to  the  uses  for  which  it  was- 
constructed.  Thomas  Simpson,  as  president  of  the  board  of  educa- 
tion, presided  at  the  opening  exercises,  and  delivered  an  appropriate 
address,  the  manuscript  of  which  lies  before  us  as  we  write.  Action 
was  taken  this  year  in  the  matter  of  purchasing  school  sites  in  wards 
numbers  two  and  three;  the  salaries  of  clerk  and  superintendent  were 
raised  to  $150  each  per  annum;  the  clerk  was  instructed  to  advertise 
for  contracts  for  a  school  building  in  the  first  ward ;  the  Steam's 
schoolhouse,  in  the  second  ward,  was  purchased  at  a  cost  of  $415,. 
exclusive  of  ground  rent,  which  was  fixed  at  $10  per  annum  ;  lots 
1  and  2  in  block  119,  original  plat  of  Winona,  were  purchased, 
and  contract  closed  with  Mr.  Conrad  Bohn  to  erect  a  school  build- 
ing upon  them  at  a  cost,  including  fencing,  of  $2,200.  This  contract 
was  entered  into  August  22,  1863,  and  with  this  action  of  the  board 
closed  the  transactions  of  that  school  year.  The  building  on  block 
15,  Hamilton's  addition  (as  also  the  one  now  under  contract  by  Mr. 
Bohn),  was  a  two-story  frame,  arranged  for  the  accommodation  of 
two  schools,  one  on  each  floor.  The  building  in  the  first  ward,  when 
completed,  was  occupied  for  school  purposes  by  the  board,  and  so 
continued  until  the  erection  of  the  Madison  school  building  in 
1875  ;  since  then  the  old  house  known  as  the  Jefferson  school 
building  has  been  provisionally  turned  over  to  the  city  council 
for  the  use  of  the  fire  department. 

The  census  returns  for  the  new  school  year  1863—4  showed  a 
material  increase  in  the  number  of  children  in  the  city,  1,221  being 
the  number  reported  by  the  clerk.  The  increased  number  of  children 
demanded  increased  accommodations,  and  the  school  of  secondary 
grade,   discontinued  in  1862-3,  was  reopened,  making  the  whole 


41 G  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Tuiinber  ot  schools  under  the  care  of  the  board  ten.  January  15,  1864, 
Mr.  Burt  resigned  his  office  as  superintendent  of  Winona  public 
schools,  and  Dr.  F,  H.  Staples,  a  practicing  physician  of  the  city,  was 
elected  to  fill  the  vacancy.  Dr.  Staples  discharged  the  duties  of 
superintendent  until  September  4,  1865,  when  he  resigned,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Prof.  Y.  J.  Walker,  who  taught  the  Union  Grammar 
School  of  the  city  from  the  fall  of  1859  until  the  "organization  of 
the  city  school  board,  when  he  was  elected  principal  of  the  high 
school,  April,  1861.  Mr.  Walker  continued  to  perform  his  double 
duties  as  high  school  principal  and  superintendent  of  city  schools 
until  the  close  of  the  school  year  in  1869,  at  which  time  he  closed  a 
very  successful  term  of  ten  years  as  principal  of  public  schools  in 
Winona. 

By  the  charter  election  of  1864  a  change  was  made  in  the  mem- 
"bership  of  the  board  of  education,  and  upon  the  organization  of  the 
board  L.  B.  Tefft  was  elected  president;  secretary  Keyes  still  in  office. 
The  estimates  for  the  year  opening  September  1,  1864,  were  for  one 
high  school,  one  grammar  school,  four  secondary  schools,  six  pri- 
mary scliools,  all  of  which  were  oj^ened  with  the  exception  of  one 
secondary,  the  total  number  being  eleven  schools.  To  provide  for 
maintaining  these  during  a  school  year  of  ten  months  the  estimated 
tax  required  was  $12,000,  $5,000  of  that  amount  to  apply  to  a  fund 
for  the  erection  of  a  suitable  central  school  building,  which  the 
necessities  of  the  schools  demanded  and  the  wisdom  of  the  board  was 
forecasting.  The  salaries  of  teachers  at  this  time  had  somewhat 
appreciated.  Wages  were  per  month,  high  school,  $65  ;  grammar 
school,  $35  ;  secondaries,  $25  ;  primaries,  $22. 

The  officers  of  the  board  were  not  changed  in  the  spring  of  1865, 
and  the  school  registers  bore  the  names  of  806  pupils,  the  actual 
enrollment  for  that  year.  The  estimated  expenses  for  the  year 
opening  September  1,  1865,  were  $16,500.  The  actual  tax  levy  was 
$9,632.78,  with  an  item  of  $5,000  for  central  'school  fund.  At  the 
close  of  school  year,  August  31,  1865,  the  city  owned  three  wooden 
buildings,  the  total  valuation  of  which,  including  furniture,  was 
$5,000,  the  buildings  accommodating  five  of  the  eleven  schools  main- 
tained by  the  board. 

The  school  year  1865-66  was  an  eventful  one.  The  board  had 
previously  selected  block  37  of  the  original  town  plot,  as  the  site  of 
the  proposed  central  building,  and  acquired  title  to  several  of  the  lots 
thereon.     The  work  of  receiving  possession  of  the  entire  block  was 


WESrONA    PUBLIC    SCHOOLS.  417 

pushed  vigorously,  and  on  May  15,  J  866,  title  was  perfected  and  the 
block  secured.  Bids  for  the  erection  of  a  suitable  central  school 
building  had  been  advertised  for  in  the  meantime,  and  contracts 
awarded  to  Conrad  Bohn,  of  this  city,  three  days  prior  to  perfecting 
title.  The  contract  price  of  structure  was  $36,700,  the  whole 
costing  with  furances  and  furniture  about  $52,000.  Ground  was 
immediately  broken,  walls  erected  and  roof  put  on  that  season,  and 
the  building  was  completed  and  accepted  by  the  board  September  7, 
1867,  named  by  them  the  High  School,  and  the  afternoon  of  Sep- 
tember 13th  set  apart  for  its  formal  dedication,  which  was  accord- 
ingly done,  Hon.  Mark  Dunnell,  of  this  state,  delivering  the  dedica- 
tory address.  This  building  is  decidedly  an  ornament  to  the  city,  a 
monument  to  the  public  spirit  of  the  citizens,  and  a  credit  to  the 
board  of  education  under  whose  administration  it  was  erected.  The 
block  on  which  it  stands  is  in  the  very  heart  of  the  best  residence 
portion  of  the  city.  The  building  faces  north,  the  main  entrance 
being  on  Broadway,  with  side  entrances  on  Walnut  and  Market 
streets.  It  is  a  substantial,  ornate  structure,  built  of  brick  and  stone, 
rising  three  full  stories  above  the  basement,  in  which  are  the  fur- 
naces and  fuel  rooms.  The  extreme  length  from  east  to  west  is  96 
feet ;  from  north  to  south,  82  feet ;  height  of  main  walls,  32  feet  ;  of 
gables,  48  feet ;  of  main  ventilating  shaft,  72  feet ;  of  minor  venti- 
lating turrets,  GQ  feet;  with  a  tower  rising  94  feet  from  the  water-table 
to  the  finial. 

The  basement  is  nine  feet  between  floors,  the  first  and  second 
stories  each  thirteen  feet  and  the  third  story,  in  which  is  the  assembly 
room,  fifteen  feet.  A  hall  eight  feet  wide  running  the  extreme 
length  of  the  building,  with  double  doors  at  each  end,  affords  ample 
means  for  entrance  and  exit.  The  staircases  are  four  and  one-half 
feet  each,  and  the  rooms  are  fully  provided  with  cloak  closets. 
There  are  four  recitation  rooms,  each  28  X  34  feet  on  the  main  floor, 
and  also  on  the  second.  The  north  half  of  the  third  story  is  the 
high  school  room  proper,  the  space  on  the  south  side  being 
divided  into  recitation  rooms  for  high  school  classes.  The  building 
is  occupied  by  the  following  schools  :  one  high  school  with  three  reci- 
tation rooms,  two  grammar  schools,  three  secondary  schools  lettered 
A,  B,  C,  four  primary  schools. 

The  city  superintendent's  office  is  in  the  tower  on  the  main  floor, 
a  comfortable  room  12x12,  supplied  with  a  small  reference  library 
and  connected  with  the  city  telephone  exchange. 


418  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    (;OUNTY. 

Tlie  school  census,  taken  in  the  fall  of  1866,  showed  1,952  children 
of  school  age  within  the  city,  an  increase  of  741  in  three  years. 
The  census  of  1867  showed  a  further  increase  229,  making  a  total  of 
2,181  for  the  latter  year. 

Henry  Stevens  became  president  of  the  board  at  the  annual 
meeting  in  April,  1866,  secretary  Keyes  still  retaining  office.  At 
this  meeting  the  salary  of  clerk  was  raised  to  $250  per  annum,  as 
was  also  that  of  the  superintendent. 

No  change  was  made  in  the  officers  of  the  board  at  their  annual 
meeting  in  1867.  When  the  schools  opened  in  September  of  that 
year  the  salar}^  of  high  school  principal  was  fixed  at  $1,300,  and  the 
wages  of  female  teachers  $40  per  month. 

At  tlie  annual  spring  election  in  1868,  secretary  Keyes  was  not 
returned  and  the  board  organized  with  H.  D.  Huff,  president,  and 
John  Ball,  secretary.  The  following  year,  1869,  Mr.  Ball  gave 
place  to  J.  M.  Sheardown,  who  held  the  office  of  clerk  to  the 
"board"  until  his  resignation  in  December,  1871.  At  the  annual 
meeting  in  this  .year,  1869,  the  salaries  of  clerk  and  superintendent 
were  raised  to  $300  each  per  annum.  At  the  close  of  this  school 
year  a  new  departure  was  taken  and  the  office  of  superintendent  of 
schools  separated  from  the  principalship  of  the  high  school.  This 
position  was  offered  to  Prof.  Varney,  at  a  salary  of  $1,500  per 
annum,  but  he  declined  the  offer,  and  the  office  was  not  filled  until 
October  4,  1869,  when  the  officers  of  the  school  board  were 
authorized  to  emjjloy  Prof.  W.  P.  Hood,  which  was  done  as  ordered. 
The  new  superintendent  entered  immediately  upon  his  work  and 
continued  in  office  until  the  close  of  the  spring  term  in  1871. 

At  the  annual  meeting  in  1870  Gen.  C.  H.  Berry,  at  present 
the  senior  member  of  the  Winona  county  bar,  was  elected  president 
of  the  city  school  board,  and  held  that  position  by  successive  re- 
elections  until  he  retired  from  the  board  in  1878.  During  these 
years  the  beautiful  ward  schoolhouses  in  the  east  and  west  ends  of 
the  city  were  constructed  at  an  aggregate  cost  of  $60,000,  and  the 
echicational  work  of  the  city  advanced  at  every  point. 

June  20,  1871,  Prof  F.  M.  Dodge  was  elected  city  superintend- 
ent of  schools,  and  his  salary  fixed  at  $1,500  ]ter  annum.  December 
15,  1871,  Mr.  M.  Maverick  was  elected  to  the  clerkship  of  the  board 
of  education,  made  vacant  by  the  resignation  of  J.  M.  Sheardown, 
and  held  that  office  until  the  election  of  Dr.  J.  M.  Cole,  at  the 
animal  meeting  in  1875.     December  18,  1871,  the  board  adopted 


WINONA    PUBLIC    SCHOOLS.  419 

resolutions  recommending  the  erection  of  a  good  three-story  brick 
building  in  the  first  ward,  and  memorializing  the  city  council  to 
procure  such  legislation  as  would  authorize  the  issue  of  $15,000  of 
school  bonds. 

The  report  of  the  clerk,  made  October  1,  1872,  showed  an 
increase  in  the  number  of  schools,  census  enumeration,  enrollment 
in  schools,  expenditures,  etc.,  the  figures  being  as  follows:  One 
high  school,  four  grammar  schools,  seven  secondary  schools,  nine 
primary  ;  2,427  children  of  school  age,  an  actual  enrollment  of 
1,114  on  the  school  registers.  The  total  receipts  from  all  sources 
were  shown  by  the  financial  statement  in  August  to  aggregate 
$25,336.68.  The  schools  were  maintained  during  a  school  year  of 
ten  months,  and  22  teachers  employed  ;  average  wages  of  teachers, 
gentlemen,  $100  per  month ;  ladies,  $55  per  month. 

The  reports  made  in  1874  show  receipts  for  the  year  ending 
August  31,  $42,987;  disbursements,  $28,987;  children  of  school 
age  in  the  city,  3,098  ;  children  enrolled  in  the  schools,  1,339. 

The  annual  election  in  1875  placed  Dr.  Cole,  as  before  said,  at 
the  clerk's  desk,  a  position  held  by  him  for  six  years,  during  which 
he  rendered  valuable  aid  to  the  educational  work  of  the  •  city. 
During  this  school  year  the  Madison  school  building  was  completed 
at  a  cost  of  about  $32,000,  and  in  the  annual  report  of  the  clerk, 
made  August,  1876,  the  following  exhibit  appears : 

Houses  owned  by  the  board,  four  (two  brick  and  two  frame); 
values  of  school  sites,  $25,000  ;  values  of  buildings,  $106,060  ;  value 
of  buildings  erected  during  the  year,  $31,306  ;  seating  capacity  of 
buildings,  1,478;  receipts  for  the  year,  $60,891.28;  disbursements 
for  the  year,  $44,926.40;  teachers' wages,  $15,420;  average  wages, 
gentlemen,  $120  per  month  ;  average  wages,  ladies,  $50  per  month. 

The  Washington  school  building  a  facsimile  of  the  Madison 
building,  was  accepted  at  the  hands  of  the  contractor  November  17, 
1876,  and  the  schools  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city  transferred  to 
their  new  quarters  January  1,  1877.  The  purchase  of  block  15, 
Hamilton's  addition,  upon  which  the  Washington  building  was 
erected,  has  already  been  noted.  This  block  on  which  the  Madison 
school  building  stands  is  the  one  adjoining  that  on  which  the  old 
Jefferson  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1863.  This  new  block,  No.  118, 
was  purchased  by  the  board  December  21,  1869,  as  the  site  of  the 
prospective  school  building  for  the  first  ward.  A  description  of  the 
Madison  building  will  answer  for  both,  as  one  is  almost  the  perfect 


420  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

facsimile  of  the  other.  Tlie  building  is  a  line  three-story  brick, 
stone  basement  and  trimmings,  with  mansard  roof  The  extreme 
length  from  east  to  west  is  80  feet ;  from  north  to  south,  77  feet. 
The  main  walls  rise  30  feet  above  the  water-table,  and  the  gables 
45  feet.  The  tower  is  80  feet  high,  and  height  of  the  several  stories 
as  follows  :  Basement,  containing  furnaces,  fuel  and  storage  room, 
8^  feet  to  joists  overhead;  first  and  second  stories,  each  13  feet; 
third  story,  12  feet.  Each  floor  is  divided  into  four  recitation  rooms, 
each  25X30  feet,  provided  with  cloakrooms,  all  the  modern  a])pli- 
ances  for  comfort  and  convenience,  and  each  room  seated  to  accom- 
modate from  40  to  56  pupils,  according  to  grade.  The  several  floors 
have  each  a  main  hall  running  the  extreme  length  of  the  building 
from  east  to  west,  with  a  cross  hall.  The  main  halls  are  8  feet  wide, 
and  the  cross  halls  6  feet  8  inches  in  the  clear.  The  building  fronts 
north  on  Wabasha  street,  upon  which  is  the  main  entrance,  with 
side  entrances  on  Dakota  and  Olmsted  streets.  Free  exit  is 
afforded  from  the  halls  on  the  main  floor,  in  three  directions,  bj 
spacious  doors  and  stairways,  and  there  are  two  staircases,  each  four 
feet  in  the  clear,  leading  from  the  upper  stories.  The  Madison 
school  building  is  provided  with  four  wood-furnaces,  and  the  Wash- 
ington school  with  five.  These  buildings,  with  their  twelve  school- 
rooms each,  and  the  high-school  building  with  its  nine  school  (and 
three  recitation)  rooms,  make  comfortable  provision  for  thirtj-three 
schools,  thirty-two  of  them  now  running  and,  under  the  able  man- 
agement of  superintendent  McNaughton,  doing  efficient  work. 
These  three  school  buildings,  each  occupying  a  full  block  in  well- 
chosen  locations,  with  their  ample  walks,  growing  shade-trees,  taste- 
ful architectural  appearance,  and  thoroughly  furnished  rooms,  are 
a  just  occasion  of  city  pride,  the  value  of  sites,  buildings  and 
improvements  falling  little  short  of  $175,000. 

Early  in  1877  the  board  of  education  recorded  its  emphatic  dis- 
approval of  the  attempt  made  in  the  state  legislature  to  create  a 
"state  text-book  committee,"  and  dispatched  one  of  their  members. 
Dr.  J.  B.  McGaughey,  to  St.  Paul  to  express  to  the  legislature  the 
sentiments  of  the  Winona  board  of  education.  The  obnoxious 
measure  became  a  law,  but  Winona  schools  were  exempted  from  its 
provisions.  The  annual  meeting  in  1877  made  no  changes  in  the 
officers  of  the  board.  The  reports  of  the  clerk  not  only  showed 
encouraging  progress  in  school  matters,  but  also  a  growing  liberality 
on  the  part  of  the  board  in  fixing  teachers'  wages,  which  were  estab- 


WINONA    PUBLIC    SCHOOLS.  421 

lislied  as  follows:  Principal  of  high  school  per  month,  $130; 
assistant,  $60  ;  grammar  school  teachers,  $60  ;  secondary  school 
teachers,  $55  ;  primary  school  teachers,  $50.  The  enrollment  for 
the  year  was  1,820,  and  the  average  attendance  1,260.  The  total 
receipts  of  the  board  for  the  year  were  $60,243.69,  and  the  year 
closed  with  $15,968  in  the  treasury. 

In  the  spring  of  1878  Dr.  J.  B.  McGaughey  became  president  of 
the  board  ;  Prof.  Dodge  was  followed  by  Prof.  Irwin  Shepard  as 
city  superintendent  of  schools  ;  the  financial  exhibit  showed  receipts 
in  excess  of  $60,000,  expenditures  a  little  over  $45,000.  There  was 
a  hitch  in  the  city  council  over  the  authorization  of  the  tax  levy 
required  by  law,  and  clerk  Cole  reported  his  ability  to  carry  the 
schools  through  the  school  year  with  the  aid  of  a  temporary  loan, 
which  was  accordingly  done,  no  school  tax  being  levied  for  that  year. 
In  1879  Dr.  T.  A.  Pierce  was  elected  president  of  the  board.  Prof. 
Shepard  was  followed  by  Prof  W.  F.  Phelps  as  city  superintendent 
of  schools,  and  the  enrollment  for  the  year  showed  a  decrease  of 
about  150  over  the  enrollment  of  1877.  This  fact  was  due  to  the 
opening  of  several  parochial  schools  in  the  city. 

Matters  were  in  statu  quo  during  1880,  but  in  1881  Dr.  Cole 
retired  from  the  clerkship  of  the  board,  after  six  years'  consecutive 
service,  and  was  followed  by  W.  J.  Whipple,  who  held  that  office 
two  years.  Dr.  Pierce  continued  at  the  head  of  the  board,  and  in 
the  fall  Prof.  J.  W.  McNaughton,  the  present  superintendent  of 
schools,  assumed  educational  control. 

The  annual  meeting  in  1882  was  principally  noted  for  the  pro- 
tracted contest  for  president,  in  which  an  adjournment  was  had  to 
the  following  evening,  after  130  ballots  were  cast.  At  the  adjourned 
meeting  Dr.  J.  B.  McGaughey  was  elected  president  of  the  board 
upon  the  187th  ballot. 

The  election  held  the  evening  of  April  20,  1883,  continued  Dr. 
McGaughey  in  the  chair,  and  elected  Arthur  Beyerstedt  clerk  of  the 
board. 

A  summary  of  the  schools  as  now  existing  land  controlled  by  city 
superintendent  McNaughton  is  in  brief  as  follows  : 

High  School  Building. — One  high  school,  of  which  Thomas 
L.  Heaton,  graduate  of  Michigan  State  University,  class  of  1880,  is 
principal.  His  assistants  are  Mr.  J.  J.  Helmer,  Misses  J.  Mitchell 
and  Frances  Elmer.  One  grammar  school ;  three  secondary  schools, 
A,  B,  C  ;  four  primary  schools.     Total  schools  in  high  school  build- 


422 


HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 


ing,  9  :  total  enrollment,  564  ;  number  of  regular  teachers,  12. 
curriculum  of  the  high  school  is  appended  : 


The 


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Madison  School. — One  grammar  department,  in  charge  of  Miss 
Mary  Youmans  ;  three  secondary  schools  ;  eight  primary  schools. 
Total  enrollment,  623  ;  total  schools,  12. 

Washington  School. — One  grammar  department,  under  care  of 
Alvin  Braley  ;  three  secondary  schools  ;  seven  primary  schools. 
Total  schools,  11  ;  total  enrollment,  636. 

The  entire  educational  force  of  the  city  comprises,  for  its  public 
schools,  1  superintendent,  35  regular  and  2  special  teachers,  the 
schools  under  their  charge  having  a  total  em-ollment  of  1,823 
scholars.  This  enrollment  is  about  the  same  as  that  of  1877,  to 
which  is  to  be  added  the  700  pupils  enrolled  in  the  parochial  schools. 
There  has,  however,  been  a  most  gratifying  improvement  in  the 
average  daily  attendance,  the  reports  showing  an  increase  of  300  in 
the  average  attendance  of  to-day  over  that  of  1877,  under  the  same 
nominal  enrollment.  There  is  no  longer  a  scliool  census  taken,  and 
the  number  of  children  between  the  ages  ot  5  and  21  in  the  city 
cannot  be  given.  The  estimate  is  made  oi  about  4,000  ;  but  if  the 
proportion  of  enrollment  to  total  number  of  school  age  was  main- 
tained now  as  in  years  past,  the  number  would  be  considerably  in 
excess  of  5,000. 

The  work  of  the  parochial  school  appears  in  connection  with  the 
history  of  the  various  parishes  by  which  they  are  maintained. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 


HISTORY  OF  WINONA  CITY. 


When  the  county  of  Fillmore  was  created  out  of  Wabasha  county 
by  special  act  of  territorial  legislature,  approved  March  5,  1853,  the 
new  county  thus  created  was  organized  for  judicial  purposes  and 
divided  into  electoral  precincts.  One  of  these  precincts  was  called 
the  Winona  precinct,  and  included  within  its  limits  the  territory 
embraced  in  the  level  bottom  lands  on  the  west  side  of  the  Missis- 
sippi river  in  latitude  44  degrees  north,  longitude  14  degrees  and  30 
minutes  west  from  Washington,  and  known  as  Wabasha  prairie. 
The  life  of  Winona  precinct  as  thus  constituted  was  of  short  dura- 
tion. By  special  act  of  territorial  legislature,  approved  February 
23,  1854,  Fillmore  county  was  in  turn  divided  and  the  present 
county  of  Winona  formed,  its  boundaries  fixed  as  now  existing,  and 
Winona  designated  as  the  county  seat.  Under  the  provisions  ot 
this  act,  a  special  election  was  held  April  4,  1854,  within  the  several 
precincts  as  then  designated  by  the  county  commissioners  of  Fill- 
more county,  for  the  purpose  of  choosing  county  and  precinct  ofiicers. 
Tliese  commissioners  were  Henry  C.  Gere,  Myron  Toms  and  Wm. 
T.  Luark.  The  precinct  officers  to  be  elected  were,  two  justices  ot 
the  peace,  two  constables  and  one  road  supervisor.  Under  the 
Fillmore  county  administration  the  precinct  officers  were  appfinted 
by  the  governor  of  the  territory,  and  for  Winona  precinct  were, 
John  Burns  and  John  M.  Gere,  justices  of  the  peace  ;  Frank  W. 
Curtis,  constable ;  and  Geo.  W.  Clark,  road  supervisor.  These 
officers  held  their  seats  until  the  regular  territorial  election,  on  the 
second  Tuesday  in  October,  when  Geo.  W.  Gere  and  Wm.  H. 
Stevens  were  elected  justices  of  the  peace  and  F.  W.  Curtis,  con- 
stable. The  terms  of  office  for  which  these  gentlemen  were  elected 
expired  by  operation  of  the  special  act  of  February  23,  1854,  order- 
ing a  special  election  to  be  held  April  4  ensuing.  The  judges  of 
election  were  appointed  by  the  Fillmore  county  commissioners,  the 
election  held  as  ordered,  and  Winona  precinct,  besides  casting  her 
vote  for  the  regular  county  officers,  elected  for  herself  as  justices  of 
the  peace  Wm.  II.  Stevens  and  Geo.  H.  Sanborn,  and  for  constable, 


424  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Frank  W.  Curtis.  No  official  record  of  tliis  election  is  on  file  in  the 
office  in  this  county,  as  the  returns  were  made  to  Fillmore  county. 
The  Winona  county  commissioners,  elected  i\]n'i\  4,  1854,  met  at 
Winona,  the  seat  of  government  for  tlie  new  county,  April  28,  of 
that  same  year,  and  the  following  day,  April  2!»,  1854,  redistricted 
the  county.  By  this  partition  Winona  county  was  divided  into  six 
electoral  precincts  ;  one  of  these  was  named  Winona  and  described 
as  townsliip  No.  107  north,  range  7,  west  of  the  fifth  principal 
meridian.  As  will  he  noted  hy  the  description,  the  precinct  of 
Winona,  as  then  formed,  was  identical  in  its  boundaries  with  the' 
present  township  of  Winona,  including  the  corporate  limits  of  the 
city  of  Winona.  The  official  term  for  which  these  offices  were  tilled 
in  April  expired  when  the  regular  election  for  the  territory  was  held 
the  ensuing  October.  The  official  returns  of  this  election — the  very 
existence  of  which  seemed  unknown  until  they  were  unearthed  for  us 
by  ex-county  auditor  Basford  from  among  the  musty  archives  of  the 
county  records  —  give  the  following  as  the  result :  justices  of  the 
peace,  S.  K.  Thompson,  A.  C.  Jones  ;  constables,  F.  W.  Curtis, 
A.  C.  Smith ;  road  supervisor,  Enoch  Hamilton.  It  does  not 
appear  from  any  records  in  the  office  of  register  of  deeds,  or  from 
any  acknowledgment  upon  any  instrument  extant,  or  from  the 
memory  of  any  one  familiar  with  those  times,  that  A.  C.  Jones  ever 
qualified  as  justice  of  the  ])eace  or  exercised  the  functions  of  that 
office.  There  is  abundance  of  parole  evidence  to  show  that  G.  H. 
Sanborn  continued  to  exercise  the  authority  of  justice  for  months 
after  the  October  election,  and  in  connection  with  S.  K.  Thompscm 
••'prqierved  the  peace"  in  Winona  precinct. 

The  election  of  1855  returned  Henry  Day  and  John  Keyes, 
justices  ;  Harvey  S.  Terry  and  W.  H.  Peck,  constables ;  and  Wm. 
Doolittle,  road  supervisor. 

The  officers  elected  in  1856  were:  justices  of  the  peace,  G.  R. 
Tucker,  I.  B.  Andrews  ;  constables,  Harvey  S.  Terry,  C.  C.  Bart- 
lett ;  road  supervisor,  Asa  Hedge.  This  was  the  last  precinct 
election  in  which  the  residents  within  the  city  limits  took  part.  The 
term  of  office  for  which  the  above  election  was  held  expired  with 
the  charter  election  held  Monday,  xVpril  6,  1857. 

From  the  formation  of  Fillmore  county,  March  5,  1853,  until 
the  charter  election  for  the  newly  incorporated  city  was  held,  four 
years  and  one  month  later,  the  settlers  on  Wabasha  prairie  were 
subject  only  to  such  general  laws  and  regulations  as  had  been  enacted 


WINONA    CITY.  425 

by  territorial  authority  for  the  government  of  such  communities  as 
were  uninvested  with  corporate  rights  and  privileges.  This  day  had 
passed  by  for  Winona  and  she  was  now  to  enter  upon  the  larger  and 
more  responsible  work  of  creating  a  city  government,  and  adminis- 
tering its  affairs/answerable  only  to  herself  within  the  limits  of  her 
corporate  franchises.  Before  entering  upon  this  phase  of  the  history 
of  Winona,  it  is  necessary  that  some  idea  should  be  given  of  the 
growth  in  population  and  the  material  progress  made  by  the  little 
community  from  the  date  of  its  planting  to  the  eve  of  its  incoi'po- 
ration,  and  for  this  purpose  a  brief  reference  to  these  matters  will  be 
all  that  is  necessary. 

The  population  of  Winona  county  at  the  date  of  its  organization 
is  generally  placed  a  little  below  800  —  a  slow  growth,  and  one  not 
destined  to  be  much  accelerated  during  the  year  and  a  half  that  fol- 
lowed. The  attractions  of  southern  Minnesota,  to  which  Winona 
has  ever  been  the  chief  gateway,  seemed  generally  disregarded,  and 
the  rush  of  settlement  was  farther  north  along  the  Minnesota  river ; 
the  St.  Paul  press  growing  so  eloquent  in  its  descriptions  of  the 
beauty  and  fertility  of  that  valley  as  to  attract  the  attention  of  pro- 
spective settlers  to  that  region.  The  protracted  occupation  of  this 
section  of  Minnesota  by  the  Indians,  their  final  removal  not  having 
been  effected  until  the  autumn  of  1853,  had  much  to  do  in  prevent- 
ing the  early  settlement  of  southeastern  Minnesota.  But  when  the 
vast  territory  lying  west  of  Winona  was  opened  to  settlement  in  the 
summer  of  1855,  and  the  government  land  office  established  here  in 
November  of  that  year,  the  change  from  the  dull  inactivity  of  the 
previous  year  was  almost  marvelous.  The  influx  of  population,  the 
rapid  increase  in  the  number  of  business  houses  of  all  kinds,  the 
activity  manifest  in  every  department  of  trade,  the  impetus  given  to 
all  speculative  movements,  the  number  of  buildings  in  course  of 
erection,  all  testified  to  the  fact  that  a  new  day  and  a  better  one  had 
dawned  upon  the  prospective  metropolis  of  southern  Minnesota.  The 
condition  of  affairs  at  the  close  of  the  year  1856  may  be  summed  up 
as  follows  :  The  population  had  increased  from  about  800  in  Decem- 
ber, 1855,  to  3,000  in  December,  1856.  There  had  been  erected 
during  the  year  290  buildings  of  all  kinds,  among  them  three  good 
churches,  a  large  four-story  warehouse,  a  commodious  hotel  (the 
Hufi'  House,  now  standing),  a  steam  flouring-mill  with  five  run  of 
stones,  a  large  three-story  banking  building,  besides  scores  of  others 
of  less  note,  yet  decidedly  creditable  to  the  young  city.     An  idea  of 


426  HISTORY    OF    WENONA    COUNTY. 

the  value  of  real  property  may  be  had  from  these  specimen  quota- 
tions of  sales  of  real  estate,  taken  from  the  columns  of  the  "Winona 
Republican  "  of  that  date  :  "A  lot  on  Second  street,  between  Center 
and  Lafayette,  40x100  feet,  $1,600  cash;  two  corner  lots  on  Walnut 
street,  $1,800  ;  a  lot,  80  X  140  feet,  corner  of  Second  and  Center 
streets,  $6,000."  The  manufacturing  establishments  were  two  steam 
saw-mills,  one  steam  planing-mill,  one  steam  flouring-mill,  one  cabinet 
manufactory  with  steam  power.  The  river  was  open  to  navigation 
from  April  8  to  November  17,  and  during  that  time  there  were  1,300 
arrivals  and  departures  of  boats.  A  tri-weekly  line  of  steamers  was 
maintained  for  greater  part  of  the  season  between  Winona  and  Du- 
buque, and  the  forwarding  and  commission  business  for  that  season 
aggregated  $182,731.96.  There  were  fourteen  attorneys-at-law  and 
nine  physicians  waging  war  against  crime  and  death,  and  about  150 
business  houses,  stores,  shops,  etc.,  distributed  as  follows:  Dry  goods, 
14  ;  groceries  and  provisions,  16  ;  clothing.  7  ;  hardware  and  tin,  6 ; 
drugs,  5  ;  boots  and  shoes,  4  ;  furniture,  4  ;  books,  2  ;  hat  and  fur 
store,  2 ;  wholesale  liquors,  2  ;  hotels  arid  taverns,  13  ;  eating-houses 
and  saloons,  10  ;  lumber  yards,  5  ;  blacksmith  shops,  3  ;  warehouses, 
4  ;  brickyards,  2  ;  livery  stables,  2  ;  sign  painters,  3  ;  watchmakers, 
3  ;  butchers,  2  ;  wagon  and  carriage  shop,  2  ;  fanning-mill  maker,  1 ; 
gunsmith  shop,  2 ;  bakeries,  2  ;  dentists,  3  ;  gaugenean  artist,  1  ; 
banking-offices,  6  ;  real  estate  and  insurance,  10 ;  printing-ottices,  2 ; 
harness  shop,  2  ;  barber  shop,  3.  To  these  may  be  added  five 
churches  and  two  schools,  and  you  have  a  fair  summary  of  Winona 
business  at  the  close  of  the  year  1856.  The  original  plat  of  Winona, 
surveyed  June  19,  1852,  by  John  Ball,  for  Erwin  H.  Johnson  and 
Orrin  Smith,  was  so  set  apart  and  recorded  under  the  revised  terri- 
torial statutes  of  1851,  in  accordance  with  the  town  site  act  passed 
by  congress  May  23, 1844.  This  original  plat  was  bounded  on  the 
north  by  the  Mississippi  river,  on  the  east  by  Market  street,  on  the 
south  by  Wabasha  street,  and  on  the  west  by  Wasliington  street.  'It 
comprised  a  square,  each  side  of  which  was  six  full  blocks.  This 
plat  was  enlarged  from  time  to  time  by  "  additions,"  until  at  the 
close  of  1856  the  platted  area  on  Wabasha  prairie  covered  a  tract  of 
ground  fully  two  miles  in  extent  from  east  to  west  and  nearly  half 
tliat  distance  from  north  to  south.  The  principal  of  these  additions 
was  never  recorded  as  such,  and  is  generally  known  as  Huff's  survey 
of  the  city  of  Winona.  This  survey  and  dedication  was  made  in 
1854,  and  extended  from  the  original  town  plat  on  the  east  to  Chute's 


WESrONA    CITY.  427 

addition  on  the  west,  a  total  length  of  seven  blocks  and  a  fraction, 
and  covering  an  area  considerably  larger  than  the  original  plat  itself. 
This  addition  does  not  now  appear  on  the  maps  as  such,  and  for  years 
has  been  included  and  its  blocks  numbered  as  a  part  of  the  original 
town  plat.  The  more  important  of  the  subsequent  additions  were 
Laird's  addition  and  subdivision,  immediately  east  ol  the  original 
plat.  These  covered  an  area  of  about  80  acres  in  extent,  fronting 
north  on  the  river  and  extending  some  half-dozen  blocks  to  the 
south.  Hamilton's  addition,  lying  east  of  Laird's,  was  the  largest  of 
any  of  the  plats,  original  or  additional.  It  comprised  an  area  of  160 
acres,  extending  westward  beyond  the  macadamized  road  leading  to 
Sugar-loaf  Bluff,  and  running  backward  eight  or  ten  blocks  from  the 
river.  Within  its  limits  are  some  of  the  most  populous  sections  of 
the  city.  These,  with  Taylor  &  Go's  addition,  and  Sanborn's  and 
Hubbard's,  all  on  the  south,  and  Chute's  addition  on  the  west,  were 
platted  and  dedicated  before  the  close  of  the  year  1856.  Beyond 
the  limits  of  these  additions  but  little  building  has  been  done,  save 
in  the  Polish  quarter  just  east  of  Hamilton's  addition,  and  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  wagon-works  just  west  of  Chute's  addition.  The 
latter  of  these  settlements,  in  what  is  known  as  Evans'  addition,  is 
rapidly  building  up,  and  will  some  day  be  a  populous  portion  of  the 
city,  lying,  as  it  does,  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  manufactur- 
ing establishments  recently  located  in  west  Winona. 

That  the  county  seat  of  Winona  county  was  destined  at  no 
distant  day  to  become  a  city  of  no  mean  proportions  was  very  early 
accepted  as  a  fact  by  her  citizens,  and  preparations  for  investing  her 
with  corporate  rights  and  privileges  were  not  long  delayed.  As 
early  as  ]!*^ovember  11,  1856,  the  "Winona  Republican,"  in  a  brief 
editorial,  called  attention  to  the  matter  of  securing  a  city  charter, 
and  suggested  the  necessity  of  taking  definite  action,  alleging  that 
the  movement  would  be  heartily  supported  by  all  the  members  of 
the  territorial  legislature  from  the  southern  Minnesota  districts.  A 
meeting  of  the  citizens  was  accordingly  called  for  Saturday  evening, 
January  3,  1857.  The  response  to  the  call  was  quite  general.  The 
meeting  was  held  in  Central  Hall,  and  organized  with  Edward  Ely, 
better  known  as  Elder  Ely,  in  the  chair.  W.  C.  Dodge  was  elected 
secretary,  the  business  of  the  hour  stated,  the  measure  of  incorpora- 
tion approved,  and  after  considerable  discussion  as  to  corporate 
boundaries,  etc.,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  draft  a  charter,  and 
report  the  same  at  an  adjourned  meeting  to  be  held  on  the  following 


428  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Saturday  evening.  The  members  of  that  committee,  three  only  of 
whom  are  now  residents  of  Winona,  were :  G.  W.  Curtis,  W. 
Newman,  C.  IJ.  Berry,  William  Windom,  M.  Wheeler  Sargent, 
John  Keyes  and  Edward  Ely.  On  Saturday  evening,  the  10th  inst, 
tlie  citizens  met,  pursuant  to  adjournment  of  previous  week,  to  hear 
the  report  of  their  committee.  Hon.  C.  H.  Berry,  on  behalf  of  the 
couiniittee,  presented  the  report,  which  at  their  instance  he  had 
drafted,  together  with  an  abstract  of  charter.  The  only  question 
upon  which  differences  of  opinion  arose  was  as  to  the  pro})er  limits 
for  the  proposed  incorporation.  Some  were  in  favor  of  quite 
extended  corporation  boundaries,  others  advocated  a  comparatively 
limited  boundary.  The  report  favored  extending  the  boundaries  of 
the  citv  to  include  the  causeways  over  the  slough  at  the  east  and 
west  ends  of  town,  the  following  reasons  being  adduced  :  That,  as 
the  maintenance  of  good  ajiproaches  to  the  city  more  nearly  con- 
cerned the  citizens  of  the  corj)oration  than  those  outside  its  limits, 
the  control  and  repair  of  the  roads  over  the  sloughs,  by  which  access 
to  town  was  only  possible,  should  be  under  the  care  of  the  city ; 
that  the  vote  of  the  county  outside  the  city  limits  being  in  excess  of 
that  polled  within  the  city,  it  would  not  be  wise  to  allow  the  county 
vote,  which  might  or  might  not  appi'ove  the  expenditures  for  main- 
taining these  causeways  in  good  repair,  to  control  a  matter  so 
essential  to  the  interests  of  the  city ;  that  as  the  cit}''  would  certainly 
reap  the  most  benefit,  it  was  only  just  that  she  should  incur  the 
responsibility  of  the  increased  outlay  ;  that  it  was  a  question  whether 
the  county  had  any  right  to  appropriate  moneys  for  a  work  so  nearly 
sectional  in  its  character  ;  and  that  in  any  event  the  more  liberal 
policy  would  be  for  the  city  to  assume  the  burden,  leaving  the 
county  authorities  free  to  assist  in  bearing  it  if  at  any  time  they  saw 
fit.  It  was  also  represented  that  by  extending  the  corporate  limits 
a  larger  proportion  of  property-holders  whose  lands  would  be 
increased  in  value  by  their  nearness  to  a  large  city  would  be  taxed 
to  defray  the  city  expenses.  The  reasons  of  which  the  above  is  a 
brief  summary  were  approved,  the  report  adopted,  the  abstract  of 
charter  commended  and  returned  to  the  committee  with  instructions 
to  complete  the  draft  and  submit  it  as  a  completed  charter  for  the 
adoption  of  the  citizens  at  a  meeting  to  be  held  the  following  Saturday 
evening,  January  17,  1857.  This  was  accordingly  done,  and  the 
accepted  charter  was  forwarded  to  St.  Paul,  where  it  came  before  the 


^A/'^,  A 


WINONA    CITY.  4^1 

territorial  legislature,  passed,  and  the  act  formally  incorporating  the 
city  of  Winona  was  approved  March  6  of  that  same  year  1857,  and 
became  law  immediately  after  its  adoption. 

ACT    OF   INCORPORATION. 

By  the  provisions  of  this  act  the  extreme  southeastern  limit  of 
the  city  was  established  just  where  the  western  boundary  of  Winona 
township  touches  the  south  shore  of  the  Misissippi  river.  From 
this  point  the  boundary  line  of  the  corporation  was  run  due  west 
four  miles,  thence  north  two  miles,  thence  east  to  the  middle  of  the 
Mississippi  river,  thence  in  a  southeasterly  direction  down  the 
middle  of  the  stream  to  a  point  due  north  of  the  place  of  beginning. 
The  ground  thus  inclosed'  within  the  corporate  limits  of  the  city 
formed  an  irregular  four-sided  figure ;  its  south  boundary  a  right  line 
four  miles  long,  its  west  boundary  a  right  line  two  miles  long,  its 
north  boundary  a  right  line  running  east  about  one  and  a-half  miles 
to  the  shore  of  the  river,  from  which  point  it  followed  the  irregular 
shore  line  southeasterly  to  the  west  line  of  Winona  township.  The 
city  was  divided  into  three  wards.  The  first  ward  embracing  all 
that  portion  of  the  city  lying  west  of  Washington  street.  The 
second  ward  extending  eastward  from  Washington  to  Lafayette 
streets,  and  the  third  ward  including  all  between  Lafayette  street  and 
the  city  limits  on  the  east.  The  wards  thus  established  were  each  to 
constitute  an  electoral  precinct,  the  judges  of  election  for  which  (at 
the  ensuing  chai-ter  Section)  were  to  be  appointed  by  the  county 
commissioners,  as  was  the  ease  in  all  precinct  elections.  The  charter 
election  was  ordered  to  be  held  on  the  first  Monday  in  April,  polls 
to  open  at  twelve  o'clock  and  close  at  four  o'clock,  and  the  officers 
to  be  chosen  were,  one  mayor,  one  recorder,  one  justice  of  the  peace, 
one  marshal,  one  assessor,  one  attorney,  one  surveyor  and  two 
aldermen  for  each  ward.  The  mayor,  aldermen  and  recorder  to 
form  the  city  council. 

Tuesday,  April  7,  1857,  the  first  charter  election  for  the  city  of 
Winona  was  held,  when  the  following  vote  was  cast. 

OFFICE.  CANDIDATE.  VOTES    POLLED. 

Mayoi*       R.  D.  Cone 291 

M.  Wheeler  Sargent 405 

Eecorder    E.  A.  Gerdtzen 331 

James  White 323 

Treasurer J.  V.  Smith 401 

H.  B.  Upman 291 

25 


432  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

OFFICE.  rANDIDATKS.  VOTES    POLLED. 

Marshal     E.  A.  Batchelder 293 

G.  W.  llorton 213 

X.  Hudson 106 

P.  B.  Palmer 142 

Attorney    H.  W.  Lamberton 439 

'     D.  S.  Norton 246 

Surveyor    L.  Pettibone 274 

II.  B.  Cozzens 417 

Justice       Thomas  Simpson 414 

H.  Day 276 

Assessor     First  Ward,  0.  M.  Lord 97 

"          "       (I  H.  Blanchard 41 

Second  Ward,  A.  P.  Foster 107 

"            "       V.  Simpson 94 

Third  Ward,  I.  Hubbard 109 

"          "        P.  P.  Hubbell 291 

Aldermen First  Ward,  W.  H.  Dill 94 

"          "        I.  B.  An(h-us 81 

"          "        I.  D.Ford,  M.D 58 

"          "        P.  V.  Bell 43 

Second  Ward,  Tim  Kerk 124 

"            "      G.W.Payne 113 

"            "      Sam  Cole 88 

"            "      Geo.  H.  Sanborn 80 

Third  Ward,  J.  Bolcom 217 

"           "      Jacob  Mowery 205 

"           "       E.  H.  Murray 127 

"           "      G.  Lautenslager 127 

From  these  returns  it  appears  that  the  maximum  vote  cast  was 
for  marshal,  for  which  office  754  votes  were  polled  ;  the  vote  for 
recorder  being  the  minimum,  654.  The  average  vote  was  about  685 
to  690.  The  third  ward  vote  was  equal  to  the  votes  of  the  first  and 
second  ward  in  the  ballot  for  aldermen,  and  led  those  wards  in  the 
vote  for  assessor,  400  votes  being  cast  in  the  third  ward  for  that 
office  and  only  339  in  both  the  others.  The  usual  proportion  of 
population  to  voters  would  have  given  Winona  at  this  time  a  census 
of  3,770  souls,  so  that  the  estimate  of  3,000  population  for  the  city 
was  probably  not  much  out  of  the  way. 

The  city  limits  were  not  long  unchanged.  The  following  year, 
1858,  the  act  of  incorporation  was  so  amended  as  to  change  the  city 
boundaries  on  the  south  and  east.  By  this  change,  and  an  imma- 
terial one  made  nine  years  later,  the  southern  boundary  was  fixed 
to  conform  in  some  degree  to  the  south  shore  of  lake  Winona,  and 
some  quarter-sections  were  taken  off  the  western  end  of  the  «orpo- 
ration  as  originally  bounded.  By  these  acts  about  one  and  one-half 
square  miles  were  taken  from  the  area  of  the  city  as  established  by 
act  of  March,  1857.  By  act  of  February  10,  1870,  a  further  curtail- 
ment of  a  quartei-  of  a  section  was  made,  at  which  time  the  tract  in 


wrNONA  CITY.  433 

tlie  extreme  west  end  of  the  city,  known  as  the  fair-ground,  was  set 
outside  the  city  limits,  and  these  are  the  only  changes  made  in  the 
boundaries  of  the  city  since  its  incorporation.  The  ward  changes 
have  not  been  numerous.  February  15,  1865,  the  boundary  line 
between  the  second  and  third  wards  was  removed  two  streets  east  of 
that  upon  which  it  was  originally  established  and  Market  street 
made  the  division  line.  When  the  whole  act  of  incorporation  was 
amended,  March  1,  1867,  the  boundary  between  the  first  and  second 
wards  was  moved  one  street  east  and  Johnson  street  became  the 
separating  line.  February  28,  1876,  a  radical  change  was  made. 
Tlie  city  was  divided  into  four  wards,  and  their  boundaries  respect- 
ively were,  for  the  first  ward,  that  portion  of  the  city  lying  west- 
ward between  the  center  of  Washington  street  and  the  city  limits  ; 
second  ward,  that  portion  lying  between  Washington  street  on  the 
west  and  Walnut  street  on  the  east  ;  third  ward,  that  portion  extend- 
ing from  Walnut  street  on  the  west  to  Yine  street  on  the  east,  and 
the  fourth  ward,  that  portion  lying  within  the  city  limits  eastward 
from  the  center  of  Yine  street.  These  changes  were  all  made  by 
special  act  of  Minnesota  legislature  and  are  the  only  ones  made  in 
the  several  ward  boundaries  to  date. 

Several  changes,  some  of  them  quite  important,  have  been  made 
from  time  to  time  in  the  list  of  city  officers,  both  as  regards  the 
nature  of  the  oflice  and  the  status  of  the  ofiicer.  Under  the  original 
act  of  incorporation  the  elective  officers  of  the  city  were  :  one 
mayor,  one  recorder,  one  treasurer,  one  marshal,  one  attorney,  one 
surveyor,  one  justice  of  the  peace,  one  assessor  and  six  aldermen. 
Some  misapprehension  concerning  the  election  of  assessors  must 
have  occurred  at  the  first  charter  election,  as  three  assessors  were 
returned,  one  for  each  ward,  a  thing  not  contemplated  by  the  act. 
The  term  of  office  for  aldermen  and  justice  was  fixed  at  two  years, 
all  other  official  terms  one  year.  By  the  act  of  March  8,  1862,  the 
number  of  justices  was  increased  to  two,  and  the  recorder,  though 
still  an  elective  officer,  was  denied  any  vote  or  voice  in  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  council,  his  duties  being  to  keep  a  report  of  the  council 
proceedings,  to  make  an  annual  estimate  in  August  of  the  current 
expenses  for  the  year  and  of  the  revenue  necessary  to  be  raised 
therefor.  A  radical  change  in  the  list  of  elective  officers  was  made 
by  the  act  of  March,  1865,  which  defined  said  officers  to  be  a  mayor, 
two  aldermen  from  each  ward,  two  justices  of  the  peace  and  city 
treasurer.     The  offices  to  be  filled  by  appointment  of  the  council 


434  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

were  :  recorder,  marshal,  assessor,  attorney  and  surveyor,  and  the 
first  reguhir  meeting  after  the  charter  election  was  designated  as  tlie 
time  and  place  of  appointment.  All  terms  of  office,  except  those 
of  aldermen,  which  remained  unchanged,  were  fixed  at  one  year,  the 
rule  to  apply  to  offices  filled  either  by  election  or  appointment.  By 
act  of  1867  the  original  act  was  so  amended  as  to  virtuall}^  consti- 
tute a  new  one.  By  the  later  act  the  officers  to  be  chosen  by  the 
people  were :  mayor,  two  aldermen  for  each  ward,  two  justices  of 
the  peace,  a  treasurer  and  an  assessor.  The  terms  of  office  were  as 
before  established  by  act  of  Marcli,  1865,  with  the  exception  of  jus- 
tices of  the  peace,  whose  term  was  fixed  at  two  years.  The  officers 
to  be  appointed  by  the  council  were  :  recorder,  marshal,  surveyor, 
attorney  and  street  commissioner.     All  persons  otherwise  qualified 


to  vote  for  county  and  state  officers  were  made  eligible  to  vote  at 
any  city  election  in  the  election  district,  of  which  at  time  of  voting 
they  had  been  for  ten  days  resident,  and  were  also  qualified 
thereby  to  hold  any  city  office  to  which  they  might  be  elected.  All 
officers,  elected  and  appointed,  were  required  to  take  an  oath  of  office, 
and  bonds  were  to  be  given  by  the  marshal  and  treasurer.  The 
city  justices  were  given  exclusive  jurisdiction  over  all  cases  and 
complaints  arising  under  the  ordinances,  police  regulations,  laws  and 
by-laws  of  the  city ;  the  powers  of  the  council  were  fully  set  forth 
in  extenso^  and  they  were  duly  empowered  to  act  in  all  matters  per- 
taining to  the  peace,  cleanliness  and  safety  of  the  city,  as  also  to 
the  security  and  public  conduct  of  the  citizens.  This  "act,"  "'  vir- 
tually the  one  under  which  the  city  authorities  now  act,"  was  declared 
to  be  of  a  public  character  and  not  contravened  by  any  general  law 
of  the  state  conflicting-  with  its  provisions,  unless  so  expressly  stated 


WINONA^    CITY.  435 

in  the  enactment  of  such  general  law.  By  act  of  February,  1870, 
council  was  restrained  from  incurring  an  indebtedness  in  excess  of 
$10,000  for  any  specific  purpose  without  first  submitting  the  same 
to  the  voters  of  the  city  and  receiving  the  sanction  of  two-thirds  of 
the  votes  cast,  for  and  against  the  measure.  By  special  act  of  April, 
1876,  aldermen  were  prohibited  from  receiving  any  compensation  for 
their  services,  either  directly  or  indirectly.  A  new  departure  in 
making  up  the  official  list  of  the  city  was  taken  in  1877,  by 
authority  of  an  act  passed  that  spring.  Under  this  amendment  the 
officers  to  be  elected  were :  a  mayor,  treasurer,  recorder,  assessor, 
attorney,  marshal,  street  commissioner,  surveyor,  physician,  two 
aldermen  for  each  ward  and  two  justices  of  the  peace  ;  the  council, 
as  heretofore,  having  authority  to  appoint  such  additional  oflicers  as 
in  their  judgment  the  interests  of  the  city  required.  The  term  of 
all  officers  elected  by  the  people  was  fixed  at  two  years,  and  of  those 
a])pointed  by  the  council  one  year.  The  experiment  did  not  prove 
satisfactory,  and  in  1879  this  act  was  repealed  by  an  amendment, 
making  the  oflicers  chosen  by  the  people  to  consist  of  mayor,  treas- 
urer, assessor,  whose  terms  of  ofiice  were  for  one  year ;  and  two 
aldermen  for  each  ward,  and  two  justices,  whose  terms,  as  before, 
remained  fixed  at  two  years.  By  this  amendment  city  justices  were 
clothed  vsdth  all  the  rights  pertaining  to  justices  elected  under  the 
general  laws  of  the  state,  as  well  as  the  exclusive  jurisdiction  before 
given  them,  over  all  actions  and  complaints  arising  under  the  laws, 
ordinances,  by-laws  and  police  regulations  of  the  city. 


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2  S  1 
III 

CHAPTER  XLIL 


ROADS. 


One  of  the  most  vital  needs  of  the  young  city—  a  need  felt  for 
some  time  prior  to  her  incorporation  as  well  as  for  years  afterward  — 
was  that  of  better  roads  leading  into  the  surroimding  country,  from 
which  her  local  trade  was  to  come.    This  want  of  good  highways  —  a 
want  in  some  degree  common  to  all  new  settlements—  was  doubly  felt 
in  the  case  of  Winona,  owing  to  her  peculiar  topographical  position. 
The  long  narrow  stretch  of  low  bottom  land  forming  Wabasha  prairie, 
and  upon  the  lower  end  of  which  the  city  is  built,  is  inclosed  in  a 
regular  pocket  by  the  Mississippi  river  bluffs,  which  back  of  the  city 
are  nearly  two  miles  from  the  river  bank.     These  bluffs,  rising  from 
300  to  500  feet  in  height,  gradually  encroach  upon  the  bottom  lands 
above  and  below  the  city  until  they  abut  directly  upon  the  river,  thus 
forming  the  termini  of  Wabasha  prairie.     This  entire  tract  of  bot- 
tom land  was  at  no  distant  day  covered  by  the  waters  of  the  river, 
great  portions  of  it  at  the  present  being  subject  to  overflow  dufing 
times  of   exceptionTilly  high  water.     The  whole  river  face  of  the 
prairie  is  seamed  and  indented  by  little  creeks  and  bays  wherever  the 
low  lands  lie,  and  in  these  localities  the  sandy  soil  of  the  higher  levels 
is  displaced  by  a  marshy,  boggy  soil  which  affords  very  insecure  foot- 
ing for  man  or  beast.     The  springs  which  ooze  out  of  the  ground  at 
the  foot  of  the  limestone  bluffs  in  the  rear  of  the  city,  together  with 
those  forming  up  the  valleys,  which  are  the  natural  outlets  through 
the  bluffs  to  the  high  table  lands  above  and  running  down  them  to 
the  river,  are  collected  in  a  natural  reservoir  just  within  the  city  limits 
on  the  south.     This  reservoir  or  basin,  usually  called  Winona  lake, 
is  a  shallow  sheet  of  water  nearly  500  rods  in  length  and  about  eighty 
rods  wide,  with  extensive  tracts  of  low  marshy  land  at  either  ex- 
tremity, particularly  at  the  outlet  on  the  east,  where  the  marsh  is 
fully  a  mile  in  width.    At  all  times  of  high  water  these  marshy  lands 
have  been  subject  to  overflow,  and  at  even  the  lowest  stage  of  the 
river  the  approach  to  the  city  from  the  east  and  southeast  was  through 
a  slough  only  rendered  at  all  passable  by  the  dense  growth  of  bottom 
grass,  which  served  as  a  mat  to  prevent  teams  from  being  hopelessly 


438 


HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY, 


mired.  The  approacli  from  the  southwest  was  much  more  favorable, 
but  by  no  means  sucli  as  heavily  loaded  teams  would  care  to  attempt. 
The  road  to  the  west  and  north  along  the  tongue  of  higher  land  lead- 
ini:;  to  Minnesota  City  was  the  only  desirable  road  leading  out  of  town, 
and  in  fact  the  only  one  ])Ossible  during  seasons  of  moderately  high 


water.  But  even  this  road  was  frequently  impassable,  as  was  the  case 
in  1852,  and  on  occasions  since  that  date,  when  Winona  was  actually 
an  island,  cut  off  from  all  communication  by  land  with  the  surrounding 
country  and  approachable  only  by  boat  in  any  direction.  This  Minne- 
sota City  road,  or  the  road  to  the  Rolling  Stone  settlement,  as  it  was 


ROADS.  439 

then  called,  was  the  first  highway  for  which  any  survey  was  made  in 
this  whole  region  of  country ;  and  with  this  crude  survey,  made  without 
special  regard  to  anything  save  a  practical  wagon  road  to  the  Roll- 
ing Stone  plateau,  and  reported  to  the  county  commissioners  of  Fill- 
more county  without  maps  or  field  notes  to  accompany  it,  this  crude 
survey  marked  the  beginning  of  all  attempts  to  improve  the  high- 
ways within  the  limits  of  the  present  Winona  county.  Settlement 
in  the  county  was  made  rapidly  in  the  late  summer  and  fall  of  1855, 
and  the  mouths  of  Burns  and  Gillmore  valleys  opened  to  receive  the 
settlers  that,  passing  through  these  gateways  of  the  Winona  bluffs, 
sought  the  level  prairie  lands  lying  back  from  the  river.  To  con- 
nect these  valleys  with  the  little  town  on  the  river,  and  open  up 
such  roadways  as  would  permit  loaded  teams  to  pass  and  repass  from 
the  river  to  the  farms  just  being  opened,  became  every  week  more 
and  more  a  necessity.  As  early  as  1855  a  narrow  trail,  called  by 
courtesy  a  road,  with  bunches  of  prairie  grass  and  here  and  there  a 
few  poles,  and  in  exceptionally  difficult  places  a  plank  had  been  ex- 
tended across  the  slough  between  the  lower  end  of  town  and  Sugar- 
Loaf  bluff,  or  Glen-Mary  as  it  soon  afterward  began  to  be  called.  In 
1856,  the  year  in  which  Winona  made  such  rapid  strides  in  popula- 
tion and  in  all  material  growth,  a  movement  was  made  to  construct  a 
permanent  road waj^  across  this  slough.  E.  S.  Smith,  then  living  at  the 
foot  of  Sugar-Loaf  bluff,  headed  a  subscription  for  that  purpose  with 
a  pledge  of  $500.  Others  followed  until  the  subscription  amounted 
to  about  $3,000,  when  the  contract  was  awarded  to  Van  Gorder  & 
Mallory  to  grade  the  slough  and  put  in  a  bridge.  The  contract  price 
was  $3,500,  and  the  stipulation  was  for  a  roadbed  twenty-six  feet  wide 
on  the  bottom,  twenty-four  feet  wide  on  the  top,  the  embankment  to 
be  raised  three  feet  above  the  slough  level,  and  a  bridge  150  feet 
long  to  be  built  above  high-water  mark.  The  embankment  reached 
from  the  solid  ground  on  the  south  side  of  the  slough  almost  at  the 
foot  of  Sugar-Loaf  bluff  to  the  solid  ground,  which  was  reached  a 
few  rods  south  of  the  present  track  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  & 
St.  Paul  railroad.  The  extreme  length  of  this  embankment  was  not 
far  from  1,500  yards,  and  the  work  was  completed  as  per  contract 
very  much  to  the  gratific;ation  of  those  who  were  compelled  to  find 
an  entrance  to  the  city  in  that  quarter  or  make  the  entire  circuit  of 
the  lake  to  find  a  poor  road  at  best  at  the  western  extremity  of  the 
city.  The  work  so  satisfactorily"  begun  by  private  subscription  was 
continually   improved  under  the  street  commissioner  of  the  city  un- 


« 
440  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COl'NTY. 

til  1873,  when,  under  instruction  of  the  council's  committee  on  streets 
and  alleys,  street  commissioner  O'Day  raised  the  embankment  to  an 
average  height  of  five  feet  above  the  level  of  the  slough,  laid  up  the 
sides  of  the  embankment  with  a  good  stone  wall  sloping  one  foot  in- 
ward for  each  three  feet  of  its  height,  and  carried  the  embankment 
to  about  seven  feet  in  height  at  the  bridge.  This  work  was  prose- 
cuted to  the  city  limits  on  the  south  from  a  point  a  few  rods  south  of 
Mark  street,  a  total  distance  of  about  100  rods.  Near  Mark  street 
it  reached  the  grade  of  the  macadamized  road  constructed  by  James 
Burke  for  the  city,  down  Fiftli  street  and  Mankato  avenue  toward 
Sugar-Loaf  bluff  as  far  as  the  north  margin  of  the  slough.  This 
combined  work  afforded  a  good  solid  roadbed  through  the  deep 
sand  at  the  east  end  of  town,  as  well  as  over  the  slough  to  the  city 
limits  on  the  south.  From  tins  point  the  county  commissioners  took 
charge  of  the  embankment  and  raised  it  from  the  city  limits  to  the 
foot  of  Sugar-Loaf  bluff  to  correspond  with  the  grade  made  by  the 
city.  The  length  of  the  embankment  thus  raised  by  the  county 
authorities  was  nearly  three-eighths  of  a  mile,  and  the  total  cost 
of  the  work  done  hy  them  there  at  various  times  has  aggregated 
about  $7,500. 

The  road  as  now  built,  though  not  absolutely  above  high-water 
mark,  having  been  completely  submerged  by  the  flood  of  18S0,  is 
nevertheless  practically  fit  for  travel  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  and 
affords  free  access  to  the  city  for  the  residents  in  Pleasant  valley, 
Gilmore  valley,  upper  and  lower  Burns  valleys,  and  the  roads  to 
Homer  and  the  southeast  quarter  of  the  county  in  general. 

In  1857  some  imjDrovement  was  made  in  the  approach  to  town 
from  the  west,  and  about  $800  expended  in  grading  and  in  building 
a  bridge  150  feet  long  over  the  slough  on  the  Stockton  road.  This 
work,  embankment  and  bridge,  was  carried  out  by  the  high  water  of 
1858,  and  in  1859  the  county,  acting  in  concert  with  the  city,  con- 
tracted with  S.  D.  Van  Gorder  to  put  in  a  pile  bridge  200  feet  long 
and  cast  up  an  enbankment  about  600  yards  long  across  the  slough 
between  town  and  the  Stockton  bluffs.  The  contract  price  for  this 
work  was  $3,500,  of  which  sum  the  city  paid  $3,000,  the  funds 
being  raised  as  heretofore,  by  subscription.  In  the  meantime  the 
city's  trade  with  that  section  of  the  county  lying  over  and  beyond 
the  Stockton  hills  had  so  increased  that  the  city  deemed  it  advisable 
to  ]>re|»are  the  way  for  its  coming.  The  proposed  route  was  over 
the  Stockton  bluffs,  by  which  a  saving  of  several  miles  would  be 


ROADS.  "^^1 


effected,  as  also  travel  through  the  deep  sand  of  the  Minnesota  city 
road    along  which  the  trade  from  the  west  was  necessitated  to  enter 
Winona      Two    contracts  for  grading  the    bluffs    and   making   a 
winding    roadway   perfectly    practicable   for    loaded    teams    were 
awarded      One  to  John  Keator  for  constructing   the  road  on  the 
eastern  slope,  the  other  on  the  west,  to  Van  Gorder  &  Mallory,  the 
stipulated   price   in  each  case   being   $4,000.     Gullies  were  to  be 
bridged,  immense  bowlders  removed,  the  face   of  solid  limestone 
cliffs  blasted  away,  timber  cut  and  stumps  and  roots  grubbed  out, 
the  roadway  carried  for  rods  upon  supporting  walls  of  stone  built  up 
from  some 'favoring  ledge  below,  or  shored  up"  from  the  bluff  sides, 
and  such  a  grade  established  as  would  make  the  road  practicable  as 
a  regular  thoroughfare  for  loaded  teams  in  either  direction,      ihe 
work  was  laid  out  bv  civil  engineer  N.  J.  Hilbert,  and  its  difhculties 
can  onlv  be  known  and  its  magnitude  appreciated  by  those  who  have 
the  pleasure  of  a  trip  over  it.     It  is  a  roadway  fully  four  miles  long 
winding  up  one  side  of  the  bluff  and  down  the  other,  from  the  level 
bottom  lands  of   the  Wabasha  prairie  to  the  fertile  valley  of  the 
Stockton,  or  conversely  from  the  quiet  Stockton  vales  to  the  busthng 
activity   of    the   commercial   center  of  soutliern   Minnesota^    ihe 
$8  000  for  the  prosecution  of  this  work  was  also  raised  m  Winona 
by' private  personal  subscription.     To  this  amount  the  county  has 
subsequently  added  the  sum  of  $10,000  in  improving  the  road  at 
various  times,  the  outlay  to  date  being,  as  nearly  as  can  be  ascer- 
tained, about  $18,000  to  $18,500.     The  result  is  a  pleasant,  safe  and 
thoroughly  picturesque  road,  affording  a  really  delightful  drive  for 
any  lover  of  nature,  as  during  it  some  charming  ghmpses  of  wood 
and  water  are  obtained,  valley,  bluff  and  river  scenery  affernating 
the  view.     The  road  over  the  bluffs,  just  east  of  Woodlawn  cemetery 
on  the  south  side  of  lake  Winona,  was  not  built  without  the  aid  of 
Winona  citizens,  who  contributed  about  $500  to  that  work,     ihe 
roadways  at  the  upper  and  lower  ends  of  town,  and  the  Stockton 
bluff  work,  was  all  done  as  early  as  1861,  the  funds  provided  by 
private  subscription  of  Winona  citizens,  their  contributions  for  these 
several  improvements  aggregating  not  less  than  $16,000      io  this 
should  be  added  the  expense  of  macadamizing  the  east  end  of  iiltn 
street,  and  commissioner  O'Day's  work  on  the  Sugar-Loaf  road   as 
these  improvements  were  in  the  interest  of  public  highways  leading 
into  the  city.     This  would  give  a  grand  total  of  $23,000  expended 
by  the  city'  in  the  single  matter  of  highways  leading  out  of  the  city 


44*2  HISTORY  OF  winona  county. 

on  tlie  Minnesota  side  of  the  river.  Creditable  as  this  expenditure 
is  to  the  liberal  ])ublic  spirit  of  the  citizens  of  Winona,  the  expendi- 
tures of  the  corporation  for  a  like  purpose  on  the  Wisconsin  side  of 
the  river  have  been  considerably  greater.  The  country  lying  just 
across  the  Mississippi  river  in  Wisconsin,  and  naturally  tributary 
to  Winona,  only  needed  some  means  of  communication  with  her 
markets  to  contribute  its  quota  to  the  trade  of  the  city  rising  on  the 
Minnesota  shore.  Charters  to  establish  ferries  at  this  point  had  been 
granted  in  1855  and  in  1857,  but  nothing  resulted  from  the  grants  in 
either  case  and  the  privileges  expired  by  limitation.  With  the  close 
of  the  war,  and  with  active  preparations  for  increased  business, 
interest  in  the  ferry  project  revived,  and  in  1865,  A.  DeGrafF, 
under  contract  with  the  city  of  Winona  —  which  had  been  authorized 
by  legislative  act  to  expend  moneys  in  Wisconsin  for  that  purpose  — 
agreed  to  build  a  road  from  the  Wisconsin  shore  of  the  river, 
opposite  the  Winona  levee,  across  the  bottom  lands  of  Buffalo 
townshi]>  in  Buffalo  county,  Wisconsin,  to  the  higher  lands  near  the 
foot  of  the  Wisconsin  bluffs.  The  contract  price  of  the  work  was 
$5,500,  but  before  it  was  completed  the  city  had  paid  nearly  double 
that  amount.  This  road  was  always  subject  to  overflow.  The 
bottom  lands  were  literally  seamed  with  creeks  and  bayous,  so  that 
the  undertaking  was  one  of  no  light  character.  For  some  reason 
the  result  was  not  satisfactory.  The  high  water  of  1870  took  out 
the  bridges  and  cut  into  the  embankment,  rendering  the  road  unfit 
for  travel.  In  the  meantime  the  state  fair  was  to  be  held  that 
season  at  Winona,  and  means  of  communication  across  the  Buffalo 
bottoms  became  more  and  more  urgent.  S.  D.  Van  Gorder,  who 
owned  and  operated  the  Winona  ferrj^  contracted  to  repair  the 
embankment  and  rebuild  the  bridges.  The  sum  of  |400  was  raised 
by  subscription  ;  the  work  was  done  at  a  total  cost  of  |775.  Some 
portions  of  the  $400  subscription  remained  unpaid  and  the  balance 
came  out  of  Mr.  Van  Gorder's  pocket,  who,  during  the  ten  years 
that  he  operated  his  ferry,  paid  out  not  less  than  $1,500  in  repairing 
the  roads  across  the  Wisconsin  bottoms. 

In  the  fall  of  1 882,  the  city  having  taken  the  management  and 
operation  of  the  ferry  into  its  own  hands,  in  order  to  reduce  expenses 
of  crossing,  and  if  practicable  to  make  the  ferry  rates  merely  nominal, 
if  not  to  abolish  them  entirely,  concluded  to  make  a  permanent 
imprf)vement  in  the  approach  to  the  ferry.  The  contract  was  let  to 
S.  D.  Van  Gorder,  and  its  stipulations  called  for  a  roadway  thirty- 


SOCIETIES.  443 


eiffht  feet  wide  at  the  bottom,  eighteen  feet  wide  on  the  top,  an 
average  till  across  the  bottom  to  the  high  land  of  seven  feet  above 
the  slough  level,  the  streams  to  be  bridged  as  indicated  m   the 
specifications,  the   embankment  to   be   substantially  riprapped  on 
both  slopes  and  the  top  of  the  roadbed  covered  with  macadam  to 
the   depth   of  one  foot.     The   contract  with  Van  Gorder  was  tor 
$9  500   and  only  included  earthwork  and  bridging.     The  contract 
for  stoke  and  stonework  was  awarded  to  H.  J.  Willis  for  $10,252. 
The  road,  as  now  constructed  under  these  contracts,  is  about  4,000 
feet  long,  there  are  five  bridges  having  an  aggregate  length  of  1,200 
feet,  and  in  these  are  1,160  feet  of  piling.     The  surface  of  the  road- 
bed, as  now  standing,  is  one  and  a-half  feet  below  the  high  water 
mark  of  1880.     To  meet  this  expense  in  the  Wisconsm  bottoms, 
the  city  issued  her  bonds  for  $30,000,  payable  in  twenty  years,  and 
negotiated  the  most  of  them  at  five  per  cent  interest  per  annum. 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  people  and  corporation  of  Wmona,  m 
order  to  improve  the  roadways  leading  to  the  city  upon  both  sides  ot 
the  river,  have  expended  the  sum  of  nearly  $55,000,  and  of  this 
amount  nearly  one-half  has  been  raised  by  private  subscription. 
The  city's  expenditures  in  other  directions  have  been  no  less  liberal, 
as  will' appear  in  the  history  of  matters  more  directly  connected  with 
the  proceedings  of  her  common  council. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 

SOCIETIES. 

INDEPENDENT   ORDER    OF    ODD-FELLOWS. 

The  Independent  Order  of  Odd-Fellows  were  the  first  of  the 
secret  societies  to  organize  a  lodge  in  this  city,  and  so  are  justly 
entitled  to  head  the  list  of  Winona's  fraternal  associations.  Early  m 
the  history  of  the  city—  during  the  winter  of  1855-6  —  the  members 
of  the  order  who  had  sought  a  location  in  the  then  village  began 
looking  one  another  up  and  comparing  notes,  when  it  was  ascertained 
that  there  were  five  members  of  the  I.O.O.F.  in  the  embryo  city. 
The  names  of  the  five,  since  become  historic  in  the  annals  of 
the  order  here,  were  James  M.  Cole  (a  past  grand),  and  scarlet- 


444  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

degree  brothers  Win.  H.  Keitli,  Daniel  L.  Miller,  John  Curtis  and 
Jolm  Owens.  During  the  January  session  of  the  grand  lodge  of  the 
order  in  the  State  of  Minnesota,  in  the  year  1856,  formal  application 
was  made  by  the  above-mentioned  fraters  of  the  order  for  a  lodge 
charter,  which  application  was  favorably  considered,  and  on  May  6 
following 

PKAIKIK    LODGK,     NO.     7,     I.O.O.F.     OF    WINONA, 

was  duly  instituted  by  Grand  Master  L.  A.  Babcock.  The  charter 
members  of  the  new  lodge  were  the  petitioners  above  mentioned, 
who  were  elected  and  inst-allcd  into  the  various  offices  as  follows  : 
Jas.  W.  Cole,  noble  grand ;  Wm.  H.  Keith,  vice-grand  ;  John 
Owens,  secretary  ;  John  Curtis,  treasurer  ;  D.  L.  Miller,  conductor. 
The  place  of  meeting  for  the  new  lodge  was  in  the  upper  story  of 
the  Downer  building,  at  the  lower  end  of  the  levee,  which  had  been 
fitted  up  for  lodge  purposes  ;  and  here,  eight  days  later,  May  14, 
1856,  the  first  initiations  into  the  order  occurred,  the  candidates 
being  Thomas  Simpson,  W.  G.  Dye  and  Henry  Wickersham.  The 
lodge  increased  rapidly  in  numbers,  and  the  following  year,  their  hall 
proving  inadequate  to  their  enlarging  demands,  they  ari-anged  to 
occupy  the  third  story  of  the  newly-erected  building  on  the  levee, 
afterward  known  as  the  Kiverside  hotel,  where  they  remained  until 
1859,  when  they  leased  the  third  story  of  the  brick  building  which 
Thomas  Simpson  had  just  erected  on  Second  street,  between  Center 
and  Main  streets,  where  Mitchell's  block  now  stands.  This  location 
was  chosen  as  afibrding  more  room  and  privacy,  and  as  the  lodge 
was  then  in  a  very  flourishing  condition  it  was  fitted  up  most  com- 
fortably, the  emblems  and  jewels  of  the  lodge-room  costing  nearly 
$150.  Here  the  lodge  worked  and  grew  and  prospered  until  the 
great  fire  of  1862  destroyed  their  beautiful  hall,  with  its  regalia, 
emblems,  jewels,  and  most  of  its  records  —  the  latter  an  irre])arable 
loss.  During  this  period  Prairie  Lodge  elected  five  unaffiliated 
members  from  Rochester,  instructed  them,  entertained  them,  granted 
them  withdrawal  cards,  and  loaned  them  the  regalia  and  fixtures 
necessary  for  the  institution  of  a  lodge  of  the  order  in  Rochester, 
and  donated  them  the  entire  work  and  service  above  rendei'ed. 
From  this  it  is  evident  Prairie  Lodge,  No.  7,  is  justly  entitled  to  the 
honors  of  putative  fatherhood  in  the  case  of  Rochester  Lodge,  No. 
13,  LO.O.F.  of  Rochester,  Minnesota. 

April  15,  1863,  Prairie  Lodge,  No.   7,  took  possession  of  their 
new  hall,  which  had  been  fitted  up  for  them  in  the  Wickersham 


SOCIETIES.  •  445 

building  (now  Kendall's  wholesale  drug  house),  and  which  they 
occupied  for  five  years.  April  12,  1868,  they  removed  to  Simpson's 
block,  corner  of  Second  and  Center  streets,  in  the  third  story  of 
which  they  had  fitted  up  a  commodious  lodge-room,  with  ample 
reception  and  preparation  rooms.  Here  they  continued  work,  grow- 
ing in  numbers  and  influence,  until  the  block  was  gutted  by  fire, 
January  13,  1877.  In  this  fire  the  order  were  a  second  time  rendered 
houseless  and  homeless,  to  which  disaster  was  added  tlie  loss  of  all 
their  records,  so  that  most  pertaining  to  the  early  history  of  the  order 
has  been  gathered  from  personal  recollections  of  members,  and  more 
specifically  from  the  very  interesting  paper  on  the  ' '  Early  history  of 
Odd-fellowship  in  Winona,"  prepared  for  and  presented  to  the  order  by 
W.  G.  Dye  in  1874,  and  which  has  survived  the  general  ruin  of  the 
records  of  the  fraternity.  After  a  temporary  sojourn  in  Mill's  Hall, 
during  which  time  Simpson's  block  was  being  rebuilt,  Prairie  Lodge 
returned  to  their  old  quarters,  which  had  been  elegantly  fitted  for 
their  reception,  on  April  15,  1877,  where  visiting  fraters  will  find 
them  sumptuously  lodged  in  an  elegant  hall,  fully  equipped  for  work 
and  hospitable  entertainment. 

Nearly  ten  years  prior  to  this  date,  however,  in  1808,  the  Ger- 
man-speaking members  of  Prairie  Lodge  had  so  increased  that  it 
was  deemed  wise  to  organize  a  second  Odd-Fellows'  lodge,  working 
in  the  German  language,  and  this  was  effected  in  due  form  October  6, 
1868,  the  new  lodge  being  known  as  Humboldt  Lodge,  JS^o.  24, 
I.O.O.r.  of  Minnesota.  For  work  and  statistics  of  Humboldt 
Lodge,  see  article  following.  From  the  narrative  of  Past  N.G. 
Dye,  above  referred  to,  it  seems  that  up  to  date  of  April  27,  1874, 
257  members  had  been  connected  with  Prairie  Lodge,  and  that  there 
were  73  members  in  reorganized  standing  at  that  time.  The 
destruction  of  the  records  three  years  later,  1877,  renders  it  impos- 
sible to  state  the  actual  figures  "as  we  would  were  those  records 
extant.  But  availing  ourselves  of  all  possible  sources  of  infor- 
mation, we  present  the  following  statistics  as  substantially  accurate. 
Whole  number  of  members  borne  on  rolls  of  Prairie  Lodge  335  ; 
present  number  of  members  in  Prairie  Lodge  97  ;  adding  to  this  the 
whole  number  in  Humboldt  Lodge  174,  and  deducting  the  number 
demitted  from  Prairie  to  Humboldt,  we  have  the  total  members  of 
the  fraternity  from  the  date  of  the  institution  of  the  order  in  1856 
to  the  present  time  485,  and  adding  the  present  number  in  Hum- 
boldt Lodge  to  those  already  given  for  Prairie,  No.  7,  we  find  205 


446  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

the  actual  membersliip  of  the  order  in  this  city.  The  election  of 
officers  occurring  semi-annually,  it  has  not  been  deemed  best  to 
cumber  the  account  with  anything  bej^ond  the  official  register  for 
the  present  term,  which  is  :  N.G.,  G.  W.  Greslin  ;  V.G.,  F.  B. 
Newell ;  Sec,  A.  Beyerstedt;  Treas.,  H.  J.  Willis;  Warden.  John 
Berthe;  L.S.N.G.,  W.  ,  W.  Miller;  RS.V.G.,  E.  Anderson; 
L.S.V.G.,E.  Helder;  Cond.,  G.  A.  Terrill;  LG.,  D.  Trepus;  O.G., 
J,  Duberry ;  R.S.S.,  Wm.  Berthe  ;  L.S.S.,Tho8.  Laycock  ;  Trustees, 
W.  G.  Dye,  D.  Morrell,  G.  A.  Terrill. 

HUMB(^LDT  LODGE,   NO.   24. 

Humboldt  Lodge,  No.  24, 1.O.O.F.  (as  indicated  in  the  previous 
sketch  of  the  history  of  the  order  in  Winona  county),  was  organ- 
ized by  members  of  Prairie  Lodge,  No.  7,  October  5,  1868.  The 
charter  members,  ten  in  number,  were :  H.  C.  Fuhrman,  Wm. 
Wedel.  J.  Harlan,  B.  Neuman,  J.  Budwig,  C.  Houseman,  H.  Ein- 
feldt,  J.  Einfeldt,  E.  Pelzer  and  W.  Wosohoskai.  These  are  all 
living,  five  of  them  still  residents  of  Winona  and  prominent  mem- 
bers of  Humboldt  Lodge.  This  lodge  was  organized  for  the  purpose 
of  working  in  the  German  language,  and  has  had  a  most  prosperous 
existence.  The  total  number  of  members  borne  on  the  rolls  since 
organization  has  been  174,  and  the  present  membership  is  108. 
They  share  with  Prairie  Lodge  the  beautiful  hall  in  Simjison's  block 
and  enjoy  their  share  of  the  honors;  D.D.G.M.  H.  C.  Fuhrman 
being  general  messenger  of  the  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge  of  the 
Order  in  the  United  States,  the  first  office  of  the  kind  ever  held  by 
any  member  of  the  fraternity  in  Minnesota. 

H.  C.  Fuhrman,  district  deputy  grand  master  and  general  mes- 
senger of  the  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge  of  the  United  States,  is  a 
native  of  Germany  ;  came  from  there  to  Wisconsin  in  1850,  and  to 
Winona  in  1867 ;  was  engaged  in  business  here  until  1874,  since 
which  time  he  has  been  employed  in  the  railway  postal  service  of 
the  United  States.  He  is  also  a  Master  Mason,  a  member  of  Winona 
Lodge,  No.  18.  Mr.  Fuhrman  is  married,  has  one  child  attending 
school  in  the  city,  and  a  son,  A.  W.  Fuhrman,  chief  engineer  of  the 
city  fire  department. 

WINONA  ENCAMI'MENT,   NO.    10,   I.O.O.F. 

The  two  lodges  of  the  order  in  this  city  having  grown  strong 
and  vigorous,  it  was  determined  about  ten  years  since  to  institute  an 
encampment  here.     Accordingly,   November  29,  1872,  Alexander 


SOCIETIES.  440' 

Wilson,  of  St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  grand  patriarch  of  the  state,  assisted 
by  several  G.  P's  from  Red  Wing,  Minnesota,  and  H.  P's  W.  G. 
Dye,  H.  C.  Fuhrman,  J.  M.  Cole,  B.  Kirst,  D.  A.  Briggs,  W.  Wed  el 
and  D.  A.  Bannister,  proceeded  to  institute  an  encampment  of  the 
I.O.O.F.,  to  be  known  as  Winona  Encampment,  No.  10,  of  Winona, 
Minnesota,  which  was  duly  done,  and  the  three  principal  officers 
installed  were  :  G.  W.  Dye,  C.P.,  H.  C.  Fuhrman,  H.P.,  and  J.  M. 
Cole,  S.W. 

The  destiniction  of  the  records  leaves  no  accurate  data  for  deter- 
mining the  number  of  deaths  in  the  encampment,  nor  the  whole 
number  of  members  admitted ;  the  present  membership  is  54.  The 
three  chief  chairs  of  the  encampment  have  been  officered  as  follows 
since  its  institution. 

DATE.  CHIEF  PATRIARCH.  HIGH  PRIEST.  SENIOR  WARDEN. 

1873.  B.  p.  stoker W.  Wedel D.A.  Bannister. 

Jan.  1874.  D.  A.  Bannister W.  G.  Dye M.  L.  Mertes. 

July  1874.  M.  L.  Mertes B.  Kirst J.  D.  Coe. 

Jan.  1875.  J.  D.  Coe B.  Neiiman C.  C.  Astnip. 

July  1875.  J.  H.  Hubbard  H.  G.  C.  Schmidt G.  E.  Haskins. 

Jan.  1876.  G.  E.  Haskins C.  B.  Shepard H.  G.  C.  Schmidt. 

July  1876.  C.  B.  Shepard W.  G.  Dye L.  Bates. 

Jan.  1877.  C.  B.  Shepard W.  G.  Dve L.  Bates. 

July  1877.  L.  Bates H.  J.  Stelter H.  Pfaukuch. 

Jan.  1878.  H.  J.  Stelter W.  G.  Dye C.  B.  Shepard. 

July  1878.  C.  C.  Astrup W.  G.  Dye W.  A.  Thompson. 

Jan.  1879.  W.  A.  Thompson W.  G.  Dye J.  D.  Coe. 

July  1879.  H.  G.  C.  Schmidt W.  G.  Dye C.B.  Shepard. 

Jan.  1880.  W.  Wedol Au^r.  Munck H.  Pfankueh. 

July  1880.  W.  Wedel Aujr.  Munck H.  Pfankudi. 

LSS1.  IT.  Pfanknch J.  T.  Gerlicher A.  Beyerstadt. 

1882.  J.  Einfi'ldt A.Beyerstadt N.  Srhleiiter. 

1883.  A.  r.yerstedt   N.  Schleuter H.  Hiirtmann. 

The  present  officers  are:  C.  P.,  A.  Beyerstedt ;  H.  P.,  N. 
Schleuter  ;  S.W.,  H.  Hartmann  ;  J.  W.,  W.  Lucht ;  Treas.,  H.  Ein- 
feldt;  Scribe,  E.  Hargesheimer ;  Guide,  F.  Rakow  ;  O.S.,  S.  Stark; 
I.S.,  Aug.  Schladenske;  1st  W.,  N.  Munck;  2d  W.,  Jos.  Leicht;  3d 
W.,  John  Lohse;  4th  W.,  Phil.  Feiten. 

A.    F.    AND    A.    M. 

All  written  record  of  the  planting  of  the  masonic  order  in 
Winona,  and  its  history  during  the  first  five  years  of  its  organiza- 
tion, was  destroyed  in  the  great  fire  of  1862,  in  which  so  much  that 
was  pertinent  to  the  earlier  annals  of  this  city  and  its  institutions 
was  irretrievably  lost.  At  that  time,  it  will  be  remembered,  the 
whole  people  were  turning  their  anxious  faces  southward  and  at- 
tempting to  forecast  the  future  of  the  Republic  in  the  issues  of  civil 
26 


450  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

war.  That  dosed,  otlier  matters  of  business,  reconstruction  policies, 
national  and  personal  finance,  engrossed  the  thoughts  of  people,  and 
so  it  transpired  that  for  various  causes  no  attempt  was  made  to  rehabili- 
tate the  masonic  records  of  the  city  for  more  than  a  full  decade  after 
their  destruction.  In  1874,  at  the  close  of  Worshipful  Master  I.  B. 
Cumming's  tenth  term  of  service  as  presiding  officer  of  Winona 
Lodge,  No.  18,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  lie  presented  the  matter  in  his  annual 
address.  This  was  largely  a  resume  of  the  work  of  the  lodge  dur- 
ing the  period  he  had  been  stationed  in  the  cast,  to  which  was  ap- 
pended a  most  interesting  narrative  of  the  order  here  in  so  far  as  he 
had  been  able  to  collect  the  items  of  its  earlier  history.  This  paper 
lies  now  before  us,  and  to  it  and  verbal  statements  from  Master  Cum- 
mings  and  others  we  acknowledge  our  indebtedness  for  much  that  is 
valuable  concerning  the  early  days  of  Masonry  in  Winona.  For 
matters  of  later  date,  the  records  of  the  lodge  and  orders  and  the 
courtesy  of  the  secretaries,  Bros.  J.  K.  Ferguson  and  C.  H.  Porter, 
have  been  freely  drawn  upon. 

WINONA    LODGE,   NO.    18. 

In  November,  1855,  H.  D.  Hufi*  as  W.M.  and  John  lams  and 
G.  R.  Tucker  as  S.W.  and  J.W.  respectively,  applied  for  and  were 
granted  a  dispensation  to  open  a  masonic  lodge  in  Winona.  This 
dispensation  issued  from  the  office  of  the  then  W.G.M.  of  this 
jurisdiction,  Moses  Sherburne,  and  the  lodge  prospective  was  num- 
bered 8,  there  being  at  that  time  but  seven  lodges  of  the  order  in 
this  masonic  jurisdiction.  It  appears  that  this  dispensation  must 
have  expired  by  limitation  or  have  been  recalled,  as  another  dispen- 
sation was  subsequently  granted.  There  is  no  record  or  recollection 
on  the  part  of  any  of  the  old  citizens  of  any  masonic  work  under 
this  dispensation  of  Grand  Master  Sherburne,  and  according  to  the 
general  masonic  belief  matters  remained  in  statu  quo.  The  following 
May,  1856,  upon  petition  of  certain  Masonic  brethren  in  this  city,  a 
dispensation  to  0})en  a  masonic  lodge  here  was  granted  by  the  then 
worshipful  grand  master,  A.  T.  C.  Pierson.  In  the  following  Jan- 
uary, 1857,  the  grand  lodge  approved  the  dispensation  and  granted 
a  charter,  and  on  March  3  of  that  same  year  P.  P.  Hubbell  (so 
well  known  to  the  masonic  fraternity  of  Minnesota  as  Father  Plub- 
bell),  deputizeil  to  act  for  the  grand  master,  organized  Winona  Lodge, 
No.  18,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  duly  consecrated  the  same  and  installed 
the  following  officers :  W.M.,  G.  R.  Tucker;  S.W.,   J.   S.  Camp- 


SOCIETIES.  451 

bell;  J.W.,  H.  D.  Morse;  Treas.,  G.  W.  Horton;  Sec,  C.  E. 
Yoiglit.  The  records  of  this  transaction  being  lost,  it  is  impossible  to 
say  just  what  names  appeared  upon  the  original  petition  or  what 
officers  in  addition  to  those  already  named  were  installed  ;  but  from 
the  register  of  members,  which  was  not  burned,  being  in  the  lodge- 
room  at  the  time,  as  will  afterward  appear,  it  is  certain  that  the  roll 
of  charter  members  included,  besides  those  already  given,  the  names 
of  Bros.  H.  D.  Huff,  John  lams,  C.  F.  Buck  and  Geo.  W.  Curtis. 
The  original  lodge-room  was  in  Laird's  building,  at  the  lower  end 
of  the  levee,  and  here  they  remained,  according  to  the  best  informa- 
tion attainable,  until  the  formal  institution  of  the  lodge  in  the  spring 
of  1857,  at  about  which  time  they  removed  to  the  L.  D.  Smith  build- 
ing on  the  levee,  afterward  known  as  Riverside  Hotel,  and  occupy- 
ing very  nearly  the  present  site  of  Krundick's  elevator.  It  was  dur- 
ing their  occupancy  of  these  quarters  that  the  disastrous  fire  of 
1862  occurred,  in  which  as  before  said,  all  their  records  and  papers, 
save  members'  register,  were  burned.  These  records  and  papers 
were  not  in  tlie  lodge-room  at  the  time  the  fire  occurred,  but  in  the 
private  office  of  the  lodge  secretary,  John  Keyes,  whose  office,  with 
all  it  contained,  was  swept  away  in  common  with  scores  of  others. 
The  Riverside  Hotel  escaped  destruction,  and  the  lodge  was  not 
called  upon  to  bear  the  loss  of  its  furniture  and  regalia,  as  well  as 
its  records  —  a  misfortune  which  the  I.O.O.F.  fraternity  did  not 
escape.  Early  in  the  following  year,  1863,  arrangements  were 
made  for  occupying  the  third  story  of  what  is  now  known  as  No.  4, 
Simpson's  block,  a  lease  executed  for  a  term  of  j^ears  and  posses- 
sion taken  June  3  of  that  year.  These  were  commodious  quarters 
as  compared  with  those  formerly  occupied,  or  with  any  others  in 
southern  Minnesota  at  that  date,  and  the  order  were  not  unreason- 
ably elated  at  the  comfort  and  convenience  of  their  new  hall.  Here 
the  formal  dedication  of  the  lodge-room  occurred  June  27,  1863, 
conducted  in  due  and  ancient  form  by  W.  G.M.  Pierson,  who  delivered 
a  most  interesting  oration  (public)  on  that  occasion.  Here  the  lod£:e 
continued  its  beneficent  work  under  enlarging  opportunities  for  use- 
fulness, and  had  so  increased  its  membership  that  at  the  close  of  the 
eighth  year  of  its  existence  its  grand  lodge  dues  aggregated  $110. 

In  ten  years  the  craft  had  outgrown  their  accommodations  in 
Simpson's  block  and  new  quarters 'became  a  necessity.  Postoffice 
block,  corner  of  Third  and  Center  streets,  then  newly  erected,  was 
considered  the  most  likely  to  afford  the  desired  room  and  privacy. 


462  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Negotiations  were  entered  into  wliicii  resulted  in  the  lease  of  the 
third  story  of  the  block  for  a  term  of  ten  years.  Here  on  June  27, 
1872  (the  tenth  anniversary  of  the  dedication  of  the  lodge-room  in 
Simpson's  block),  the  new  lodge-room  was  formally  set  apart  in  due 
masonic  form  for  the  work  of  the  craft.  M.W.G.M.  Griswold 
conducted  the  ceremonies,  a  pleasing  feature  of  the  occasion  being 
the  grand  march  of  the  subordinate  lodges  and  the  most  worshipful 
grand  master,  escorted  by  a  detachment  of  the  Knights  Templar. 
The  lease  of  the  hall  now  occupied  nearly  a  decade,  expires  the 
ensuing  June,  but  a  new  lease  for  ten  years  has  just  been  executed 
(April,  1883),  and  as  the  fraternity  may  now  be  considered  as  settled 
until  June,  1893,  and  particularly  as  they  have  arranged  to  expend 
$1,000  in  improving  their  lodge-room,  a  description  of  the  finest 
masonic  quarters  in  the  northwest  will  not  be  out  of  place  in  this 
connection.  Postoffice  block  is  a  full  three-story  and  basement  brick, 
with  stone  foundations  and  trimmings,  fronting  on  tlie  two  principal 
streets  of  the  city,  with  entrances  on  both.  The  building  is  52  X  90 
feet,  and  the  entire  third  story  is  devoted  to  masonic  use.  The  lodge- 
room  proper  is  28x52  feet  with  ceilings  fifteen  feet  high,  sloping  to 
fourteen  feet  at  the  lower  end  of  the  hall.  Adjoining  this,  and 
connected  with  it  by  folding  doors,  is  the  armory  of  the  commandery, 
used  also  as  occasion  requires  for  a  banquet  hall.  This  room  is 
20  X  62,  elegantly  furnished  with  cabinets  for  the  regalia  and  arms  of 
the  knights,  and  on  the  walls  of  which  are  displayed  the  richly 
emblazoned  banners  of  the  commandery.  The  reception-room  is 
quite  commodious,  20x24  feet,  as  are  also  the  kitchen,  examination, 
preparation  and  tyler's  rooms.  The  kitchen  is  well  furnished  with 
all  the  necessary  paraphernalia,  including  table  furniture,  for  main- 
taining the  record  of  the  craft  for  generous  cheer  and  good  fellow- 
ship. These  rooms  are  now  being  renovated,  and  walls  and  ceilings 
finished  in  the  latest  style  of  decorative  art.  This  accomplished, 
and  the  new  carpets  laid  and  minor  arrangements  completed,  the 
masonic  bodies  of  Winona  will  be  as  sumptuously  lodged,  and  as 
favorably  circumstanced  for  effective  work,  as  they  could  possibly 
desire.  To  avert  the  calamity  so  sensibly  felt  in  the  destruction  of 
their  records  by  fire  twenty-one  years  ago,  they  have  furnished  their 
lodge-room  with  a  magnificent  tire-proof  safe,  amply  sufficient  for 
the  records  of  blue  lodge,  chapter  and  commandery,  each  body 
having  its  separate  compartment. 

As  matter  of  record,  we  append  the  names  of  those  who  have 


SOCIETIES. 


453 


successively  been  stationed  in  the  east,  west  and  sonth  since  the 
organization  of  the  lodge. 


DATE.  WORSHIPFUL   MASTER. 

1857.  G.  R.  Tucker 

1858.  G.  R.  Tucker  . 

1859.  J.S.Campbell. 

1860.  P.  P.  Hubbell. 

1861.  G.  R.  Tucker 

1862.  G.  R.  Tucker 
186P,.  J.S.Campbell. 

1864.  G.  R.  Tucker 

1865.  G.  R.  Tucker 

1866.  I.  B.  Cummings.  . 

1867.  I.  B.  Cummings  . 

1868.  I.  B.  Cummings  . 

1869.  I.  B.  Cummings  . 

1870.  I.  B.  Cmnmings  . 

1871.  I.  B.  Cummings  . 

1872.  I.  B.  Cummings  . 

1873.  I.  B.  Cummings  . 

1874.  I.  B.  Cummings  . 

1875.  I.  B.  Cummings  . 

1876.  I.  B.  Cummings  . 

1877.  W.  H.  Bennett  . . 

1878.  I.  B.  Cummings  . 

1879.  I.  B.  Cummings  . 

1880.  W.  H.  Bennett 

1881.  Thos.  A.  Richardson. . 

1882.  Thos.  A.  Richardson  . . , 

1883.  E.  D.  Hulbert 


SENIOR   WARDEN. 

J.  S.  Campbell. . . 
.J.  S.Campbell... 

.H.  D.  Morse 

.Jas.  White 

•  H.  D.  Morse 

.H.  D.  Morse 

.Sam  Fox 

.Chas.  Benson. . . . 
.1.  B.  Cummings. . 

.W.G.  Dye 

.  F.  A.  Searey 

.F. A.  Searey  

.  J.  C.  Slater 

.J.  C.  Slater 

.J.  C.  Slater 

.  W.  H.  Stevens. . . 
.O.B.Gould 

•  O.B.  Gould 

.  N.  Staughton  .... 
.W.H.Bennett..  . 

.N.  F.  Frary 

.W.  H.  Bennett... 
.W.H.Bennett... 

•  Chas.  H.  Goodwin 
.Chas.  H.  Goodwin 

.E.  D.  Hulbert 

.J.  C.  Hillmer  .... 


JUNIOR   WARDEN. 

.H.  D.  Morse. 

•  H.  D.  Morse. 
.James  White. 

•  D.  C.  Patterson. 
.Sam  Fox. 

.  Sam  Fox. 
.Maurice  Nolan. 
.D.  A.  Coe. 
.W.G.  Dye. 
.John  Sherman. 
.John  Ball. 
.  W.  S.  Drew. 
.  R.  B.  Basford. 

•  R.  B.  Basford. 

.  Columbia  Drew. 
.O.B.Gould. 

•  N.  F.  Frarv 
.N.  F.  Frary. 
.W.  H.Bennett. 

•  J.  C.  Palmer. 
.R.  M.  Whitney. 
.R.  M.  Whitney. 
.Chas.  H.  Goodwin. 
.Thos.  A.  Richardson. 
■  C.  H.  Lock  wood. 

.W.  C.  Brown. 

•  C.  C.Clement. 


The  otlier  officers  for  the  current  year  are  :  Treas.,  C.  H.  Porter  ; 
Sec,  J.  K.  Ferguson  ;  Chap.,  Kev.  E.  J.  Purdy  ;  S.D.,  Thos.  Mc- 
Davitt;  J.D.,  E.  G.  Nerrus  ;  S.S.,  M.  E.  Fruraer  ;  J.S.,  J.  F. 
Gerlichen  ;  Marshal,  O.  B.  Gould  ;  Organist,  F.  A.  A.  Eobertson  ; 
Tyler,  L.  K.  Eastey.  The  trustees  are  O.  B.  Gould,  Sam  Fox,  and  C. 
H.  Berry.  The  lodge  has  had  but  few  changes  in  the  office  of  sec- 
retary. John  Keyes,  of  whose  election  there  is  no  record,  he 
having  held  that  office  prior  to  1862,  closed  his  labors  as  recording 
officer  of  the  lodge  in  1869.  To  him  succeeded  W.  G.  Dye,  who 
kept  the  records  until  the  close  of  1878.  R.  M.  Whitney  was  then 
elected  and  served  one  year,  when  the  present  secretary,  J.  K.  Fer- 
guson, was  elected  and  installed. 

It  is  but  fitting  that  some  mention  should  here  be  made  of 
"Father  Hubbell,"  who  consecrated  the  lodge  at  its  institution  and 
installed  its  officers,  as  previously  mentioned.  ' '  Father  Hubbell "  is 
a  mason  of  sixty-three  years'  standing.  His  application  was  made  as 
early  as  the  law  allows,  on  his  twenty -first  birthday,  which  occurred 


454  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

February  1,  1820.  His  application  came  before  Painted  Post  Lodge, 
No.  203  (old  number),  then  holding  its  sessions  in  an  upper  room 
in  the  house  of  the  applicant's  father  at  Corning,  New  York.  Father 
Hubbell  was  initiated  in  March  of  that  same  year,  1820,  passed  in 
April  and  raised  in  May.  He  is  doubtless  the  oldest  Mason  in  the 
state.  Winona  Lodge  is  just  closing  the  twenty-seventh  year  of  its 
history.  During  that  time  four  hundred  and  eleven  members  have 
been  borne  upon  its  rolls  ;  of  these  thirty-three  have  gone  out  from 
the  earthly  lodge-room  to  appear  before  the  Supreme  Master  of  the 
Universe  and  submit  the  designs  upon  their  tresselboards.  The 
present  number  of  members  is  158. 

WINONA  CHAPTER  NO.   5,  R.A.M. 

No  sooner  had  the  members  of  the  blue  lodge  become  firmly 
established  in  their  then  commodious  quarters  in  Simpson's  block 
than  they  turned  their  attention  to  the  formation  of  a  chapter, 
rightly  concluding  that  in  a  city  of  Winona's  growing  importance 
the  craft  should  maintain  labor  in  the  higher  as  well  as  lower  degrees 
of  the  order.  Accordingly,  on  August  11,  1863,  a  petition  was 
presented  to  A.  E.  Ames,  G.H.P.,  of  this  masonic  jurisdiction,  ask- 
ing for  dispensation  to  open  a  chapter  here,  to  be  known  as  Winona 
Chapter,  No.  5,  P..  A.M.  The  petitioners  were :  Warren  Powers, 
H.P. ;  Philo  P.  Hubbell,  King;  H.  D.  Morse,  Scribe  ;  and  compan- 
ions James  Gwynn,  James  B.  Stockton,  David  Barker,  Isaac  Ben- 
ham,  A.  P.  Hoit  and  R.  G.  Stevens.  September  18,  1863,  these 
companions  assembled  under  direction  of  A.  T.  C.  Pierson,  acting 
as  proxy  for  the  G.H.P.,  who  opened  the  chapter  in  due  form.  At 
the  annual  convocation  of  the  grand  chapter,  held  the  following 
month,  a  record  of  the  proceedings  in  the  case  of  the  formation  of 
Winona  Chapter  was  presented,  the  work  approved  and  a  charter 
granted,  bearing  date  October  29,  1863.  No  election  of  officers  was 
held  imtil  the  close  of  the  following  year,  the  posts  being  filled  as 
indicated  by  the  petition  and  the  officers  therein  designated  installed. 
The  annual  election  for  chapter  officers  is  held  about  the  close  of  the 
civil  year,  late  in  December,  and  the  roster  of  officers  hereto 
appended  is  given  for  the  year  of  their  service,  and  not  of  their 
election.  As  in  the  case  of  Winona  Lodge,  No.  18,  only  the  three 
ranking  officers  are  given  to  date,  but  the  full  list  for  the  current 
year  appears. 


SOCIETIES.  455 

YEAR.  HIGH  PRIEST.  KING.  ^CKIBE. 

1865.  Charles  Benson J^^%M.Cole L?i„^,tffler 

1866.  James  M.  Cole G.  R.  Tucker Orrn  ^^  heeler. 

1867.  James  M.  Cole Orrin  Wheeler i^s  RVi^ck 

1868.  W.  G.  Dye James  M  Cole ^^i^-^Ball 

1869.  W.G.Dye W^K  F.Vila f's?,5es 

1870.  James  M.  Cole L  B.  Cummings j  R  fCminsrs 

1871  W  K  F  Vila  F.  Staples IB.  Lummmgs. 

Ifio  W  K  F  V   a     F.  Staples J.  C.  Schoonmaker. 

1 87^'  W"  G  Dve         I-  B.  C\immings James  M.  Cole. 

1874  W:K.FViia: R.  B.  Basford LB^Cummmgs. 

im.  KB.Basford W.K.F.Wa... ^.B.Ufford. 

1876.  R.  B.  Basford W.  K.  ^  \  i  a KB.  Uflord 

1877.  N.B.Uftbrd W.K.F.\ia 5 "  r  ?J±rd 

1878  N.  B.  Utford W.  K.  F.  Vila K.  J;  Bastord. 

IRVQ  K  B  Ufford         J-  L-  Brink ^.  Staughton. 

]fl-  t  B  nfford J.  L.  Brink N.  Staughton. 

88?:     L  B  c'ummings.V J.  L.  Brink Charles  Gilbert. 

1882:     I.  B.  Cumminls G.  L.  Gates N.  Staughton. 

The  several  offices  of  the  chapter  for  1883  are  filled  as  follows  : 
H.P.,  Geo.  L.  Gates;  K.,  Thomas  A.  Richardson;*  Scribe,  J.  L. 
Brink;  C.  ofH.,  W.  H.  Bennett;  R.A.C,  H.  C.  Shepard  ;  P.S., 
E  D.'nulbert;  Treas.,  C.  H.  Porter;  Sec,  J.  K.  Ferguson; 
G.M.  Sd  v.,  A.  O.  Slade  ;  G.M.  2d  Y.,  M.  E.  Trumer  ;  G.M.  1st  V., 
V.  A.  Brink  ;  Sentinel,  L.  K.  Eastey. 

The  total  number  of  companions  that  have  held  membership  in 
Winona  Chapter  during  the  almost  twenty  years  of  its  existence  has 
been  185  ;  of  these  14  have  entered  within  the  vail  to  return  to  the 
earthly  host  no  more,  and  there  now  remain  80  regularly  borne  upon 
the  record. 

CCEUK    DE    LION    COMMANDERY,    NO.    6,    K.T. 

The  formal  establishment  of  the  chapter  consummated,  and  its 
permanency  assured,  the  organization  of  a  commandery  soon  followed 
as  a  matter  oi  necessity  —  there  being  at  this  time  no  asylum  of  the 
order  in  southern  Minnesota.  May  13,  1864,  a  petition  to  open  and 
hold  a  commandery  in  Winona  was  presented  M.E.  Sir  Knight  B.B. 
French,  at  that  time  grand  master  of  K.  T.  of  U.  S.  The  following 
month  the  dispensation  issued,  and  was  committed  to  M.E.  Sir 
Knight  A.  T.  C.  Pierson,  G.C.G.  of  K.  T.  of  U.  S.  and  E.G.  of 
Damascus  Commandery  of  St.  Paul,  who,  as  deputy  for  the  grand 
master,  proceeded  to  Winona  bearing  the  dispensation.     This  dis- 

*  Companion  Thomas  Richardson's  throne,  as  king  of  Winona  Chapter  was 
vacated  by  the  summons  of  the  pale  horseman  February  14,  1883  At  tlie 
Sneof  his  death  Mr.  Richardson  was  a  member  of  the  state  legislature  irom 
Ws  representative  district;  a  bright  Mason,  and  recogmzed  ^vervwhere  as  one 
of  the  best  workmen  of  the  craft  for  his  years  which  only  numbered  2,  when 
he  was  culled  to  the  grand  convocation  above. 


4r)G  niSTOKV    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

pensation,  of  date  June  18,  1864,  empowered  Sir  Knights  Warren 
Powers,  Rob.  Urquliart,  G.  D.  Bj-istol,  M.  AVheeler  Sargent,  H.  L. 
Freeman,  C.  D.  Sherwood,  E.  F.  Dodge,  Charles  Benson  and  James 
M.  Cole  to  open  and  hold  a  eoramandery  of  K.  T.  and  Council  of 
the  Order  of  Knights  ot  the  Red  Cross,  to  be  designated  by  the  name 
C(eur  de  Lion  Commander j,  of  Winona,  Minnesota,  which  was  done 
as  commanded,  witli  Sir  Knight  Warren  Powers,  E.C.,  Rob  Urquliart, 
G.,  and  (Jr.  V.  Bristol,  C.G.  There  being  at  this  time  no  grand 
commandery  of  Minnesota,  the  Winona  Knights  continued  to  work 
under  dispensation  from  the  grand  master  ot  K.  T.  of  U.  S.  until  the 
meeting  of  the  grand  oncamj)ment  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  September  7, 
1865.  The  by-laws,  records  and  work  of  Cceur  de  Lion  Command- 
ery were  approved,  after  examination  by  the  grand  encampment, 
and  a  charter  issued,  bearing  date  September  13,  1865,  fully  habili- 
tating Cceur  de  Lion  Commandery  with  authority  to  elect  officers, 
confer  orders,  and  do  all  other  things  pertaining  to  the  rights  and 
powers  of  a  loyal  commandery  of  K.T.  On  October  19,  1865,  a 
dispensation  issued  from  H.  L.  Palmer,  G.M.  of  K.  T.  of  U.  S., 
authorizing  the  organization  of  a  grand  commandery  for  the  State  of 
Minnesota.  This  work  was  prosecuted  by  the  grand  master  in  per- 
son, and  on  October  23,  1865,  the  Grand  Commandery  of  Minnesota 
was  created,  Coeur  de  Lion  Commandery  transferred  from  the  juris- 
diction of  the  grand  encampment  to  that  of  the  Grand  Commandery 
of  Minnesota,  and  enrolled  as  Cceur  de  Lion  Commandery,  No.  3,  of 
Winona.  Sir  Knights  Powers,  Urquhart  and  Bristol  held  the  offices 
to  which  they  had  been  elected  at  the  organization  of  the  comtnand- 
ery  until  the  annual  reports  were  returned  to  the  grand  master  of  K.  T. 
of  U.  S.,  when  another  election  was  held,  resulting  in  the  choice  of  Sir 
Knight  Rob.  Urquliart,  E.C.,  J.  M.  Cole,  G.,  and  D.  A.  Coe,  C.G., 
who  held  office  until  the  commandery  obtained  its  charter,  when  a 
new  election  was  ordered.  This  statement  explains  the  apparent 
paradox  of  two  elections  having  been  held  in  1865,  as  appears  from 
the  accompanying  table,  which  shows  the  successive  results  of  the 
annual  elections  of  the  commandery,  so  far  as  the  three  highest  offices 
are  concerned : 

I>ATK.  EMINENT   COMMANDEi:.  CENERALISSIMO.  CAPTAIN    GENERAL. 

i«<-    ^  Warren  Powers R.  Urquhart D.  A.  Coe. 

'"'"   (  R.  Urquhart .T.  31.  Cole D.  A.  Coe. 

I8ii'\    R.  Urquliart J.  M.  Cole D.  A.  Coe. 

18H7.    James  M.  Cole A.  W.  Webster B.  II.  Langlev. 

18f)8.     A.  W.  Webster B.  H.  Landev W.  G.  Dye. 


SOCIETIES. 


457 


YEAR.  EMINENT   COMMANDER.  GENERALISSIMO.  CAPTAIN    GENERAL. 

1869.  A.  W.  Webster B.  H.  Langley W  G.  Dye 

1870.  B.H.  Langley W.  G.  Dye W  K.  1 .  Vi  a. 

1871.  B.H.Lanlley W.  G.  Dye W  K.  F.  \  i  a. 

1872.  B.H.Landev W.  G.  Dye W.K.F\ila. 

1873.  B.  H.  Langlev W.  K.  Vila R.  L.  McCormick. 

1874  B  H  LaiAeV  W.  K.  Vila R.  L.  McCormick. 

1875^  b".  H.  LangleV W.  K.  Vila Isaac  Slade. 

1876  W  K  F   Vila Isaac  Slade >i.  btaughton. 

1877'  W'  K  F  Vila Isaac  Blade N.  Stanghton. 

1878".  B.  H.  Lan-rlev Isaac  Slade N.  Staughton 

1879.  Isaac  Slade    : N.  Staughton R.  B.  Bastord. 

1880.  N.  Stauditon W.  K .  F.  Vila Isaac  S  ade. 

1881.  Isaac  Slade W.  K.  F.  Vila A.  W.  Scott. 

188'>  V  W  Scott Isaac  Slade N.  Staughton. 

1883'  A.  W.  Scott Isaac  Slade N.  Staughton. 

The  other  officers  for  the  current  year  are  I.  B.  Cummings, 
Prelate;  S.  Fox,  S.W.;  R.  B.  Basford,  Treas.;  W.  H.  Bennett,  S.B.; 
F.  A.  A.  Robertson,  W.;  A.  O.  Slade,  2d  G.;W.  K.  Vila,  J.  W.;  C. 
H.  Porter,  Rec;  E.  F.  Mues,  Sw.  B.;  G.  L.  Gates,  3d  G.;  E.  S. 
Nevius,  1st  G. ;  L.  K.  Eastey,  Sentinel. 

The  whole  number  of  knights  that  have  been  enrolled  in  Coeur 
de  Lion  Commandery  since  its  organization  in  1864  has  been  144. 
Of  these,  61  still  remain  upon  thtj  rolls,  40  of  whom  are  residents  of 
this  city.  Of  the  83  whose  names  no  longer  appear,  eight  have  died 
as  members  of  this  commandery,  leaving  the  courts  of  the  earthly 
temple  to  enter  through  the  more  glorious  gates  of  the  upper,  the 
sanctuary  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens.  The 
remaining  75  have  scattered  far  and  wide ;  no  doubt  many  of  them 
have  joined  the  bannered  host  ot  the  grand  encampment  above. 

There  are  many  items  of  interest  that  might  be  recorded  concern- 
ing Coeur  de  Lion  Commandery  and  the  sir  knights  who  compose  it. 
We  mention  only  a  few. 

March  17,  1865,  Sir  Knight  P.  P.  Hubbell  (Father  Hubbell)  was 
made  an  honorary  member  of  the  commandery,  a  distinction  con- 
ferred upon  no  other  during  the  nineteen  years  of  its  existence. 

With  the  granting  of  the  charter  the  name  of  the  commandery 
was  changed  from  the  French  form  of  the  name,  which  it  bore  at  its 
institution,  to  the  English  form  of  the  words,  ''Cojur  de  Lion,"  as  it 
now  is.  At  the  triennial  conclave,  held  in  Chicago  in  1 880,  Coeur  de 
Lion  received  general  commendation  for  its  arms  and  banner — its 
beautifully-emblazoned  standard  eliciting  universal  praise  as  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  ensigns  in  that  immense  liost.  This  commandery 
has  fm-ni-^lied  three  grand  commanders  for  the  state  :  Sir  Knights 


458  HISTORY    OF    WENONA    COUNTY. 

James  M.  Cole,  B.  F.  Langley  and  B..  L.  McCormick,  who  are  ex- 
officio  members  of  the  grand  encampment.  Of  these  James  M.  Cole 
was  grand  master  of  the  grand  commander y  in  1868-0,  and  G.  War- 
der of  the  grand  encampment  in  Irom  1868  to  1871.  B.  F.  Langley 
was  eminent  commander  of  C(Bur  de  Lion  Commandery  for  seven 
terms,  grand  commander  of  the  state  in  1874-5  and  grand  senior 
warden  of  the  grand  encampment  from  1874  to  1877.  R.  L. 
McCormick  was  grand  conductor  on  the  state  commandery  in  1881. 
Father  Ilubbell  was  appointed  to  the  grand  prelacy  of  the  Grand 
Commandery  of  Minnesota  in  1874,  the  office  being  vacated  by  the 
death  of  V.P.  Sir  Knight  A.  E.  Ames,  and  has  held  the  office  by 
successive  election  ever  since  —  the  action  of  the  commandery  being 
so  unanimous  in  every  instance  as  to  approve  the  judgment  of  numy 
that  he  will  liold  the  office  he  so  honors  until  called  up  higher  by 
the  Supreme  Commander  of  the  Universe.  I.  B.  Cummings,  the 
present  prelate  of  Goeur  de  Lion,  lias  held  that  office  for  thirteen 
consecutive  terms,  and  magnihes  it. 

DRUIDS. 

The  Druids  are  divided  into  three  separate  organizations,  namely  : 
Winona  Grove  (German),  Scandinavian  Lund  and  Oak  Grove  (Eng- 
lish). We  will  first  take  up  the  Winona  Grove,  No.  6.  This  branch 
was  organized  in  September,  1871,  the  charter  being  granted  the 
same  year.  The  officers  were  :  Christian  Heintz,  president ;  Con- 
rad Sherer,  vice-president ;  Henry  Stelter,  secretary  ;  Fred.  Martin, 
treasurer.  There  were  at  first  but  twelve  members.  The  object 
of  the  society,  like  other  oi-ganizations  of  its  kind,  is  benevolent. 
There  are  three  degrees.  Members  having  acquired  all  the  degrees 
are  called  Druids,  and  when  unable  to  work  receive  from  the  society 
$5  per  week.  The  second  degree  is  given  after  the  member  has 
been  in  the  association  six  months  ;  these  members  receive  $3  when 
unable  to  work.  The  first  degree  is  received  upon  initiation.  Such 
members,  during  sickness,  receive  but  $2  per  week.  On  the  death 
of  a  member  the  widow  receives  from  the  entire  association  through- 
out the  state  a  sum  of  money  varying  as  to  the  entire  membership 
at  the  time.  An  assessment  is  made  of  $1  upon  every  member  in 
the  state;  this  is  given  to  the  widow  ;  but  if  the  sum  exceeds  $2,- 
000,  the  excess  over  this  falls  to  the  widows'  fund  in  the  treasury. 
The  society  receives  into  its  ranks  only  men  of  respectability  and 
temperance.     The  members  are  liable  at  any  time  to  be  suspended 


SOCIETIES.  459 

or  expelled  for  misconduct.  The  Winona  Grove  have  in  their 
treasury  at  present  $750  in  cash,  besides  ])roperty  of  various  kinds 
valued  at  $1,420.  The  officers  are  :  Claus  Nottelmann,  president ; 
Henry  Kluver,  vice-president ;  Hugo  Enderlein,  secretary  ;  B.  Howe, 
assistant  secretary  ;  Fred.  Meyer,  treasurer. 

Scandvnamcwi  Grove^  No.  i^,  was  organized  May  23.  1876 ; 
the  charter  was  granted  at  the  same  date.  The  first  officers  were  : 
]Sr.A.,  O.  M.  Olsen  ;  V.A.,  A.  G.  Steelhammer ;  secretary,  L. 
Olsen ;  treasurer,  Christ  Christoflferson  ;  I.  G. ,  O.  Hanson  ;  con- 
ductor, L.  O.  Engelstad;  O.G.,  M.  C.  Wahler ;  E. H.B.N. A.,  John 
Ereckner ;  L.H.B.KA.,  M.  P.  Foss  ;  RH.B.Y.A.,  O.  Thompson  ; 
L.H.B.Y.A.,  L  C.  Olson.  At  first  there  were  but  eighteen  charter 
members  ;  the  number  has  now  increased  to  thirty-four.  The  names 
of  the  present  officers  are  :  D.D.,  L.  Olson  ;  N.A.,  H.  U.  Nelson  ; 
Y.A.,  Otto  Outzeer ;  secretar}-,  Edward  Anderson;  conductor,  H. 
L.  Berg;  O.G.,  G.  P.  Gillsbery  ;  R. H.B.N. A.,  Issak  Nilse  ;  L.H. 
B.N.A^,  H.  P.  Hanson;  I.G.,  B.  Broderson  ;  RH.B.Y.A.,  A.  C. 
Larson  :  L.H.B.Y.A.,  G.  Christeanser. 

Oah  Grove  was  organized  and  had  the  charter  granted  August 
10,  1877,  with  a  membership  of  forty-four.  The  officers  were  :  N. 
A.,  R  B.  Basford  ;  Y.A.,  G.  K.  Adams;  secretary,  H.  W.  Posz  ; 
treasurer,  H.  P.  Wedel.  At  present  there  are  fifty-three  members. 
The  officers  are  :  N.A.,  G.  K.  Adams  ;  Y.A.,  J.  Seicht ;  secre- 
tary, H.  W.  Posz  ;  treasurer,  W.  C.  Pletke. 

A.O.U.W. 

Winona  Lodge.,  No.  W.,  was  organized  August  3, 1877,  with  thirteen 
charter  members,  and  in  the  less  than  six  years  of  its  existence  has 
grown  to  a  flourishing  beneficiary  with  110  members  and  half  a  sc(jre 
of  petitions  for  membership  to  be  acted  upon.  Among  the  objects 
proposed  to  be  accomplished  by  this  organization,  one  of  the  leading 
features  is  the  payment  of  $2,000  at  the  death  of  a  member  to  his 
family.  This  is  effected  through  the  grand  lodge  organization  of 
the  state.  The  financial  standing  of  the  lodge  is  most  excellent, 
and  under  the  management  of  its  efficient  officers  is  rapidly  increas- 
ing in  influence  and  members.  The  present  board  of  officers  is  as 
follows  :  P.M.W.,  J.  J.  Hofl'man  ;  M.W.,  W.  C.  Pierce  ;  F.,  P.  W. 
Leach  ;  O.,  George  Paris  ;  recorder,  W.  O.  Kennedy  ;  rec,  J.  M. 
Sheardown ;  fin.,  J.  C.  Parchyues ;  guide,  Wm.  Ehler ;  LW. 
Wm.   Ehmke  ;    O.W.,   Wm.   Petersen.     The  annual  dues  as  estab- 


4<it)  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

lisiied  by  the  lodge  are  $4,  payable  in  ({uarterly  installments.  The 
cost  of  carrying  $2,000  beneficiary  being  about  $18  to  $20  per 
annum. 

KNIGHTS    OF    HONOR 

were  organized  on  May  30, 1877.  The  charter  was  granted  the  same 
date.  At  first  there  were  but  seventeen  charter  members.  The  offi- 
cers were:  A.  H.  Snow,  dictator;  W.  H.  Stevens,  past  dictator;  N. 
Buck,  vice-dictator ;  C.  B.  Maxwell,  assistant  dictator  ;  S.  Fleish- 
man, financial  reporter ;  N.  Bufitbrd,  treasurer ;  L.  D.  Frost, 
guardian  ;  W.  ~R.  Williams,  chaplain  ;  G.  H.  Ellsburry,  reporter ; 
J.  F.  Martin,  sentinel.  At  present  there  are  forty-two  members, 
and  the  order  is  in  a  flourishing  condition.  The  officers  are  :  J.  B. 
McGaughey,  past  dictator;  S.  Fleishman,  dictator;  Thomas  Hill, 
vice  dictator  ;  W.  C.  Richardson,  assistant  dictator  ;  J.  Gertter, 
treasurer ;  Jacob  Smith,  guardian  ;  "W.  C.  Brown,  financial  reporter  ; 
L.  D.  Frost,  reporter ;  H.  Fraelich,  guardian ;  Wm.  Werner, 
sentinel ;  A.  Wals worth,  chaplain. 

TEMPLE    OF    HONOR 

was  organized  and  chartered  June  11,  1875,  with  a  membership  of 
nineteen.  The  charter  members  were:  L.  O.  Stevens,  W.C.T. ; 
J.  L.  Furgurson,"  W.V.T.;  C.  A.  Bierce,  W.R.;  R  M.  Martin, 
W.A.R.;  F.  S.  Quinsey,  W.F.K;  John  Bally.  A.F.R.;  K.  M.  Mc- 
Question,  W.C. ;  H.  H.  Wassen,  W.H.  ;  J.  Manning,  W.D.  ;  Wm. 
H.  St.  John,  W.S. ;  Louis  Larson,  W.G. ;  W.  W.  Wood,  D.G.  W.C.T. 
The  present  officers  are :  A.  Thomas,  W.C.T. ;  vacant,  W. Y.T. ;  L.  O. 
Stevens,  W.R.;  B.  Haverson,  W.F.R.;  Mr.  Martin,  W.H.;  Mr. 
Niles,  W.D.H.;  Mr.  Blood,  W.G. ;  Ned  Gallion,  W.S.;  C.  Johns- 
ton, P. W.C.T.;  L.  O.  Stevens,  W.C;  G  A.  Terril,  D.G. W.C.T. 
The  number  of  members  at  present  is  thirty. 

GOOD   TE^ri'LARS. 

This  society  was  organized  and  the  charter  granted  November  15, 
1882.  The  number  of  members  in  the  beginning  was  thirty-nine ; 
at  present  the  number  has  increased  to  fifty.  Although  in  existence 
but  a  short  space  of  time  the  society  is  in  a  ]irosperous  condition, 
the  officers  are:  L.  R.  Stevens, W.C.T.;  A.  Thomas,  P. W.C.T.; 
Mrs.  E.  Halbert,  W.Y.T.;  Rev.  F.  W.  Flint,  W.Oiap.;  L.  D. 
Schoonmaker,  W.Sec. ;  Miss  Lizzie  Gage,  W.A.Sec. ;  Fred.  Wait, 
W.F.Sec;    C.  A.  Bierce,  W.T.;    G.  E.  Tount,  W.M.;    Miss  Ella 


SOCIETIES.  461 

Tount,  W.D.M.;  Miss  Libbie  May  bury,  W.T.G.;  E.  P.  Wait,  W. 
Sent;  C.  G.  Maybury,  L.D.;  Miss  Wait,  R.H.S.;  Miss  Sanford, 
L.H.S.;  C.  A.  Bierce,  E.  P.  Wait,  A.  W.  Gage,  trustees. 

WOMANS'    TEMPERANCE    UNION. 

This  society  was  organized  in  1 875.  The  olficers  were  :  Mrs. 
Hollowell,  president  ;  Mrs.  Bierce,  secretary  ;  Mrs.  M.  K.  Drew, 
treasurer.  The  organization  at  first  numbered  but  twelve  members  ; 
at  present  the  membership  has  increased  to  sixty.  The  officers  at 
present  are  :  Mrs.  J.  Swart,  president  ;  Mrs.  Tliompson,  vice-presi- 
dent ;  Mrs.  M.  K.  Drew,  secretary ;  Mrs.  Cosgrove,  treasurer. 
The  society  is  said  to  be  in  a  prosperous  condition. 

THE  WINONA  EQUITABLE  AID  UNION. 

This  society  was  organized  and  charter  granted  June  22,  1880, 
with  a  membership  of  thirty-one.  The  following  were  the  first 
officers  elected :  Prof.  W.  F.  Phelps,  president ;  W.  W.  Slocumb, 
vice-president ;  D.  E.  Vance,  chancellor ;  John  J.  Myres,  advocate ; 
C.  G.  Maybury,  treasurer;  J.  N.  Maybury,  secretary. 

The  officers  are  elected  semi-annually.  There  has  been  in  this 
society  some  withdrawals  and  suspensions,  but  it  is  at  writing  in  a 
prosperous  condition.  There  is  a  membership  at  present  of  43. 
Tlie  officers  for  1882  are  :  Thomas  H.  Shaw,  president ;  John  C. 
Brown,  vice-president;  C.  G.  Maybury,  treasurer;  L.  A.  West, 
secretary. 

The  operations  of  this  union  are,  by  virtue  of  a  charter  granted 
in  conformity  to  the  laws  and  regulations  of  the  founders  of  the 
order,  called  the  Supreme  Equitable  Aid  Union.  This  was  incor- 
porated March  22,  1879,  in  compliance  with  a  statute  of  the  Com- 
monwealth of  Pennsylvania,  under  date  of  April  29,  1874.  The 
incorporators  were  D.  A.  Dewey,  R.  N.  Seaver,  W.  B.  Howard, 
H.  S.  Ayer  and  W.  H.  Muzzy,  all  citizens  of  Columbus,  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

Objects  of  the  order  :  1.  To  unite  fraternally  all  white  persons, 
socially  and  physically  acceptable,  between  sixteen  and  sixty-five 
years  of  age.  2.  To  give  equal  benefits  to  both  sexes,  striving  to 
improve  the  social  and  moral  bearing  of  each.  3.  To  give  woman 
all  the  rights  that  social  equality  can  bestow,  and  to  grant  her  all 
the  benefits  secured  to  man  by  secret  organizations.  4.  To  give  all 
moral  and  material  aid  in  its  power  to  members  of  the  order  by 


402  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

assisting  each  other  in  l)usiness,  in  obtaining  employment  and  in 
sickness.  5.  To  establish  a  benefit  fund,  from  which  a  sum  not  to 
exceed  $3,000  shall  be  paid  at  the  death  of  a  member  to  whom  the 
member  shall  designate,  or  to  his  heirs.  6.  To  see  that  in  sickness  * 
fraternal  care  is  at  all  times  given,  and  to  advance  the  social  friend- 
ship of  the  member  in  every  manner  possible.  Besides  the  prin- 
cipal union,  over  400  subordinate  orders  are  in  existence,  with  an 
entire  membership  of  15,000.  In  the  last  three  and  a  half  years 
105  deaths  have  occurred,  and  $196,331.45  has  been  paid  out  in 
insurance. 

gj:r]vian  philharmonic  society 

was  incorporated  April  11,  1866,  with  a  membership  of  fifteen. 
The  first  officers  were  :  G.  Lautenoshlaeger,  president ;  F.  Kroeger, 
vice-president ;  N.  F.  Hibbert,  secretary ;  R.  Radke,  treasurer ;  C. 
F.  Schroth,  Wm.  Wedel,  E.  A.  Gerdtzen,  trustees.  The  charter 
members  were  as  follows  :  Gr.  Lautenoshlaeger,  A.  Putsoh,  R. 
Radke,  M.  Rose,  C.  F.  Schroth,  E.  A.  Gerdtzen,  F.  Kroeger,  W.  F. 
Hibbert,  Wm.  Wedel,  W.  R.  Schmidt,  Jacob  Scherffins,  G.  Erd- 
mann,  Peter  Scherffins,  F.  Steinhagen,  F.  C.  Kopp.  At  the  present 
writing  there  are  in  all  115  members.  The  officers  are  :  Eugene 
Gerstenhauer,  president ;  David  Fakler,  vice-president ;  Jacob  Girt- 
ler,  secretary ;  F.  Moebus,  financial  secretary ;  C.  W.  Anding,  treas- 
urer ;  G.  Anger.  E.  W.  Rebstork,  J.  Scherffins,  trustees ;  Arthur 
Beyersteds,  steward. 

GERMANIA    BAND. 

The  Germania  band  was  organized  in  1857  by  Herman 
Rohweder.  The  members  were  as  follows  :  H.  Rohweder,  leader ; 
Charles  Ebert,  Wm.  Stark,  Philip  Simmer,  (Tottleib  Bughorlz, 
C  Hill,  G.  S.  Story,  Henry  Leor,  Geo.  Hazen,  Wm.  Ross.  In 
1879  the  organization  was  enlarged  ;  it  now  consists  of  a  brass-band 
and  an  orchestra  of  stringed  instruments.  The  members  at  present 
are  Herman  Rohweder,  Henry  Bentz,  Jr.,  Henry  Bentz,  Sr.,  Fritz 
Bentz,  Conrad  Wolpers,  Frank  Yotruba,  Christ  Clausen,  Henry 
Clausen,  August  G.  Miller,  W.  F.  Becker,  Wm.  Becker,  Fritz 
Ulrich,  Julius  Miller. 

ST.    ALOYSIUS   YOUNG   MEn's    SOCIETY. 

The  charter  was  granted  and  the  society  organized  in  April,  1875. 
The  organizers  were  N.  Schneider,  M.  Smith,  G.  Schork  and 
J.  Smith.     There  were  nineteen  members  at  first.     The  names  of 


CHURCHES.  463 

the  officers  are  as  follows  :  H.  Schroeder,  president ;  N.  Schneider, 
vice-president ;  J.  Armand,  secretary  ;  J.  Schumacher,  assistant 
secretar}^ ;  B.  A.  Gernes,  treasurer. 

The  society  has  two  objects.  The  first  is  benevolence.  Members 
physically  unable  to  work  receive  from  the  society  $3  per  week  until 
recovery.  This  is  secured  by  an  assessment  on  each  member  of 
twenty-five  cents  per  month.  The  second  object  of  the  society  is 
mutual  benefit  and  pleasure.  The  officers  at  present  are  :  J.  Hoffarth, 
president ;  J.  Smith,  vice-president ;  J.  Semmer,  secretary ;  F. 
Winkels,  assistant  secretary ;  A.  Wirth,  treasurer.  The  number 
of  members  at  present  is  thirty-five. 


CHAPTER  XLIY. 


CHURCHES. 


Pref^hyterian  Church.  —  The  First  Presbyterian  Society  of 
Winona  was  organized  July  15,  1856,  and  its  articles  of  asso- 
ciation will  be  found  recorded  on  page  198,  book  F,  office  of 
register  of  deeds.  The  original  board  of  trustees  were  Henry 
Day,  D.  C.  Patterson,  M.D.,  J.  T.  Smith,  Daniel  Wells  and  Samuel 
Moss.  Of  these,  Mr.  Day  removed  to  Elkhart,  Indiana,  in  1861, 
and  died  there  some  years  later  ;  Mr.  Wells  removed  to  La  Crosse 
in  1859  ;  Dr.  Patterson  has  been  a  resident  of  Washington,  D.C., 
for  many  years,  and  J.  T.  Smith  has  long  since  removed  to  Port 
Byron,  New  York,  his  present  residence.  Mr.  Samuel  Moss  died  in 
Winona,  September  5,  1865.  The  church  organization  was  effected 
about  six  weeks  after  the  formation  of  the  society,  August  31,  1856, 
and  numbered  fifteen  members.  Rev.  Daniel  Ames  was  at  that 
time  supplying  the  pulpit  of  the  recently  formed  society,  and  he 
was  assisted  in  the  church  organization  by  Rev.  Jacob  E.  Conrad, 
of  Rochester,  Minnesota.  Of  the  original  (fifteen)  members  who 
constituted  the  church  at  the  time  of  its  organization  there  is  not 
one  now  residing  in  this  city.  The  officers  elected  at  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  church  were  :  Henry  Day,  Samuel  Moss  and  John  Mor- 
rison, elders  ;  Henry  Day,  deacon.  The  only  surviving  member  of 
the  original  board  of  officers  is  Mr.  John  Morrison,  now  residing  in 


464  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COTNTY. 

St.  Charles,  in  this  county.  This  church  was  organized  under  the 
auspices  ot  the  New  School  branch  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and 
was  upon  its  organization  attached  to  the  Blue  Earth  presbytery. 
The  first  pastor  of  the  church  was  Kev.  Daniel  Ames,  whose  pas- 
torate extended  from  July,  1856,  to  April,  1858.  The  lirst  com- 
munion of  the  church  was  celebrated  September  6,  1856.  The  first 
baptism  was  that  of  Samuel  Dean  Moss,  son  of  Samuel  and  Augusta 
B.  Moss,  September  6,  1856.  The  oldest  resident  members  of  the 
church  are  Mrs.  Calista  Balcombe,  Mr.  Dingman  Spelman  and  Mrs. 
Amelia  Spelman,  admitted  by  letter  JaTiuary  18,  1857.  The  Rev. 
Daniel  Ames  having  resigned  the  pulpit  of  the  society  in  April,  1858, 
the  church  was  without  a  regular  minister  until  December  of  that 
vear,  when  Rev.  D.  C.  Lyon  was  called  to  the  pastorate,  accepted, 
entered  upon  his  duties,  and  maintained  his  connection  with  the 
church  until  June,  1867,  when  he  resigned  to  accept  the  post  ot 
synodical  missionary.  This  position  he  still  fills  with  great  accepta- 
bility to  the  church  throughout  the  entire  state,  by  whom  he  is  sin- 
cerely beloved  and  revered.  His  residence  since  his  removal  from 
Winona  has  been  at  St.  Paul.  Important  changes  transpired  in 
the  condition  and  relations  of  the  church  during  Rev.  Lyon's  admin- 
istration, who  was  familiarly  known  as  "Father  Lyon,"  —  a  sobri- 
quet well  deserved,  as  he  was  literally  as  well  as  officially  ''father 
of  the  church."  Soon  after  his  acceptance  of  the  pastorate  the  church 
severed  its  connection  with  the  New  School  branch  of  Presbyterianism, 
and  transferring  its  allegiance  to  the  Old  School  branch  united  with  the 
presbytery  of  Winnebago,  Wisconsin.  The  first  place" of  worship  of 
the  little  church  was  a  small  rude  frame  building  erected  in  1856,  on 
Fourth  street,  between  the  old  Congregational  church  and  the  resi- 
dence of  the  late  Wm.  Richardson.  This  building  was  materially 
altered,  enlarged  and  improved  soon  after  Father  Lyons  assumed 
charge  of  the  church,  and  in  that  condition  was  occupied  by  the 
society  until  the  comjiletion  of  their  present  church  edifice  (m  the 
corner  of  Main  and  Fifth  streets,  fronting  the  park.  The  new 
church  was  taken  possession  of  in  the  fall  of  1866,  at  which  time 
the  old  building  was  sold  to  the  Unitarian  society,  by  whom  it  was 
sold  to  V.  Simson,  Esq.,  and  by  him  converted  into  dwellings.  The 
new  building  was  erected  mainly  through  the  efforts  of  Father 
Ly(m.  The  building  committee  were  Messrs.  A.  F.  Hodgins,  Wm. 
Richardson  and  lion.  Wm.  Mitchell.  The  church  edifice,  which  at 
the  date  of  its  erection  was  the  finest  house  for  religious  worship 


CHURCHES.  467 

in  the  city,  is  of  brick,  fronting  forty  feet  on  Main  streeet ;  lias 
a  total  depth  of  sixty-two  feet,  and  the  audience-room  proper  a 
seating  capacity  of  300.  To  this  structure,  costing  with  grounds 
about  $14,000,  has  since  been  added  a  brick  lecture-room  facing 
twenty-six  and  one-half  feet  on  Fifth  street,  with  a  total  depth  of 
fifty-two  feet,  and  having  additional  accommodations  for  150  persons. 
The  lecture-room  is  connected  with  the  main  auditorium  by  folding 
doors,  and  as  occasion  demands  the  whole  can  be  utilized  at  once, 
affording  accommodation  for  450  people. 

The  pulpit  remained  vacant  after,  the  resignation  of  Father  Lyon, 
in  the  summer  of  1867,  until  July  30,  1868,  when  a  call  was  ex- 
tended to  the  Rev.  Joseph  M.  McNulty,  who  filled  the  pulpit 
until  his  resignation  in  March,  1871.  The  church  was  without  a 
regular  pastor  until  JSTovember  of  that  year,  when  Rev.  Rockwood 
McQuestin  (now  of  Minneapolis)  accepted  a  call  as  -  pastor  and 
maintained  his  connection  with  the  church  until  September,  1877, 
when  he  accepted  a  call  to  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Waterloo, 
Iowa,  and  severed  his  connection  with  the  society  here.  The  same 
fall  Rev.W.  D.  Thomas  was  called  to  the  church  and  continued  as 
its  pastor  until  December  15,  1880,  when  he  resigned  to  accept  a  call 
extended  him  by  the  Presbyterian  church  of  La  Crosse,  Wisconsin. 
During  Rev.  Thomas'  administration  the  lecture-room  and  infant 
class-rooms  for  Sunday-school  work  were  added  at  a  cost  of  $8,000, 
and  a  fine  organ  placed  in  the  auditorium  at  an  additional  expense  of 
$2,400.  The  church  was  again  without  a  pastor  after  the  departure 
of  Rev.  Thomas  until  December  1,  1881,  when  Rev.  F.  W.  Flint, 
the  present  incumbent,  having  accepted  the  call  extended  him, 
entered  upon  his  duties. 

The  financial  condition  of  the  society  is  good.  The  maxim  of 
the  church  management  has  always  been  "  pay  as  you  go,"  and  with 
the  exception  of  a  small  balance  still  due  on  the  organ  the  society 
is  without  debt. 

The  present  session  of  the  church  is  composed  as  follows : 
Rev.  F.  W.  Flint  (ex-olRcio  moderator) ;  P.  P.  Hubbell,  F.  F.  St. 
John,  J.  W.  Thomas,  W.  R.Williams  and  C.  O.  Goss.  The  present 
board  of  trustees  is  as  follows  :  A.  F.  Hodgins,  AYm.  Mitchell, 
J.  W.  Thomas,  W.  R.  Williams,  A.  M.  Dixon.  Of  these,  W.  R. 
Williams  is  treasurer  and  C.  O.  Goss,  clerk.  The  number  of  mem- 
bers now  upon  the  church  rolls  is  166,  and  the  total  revenue  of  the 
church  for  1882,  including  benevolent  contributions  and  Sundav- 
27 


468  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COITNTY. 

school  offerings,  was   $3,486.47.     There  have  been    103  baptisms 
since  the  organization  of  the  churcli. 

Presbyterian  Sunday  School. — The  Sunday  scliool,  as  first  sus- 
tained by  the  church  was  a  union  school,  and  so  continued  until 
lS()(i,  when  the  formal  organization  of  a  Sunday  school  under  the 
immediate  direction  of  the  church  was  perfected.  The  school  had 
at  that  time  about  sixty  or  seventy  scholars,  but  so  imperfect  are  the 
records  that  no  specific  data  can  be  given.  In  October  of  that 
year,  1866,  F.  F.  St.  John  assumed  charge  of  the  school,  and  was  its 
superintendent  until  1882,  when  (I  O.  Goss  was  elected  to  that 
position.  This  school  now  numbers  about  175,  including  teachers, 
and  is  officered  as  follows  :  O.  C.  Goss,  superintendent ;  W.  H.  St. 
John,  secretary  ;  H.  Thompson,  treasurer ;  Thomas  A.  Richardson, 
librarian;  F.  F.  St.  John,  assistant  librarian.  Rev.  F.  W.  Flint, 
present  pastn^r  of  the  church,  is  a  native  of  the  State  of  New  York. 
He  pursued  his  classical  studies  at  Union  College,  Schenectady,  in 
his  native  state,  graduating  from  that  institution  in  the  class  of 
1856.  Entering  Auburn  Theological  Seminary,  he  completed  his 
course  of  study  there,  graduating  in  1859,  and  entered  upon  the 
work  of  the  ministry  immediately  afterward.  His  first  pastorate 
was  in  Silver  Creek,  New  York.  He  first  came  to  Minnesota  about 
ten  years  since,  and  was  in  St.  Paul  prior  to  coming  to  this  city. 
Rev.  Flint  is  married,  has  two  children  attending  school  in  Winona 
and  one  son  in  Princeton  College,  New  Jersey. 

German  Presbyterian  Church. — On  February  10,  1864,  accord- 
ing to  the  desire  of  the  presbytery  at  St.  Charles,  Rev.  D.  C.  Lyon 
and  Jacob  Kolb  were  appointed  to  organize  the  congregation  at 
Winona. 

For  a  year  previous  to  this  time,  however,  meetings  under  Mr. 
J.  Kolb,  who  came  as  a  missionary  from  Iowa,  were  held  in  a  hall 
in  Winona.  Mr.  Kolb's  duty  and  desire  was  to  collect  and  form  a 
congregation,  which  ho  succeeded  in  doing,  with  the  aid  of  Rev. 
D.  C.  Lyon,  in  1864. 

Jacob  Kolb,  the  first  minister,  remained  with  the  congregation 
from  1863  until  1869.  A  church  was  erected  at  the  corner  of 
Fifth  and  Franklin  streets  in  1864.  The  building  was  a  frame 
structure  forty  feet  long  and  twenty-eight  feet  wide.  It  cost  $1,800. 
Among  the  prominent  members,  some  of  which  are  residents  in 
Winona  to-day,  may  be  mentioned  J.  Straub,  Jacob  Kissling, 
H.    Wychgram,    Fredrick  Moebus,    Julius   Geise,    C.    Rohwerder, 


CHUKOHES.  469 

J.  Wettenberg,  Edward  Pelzer,  Michael  Kissinger,  Conrad  Bohn, 
George  Bohn,  Christina  Bohn,  Anna  Pelzer  and  Margaret  Wych- 
gram.  From  1869  until  1870  the  church  was  without  a  pastor.  In 
1870  Augustus  Busch  took  up  the  work  and  continued  it  until  1872. 
From  1872  until  1875  Earnest  Schuette  had  charge  of  the  congre- 
gation. The  church  was  once  more  without  a  minister  for  a  period 
of  one  year.  In  1876  J.  Leierer  came  and  remained  until  1879.  In 
1879  Augustus  Busch,  the  present  pastor,  was  called  the  second 
time.  The  congregation  at  the  present  writing  numbers  seventy-five 
persons.  The  interior  of  the  church  was  improved  in  ISSl,  at  a 
cost  of  $250.  Tliere  is  a  Sabbath  school  connected  with  the  church, 
witli  an  average  attendance  of  sixty-five  pupils.  Rev.  Augustus 
Busch,  the  pastor,  is  the  superintendent.  He  is  assisted  by  ten 
teachers. 

It  might  be  of  interest  to  mention,  in  connection  with  this,  that 
this  church  and  another  small  one  situated  at  Frank  Hill,  ten  miles 
southeast  of  Winona,  are  the  only  German  Presbyterian  associations 
in  the  state. 

The  J^lrst  Congregational  c/mrc/i  of  Winona  was  organized 
December  10,  1854.  It  was  the  first  church  formed  in  Winona, 
and,  so  far  as  is  known,  in  southern  Minnesota.  It  was  the  Third 
Congregational  church  in  the  state  prior  to  its  formation,  and  as 
early  as  the  summer  of  1852,  when  there  were  not  more  than  twenty 
children  on  the  prairie,  a  union  Sabbath  school  was  held  in  the 
house  of  Mrs.  A.  B.  Smith.  This  school  was  more  fully  organized 
in  1853,  with  Beecher  Gore  for  superintendent.  Congregationalists, 
Baptists  and  Methodists  supported  it.  Its  sessions  were  held  in  a 
little  schoolhouse  situated  on  the  south  side  of  Second  street,  between 
Walnut  and  Lafayette  streets.  Here  the  Congregational  church  was 
organized  with  eighteen  members.  Rev.  H.'S.  Hamilton,  who  was 
in  Winona  for  his  health,  and  who  was  engaged  in  secular  business, 
was  influential  in  organizing  the  church,  and  both  before  and  after 
its  formation  preached  as  occasion  required.  The  population  of 
Winona  at  this  time  was  small ;  its  religious  life  was  feeble.  The 
church  migrated  from  house  to  house,  moving  from  the  schoolhouse 
to  a  building  on  the  levee,  thence  to  Davidson's  Hall,  nearly 
opposite,  thence  to  Hubbard's  Hall  on  Second  street,  afterward  to  a 
room  in  what  was  called  the  bank  building,  at  the  corner  of  Lafayette 
and  Front  streets.  Its  first  house  of  worship  was  erected  in  1856 
on  the  southeast  corner  of  Second  and  Franklin  streets. 


470  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

The  first  minister  of  the  church  was  Rev.  H.  S.  Hamilton,  who 
preached  at  intervals  until  1858.  The  second  minister  was  Rev.  T.  T. 
Waterman,  who  supplied  the  church  from  August,  1856,  to  October, 
1857.  The  third  minister  was  Rev.  David  Burt,  who  commenced 
his  labors  May  1,  1858,  and  continued  until  August  23,  1866.  Rev. 
J.  F.  Dudley  succeeded  him  at  once,  and  remained  with  the  church 
until  May  1,  1869.  The  church  was  without  a  regular  minister  until 
December  8,  1870,  when  Rev.  H.  M.  Tenney  was  installed  as  its 
pastor.  He  resigned  May  8,  1875.  After  an  intermission  of  a  year 
and  a  half,  during  which  the  church  was  supplied  by  various 
ministers.  Rev.  John  H.  Morley  began  his  ministry,  November  15, 
1876,  and  was  installed  as  pastor  March  1,  1877.  Of  its  ministers 
the  first  three  are  dead,  and  the  church  remembers  gratefully  the 
labors  and  the  sacrifices  of  these  ministers  who  served  them  during 
their  weakness.  Special  mention  should  be  made  of  the  work  of 
Rev.  David  Burt,  under  whose  ministrj'  the  church  was  unified  and 
took  a  commanding  position  in  the  community. 

There  have  been  connected  with  the  church  since  its  formation 
about  six  hundred  members  ;  of  these  over  two  hundred  and  sixty 
were  admitted  upon  confession  of  faith.  The  present  membership 
is  two  hundred  and  sixty-seven.  The  church  is  supported  by  weekly 
offerings,  secured  by  pledges  made  at  the  beginning  of  the  year. 
Pews  are  free,  but,  for  the  sake  of  the  home  feeling,  are  assigned  to 
those  who  desire  them,  that  each  family  may  have  a  home  in  the 
Lord's  house.  The  benevolent  contributions  are  also  made  in 
weekly  offerings  secured  by  a  pledge. 

The  Sabbath  seho(^l  has  always  been  lai-ge  and  flourishing.  A 
large  number  of  children  not  connected  with  the  families  of  the 
church  have  uniformity  been  identified  with  the  school.  It  com- 
monly has  a  library  of  about  seven  hundred  volumes.  It  makes  a 
weekly  offering  for  its  own  expenses  or  for  benevolent  work.  The 
superintendents  of  the  school  have  been  Messrs.  H.  C.  Bolcom,  J.  p. 
Laird,  W.  H.  Laird,  Wm.  Taylor,  Wm.  Bone,  Franklin  Staples, 
M.D.,  James  G.  Nind  and  Irwin  Shepard,  tlie  latter  of  whom  still 
continues  in  office. 

Connected  with  the  church  and  managing  its  secular  affairs  there 
is  an  ecclesiastical  society,  organized  in  1857.  This  body  is  incor- 
porated according  to  the  laws  of  the  state,  and  owns  the  church 
property.  The  women  of  the  church  have  a  woman's  board  of 
missions,    devoted   to   foreign   missions,  and  a   ladies'   benevolent 


CHURCHES.  471 

society  which  cares  for  home  missions  and  for  the  poor  of  the 
congregation.  The  young  people  have  a  society  called  the  Gleaners, 
which  is  interested  in  home  and  foreign  missions.  In  addition, 
there  are  the  various  ladies'  meetings  without  special  organization. 


First  C/Ongeegational  C'hurch. 

The  first  house  of  worship,  a  frame  building,  was  dedicated 
December  21,  1856.  It  cost,  including  lots,  $4,000.  In  the  summer 
of  1863  it  was  moved  to  the  southeast  corner  of  Lafayette  and 
Fourth   streets,  .and  was  repaired.     In  1868  it   was  enlarged  by 


472  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

len2:theniDg.  In  1870  a  vestry  was  built  in  the  rear.  In  1882  it  was 
8old  and  devoted  to  secular  uses.  In  1875  a  site  was  selected  on  the 
corner  of  Broadway  and  Johnson  street  for  a  new  churcli.  In  the 
autumn  of  1879  a  subscription  was  started  for  building  ;  in  tlie 
sprinsz;  of  18S0  ground  was  broken  ;  August  19,  the  corner-stone 
was  laid  with  appropriate  ceremonies.  The  builditig  was  completed 
in  1882,  and  October  8  was  formally  dedicated  to  the  worship  of 
Almighty  God. 

Prot.  F.  W.  Fisk,  D.D.,  of  Chicago  Theological  Seminary, 
preached  the  sermon,  and  the  pastoi-  offered  the  prayer  of  consecra- 
tion. The  church,  which  was  fully  paid  for  prior  to  the  day  of 
dedication,  cost,  with  the  lots  and  furnishing,  excluding  organ, 
$38,000.  The  cost  of  the  building  alone  was  $30,000.  It  is  built  of 
a  whitish  limestone,  trimmed  with  red  sandstone.  It  has  an  audi- 
torium seating  six  hundred  and  fifty,  a  chapel  for  the  use  of  the 
Sabbath  school,  holding  over  five  hundred,  and  various  other 
conveniences.  A  much  larger  number  can  be  accommodated,  both 
in  the  auditorium  and  the  chapel,  if  occasion  requires.  The  style 
of  architecture  is  composite.  The  chapel  has  a  semi-circular  room 
lighted  by  a  dome,  with  class-rooms  surrounding,  all  of  which  can 
be  thrown  together.  For  beauty  and  convenience,  as  well  as 
for  thoroughness  of  work,  the  house  is  believed  to  be  one  of  the 
finest  in  the  Northwest.  Mr.  W.  H.  Wilcox,  of  Chicago,  is  the 
architect. 

This  church,  in  common  with  other  Congregational  churches, 
lives  in  fellowship  with  the  churches  of  its  order,  both  accepting  and 
giving  advice  ;  but  it  is  independent  of  all  ecclesiastical  control, 
acknowledging  only  the  supreme  authority  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
It  is  democratic  in  government,  all  its  affairs  being  controlled  by  the 
adult  membership.  It  believes  in  evangelical  religion,  and  requires 
of  those  seeking  to  enter  its  communion  credible  evidence  of  con- 
version and  Christian  character.  In  promoting  the  religious  life  of 
the  community,  and  so  building  society  in  temperance,  righteousness, 
patriotism  and  education ;  in  securing  the  religious  nurture  of  the 
young,  both  in  its  own  families  and  in  neglected  households  ;  in 
practical  interest  in  missionary  operations  at  home  and  abroad,  tliis 
church  is  doing  good  work. 

St.  PauVn  Protestant  Episcopal  Church.  —  This  parish  was 
organized  ])ursuant  to  the  territorial  laws  of  Minnesota,  under  the 
direction  of  Rev.  J.  S.  Van  Lugen,  secretary  of  the  Protestant  Epis- 


CHURCHES.  47  H 

copal  church  for  Minnesota,  May  13,  1856,  as  St.  Paul's  church  in 
the  city  of  Winona.  At  this  time  there  was  not  a  male  communi- 
cant to  participate  in  tlie  organization,  nor  had  any  of  the  officers  or 
incorporators  made  a  personal  profession  of  religion.  The  Rev.  E. 
P.  Gray  was  the  first  missionary  of  the  new  parish  and  continued  his 
services  here  nearly  one  year,  when  upon  the  advice  of  the  bishop. 
Rev.  B.  Evans,  living  at  that  time  upon  his  farm  in  Rolling  Stone 
township,  officiated  at  morning  services  as  his  health  would  permit. 
In  February,  1862,  Rev.  J.  H.  Waterbury  was  sent  by  Bisliop  Whipple 
to  look  after  the  interests  of  the  parish,  at  which  time  there  were 
two  male  and  three  female  communicants.  The  following  month 
Mr.  Waterbury  assumed  charge  of  the  parish  as  its  rector,  upon 
invitation  of  the  vestry,  and  his  salary  was  fixed  at  $600  per  annum. 
The  society  had  been  worshiping  since  its  organization  in  tlie  hall 
of  the  Huff  house,  then  in  the  Lamberton  warehouse,  and  finally 
in  a  hall  over  Wheeler's  store  on  Centre  street,  which  latter  place 
was  burned  in  the  great  fire  of  July,  1862,  entailing  a  loss  of  $500 
upon  the  parish.  During  that  summer  afternoon  services  were  held 
in  the  Presbyterian  and  Baptist  churches,  until  at  Christmas  time 
the  society  took  possession  of  a  building  they  had  inclosed  on  the 
corner  of  Fifth  and  Lafayette  streets,  upon  a  lot  donated  them 
by  Asa  Forsyth,  Esq.  This  building  was  completed  and  consecrated 
June  10  of  that  year  (1863),  the  total  cost  of  building  being  about 
$2,500.  The  church  continued  its  services  here  until  the  fall  of 
1870,  when  the  building  was  removed  to  the  corner  of  Fifth  and 
Broadway  streets,  and  the  lot  it  had  occupied  was  sold.  In  the  new 
location  the  removed  building  was  refitted  for  worship,  and  occupied 
by  the  church  until  the_y  took  possession  of  their  present  beautiful  and 
commodious  edifice,  Christmas  day,  1874.  For  this  new  structure 
ground  was  broken  in  the  summer  of  1873,  the  corner-stone  laid 
September  25  of  that  year,  and  the  whole  completed  as  it  now 
stands,  and  occupied  as  above  stated,  December  25,  1874.  The 
extreme  length  of  the  structure  is  115  feet,  main  80x48  feet,  chan- 
cel 26X25  feet,  width  of  nave  44  feet,  seating  capacity  (500).  The 
walls  are  of  dressed  stone,  the  porch  and  tower  floors  are  hand- 
somely tiled  and  the  inside  finished  in  white  ash  and  black  walnut 
woods.  There  are  eighteen  beautiful  memorial  windows,  the  richest 
of  which  is  that  at  the  south  end  of  the  building,  opposite  the  chan- 
cel, commemorative  of  the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  T.  M.  Riley,  rector 
of  the  parish  from  July,  1869,  to  October,  1872.     The  entire  cost  of 


474  HISTORY    OF    WIN'ONA    COmfTY. 

building  and  furnishing,  including  the  bell  and  a  superb  organ, 
costing  $3,500,  has  been  about  $35,000. 

The  successive  rectors  of  St.  Paul's  have  been  Rev.  Theodore 
Ilolcomb  (Rev.  Waterbury's  successor),  from  April,  1865,  to  April, 
1S09  ;  Rev.  T.  M.  Riley,  from  July,  1869,  to  October,  1872  ;  Rev.  R. 
M.  Laurie,  from  December,  1872,  to  June  30,  1877,  when  his  resig- 
nation was  rendered  imperative  on  account  of  failing  health  ;  Rev. 
Charles  W.  Ward,  from  December,  1877,  until  April,'1879,  and  the 
present  incumbent,  Rev.  E.  J.  Purdy,  who  became  rector  in  June, 
1879. 

The  original  officers  of  the  church  were :  Noah  L.  Smith,  war- 
den ;  Thomas  E.  Bennett,  treasurer  ;  R.  H.  Bingham,  clerk.  Their 
nomination  was  made  at  the  Easter  meeting  of  the  society  in  1857, 
and  their  appointment,  which  was  duly  made  by  J.  W.  Van  Lugen, 
D.D.,  then  secretary  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church  in  Minne- 
sota, bears  date  April  27,  1857. 

The  present  parish  officers  are  :  W.  H.  Yale,  senior  warden  ;  W. 
H.  Hulburt,  junior  warden  ;  W.  J.  Whipple,  clerk,  and  Wm.  Cun- 
ningham, treasurer.  Messrs.  W.  J.  Whipple,  O.  M.  Wheeler, 
Charles  Horton,  L.  B.  Frost  and  Wm.  Cunningham  compose  the 
vestry.  The  present  number  of  communicants  at  St.  Paul's  is 
175,  and  there  are  105  families  included  in  the  parish.  Since  the 
organization  of  the  parish  in  1856  tliere  liave  been  477  baptisms  and 
271  confirmations. 

The  first  record  of  the  Sabbath  school  connected  with  the  parish 
bears  date  1862,  but  there  are  no  authentic  minutes  of  its  organiza- 
tion. The  number  of  persons  at  that  time  connected  with  the  Sab- 
bath school  was  about  60,  present  number  nearly  200.  The  ofl3.cers 
of  the  school  are :  Rev.  E.  J.  Purdy,  rector  ;  Wm.  A.  Cunningham, 
superintendent  ;  E.  S.  Gregory,  treasurer,  and  Harry  Raymond, 
secretary  and  librarian. 

Rev.  E.  P.  Purdy,  rector  of  St.  Paul's,  is  a  native  of  Connecticut 
and  a  graduate  of  Phillii)S  Academy,  Exeter,  New  Hampshire,  class  of 
1853.  Four  years  later,  1857,  he  took  his  degree  from  Trinity  College, 
Hartford,  Omnecticut,  and  then  entered  the  Theological  Seminary  of 
New  York,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1860.  That  same  year  he  was 
invested  with  deacons'  orders  in  Trinity,  New  York,  and  two  years 
later  was  ordained  priest  in  Louisville,  Kentucky.  His  first  parish 
was  Washington,  Arkansas,  over  which  he  was  strttled  in  1860,  and 
which  he  was  still  serving  when  the  war  broke  out  ,   was  arrested 


ciiuncnES.  475 

as  a  military  spj-  at  Memphis  on  his  way  north,  and  released  through 
the  representations  of  Military  Bishop  Pope.  November  25,  1862, 
Rev.  Purdy  was  commissioned  chaplain  in  the  regular  army,  and 
served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Since  then  he  has  been  constantly 
engaged  in  pastoral  work.  He  was  at  New  Albany  and  Logansport, 
Indiana,  prior  to  coming  to  Minnesota  in  1869.  He  has  three  chil- 
dren, two  in  school  in  this  city  and  one  son  in  college  at  Fairibault 
in  this  state. 

The  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Winona  was  organized, 
April  22,  1855,  by  Rev.  David  Brooks,  presiding  elder  of  Minnesota 
district  Wisconsin  conference.  Its  iirst  members  were  Joel  Smith 
and  wife,  William  T.  Luark  and  wife,  and  Mrs.  Mary  Stockton. 
Rev.  A.  J.  Nelson,  F.  A.  Conwell  and  Esdras  Smith,  in  the  order 
named,  were  temporary  pastors  (supplies)  for  a  few  months  each,  by 
appointment  of  the  presiding  elder,  from  April,  1855,  until  August, 
1856,  when  J.  W.  Stogdill  was  appointed,  who  served  for  two  years. 
The  first  Sunday  school  was  organized  in  March,  1856,  and  D.  M. 
Evans  and  Thomas  Simpson  were  appointed  to  superintend  and 
procure  money  for  a  library.  This  year  the  first  church  building 
was  erected,  and  dedicated  November  16,  1856.  It  was  a  plain, 
substantial  wooden  house,  dimensions  44x60  feet,  and  located 
just  north  of  the  site  of  the  present  building,  corner  of  Lafayette  and 
Fifth  streets.  The  second  session  of  the  Minnesota  annual  confer- 
ence was  held  in  this  house  in  August,  1857,  Bishop  E.  R.  Ames 
presiding. 

The  following  ministers  have  filled  the  office  of  pastor  in  this 
church  at  the  times  and  in  the  order  named  :  Geo.  A.  Phoebus, 
1858-9  ;  John  Quigley,  1859-60  ;  Jabez  Brooks,  D.D.,  1860-61  ; 
LiasBoiles,  1861-62  ;  J.  S.  Peregrine,  1862-64  ;  Edward  Eggleston, 
1861-66  ;  William  McKinley,  1866-69  ;  Chauncey  Hobart,  D.D., 
1869-70;  Earl  Cranston,  1870-71  ;  Cyrus  Brooks,  D.D.,  1871-74; 
William  McKinley,  1874-77  ;  Isaac  Crook,  D.D.,  1877-80  ;  William 
McKinley,  1880-82. 

In  1872  the  present  church  was  built  and  dedicated  at  a  cost 
(including  ground)  of  about  $20,000.  In  1874  Olive  Branch  mission 
was  organized,  and  the  chapel  built  by  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association,  purchased  for  its  use.  Rev.  L.  Wright  was  its  first 
pastor,  1877-8,  followed  by  Rev.  Wm.  Soule,  1878-9,  under  whose 
pastorate  Wesley  mission,  in  the  east  end  of  the  city,  was  organized. 
These  two  missions  constitute  one  charge,  now  under  care  of  Rev. 


476  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

James  Door,  who  followed  Mr.  Soule.  A  good  substantial  chureh 
was  built  at  the  east  end  in  1881,  at  a  cost  of  $4,500,  and  an  equally 
good  one  in  1882,  at  the  west  end,  at  about  the  same  cost. 

The  membership  of  first  church  has  been  reduced  by  numerous 
removals,  and  by  transfers  to  the  east  and  west  missions.  Its  present 
membership  is  250 ;  mission  churches,  120 ;  German  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  75;  total  Methodist  membership,  445;  First  church 
Sunday  school,  300  ;  Mission  church  Sunday  school,  250  ;  German 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  Sunday  school,  150  ;  total  Sunday 
schools,  700. 

German  Methodist  Episcopal  church. — This  congregation,  or- 
ganized in  October,  1860,  grew  out  of  the  English  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  The  church  building  was  erected  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  and 
Liberty  streets  in  1859,  at  a  cost  of  $3,000.  The  first  pastor  was 
John  Westerfeld,  who  remained  until  1860.  After  Rev.  Westerfeld 
came  a  line  of  twelve  ministers  ;  they  are  as  follows  :  Herman  Rich- 
ter,  1860-61  ;  W.  Traeger,  1861-62  ;  Wm.  Fiegenbaum,  1862-65  ; 
Wm.  Schreimer,  1865-66;  Geo.  Hoerger,  1866-67;  Edward  Schuette, 
1867-69  ;  Fredrich  Kinder,  1869-70 ;  August  Lamprechd,  1870- 
72 ;  John  Hansen,  1872-74  ;  J.  L.  Schaefer,  1874-77  ;  Geo. 
Hoerger,  1877-80  ;  Wm.  Koerner,  the  present  minister,  1880-82-83. 

In  1878  the  church  was  remodeled  and  improved  by  the  addition 
of  a  spire.  There  are  now  75  members,  some  of  whom  reside  in  the 
country.  A  Sabbath  school  was  organized  with  the  church  ;  it  has 
160  pupils,  28  teachers  and  a  library  of  220  volumes. 

Catholic  Churches. — The  Catholic  church  as  an  organized  body 
began  its  missicm  in  Winona  county  in  1856.  Previous  to  this 
time  priests  had  traversed  with  zeal  the  entire  county  ;  but  beyond 
a  few  emblems  of  the  great  mysteries  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  incarna- 
tion and  redemption  found  on  the  remains  of  early  Catholic  voy- 
agers buried  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  there  are  but  slight 
traces  of  their  zeal.  As  early  as  April,  1841,  the  Rev.  A.  Ravoux, 
now  the  vicar-general  of  the  diocese  of  St.  Paul,  made  the  site  of 
Winona  a  resting-place  on  one  of  his  journeys  from  St.  Paul  to 
Prairie  du  Chien.  In  1856  the  Rev.  Joseph  Cretin,  the  first  bishop 
of  Minnesota  and  Dakota,  visited  Winona  and  organized  the  few 
Catholics  into  a  parish,  and  in  1857  he  appointed  Rev.  Thomas 
Murray  to  visit  and  attend  the  wants  of  the  new  religious  settlement. 
Father  Murray  selected  two  lots  in  what  is  now  the  southwestern 
comer  of  the  first  ward  as  likely  to  be  the  very  center  of  a  thriving 


CHURCHES. 


477 


city.     He  prepared  to  put  up  a  frame  building,  suitable  for  church 
use  and  future  residence  or  school  purposes.     The  church  received 
the  name  of  "St.  Thomas."     Rev.  A.  Oster,  then  on  mission  duty 
throughout  Minnesota,  made  occasional  visits  to  the  little  congre- 
gation, and  in  1857  succeeded  in  completing  the  church.     In  July, 
1858,  the  Rev.  Michael  Prendergast  succeeded  him,  and  became  the 
first  resident  Catholic  pastor  of  Winona.     His  first  work  was  to 
organize  into  an  energetic  band  the  Catholics  about  the  country. 
Through  his  energy  a  parochial  school  was  established  and  placed 
under  the  Sisters  of  St.   Bridget.     The  purchase  of  three  lots  on 
Centre  and  Wabasha  streets,  and  the  removal  of  the  church  from  its 
distant  position  to  its  present  site  on  Centre  and  Wabasha  streets 
were  accomplished.      Father  Prendergast  attended  all  the  Catho- 
hcs  in  Wabasha,  Olmsted,  Houston,  Fillmore,  Steele  and  Mower 
counties.       In  August,    1862,  Rev.    Theodore  Venn   was   sent   to 
assist    him.     Father   Venn    was   given   charge   of  the   Germans, 
Bohemians   and   Poles.       He    organized    the    St.    Joseph    parish, 
built  the  frame   church,    and    administered  to   the   wants   of  the 
remainder  of  the  flock  throughout  the  county  by  visiting  them  and 
holding  service  from  house  to  house.     He  remained  until  Decem- 
ber,   1863.      On   the   departure  of  Father    Prendergast,   early   in 
1864,    Father    Morris    attended    the    above    missions    until    the 
ap])ointment  of  Rev.Wm.  Lette  as  i)astor  in  April  ot  the  same  year. 
Father  Lette  had  all  the  Catholics  ot  the  county  under  his  charge 
until  June,  1868.     In  his  time,  the  present  church  buildings  of  St. 
Charles  and  Hart  were  begun,  and  the  foundation  of  St.  Thomas' 
church  of  Winona  built.     Rev.  Alois  Plut  succeeded  him  in  1868. 
During  his  time  the  church  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  in  Wilson, 
of  St.  Aloysius   in  Elba,   and  the  fine  stone  church  of  the  Hojy 
Trinity  in  Rolling  Stone  were  built  and  dedicated.     Besides  this,  St. 
Stanislaus'   church    of    Winona    was  begun,   poi-tions   of   the   St. 
Thomas'  church  of  Winona  completed,  St.  Charles'  church  of  St. 
Charles  built,  and  St.  Joseph's  church  of  Winona  was  enlarged. 

A  parochial  school  was  built  and  maintained  by  him  with  excel- 
lent success  in  St.  Joseph's  parish.  In  the  fall  of  1871  this  was 
placed  under  the  Sisters  of  Notre  Dame.  During  the  year  1869  he 
was  aided  by  Rev.  C.  Koeberl  and  Rev.  M.  Sturenberg.  Father 
Sturenberg  took  charge  of  the  Ridgway  mission,  where  he  built  a 
neat  chapel  in  1874.  Rev.  W.  Reirdon  attended  the  St.  Charles 
mission  during  part  of  the  years  1870-71.     In  June,  1871,  Father 


478 


HISTORY    OF    WESroNA    COUNTY. 


Pint  received  much  needed  relief  by  the  coming  of  Rev.  J.  B. 
Cotter,  who  had  been  assigned  charge  of  the  English-speaking 
Catholics  of  Winona  county.  The  latter  has  remained  in  charge 
until  the  present  day.  During  his  administration  some  harassing 
debts  have  been  removed.  The  churches  of  St.  Thomas,  of  Winona, 
of  St.  Charles,  in  St.  Charles,  and  of  SS.  Peter  and  Paul,  of  Hart, 
have  been  sufficiently  advanced  and  furnished  to  fit  them  for  dedica- 
tion and  use.  By  the  generosity  of  Peter  Peters,  of  Lewiston,  a 
property  of  four  acres  for  church  and  cemetery  purposes  was  secured. 
In  1876  the  church  of  St.  Posa,  of  Lima,  was  built  upon  this  ground. 
In  1873  two  lots  and  a  two-story  house  were  purchased  by  the 
St,  Thomas  parish,  which  then  possessed  an  entire  half  block  of 


«  Madison  School. 

property  with  ample  room  for  the  parish  liouse,  school-buildings 
and  hall,  which  were  erected  in  1877.  The  ])arochial  schools  of  St. 
Thomas  were  established  by  Pev.  J.  B.  Cotter,  in  1874,  and  were 
immediately  placed  under  the  Sisters  of  Notre  Dame.  Each  school 
has  had  since  its  organizatit/U  an  annual  roll  of  200  pupils,  with  an 
average  attendance  of  about  130.  The  St.  Thomas  has  a  reputation 
for  its  work  in  the  cause  of  temperance,  through  its  Father  Mathew 
T.  A.  and  B.  Society,  organized  January  28,  1872,  and  having 
branches  in  Hart  and  St.  Charles,  it  has  exercised  a  powerful  in- 
fluence in  the  morals  of  tlie  people.  En  1875  the  church  at  Hart 
was  eidarged  and  the  altar  replaced  by  one  of  an  elegant  design 
and  finish.  A  wing  addition  20x30  feet  was  also  added  for  the 
use  of  the  school  and  society.     Since  then  an  annual  summer  school 


CHURCHES.  479 

is  held.  Rev.  J.  B.  Cotter  assumed  charge  of  St.  Patrick's  church 
at  Ridgway,  in  January,  1877.  He  provided  it  with  an  altar  and 
furniture,  [n  1878  he  resigned  it  to  Rev.  P.  Pernin,  the  present 
pastor.  During  a  part  of  the  years  1879-80  Rev.  J.  B.  Cotter  was 
assisted  in  the  charge  of  St.  Thomas,  of  Winona,  St.  Charles,  of 
St.  Charles,  and  SS.  Peter  and  Paul,  by  Revs.  E.  Pagan  and  D.  A. 
Reilley. 

St.  Joseph  ( German),  and  Missions  attached.  —  After  the  de- 
parture of  Rev.  A.  Plut,  in  the  spring  of  1876,  the  parish  of  St. 
Joseph,  Winona,  was  assigned  to  Rev.  R.  Byzewski,  who  attended 
it  in  connection  with  Rev.  Cotter  until  the  appointment  of  Rev.  F. 
C.  Walters  as  pastor  in  May,  1876.  During  Rev.  Walters'  admin- 
istration the  church  and  parish  house  were  renovated,  and  the  latter 
enlarged.  A  much  needed  school  building  was  also  added  before 
his  departure  in  December,  1877.  Rolling  Stone  and  Wilson  churches 
were  also  erected  by  him.  The  parish  was  attended  until  February, 
1878,  by  Revs.  J.  B.  Cotter  and  P.  J.  Gallagher.  On  February  11, 
1878,  the  present  pastor,  Rev.  Aloysius  Heller,  entered  into  charge 
of  St.  Joseph,  in  Winona,  and  the  church  of  the  Immaculate  Con- 
ception, of  Wilson.  His  hrst  work  in  the  St.  Joseph  parish  was  the 
removal  of  all  debts,  the  purchase  of  the  lot  between  the  parish 
house  and  the  convent,  and  the  raising  of  a  fund  for  the  building  of  a 
new  church.  In  the  spring  of  1881  the  parish  house  and  church 
were  each  moved  one  lot  westward,  and  the  foundation  for  the  new 
church  was  erected  on  the  site  of  the  old,  at  the  corner  of  Fifth  and 
Lafayette  streets.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  on  April  30,  1882,  in 
the  presence  of  innumerable  people. 

The  church  now  nearly  ready  for  service  is  a  Gothic  structure  of 
red  brick  faced  with  white  stone,  with  a  massive  tower  and  beautiful 
spire.  Preparations  are  being  made  to  put  a  large  four-dial  clock  in 
the  tower.  The  proportions  of  the  church  are  114x48  feet ;  nave 
41  feet  high  and  spire  172  feet  high.  The  parish  of  St.  Rosa  of 
Lima,  Lewiston,  has  been  attached  as  a  mission  to  St.  Joseph's 
church  since  1878,  and  in  1880  Rev.  A.  Heller  improved  the  church 
by  finishing  it  with  brick  veneering. 

St.  Staniskms'  Church.— The  charge  of  the  growing  parish  of 
St.  Stanislaus,  organized  in  1872,  for  the  Catholic  Poles  of  Winona, 
by  Rev.  A.  Plut,  was  given  in  1873  to  Rev.  Joseph  Juskiewicz.  He 
remained  until  1873,  built  the  parish  residence  and  completed  the 
church.     Rev.  Romuald  Bvzewski  succeeded  in  1875.      In  the  in- 


480  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

terval  tlie  Poles  attended  the  churches  of  St.  Thomas  and  St.  Jo- 
se[)h.  Father  lijzewski  has  purcliased  an  achlitional  lot,  erected  a 
substantial  two-story  school  building,  maintained  a  school,  enlarged 
the  church  to  double  its  former  size  and  paid  all  debts. 

Catholic  Societies  of  St.  Stanislaus''  (Jhnrch. — St.  Stanislaus 
Kostka  Society  was  organized  in  1870  with  a  membership  of  thirty. 
The  following  offict-rs  were  elected  :  President  N^icolausTriba;  secre- 
tary, MartinPambenek;  treasurer,  Tielel  Sikorski.  The  society  was 
chartered  in  1874,  with  a  membership  of  forty.  The  officers  at 
present  are:  President,  Jos.  Milanowski;  secretary,  John  Anglewicz; 
treasurer,  Andreas  Jaszdziewski.  There  are  at  present  a  member- 
ship of  104  persons.  The  society  pays  a  weeklj^  benefit  of  $3  in  case 
of  sickness,  and  in  case  of  death  $5  per  month  to  the  widow  as  long 
as  she  remains  a  widow. 

St.  Casimir's  Society,  organized  in  1873  with  a  membership  of 
twenty-five,  and  the  following  officers  elected  :  President,  Alexander 
Prochowicz ;  secretary,  Theodore  Wysocki ;  treasurer,  Andreas 
Yezeswski.  In  1878  the  society  was  chartered  with  a  membership 
of  thirty-seven  person^.  The  present  officers  are  :  President,  John 
Bambenek  ;  vice-president,  Wm.  Bambenek  ;  secretary',  Stanislaus 
Wyganowski ;  assistant-secretary,  Robert  Zuborowski ;  treasurer, 
Alexander  Prochowicz.  The  society  has  a  present  membership  of 
eighty-six  persons.  It  pays  a  weekly  benefit  of  $3  in  case  of  sickness; 
if  death  i-esults,  the  widow  or  heirs  receives  $2  per  week. 

Catholic  Societies  of  St.  TJiOTnas'  Church. — Father  Mathew 
Total  Abstinence  and  Benevolent  Societj'  was  organized  January  28, 
1872,  by  Rev.  J.  B.  Cotter,  Wm,  Noonan,  R.  Cavenaugh,  J. 
McCrummish,  Wm.  Keyes,  E.  H.  Condon,  Jas.  Flynn,  John  Rowe, 
N.  White  and  J.  Flynn.  The  first  officers  were  :  President,  Rev. 
J.  B.  Cotter  ;  vice-president,  W.  Keyes ;  second  vice-president,  J. 
McCrummish ;  treasurer,  P.  J.  Kelley ;  recording  secretary,  R. 
Cavenaugh  ;  financial  secretary,  W.  Noonan  ;  corresponding  secre- 
tary, J.  B.  Rowe  ;  board  of  managers,  J.  Morgan,  J.  Rowe,  T. 
Burns,  J.  Cronin,  and  E.  McDonnell ;  board  of  auditors  were  C. 
Harrigan,  E.  H.  Condon  and  M.  Gallagher.  The  president  officers 
are  :  President,  Rev.  J.  B.  Cotter ;  vice-})resident,  Wm.  Keyes  ; 
recording  secretary,  John  Flavin ;  financial  secretary,  Thomas  Hnnt; 
corresponding  secretary,  J.  T.  Rowan  ;  treasurer,  C.  Harrigan ; 
librarian,  J.  Rowan. 

St.  Thomas  Benevolent  Society,  organized  May  10,  1880.     The 


CHURCHES.  481 

officers  were  :  President,  C.  Harrigan ;  vice-president,  John  Murph j  ; 
secretary,  James  O'Brien  ;  treasurer,  Tim  Burns  ;  chairman  and  sick 
committee,  P.  English;  spiritual  adviser,  Rev.  J.  B.  Cotter.*  But  one 
change  has  been  made  since  then  in  the  officers,  nameljs  in  place  of 
P.  English  is  J.  Rowan.  This  society  pays  a  weekly  benefit  to  its 
members  in  sickness,  and  $50  to  the  heirs  in  case  of  death. 

Catholic  Knights  of  America,  organized  October  16,  1882,  with 
a  membership  of  fourteen.  The  first  officers  were:  President,  C.  Harri- 
gan ;  vice-president,  T.  Slaven  ;  recording  secretary,  J.  O'Brien  ; 
financial  secretar}^  W.  Keyes ;  treasurer,  P.  English  ;  spiritual 
adviser,  Father  Cotter.  Present  officers  :  President,  C.  Harrigan  ; 
vice-president,  T.  Slaven ;  recording  secretary,  J.  O'Brien  ;  financial 
secretary,  W.  Keyes;  treasurer,  J.  Keenan  ;  spiritual  adviser,  Rev. 
J.  B.  Cotter.  This  association  is  a  branch  of  the  C.  K.  of  A.,  a 
mutual  insurance  society,  which  insures  its  members  for  either 
$1,000  or  $2,000. 

German  Catholic  Church. — In  the  year  1862  Father  Theodor 
Venn  came  to  Winona  and  founded  the  German  St.  Joseph  congre- 
gation, which  before  that  time  had  belonged  to  the  Irish  congrega- 
tion. He  built  the  St.  Joseph  church,  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  and 
Walnut  streets.  In  the  year  1864  Rev.  W.  Lette  came  to  Winona 
and  took  charge  of  the  church  until  1868.  In  1868  Rev.  Alois 
Plut  came  to  the  St.  Joseph  congregation.  During  his  administra- 
tion the  wooden  church  was  enlarged,  the  School  Sisters  of  Notre 
Dame  introduced,  and  the  churches  of  Phillipp  Ridge,  of  Rolling 
Stone,  and  the  new  St.  Thomas  church  were  built.  The  above-named 
three  pastors  had  charge  of  all  Winona  county  and  all  the  German, 
Irish  and  Polish  people ;  but  in  the  last  years  of  their  administration, 
that  is  during  Father  Pint's  term,  the  Polish  St.  Stanislaus  and  the 
Irish  St.  Thomas  church  were  built,  and  both  got  their  own  pastors. 
St.  Stanislaus  secured  the  services  of  Rev.  R.  Byzewski — and 
St.  Thomas,  of  Rev.  J.  B.  Cotter.  In  the  year  1876  the  Rev.  F. 
C.  Walter  came  to  the  St.  Joseph  congregation  and  remained  until 
1877.  During  his  administration  a  new  schoolhouse  was  built. 
On  February  11  the  Rev.  A.  Heller  took  possession  of  this  congrega- 
tion. His  first  labor  was  to  pay  off  the  debt  of  the  church,  which 
amounted  to  $2,000.  After  having  been  successful  in  this  respect  a 
new  lot  was  bought  from  Mr.  Maas,  and  on  it  were  placed  the  priest's 
house  and  the  Sisters  house.  The  St.  Joseph  congregation  was  in- 
corporated in  the  year  1879.     On  April  8,  1881,  a  meeting  was  held 


482  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

in  the  church,  and  it  was  resolved  that  as  the  old  wooden  building 
had  become  too  small  a  fine  new  brick  church  should  be  built.  This 
building  is  now  in  a  state  of  erection.  In  the  spring  of  1881  the 
moving  of  the  old  church  was  commenced.  The  priest's  house  was 
moved  to  the  new  lot  and  the  church  to  the  old  site  of  the  priest's 
house,  in  order  to  make  way  for  the  new  church.  C.  G.  Maybury 
&  Son  were  chosen  to  act  as  superintendent  and  architect.  The 
size  of  the  church  is  48x114  feet,  with  a  tower  ITO  feet  high,  con- 
taining the  first  tower  clock  ever  placed  in  Winona.  The  building 
committee  were :  T.  B.  Kouh,  Joseph  Schlingerm'an,  C.  M.  Gerner, 
John  Winkels,  J.  Braendle,  Jacob  Mawry  and  John  Ludwig.  In 
the  summer  of  1881  the  contract  for  the  foundation  was  given  to 
Kratz  &  Co.,  who  finished  their  work  in  the  fall  of  1881.  In  Jan- 
uary, 1882,  the  contract  for  the  main  building  was  given  out.  The 
brickwork  was  given  to  Kratz  &  Co.,  and  the  carpenter-work  to 
Noonan  &  Stellwager.  On  April  31,  Eight  Rev.  John  Treland 
came  to  lay  the  corner-stone.  The  ceremonies  were  conducted  with 
great  solemnity,  and  were  held  in  the  presence  of  a  large  concourse 
of  people.  All  the  Catholic  societies  of  the  city  were  in  attendance 
and  paraded  on  the  occasion.  The  procession  was  a  large  and  im- 
posing one. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Winona  was  organized  Sep- 
tember 20,  1855,  at  which  time  the  Rev.  Samuel  Combs  commenced 
his  ministerial  labors  with  that  society.  He  continued  his  ministry 
here  until  the  early  part  of  1858,  and  it  was  during  his  pastorate 
that  the  church  was  built,  1857.  It  is  a  frame  structure,  43  X  60  feet, 
standing  upon  the  southeast  corner  of  Center  and  Fourth  streets, 
one  block  from  what  is  now  the  principal  business  corner  of  the 
city,  the  lot  fronting  60  feet  on  Fourth  street,  with  a  depth  of  140 
on  Center  street.  Cost  of  original  structure  not  known.  In  1870  a 
lecture-room  was  added  with  an  entrance  on  Center  street,  and  the 
societv  has  now  a  very  comfortable  house  of  worship,  heated  with 
furnaces,  provided  with  good  Sabbath-school  room  and  furnished 
with  an  excellent  pipe-organ.  The  seating  capacity  of  the  audito- 
rium is  250,  lecture-room  125.  The  present  number  of  communi- 
cants IS  117.  The  church  officers  are  :  Trustees,  Messrs.  Alonzo 
Holland,  F.  A.  Robertson  and  A.  C.  Dixon,  the  latter  of  whom  is 
church  clerk.  The  deacons  are  Messrs.  Curtiss  Leary,  W.  G. 
McCutchen  and  N.  C.  Gault. 

The  church  has  not  been  noted  for  lengthy  j)a8torate8,  and  the  sue- 


CHUKCHES.  483 

cession  has  been  as  follows :  Rev.  Samuel  Combs,  whose  pastorate  com- 
menced in  1855,  terminating  in  January,  1858  ;  Rev.  O.  O.  Stearns 
from  November,  1869,  to  January,  1863  ;  L.  B.  Teft  from  January, 
1863,  to  February,  1867  ;  Rev.  Geo.  W.  Stone,  D.D.,  from  August, 
1867,  to  April,  1870  ;  Rev.  D.  Read,  D.D.,  from  April,  1870,  to  Octo- 
ber, 1873  ;  Rev.  J.  F.  Rowley  Irom  April,  1874,  to  October,  1877  ; 
Rev.  Tlioraas  G.  Field  from  February,  1879,  to  December,  1881,  and 
Rev.  E.  T.  Hiscox,  the  present  pastor,  who  assumed  charge  of  the 
church  March  1,  1882.  The  congregations  are  not  large,  but  are 
steadily  growing  under  the  ministerial  conduct  of  Rev.  Hiscox,  who 
is  an  earnest  worker  and  as  fearless  a  speaker  within  the  sphere  of 
his  own  convictions  as  can  be  found  in  any  pulpit  of  the  city. 

The  Sabbath  school  in  connection  with  the  church  was  formally 
organized  about  April  1,  1856,  but  the  society  had  been  maintaining 
a  union  Sabbath  school  in  connection  with  the  congregational  and 
Methodist  people  since  1853.  The  present  membership  of  the 
school  is  about  150.  The  officers  are :  Superintendent,  H.  W. 
Kingsbury  ;  assistant  superintendent,  F.  A.  Robinson  ;  secretary 
and  treasurer,  Cyrus  Crosgrove  ;  librarian,  Mrs.  A.  Holland ;  yearly 
'Sabbath  school  collections,  $100. 

E.  T.  Hiscox,  pastor  oi  Baptist  church,  Winona,  is  a  native  of 
Norwich,  Connecticut,  a  graduate  of  the  college  of  the  city  of  New 
York,  class  of  1869,  and  of  the  theological  seminary  at  Rochester, 
New  York,  class  of  1872.  Was  first  settled  over  a  parish  in  Massa- 
chusetts and  remained  there  until  1876,  when  he  removed  to  Iowa 
city,  Iowa,  having  accepted  a  call  to  the  pulpit  of  the  Baptist  church 
in  that  collegiate  city.  Commenced  his  labors  with  the  Winona 
Baptist  chui'ch  in  the  early  summer  of  1882.  Mr.  Hiscox  is  mar- 
ried, has  four  children,  two  of  them  attending  the  city  schools. 

St.  Mat'tin^H  First  Evangelical  Lutheran  Chvrch. — This  church 
was  organized  in  the  year  1856,  it  being  the  first  Lutheran  church  in 
the  county.  The  prominent  members  were  :  John  Barthels,  Tobias 
Leeb,  Nicholis  Wenk  and  C.  Henning.  L.  F.  E.  Krause  was  the 
first  minister  officiating.  Mr.  Krause  remained  with  the  congrega- 
tion from  its  organization  in  1856  until  the  year  1859,  when  he  was 
called  away.  From  1859  until  1861  the  congregation  were  without 
a  pastor.  Rev.  Krause  returned  to  the  church  in  1861,  where  he 
remained  until  1864.  From  1864  until  1866  the  church  was  again 
deserted,  excepting  that  occasional  visits  were  made  by  other  minis- 
ters. Among  these  may  be  mentioned  Rev.  A.  Brand,  F.  J. 
28 


484  msToiir  of  winona  county. 

Mueller  and  G.  Wolhieger.     In  June,  ISOfi,  Rev.  Philip  Von  Rolir, 
the  present  pastor,  took  charge  of  the  church. 

The  first  church  was  dedicated  in  December,  1856.  It  was  a 
small  frame  structure,  l.SxBO  feet.  In  1806,  when  Eev.  Phili])  Von 
Rohr  made  his  appearance,  the  congregation  consisted  of  nine  mem- 
bers or  families.  In  1867  the  building  was  enlarged  by  adding  to 
it  twenty  feet  and  improving  the  inside.  In  1870  the  present  church, 
a  substantial  brick  structure,  standing  on  the  corner  of  Broadway  and 
Liberty  streets,  was  erected.  The  buikling  is  40x70  feet.  It  has 
a  spire  ninety  feet  high,  projecting  ten  feet  from  the  main  building. 
The  congregation  at  present  numbers  about  225  members.  A  Sabbath 
school  was  organized  in  1870,  and  is  now  in  a  prosperous  condition. 
At  present  it  consists  of  about  350  pupils,  with  25  teachers.  Thej 
possess  a  library  of  nearly  1,000  volumes. 

German  Lutheran  School. — In  connection  with  the  church,  a 
parochial  school  was  established  in  1866.  It  was  taught  the  first 
four  years  by  the  present  pastor,  Rev.  Von  Rohr,  the  average  num- 
ber of  attending  pu])ils  being  100.  In  1880  the  congregation  bought 
two  lots  on  Fifth  street  and  erected  a  new  school  building,  50x60_ 
feet,  with  a  projecting  tower  fifty  feet  high.  Two  classes  have  been 
arranged,  with  two  male  teachers. 

German  Zion  {Evangelical)  Church. — Traveling  ministers 
were  at  work  some  time  before  any  church  organizations  were 
made  ;  among  these  may  be  mentioned  Revs.  A.  Farnutzer,  A. 
Huelster,  W.  Stegner  and  C.  Brill.  Rev.  A.  Farnutzer  made  his 
appearance  in  1858  ;  lie  held  meetings  at  the  residence  of  Mr. 
Hesse.  He  remained  until  1860.  In  1860  A.  Huelster  came  to 
Winona  and  remained  one  year,  holding  service  in  a  hall  in  the 
town.  Next  came  Mr.  W.  Stegner,  from  1861  until  1862,  then  C. 
Brill,  from  1862  until  1865.  Finally  Rev.  J.  Kuder  came,  built 
the  church  and  organized  the  congregation  in  the  year  1866.  Then 
followed  a  line  of  six  pastors  ;  they  are  as  follows  :  Rev.  G.  Kne- 
bel,  1869-70;  E.  H.  Bauman,  1870-71;  H.  Bunse,  1871-74;  A. 
Knebel,  1874-76;  W.  Oehler,  1876-79;  J.  Mantly,  1879-82;  J. 
G.  Simmons,  the  present  pastor,  1882.  The  church  is  a  frame 
building  standing  on  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Franklin  streets. 
The  length  is  forty -four  feet,  the  width  twenty-six  feet.  It  has  a  spire 
thirty-five  feet  high.  The  building  was  remodeled  and  enlarged  in 
1881  at  a  cost  of  $800.  The  present  membership  is  about  seventy,  part 
of  which  reside  in  the  country  around  Winona.     A.  Sabbath  school 


CHURCHES. 


485 


connected  with  the  church  has  a  membership  of  seventy-live  pupils, 
twelve  teachers  and  a  library  of  200  volumes.  There  also  exists  a 
missionary  society  ;  the  leaders  in  this  are  Mr.  F.  Maas,  John 
Thomsen  and  J.  G.  Simmons.  The  average  collection  is  $100  per 
year. 

The  Second  Advent  Christian  Church.  —  Owing  to  the  records 
of  this  church  having  been  removed  beyond  our  reach,  or  lost  track 
of  entirely,  it  has  |)roven  a  difficult  task  to  secure  complete  definite 
information.  The  following  was  furnished  by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Wate, 
one  of  the  earliest  members,  who  clung  to  the  church  through  all 
its  vicissitudes.     The  congregation  was  organized  in  1862,  but  some 


High  School. 

time  previous  to  this  meetings  were  held  in  Pleasant  Yalley,  and 
also  in  the  court-house  hall  and  Houseman's  hall  in  Winona.  This 
was  before  the  church  was  built.  The  building  is  a  small  rough, 
unpainted  frame  structure  standing  on  Broadway,  between  Washing- 
ton and  Winona  streets.  The  members  of  the  first  organization  are 
as  follows  :  Warren  Rowell,  Samuel  Bates,  Ruth  Rowell,  Lucy  Bates 
and  Elizabeth  Wate.  Rev.  T.  K.  Allen  was  the  first  permanent 
minister,  the  congregation  having  been  visited  by  pastors  from 
abroad  before  he  came.  When  Rev.  Mr.  Allen  left,  the  congrega- 
tion were  taken  in  charge  by  Mrs.  Mansfield,  who  delivered  a  series 
of  sermons.  After  Mrs.  Mansfield  came  Elder  Edwin  T.  Himes  • 
his  administration  was  cut  short  by  his  death.     From  1879  until 


486  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

1880  Mrs.  Rowell  had  charge  of  the  church.  Since  her  departure 
in  1880  until  the  present  writing,  the  church  has  been  without  a 
minister.  The  church  at  present  is  not  in  a  flourisliing  condition, 
and  its  existence  is  rather  doubtfuh 

Bohemian  Church. — This  church  was  organized  from  the  congre- 
gation of  the  German  Catliolic  church  in  1879.  The  number  of 
members  is  now  about  eighty.  The  congregation  have  had  no  meetings 
or  pastor  under  their  new  organization  as  yet.  A  church  building  is 
under  course  of  erection  on  Broadway.  St.  John  will  be  the  name 
given  to  this  new  church. 

St.  Joseph\<i  Catholic  Benevolent  Society. — This  society  was 
organized  in  February,  1866.  It  was  not  chartered  until  February, 
1869.  The  first  officers  and  organizers  were  :  President,  N.  G. 
Krieg ;  vice-president,  Joseph  Ilelle  ;  secretary.  Franc  Tramport ; 
assistant  secretary,  Wm.  Schneider ;  treasurer,  G.  N.  Schork, 
The  direct  object  was  to  aid  the  members  in  sickness,  and  to 
defray  expenses  of  interment  and  assist  the  family  in  case  of 
death.  When  a  member  became  unable  to  work  he  received  from 
the  society  $3  per  week  until  his  recovery.  Since  that  time,  however, 
this  has  been  increased  to  $4  per  week.  The  membership  fee  has 
always  remained  the  same  —  25  cents  per  month.  If  a  member  dies 
his  burial  expenses  are  paid  and  the  widow  receives  $25  in  money. 
The  society  started  out  with  but  17  members  ;  it  has  increased  since 
then  to  116.  The  present  officers  are  :  President,  John  Winkels ; 
vice-president,  Andrew  Seyfried ;  treasurer,  F.  P.  Schumacher  ;  sec- 
retary, Gottfried  Strunk  ;  assistant  secretary,  Alexander  Prochowitz. 
The  society  is  in  a  prosperous  condition.  During  the  year  1881  it 
distributed  among  the  sick  the  sum  of  $272. 

German  Catholic  Benevolent  Associatio,n  of  Minnesota. — In  con- 
nection with  the  St.  Joseph  organization  there  is  another  society,  hav- 
ing more  of  the  aspect  of  a  life  insurance  association.  It  is  not  confined 
to  one  locality,  but  has  members  all  over  the  state,  and  includes  on 
the  whole  twenty-five  or  twentj'-six  different  branches.  This  society 
was  organized  in  1878.  There  are  in  all  about  1,100  members.  The 
society  receives  all  persons  between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and  forty- 
five.  At  the  death  of  a  member  the  widow  and  orplians  receive 
within  sixty  days  the  sum  of  $1,000  from  the  society.  The  assess- 
ment upon  each  member  is  from  $1.10  to  $1.30  at  every  death. 

St.  John\s  Catholic  {BohcTnian)  Benevolent  Society. — The  charter 
of  this  society  was  granted  July  2,   1871.     This  organization  in 


BUSINESS    INCORPORATIONS.  487 

Winona  is  simply  one  of  a  large  association  throughout  the  United 
States.  It  comprises  in  all  about  seventy-two  societies.  When  the 
branch  in  Winona  was  incorporated  it  numbered  about  fourteen 
members,  but  up  to  the  present  time  the  number  has  increased  to 
eighty-two.  The  iirst  officers  were  :  President,  Frank  Votruba  ; 
secretary,  Joseph  Kasimor ;  treasurer,  Frank  Albrecht.  Its  object 
is  to  aid  its  members  in  sickness.  They  receive  during  their  illness 
$3  per  week,  and  at  their  death  the  widow  receives  $600  from  the 
entire  organization.  At  the  present  writing  the  society  is  in  a  pros- 
perous condition,  having  over  $1,000  in  the  treasury.  The  officers  at 
present  are  as  follows  :  President,  Joseph  Kasimor  ;  vice-president, 
Frank  Lejsek;  secretary,  M.  Ridel ;  assistant-secretary,  John  Cerny; 
treasurer,  Frank  Votruba. 

St.  Ann's  Ladies^  Society. — This  society  was  founded  in  July, 
1868,  by  the  Rev.  Alois  Plut.  Its  object  was  the  decoration  of  the 
church  altar.  It  comprises  about  fifty  members.  The  officers  are  : 
President,  Mrs.  Francesca  Scheer ;  secretary,  Mrs.  Anna  Hitzger ; 
treasurer,  Mrs.  Johanna  Braendle. 

St.  Rosa's  Young  Ladies'  Society  was  founded  by  Rev.  Alois 
Plut  in  1869.  There  are  about  thirty  members.  The  officers  are  : 
President,  Miss  Louise  Hengl;  treasurer,  Miss  Lena  Schmidt ;  secre- 
tary, Miss  Margaretha  Schneider. 


CHAPTER  XLV. 


BUSINESS  INCORPORATONS. 


Winona  Gas  Light  Company. — Winona  had  grown  to  a  city 
of  over  7,000  population,  and  her  industries  and  trade  were  assum- 
ing metropolitan  proportions  before  any  attempt  was  made  to  light 
her  streets.  This  fact,  seemingly  incredible  to  the  dwellers  in 
lower  latitudes,  argues  nothing  against  the  enterprise  of  the  city,  as 
the  moon  and  stars  in  this  high  latitude  have  a  brilliancy  unknown 
along  the  lower  parallels,  which,  togetlier  with  the  lengthening 
twilight,  materially  decreases  the  necessity  of  artificial  illumination. 
However,  in  1870  it  was  thought  by  certain  citizens  possessed  of 
cash  and  public  spirit   that   the  time  had  come  for   lighting  the 


488  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

streets  oi  the  growing  city,  and  on  August  1  of  that  year  the  Winona 
Gas  Light  Company  was  organized  with  a  paid  up  capital  stock  of 
$60,000.  Of  the  original  incorporators,  ten  in  number,  the  follow- 
ing are  still  residents  of  the  city  :  Hon.  Wm.  Mitchell,  Hon.  Thomas 
Simpson,  F.  M.  Cockrell,  V.  Simpson,  Hon.  Thomas  Wilson,  J.  J. 
Randall,  H.  M.  Lamberton  and  K.  D.  Cone.  The  shares  of  the 
other  two  incorporators  are  now  held,  one  each,  by  the  First  and 
Second  National  Banks  of  the  city.  The  present  officers  of  the 
company  are  :  J.  J.  Randall,  president ;  J.  H.  Jones,  secretary  ; 
J.  A.  Prentiss,  treasurer.  Under  the  superintendency  of  James 
Russell,  a  practical  gas  manufacturer,  who  has  had  charge  of  the 
works  since  their  construction,  buildings  were  erected,  apparatus 
supplied,  pipes  located, — and  on  April  9,  1871,  the  first  gas  was  sent 
out  to  consumers.  The  consumption  of  gas,  which  at  first  was  3,450 
feet  daily,  has  steadily  increased  until  the  consumption  averages 
nearly  30,000  feet  a  day,  supplied  to  tlie  city  and  private  con- 
sumers through  a  series  of  mains  aggregating  a  total  length  of  eight 
miles.  Gas  is  supplied  to  private  consumers  for  $3  per  thousand 
feet ;  to  the  106  city  lamps  it  is  furnished  at  a  cost  of  $25  per 
lamp  per  annum.  Posts  and  lamps  supplied  to  the  city  at  cost. 
Their  office  is  in  room  No.  6,  Simpson's  Block,  where  the  secre- 
tary is  always  found  ready  for  business.  The  works  are  at  the 
intersection  of  Huff  and  Third  streets,  in  block  69;  fronting  MO 
feet  on  Third  street  and  200  feet  on  Huff".  The  manufactory  covers 
about  2,000  square  feet  of  ground.  They  have  ample  shed  r(^om 
for  the  year's  coal  consumption,  which  aggregates  800  tons,  and  the 
works  give  employment  to  a  superintendent  and  four  men.  In 
addition  to  the  lamps  supplied  by  the  gas  company  the  streets  are 
furnished  with  thirty  coal-oil  lamps  in  locations  where  gas-mains  are 
not  3'et  laid,  and  maintained  at  an  average  annual  cost  to  the  city  of 
$11  per  lamp  for  oil  and  attendance. 

J.  H.  Jones,  secretary  of  the  gaslight  company  since  its  organi- 
zation, was  born  in  Chatauqua  county,  New  York.  Educated  at  West- 
field  Academy  in  his  native  county  and  came  to  Winona  in  1856. 
He  was  appointed  deputy  sheriff  that  same  year  and  held  the  office 
until  1860 ;  was  bookkeeper  for  J.  J.  Randall  thirteen  years  ;  has 
represented  his  ward,  the  first,  in  the  city  council,  and  during  1880 
was  city  clerk.  His  business  life  has  been  spent  in  clerical  work, 
and  he  has  held  a  desk  for  the  past  five  years  in  the  real  estate 
office  of  V.  Simpson.     Mr.  Jones  married  Nettie  Warner,  October 


BUSINESS    INCORPORATION'S.  489 

22,  1861,  and  of  their  two  surviving  children,  one  is  in  attendance 
upon  the  city  schools.  In  1864  Mr.  Jones  became  a  member  of 
Winona  Lodge,  No.  ]  8,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
Winona  Chapter,  No  5. 

James  Russell,  superintendent  of  the  city  gasworks,  is  a  native 
of  Scotland,  from  which  country  he  emigrated  to  America  in  1858. 
He  had  a  practical  experience  of  several  years  as  a  manufacturer  of 
gas  and  in  fitting  up  gaswork  before  coming  to  Winona  in  1870  to 
assume  charge  of  the  works  in  this  city. 

The  Wmo7ia  Mill  Company. — This  company,  one  of  the  largest 
flour  manufacturing  concerns  in  the  country,  was  incorporated  as  a 
joint  stock  company  September  12,  1879,  with  a  paid  up  capital 
stock  of  $80,000,  which  was  increased  three  years  later  to  $250,000. 
The  original  incorporators  were  L.  E.  Brooks,  A.  G.  Mowbray, 
R.  T.  Doud,  Chauncey  Doud  and  C.  L.  Bonner.  The  present 
officers  are  :  L.  R.  Brooks,  president ;  A.  G.  Mowbray,  superinten- 
dent ;  R.  T.  Doud,  secretary.  Their  property  lies  between  Front 
street  and  the  river,  with  Market  street  on  the  east  and  Walnut  on 
the  west ;  a  full  block  300  feet  square.  The  corner-stone  of  their 
mill,  said  by  comjjetent  milling  authority  to  be  the  largest  steam 
flouring-mill  in  the  United  States,  was  laid  on  September  20,  1879, 
and  the  building  completed  in  May  of  the  following  year,  at  which 
time  milling  operations  were  begun.  It  is  a  frame  structure,  iron 
sheeted,  75  X 100  feet,  rising  eight  stories  above  the  basement  and 
amply  supplied  with  all  appliances  for  extinguishing  fires  and  fire 
escape.  A  standpipe  rises  within  the  mill  to  the  full  height  of  the 
building,  with  sectional  hose  attached  upon  each  floor  ;  there  is  a 
fire-escape  ladder  in  front  and  two  knotted  ropes  on  each  floor  at 
opposite  sides  of  the  mill,  thus  affording  three  avenues  of  escape  in 
case  fire  should  break  out  in  the  lower  floors  and  communication 
with  the  stairways  be  cut  off.  The  engine-room  is  of  brick  25  X  90 
feet,  furnished  with  compound  Corliss  engines  of  750  horse  power, 
supplemented  with  Reynold's  independent  condenser  and  air-pump. 
The  boiler-room,  also  of  brick,  is  40X  55  feet,  and  there  is  a  two-story 
brick  coalhouse  40x45,  the  upper  story  of  which  is  used  for  packing 
flour.  The  mill  and  engine  room  are  lit  by  electric  light  sup])lied 
from  seventy  Edison  burners.  The  offices  are  commodious,  well- 
furnished,  steam-heated,  and  connected  with  the  city  telephone 
exchange.  The  mill  is  a  full  roller  mill,  built  as  such  from  the 
foundation,  furnished  with  132  sets  of  rollers,  cost  $250,000  ;  has  a 


490  IIISTOIIY    OF    WINONA    COTTNTY. 

capacity  of  2,000  barrels  ol  flour  a  day,  and  is  claimed  to  be  not  only 
the  largest  steam  flouring-mill  in  America  but  the  first  full  roller 
mill  ever  built.  Their  elevator,  constructed  in  1881-2,  at  a  cost  of 
$15,000,  is  an  iron  sheeted  frame  structure  40  X  72  feet  on  the  ground, 
rising  1 00  feet  to  the  top  of  the  cupola  and  has  a  storage  capacity  of 
150,000  bushels.  Wheat  is  received  from  their  own  elevators  and 
warehouses,  along  the  line  of  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  railway  and 
its  branches.  Of  these  they  have  twelve,  purchasing  only  for  milling 
pui-poses.  Grain  shipments  eastward  are  the  exception  and  not  the 
rule,  and  confined  solely  to  such  car  lots  as  are  unfit  for  manufac- 
turing fine  grade  flour.  Shipments  of  produce  are  made  by  river  to 
all  lower  Mississippi  ports,  as  far  down  as  New  Orleans.  Ship- 
ments by  rail  are  to  the  pi'iiicipal  eastern  markets  of  the  United 
States,  and  to  the  Atlantic  seaports  for  European  export,  principally 
to  the  British  Islands.  This  immense  industiy,  the  growth  of  less 
than  three  years,  furnished  direct  employment  to  a  force  of  seventy- 
five  workmen,  and  is  a  most  valuable  integer  in  the  sum  total  of 
Winona's  manufacturing  and  commercial  entei-prise. 

L.  R.  Brooks,  president  of  the  milling  company,  is  a  native  of 
New  York.  He  came  to  Minnesota  twenty-six  years  since,  and  was 
engaged  in  grain  trade  and  banking  previous  to  the  organization  of 
the  company  over  whose  aftairs  he  presides.  Since  187-1:  he  has 
been  a  resident  of  this  city,  and  for  the  five  years  prior  to  1879  was 
cashier  of  the  Sec(md  National  Bank  of  Winona.  He  was  the  first 
treasurer  of  the  board  of  trade  and  a  member  of  its  directory.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Brooks  Brothers,  who  do  a  general 
grain  and  lumber  business,  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  and  the 
St.  Paul  &  Manitoba  railways.  A  Master  Mason  in  good  standing, 
he  is  a  member  of  Winona  Chapter,  No.  5,  and  Cceur  de  Lion 
Commandery,  No.  3. 

A.  G.  Mowbray  is  a  native  of  England.  He  came  to  America  in 
1856;  settled  first  in  Ohio  and  removed  from  that  state  to  Mil- 
waukee, Wisconsin,  in  1861 ;  was  engaged  in  milling  in  tluit  city 
three  years,  then  went  to  Minneapolis,  remaining  until  1867,  when 
he  bought  tlie  flouring-mill  in  Stockton,  this  county,  which  he  ran 
until  he  came  to  this  city  in  1874  to  engage  in  milling  operations 
with  S.  C.  Porter.  The  Stockton  mill  was  the  first  gradual-reduc- 
tion mill  (so  far  as  known)  ever  operated  in  America,  having  been  so 
conducted  since  1872.  The  same  process. was  carried  on  in  the 
Porter  (k,  Mowbray  mill,  and  on   the  organization  of  the  Winona 


BUSINESS    INCORPORATIONS.  491 

MilliDg  Company  in  1879  that  mill  was  made  a  full  roller-mill,  the 
burrs  being  dispensed  with  entirely.  The  credit  of  the  organization 
of  the  Winona  Mill  Co.  properly  belongs  to  Mr.  Mowbray,  who  in 
1879  broached  the  subject  to  some  Winona  capitalists,  by  whom,  in 
connection  with  himself,  the  organization  was  speedily  consum- 
mated. Mr.  Mowbray  was  married  in  1864,  has  three  children  in 
the  public  schools  of  this  city,  one  daughter  at  school  in  Evanston, 
Illinois.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Winona  board  of  trade  and  a  frater 
of  the  A.  F.  and  A.  M. 

The  engine-room  is  in  charge  of  L.  A.  Pennoyer,  assisted  by 
his  two  sons,  George  and  Fred,  who  take  watch  and  watch  about. 
Tliere  are  two  other  children,  L.  A.,  Jr.,  who  is  second  miller,  and 
a  younger  child  in  the  city  schools.  Mr.  L.  A.  Pennoyer  is  a  native 
of  New  York,  a  machinist  by  trade,  and  before  coming  to  Winona  in 
1874  was  engaged  in  erecting  engines  for  the  Jackson  foundry  and 
machine  shops,  Jackson,  Michigan.  He  came  to  this  state  in  their 
employ,  and  visited  Winona  to  overlook  the  engines  of  the  L.  C. 
Porter  Milling  Co.,  erected  by  the  Jackson  firm.  While  here  he 
accepted  the  position  of  engineer  with  L.  C.  Porter  Co.,  and  was 
with  that  firm  until  he  came  to  his  present  responsible  position  upon 
the  erection  of  the  Winona  mill  in  1879.  Mr.  Pennoyer  is  a 
member  of  Prairie  Lodge,  No.  7,  I.O.O.F.,  and  also  of  the  Koyal 
Arcanum  beneficiary.     He  has  one  child  at  school  in  this  city. 

Winona  Wagon  Co mpanr/.— This  industry,  organized  in  1879, 
though  yet  in  its  infancy,  justly  ranks  among  the  most  important 
manufacturing  enterprises  of  the  city.  During  the  three  years  of  its 
operations  it  has  more  tlian  doubled  its  capital,  its  capacity,  its  force 
of  operatives  and  its  manufactured  product.  As  virtual  successor  to 
the  Rushford  Wagon  Company,  of  Rushford,  Minnesota,  it  was 
organized  as  a  Winona  county  industry,  October  11,  1879,  with  a 
paid  up  capital  stock  of  $45,000.  The  original  corporators  were 
nearly  ninety  in  number,  and  the  management  of  the  company's 
afiairs  was  entrusted  to  a  directory  of  nine.  The -original  ofiicers 
who  still  compose  the  official  board  (with  the  exception  of  the  general 
manager,  whose  office  was  vacated  by  death)  are  :  O.  B.  Gould, 
president ;  A.  J.  Stevens,  general  manager  ;  John  Albertson,  super- 
intendent ;  J.  C.  Blake,  secretary  and  treasurer.  January  22,  1881, 
the  capital  stock  was  increased  to  $100,000,  and  since  that  time  no 
new  shares  have  been  issued  ;  all  transfers  of  stock  being  to  holders 
as  preferred  purchasers.     By  this  means  the  number  of  stockholders 


492  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

has  been  gradually  decreased,  until  it  is  now  less  than  one-half  that 
of  the  original  incorporators.  In  the  spring  of  18S0  the  company 
sustained  a  severe  loss  in  the  death  of  their  general  manager,  A.  J. 
Stevens,  who  died  in  April  of  that  year.  II.  M.  Kinney,  elected 
his  successor,  still  retains  that  office  and  successfully  administers 
the  affairs  of  the  company.  The  present  board  ol  directors  are 
O.  B.  Gould,  I.  B.  Cummings,  R.  D.  Cone.  John  Kendall,  Thomas 
Wilson,  W.  A.  Scott,  II.  M.  Kinney,  Henry  Stevens,  John  Albert- 
son.  The  works  of  the  company  are  located  upon  a  tract  of  eleven 
and  one-half  acres  of  land,  just  west  of  the  city  limits,  at  the  inter- 
section of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railway  with  the  (vhicago, 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul.  No  more  perfect  shipping  facilities  could 
be  desired  than  are  here  obtained,  as  the  works  lie  within  the  forks 
formed  by  the  lines  of  both  railways,  whose  tracks  traverse  the 
grounds  in  every  desirable  direction  ;  including,  as  well  as  those 
already  mentioned,  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  and  the  Green  Bay,  Wino- 
na &  St.  Paul  railways.  Here,  in  1879,  the  company  broke  ground 
and  erected  their  buildings,  consisting  of  a  main  manufactory,  40  X 1 20 
feet,  two  stories  high  ;  a  blacksmith  shop  and  a  paint  shop,  each 
40x70  feet,  and  a  warehouse  40x60  feet.  At  this  time  the  number 
of  operatives  was  thirty,  and  983  wagons  were  manufactured  during 
the  first  year.  In  1880-81  additions  were  made  to  the  original 
structure,  enlarging  their  capacity  at  least  fifty  per  cent  and  swell- 
ing the  amount  of  fiooring-room  in  sheds  and  tem})orary  structures  to 
over  30, 000  square  feet.  The  enterprise  proved  a  marked  financial  suc- 
cess from  the  beginning,  and  in  1882  it  was  determined  to  erect 
larger  and  more  substantial  buildings,  to  meet  the  growing  demands 
of  trade.  These  new  works,  just  completed,  are  :  a  two-story  man- 
ufactory, 64x182  feet  ;  a  blacksmith  sho]),  (>7x90  feet;  an  engine 
and  boiler  house,  86x37,  with  a  smokestack  rising  62  feet  above 
the  ground  level.  These  buildings  are  all  of  brick,  with  good  stone 
foundations,  rendered  as  nearly  fireproof  as  solid  walls,  iron  roofs, 
and  iron  doors  and  shutters  in  all  exposed  situations  can  render 
them.  The  main  manufactory  has  a  fire-wall  running  from  founda- 
tion to  ridge,  dividing  it  into  two  sections  diminishing  the  danger 
from  fire  by  just  one-half.  The  blacksmith  slioj)  has  a  slanting 
truss  roof,  and  has  neither  part  nor  dividing  wall  to  impede  opera- 
tions. The  engine-room  is  supplied  with  a  new  engine  of  125  horse- 
power, displacing  the  old  one  of  one-fifth  that  capacity,  and  furnish- 
ing ample  power  for  driving  their  machinery.     The  buildings  are 


BUSESTESS    INCORPORATIONS.  493 

heated  by  steam,  furnished  with  a  steam  elevator,  and  in  all  respects 
fully  equipped  for  economical  and  efticient  work.  The  number  of 
operatives  has  steadily  increased  from  thirty  to  one  hundred,  and 
the  annual  product  from  less  than  1,000  to  over  3,000  wagons,  while 
the  working  capacity  is  double  that  amount.  Wisconsin  supplies 
their  oak,  Indiana  and  Michigan  the  ash  and  hickory  timber.  The 
product  of  this  manufactory  is  marketed  in  twenty-four  states  and 
territories  principally  lying  west  of  the  ninety-second  meridian. 

H.  M.  Kinney  is  a  native  of  Wisconsin,  a  machinist  by  trade, 
and  was  nine  years  in  the  employ  of  Fish  Bros.  &  Co.,  wagon 
manufacturers,  Janesville,  during  which  time,  as  their  agent,  he 
visited  all  parts  of  the  United  States  and  formed  an  extensive 
acquaintance  with  its  wagon  trade.  April  25,  1880,  he  resigned  his 
place  with  that  house  to  accept  the  business  management  of  the 
Winona  Wagon  Company.  He  has  extended  the  trade  oi  his  com- 
pany until  it  embraces  twenty-four  states  and  territories,  principally 
lying  west  of  the  eightieth  meridian.  He  has  a  pleasant  home  on  the 
North  side,  Washburn  street,  two  doors  west  of  Winona. 

James  C.  Blake,  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  company,  was 
born  at  Winsted,  Connecticut,  July  12,  1849  ;  was  educated  m  the 
common  schools  and  ih  the  Winchester  Institute  of  his  native  city, 
and  was  for  seven  years  in  the  mercantile  house  of  M.  and  C.  J. 
Camp  &  Co.,  of  that  place,  prior  to  coming  to  Winona  in  1871.  In 
1872  Mr.  Blake  formed  a  partnership  with  E.  F.  Curtis,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Curtis  &  Blake,  wholesale  and  retail  grocers,  in  which 
business  he  continued  until  he  sold  out  to  Mr.  Curtis  in  1876. 
He  then  became  a  member  of  the  Winona  Carriage  Joint  Stock 
Company,  and  was  actively  connected  with  its  interests  until  the 
business  was  wound  up  in  1879,  at  which  time  he  purchased  the 
shops  of  the  company,  now  rented  to  Lalor,  McKay  &  Co.  Con- 
cluding that  Winona  was  a  good  point  for  a  first-class  wagon  manu- 
factory, Mr.  Blake  interested  himself  in  the  organization  of  such  an 
industry,  and  when  the  Winona  Wagon  Company  was  successfully 
launched,  the  same  year,  he  became  its  secretary  and  treasurer. 

Winona  Plow  Compcmy.— This  young  industry,  which  already 
gives  evidence  of  a  healthy  and  permanent  growth,  was  only 
organized  February  10,  1882,  and  has  not  yet  closed  its  first  year's 
operations.  The  authorized  capital  stock  of  the  company  is 
$100,000  ;  paid  up  capital,  $25,000.  The  original  incorporators 
were  J.  M.  Bell,  F.  S.  Bell,  J.  K.  Palmer  and  D.  S.  Kerr.     Of 


4'.»4  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

these,  J.  M.  Bell  is  president  and  treasurer ;  J.  K.  Palmer,  vice- 
president  and  supei-intendent,  and  D.  S.  Kerr,  secretary.  Messrs. 
Palmer  and  Kerr  are  ])ractical  mechanics,  and  before  coming  to 
Wir.ona  were  engaged  in  manufacturing  at  Waukegan,  Illinois.  The 
property  of  the  company  consists  of  three  and  a-half  acres  of  ground 
on  the  north  side  of  Fifth  street,  adjoining  the  Winona  Wagon 
Company's  lands  on  the  east.  Their  shipping  facilities  are  first-class, 
as  their  property  is  crossed  by  either  the  main  or  spur  tracks  of 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  and  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul 
railways.  Their  buildings  are,  a  main  shop  40x120  feet,  with  a 
side  extension  25  X  80  feet ;  a  warehouse  and  office  30  X  80  feet,  and 
a  paint  shop  28x40  feet.  The  business  consists  in  the  manufacture 
of  wooden  and  steel  beam  plows,  both  walking  and  sulky  harrows, 
cultivators  of  all  kinds,  road  scrapers  and  garden  wheelbarrows. 
The  business  gives  employment  to  a  force  of  from  twenty  to  twenty- 
five  hands,  and  the  manufactured  product  of  the  first  year  will  be 
about  $20,000.  An  engine  of  twenty-five  horse  power  supplies 
motor  for  the  machinery,  as  also  the  pipes  of  the  steam  heating 
ap])aratus. 

J.  M.  Bell,  president  and  principal  stockholder  of  the  Winona 
Plow  Company,  is  a  native  of  Perry,  Genesee  county,  New  York, 
wliere  he  was  born  September  28,  1830.  His  business  life  has  been 
spent  in  mercantile  and  banking  operations,  this  being  his  first 
venture  in  manufacturing  enterprises.  From  New  York  Mr,  Bell 
removed  to  Iowa  in  1857,  locating  in  the  central  part  of  the  state; 
was  treasurer  of  Hamilton  county  four  years  and  organized  the 
merchants  National  Bank,  of  Fort  Dodge,  Webster  county,  of  which 
he  was  cashier  six  years.  After  a  short  sojourn  in  Illinois,  Mr.  Bell 
removed  to  Winona  in  1878  ;  became  cashier  of  the  Merchants 
National  Bank  of  this  city  and  held  that  office  until  the  bank  became 
a  state  institution,  when  he  severed  his  connection  with  it,  and  soon 
afterward  embarked  in  his  ])resent  enterprise. 

R.  K.  Palmer  is  a  native  of  Ontario,  born  at  Brockville  in 
1 844 ;  came  to  the  United  States  in  1848  with  his  parents,  who 
settled  at  Waukegan,  Illinois,  and  still  reside  upon  the  homestead 
they  took  up  thirty-four  years  since.  R.  K.  Palmer  learned  his 
trade  as  a  plowmaker  with  J.  H.  Ward,  of  Oshkosh,  and  was  in 
business  in  Waukegan  fifteen  years  before  his  removal  to  Winona 
in  1881.  During  the  years  1863-64  he  was  in  the  employ  of  the 
United  States  government,  having  charge  of  the  military  re])air  and 


BUSESTESS    ESrCORPORATIONS.  495 

wagon  shops  at  Baton  Rouge,  Louisiana,  in  which  a  force  of  300 
hands  was  employed,  principally  contrabands.  After  carefully  ex- 
amining the  ground  and  comparing  advantages  Mr.  Palmer  con- 
cluded to  remove  his  business  from  Waukegan,  Illinois,  to  this  city, 
and  the  move  was  accordingly  made  ;  a  joint  stock  company  formed, 
buildings  erected  and  operations  commenced  in  the  spring  of  1882. 
His  oldest  son  "Fred,"  educated  to  business  in  his  father's  shop,  is 
one  of  the  employes  of  the  firm,  closely  following  his  father's  steps. 

Vienna  Mining  Company  ;  principal  office  at  Winona.  This  is 
a  joint  stock  company  organized  by  consolidation  of  pre-existing 
companies  March  17,  1882,  with  an  authorized  capital  of  $15,000,- 
000,  of  which  $10,500,000  is  paid  up,  the  balance  in  treasury  stock. 
Officers  of  the  company :  C.  L.  Colman,  La  Crosse,  Wisconsin, 
president ;  C.  H.  Berry,  vice-president ;  B.  H.  Langley,  secretary  ; 
H.  J.  O'Neill,  treasurer.  Operations  are  conducted  in  the  Saw-tooth 
silver  district  of  Idaho.  Over  1,500  feet  of  tunneling  has  been 
done,  and  although  operations  have  so  far  been  conducted  without 
reference  to  ore  product,  mainly  for  clearing  tunnels  and  drifts,  a 
large  quantity  of  ore  is  already  out  and  in  sight.  The  company 
employ  a  force  of  200  hands  ;  have  constructed  roads  to  the  mines  ; 
built  boarding  houses  for  their  men,  and  other  permanent  structures, 
and  have  just  completed  a  stamp  mill  costing  $160,000,  having  a 
stamp  capacity  of  twenty-five  tons  daily,  with  power  and  shafting 
for  double  tliat  product.  Their  expenditures  are  now  $20,000  per 
month,  and  the  aggregate  outlay  has  been  about  a  quarter  of  a 
million  dollars. 

Winona  Building  and  Loan  Association. — The  Winona  Build- 
ing and  Loan  Association,  incorporated  July  6,  1882,  as  a  saving 
and  loan  institution  in  which  all  depositors  and  borrowers  are  stock- 
holders, and  all  profits  apportioned  to  stock,  gives  every  promise  of 
a  most  successful  continuance.  The  authorized  capital  stock  is 
$500,000,  in  shares  of  $200  each.  Within  thirty  days  from  the  date 
of  issue  1,000  shares  were  taken,  and  an  additional  500  within 
the  next  three  months.  The  association  is  pre-eminently  mutual, 
there  are  no  preferred  stockholders,  and  to  the  small  capitalist  it 
affords  superior  facilities  for  loaning  and  borrowing  money  on  the 
most  advantageous  terms.  Its  organization  is  too  recent  to  deter- 
mine anything  definitely  concerning  its  operations  other  than  that 
afforded  by  the  rapid  placing  of  its  stock.  The  officers  of  the 
association  are  :  O.  B.  Gould,  president ;  J.  B,  McGaughey,  vice- 


496  HISTORY  OF  winona  county. 

president ;   C.    A.    Morey,    secretary  ;    W.    C.    Brown,    treasurer  ; 
A.  II.  Snow,  attorney. 

Oate  City  Carriage  Company. — This  joint  stock  manufacturing 
establishment  was  organized  as  such  November  15,  1882,  witli  a 
paid  up  cash  capital  of  $25,000,  and  is  but  the  enlargement  and 
continuation  under  more  favorable  financial  conditions  of  the 
business  so  successfully  conducted  by  Messrs.  Davis,  Sawyer  and 
Mead,  as  the  Gate  City  Carriage  AVorks.  These  gentlemen  are 
practical  mechanics,  who,  four  years  ago,  almost  without  one  dollar 
of  capital,  commenced  business  as  a  co-operative  association,  in  a 
small  wooden  building  on  the  allej  in  the  block  just  north  of  their 
present  location.  Commencing  business  November  15,  1878,  just 
four  years  prior  to  the  organization  of  the  stock  company,  in  that 
time  they  had  so  increased  their  operations  and  created  capital, 
that  they  owned  a  ten  years'  unincumbered  lease  of  a  real  estate  of 
60  X 150  feet  on  Fourth  street  just  east  of  Center,  the  entire  lot  under 
cover,  and  two  commodious  sheds  for  storing  stock  on  rented 
property  in  their  vicinity.  At  this  time  they  were  employing  a 
force  of  nineteen  men,  almost  exclusively  in  the  manufacture  of 
fine  carriages  and  repairs.  Their  reputation  for  first-class  work 
and  fair  dealing  had  created  a  demand  for  their  work  greater  than 
they  could  possibly  supply.  This  was  notably  the  case  with  their 
"buckboard,"  a  business  wagon  of  their  own  design,  especially 
adapted  to  the  wants  of  the  western  trade,  the  demand  for  which 
has  been  such  that  at  times  during  the  past  season  they  could  only 
su|)ply  samples  Mdiere  carload  orders  were  sent  in.  Rapid 
as  had  been  their  accumulation  of  capital  and  the  increase  of 
business  facilities,  these  could  not  keep  pace  with  the  growing 
demands  of  trade,  enlarging  year  by  year  with  the  i-apidly  increasing 
population  and  business  of  the  northwest.  In  the  summer  of  1882 
the  necessity  of  increased  capital  was  very  sensibly  felt,  and  after 
due  deliberation  they  decided  to  organize  their  business  into  a  joint 
stock  company,  and  this  was  formally  effected  as  above  noted  on 
November  15  of  that  year,  with  the  following  board  of  directors : 
W.  K.  F.  Vila,  E.  S.'  Davis,  O.  B.  Gould,  PI.  H.  Smith,  E.  S. 
Mead,  F.  W.  Robinson  and  F.  P.  Sawj^er,  The  officers  of  the 
company  are  :  E.  S.  Davis,  president ;  E.  S.  Mead,  general  manager  ; 
F.  P.  Sawyer,  superintendent ;  H.  H.  Smith,  secretary  and  treasurer. 
Within  one  week  from  the  date  of  organization  the  company 
broke  ground  for  their  additions  to  the  present  works,  by  which,  with 


BUSIISTESS    IKCORPOJRATIONS.  497 

the  motor  and  machinery  introduced,  the  number  of  employes  will 
be  materially  added  to  and  the  capacity  of  the  manufactory  increased 
at  least  33|-  per  cent.  There  is  no  doubt  that  a  few  years  will 
see  this  company  permanently  established  in  quarters  of  wliich  they 
will  hold  the  title  in  fee  simple,  with  buildings  and  machinery 
adequate  to  supply  the  demands  of  a  trade  of  which  at  present  they 
have  themselves  but  a  very  meager  conception. 

E.  S.  Davis,  president  of  the  company,  is  a  native  of  West- 
boro,  Massachusetts.  He  learned  his  trade  as  a  carriage  woodworker 
in  the  manufactory  of  Coan  &  Ten  Broeck,  Chicago,  and  coming  to 
"Winona  in  186S,  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Winona  Carriage  Works 
until  associating  himself  in  business  with  Messrs.  Sawyer  &  Mead. 
Mr.  Davis  is  married,  has  five  children,  three  are  in  school.  He  is 
a  member  of  Winona  Lodge,  No.  18,  A.  F.  and  A.  M. 

E.  S.  Mead,  general  manager,  is  a  native  of  New  York  city, 
and  came  to  this  city  with  his  parents  in  1855  ;  his  father  having 
settled  here  in  1853.  He  learned  his  trade  as  a  carriage  trimmer  in 
the  carriage  shops  of  Grant  &  Lalor,  of  this  city,  and  on  the 
establishment  of  the  Gate  City  Carriage  Works  in  1878,  became  the 
business  head  of  that  co-operative  industry.  Married,  has  three 
children,  two  of  them  in  the  schools  of  this  city.  Wife  died 
October  21,  1882. 

F.  P.  Sawyer,  superintendent,  is  a  carriage  blacksmith  by  trade, 
which  he  learned  in  the  shops  of  C.  P.  Kimball,  of  Chicago.  He  is  a 
native  of  Portland,  Maine  ;  came  to  Winona  in  1878,  and  had 
worked  for  a  short  time  in  the  Winona  carriage  works,  with  his  old 
associates  there,  before  he  entered  into  the  little  co-operative 
association  which  has  so  rapidly  developed  into  what  promises  to  be 
one  of  the  best  paying  industries  of  the  city. 

H.  H.  Smith,  secretary  and  treasurer,  is  a  native  of  this  city,  born 
in  1868,  and  lacked  one  term  of  completing  his  course  in  the  high 
school  here  when  he  left  his  classes  to  accept  a  situation  in  the 
shoe-house  of  Cummings  &  Yila,  with  whom  he  remained  eight 
years,  only  leaving  to  accept  his  present  responsible  position  at  the 
desk  of  the  new  carriage  company. 

Winona  Machinery  Company. — This  'industry  was  organized 
as  a  joint  stock  company,  November  15,  1882,  with  a  paid  up  cash 
capital  of  $50,000.  The  business  will  consist  of  general  machinery 
manufacture  and  repairs,  and  their  piston  packing  and  asbestos  bear- 
ing for  journals,  for  which  they  hold  patents.     The  manufactory  is 


498  IIISTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

at  present  located  in  temporary  quarters  under  the  "Tribune"  otKce 
on  Third  street,  where  they  occupy  a  room  21x80  feet.  At  this 
writing,  April  1,  their  machinery  is  being  put  in  pkice.  The  othcers 
of  the  company  are :  President,  C.  O.  Goss  ;  secretary,  W.  E.  Smith  ; 
general  manager  and  original  patentee  of  the  piston  and  asbestos 
bearing  patents,  G.  W.  Williams. 

Wlno7m  Carriage  Works. — Lalor,  McKay  &  Co.,  southwest 
corner  of  Third  and  Washington  streets.  This  business  was  founded  in 
1865,  by  Grant  &  Lalor,  and  so  continued  until  lS74,  when  the  affairs 
of  the  firm  were  wound  up.'  Mr.  Grant  retired  and  the  business 
was  taken  up  by  a  joint  stock  company,  who  conducted  it  until  1878, 
when  they  ceased  manufacturing  to  dispose  of  the  stock  on  hand. 
In  the  spring  of  1880  Messrs.  Lalor  &  McKay,  who  had  been  con- 
nected with  the  manufactory  almost  since  its  establishment  in  1865, 
the  former  as  partner,  the  latter  as  foreman,  took  a  live  years'  lease 
of  the  premises  and  have  conducted  the  businet<s  with  most  gratify- 
ing results  until  the  present.  The  property  fronts  60  feet  on 
Third  street,  180  feet  on  Washington  street,  and  has  upon  it  a  two- 
story  manufactory  40x180  feet.  They  do  quite  an  extensive  busi- 
ness in  the  manufacture  and  repair  of  fine  cari-iages,  employing  a 
force  of  twenty  workmen,  including  the  members  of  the  firm,  who 
are  all  skillful  mechanics.  Sales  and  repairs  for  1881  aggregated 
$9,321.18  ;  for  1882,  $15,682.89  ;  sales  a  little  over  eighty-five  per 
cent  of  the  sum  total.  The  members  of  the  firm  are  J.  W,  Lalor, 
George  McKay  and  Milton  Lalor. 

J.  W.  Lalor,  the  senior  member  of  the  firm,  was  born  in  Rutland 
county,  New  York.  In  1847  he  went  to  Chicago,  where  he  leai-ned 
his  trade,  carriage-maker  and  woodworkman,  and  was  for  many  years 
foreman  of  the  extensive  carriage  and  wagon  works  of  Coan  &Ten- 
broeck,  of  that  city,  before  coming  to  Winona  in  1867,  and  com- 
mencing business  under  the  firm  name  of  Grant  &  Lalor.  Naturally 
possessed  of  a  mathematical  mind  and  a  love  of  mechanical  instruc- 
tion, Mr.  Lalor  has  paid  considerable  attention  to  carriage  archi- 
tecture, both  as  a  science  and  an  art,  and  this,  taken  with  his  thirty 
years'  experience  as  a  practical  workman,  has  given  him  the  mastery 
of  his  craft.     The  eldest  son,  Milton  Lalor,  is  a  member  of  the  firm. 

George  McKay  was  born  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  in  1843,  and 
came  to  Amei-ica  with  his  parents  when  four  years  of  age.  They 
settled  in  London,  Ontario,  where  George  was  educated  and  served 
his  apprenticeship  as  a  carriage  blacksmith  in  the  well-known  manu- 


MANUFACTURESTG    INDUSTRIES.  499 

factory  of  Mc  Bride.  From  London  he  came  to  Winona  in  1866  ; 
just  after  the  establishment  of  the  AVinona  Carriage  Works,  by  Grant 
&  Lalor,  he  assumed  charge  of  their  bhicksmith  shop,  and  was  con- 
tinued in  that  responsible  position  by  the  management  of  the  joint 
stock  concern  until  their  operations  were  discontinued  ;  tlien  in 
1880,  in  company  with  J.  W.  Lalor,  leased  the  premises  and  con- 
tinued the  business  as  partner  he  had  so  successfully  supervised  as 
foreman. 

Business  increasing  beyond  the  capacity  of  the  firm,  with  its 
then  capital,  to  profitably  enlarge,  a  regular  incorporated  joint  stock 
company  was  formed  on  February  12,  1883,  under  the  name  of 
Winona  Carriage  Company.  The  pui'pose  of  the  company  is  to 
engage  solely  in  the  manufacture  of  fine  carriage  work.  The  paid 
up  cash  capital  of  the  concern  is  $25,000,  with  the  following  efficient 
board  of  officers :  President,  J.  J.  Randall  ;  secretary,  W.  F.  Phelps; 
treasurer,  C.  H.  Porter ;  manager,  George  McKay  ;  superintendent, 
J.  W.  Lalor.  The  work  of  the  company  has  been  put  upon  a  new 
footing  since  the  change  above  noted,  and  operations  doubled. 


CHAPTER  XLYI. 


JfANUFACTURING   IN DUSTRIES. 


The  manufacturing  industries  of  Winona,  which  have  nearly 
doubled  tlieir  volume  since  January  1,  1879,  may  be  said  to  date 
from  the  fall  of  1855,  at  which  time  Messrs.  James  Wyckoft'  and 
James  Hiland  erected  a  small  sawmill,  not  far  from  the  present  site 
of  the  Winona  Mill  Company's  flouring-mill.  As  nearly  as  can  now 
be  ascertained,  this  first  lumber-mill  was  started  for  bifsiness 
December  17,  1855,  and  ceased  operations  after  the  season  of  1860 
closed.  In  the  early  part  of  1856  Mr.  Wyckofi'  sold  out  his  interest 
to  Messrs.  L.  C.  Porter  and  Wm.  Garlock.  January  1,  1857,  Mr. 
Hiland  disposed  of.  his  interest  to  S.  D.  Yan  Gorder,  and  the  firm  as 
thus  constituted  conducted  business  until  the  opening  of  the  1861 
sawing  season,  when  the  mill  was  accidentally  burned.  In  the 
meantime  two  new  lumber-mills  had  been  started,  both  in  the  fall  of 
1857,  and  within  a  very  short  period  of  each  other,  both  now  doing 
■  29 


500  lIISTOKVr    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

business  under  substantially  the  same  management  as  that  of 
twenty-tive  years  ago,  and  both  of  them  grow,  through  successive 
changes  in  buildings  and  machinery,  to  the  very  front  rank  of 
lumber  manufactories  in  the  northwest.  The  winter  of  1S80-81 
saw  a  worthy  rival  of  these  long  established  lumber-mills  growing 
into  place  at  the  extreme  eastern  limits  of  the  city,  and  in  the  spring 
of  1881  this  mill,  that  of  the  Winona  Lumber  Company,  began 
manufacturing. 

Laird,  Norton  &  Co.,  manufacturers  and  dealers  in  plain  and 
dressed  lumber,  lath,  shingles  and  carpenters'  material.  This  com- 
pany, the  oldest  lumber  firm  now  doing  business  in  the  city,  though 
not  strictly  speaking  the  pioneer  sawmill  men  of  Winona,  have 
been  in  successful  operation  as  lamber  manufacturers  for  over  a 
quarter  of  a  century,  their  sawmill  having  been  erected  twenty-five 
years  ago  last  spring,  while  their  first  lumber-yard  was  opened 
in  May,  1855,  two  years  earlier.  This  yard  was  on  the  present  site 
of  the  L.  C.  Porter  milling  company's  mill,  and  was  opened  by 
Messrs.  J.  C,  M.  J.  and  W.  H.  Laird,  the  latter  the  head  of  the 
present  firm,  the  others  having  long  ceased  all  connection  with  its 
operations.  The  firm  became  Laird,  Norton  &  Co.  in  the  fall  of 
1851),  by  the  admission  of  Messrs.  J.  L.  and  M.  G.  Norton,  an<l  the 
following  spring  ground  was  broken  for  their  sawmill  upon  their 
present  location,  and  building  energetically  pushed  until  it  was 
completed,  and  the  saws  set  running  in  September  of  that  year. 
This  lumber  mill  was  50x70  feet,  furnished  with  one  muley  and  one 
small  circular  saw,  and  having  a  daily  capacity  of  20,000  feet  of 
lumber.  Their  original  property  fronted  300  feet  on  the  river,  run- 
ning eastward  from  Kansas  street.  This  frontage  has  been  increased 
from  time  to  time,  until  they  now  own  a  frontage  of  1,500  feet  on 
the  river,  running  eastward  from  Franklin  street,  and  extending  an 
average  width  of  two  blocks  backward  from  the  river.  Additions  were 
made'to  this  mill,  and  improvements  introduced  from  time  to  time, 
until  1869,  at  which  date  two  large  double  rotary  saws  were  added,  the 
daily  capacity  being  increased  to  75,000  feet,  with,  a  corresponding 
amount  of  shingles  and  lath.  The  old  engines  were  still  in  use,  and 
in  the  fall  of  1870  the  boilers  exploded,  and  the  whole  were  replaced 
by  engines  and  boilers  of  about  double  the  former  capacity.'  Opera- 
tions continued  in  the  old  mill,  with  its  enlargements,  until  the  close  of 
the  sawing  season  of  1877,  when  the  old  structure,  which  had  been 
doinif  duty  for  twenty  years,  was  taken  down  and  the  present  mill  built. 


MAJS^TIFACTURESTG    INDUSTRIES.  501 

This  change  did  not  include  the  boiler-house,  which  was  left  stand- 
ing, but  furnished  with  additional  engines  and  boilers,  increasing  its 
capacity  to  present  estimate,  600  horse  power.  The  new  mill  is 
ironclad  with  iron  roof,  190  X  60  feet,  30  feet  posts,  with  an  addi- 
tion 40  X  50  feet  of  equal  height  with  the  main  building,  and  a  brick 
boiler-house  26x80  feet.  The  capacity  of  the  new  mill,  as  demon- 
strated by  actual  work,  is  234,000  feet  per  day,  with  an  average 
product  of  175,000  feet;  the  shingle-mill  can  turn  out  150,000 
daily,  and  averages  120,000  ;  the  lath-mill  product  about  33,000. 
The  mill  is  furnished  with  two  gangs,  one  forty  inches  wide,  the  other 
thirty-six  inches,  iron  gangs  of  the  most  improved  make  ;  two  double 
rotaries,  steam  feed,  besides  the  saws  for  cutting,  slitting,  edging, 
etc.  At  the  time  this  mill  was  built,  it  was  the  best  sawmill  on  the 
Mississippi  river ;  and  even  now,  after  all  the  changes  of  the  past 
five  years,  it  is  much  to  be  questioned  whether,  all  things  taken 
into  consideration,  it  has  any  superior.  For  economy  of  space, 
smoothness  of  work,  facility  for  handling  logs  and  discharging  lum- 
ber, and  amount  of  cut,  it  stands  A  1  in  all  lumbering  circles. 

The  planing-mill,  built  in  1868,  one-half  of  its  present  size,  to 
whicli  it  was  enlarged  in  1882,  is  a  two-story  frame,  70x140  feet, 
24  feet  posts  ;  the  manufactory  for  sash,  door,  blind,  frames,  mould- 
ings, etc.,  occupying  the  upper  story.  The  boiler  and  shavings 
room  is  68x28,  the  whole  machinery  driven  by  engines  of  300 
horse  power.  This  mill  is  furnished  with  two  Wood's  planers  and 
matchers,  besides  double  surfacers  and  resawing  machine,  and  has 
a  capacity  of  75,000  feet  of  dressed  lumber  daily.  The  manufac- 
tured product  of  the  upper  story  reaches  a  weekly  average  of  500 
doors,  1,000  sash,  500  frames,  besides  blinds,  mouldings,  brackets, 
etc.  There  are  four  dry  kilns  on  the  premises,  Curran  &  WolfTs 
patent,  each  17x72  feet,  having  an  aggregate  capacity  of  30,000 
feet  a  day.  To  man  these  mills,  and  do  the  necessarj^  work  of  the 
yards,  requires  a  force  of  300  hands  and  20  teams,  notwithstanding 
labor  is  largely  economized  by  piling  the  bulk  of  the  mill  product 
from  tramways.  The  mills  are  thoroughly  protected  from  fire,  the 
mains  of  the  city  water-works  traversing  their  yards  from  east  to 
west.  In  addition  to  this,  the  firm  have  expended  nearly  $20, 000  in 
private  water-works,  and  from  these  two  sources  they  have  forty 
hydrants  in  their  yards,  with  1,500  feet  of  hose  on  carts  ready  for 
use.  They  have  also  attached  hose  on  each  floor  of  both  saw  and 
planing-mills.     They  have  also  a  most  conveniently  arranged  office, 


502  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

30X48,  steam  heated,  with  lire-proof  vaults,  private  offices,  tele- 
phone attachment,  and  all  the  conveniences  of  a  first-class  office. 
They  boom  their  logs  at  Beef  Slough,  and  rafts  are  brouglit  down, 
as  required  by  their  own  boat,  the  Julia.  The  firm  are  members  of 
the  Beef  Slougli  Booming  Company,  the  Mississippi  River  and  the 
Chippewa  River  Logging  Companies.  They  also  own  large  tracts  of 
private  pine  lands  in  the  Chippewa  valley,  from  which  some  supplies 
are  drawn.  Their  lumber  is  marketed  generally  in  the  west  and 
northwestern  states,  the  bulk  of  it  distributed  along  the  lines  of  the 
Winona  &  St.  Peter  railway  and  its  branches  and  tributaries.  The 
present  members  oi  the  firm  are  W.  H.  Laii'd,  James  L.  and 
Matthew  G.  Norton. 

W.  H.  Laird  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  from  which  state  he 
came  to  Winona  in  1855  to  engage  in  the  lumber  trade,  and  has  been 
actively  operating  in  that  industry  for  over  twenty-seven  years.  He 
is  president  of  the  Winona  board  of  trade,  a  member  of  the  Congre- 
gational church,  married,  and  has  a  wife  and  tliree  daughters  —  one 
married  and  residing  in  the  city,  one  at  home  and  one  attending  the 
state  normal  school  in  this  city. 

James  L.  Norton  is  also  a  native  Pennsylvanian,  and  was  a  rail- 
road contractor  before  coming  to  Winona  in  1856,  the  same  year  he 
became  a  member  of  the  present  firm.  His  family  consists  of  a  wife 
and  four  children,  all  of  whom  are  graduates  of  the  Winona  high 
school,  and  two  of  them  recent  graduates  of  the  Northwestern  Uni- 
versity at  Evanston.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church. 

Matthew  Norton  came  to  this  city  at  the  same  time  as  his  brother, 
entered  the  Laird  &  Norton  firm  at  tlie  same  time,  is  a  member  of 
the  same  church  and  has  the  same  number  of  children,  all  of  whom 
are  now  attending  normal  school  in  the  city.  Matthew  G.  Norton  is 
a  member  and  director  of  the  board  of  trade. 

John  Durham,  foreman  of  sash,  door  and  blind  factory,  is  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania,  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  came  to  this  city 
with  the  Messrs.  Laird  in  1855.  He  has  been  more  or  less  in  the 
employ  of  the  firm  ever  since  their  establishment  in  this  city,  and 
when  not  so  engaged  has  been  following  liis  original  trade  as  car- 
penter. When  the  manufacture  of  sash,  doors  and  blinds  was  com- 
menced in  1868,  Mr.  Durham  was  employed  in  that  department,  and 
six  years  later,  1S74,  became  foreman  of  the  manufactory.  Mr. 
Durham  is  married,  has  one  child,  temporarily  absent  from  school 


MANUFACTUEING    INDUSTRIES.  503 

on  account  of  her  health.  He  is  a  member  of  the  A.L.H.  bene- 
ficiary and  an  officer  of  the  Congregational  church,  having  been 
elected  deacon  in  1880. 

Timothy  Burns,  engineer  of  the  planing-mill,  entered  the  employ 
of  the  firm  May  1,  1858,  the  day  after  he  arrived  in  Winona,  and 
has  been  in  their  employ  ever  since  ;  first  as  day  laborer,  then  as 
fireman,  and  for  some  years  past  as  engineer.  He  is  a  native  of  Ire- 
land, and  liad  been  in  this  country  eleven  years  before  coming  to 
Winona. 

TouMANS  Bros.  &  Hodgins,  manufacturers  and  dealers  in  lum- 
ber, shingles,  lath,  sash,  doors,  blinds,  etc.    This  business  was  estab- 
lished in  1857  by  E.  S.  &  A.  B.  Youmans,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Youmans  Bros.     The  contract  for  their  mill  was  let  in  April  of  that 
year,  the  foundations  were  laid  the  following  month  and  sawing 
commenced  the  ensuing  October.     This  mill,  which  stood  substan- 
tially upon  the  same  site  as  the  one  they  now  operate,  at  the  foot  of 
Grand  street,  was  about  40x80  feet,  and  was  furnished  with  one 
muley  saw,  the  capacity  of  the  mill  being  about  30,000  feet  of  lum- 
ber a  week.     In  1859  a  small  circular  saw  was  put  in,  increasing  the 
capacity  to  about  15,000  a  day.     In  1860  a  shingle-mill,  with  a  daily 
capacity  of  15,000  shingles,  was  added,  and  two  years  later  a  large 
rotary  by  which  the  lumber  cut  was  increased  to   30,000  a  day. 
This  mill  was  operated  until  1870,  when  it  was  taken  down  and  the 
present  one  erected.     The  main  mill  as  then  constructed,  and  now 
standing,  is  50x180  feet,  iron  roof,  with  an  addition  for  shingle-mill 
28X60;  one  engine  and  boiler-house  4:0x45  feet  and  an  engine- 
room  18X50  feet,  the  aggregate  capacity  of  the  engines  being  about 
350-horse  power.    This  mill  is  furnished  with  one  42-inch  gang  saw, 
two  double  rotary  saws,  two  shingle-mills  and  one  lath-mill.     The 
average  daily  cut  of  the  mill  for  the  sawing  season  is  140,000  feet  of 
lumber,  90,000  shingles  and  30,000  lath.     The  company's  property, 
held  in  fee  simple,  fronts  150  feet  on  the  river  and  extends  south 
ward  to  Fifth  street,  having  a  width  on  Second  street  of  two  blocks 
and   a   half.      Through  leases  from  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern 
Kailway  Company  they  control  a  river  front  of  1,500  feet  additional. 
Their  booming  facilities  are  not  surpassed  by  any  lumber-mill  on 
the  river.     They  boom  a  slough  ten  miles  long,  with  good  ingress 
for  logs  at  its  upper  end,  the  lower  terminating  at  the  mill.     In  1870 
their  planing-mill  was  built,  and  the  following  year  Mr.  A.  F.  Hod- 
gins  became  a  member  of  the  firm.     The  planing-mill   is  a  two 


504  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

story  frame,  and,  as  originally  built,  was  60x80  feet,  the  upper 
story  used  for  tlie  manufacture  of  sash,  doors,  blinds,  frames, 
mouldings  and  cai-pcnters'  materials  generally.  This  present  season 
(1882)  this  mill  was  enlarged  to  double  its  former  capacity,  and  is 
now  60x160  feet,  furnished  with  four  planers,  some  of  Fay  &  Go's 
patent,  others  of  S.  A.  "Wood  &  Go's  design,  the  whole  having  a 
capacity  of  75,000  feet  of  dressed  lumber  daily.  There  are  also  on 
the  premises  four  dry  kilns,  Gurran  &  Wolff's  pattern,  with  an 
aggregate  capacity  of  40,000  feet  daily.  The  work  of  the  sash,  door 
and  blind  factory  is  almost  exclusively  upon  specific  orders,  the  daily 
product  in  such  work  being  less  and  the  prices  higher  tlian  for  the 
usual  stock  work.  Connected  with  the  planing-rnill  is  the  brick 
engine  and  boiler  house  and  shavings  room.  There  is  also  a  two- 
story  warehouse,  60x90  feet,  for  storing  manufactured  work,  glass, 
nails,  building  paper,  etc.,  and  ample  shed-room  for  dressed  lumber. 
The  pay-rolls  of  the  company  show  a  force  of  275  men  and  eighteen 
teams  constantly  employed.  The  firm  organized  as  a  joint  stock 
company  in  1876  with  a  paid  up  cash  capital  of  $250,000,  absorbing 
the  stock  within  themselves.  The  compan}-  are  members  of  the  Gliip- 
pewa  River  and  the  Mississippi  River  logging  companies,  and  also 
Beef  Slough  Boom  Company.  Their  supply  of  logs  is  mainly  from 
the  Chippewa  river,  but  some  strings  are  received  from  the  St.  Croix 
valley.  Lumber  is  marketed  principally  along  the  lines  of  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  railway  in  Minnesota,  Dakota,  Iowa  and 
Kebraska.  Excellent  })recautioiis  have  been  taken  against  fire. 
Their  own  private  mains  are  laid  through  the  yards,  pressure  for 
which  is  supplied  direct  from  their  own  pumps,  which,  in  connection 
with  those  of  Laird,  Norton  &  Co.,  have  hitherto  supplied  the  city 
mains.  Fifteen  hydrants  within  their  own  yards  and  600  feet  of 
hose  on  carts  ready  for  use,  give  ample  security  against  fire,  from 
which  in  the  twenty-five  years  of  their  operations  here  they  have 
been  absolutely  free.  The  present  stockholders  of  the  company  are 
E.  S.  Youmans,  A.  B.  Youmans  and  A.  F.  Hodgins. 

E.  S.  Youmans  is  a  native  of  New  York,  and  had  become  some- 
what familiar  witli  sawing  operations  in  a  small  way  in  his  father's 
lumber  mill  before  coming  to  Winona  in  1857.  Mr.  Youmans  is 
married  and  has  two  children :  one  daughter  married  and  residing 
in  Connecticut ;  one  son,  employed  in  the  office  of  the  company. 

A.  B.  Youmans,  also  a  native  of  New  York,  came  to  Winona  at 
the  same  time  as  his  brother,  and  like  him  has  given  his  attention 


MANUFACTUEESTG    INDUSTRIES.  505 

strictly  to  business.  He  is  married  and  has  two  children :  one 
married,  who  is  one  of  the  engineers  of  the  company;  and  one  now 
attending  the  city  schools. 

A.  F.  Hodgins  was  born  in  Tennessee.  Came  from  Galena,  Illinois, 
to  Winona  in  1856,  as  agent  for  Carson  &  Rand,  lumbermen.  Was 
here  in  their  interest  some  years,  when,  in  company  with  H.  Eaton, 
he  bought  tliem  out  and  continued  the  business  through  several  fii-m 
changes  until  1871,  when  he  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Yon- 
mans  Brother  &  Hodgins.  He  is  married  and  has  one  child,  a 
daughter,  now  attending  the  State  Normal  School  in  this  city. 

James  King,  foreman  of  sash,  door  and  blind  factory  and  car- 
penter's department,  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  Learned  his  trade 
as  carpenter  at  Pittsburgli,  in  that  state,  and  came  to  Winona  in 
1879.  He  was  one  year  in  the  employ  of  Conrad  Bohn,  and  then 
entered  the  service  of  the  firm  of  Youmans  Bros.  &  Hodgins,  work- 
ing for  them  one  year  in  the  little  factory  attached  to  the  sawmill, 
then  superintended  the  construction  of  the  planing-mill  and  sash 
factory  in  1875,  assuming  charge  of  the  manufactui'ing  department 
upon  its  completion.  He  is  married  ;  has  two  children  in  school, 
and  is  a  member  of  the  A.O.U.W.  fraternity. 

B.  S.  Batchelor,  foreman  of  the  planing-mill,  is  a  native  of 
Michigan,  and  has  followed  his  present  business  fifteen  years,  ten  of 
them  in  the  employ  of  the  company  with  wliom  he  is  now  engaged. 
Mr.  Batchelor  has  been  an  inhabitant  of  the  state  since  1856,  and  a 
resident  of  the  city  since  1871.  Pie  is  a  married  man  and  has  two 
children  in  the  city  schools. 

W.  L.  Raymond,  engineer  and  machinist,  with  Youmans  Bros. 
&  Hodgins,  is  a  native  of  New  York.  Came  to  Winona  with  his 
parents  when  three  years  of  age,  and  has  been  a  permanent  resident 
since  his  ninth  year,  a  period  of  eighteen  years.  He  learned  his 
trade  with  W.  M.  Hurbert,  of  this  city,  with  whom  he  remained 
nine  years,  six  of  them  in  charge  of  the  shop,  before  coming  to  his 
present  position  in  1881. 

Wm.  Rogers,  engineer  in  the  Youmans  &  Hodgins  mill,  has 
become  of  age  in  their  employ,  having  been  on  duty  with  them  for 
twenty-one  years.  He  is  a  native  of  Cayuga,  New  York.  Came  to 
Winona  in  1858,  and  was  in  the  old  planing-mill  of  Porter,  Garlock  & 
Co.,  before  assuming  charge  of  the  engine  in  this  lumber-mill.  He 
is  married,  owns  a  pleasant  residence  on  Grand  street,  and  has  one 


506  HISTORY    OF    WrXONA    COUNTY, 

child  now  in  attciidancu  in  the  })ublic  schools.     He  is  a  member  of 
the  A.O.  U.W.  fraternity,  of  this  city, 

Winona  Lumber  Company. — This  industry,  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant in  the  city,  was  organized  as  an  individual  enterprise, 
October  1,  1880,  by  Andrew  Hamilton,  who  at  that  time  owned  a 
tract  of  land  quite  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city,  fronting  930  feet 
on  the  river  and  extending  southward  to  Front  street.  Upon  this 
property,  during  the  winter  of  1880-1,  Mr,  Hamilton  erected  his 
mill,  E.  White,  as  millwright,  having  supervision  of  its  construction. 
This  mill  is  60x196  feet,  with  an  addition  40x50  feet,  and  is 
provided  with  one  46-incli  gang  saw  and  two  rotaries.  The  engine 
and  boiler  room  is  36  X  84  feet,  furnished  with  engines  of  680  horse- 
power, which  will  be  increased  to  1,000  liorse-])ower  before  the 
sawing  season  of  1883  opens.  The  capacity  of  the  mill,  as  tested 
by  one  day's  actual  cut,  is  221,000  feet  per  day  ;  the  average  daily 
product  50,000  feet  less  than  tliat  amount.  The  shingle-mill  has  a 
capacity  of  160,000,  with  an  average  product  of  three-fourths  that 
amount.     Lath,  about  30,000  daily. 

May  1,  1881,  this  individual  enterpi'ise  of  Mr.  Hamilton's  was 
converted  into  a  joint  stock  company,  with  a  paid  up  capital  stock 
of  $250,000.  The  officers  of  the  company  are  :  Andrew  Hamilton, 
president;  W.  H.  Laird,  vice-president;  Wm.  Hayes,  secretary  and 
treasurer.  Since  incorporation  the  company  have  acquired  additional 
lands  from  time  to  time",  until  they  now  (October  1,  1882)  own  a 
river  front  of  about  2, 500  feet,  extending  })ackward  from  the  river  a 
width  of  from  one  to  three  blocks.  In  the  fall  of  1881  ground  was 
broken  for  a  planing-mill  on  the  southeast  block  of  this  property. 
The  foundations  were  laid  in  November  of  that  year  and  planing 
operations  begun  March  1,  1882.  This  mill  is  70x116  feet,  28 
feet  posts,  with  an  engine,  boiler  and  shavings  room,  of  brick,  50  X 
70  feet.  The  planing-mill  is  run  by  a  Corliss  engine  of  150  liorse- 
])ower,  and  has  a  ca])acity  of  60,000  feet  of  dressed  lumber  daily. 
The  kilns  for  drying  lumber  are  36x84  feet,  and  have  a  capacity  of 
120,000  feet.  The  number  of  hands  employed  in  the  saw  and 
planing  mills  is  about  125,  with  an  equal  number  at  work  in  the 
yards,  the  pay-rolls  of  the  company  showing  a  grand  total  of  275 
men  and  twenty-six  teams.  Preparations  are  now  making  to  start  a 
sash,  door  and  blind  factory  in  the  upper  story  of  the  planing-mill, 
and  operations  will  commence  some  time  next  month  (November, 
1882),     This  branch  of  their  business  will  give  employment  to  an 


MANUFACTURING    ESTDUSTRIES. 


507 


additional  force  of  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  hands.  Their  log  sup- 
plies are  drawn  from  the  Chippewa  river  and  its  tributaries.  Shipping 
facilities  are  good,  tlie  open  tracks  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern 
railway  traversing  their  yards  from  east  to  west.  The  great  bulk  of 
their  lumber  finds  its  market  in  Minnesota,  Dakota,  Nebraska  and 

Iowa. 

The  pipes  of  the  city  ■  waterworks  are  laid  through  their  yards, 
and  there  are  nine  hydrants  upon  their  premises.  These,  with  the 
attached  hose  in  both  mills,  afford  excellent  protection  from  fires. 

Andrew  Hamilton,  president  of  the  Winona  Lumber  Company,  is 
a  native  of  Armagh,  Ulster  county,  Ireland,  from  which  place  he 
came  to  America  in  1846,  and  ten  years  later  to  Winona.  In  1860 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Charles  Horton  in  the  lumber  busi- 
ness, which  they  conducted  jointly  until  1880.  For  the  past  ten 
years  Mr.  Hamilton  has  been  quite  extensively  engaged  in  stock 
raising,  and  now  owns  a  tract  of  1,200  acres,  just  east  of  Sugar-loaf 
Bluff,  upon  which  he  has  a  fiock  of  1,000  merino  sheep,  seventy-five 
head  of  Jersey  and  grade  cattle,  from  fifteen  to  twenty  head  of 
horses  and  100  hogs.  From  nothing  in  1856  to  so  considerable  a 
financial  and  commercial  standing  in  1882  is  its  own  comment  upon 
Andrew  Hamilton's  business  capacity. 

Wm.  Hayes,  secretary  of  the  Winona  Lumber  Company,  is  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  for  seven  years  prior  to  coming  to 
Winona  in  1881  was  at  Beef  Slough,  in  connection  with  the  Missis- 
sippi River  Logging  Company. 

£.  White,  millwriglit  for  the  Winona  Lumber  Company,  is  a  na- 
tive of  New  York,  learned  his  trade  as  a  millwright  in  northern 
Ohio  and  came  to  Winona  in  1857.  With  the  exception  of  five 
years,  from  1861  to  1866,  when  engaged  as  purchasing  agent  for  the 
Winona  &  St.  Peter  Railway  Construction  Company,  Mr.  White 
has  followed  his  trade.  When  Mr.  Hamilton  commenced  construct- 
ing his  mill  in  1880  Mr.  White  was  engaged  as  millwright,  and  upon 
its  completion  assumed  charge,  and  the  later  buildings  of  t'lie  com- 
pany have  all  been  built  under  his  supervision.  Mr.  White  is  mar- 
ried, has  two  children,  one  in  attendance  at  the  city  schools.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  A.  O.  U.  W.,  of  this  city. 

R.  H.  D.  Morrison,  engineer  of  the  planing-mill  of  the  Winona 
Lumber  Company,  is  as  proud  of  his  Corliss  pet  as  a  grandmother 
of  her  first  grandchild.  He  was  born  an  engineer  and  bred  a  far- 
mer, coming  from  Yermont,  his  native  state,  to  Houston  county, 


508  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

Minnesota,  in  1859.  From  1866  to  1876  was  in  the  farm  machinery 
business,  tlie  last  three  years  of  tliat  time  dealing  in  portable  en- 
gines. From  1877  to  1879,  inclusive,  was  engineer  in  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  elevator  in  this  city,  and  then  took  charge 
of  the  Corliss  engine  in  the  Empire  Lumber  Company,  which  he  re- 
tained until  assuming  his  ])re8ent  place  in  March,  1882,  when  the 
planing-mill  was  started.  He  is  a  Master  Mason,  member  of  Winona 
Lodge,  No.  18.  Married  and  has  two  children.  One  in  business 
college,  one  in  the  normal  school. 

Empire  Luimber  Company. — This  is  a  joint  stock  com])any,  or- 
ganized under  the  laws  of  Wisconsin,  in  1881,  and  has  a  capital  stock 
of  $800,000.  The  officers  of  the  company  are  :  President,  D.  H. 
Ingraham,  of  Eau  Claire,  Wisconsin;  vice-president,  D.  M.  Dulany, 
Hannibal.  Missouri ;  secretary,  Charles  Horton,  AVinona,  Minnesota. 
The  business  of  the  company  consists  in  manufacturing  and  dealing  in 
lumber.  Their  mills  are  at  Eau  Claire,  Wis. ,  and  Dubuque,  la.  Yards 
at  Winona,  Minn.,  Dubuque,  la.,  andPLmnibal,  Mo.  TheWinonabusi- 
ness  at  present  is  confined  to  dealing  in  lumber  and  the  manufacture  of 
dressed  lumber,  sash,  doors,  blinds,  frames  and  carpenters'  materials. 
The  company's  premises  at  this  place  front  1,200  feet  on  the  river 
running  eastward  that  distance  from  Vine  street  and  extend  from 
the  river  to  First  street.  Here  they  have  erected  a  planing-mill  60 
X80,  an  engine-house  2-4x50,  a  sash,  door  and  blind  manufactory  42 
XlOO,  and  a  store-room  64x150.  The  engine-room  is  supplied  with 
a  Reynolds  Corliss  engine  of  75-horse  power,  the  planing-mill  with 
two  matchers,  surfacers,  resawing  machines,  moulders,  etc.,  and  has 
a  capacity  of  40,000  a  day.  The  business  is  mainly  contract  work, 
but  little  being  manufactured  for  the  general  market.  The  drykiln 
has  a  capacity  of  10,000  feet  a  day,  and  the  product  is  all  used  in 
the  shop.     Employes  during  the  summer  season  number  about  140. 

Charles  Horton,  secretary  of  the  company,  and  manager  of  its 
interests  at  this  point,  is  a  native  of  New  York  ;  came  to  Winona  in 
1856,  and  has  been  in  lumber  business  here  since  that  date,  first  in 
connection  with  L.  C.  Porter,  and  afterward  with  Alexander  Hamil- 
ton, with  whom  he  was  in  partnership  as  a  lumber  dealer  from  1860- 
80.  Mr.  Horton  is  married  and  has  five  children,  four  of  them  in 
attendance  at  the  city  schools. 

G.  K.  Adams,  foreman  of  the  manufacturing  department  of  the 
Empire  Lumber  Company,  is  a  native  of  Rome,  New  York,  and 
learned  his  trade  in  the  sash,  door  and  blind  factory  of  IT.  S.  Crosby 


MANUFACTURING    INDUSTRIES. 


509 


&  Co. ,  in  that  city.  He  came  to  Winona  in  1866,  and  was  for  eleven 
years  foreman  in  tlie  factory  of  Conrad  Bolm  before  coming  to  his 
present  position  with  the  Empire  company,  which  he  did  upon  the 
completion  of  their  sash,  door  and  blind  factory.  Mr.  Adams  is 
married  and  has  two  children,  one  in  the  Winona  high  school.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  connected 
with  the  A.  O.  U.  D.  and  A.  L.  H.  beneficiary  associations. 

CoNBAD  BoHN,  manufacturer  of  sash,  doors,  blinds,  mouldings 
and  dressed  lumber.  This  house  affords  another  example  of 
Winona's  growth  in  industrial  enterprise,  showing  how,  from  small 
beginnings,  mammoth  enterprises  have  been  successfully  built  up 
and  a  constantly  increasing  volume  of  business  secured.  Mr.  Bohn 
came  to  Winona  in  1857,  very  early  in  the  history  of  the  now  thriv- 


BoHN    MaNUFA<  TURING    Co.Mi'ANY. 

ing  city,  and  established  business  as  a  carpenter  and  builder.  In 
1866  he  started  a  small  planing-mill  on  the  corner  of  Main  and 
Sanborn  streets  ;  principally  for  the  preparation  of  builders'  material, 
and  conducted  operations  there  until  1873,  when  he  removed  to  his 
present  location  at  the  corner  of  Front  and  Laird  streets.  His 
property  lies  principally  between  Front  street  and  the  river  on  both 
sides  of  Laird  street,  'it  has  a  frontage  of  400  feet  on  Front  street, 
of  300  feet  on  the  river.  Here,  in  1873-4,  Mr.  Bohn  erected  a  two- 
story  and  a-half  frame  manufactory  50x100  feet,  and  a  brick  engine 
and  boiler  house  45  X  60  feet.  These  buildings  were  burned  in  1875, 
and  immediately  replaced  by  others,  the  new  manufactory  being  ten 
feet  wider  than  the  old  one.  The  following  year,  1876,  a  two-story 
warehouse,  50  X 120  feet,  was  built.  This  building  is  used  solely  for 
storing  and  glazing,  and  is  connected  with  the  main  manufactoiy 


510  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

by  an  elevated  gangway.     In  1880  a  three-story  addition,  40x80 
feet,  was  built  to  the  main  manufactory ;  and  in  1882  the  old  engines 
of  seventy-live  liorse  power  were  removed  and  engines  of  double 
that    capacity    substituted.     In    addition    to    the    buildings    here 
enumerated  are  the  drying  kilns  which  have  a  capacity  of  8,000 
feet  of  lumber  a  day,  and  sheds  and  temporary  structures  covering 
an  area  of  several  thousand  square  feet.     Some  conception  of  the 
operations  of  the  manufactory  may  be  gained  from  a  statement  of 
the  raw  material  daily  used.     From  20,000  to  25,000  feet  of  lumber 
are  daily  manufactured  into  doors,  blinds,  sash,  etc.,  besides  which 
they  turn  out  from  20,000  to  80,000  feet  of  dressed  lumber.     The 
regular  monthly  product  of  the  manufactory  is,  4,000  to  4,500  doors, 
an  equal  number  of  glazed  sash  and  from  2,000  to  3,000  pair  of 
blinds,  and  their  working  force  125  men,  of  whom  from  40  to  50 
are  employed  in  the  manufactory.     Their  principal  market  is  in  the 
northwest,  with    a    smaller    demand    from    the    southwest.     The 
premises   are   well   provided   with   shipping  facilities,  as   the  spur 
tracks  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railroad  extend  along  their 
entire  front,  and  cars  are  loaded  and  unloaded  from  their  doors. 
Their  office  is  connected  with  the  City  Telephone  Exchange,  heated 
with  steam,   and  furnished  with  all  necessary   appliances  for   the 
conduct  of  their  constantly  growing  business.     In  1880,  in  connec- 
tion with  Gebhard  Bohn  and  Geo.  W.  Bohn,  his  brother  and  son, 
Mr.    Conrad  Bohn  started  a  branch  house   in   St.   Paul ;    ^  depot 
of  supplies  for  the  immense  building  demand  of  that  market.     This 
establishment  gives  steady  employment  to  thirty  men  and  nine  teams. 
September  15,  1882,  the  business  was  converted  into  a  joint  stock 
company  with  a  capital  stock  of  $200,000,  one  half  paid  up.     The 
officers   of  the  company  are:  Conrad   Bohn,  jiresident;  Gebhard 
Bohn,   secretary  ;  Geo.  W.  Bohn,  treasurer.     The  business  of  the 
manufactory  had  assumed  such  proportions  that  in  1882  Mr.  Bohn 
determined  to  discontinue  the  business  of  contracting  and  building, 
in  whieli  he  had  been  engaged  for  twenty-five  j^ears,  and  with  the 
expiration  of  tlieir  present  contracts  his  work  as  builder  will  be 
closed  out.     During  the  twenty-four  years  he  has  followed  contracting 
and  building  Mr.  Bohn  has  erected  some  of  the  notable  structures 
of  the  state,  among  which  may  be   mentioned  the   State  Normal 
School.  Winona,  and  addition  to  the  State  Insane  Asylum  in  1873. 
With  the  exception  of  a  partnership  with  Wilse  in  1880-1,  Mr.  Bohn 


MAJSrUFACTURESTG    INDUSTRIES. 


511 


conducted  business  alone  until  the  formation  of  the  stock  company 
last  September. 

Mr.  Bohn  was  born  in  Hesse-Cassel,  Germany,  in  1836  ;  came  to 
New  York  in  1851  ;  was  in  that  city  five  years,  following  his  trade  as 
a  carpenter  and  builder,  and  in  1856  came  to  Chicago ;  from  there 
one  year  later  to  Winona,  where  he  has  kfept  pace  with  the  growth 
of  her  industries,  himself  no  inconsiderable  factor  in  the  sum  total  of 

her  prosperity. 

Stroth  &  Aheens,  planing-mill,  sash,   doors  and  blinds.     This 
manufacturing  establishment  is  located  on  the  corner  of  Front  and 
Franklin  streets,  on  a  lot  210  X 140  feet.     The  business  was  estab- 
lished in  1866  as  Rose  &  Co.,  but  was  virtually  the  same  establish- 
ment as  at  present,  although  it  did  not  assume  its  present  firm  title  ' 
until  two   years  later.     Their  buildings   are  a  main   manufactory, 
50X70  feet,  with  an  addition  22x28  feet,  the  whole  two  stories  in 
height  and  an  engine-room  22x45  feet.     The    engines  are  of  40 
horse-power,  and  the  capacity  of  the  planing-mill  from  12,000  to 
15,000  feet  per  day.     Business  consists  in  furnishing  doors,  frames, 
mouldings,  cornice  stuff  and  all  carpenters'  materials  upon  contract, 
as  well  as  manufacturing  general  stock  for  which  their  principal 
market  is  Chicago.     The  manufactory  employs  a  force  of  'thirty-five 
hands  on  an  average,  and  business  for  1882  was  about  twenty-five 
per  cent  in  advance  of  previous  season.     The  members  of  the  firm 
are  C.  F.  Schroth  &  Henry  Ahrens. 

C.  F.  Schroth  is  one  of  the  old  residents  of  Winona,  having 
taken  up  his  residence  here  m  1856  ;  has  been  engaged  in  business 
for  himself  since  he  was  about  sixteen  years  of  age  ;  is  married,  has 
two  children  in  the  schools  of  the  city. 

NooNAN  &  Stellwagen,  Contractors  and  builders,  office  and 
manufactory  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Third  and  Yine  streets. 
This  business  was  originally  established  by  Wm.  Rohweder,  in  1863, 
and  was  conducted  by  him  with  some  changes  in  the  firm  until  1877. 
John  Stellwagen  purchased  an  interest  in  the  business,  the  firm 
becoming  Rohweder  &  Stellwagen.  The  following  year  Rohweder 
sold  his  interest  to  Wm.  Noonan,  who  had  been  taking  small  con- 
tracts here  for  several  years,  and  the  firm  became  Noonau  &  Stell- 
wagen. Both  members  of  the  firm  are  excellent  mechanics,  and 
their  business  has  rapidly  increased  during  the  four  years  they  have 
conducted  it,  their  contracts  for  the  current  year  aggregating  |100,- 
000.     Their  manufactory  for  the  preparation  of  building  materials, 


512  illSTOUY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

is  located  on  Vine  street,  between  Second  and  Tliird.  It  is  a  two- 
storv  frame  bniMing,  30x50  feet,  with  a  one-story  addition,  18x50 
feet,  supplied  with  an  engine  of  twelve-horse  power,  and  fully 
equip] )ed  with  such  machinery  as  is  required  in  their  business. 
They  own  a  frontage  of  110  feet  on  Tliird  street  and  150  feet  on 
Vine,  with  a  comfortable  office,  sheds  for  storage,  etc.  They 
emi)loy  from  fifteen  to  thirty  hands,  according  to  season  and  press 
of  business.  Among  their  more  important  constructions  are  the 
Winona  Mill  Company's  mill,  German  Luther  schoolhouse.  Congre- 
gational church  interior,  })low  factory,  and  have  now  under  contract 
the  German  Catholic  church,  except  the  stonework,  stained-glass 
windows  and  interior  furniture.  Outside  of  the  city  they  have  taken 
some  good  contracts,  among  them  the  Kasson  school  building,  at 
a  oost  of  $14,000. 

Wm.  Noonan  was  born  in  Perth,  Ontario,  in  1839,  learned  his 
trade  there,  removed  to  Winona  in  1866,  and  has  worked  as  journey- 
man carpenter  or  contractor  in  this  city  ever  since.  Was  elected  a 
member  of  the  city  council  in  1877,  and  represented  his  ward  during 
two  terms,  retiring  from  office  in  1881.  Mr.  Noonan  is  a  member 
of  the  Catholic  church,  married,  has  four  children,  all  in  attendance 
upon  the  public  schools  of  this  city. 

John  Stellwagen  is  a  native  of  Hesse-Darmstadt,  born  in  1846, 
came  to  America  with  his  parents  when  an  infant,  and  in  1861 
settled  with  them  in  Winona  county.  Learned  his  trade  as  a  car- 
penter in  Utica  township,  and  in  1875  came  to  this  city.  Was 
foreman  for  C^^nrad  Bohn  when  that  contractor  was  erecting  the  first 
wing  of  the  old  Rochester  Inebriate  Asylum  in  1876.  Mr.  Stell- 
wagen is  a  member  of  the  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  and  Druid  fraternities, 
is  married,  and  his  children,  six  in  number,  are  all  in  attendance 
upon  the  city  schools. 

A.  W.  Gage  &  Co.,  contractors  and  builders,  manufacturers  of 
sash,  doors  and  blinds.  The  senior  member  of  this  firm  is  one  of 
Winona's  pioneer  business  men,  having  continuously  conducted  opera- 
tions in  this  city  since  the  fall  of  1855,  a  period  of  twenty-six  years. 
After  following  his  trade  as  a  carpenter  and  builder,  in  this  city,  for 
nine  years,  Mr.  Gage  built  his  manufactoi-y  for  sash,  doors,  blinds 
and  building  material,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city,  on  lower  Front 
street,  near  the  present  location  of  the  Empire  Lumber  Company,  to 
which  corporation  he  sold  his  real  estate  in  that  location  in  the  fall 
of  1882,  after  conducting  business  there  for  eighteen  years.     The 


MANUFACTURING    INDUSTRIES.  513 

manufactory  at  this  point  was  a  two-story  frame  building,  42x76 
feet,  and  the  business  of  the  firm  employs  a  force  of  from  fifteen  to 
twenty-five  mechanics.  Some  of  the  buildings  erected  by  Mr.  Gage 
are  veritable  landmarks,  not  only  in  this  city,  but  in  the  state.  The 
old  Methodist  Episcopal  church  erected  by  liim  in  1856,  and  still  doing 
duty  as  a  place  of  worship  for  the  Scandinavian  Lutheran  church, 
was  the  pioneer  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  the  state,  and  is  so 
noted  in  the  records  of  that  denomination.  The  old  frame  court- 
house, which  ^11  good  citizens  desire  to  see  replaced  by  a  new  one, 
was  built  by  Mr.  Gage,  twenty  years  ago,  on  the  corner  of  Third 
and  Washington  streets.  Among  the  more  modern  buildings 
erected  by  him  are  the  present  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  the 
Episcopal  church  and  the  Presbyterian  church,  allot  them  substantial 
brick  and  stone  structures  ;  also  the  Madison  school,  the  Republican 
block,  Choate's,  Mues',  Wakefield's,  and  other  business  blocks,  and 
many  of  the  finest  private  dwellings  in  the  city.  His  building 
operations  outside  of  the  city  and  county  have  been  quite  extensive. 
Among  these  may  be  mentioned  the  Caledonia  jail,  reputed  one  of 
the  finest  in  the  state,  costing  $35,000. 

The  members  of  the  firm  are  A.  W.  Gage  and  Daniel  Gage. 

A.  W.  Gage  was  born  in  Susquehanna,  Pennsylvania,  April  26, 
18.^2.  Received  such  an  education  as  the  schools  of  his  neighborhood 
afforded.  Learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  at  which  he  worked  during 
the  summer,  teaching  school  in  winter,  until  1853,  when  he  came  to 
Dubuque,  Iowa,  where  he  was  foreman  in  the  mill  of  C.  H.  Dickin- 
son &  Co.  until  coming  to  this  city  in  the  spring  of  1855.  Mr. 
Gage  has  always  devoted  his  attention  to  business  and  declined  any 
official  connection  with  municipal  affairs  until  the  spring  of  1881, 
when  he  was  elected  alderman  of  the  second  ward,  and  is  the  pres- 
ent chairman  of  the  waterworks  committee ;  a  most  important  post 
in  view  of  the  erection  of  the  new  waterworks  building  and  the 
completion  of  the  water-supply  system  of  the  city.  September  6, 
1856,  A.  W.  Gage  was  married  to  Miss  Christie  E.  Gage.  Of  their 
three  children,  two  only  are  living,  Miss  M.  E.  Gage,  now  teaching 
in  the  city  schools,  and  A.  John  Gage,  now  in  attendance  at  the 
normal  school.  Their  eldest  son,  F.  T.  Gage,  died  in  this  city 
September  21,  1881,  aged  twenty-four  years. 

Daniel  Gage  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  Learned  his  trade  in 
Binghamton,  N.  Y.,  and  in  1856  came  to  Minnesota,  settling  in 
Belle  Plaine,  Scott  countj^,  from  which  place  he  removed  to  Winona 


514  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

in  1858.  Here  he  followed  his  trade,  working  in  town  and  in  the 
surrounding  country  until  1864,  when  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
his  cousin,  A.  W.  Gage,  which  has  remained  unbroken  during  a 
period  of  eighteen  years.  The  first  building  erected  by  the  lirra 
was  the  Presbyterian  church,  now  standing  on  the  corner  of  Fifth 
and  Main  streets.  Mr,  Daniel  Gage  is  married  and  has  three 
children  in  attendance  upon  the  city  schools. 

Samuel  D.  Van  Gorder,  contractor,  is  a  native  of  Chemung 
county,  New  York.  At  ten  years  of  age  he  left  home  to  try  his 
luck  in  the  world,  and  six  years  later  was  running  a  sash,  door  and 
blind  factory  on  his  own  account,  at  Catharine,  in  his  native  state. 
He  was  engaged  in  this  business  and  in  canalboat  building  until  he 
came  to  Winona,  in  1856.  That  same  season,  in  company  with  Joel 
Mallory,  he  built  the  first  road  leading  into  Winona,  a  road  across 
the  slough  from  the  city  to  Sugar  Loaf  Bluflt,  and  also  the  road  over 
the  Stockton  Bluffs.  In  September  of  that  year  he  went  to  Chicago, 
and  purchasing  machinery  for  a  sash,  blind  and  door  factory  that 
same  fall,  in  company  with  Thomas  Simpson  and  one  Evans,  com- 
menced manufacturing.  The  following  January  the  factory  was 
sold  out  to  Hamilton  &  Robinson,  and  Mr.  Van  Gorder  bought  out 
James  Harlan's  interest  in  the  sawmill  erected  by  that  gentleman 
and  James  Wycoff  in  the  fall  and  winter  of  1855.  This  business 
was  conducted  until  the  spring  of  1861,  when  differences  of  opinion 
concerning  the  management  of  affairs  arising,  it  was  mutually  agreed 
to  receive  an  order  from  the  court  for  the  sale  of  the  property,  which 
was  accordingly  done,  and  the  property  bought  in  by  Mr.  Harlan 
for  Van  Gorder,  but  before  business  was  resumed  the  mill  was  acci- 
dentally burned.  He  was  then  in  the  lumber  trade  for  eighteen 
months,  when  he  sold  out  to  Mr.  Laird,  and  took  the  contract  for 
driving  the  piles  for  the  elevator  and  bridges  of  the  Winona  &  St. 
Peter  railway.  In  com]>any  with  Joel  and  R.  P.  Mallory,  he  built 
all  the  small  bridges  along  the  line  of  the  old  transit  road  as  far  as 
Rochester,  and  graded  one  mile  of  its  track.  In  the  fall  of  1863  he 
took  charge  of  the  lumber,  wood  and  tie  supplies  of  the  railroad,  hold- 
ing that  position  one  year.  In  1865  he  put  a  ferrj^-boat  upon  the 
river  at  this  point,  and  there  being  no  eligible  landiqg  on  the  oppo- 
site shore,  was  obliged  to  land  at  the  old  stone  house  four  miles  up 
the  river.  The  first  season  eleven  teams  were  taken  across.  This 
ferry  was  sold  to  the  city  in  1880.  In  1869  Mr.  Van  Gorder  opened 
a  stone  quarry  across  the  river,  and  contracted  to  furidsh  and  ferry 


MANUFACTURING    INDUSTRIES.  515 

the  stone  for  the  railroad  bridge  over  the  river  at  this  point.  The 
city  having  built  a  road  across  the  Wisconsin  bottoms  to  the  blutfs 
in  1867,  he  was  interested  in  establishing  a  stage  route  into  Wiscon- 
sin, and  providing  for  its  transfer  over  the  river.  In  company  with 
one,  Jenkins,  in  1879,  he  took  a  government  contract  of  $20,000  for 
river  improvement.  In  connection  with  the  waterworks  improve- 
ments of  tills  year,  he  laid  about  1,800  feet  of  water-main  for  the 
city,  and  dug  the  well  at  the  works,  fifty-two  feet  diameter,  depth  of 
stone  curbing  twenty-eight  feet.  In  October,  1882,  he  contracted 
with  the  city  to  build  a  road  across  the  Wisconsin  bottoms,  one  and 
a  quarter  miles  long,  bridged  and  graded  above  high-water  mark. 
He  was  chief  of  city  police  during  the  years  1877-78-80-81.  Is  a 
member  of  Winona  Lodge,  No.  18,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  of  Winona 
Chapter,  No.  5,  R.  A.  M.,  and  of  Coeur  de  Lion  Commandery,  No.  3. 
Mr.  Yan  Gorder  has  never  married,  but  since  his  fifteenth  year  has 
chai-ged  liiraself  with  the  support  of  his  parents  and  an  invalid  sister 
now  living  with  him. 

Nicholas  Monk,  contractor  for  stone  and'  brick  work,  is  a  native 
of  Germany,  born  in  1842.  He  learned  his  trade  in  Holstein,  his 
native  place,  and  came  to  the  United  States  in  1867,  settling  in 
Winona  the  same  year.  The  stone  and  brick  work  of  the  Postofiice 
block,  the  Stevens^  block,  the  Wakefield  block,  the  Congregational 
Church,  and  the  new  waterworks  building  and  stand-pipe,  are  speci- 
mens of  his  mechanical  skill.  During  the  building  season  he 
employs  a  considerable  force  of  men,  according  to  the  demands  of 
business.  His  waterworks  contract,  for  building  and  stand-pipe 
moving,  is  $22,000.  Mr.  Monk  has  a  wife  and  two  children  living, 
one  of  the  children  now  in  the  city  schools. 

DoDD,  Son  &  Co.,  manufacturers  of  flour  barrels,  central  office 
and  main  manufactory  at  Winona,  branch  manufactories  at  La  Crosse 
Wisconsin,  and  Hokah,  Lanesboro  and  Isenourse,  Minnesota.  The 
business  of  this  firm  consists  in  preparing  material  for  flour  barrels 
and  manufacturing  them,  and  no  better  sample  of  a  growing  Winona 
industry  could  be  given  than  the  history  of  the  operations  of  this 
firm  affords.  During  the  twenty  j^ears  of  their  existence  here  they 
have  grown  from  a  small  hand  manufactory,  employing  two  or  three 
hands,  to  a  giant  industry,  working  extensive  machinery  and  em- 
ploying a  force  of  140  operatives.  Business  was  begun  in  this  city 
in  1862  by  Chauncey  Doud,  who  had  previously  been  engaged  in 
similar  business  in  New  York  and  Illinois.  The  name  of  the  firm 
30 


516  HISTORY    OF    WLNONA    COUNTY. 

was  Doud  &  Son,  the  "son"  being  at  that  time  in  charge  of  operations 
in  Wisconsin.  Their  fiivst  factory  was  located  on  Grand  street,  between 
Second  and  Third,  and  from  there  was  removed  to  Wilson  street, 
one  block  east  of  the  original  location,  in  1864.  Here  they  remained, 
gradually  extending  operations  until  they  were  burned  out,  in  July, 
1880,  when  a  move  was  made  to  their  present  location.  When  the 
firm  became  Doud,  Son  &  Co.,  in  March,  1874,  their  manufactory 
had  grown  to  include  two  shops,  each  22  X  50,  in  which  a  force  of 
twenty-five  hands  was  employed,  with  a  product  of  a  little  more  than 
300  barrels  a  day,  no  machinery  being  used.  One  of  these  shops 
was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1875,  and  a  new  one  immediately  erected, 
24x100  feet.  In  1878  an  addition  of  40  feet  was  made  to  this 
building,  and  machinery  put  in  for  champering,  leveling,  crozing 
and  tressing.  By  this  means  their  capacity  was  increased  to  800 
barrels  a  day,  with  an  actual  product  of  about  four-fifths  that 
amount.  When  these  buildings  were  destroyed  by  fire,  July  17, 
1880,  Doud,  Son  &  Co.  removed  to  their  present  location  on  the 
north  side  of  Mark  street,  just  east  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St. 
Paul  passenger  depot,  where  they  immediately  rebuilt  and  resumed 
operations.  Their  property  extends  along  Mark  street  a  distance  of 
332  feet,  runs  to  the  alley  in  the  rear,  and  fronts  the  tracks  of  the 
Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  "railroad,  with  which  they  have 
ample  switch  connections.  Upon  these  premises,  in  1880,  they 
erected  a  two-stc-ry  frame  manufactory,  140x28  feet,  and  a  store- 
house, 100  X  26  feet.  They  also  erected,  the  same  year,  on  ground 
leased  from  the  railroad  company,  and  along  the  main  track  of  that 
corporation,  a  one-story  stockhouse,  24x100  feet.  In  1881  an  ad- 
dition of  112  feet  was  made  to  the  manufactory  and  of  100  feet  to 
the  storehouse,  making  these  buildings  252  feet  and  200  feet  respec- 
tively. When  the  1881  additions  were  made  the  firm  duplicated 
their  machinery,  and  they  have  now  in  operation  two  complete 
sets,  with  an  aggregate  capacity  of  2,000  barrels  daily,  an  actual 
product  of  1,500  barrels  a  day,  and  a  working  force  of  140  hands. 
The  Messrs.  Doud  have  largely  manufactured  their  own  staves 
from  the  beginning  of  their  business,  but  prior  to  1876  this  work 
was  done  where  their  barrel  manufactories  were  located.  Since 
that  date  their  stave  factories  have  been  in  the  woods.  These  fac- 
tories were  located  at  Doudville  and  Kudolph,  in  Wood  county, 
Wisconsin,  and  gave  employment  to  a  force  of  eighty  operatives  and 
nine  teams  prior  to  the  disastrous  fire  of  May  28,  1882,  by  which 


MAISTJFACTURING    ESTDUSTRIES.  517 

their  Doudville  factory  and  store  were  burned,  and  a  loss  of  $40,000 
sustained.  The  location  at  Doudville  was  then  abandoned  and  a 
new  factory  erected  at  Pittsville,  in  the  same  county.  No  statistics 
of  the  Wisconsin  and  other  Minnesota  barrel  manufactories  are 
given,  these  not  being  legitimately  connected  with  Winona  county 
industries.  The  product  of  the  Winona  manufactory  is  largely 
marketed  at  home ;  the  other  along  the  lines  of  the  Minnesota 
Southern  railroad.  The  present  members  of  the  firm  are  C.  Dowd, 
K.  T.  Dowd,  C.  G.  Doud  and  Geo.  S.  Doud. 

Chauncy  Doud,  the  senior  member  of  the  firm,  was  born  in 
Turin,  Lewis  county,  JStew  York,  August  15,  1809;  was  brought  up 
on  a  farm,  and  followed  that  business  from  his  youth  until  1849, 
when  he  ^ceased  farming  and  gave  his  whole  attention  to  barrel 
manufacturing,  a  business  in  which  he  had  been  more  or  less  engaged 
for  some  years.  Leaving  New  York  in  1837,  Mr.  Doud  removed  to 
St.  Clair  county,  Michigan,  farmed  it  five  years,  then  located  in 
Oswego,  Kendall  county,  [llinois,  where  he  was  engaged  in  farming 
from  1842  to  1849,  at  which  time  he  removed  to  Lockport,  Will 
county,  in  the  same  state,  and  established  his  barrel  raaimfactory,  an 
industry  he  has  now  constantly  followed  for  thirty-three  years. 
Marcli  7,  1834,  Chauncey  Doud  married  Sarah  C.  Comstock,  of  Phila- 
delphia, Jefferson  county,  New  York,  with  whom  he  has  now  been 
living  almost  a  full  half-century.  They  have  six  children  :  two  sons, 
members  of  the  firm  of  Doud,  Son  &  Go.,  and  four  daughters,  tliree 
of  them  married,  and  residing  out  of  the  state,  and  one  unmarried, 
residing  at  home. 

The  L.  C.  Portek  Milling  Company  was  organized  under  the 
firm  name  of  Porter  &  Mowbray  in  1874,  and  so  continued  until 
1879,  when  L.  C.  Porter  bought  out  the  interest  of  Mr.  Mowbray  and 
continued  the  business  under  the  name  it  now  bears.  The  property 
occupied  by  this  industry  extends  along  the  riverfront  eastward  from 
Market  street  430  feet,  and  runs  southward  one  block  and  a  half. 
Upon  this  property,  in  1874,  their  mill  was  erected,  a  five-story 
frame  building,  70  X  40  feet,  provided  with  nine  run  of  stone  and  having 
a  capacity  of  250  barrels  of  flour  a  day.  Their  engine  and  boiler 
house  was  a  two-story  brick,  36x70,  built  the  same  year.  Three 
years  later  they  built  their  elevator,  50  X  70  feet  and  sixty  feet  in 
height,  having  a  capacity  of  50,000  bushels.  This  was  increased  in 
1882  to  90,000  bushels  storage,  and  a  handling  capacity  of  5,000 
bushels  per  day.     The  capacity  of  the  mill  was  increased  from  time  to 


518 


JIISTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 


time  until  in  ISSl  It  had  attained  a  capacity  of  500  barrels  a  day,  using 
both  rollers  and  burrs.  The  mill  was  then  comi)letely  remodeled,  the 
number  of  rollers  increased  to  twenty-two  and  the  capacity  enlarii^ed 
to  r)00  barrels.  The  redaction  is  done  on  rollers,  tlie  pulverizing  of 
the  middlings  on  burrs,  of  which  there  are  live  run.  The  capacity  of 
the  engines  in  the  mill  are  rated  300  horse-power,  the  elevator  is 
supplied  with  a  separate  engine  of  25  horse-power.  Grain  is  sup- 
plied from  their  own  warehouses  and  elevators  along  the  line  of  the 
Winona  &  St.  Peter  railway.  Of  these  they  have  now  in  opera- 
tion about  twenty,  and  will  double  that  number  next  season.  Of  the 
grain  thus  received  from  points  westward  as  far  as  the  Dakota  grain 
fields,  only  the  choicest  samples  are  used  for  milling  purposes,  the 


The  L.  C.  Porter  Milling  ( O.mi' any. 

inferior  grades  being  shipped  to  the  eastern  market.  They  also 
handle  great  quantities  of  salt  and  coal  through  their  western  ware- 
houses. Shipments  of  fiour  are  principally  to  the  eastern  home  mar- 
ket and  to  the  ports  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  Sawdust  is  used 
exclusively  for  fuel,  and  their  mill  was  the  first  one  employing  steam 
power  exclusively  in  the  state,  such  power  being  deemed  too  costly 
for  profitable  employment.  The  various  departments  of  their  busi- 
ness are  officered  as  follows :  O.  L.  Marheld,  in  charge  of  wheat 
department ;  W.  TI.  Sims,  head  miller  ;  F.  A.  Coons,  chief  engineer. 
The  whole  force  of  the  mill  is  about  sixty  hands. 

For  a  personal  sketch  of  Mr.  L.   C.   Porter,  see  First  National 
Bank. 

F.  A.  Coones,  chief  engineer  of  the  Porter  Milling  Company,  is  a 
native  of  Ontario,  Canada;  learned  his  trade  as  a  machinist  in  St. 


MANlJFACTLTRIlSrG    INDUSTRIES.  519 

Louis  and  came  to  this  city  in  1866.  Was  in  the  sliops  of  the  Phoenix 
Iron  Works  two  years,  the  engineer  for  Yonmans  Bros.  &  Hodgins 
one  year,  then  in  the  same  position  for  Laird,  Morton  &  Co.  eight 
years,  at  the  expiration  of  which  time  he  entered  the  service  of  the 
Porter  Milling  Company.  Mr.  Coones  is  married  and  has  one  child. 
He  is  a  member  of  Prairie  Lodge,  No.  7,  I.O.O.F.,  and  also  a 
stockholder  in  the  Winona  Building  Association. 

O.  L.  Marfield,  supe'rintendent  of  grain  department  of  the  Porter 
Milling  Company,  is  a  native  of  Ohio  ;  was  bred  a  miller  at  Chil- 
licothe,  in  that  state,  and  conducted  milling  business  there  on  his 
own  account  from  1860  until  he  came  to  Minnesota  for  his  health  in 
August,  1881,  and  assumed  charge  of  the  wheat  department  of  this 
house. 

W.  H.  Sims,  head  miller  of  the  Porter  Milling  Company,  is  a 
native  of  England  ;  followed  the  trade  of  miller,  to  which  he  was 
bred,  for  twelve  years  in  his  native  country  before  coming  to  Winona 
in  1866.  Was  in  charge  of  the  mill  of  H.  Miller,  his  brother-in  law, 
at  Minnesota  City,  in  this  county,  previous  to  accepting  the  position 
of  head  miller  with  the  L.  C.  Porter  Milling  Company  in  1879. 

N.  C.  Gault,  manufacturer  of  Schoonmaker's  patent  copper  light- 
ning cable.  This  industry  is  of  recent  establishment,  the  letters 
patent  under  which  the  manufacture  is  conducted  bearing  date  June 
28,  1881.  These  letters  patent  cover  both  the  idea  and  process  of 
forming  a  hollow  zinc  wire,  overlaid  with  sheet  copper,  and  twisting 
the  same  into  a  continuous  flexible  cable.  The  advantages  of  the 
cable  rod  are  its  superior  conducting  properties,  its  unbroken  contin- 
uation from  the  point  above  the  standard  to  its  ground  termination, 
its  indestructibility,  and  its  absolute  flexibility,  by  means  of  which 
it  is  capable  of  the  most  natural  adjustment  to  all  surfaces.  The 
portion  above  the  roof  is  strengthened  by  the  insertion  of  a  solid 
steel  rod  in  the  center  chamber  of  the  spiral,  which  gives  abundant 
security  against  possible  displacement.  The  manufacture  is  super- 
intended by  the  patentee,  who  has  assigned  all  his  right  therein  to 
H.  D.  Morse  and  N.  C.  Gault.  The  manufactory  is  a  two-story 
frame  building  on  the  alley  between  Second  and  Third  streets,  in 
the  rear  of  the  '  'Tribune"  building,  20  X  70  feet.  The  manufactory  has 
a  present  capacity  of  5,000  feet  of  cable  per  day,  with  the  hand 
machine  now  in  use,  but  this  capacity  will  be  more  than  doubled  by 
the  introduction  of  some  motor  the  coming  season.  Their  cable 
coils  are  from  250  feet  to  500  feet  in  length,  of  two  sizes,  one  having 


520  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY, 

a  diameter  of  nine-sixteenths  of  an  inch,  the  other  of  five-eighths  of 
an  inch.  They  also  manufacture  gold  and  silver  plated  points, 
arrows  and  vanes,  as  well  as  the  necessary  standards.  The  manu- 
facture is  exclusively  for  wholesale  trade,  as  the  manufacturers  are 
not  engaged  in  ]>utting  up  rods.  Though  yet  in  its  infancy,  the 
demand  is  rapidly  extending,  and  already  some  fifty  firms  are 
handling  the  rod  in  the  various  northwestern  states. 

The  proprietor,  N.  C.  Gault,  is  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  born 
near  Concord,  in  that  state,  in  1822  ;  was  brought  up  on  the  home 
farm,  and  followed  farming  until  coming  to  Winona  in  April, 
1856.  He  was  engaged  in  the  hardware  trade  here  until  1863  ; 
closed  business,  and  the  following  year  entered  the  United  States 
service  with  the  11th  reg.  Minn.  Inf.;  was  soon  after  enlistment 
elected  quartermaster  of  the  regiment,  and  served  with  it  until 
it  was  mustered  out.  Returning  to  Winona  he  was  appointed 
United  States  ganger  for  the  first  congressional  district  of  Minnesota, 
and  served  until  1875,  during  part  of  which  time  he  was  oil  inspector 
under  state  appointment.  Since  1875  was  not  actively  in  business 
until  he  engaged  in  his  present  industry.  He  is  a  prominent  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church  in  this  city,  in  which  he  has  held  the  office 
of  deacon  twenty-four  years. 

James  H.  Schoon maker,  patentee  and  superintendent  of  manufac- 
tory, is  a  native  of  New  York ;  came  to  Winona  in  1869,  and  for  the 
past  ten  years  has  been  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  lightning 
rods,  principally  the  old  star  rod,  Chadwick's  ])atent,  for  the  firm  of 
Morse,  Miner  &  Co. 

Lamprecht  &  Kaiser,  manufacturers  of  glue,  soap,  tallow  and 
neatsfoot  oil.  This  business  was  established  in  1880,  in  its  present 
location,  block  No.  23,  Bander's  addition  to  the  city  of  Winona. 
Their  buildings  are  respectively  30  X  20  feet  and  36  X  80  feet,  and 
they  employ  an  engine  of  fifteen-horse  power  in  the  manufactory. 
Their  weekly  product  is  1,200  pounds  of  soap,  2,000  pounds  of 
tallow,  4r>0  pounds  of  glue,  and  one-half  barrel  of  neatsfoot  oil,  to 
produce  which  they  employ  four  workmen. 

John  Lamprecht  was  born  in  Prussia  in  1843,  was  bred  a 
machinist,  came  to  America  in  1867,  and  worked  at  his  trade  in 
Chicago  until  he  came  to  Winona  in  1880. 

Emil  Kaiser  was  bom  in  Baden,  Germany,  in  1848  ;  learned  the 
trade  of  soapmaker  in  his  native  country,  from  whicli  he  came  to 
America  in   1868.     In  1870  he  settled  in  Winona,  and  conducted 


MANUFACTURING    mDUSTRIES. 


521 


business  at  the  corner  of  Mark  and  Huff  streets  prior  to  establishing 
his  manufactory  in  block  23. 

SuCxAR  Loaf  Brewery,  P.  Bub,  proprietor.     This  manufactory 
was  established  in  its  present  location  in  1862,  by  Jacob  Weisbrod, 
at  which  time  it  had  a  capacity  of  about  500  barrels  a  year.     This 
capacity  was  increased  from  time  to  time  until  1872,  when  about 
1,000  barrels  a  year  were  manufactured.     In  this  year  the  old  brew- 
ery burned,  and  Peter  Bub,  who  had  been  Mr.  Weisbrod's  foreman 
for  two  years,  purchased  the  property.     This  consists  of  a  tract  of 
about  seven  acres,  at  the  junction  of  the  old  Sugar  Loaf  road,  with 
that  skirting  the  north  shore  of  the  lake.     Here,  in  1872,  Mr.  Bub 
erected  his  brewery,  the  main  structure  48X52  feet,  three  stories  in 
height,  with  a  one-story  addition  24x36  feet,  and  two  icehouses, 
respectively,   60X100  feet  and  20x80  feet.     This  brewery  had  a 
capacity  of  4,000  barrels  a  year.     In  1882  the  whole  was  remodeled 
and  a  new  three-story  stone  building,  52x70  feet,  added,  increasing 
the  capacity  of  the  manufactory  to  20,000  barrels,  with  an  actual 
product  of  about  one-third  that  amount.     The  brewery  proper  as 
it  now  stands  is  a  solid  three-story  stone  structure,  52x118  feet,  and 
cellars  of  2,000  barrels  storage  capacity.     An  additional  icehouse, 
24X36,  has  also  been  built ;  he  harvests  his  own  ice  crop,  keeps  a 
force  of  ten  hands  and  three  teams,  at  least  two-thirds  of.  his  product 
finding  a  ready  market  at  home. 

Mr.  Bub  was  born  in  Bavaria,  in  1842,  was  bred  to  the  brewer's 
trade,  and  at  twenty-five  years  of  age  came  to  America,  direct  to 
Milwaukee,  where  he  was  for  three  years  in  the  employ  of  the  Best 
Brewing  Company  before  coming  to  Winona  in  1870.  Here  he 
was  in  the  employ  of  Jacob  Weisbrod,  as  foreman  two  years,  then 
purchased  the  property. 

The  PtEBUiLDiNG  AND  REPAIRING  Shops  of  the  Wiuoua  &  St.  Peter 
and  the  Dakota  division  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railway 
at  this  point  take  front  rank  among  the  great  industries  of  the  city. 
These  shops  are  located  upon  a  tract  of  forty  acres,  owned  and  occu- 
pied by  the  railway  company,  situated  just  within  the  corporate 
limits  of  the  city  on  the  west.  Upon  this  property  have  been 
erected  from  time  to  time  the  principal  machine  and  other  shops  of 
the  above-named  railway  divisions  ;  miles  of  side-track  have  been 
laid  for  siding  cars,  repairing  same  on  track  and  giving  ingress  and 
egress  to  the  company's  own  trains  of  coal,  iron,  timber  and  other 
supplies.     The  minor  repair  shops  at  Waseca,  Sleepy-Eye,  Tracy, 


522  msToiiY  OF  winona  county. 

Watertown  and  Huron  are  only  brandies  from  this  parent  stem, 
drawing  their  sup})lies  from  this  d^pot,  re))()rting  all  work  done  and 
supplies  furnished  to  these  headquarters,  upon  whose  time-rolls 
they  are  borne  and  upon  whose  ))ay-rolls  they  are  paid.  The  seventy- 
five  engineers  and  firemen  along  both  divisions  in  like  manner 
report  to  and  are  connected  with  this  center,  from  which  emanates 
the  authority  controlling -900  miles  of  track  and  a  working  force  of 
450  mechanics  and  laborers. 

The  buildings  now  standing  upon  this  property  are  :  Machine 
shop  (main  building),  175  feet  long,  sixty-four  feet  wide,  with  walls 
twenty-four  feet  high  ;  opening  into  this  building  is  the  shop  for 
boiler  repairs,  66x40  feet  with  eighteen  feet  walls  ;  the  blacksmith 
shop,  80x40  feet,  with  twenty  feet  walls,  in  which  a  steam  hammer 
has  just  been  placed  that  can  strike  a  ten-ton  blow.  These  buildings 
are  all  of  brick,  solid  stone  foundations  and  truss  roofs.  The  rail 
mill,  a  frame  building  80x40  feet,  in  which  with  a  40-inch  steel 
disk  they  saw  cold  rails  and  drill,  punch,  straighten  and  saw  cold 
iron.  The  power  for  driving  the  macliinery  in  these  four  buildings  is 
supplied  by  an  engine  of  eighty-horse  power,  stationed  in  an  attached 
engine  and  boiler-house,  60x40  feet.  The  roundhouse,  also  of 
brick,  has  stalls  for  twenty-two  engines.  The  water-tank  has  a  ca- 
pacity of  90,000  gallons,  supplied  by  pumps  for  which  the  engine 
fui-nishes  motor.  Water  is  distributed  through  pipes  to  the  several 
buildings  with  head  sufficient  to  afford  protection  in  case  of  fire,  and 
is  also  utilized  for  washing  engines.  The  clerks'  office,  24x40,  is  a 
neat  wooden  building  just  between  the  main  machine  shop  and  the 
main  track  of  the  road  which  traverses  the  yard  from  east  to  west. 
These  buildings  are  all  on  the  south  side  of  the  main  track,  as  are 
also  the  coal  and  sand  houses.  The  house  for  Blossburg  coal,  used- 
in  blacksmith  shop,  is  20X60,  eighteen  feet  high,  with  a  lean-to  for 
charcoal  ;  the  soft  coal  house  is  100x46  with  twenty-foot  posts,  and 
the  sandhouse  40x60  with  eighteen-foot  posts. 

Upon  the  north  side  of  the  track  are  the  main  car  shop,  a  two- 
story  frame  building  150  feet  long  and  SO  feet  wide,  with  a  brick 
engine  and  boiler  room  on  the  northwest,  20  X  20,  with  iron  roof, 
furnished  with  engines  of  forty-horse  power.  This  car  shop  contains 
all  the  machinery  for  woodwork,  the  paint  shop  and  the  uphol- 
sterer's room.  A  second  car  shop,  40x120,  with  a  lean-to  for  cast- 
ings for  cai-  department,  20  X  60  ;  a  storeroom,  60  X  40,  two  stories 
for  casting  and  su]»])lies  for  machinery  department  and  an  oilhouse, 


MANUP^ACTURING    INDUSTRIES.  523 

16X36,  complete  the  buildings  on  north  side  of  track,  and,  with  the 
exception  of  the  bridge  shop,  concludes  the  catalogue  of  the  build- 
ings at  this  point. 

The  oifice  of  the  master  mechanic  is  in  the  main  machine  shop, 
where  with  his  telegraph  operator  at  his  elbow  he  has  direct  commu- 
nication with  every  station  along  the  lines  of  his  double  division. 
The  number  of  men  in  the  employ  of  the  company  at  this  point  are-: 
Machine  shop,  50  ;  boiler  shop,  18 ;  blacksmith  shop,  24  ;  rail  mill, 
16 ;  roundhouse,  40  ;  tin  and  coppersmiths,  5  ;  carpenters  and 
truckmen  in  main  car  shop,  25  ;  laborers,  8  ;  painters,  4  ;  upholsterers, 
1 ;  car  repairers  on  track  and  oilers,  15  ;  engineers  for  stationary 
engines,  2  ;  coal  and  wood  men,  10 ;  storeroom  keepers,  3  ;  a 
clerical  force  of  4  and  1  telegrapli  operator. 

W.  A.  Scott,  master  mechanic,  is  a  native  of  New  York,  and  has 
been  in  the  employ  of  the  company  for  twenty-four  years,  gradually 
working  his  way  up.  In  1867  he  was  appointed  foreman  of  the 
machine  shops  of  the  company  at  Belle  Plaine,  Iowa,  prior  to  which 
time  he  had  been  a  locomotive  engineer  of  six  years'  standing  and 
three  years'  shop  experience.  Was  there  nine  years,  then  transferred 
to  Kendall,  Wisconsin,  from  whicli  place,  after  one  year's  service, 
he  was  assigned  to  duty  as  foreman  of  the  shops  at  Harvard,  Illi- 
nois ;  remained  there  eighteen  months,  when  he  was  appointed  master 
mechanic  of  these  divisions  and  removed  to  Winona  in  1878.  Mr. 
Scott  was  made  a  Master  Mason  in  1862,  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  in 
1863,  and  took  the  commandery  degrees  in  1864.  He  has  held 
many  positions  of  honor  in  the  fraternity.  Was  grand'  treasurer  of 
the  grand  chapter  of  Iowa  in  1874  ;  eminent  commander  of  St.  Ber- 
nard Commandery,  Belle  Plaine,  Iowa,  from  1872-5  ;  generalissimo 
of  Woodstock  Commandery,  Blinois,  in  1876  ;  captain-general  of 
Coeur  de  Lion  Commandery  in  this  city  in  1881,  and  its  most  emi- 
nent commander  in  1882  ;  is  a  member  and  director  of  the  boai-d 
of  trade,  Winona  Mill  Company,  Winona  Wagcm  Company  and  the 
Winona  Silver  Mining  Company ;  is  married,  and  has  one  child. 

G.  W.  Williams,  general  foreman  of  the  locomotive  department 
of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railway  shops  at  this  point,  was  as- 
signed to  that  position  January  1,  1878,  and  has  been  in  the  employ 
of  the  company  the  greater  part  of  the  time  since  1864.  Mr.  Williams 
is  a  native  of  New  York ;  served  an  apprenticeship  of  three  years  at 
his  trade  as  a  machinist  in  the  shops  of  the  Delaware  &  Lackawana 
railroad   at  Scranton,  Pennsylvania  ;    entered   the   service   of  the 


624  HISTORY    OF    WESrONA    COUNTY. 

New  York  &  Erie  road  at  Susquehana  and  Port  Jervis,  a) id  was  in 
their  emjjloy  tour  years,  when  he  came  to  Chicago  and  entered  the 
service  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  raih-oad  in  1864.  He  came 
from  the  Chicago  shops  to  assume  charge  of  his  department  here  in 
1878.  As  an  inventor,  Mr.  Williams  has  acliieved  success.  In  1882 
he  took  out  letters  patent  for  his  "  Piston-])acking  Adjuster."  This 
invention  consists  of  a  volute  or  spiral  spring  so  mechanically  con- 
nected that  it  will  adjust  the  packing  as  it  wears  and  balance  the 
piston  in  the  cylinder.  This  invention  has  been  suthciently  tested 
to  prove  its  value  as  a  force  economizer.  Its  introduction  in  the 
Evartt's  flouring-mill  at  Waseca  enabled  them  to  turn  out  twenty 
barrels  of  flour  additional  in  each  day's  run.  August  1,  1881,  Mr. 
Williams  took  out  letters  patent  for  an  invention  destined  in  the 
opinion  of  competent  judges  to  supersede  all  other  journal  bear- 
ings. This  is  the  "  Asbestos  bearing,"  designed  to  prevent  journals 
from  running  hot,  as  it  sustains  a  heat  of  1,800  degrees  before  burn- 
ing. It  consists  of  an  asbestos  filling  compressed  into  a  metal  cyl- 
inder under  a  pressure  of  thirty  tons,  forming  a  cartridge  of  about 
one  inch  diameter.  These  cartridges  are  inserted  into  holes  drilled 
in  the  bearing  surfaces  of  boxes  and  journals  and  left  flush,  not  only 
giving  absolute  security  against  hot  journals,  but  greatly  reducing 
the  cost  of  lubrication,  as  the  soapy  nature  of  the  asbestos  consti- 
tutes it  an  excellent  lubricator  in  itself  The  bearing  has  already 
been  introduced  into  Youmans  Bros.  &  Hodgins  and  Laird,  Norton  & 
Co's  sawmills  in  this  city  ;  into  Troost's  flouring-mill  at  Minnesota 
City,  and  ran  386  miles  on  the  tender  of  a  passenger  engine  over  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  railway  without  one  drop  of  lubrication, 
giving  no  sign  of  overheating.  It  is  a  safety  bearing,  so  far  as  dan- 
ger from  fire  through  overheated  journals  is  concerned,  and  an 
economizer  of  force  and  oil,  reducing,  as  it  does,  the  amount  of  fric- 
tion and  the  need  of  lubrication.  Mr.  Williams  is  married  and  has 
one  child  four  years  of  age.  He  is  a  member  of  Winona  Lodge, 
No.  18,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  and  of  Winona  Chapter,  No.  5,  KA.M. 
Wm.  H.  Bennett,  foreman  of  car  works,  has  been  in  the  employ 
of  the  company  for  the  greater  part  of  the  last  twelve  years,  with 
headquarters  at  Winona.  He  is  a  native  of  Maryland,  a  carpenter 
by  trade,  and  in  1869  came  west  to  Chicago,  thence  the  same  season 
to  La  Crosse,  and  finally  to  Winona.  Has  been  in  charge  of  car 
department   since  May   1,   1879.      Mr.    Bennett   is   a   member  of 


MAlSrUFACTmnSTG    IlfDUSTRIES.  525 

"Winona  Lodge,  No.  18,  A.  F.  and  A.M.,  and  of  Winona  Chapter, 
No.  5,  R.  A.  M.     Married  and  has  one  child  in  school  in  this  city. 

John  McNalJv,  foreman  of  the  blacksmith  shop,  has  been  in 
the  employ  of  the  company  since  1875,  and  since  Angust  1,  1878, 
has  been  foreman  in  these  shops.  He  learned  his  trade  in  the  shops 
of  the  Cumberland  and  Pennsylvania  railroad,  in  Maryland,  and 
was  with  that  company  seven  years  ;  then  from  1871  to  1875  was 
at  work  in  Pittsburgh  and  St.  Louis. 

Engineers'  Department  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railway,  for 
all  divisions  west  of  Mississippi  river  in  Minnesota  and  Dakota, 
headquarters  in  depot  building,  Winona.  John  E.  Blunt,  chief 
engineer.  This  department  has  charge  of  all  maintenance  of  ways 
and  erection  of  buildings  for  the  company  within  the  territory  above 
specified.  The  principal  work  now  in  hand  is  the  construction  of 
the  Iroquois  branch  of  the  Dakota  Central,  from  Iroquois  to  Callope, 
a  distance  of  127  miles.  The  buildings  erected  in  Winona  under  the 
supervision  of  this  department,  not  included  among  the  shops  under 
the  master  mechanic's  charge,  are  notably  the  grain  elevator,  built 
under  the  management  of  the  old  transit  company.  Dimensions 
60x450  feet,  and  the  new  depot  building.  This  last  structure,  built 
during  the  season  of  1880-81,  and  taken  possession  of  in  the  spring 
of  the  latter  year,  is  a  two-story  brick,  stone  foundations  and  base- 
ment, mansard  roof,  composite  architecture,  extreme  length  150 
feet,  width  46-|  feet.  The  exterior  presents  quite  an  ornate  appear- 
ance, and  the  interior  is  conveniently  arranged  to  meet  the  purposes 
of  its  construction.  In  it  are  the  general  offices  of  this  division, 
ticket  office,  waiting-rooms,  and  depot  hotel. 

John  E.  Blunt,  chief  engineer,  is  a  native  of  Tennessee.  Gradu- 
ated at  Andover,  Massachusetts,  class  of  1847,  and  from  the  mechan- 
ical school  at  Newburyport,  same  state,  in  the  class  of  1849.  Leaving 
school,  he  attached  himself  to  the  engineering  corps  of  B.  C.  Morse, 
and  was  with  him  in  the  south  until  1857,  principally  in  Tennessee, 
Georgia  and  Alabama,  and  was  still  in  the  south  when  the  war  of 
1861-5  broke  out.  The  following  year,  1862,  came  to  Chicago,  and 
was  in  the  employ  of  the  old  Galena  Railroad  Company  (at  that  time 
the  Chicago  &  Galena  Union)  when  that  road  was  absorbed  by  the 
Chicago  tfe  Northwestern  system  in  1864.  Came,  with  the  absorp- 
tion of  the  Galena  road,  into  the  employ  of  the  Chicago  &  North- 
western road,  and  was  connected  with  the  Galena  division  until  he 
was  transferred  to  Winona  in  1878,  in  charge  of  the  Western  depart- 


526  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

mcnt,  Mr.  Blunt  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church,  mar- 
ried, has  three  children  in  school  in  this  city,  one  daui»;hter  pursuing 
her  studies  at  Newburyport,  Massachusetts,  and  one  son,  a  physi- 
cian, in  ])ractice  at  Clinton,  Iowa. 

C.  C.  Puder,  assistant  engineer,  is  a  luitive  of  Portland,  Maine, 
and  came  to  Winona  in  1878,  when  Mr.  Blunt  assumed  charge  of 
the  department. 

Bridge  ano  Bcildkrs'  de[)artment  of  Winona  &  St.  Peter 
division  Chicago  &  North  western  i-ailway  ;  Alex.  Doig,  foreman. 
This  department  of  construction  employs  a  force  of  from  120  to  220 
mechanics  and  laborers,  of  whom  one-fourth  are  i-esidents  of  Winona 
or  tributary  to  its  trade.  The  principal  work  of  the  past  tliree  years 
has  been  in  the  Stockton  blufts,  where  a  large  amount  of  labor, 
money  and  material  has  been  ex])ended.  The  accompanying  state- 
ment will  afibrd  some  idea  of  the  work  of  this  department  within  the 
county  limits  during  the  period  above  specified.  Bridge  No.  28, 
constructed  in  1880,  consists  of  a  solid  stone  arch  of  10  feet;  No.  29, 
which  was  originally  a  wooden  tressel-bridge  479  feet  long,  was 
replaced,  in  1880-81,  by  a  riveted  iron  bridge  85  feet  long;  No.  21, 
constructed  in  1881  at  Stockton  water-tank,  is  a  riveted  iron  bridge, 
single  span  of  64  feet;  No.  26,  originally  a  wooden  tressel-bridge 
Y20  feet  long,  was  replaced,  during  1881-82,  by  a  two-span  riveted 
iron  bridge  with  ])iers  and  abutments,  each  span  55  feet  in  length. 
The  tresselwork  of  tlie  approaches  to  this  bridge  is  being  solidly 
filled  to  make. a  permanent  roadway ;  No.  27,  which  was  originally 
a  wooden  tressel  of  732  feet,  is  being  replaced  by  two  32-foot  arches, 
work  not  yet  completed ;  No.  30,  recently  commenced,  is  to  consist 
of  one  32-foot  arch.  The  approaches  to  these  constructions  will  all 
be  made  as  suljstantially  as  possible,  and  as  rapidly  as  may  be  a 
permanently  soliil  roadbed  established. 

Mr.  Doig,  the  foreman  of  this  department,  is  a  native  of  Dun- 
dee, Scotland.  Came  to  America  in  1856.  Learned  his  trade  as  a 
housebnilder  in  Illinois  and  Minnesota,  and  commenced  work  as  a 
bridge  builder  the  same  year  that  he  came  to  this  city,  1865.  Was 
assistant  under  D.  Leary,  the  first  bridge  foreman  on  the  road,  until 
Mr.  Leary  went  into  the  service  of  the  Southern  Minnesota  road  in 
1876,  when  the  assistant  became  forenuin.  Mr.  Leary,  so  well  known 
to  Winona  county  people,  is  at  present  the  superintendent  of  bridges 
and  building  on  the  Canada  Pacific  I'oad,  so  that  the  Winona  & 
St.  Peter  division  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  mav  be  said  to 


MANUTACTURma    mDUSTRIES.  -^27 

have  furnished  bridge  brains  for  two  important  lines  of  road  besides 

its  own.  . 

S.  Sanborn,  superintendent  of  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  division 
of  tlie  Clnc'no^o  &  Northwestern  railway,  extending  from  Winona  to 
Waterto wn,  with  branch ;  aggregate  mileage  of  track  407  miles.  Mr. 
Sanborn  commenced  his  raih'oad  career  in  185fi,  at  the  very  bottom 
of  the  hidder,  first  as  depot  employe  and  then  as  brakeman  on  the 
old  Milwaukee  &  Mississippi  railway,  now  the  Prairie  du  Chien 
division  of  the  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul.  January  17,  1863,  he 
entered  the  service  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  road  as  freight 
ao-ent.  In  1872  was  appointed  general  agent  for  the  road  at  Mil- 
w^iukee,  and  two  years  later,  April,  1874,  was  assigned  to  duty  as 
superintendent  of'  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  division,  with  head- 
quarters in  this  city.  He  is  married  and  has  one  child,  now  in 
attendance  at  the  State  Normal  School  here. 

Wm.  P.  Cosgrove,  chief  train-dispatcher  Winona  &  St.  Peter 
division  of  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railroad,  is  a  native  of 
Michigan  and  a  telegraph  operator  of  twenty-seven  years'  experience. 
In  1857  he  assumed  charge  of  the  first  telegraph  office  opened  for 
commercial  purposes  in  the  city  of  Fond  du  Lac,  Wisconsin.  In 
1858  he  took  an  instrument  in  the  general  office  of  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railroad  at  Milwaukee,  and  was  chief  train 
dispatcher  there  for  twelve  or  fourteen  years  prior  to  assuming 
duties  at  their  headquarters  in  1874.  He  is  married  and  has  three 
children,  one  of  them  in  attendance  at  the  State  Normal  and  one  in 

private  school. 

Phgenix  Ironworks,  corner  Third  and  Winona  streets  ;  W.  M. 
Hurlbert,  proprietor.  These  works  were  established  in  1866  by 
Mr.  Hurlbert,  who,  after  fifteen  years'  experience  in  the  machine 
shops  of  the  Vermont  Central  railway,  came  to  Winona  in  1863  to 
establish  the  machine  shops  of  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  railways. 
The  Phcenix  Works  were  started  on  the  second  block  west  from  that 
now  occupied,  on  rented  ground,  and  here  in  September,  1866,  Mr. 
Hurlbert  erected  his  first  manufactory,  30X90  feet.  This  building, 
destroyed  by  fire  in  February,  1867,  was  replaced  the  same 
montli  by  one  30x100  feet,  business  suffering  interruption  only  for 
a  short  period.  The  lots  upon  which  the  manufactory  stood  not 
being  in  the  market,  in  the  summer  of  1857  Mr.  Hurlbert  purchased 
one-half  of  the  block  lying  between  Winona  and  Huff,  on  the  south 
side  of  Third  street,  along  which  it  fronts  300  feet,  having  a  frontage 


528  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

of  150  on  Winona.  To  this  property  Mr.  llurlbert  removed  his 
machine  shop  in  1867;  built  a  two-story  wood-sliop  30x60  feet  and 
a  blacksmith  shop  20  X  30  feet.  The  foundry,  a  solid  stone  structure, 
40X  65  feet,  with  iron  truss  roof,  was  erected  four  years  later,  in  1871. 
A  general  machine  business  is  done,  both  repairing  and  jobbing, 
quite  an  extensive  manufacturer  of  Minnesota  seeders  conducted 
and  employment  given  to  a  force  of  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  hands, 
according  to  season.  An  engine  of  twenty-five  horse-power  supplies 
motor  for  the  machinery,  and  steam  for  the  heating  apparatus.  The 
works  are  furnished  with  lathes. 

Mr.  Hurlbert  was  born  in  Walpole,  New  Hampshire  ;  removed 
early  in  life  to  Northfield,  Vermont,  and  there  learned  his  trade  as  a 
machinist  in  the  shops  of  the  Vermont  Central  railway.  Was  in 
charge  of  their  work  at  that  point  when  he  accepted  a  situation  as 
master-mechanic  of  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  Railway  Company,  and 
in  that  capacity  came  to  Winona  in  1863,  established  their  shops 
and  managed  them  two  years,  when  he  resigned  his  position  and 
soon  afterward  engaged  in  his  present  industry,  which  he  has 
managed  successfully  for  over  sixteen  years.  In  1867  Mr.  Hurlbert 
patented  his  Minnesota  seeder,  which  has  quite  an  extensive  sale 
throughout  the  northwest. 


CHAPTER  XLVH. 


ST.  CHARLES  TOWNSHIP. 


St.  Charles  is  situated  in  the  valley  of  the  Whitewater  river, 
in  the  county  of  Winona,  on  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  railroad, 
twenth-eight  miles  west  of  the  city  of  Winona. 

GEOLOGICAL    FEATURES. 

The  city  of  St.  Charles  is  located  in  a  triangular  valley,  through 
which,  on  the  north  side,  flows  the  Whitewater  river.  This  valley 
has  been  formed  by  the  erosion  and  removal  of  the  original  layers 
down  to  solid  magnesian  limestone,  and  upon  the  bed  of  that  layer 
the  city  is  located,  while  upon  every  side  are  displayed  the  pre- 
cipitous sides  of  those  ancient  layers  which  have  remained  protected 
by  their  cap  of  solid  flags  of  Trenton  limestone,  and  have  withstood 
the  forces  of  the  destroying  elements. 


ST.    CHARLES    TOWNSHIP.  529 

The  Trenton  limestone,  whicli  is  the  upper  layer  of  rock  in  the 
bluffs  around,  is  naturally  of  a  blue  color,  but  when  near  the  surface 
and  aftected  by  light  and  water  they  are  usually  faded. 

The  lower  Trenton  formation  here  has  been  described  by  Prof. 
N.  H.  Winchell,  state  geologist,  in  the  following  language  :  "  At  a 
quarry  near  St.  Charles,  half  a  mile  south  of  the  city,  the  lowest 
portion  of  the  Trenton  appears  as  follows,  in  descending  order: 
No.  1,  hard,  crystalline,  calcareous  layers,  ringing  under  the  ham- 
mer ;  of  a  light  drab  color,  without  shale ;  fossiliferous,  fifteen  feet. 
No.  2,  bluish-green  shale,  about  ten  feet.  Total,  Trenton,  twenty- 
five  feet." 

These  Trenton  flags,  with  the  underlying  beds  of  shale,  are 
impervious  to  moisture,  consequently  the  localities  which  they 
underlie  are  better  watered  than  those  of  the  lower  layers,  and  the 
margin  of  this  formation  is  usually  marked  by  springs  of  water. 

Next  in  the  descending  order  we  arrive  at  the  St.  Peter  sand- 
stone, which  is  about  100  feet  thick,  and  is  an  almost  pure  quartz 
sand,  containing  but  two-tenths  of  one  per  cent  of  foreign  matter, 
which  is  alumina  with  a  trace  of  carbonate  of  lime,  not  enough  of 
the  latter  even  to  cement  its  grains.  We  have  here  an  inexhaustible 
quantity  of  white,  non-fossiliferous,  and  almost  pure  quartz  sand, 
which  is  easily  excavated,  and  is  said  to  be  fairer  than  the  Linn  sand 
used  by  the  Scotch  manufacturers  of  flint  glass,  and  is  every  way  equal 
to  that  sand  for  this  purpose.  Here  it  is  used  only  for  making  com- 
mon mortar,  for  which  purpose  it  is  well  adapted.  Says  Mr.  Hurl- 
but,  in  his  valuable  papers  on  the  geology  of  southern  Minnesota, 
"The  thousands  of  escarpments  of  this  formation  which  border  the 
plains  in  as  many  convenient  places  offer  in  return,  for  but  little 
labor,  the  indulgence  in  every  fancy  in  subterranean  architec- 
ture, from  the  cool  and  spacious  dairy  vault  and  brewer's  cellar 
to  the  Mediaeval  Ehenish  castles  supplied  with  sparkling  fountains 
at  will." 

Under  the  above  we  find  a  layer  of  magnesian  limestone,  which 
is  found  at  the  surface  in  some  localities  near  the  Whitewater  river. 
This,  as  its  name  indicates,  is  not  a  pure  limestone.  It  contains  car- 
bonate of  lime  with  about  one  equivalent  of  carbonate  of  magnesia, 
with  some  insoluble  silicates  and  traces  of  alumina,  the  largest  per- 
cent being  carbonate  of  lime.  It  was  formerly  believed  that  because 
of  these  impurities  it  was  not  adapted  to  the  making  of  lime,  and 
therefore  people  built  kilns  south  of  this  city,  where  tliey  obtained 


530  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

the  purer  carbonato  of  lime  in  the  Trenton  beds.  This  was  a  blun- 
der, for,  althougli  tlie  niagnesian  limestone  produces  a  large  amount 
of  insoluble  cemont  and  does  not  slack  so  easily  and  perfectly  as  the 
cai'bouate  of  lime,  yet  it  is  more  economical,  as  it  reqilires  less  heat 
in  burmiii!;.  It  also  throws  out  less  heat  in  slacking,  and  is  therefore 
called  'coor  lime.  It  is  slower  in  setting,  so  that  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  bricks  can  be  laid  with  one  spreading  of  mortar,  and  a  cor- 
responding advantage  is  gained  in  plastering.  This  is  a  light  col- 
ored and  pretty  stone,  and,  being  hard  and  enduring,  it  is  well 
adapted  for  building  ])urposes. 

A  few  miles  north  of  this  city  is  a  quarry  of  magnesian  limestone, 
which  is  of  a  light  cream  color,  and  homogeneous  texture,  and  when 
first  taken  from  the  quarry  is  soft.  It  is  easily  cut  into  all  desirable 
forms.  It  takes  a  polish  and  is  therefore  a  marble.  It  has  an 
abundance  of  calcareous  cement,  and  hardens  by  exposure  to  the  air. 
It  is  adapted  to  oi-namental  work  as  well  as  heavy  masonry,  can  be 
cut  into  posts,  sills,  caps,  water-tables,  etc. 

Clay  abounds  in  the  vicinity,  which,  for  some  years  past,  has 
been  economized  for  the  manufacture  of  brick.  A  few  miles  from 
th(^  city  are  bogs  of  peat,  some  of  which  give  promise  of  yielding  a 
fair  burning  material,  yet  they  have  not  been  proved  by  sufficient 

test. 

The  quaiTies  of  the  Trenton  system  abound  in  fossils  peculiar  to 
that  age,  many  of  which  have  been  gathered  to  enrich  the  museums 
of  institutions  for  educational  purposes  as  well  as  of  private  col- 
lections. There  are  also  boulders  which  have  been  transferred  here 
during  the  past  geological  ages,  among  which  are  granite,  agates, 
silicious  limestone,  argentines  or  lamellar  calcites,  jaspers,  etc.,  some 
of  which  are  susceptible  to  a  polish  and  by  their  hardness^  are 
adapted  to  useful  purposes. 

ORGANIZATION    OF    THE   TOWN. 

In  1851  there  were  no  white  settlers  in  this  part  of  the  country. 
The  buffalo  had  disappeared  but  the  deer  and  the  elk  still  pastured 
the  prairies  and  sought  shelter  in  the  wooded  valleys.  Abundance 
of  speckled  trout  jilayed  in  the  crystal  waters.  By  an  act  of  the 
legislature  of  the  territory  of  Minnesota,  passed  February  23,  1853, 
so  much  territory  as  is  embraced  within  the  following  boundaries, 
to-wit :  Beginning  at  the  southwest  corner  of  T.  105  N.,  K.  10  W., 
thence  north  twenty-four  miles  to  the  northwest  corner  of  T.  108  N., 


ST.    CHARLES    TOWTTSHIP.  .    531 

R.  10  W.,  thence  east  to  the  Mississippi  river,  thence  down  said 
river  to  the  northeast  corner  of  Houston  county,  thence  west  to  the 
place  of  beginning,  was  established  as  the  county  of  Winona.  The 
county  of  Winona  is  on  the  eastern  and  northeastern  slope  of  the 
State  of  Minnesota  to  the  Mississippi  river.  The  summit  level  of  the 
country  between  Winona  City  and  Mankato  is  at  Eice  lake,  in  the 
county  of  Dodge.  The  streams  running  easterly  and  northeasterly 
from  that  point  are  rapid,  affording  abundance  of  power  for  hydraulic 
purposes.  Between  these  streams  thei-e  are  generally  continuous 
ridges  of  land  which  break  in  grand,  lofty  and  picturesque  escarp- 
ments on  the  Mississippi  shore.  The  height  of  these  escarpments 
are  not  much  below  the  summit  level  at  Rice  lake  ;  the  streams,  in 
their  rapid  course  to  the  Mississippi,  seem  to  have  worn  down  their 
channels  through  the  solid  lime-rock,  and  through  the  more  friable 
Silurian  to  then-  present  depths  ;  hence  on  the  shore  of  the  Missis- 
sippi we  behold  such  remarkable  features  in  the  landscape.  Tlie 
nearer  these  streams  approach  to  the  river  the  deeper  are  the  gorges, 
and  it  was  after  much  toil  and  labor  that  the  early  pioneer  could 
ascend  through  these  gorges  to  the  elevated  prairies  above. 

After  the  government  survey  St.  Charles  was  known  as  T.  106 
K,  R.  10  W.  ., 

On  April  29,  1854,  the  county  commissioners  divided  the  county 
of  Winona  into  six  election  precincts.  The  precinct  of  Elba,  in 
which  was  St.  Charles,  included  T.  105  N.,  R.  8,  9  and  10  W.,  now 
Hart,  Fremont  and  Saratoga;  T.  106  N.,  R.  9  and  10  W.,  now 
Utica  and  St.  Charles,  and  T.  107  N.,  R.  10  W.,  now  Elba.  E. 
Haws,  William  Davidson  and  L.  H.  Springer  were  appointed 
judges  of  election.  At  this  session  the  county  was  divided  into 
assessment  districts.  District  No.  one,  embracing  T.  108  K,  R. 
9  and  10  W.,  and  T.  105,  106  and  107  K,  R.  10  W.  A.  P.  Hall 
was  appointed  collector.  On  July  3,  1854,  the  valuation  of  personal 
property  in  this  district  was  $11,318. 

As  the  real  estate  belonged  to  the  government,  the  improvements 
on  the  lands  were  taxed  as  personal  property.  The  tax  per  cent,  on 
the  valuation  this  year  was  one  and  thirty-five  hundredths  per  cent. 

On  May  1,  1854,  a  resolution  was  passed  by  the  county  commis- 
sioners constituting  each  election  precinct  a  road  district,  and 
William  Davidson  was  appointed  road  supervisor  of  the  Elba 
district. 

31 


532  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

On  May  19,  1854,  school  district  No.  3  was  organized,  embracing 
T.  106  (St.  Charles),  and  the  north  tier  of  sections  in  T.  105,  R  10  W. 

In  March,  1855,  school  district  No.  5  was  organized,  consisting  of 
sections  7,  8,  17,  19,  (city  of  St.  Charles),  20,  21,  30,  and  all  of 
section  29  excepting  the  southeast  quarter  of  T.  106  N.,  R.  10  W. 

The  first  election  in  Elba  precinct  was  held  in  the  fall  of  1854,  at 
the  house  of  William  Davidson.  Joseph  Mixter  and  John  T.  Blair 
were  appointed  clerks  of  the  election.  Benjamin  Langworthy  was 
elected  justice  of  the  peace.  William  Davidson  was  elected  one  of 
the  county  commissioners. 

The  early  records  of  Elba  precinct  while  under  the  territorial 
government,  and  betore  the  towns  were  organized  geographically, 
having  been  lost,  the  writer  has  been  under  the  necessity  of  supplying 
the  history  from  the  recollection  of  those  who  were  the  early 
pioneers  of  the  precinct ;  hence  it  is  not  as  complete  as  it  might 
have  been  if  the  records  could  have  been  examined. 

In  the  fall  of  1856  the  second  election  for  the  Elba  precinct  was 
held  at  the  house  of  James  Ball,  situated  on  the  premises  now 
known  as  the  "  Summit  Farm,"  in  the  town  of  St.  Charles.  At  this 
election  L.  H.  Springer  and  William  Davidson  were  appointed  judges, 
and  Joseph  Mixter,  clerk.  At  this  election  Carter  Fuller  was  elected 
constable.  During  this  year  the  republican  party  in  the  territory 
was  organized,  and  jutted  against  the  democracy.  C.  H.  Berry, 
now  of  Winona  City,  and  Wm.  Ashley  Jones,  were  present  at  this 
election  to  sustain  the  democratic  nominees.  W.  Thome,  residing 
near  the  southern  limits  of  the  precinct,  came  a  distance  of  twelve 
miles  and  voted  the  democratic  ticket.  L.  H.  Springer  was  elected 
one  of  the  county  commissioners. 

At  the  April  session  of  the  year  1857  the  board  of  county  com- 
missioners organized  geographically  T.  106,  N.,  of  E.  10  W.,  into  a 
separate  precinct,  denominated  St.  Charles  precinct ;  and  H.  G.  Rice, 
Benjamin  Raynold  and  Wm.  P.  Wood  were  appointed  judges  of 
election,  to  be  held  at  the  schoolhouse  in  the  village  of  St.  Charles. 
On  May  11,  1858,  the  first  township  election  for  the  organized  town 
of  St.  Charles  was  held  for  the  purpose  of  electing  town  officers. 
A.  G.  Murray  was  elected  chairman  of  the  board  of  supervisors, 
and  Franklin  Langworthy  and  David  Balcombe  were  elected  super- 
visors ;  Harris  Scoville,  town  clerk ;  J.  F.  Remore,  assessor  ;  Geo. 
P.  Pratt,  collector  ;  Charles  Elsbury,  overseer  of  the-poor  ;  Geo.  P. 
Pratt  and  Geo.  Bartlett,   constables  ;    Harris    Scoville   and  Wm. 


ST.    CHARLES    TOWNSHIP.  533 

McKnight,  justices  of  tlie  peace,  and  Wm.  Hendee,  overseer  of 
highways.  At  this  election  L.  H.  Springer,  Wm.  Davidson  and 
M.  Grover  acted  as  judges  ;  John  M.  Cool,  and  Charles  Brewer, 
acted  as  clerks. 

Minnesota  was  admitted  as  a  state  into  the  Union  by  an  act  of 
congress  passed  May  11,  1858. 

EAELY    PIONEERS. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year  1853,  William  Davidson  pre-empted  on 
Sec.  10,  T.  106,  N.,  E.  10  W.,  upon  which  he  built  a  log  house 
into  which  he  moved  his  family.  He  claims  to  be  and  is  considered 
to  be  the  first  settler  of  the  town  of  St.  Charles,  and  entitled  to  be 
called  "The  Old  Settler";  though  about  this  time  Hiram  Hull,  one 
of  the  famous  Minnesota  City  Company,  who  emigrated  from  the  city 
of  New  York  and  laid  out  Minnesota  City,  thinking  that  he  was 
locating  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  river  instead  of  a  big  slough ; 
but  becoming  dissatisfied  with  that  place,  left  and  made  a  claim  on 
section  12,  in  the  town  of  St.  Charles,  upon  which  he  erected  a  small 
log  dwelling  and  made  some  other  improvements ;  but  sold  out  in 
the  fall  of  1853,  and  moved  to  the  east.  In  the  latter  part  of  May, 
1853,  Lewis  H.  Springer  and  famil}^,  from  the  State  of  Illinois,  after 
a  short  residence  at  Winona,  moved  and  settled  on  section  19,  in  the 
now  city  of  St.  Charles,  and  erected  a  double  log  house  on  the  south 
bank  of  the  south  branch  of  the  Whitewater  river,  and  near  the 
foot  of  what  is  now  Whitewater  street.  The  family  consisted  of 
himself,  his  wife  Adaline  and  his  daughter  Ella.  With  him  also 
came  Benjamin  Langworthy  and  Mrs.  Langworthy,  the  father  and 
mother  of  Mrs.  Springer,  and  Alonzo  and  Benjamni  Langworthy,  Jr. 
Alonzo  and  Benjamin,  sons  of  Benjamin  Langworthy,  made  their 
claims  on  section  18. 

In  the  same  year,  and  soon  after  Mr.  Springer  had  settled  on  his 
claim,  Eobert  Calhoun  and  Carter  Fuller  made  their  claims  on  the 
uplands,  south  of  St.  Charles  city.  James  Smith,  Mr.  Kately  and 
Mr.  Russell  made  their  claims  and  settled  in  the  southeasterly  part 
of  the  town,  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year.  About  this  time  Wm. 
Hause  made  a  claim  about  a  mile  northeast  of  Springer's,  upon 
which  he  erected  a  claim  shanty.  He  had  formerly  made  and  sold 
a  claim  in  the  now  town  of  Saratoga.  No  other  claim  was  made 
in  the  north  part  of  the  town  until  the  year  1855,  when  David  Evans 
made  a  claim  and  erected  a  small  log  house  about  a  mile  north  of 


534  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

the  city  of  St.  Charles.  The  government  surveys  of  the  lands  of 
southern  Minnesota  were  made  in  the  fall  of  1853  and  the  spring  of 
1854.  A.  M.  Norris,  of  Dubuque,  had  the  contract  for  the  meri- 
dian and  townsliip  lines,  and  W.  A.  Jones  had  the  contract  for  the 
subdivision  of  the  lands  in  tliis  locality,  assisted  by  A.  M.  Ray- 
mond. Some  of  the  first  settlers  had  staked  out  claims  before  the 
subdivisions  had  been  made,  and  consequently  were  disappointed  in 
not  getting  all  that  which  they  desired  to  locate. 

In  the  spring  of  1854  Mr.  Salisbury  settled  on  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  19.  John  Elsbury  about  the  same  time  settled  on 
the  same  section,  and  Harris  Scoville  on  section  18.  During  this 
year  Lewis  li.  Springer  erected  a  small  frame  store  a  few  rods  south 
of  his  dwelling-house,  and  kept  a  small  assortment  of  dry  goods 
and  groceries  for  the  accommodation  of  the  settlers.  This  was  the 
first  mercantile  establishment  and  the  first  frame  building  in  town. 
Mr.  Springer  was  appointed  postmaster  in  the  spring  of  1854,  and 
kept  the  postoffice  in  this  new  building.  He  subsequently  sold  his 
stock  of  goods  to  Fianklin  Langworthy,  and  Langworthy  sold  to 
Hiram  Rice.  Mr.  Rice  soon  after  built  a  new  store  opposite  where 
now  stands  the  old  Hall's  Hotel.  The  old  store  which  Springer 
built  is  now  a  part  of  the  house  occupied  by  Morgan  Thomas.  At 
the  time  Mr.  Springer  settled  in  St.  Charles  there  was  no  settle- 
ment west  on  this  route,  and  no  public-house  west  of  Winona  to 
accommodate  emigrants  until  Mr.  Springer,  in  the  spring  of  1853, 
opened  his  -  dwelling  as  a  public  inn  ;  and  many  of  the  early  settlers 
will  remember  when,  after  a  weary  journey  from  Winona  up  the 
steep  and  rugged  windings  of  the  high  bluffs  that  skirt  the  western  side 
of  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  and  crossing  the  prairie  where  little 
water  was  found,  famished  from  hunger  and  thirst,  they  arrived 
at  Springer's  tavern,  where  their  wants  could  be  supplied. 

At  the  present  time  not  a  vestige  of  Springer's  tavern,  where 
in  former  times  so  much  comfort  had  been  dispersed,  now  remains, 
save  the  old  roof  of  oak  shakes  and  a  few  logs,  on  the  premises  of 
Miss  Sarah  Birge,  daughter  of  the  late  Col.  Joseph  Birge,  used  as 
a  shelter  for  pigs  and  hens. 

In  the  year  1854  a  Mr.  Wheeler  settled  on  section  19  in  the  town, 
now  city  of  St.  Charles,  adjoining  the  county  line,  upon  which  he 
built  a  log  house  and  in  the  following  year  opened  the  same  for  a 
public  inn.  The  skin  of  a  wild  cat  staffed  with  straw  and  elevated 
on  a  pole  gave  intimation  that  entertainment  for  man   and  beast 


ST.    CHARLES    TOWNSHIP.  535 

could  be  had.  It  was  popularly  known  as  the  "  Wild  Cat  Tavern." 
This  was  the  second  house  opened  for  a  public  inn  of  the  town.  In 
the  summer  of  1856  James  and  Joshua  Easton  erected  the  first 
framed  public  inn,  being  the  same  building  now  owned  and  occupied 
by  Henry  Hall,  situate  on  Winona  street.  Mr.  Hall  made  his  first 
location  on  lands  east  and  adjacent  to  the  phitted  portion  of  the  city, 
now  owned  by  Carlos  Brewer.  In  the  month  of  July,  1856,  a  violent 
tornado  accompanied  with  rain,  thunder  and  lightning,  swept  through 
the  village,  prostrating  large  and  firmly-rooted  trees  in  its  course, 
taking  off  the  roof  of  Mr.  Hall's  house  and  all  the  logs  above  the 
upper  joists  and  landing  them  at  a  distance,  and  took  up  over  the 
walls  of  the  house  beds,  bedding,  and  furniture,  exposing  the 
inmates  of  the  dwelling  to  the  furious  blasts,  frightening  them  out  of 
their  senses  and  committing  other  misdemeanors  against  the  peace 
and  dignity  of  Mr.  Hall  and  the  people  of  the  village. 

Hiram  Rice  succeeded  L.  H.  Springer  as  postmaster ;  Joseph 
Mixter  succeeded  Mr.  Rice ;  Col.  Joseph  Birge  succeeded  Mr. 
Mixter ;  M.  S.  Weeks  succeeded  Mr.  Birge  ;  Simeon  Harding 
succeeded  Mr.  Weeks,  and  John  Pickert  (present  postmaster) 
succeeded  Mr.  Harding. 

In  the  year  1858,  M.  H.  Gates  and  H.  C.  Parrott  erected  a  store 
building.  After  the  closing  of  the  mercantile  business  the  building 
was  used  as  a  wagon-shop  by  H.  C.  Parrott,  being  the  first  wagon- 
shop  established  in  St.  Charles,  and  from  which  beginning  sprang 
the  present  large  and  extensive  wagon  and  sleigh  manufacturing 
establishment  of  H.  C.  Parrott  &  Co.  The  first  blacksmith  shop, 
being  a  frame  building  near  the  southern  confines  of  the  original 
village  of  St.  Charles,  was  erected  by  John  Elsbury,  in  the  Burr 
Oak  grove,  on  the  premises  now  owned  by  B.  M.  Cravath,  near  to 
which  Mr.  Elsbury  built  his  log  house  on  the  precise  site  where  now 
stands  the  beautiful  mansion  erected  by  S.  W.  Stone,  and  now 
owned  by  Mr.  Cravath.  In  the  blacksmith  shop  was  held  the  first 
public  dance  in  St.  Charles,  at  which  most  of  the  settlers,  young  and 
old,  attended. 

In  1860  James  H.  Easton  established  the  first  art  gallery  in  St. 
Charles.  Washington  Wendell  established  the  first  shoe  shop,  and 
Isaac  Talbot  the  second.  Dr.  Wendell,  the  brother  of  Washington 
Wendell,  was  the  first  physician  that  settled  in  St.  Charles. 


536  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    OOITNTY. 


CLAIM   TROUBLES. 


During  the  year  18 Si,  a  laud-claim  society  was  organized  of 
which  Carter  Fuller  was  appointed  chairman  and  Joseph  Wheeland 
elected  secretary.  The  object  of  the  society  was  to  guarantee  to 
each  member  the  right  to  claim  and  hold  possession  of  320  acres  of 
land,  so  that  each  one  in  taking  this  amount  of  land,  might  secure 
at  least  forty  acres  of  timber.  This  liberal  way  of  appropriating 
Uncle  Sam's  laud,  without  his  being  a  party  to  the  affair,  soon  led  to 
difficulty.  Mr.  Joseph  Wheeland,  a  member  and  secretary  of  the 
society,  had  made  his  claim  of  320  acres,  upon  which  he  liad  erected 
a  log  house  and  into  which  he  had  moved  his  family.  He  sub- 
sequently sold  a  portion  of  his  claim,  and  then  to  make  out  his 
complement  of  land  floated  on  to  an  adjoining  piece  of  timber, 
claimed  under  the  by-laws  of  the  society  by  another  person.  Mr. 
Wheeland  having  been  protected  in  his  original  claim  of  320  acres, 
and  being  secretary  of  the  society  and  therefore  more  sacredly  bound 
to  carry  out  the  provisions  and  bj^-laws  of  the  society,  and  having 
been  the  first  one  to  violate  the  rules,  the  other  members  determined 
that  he  should  suffer  for  it.  Some  time  during  the  winter  of  1854r-5, 
and  while  Mr.  Wheeland  was  at  Winona  on  business,  a  party 
in  disguise  went  to  his  house,  and  taking  by  force  his  wife  and  three 
small  children  in  a  sleigh  to  Carter  Fuller's  house  where  they  were 
left  (Mr.  Fuller  being  the  father  of  Mrs.  Wheeland),  then  returning 
to  the  house  and  taking  out  everything  that  was  valuable  set  the 
house  on  fire  which  was  soon  burned  to  ashes.  The  club  gang  then 
went  out  and  cut  down  all  the  timber  on  the  land,  drew  it  away, 
dividing  it,  as  was  supposed,  among  themselves.  S.  B.  Dickson,  a 
resident  of  St.  Charles,  says  that  "he  and  Henry  Woodruff  were  on 
their  way  to  Saratoga  and  had  stopped  at  a  private  house,  when  the 
gang  were  drawing  the  timber.  The  gang  apprehending  that  they 
were  spies,  ordered  them  to  go  back  and  threatened  to  shoot  them  if 
they  ever  appeared  in  court  against  them."  After  the  burning  of 
the  house,  word  was  immediately  sent  to  Mr.  Wheeland,  who  came 
home  immediately  and  getting  a  clue  to  some  of  the  desperadoes, 
returned  to  Winona  to  get  out  a  warrant  for  their  arrest.  In  the 
meantime  a  large  party  of  the  members  of  the  club  appeared  in  the 
road  in  front  of  Mr.  Fuller's  house,  where  Mrs.  Wheeland  then  was, 
and  requested  admittance  into  the  house.  Mr.  Fuller  apprehending 
a  raid  and  evil  intent  had  prepared  for  a  vigorous  defense.     He  had 


ST.    CHARLES    TOWNSHIP. 


537 


at  hand  one  double-barreled  rifle,  one  single-barreled  rifle,  one  shot- 
gun and  a  brace  of  six  shooters,  all  well  loaded.     He  refused  them 
admittance.     He  stood  in  his  door  with  rifle  in  hand  and  threatened 
to  shoot  the  first  man  who  would  dare  to  mount  the  fence  to  come 
into   his   enclosure.     A  parley  ensued  —  there   was  a  cessation  of 
hostilities.     It  was  finally  agreed  that  three  of  the  party  might  be 
admitted  to  explain  the  object  of  the  visit.     The  delegation  having 
said  that  they  had  come  with  no  hostile  intentions,  their  errand  was 
a  peaceable  one,  and  turning  to  Mrs.  Wheeland  asked  her,  "what 
amount  of  money  would  satisfy  her  for  the  damage  done  in  burning 
the    house."     Mrs.   Wheeland  replied,   "All  the  law  will   give." 
These  words  had  a  magic  eftect  upon  the  party  for  they  soon  scattered, 
and  when  Mr.  Wheeland  returned,  accompanied  with  Sheriff  Eaton 
with  a  warrant  for  their  arrest  they  were  non  est  inventus.     Some  of 
these   persons,  however,  were  subsequently  arrested  and  brought 
before  Justice  Thompson,  of  Winona,  for  trial,  and  Messrs.  Dickson 
and  Woodruff,  whom  the  gang  had  threatened,  in  case  they  should 
appear  in  court  against  them,  were  subpoenaed  as  witnesses  against 
them,  and  gave  their  testimony.     It  was  said  that  the  evidence  was 
conclusive,  yet  they  got  clear  by  some  means.     S.  S.  Beman  was 
counsel  for   the  defense.     Mr.    Dickson   states   that   when  he  was 
building  his  shanty  on  his  claim,  he  was  forbidden  to  do  so,  and  if 
he  persisted  in  doing  so  he  was  threatened  of  being  shot.     He  built 
his  shanty,  however,  but  while  he  was  gone  to  Winona  to  enter  his 
land  his  shanty  was  torn  down  and  the  boards  taken  away  and  never 
found.     Mr.    Dickson   further    states    that    at   about    the   first   of 
November,  1855,  he  was  at  Winona  at  the  time  of  the  land  sales. 
There  was  there  at  that  time  an  old  gentleman  who  had  made  a  claim 
of  a  quarter  section  of  land,  situate  in  Saratoga  town,  and  a  bona  fide 
settler  on  the  same  and  entitled  to  bid  it  off';  another  person  bid 
$1.25  per  acre,  and  cried  "  settle."     The  old  gentleman  then  raised 
the  bid  five  cents  and  cried  "settle,"  upon  which  one  of  the  club 
society  told  him  if  he  did  not  withdraw  his  bid,  he  would  put  him 
into  the  river.     The  old  gentleman  refused  to  do  so.     The  ruffians 
seized  him  and  were  dragging  him  toward  the  river  when  he  drew  a 
revolver   and   shot   one    of    them,    wounding   him   in   the    thigh. 
Another  man   was   wounded  in  the  groin.     In  the  affray  the  old 
gentleman  had  his  thumb  sh(M;  off.     He  was  trodden  down  by  the 
gang  and  severely  injured  in  the  breast.     He  finally  succeeded  in 
getting  up  and  taking  refuge  in  the  land  office,  where  the  mob  tried 


538  HISTORY    OF    WrNONA    COUNTY. 

to  get  hold  of  him,  but  was  prevented  by  the  officers.     In  about  two 
weeks  he  died,  probably  from  the  injuries  received  from  the  mob. 

PUBLIC    SCHOOLS. 

The  first  schoolhouse  erected  in  St.  Charles  was  a  frame  build- 
ing, in  the  year  1855,  on  the  west  side  of  Church  street.  A  young 
lady  from  Chatfield  by  the  name  of  Clarissa  Mastick,  taught  the 
first  school.  The  next  person  who  taught  the  school  was  Miss 
Lucy  Bolt,  now  Mrs.  James  H.  Easton,  of  Rochester,  Minnesota, 
This  schoolhouse  was  used  for  all  public  gatherings,  both  political 
and  religious.  A  debating  club  was  formed  that  year,  the  meetings 
being  held  in  the  schoolhouse.  The  old  schoolhouse  is  now  occupied 
as  a  residence  by  Wm.  Wheeler.  A  new  and  more  convenient 
schoolhouse  was  erected  during  the  year  1863,  on  the  east  side  oi 
Whitewater  street,  and  a  few  rods  north  of  Winona  street,  which 
was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1869,  it  being  then  private  property,  having 
been  sold  by  the  school  district. 

A  special  act  of  the  legislature  organizing  the  St.  Charles  school 
district  was  approved  February  6,  1867.  At  the  annual  school 
meeting  held  in  March,  of  the  same  year,  a  board  of  education  was 
elected,  consisting  of  the  following  persons  :  John  M.  Cool,  chair- 
man ;  H.  C.  Parrott,  treasurer ;  John  Pickert,  clerk ;  J.  W. 
Brockett,  H.  11.  Guthrie  and  S.  Y.  Hyde.  Also  at  this  meeting 
there  was  appointed  a  committee  to  select  a  site  for  a  graded  school 
building,  and  report  at  some  future  meeting.  A  special  meeting  was 
called  April  10,  1867,  when  it  was  voted  to  issue  bonds  to  the 
amount  of  $10,000,  running  from  one  to  ten  years,  with  twelve  per 
cent  interest,  payable  annually  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  school- 
house.  At  this  meeting  the  committee  appointed  to  select  a  site 
made  their  report.  The  site  selected  was  what  was  denominated 
"Birge's  Square,"  between  Richland  and  Church  streets,  the  site  of 
the  present  school  building,  containing  about  two  acres  of  land. 
Tlie  appropriation  of  $10,000  not  being  sufficient  to  complete  the 
building,  a  special  meeting  of  the  school  district  was  held  at  the 
new  schoolhouse  on  January  18,  1868,  when  the  board  of  educa- 
tion was  instructed  to  issue  and  negotiate  additional  bonds  of  the 
district  to  the  amount  of  $3,000,  payable  in  four  years.  Subse- 
quently the  legislature  legalized  the*  action  of  the  board  of  educa- 
tion. The  new  building  was  built  of  wood,  two  stories.  The  first 
story  contained  four  schoolrooms,  and  the  second  story  contained 


ST.    CHARLES    TOWNSHIP.  539 

two  schoolrooms  and  one  large  assembly  room.  The  four  lower 
rooms  were  furnished,  and  the  St.  Charles  graded  schools  commenced 
on  January  16,  1868,  with  about  150  scholars  in  attendance.  Syl- 
vester Bedal  was  teacher  and  superintendent ;  Lavina  Averill,  Mary 
Tomlinson  and  Julia  Eertrand  were  assistants.  In  the  year  1878  this 
building  was  totally  destroyed  by  fire.  The  fire  caught  fi'om  a  tin- 
ner's turnace,  who  was  repairing  the  tin  gutters  on  the  roof.  The 
fire  occurred  a  few  days  before  the  annual  school  meeting,  at 
which  time  arrangements  were  made  for  building  a  new  building  of 
brick  and  stone.  The  new  building  was  completed  in  Decem- 
ber, 1878.  It  is  a  fine  two-story  and  basement  structure  of  red 
brick  trimmed  with  cut  stone  and  cream  colored  brick,  and  cost, 
unfurnished,  about  $12,000.  It  contains  eight  commodious,  well- 
lighted  and  well-ventilated  schoolrooms,  each  with  ample  cloak 
rooms.  It  is  in  the  form  of  a  letter  X,  thus  giving  opportunity  to  be 
lighted  by  windows  on  three  sides  of  each  schoolroom.  It  is 
heated  from  furnaces  located  in  the  basement.  In  the  High  School 
department  a  course  of  stud}^  is  taught  preparatory  to  admission  to 
the  State  University.  At  the  present  time  there  are  six  depart- 
ments, with  as  many  teachers.  The  school  building  and  the  manage- 
ment of  the  school  is  a  monument  to  the  energy,  intelligence  and 
progressive  spirit  of  the  people  of  St.  Charles. 

MARRIAGES,    BIRTHS    AND    DEATHS. 

The  first  marriage  in  St.  Charles  was  that  of  Mr.  J.  S.  Olds  and 
Miss  Ellen  Aldrich,  of  Clarksburg,  Massachusetts,  in  the  spring  of 
1856.  They  were  married  by  Benj.  Langworthy,  justice  of  the 
peace,  at  the  house  of  L.  H.  Springer.  The  next  marriage  was  that 
of  James  H.  Easton  and  Miss  Lucy  Bolt,  by  H.  Thompson,  a  justice 
of  the  peace.     This  was  in  the  fall  of  1856.  • 

The  first  birth  was  that  of  Philip,  son  of  L.  H.  Springer,  in  the 
year  1854.  The  first  death  was  that  of  Richard,  son  of  John 
Elsbury.  His  death  was  occasioned  by  eating  the  flowers  of  some 
wild  plant.  The  next  death  was  that  of  Hiram  Rice,  merchant. 
The  place  of  burial  was  then  on  land  belonging  to  Alonzo  Lang- 
worthy,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Whitewater  river,  long  since 
vacated  as  a  burial  place. 

CIVIL    AND    CRIMINAL   SUITS. 

The  first  civil  suit  of  record  under  the  township  organization 
was  brought  before  Harris  Scoville,  justice  of  the  peace,  in  which 


540  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

Pangbiirn  and  Langworthy  were  plaintiffs,  and  M.  S.  Weeks, 
defendant,  June  11,  1858.  A  jury  was  called  but  failed  to  agree. 
The  parties  agreed  to  submit  the  case  to  the  justice  who  found  no 
cause  of  action.  Judgment  was  rendered  against  plaintiflFs  for  costs 
amounting  to  $24. 92.  Sam  Cole,  attorney  for  plaintiffs,  and  Moses 
W.  Fay  for  defendants. 

The  first  criminal  suit  of  record  was  the  State  of  Minnesota 
against  Alfred  Hawlej^  (now  adjutant  general  of  the  state),  on  a 
charge  of  an  assault  and  battery  upon  the  body  and  person  of 
William  Coon,  March  15,  1860,  in  which  the  defendant  was  dis- 
charged. 

RELIGIOUS   HISTORY. 

The  first  sermon  delivered  in  St,  Charles  was  by  E.  Ely,  of  the 
Baptist  persuasion,  at  L.  H.  Springer's  in  the  month  of  January, 
1854.  Mr.  Ely  now  resides  at  Winona.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
settlers,  and  is  the  historian  of  Winona  city.  In  August,  1854,  the 
Rev.  T.  R.  Cressey,  of  the  Baptist  church,  preached  at  L.  H. 
Springer's  and  organized  a  Union  Sabbath  school,  being  the  first 
Sabbath  school  established  in  St.  Charles.  From  this  time  to  1857 
Father  Michael  Klepper,  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  who  had  settled  on  a  farm  about  four  miles  north  of  St. 
Charles,  preached  in  the  schoolhouse  and  formed  the  first  Methodist 
class  in  this  town.  During  this  time  preachers  of  other  denomina- 
tions occasionally  preached  at  St.  Charles  and  vicinity.  A.  M. 
Page,  an  adventist,  occasionally  preached.  Union  Sabbath  schools 
were  usually  kept  up  during  the  summer  seasons. 

On  April  18,  1855,  the  Rev.  David  Brooks,  of  the  Methodist 
church,  preached  at  the  house  of  L.  H.  Springer,  being  the  first 
sermon  of  that  order  delivered  in  St.  Charles. 

In  the  fall  of  1856,  Father  Klepper  formed  the  first  class  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  in  St.  Charles,  composed  of  the  follow- 
ing named  members:  George  C.  Slieeks,  Mrs.  Sheeks,  Samson 
Sheeks,  Lucinda  Sheeks,  Eliza  Sheeks,  Wm.  Cunningham,  Joseph 
Drake,  Mrs.  Drake,  Nelson  Wilson,  Mary  Wilson,  Michael  Klepper, 
Mrs.  Rebecca  Klepper,  Martha  Ann  Kleppei",  Marietta  Klepper,  Wm. 
Hendee,  Mary  Hendee,  Calvin  Hitt,  Mrs.  Hitt,  N.  D.  Mason  and 
Mrs.  Mason.  The  Minnesota  conference  was  set  off  from  the 
Wisconsin  conference  in  the  year  1856.  The  first  quarterly  meeting 
of  the  St.  Charles  circuit  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  was  held 
at  the  schoolhouse  in  St.  Charles,  on  September  19,  1857.     At  this 


ST.    CHARLES    TOWNSHIP.  541 

meeting  the  Rev.  D.  Cobb  presided.     The  society  has  a  church 
building  and  parsonage  in  this  city. 

The  Baptist  church  of  St.  Charles  was  organized  in  the  year 
1859  by  the  Rev.  D.  L.  Babcock.  A  meeting  was  convened  for 
that  purpose  at  the  schoolhouse  in  St.  Charles,  on  March  3,  1859, 
and  was  called  to  order  by  appointing  Rev.  H.  B.  Slater  moderator, 
and  J.  W.  Denton  clerk,  pro  tem.  The  following  named  persons 
became  identified  with  the  organization  :  Simpson  Smith,  Elizabeth 
Smith,  Ebenezer  Growt,  Rhoda  Growt,  Emily  Growt,  Morris  James, 
■  Catharine  James,  Ward  Smith  and  Justus  W.  Denton.  The  declara- 
tion of  faith  and  church  covenant,  as  published  by  the  Baptist  con- 
vention of  New  Hampshire,  was  adopted  as  their  rule  of  faith  and 
covenant.  In  1865  a  church  edifice  was  built  at  a  cost  of  about 
$3,000.  On  February  26,  1859,  according  to  public  notice  pre- 
viously^ given,  the  following-named  persons  assembled  in  the  school- 
house  in  St.  Charles,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  Congregational 
church,  viz  :  Hatsel  Brewer,  Daniel  M.  Evans,  Palmer  Carpenter, 
Isaac  Hanks,  Alonzo  Rowley,  John  Davidson,  Robert  Robertson, 
Polly  Brewer,  Sarah  Evans  and  Martha  Carpenter.  Rev.  David 
Burt  was  chosen  moderator.  Henry  Balcombe  was  elected  scribe. 
It  was  then  resolved  that  the  above-named  persons  organize  them- 
selves into  a  church  to  be  called  the  First  Congregational  Church 
of  Christ  at  St.  Charles,  by  adopting  the  articles  of  faith  and  cove- 
nant which  were  then  and  there  presented.  The  articles  of  faith 
and  covenant  having  been  adopted,  the  church  was  duly  constituted 
and  organized.  Hatsel  Brewer  and  D.  M.  Evans  were  elected 
deacons.  Hatsel  Brewer  was  also  elected  clerk.  A  church  edifice 
was  constructed,  l>eing  the  first  one  built  in  St.  Charles,  which 
recently  was  sold  to  the  German  Evangelical  society,  an  organiza- 
tion of  recent  date  in  this  city.  The  Congregational  society  have 
now  a  church  edifice  of  more  architectural  beauty  than  the  original 
one.  Their  first  church  building  was  erected  in  1859,  without  a 
spire. 

The  first  services  of  the  Episcopal  church  were  celebrated  by 
the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  "Whipple,  in  the  spring  of  1864,  and  the 
next  in  December  of  the  same  year.  In  the  forepart  of  January, 
1865,  Rev.  J.  H.  Waterbury  commenced  holding  regular  services 
in  the  schoolhouse  on  each  alternate  Sabbath.  At  a  meeting  of  the 
friends  of  the  Episcopal  church,  held  January  27,  1868,  for  the 
purpose  of  organizing  Trinity  Church,  the  following  proceedings 


542  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

were  had  :  The  Rev.  John  W.  Shatzell,  missionary  in  charge,  took 
the  chair,  and  liobert  Stewart  was  chosen  secretary.  The  following 
persons  were  elected  wardens  and  vestrymen :  Senior  warden, 
Robert  Stewart ;  junior  warden,  David  Harris ;  vestrymen,  H.  C. 
Parrott,  J.  W.  Brockett,  Charles  Wardner,  Joshua  Martin,  George 
H.  Clark,  Albert  Stansburj,  Robert  H.  Cutter,  Albert  Richardson, 
Josej)h  Birge  and  S.  W.  Stone.  The  church  being  duly  organized, 
services  were  held  every  alternate  Sabbath,  in  Templar's  hall. 
Subsequently  a  handsome  church  edifice  was  erected  on  St.  Charles 
street. 

A  Roman  Catholic  church  was  organized  in  the  year  1867,  by 
Father  Latte.  In  the  year  1868,  a  stone  edifice  was  erected,  and 
dedicated  in  the  fall  of  1874,  by  Father  Cotter,  of  Winona.  The  first 
services  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church  held  in  St.  Charles  were  held 
at  the  residence  of  Patrick  Donohue,  in  the  year  1361  or  1862. 
Patrick  Donohue,  Joseph  Wegeman  and  Father  Latte  were  the  first 
ones  to  organize  the  church. 

SECRET    SOCIETIES. 

On  February  15,  1864,  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Minnesota  granted  a 
dispensation  creating  Rising  Sun  Lodge,  U.  D.,  of  A.  F.  and  A.  M., 
designating  Robert  Stewart,  A¥.M. ;  Benjamin  Birge,  S.W. ;  Geo.  H. 
Clark,  J.W.  The  charter  members  were  Robert  Stewart,  Ben]. 
Birge,  Geo.  H.  Clark,  Farnum  Chickering,  Joseph  Birge,  Geo.  H. 
Brown,  Wm.  Cravey,  Lauren  L.  Chamberlain,  John  Curtis  and 
Charles  Griswold.  The  first  communication  was  held  February  25, 
1864.  The  next  year  a  charter  was  granted  under  the  name  of  Ris- 
ing Sun  Lodge,  No.  49.  Subsequently  Orient  Chapter,  R.  A.  M., 
was  organized.  At  present  there  are,  in  the  city  of  St.  Charles, 
organizations  of  Odd-Fellows,  Knights  of  Honor,  Royal  Arcanum, 
United  Workmen,  and  temperance  lodges,  and  also  a  grange  of  the 
Patrons  of  Husbandry.  The  masonic  fraternity  in  1880  built  a 
handsome  lodge-room,  with  a  large  banquet  hall  connected  with  the 
lodge-room  by  folding  doors,  a  commodious  reception-room  and 
other  necessary  rooms. 

THE    WAR    OF   THE    REBELLION. 

St.  Charles  responded  nobly  to  the  call  of  the  country  for  its 
quota  of  troops  to  sustain  the  Union  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  and 
the  names  of  those  boys  in  blue  wiio,  Cincinnatus  like,  left  the  plow 
in  the  furrow  and  rallied  in  defense  of  the  flag  of  their  country,  de- 


ST.    CHARLES    TOWNSHIP. 


543 


serve  not  only  honorable  mention  in  the  history  of  St.  Charles,  but 
a  place  in  the  heart  of  every  liberty-loving  patriot. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  soldiers  of  the  war  of  the 
rebellion  of  1861,  credited  to  the  town  of  St.  Charles  : 


Bertrand,  Isaac  C 7th  regiment. 

Barton,  Alison 7th  " 

Bartlett,  Alfred 7th  " 

Brewer,  Charles 7th  " 

Brown,  Wm.  G 9th 

Boyd,  Robt.  H (Jth 

Clark,  Malcolm 7th 

Carpenter,  A.  P 1st  " 

Davidson,  Thos 7th  " 

Dawley,  R.  L 2d    battery. 

Elsbury,  Geo:  H 7th  regiment. 

Fuller,  Carter 2d    battery. 

Fuller,  Judson  W 7th  regiment. 

Fuller,  Albert  N 7th 

Growt,  Orrin 7th  " 

Growt,  A.  W 7th 

Garver,  Geo.  S 2d    battery. 

Hartley,  Thomas 7th  regiment. 

Huddleston,  Thos 1st   battery. 

Hawley,  A.  C 3d    cavalry. 

Jenkins,  Geo.  0 9th  regiment. 

Lowden,  S 2d    battery. 

Morton,  Thos.  S 9th 

Pickle,  Alonzo  N 1st 

Remore,  Elijah 1st   regiment. 

Robinson,  Martin 7th  " 

Raymond,  Lyman 9th  " 

Richardson,  Geo 7th       .  " 

Smith,  John  C 2d 

Talbert,  Thos.  F 6th 

Thomas,  Morgan  J....  7th  " 

Wilmot,  Edwin  D 7th 

"Wiltse,  Abram 9th  " 

King,  James 

Johnson,  Joseph  P. . . .  2d    cavalry. 

Brewer,  Ira  C 2d  " 

Smith,  Calvin 2d 

Kimber,  Wm.  H 2d    battery. 

Barklay,  Wm.  H 5th  Iowa  cav. 

Barklay,  Hugh 5th      "       " 

Eves,  Charles  E 7th  regiment. 

Woodworth,  John  R. . .  7th  " 


Barker,  Henrv 7th  regiment. 

Colder,  Alex.." 7th  " 

Coolidge,  David 7th  " 

Bothrick.  Andrew 7th  " 

Stage,  Henry 7th        .  " 

Otis,  Stephen 7th  " 

Stone,  liialmer  H 7th 

Miller,  John  N 7th  " 

Parks,  Wm.  I) 7th 

Butterlield,  David  J.  .  .   7th  " 

Latimer,  Peter  D 7th  " 

Reed,  Orrin  S 7th  " 

Smith,  Albert 7th 

Hewitt.  Edward 7th  " 

Hill,  Chauncy  1 9th 

Harvev,  Joseph  E 9th  " 

Craig,  John  L 9th  " 

Chamberlain,  Joel  D. . .  9th  " 

Carrift;  Geo.  B 9th  " 

Lawton,  Michael  W. . .  9th  " 

Murray,  Warren 9th  " 

Spencer,  Anson 9th  " 

Stout,  Johnson  A 9th  " 

Christianson,  A 9th  " 

Hall,  Geo.  W 7th 

Boyd,  Robt.  K 11th 

Downing,  John  L 11th  " 

Sweet,  Hiram  F 11th  " 

Cook,  Geo 11th  " 

Ellis,  Henry  C 11th  " 

Stewart,  Charles  C 1st   infantry. 

Boyd,  Isaac  D 1st 

Bourdon,  Peter 1st  " 

Denton,  Marion  G 1st  " 

Harvey,  Geo.  K 1st  " 

Sweet,  Albert 4th  " 

Zrachte,  August 4th  " 

Ketycback,  Benj 4th  " 

Johnson,  Ben,  United  States  engineers. 
Griswold,  Charles,  1st  heavy  artillery. 
Morton,  Richard,  substitute. 


Many  of  the  above-named  persons  were  residents  of  towns  ad- 
joining St.  Charles,  but  were  accredited  to  the  town  of  St.  Charles 
in  consequence  of  bounty  received  from  the  said  town,  the  town  at 
one  time  paying  as  high  as  $300  bounty  to  fill  its  quota  of  soldiers 
called  for  by  the  government.  Besides  the  above,  T.  D.  Weeks 
and  S.  C.  McElhaney,  of  St.  Charles,  enlisted  in  Col.  Birge's  regi- 
ment of  sharpshooters.     This  regiment  was  raised  at  Benton  Bar- 


544  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

racks,  near  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  in  the  fall  of  1861,  under  the  patron- 
age and  special  favor  of  Gen.  Fremont,  who  intended  ^o  make  of 
it  a  model  sharpshooting  regiment,  and  one  that  would  represent 
the  whole  West.  With  this  view,  recruiting  officers  were  appointed 
in  nearly  all  the  Western  states,  to  recruit  for  Birge's  sharpshooters. 
Two  companies  were  raised  in  Ohio,  three  in  Illinois,  one  in  Michi- 
gan, and  three  were  organized  at  the  barracks  from  squads  sent  by 
recruiting  officers  from  Iowa,  Minnesota  and  other  Western  states, 
thus  forming  a  regiment  different  from  any  other  in  this,  that  it 
represented  every  state  in  the  west. 

In  the  spring  of  1864  it  was  contemplated  to  raise  a  battalion,  to 
be  called  the  First  Battalion  of  Minnesota  Volunteers  ;  but  not 
succeeding  at  the  time  in  raising  the  requisite  number,  the  follow- 
ing-named persons  from  St.  Charles  enlisted  into  the  8th  Iowa 
Cav.,  to  wit,  S.  A.  Johnson,  G.  H.  Johnson,  C.  H.  Taylor,  Robert 
Butcher,  John  C.  Strain,  John  Bourdon  and  David  James,  who 
were  mustered  into  service  at  Fort  Snelling,  Minnesota,  in  May,  1864. 

MEMBERS    OF   THE    LEGISLATURE. 

The  names  of  those  persons  who  have  been  members  of  the 
legislature  from  St.  Charles  are  as  follows  :  S.  S.  Beman,  senator, 
session  of  1857-8 ;  Manly  Grover,  representative,  session  of 
1857-8 ;  Ebenezer  Warner,  representative,  session  of  1861  ; 
Thomas  P.  Dixon,  of  Saratoga,  now  a  resident  of  St.  Charles,  repre- 
sentative, session  of  1864 ;  Charles  Griswold,  representative,  session 
of  1865  ;  H.  W.  Hill,  representative,  session  of  1868  ;  S.  Y.  Hyde, 
representative,  session  of  1869 ;  John  M.  Cool,  representative, 
session  of  1870  ;  John  M.  Cool  and  S.  Y.  Hyde,  representatives, 
session  of  1871  ;  S.  S.  Beman,  senator,  and  ,John  L.  Blair,  repre- 
sentative, session  of  1872  ;  S.  S.  Beman,  senator,  session  of  1873  ; 
S.  S.  Beman,  senator,  session  of  1874 ;  H.  W.  Hill,  senator,  session 
of  1875  ;  H.  W.  Hill,  senator,  session  of  1876;  J.  F.  Remore,  sena- 
tor, session  of  1877  ;  J.  F.  Remore,  senator,  and  F.  C.  Robinson, 
representative,  session  of  1878  ;  II.  W.  Hill,  senator,  session  of 
1879.  The  constitution  of  the  state  was  amended'  providing  for 
biennial  sessions  of  the  legislature.  S.  S.  Beman,  senator,  session 
of  1881 ;  H.  W.  Hill,  present  representative  for  the  session  of  1883. 

St.  Charles  Methodist  Church. — This  church  was  organized  in 
1857,  the  class  being  formed  by  Rev.  M.  Klepper  in  St.  Charles, 
consisting  of  twenty-three  members.     The  first  quarterly  meeting  of 


ST.    CHARLES    TOWNSHIP.  545 

which  there  is  any  record  was  held  September  19,  1857,  when  the 
following  board  of  trustees  was  elected :  Joseph  Drake,  A.  D. 
Porter,  G.  C.  Sheeks,  William  Hendee,  N".  E.  Mason,  Calvin  Hitt 
and  Samuel  Latta.  The  first  Sabbath  school  was  organized  in  1858. 
The  date  is  not  recorded.  There  were  at  this  time  forty-nine  mem- 
bers. In  April,  1858,  B.  B.  Crist  was  appointed  to  this  circuit.  In 
1859  Rev.  J.  Cowden  became  pastor.  At  this  time  the  holding  of 
the  annual  conference  was  changed  from  spring  to  fall.  In  the  fall 
of  1859  Rev.  J.  M.  Gossard  became  pastor,  with  C.  G.  Hayes  as 
assistant.  The  estimating  committee's  report  for  1859-60  is  as 
follows  : 

Supplies  to  pastor,  groceries  and  household 1160.00 

Quarterly  claim  . . 200.00 

To  Rev.  Mr.  Haves 160.00 

To  Rev.  Mr.  Gossard 40.00 

Total $560.00 

The  above  is  a  perfect  copy  of  the  report.  The  first  quarterly 
meeting  for  the  years  1859-60  was  held  at  St.  Charles  December  31. 
There  was  nothing  of  importance  occurred  during  the  years  1860-61. 
At  the  annual  conference  in  the  fall  of  1861  the  circuit  was  changed 
from  Whitewater  to  St.  Charles,  and  Rev.  Alfred  Welch  became 
pastor.  In  the  thii-d  quarterly  minutes  we  learn  that  there  were 
seven  schools,  with  fifty  officers  and  teachers,  and  eight  hundred 
scholars.  From  1862  to  1865  Charles  Griswold  was  pastor.  Dur- 
ing the  years  1863-4  lots  were  purchased  and  a  parsonage  built. 
In  1865  H.  Webb  was  pastor.  During  this  year  the  church  was 
built,  at  a  cost  of  $3,000,  added  to  the  cost  of  parsonage,  $1,072.67, 
making  a  total  of  $4072.67.  In  1866  S.  K  Phelps  was  pastor  ;  in 
1867,  N.  Tainter;  1868-9,  Bartly  Blain ;  1870-1-2,  Henry  G. 
Bilber ;  1873,  William  M.  Bowdish,  who  was  pastor  three  years. 
J.  M.  Liscomb  then  took  the  charge  and  retained  it  for  three  years  ; 
1879-80  G.  W.  Barnett  was  pastor.  He  was  succeeded  by  the 
present  pastor.  Rev.  John  Watson.  During  the  present  incum- 
bent's charge  the  church  has  been  thoroughly  repaired  and  painted, 
at  an  expense  of  $266.25.  The  church  is  free  from  debt,  and  has 
an  insurance  of  $2,500,  and  the  parsonage  $1,500,  in  the  Continen- 
tal Insurance  Company. 

Association  of  Christians  Opposed  to  Secret  Societies. — The 
first  anti-secret  association  organized  in  this  state  was  effected  at  the 
door  of  the  Congregational  church  in  St.  Charles  about  June  1,  1872, 


546  HISTORY    OF    WFNONA    COUNTY. 

the  inside  of  the  building  not  being  avaihible  for  a  business  meeting. 
The  organization  was  the  result  of  two  lectures  delivered  by  Rev. 
Charles  A.  Blanchard,  of  Wheaton,  Illinois,  and  it  was  made  aux- 
iliary to  the  national  association,  the  objects  of  which,  according  to 
its  articles  of  constitution,  are  primarily  to  expose  and  oppose  all  the 
secret  associations  of  the  age,  inasmuch  as  they  are  regarded  by  the 
members  as  hostile  to  the  Christian  religion  and  the  existence  of  a 
republican  state.  The  new  organization  started  with  twenty-four 
members,  and  in  1873  its'  name  was  changed  to  the  Winona  County 
Christian  Association,  and  a  new  constitution  adopted.  The  origi- 
nal officers  of  the  association  were :  Oren  (.ravath,  president ;  E.  S. 
Harvey,  vice-president;  P.  T.  Thurber,  secretary  and  treasurer. 
An  anti-masonic  library  is  owned  by  the  association,  and  meetings 
held  to  discuss  the  questions  involved  in  the  controversy  between 
this  society  and  those  who  oppose  their  views.  The  library  is  free 
to  all.  The  present  officers  are  :  -S.  B.  Patterson,  president ;  P. 
Huller,  vice-president ;  L.  S.  Downing,  treasurer ;  W.  H.  Morrill, 
secretary  and  librarian.  December  12,  1878,  a  state  association  was 
formed  at  St.  Charles,  and  annual  convocations  are  held  from  time 
to  time  in  the  interest  of  its  declared  objects. 

PUBLIC    SCHOOL. 

If  the  grade  and  efficiency  of  the  public  schools  in  any  com- 
munity are  to  be  accepted  as  a  true  index  of  the  general  intelligence 
of  such  comnmnity,  and  the  value  it  places  upon  thorough  instruction 
in  such  branches  of  knowledge  as  may  be  included  in  a  somewhat 
liberal  curriculum,  then  may  St,  Charles  honestly  congratulate 
herself  upon  the  record  she  has  thus  made.  Nor  is  the  ambitious 
little  city  on  the  western  confines  of  the  county  at  all  unmindful  of 
the  record  she  is  thus  making  for  herself  through  the  enlightened 
efforts  of  her  educational  board,  fully  sustained,  as  they  are,  by  the 
intelligent  liberality  of  that  independent  school  district.  This 
record  extends  over  a  period  of  about  sixteen  years,  during  which 
time'  discouragements  of  no  ordinary  character  have  been  met  and 
overcome,  and  out  of  which  the  public  school  of  that  city  emerges 
with  a  reputation  for  efficiency,  tlioroughness  and  honesty  of  admin- 
istration that  commands  the  hearty  approbation  of  all  qualified 
judgments. 

Prior  to  1867  the  St.  Charles  district  was  included  in  the  general 
public  school  system  of  the  county,  and  was  known  as  district  No. 


ST.    CHARLES    TOWNSHIP.  547 

60,  being  so  borne  on  the  rolls  of  the  county  superintendent  and 
included  in  his  regular  reports  to  the  state  superintendent  of 
instruction.  By  a  special  act  of  the  Minnesota  legislature,  passed 
February  6,  1867,  this  district,  No.  60,  was  created  a  chartered 
district,  as  such  entitled  to  all  the  special  privileges  accorded  such 
districts  under  the  laws  of  the  state.  The  district  at  this  time 
included  seven  and  one-half  sections  of  land.  By  special  act  of 
legislature,  of  March  4,  1868,  section  31  ol  St.  Charles  township, 
Winona  county,  and  one  and  one-half  sections  from  Olmstead 
county  (formerly  included  in  the  independent  school  district  of 
Dover),  were  added  to  the  territory  included  in  the  old  district  No. 
60,  making  the  full  complement  of  ten  sections  comprised  in  the 
chartered  school  district  of  St.  Charles  as  thus  constituted.  The 
boundaries  of  this  district  remain  unchanged  since  that  date.  The 
same  year  that  the  chartered  district  was  created,  1867,  a  com- 
modious school  building  was  erected,  and  preparations  were  made 
for  conducting  schoolwork  on  a  scale  commensurate  with  the  needs 
of  the  district.  The  new  school  building  occupied  a  full  block  near 
the  center  of  the  corporation,  one  block  east  of  the  main  business 
street  of  the  village.  It  was  a  substantial  frame  structure  with  solid 
stone  foundations,  containing  six  spacious  classrooms  and  a  general 
assembly-room,  and  cost  when  complete  $16,000.  Here  the  school 
grew  and  prospered  for  nearly  eleven  years,  when  it  was  destroyed 
by  fire,  August  31,  1878,  the  loss  being  about  one-half  covered  by 
insurance.  The  school  board  immediately  met,  called  for  plans  and 
specifications  for  a  new  school  building,  let  the  contract,  and  in 
just  ninety  days  from  breaking  ground  for  the  foundations  of  the 
new  structure  the  keys  were  turned  over  to  the  board  of  education, 
the  structure  complete  at  a  cost  of  $11,475.  To  this  should  be  added 
$li,500  for  furniture  and  furnaces.  The  new  structure  deserves  more 
than  a  passing  notice,  as  it  is  one  of  unique  character,  the  plans  for 
which  were  copyrighted  by  Langdon,  of  Winona,  in  1877,  and 
designated  by  him  the  Centennial  School  Building.  The  special 
features  of  this  plan  are,  economy  of  construction,  isolation  of  class- 
rooms, so  that  no  noise  or  confusion  in  one  disturbs  the  others, 
three  sides  of  each  classroom  fully  exposed  to  light  and  air,  and 
a  complete  system  of  ventilation.  The  plan  itself  is  quite  difficult 
of  desci'iption,  as  it  does  not  fall  under  any  particular  order  of 
architecture,  but  may  be  generally  stated  as  consisting  of  an 
irregular  hexagonal  center,  from  which  extend  four  arms.  The 
32 


648  JIISTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

passage-ways,  staircases,  entrances  to  clothes-closets  and  classrooms 
are  into  and  from  this  center,  four  of  the  sides  of  which  form  the 
four  unlighted  ends  of  the  classrooms  that  open  out  of  this  central 
hall.  By  this  arrangement  there  will  be  as  many  sets  of  class- 
rooms, fom'  in  each  set,  as  there  are  stories  to  the  structure.  These 
radiating  classrooms  are  all  set  diagonally  to  the  cardinal  points  of 
the  compass,  so  that  the  windows  of  each  classroom  give  free  access 
to  sunlight  upon  three  sides. 

The  St.  Charles  school  building  is  a  two-story  brick,  solid  stone 
foundations  and  basement  for  furnaces.  The  solid  walls  of  stone  in 
the  basement  carried  to  the  first  floor  are  continued  in  brick  to  the 
ceilings  of  the  second  story,  thus  rendering  the  divisions  complete 
and  greatly  enhancing  the  safety  of  the  structure  should  fire  break  out 
in  any  part.  A  separate  furnace  supplies  heat  to  each  wing  of  the 
building,  and  capacious  ventilating  flues  insure  a  constant  current  of 
pure  air  throughout  the  classrooms.  No  assembly-room  is  provided 
for  in  this  arrangement.  The  classrooms,  eiglit  in  number,  six  only 
of  them  occupied,  are  uniform  'in  size,  and  fully  provided  with  all 
modern  appliances  for  schoolwork.  The  staircases  leading  from  the 
second  story  to  the  main  floor  are  amply  sufficient  for  all  purposes. 
Of  these  there  are  two,  each  five  feet  wide  in  the  clear  and  arranged 
at  opposite  sides  of  a  broad  hall.  The  approaches  to  the  street  from 
the  main  hall  are  also  fully  adequate  to  the  most  rapidly  necessitated 
exit.  Besides  the  eight  recitation-rooms  there  are  eight  cloak-rooms, 
eight  teachers'  closets  and  ample  storage  room  for  fuel  below. 

The  presiding  genius  of  this  pattern  temple  of  teaching  is  Prof. 
D.  Steward,  who  is  ably  seconded  by  an  efficient  corps  of  five 
teachers,  supervising  one  grammar,  one  intermediate  and  three 
primary  departments. 

The  first  secretary  of  the  new  school  board,  elected  under  the 
charter  given  in  1877,  was  John  Pickert,  present  postmaster  of  the 
city. 

Much  of  the  efficiency  of  the  school  is  due  to  the  untiring  efforts 
of  the  clerk  of  the  board,  E.  Hill,  Esq.,  who  has  held  that  position 
since  1873.  The  present  board  of  education  is  as  follows  :  E.  M. 
Gallup,  chau'man  ;  E.  Hill,  clerk  ;  Clias.  Gerrish,  treasurer ;  H.  C. 
Parrott,  Dr.  W.  A.  Chamberlin  and  R.  L.  Dawley. 

As  public  money  is  paid  only  on  the  actual  enrollment,  and  not 
upon  the  numbers  of  scholars  of  school  age  in  the  district,  the 
number  of  legal  school  age  within  the  district  is  not  known.     The 


ST.    CHAELES    TOWNSHIP.  549 

actual  enrollment  for  1882  was  403.  While  inspecting  the  premises 
and  classrooms  for  the  purposes  of  this  work,  we  were  given  a 
specimen  of  the  school's  proficiency  in  combining  numbers.  A  class 
of  over  twenty  scholars,  averaging  less  than  eleven  years  of  age 
each,  were  called  before  the  blackboard  and  repeatedly  added 
columns  of  figures,  ranging  from  fifteen  to  twenty-one  figures  in  a 
column,  aggregating  from  90  to  127  as  the  sum  total,  as  fast  as 
the  numbers  could  possibly  be  written  on  the  board  by  the  teacher. 
Again  and  again,  with  the  watch  in  our  hands,  we  timed  the  process, 
in  from  seven  to  fifteen  seconds.  We  were  invited  to  say  a  word  to 
the  class,  and  in  response  promised  to  put  them  in  Winona  county 
history.  Wishing  to  avoid  all  insidious  distinctions,  we  make  no 
mention  of  the  particular  class  or  teacher,  but  thus  redeem  our 
promise. 

D.  Steward,  principal,  is  a  native  of  Vermont  and  a  graduate  of 
Dartmouth  College,  class  of  1875.  Since  leaving  college  Mr. 
Steward  has  been  actively  engaged  in  teaching,  having  adopted  this 
as  his  life-work.  Mr.  Steward's  first  engagement  as  principal  of 
St.  Charles  schools  was  for  the  school  year  1880-1,  at  the  expiration 
of  which  he  took  a  trip  through  the  west,  and  returning,  assumed 
charge  for  the  school  year  1882-3,  at  an  advance  in  salary  of  twenty- 
five  per  cent  over  first  year's  contract.  Mr.  Steward  is  recognized  as 
a  thorough-going  teacher,  of  broad,  comprehensive  views,  and 
thoroughly  honest  in  his  educational  work. 

Miss  M.  A.  Buck,  daughter  of  Hon.  C.  F.  Buck,  of  Winona, 
has  charge  of  the  grammar  department ;  Miss  L.  M.  Glidden  is 
teacher  of  the  intermediate;  Miss  Mary  Clarkson,  "A"  primary  ; 
Miss  Helen  F.  Lathrop,  "B"  primary;  Miss  M.  A.  Gates,  daughter 
of  M.  H.  Gates,  herself  a  native  of  St.  Charles,  and  witii  Miss  Buck, 
a  graduate  of  the  State  Normal,  is  in  charge  of  the  "C"  primary 
room. 

On  February  25,  1864,  Kising  Sun  Lodge  was  organized  under 
dispensation  of  the  M.W.  Grand  Master  of  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons  of  the  State  of  Minnesota,  and  Robert  Stewart,  Benjamine 
Birge  and  George  H.  Clark  were  designated  as  principal  oflicers, 
and  thus  it  continued  to  labor  until  October  26,  1864,  when  a 
charter  was  granted  by  the  M.W.  Grand  Lodge  of  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons  of  Minnesota:  M.W.  A.  T.  C.  Pierson,  G.M.; 
RW.  L.  E.  Thompson,  D.G.M.  ;  RW.  C.  H.  Lindsley,  G.S.W.  ; 
RW.  W.  T.  Rigby,  G.  J.W.  ;  George  W.  Prescott,  G.  Sec,  imder 


550  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

the  name  and  style  of  Rising  Sun  Lodge,  No.  49,  A.  F.  and  A. 
M.,  with  Robert  Stewart,  W.M.  ;  Benjamine  Birge,  S.W.  ;  George 
H.  Clark,  J.W.  ;  Nathan  Novatus  Pike,  Treas.  ;  Joshua  Martin, 
Sec.  ;  Allen  O.  Adams,  S.D.  ;  Charles  M.  Lake,  J.D.  ;  R.  B. 
Bunce,  Tyler.  At  the  first  annual  election,  held  on  December  22, 
1864,  Samuel  Young  Hyde  was  elected  W.M.,  and  by  consecutive 
re-election  held  the  office  four  years,  presiding  with  rare  administra- 
tive prudence  and  marked  distinction. 

December  17,  1869,  Nelson  Hardy  Swift  was  elected  W.M.  At 
the  sixth  annual  election,  held  December  16,  1869,  Samuel  Y.  Hyde 
was  again  elected  W.M.,  and  at  the  annual  election  held  December 
15,  1870,  was  succeeded  by  Charles  Griswold,  who,  being  subse- 
(juently  elected  to  the  office  of  M.W.G.M.,  was  succeeded  by  the 
election  of  S.  A.  Johnson,  February  16,  1871,  said  election  being 
held  by  virtue  of  a  dispensation  granted  by  M.W.G.M.  C.  W.  Nash. 
At  the  eighth  annual  election  held  December,  21,  1871,  Samuel 
Y.  Hyde  was  again  called  to  preside,  and  by  successive  re-election 
was  continued  as  W.M.  until  December  28,  1875,  having  served 
eight  of  the  eleven  terms  since  the  charter  organization  of  the  lodge. 
December  16,  1875,  Alfred  P.  Stearns  was  elected  W.M,,  and  re- 
elected in  the  succeeding  years,  1876-77.  December  19,  1878, 
George  H.  Johnson  was  elected  W.M. ,  and  re-elected  at  the  annual 
election  held  December  18,  1879,  Alfred  P.  Stearns  was  elected 
for  a  fourth  term  at  the  annual  election,  December  16,  1880,  and 
at  the  annual  election  of  December  15,  1881,  was  succeeded  by 
E.  Merrill  Gallup,  the  present  incumbent.  From  its  organization 
under  the  wise  guidance  and  guardian  care  of  illustrious,  worthy, 
administrative  officers  the  lodge  has  maintained  a  steady,  healthy 
and  prosperous  growth,  aggregating  since  its  organization  a  grand 
total  of  194  members,  of  which  it  yet  retains  upon  the  roll  fully  one- 
half,  notwithstanding  the  depleting  processes  of  death,  demission,  and 
the  many  and  various  other  causes  and  mutations  inevitably  inci- 
dental to  progi-ess  in  all  human  affairs.  Inharmonies  have  some- 
times lurked  in  its  deliberations  to  confront  the  sagacity  of  wisdom, 
strength  and  beauty,  and  mar  the  loveliness  and  glory  of  friendship  ; 
but  mainly  all  its  activities  and  deliberations  liave  been  characterized 
by  a  due  admixture  of  prudence,  patience,  fortitude,  and  that  noble 
forbearance  which  ultimately  neutralizes  every  defection  and  harmo- 
nizes all  infelicities.  Its  charities  have  been  many  and  munificent ; 
seldom  unworthily,  and  generally  judiciously  bestowed  ;  so  that  while 


ST.    CHAELES    TOWNSHIP.  551 

many  suffering  recipients  have  experienced  a  sweet  satisfaction  and 
happy  relief  by  the  gracious  benefactions  of  its  liberal  almonry  of 
the  resources  of  many  years  of  prosperity  up  to  the  year  1880,  its 
treasury  was  never  plethoric  or  groaning  with  idle  accumulations. 

To  relieve  the  distressed  is  deemed  not  only  as  the  highest  and 
first  duty  of  the  masonic  brotherhood,  but  it  is  hailed  as  a  privilege 
and  honor  by  every  true  craftsman.  It  is  also  the  sacred  privilege 
of  every  person  in  affliction  or  in  want,  to  apply  for  such  needed 
help  or  relief  as  may  be  in  the  power  of  a  Mason  to  grant.  When- 
ever such  application  for  relief  in  calamity,  distress  or  affliction  has 
been  made  to  Kising  Sun,  No.  49,  whether  by  individual  or  com- 
munity, it  has  always  observed  and  enforced  the  masonic  rule  of 
brotherly  love,  relief  and  truth,  not  only  in  the  interest  of  the  craft, 
but  in  the  interest  of  sweet  charity  itself  in  manner  and  form,  never 
questioning  whether  its  beneficiary  objects  be  craftsman  or  profane. 

Thus  has  Rising  Sun  lived  and  prospered  in  its  charities,  amass- 
ing no  wealth,  and  scarcely  ever  with  a  respectable  fund  in  its 
treasury  ;  yet  in  April  of  the  year  1880  it  conceived  and  developed 
a  scheme  whereby  in  conjunction  with  Orient  Chapter,  No.  19, 
R.A.M.,  a  large  and  commodious  second-story  hall,  54x80  feet,  was 
erected  and  commodiously  arranged  into  audience  and  banquet  halls, 
with  rooms  necessary  and  ample  thereto,  together  with  a  fair  equip- 
ment of  furniture  and  convenient  fixtures  at  present  owned  and  occu- 
pied conjointly  by  both  societies  ;  and  now,  Anno  Lucis  5883,  Rising 
Sun  Lodge,  No.  49,  is  blessed  with  peace  and  harmony  of  more  than 
average  unanimity,  and  with  comparatively  brightening  prospects 
for  future  growth  and  usefulness,  with  foundations  deeply  laid  in  the 
solid  experiences  of  the  past ;  its  standing  is  firm,  compact  and  im- 
pregnable, its  course  is  onward  to  the  motto  "Excelsior."  In  the 
present  organization  the  officers  are:  E.  Merrill  Gallup,  W.M.; 
Robert  Mares,  S.W. ;  Clarence  Y.  Ferguson,  J.W.;  James  C.  Wood- 
ard,  Treas.;  E.  Geo.  Hill,  Sec;  Robert  F.  Wahler,  S.D.;  Malcolm 
Clark,  J.D. ;  Allen  O.  Adams,  Chaplain;  Geo.  H.  Johnson,  Mar- 
shal ;  Henry  N.  Gage,  S.S. ;  Thomas  Clarkson,  J.S.;  William 
Davidson,  Tyler. 

Orient  Chapter^  No.  19^  R.A.M. — Early  in  the  year  1870,  there 
being  in  St.  Charles  and  vicinity  several  members  of  the  masonic 
order  who  had  taken  the  royal-arch  degree,  it  was  thought  best  to 
establish  a  chapter  of  the  order,  and  accordingly  on  February  22  of 
that  year  a  petition  for  dispensation  to  institute  a  chapter  of  Royal 


552  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Arch  Masons  in  the  city  of  St.  Charles  was  presented  to  E.  D.  B. 
Porter,  at  tliat  time  M. E.G. II. P.  of  the  State  of  Minnesota.  The 
petition  was  signed  bv  Robert  Stewart,  John  Bullen,  S.  Y.  Hyde, 
Truman  Morse,  Charles  Greswold,  T.  T.  Stevens,  CliarlesH.  Slocum, 
Robert  B.  Kellam,  Alfred  P.  Steams,  Henry  Talbot  and  Nelson  H. 
Swift,  and  named  companion  Robert  Stewart  as  M.E.H.P.,  Samuel 
Y.  Hyde,  K.,  and  John  Bullen,  Scribe.  The  dispensation  was  duly 
granted,  and  on  March  10,  1870,  the  first  regular  convocation  of  the 
chapter  was  held. 

Companion  Robert  Stewart,  who,  hj  reason  of  age,  zeal,  ripe 
experience  and  ability  was  styled  the  ' '  Father  of  Masonry  in  St. 
Charles,"  held  the  office  of  M.E.H.P.  by  successive  re-election  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  July  31,  1876,  being  then  incumbent  of 
the  office. 

At  the  next  annual  election,  held  December  14,  1876,  companion 
John  Pickert  was  elected  H.P.,  and  by  consecutive  re-election  has 
held  the  office  ever  since,  and  under  his  efficient  management  and 
control  Orient  Chapter  has  maintained  a  steady,  strong  and  prosper- 
ous growth,  nearly  doubling  its  membership  during  his  administra- 
tion of  its  affairs,  having  now,  January  1,  1883,  the  grand  comple- 
ment of  seventy  members  on  its  rolls.  Its  present  officers  are  as 
follows:  John  Pickert,  H.P. ;  Thomas  P.  Dixon,  K. ;  Edwin  Hill, 
S. ;  Samuel  A.  Johnson,  C.H. ;  A.  O.  Adams,  P.S. ;  Harlow  Brown, 
R.A.C.;  James  C.  Woodard,  Treas.;  E.  George  Hill,  Sec;  E.  M. 
Gallup,  M.  3d  vail ;  J.  W.  Scott,  M.  2d  vail ;  R.  F.  Wahler,  M.  1st 
vail  ;  Allen  Gerrish,  Sen. 

St.  Charles  Lodge.,  No.  6"^  I.O.O.F. — Located  at  St.  Charles, 
was  instituted  on  the  28th  day  of  May,  1878,  under  the  direction 
of  Past  Grand  Master  I.  M.  Westfall,  acting  as  Deputy  Grand  Mas- 
ter. The  charter  members  were  :  Charles  E.  Kendall,  John  W. 
Zerwas,  B.  Neuman,  I.  M.  Westfall  and  H.  E.  Doty. 

The  following  officers  were  installed  by  O.  E.  Lawson,  acting 
G.M.:  Charles  Kendall,  KG.;  John  W.  Zerwas,  Y.G.;  E.  C. 
Johnson,  Rec.  Sec. ;  B.  Neuman,  Treas. ;  J.  W.  Burns,  Conductor ; 
A.  W.  Stebbins,  R.S.  to  KG.;  I.  M.  Westfall,  L.S.  to  KG.;  Jacob 
Wachter,  R.S.  to  Y.G. ;  H.  E.  Doty,  L.S.  to  Y.-G.,  and  B.  Neu- 
man.  Warden. 

The  lodge  was  represented  in  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Minnesota  in 
1878  by  L  M.  Westfall,  in  1879  by  B.  Neuman,  in  1880  by  John 
W.  Zerwas,  in  1881  by  A.  W.  Stebbins  and  in  1882  by  John  W. 
Zerwas.  < 


ST.    CHARLES    TOWNSHIP.  553 

The  officers  for  the  last  term  of  1882  are  as  follows  :  T.  D.  See 
field,  N.G. ;  George  Miller,  V.G. ;  Henry  Maire,  Rec.  Sec;  John 
Cook,  Treas. ;  E.  D.  Wilmot,  Conductor ;  C.  H.  Tock,  Warden  ; 
Julius  Bnssuitz,  Guardian  ;  John  W.  Zerwas,  R.S.  to  theN.G. ;  C.  A. 
Smith,  L.S.  to  the  KG.;  S.  A.  Keep,  R.S.  to  the  V.G.;  Jacob 
Wachter,  L.S.  to  the  Y.G.;  C.  Lane,  R.S.S.;  C.  A.  Demro,  L.S.S.; 
A.  W.  Stebbins,  Chaplain  and  Henry  Maire,  P.G. 

The  total  membership  at  present  is  thirty-three.  The  lodge  is  in 
a  flourishing  condition  financially,  and  its  supply  of  furniture  and 
lodge  fixtures  is  equal  to  any  of  its  numbers  in  the  state. 

Germania  Lodge^  No.  22^  A.  O.  U.  W. — Was  organized  at  St. 
Charles  nearly  six  years  ago,  its  charter  bearing  date  August  10, 
1877.  The  original  membership  was  sixteen  ;  about  thirty  members 
in  all  have  been  obligated  and  the  present  membership  is  twenty. 
The  decrease  is  entirely  owing  to  removals  and  suspensions,  no 
deaths  of  members  having  occurred  since  organization.  Their  meet- 
ings are  held  in  Odd-Fellows'  Hall,  in  common  with  which  organi- 
zation they  are  joint  owners  of  the  hall  furniture  and  fixtures.  The 
present  ofiicers  of  Germania  are:  J.  T.  Stewart,  M.W. ;  W.  Has- 
selgrave,  F. ;  I.  Bresler,  O, ;  F.  Blankenburgh,  Rec. ;  F.  H.  Allen, 
Fin."  J.  C.  Woodard,  Rec'r. ;  Jeremiah  Dickenson,  Guide;  Ed. 
Pearson,  I.  W. ;  Louis  Schnell,  O.  W. 

CONCLUSION. 

Up  to  the  winter  of  1863-4  there  was  no  market  in  this  place 
for  wheat  or  other  farm  products,  save  what  was  required  by  the 
people  for  home  consumption  ;  but  at  this  time  Charles  Wardner 
came  here  from  Winona,  built  a  store  and  grain  warehouse  attached, 
and  put  in  a  large  stock  of  general  merchandise,  and  received  farm 
products  in  exchange  fcr  goods,  or  purchased  the  same  for  cash. 
The  Winona  &  St.  Peter  Railroad  Company  were  laying  the  iron 
track  between  here  and  Winona,  and  in  the  month  of  February, 
1864,  the  road  was  completed  to  this  place,  and  the  iron  horse  for  the 
first  time  entered  the  beautiful  village  of  St.  Charles.  Warehouses, 
stores  and  other  buildings  sprung  up  as  if  by  magic.  Two  lumber 
yards  were  opened  here  at  that  time,  and  all  kinds  of  business  began 
to  prosper.  Previous  to  this  time  the  nearest  market  for  the  people 
of  this  place  and  vicinity,  and  for  a  long  stretch  of  country  west, 
was  Winona,  the  roads  being  lined  daily  with  teams,  mostly  ox- 
teams,  laden  with  the  produce  of  the  land,  going  to  Winona  to  sell, 


554  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

and  in  return  purchase  such  commodities  as  were  necessary  ior  the 
family  and  for  opening  up  and  improving  the  vast  and  fertile  coun- 
try tributary  to  Winona. 

On  February  28  the  legislature  passed  an  act  to  incorporate  the 
city  of  St.  Charles.  The  proposition  was  submitted  to  the  people  at 
an  election  held  on  March  1,  1870,  and  adopted.  On  March  8, 
1870,  an  election  was  held  for  the  purj)ose  of  electing  city  officers. 
At  this  election  S.  W.  Stone,  now  of  Aurora,  Dakota  Territory, 
was  elected  the  first  mayor  of  the  city  of  St.  Charles,  and  thence- 
forth it  became  a  full-fledged  city.  The  present  city  officers  are  as 
follows  :  C.  W.  Seefield,  mayor  ;  H.  C.  Parrott,  W.  K.  Parr,  C.  N. 
Clark,  S.  C.  McElhaney,  aldermen  ;  C.  G.  Bachelder,  recorder ; 
J.  C.  Woodard,  treasurer ;  Joseph  Bockler,  assessor ;  E.  G.  Hill 
and  E.  M.  Gallup,  justices  of  the  peace  ;  A.  H.  Adams  and  G.  T. 
Olds,  constables ;  Miles  Growt,  city  marshal ;  O.  Potter,  street 
commissioner. 

At  this  time  (December,  1882)  the  city  of  St.  Charles  has  a  pop- 
ulation of  about  1,200.  Her  public  schools  are  of  the  very  best  in 
the  state,  being  of  a  high  standard,  in  which  her  citizens  take  a 
lively  interest,  employing  at  all  times  the  very  best  of  teachers. 
The  terms  of  school  aggregate  nine  months  in  each  year.  Six 
church  edifices  representing  as  numy  different  denominations,  viz., 
Roman  Catholic,  Episcopal,  Baptist,  Methodist,  German  Evangeli- 
cal and  Congregational,  are  established  here,  in  which  religious 
services  are  held  in  some  or  all  every  Sabbath.  As  a  commercial 
and  manufacturing  place  it  has  superior  advantages,  being  sur- 
rounded with  a  rich  agricultural  district,  the  surplus  products  of 
which  are  yearly  on  the  increase. 


CHAPTER  XLYITI. 


KOT.l.ING  STONE  TOWNSHIP. 


Rolling  Stone  township,  as  organized  b}'^  the  county  commis- 
sioners, consists  of  parts  of  townshi})S  No.  107  and  108  north,  of 
range  No.  8  west,  of  Winona  county,  Minnesota.  The  Mississippi 
river  flowing  along  the  northern  boundary  in  a  southeasterly  direc- 
tion makes  the  town  irregular  in  form.     It  takes  its  name  from  the 


ROLLING    STONE    l^WNSHIP.  555 

creek  which  flows  through  it  from  south  to  north,  affording  complete 
drainage,  excepting  a  small  brook  in  the  northwest  part,  which 
drains  five  or  six  sections. 

The  surface  consists  of  about  seven  sections  of  bottom  lands  con- 
tiguous to  the  Mississippi  and  subject  to  overflow,  but  producing 
^Id  grass  and  timber,  and  about  1,500  acres  of  terrace  or  table 
lands  lying  between  the  bluifs  and  the  bottomlands  and  the  remam- 
der  ol  bluff  or  ridge  and  of  valley  land. 

The  cultivated  lands  as  reported  by  the  assessor  for  this  year 
(1882)  number  5,134  acres,  leaving  14,813  uncultivated,  about  10,000 
acres  of  which  are  bluff  or  ridge  lands  and  4,843  are  along  the  Mis- 
sissippi bottom.  The  inhabitants  reside  in  the  valleys,  m  which 
there  are  sixty  farms,  twenty  of  them  reaching  upon  the  bluffs  where 
about  1,500  acres  are  cultivated. 

NAME,    FIRST    SETTLEMENT,    ETC. 

This  township,  Winona  and  Whitewater  are  the  only  names  in 
the  county  that  relate  to  the  Indian  names.  The  Sioux  name  for  the 
stream  was  E-yan-o-min-man.  Rendered  into  French,  Roche  qu  de 
Boule,  meaning  a  good  place  to  roll  stone  down  the  bluff. 

[For  this  information  the  writer  is  indebted  to  the  Hon.  H.  i±. 
Sibley  and  also  to  Hon.  Norman  W.  Kittson.  Mr.  Kittson  spent 
two  years  near  the  mouth  of  the  creek  with  an  Indian  trader  by  the 
name  of  Labothe,  about  the  year  1840.] 

The  Sioux  treaty  which  extinguished  the  Indian  title  to  the  land 
was  not  ratified  till  1853,  but  in  February,  1852,  Mr.  Israel  M.  Nara- 
cong  made  a  claim  for  the  purpose  of  securing  a  water-power  on  the 
Rolling  Stone.  This  is  now  occupied  by  the  flounng-mill  of  A.  D. 
Ellsworth.  Mr.  Naracong  remained  here  till  July  followmg,  when 
he  left  for  his  home  in  Wisconsin  and  did  not  return.  Mr.  Naracong 
made  no  improvements  excepting  to  build  a  board  shanty  8x12  feet 
in  size,  which  he  occupied,  in  company  with  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Josiah  R.  Keene.  They  spent  part  of  the  winter  and  spring  m  cut- 
ting black  walnut  timber,  which  was  rafted  and  sold  m  Lacrosse. 
The  first  permanent  settlement  was  made  in  the  town  by  a  colony 
which  was  organized  in  New  York  city  in  October,  1851,  under  the 
name  of  the  "Western  Farm  and  Village  Association."  Minutes 
of  the  organization  and  of  the  meetings  were  pubhshed  in  the  New 
York  "Tribune;"  and  the  association  also  published  a  small  paper 
devoted  to  its  interests  and  called  "The  Western  Farm  and  Village 


556  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Advocate."  A  fee  of  $5  was  all  that  was  required  to  become  a 
member,  and  in  the  spring  of  1852  the  association  numbered  nearly 
400  from  different  places  in  the  northern  states,  ])artie8  joining  from 
all  of  the  New  England  states  and  from  Michigan,  Pennsylvania, 
Ohio,  Indiana  and  Illinois.  A  majority  were,  however,  flfom  New 
York  city,  and  of  foreign  birth.  The  objects  of  the  association,  as 
expressed  by  their  paj^er,  recognizing  the  difficulties  and  inconven- 
iences of  individually  settling  new  countries,  proposed  to  obviate 
tliem  by  organization  to  settle  upon  cheap  lands,  to  secure  cheaper 
transportation  and  by  purchasing  building  material  and  supplies  in 
quantities  to  get  cheaper  rates  ;  and,  also,  to  have  the  advantages  of 
society,  churches,  schools,  roads  and  bridges,  and  other  things  per- 
taining to  civilization,  without  waiting  for  the  country  to  be  settled 
gradually. 

It  may  be  recorded  here  that,  at  the  time  of  settlenient,  there 
were  false  and  malicious  statements  spread  in  regard  to  the  character 
of  the  colony.  They  were  stigmatized  as  infidels,  Fourierites,  com- 
munists, etc.  There  was  no  foundation  for  these  statements,  but 
they  had  a  tendency  to  bring  the  settlers  into  disrepute.  The  editor 
of  the  "  Tribune/'  Mi*.  Greeley,  took  a  lively  interest  in  the  associa- 
tion, but  predicted  a  failure  from  what  he  considered  a  defective 
plan.  The  association  as  such  was  a  partial  failure,  but  many  of  its 
objects  have  been  fully  realized.  The  committee  appointed  to  locate 
the  colony  selected  the  Rolling  Stone  valley  for  the  farm  lands,  and 
the  table  lands  near  the  mouth  of  the  creek  for  the  village,  naming 
the  village  Minnesota  City  and  the  township  Rolling  Stone.  A  large 
majority  of  the  association  were  dissatisfied  with  the  location  and 
would  not  remain,  giving  as  reasons  that  the  location  was  not  imme- 
diately on  the  river,  that  the  land  still  belonged  to  the  Indians,  and 
that  the  general  character  of  the  place  was  not  suitable  for  settlement. 

The  real  truth  of  dissatisfaction  was  probably  owing  to  personal 
and  individual  considerations.  It  is  well  known  that  many  of  the 
artisans  and  professional  men  of  the  cities  have  what  may  be  termed 
a  land  lunacy,  supposing  that  to  become  a  landowner  secures  inde- 
pendence and  plenty. 

This  colony  was  composed  of  all  manner  of  artisans,  who  were 
intelligent  and  industrious  in  their  line  of  business,  and  were 
dependent  on  that  for  a  living,  and  were  without  sufficient  ready 
money  to  live.     There  was  not  among  them  all  half  a  dozen  prac- 


ROLLING    STONE    TOWNSHIP. 

tical,professionalfarmers,norbalfthatnumberpracticallyacquainted 

with  what  we  call  western  liie.  Tt,»1nratioii 

Tt  i,  true  some  things  were  not  properly  represented.    The  location 

»  rrr  on  tL  nver,   and  that  building  lumber  could  be 

::!,     rom  pasXg  raits- at'irom  $5  to  $8  per  thousand  feet  and 

SelZoats  coSd  land  goods  very  near  the  P^-;^"*  ™ 

:"::   a  stX?  rnel  twelve  or  fourteen  in  nu™b^.t^^^^^^^^^^^ 
houses  for  shelter  for  those  who  were  to  follow  m  May,  the  16th 
big  the  time  set  for  the  colony  to  be  here.     This  pioneer  squad,  as 

not  have  accomplished  it,  as  they  had  no  ^-'^'^S-^f^^-fl^^  ^I^ 
TfloUar  in  money  for  their  use.     The  treasurer  did  not  airi™  till 
tome  ttme  in  Ma,l  and  after  paying  someof  the  surveyors  and  other 

incidental  expenses  the  association  was  witliout  monej^ 

But  the  colony  came,  and  about  the  80th  of  May  tlieie  were 
ninft  mt  andnlarly  400  women  and  children  on  the  ground  with- 
Tt  anylelter,  except  temporary  tents  and  such  skelter  as  could  be 
made  with  poles  and  turf.     The  season  was  ^-W  e»  \wet 

and  windy,  and  considerable  -"^^^fX^^l^'rwiX  tnly 
paratively  very  lew  deaths,  but  at  tne   Degmui  g 

"^^hlf  Sr— g  held  by  the  settlers  here  was  on  May  6. 
1, S  52  and  fifty-two  responded  to  tbeir  names. 

M,ri9  u'petition  was  drawn  and  sent  to  the  postoffice  depart- 
ment for  the  establishment  of  a  postoffice,  with  '^e  name  of  Rob^^^ 
Pike  as  postmaster.     Mr.  Pike  received  his  appointment  and 

more,  a  tailor  by  trade,\.om  Kenneh  Maine  ;  >>e  was  We  — 
a  family  and  about  sixty  years  of  iige.  mere  weie 
deaths  immediately  after  Mr.  Densmore's,  and  -™e  of  the  persons 
who  left  the  colony  spread  exaggerated  reports  of  «  «  '=°"'^i^°" 
nf  the  settlers  Gov.  Ramsey  and  his  secretary,  Alex.  Wilkm, 
.  T'^  St  Paul  to  see  if  they  could  be  of  any  assistance. 
^irGoTernrxpres^fhl:  ct^Meni  in  the  ability  ot'  the  people 
I  tak!  care  of  themselves  and  gave  them  cheerful  wo;^-l^ncour^^ 
ment,  but  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  colony  should  have  located 


nearer  to  St.  Paul. 


558  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Tlie  last  week  in  May  a  committee  was  appointed  to  explore  the 
country  between  here  and  the  great  bend  of  the  St.  Peter's  river  to 
ascertain  if  there  was  a  feasible  route  for  a  railroad.  The  com- 
mittee consisted  of  Robert  Pike,  I.  M.  Narucong  and  William 
Stephens.  Two  reports  were  made,  both  of  them  representing  the 
route  as  entirely  feasible  and  the  country  as  a  beautiful  undulating 
prairie  and  well  watered,  with  liere  and  there  fine  groves  of  timber. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  that  in  these  reports  the  beauty  and  desirar 
bility  of  the  present  site  of  Rochester  is  well  described. 

On  July  4  a  census  was  taken  and  the  population  numbered  154. 
July  12  an  election  precinct  was  organized  and  Thomas  K.  Allen 
chosen  justice  of  the  peace,  Augustus  A.  Gilbert,  notarj^  public ; 
James  Wright,  assessor  ;  Josiah  Keene,  constable,  and  Robert  Tay- 
lor, collector.  These  officers  were  subsequently  appointed  by  Gov. 
Ramsey.  July  26  Messrs.  John  lams,  Hiram  Campbell  and  O.  M. 
Lord  were  appointed  road  commissioners. 

Religious  meetings  were  held  in  the  forenoons  and  afternoons  of 
every  Sunday.  The  First  Baptist  society,  the  first  religious  organiza- 
tion in  southern  Minnesota,  was  formed  here  in  the  summer  of  1852. 
In  the  fall  of  1852  a  school  was  taught  by  Miss  Ann  Orton.  In  the 
spring  of  1853  a  school  district  was  organized  under  the  laws  of  the 
territory,  being  the  first  and  for  some  time  the  only  organized  dis- 
trict in  the  then  county  of  Fillmore,  and  summer  and  winter  terms 
of  school  have  been  continuously  taught  here  since. 

There  was  no  election  held  here  this  fall,  as  a  six  months'  resi- 
dence was  necessary  to  become  voters  ;  but  the  settlers  sent  John 
lams  to  St.  Paul  as  a  lobbyist  while  the  legislature  was  in  session 
and  paid  his  expenses.  Mr.  lams  was  from  Wabash,  Indiana,  a  car- 
penter by  trade,  and  was  afterward  chosen  as  the  first  sheriff  of  the 
county.  He  built  the  first  log  house  erected  here,  covering  the  roof 
with  shakes  or  long  shingles  split  from  the  red-oak  trees.  Four 
more  log  houses  were  built,  the  others  being  made  of  rough  pine 
boards,  brought  here  in  small  rafts  by  Mr.  Densmore  and  Mr.  Lord. 
In  these  houses  the  settlers  spent  the  winter  very  pleasantly,  with 
much  social  enjoyment. 

The  association  had  laid  out  a  vihage  of  large  dimensions,  with 
wide  streets  and  avenues  and  large  public  parks  on  the  terrace  land 
near  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  apportioning  to  each  member  four 
large  village  lots  and  also  a  claim  of  160  acres  of  farm  land  in  the 
valleys.     So  few  remained  that  there  was  ample  room  for  all,  but 


EOLLING    STOKE    TOWNSHIP.  559 

the  claims  were  made  before  there  was  a  government  survey,  and 
when  these  lines  were  made,  claims  often  conHicted.  This  occa- 
sioned considerable  discord,  until  the  claim  laws  were  well  under- 
stood. 

The  summer  season  of  1853  was  occupied  in  building  and  open- 
ing farms  in  the  valleys. 

Mr.  E.  B.  Drew  had  broken  thirty  acres  of  valley  land  in  1852, 
and  therefrom  raised  a  small  crop  of  sod  corn,  some  potatoes  and 
other  vegetables,  and  in  the  fall  he  sowed  some  winter  wheat.  This 
was  considered  the  first  farm  opened  in  1852,  though  small  patches 
of  ground  were  broken  in  numerous  places  during  the  same  season. 
The  next  season  some  of  the  settlers  moved  on  to  the  valley  farms, 
and  continue  to  reside  there.  This  year  a  large  supply  of  sod  corn, 
potatoes  and  a  great  variety  of  garden  vegetables  were  raised.  Wild 
grass  was  abundant,  and  though  a  good  deal  of  hay  was  burned  by 
prairie  fires  in  the  fall,  the  cattle,  numbering  about  eiglity  head, 
did  remarkably  well.  Fish  were  plenty  and  easily  taken,  and  wild 
game  also  ;  flour  was  procured  down  the  river  at  $4  per  barrel,  and 
from  that  time  to  this  there  has  been  no  want  of  the  staple  articles 
of  food,  and  usually  a  large  sur23lus. 

Before  the  lands  were  ofiered  at  public  sale  pre-emption  claims 
had  been  filed  upon  the  valley  farms  and  upon  the  village  plat,  and 
these  lands  were  entered  at  the  land  office  in  Goot's  subdivisions. 

During  the  season  of  1854  Mr.  Lord  put  in  operation  a  sawmill. 
Settlements  were  graduallj^  extended  and  new  farms  were  opened, 
buildings  added,  etc.  A  wagon  road  was  established  to  Winona, 
and  one  up  the  South  Valley  and  one  up  the  North  Valley,  and 
bridges  were  built,  but  nothing  occurred  beyond  the  ordinary 
incidents  of  early  settlement  for  several  years. 

In  1854  congress  established  a  mail  route,  N'o.  14015,  from 
Minnesota  City  to  Traverse  des  Sioux,  and  semi-monthly  service  was 
ordered  on  the  route  in  the  fall  of  1855.  This  was  the  first  mail 
route  established  in  the  territory  south  of  the  St.  Peters  river.  The 
route  was  afterward  extended  from  Minnesota  City  to  Winona  and 
terminated  at  St.  Peters  instead  of  Traverse  des  Sioux. 

SCHOOLS. 

About  the  year  1860  the  settlers  had  increased  in  numbers  so  as 
to  form  two  more  school  districts,  one  in  the  west  part  of  the  town 
in  what  is  now  the  village  of  Rolling  Stone,  and  one  in  Middle  or 


560  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

McLaughlin's  valley.     In  1866  another  district  was  formed  in  Deer- 
ing's  valley. 

These  districts  have  cheap  frame  schoolhouses.  There  are 
at  present  enrolled  in  the  Rolling  Stone  school  forty-seven  pupils,  in 
McLanghlin's  valley  thirteen,  in  Deering's  valley  fourteen  and  ninety- 
six  in  the  Minnesota  City  school.  The  last  named  has  a  brick 
schoolhouse  and  two  departments  of  school ;  the  house,  grounds, 
etc.,  being  valued  at  $6,000.  There  are  three  fractional  districts 
united  with  parts  from  the  adjoining  towns,  but  the  schoolhouses 
are  in  the  other  towns. 

RAILROADS. 

The  Winona  &  St.  Peter  or  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railroad 
has  now  been  in  operation  about  twenty  years.  It  enters  the  town- 
ship near  the  southeast  corner  and  passes  out  through  the  valley  of 
the  Rolling  Stone,  on  the  south  side.  It  has  at  Minnesota  City  a 
spur  track  to  Troost's  mill  of  about  100  rods  in  length,  and  a  side 
track  to  Ellsworth's  mill  and  elevator,  and  a  neat,  convenient 
passenger  depot  and  freight  house  used  in  common  with  the 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  road,  which  passes  through  the  town  along 
the  Mississippi  river;  the  latter  road  has  here  two  long  side  tracks 
and  a  grain  elevator. 

VILLAGES. 

Rolling  Stone  ^dllage,  in  the  western  part  of  the  town,  is  at  the 
junction  of  the  north  and  west  valleys  of  the  creek.  The  inhabitants 
of  the  village  and  of  the  vicinity  are  Germans.  It  contains  three 
stores,  two  hotels,  two  blacksmith  shops,  a  fine  stone  church  and 
neat  parsonage,  a  schoolhouse  and  two  or  three  saloons.  The  church 
belongs  to  the  Catholic  denomination,  and  nearly  all  the  people  in 
the  vicinity  are  members.  A  Catholic  burial-ground  is  also  estab- 
lished here. 

The  stream  near  here  furnishes  power  for  a  custom-mill,  which 
is  largely  patronized  by  the  surrounding  country.  Minnesota  City  is 
situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  Rolling  Stone  valley,  six  miles  west  of 
Winona,  near  the  east  line  of  the  township.  It  contains  a  railroad 
depot,  two  flouring-mills,  two  stores,  two  elevators,  two  hotels,  a 
blacksmith  shop,  a  butcher  shop,  a  brick  schoolhouse,  a  large 
brewery  and  a  saloon.  Population  200.  A  Baptist  church  is  organ- 
'ized  here  and  regular  services  liave  been  held  for  several  years. 
The  society  has  no  building. 


KOLLIJ^^G    STOKE    TOWNSHIP.  561 


IMPROVEMENTS. 


Troost's  mill  was  built  hj  Mr.  Otto  Troost  in  1866.  The  mill  is 
60  X  80  feet  in  size,  on  the  ground,  and  four  stories  high,  and  has  a 
larger  capacity  of  manufacture  than  any  other  mill  on  the  stream. 
Tlie  power  is  partly  supplied  by  diverting  the  creek,  a  distance  of 
sixty  rods,  to  the  Mississippi  bottom,  making  a  fall  of  sixteen  feet, 
while  the  natural  creek  flows  two  miles  to  reach  the  same  level.  A 
Corliss  engine  of  150-horse  power  is  also  used,  the  two  enabling  the 
mill  to  manufacture  400  barrels  of  flour  per  day.  The  wheat  is 
taken  to  the  mill  by  a  spur  or  side-track  from  the  Winona  &  St. 
Peter  railroad  and  is  obtained  mostly  in  the  western  part  of  the  state. 

Ellsworth's  mill  was  built  in  1867.  The  power  is  furnished  by 
a  dam  across  the  Rolling  Stone,  giving  ten  feet  of  fall.  The  building 
is  a  wooden  structure  upon  a  strong  stone  foundation,  in  size  54  X  72 
feet  and  three  stories  high,  with  elevator  next  to  the  side  track  and 
a  warehouse  detached  40  X  70  feet  in  size.  The  capacity  of  the  mill  is 
750  bushels  of  wheat  or  150  barrels  of  flour  per  day.  It  has  unusual 
facilities  for  the  manufacture  of  good  grades  of  flour ;  being  con- 
nected with  an  elevator  any  grade  of  wheat  may  be  selected  for  mill- 
ing.    The  estimated  value  is  $35,000. 

FLOOD. 

In  February,  1876,  Minnesota  City  was  visited  with  a  disastrous 
flood.  The  Rolling  Stone  drains  a  large  extent  of  surface  and  at  the 
village  has  a  narrow  exit.  The  ground  was  frozen  hard  and  a  heavy 
rain  had  filled  the  water-holes  and  covered  the  country  with  a  sheet 
of  ice.  The  snow  then  covered  this  to  the  depth  of  a  foot  when  a 
warm  heavy  rain  fell  for  twenty-four  hours,  and  as  the  ground  could 
not  absorb  any  water,  it  raised  higher  than  has  ever  been  known. 
The  mill-pond  above  the  village  was  filled  with  ice  four  feet  in  thick- 
ness, and  when  the  ice  broke  up  and  began  to  flow,  within  a  few  min- 
utes it  destroyed  three  dwellings,  a  store,  a  butcher  shop,  and  was 
deposited  in  huge  pieces  upon  the  railroad  bridges  and  track  and  in 
different  places  over  the  fields. 

PAST  AND  PRESENT. 

It  is  now  thirty  years  since  the  men  who  plow  first  came  to  this 
town.  Railroads  and  wagon-roads  have  taken  the  places  of  the  In- 
dian trails.  For  the  Indian  the  rich  soil  and  the  beauty  of  the 
scenery  had  no  value ;  though  fish  were  plenty,  game  was  not  so  abun- 


562  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

dant  as  farther  away,  and  he  had  no  desire  to  remain  ;  and  to-day  he 
looks  with  disdain  upon  the  fields  of  grain  and  grass,  the  farni- 
houses,  fences  and  barns ;  if  he  is  luins^ry  lie  covets  some  of  the 
pletlioric  stock  for  meat,  and  would  like  to  possess  some  of  the  fine 
horses  to  ride.  The  schools,  the  mills,  the  factories  are  open  to  him, 
but  he  makes  no  sign  of  changing  his  condition  ;  when  the  plow 
comes  in  he  must  go  out ;  he  has  no  ambition  to  manufacture  ;  a 
pipe,  a  canoe  and  bows  and  arrows  exhaust  his  skill.  To  the  set- 
tlers who  came  here  the  first  few  days  seemed  like  a  perpetual  Sun- 
day, now  even  the  darkness  does  not  hush  the  hum  of  active  life. 
The  cars,  the  mills  and  the  steamboats  during  the  night  keep  pace  with 
the  plow  and  harvester  and  thresher  in  the  day.  Thirty  years  ago 
our  resources  were  limited,  our  numbers  comparatively  few  ;  now 
we  have  all  the  advantages  pertaining  to  communities  of  civilized  life. 
Of  the  persons  who  came  here  then,  there  are  at  present  remaining  in 
the  vicinity  twenty-three.  Some  of  them  have  grown-up  families  and 
their  grandchildren  are  going  to  school,  and  old  and  young  are  still 
ready  to  cheer  to  the  sentiment  of  Robert  Pike,  given  thirty  years 
ago,  "Hurrah,  then,  for  our  chosen  home  !  " 

No  greener  valleys  meet  the  sight, 

No  purer  fountains  gushing  free, 
No  birds  of  song,  or  flowei.s  more  bright, 

Bringing  perfume  and  melody. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 


TOWNSHIP  OF  DRESBACH. 


The  township  of  Dresbach  lies  in  the  southeast  corner  of  Winona 
county.  It  is  the  smallest  township  in  the  county,  containing  4,400 
acres.  The  shape  of  the  township  is  nearly  a  perfect  right-angled 
triangle,  with  the  acute  angle  on  the  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  just 
above  Dakota.  The  township  is  five  and  one-fifth  miles  long  from 
north  to  south,  and  about  three  and  one-fourth  miles  wide  on  the 
southern  boundary.  It  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  the  Mississippi 
river,  south  by  Houston  county,  and  on  the  west  by  the  township  ot 
New  Hartford.  The  township  was  formed  under  the  organization 
act  of  1858,  and  was  named  Dresbach,  after  Geo.  B.  Dresbach,  Sr., 


DRESBACII    TOWNSHIP.  563 

the  founder  of  Dresbach  village.  The  surface  of  the  township  is 
considerably  broken  by  the  chain  of  bluffs  extending  through  the 
county  along  the  Mississippi.  The  bluffs,  from  their  abrrijtness  and 
loftiness,  in  some  parts  of  the  township,  form  a  very  majestic 
appearance,  and  are  much  admired  by  the  lovers  of  nature.  The 
highest  bluffs  are  found  along  the  Mississippi,  where  they  rise  several 
hundred  feet  above  the  river.  Mineral  bluff  (named  from  the  min- 
eral deposits  found  under  its  base)  is  the  highest  (405  feet)  in  the 
township.  This  bluff  is  just  at  the  upper  end  of  the  village  of 
Dresbach.  It  affords  from  its  summit,  one  of  the  grandest  views  of 
any  bluff  along  the  Mississippi.  One  can  see  La  Crosse,  Onalas, 
Kansas,  Trempealeau,  Galesville,  and  several  other  towns  in  Wis- 
consin, at  distances  of  ten  to  twenty  miles.  There  are  other  bluffs  in 
the  township,  from  the  tops  of  which  one  never  becomes  tired  of 
looking,  or  "grows  weary  and  sick  at  heart." 

The  soil  of  the  township  is  good,  being  a  black  sub-clay  soil, 
and  annually  produces  large  crops  of  wheat,  corn,  oats,  rye,  barley, 
potatoes,  etc.  It  is  also  well  adapted  to  grazing,  to  which  many 
farmers  are  beginning  to  turn  their  attention.  All,  or  nearly  all,  the 
township  was  once  heavily  timbered,  the  principal  species  being 
white  and  black  oak.  The  timber  cleared  from  the  farms  has  been 
a  source  of  great  income  to  the  farmer  as  it  always  brought  him 
ready  cash  in  the  market.  In  fact,  many  farmers  have  relied  too 
long  on  tlieir  timber  for  their  incomes,  until,  as  a  result,  their  lands 
have  become  almost  treeless.  The  township  is  well  supplied  with 
water.  Living  springs  are  found  gushing  from  the  bluffs  all  over 
the  township,  some  affording  sufficient  water  the  year  round  for 
large  farms.  The  springs  are  cold  and  clear  as  crystal,  and  free 
from  all  unpleasant  tastes.  There  are  no  large  streams  in  the  town- 
ship, but  in  every  valley  and  from  every  bluff  you  will  find  a  little 
rill  with  clear  and  cool  water  rippling  its  way  to  the  Mississippi. 

The  population  of  the  township  is  about  350,  consisting  of  nearly 
every  nationality  of  Europe.  The  native  born  rank  first  in  popula- 
tion, and  Germans  in  the  foreign  element.  The  township  has  good 
public  roads  running  and  intersecting  each  otiier  at  various  places, 
thus  affording  the  farmer  an  easy  and  accessible  way  to  market  with 
his  produce.  Most  of  the  produce  of  the  township  is  marketed  at 
La  Crosse,  La  Crescent,  Dakota,  Pickwick,  and  some  at  Winona.  JS^o 
other  township  in  the  county  has  so  many  and  accessible  markets  as 
33 


564  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Dresbach.  The  farmers  find  a  regular  market  at  Dakota  the  year 
round  for  all  kinds  of  produce. 

Indian  mounds  and  relics  are  found  in  various  parts  of  the  town- 
ship. Not  long  since,  while  some  men  were  digging  in  Mineral 
bluff,  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  the  river,  a  skeleton  of  an 
unusual  size  was  unearthed.  On  measuring,  the  giant  skeleton  was 
found  to  be  ten  feet  in  length,  with  other  parts  in  proper  proportion. 
In  the  skull  was  found  a  copper  hatchet,  and  a  dart  or  arrow-head 
nine  inches  long.  Another  skeleton,  nine  feet  long,  was  found  in 
the  village  of  Dresbach,  while  some  men  were  digging  a  road  or 
trench. 

These  skeletons  were  of  an  unusual  size  to  those  generally  taken 
from  Indian  mounds.  Their  size,  form  and  structure  would  lead 
those  versed  in  paleontology  to  believe  they  belonged  to  a  race 
prior  to  the  Indian.  In  many  of  the  mounds  have  also  been  found 
copper  hatchets,  chisels,  various  kinds  of  tomahawks,  and  other 
weapons  of  war  ;  also  these  antique  races  seemed  to  have  some  pro- 
cess of  hardening  co])per,  nnknown  to  any  modern  process.  Where 
they  came  from,  when  they  lived,  and  whence  they  have  gone,  is 
only  conjecture  and  speculation.  That  they  were  mighty  races, 
skilled  in  the  mode  of  warfare,  understanding  the  mechanical  arts, 
for  all  these  we  have  conclusive  evidence.  But  of  their  end  we 
know  nothing.  Whether  they  were  swept  from  the  earth  by  some 
deadly  epidemic,  or  annihilated  themselves  by  intestine  wars,  or 
died  of  inherent  weakness,  we  have  nothing  to  inform  us. 

The  first  permanent  settler  that  came  to  the  township  of  Dres- 
bach was  Nathan  Brown,  of  New  York,  who  settled  in  1849  at 
Dakota.  There  was  a  man  by  the  name  of  John  Reed  here  a  few 
years  prior  to  Mr.  Brown,  but  Reed  was  merely  a  trader  and  never 
became  a  permanent  settler.  All  that  now  can  be  learned  of  Reed 
is,  that  he  had  a  trading-post  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  at  (old) 
Dakota.  The  ruins  of  an  old  chimney  were  seen  for  several  years 
after  he  left,  which  were  supposed  to  be  where  he  had  his  trading- 
post.  But  Mr.  Nathan  Brown,  now  living  near  the  village  of  Da- 
kota, was  the  first  to  erect  permanent  buildings  and  become  a  regular 
settler.  First  buildings  that  Mr.  Brown  raised  were  two  log  cab- 
iris, —  one  for  a  dwelling,  the  other  for  a  store.  He  also  built  a  log 
stable — all  12  X  16  feet.  The  stockin  his  store  consisted  of  corn,  flour, 
sugar,  meat,  tobacco,  etc.  His  trade  for  the  first  few  years  was  con- 
fined to  the  Indians  and  rivermen.     The  log  cabins  built  by  Mr. 


DRESBACH    TOWNSHIP. 


565 


Brown  have  all  been  torn  down  and  have  entirely  disappeared.  He 
bought  most  of  his  goods  at  Prairie  du  Ohien,  Wisconsin.  The  fol- 
lowfng  prices  will  show  the  cost  of  diiferent  articles  in  the  early 
history  of  this  county  —tea,  $1.25  per  lb.  ;  coflfee,  5  lbs.  for  $1  ;  flour, 
$6  to  $8  per  bbl.  At  one  time  Mr.  Brown  paid  as  high  as  $22.50 
a  barrel  for  pork. 

The  next  permanent  settler  following  Mr.  Brown  was  a  French- 
man, by  the  name  of  Peleau,  who  was  sent  here  by  Richard  Chute 
&  Co.  in  1850.  Peleau  built  a  store  and  residence  at  (old)  Dakota, 
and  carried  on  considerable  trade  with  the  natives  and  scattering 
settlers.  His  buildings,  as  well  as  those  first  built  by  Mr.  Brown, 
have  all  been  torn  down.  In  fact,  the  buildings  known  as  old  Da- 
kota have  all  disappeared,  and  not  even  a  relic  left  to  commemo- 
rate the  spot  of  the  "  Ancient  City."  The  next  settlers  after  Messrs. 
Brown  and  Peleau,  were  a  colony  of  French,  who  bought  land  and 
settled  where  the  village  of  Dresbach  now  stands.  Of  this  colony 
Joseph  Maynard  bought  120  acres  of  land  of  the  government  in 
1852.  Lambert  Robillard  in  1852  bought  160  acres  from  the  gov- 
ernment. Joseph  and  Francis  Trudell  (1852)  had  112  acres. 
Alfonso  Warren  (1852)  bought  190  acres.  He  was  the  first  to  burn 
lime  and  manufacture  grindstones.  The  above-described  lands  con- 
stitute the  present  plat  of  the  village  of  Dresbach.  The  said  lands 
were  bought  by  Geo.  B.  Dresbach,  Sr.,  in  May,  1857.  The  village 
site  was  located  and  platted  September,  1857. 


VILLAGE    OF    DRESBACH. 


In  September  and  October,  1857,  eleven  houses  were  built,  now 
a  part  of  the  present  village.  The  first  store  of  the  village  was 
built  and  run  by  Abram  Warren,  of  Ohio,  in  1857.  A  postoffice 
was  also  established  that  year  with  Mr.  Warren  as  ])ostmaster. 
Warren  sold  out  his  store  to  A.  L.  Jenks,  who  also  succeeded  him 
as  postmaster.  In  1863  another  store  was  started  by  William  Pat- 
ton,  of  New  York,  who  assisted  Geo.  B.  Dresbach  in  building  the 
present  sawmill  in  1862-3.  The  size  of  the  building  was  36  X  70  and 
cost  $8,400.  Ed.  Minor  opened  a  general  merchandise  store  in 
1863  -,  also  the  same  year  Mr.  Caleb  Inman  started  a  store.  Mr. 
Inman  is  still  a  merchant  in  the  village.  Geo.  B.  Dresbach  opened 
a  store  in  1866,  and  Jesse  P.  Nevill  a  store  in  1867,  who  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Henry  Becker,  in  1869.     Mr.  Becker  is  still  a  merchant 


566  HISTORY    OF    VVTNONA    COUNTY. 

in  the  village,  and  carries  on  a  big  trade.     William  Dickson  started 
a  grocery  store  in  1878.     He  still  runs  his  store. 

MANUFACTORIES   OF    DRP^SBACH. 

The  present  owners  and  operators  of  the  steam  sawmill  are 
Louis  Blummintritt  and  Henry  Blochik.  They  are  also  dealers  in 
himber,  lath,  shingles,  etc. 

William  H.  Sherwood  and  Gilbert  Johnson,  both  formerly  of 
New  York,  are  the  owners  and  operators  of  two  large  brickyards. 
They  ship  from  three  to  four  millions  of  brick  annually.  They  em- 
ploy from  thirty  to  forty  men. 

W.  B.  Williams  and  L.  C.  Smith,  of  Red  Wing,  Minnesota, 
started  a  brickyard  in  Dresbach  in  the  spring  of  1882.  They  burned 
superior  quality  of  brick,  and  will  ship  about  one  million  of  brick 
this  year.  Will  increase  the  capacity  of  the  yard  for  next  season  to 
three  or  four  millions  of  brick. 

In  1882  Geo.  B.  Dresbach,  Jr.,  and  John  H.  Moss  organized  the 
Northwestern  Brick  Company,  under  the  firm  name  of  Moss  &  Dres- 
bach. This  company  will  manufacture  one  million  of  brick  this 
year,  and  increase  their  capacity  for  next  season. 

Joseph  Ginther  and  John  Schmeltzer,  blacksmiths  and  machinists, 
have  increased  their  line  of  business  by  building  a  steam-mill  this 
year,  for  the  manufacture  of  ground  feed,  turning  lathes,  laths  and 
barrel  hoops. 

Winona  County  Mining  and  Stone  Company,  an  incorporated 
company  with  capital  stock  of  $100,000,  was  organized  in  1880, 
with  John  Gilman,  of  St.  Paul,  president ;  Geo.  B.  Dresbach,  Sr. , 
vice-president,  and  E.  S.  Burns,  secretary  and  treasurer.  This  com- 
pany is  at  present  operating  steam  machinery  in  quarrying  rock  and 
mining  mineral  just  above  the  village  of  Dresbach.  J.  F.  Tostevin 
&  Sons,  of  St.  Paul,  are  now  operating  a  stone  quarry  with  steam 
machinery  iu  the  village  of  Dresbach.  They  also  own  and  run  a 
stone  sawmill  in  connection  with  their  quarry.  They  saw,  dress  and 
ship  stone  of  sizes  ready  for  use.  Geo.  B.  Dresbach,  Sr.,  and  John 
Gilman  own  a  stone  quarry  of  fifteen  acres  now  in  operation  ;  the 
stone  of  the  above  quarries  being  of  the  celebrated  Berea,  Ohio, 
sandstone  in  quality,  now  so  extensively  used  throughout  the  United 
States  for  building  purposes  and  grindstones. 

The  above  quarries  and  the  four  brickj'^ards  now  in  operation 
make  Dresbach  a  very  lively  and  businesslike  place. 


DRESBACH    TOWNSHIP.  ^'^^ 


DAKOTA. 


It  is  not  known  by  the  settlers  how  Dakota  got  its  name  but  is 
suppo  ed  to  have  originated  among  the  Indians.     The  frrst  houses 

Z!Ze  built  in  (oil)  Dakota  stood  J-*  ^"^ «/'-.  P^^  ;!  ^te 
They  were  simply  a  few  log  cabins  erected  as  a  trading-post  with  the 
hdTans  and  ear^  settlers.     The  houses  have  all  disappeared     nd 
nothing  remains  to  tell  the  story  ot  the  "  ancient  city.       As  this 
^oint  ifad  a  good  landing  and  outlet  to  the  surrounding  -"f ''.V.  '^^ 
early  settlers  had  always  labored  to  start  a  village  here.     The  name 
s  somewhat  clothed  in  mystery,  but  the  village  itselt  -s  founded 
and  started  by  Nathan  Brown  in  1849.     In  1873  the  site  of  the  old 
viltge  was  vLted  and  that  of  the  present  Dakota  located  and  sur- 
ged     The  location  is  most  beautiful,  being  high  and  dry  and  tree 
from  nundations  of  the  river.     The  soil  is  sandy  and  seldom  wet  or 
muddy.      The  first  house  was  built  in  1873.      The  building  was 
moved  one  mile  from  above  the  village  and  put  up  on  River  street 
betTen  Rogers  and  Center  streets,  by  Henry  Becker,  who  opened 
a  store  in  the  part  moved,  and  built  on  an  addition  for  a  dwelling. 
Mr.  Becker  carried  on  quite  an  extensive  business  tor  over  a  ;ear 
when  he  sold  his  building  to  .J.  W.  Young  and  moved  his  stock  to 

"■■  Thffirst  hotel  was  built  in  the  village  in  1876  by  ElUs  Brown 
deceased.    After  the  death  of  her  husband  Mrs.  Brown  ™n  the  liote 
until  1880,  when  William  Cfow  rented  for  two  years.     The  house  is 
now  run  by  Deunis  Sullivan.  .  ,    ivt  .li. 

In  1874  the  postoffice  of  Dakota  was  established,  with  Nathan 
-r   Brown  as  postmaster,  which  office  he  still  holds. 


SKIFF    FERKY. 


March  31  1873,  Alex.  C.  Donalson  began  to  make  regular  daily 
tripf  ?™m  Dresback  to  Lacrosse  with  his  skiff  ferry.  He  ran  three 
seLns  between  the  above  places,  averaging  200  trips  a  season,  of 
gMeen  miles  a  trip,  making  10,800  miles  fo^  f  t'-^;— 
In  1876  Mr.  Donalson  extended  his  trip  from  Dakota  to  La  Crosse. 
He  has  averaged  his  regular  300  trips  of  twenty  miles  each  every 
year,  making  14,800  miles  since  1876  and  34,800  nules  since  1873 
Mr  Donalson  is  the  best  oarsman  that  paddles  the  Mississippi.  He 
Ta  large,  tall,  muscular  man,  and  glides  his  boat  over  the  water 
with  as  much  ease  and  grace  as  the  gentle  current  itself. 


568  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

SHOPS. 

Mr.  Peter  Lee  built  and  started  the  first  blacksmith  shop  in 
Dakota  in  1874.  He  formerly  ran  a  shop  in  La  Crescent  and  Dres- 
bach.  The  first  and  only  harness  shop  ever  ran  in  Dakota  was 
opened  by  Joseph  Hoffman  in  1874.  In  1876  Mr.  Leonard  Helsaple 
opened  a  wagon-re) )airing  sliop.  He  sold  out  to  Mr.  W.  H.  Vance 
in  1878,  who  sold  his  building  to  Dennis  Sullivan,  who  uses  it  as 
a  sleeping-house  for  his  boarders.  In  May,  1874,  Charley  Dalton 
started  a  merchandise  and  drug  store  in  Dakota.  Nathan  Brown 
also  owned  and  ran  a  store  for  some  time  in  Dakota.  In  March, 
1880,  A.  C.  Brown  started  a  general  merchandise  store.  The  latter 
is  doing  a  flourishing  business  and  at  present  he  is  acting  postmaster. 

BURIED    IN    DAKOTA    CEMETERY. 

The  first  persons  that  died  at  Dakota  and  were  buried  in  Bluff 
Cemetery  were  :  Mrs.  Eliza  A.  Brown,  first  wife  of  Nathan  Brown, 
and  infant  of  the  same.  Mrs.  Brown  died  July  21,  1854,  child 
August  16,  1854.  The  following  are  the  names  of  some  of  the  old 
settlers  in  and  about  Dakota  who  are  buried  in  the  above  grave- 
yard :  Susan,  wife  of  Caleb  Inman,  died  July  21,  1880,  aged  70 
years  ;  Mary,  wife  of  C.  S.  Guynnup,  died  December  16,  1876,  aged 
58  ;  Reynold  H.  Brown,  died  March  30,  1870,  aged  72  ;  Charles 
Brown,  died  July  17,  1870,  aged  79  ;  Alvina,  wife  of  B.  J.  Moore, 
died  November  4,  1875,  aged  47  ;  Anna  J.  Cleveland  died  July  2, 
1878,  aged  67;  Phebe  A.,  wife  of  Simon  Mott,  died  September  27, 
1861,  aged  77;  Sarah,  wife  of  Leonard  Helsaple,  died  September 
16,  1880,  aged  66. 

SCHOOLS. 

The  first  school  of  any  kind  was  a  select  school  taught  in  the 
township  in  the  winter  of  1856-7.  The  name  of  the  teacher  cannot 
now  be  ascertained.  The  school  was  taught  where  the  village  of 
Dresbach  now  stands.  In  the  winter  of  1858-9  was  taught  another 
subscription  school  by  a  teacher  by  the  name  of  Charles  Omsted. 
The  first  public  district  school  was  taught  in  Dresbach  the  winter  of 
1859-60  by  Harlow  Colsten  at  $25  a  month.  The  people  had  by 
private  subscription  built  a  schoolhouse,  but  the  winter  being  very 
severe  the  house  was  too  cold  to  hold  school  in  it,  so  the  school  was 
taught  in  a  private  house.  There  were  thirty-five  pupils  enrolled. 
School  board — G.  B.  Dresbach  and  Rufus  Reed.  The  first  public 
school  in  Dakota  under  district  organization  was  taught  by  Miss 


DRESBACH    TOWNSHIP.  569 

Ellen  Young  in  1S60.  The  school  was  held  in  Nathan  Brown's 
trading  shanty.  There  were  eight  scholars  and  the  teacher.  The 
latter  received  $12  per  month.  The  township  has  always  been 
active  in  her  educational  interests.  She  has  gone  from  her  trading 
shanties  and  log  cabins  to  large,  commodious  schoolhouses. 

The  first  M.  E.  church  of  Dresbach  township  was  organized  May 
25,  1856,  by  Rev.  John  Hooper,  of  Caledonia  circuit. 

The  organization  was  effected  at  B.  J.  Moore's  house,  one-half 
mile  west  of  Dakota.  The  names  of  those  present,  and  who  became 
members  of  the  organization,  were  John  Cramer  and  wife,  James 
Fletcher  and  wife,  and  B.  J.  Moore  and  wife.  As  a  number  of  the 
members  of  the  above  organization  moved  away,  the  meetings  were 
discontinued  for  awhile.  There  were  no  churches  then  in  this  part 
of  the  county,  so  their  meetings  were  conducted  in  shanties  and 
private  houses.  Soon  after  the  above  meetings  were  discontinued 
the  township  became  settled  with  a  church -going  people  with  ilo 
public  worship.  A  new  organization  was  formed  in  April,  1861,  and 
called  the  Dakota  and  Dresbach  class.  The  same  organization  is  in 
effect  yet,  with  a  class  at  each  of  the  above  places.  The  organization 
has  a  membership  of  thirty-one,  with  B.  J.  Moore  leader  at  Dres- 
bach and  Miss  Lucinda  Winters  leader  at  Dakota.  G.  W.  Barnette, 
of  LaCrescent  circuit,  pastor  at  both  places.  The  first  Sabbath  school 
of  the  township  was  organized  by  Rev.  John  Hooper,  in  a  claim 
shanty,  just  below  where  Dakota  now  stands,  with  B.  J.  Moore 
superintendent.  Here  the  children,  now  grown  to  manhood  and 
womanhood,  were  gathered  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath  to  learn  those 
eternal  truths  taught  their  parents.  The  school  was  conducted  by 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  had  about  twenty  scholars.  A 
union  Sabbath  school  was  organized  in  Dresbach  in  1860,  with  E. 
G.  Buck  superintendent.  The  school  is  now  under  the  supervision 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  with  Godfreid  Widmoyer  super- 
intendent. There  is  an  attendance  of  about  fifty-five.  In  1879  a 
union  Sabbath  school  was  organized  out  of  the  old  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Sabbath  school  of  Dakota,  by  Rev.  John  Bally,  with  B.  J. 
Moore  superintendent.  The  school  has  an  attendance  of  forty-five, 
and  is  in  a  prosperous  condition. 

November  18,  1881,  a  society  under  the  name  of  the  Dakota 
Mite  and  Church  Society,  was  organized,  with  D.  N.  Gilliland  pre- 
sident. Miss  Lucinda  Winters  vice-president,  Miss  Mary  Robillard 
secretary,  and  Miss  Anna  Eliza  Lee  treasurer.      The  society  was 


570  iriRTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

instrumental  in  many  ways,  bearing  the  j)ecuniary  burden  of  the 
church. 

The  Sons  of  Temperance  were  organized  in  Dakota  in  1878,  with 
Peter  Lee  W.P.,  Alex.  Necmiet  secretary,  Alfred  Purdy  treasurer, 
and  Gardner  Lee  sentinel.  The  society  flourished  for  three  years, 
and  accomplished  a  good  work. 

SICKNESS. 

In  May  and  June,  1882,  the  village  of  Dakota  was  visited  by  the 
most  severe  and  alarming  sickness  that  ever  struck  this  healthy  little 
town,  Charley  Dalton,  while  on  a  trip  west  of  St.  Paul,  caught 
what  was  supposed  to  be  the  measles.  After  returning  home  he 
came  down  very  sick.  In  a  few  days  the  whole  town  became  help- 
lessly prostrated.  Physicians  were  called,  who  pronounced  it  the 
measles  and  a  slight  form  of  the  scarlatina.  For  lour  weeks  every 
fainily  in  town  was  so  stricken  there  were  not  enough  well  to  wait 
on  the  sick.  The  families  most  severely  bereaved  were  Messrs.  D. 
W,  Peters  and  James  Wilkinson's.  Three  of  Mr.  Peters'  little  girls 
—  Carrie,  Zolie  and  Hattie  May,  died  within  three  weeks.  Scarcely 
had  the  people  returned  from  the  grave  of  the  latter  of  these  little 
girls  when  the  town  was  again  thrown  into  mourning  by  the  death 
of  Joey  Wilkinson,  a  little  boy  about  four  years  old;  and  still  another 
gloom  by  the  death  of  a  sister.  The  sickness  spread  to  the  surround- 
ing vicinities,  and  was  very  severe  in  some  families.  The  people 
had  just  recovered  from  the  above  when  the  death  of  Miss  Sadie 
Sullivan,  of  Dakota,  was  announced.  She  had  been  sick  some  time 
with  consumption.  She  was  buried  in  the  Catholic  graveyard  in 
Pine  Creek. 

Ashel  Pearse  was  the  first  inhabitant  to  locate  where  the  village 
of  Dresbach  now  stands.  He  built  his  first  log  cabin  in  1853,  near 
the  river,  just  where  the  Johnston  and  Sherwood's  brickshed  now 
stands.  The  log  cabin  has  been  moved  just  below  the  briekyai-d, 
and  is  now  used  as  a  cow-stable.  While  Pearse  was  building  his 
cabin  he  was  stopped  by  the  Wabasha  Indians,  who  looked  upon 
the  whites  as  intruders  on  their  rights.  After  the  Indians  became 
reconciled,  Pearse  resumed  his  building  and  finished  several  log 
cabins. 

FIRST    ROAU. 

The  first  road  was  built  in  the  township  by  private  ])arties,  up 
and  down  the  river.     In  1854  a  territorial  road  was  surveved  through 


DRESBACH    TOWNSHIP.  571 

the  township,  up  and  down  the  river.  This  was  changed  to  a  state 
road,  soon  after  the  admission  of  the  state,  and  finally  into  a  county 
road,  under  the  county  road  statute. 

ACCIDENTS. 

While  Joseph  Maynard,  one  of  the  original  members  of  Dres- 
bach,  was  hauling  a  load  of  corn-fodder,  his  team  became  frightened 
and  ran  away,  upsetting  the  load  on  Mr.  Maynard  and  breaking  his 
leg.  He  lingered  for  several  weeks,  but  died  from  the  effects  ot  his 
injuries,  November  19,  1865.  In  April,  1878,  Joseph  Hoffman,  a 
young  man,  accidentally  fell  oft  a  log,  at  Dakota,  and  drowned  in  the 
Mississippi.  In  1881,  Jimmy  McClane,  while  crossing  the  river  at 
Dresbach.  accidentally  fell  from  his  skiff  and  was  drowned. 

GRAIN  SHIPPED  FROM  DAKOTA. 

The  following  figures  show  the  amount  of  grain  shipped  from 
here  annually  since  the  railroad  was  built :  20,000  bushels  of  wheat, 
7,000  bushels  of  barley,  4,000  bushels  ot  oats. 

The  first  schoolhouse  in  Dresbach  was  burned  down  in  1875. 
The  present  one  was  built  the  next  year,  at  a  cost  of  $500.  First 
cost  $300. 

DEPOT    AGENTS. 

The  following  persons  have,  been  depot  agents  at  Dakota : 
Harvey  Gates,  J.  B.  O'Neil ;  D.  C.  Sheehan  came  in  the  fall  of  1879, 
and  remained  until  fall  of  1881,  when  P.  J.  Sheehan,  the  present 
agent,  succeeded  him. 

First  marriage  in  the  village  of  Dresbach  was  J.  W.  Tibbets 
and  Catharine  Isilla  (Maynard)  Tibbets.  Marriage  ceremony  was 
performed  by  Elder  Card,  Baptist  minister  of  La  Ci'osse. 

The  first  birth  in  the  above  village  was  tl;at  of  Willie  Morrison, 
son  of  William  and  Adaline  Morrison. 

JUSTICES  OF  THE  PEACE. 

The  judicial  history  of  the  township  begins  with  the  election  of 
Z.  M.  Caswell,  fii-st  justice  of  the  peace,  in  1856.  First  court  con- 
vened in  Judge  Caswell's  office,  in  October,  1857.  Next  justice 
after  J  ustice  Caswell,  and  first  under  township  organization  act,  was 
Terrence  McCauly.  He  held  the  office  twelve  years.  James 
Fletcher  was  also  justice  during  part  of  the  time  McCauly  held  the 
office.     Succeeding  justices  McCauly  and  Fletcher,  William  Patton, 


572  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

formerly  of  New  York,  was  elected  to  the  bench,  who  occupied  the 
seat  six  years,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  the  election  of  E.  S. 
Burns  and  G.  B.  Dresbach,  Sr.,  to  the  honorable  position  which  they 
have  held  for  six  years,  and  who  yet  occupy  the  triVjunal  bench  of 
the  township. 


CHAPTER  L. 

NEW    HARTFORD,  RICHMOND,   HOMER    AND    PLEASANT    HILL   TOWNSHIPS. 

NEW  HARTFORD  TOWNSHIl'. 

The  township  of  New  Hartford  was  organized  in  1858.  Excepting 
a  small  corner  of  Sec.  1,  the  township  embraces  thirty-six  entire  sec- 
tions. Its  boundaries  are,  on  the  east,  Dresbach  township  and  the 
Mississippi  river,  on  the  west  Pleasant  Hill  township,  on  the 
south  Houston  county,  and  on  the  north  Richmond  township. 

The  soil  on  the  ridge  land  is  a  reddish  clay,  and  in  the  valleys  a 
black  loam  or  muck.  The  surface  is  very  much  broken,  high  bluffs 
or  hills  and  deep  valleys  and  ravines  follow  each  other  in  rapid  suc- 
cession. The  products  are  wheat  on  the  ridge  land  and  corn,  bar- 
ley and  oats  in  the  valleys. 

Pine  creek  enters  the  township  in  Sec.  18,  flows  southeast 
through  New  Hartford  village.  Sees.  19,  30,  29,  and  leaves  the  town- 
ship in  Sec.  32.  Pine  creek  branch  enters  the  township  in  Sec.  31, 
flows  east  and  joins  the  main  stream  in  Sec.  82. 

Among  the  old  settlers  may  be  mentioned  Nathan  Brown,  who 
came  as  early  as  1849,  and  settled  on  what  is  now  Sec.  1,  of  New 
Hartford  township.  Nathan  Brown  has  lived,  almost  without  any 
change  whatever,  in  this  one  locality  for  thirty-three  years. 

H.  W.  Carroll  came  to  the  township  in  1854,  and  settled  on  Pine 
creek.     He  now  resides  on  N.E.  ^  Sec.  6. 

Geo.  Johnson  came  in  1854,  and  settled  in  Rose  Valley,  Sec. 
27.  He  now  resides  in  Lane's  valley  on  W.  ^  Sec.  25.  James 
Lane  arrived  the  same  year.     He  now  lives  on  Sec.  35. 

The  year  1855  was  noted  for  the  arrival  of  the  following :  Hel- 
kiah  Lilly,  Jerry  Tibbetts,  Joseph  Beach,  Daniel  Blankley,  Myron 
Steadman  and  S.  C.  Dick.  Helkiah  Lilly  entered  the  S.W.  |  of  S. 
W.  ^  Sec.  34,  and  has  kept  it  until  the  present  day.     Jerry  Tibbetts 


NEW    ilARTFORD    TOWNSHIP.  573 

settled  on  Sec.  4  ;  Daniel  Blankley  secured  the  N.E.  J  Sec.  16  ; 
Mjron  Steadman  entered  the  S.W.  J  Sec.  6,  while  S.  C.  Dick 
settled  on  S.E.  J  Sec.  4. 

There  are  ten  district  schools  in  the  township :  District  1  on 
Sec.  6,  dist.  72  on  Sec.  5,  dist.  71  on  Sec.  2,  dist  73  on  Sec.  16, 
dist.  74  on  Sec.  19,  dist.  32  on  Sec.  25,  dist.— on  Sec.  27,  dist.  86 
on  Sec.  12,  dist. — on  Sec.  1,  dist.  109  on  Sec.  14. 

The  number  of  school-children  in  the  township  is  said  to  be  250, 
but  all  are  not  in  attendance. 

The  average  crop  for  the  year  1882  is  as  follows  :  Oats,  per 
acre,  40  bushels  ;  corn,  per  acre,  30  bushels ,  barley,  per  acre,  20 
bushels ;  wheat,  per  acre,  12  bushels. 

The  iirst  township  meeting  was  held  April  11,  1858. 

Joseph  Babcock,  J.  B.  More  and  Joseph  Goodyear  were  ap- 
pointed as  a  board  of  supervisors. 

The  successive  town  clerks  are:  Elias  Brickert,  1858-9  ;  J.  H. 
Leonard,  1859-62;  Daniel  Blankley,  1862-4;  K  J.  Wooden, 
1864-5  ;  Daniel  Blankley,  1865-6  ;  A.  S.  Dunning,  1866-73 ;  L. 
Gerrish,  1873-4  ;  Daniel  Blankley,  187tl-7  ;  A.  T.  Bateman, 
1877-81  ;  W.  H.  Bateman,  1881-2  ;'  A.  T.  Bateman,  1882-3. 

The  board  for  1882 :  Z.  W.  Nutting,  John  Shroeder,  S.  C.  Dick, 
supervisors  ;  R.  D.  Clow,  Geo.  Hiler,  constables  ;  Daniel  Blankley, 
R.  H.  Sims,  justices  of  the  peace  ;  O.  D.  Grant,  assessor. 

There  are  two  cemeteries  in  the  township,  one  on  S.E.  ^  of  S. 
E.  J  Sec.  12,  owned  by  ISTathen  Brown  ;  another  on  Sec.  9,  owned 
by  Geo.  Hiler.  There  are  no  churches  in  the  township,  services 
being  held  occasionally  in  the  schoolhouses. 

NEW    HAETFORD    VILLAGE. 

New  Hartford  village  lies  on  Sec.  19  of  New  Hartford  township. 
It  was  laid  out  about  1856  by  Henry  Cushman,  Daniel  Clay  and  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Reynolds.  Mr.  Reynolds  owned  the  first  house 
in  the  village.     The  first  store  was  kept  by  Benj.  Young. 

No  regular  postoffice  existed  until  about  1866,  when  a  regular 
office  was  established,  and  H.  Lilly  appointed  postmaster.  He  kept 
the  office  nine  years.  Henry  Cushman  built  the  first  sawmill  in 
1856.  Soon  after,  a  gristmill  was  erected  by  H.  Lilly  and  H.  Cush- 
man. This  was  about  I860.  In  one  year  H.  Lilly  bought  out  H. 
Cushman  and  run  the  mill  three  years  alone.  At  this  time  it  was 
purchased  by  Blumin  Tritt,  who  has  kept  it  ever  since.     Soon  after 


574  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

the  village  was  laid  out  John  Brodwell  built  a  small  shoeshop,  but 
turned  it  into  a  schoolhouse  and  taught  it  himself.  A  log-school 
building  was  erected  on  Sec.  30  soon  afterward.  This  was  taught 
by  Mrs.  Tom  Phelps.  The  present  school  was  erected  in  the  town 
about  1870.  The  first  teacher  was  Lidia  Bas worth.  Dimensions  of 
the  building  23  X  26  feet.  This  is  used  as  a  church.  G.  Lyon  is  the 
present  postmaster  ;  he  also  keeps  the  one  store  in  the  village. 
One  blacksmith  shop  owned  bv  I.  Beach.  One  shoeshop  run  by 
G.  A.  Edin. 

The  town  of  New  Hartford  has  an  area  of  forty  acres,  and  is 
traversed  by  Pine  creek. 

RICHMOND  TOWNSHIP. 

Richmond  township  lies  in  T.  106  N.  and  R.  5  W.  Its  boundaries 
are,  on  the  east  and  north  the  Mississippi  river,  on  the  south  New 
Hartford  township,  and  on  the  west  Homer  township.  Richmond 
is  but  a  fractional  township  at  most,  being  cut  by  the  Mississippi  into 
twelve  complete  and  seven  fractional  sections.  It  was  organized 
May  11,  1858.  The  members  of  the  first  board  were  :  Town  clerk, 
J.  M.  Dodge ;  chairman  of  supervisors,  A.  M.  Gross ;  supervisors, 
Amos  Shay,  M.  Dunning ;  assessor,  J.  M.  Winn  ;  collector.  A,  C. 
Dunning ;  constables,  C.  C.  Willy,  C.  R.  Howe  ;  justices  of  the 
peace,  B.  F.  Davis,  N.  D.  Gilbert.  There  were  forty  votes  cast  at 
tlie  first  election.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the  successive 
township  clerks  :  A.  O.  Gross,  1858-9  ;  A.  S.  Dunning,  1859-62; 
J.  Donehower,  1862-3 ;  J.  H.  Davenport,  1863-65  ;  O.  Cram, 
1865-6  ;  C.  A.  Leach,  1866-69  ;  Levi  Brown,  1869-71  ;  George 
Eagles,  1871-73  ;  Edward  Mott,  1873-75  ;  J.  P.  Nevill,  1875-78  ; 
C.  A.  Leach,  1878-81  ;  J.  P.  Nevill,  1881-2-3.  The  present  town- 
ship board :  Chairman  of  supervisors,  Amos  Shay  ;  supervisors, 
Henry  Winter,  Patrick  Griffin  ;  assessor,  James  Donehower  ;  con- 
stable, A.  B.  Leach  ;  justice  of  the  peace,  J.  P.  Nevill. 

The  surface  of  the  township,  like  all  the  country  immediately 
around,  is  very  nnich  broken  ;  the  soil  is  a  clay  loam.  The  products 
are  wheat,  corn,  oats  and  barley.  The  average  crop  for  the  year 
1882  was  :  Wheat,  per  acre,  15  bushels  ;  corn,  per  acre,  60  bushels  ; 
oats,  per  acre,  40  bushels.  Barley  is  raised  in  very  small  quantities. 
Richmond  township  is  traversed  by  two  creeks,  Little  Trout  run  and 
Richmond  creek.  Little  Trout  run  rises  in  Sec.  32,  flows  northwest 
and  leaves  the  township  on  Sec.  18.     Richmond  creek  rises  in  Sees. 


RICHMOND    TOWNSHIP. 


575 


27  and  28,  flows  northwest,  and  empties  into  the  Mississippi  river 
near  the  village  of  Richmond. 

M.  Dunning  was  about  the  earliest  settler  in  the  township.  He 
came  to  the  village  of  Richmond  in  1852  ;  Amos  Shay  came  in 
1854  ;  he  remained  in  the  village  a  short  time  and  then  removed  to 
Sec.  27,  where  he  has  been  engaged  in  farming  until  the  present  day. 
M.  Dunning  reached  the  village  in  1852  ;  in  1855  he  removed  to 
Sec.  28,  where  he  may  be  found  still.  Edward  Outhouse,  in  1854, 
settled  on  Sec.  19.  The  farm  is  now  in  the  hands  of  his  children, 
he  having  died  some  time  since.  In  1856  Patrick  Griffin  settled  on 
Sec.  18  ;  he  is  still  in  possession  of  his  farm.  The  N.  W.  i  of  Sec.  19 
is  owned  by  J.  M.  Gates,   who  took  possession  in  November,  1857. 

There  are  but  two  schools  in  the  township,  namely,  district  47 
on  Sec.  17  ;  district  46  on  Sec.   21 ;  number  of  school-children  in 

the  township,  24. 

There  never  was  a  regular  church  in  existence,  but  divine  service 
has  been  held  in  the  schoolhouses  since  1857.  They  had  circuit 
preaching  by  ministers  of  both  Baptist  and  Methodist  denomina- 
ticms.  J.  M.  Winn,  a  Baptist  minister,  had  his  residence  in  the 
old  village  of  Richmond  in  1857. 

The  first  road  through  the  township  was  the  present  river  road. 
The  first  marriage  was  that  of  Austin  Dunning  to  Sydney  Yalton. 
The  value  of  the  personal  property  in  the  township,  according  to  the 
late  returns,  is  $12,000. 

A  discovery  of  a  very  valuable  blue  sandstone  was  made  in  1882 
on  Sec.  21.  It  is  being  worked  by  an  Ohio  stone  company  ;  also  a 
white  sandstone  (resembling  marble  and  susceptible  of  high  polish) 
and  red  ochre  have  been  discovered. 

RICHMOND    VILLAGE 

was  laid  out  in  1855  by  Fredrick  Cushman,  John  Fortune  and 
Henry  Cushman.  The  plat  stood  on  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  21,  on  the  bank 
of  the  Mississippi  river,  and  had  an  area  of  twenty  acres.  Among 
the  old  settlers  in  the  village  may  be  mentioned  :  M.  Dunning, 
Isaac  Nichols,  H.  Carroll,  Thomas  Gordon,  Jacob  Donehower, 
Andrew  Mitchell  and  Amos  Shay.  John  Fortune  built  a  house  m 
1854,  and  his  house  was,  without  doubt,  the  first  in  the  village. 
O.  B.  Dodge  built  a  store  devoted  to  general  merchandise  in  1855. 
He  was  soon  followed  by  J.  F.  Martin,  S.  C.  Dick  and  Jacob  Done- 
hower, each   of  whom   owned   a   store   of   the   same  description. 


576  HISTORY    OF    WENTONA    COUNTY. 

Besides  these,  u  Mrs.  Jennings  owned  a  small  millinery  establish- 
ment. Fredrick  Cushman  built  the  first  sawmill  in  1855.  At  the 
same  time  a  blacksmith  shop  was  run  by  Iluttenhow.  J.  M.  Winn 
was  the  village  physician.  The  first  school-building,-  the  present 
district  school,  was  erected  in  1857.  School  has  never  been  dis- 
continued. ''East  Richmond,"  a  rival  to  Richmond  proper,  was 
laid  out  in  1857  by  A.  Davenport  and  a  Mr.  Rodgers,  just  south  of 
the  first  village  on  the  same  section.  A  few  houses  were  built,  but 
it  was  soon  after  abandoned.  Richmond  proper  at  that  time  was 
quite  a  town,  but  since  then  it  has  gradually  decayed,  houses  have 
been  torn  down  and  removed  entirely,  until,  at  present  writing,  what 
once  was  a  thriving  little  town,  nothing  remains  but  four  shabby  old 
dwellings  and  a  small  store  kept  by  J.  P.  Nevill.  Lamoille,  a  rail- 
way station  on  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railway,  is  on 
the  Mississippi  river  ;  it  is  two  miles  from  Pickwick,  a  small  town  in 
Homer  township. 

HOMER  TOWNSHIP. 

Homer  township  was  organized  May  11,  1858.  It  lies  in  T.  106 
and  107  W.  and  R.  6  IST.  It  is  bounded  on  the  west  b}'  Wilson  and 
Winona  townships,  on  the  south  by  Pleasant  Hill  township,  on  the 
east  by  Richmond  township,  and  on  the  north  by  the  Mississippi 
river.  It  comprises  thirty-three  complete  sections  and  five  fractional 
ones.  The  Mississippi  river  strikes  the  township  on  N,  W.  J  of  Sec. 
31,  and  flows  southeast  through  Sees.  1,  2  and  3.  The  surface  is 
very  much  broken  ;  the  soil  on  the  ridge  land  is  clay,  while  in  the 
valleys  it  is  a  black  loam.  The  products  are  wheat,  corn,  oats  and 
barley.  The  average  per  acre  for  the  present  year  (1882)  is  as  fol- 
lows :  Wheat,  per  acre,  12  bushels  ;  corn,  per  acre,  60  bushels ; 
oats,  per  acre,  35  bushels.  Stone  quarries  may  be  found  all  along 
the  river,  but  they  are  only  worked  occasionally. 

The  number  of  votes  cast  at  the  first  election  in  the  township  was 
eight^'-eight.  The  names  of  the  first  township  ofiicers  are  as  fol- 
lows :  Charles  Griswold,  town  clerk ;  S.  Britton,  collector ;  Samuel 
Britton,  overseer  of  the  poor  ;  Jarard  Baldwin,  chairman  of  super- 
visors ;  Daniel  Daugherty,  G,  W.  Grant,  supervisors  ;  J.  C.  Norton, 
Ferdinand  Cox,  justices  of  the  peace ;  J.  C.  Crane,  Albert  Preston, 
constables  ;  Samuel  Ailing,  assessor. 

The  first  regular  postoflice  was  kept  by  John  Torry  in  1857  ;  the 
first  marriage  in  the  village,  and  no  doubt  the  first  in  the  township, 


HOMER    TOWNSHIP. 


577 


was  that  of  a  servant  girl  of  Willard  Bunnell  named  Racliil  to 
Harry  Herrick.  This  was  in  1856.  The  population  of  Homer  at 
present  is  sixty-four.  There  is  one  store,  owned  by  Robert  Norton, 
a  blacksmith  shop,  run  by  Jacob  Myres,  and  a  doctor,  J.  Q.  A.  Yale. 
Robert  Norton  is  the  postmaster. 

The  succeeding  town  clerks  were  :  S.  A.  Ailing,  1860-62  ;  R.  F. 
Norton,  1862-3  ;  John  R.  King,  1863-5  ;  C.  Howard,  1865-7;  J. 
Q.  A.  Yale,  1867-70;  S.  A.  Ailing,  1870-2;  J.  Q.  A.  Yale, 
1872-4  ;  J.  Q.  A.  Yale,  1874-82-3.  The  members  of  the  present 
board  are  :  W.  I.  Lamson,  chairman  of  supervisors  ;  John  Hanson, 
S.  Gardner,  supervisors  ;  R.  F.  Norton,  treasurer ;  F.  B.  Martin, 
assessor ;  S.  F.  Ailing,  G.  W.  King,  justices  of  the  peace  ;  Nelson 
Breed,  J.  M.  Ruthei-ford,  constables. 

The  township  is  traversed  by  two  creeks,  Cedar  creek  and  Big 
Trout  run.  Cedar  creek  rises  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  town- 
ship, flows  northeast,  and  empties  into  the  Mississippi  river  on  Sec. 
1.  Big  Trout  run  is  formed  by  numerous  springs  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  township  ;  at  Pickwick  it  broadens  into  a  small  lake,  and 
furnishes  water-power  for  a  large  flour-mill ;  from  Pickwick  the 
stream  flows  northeast,  and  leaves  the  township  on  Sec.  13.  It 
finally  terminates  in  the  Mississippi  on  Sec.  8,  in  Richmond  town- 
ship. 

The  first  settler  in  Homer  township,  and  also  the  first  in  the 
county,  was  Willard  Bunnell,  who  came  in  1849,  and  settled  on  the 
present  site  of  the  village  of  Homer;  he  was  an  Indian  trader. 
C.  F.  Buck  followed  soon  after  and  settled  near  by.  This  place  was 
then  called  "Bunnell's  Landing."  Leonard  Johnson  came  in  1852 
and  started  up  a  wood-yard  on  a  place  just  below  Bunnell's  landing 
called  Johnson's  point.  John  Lavine  made  his  appearance  at  Min- 
neoah,  then  a  mushroom  village  just  above  Bunnell's  landing,  in 
1853.  In  1855  he  settled  on  Sec.  11,  in  Cedar  Creek  valley,  and 
remained  there  ever  since.  Peter  Gorr  came  to  the  township  in 
1853,  and  settled  on  Sec.  18,  in  Gorr's  valley,  now  known  as  Pleas- 
ant valley.  In  1881  Peter  Gorr  removed  to  the  old  site  of  Minneoah, 
on  the  bank  of  the  Mississippi.  R.  F.  Norton  came  to  Minneoah 
in  1854  ;  he  keeps  a  store  at  present  writing  in  the  village  of  Homer. 
Wm.  Lamson,  another  old  settler,  reached  the  township  in  1855. 
The  first  road  in  the  township  reached  from  Willard  Bunnell's 
place  westward  to  the  township  line.  It  was  begun  in  1853  by  pri- 
vate enterprise  and  completed  in  1854.     The  first  house  in  the  town- 


578  HISTORY    OF    WLNONA    COUNTY. 

gliip  was  owned  by  Willard  Bunnell  and  stood  at  BunnelFs  landing. 
Willard  Bunnell  also  kept  the  lirst  postoHice  in  his  own  house  as 
early  as  1853.  The  first  birth  in  the  township  was  that  of  Louisa 
Bunnell  —  born  February  22,  1850.  This  was  also  the  first  birth  in 
the  county. 

There  are  but  two  churches  in  the  township,  the  Free  Baptists 
in  Pickwick  village,  built  in  1881,  and  the  Norwegian  in  Sec.  32, 
built  1870.  Divine  service  is  held  in  many  of  the  schoolhouses, 
however,  by  circuit  pastors.  There  are  eight  district  schools  in  the 
township,  viz  :  District  14  in  Sec.  30,  dist.  15  in  Sec.  12,  dist. 
12  in  Sec.  33,  dist.  .19  in  Sec.  24,  dist.  13  in  Sec.  18,  dist.  94  in 
Sec.  29,  dist.  18  in  Sec.  16,  dist.  103  in  Sec.  8. 

Pickwick  village,  and  indeed  all  Homer  township,  was  very 
much  agitated  over  news  received  in  1862  that  the  Indians  were 
planning  an  attack  upon  the  settlement.  People  came  flocking 
from  all  parts  of  the  township  to  the  stone-mill  in  Pickwick,  intend- 
ing to  use  it  as  a  fort.  It  was  a  false  alarm,  however,  caused  by 
untrue  statements  and  exaggerated  reports.  The  Indians  were  at 
the  time  on  the  war-path  at  Mankato,  but  Pickwick  had  no  cause  for 
alarm. 

homp:r  village. 

Homer  village  was  laid  out  in  1855,  by  Willard  Bunnell.  It  lies 
on  Sec.  33,  T.  107,  K.  6.  Willard  Bunnell,  who  came  in  1849,  and 
C.  F.  Buck,  were  the  first  settlers  in  the  village. 

The  first  house  was  owned  by  W.  Bunnell.  Frank  Wilson  built 
the  first  store  in  1855.  Before  the  town  was  laid  out  this  place  was 
called  Bunnell's  landing,  and  a  postoffice  was  kept  in  Mr.  Bunnell's 
house.  Another  village,  called  Minneoah,  was  laid  out  just  above 
Bunnell's  landing  in  1852.  This  place  was  abandoned  at  the  laying 
out  of  Homer,  but  for  a  time  there  existed  quite  a  small  community. 
Among  the  merchants  in  Minneoah  were  Thomas  J.  Hough,  who 
kept  a  store  there  in  1854.  He  was  bought  out  by  John  Torry. 
Charles  and  Royal  Lovell  also  kept  a  store  in  1854.  A  hotel 
existed,  owned  by  Myron  Toms.  One  doctor,  J,  C.  Norton,  had  his 
ofiice  in  the  village.  At  the  laying  out  of  Homer  this  village  was 
deserted.  At  the  present  writing  nothing  remains  of  it  but  two 
dwelling-houses. 

Among  the  early  settlers  in  Homer  were  Woodruff  Griswold 
and  Norton,  who  built  a  store  in  1857.  The  same  year  they  put  up 
a  warehouse.     Ferdinand  Cox  had  a  small  store  in  1857.     He  sold 


HOMER    TOWNSHIP.  579 

drugs  and  liquors.  These  stores  were  torn  down  and  abandoned  in 
1860,  In  185Y  Jacob  Myers  built  a  blacksinitli  shop,  which  he  has 
kept  up  until  the  present  day.  A  sawmill  was  erected  in  1868  by 
R.  F.  Norton,  but  was  deserted  in  1874.  There  was,  however,  a 
sawmill  previous  to  this,  owned  and  built  by  Hoxie  Abel  in  1860. 
A  shoeshop  was  kept  by  a  Mr.  Ganes  as  early  as  1859.  A  private 
school  was  in  existence  in  the  village  from  1858  until  1860,  but  the 
first  district  school  was  buih  in  1857  on  Sec.  33.  The  first  teacher 
was  Charles  Smith. 

PICKWICK    VILLAGE. 

Pickwick  was  laid  out  in  1857.  It  stands  on  Sec.  13  of  Homer 
township,  at  the  head  of  a  tiny  lake  formed  by  the  expansion  of 
Big  Trout  Run.  It  is  almost  surrounded  by  high  blufis,  and  is 
widely  known  for  its  picturesque  situation.  Big  Trout  Run  flows 
'northeast  from  the  village,  and  its  zigzag  course  can  be  traced  for 
miles  down  the  valley  by  the  willows  growing  on  its  banks.  The 
village  was  named  after  ''Pickwick  Papers,"  by  Charles  Dickens. 
Thomson  Grant,  who  came  in  1853,  was  the  first  settler  in  the  vil- 
lage. The  first  store  was  owned  by  Ferdinand  Cox,  who  came  in 
1855. 

Thomson  Grant  and  Wilson  Davis  were  the  principal  land- 
owners in  the  village.  Wilson  Davis  came  in  1856.  Thomson 
Grant  owned  the  first  house.  There  was  at  that  time  one  wagon 
shop  and  one  blacksmith  shop.  The  blacksmith  sho])  was  owned 
and  built  by  John  Cripps  in  1858.  The  wagon  shop  was  worked  by 
Joel  Morrison.  A  sawmill  and  gristmill  combined  was  erected  in 
1854  by  Thomson  Grant.  The  present  flourmill  was  commenced 
in  1856  by  Thomson  Grant  and  Wilson  Davis.  A  small  building 
owned  by  the  mill  company  was  used  as  a  school  as  early  as  1858. 
Miss  Lou  Grant  was  the  teacher.  In  1861  a  school  was  put  up  by 
the  district.  Miss  Sarah  Shorey  was  tlie  teacher  for  several  years. 
The  present  school,  a  frame  building  24x44  feet,  was  built  by  the 
district  in  1863.  Charles  Sufi'erins  kept  the  first  postoffice  in  1858. 
At  present  writing  Pickwick  has  two  stores,  a  flourmill,  one  black- 
smith -shop,  a  hotel  and  a  church.  The  stores  are  owned  by  Charles 
Sufferins  and  J.  W.  King  respectively.  John  Cripps  works  the 
blacksmith  shop.  The  hotel,  quite  a  large  building,  is  three  stories 
high,  and  owned  by  George  Outhouse.  The  mill  is  built  of  stone,  is 
45  X  60  feet,  six  stories  high,  and  has  a  capacity  of  100  bbls.  of  flour 

84 


580  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

per  day.     It  is  owned  by  Davis  &  Grannis.     Near  the  mill  is  a 
beautiful  little  waterfall  of  twenty-eight  feet. 

Services  have  been  held  occasionally  in  the  schoolhouse  since  it 
was  bnilt,  and  a  Sunday  school  has  been  in  existence  since  1868. 
The  present  church  was  built  through  the  instrumentality  of  Judson 
B.  Palmei*,  state  missionary  of  the  Free  Baptist  church.  It  was 
erected  in  188].  The  dimensions  are  30x50  feet,  and  has  a  spire 
about  fifty  feet  tall.  The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  Given,  who  came  in 
1881  and  remained  six  months.  The  church  was  then  without  a 
minister  until  Rev.  L.  Kerr  came  in  1882.  The  congregation  now 
numbers  100  members.  The  average  attendance  of  the  Sunday 
school  is  thirty-five,  with  five  teachers.  They  are  in  possession  ol  a 
small  library  of  about  ^ity  volumes. 

Pickwick  has  one  secret  society,  Masonic  Lodge,  No.  110.  Tlie 
officers  are:  W.M.,  J.  L.  Finch;  S.W.,  Leonard  Johnson;  J. W, 
Calvin  Berry  ;  S.D.,  E.  B.  Huffman  ;  J.D.,  Josei»h  Sinclair;  secre- 
tary, J.  M.  Rutherford ;  treasurer,  John  Spurbeck.  The  society 
was  organized  in  1874,  and  has  a  present  membership  of  thirty- 
three. 

PLEASANT  HlLl.  TOWNSHIP. 

Pleasant  Hill  township,  commonly  described  as  No.  105  N.,  R. 
6  W,,  contains  thirty-six  full  sections  of  640  acres  each.  It  is  situated 
on  the  ridge  between  the  Mississippi  and  Root  rivers.  The  old  terri- 
torial road  between  La  Crosse,  Wisconsin,  and  Mankato,  Minnesota, 
runs  upon  this  ridge,  entering  the  township  at  tlie  southeast  corner 
of  section  36 ;  thence  pursuing  a  winding  diagonal  course  it  leaves 
the  township  about  eighty  rods  south  of  the  north  line  of  section  7. 
The  northeastern  part  of  the  township  is  drained  by  Trout  creek,  the 
northwestern  part  by  bi-anches  of  Cedar  creek ;  both  of  these  streams 
flow  into  the  Mississippi  river.  The  western  part  is  drained  by  three 
branches  of  Money  creek.  The  principal  one  is  called  Corey  Valley 
creek,  in  honor  of  H.  A.  Corey,  who  settled  just  over  the  line  in  the 
edge  ot  Wiscoy  township.  The  southwestern  and  southern  portions 
are  drained  by  branches  of  Silver  creek.  The  principal  one  of  these 
streams  is  called  Loony  Valley  Run.  These  streams  flow  into  Root 
river.  The  eastern  part  is  drained  by  the  branches  of  Pine  creek, 
known  as  north  branch  and  south  branch.  They  unite  about  one 
hundred  rods  east  of  Pleasant  Hill  township,  at  New  Hartford  post- 
office,  and  flow  into  the  Mississippi  river.  This  tovmship  was  named 


PLEAS AISTT    HILL    TOWNSHIP,  581 

by  Joseph  Cooper,  wIk^  came  here  in  December,  1854,  and  made  a 
chiim.  Some  time  in  the  springy  of  1856  Mr.  Cooper  made  applica- 
tion to  the  postoffice  department  at  Washington  for  a  postoffice,  to 
be  called  Pleasant  Hill.  While  awaitino;  the  return  from  Washing:- 
ton,  he  and  others  organized  a  school  district,  and  when  asked  by 
the  county  registrar  of  deeds  at  Winona  for  the  name  of  the  town- 
ship, he  turned  to  a  neighbor,  Mr.  Reynolds,  and  asked  what  they 
should  call  the  town.  Mr.  Reynolds  said,  "Call  it  the  same  as  the 
postoffice."     So  he  told  the  recorder  it  was  Pleasant  Hill. 

The  surface  of  the  township  is  very  uneven,  the  bluffs  varying  in 
height  from  200  to  300  feet.  Upon  the  crest  of  nearly  every  bluff 
can  be  found  the  well  improved  farms  of  the  inhabitants,  who  are 
happy  in  the  possession  of  their  homes,  and  surrounded  by  all  the 
comforts  of  industry,  and  the  beneficence  of  an  ever-merciful  God. 
But  it  is  by  the  views  in  the  valleys  that  the  eye  is  held  as  if  by 
enchantment.  Here  upon  the  foot  of  the  hills  is  seen  the  cozy 
farmhouse,  built  near  some  cool  spring  of  water,  surrounded  by 
fruit  and  ornamental  trees  ;  while  in  the  background  are  waving 
fields  of  golden  grain,  flanked  with  the  deep  green  fields  of  maize, 
or  still  deeper  shades  of  the  woody  heights  covered  with  all  the 
varieties  of  oak,  ehn,  maple  and  hickory,  interspersed  with  white 
birch  and  poplar,  and  clumps  of  shrub  oaks,  plum  and  crab-apple, 
draped  with  the  heavily  laden  grape-vine,  and  beyond  this  the  steep 
slopes  covered  with  hazel-brush,  while  at  every  fence  corner  is  found 
black  or  raspberry  bushes,*  loaded  with  their  ripening  fruits.  Turn- 
ing the  eye  from  the  hillside  to  the  dale,  a  more  beautiful  picture 
meets  the  view.  Here  is  seen  the  babbling  brook,  sparkling  in  the 
sunshine  as  it  pursues  its  winding  course  down  the  valley,  rippling 
over  its  pebbly  bottom  at  some  steep  descent,  or  tranquilly  resting 
in  some  small  eddy  under  a  clump  of  alders  or  dogwood,  invit- 
ing the  spotted  trout  to  a  safe  retreat  from  the  pleasure-seeking 
angler,  who,  with  jointed  rod  and  horsehair  line,  is  seen  tossing  his 
tempting  bait  into  every  available  portion  of  the  stream.  While 
upon  one  side  may  be  seen  the  beautiful  pasture  land,  extending 
from  the  stream  to  midway  of  the  hillside,  covered  with  a  smooth 
sod  of  bluegrass  mixed  with  red  and  white  clover,  with  here  and 
there  a  stout  old  burr-oak  or  a  magnificent  elm  affording  ample  shade 
to  the  white  fleeced  ewes  as  they  quietly  ruminate,  suri'ounded  by 
their  sportive  lambs,  frisking  about  through  sunlight  and  shadow, 
yet  ever  careful  to  keep  away  from  that  part  of  the  enclosure  where 


582  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

tlie  great,  sleepy  looking  cows  are  cropping  the  juicy  grasses,  or  stand 
chewing  the  cud.  in  the  shade  of  some  of  tlie  little  groves  of  alder, 
willow  or  plum-trees.  Upon  the  other  side  the  eye  is  chai-med  by 
the  waving  fields  of  redtop  and  timothy  falling  over  the  sickle  of 
the  mowing  machine,  while  the  spring-toothed  horserake  gathers  it 
into  large  windrows,  ready  to  be  put  into  the  mow  for  winter  use. 
The  farmhouse  and  barns,  orchard  and  woodland,  golden  grain  and 
waving  maize,  stream,  pasture  and  meadow  hind,  all  unite  in  the 
sunshine  to  form  a  picture  which  no  brush  can  paint  and  no  pen 
describe.  And  although  the  township  was  (juite  properly  named 
Pleasant  Hill,  it  will  always  exist  in  the  mind  of  the  writer  as  the 
township  of  Pleasant  Valleys. 

The  history  of  Pleasant  Hill  township  since  the  first  white  man 
settled  in  it  is  one  that  will  undoubtedly  interest  the  majority  of  its 
present  inhabitants,  and  will  also  be  of  general  interest  to  the  people 
of  Winona  county.  The  first  man  to  build  a  house  inside  of  the 
present  limits  of  Pleasant  Hill  township,  was  Mr.  John  Hooper,  who 
is  frequently  spoken  of  as  "High-low"  Hooper,  from  the  fact  that 
he  could  not  converse  in  an  even  tone  of  voice,  but  would  start  a 
sentence  in  a  low,  gruff  tone  and  change  to  a  high  key  and  back  to 
a  low  one  without  apparently  noticing  it  himself. 

Mr.  Hooper  came  to  Pleasant  Hill  township  by  way  of  the  north 
branch  of  Pine  creek,  in  the  summer  of  1854,  and  selected  a  site 
near  a  fine  spring  of  water.  Here  he  built  a  log  house  and  erected 
a  blacksmith  shop.  He  made  a  lot  of  ox-shoes  during  the  autumn, 
and  in  December  he  started  down  Pine  Creek  valley  with  his  tools 
and  ropes  for  shoeing  oxen,  and  wherever  he  met  a  man  who  wanted 
his  oxen  shod,  he  would  cast  the  oxen,  put  on  the  shoes  and  go  on 
his  way  rejoicing.  He  soon  sold  out  his  claim  and  followed  black- 
smithing  in  various  places  in  Winona  and  Houston  counties. 

The  first  man  to  make  a  permanent  home  in  the  township  was 
Mr.  Joseph  Cooper,  who  came  to  the  "ridge"  at  the  head  of  the 
south  branch  of  Pine  creek  in  December,  1854.  Here  he  exclaimed, 
"  What  a  pleasant  hill !  "  and  immediately  made  a  claim  of  160 
acres  of  land,  lying  on  the  ridge  and  embracing  the  heads  of  South 
Branch  and  Money  Creek  valleys. 

He  at  once  commenced  to  chop  and  hew  logs  for  a  house,  and  on 
March  20,  1855,  he  had  completed  and  moved  into  a  log  house 
22  X  24  feet  and  one  and  one-half  stories  high.     He  was  followed  the 


PLEASANT    HILL    TOWNSHIP.  583 

same  spring  by  Michael  Burns,  Andrew  Finch,  Calvin  Grant,  Alex- 
ander Stedman  and  others. 

Soon  the  sound  of  the  woodman's  ax  was  heard  resounding 
throughout  the  length  of  the  ridge,  and  what  once  had  been  the 
hunting  grounds  of  the  red-man  now  began  to  assume  the  appear- 
ance of  white  habitation.  The  pioneers  had  nothing  to  fear  from 
wild  animals,  as  there  were  none  more  ferocious  than  the  timber  or 
large  grey  wolf,  which  never  attacked  any  of  the  settlers,  though  it 
would  frequently  follow  them  when  out  at  night. 

There  was  an  abundance  of  wild  game  in  the  woods,  and  the 
unerring  aim  of  the  chopper  (who  always  carried  his  rifle  with  him) 
often  brought  down  a  fine  buck  as  it  bounded  through  his  small 
clearing.  As  an  instance,  showing  the  plenitude  of  deer  in  the  early 
days,  it  is  stated  on  authority  that  two  young  men  named  Armstrong 
killed  360  deer  in  the  winters  of  1855-6. 

ROADS. 

This  township  was  better  provided  for  with  roads  than  most 
adjoining  ones.  The  territorial  road  was  "blazed,"  and  had 
been  traveled  a  few  times  with  wagons.  The  first  road  ever 
laid  out  by  the  township  was  from  the  center  of  the  east  side  of 
section  eight  (8)  due  east  through  sections  nine  (9)  and  ten  (10), 
thence  north  about  eighty  (SO)  rods,  thence  east  and  northeast  in  a 
winding  course  to  the  line  of  New  Hartford  township.  The  topog- 
raphy of  the  country  is  such  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  build  the 
roads  in  any  direct  line  ;  but  such  is  the  energy  and  determination 
of  the  people  that  they  spare  neither  labor  nor  expense,  but  excavate 
roads  in  the  steep  hillsides  at  a  cost  of  from  $500  to  $800  per  mile. 

SCHOOLS. 

The  people  showed  an  early  determination  to  supply  their  chil- 
dren with  an  opportunity  to  obtain  an  education;  and  as  early  as  the 
spring  of  1856  an  application  was  made  to  form  a  school  district  in 
Pleasant  Hill  township,  to  be  located  near  the  center  of  the  town- 
ship, and  a  plot  for  the  same  was  drawn  by  Mr.  Joseph  Cooi)er.  The 
plot  included  the  majority  of  the  inhabitants  on  the  ridge  at  that 
time.  The  logs  for  the  schoolhouse  were  cut  early  in  the  summer 
of  1856,  but  owing  to  some  misunderstanding  the  house  was  not 
built  till  the  spring  of  1857. 

The  house  was  built  of  hewn  logs,  covered  with  oak  shingles. 


584  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

The  only  pine  about  the  building  was  a  blackboard  and  teachers' 
desk.  To  accommodate  the  pupils  a  row  of  holes  was  bored  ai'ound 
the  inside  of  the  room,  and  hardwood  pins  were  driven  into  these 
and  oak  boards  laid  on  the  pins.  In  this  rather  discouraging  look- 
ing room  Mr.  Wm.  D.  Murray  taught  the  tirst  school,  and  there  are 
many  young  men  in  the  township  at  this  time  (1882)  to  testify  to  his 
ability  and  kindness.  He  is  invariably  spoken  of  as  "  Uncle  Billy," 
and  no 'one  holds  any  grudge  against  liim  on  account  of  misuse  or 
ill-treatment,  but  all  proclaim  him  as  the  man  who  was  invincible  in 
mathematics.  It  is  pleasing  to  state  that  the  old  log  house  has  been 
replaced  with  a  very  comfortable  frame  building,  and  although 
''Uncle  Billy  "  has  ceased  to  teach,  he  is  still  living  in  the  township, 
and  still  interested  in  mathematics. 

RELIGIOUS    ORGANIZATIONS. 

The  people  who  left  the  more  prosperous  parts  of  the  east  soon 
felt  a  need  of  spiritual  as  well  as  physical  food.  In  the  early  part 
of  March,  1856,  several  families  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  towi^iship 
gathered  at  the  house  of  Alexander  Stedman  for  divine  worship. 
Here  TIev.  Joseph  F.  Hamblen,  a  Free  Will  Baptist  preacher, 
preached  to  them,  and,  assisted  by  his  brother,  Mr.  Wm.  B.  Ham- 
blen, an  eccentric,  self-styled  missionary,  he  soon  had  a  cliurch 
oi'ganized,  and  regular  services  were  held  afterward.  Soon  after  this 
a  Methodist  organization  was  formed  in  the  northwest  part  of  the 
township,  but  it  soon  united  with  members  in  Wiscoy  township,  and 
services  were  lield  at  the  joint  schoolhouse,  situated  a  few  rods  west 
of  Pleasant  Plill,  in  the  town  of  Wiscoy. 

In  1872  the  people  of  Catliolic  persuasion  decided  to  build  a 
church  in  Pleasant  Hill,  and  during  the  winter  of  1872-3  a  very 
neat  building  was  erected  on  the  N.E.  ^  of  N.E.  ^  Sec.  21.  The 
land  was  owned  by  Mr.  Cooper,  who  at  first  gave  one  acre  for  church 
site.  The  congregation  afterward  purchased  one  acre,  and  now  have 
a  fine  cemetery  in  the  grounds  adjoining  tlie  church.  The  church 
was  dedicated  in  the  winter  of  1873-4  and  styled  St.  Patrick's  church. 
The  first  person  buried  in  the  cemetery  was  John  McCaffrey,  of 
Pleasant  Hill. 

There  are  also  two  Protestant  cemeteries  in  Pleasant  Hill ;  one 
situated  on  the  N.E.  ^  of  Sec.  11  is  by  far  the  finest  one  in  the  town. 
It  contains  two  acres,  and  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the  southeast 
slope  of  a  beautiful  hill  and  contiiins  some  very  fine  slabs  andmonu- 


WISCOY   TOWNSHIP.  585 

ments,  designating  the  resting-places  of  the  beloved  departed.  The 
tirst  person  that  died  in  Pleasant  Hill  was  a  child  of  Geo.  B.  Nich- 
olson. It  died  in  the  early  part  of  December,  1856.  Mr.  Alexander 
Stedman  took  the  coffin  upon  his  horse,  and  followed  by  a  few  neigh- 
bors, also  on  horseback,  carried  it  via  of  an  old  Indian  trail,  down 
the  valley  to  Pickwick,  where  it  was  buried.  It  was  afterward  re- 
moved to  this  cemetery. 

The  other  cemetery  is  in  Sec.  22,  but  it  is  not  so  well  cared  for 
as  the  others,  and  is  almost  obscured  by  the  small  oak  bushes  whicli 
are  allowed  to  grow  in  it.  The  first  person  buried  here  was  Mr. 
Eddy,  who  immigrated  to  this  country  in  1855. 

The  first  and  only  store  ever  kept  in  this  township  was  in  a  frame 
building  18x24  ft.;  moved  in  sections  from  Richmond,  Minnesota, 
to  the  northwest  corner  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  nine  (9), 
where  it  was  filled  with  dry  goods  and  groceries  by  Martin  &  Banks 
in  the  summer  of  1859,  and  was  profitably  run  till  the  early  spring 
of  1864,  when  the  store  and  contents  were  consumed  by  fire,  since 
which  no  attemj)t  has  been  made  to  open  another  store. 


CHAPTER  LI. 

WISCOY,   WILSON,   WAEREN    AND    HILLSDALE    TOWNSHIPS. 

WISCOY  TOWNSHIP. 

Wiscol'  township  lies  in  T.  105,  R.  7.  Its  boundaries  are,  on  the 
north  Wilson  township,  on  the  east  Pleasant  Hill  township,  on 
the  south  Houston  county,  and  on  the  west  by  Hart  township.  It 
comprises  thirty-six  complete  sections.  The  surface,  like  that  of  the 
neighboring  country,  is  very  much  broken.  Money  Creek  valley, 
a  deep  valley  running  almost  north  and  south,  is  traversed  by  a 
stream  which  bears  its  name.  There  are  two  branches  of  this  creek, 
the  east  branch  and  west  branch.  The  main  stream  enters  the 
township  on  Sec.  35.  The  east  branch  flows  north  through  Sees. 
27,  26  and  24,  while  the  west  branch  traverses  Sees.  28,  29,  20,  16. 
This  subdivides  and  flows  north  through  Sees.  8,  9,  7  and  5. 
The  soil  is  productive,  raising  wlieat,  corn,  oats  and  barley.  The 
average  crop  is  said  to  be,  wheat  per  acre,   15  bushels ;   corn  50 


58B  .HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

buslu'ls;  oats,  40  bushels;  barley,  "siuall  (juantities."  Timber  is 
])lentitul  throughout  tlie  township.  There  are  but  three  district 
schools  in  Wiscov,  namely,  on  Sees.  12,  16  and  27.  There  are  in 
all  about  150  pupils  in  the  township.  The  first  school  was  the  one 
now  standing  on  Sec.  12,  built  1857.  The  first  teacher  was  Rufus 
Thomas.  There  is  one  cemetery  in  Wiscoy,  standing  on  Sec.  16, 
laid  out  in  1866.  A  Methodist  Episcopal  church  stands  on  Sec.  12. 
It  has  a  very  small  membership,  and  its  insignificant  history  is  en- 
veloped in  comparative  obscurity.  Wiscoy  has  two  flourmills,  one 
standing  on  Sec.  29,  owned  by  Judson  Wells  (a  frame  building 
ei-ected  in  1856,  and  having  a  capacity  of  fifty  barrels  per  day). 
Another  mill  owned  by  L.  J.  Clark,  built  1865,  stands  on  Sec.  16, 
and  has  a  capacity  of  forty  barrels  per  day.  The  first  postoffice  in 
Wiscoy  was  kept  by  Benton  Aldrich  as  early  as  1857  on  Sec.  86. 
James  Clark  took  charge  of  the  office  in  1873,  and  has  been  post- 
master since  that  time.  The  first  settler  in  Wiscoy  was  Ira  A. 
Boianton,  who  came  in  1855  and  settled  on  Sec.  12.  Ira  Boianton 
is  now  dead,  but  the  farm  is  in  the  hands  of  his  children  and  widow. 

A.  F.  Hill  arrived  the  same  year  and  took  up  a  farm  on  the  same 
section.  II.  A.  Corey  and  Lemuel  Abell  came  to  Wiscoy  the  same 
year  (1855).  H.  A.  Corey  settled  on  Sec.  24,  in  Money  Creek  val- 
ley. He  is  still  living  and  in  possession  of  his  farm.  Lemuel  Abell 
settled  on  N.W.  J  of  Sec.'  3.  O.  G.  Morrison  arrived  in  1857  and 
entered  a  part  of  Sec.  27.  Both  Lemuel  Abell  and  O.  G.  Morrison 
have  kept  their  farms  without  changing  hands.  The  township  was 
organized  and  the  first  meeting  held  May  10,  1858.  Rufus  Thomas 
was  a])pointed  town  clerk.  The  members  of  the  first  board  were : 
Lemuel  Abell,  Joseph  Brooks,  supervisors  ;  H.  A.  Corey,  assessor; 
Franklin  Vidits,  collector ;  James  Greenfield,  overseer  of  the  poor ; 
Calmer  Harris,  Edward  Taylor,  justices  of  the  peace  ;  Esben  Skin- 
kle,  A.  B.  Watsen,  constables.  The  town  clei-ks  in  order :  Rufus 
Thomas,  1858-9  ;  S.  G.  Jones,  1859-60  ;  C.  A.  Fuller,  1860-62  ; 
C.  A.  Wheeler,  1862-65  ;  M.  S.  Wood,  1865-67  ;  C.  A.  Wheeler, 
1867-8;  D.  W.  Pickart,  1868-9;  S.  G.  Jones,  1869-72;  James 
(lark,   1872-82-3.       Present  board:    E.   Skinkle,  Charles  Waldo, 

B.  C.  Walling,  supervisors ;  Daniel  Cook,  justice  of  the  peace ;  Wm. 
Morse,  Albert  Warner,  constables  ;  Daniel  Cook,  treasurer. 

wnY>KA  villa(;e. 
Witoka  was  laid  out  in  1855  by  Geo.  W.  Morse,  L.  Thomas  and 
David  Parker.     It  lies  on  Sec.  35  and  comprises  an  area  of  fifty- 


WISCOY    TOWNSHIP. 


587 


eii^ht  acres.  It  was  known  at  first  by  the  name  of  Centerville,  but 
was  afterward  changed  to  Witoka.  L.  Thomas  came  May  16,  1855, 
and  built  the  first  house  in  the  village.  He  also  jDut  up  a  store  for 
the  sale  of  general  merchandise.  The  same  year  Calvin  Ford  came 
and  started  a  store  also.  A  blacksmith  shop  was  built  at  this  time 
by  Wm.  Jones,  who  was  followed  by  Harvey  Bourne.  The  first 
postoffice  was  established  in  1856;  L.  Thomas  was  the  postmaster. - 
During  the  fii-st  year  he  carried  the  mail  at  his  own  expense,  but 
at  the  end  of  that  time  a  mail  route  was  established.  The  first 
marriage  was  that  of  Becky  Smitli  to  Wm.  More  in  1857.  In  1856 
a  small  dwelling-house  was  built  which  was  turned  into  a  school- 
house.  This  school  was  taught  by  Rufus  Thomas.  A  district  school 
was  erected  in  1857  ;  the  first  teacher  was  Charlotte  French.  There 
was  a  doctor  in  the  village  at  this  time.  Dr.  Samuel  Miller.  Divine 
service  was  held  as  early  as  1855,  in  the  house  of  L.  Thomas, 
presided  over  by  Rev.  Cogswill.  The  next  year,  1856,  a  series  of 
sermons  were  delivered  every  tour  weeks  by  Elder  L.  Babcock,  in 
the  same  place.  After  this  meetings  were  held  in  the  schoolhouse,- 
by  both  Methodist  and  Baptist  ministers.  The  first  hotel  in  Witoka, 
a  large  frame  building,  was  owned  by  L.  Thomas,  and  was  burned 
in  1877.  At  present  there  are  two  towns,  known  respectively  as 
West  or  Old  Witoka  and  East  or  New  Witoka.  All  the  residence 
part  of  the  village  is  in  West  Witoka,  while  the  business  part, 
stores,  hotel,  etc.,  lies  in  East  Witoka.  East  Witoka  lies  directly 
on  the  line  between  Wilson  and  Wiscoy  townships.  When  the 
Pleasant  Valley  road  was  laid  out  in  1878,  all  the  stores,  etc.,  left 
the  old  town  and  came  over  to  East  Witoka.  At  present  writing 
there  are  two  stores  in  East  Witoka,  kept  respectively  by  O.  Abell 
and  George  Yongs ;  two  blacksmith  shops,  owned  by  Phillip 
Bourne  and  B.  Bragg ;  two  wagon  shops,  worked  by  B.  Bragg  and 
Walter  Crandell  ;  a  large  brick  hotel  two  stories  high,  run  by  L. 
Thomas.  The  dimensions  of  the  hotel  are  84x21:  feet,  with  a  wing 
26x18.  The  postmaster  is  O.  Abell.  A  fine  graded  school  was 
built  in  West  Witoka  in  1868.  It  is  a  frame  building  with  a  dimen- 
sion of  80X30  feet.  The  school  has  two  departments;  the  "prin- 
cipal'' is  W.  Wilbur,  with  Emma  Stray er  as  "assistant."  J. 
Crandall  is  the  village  physician.  There  is  one  church  in  West 
W^itoka,  the  Congregational.  The  building  was  intended  for  the 
use  of  a  grangers'  hall,  but  was  sold  in  1879  to  the  church.  Rev. 
Elmer  was  the  first  pastor  ;  he  was  replaced  in  1880  by  the  pi-esent 


588  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

pastor,  H.  A,  Bushnell.  A  Sabbath  school  exists  in  connection 
with  the  church,  with  an  average  attendance  of  sixty-live  pupils. 
Henry  Kader  is  the  superintendent.  There  is  one  society  in  Witoka, 
the  "Witoka  Grange.'"'  This  association  was  organized  in  1870, 
with  a  membership  of  1-14.  The  otHcers  for  1882  were  :  G.  M. 
Hiley,  worthy  master ;  J.  E.  Balch,  secretary;  H.  Neman,  treasurer. 
Its  object  is  mutual  protection  from  monopolies  and  exorbitant 
charges  for  transportation. 

\VII.SOX  TOWNSHIP. 

Wilson  township  lies  in  T.  lOG  and  R.  6.  It  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  AYinona  township,  on  the  south  by  Wiscoy  township,  on 
the  east  by  Homer  township  and  on  the  west  by  Warren  township. 
The  surface  is  very  much  broken,  and  is  divided  by  the  bluffs  into 
two  valleys  running  north  and  south.  These  valleys  are  traversed 
by  two  creeks,  West  Burns  Valley  creek  and  East  Burns  Valley 
creek.  West  Burns  Valley  creek  rises  in  Sec.  15  and  flows  northeast 
through  the  valley,  and  joins  the  east  branch  on  N.E.  ^  Sec.  8. 
East  Burns  Valley  creek  has  its  source  in  Sec.  9,  flows  north  to  Sec. 
3,  where  the  two  unite  and  leave  the  townshi])  on  Sec.  2.  The  soil 
is  productive  and  wheat,  corn,  oats  and  barley  are  raised.  In  an 
early  day  this  land  was  thickly  covered  with  timber,  which  has  now 
been  to  a  great  extent  cut  down.  The  township  comprises  thirty-six 
complete  sections,  and  measures  six  miles  in  each  direction.  It 
was  organized  May  11,  1858,  with  W.  W.  Kelly  as  town  clerk. 
The  officers  appointed  at  this  first  meeting  were  :  J.  S.  Wilson 
(chairman),  D.  McDougall,  Myron  Toms,  supervisors;  M.  W.  Crit- 
tindon,  assessor ;  Amos  Shepherd,  collector ;  William  Jones,  over- 
seer of  the  poor  ;  William  Jones,  Alvin  Lufkins,  constables  ;  Reuel 

D.  Fellows,  Dexter  Shepherd,  justices  of  the  peace. 

At  this  first  meeting  there  were  seventy-seven  votes  cast.  The 
following  are  the  town  clerks  in  order  up  to  the  year  1882  :  W.  W. 
Kelly,  1858-60  ;  J.  A.  Gile,  1860-1  ;  E.  P.  Wait,  1861-2  ;  James 
Lynn,  1862-3  ;  Mason  Leet,  1863-4 ;  J.  C.  Brown,  1864-5  ; 
James  Lynn,  1865-6  ;  Norris  Grey,  1866-7  ;  J.  A.  Gile,  1867-8  ; 
R  D.  Fellows,  1870-2;  Joseph  Bockler,  1872-3;  R.  D.  Fellows, 
1873-4;  Joseph  Bockler,   1871-8;    R.  D.    Fellows,   1878-81  ;   J. 

E.  Balch,    1881-2-3.     The    board   for  the   year   1882   were :    J. 
Moran.   Ai-nold   Gernes,   John  Nevill,   supervisors;  J.  C.   Brown, 


WARREN    TOWNSHIP.  589 

assessor  ;  Wm.  A.  Abell,  Fred.  Dobblestein,  constables  ;  Theodore 
Searle,  Andrew  Gerlicher,  justices  of  tlie  peace. 

The  average  crop  for  the  year  1882  is  said  to  be,  oats  per  acre, 
45  bushels  ;  wheat  per  acre,  12  bushels  ;  corn  per  acre,  40  bushels  ; 
barley  per  acre,  20  bushels. 

Wilson  township  has  seven  district  schools  ;  the}^  stand  on  the 
following  sections  :  18,  13,  20,  28,  31,  32,  35.  The  county  poor 
farm  is  in  this  township  ;  it  lies  on  Sec.  6  at  the  liead  of  Gilmore 
valley.  There  are  four  churches  in  Wilson  township,  namely.  Con- 
gregational, on  Sec.  35  (village  of  Witoka)  ;  Evangelist  (German), 
on  Sec.  28  ;  German  Catholic  and  Lutheran. 

There  are  two  postoffices  in  Wilson  township,  one  at  Witoka,  O. 
Abell,  postmaster  ;  another  on  Sec.  29  is  kept  by  Henry  Biaiser  — 
this  is  known  as  Wilson  postoffice.  The  first  house  in  the  township 
was  built  by  J.  Giles  in  1854  on  Sec.  29.  Frank  Brown  was  the 
first  child  born,  in  1854,  The  postoffice  now  known  as  Wilson 
postoffice  was  first  called  Wayland  postoffice,  and  was  kept  by  John 
F.  Giles.  John  Giles  was  no  doubt  the  first  man  to  settle  in  Wilson  ; 
he  came  as  early  as  1853  and  entered  a  part  of  what  is  now  Sec.  29. 
He  was,  however,  dissatisfied  with  his  claim,  and  removed,  but  re- 
turned again  in  1854.  The  year  1855  was  marked  by  the  entrance 
of  a  large  number  of  land-seekers.  J.  C.  Walker,  Antone  Schoebe, 
Joseph  A.  Hilbe,  Joseph  Heller,  Wm.  Bergman,  Sr.,  Wm.  Berg- 
man, Jr.,  Louis  Keller,  Levi  Winget,  Jerry  Moran,  R.  D.  Fellows, 
Michael  Koenig,  Henry  Benig,  Lauren  Thomas  and  Henry  Heublin 
all  were  among  the  number. 

John  Nevill  is  said  to  have  come  in  1854,  One  year  earlier  than 
the  above.  J.  C.  Walker  entered  a  part  of  Sec.  1  ;  his  farm  has 
since  been  sold,  and  is  known  as  "Hamilton's  farm."  Antone 
Schoebe  and  Joseph  Hilbe  took  up  land  in  East  Burns  valley. 
Joseph  Heller  entered  land  at  the  head  of  Rolling  Stone  valley. 
Louis  Keller  settled  on  Sec.  28,  where  he  can  be  found  still.  Henry 
Benig  settled  on  Sec.  30  and  Michael  Koenig  on  Sec.  21.  The  Hour- 
mill  now  owned  by  M.  J.  Laird,  of  Winona,  was  the  first  and  only 
mill  in  Wilson. 

WARREN  TOAVNSHIP. 

Warren  township  lies  in  T.  106  N.  and  R.  8  W.  Its  boun- 
daries are  as  follows  :  On  the  north  Hillsdale  township,  on  the  east 
Wilson  township,  on  the  south  Hart  township,  and  on  the  west 
Utica  township.     The  surface  in  the  north  and  northeastern  part  is 


590  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

viTv  much  broken,  wliile  the  remainder  forms  a  level  prairie.  The 
soil  is  good  and  the  products  are  wheat,  corn,  oats  and  barley.  War- 
ren is  traversed  by  two  branches /)f  Rolling  Stone  creek.  The  east 
branch  rises  in  Sec.  26,  flows  north  through  Sees.  23,  14,  11, 
10,  8  and  2,  leaving  the  townshi})  on  Sec.  3.  The  west  branch 
rises  in  Sees.  7  and  8,  flows  northeast  through  Sec.  5  and  leaves  the 
township  on  Sec.  .5.  Warren  is  also  cut  by  the  Winona  &  St. 
Peter  railway,  which  enters  the  township  on  N.W.  ^  of  the  N.E.  ^ 
Sec.  4,  runs  southwest  through  Sees.  5,  18,  17  and  8,  and  leaves  it 
on  S.W.  J  of  Sec.  18.  Warren  has  no  village  settlements  whatever. 
There  are  two  postoflices,  each  in  the  southern  portion  of  the 
township.  Wyattville  postoflice  is  in  Sec.  33 ;  it  was  established 
about  1859,  with  Hiram  Wyatt  as  postmaster.  Frank  Hill  postofRce 
was  established  at  the  same  time,  with  A.  B.  Dunlap  as  postmaster. 
^  About  1862  two  other  postofMces  were  in  existence,  one  in  Sec.  19 
and  the  other  in  Sec.  20.  The  one  in  Sec.  19  was  known  as  North 
Warren,  and  kept  by  L.  C.  Ferrin  ;  the  one  in  Sec  20  was  kept  by 
Hiram  Paris,  and  was  known  simply  as  Warren  postoflice.  Both 
of  these  were  abandoned  soon  after  their  establishment.  In  1856  a 
large  hotel  or  tavern  was  kept  for  the  accommodation  of  travelers 
by  James  McQuestion  on  Sec.  20.  This  hotel  was  burned  some  time 
in  1865.  A  store  devoted  to  general  merchandise  was  owned  and 
run  by  Farrar  &  Russell  in  1859  on  Sec.  33,  This  has  been  aban- 
doned long  since.  A  flour-mill  was  built  in  1857  ;  this  was  at  first 
used  as  a  sawmill,  but  was  converted  into  a  gristmill  in  1865.  "  This 
mill  stands  on  Sec.  4,  and  is  owned  by  William  Duncanson  ;  its 
capacity  is  very  small. 

Leonard  George  kept  a  school  in  1856  in  a  private  house  which 
stood  on  Sec.  21.  The  next  school  was  kept  by  Margaret  Grey  in 
a  little  schoolhouse  built  on  Sec.  31  in  1857.  Susan  Buswell 
taught  the  next  in  1858  ;  this  was  in  Sec.  20. 

William  Duncanson  came  to  Warren  township  in  the  spring  of 
1854  from  La  Crosse.  The  first  wagon  track  was  made  by  him 
through  this  section  on  June  5,  1854.  He  settled  on  what  is  now 
the  N^E.  1  of  S.E.  i  Sec.  20.  In  the  fall  of  1854  Theodore,  son  of  Wm. 
Duncanson,  was  born  :  this  was  undoubtedly  the  first  birth  in  the 
township.  The  first  laid-out  road  was  that  known  then  as  the  ter- 
ritorial road,  running  from  Oliatfield  through  Rush  Creek  and  Sec. 
20  t«-)  Stockton. 

Church  service  was  first  held  in  the  various  schoolhouses.     At 


WARREN    TOWNSHIP.  591 

present  there  are  the  following  churches  :  Methodist,  in  Sec.  20  ; 
Presbyterian,  in  Sec.  36  ;  Brethren,  in  Sec.  19.  To  each  of  these 
is  attached  a  cemetery. 

William  Duncanson,  of  whom  mention  has  been  made,  was  the 
oldest  settler  in  Warren.  He  came  in  June,  1854-.  He  was  fol- 
lowed in  the  fall  by  Jacob  Duncanson,  his  brother.  Jacob  Duncan- 
son,  with  his  family,  settled  on  Sec.  21  ;  Oliver  Panger  and  A.  J. 
Ayers  Arrived  at  the  same  time  and  entered  part  of  Sec.  19.  The 
following  made  their  appearance  in  1855  :  Joseph  Mixter,  Lucius 
Brainerd,  Frederick  Hall,  Moses  Stickney,  Hiram  Wyatt,  Sylvester 
Frink,  E.  B.  Jewett,  Mortimer  Gage  and  H.  P.  Archer.  The  fol- 
lowing came  in  1856  :  Theodore  Warnkan,  Arnt  Warnkan,  John 
Demoung  and  Jessie  Wheeler. 

Warren  township  has  six  district  schools.  Sec.  8,  district  40  ; 
Sec.  12,  dist.  Ill  ;  Sec.  19,  dist.  36  ;  Sec.  21,  dist.  39  ;  Sec.  32,  dist. 
6  ;  Sec.  34,  dist.  5. 

The  first  meeting  was  held  and  the  township  organized  May  11, 
1858.  G.  W.  Gleason  was  appointed  town  clerk.  The  board 
elected :  Supervisors,  A.  P.  Hoit,  L.  B.  Terrin,  T.  Thayer ;  con- 
stable, W.  P.  Thayer  ;  overseer  of  the  poor,  Sylvester  Frink  ;  justice 
of  the  peace,  Jesse  Wheeler  ;  collector,  I.  N.  Farrar ;  assessor, 
Lucius  Brainerd.  The  town  clerks  in  succession  were  G.  W.  Gleason, 
M.  P.  Thayer,  E.  B.  Jewett,  B.  S.  Gross,  W.  N.  Buswell,  E.  M. 
Buswell,  W.  N.  Buswell,  E.  M.  Buswell,  W.  N.  Buswell,  E.  B. 
Jewett,  M.  P.  Thayer,  H.  C.  Wilbur,  J.  A.  Ginther,  H.  D.  Gage, 
John  Kenny,  H.  C  Wilbur  (present  clerk).  Board  elected  in  1882 
were  as  follows  :  Supervisors,  E.  M.  Buswell,  Edward  Markle,  Wm. 
Felzer  ;  constables,  Fred.  Janzow,  Edward  Albert  ;  justices  of  the 
peace,  John  L.  Farrar,  John  Miller ;  asssessor,  J.  L.  Farrar  ;  treas- 
urer, Almon  Sartwell, 

A  stone-quarry,  on  Sec.  3  of  Warren  township,  employs  from 
200  to  400  men  during  the  summer  months.  A  variety  of  limestone, 
very  valuable  for  building  purposes,  is  taken  from  this  quarry,  [t 
is  owned  by  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railway,  and  has  been 
worked  for  four  years. 

Brethren.  Church  of  Warren  townshijp. — This  church  was  organ- 
ized in  the  year  1855,  with  the  following  official  members  :  Phillip 
Pamer,  elder ;  David  Whetstone,  deacon,  and  Christian  F.  Wirt, 
pastor.  The  lay  members  were  Stephen  Thackery  and  wife,  Solo- 
mon Ramer  and  wife,  Peter  Ramer  and  wife,  Daniel  Ramer  and 


592  iirsTouY  of  wr^oisrA  county. 

wife,  Andrew  Ketcrmaii  and  wife.  The  meiubersliip  at  first  num- 
bered sixteen.  It  is  impossible  to  give  the  complete  history  of  this 
church,  as  the  record  has  not  alwa^^s  been  kept.  This  much,  how- 
ever, is  known.  In  the  first  tliree  years  of  its  organization  four 
members  died  and  several  removed  from  the  country,  while  a  few 
deserted  the  church  and  united  with  the  Advents.  The  church  up 
to  1874  held  service  in  the  schoolhouse.  In  1874  a  building  was 
erected  to  be  used  as  a  church.  It  was  a  frame  structure,  "SOxSO 
feet.  They  possessed  a  plot  of  one  and  a  half  acres  for  church  and 
cemetery.  The  new  church  cost  $1,600,  and  stands  on  Sec.  19. 
A  Sabbath  school  connected  with  the  church  is  in  a  good  condition. 
Presbyterian  {German)  Church  of  Warren  township. — Regularly 
organized  in  1873.  Prominent  original  members :  John  Lafky, 
Peter  Hertzwurm,  Paul  Loerch,  John  Lafky,  Jr.  The  church  is  a 
frame  building,  put  up  in  1874.  It  is  forty  feet  long  and  twenty-four 
feet  wide,  and  stands  on  Sec.  36.  Connected  with  the  church  is 
eight  acres  of  land  and  a  cemetery.  The  ministers  in  order  are 
John  L.  Funk,  Jacob  Schaeder,  John  Leirer,  August  Bush.  A  neat 
frame  parsonage  is  connected  with  the  church.  The  membership  is 
said  to  be  twenty-four. 

HILLSDALE   TOWNSHIP. 

Hillsdale  is  but  one-half  of  an  entire  township  comprising 
eighteen  complete  sections  in  all.  Its  boundaries  are,  on  the  north 
Polling  Stone,  on  the  east  Winona,  on  the  south  Warren,  and  on  the 
west  Norton.  It  is  six  miles  long  and  three  miles  wide.  On  the 
north,  east  and  south  portions  the  surface  is  broken,  while  to  the 
northwest  there  is  a  slight  prairie  land  or  "grubb  land"  as  it  is 
sometimes  called.  It  has  a  limestone  soil  composed  of  a  rich  dark 
loam.  One  of  the  early  pioneers,  while  breaking  land  on  the 
present  site  of  Stockton,  dropped  potatoes  along  in  the  furrows  as 
he  plowed  and  at  the  same  time  turned  the  sod  over  them.  The 
land  was  not  touched  again  until  fall,  when  out  of  the  one-fourth 
acre  of  land  he  dug  110  bushels  of  potatoes.  (The  richness  of  the 
soil  can  be  imagined.)  Timber  was  jJentiful  at  first,  esj)ecially 
along  the  streams.  There  were  several  kinds  of  oak  besides  hickory 
and  butternut.  Oak  is  plentiful  still.  Among  the  animals  were 
deer,  red-fox,  prairie-wolf,  badgers,  woodchucks  and  beavers  in  the 
streams.  The  early  pioneers,  sliut  out  almost  entirely  from  the  east 
excejit  in  summer,  found  it  difficult  to  secure  provisions.     Deer  and 


HILLSDALE    TOWNSHIP.  593 

prairie-cliickens  were  numerous,  and  venison  was  a  great  article  of 
food.  Potatoes  alone  brought  $1.40  per  bushel,  and  other  things  in 
proportion.  Timber  was  plentiful,  but  lumber  was  scarce.  J.  H. 
Swindler  says  he  built  him  a  house  in  1855,  14x16  feet,  out  of 
1,200  feet  of  lumber;  the  dimension  pieces  and  framework  were 
taken  from  the  neighboring  woods.  The  earliest  settlers  were  a  few 
of  the  members  of  the  "Western  Farm  and  Village  Association  "  of 
New  York  city.  S.  D.  Putnam,  Charles  Bannan  and  Lawrence 
Dilworth  all  came  in  1852,  and  were  members  of  the  above  company. 
S.  A.  Houck,  O.  H.  Houck  and  John  McClintock  came  in  1853. 
In  1855  J.  J.  Matteson,  John  Hart,  C.  Hertzberg,  Jabez  Churchill 
and  J.  H.  Swindler  arrived.  S.  D.  Putnam  entered  the  N.E.  J  of 
Sec.  27  in  June,  1852.  Charles  Bannan  entered  a  part  of  Sec.  23 
and  John  McCliqtock  a  part  of  Sec.  27.  Lawrence  Dilworth  settled 
on  Sec.  23,  J.  J.  Matteson  on  Sec.  26  and  John  Hart  on  Sec.  23. 

What  is  now  known  as  district  31  on  Sec.  23  is  said  to  have 
been  the  first  school  in  Hillsdale.  It  was  built  early  in  1857  by  pri- 
vate subscription,  the  districts  not  being  organized  at  that  time.  The 
schools  at  present,  with  their  section  and  districts,  are  :  District  81 
on  Sec.  31,  dist.  97  on  Sec.  30,  dist.  31  on  Sec.  23,  dist.  110  on 
Sec.  36,  dist.  17  on  Sec.  34.  The  average  number  ot  pupils  in 
Hillsdale  for  1882  is  203. 

A  grist-mill  was  built  in  1865  on  Sec.  26,  by  Benjamin  Sherry. 
It  was  two  and  one-half  stories  high  and  had  two  run  of  burrs.  It 
stood  on  Rolling  Stone  creek.  At  present  writing  it  is  owned  by 
H.  W.  Jackson.  The  Winona  &  St.  Peter  railway  runs  through  the 
township  in  a  northeasterly  and  southwesterly  direction.  It  has  a 
station  at  Stockton.  Hillsdale  is  also  traversed  by  Polling  Stone 
creek,  which  enters  the  township  on  Sec.  34,  flows  north  through 
Sees.  27  and  26,  and  leaves  the  township  on  Sec.  23. 

The  township  was  organized  and  the  first  board  appointed  May 
11,  1858  :  J.  B.  Alexander,  town  clerk  ;  L.  R.  King,  James  Gwinn, 
M.  Collins,  supervisors  ;  J.  B.  Morehead,  assessor ;  O.  D.  Hicks, 
collector ;  Henry  Wiseman,  overseer  of  the  poor ;  T.  Q.  Gage,  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  ;  S.  T.  Gwinn,  J.  Schmettyer,  constables.  Suc- 
cessive town  clerks  :  J.  B.  Alexander,  C.  E.  Gage,  J.  B.  Alexan- 
der, A.  S.  Gregory,  George  Little,  John  A.  Moore,  J.  N.  Byington. 
Wm.  H.  Churchill,  George  S.  Wiseman,  J.  N.  Byington,  H.  W. 
Mowbray,  B.  Dripps,  F.  A.  Thomas,  James  Mitchell  (present  town 
clerk).     Present  board :  John  Monk,  W.  H.  Jackson,  H.  J.  Krans- 


594  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

key,  supervisors;  S.  T.  Gwinn,  John  Midler,  constables;  James 
King,  Henry  Kranske}',  justices  ot  the  peace  ;  James  King,  col- 
lector ;  George  McNutt,  treasurer. 

STOCKTON    VILLAGE. 

The  village  of  Stockton,  in  Hillsdale  township,  was  laid  out  in 
the  summer  of  1856,  although  the  land  was  pre-emj)ted  in  1855  ;  J. 
B.  Stockton,  Wm.  Davidson  and  Wm.  Springer  were  the  proprietors. 
The  town  was  named  after  J.  B.  Stockton  ;  Stockton  stands  on  the 
E.  ^  of  Sec.  34.  The  plat  is  one  mile  long  and  one-half  mile  wide, 
and  embraces  an  area  of  320  acres.  Rolling  Stone  creek  enters  the 
town  plat  on  the  west  and  flows  northeast  through  the  village. 
Stockton  stands  in  the  main  Rolling  Stone  valley,  sometimes  spoken 
ol  as  the  ''west branch.'' 

In  the  summer  of  1855  PI.  A.  Putnam  emigrated  to  this  section 
with  his  family,  and  built  a  frame  building,  24x  IS  feet,  which  was 
used  both  as  a  dwelling  and  as  a  store  for  general  merchandise. 
This  was  undoubtedly  the  lirst  house  erected.  Among  the  early 
residents  may  be  mentioned  :  George  Gregory  and  family.  Rev. 
Wm.  Poling,  John  Dacon  (blacksmith),  Andrew  Miller  (carpenter), 
Henry  Parrot  (wagonmaker),  Robert  Curtis  (blacksmith),  Henry 
Wiseman  and  John  xVlexander.  Wiseman  and  Alexander  owned  a 
carpenter  and  wagon  shop  in  1857.  The  year  1858  was  marked  by 
the  grading  of  the  "Transit  railway"  (now  Winona  &  St.  Peter), 
which  cut  through  the  town.  The  population  were  pleased  with  the 
new  venture  and  were  anxious  for  its  com])letion,  but  when  the 
company  failed  and  were  unable  to  pay  their  bills  for  labor  and 
goods,  the  enterprise  was  looked  upon  with  disfavor.  The  road  was 
then  purchased  by  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  company,  a  ;d  com])leted 
in  1861. 

J.  B.  Stockton  was  the  proprietor  of  the  lirst  hotel  in  1856. 
Wm.  Dodge  was  the  tirst  ])ostmaster  in  Stockton.  The  oflice  was 
kept  in  1856  just  south  of  the  town  line.  The  present  mill  was  built 
in  the  shape  of  a  sawmill  in  1855,  by  Wm.  Dodge.  In  1857  it  was 
sold  to  Starbuck  &  Jones,  who  converted  it  into  a  gristmill  with 
two  run  of  burrs.  Li  1859  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Hugh  Sherry, 
who  sold  a  half  interest  to  Dr.  S.  B.  Sheardown.  It  was  run  by  the 
above  for  Ave  years,  when  it  was  purchased  by  Mowbray  &  Sons, 
the  present  possessors.  In  1870  the  old  burrs  were  abandoned  and 
new  patent  rolling  and  crushing  machinery  put  in.     The  capacity  is 


HILLSDALE    TOWNSHIP.  595 

now  250  bbls.  per  day.  Rolling  Stone  creek  supplies  half  the  power, 
the  remainder  is  secured  by  steam-engines.  The  mill  is  a  frame 
structure,  three  stories  high,  and  doing  a  lively  business.  The  first 
school,  a  frame  building,  20x28  feet,  was  built  in  1857,  and  was 
taught  by  Albert  Thomas.  The  present  school,  a  large  frame  build- 
ing, was  built  in  1875.  It  has  a  dimension  of  28x50  feet.  There 
are  two  departments,  a  primary  and  intermediate  department.  Two 
teachers  and  an  average  attendance  of  100  pupils.  This  school  is 
doing  some  good  work. 

Present  merchants  are  as  follows  :  Thomas  &  Swindler,  general 
merchandise,  also  drugstore ;  Sheardown  &  Sheardown,  general 
merchandise  and  drugs  ;  James  Mitchell,  hardware  and  boots  and 
shoes  ;  Simon  Ramm,  general  merchandise.  Two  physicians, 
namely.  Dr.  S.  B.  Sheardown,  Sr. ;  Dr.  T.  B.  Sheardown,  Jr.  Two 
blacksmith  shops  kept  by  Christopher  Lowerish  and  Geo.  McNutt. 

Stockton  has  two  churches,  the  Episcopal  and  Methodist.  The 
services  of  the  Episcopal  church  were  held  at  first  in  the  schoolhouse 
at  Stockton.  The  first  minister  was  Rev.  Benj.  Evans.  The  con- 
gregation was  regularly  organized  in  1859,  and  a  church  building 
was  erected  the  same  year.  This  structure  is  of  frame,  32x42  feet, 
with  a  spire  forty^-five  feet  high.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wm.  Bond,  Wm. 
H.  Bayard  and  family,  J.  A.  Moore  and  family  and  John  Monk  and 
family  were  the  prominent  original  members.  For  several  years  the 
church  has  been  without  a  regular  minister.  Rev.  Joseph  Hilmer, 
of  Winona,  has  charge  of  the  congregation  at  present. 

Methodist  church  meetings  were  held  in  Stockton's  Hotel  as 
early  as  1856,  Rev.  A.  J.  Nelson  presiding.  These  were  continued 
until  1857,  at  the  building  of  the  schoolhouse,  when  it  was  used. 
Rev.  Wm.  Poling  was  appointed  minister  by  the  conference  in 
1857.  A  frame  church  was  built  in  1872  ;  dimensions,  40x32  feet; 
tower  or  belfry,  fifteen  feet  (above  roof).  Rev.  Wm.  H.  Soule  was 
the  first  minister  appointed  for  the  new  church.  Present  member- 
ship, forty-four. 

A  Sabbath  school  was  organized  in  1856  by  Mrs.  H.  A.  Putnam, 
in  her  own  house.  The  present  school  has  a  membership  of  fifty, 
with  five  teachers.     Rev.  W.  A.  Miles  is  the  minister  for  1883. 

Temperance  Society. — Refuge  Division  of  the  Sons  of  Temper- 
ance, No.  71. 

This  society  was   charterecl   in   1876,  with   twenty-five  charter 
members.     For  quite  a  while  this  was  a  flourishing  society  and  did 
35 


596  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

much  good  tor  the  community,  but  at  present  it  has  fallen  into 
decay.  The  otticers  are:  W.  H.  Thomas,  W.P.;  Mrs.  Mary  Blair, 
R.S.;  Leila  McNutt,  F.S.;  Frank  Mitchell,  I.S.;  Alex.  Torrence, 
O.S. ;  F.  E.  Blair,  Treas. ;  Geo.  Kissinger,  Chap.  Charter  mem- 
bers at  present,  forty. 

Lyceum. — A  literary  and  debating  society,  organized  for  mutual 
benefit.  Officers :  S.  B.  Sheardown,  president ;  W.  H.  Thomas, 
secretary  ;  R.  H.  Allen,  treasurer. 

Stockton  cemetery,  having  an  area  of  two  acres,  was  laid  out  in 
1860,  at  the  north  end  of  tlie  town  plat.  The  main  streets  are  foui- 
rods  wide,  excepting  Broadway,  which  is  six  rods  wide.  The  alleys 
are  sixteen  feet.     The  population  is  said  to  be  383. 


CHAPTER  LTI. 

NORTON,   MOUNT    VERNON,   WHITEWATER    AND    ELBA  TOWNSHIPS. 

XORTON  TOWNSHIP. 

This  township  when  organized,  May  11,  1858,  was  given  the 
name  of  Sumner.  It  was  afterward  changed  to  Jefferson  and 
finally  to  Norton,  its  present  name.  The  town  line  passing  through 
its  center  locates  it  in  T.  107,  while  the  range  places  it  in  9  west. 
It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Mt.  Yernon,  on  the  east  by  Rolling 
Stone  and  Hillsdale,  on  the  south  by  Iltica  an^  on  the  west  by  Elba. 
The  surface  in  the  central  and  southern  parts  is  what  is  known  as 
rolling,  open  land,  and  contains  some  of  the  best  land  in  the  county. 
While  in  the  eastern  portion  the  land  is  very  much  broken. 

Rolling  Stone  valley,  traversed  by  a  branch  of  Rolling  Stone 
creek,  is  in  this  locality.  This  valley  is  said  to  be  from  400  to  500 
ieet  deep.  The  scenery  is  wild  and  romantic.  The  wagon  road 
winds  around,  in  and  out  along  the  edges  of  frightful  precipices  and 
under  immense  overhanging  rocks  hundreds  of  feet  overhead.  A 
great  attraction  in  this  valley  or  ravine  is  a  large  cave  which  reaches 
over  a  quarter  of  a  mile  underground,  and  is  filled  with  stalactites 
and  curious  stones.  Elm,  ash,  basswood,  oak,  hickory,  and  some 
maple,  are  found  along  this  valley.  On  the  high  land  water  is  very 
is^'arce.     The   water  is   hauled  from  the  valleys  and   put  in  large 


NORTON    TOWNSHIP.  597 

cisterns,  or  in  some  cases  wells  are  drilled  500  feet  deep  through  the 
rock,  and  the  water  drawn  up  with  a  windmill.  When  the  early 
pioneers  made  their  appearance  in  1855  wolves  were  numerous,  and 
black  bears  were  seen  occasionally.  Deer  have  been  known  to 
come  up  and  eat  along  with  the  cattle,  and  one  old  settler  had  a 
large  flock  ot  quail  that  he  fed  regularly  near  his  cabin. 

Out  of  a  large  number  of  pioneers  that  made  their  homes  in  this 
locality  there  are  scarcely  a  half-dozen  remaining.  A  large  number 
have  dlied,  and  a  large  number  liave  sold  their  farms  and  emigrated 
to  Dakota.  Wm.  Sweet  entered  what  is  now  the  S.E.  J  Sec.  32,  in 
the  early  part  of  May,  1852.  It  will  be  of  interest  to  note  that  this 
was  the  first  claim  made  back  of  the  blulfs  from  the  Mississippi 
river  in  Winona  county.  John  Van  Hook  is  the  next  man  supposed 
to  have  made  his  appearance.  In  1854  he  pre-empted  what  is  now 
S.E.  i  Sec.  30.  Alios  Sch wager,  Adam  Hick,  John  Monk,  Wm. 
Ruprecht,  Pardon  Spooner,  J.  R.  Warner  and  Michael  Moore,  all 
came  the  next  year  (1855).  Alios  Sch  wager  settled  in  Rolling 
StoiTe  valley  on  what  is  now  Sec.  15.  Adam  Hick  took  up  N.W.  ^ 
Sec.  28  ;  John  Monk  the  S.E.  i  Sec.  36  ;  Michael  Moore  the  S.E.  ^ 
Sec.  22  ;  J.  R.  Warner  the  S.  W.  i  Sec.  33  ;  Pardon  Spooner  the 
S.W.  I  Sec.  32,  while  Wm.  Ruprecht  settled  on  Sec.  25.  Peter 
-Epelding  came  in  1855,  and  settled  on  Sec.  24  ;  J.  P.  and  H.  N. 
Hilbert  came  in  1855,  and  settled  on  Sec.  12.  Each  of  the  above 
were  prominent  among  the  early  pioneers. 

A  postoflice  was  kept  as  early  as  1864  by  Fredrich  Gensmer. 
Ely  Turner  succeeded  him  in  1866.  The  postoflice  was  abandoned 
some  time  in  1868.  Since  then  Norton  has  been  without  a  post- 
oiflce.  Wm.  Ruprecht  built  a  sawmill  in  1860,  on  Sec.  25,  on 
Rolling  Stone  creek.  The  water-power  at  that  point  was  found  to 
be  excellent,  so  in  1875  it  was  turned  into  a  gristmill  witli  two  run 
of  burrs.  This  was  a  frame  building,  34x20  feet,  and  two  stories 
high.  In  1882  the  mill  was  enlarged  and  new  patent  rolling  and 
crushing  machinery  was  added.  The  mill  has  a  custom  business 
principally.  Norton  has  no  village  organization,  no  physician,  no 
lawyer,  and  above  all  no  saloon. 

There  are  five  district  schools,  namely,  District  28  in  Sec.  28, 
dist.  127  in  Sec.  27,  dist.  26  in  Sec.  13,  dist.  101  in  Sec.  17, 
dist.  100  in  Sec.  8.  Besides  these  there  is  one  German  Catholic 
school  on  Sec.  31.  This  school  was  organized  by  private  enterprise. 
There  are  three  churches  in  the  township.     German  Lutheran  on  Sec. 


598  HISTORY    OF    WnsrONA    COUNTY. 

27,  Brethren  church  on  Sec.  8,  and  the  German  Metliodist  Episcopal 
on  Sec.  6  (now  abandoned).  The  German  Lutheran  church  is  a 
white  irame  building  with  a  neat  exterior  appearance.  It  stands  on 
Sec.  27,  and  was  built  in  1878.  It  is  28x40  feet,  and  has  a  spire  60 
feet  in  height.  They  have  a  school  building  18x24  feet,  and  a 
parsonage,  besides  two  acres  of  land.  School  has  been  kept  since 
1878^ — a  German  district  school  in  summer  and  an  English  school  in 
winter.  Congregation  of  the  church  numbers  about  Ulteen  families. 
They  have  circuit  preaching  at  present.  Rev.  Otto  Koch,  of  Lewis- 
ton,  is  the  present  minister. 

There  are  two  cemeteries  in  Norton,  one  attached  to  the  Lutheran 
and  another  to  the  Brethren  church.  At  present  the  population  are 
mostly  Prussian  Germans.  Some  of  these  have  been  known  to 
come  in  with  nothing  but  a  few  head  of  cattle,  and  by  hard  work 
and  perseverance  have  secured  themselves  large  and  valuable  farms. 
Tliree  hundred-  votes  were  cast  at  the  last  election  in  the  township. 

MOUNT  VERNON  TOWNSHIP. 

T.  108,  R.  9,  was  settled  about  the  same  time  as  the  adjoining 
towns,  more  particularly  Minneiska,  in  Wabaslia  county,  which 
bounds  it  on  the  west.  Some  of  the  earliest  settlers  were  White, 
man,  Deacon  Smith,  Brizius  and  Patrick  Murray,  in  Trout  valley, 
Williams  and  Smith  on  tlie  ridge,  who  were  quickly  followed  by 
others,  and  all  the  available  land  was  soon  taken  up.  Not  a  section 
of  the  township  but  what  is  more  or  less  productive  and  under  cul- 
tivation. The  Trout  valley  intersects  it,  running  almost  north  and 
south,  while  the  eastern  and  western  portions  are  considerably 
broken  by  valleys,  containing  considerable  timber,  while  on  the 
ridges  is  to  be  found  good  prairie  land. 

ORGANIZATION. 

The  first  town  meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of  S.  N.  Burns, 
May  11,  1858,  and  the  following  officers  were  elected :  G.  A.  White- 
man,  Patrick  Murray,  H.  C.  Jones,  supervisors ;  G.  A.  Whiteman, 
chairman  of  supervisors ;  Charles  Smith,  town  clerk  ;  Samuel  Bul. 
lard,  assessor ;  Lyman  Lovel,  collector ;  M.  Malmson,  overseer  of 
poor  ;  John  Montgomery,  justice. 

The  following  is  the  list  of  gentlemen  who  have  filled  the  posi- 
tions of  chairman  of  supervisors  and  town  clerk  up  to  1883  : 


MOUNT  VERNON  TOWNSHIP.  599 

YEAR.  CH.  OF  SUPERVISORS.  TOWN  CLpRK. 

1858 G.  A.  Whiteman Charles  Smith. 

1859 H.  C.  Jones Charles  Smith. 

I860 G.  Bullard Charles  Smith. 

1861 H.  C.  Jones Charles  Smith. 

1862 • P.  Murray Charles  Smith. 

1863 P.  Murray Charles  Smith. 

1864 S.  IM.  Bullard Charles  Smith. 

1865 Joseph  Taylor Charles  Smith. 

1866 S.  M.  Bullard Charles  Smith. 

1867 S.  M.  Bullard Charles  Smith. 

1868 C.  H.  Molecha Charles  Smith. 

1869 S.  Speakman J.  H.  Williams. 

1870 A.  Steavor J.  H.  Williams. 

1871 A.  Steavor N.  W.  Osborn. 

1872 S.  Bullard N.  W.  Osborn. 

1873 S.  Bullard N.  F.  Richards. 

1874 John  Valentine J.  H.  Williams. 

1875 John  Valentine J.  H.  Williams. 

1876 Peter  Speltz J.  H.  Williams. 

1877 Peter  Speltz  . .    J.  H.  Williams. 

1878. S.  Bullard J.  H.  Williams. 

1879 S.  Bullard N.  Schell,  Jr. 

1880 S.  Bullard N.  Schell,  Jr. 

1881 J.  H.  Williams N.  Schell,  Jr. 

1882 J.  H.  Williams N.  Schell,  Jr. 


KOADS. 

Good  roads  are  constructed  on  the  ridges  and  in  the  valleys,  and 
considerable  money  has  been  expended  on  the  improvement.  The 
first  road  laid  out  by  the  township  was  ordered  July  5,  1858,  four 
rods  wide,  commencing  at  Sec.  17  and  running  two  miles  through 
the  Trout  valley.  ' 

SCHOOLS. 

There  are  four  school  districts  with  four  good  substantial  school- 
houses;  the  first  one  built  was  at  Oak  Ridge.  Previous  to  the 
erection  of  any  schoolhouse,  ©r  opening  of  any  public  school,  the 
wife  of  Deacon  Smith,  in  Trout  valley,  was  persuaded  by  a  few  of 
her  neighbors  to  teach  their  children,  which  she  willingly  did,  teach- 
ing gratuitously  the  few  she  could  gather  in  the  then  almost  unbroken 
wilderness.  A  few  years  have  since  rolled  by,  and  now  as  good 
schools  and  as  efficient  teachers  minister  to  the  wants  of  the  young  as 
are  to  be  found  in  the  country. 


600  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

CHURCHES. 

The  township  contains  two  churches,  both  GermaTi, — Catholic 
and  Methodist.  The  Methodist  was  the  first  one  erected,  a  plain 
frame  building,  at  Oak  Ridge.  Religious  services  are  co-equal  with 
the  advent  of  the  settlers,  services  being  held  by  pastors  from 
adjoining  towns  in  private  houses.  The  Methodists  have  a  large 
and  thriving  congregation.  On  December  5,  1875,  a  meeting  of 
Catholics  was  held  at  the  house  of  John  Speltz,  for  the  purpose  of 
organizing  a  congregation  and  the  erection  of  a  church,  which 
resulted  in  the  building  of  a  handsome  brick  edifice  at  Oak  Ridge, 
at  a  cost  of  $3,000,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  400.  The  corner-stone 
was  laid  in  May,  1876,  and  finished  and  consecrated  in  August  of 
the  same  year.  The  parish  is  in  charge  of  Father  Lawrence.  The 
erection  and  successful  completion  of  the  church  is  due,  in  a  great 
measure,  to  the  efforts  of  Peter  and  John  Speltz,  Casper  Kriede- 
macher,  A.  Stever,  M.  Hitinger,  Jacob  Frisch,  N.  Reis,  M. 
Sibenaler,  N.  Walch,  N.  Gidenger,  P.  Stever,  N.  Muller  and  others. 

CEMETERIES. 

There  are  three  burying-places  in  the  township,  two  public  and 
one  Catholic.  The  first  public  one  was  ordered  laid  out  May  27, 
187o,  near  John  Smith's,  on  the  ridge.  The  Roman  Catholics  have 
theirs  in  connection  with  their  church  ;  the  first  interment  in  which 
was  October  16,  1876,  the  wife  of  Peter  Speltz.  The  other  public 
cemetery  is  near  the  Methodist  church  at  Oak  Ridge. 

WAR    RECORD. 

The  township  then  containing  very  few  men  that  could  be  spared 
and  but  sparsely  settled  and  with  but  Kt^cent  comers,  did  all  that  was 
possible  .under  the  circumstances  in  defense  of  the  country's  flag. 
The  town  offered  a  bounty  of  $125  on  February  12,  1864,  to 
volunteers,  and  increased  it  at  a  special  meeting  called  for  that 
purpose  August  20,  1864,  to  $250,  and  again  at  another  meeting 
held  January  23,  1865,  agreed  to  pay  $137  additional  to  volunteers 
in  service  credited  to  the  town  previous  to  February  1,  1864,  and 
also  to  men  drafted  and  credited  to  the  town  under  last  call,  $300, 
and  to  those  who  might  hereafter  be  drafted,  $300. 

CASUALTIES. 

The  township  has  been  remarkably  free  from  crime  or  casualties 
of  any  description.     No  murder  or  robbery  sullies  its  T*ecord.     Law- 


WHITEWATER    TOWNSHIP.  601 

suits  and  their  accompanying  bitterness  are  almost  unknown,  and 
justices  and  lawyers  do  not  thrive  off  the  residents  of  Mt.  Vernon. 
The  majority  of  the  settlers  are  steady,  frugal  Luxemburgers, 
who  are  not  prone  to  lawlessness  of  any  description.  The  iirst 
accident  tliat  occurred  was  the  drowning  of  a  young  man,  Mi-. 
Dunston,  a  connection  of  J.  H.  Williams,  who  fell  from  a  barge 
into  the  river.  A  man  who  was  employed  by  John  Smith  (Christo- 
pher Schilsen)  was  kicked  by  a  horse  while  hauling  a  thrashing 
machine  up  the  ridge,  and  only  survived  a  few  days.  In  the  spring 
of  1873  the  community  suffered  a  severe  loss  in  the  death  of  Patrick 
Murray,  one  of  the  pioneers,  and  very  oldest  settlers,  who,  while 
ploughing,  was  kicked  by  a  fractious  horse  so  severely  that  death 
very  soon  ensued.     No  other  accident  worthy  of  note  has  occurred. 

WHITEWATER  TOWNSHIP. 

The  su]-face  is  generally  very  much  broken.  On  the  western 
part,  however,  nearly  the  entire  length  of  the  township  skirts  on 
Greenwood  prairie,  in  Wabasha  county.  The  township  lies  in  T. 
108  N.  and  R.  10  W.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  and  west  by 
Wabasha  county,  on  the  east  by  Mt.  Yernon  township,  and  on  the 
south  by  Elba  township.  Whitewater  lies  in  the  extreme  north- 
western corner  of  Winona  county.  There  are  two  principal  valleys 
— Whitewater  valley  and  Beaver  creek  valley.  Whitewater  valley 
is  six  miles  long,  and  runs  directly  north  and  south  through  the 
township.  It  is  traversed  by  Whitewater  river,  which  enters  the 
township  on  Sec.  35  and  leaves  it  on  Sec.  1.  This  river  attains  an 
average  width  of  forty  feet  and  a  depth  of  three  feet.  Beaver  val- 
ley runs  almost  east  and  west ;  it  is  four  miles  long  and  traversed  by 
Beaver  creek.  This  creek  rises  in  Sec.  19,  flows  east,  and  empties 
into  Whitewater  river  at  the  village  of  Beaver  on  Sec.  15.  Timber 
is  abundant  along  the  valleys,  and  trout  plentiful  in  the  streams. 
There  have  been  two  village  settlements  in  the  township,  viz : 
Whitewater  Falls,  now  gone  to  decay,  and  Beaver.  The  early  his- 
tory of  these  is  in  general  the  early  history  of  the  township. 

EAKLY    PIONEERS. 

The  following  came  in  1851:':  Stephen  Covey,  John  Cook,  F.  C. 
Putnam,  Wm.  J.  Dooley,  Wm.  Woods  and  Albert  Scrivens. 
Stephen  Covey  took  up  a  claim  on  Sec.  15,  John  Cook  on  Sec.  34, 
F.  C.  Putnam  S.W.  I  Sec.  23,  Wm.  J.  Dooley  on  Sec.  15,  William 


60'2  HISTORY    OF    WLNONA    COUNTY. 

Woods  on  N.E.  ^  Sec.  27,  and  Albert  Scrivens  on  Sec.  15.  The 
year  1855  was  marked  by  the  arrival  of  the  following:  A.  J.  Mc- 
•  Ray,  J,  M.  Mirmegar,  Albert  Hopson,  Pliney  Putnam,  Lyman 
Young,  S.  A.  Houck,  Oliver  Porter,  Nathan  Fisher,  J.  W.  Hayes, 
Wm.  Vilander,  Louis  Skidmore,  Leonard  Robinson,  C.  W.  Buswell 
and  Nathan  "Warner.  A.  J.  McRay  took  up  his  residence  on  the 
site  of  Beaver  ;  J.  M.  Minnegar  settled  on  what  is  now  N.  W.  ^ 
Sec.  23  and  N.  E.  ^  Sec.  22,  Albert  Hopson  on  Sec.  22,  Pliney  Put- 
nam on  Sees.  10  and  11,  Lyman  Young  on  S.E.  ^  Sec.  2,  S.  A. 
Houck  on  W.  ^  Sec.  2,  Oliver  Porter  on  S.W.  ^  Sec.  1,  Nathan 
Fisher  on  N.E.  i  See.  29,  J.  W.  Hayes  on  N.E.  i  Sec.  15,  Wm. 
Vilander  on  Sec.  15,  which,  by  the  way,  he  purchased  from  J.  W. 
Hayes  for  the  small  sum  of  $2.50,  Louis  Skidmore  on  N.W.  J  Sec. 
35,  Leonard  Robinson  on  Sec.  27,  C.  W,  Buswell  on  Sec.  34,  and 
Nathan  Warner  on  the  same  section. 

BEAVER    VILLAGE. 

Beaver  village  is  situated  on  Sec.  15,  at  the  junction  of  Beaver 
creek  with  Whitewater  river.  Beavers  were  numerous  in  these 
streams  at  an  early  day.  A  large  dam  was  built  by  these  animals  in 
the  creek  near  the  village  ;  from  this  came  the  names  Beaver  creek 
and  Beaver  village.  The  village  was  laid  out  in  1856,  and  covers 
an  area  of  forty  acres.  The  first  house  in  this  locality,  and,  indeed, 
the  first  in  Whitewater  township,  was  put  up  by  Stephen  Covey  in 
1854  ;  the  iirst  store  was  built  in  1856  by  Wm.  Dooley ;  it  was  a 
log  structure,  14x20  feet,  and  devoted  to  general  merchandise. 
Among  the  early  residents  were  John  Knowles,  H.  B.  Knowles, 
Dr.  Sheldon  Brooks  and  J.  W.  Hayes. 

The  lirst  blacksmith  shop  was  built  by  Carl  Pope  in  1856  ;  first 
death  was  that  of  Stephen  Covey,  who  died  in  1857,  and  was  buried 
on  his  farm,  S.E.  ^  Sec.  15  ;  first  birth  was  that  of  Cora  Knowles, 
born  February  16,  1856  ;  first  marriage  was  that  of  Laura  Covey  to 
John  Cheney  in  1856.  A  private  school  was  kept  in  the  house  of 
Carl  Pope  in  1857  ;  it  was  taught  by  Sarah  Pope,  and  had  an  attend- 
ance of  perhaps  twenty -five  pupils.  A  sawmill  was  built  on  Beaver 
creek,  on  Sec.  16,  in  1856,  by  Carleton  and  Gardner  Malindy  ;  it 
was  a  very  crude  affair  at  first :  a  hollow  log  was  pressed  into  service 
and  used  as  a  flume  ;  in  1857  it  was  converted  into  a  gristmill  with 
one  run  of  burrs  ;  F.  E.  Becker  is  the  present  owner.  The  mill  has 
been  much  improved;  it  is  now  two  stories  in  height,  is  40x100 


ELBA    TOWJfSHIP.  603 

feet  in  dimensions,  has  two  run  of  burrs,  patent  rolling  machinery 
and  a  capacity  of  fifty  barrels  per  day  ;  the  water-power  is  excellent 
at  this  point.  An  hotel  was  built  in  Beaver  in  1865  by  David  Jecobis ; 
it  was  a  structure  half  frame  and  half  log.  Beaver  contains  a  popu- 
lation of  125  persons.  Two  stores,  kept  by  G.  G.  Knowles  and 
Samuel  Detamore  respectively  ;  two  blacksmith  shops,  owned  by  R. 
Young  and  S.  Card  ;  one  wagon  shop  run  by  Peter  Neiheisel,  and  a 
feedmill  owned  by  Adam  Winters.  This  mill  grinds  corn,  oats, 
etc.,  into  feed  for  stock.  In  the  fall  it  is  converted  into  a  sorghum- 
mill  ;  great  quantities  of  amber  cane  are  consumed  and  converted 
into  sorghum  molasses.  Sherman  Card  keeps  the  one  hotel  in 
Beaver  ;  it  does  a  small  business,  as  travel  has  fallen  off  almost 
entirely.  One  school  in  Beaver,  district  45,  has  an  attendance  of 
forty  pupils. 

METHODIST    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

This  was  built  in  1868  tlirough  the  exertions  of  Elder  Clipper  ; 
the  church  is  frame,  40  X  60  feet,  with  a  spire  60  feet  tall  ;  the  con- 
gregation was  organized  in  1858  ;  they  at  that  time  held  their  meet- 
ings in  the  schoolhouse  ;  the  prominent  members  were  Pliney  Put- 
nam, Elder  P.  Richardson  and  George  Stoning ;  the  first  minister 
was  Elder  Wm.  Sweet,  now  residing  in  Norton  township ;  Rev.  J, 
Tisdale  is  the  pastor  at  present  writing ;  they  have  a  Sabbath 
school  with  twenty-five  pupils  and  three  teachers,  and  a  small  library 
of  forty  volumes. 

WHITEWATER    FALLS 

Is  situated  on  Whitewater  river,  on  Sees.  26  and  27.  It  is  so 
called  from  rapids  in  the  river  at  this  point ;  it  was  laid  out  in  1856, 
but  gradually  fell  into  decay ;  it  has  a  population  now  of  perhaps 
thirty  people.  There  are  six  district  schools  in  Whitewater  town- 
ship and  two  postoffices — one  at  Beaver,  with  Samuel  Detamore  as 
postmaster,  and  another  at  Whitewater  Falls,  with  A.  C.  Randall  as 
postmaster. 

ELBA  TOWNSHIP. 

Elba  is  situated  in  T.  107  N.,  R.  10  W.  Its  boundaries  are,  on 
the  north  Whitewater  township,  on  the  east  Norton,  on  the  south 
St.  Charles,  and  on  the  west  Olmsted  county.  The  surface  is  very 
much  broken,  and  is  covered  by  three  deep  valle_ys,  which  in  turn 
are  traversed  by  three  prominent  streams.  There  are  three  branches 
of  the  Whitewater  river,  the  north  branch,  the  east  branch  and  the 


w^ 


fi04  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

middle  branch.  These  unite  at  the  village  of  Elba,  on  Sec.  10,  and 
form  one  principal  stream,  which  flows  north  and  leaves  the  town- 
ship on  Sec.  2.  Whitewater  river  is  formed  by  numerous  springs 
arising  from  the  bluffs,  and  furnishes  excellent  water-power  for  a 
number  of  mills  along  its  course.  The  streams  abound  in  speckled 
trout,  and  the  country  is  much  visited  all  through  the  summer 
months  by  Ashing  parties  in  quest  of  sport.  The  bluffs  along  the 
valley  are  from  350  to  400  feet  in  height,  and  form  some  of  the 
most  beautiful  scenes  in  that  section  of  the  country. 

Good  farms  are  found  in  the  valleys,  and  excellent  "wheat 
tables"  on  the  high  land. 

Floods,  caused  by  heavy  rains  in  summer,  are  frequent  on  the 
Whitewater  and  its  branches,  causing  much  annoyance  by  the  wash- 
ing away  of  dams  and  the  injury  of  mills. 

The  timber  found  in  the  township  is  principally  oak  and  elm, 
which  is  ])lentiful  in  the  valleys. 

Immigration  into  the  township  began  as  early  as  1854.  Robert 
Crooks  was  probably  the  first  among  the  early  pioneers.  He  came 
to  that  locality  in  the  spring  of  1854,  and  took  u\)  a  claim  on  what 
is  now  part  of  Sec.  28.  He  was  followed  the  same  year  by  F, 
McCarty  and  a  man  named  South  wick.  F.  McC^arty  settled  on 
what  is  now  Sec.  22,  while  Southwick  made  a  claim  on  Sec.  3.  The 
following  came  in  1855  :  A.  E.  Todd,  D.  J.  Todd,  D.  R.  Holbrook, 
L.  U.  Todd,  W.  Telugan,  Peter  Kiefer,  Andrew  Burger,  Wm.  Hem- 
melberg,  A.  D.  Nichols,  Alvd  Philbrick,  H.  D.  Bailey  and  Jerry 
Philbrick.  A.  E.  Todd  took  up  land  on  Sees.  6  and  7,  D.  J.  Todd 
on  Sees.  8  and  9,  D.  R.  Holbrook  on  Sec.  9,  L.  U.  Todd  on  Sec.  8, 
W.  Telugan  on  Sec.  11,  Peter  Kiefer  on  N.W.  ^  Sec.  12,  Andrew 
Burger  on  Sees.  11  and  12,  Wm.  Himmelberg  on  Sec.  11,  ArD. 
Nichols  on  Sec.  10,  Alva  Philbrick,  H.  D.  Bailey  and  .Terry  Phil- 
brick, all  on  Sec.  10. 

First  death  in  the  township  was  that  of  Mrs.  Oasper  Kreider- 
macher,  who  died  of  cholera  in  1856,  and  was  buried  on  Sec.  3. 

The  first  school  was  held  in  a  little  log  schoolhouse,  built  in 
1855  by  Alva  Philbrick,  on  what  is  now  Sec.  10.  The  first  saw- 
mill was  built  on  the  north  branch  of  the  Whitewater,  on  Sec.  8,  by 
A.  E.  Todd,  in  the  summer  of  1856.  It  was  washed  out  by  a  flood 
some  time  after,  and  was  rebuilt  on  Sec.  7.  The  mill  is  now  stand- 
ing and  does  princi])all3^  a  custom  business  for  the  farmers  in  the 
neighborhood. 


ELBA    TOWNSHIP.  605 

"Fail-water  Flouring  Mill"  was  built  on  Sec.  7,  on  the  north 
branch  of  the  Whitewater,  some  time  in  1866,  by  W.  Parr  and  W. 
R.  Ellis.  It  was  two  stories  in  height  and  had  a  dimension  of  35  X 
40  feet.  E.  C.  Ellis  is  the  present  owner.  The  mill  has  two  run  of 
burrs  and  a  capacity  of  thirty  barrels  per  day.  The  first  laid  out 
road  in  the  township  was  the  road  running  from  Winona  west  to 
the  county  line.  This  road  ran  directly  through  the  center  of  Elba 
township,  and  was  laid  out  in  1857. 

The  postoffice  in  the  village  was  the  first  and  only  one  in  the 
township.  It  was  establislied  in  1857,  with  H.  D.  Bailey  as  post- 
master. 

There  are  two  churches,  the  German  Catholic  at  Elba  village, 
and  the  United  Brethren  on  Sec.  21.  The  latter  was  built  in  1876. 
It  is  30x40  feet,  with  a  spire  forty  feet  tall.  They  have  a  congrega- 
tion of  perhaps  seventy-five  members,  composed  mostly  of  Germans. 
The  first  minister  was  Rev.  Reiswick,  the  present  one  is  Rev.  J. 
Gutensohn.  Attached  to  the  church  is  a  cemetery  and  two  acres  of 
land. 

There  are  five  district  schools  in  Elba  in  Sees.  33,  27,  10,  3  and  8. 

The  first  meeting  took  place  May  11,  1858,  for  the  general  organ- 
ization. J.  H.  Dearborn  was  elected  town  clerk  ;  J.  W.  Ireland, 
J.  Philbrick,  N.  V.  Crow,  supervisors  ;  John  Bole,  assessor  ;  E.  B. 
Barnes,  collector  ;  Thomas  Barnes,  G.  E.  Fisher,  justices  of  the  peace ; 
David  Duryee,  overseer  of  poor  ;  Hugh  Barclay,  Aaron  Baker,  con- 
stables. The  following  are  the  town  clerks  in  succession  :  J.  H. 
Dearborn,  David  Cook,  A.  D.  Nichols,  M.  R.  Lair,  A.  D.  Nichols, 
R.  Bullen,  H.  F.  Denio,  John  Bullen,  John  Udell,  Gregory  Ritt, 
H.  F.  Denio,  the  clerk  for  1882-3. 

ELBA    VILLAGE. 

Elba  village  is  situated  on  Sees.  9  and  10,  at  the  iuncti(m  of  the 
three  branches  of  the  Whitewater.  Although  it  has  never  been 
recorded  as  a  village  plat,  there  has  been  a  settlement  there  since 
1 856.  The  first  house  was  put  up  by  C.  South  wick.  Among  the 
early  residents  were  D.  R.  Holbrook,  Israel  Messenger,  Manoa 
Turner,  D.  J.  W,  Ireland,  David  Duryee,  John  Penson  and  A.  D. 
Nichols.  The  first  postoffice  was  established  in  1857,  with  H.  D. 
Bailey  as  postmaster.  D.  S.  Loy  kept  the  first  store  in  1862  ;  John 
BoUen  soon  started  another  store.  The  first  blacksmith  shop  was 
kept  by  Mr.  Medcalf.     The  first  school  was  a  log  house,  built  1858. 


60()  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Dr.  J.  W.  Ireland  practiced  in  the  village  and  the  surrounding 
country  from  1860  to  1864.  The  flouring-mill  in  Elba  was  built  in 
1860,  by  John  Rodgers.  The  water-power  is  furnished  by  the  north 
and  middle  branches  of  Whitewater.  The  mill  is  25  X  30  feet.  In 
the  first  place  they  had  two  run  of  burrs  and  a  much  larger  capacity 
than  now.  It  passed  through  a  number  of  hands  and  underwent 
considerable  improvement.  Another  run  of  burrs  have  been  added, 
besides  a  turban  water-wheel,  a  stone  wall  and  a  new  flume.  The 
present  owners  are  J.  Hoffman  and  T.  C.  Udell.  The  capacity  is 
seventy-five  barrels  per  day.  Elba  contains,  at  present  writing,  two 
stores,  two  hotels,  a  blacksmith  shop  and  a  carpenter  shop.  The 
present  school  was  built  in  1866.  It  is  a  district  school  with  an  average 
attendance  of  fifty  pupils.  The  German  Catholic  church  was  built 
in  1877,  through  the  instrumentality  of  Ferdinand  Kramer,  Peter 
Geren  and  Nicholas  Marnoch.  It  is  a  frame  building,  40  X  60  feet, 
with  a  belfry  fifteen  feet  high.  The  first  minister  was  Father  Plut, 
of  Winona,  who  visited  the  congregation  through  a  period  of  two  or 
three  years.  The  congregation  consists  of  200  members.  Attached 
to  the  church  is  a  cemetery  and  thirty-five  acres  of  land. 

The  population  of  the  village  is  now  100.  It  has  a  very  healthy 
climate,  and  it  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  for  thirty  years  it  has  never 
had  a  case  of  scarlet-fever  or  diphtheria. 


CHAPTER  LHI. 

HART,   FREMONT   AND    SARATOGA    TOWNSHIPS.  ^ 

HART  TOWNSHIP. 

This  township  lies  in  T.  105  N.,  of  R.  8  West.  It  comprises 
thirty-six  complete  sections.  Its  boundaries  are,  on  the  north  War- 
ren township,  on  the  east  Wiscoy,  on  the  south  Fillmore  county, 
and  on  the  west  Fremont  township.  The  surface  is  rough  and 
broken  —  what  is  known  as  ''grub  land."  The  soil,  nevertheless,  is 
very  productive.  The  high  bluffs  divide  the  country  into  four  val- 
leys. Rush  Creek,  Diy,  Pine  Creek  and  Knapp  valleys.  All  except- 
ing Pine  Creek  valley  run  north  and  south  ;  the  latter  runs  east  and 
west.     Dry  valley  is  so  called  from  a  small  stream  which  disappears 


HART    TOWNSHIP.  607 

in  a  subterranean  channel  only  to  reappear  again  in  unexpected 
places.  Rush  Creek  valley  is  the  largest  of  the  four,  and  is  named 
after  Rush  creek ;  Knapp's  valley,  so  called  from  J.  R.  Knapp,  an 
old  resident  in  that  vicinity  ;  Pine  Creek  valley  named  after  Pine 
creek.  This  stream  in  an  early  day  was  heavily  timbered  with 
black  walnut,  maple,  oak,  basswood  and  scattering  pine.  The  pine 
has  now  disappeared.  Rush  creek  enters  the  township  on  S.W.  J 
Sec.  6,  flows  southeast  through  Sees.  T,  13,  19,  29  and  33,  leaving 
the  township  on  Sec.  33 ;  Pine  creek  enters  township  on  S.W.  ^ 
Sec.  30,  flows  southeast  through  Sees.  31  and  32,  and  joins  Rush 
creek  on  Sec.  33.  Hart  was  organized  May  11,  1858,  under  the 
name  of  Benton  township  ;  a  year  after  it  was  given  its  present 
name.  The  first  town  clerk  was  John  Pierce,  appointed  at  the  first 
meeting  in  1858.  The  first  board  were  :  J.  W.  Young,  John  Knapp, 
justices  of  the  peace  ;  Liborius  Kauphusman,  Patrick  Orourke, 
constables  ;  George  Bisset,  assessor ;  Jesse  Conner,  collector  ;  M. 
T.  Doherty,  Thomas  Baily,  F.  M.  Andrews,  supervisors.  The  town 
clerks  in  succession  :  John  Pierce,  M.  T.  Doherty,  J.  M.  Hitchcock, 
John  King,  Berend  Bollmann,  John  King,  Berend  BoUmann  (clerk 
for  1882-3).  Board  for  1882-3:  Daniel  McKay,  M.  Degnan. 
George  Schaupp,  supervisors  ;  B.  Bollmann,  D.  H.  Otis,  justices  of 
the  peace  ;  John  Millman,  assessor ;  Herman  Trester,  constable. 

OLD    SETTLERS. 

Oliver  Parmelee  came  to  this  section  in  1854  and  took  up  part 
of  Sec.  2.  Laborius  Kauphusman  came  in  1855,  surveyed  land,  and 
made  a  claim  on  S.E.  J  Sec.  16.  He  then  left,  and  returned  soon 
afterward  with  his  family  ;  he  is  now  dead,  but  the  farm  is  in  the 
hands  of  his  children.  Thomas  Heberer  and  M.  T.  Doherty  came 
the  same  year  (1855)  ;  Thomas  Heberer  settled  on  Sec.  2,  while  M. 
T.  Doherty  entered  the  N.E.  J  Sec.  12.  The  following  made  their 
appearance  in  1856  :  Henry  Ronnenberg,  Rev.  A.  Brand,  John  C. 
Brand,  John  Parmelee,  Smith  Thorington,  Job  Thorington  and 
John  Brammer.  Henry  Ronnenberg  settled  on  Sec.  12  ;  Rev.  A. 
Brand  came  with  a  large  herd  of  cattle  and  took  up  land  on  Sec.  24  ; 
John  C.  Brand  entered  part  of  Sec.  23  ;  John  Parmelee,  Smith 
Thorington  and  Job  Thorington  settled  on  Sec.  10,  while  John 
Brammer  made  a  claim  of  N.E.  J  Sec.  1.  A  large  hotel  (or  tavern 
as  it  was  called),  named  the  "Benton  House,"  was  kept  by  O.  E. 
Fockens  in  1857  on  Sec.  2.     At  this  time  there  was  an  immense 


608  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

amount  of  travel  through  this  section  of  the  countr}',  and  the  hotel 
did  a  thriving  business.  This  soon  fell  off,  however,  at  the  entrance 
of  railways,  and  the  place  was  deserted  in  18fi5.  There  is  but 
one  mill  in  Hart  ;  it  is  a  flouring-mill  built  on  Rush  creek  in 
1860  (Sec.  29)  by  G.  M.  Hitchcock.  It  is  a  frame  structure  of  me- 
dium size,  and  has  a  "custom  business"  only.  There  is  but  one 
postofftce  in  the  township,  namely.  Hart  postottice.  It  was  estab- 
lished in  1872,  with  John  Kiekbusch  as  })ostmaster.  The  present 
postmaster  is  Charles  Wolfram,  who  also  keeps  a  small  country 
store.     (This  is  on  Sec.  26.) 

There  are  five  schools  in  Hart :  District  11  in  Sec.  8,  dist.  37  in 
Sec.  12,  dist.  50  in  Sec.  10,  dist.  48  in  Sec.  25,  dist.  49  in  Sec.  20. 

The  population,  which  is  mostly  composed  of  emigrants  from 
lower  Germany,  has  decreased  since  1870.  This  is  said  to  be  caused 
by  emigration  west,  and  the  buying  up  of  land  by  a  few  individuals. 
One  farm,  owned  by  the  heirs  of  Laborius  Kauphusman,  on  Sec.  16, 
comprises  an  area  of  1,000  acres.  Since  the  failure  of  wheat  of  late, 
the  population  have  turned  their  attention  to  stock  raising.  The 
average  crop  for  1882  is  said  to  be,  wheat,  12  bushels  per  acre  ; 
corn,  35  bushels  per  acre  ;  barley,  25  bushels  per  acre  ;  oats,  40 
bushels  per  acre. 

There  are  two  churches  in  Hart,  Lutheran  on  Sec.  23,  and 
Roman  Catholic  on  Sec.  9. 

Lutheran. — The  present  church  building  was  erected  in  1861, 
although  meetings  were  held  long  before.  It  is  a  frame  building, 
48X30  feet,  with  a  spire  fifty  feet  high.  There  is  a  comfortable 
parish  house  connected,  and  also  a  parochial  school.  E.  M.  Buer- 
ger, one  of  the  founders  of  the  Missouri  Synod  at  St.  Louis,  was 
pastor  of  this  church  from  1868  to  1880,  The  fii-st  minister  was 
John  Reiz ;  the  present  one,  Frances  Johl.  The  congregation,  which 
is  quite  large,  is  composed  of  Germans.  The  school  has  an  average 
attendance  of  fifty  pupils.  They  teach  both  German  and  English. 
A  cemetery  of  one  acre  is  connected  with  the  church. 

FREMONT  TOWNSHIP. 

Fremont  township  lies  in  T.  105  N.,  R.  9  W.  Its  boundaries 
are,  on  the  north  LTtica,  on  J:he  east  Hart,  on  the  west  Saratoga, 
and  on  the  south  Fillmore  county.  The  surface  of  Fremont  town- 
ship is  diversified.     In  the  eastern  and  southern  portions  the  land 


FREMONT    TOWNSHIP.  609 

is  mucli  broken,  while  in  the  central  and  western  parts  it  is  almost 
level.  Rush  creek  flows  through  the  northeastern  corner,  cutting 
Sees.  1,  2  and  12,  while  Pine  creek  flows  through  the  southeastern 
portion,  cutting  Sees.  25  and  35. 

The  town  was  organized  May  11,  1858,  and  E.  B.  Wells  ap- 
pointed town  clerk.  The  first  house  built  in  FrenKjnt  township  was 
erected  by  Isaac  Arnold,  in  the  fall  of  1854,  on  what  is  now  Sec.  2. 
It  was  a  small  log-house,  perhaps  14x16  feet  in  dimensions.  In 
1856  L.  C.  Rice  built  a  small  store  on  what  is  now  Sec.  2.  This 
was  the  first  store  known  to  have  been  kept  in  Fremont.  In  the 
same  year  (1856)  "Captain"  Hinkley  started  a  blacksmith  shop  on 
Sec.  22.  The  first  postoffice  was  established  in  1857,  on  Sec.  2,  at  a 
village  known  as  Neoca  (long  since  abandoned),  with  L.  C.  Rice  as 
postmaster. 

In  1856  a  sawmill  was  built  by  John  Henry  and  John  Du  Bois, 
on  Sec.  26,  on  Pine  creek.  Although  a  very  crude  afl'air,  it  was 
capable  of  sawing  1,000  feet  of  lumber  per  day.  The  water-power 
was  not  very  good  at  this  point.  In  1870  this  was  converted  into  a 
gristmill.  Since  then  it  has  been  very  much  improved.  It  is  now 
36x20  feet,  is  two  stories  in  height,  has  two  run  of  burrs,  and  a 
capacity-  of  grinding  fifteen  bushels  of  wheat  per  hour. 

Edward  Porter  was  the  first  person  that  died  in  the  township. 
He  died  in  the  winter  of  1856,  and  was  buried  on  what  is  now  Sec. 
5.  The'  first  birth  was  that  of  Charles  Gates,  born  some  time  in 
1856,  on  Sec.  11.  The  first  marriage  was  that  of  Ann  R.  Arnold  to 
John  Du  Bois,  in  the  year  1856. 

In  1857  the  first  schoolhouse  was  built.  It  stood  on  Sec.  8,  and 
was  24x16  feet.  Malinda  Joy  was  the  first  teacher.  There  were 
on  an  average  forty  pupils  in  attendance.  Fremont  has  been  hon- 
ored by  the  presence  of  one  doctor.  Dr.  W.  S.  Morrison  came  in 
1867,  and  has  been  practicing  in  the  vicinity  ever  since.  The  first 
hotel  was  kept  by  Isaac  Arnold  on  Sec.  2  as  early  as  1855.  The 
first  road  was  built  under  the  supervision  of  Phineas  Gates  in  1856. 
It  was  known  as  the  Gates  road,  and  led  from  the  Du  Bois  mill  on 
Sec.  26  to  the  territorial  road  in  the  center  of  the  township.  There 
are  two  churches  in  Fremont, — Scotch  Presbyterian  on  Sec.  20  and 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  on  Sec.  10.  The  Presbyterian 
church  was  built  in  1865.  It  is  38  X  26  feet,  with  a  spire  seventy-one 
feet  from  the  ground.  The  first  minister  was  Rev.  Craven,  fi-om 
St.    Charles.     The   congregation,    which   is   composed   entirely   of 


610  HISTORY    OF    WrNONA    COUNTY. 

Scotch,  number  about  Hfty  members.  A  cemetery,  the  only  one  in 
tlie  township,  is  connected  with  the  church.  Rev.  S.  D.  Westfall, 
the  present  minister,  came  in  1870.  The  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  stands  on  Sec.  10,  and  was  built  in  1874.  It  is  26x40  feet, 
with  a  belfry  fifteen  feet.  The  congregation  is  very  small  at  present, 
although  it  was  once  quite  a  flourishing  body.  The  first  meetings 
were  held  in  the  schoolhouse  as  early  as  18.57.  The  first  minister 
was  Rev.  Wm.  Poling.  There  are  two  stores  in  Fremont,  one  on 
Sec.  10,  kept  by  Kelley  &  Bro.,  at  a  place  known  as  the  "  Corners," 
or  Fremont  postoftice,  and  another  on  Sec.  29,  kept  by  H,  Sennis. 
The  three  postoffices  are:  "Fremont,"  on  Sec.  10,  J.  A.  Kelley, 
postmaster,  established  in  1876  ;  Argo  postoffice,  on  Sec.  16,  with 
John  Henry  as  postmaster,  established  in  1866,  and  Clyde  postoffice 
on  Sec.  19,  with  Martin  Schultz  as  postmaster,  and  establislied  in 
1873.  There  are  six  district  schools,  namely,  District  104  on  Sec. 
29,  dist.  67  on  Sec.  26,  dist.  68  on  Sec.  20,  dist.  66  on  Sec.  14, 
dist.  96  on  Sec.  10,  dist.  64  on  Sec.  3.  The  poll  list  at  the 
election  of  1882  numbered  210. 

OLD    SETTLERS. 

The  following  came  in  1854 :  Isaac  Arnold,  Phineas  Gates  and 
Phineas  Gates,  Jr.  Isaac  Arnold  made  a  claim  on  what  is  now 
Sec.  2,  while  Phineas  Gates,  Sr.,  and  Phineas  Gates,  Jr.,  settled 
on  what  is  now  Sec.  14.  In  1855  the  following  named  cairA  :  Noah 
Gates,  Edward  Porter,  Samuel  Arnold,  E.  Kelley,  Mathew  Ferguson, 
John  Ferguson,  John  Jarman,  Orsmus  Joy,  Lemuel  Bartholomew, 
Porter  Richards,  John  Henry,  Duncan  Ferguson,  Donald  Ferguson, 
John  DuBois,  Thomas  Robertson,  Reason  Evaretts,  John  Dobbs 
and  Geo.  Johnson.  Noah  Gates  settled  on  Sec.  2,  Edward  Porter 
on  Sees.  6  and  7,  Samuel  Arnold  on  Sec.  9,  E.  Kelley  on  Sec.  9, 
Mathew  Ferguson  on  Sec.  15,  John  Ferguson  on  the  same  section. 
John  Jarman  on  Sec.  17,  Orsmus  Joy  on  Sec.  4,  Lemuel  Bartholo- 
mew on  Sec.  9,  Porter  Richards  on  Sec.  4,  John  Henry  on  Sec.  21, 
Duncan  and  Donald  Ferguson  on  Sec.  17,  John  DuBois  on  Sec.  26, 
Thomas  Robertson  on  Sec.  20,  Reason  Evaretts  on  Sec.  28,  John 
Dobbs  on  Sec.  5  and  Geo.  Johnson  on  Sec.  8. 

A  party  ot  young  men  came  to  this  locality  in  tlie  spring  of  1855 
and  camped  on  what  is  now  Sec.  4.  Among  these  were  ''Jack" 
Earle,  W.  H.  Joy  and  John  Draper.  The  population  is  composed 
mostly  of  Scotch  at  present,  while  most  of  the  early  pioneers  have 
disappeared. 


SARATOGA    TOWNSHIP.  611 


SARATOGA  TOWNSHIP. 


This  township  lies  in  the  extreme  southwestern  corner  of  Wino- 
na  county,    having   Qlrastead    county   on   the  west   and   FiUmore 
county  on  the  south.     Though  the  face  of  the  country  is  somewhat 
broken  along  its  western  front,  it  contains  some  of  as  fine  farming 
land  as  is  to  be  found  in  any  state  of  the  Union.     Settlements  were 
made  almost  simultaneously  in  the  western  portion  of  the  township 
and.  along  the  northern  ridge,  adjoining  the  township  of  St.  Charles. 
These  settlements  date  back  a  period  of  nearly  thirty  years,  and 
some  of  the  claims  then  taken  are  still  being  farmed  by  the  original 
pre-emptors.     Tlie  soil  upon  the  prairie  is  a  deep  vegetable  loam, 
with  a  clay  subsoil ;  but  in  the  oak  openings  it  is  of  a  lighter  char- 
acter, a  sandy  loam  intermixed  with  gravel.    This  latter  is  a  quicker, 
warmer  soil,  and  specially  adapted  to  the  growth  of  corn,  as  this 
cereal  ripens  quicker  on  the  gravelly  soil,  a  very  material  considera- 
tion in  this  latitude.    All  the  valuable  farming  lands  of  the  township 
may  be  included  under  one  or  the  other  of  these  classes  of  soil.  The 
western  portion  of  the  township  is  well  watered  and  quite  a  valuable 
water  privilege  exists  at  Troy.     The  volume  of  water,  thougli  not 
large,  having  its  sources  in  unfailing  springs,  afibrds  with  its  head 
of  twenty  feet  sufficient  power  to  maintain  a  very  considerable  mill- 
ing industry.    The  staple  of  the  farms  in  past  years  has  been  wheat, 
to  which  within  the  past  decade  the  growth  of  barley  has  been 
added  in  quantities  sufficient  to  dispute  the  palm.     These  grains, 
with  clover  and  timothy  seed  (which  are  grown  in  large  quantities), 
oats  and  corn,  have  been  and  still  are  the  main  dependence  of  the 
farmer  throughout  this  whole  region,  little  if  any  stock  more  than 
sufficient  for  farm  purposes  being  raised.     But  as  the  wheat  yield 
has  decreased  from  time  to  time,  more  and  more  attention  has  been 
paid  to  the  breeding  of  horses,  cattle  and  swine  for  market,  and  now 
there  are  some  valuable  herds  of  these  animals  on  well  conducted 
stock  farms  within  the  area  of  the  township.      Dairying  has  also 
begun  to  challenge  the  attention  of  the  farmers  of  this  and  adjoining 
townships,  and  some  farms  keep  quite  a  number  of  milch  cows,  the 
number  and  quality  of  them  increasing  from  year  to  year.     Cream- 
eries are  being  established  to  manufacture  the  cream  product  of  these 
dairy  herds,  and  the  industry  promises  soon  to  assume  an  important 
rank  among  the  farm  products  of  the  western  portions  of  the  county. 
Considerable  settlements  had  been  made  in  Saratoga  township 
36 


612  IIISTORr    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

as  early  as  the  s])ring  of  1855,  a  few  pre-emptions  and  actual  occu- 
pancy of  the  land  dating  as  far  back  as  the  fall  of  1858.  The  settle- 
ments during  1855  were  numerous,  and  the  following  season,  1856, 
it  was  (juite  difhcult  if  not  impossible  to  fingl  any  valuable  lands 
unclaimed.  The  formal  organization  of  the  township  was  effected 
under  the  new  state  government,  May  11,  1858,  at  Troy,  a  small 
village  and  postoffice  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  township,  at 
which  time  the  usual  officers  were  elected.  Luke  Blair  and  Thomas 
P.  Dixon  were  appointed  judges  of  election,  and  J.  P.  Moulton  and 
E.  W.  Day,  clerks.  The  whole  number  of  ballots  cast  was  MO. 
Luke  Blair,  elames  Walker  and  Robert  JSTesbit  were  elected  super- 
visors ;  J.  C.  Dixon,  town  clerk  ;  E.  S.  Harvey,  assessor  ;  D.  Dur- 
ham, collector  of  taxes  ;  Thos.  P.  Dixon  and  Oscar  Kately,  justices 
of  the  ]>eace  ;  L.  M.  Phelps  and  Alvin  Durham,  constables  ;  Geo. 
W.  Grain,  overseer  of  the  poor,  and  L.  B,  Smitli,  overseer  of  roads. 
The  townshi])  was  named  Saratoga,  on  account  of  the  beautiful 
natural  springs  in  its  western  section,  the  vote  standing  eighty-six  in 
favor  of  Saratoga  and  sixty  in  favor  of  Afton.  The  office  of  town 
clerk  has  been  successively  filled  as  follows:  A.  D.  Trowbridge, 
elected  as  the  successor  of  J.  G.  Dixon,  in  1859,  held  the  office  three 
years  ;  E.  W.  Day,  elected  in  1862,  served  one  year  ;  P.  F.  Thurbur, 
one  year ;  Wm.  LI.  Fry,  one  year.  In  1865  E.  W.  Day  was  again 
elected  and  served  until  1878,  a  period  of  thirteen  years,  when  the 
present  incumbent,  E.  B.  Gery,  was  elected,  and  has  held  the  office 
continuously  until  date,  March  1,  1883.  The  town  officers  elected 
or  holding  over  for  1882,  are:  J.  D.  Ball  (chairman),  Alexander 
Gampbell  and  O.  B.  Suthei-land,  supervisors  ;  N.  M.  Gross,  treasurer; 
W.  B.  Hesselgrave,  assessor;  E.  B.  Gery,  town  clerk;  G.  French 
and  Samuel  Gary,  justices  of  the  peace;  Ira  Canfield  and  James 
Wise,  constables.  A  comfortable  and  commodious  town  hall  was 
erected  in  1877.     It  is  situated  in  the  center  of  the  township  and 

€08t  $800. 

The  military  record  of  the  township  was  never  kept.  The  names 
recorded  of  the  few  men  enlisted  toward  the  close  of  the  war,  when 
the  pros])ects  of  a  draft  were  imminent,  afford  no  ])ro})er  data  from 
which  to  calculate  the  number  of  men  who  volunteered  from  this 
township  during  1861-65  inclusive.  All  that  can  be  gathered  on 
this  ])oint  will  be  ])resented  in  the  military  records  of  the  county  as 
a  whole.  No  township  register  of  births,  deaths,  marriages  was 
kept,  by  which  to  determine  positively  the  actual  date  of  the  earlier 


SARATOGA    TOWISrSHIP.  613 

of  sucli  events,  yet  the  following  statement  concerning  early  town- 
ship matters  may  be  taken  as  substantially  correct.  The  first  claim 
to  United  States  lands  under  the  pre-emption  act  made  in  this 
township  was  by  one  Hawes,  some  time  in  the  season  of  1853,  but 
the  date  of  his  claim  cannot  be  accurately  given.  The  second,  third 
and  fourth  claims  were  made  by  Luke  Blair,  on  September  12,  1853, 
principally  in  Sec.  2,  and  were  for  himself  and  his  two  sons, 
Chas.  L.  and  John  L.  Isaac  Arnold  and  Fullerton  also  made 
claims  that  same  fall,  but  date  of  claims  is  not  ascertained. 

The  first  white  child  born  in  the  township  was  George  N.  Blair, 
son  of  G-eo.  W.  and  M.  S.  Blair  (nee  Deuell),  born  July  20,  1855. 
Following  him  was  a  son  of  Gilman  French,  born  in  the  year  1855, 
then  Geo.  D.  French,  son  of  John  S.  and  Kate  French,  born  Feb- 
ruary 6,  1856  ;  John  M.  Blair,  son  of  John  T,  Blair,  born  in  1856  ; 
Otto  Phelps,  born  some  time  in  the  fiill  of  1856. 

The  first  death  and  burial  in  the  township  was  that  of  a  non-resi- 
dent, Rev.  Angel  Wright,  who,  following  some  horse  thieves  into 
this  section  from  Iowa,  was  taken  sick  and  died  in  Saratoga  village, 
some  time  in  the  summer  of  1855.  The  first  death  of  an  actual  resi- 
dent was  that  of  Justen  Braddock,  early  in  August,  1 856,  and  imme- 
diately following  was  that  of  Mrs.  Dr.  Gates,  wife  of  G.  L.  Gates, 
M.D.,  now  of  Winona  city,  who  died  August  25,  1856.  Harriet 
Warren  died  April  29,  185Y;  an  infant  son  of  George  Blair's,  July 
1,  that  season;  a  child  of  Henry  Olney's  about  the  same  time,  and 
Kate  Flannigan  in  the  following  September.  These  last  four  were 
buried  in  what  is  known  as  Wortli  cemetery,  the  others  in  Saratoga 
cemetery,  but  all  within  the  bounds  of  the  township. 

On  the  night  before  Christmas,  1856,  a  brother  of  Mrs.  William 
Reeves,  traveling  from  High  Forest,  Olmstead  county,  passed 
through  Saratoga  village,  warmed  himself  at  the  hotel  of  Moulton  & 
Dixon,  and  notwithstanding  the  warning  of  Mr.  Dixon,  concluded  to 
try  and  reach  his  sister's  house,  five  miles  distant,  despite  the  severe 
storm  and  cold.  This  man  was  found  frozen  to  death  on  Sec.  9, 
by  Mr.  Charles  Gerrish,  on  Christmas  morning,  eight  o'clock,  one- 
half  a  mile  from  his  house,  one  and  one-fourth  miles  from  Mr. 
Reeves'.  Mr.  Gerrish  took  charge  of  the  body  without  waiting  for  a 
coroner,  and  finding  from  the  deceased  papers  that  he  had  come 
from  Chatfield,  took  him  to  Saratoga  for  identification.  And  this 
act  of  Mr.  Gerrish's  in  taking  charge  of  the  bod}  without  waiting 
for  coroner,  was  made  the  occasion  of  an  electioneering  argument 


614  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

against  liis  election  to  the  territorial  convention  of  1857,  called  to 
frame  a  state  constitution. 

The  first  marriage  actually  celebrated  within  the  township  was 
that  of  Lester  Becker  and  Shuah  Littletield,  December  25,  1855;  but 
the  marriage  of  William  Smith  and  Jane  FuUerton,  residents  of  the 
township,  was  performed  at  Chatfield  at  least  ten  months  earlier, 
about  the  middle  of  February,  1855.  Following  these  was  the  mar- 
riage of  Allen  Whipple  and  Lois  Harding,  November  8,  1856,  and 
that  of  Samuel  Burns  and  Jane  Flemraing,  at  probably  an  earlier 
date  than  the  fall  of  1856,  but  nothing  positive  can  be  ascertained  in 
relation  thereto. 

The  first  frame  farm  buildings  in  Saratoga  township  were  erected 
on  the  claim  of  Luke  Blair,  N.W.  ^  of  Sec.  2.  These  were  a  frame 
barn,  16x24  feet,  with  14  feet  posts,  and  a  frame  dwelling  (now 
standing  as  the  kitchen  part  of  the  farm-house),  16x24,  with  8  feet 
posts.  These  buildings  were  erected  in  the  spring  of  1855.  The 
frame  dwelling  of  H.  G.  Cox,  still  standing  in  excellent  repair,  built 
of  oak  plank,  was  erected  in  1857.  The  first  sawmill  was  built  in 
the  winter  of  1856-57  (by  H.  G.  Cox  and  Vincent  Hix)  for  George 
Hayes  and  Lewis  Smith.  It  was  situated  about  one  and  one-half 
miles  southeast  from  the  village  of  Troy,  on  Trout  run.  The  first 
gristmill  was  built  in  1857,  by  Joseph  and  Samuel  Musser,  who 
brought  their  millwriglits  with  them  from  Pennsylvania.  This  mill 
is  still  standing  at  Troy,  on  the  water  privilege  there,  a  most  excel- 
lent one  with  about  twenty  feet  head.  The  first  crop  of  grain  grown 
in  the  township,  as  nearly  as  now  known,  was  on  the  Wheeler  boy's 
claim,  the  N.W.  J  of  Sec.  5,  now  owned  by  Lyman  Cox. 

As  early  as  1854^5,  Harvey  &  Broughton,  and  the  following  year 
Broughton  &  Andrews,  ke])t  small  stocks  of  goods,  groceries  and  sup- 
plies principally  along  the  ridge  on  the  north  line  of  the  township. 
In  the  fall  of  1856,  H.  M.  Clark,  now  of  Chatfield,  Olmstead  county, 
brought  in  a  small  stock  of  groceries  and  crockervware,  and  started 
business  in  Saratoga  village.  This  stock  was  sold  the  folk)wing 
spring  to  Dixon  &  Moulton  and  merged  into  the  general  store  estab- 
lished by  them  in  the  spring  of  1857. 

Rev.  Gardner  K.  Clark  was  the  first  minister  to  settle  in  the  town- 
ship. He  came  in  the  fall  of  1866  (with  his  son  H.  M.)  and  the  first 
church  service  (Congregational)  was  held  in  Gate's  log-house,  still 
standing,  a  monument  of  early  pioneer  times.  The  following  sea- 
son, 1857,  the  church  was  built  and  in  the  fall  of  that  year  was  oecu- 


SAKATOGA    TOWNSHIP.  615 

pied.     This  cliurch,  the  onlj  one  ever  built  in  the  township,  is  still 
standing  and  doing  duty  as  a  place  of  religious  worship. 

The  first  hotel  in  the  township  was  built  and  kept  by  Thomas  P. 
Dixon,  still  a  resident  of  the  city,  and  J.  P.  Moulton,  who  at  a  later 
date  represented  Olmstead  county  in  the  state  legislature,  and  for 
six  years  was  receiver  of  the  land  office  at  Wellington,  Minnesota. 
The  first  postoffice  was  established  at  Saratoga  in  'the  fall  of  1856. 
Thomas  P.  Dixon  was  commissioned  postmaster,  and,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  two  years  during  the  latter  part  of  Buchanan's  adminis- 
tration, held  the  office  until  he  resigned  in  April,  1882,  the  date  of 
his  removal  from  Saratoga  to  St.  Charles.  His  removal  from  the 
office  in  1858  and  the  appointment  of  John  O'Learyas  his  successor, 
the  latter  a  man  who  could  neither  read  nor  write,  was  effected  on 
political  grounds  and  mainly  through  the  influence  of  the  Chatfield 
land  office. 

The  first  physician  who  located  in  the  township  was  John  C. 
Dixon,  who  taught  school  in  the  little  settlement  of  Saratoga  village 
during  the  winter  of  1856-7,  commencing  practice  as  a  physician  in 
the  spring  of  tlie  latter  year.  Dr.  Dixon  is  not  now  a  resident  of 
the  county,  having  removed  some  years  since  to  Candor,  Tioga 
county,  New  York, 

The  first  schoolhouse  in  the  township  was  built  by  voluntary 
subscription  in  the  summer  of  1856,  on  the  town  plat  of  Saratoga, 
near  the  church,  and  was  first  occupied  that  fall,  when  Dr.  Dixon 
was  employed  as  teacher.  The  first  school  taught  in  the  township 
was  opened  in  Charles  Gerrish's  house,  on  Sec.  9.  This  was  a 
double  log-house,  and  in  one  of  these  rooms,  the  south  one,  the 
school  was  opened  in  the  summer  of  1856  for  a  term  of  three  months. 
The  teacher's  name  was  Helen  Hewitt,  and  there  were  twenty-seven 
pupils  on  her  school  register. 

Evergreen  Lodge^  No.  JpS^  A.  F.  and  A.  M. — Located  at  Troy,  a 
small  post  village  in  the  southeast  corner  of  Saratoga  township,  was 
chartered  December  23,  1864,  upon  petition  of  S.  Y.  Hyde,  A.  IN". 
Rice,  S.  S.  Armstrong,  Vincent  Hicks,  J.  C.  Hopkins,  E.  J. 
Thompson,  C.  M.  Lovell  and  D.  S.  Hacket.  Mr.  S.  Y.  Hyde,  now 
of  La  Crosse,  was  the  first  worsliipful  master,  and  his  successors 
have  been  Freeman  Morse,  R,  B.  Kellum,  S.  'L.  Draper,  M.  H. 
Fuller  and  H.  H.  Straw.  The  first  secretary  was  A.  N.  Price,  suc- 
ceeded by  Neil  Currie,  E.  B.  Grerry,  W.  W.  Heyden,  L.  A.  Gates, 
H.    H.    Heyden,    W.  E.   Walker   and  W.   B.   Hesselgrave.      The 


616  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

present  officers  of  the  Lodge  are:  S.  L.  Draper,  W.M. ;  M.  H. 
Fuller,  S.W. ;  R.  McCready,  J.W.  ;  E.  B.  Gerrj,  Treas.  ;  W.  B. 
Hesselgrave,  Sec  ;  H-  H.  Straw,  S.D.  ;  R.  Sutherland,  J.D.  ;  M. 
Campbell,  Chap.  ;  W.  E.  Walker,  Tiler. 

The  total  number  of  members  connected  with  the  Lodge  since 
organization  has  been  ninety.  Of  this  number  six  have  died, 
thirty-four  appear  on  the  list  of  present  members,  and  the  rest  have 
demitted.  Last  year  the  lodge  completed  a  new  hall  at  a  cost  of 
$1,200,  and  are  now  in  comfortable  quarters. 


CHAPTER  LIV. 
BIOGRAPHICAL. 

PIONEERS. 

Geo.  W.  Clark,  the  oldest  pioneer  settler  of  Winona  county 
now  living  in  its  limits,  was  born  in  Denmark,  Lewis  county,  New 
York,  June  10,  1827.  Brought  up  on  tlie  old  home  farm,  he  re- 
ceived the  education  commonly  obtained  in  the  schools  of  his  section 
at  that  day,  which  was  supplemented  with  two  terms  at  the  Lowville 
Academy,  and  in  the  spring  of  1851  left  home  to  take  up^a|claim  in 
the  "far  west."  Journeying  by  steam  or  from  Sacket's  Har])()r  to 
Lewiston,  'New  York ;  thence  by  rail  to  Buffalo,  New  York,  and 
from  that  port  to  Detroit  by  steamer,  he  finally  reached  New 
Buffalo,  now  Grand  Ilaven,  Michigan,  and  embarked  for  Milwau- 
kee. From  that  city  he  made  his  way  by  team  to  Dodge  ciMinty, 
Wisconsin,  remained  there  with  relatives  until  October  5  of  that 
year,  when,  in  company  with  three  young  men,  he  turned  his  face 
westward,  tramped  across  the  county  to  La  Crosse,  arriving  in  that 
city  when  the  second  frame  building  ever  erected  there  was  in  course 
of  construction  for  the  firm  of  Roublee  &  Smith.  Mr.  Clark  re- 
mained there  four  weeks,  then,  joining  com})any  with  Silas  Stevens 
and  Edwin  Hamilton,  started  up  the  river  for  what  was  then  known 
as  Wabasha  prairie,  the  plateau  u])on  which  Winona  now  stands. 
Bringing  provisions  and  lumber  for  a  shanty  with  them,  they  made 
their  way  up  stream  and  finally  landed  on  the  bank  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, near  the  present  site  of  the  big  flou ring-mill,  at  1:30  a.m.  No- 
vember 13,  1851.  Found  Johnson,  who  had  been  on  the  ground 
ten  days,  asleep  in  his  cabin,  a  mile  down  the  river,  and  turned  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  617 

with  him  until  dayhght.  The  next  day,  Kovember  14,  they  all  went 
down  to  the  extreme  east  end  of  the  prairie,  drove  their  stake  for  a 
starting  point  lor  claims  and  began  locating  homesteads.  The  claim 
taken  by  Mr.  Clark  was  numbered  six,  and  is  included  in  what  is 
now  known  as  Evans  addition  to  the  city  of  Winona.  This  was  a 
claim  of  160  acres  fronting  one-half  mile  on  the  river.  That  winter 
he  lived  on  Stevens'  claim,  and  in  the  following  spring,  1852,  built 
a  log  shanty  on  the  claim  he  had  intended  to  locate  for  his  brother, 
but  which  he  actually  located  for  himself,  and  on  which  he  is  still 
residing.  This  log  house,  still  standing,  he  occupied  three  or  four 
years,  then  selecting  a  location  some  eighty  rods  nearer  the  bluff,  on 
the  south  side  the  flats,  built  a  two-story  dwelling,  22x25,  which 
has  since  been  enlarged  to  its  present  dimensions,  and  in  which  he 
has  now  resided  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  This  original 
farm  of  160  acres,  Mr.  Clark  has  added  to  by  subsequent  purchases 
until  the  tract  embraces  a  full  half-section.  The  brother,  Joseph 
Clark,  for  whom  the  claim  was  originally  taken,  came  to  the  prairie 
in  1852,  located  his  160  acres  where  Beck's  brewery  was  afterward 
built,  but  only  lived  until  1851:.  He  was  buried  at  the  foot  of  the 
bluff,  where  Woodlawn  cemetery  was  located  years  afterward,  and 
thus  became  the  first  dweller  in  that  silent  city.  The  property  of 
Mr.  Clark  was  included  in  the  corporation  of  Winona  when  the  city 
limits  were  first  established,  but  was  set  off  by  act  of  legislature  the 
following  year.  He  is  the  only  resident  of  the  township  who  now 
owns  the  land  he  originally  located,  and  resides  upon  it.  February 
11,  1857,  Mr.  Clark. married  Miss  Jane  Lockwood,  of  Waupun, 
Wisconsin,  of  the  Connecticut  branch  of  the  Lockwood  family,  who 
was  born  December  4,  1837.  They  have  seven  children,  all  living 
at  home :  Frank  W.,  born  January  4,  1858  ;  Adah  L.,  born  January 
27,  1860;  Jay  Scott,  born  November  4,  1862;  Florence  E.,  born 
July  28,  1868  ;  Alfi-ed  H.,  born  March  26,  1870  ;  Jennie  A.,  born 
January  25,  1874  ;  May,  born  September  13,  1878.  The  two  eldest 
were  in  attendance  at  the  normal  school  when  obliged  to  discontinue 
study  on  account  of  health.  Jay  graduated  at  the  high  school  class 
of  1881  ;  in  which  were  five  native  born  Winonians,  and  it  was  the 
first  class  in  which  any  such  had  graduated. 

Thomas  Jones,  farmer,  is  a  Winonian  by  birth,  and  has  spent  all 
his  life  in  this  county,  and  may  certainly  be  called  an  old  settler. 
He  was  born  in  Winona  December  20,  1850.  His  parents  in  the 
spring  of  1852  took  up  a  claim  in  Norton,  and  Thomas  spent  his 


618  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    C<niNTY. 

earlier  years  working  on  the  farm.  As  he  grew  older  he  obtained 
employment  among  the  settlers  in  the  adjoining  township,  and 
worked  for  some  years  in  Minnesota  City.  In  1877  he  first  rented 
then  final]}''  purchased  the  farm  he  now  occupies  in  Whitewater. 
He  married  Miss  Mary  Pomeroy  in  1876,  and  has  two  children  : 
1'homas  Albert  and  Eliza.  He  is  independent  in  politics  and  a 
Methodist  in  religion. 

William  T.  White,  farmer,  was  born  in  Whiting,  Vermont,  in 
1814.  At  the  age  of  twenty-three  he  moved  to  Booneville,  Oneida 
county,  New  York,  where  he  remained  until  182-1,  working  at  the 
carpenter  trade.  Here  he  married  a  Miss  Eliza  Cook,  who  has  been 
his  helpmate  through  life,  sharing  with  him  his  privations  and  his 
])rosperity.  He  moved  west  to  Michigan,  where  he  took  up  a  claim 
near  where  the  present  city  of  Adrian  now  stands.  He  remained 
here  until  1850,  when  he  sold  his  farm  and  stock  for  a  handsome 
figure  and  went  farther  west  prospecting,  and  chose  the  Whitewater 
valley  as  his  future  home.  He  has  now  one  of  the  hnest  farms  in 
the  town,  and  though  well  advanced  in  years  takes  an  active  part  in 
its  management.  He  is  much  respected  by  all  who  know  him,  and 
is  looked  upon  as  one  of  those  men  whose  word  is  as  good  as  his 
bond.  Until  the  commencement  of  the  war  Mr.  White  was  a  strong 
democrat,  but  since  that  time  has  been  a  thorough  republican. 

Alexander  Brown.  Prominent  among  the  early  settlers  of 
Winona  county  is  the  name  of  Alexander  Brown.  He  was  born  in 
Perth,  Perthshire,  Scotland,  August  29,  1814,  and  spent  the  earlier 
3'ears  of  his  life  in  that  place.  In  1838  he  came  to  America,  and 
almost  immediately  came  west,  settling  near  St.  Croix  Falls,  which 
was  then  in  the  territory  of  Wisconsin.  In  1851  he  came  to  White- 
water, where  he  has  remained  ever  since.  Mr.  Brown  has  iield 
many  local  offices  of  position  and  trust,  fulfilling  their  duties  with 
rare  tact  and  ability  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  public.  He  was 
married  to  Clara  E.  Hughes  in  1845  and  has  four  children,  two  boys 
and  two  girls. 

Peter  Gorr,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  this  vicinity,  was  born 
in  Norton  county,  Pennsylvania,  Februai-y  23,  1814.  His  parents 
were  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  Gorr,  and  farmers  by  pursuit.  Peter  grew 
up  on  the  farm  and  received  a  common  school  education.  His  wife, 
to  whom  he  was  married  in  1850,  was  Lucinda  Norton,  daughter  of 
Theodore  and  Mary  (Waters)  Norton.  She  is  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania.    The  same  year  they  removed  to  De  Kalb  county,  Illinois  ; 


BIOGRAPHICAL,  619 

tlie  next  they  came  to  Winona  county,  settling  near  Homer.  At  this 
time  there  was  but  one  family  in  the  vicinity,  that  of  George  Clark. 
He  first  settled  on  Sec.  6,  T.  107,  E.  6.  In  the  spring  of  1S82  he 
moved  to  his  present  place.     He  is  a  democrat  in  politics. 

Samuel  Edwin  Colton,  born  in  Ellsworth,  JSTew  Hampshire, 
September  19,  1821.  His  father,  Samuel  Colton,  was  a  descendant  of 
Kev.  John  Colton,  one  of  the  first  ministers  of  Boston.  Mr.  Colton 
was  educated  in  a  high  school.  His  youth  was  spent  on  a  farm  until 
the  age  of  eighteen,  when  he  went  to  sea  and  spent  seven  years  as  a 
sailor,  when  he  went  into  a  foundry  and  learned  the  trade  of 
moulder.  In  1817  he  married  Miss  Sarah  A.  Roberts,  a  native  of 
Maine.  Nine  children  have  been  born  to  them,  seven  of  whom  are 
still  living,  six  sons  and  one  daughter.  In  the  spring  of  1852 -he 
joined  the  '•'Western  Farm  and  Tillage  Association"  and  removed 
to  Minnesota,  where  they  arrived  May  3,  1852,  near  the  present 
location  of  Minnesota  City,  where  he  has  remained  ever  since 
engaged  in  farming.  At  the  organization  of  Winona  county  Mr. 
Colton  was  elected  judge  of  probate,  justice  of  the  peace  and  one  of 
the  assessors,  and  is  one  of  the  justices  of  the  peace  at  the  present 
time,  and  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  about  lialf  the 
time  since  his  arrival  here  in  1852.  Mr.  Colton  is  a  member  of  the 
I.O.O.F.,  also  chief  templar  of  the  I.O.G.T.  Up  to  1861  Mr. 
Colton  was  in  politics  a  democrat,  since  that  time  he  has  been  a 
republican. 

Daniel  Q.  Burley,  born  September,  1821,  in  Caledonia  county, 
Vermont ;  parents  born  in  New  Hampshire ;  removed  to  New 
Hampshire  with  his  parents  when  a  child  ;  received  a  common  school 
education,  and  remained  on  a  farm  till  the  age  of  twenty-two  years, 
when  he  went  into  a  cotton-factory  and  worked  three  years.  At  the 
age  of  twenty-four  years  he  married  Miss  Naomi  Randlett,  of  New 
Ham])shire  ;  removed  to  Quincy,  Massachusetts,  in  1846  and 
learned  the  trade  of  stone-cutting,  which  he  followed  for  five  years  ; 
removed  back  to  New  Hampshire  and  remained  there  until  he  joined 
the  "Western  Farm  and  Village  Association"  and  came  out  with 
the  first  colony  to  Minnesota  City  on  May  18,  1852.  His  family 
remained  behind,  but  joined  him  in  about  two  and  a-half  years, 
Mrs.  Burley  died  in  1856,  when  he  married  Ann  Rowley,  a  native 
of  England,  who  is  still  living.  Mr.  Burley,  in  1863,  enlisted  in 
Co.  B,  7th  reg.  Minn.  Inf ,  and  participated  in  all  the  battles 
in  which  that  regiment  was  engaged  until  the  close  of   the  war. 


620  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

when  lie  was  discharged.  Mr.  Burley  has  had  eight  chihh-en,  live 
of  whom  are  still  living.  Mr.  Burley  owns  about  375  acres,  which 
is  in  Sec.  35,  T.  108,  R.  8. 

Uarkison  B.  Waterman  was  born  in  Wooster,  Otsego  county, 
New  York,  January  2,  1820.  After  receiving  a  common  school 
education  he  entered  Hard  wick  Seminary,  and  afterward  Cazenovi'a 
Seminary,  where  he  graduated.  Studied  law  with  Gen.  Burnside 
seven  years,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  the  supreme  court  in 
1844,  practiced  law  until  1852,  "when  he  joined  the  "Western  Farm 
and  Village  Association "  and  removed  to  Minnesota,  arriving  at 
Wabasha  prairie  (now  Winona  City)  May,  1852.  Mr.  Waterman 
was  married  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Fuller,  November  1,  1851.  Mrs. 
AV-jiterman's  mother  was  cousin  to  the  late  Hon.  Salmon  P.  Chase, 
chiet-justice  of  the  United  States  at  the  time  of  his  death.  J\[rs. 
Waterman  was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York,  October  28,  1828. 
Nine  children  have  been  born  to  them  ;  three  boys  and  two  girls  are 
still  living.  The  eldest  daughter,  Clara,  is  at  present,  and  has  been 
for  the  past  four  years,  a  teacher  in  the  public  high  school  in  Winona. 
In  politics  Mr.  Waterman  is  a  republican,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Episcopal  church  at  Winona. 

James  Wkight,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Rolling  Stone  town- 
ship, was  born  in  England  in  1818 ;  removed  to  the  United  States 
in  1831  ;  lived  in  New  York  city,  working  at  his  trade  of  wood 
turning,  until  1852,  when  he  joined  the  '"  Western  Farm  and  Vil- 
lage Association,"  and  came  to  Rolling  Stone  township  in  the  spring 
of  1852,  and  settled  on  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives.  Mr. 
Wright  was  married  in  New  York  in  1840  and  has  had  ten  children, 
five  of  whom  are  now  living,  four  sons  and  one  daughter.  Three 
of  his  sons  enlisted  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion  ;  one  son,  Randolph, 
was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburgh.  Mr.  Wright  offered  him- 
self for  enlistment,  but  was  rejected  on  account  of  disability.  At 
the  organization  of  the  township  in  1858  Mr.  Wright  was  elected 
township  clerk,  an  office  he  has  held  ever  since.  He  owns  the 
S.W.  i  of  S.E.  i  Sec.  2,  T.  107,  R.  8. 

Edward  B.  Drew  was  born  in  Steuben  county.  New  York ; 
received  a  common  school  education  and  remained  on  a  farm  until 
the  age  of  twenty-two  years,  when  he  removed  and  settled  on  the 
Wabash,  in  the  State  of  Indiana.  After  remaining  there  two  and 
a-half  years,  enduring  all  the  horrors  of  the  ague,  Mr.  Drew  set  out 
in  search  of  a  more  healthy  location,  and  arrived  at  Minnesota  City 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


621 


in  the  spring  of  1852,  and  from  thence  removed  to  the  farm  upon 
which  he  now  resides,  about  two  miles  west  of  Minnesota  City.  Mr. 
Drew  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  A.  Meddie,  who  died  in  Rolling 
Stone  township  in  1868.  Mr.  Drew  has  been  a  very  prominent 
man  in  the  township,  having  held  many  county  offices  and  repre- 
sented the  county  twice  in  the  legislature.  He  is  a  democrat  m 
politics,  but  has  always  received  the  sufirages  alike  of  all  political 
parties,  and,  if  he  would  only  accept,  could  be  elected  to  any  public 
office  in  the  gift  oi  the  citizens  ot  the  county.  Mr.  Drew  owns 
about  700  acres  oi  land,  and  can  be  counted  as  one  of  the  successful 
farmers  of  Winona  county. 

Orville  Morell  Lord  was  born  in  tlie  town  of  China,  in  what  is 
now  Wyoming  county,  New  York,  April  20,  1826.  His  father, 
Stephen  Sherman  Lord,  was  born  in  Saratoga  county  in  1778,  and 
his  mother  (before  marriage  Caroline  Badger)  was  born  in  Cayuga 
county  in  1808.  Their  parents  on  both  sides  were  from  Tolland 
and  Hartford  counties,  Connecticut.  Mr.  Lord's  parents  moved  to 
Dunkirk,  Chatauqua  county.  New  York,  in  1831.  In  1837  the 
family  moved  to  Lapeer  county,  Michigan,  town  of  Metamora. 
Their  father  was  a  blacksmith,  but  they  cultivated  a  small  farm. 
Mr.  Lord,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  attended  school  winters  in  the 
district  in  which  they  lived  until  he  was  seventeen,  when  he  went 
one  term  of  three  months  to  a  select  or  private  school  in  Pontiac, 
Michigan.  He  taught  district  school  winters  until  he  was  twenty- 
two.  He  married  in  1848,  and  has  since  been  engaged  in  farming. 
His  wife's  maiden  name  was  Martha  E.  Deming,  of  Oxford,  Oakland 
county,  Michigan.  They  have  had  seven  children,  five  boys  and 
two  girls,  three  boys  and  one  girl  are  now  living.  They  removed  to 
Minnesota  in  1852.  Mr.  Lord  was  a  member  of  the  territorial 
legislature  in  the  winter  of  1853-4,  and  again  in  the  winter  of  1873-4. 
He  was  appointed  county  superintendent  of  schools  for  Winona 
county,  September  25,  1875,  and  has  held  this  office  continuously 
since.'  In  politics  he  has  always  been  identified  with  the  democratic 
party.     He  has  never  been  connected  with  any  organization  except 

the  Masons. 

Robert  Thorp  was  born  in  Lincolnshire,  England,  December 
31,  1809.  I^eceived  a  common-school  education ;  worked  on  a 
faiTO  in  early  youth,  and  learned  the  trade  of  blacksmith,  at  which 
he  worked  until  his  emigration  to  the  United  States  in  1832,  and 
followed  his  trade  in  New  York  city  until  he  joined  the  "Western 


6  "J  2  HISTORY    OF    WESrONA    COUNTY. 

Farm  and  Village  Association  "  in  1852,  and  came  to  Minnesota 
with  the  first  colony.  Lived  in  Minnesota  City  about  three  vears, 
when  he  removed  to  S.E.  ^  of  Sec.  5,  T.  107,  K.  8,  on  which  he  has 
since  lived.  Mr.  Thorp  is  a  republican.  Has  held  the  office  of 
county  supervisor,  township  treasurer,  and  various  other  minor 
offices.  Was  married  in  New  York  city,  in  1838,  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
McCallister,  a  native  of  Ireland,  whose  parents  were  of  Scotch 
descent.  The  fruit  of  this  marriage  were  eight  children,  four  of 
whom  are  still  living ;  two  of  his  sons  enlisted,  r.ne  in  the  1st  and 
one  in  the  11th  reg.  Minn.  Inf. 

Laukenc*:  Delworth,  born  in  Ireland  in  the  year  1815.  He 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1841  and  settled  in  Washington 
county,  New  York,  where  he  engaged  in  farming.  He  joined  the 
"  Western  Farm  and  Village  Association,"  and  removed  to  Minne- 
sota City  in  1852.  Lived  in  Minnesota  City  about  one  year,  when 
he  removed  to  the  farm  on  whicli  he  now  lives,  being  in  Sees.  21 
and  22,  T.  107,  R.  8.  Was  married  November  24,  1845,  to  Miss 
Mary  Fitzgibbon,  a  native  of  Ireland.  Six  children  have  been  born, 
five  of  whom  are  still  living.  Mr.  Del  worth  and  wife  are  members 
of  the  Catholic  church.  Politically  Mr.  Delworth  is  a  democrat. 
He  owns  200  acres  of  most  excellent  land.  He  has,  from  the  first, 
attended  strictly  to  farming  and  has  made  it  pay. 

Michael  Majerus'  name  should  rank  among  the  fu'st  of  the  old 
settlers  who  made  a  home  in  the  beautiful  Whitewater  valley.  In 
1852  he  hinded  at  the  mouth  of  the  Whitewater  on  the  Mississijipi 
and  followed  the  windings  of  the  stream  until  he  found  a  spot  he 
thought  would  suit.  There  he  built  himself  a  shanty,  and  there  he 
has  since  remained.  The  shanty  gave  place  to  a  commodious  log 
house,  which  has,  in  its  turn,  given  place  to  one  of  the  handsomest 
brick  residences  to  be  found  in  the  valley.  Mr.  Majerus  is  a  man  of 
marked  strength  of  purpose,  and  he  has  "■hoed  his  own  row" 
through  life,  and  can  look  back  at  its  struggles  and  triumphs  with 
well-earned  satisfaction.  Mr.  Majerus  is  a  (i-erman,  born  in  1828, 
came  to  America  in  1851,  was  married  in  Germany,  and  has  a 
family  of  seven  children.     He  is  a  Lutheran  and  a  republican. 

John  Nevill,  son  of  Patrick  Nevill,  was  born  in  Sullivan 
county.  New  York,  January  15,  1844.  Patrick  Nevill,  his  father, 
was  born  in  Limerick,  Ireland,  a.d.  1704.  Came  to  America  when 
he  was  seventeen  years  old  and  settled  in  Montreal,  Canada,  where 
he  was  mari-ied;  he  then  removed  to  the  United  States  and  settled 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  623 

in  Sullivan  county,  New  York  ;  was  naturalized  in  1841,  and  while 
there  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born;  came  to  Minnesota  in  1852, 
and  was  the  fii'St  white  settler  in  the  town  of  Wilson.  Died 
January  5,  1882.  John  Nevill  was  but  a  mere  boy  when  his 
father  landed  in  Minnesota,  but  has  some  vivid  recollections  of 
the  hard  times  endured  by  the  early  pioneers.  He  had  two  brothers, 
James  and  JN^apoleon,  who  came  to  Minnesota,  but  both  are  now 
dead,  John  being  the  only  survivor  ^f  his  family.  He  enlisted  in 
the  army  in  1861,  joining  Co.  B,  2d  Minn.  Inf ,  under  Capt. 
Markham,  and  partici]  )ated  in  all  battles  in  which  his  regiment  was 
engaged.  Was  in  the  battles  of  Mill  Springs,  Nashville,  Pittsburgh 
landing,  Corinth,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Chickamauga  and  Missionary 
Ridge  ;  served  over  three  years  ;  went  with  Gen.  Sherman  to 
the  sea  ;  was  in  all  the  principal  battles  of  that  memorable  cam- 
paign; lost  only  thirty  days'  duty  during  liis  term  of  enlistment ;  he 
was  one  of  the  soldiers  who  did  actual  service,  prompt  in  the  dis- 
charge of  all  liis  duties.  After  coming  home  from  the  war  he 
settled  down  on  his  farm  in  Pleasant  Valley.  Mr.  ISTevillis  married, 
but  the  union  never  having  been  blest  with  children,  he  has  adopted 
two.  Mr.  Nevill  is  an  active,  hardworking  man,  taking  a  lively 
interest  in  all  practical  matters  ;  has  helped  organize  and  develop 
the  town,  is  now  one  of  the  town  supervisors.  He  owns  a  beautiful 
farm  five  miles  from  the  city  of  Winona  in  Pleasant  Valley  ;  is  a 
democrat  in  politics  and  Catholic  in  religion. 

John  Valentine  (deceased)  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1799.  He 
was  early  apprenticed  to  the  shoemaker's  trade  and  worked  for 
many  years  at  it  previous  to  his  emigrating  to  America.  He  landed 
at  New  Orleans  in  1849,  where  he  remained  several  years,  then 
going  to  Galena,  Illinois.  In  1853  he  pre-empted  land  in  Rolling 
Stone.  He  came  first,  leaving  his  family  in  Galena,  who  followed 
him  two  years  after.  Pie  was  one  of  the  very  first  in  the  township 
to  take  up  land.  He  was  married  in  1834  to  Miss  Charlotte  Jones, 
by  whom  he  has  had  six  children,  five  of  whom  are  living.  Though 
somewhat  advanced  in  years  when  he  took  up  his  claim  in  the  town- 
ship, nevertheless  he  was  considered  one  of  the  most  energetic  and 
enterprising  of  the  pioneers.  He  belonged  to  the  Episcopal  body, 
and  was  a  democrat  in  political  opinion.  He  died  after  a  prolonged 
illness,  and  is  buried  in  the  Protestant  burving-ground  at  Minnesota 
City. 

William  Davidson,  farmer,  is  probably  the  first  man  who  settled 


624  IIISTOUY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

and  opeiUMl  up  a  fanii  in  Winona  county.  He  was  born  in  Meisel- 
burg,  Scotland,  ( )ctober  21,  1810.  At  six  years  of  age  he  began 
work  at  the  shawl  hwms,  for  which  Paisley  is  so  famous.  His  father 
was  a  soldier,  and  his  mother  died  when  he  was  but  sev^en  years 
old.  He  continued  his  labor  in  the  manufacture  of  shawls  until 
eighteen  years  old,  and  then  came  to  America,  arriving  in  Montreal 
in  April,  1829.  Proceeding  to  Lowell,  Massachusetts,  he  found 
employment  in  the  factories  <jf  that  city,  where  his  knowledge  of 
weaving  served  him  well.  Here  he  was  married  in  September, 
1832,  to  Mary  Stinson,  born  near  Sterling,  Scotland,  January  25, 
1805  ;  she  was  a  faithful  helpmeet  and  mother  till  her  death,  which 
took  place  at  St.  Charles,  May  27,  1873.  In  1836  Mr.  Davidson 
went  to  Thompson vdlle,  Connecticut,  and  was  employed  fourteen 
years  in  a  carpet  factory  there.  Here  his  father,  Walter  Davidson, 
who  had  joined  his  son  in  the  new  world,  died.  In  1848  Mr. 
Davidson  removed  to  Clayton  county,  Iowa,  and  engaged  in  farm- 
ing. Early  in  the  spring  of  1853  he  set  off  up  the  Mississippi  on  a 
prospecting  tour,  and  landed  on  Wabasha  prairie,  now  the  site  of 
Winona,  on  April  6.  Setting  out  on  foot  with  a  compass  for  com- 
panion, by  the  10th  he  had  selected  his  location  on  Sec.  10,  in  this 
township,  and  removed  his  family  here  the  following  June.  He 
was  prominent  in  the  organization  of  the  county,  and  was  one  of  its 
board  of  commissioners  from  1855  to  1857  ;  was  one  of  the  delegates 
to  the  convention  wliich  nominated  Gov.  Ramsay.  The  first  road 
in  the  county  led  westward  from  Winona,  past  Mr.  Davidson's 
place,  and  was  called  the  Davidson  road,  and  many  a  tired  and 
hungry  prospector  had  reason  to  be  grateful  for  "Mother"  David- 
son's hospitality.  The  first  election  in  the  county  was  held  at  Mr. 
Davidson's  house  in  1854.  At  this  election  but  one  deinocratic 
vote  was  cast ;  George  Thorn  walked  twelve  miles  to  deposit  that. 
Mr.  Davidson  was  one  of  the  original  republicans,  having  formerly 
adhered  to  the  whig  party.  He  was  reared  in  the  PresV)yterian 
church,  and  was  a  member  of  that  church  while  a  society  existed  at 
St.  Charles,  being  an  elder  therein.  He  is  a  member  of  the  St. 
Charles  Lodge  and  Cha])ter,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  Six  children  were  reared 
in  this  family,  and  have  been  a  stay  to  their  parents.  Herewith  is 
appended  their  record  of  births,  etc :  Elizabeth,  March  17,  1834, 
married  H.  Lybarge,  as  elsewhere  noted  below,  and  with  whom  her 
fjither  makes  his  home ;  Walter,  May  12,  1836,  married  Annie 
Anderson  and  i-esides  in  San  Francisco ;  William,  July  18,  1838, 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  625 

married  Mary  E.  Yarr  and  resides  near  Waseca;  Robert  W.,  Jan- 
uary 25,  1841,  married  Ellen  E.  Jones,  lives  in  Pipestone  county, 
this  state  ;  John  D.,  Maj-cli,  1843,  married  Abby  Yandewalker  and 
is  now  living  near  Waseca;  Mary  G.,  July  21,  1846,  married 
Charles  Brewer  and  dwells  at  Atkinson,  Nebraska. 

WiLLi.oi  Petheram,  farmer,   is  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of 
Winona  county,  having  taken  a  claim  in  the  Gilmore  valley,  near 
Winona,   in  July,  1853.     He  was  born   at  Chapel  Allerton,  Somer- 
setshire, England,  June  25,  1822.      He  attended  the  rate  school  of 
his  parish  till   sixteen   years   old,    and   was   then    employed   as  a 
laborer.       In  1848  he  came  to  America  and  spent  one  year  in  Canada 
at  carpenter  work;   he  then  removed  to   Burlington,    Wisconsin, 
where  he  was  employed  at  building  operations  in  that  then-growing 
town,  assisting  in  the  building  of  two  mills  on    Fox  river  there. 
In  the  spring  of  1851  he  went  to  Dubuque,  Iowa,  where  he  was  still 
employed  as  a  carpenter.     He  was  married  there  April  16,  1853,  to 
Miss  Emily  Day,   who  was  born  in  Ware,  Somersetshire,  May  22, 
1834.     He  came  to  Winona,  as  above  noted,   and  lived  the  first 
year  within  the  city,  then  a  very  small  hamlet  of  six  or  eight  build- 
ings, where  he  labored  at  hi&  trade.     After  spending  a  year  on  his 
first  claim,  where  the  Gilmore  valley  brickyard  is  now  located,  he 
came  to  St.  Charles  in  December,   1855,  buying  160  acres  of  land 
on  Sec.  22.     He  now  has  187  acres,   of  which  all  but  thirty  have 
been  broken  ;    also  has  a  quarter-section  at  Wentworth,  Dakota. 
Mr.  Petheram  is  a  democrat,    and  somewhat  skeptical  in  religious 
matters.     Six  children  are  included  in  his  flock,  the  eldest  being  the 
third  child  born  in  Winona.     Their  births  date  as  herewith  noted  : 
John  E.,  September  3,  1854,  married  Hattie  J.  Talbot  and  lives  at 
Westport,  D.  T.;  Elizabeth  T.,  January  12,   1856,   married  Duane 
Wilmarth  and  resides  at  Wentworth,  Dakota  ;  Louisa  J.,  August  15, 
1859  ;    Arthur  C,  March  6,  1861,  now  living  at  Wentworth  ;  Will- 
iam W.,  March  4,  1865  ;  Frank  M.,  March  2,  1871.     Mr.  Petheram 
saw  many  of  the  hardships  common  to  pioneer  life.     He  came  here 
with  little  capital  and  depended  on  his  labor  for  a  livelihood.     Dur- 
ing the  first  winter  his  potatoes  were  frozen,  and  the  familv  were 
compelled  to  eat  them  or  go  without.     In  the  winter  of  1856-7  he 
spent  four  days  and  incurred  an  expense  of  nearly  ten  dollars  in 
going  to   mill  at  Preston,   twenty-five  miles  distant  ;    his  grist  of 
twenty-five  bushels  was  scarcely  worth  the  expenses  of  the  trip  at 
the  market  rates  of  that  time. 


026  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Luke  Blair,  farmer,  land  located  in  See.  29,  St.  Charles  township, 
and  consists  of  187  acres,  principally  oak  openings.  This  farm  was 
purchased  by  Mr.  Blair  in  the  fall  of  1873,  and  the  yield  i)er  acre 
ior  the  season  ot  1882  was  of  barley  thirty  bushels,  oats  lifty  bushels, 
corn  fifty  to  fifty-five  bushels,  and  hay  two  tons.  Mr.  Luke  Blair  is 
one  of  the  pioneers  of  Winona  county,  and  has  been  a  resident  of 
the  state  nearly  thirty  years.  A  native  of  Ware,  Massachusetts,  he 
came  into  Van  Rensselaer  county,  New  York,  with  his  parents,  at 
four  vears  of  age,  and  from  there  to  Wisconsin  in  1846.  After  resid- 
ing; for  seven  years  in  Racine  and  Columbia  counties,  in  that  state, 
Mr.  Blair  came  into  Minnesota,  looking  for  more  land  upon  which 
to  settle  his  family,  and  on  September  12,  1853,  made  his  claim  to 
three  quarter-sections  of  land  lying  principally  within  what  is  now 
Sec.  2,  Saratoga  township.  The  one-fourth  section  pre-empted 
for  himself  by  Mr.  Blair  was  the  N.W.  I  of  Sec.  2,  and  this  claiin 
was  proved  up  and  a  deed  taken  from  tlie  government  April  2, 
1857.  The  other  one-half  section  was  taken  for  his  sons  C^harles  and 
John  L.  Mr.  Luke  Blair  spent  the  winter  of  1853-4  in  Winona,  deal- 
ing to  some  extent  in  provisions,  and  the  following  spring  built  a 
storeroom  and  opened  business  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Center 
and  Second  streets.  This  business  he  sold  the  following  fall  to  Jacoby 
&  Co.,  and  moving  out  to  his  claim  in  Saratoga  township  spent  the 
winter  there.  The  following  spring,  1855,  he  built  his  barn,  aframe 
structure  16x24  feet  with  14-foot  posts,  and  a  frame  kitchen  16x24 
feet  with  8-foot  posts,  and  these  were  the  first  frame  buildings 
erected  in  Saratoga  township.  In  February,  1856,  Mr.  Blair  returned 
to  Winona,  and,  entering  into  partnership  with  Mr.  Burr  Deuel, 
opened  a  store  on  the  levee  at  the  foot  of  Center  street.  Continued 
in  business  here  one  year,  then  returned  to  his  farm  in  Saratoga 
township,  which  he  managed  three  years.  ,  Early  in  1860  he  again 
removed  to  Winona,  built  a  store  on  the  corner  of  Second  and  Center 
streets,  where  the  Second  National  Bank  now  is;  moved  into  it  that 
same  spring  with  a  large  stock  of  goods,  and  was  in  trade  there  at 
the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  1861-65,  when,  fearing  depression  in 
business,  he  removed  his  stock  of  goods  to  Preston,  Fillmore  county, 
Minnesota,  the  more  readily  to  dispose  of  them,  which  having  done 
he.  returned  that  same  fall,  1861,  to  his  Saratoga  farm,  and  remained 
there  until  his  removal  to  his  present  property  in  1874.  The  old 
homestead  remained  in  his  possession  until  the  spring  of  1882,  when 
it  was  sold  to  Thomas  H.  Wilson,  Esq.,  of  Winona.     October  17, 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  6iJ7 

1830,  Mr.  Luke  Blair  married  Margaret  Wiltse,  who  died  November 
10,  1874.  Of  these  three  children,  all  boys,  and  residents  of  Winona 
county,  Calvin  is  at  home.  Charles  resides  on  his  old  pre-emption 
in  Saratoga  and  John  L.  is  a  resident  of  St.  Charles.  February  15, 
1876,  Mr.  Blair  married  Mrs.  Mary  S.  Wooley,  of  Fremont  town- 
ship, Winona  county,  who  pre-empted  a  farm  there  in  1857,  and 
resided  upon  it  until  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Blair. 

Wakren  Kowell  was  born  in  New  Hampshire,  December  28, 
1818 ;  was  the  sixth  son  of  the  Hon.  Charles  Kowell.  He  married 
in  1844,  and  landed  in  Homer  township  in  1853.  Mr.  Kowell  be- 
longs to  the  Advent  Christian  church,  and  is  a  democrat  in  politics. 
Warren  Kowell  took  the  claim  where  he  now  resides  in  April, 
1853.  He  has  a  beautiful  farm  consisting  of  240  acres  of  land,  with 
pure  spring  water,  which  flows  through  the  yard.  He  designs  mak- 
ing stock-raising  his  principal  business  hereafter.  He  brought  the 
first  horse  team,  first  yoke  of  oxen  and  first  cow  into  the  valley. 
Always  at  his  post  of  duty,  though  not  a  leader,  it  can  be  truly  said 
he  was  a  worker  actively  engaged  in  all  good  work,  faithful  to  his 
Master's  cause,  ever  sustaining  his  wife  in  her  ministerial  life,  con 
tributing  largely  to  the  temperance  and  Sunday-school  work,  and, 
by  his  industry  and  frugality  upon  the  farm,  furnished  the  means  to 
give  his  family  a  collegiate  education,  which  he  made  not  by  specu- 
lation, but  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow. 

Mrs.  Kuth  M.  Kowell.  In  connection  with  the  early  history 
and  settlement  of  the  town  of  Homer,  there  is  no  name,  perhaps, 
that  figures  more  prominently  than  that  of  Mother  Kowell.  Born 
of  illustrious  parents,  reared  and  educated  in  all  that  pertains  to  true 
womanhood,  inheriting  from  her  ancestors  those  great  moral  and 
religious  traits  of  character  which  enabled  her  in  after-years  to  wield 
such  an  influence  in  the  vsdlds  of  the  west  that  unborn  generations 
will  yet  feel.  Mrs.  Kowell  embraced  religion  at  the  very  early  age 
of  nine  years;  joined  the  Advent  Christian  church;  was  married  in 
New  Hampshire,  June  9,  1844,  and  removed  with  her  husband, 
Warren  Kowell,  to  the  town  of  Homer  in  1853,  and  commenced  the 
ministry  in  1856.  Her  father  was  the  notable  Judge  Cogswell,  of 
New  Hampshire.  Her  mother  was  the  daughter  of  Col.  Anthony 
Peavey,  and  were  both  ministers  of  the  gospel.  It  Was  said  of  her 
grandmother,  Elisabeth  Peavey,  that  she  was  a  mother  in  Israel,  as 
she  had  seven  children  who  were  ministers.  She  was  the  sister  ot 
the  mother  of  Yice-President  Wilson.  The  education  of  the  people 
37 


628  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

in  christian  and  moral  principles  has  been  the  life-work  of  Mrs. 
Rowell ;  but  few  women,  indeed,  could  stand  to  do  the  amount  of 
missionary  work  that  she  has  done,  and  nothing  but  a  strong  will- 
power, su]iported  by  sustaining  influence  of  an  all-wise  Providence 
and  the  convictions  of  right  could  have  sustained  her  in  the  ])erform- 
ance  of  the  amount  of  physical  labor  required  of  her  in  attending  to 
her  itinerant  life's  woi-k ;  always  ready  at  a  little  warning  to  go  to 
the  sick-room  and  soothe  the  dying  with  words  of  cheer,  preaching 
the  funeral  sermon  and  attending  the  last  sad  rites  of  the  dead, 
speaking  words  of  hope  and  consolation  to  the  living,  then  again  in 
the  rostrum  or  pulpit,  explaining  the  great  mysteries  of  salvation 
through  Christ ;  and  when  we  reflect  that  she  has  done  all  this  at 
great  pecuniary  sacrifice  to  herself,  we  must  conclude  she  is  a  sincere 
worker  in  the  Master's  cause.  She  has  had  the  charge  of  the  Ad- 
vent Christian  church  in  Winona,  and  now  is  in  charge  and  the  reg- 
ular pastor  of  the  church  at  Utica.  Besides  her  ministerial  duties, 
she  has  given  birth  and  raised  to  honor  five  children,  two  of  whom 
are  now  dead.  The  eldest,  Mary  Adeline,  graduated  in  the  normal 
school  in  Winona,  taught  three  years  in  the  district  schools  in  the 
city,  and  also  taught  in  the  Collegiate  Institute  at  Red  Wing.  She 
married  an  estimable  gentleman  of  that  place,  and  now  resides 
there.  Her  second  child,  Fred  C. ,  is  also  a  graduate  of  the  normal 
school  at  Winona.  He  taught  successfully  several  district  schools. 
Married  an  accomplished  young  lady  in  Pleasant  Valley,  by  the 
name  of  Anna  M.  Preston,  and  now  lives  upon  the  farm  with  his 
father.  Her  third  child,  Annie  E.,  was  also  a  highly  educated  young 
lady,  was  also  a  teacher,  and  for  her  amiable  qualities  was  very 
highly  respected.  She  married  Mr.  E.  G.  Lord,  son  of  the  county 
superintendent,  O.  M.  Lord.  But  their  earthly  lives  were  soon  cut 
short,  she  dying  in  a  little  over  a  year,  leaving  an  infant  son,  and 
he  soon  followed,  both  dying  of  consumption.  The  fourth  child  died 
at  the  age  of  thirteen  months.  The  fifth  and  last,  Warren  C.j  is 
now  attending  the  city  schools  at  Red  Wing,  and  is  a  very  promis- 
ing boy,  and  expects  to  graduate  next  year.  Who  can  say  that  Mrs. 
Rowell  has  not  done  her  part  in  the  christian  work  and  develop- 
ment of  Winona  county,  and  in  the  education  of  the  youth  in  all 
those  virtues  that  adorn  society  and  forms  the  palladium  of  our  civil 
and  religious  liberties  ?  May  her  life  be  spared  to  continue  the  good 
work. 

George  Persons,  farmer,  was  born  in  Stoke,  Somersetshire,  Eng- 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  629 

land,  January  19,  1826.  He  was  very  early  placed  at  service  with 
farmers,  and  had  no  educational  advantages.  At  thirteen  years  of 
age  he  was  employed  by  a  butcher,  with  whom  he  remained  tiU 
twenty-two.  In  1848  he  crossed  the  Atlantic,  and  settled  on  a  farm 
at  Dyersville,  Iowa.  He  was  married  there  on  July  9,  1851,  to 
Eliza  Day  ;  she  was  born  in  Ware,  Somersetshire,  England,  March 
12,  1830.  In  June,  1854,  Mr.  Persons  removed  to  St.  Charles  and 
secured  160  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  22,  where  William  Petheram  now 
dwells.  This  he  shortly  sold  to  its  present  occupant,  and  bought  a 
farm  on  Sec.  4,  which  he  has  since  sold,  and  bought  other  farms  in 
the  same  neighborhood,  living  for  some  time  on  Sec.  3.  He  now 
has  eighty  acres  on  Sec.  15,  where  he  has  lived  for  the  past  live 
years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Persons  were  reared  in  the  Episcopal  church, 
to  which  they  still  adhere.  Mr.  Persons  always  votes  the  demo- 
cratic ticket.  Ten  children  were  reared  to  maturity  or  are  now  liv- 
ing in  this  family,  and  one  died  in  infancy.  Here  is  the  record  of 
births,  marriages  and  deaths:  Edwin  G.,  born  May  12,  1852,  mar- 
ried Lucy  Hardwick,  and  is  living  on  Sec.  5  ;  Albert  C,  born  Octo- 
ber 24, 1853,  married  Flora  Slater,  and  lives  at  Laverne,  Minnesota; 
John  F.,  born  January  9,  1855,  married  Cora  M.  Gilman,  and  died 
at  St.  Charles,  February  2,  1882,  leaving  two  children  ;  Ellen,  born 
July  8,  1856,  married  Henry  L.  Green,  and  resides  in  the  city  of  St. 
Charles;  Matilda,  born  December  7, 1858,  married  Ossian  L.  Wilder, 
dwelling  on  Sec.  16;  George  D.,  born  March  3,  1860,  makes  his 
home  with  parents  ;  Laura  E.,  born  March  29,  1863,  lives  in  St. 
Charles;  Minnie,  born  January  17,  1865 ;  Arthur  A.,  born  June  18, 
1869 ;  Bessie,  born  May  9,  1873. 

William  Talbot,  farmer,  was  born  in  West  Penard,  Somerset- 
shire, England,  May  13,  1821.  He  was  reared  on  an  English  dairy 
farm,  and  had  few  educational  advantages.  In  1849  he  emigrated 
to  America  and  spent  two  years  in  the  dairy  region  of  central  ISTew 
York.  In  1851  he  went  to  Dubuque  county,  Iowa,  where  he  tilled 
rented  land.  En  1854  he  came  to  Winona  county  and  located  160 
acres  of  government  land  on  Sec.  14,  where  his  home  now  is. 
Keturning  to  Iowa  in  1857,  he  was  married  there  on  October  1  of 
that  year,  to  Miss  Martha  E.  Baker ;  she  was  born  in  Burn  ham, 
Somersetshire,  August  17,  1830.  Mr.  Talbot  at  once  began  house- 
keeping on  his  farm,  and  has  ever  since  dwelt  thereon  ;  he  now  has 
270  acres  of  land,  of  which  forty  acres  are  covered  with  timber,  the 
balance  being  under  the  plow.     In  religious  belief  the  family  are 


630  JIISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Second  Adventists.  Mr.  Talbot  has  always  voted  the  republican 
ticket  in  national  and  state  elections.  Five  children  of  this  family 
are  now  living  ;  born  as  below  indicated  :  Harriet  J. ,  July  2,  1860, 
married  John  Petheran,  and  lives  at  Westport,  Dakota  ;  Agnes  M., 
February  2,  1862  ;  Annie  E.,  November  1,  1865  ;  Jesse  W.,  Febru- 
ary 13,  1871  ;  Cora  E.,  August  9,  1872. 

George  B.  Talbot,  farmer,  is  a  brother  of  the  above,  and  was 
born  in  the  same  place,  October  15, 1846.  He  came  with  his  parents 
to  Dubuque  county,  Iowa,  in  1852,  and  thence  to  St.  Charles  in  the 
spring  of  1855.  He  received  no  schooling  till  he  was  fifteen  years 
old,  after  which  he  attended  six  winter  terms  of  three  months  each, 
being  one  of  the  first  pupils  in  the  log  schoolhouse  which  stood  near 
his  father's  farm.  He  assisted  his  father  till  of  age,  and  afterward 
tilled  the  land  in  partnership  with  an  elder  brother.  In  1874  the 
property  was  divided  between  the  two  brothers,  George  taking  160 
acres  on  Sec.  26,  on  which  he  has  since  resided.  A  part  of  his 
present  residence  was  that  year  erected,  and  a  part  in  1882.  He 
now  has  210  acres  of  land,  of  which  forty  on  Sec.  27  is  timbered  ; 
he  has  a  handsome  farm  and  dwelling,  and  is  prepared  to  enjoy  life. 
He  was  married  March  11,  1874,  to  Mary  A.,  relict  of  G.  W.  Gibbs, 
daughter  of  Robert  and  Hannali  Whitting  ;  she  was  born  in  Somer- 
setshire, August  20,  1841.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Talbot  are  supporters  of 
and  attendants  on  religious  services.  He  is  a  republican.  Two 
children  have  been  given  to  them,  as  follows:  Hannah  A.,  April 
11,  1877  ;  Ada  M.,  May  30,  1879. 

"William  M.  B.vrker,  farmer,  is  a  grandson  of  Asa  Barker,  who 
emigrated  from  England  at  the  outbreak  of  the  revolutionary  war  to 
assist  the  colonists  ;  he  was  present  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill, 
and  served  till  the  close  of  the  war,  after  which  he  settled  in  Maine. 
Here  was  born  to  him  a  son  whom  he  christened  William.  Samuel 
Davis,  a  Scotch  highlander,  who  served  seven  years  under  Wash- 
ington, participating  in  fourteen  battles,  also  settled  in  Maine  at  the 
close  of  the  war  ;  his  daughter,  Susan,  was  one  of  three  children 
boi'u  in  Fort  Gorham  during  a  war  with  the  local  Indians.  On 
reaching  maturity  William  Barker  and  Susan  Davis  were  married 
and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Bridgeton,  Cumberland  county,  where  was 
born  to  them  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  on  July  24,  1820.  He 
attended  the  common  school  till  fifteen  years  old  and  then  spent  a 
year  at  Gorham  Academy.  Wlien  sixteen  he  was  apprenticed  to  a 
carpenter,  and  followed  that  trade  till  he  came  to  Minnesota.     In 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  631 

1846  he  went  to  Illinois,  where  he  spent  seven  years  in  depot- 
building  and  other  railroad  work.  He  was  a  passenger  on  the  first 
trip  of  the  War  Eagle  up  the  Mississippi  in  1853,  and  landed  at 
Winona  at  three  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  April  7.  His  first  claim 
to  government  land  was  made  on  Sec.  15,  in  the  town  of  St.  Charles ; 
this  he  sold,  and  subsequently  bought  a  farm  on  Sec.  36,  Elba. 
He  was  married  June  27,  1865,  to  Maria,  daughter  of  Austin  and 
Polly  Raymond,  of  Oneida  county,  New  York  ;  she  was  born  in 
Camden,  New  York,  in  June,  1823  ;  at  the  time  of  this  marriage 
she  was  the  widow  of  Pierson  Everton.  Mrs.  Barker  died  on 
January  31,  1878  ;  after  her  death  Mr.  Barker  sold  his  farm  and 
purchased  forty  acres  on  the  same  section,  which  he  now  tills  ;  he 
also  tills  adjoining  land  on  Sec.  1,  St.  Charles,  on  which  he  resides. 
He  never  left  the  state  after  his  first  settlement  here  until  December, 
1882,  when  he  went  to  the  Wisconsin  pineries  and  spent  the  winter. 
Mr.  Barker  built  the  first  frame  house  erected  in  St.  Charles  for 
Henry  Clipper,  in  1855.  In  religious  belief  he  is  a  Methodist ;  in 
politics,  was  a  democrat  till  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  and  is  now  a 
greenbacker.  Following  is  the  record  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Everton's 
children  :  Jane  married  James  Annis,  and  lives  in  northern  Min- 
nesota ;  Henry  resides  in  Winona  ;  Janet  is  living  in  the  town  of  St. 
Charles  ;  Alfred  is  in  New  Mexico  ;  Ida  married  George  Raymond 
and  lives  in  Kansas  ;  Emma  E.  is  married  and  lives  in  Winona. 

Thomas  C.  Baek,  farmer,  was  born  in  Scotland,  June  2, 
1829.  He  was  the  youngest  of  a  family  of  seven  children.  His 
parents  died  before  he  was  thirteen  months  old,  and  at  six  years 
of  age  he  was  compelled  to  begin  laboring  in  a  shawl  factory;  here 
he  remained  till  fifteen  years  old,  when  he  went  on  a  farm  and 
remained  till  of  age.  On  reaching  his  majority  Mr.  Barr  emigrated 
to  America  and  spent  four  years  at  farm  labor  in  Illinois.  In  the 
fall  of  1851  he  came  to  Minnesota  and  took  up  a  quarter  of  Sec.  5  in 
St.  Charles  township,  on  which  he  still  resides.  By  subsequent  pur- 
chase he  has  acquired  180  acres  in  the  adjoining  township  of  Elba, 
and  tills  over  200  acres  of  land;  his  farm  is  well  improved  with  build- 
ings and  all  that  goes  to  make  a  comfortable  farmer's  home.  On- July 
2,  1860,  he  married  Phillis  Talbot,  who  was  born  in  Somersetshire, 
England,  December  27,  1838.  Himself  and  wife  are  members  of 
the  St.  Charles  Congregational  church.  Mr.  Barr  is  a  republican, 
but  does  not  meddle  in  political  affairs.  He  served  his  school  dis- 
trict as  treasurer  for  seven  years.     By  patient  industry  he  has  made 


()32  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

himself  financially  independent.  He  has  reared  a  large  family,  hav- 
ing thirteen  children,  born  as  here  noted  :  Susan  A.,  March  5,  1861, 
married  John  Drehr  March  25,  1880,  and  lives  in  Elba  township; 
Mary  C,  April  30,  1862  ;  William  R,  December  8,  1863  ;  Agnes  S., 
March  22.  1865;  Minnie  M.,  April  11,  1867;  Christian  P.,  Septem- 
ber 16,  1868;  Alice  P.,  February  13,  1870;  Thomas  A.,  September 
21,  1871;  Anna  J.,  August  16,  1873;  Phillis  S.,  May  8,  1875; 
George  H.,  December  18,  1876 ;  Sophia  B.,  February  9,  1880  ;  Celia 
O.,  December  2,  1882. 

Hezekiah  Lybarger,  farmer,  was  bom  in  Danville,  Knox  county, 
Ohio,  February  18,  1821.  His  father  was  a  blacksmith,  and  he  was 
very  early  set  to  work  in  the  shop  and  had  no  educational  advan- 
tages. At  nineteen  years  of  age  he  set  out  for  himself  in  the  world 
and  continued  to  follow  his  trade  tor  three  years,  after  which  he 
took  up  farm  labor.  In  1848  he  went  to  Alamakee  county,  Iowa, 
where  he  secured  land  and  engaged  in  farming.  Here  he  married 
Elizabeth  Davidson,  whose  parentage  is  elsewhere  given  above ; 
their  wedding  occurred  March  17,  1853.  During  this  year  Mr. 
Lybarger  visited  St.  Charles  and  the  next  year  removed  here  with 
his  family  and  took  up  160- acres  of  government  land  on  Sec.  9, 
where  he  has  ever  since  resided.  He  is  a  member  of  St.  Charles 
grange  and  a  republican ;  religious  belief  corresponds  with  that  of 
the  Methodist  church.  Mrs.  Lybarger  was  formerly  a  Presbyterian, 
but  since  the  dissolution  of  that  church  at  St.  Charles  has  joined  the 
Congregational  church  at  the  same  place.  Five  living  children  are 
included  in  the  family,  born  as  herewith  given:  William  D.,  May 
12,  1854,  married  Urilla  Davidson,  and  is  now  living  at  Watertown, 
Dakota  Territory;  Ellen  K.,  November  9,  1856,  married  James  R. 
Pringle,  and  lives  in  the  adjoining  township  of  Dover;  Lewis  H., 
August  23,  1859;  Mary  I.,  December  23,  1864;  Fred  H.,  January 
5,  1871;  Charles  and  Alice  P.,  born  in  1867  and  1875,  respectively, 
died  in  early  infancy. 

LvMAN  D.  Cox,  one  of  the  leading  citizens,  and  a  pioneer  of  the 
county,  was  born  in  St.  Lawrence  county,  Xew  York,  April  2,  1826. 
His  parents  were  Benjamin  and  Mary  Bowman  Cox.  His  great 
grandfather  was  a  native  of  Hardwick,  Massachusetts,  as  was  his 
father.  The  great-grandfather  was  an  officer  in  the  revolution,  and 
the  grandfather  served  as  an  aid  to  him.  The  latter  in  after-years 
had  command  of  the  forces  stationed  at  Fort  Defiance,  Vermont. 
Thev  are  a  race  of  farmers.     The  grandfather  removed  from  Hard- 


BIOGEAPHICAL. 


683 


wick  to  Barnard,  Vermont,  and  was  among  the  early  settlers  in  that 
vicinity.     Tlie  tather,  Benjamin,  was  reared  on  a  farm,  and  received 
a  meager  education.    Plis  mother  was  of  Scotch  descent.    The  father 
went  to  St.   Lawrence  county,  New  York,  in  1818,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one  years,  but  soon  returned  to  Barnard,  and  was  married. 
Soon  after  his  marriage  he  returned  to  St.   Lawrence  county,  and 
took  up  his  residence.     Here  Lyman  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-six,  he  left  St.  Lawrence  county  and  went  to 
IndianapoHs,  Indiana,  where,  on  June  3,  1853,  he  wedded  Miss 
Esther  Cox,  a  daughter  of  Aurin  and  Hortense  Cox.      She  was  a 
native  of  Windsor  county,  Vermont,  having  been  born  there  Janu- 
ary 3,  1832.     Mr.  Cox  remained  at  Indianapolis  for  one  year,  where 
he  followed  the  business  of  a  butcher.     In  1854  he  came  to  Winona 
county  on  a  prospecting  tour,  and  laid  claim  to  the  S.W.  i  of  Sec.  8 
in  Saratoga  township.     He  went  back  to  Indianapolis  and  remained 
during  the  winter,  and  in  the  spring  of  1855  came  west  again  and 
began  to  improve  his  claim.     In  the  autumn  following  his  family 
came  on,  and  the  family  were  reunited.     Here  they  have  since  lived 
and  wrought.     Mr.   Cox  owns  a  fine  farm  of  nearly  four  hundred 
acres.     He  is  a  member  of  Evergreen  Lodge  of  Masons,  No.  46  ;  a 
republican  in  politics,  and  was  for  a  number  of  years  president  of 
the  board  of  supervisors  for  Saratoga  township. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cox  are  the  parents  of  four  children :  Franklin, 
born  March  19,  1854 ;  Benjamin,  born  August  15,  1861  ;  Mary, 
born  April  13,,  1870,  and  Julia,  born  March  11,  1873. 

Alexander  Gilmore,  farmer,  has  been  a  resident  of  St.  Charles 
since  August,  1854,  at  which  time  he  made  a  claim  on  160  acres  of 
land  on  Sec.  9.     In  1860  he  sold  a  part  of  his  original  claim  and 
bought  fourteen  acres  on  Sec.  4,  where  his  present  residence  stands. 
His'^farm  includes  156  acres  of  finely  improved  land,  graced  with 
buildings  such  as  one  expects  a  tidy  farmer  to  have.     Mr.  Gilmore 
was  born  in  Nielston  Parish,  Scotland,  September  27,  1825 ;    he 
was  reared  on  a  farm  and  attended  the  parish  school.     On  Christ- 
mas day  of  1848  he  married  Susan  Barr,  who  was  born  in  Paisley, 
June  9,  1826.     A  brother   of  Mr.  Gilmore,  after  whom  Gilmore 
valley,  near  Winona,  was  named,  having  died  there  in  1854,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  America  to  look  after  his  property,  and 
settled  here  as  above  noted.      He  was  reared  in  the  Presbyterian 
church,  but  has  been  connected  with  no  religious  body  since  his  resi- 
dence here.     Mrs.  Gilmore  is  a  member  of  the  St.  Charles  Congrc- 


634  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

gational  church.  Mr.  Gihnore  has  been  either  clerk  or  treasurer  of 
his  school  district  for  over  fifteen  years,  but  would  never  accept  any 
town  office ;  he  has  always  been  a  republican.  The  family  includes 
nine  living  children,  who  came  into  it  at  dates  here  given :  Allen, 
Februai-y  28,  1849,  and  Thomas  B.,  September  21,  1850,  both  living 
at  Dayton,  W.  T. ;  Elizabeth,  August  22,  1852,  married  George  Pike 
and  lives  in  Utica  township;  Christina,  June  13,  1856,  resides  with 
eldest  brother;  Maggie  W.,  March  3,  1858,  married  George  E. 
Masters  and  lives  at  De  Smet,  D.  T. ;  Alexander,  January  29,  1860, 
resides  near  two  elder  brothers  ;  Agnes,  October  19,  1861 ;  William 
H.,  July  14,  1863;  Susie  B.,  April  20,  1866. 

Terence,  son  of  Thomas  and  Mary  (O'Flannigan)  McCauly,  was 
born  in  northern  Ireland,  province  of  Ulster,  County  Donegal,  on 
February  5,  1822.  His  father,  Thomas  McCauly,  was  born  in  1786 
in  the  same  town  and  house.  His  (Terence's)  grandmother  on  his 
mother's  side,  by  name  Anna  McPhelim,  was  born  in  1742.  She  was 
a  highly  educated  woman,  and  accomplished  much  good  in  the 
country  where  she  lived.  Her  father,  Terence's  great-grandfather 
on  his  mother's  side,  was  Dennis  McPhelim,  who  was  born  in  1697. 
He  also'  was  highly  educated.  His  (Terence's)  father,  Thomas 
McCauly,  was  in  the  revolution  of  1798  in  Ireland.  After  the  Eng- 
lish took  possession  of  Ireland  he  was  banished  to  the  hill  country  of 
Ireland,  where  he  remained  several  years.  After  his  term  of  ban- 
ishment had  expired  he  returned  to  his  native  county,  and  in  the 
month  of  August,  1852,  he  embarked  for  America.  He  first  settled 
in  Vermont,  eight  miles  from  Burlington.  He  farmed  here  until 
1854,  when  he  left  Vermont  and  came  to  Dresbach,  Minnesota. 
December  20,  1854,  he  bought  a  farm  here,  on  which  he  lived  the 
remainder  of  his  days.  Terence  McCauly,  the  subject  of  this  Sio- 
gra[)hy,  landed  in  the  United  States  July  8,  1848.  He  lived  at 
or  near  Burlington,  Vermont,  for  six  years  and  then  emigrated  to 
Minnesota.  October  26, 1854,  he  landed  at  La  Crescent.  He  bought 
land  in  McCauly's  valley  in  T.  104,  R.  5  W.,  Sec.  31.  Mr.  McCauly 
was  a  justice  of  the  peace  of  his  township  for  twelve  years ;  was  the 
cause  of  bringing  twenty-two  families  to  this  state,  many  of  them 
settling  in  this  county.  Mr.  McCauly  is  a  man  of  rare  ability,  both 
natural  and  acquired.  Though  accustomed  to  manual  labor,  he  has 
always  found  time  to  read  and  acquaint  himself  witli  both  past  and 
present  events.  He  is  well  informed  on  ancient  and  modern  history. 
But  few  are  better  acquainted  with  the  history  of  their  church  than 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  635 

he  with  his  (Catholic).  His  wife,  Mrs.  Bridget  (Gillespie)  McCauly, 
was  born  in  the  same  town  as  her  husband  in  1810,  being  twelve 
years  his  senior.  She  came  to  America  in  1849  ;  brought  up  in  the 
Koman  Catholic  religion,  in  which  faith  she  has  lived  a  firm  be- 
liever. Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCaulj  have  no  children.  By  industry  and 
frugality  they  have  obtained  considerable  property  for  their  latter 
days,  now  owning  a  large  and  good  farm  in  McCauly's  valley.  Mr. 
McCauly  is  a  good  substantial  citizen,  and  has  been  well  identified 
with  his  township  since  its  early  history. 

E.0BERT  F.  ISToKTON,  of  Homcr,  was  born  in  Washtenaw  county, 
Michigan,  February  10,  1836.  His  father,  H.  B.  Norton,  was  a  native 
of  Victor,  I^ew  York  ;  Margaret  (Martin),  his  mother,  was  a  native 
of  Sligo,  Ireland,  and  is  of  Scotch  descent.  In  184:6  he  went  to 
learn  the  printer's  trade  at  Ann  Arbor,  Michigan.  All  the  education 
he  ever  had  was  received  in  the  district  school  prior  to  this  time.  In 
1852  his  parents  moved  to  Rockford,  Illinois,  where  young  Robert 
worked  at  his  trade  for  some  time.  He  came  to  this  county  in  1854, 
settling  in  Minneoah,  where  he  followed  various  pursuits  until  the 
opening  of  the  rebellion.  August  17,  1862,  he  enlisted  in  Co.  B, 
7th  Minn.,  and  was  on  the  Indian  raid  through  the  north  part  of 
the  state.  March  25,  1863,  he  was  commissioned  a  sergeant.  On 
account  of  disability  he  resigned  August  17,  1863,  and  came  home 
and  worked  for  awhile  as  a  wood  workman.  August  6,  1872,  he 
opened  at  Homer  a  stock  of  merchandise,  the  cost  of  which  was 
$52.88.  The  business  has  since  increased  until  he  now  carries  a 
stock  of  general  merchandise  worth  $4,000.  In  the  November  fol- 
lowing he  issued  the  initial  number  of  the  "Novelty  Press,"  devoted 
to  home  news.  This  was  sold  in  1876  to  Norton  and  Trueman  and  * 
merged  into  the  "Winona  Democrat."  June  28,  1871,  he  was 
appointed  postmaster  at  Homer,  a  position  which  he  retains.  Jan- 
uary he  issued  the  first  number  of  "Bob's  Own,"  a  paper  devoted  to 
his  own  interests.     August  25,  1881,  he  married  Mrs.  George  Eagle. 

John  C.  Brown,  son  of  Eden  Brown  and  Mary,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Squires,  was  born  in  Susquehanna  county,  Pennsylvania ; 
came  to  Wisconsin  in  1844,  and  to  Minnesota  in  1854,  and  settled  in 
the  town  of  Wilson,  East  Burns  valley  ;  was  married  in  1852  to  Miss 
Julia  Haskins,  daughter  of  John  Haskins  and  Fanny,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Fanny  Rodgers.  John  C.  Brown  and  wife  have  had  four 
children,  whose  names  in  the  order  in  which  they  were  born  were : 
Mary  F.,  Frank,  Sarah  L.  and  Calvin  E.     Mr.  Brown  has  173  acres 


636  JIISTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

of  land  near  the  moutli  of  Etist  Burns  valley,  wliere  he  resides  now. 
He  is  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  John  C.  Brown  took  a  very  active 
part  in  the  development  of  his  town  and  county ;  was  one  of  the 
judges  of  election  in  the  notorious  railroad  bond  swindled  ;  has  been 
assessor  of  the  town  of  Wilson  for  lifteen  years,  and  no  man  has 
taken  a  deeper  interest  in  the  town  than  Mr.  Brovm.  Punctual  and 
accurate  in  all  his  official  business  and  demanding  ot  others  a  strict 
account  of  their  official  conduct.  He  claims  to  have  made  the  second 
pre-emption  in  this  land  district,  D.  L,  Babcock's  father  making  the 
first.  By  reason  of  a  deformity  of  the  feet  he  was  not  permitted  to 
enter  the  army.  Is  a  larmer  by  occupation  and  a  liberal  republican 
in  politics.     He  lives  yet  upon  his  first  claim. 

Amos  Shay  was  born  June  7,  1817,  at  Brighton,  New  York. 
Until  the  age  of  fifteen  he  lived  at  Brighton  and  attended  school. 
In  1832,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  he  removed  to  Branch  county,  Michi- 
gan, with  his  parents.  For  two  years  after  his  arrival  he  attended 
school  in  Branch  county.  In  1852  he  came  to  Savannah,  Illinois. 
He  lived  there  until  ISoi,  when  he  removed  to  Richmond  village, 
Winona  county,  Minnesota.  In  a  few  months  he  left  Richmond  and 
settled  on  a  farm  which  he  had  purchased  in  N.  W.  ^  Sec.  27,  where 
he  has  engaged  in  farming  ever  since.  Amos  Shay  has  been  mar- 
ried twice.  May  19,  1837,  he  was  married  to  Elvira  Perrin,  The 
children  by  the  first  wife  :  William,  born  December  28,  1813,  died 
March  17,  1869;  Mary,  born  February  5,  1840,  died,  date  unknown; 
Ellen,  born  January  4,  1812.  ifis' first  wife,  Elvira  Shay,  died  July 
5,  1815.  January  13,  1846,  Amos  Shay  was  married  to  Alvina 
Liddle.  The  children  by  his  second  wife,  four  boys,  were  :  Frederick 
'  v.,  born  January  14,  1848;  John,  born  December  18,  1850;  Thomas, 
born  October  15,  1852  ;  Charles,  born  November  3,  1857.  Amos 
Shay  has  always  engaged  m  farming.  He  is  a  republican  in  politics. 
He  was  not  in  the  war ;  is  at  present  in  very  good  circumstances. 

Joseph  Cooper  was  born  in  Fairfax  Court  House,  Virginia, 
March  20,  1820.  His  father,  Joseph  (hooper,  was  a  carriage  maker 
in  the  city  of  Washington,  D.  C,  and  was  also  engaged  in  the  wood 
trade,  bringing  wood  up  the  Potomac  for  sale  in  the  city.  When 
only  ten  years  old,  after  having  attended  the  Calvinistic  preparatory 
school  for  several  terms,  and  having  a  taste  for  sailing,  he  went  to 
sea,  and  for  nearly  fifteen  years  he  followed  the  water,  making 
several  voyages  from  New  York  to  London .  He  sailed  around  Cape 
Horn  to  California  in  1836,   also  visited  Juan  Fernandez  islands. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  637 

and  came  back  and  joined  the  United  States  navy,  and  was  stationed 
three  years  on  the  coast  of  Brazil  in  the  sloop  of  war  Marion.  After 
leaving  the  navy  he  made  voyages  to  Trieste,  Austria,  and  various 
ports  of  the  Mediterranean  sea,  to  London  and  Havre,  then  to  Car- 
diff, Wales,  for  strap  railroad  iron.  This  proved  to  be  his  last  ocean 
voyage.  When  about  three  days  out  from  Land's  End,  England, 
the  ship  was  dismasted;  all  three  of  the  masts  were  swept  from  the 
deck  by  a  sudden  squall  of  wind;  the  ship  being  heavily  loaded  with 
iron,  and  rolling  in  the  heavy  seas,  she  sprung  a  leak,  and  for 
seventy-eight  days  they  were  compelled  to  work  the  pumps  day  and 
night.  For  forty-eight  da3^s  they  were  on  short  allowance.  After 
drifting  about  for  two  and  a-half  months  they  finally  landed  on  St. 
Thomas  island,  one  of  the  West  Indies,  in  a  most  destitute  condition. 
From  St.  Thomas  island  he  took  passage  to  Kew  Orleans.  Here 
he  was  very  sick  for  some  time,  but  finally  took  passage  on  a  steam- 
boat toEvansville,  Indiana,  and  from  there  he  went  by  stage  to  Terre 
Haute,  Indiana,  where  he  found  his  father's  family.  Here  he  mar- 
ried Ellen  M.  Gaither,  July  12,  1844.  Soon  tiring  of  an  inactive 
life,  he  went  to  Toledo,  and  there  engaged  in  sailing  on  the  lakes. 
Here  he  soon  became  master  of  a  vessel,  and  sailed  for  one  employer 
six  years  on  the  different  lakes.  He  hauled  the  first  vessel  across 
the  Sault  Ste.  Marie  portage  (one  mile)  upon  rollers;  this  took  about 
six  weeks.  He  had  for  a  cargo  Indian  goods  to  pay  Indians  at  the 
Apostle  islands.  After  arriving  at  destination  he  was  surprised  to 
find  that  a  part  of  his  cargo,  belonging  to  a  man  from  Chicago,  and 
marked  "mutton  hams,"  was  nothing  else  than  whisky,  which  was 
contraband  goods  and  laid  him  and  his  vessel  liable  for  receiving 
and  shipping  the  same.  He  notified  the  owner  to  come  and  take 
his  mutton  hams  away,  but  upon  his  non-compliance,  and  the  cir- 
culation of  the  fact  that  there  was  bottled  whisky  aboard  the  ship, 
he  concluded  to  take  his  vessel  away,  and  accordingly  hoisted  sail 
and  started  off.  There  happened  to  be  a  twelve-oared  government 
boat  in  the  vicinity,  which  immediately  gave  chase,  and  very  nearly 
caught  him  in  rounding  a  point.  After  baffling  his  pursuers  he 
landed  and  gave  up  the  whisky  (two  casks,  filled  with  bottles  of  the 
fluid)  to  the  Sioux  missionary  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  In  1851  he 
bought  a  half-interest  in  a  vessel  named  General  Houston  and  sailed 
it  with  success  and  profit  till  1853,  when  she  capsized  one  evening, 
near  the  American  shore,  at  the  head  of  Lake  Erie;  fortunately  no 
lives  were  lost,  and  after  escaping  to  Maiden,  Canada,  he  took  his 


688  HISTORY  OF  winona  county. 

first  horseback  ride  to  Detroit,  where  he  hired  a  steamboat  to  search 
for  his  vessel.  After  hunting  three  days  he  found  her  on  the  Canada 
side  and  sold  her,  and  after  making  a  couple  more  voyages,  in  one 
of  which  he  nearly  lost  his  life  by  the  falling  of  his  foremast,  he  left 
the  lakes.  In  the  early  winter  of  1853  he  bought  an  interest  in  a 
livery  stable  in  Terre  Haute,  Indiana.  In  October,  1854,  he  and 
his  partner  sold  out  part  of  livery  stock  and  he  started  for  St.  Paul, 
Minnesota,  with  six  head  of  horses.  He  came  with  teams  to  La 
Crosse,  Wisconsin,  and  finding  it  impossible  to  get  his  horses  shipped 
to  St.  Paul  that  year,  he  came  out  to  Pleasant  Ilill,  Minnesota,  in 
December,  1854,  and  made  a  claim,  and  began  to  get  out  logs 
for  a  house,  22x24  feet  and  one  and  one-half  stories  high. 
This  house  was  completed  and  he  moved  his  family  into  it 
March  20,  1855,  So(m  the  travel  on  the  Territorial  road,  from  La 
Crosse,  Wisconsin,  to  Mankato,  Minnesota,  became  so  great  that  he 
was  almost  forced  into  keeping  a  hotel  and  relay  stables  for  the 
stage  company.  Politically  speaking  Mr.  Cooper  is,  and  always  has 
been,  a  democrat,  and  as  such  he  has  filled  all  the  different  offices  of 
his  township,  and  represented  his  congressional  district  in  the  state 
legislature  in  1879  and  1880.  He  was  also  the  first  postmaster  of 
Ridgeway  postoffice,  established  in  1856,  and  is  at  present  filling 
the  same  position,  having  been  postmaster  of  that  office  seventeen 
years,  at  different  periods.  Mr.  Cooper  and  wife  are  still  living  on 
their  original  claim  of  160  acres  in  Pleasant  Hill,  and  their  union 
has  been  blessed  with  seven  children:  Lizzie  E.,  born  in  Detroit, 
Michigan,  October  8,  1845  ;  Lelia  E.,  born  in  Toledo,  Ohio,  August 
22,  1848  ;  Sarah  A.,  born  at  Ridgeway,  Minnesota,  July  20,  1857  ; 
Joseph  B.,  born  at  Ridgeway,  August  21,  1858;  Willie  J.,  born  at 
Ridgeway,  March  7,  1861  ;  George  B.,  born  at  Ridgeway,  April  12, 
1864  ;  Jennie  J.,  born  at  Ridgeway,  June  26,  1868.  Lelia  E.  died 
January  2,  1865.  The  three  youngest  are  living  at  home,  and  with 
their  parents  form  a  cheerful  family,  enjoying  all  the  necessary  com- 
forts of  life. 

Stephen  Covey,  farmer,  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  the  White- 
water valley,  was  born  in  Rennselaer  county,  New  York,  about 
1800,  and  about  1830  moved  to  Westfield,  Chautauqua  county.  New 
York,  and  in  1854  to  Whitewater,  where  he  purchased  a  claim  for 
$360  from  Albert  Pomeroy,  on  which  was  built  the  third  log-house 
erected  in  the  valley,  standing  about  twenty  rods  south  of  the  ])resent 
line  of  the  village  of  Beaver.     In  1822  our  subject  married  Miss 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  639 

Laura  Collar,  and  by  this  marriage  had  nine  children  :  Zamer,  born 
1823,  died  same  year;  Louisa  M.,  born  1825,  died  1871  ;  Caroline 
S.,  born  1827  ;  Harrison  R,  born  1829,  died  1882  ;  Mary  E.,  born 
1831 ;  James,  born  1833  ;  Stephen  R,  born  1837  ;  Laura  M.,  born 
1840  ;  Ester,  born  1842,  married  W.  H.  Martin  in  1862.  Our  sub- 
ject had  very  liberal  views  on  religious  matters.  Died  in  White- 
water valley  in  1856,  being  the  first  death  in  the  vallej'. 

H.  C.  Balcom,  real  estate,  ofiice  on  south  side  Front  street,  between 
Walnut  and  Market.  Mr.  Balcom  has  been  a  resident  of  AVinona 
since  the  summer  of  1854.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  he  was  engaged 
to  teach  school  in  the  little  hamlet  on  Wabasha  prairie,  since  grown 
into  the  third  city  of  the  state  in  population,  wealth  and  co  mmercial 
importance.  This  school  was  the  first  organized  school  within  the 
limits  of  the  county,  and  the  territory  it  included  formed  the  first 
organized  school  district  in  the  present  area  of  the  county.  This 
school  Mr.  Balcom  taught  during  the  winter  seasons  of  1854-5-6. 
In  the  summer  of  1855  Mr.  H.  C.  Balcom  engaged  in  lumber  busi- 
ness with  his  father,  Jos.  Balcom,  who  came  that  year  to  Winona  from 
California  and  bought  the  warehouse  on  Front  street,  which  for  nearly 
twenty-eight  years  has  continued  to  be  the  Balcoms'  business  head- 
quarters. Here,  in  1855,  they  also  opened  the  first  furniture  store 
established  in  Winona,  and  in  this  business  and  his  lumber  trade  Mr, 
H.  C.  Balcom  was  engaged  until  August  16.  1862,  when  he  enlisted 
in  Co.  B,  7th  Minn.  Inf.,  attached  to  the  third  brigade,  sixteenth  army 
corps.  His  first  year's  service  was  on  the  frontier,  afterward  in  the 
southwest,  principally  in  the  Gulf  states,  within  the  military  depart- 
ment of  Tennessee.  After  about  eighteen  months'  service  with  his 
company,  he  was  commissioned  first  lieutenant  and  detailed  as 
brigade  quartermaster,  in  which  capacity  he  served  until  the  close 
of  the  war.  Returning  from  the  service  in  1865  he  resumed  lumber 
business  with  his  father  at  the  old  office  on  Front  street,  and  some 
years  later  transferred  his  attention  to  real  estate.  Mr.  Balcom  was 
for  four  years  a  member  of  the  board  of  education  in  this  city.  He 
is  married,  has  six  children,  one  of  them  (Harry)  in  the  First  National 
Bank,  of  tliis  city,  and  two  others  attending  the  high  school. 

Mr.  Joseph  Balcom,  so  long  identified  with  the  business  interests 
of  Winona,  was  a  native  of  JSTew  York,  and,  as  before  stated,  came  to 
Winona  in  1855,  after  having  spent  some  years  in  California.  He 
died  in  the  Lake  Superior  mining  regions,  June  3,  1882,  where  he 


640  irirtTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

was  engaged  in  looking  after  his  interests  in  the  copper  mines  of  that 
region.     His  widow  still  survives,  and  is  a  resident  of  this  city. 

W.  G.  Dye,  United  States  revenue  collector  for  the  twelfth  Min- 
nesota district,  is  a  native  of  New  York  State,  and  a  printer  by  trade. 
He  came  to  AVinona  in  the  early  days  of  its  history,  1854,  and  that 
same  year  assisted,  as  compositor,  in  getting  out  the  first  number  of 
the  "Argus,"  the  pioneer  newspaper  of  Winona.  From  that  date 
until  1881  he  was  identified  with  the  newspaper  interests  of  this  city, 
and  is  abundant!}^  qualitied  to  speak  concerning  them.  In  1855  Mr. 
Dye  started  the  "Republican"  as  a  joint  stock  enterprise,  and  of  this 
he  was  manager  and  publisher.  The  following  spring,  1856,  in  con- 
nection with  D.  Sinclair,  he  bought  out  tlie  stockholders'  interests, 
became  business  manager  of  the  journal  (D.  Sinclau-  conducting  the 
editorial  department),  and  so  continued  until  he  sold  out  to  his  old 
partner  in  1881,  having  maintained  a  continuous  connection  with  the 
"Republican"  for  over  a  quarter  of  a  century.  July  1,  1881,  he  re- 
ceived his  appointment  as  United  States  revenue  collector,  and  is 
still  in  office.  In  company  witli  Thomas  Simpson  and  Henry  Wick- 
ersham,  the  latter,  years  since,  removed  from  Winona.  Mr.  Dye  was 
initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  Odd-Fellowshii)  May  6,  1856,  and 
these  gentlemen  were  the  first  initiates  of  Prairie  Lodge,  which  at 
the  time  of  their  admission  numbered  five  members.  Mr.  Dye  is 
not  only  a  representative  member  of  the  order  in  Winona  and  Min- 
nesota, but  is  well  known  in  the  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge  of  the 
Order  in  the  United  States.  He  has  filled  all  the  chairs  of  the 
order;  was  deputy  grand  master  of  the  state;  grand  representa- 
tive in  1865-6 ;  and  now  for  nine  successive  years  has  been  grand 
representative  to  the  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge.  Mr.  Dye  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fi'aternity,  and  an  affiliate  of  Winona 
Lodge,  No.  18,  Winona  Chapter,  No.  5,  and  of  (>oeur  de  Lion  Com- 
mandery,  No.  3.  He  is  married,  has  two  children  in  school,  and 
one  daughter  graduated  from  the  high  school  class  of  1882. 

Lyman  Raymond,  flour-barrel  manufacturer,  south  side  King 
street,  near  Huff.  Business  is  the  manufacture  of  hand-made  bar- 
rels, and  has  been  now  in  operation  a  little  over  six  years.  His  lots 
front  120  feet  on  King,  are  150  feet  deep,  and  u})on  them  are  erected 
the  main  manufactory,  120x30  feet,  a  storage-room  60x24  feet, 
and  a  building  120x24,  used  partly  for  manufacturing  and  partly  for 
storage.  The  number  of  hands  employed  averages  fifty,  and  two 
teams  are  constantly  employed.     Product  is  from  500  to  800  barrels 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  641 

a  day,  all  disposed  of  in  the  home  market.  Mr.  Raymond  was  born 
in  Camden,  Oneida  county,  New  York,  September  4,  1820  ;  was  edu- 
cated in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  place,  and  followed  the 
farm  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  for  the  next  five  years 
was  salesman  in  a  lumber  firm.  In  1843  he  started  business  for 
himself  in  Camden,  and  was  so  engaged  until  1854,  when  he  came 
to  "Winona  county,  took  up  a  farm  in  Utica  township  near  Lewiston, 
which  he  sold  out  the  following  year,  18.5.5,  and  returning  to  Cam- 
den resumed  his  old  business,  which  he  conducted  until  1863.  He 
then  returned  to  Winona  county,  and  was  engaged  in  farming  in  Utica 
township  for  five  years,  then  removed  to  Lewiston,  still  interesting 
himself  in  farm  operations.  His  first  barrel  manufactory  was 
started  at  Lewiston  in  1872,  and  two  years  later  removed  to  this 
city.  For  the  past  ten  years  Mr.  Raymond  has  been  extensively 
engaged  in  grain-threshing  operations,  and  during  the  season  of 
1882  had  four  steam  threshers  at  work,  employing  a  force  of  six- 
teen hands. 

William  Riley  Stewart,  born  in  Connecticut  in  1817,  re- 
moved with  his  parents  while  young  to  Steuben  county,  ITew  York. 
Remained  there  until  1845,  engaged  in  lumbering.  He  then 
removed  to  Lake  county,  Illinois,  where  he  remained  about  nine 
years,  and  worked  at  blacksmithing.  Removed  to  Rolling  Stone 
township,  Minnesota,  November,  1854,  and  engaged  in  farming. 
Was  married  February  4,  1843,  to  Miss  Helen  Drew.  The  fruit  of 
this  marriage  were  four  children,  all  of  whom  are  living.  Mrs. 
Stewart  died  in  1865.  On  May  20,  1856,  Mr.  Stewart  married  Miss 
Albina  Drew.  The  fruit  of  this  marriage  were  ten  children,  five  of 
whom  are  living.  Mr.  Stewart  has  held  the  office  of  county  super- 
visor and  other  minor  offices.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stewart  are  members 
of  the  Baptist  church.  The  first  sermon  ever  preached  in  Rolling 
Stone  valley  was  preached  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Stewart,  in  the  fall  of 
1856.     Mr.  Stewart  owns  about  350  acres.     In  politics,  republican. 

R.  D.  Cone,  wholesale  and  retail  dealer  in  hardware,  JSTos.  46  to 
48  East  Second  street.  This  business  has  been  in  successful  opera- 
tion in  this  city  since  1855,  and  the  proprietor  is  not  only  the  oldest 
hardware  merchant,  but  the  oldest  merchant  of  any  kind  now  doing 
business  in  the  city.  When  business  was  started  the  house  occupied 
the  west  twenty  feet  of  the  present  lot,  was  thirty  feet  deep  and  gave 
employment  to  one  tinner,  Mr.  Cone  himself  being  sole  salesman. 
This  establishment  was  destroyed  in  the  great  fire  of  1862,  in  which 


642  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

the  loss  was  $10,000  above  insurance.  The  same  and  following 
season  the  present  structure  was  built.  The  lot  upon  which  it  stands 
fronts  sixty  feet  on  Second  and  has  a  depth  ot  140  feet ;  the  building 
is  a  three-story  brick  and  stone  basement,  40  feet  front,  125  deep, 
the  whole  four  floors  devoted  to  the  business  of  the  house,  which 
gives  employment  to  two  traveling  salesmen,  nine  clerks  and  book- 
keeper and  two  manufacturing  tinsmiths.  The  house  carries  a  full 
assortment  of  shelf  and  heavy  hardware,  tin  and  wagon  stock. 
Sales  for  1882  about  $175,000.  R.  D.  Cone  is  a  native  of  Shenango 
county.  New  York,  and  was  in  the  stove  and  tinware  business  in 
Rochester,  in  that  state,  before  coming  to  Winona,  April  9,  1855. 
Mr.  Cone  was  candidate  for  the  mayoralty  of  this  city  when  the 
office  was  first  created,  and  defeated.  He  has  since  held  the  office 
two  terms,  and  has  several  times  represented  his  ward  in  the  com- 
mon council  and  on  the  city  school  board.  He  was  born  November 
8,  1821  ;  married  July  3,  1848,  and  has  four  children  surviving  his 
wife,  who  died  some  years  since.  The  family  residence  is  on  the 
corner  of  Fifth  and  Main  streets. 

y.  Simpson,  real  estate  and  loan  office,  room  No.  5,  Simpson's 
block.  Mr.  Simpson  is  the  son  of  B.  F.  and  Eliza  Simpson,  of 
Lowell,  Massachusetts,  both  of  whom  are  now  living;  one  aged 
eighty-three  and  the  other  eighty-two,  after  fifty-six  years  of  married 
life.  V.  Simpson  was  born  in  Windham,  and  after  some  experience 
in  dry  goods  business  came  west  to  Dubuque  in  1852,  and  three 
years  later  to  Winona,  the  date  of  his  arrival  here  being  April  12, 
1855.  On  the  12tli  day  of  the  following  August  he  opened  a  genei-al 
merchandising  business  in  a  building  he  had  erected  on  the  site  of 
his  present  block,  fronting  on  Center  street.  Continued  in  trade  one 
year,  and  sold  out,  that  he  might  devote  all  his  attention  to  his 
agencies  for  freight  and  storage,  which  he  held  for  all  the  transporta- 
tion companies  doing  business  on  the  river.  In  the  spring  of  1852 
he  connected  the  supply  of  provisions  with  his  freightage  and  stor- 
age business,  and  so  continued  until  two  years  after  the  great  fire  of 
1862,  which  swept  away  his  property,  entailing  a  loss  of  $60,000 
and  leaving  him  thoroughly  cleaned  out.  In  that  year,  1864,  he  sold 
out  his  business  to  F.  A.  Seavey  and  established  a  real  estate  and 
loan  agency.  The  Simpson  block,  built  just  after  the  great  fire  of 
1862,  is  a  solid  three-story  and  basement  structure,  68x120  feet, 
brick  walls,  stone  foundations  and  basement,  and  cost  $16,000. 
January  13,  1877,  this  block  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  immediately 


BIOGKAPHICAL.  643 

rebuilt  at  a  cost  of  $15,000;  loss  about  covered  by  insurance.  In 
1872  Mr.  Simpson  erected  the  Ely  block,  just  across  Center  street 
from  the  Simpson  block.  This  is  also  a  three-storj  and  basement 
and  brick,  solid  stone  foundations  and  basement,  iron  cornice  fronts, 
eighty  feet  on  Second  street  and  140  on  Center,  and  cost  $45,000. 
Mr.  Simpson  is  very  largely  interested  in  city  property,  and  bis 
books  show  a  tenantry  numbering  182.  He  has  also  quite  extensive 
investments  in  farming  lands  in  this  county,  and  owns  one  stock 
farm  of  400  acres  in  Dodge  county.  Mr.  Simpson  has  served  one 
term  as  alderman  of  his  ward,  was  mayor  of  the  city  during  the 
years  1876-7-8-9,  holds  stock  shares  in  several  of  the  manufacturing 
companies  of  the  city,  and  is  always  interested  in  city  improvements" 
He  is  married  and  has  three  children :  one  son,  a  civil  engineer  in 
the  United  States  service,  on  duty  with  the  Missouri  river  improve- 
ment corps  ;  one  daughter  married  to  E.  G.  Nevins,  of  this  city  ; 
one  daughter  now  attending  Winona  high  school. 

George  W.  Blaie,  N.E.  J  of  Sec.   10,  township  of  Saratoga. 
This  claim  was  made  April  14,  1855,  by  the  present  proprietor,  and 
proved   up  by  him  October  1,  1860.     Forty-five  acres  have  been 
added  to  the  original  claim  and  the  farm  now  includes  205  acres, 
almost  exclusively  prairie  soil,   which,   in    this  locality,  is  a  deep 
vegetable  loam  with  a  clay  subsoil.     There  are  now  upon  the  farm 
thirty-five  head  of  hogs,  seven  horses  and  eight  head  of  cattle.     The 
average  yield   per   acre  for  the   season   of    1882  was   as  follows: 
Wheat,  14  bushels  ;  oats,  42  bushels  ;  barley,  35  bushels  ;  corn,  40 
bushel  ;  timothy  seed,  6^  bushels  ;  hay,  1^  and  2  tons.     The  first 
dwelling  on  the  premises  was  erected  in  1855,  and  was  occupied 
until  the  present  residence  was  built  in  1870,  a  comfortable,  tasty 
and  commodious  two-story  frame.     Mr.  G.  W.  Blair  is  a  native  of 
Bennington,  Vermont,  but  was  for  many  years  prior  to  his  location 
in  the  county  a  resident  of  Albany,  New  York,  where,  previous  to 
1853,  he  was  employed  as  clerk  in  both  retail  and  wholesale  houses. 
From  1853  to  1855  he  was  employed  as  keeper  in  the  Sing  Sing- 
States  prison,  on  the  Hudson.     His  wife.  Miss  M.  S.  Deuel,  came 
with  him  from  Albany,  and  they  have  five  children  living,  all  born 
on  the  old  liomestead.     They  are,  George  N.  Blair,  born  July  20, 
1855,  the  first  white  child  born  in   Saratoga  township  ;    Burr  D. 
Blair,  born  May  11,  1858  :  Hattie  E.  Blair,  born  January  27,  1860, 
and  Alice  E.  and  Florence  E.   (twins),  born  December  27,   1865. 
The  two  sons  are  quite  liberally  educated,  having  supplemented  such 
38 


644  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

teacliino;  as  the  county  afforded  with  some  time  at  Ann  Arbor, 
Michigan.  They  have  both  taught  school,  an  employment  in  which 
Bui-r  D.  was  engaged  the  past  winter,  and  from  which  he  has 
recently  returned  to  his  studies  at  the  University  of  Michigan. 

Amasa  Ctlkason  was  })orn  in  Half  Moon  township,  Saratoga 
county.  New  York,  September  25,  1825.  He  spent  his  youth  upon 
a  farm  near  Oswego,  New  York,  receiving  a  very  limited  oppor- 
tunity to  educate  himself.  His  stepfather  moved  to  Michigan,  and 
died  there  in  1847.  In  1848  Mr.  Gleason  went  to  Michigan  and 
took  care  of  his  motlier's  family.  He  lived  there  two  years,  then 
moved  to  Fond  du  Lac,  Wisconsin,  and  lived  about  three  years ; 
then  he  moved  to  La  Crescent,  Minnesota,  and  took  a  claim  and 
lived  one  year,  but  not  liking  his  surroundings  he  gave  it  up  and 
came  to  Pleasant  Hill  in  April,  1855,  and  entered  a  claim  in  Sec.  10, 
built  a  log  shanty  and  went  to  chopping,  clearing  and  improving  his 
land.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Harriet  Spalding,  March  31,  1856. 
Their  union  has  been  blessed  with  live  children,  the  two  eldest  of 
which  are  married.  One  resides  near  his  father  in  Pleasant  Hill, 
and  the  other  has  taken  a  homestead  of  160  acres  in  Moody  county, 
Minnesota.  Mr.  Gleason  has  suffered  from  asthma  since  coming 
to  ]V[innesota  in  1852.  He  is,  politically  speaking,  a  democrat,  and 
has  twice  served  his  township  as  supervisor.  He  was  also  a  member 
of  the  Sons  of  Temperance,  charter  member  of  Pleasant  Hill, 
Patrons  of  Husbandry,  and  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  He  is  now  very  comfortably  situated  on  120  acres  of  good 
farming  land,  surrounded  by  all  necessary  comforts  and  many 
luxuries  of  life. 

Charles  Henry  Berry,  one  of  the  lawyers  who  located  at 
Winona  at  an  early  day,  is  still  living.  He  was  born  at  WesteHy, 
Rhode  Island,  September  12,  1823,  and  is  the  son  of  Samuel  F.  and 
Lucy  (Stanton)  Berry.  Both  parents  were  descended  from  Hugue- 
not emigrants,  who  left  France  on  the  repeal  of  the  edict  of 
Nantes  in  the  time  of  Louis  XIV.  The  gi-andfather  of  our  subject, 
Samuel  Berry,  held  the  office  of  justice  of  sessions  in  Ihe  county  of 
Kings,  Rhode  Island,  imder  the  Colonial  government.  His  commis- 
sion bears  date  May  7,  1774,  is  signed  by  Gov,  Joseph  Wanton, 
and  is  issued  in  the  name  of  "  His  Most  Sacred  Majesty  George  the 
Third."  He  was  known  as  a  conservative  at  the  beginning  of  the 
war  of  the  revolution,  but  held  his  office  until  after  the  peace  of 
1783,  and  did  efficient  service  in  the  cause  of  independence.     Samuel 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  (345 

F.  Berry,  in  October,  1828,  removed  with  his  family  to  Steuben 
county,  New  York,  and  settled  in  what  was  then  a  dense  wilderness, 
about  five  miles  from  the  present  village  of  Corning.  The  journey 
from  Rhode  Island  was  over  four  hundred  miles,  wholly  by  emi- 
grant wagon.  The  route  crossed  the  "  North  River,"  as  the  Hudson" 
was  then  generally  called,  at  the  village  of  Hudson,  thence  over  the 
Catskill  mountains  to  and  down  the  Susquehanna  and  up  the 
Chemung.  The  subject  of  our  sketch  has  a  distinct  remembrance 
of  this  removal,  and  of  the  solemn  and  tearful  farewells  between  his 
mother  and  her  friends  as  she  departed  for  the  "  up  country,"  none 
of  them  expecting  to  meet  her  again.  A  removal  was  at  that  time 
a  serious  thing.  The  first  to  be  done  in  their  new  home  was  to 
clear  the  land  of  its  heavy  forests  of  hemlock,  pine  and  hardwood 
timber,  a  stern* rugged  task,  in  which  parents  and  children  alike 
joined.  But  however  cheerless  the  prospects  of  the  pioneer  to  the 
parents,  it  was  not  more  promising  to  the  children.  Their  com- 
m^union  was  with  nature,  their  pleasure  in  the  pathless  woods  ; 
schools,  all  the  appliances  of  civilized  life,  were  only  what  the 
hardy  settlers  could  improvise.  But  the  boy  had  health  and 
strength,  and  played,  with  his  companions,  his  part  in  the  short 
winter  school  and  the  rougher  labors  of  the  year.  When  seventeen 
years  old  he  went  to  reside  at  Maine  village,  Broome  county,  where 
he  attended  an  excellent  private  school  conducted  by  Rev.  William 
Gates.  Alternating  between  this  school  and  other  employments,  he 
passed  the  time  until  the  fall  of  1843,  when  in  his  turn  he  tried  his 
hand  at  teaching.  In  fact  a  school  was  at  this  time  a  common 
employment  for  the  winter.  In  Prof.  Gates'  school,  and  from 
forced  self-instruction,  he  acquired  the  rudiments  of  an  education, 
which  was  continued  at  the  Canandaigua  Academy,  where  he  com- 
pleted an  English  and  scientific  course,  graduating  in  July,  1846. 
At  this  time  he  had  begun  to  read  law  in  the  office  of  E.  G.  Lapliam, 
of  Canandaigua  (now  United  States  senator),  and  after  reading  about 
one  and  a-half  years  in  this  office  he  entered  the  law  office  of  Hon. 
Alvah  Worden,  in  the  same  town.  Here  he  remained  until 
admitted  to  the  bar  ;  as  soon  as  admitted  he  went  to  Corning.  In 
1849  he  opened  an  office  among  the  friends  of  his  boyhood,  and 
practiced  alone  until  in  May,  1851,  he  took  as  a  partner  the  late 
Hon.  C.  W.  Waterman.  The  firm  of  Berry  &  Waterman  continued, 
first  at  Corning,  then  at  Winona,  until  the  close  of  the  year  1871, 
when  the  junior  partner  retired,  he  having  been  elected  district  judge. 


64 (i  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Mr.  Berrv  came  to  Winona  to  make  it  his  home  in  May,  1855,  and 
on  the  17th  of  that  month  secured  an  office.  Pie  dates  his  business 
life  in  Winona  from  that  time,  though  lie,  in  fact,  returned  to  Corn- 
ing to  make  final  arrangements  for  removal,  and  did  not  get  back 
to  Winona  until  in  June.  Since  that  time,  as  member  of  the  fii-m  of 
Berry  &  Waterman,  then  alone,  and  now  of  the  firm  of  Berry  & 
Morey,  he  has  here  practiced  his  profession  without  interruption. 
He  was  attorney -of-record  in  the  first  judgment  docketed  in  Winona 
county,  Frederick  S.  Barlow  vs.  Charles  S.  Hamilton,  for  $1,544.60, 
rendered  and  docketed  August  7,  1855.  Though  an  attorney,  his 
desires  have  always  been  for  peace,  and  not  for  controversy  ;  and  it 
is  but  just  to  say  that  he  has  rarely  allowed  a  dispute  to  be  litigated 
if  in  his  power  to  secure  a  settlement.  On  November  14,  1850,  at 
Corning,  New  York,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Frances  Eliza  Hubbell, 
who  is  also  still  living.  They  have  one  child,  Kate  Louise,  born 
August  25,  1857,  who  is  the  wife  of  his  law  partner,  Mr.  C.  A. 
Morey.  Mr.  Berry,  with  his  family,  attends  the  Episcopal  church, 
to  the  establishment  and  support  of  which  he  has  ever  been  a  reliable 
contributor.  Born  and  reared  in  the  democratic  faith,  he  has 
generally  acted  with  that  party,  though  from  1847  to  the  dissolution 
of  the  "  free  soil  party,"  he  was  a  zealous  advocate  of  its  anti-slavery 
doctrines.  He,  however,  refused  to  go  with  the  abolition  wing  into 
the  republican  party  and  settled  back  into  the  old  line.  He  cannot 
be  said  to  have  sought  office,  and  yet  from  time  to  time  has  held  office. 
He  has  been  state  senator,  was  the  first  attorney-general  of  the  state, 
and  has  held  other  offices,  but  the  one  we  believe  he  attaches  the 
most  importance  to  was  his  connection  with  the  public  schools  of 
the  city.  He  was  from  1870,  for  eight  years,  president  of  the 
board  of  education,  during  which  time  the  "Madison"  and  "Wash- 
ington "  school  buildings  were  erected,  their  grounds  laid  out  and 
set  with  trees,  and  the  schools  themselves  elevated  to  a  high 
standard  of  excellence.  With  his  equally  willing  associates  in  the 
board,  he  and  they  may  long  enjoy  the  pleasure  of  seeing  these 
institutions  growing  in  beauty  and  in  power  of  usefulness  ;  the 
])roduct  of  the  liberality  and  enlightened  spirit  of  the  people  who 
furnished  the  means,  as  well  as  of  the  fostering  care  of  the  builders. 
He  also  rendered  efiicient  service  in  securing  the  location  of  the 
first  state  normal  school  at  Winona,  and  in  the  legislature  in 
defeating  the  attempt  made  in  1874  to  eliminate  normal  schools 
from  the  educational  system  of  the   state.     In    works   of  internal 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  647 

improvement  of  the  state,  as  well  as  in  all  things  pertaining  to  the 
advancement  of  every  real  interest  of  the  city  and  county,  he  has 
ever  taken  an  interest,  and  generally  given  active  and  efficient  aid. 
Thomas  B.  Taylor  (deceased)  was  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of 
Minnesota,  having  settled  in  the  town  of  Dover  in  May,  1855,'  on 
the  farm  adjoining  this  town  now  occupied  by  William  Smith.  In 
the  fall  of  1874  he  sold  his  fjirm  and  removed  to  the  city  of  St. 
Charles,  where  he  died  in  the  following  December.  Mr.  Taylor 
was  born  in  Howard,  Massachusetts,  in  1807.  He  married  Miss 
Farnell  Murdock,  a  native  of  the  same  state.  Three  of  his  sons  and 
one  daughter  also  emigrated  west.  The  eldest,  Charles,  is  sketched 
below  ;  Albert  M.  died  at  St.  Charles,  leaving  a  widow,  now  Mrs. 
Caleb  Batchelor,  and  one  child  :  Edward  S.  married  Delia  Wood- 
ard  and  resides  at  Mankato;  he  served  three  years  during  the  war 
of  the  rebellion  in  a  Vermont  regiment ;  Laura  P.  married  J.  H. 
Gardner,  now  deceased,  and  lives  in  St.  Charles  city. 

Charles  H.  Taylor,  farmer,  is  a  son  of  the  above.  He  was 
born  at  Haverhill,  Massachusets,  August  8,  1833.  He  attended  the 
common  schools  till  sixteen  years  old,  then  took  up  his  father's 
occupation  of  combmaker ;  served  some  years  as  clerk  in  a  store 
in  Boston.  On  March  4,  1854,  he  married  Miss  Helen,  a  daughter  of 
Ebenezer  Burrell  and  Lucy  Tucker,  who  were  born  in  Canton,  Massa- 
chusetts. In  the  fall  of  the  following  year  Mr.  Taylor  came  to  Min- 
nesota. After  residing  one  year  in  the  town  of  Warren  he  pre- 
empted land  in  Sec.  12,  Dover,  but  soon  sold  and  removed  to  this 
town  ;  has  bought  and  sold  several  times,  and  bought  his  present 
farm  of  100  acres  on  Sec.  18  in  1876;  previous  to  this  time  he 
resided  in  St.  Charles  city  several  years,  keeping  livery  stable,  bill- 
iard hall,  etc.;  is  now  quite  extensively  engaged  in  stockraising, 
giving  attention  to  Jersey  cattle,  blooded  horses  and  mules.  Mr. 
Taylor  enlisted  in  February,  1863,  in  Co.  C,  5th  Iowa  Cav.,  and  served 
till  May  16,  1866.  In  the  spring  of  1864  his  regiment  was  sent  on 
service  against  the  western  Indians  under  Gen.  Sully.  He  partici- 
pated in  two  engagements  on  the  Little  Missouri,  in  one  of  which  his 
horse  received  two  arrows,  and  was  in  several  skirmishes  on  the 
Yellowstone.  Mr.  Taylor  is  a  republican  ;  member  of  St.  Charles 
Lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.;  was  city  constable  in  1875.  On  January 
25,  1866,  he  adopted  a  boy  then  ten  days  old,  who  was  christened 
Clinton  Taylor. 

Henry  Hymen  Straw  was  born  in  the  town  of  Hayfield,  Craw- 


648  IIISTOKY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

ford  ooiintv,  Pennsylvania,  February  11^,  1884.  Mis  parents  were 
Philip  and  Leah  (Gelir)  Straw.  His  grand t^atliers,  -Jacob  Straw  and 
David  (lehr,  were  natives  of  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsylvania  ; 
the  latter  was  in  the  war  of  1812.  They  were  both  farmers.  Henry 
irrew  to  nianliood  on  a  farm  and  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  years  he  commenced  as  a  clerk  in 
the  general  merchandise  establishment  at  Sagerstown,  Pennsylvania, 
which  he  followed  for  two  years.  Tiring  of  the  employment,  he 
concluded  to  go  west,  and,  consistent  with  his  conclusions,  he  left 
the  scenes  of  his  early  days  and  went  to  Dubucjue  county,  Iowa, 
where  he  worked  on  a  farm  for  a  year.  In  May,  1855,  he  came  to 
Winona  county  and  entered  a  claim  in  Sec.  17,  Saratoga  township, 
which  he  improved  and  on  winch  he'still  lives.  December  29,  1857, 
he  married  Miss  Jane  R.,  daughter  of  Henry  and  Mary  (Bisbee) 
Ingalls,  early  settlers  of  the  vicinity.  They  are  the  parents  of  four 
children:  George  H.,  born  September  25,  1858;  Clara  A.,  born 
November  9,  1860,  died  May  ]5,  1863;  Edward  H.,  born  October 
17,  1868,  and  Alice  R.,  born  July  20,  1879.  Mrs.  Straw  is  a  native 
of  Erie  county.  New  York,  being  born  there  March  1,  1841.  Mr. 
Straw  is  a  member  of  No.  46  lodge  of  Masons  (Evergreen)  at  Troy, 
Minnesota.  He  is  a  ilemoci-at  in  politics,  and  was  for  a  number  of 
years  supervisor  of  his  township. 

H.  D.  Morse,  real  estate  and  loan  agent,  89  East  Second  street, 
is  a  native  of  Vermont;  took  his  preparatory  course  at  Bakersfield, 
in  his  native  state,  but  was  obliged  to  intermit  study  on  account  of 
his  eyesight,  and  instead  of  completing  a  collegiate  course  as  intend- 
ed engaged  in  business.  He  came  to  Winona  in  May,  1855,  and  has 
been  engaged  in  financial  operations  ever  since.  He  was  a  heavy 
dealer  in  grain  in  this  market  from  1858  to  1864.  He  is  a  lafge 
owner  of  farming  property  in  this  and  adjoining  counties,  his  largest 
operations  being  in  Olmstead  county,  where  he  is  running  a  model 
stock  farm.  ]\lr.  Morse  is  married,  has  one  daughter  attending  the 
State  Normal  in  this  city  and  one  son  at  Shattuck's  School,  Faribault, 
in  this  state.  He  is  a  member  of  Winona  Lodge,  No.  18,  A.  F.  and 
A.  M.,  and  also  of  Winona  Chapter,  No.  5,  R.  A.  M.  The  family 
are  connected  with  the  Episcopal  parish  of  this  city. 

John  Wonder,  florist,  was  born  in  Holstein,  Germany,  in  1832. 
Bred  a  florist  in  his  native  country,  he  came  to  America  with  his 
parents  at  twenty  years  of  age,  settling  with  his  parents  on  a  farm 
in  Scott  county,  Iowa.     Came  to  AVinona  August  25,  1855,  and  after 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  649 

two  years  in  the  employ  of  the  land  office,  established  a  market 
garden  on  the  southern  slope  of  Sugar  Loaf  Bluff,  which  he  con- 
.  ducted  in  person  until  1867,  and  an  interest  in  which  he  still  re- 
tains, though  the  active  management  is  in  the  hands  of  his 
brother-in-law,  C.  F.  Rohweter.  In  1866  Mr.  Wonder  purchased 
three-and-one-half  lots  on  Kansas  street  and  commenced  business 
as  a  florist.  His  greenhouses  and  hotbeds  have  been  enlarged 
from  year  to  year  until  he  has  now  three  thousand  and  live  hundred 
square  feet  under  glass,  and  over  three  thousand  square  feet  of  hot- 
beds. Mr.  Wonder  lias  just  completed  his  arrangements  for  heating 
the  greenhouses  with  hot-water  pipes,  and  has  already  in  place  seven 
hundred  feet  of  four-inch  pipe,  his  boilers  having  an  additional 
capacity  of  three  hundred  feet.  He  is  married  and  a  member  of 
Oak  Grove  Lodge,  No.  15,  A.  O.  D. 

Samuel  Fox,  dealer  in  clothing  and  furniture  goods,  No.  22-24 
East  Second  street.  This  business  was  established  September  7, 
1855,  on  Johnson  street  between  Second  and  Third,  where  the  Com- 
mercial Hotel  now  stands,  and  was  at  that  time  the  only  clothing 
house  in  the  city.  Four  years  later  business  was  removed  to  Centre 
street,  between  Second  and  Front,  and  shortly  afterward  to  the 
present  location,  where  the  stock  was  destroyed  in  the  great  fire  of 
1862,  loss  about  ^5,000.  Immediately  after  the  fire  Mr.  Fox  erected 
his  present  building,  of  which  possession  was  taken  in  1863,  al- 
though he  himself  did  not  occupy  it  until  1871.  During  these  years, 
from  1863  to  1871,  the  premises  were  successively  occupied  by 
Charles  Benson,  drugs ;  Gushing  &  Cummings,  boots  and  shoes ; 
and  Jackson  &  Potter,  grocers.  The  building  is  a  two-story  brick, 
with  stone  basement,  seventy-five  feet  front  and  seventy  deep. 
Business,  which  was  at  first  principally  jobbing,  changing  with  the 
demands  of  trade  and  growth  of  the  city,  is  now  exclusively  retail. 
Mr.  Fox  is  a  native  of  Russiaii  Poland,  born  in  1830  ;  came  to 
America  at  sixteen  years  of  age  ;  was  bred  a  clerk  from  his  thirteenth 
year,  and  was  in  New  York  city  previous  to  coming  to  this  city.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Winona  board  of  trade  and  a  "bachelor  hy  pro- 
fession." 

WmoNA  County  Abstract  Office  ;  Fellows,  Rebstock  & 
Clarke  ;  office  in  fire-proof  building  adjoining  court-house  on  the 
east.  This  office  is  furnished  with  the  only  set  of  abstract  books 
now  or  at  any  previous  time  prepared  in  this  county.  It  comprises 
the  old  Lester  &  Pettibone  records,  which  came  through  them  to 


(>5()  HISTOKY    OP^    WINONA    COUNTY. 

John  Hull,  and  through  him  to  his  partner  John  B.  Fellows,  head  of 
the  present  firm.  These  books  are  a  perfect  transcript  of  the  county 
records,  and,  sliould  tliese  latter  be  destroyed,  could  be  correctly 
restored  from  the  abstract  office.  In  1873  an  index  set,  for  the  pur- 
})ose  of  checking  uj)  book  and  page  of  original  abstract,  was 
l:)egun  by  II.  W.  Jackson,  and  afterward  purchased  and  completed 
by  Rebstock  &  Clarke.  This  index  set  is  now  included  in  the  books 
of  the  Winona  county  abstract  office.  It  consists  of  three  volumes : 
one  containing  list  of  Winona  city  property,  one  with  list  of  ail  vil- 
lage propert}',  and  the  other  the  lands  outside  city  and  village  plots. 

Mr.  J.  B.  Fellows  is  a  native  of  New  York,  by  profession  a  sur- 
veyor ;  came  to  Winona  in  1855,  remaining  until  1857,  when  he 
removed  to  Rochester,  in  this  state,  returning  to  this  city  in  1866. 
During  1858-9  was  in  government  employ  in  Stearns  county;  was 
county  surveyor  for  Winona  county  from  1868  to  1878,  and  city  sur- 
veyor during  the  same  period.  Since  1879  has  not  been  in  that 
prrifession.  For  the  past  two  or  three  years  has  been  dealing  in 
Northern  Pacific  lands  in  the  Red  River  country.  Mr.  Fellows  is 
married  and  has  one  son  attending  the  city  high  school. 

Lauer  &  Anding,  druggists  and  dealers  in  paints  and  oils. 
Business  of  this  house  was  established  in  May,  1877,  on  the  north 
side  of  Third  street  between  Market  and  Franklhi,  under  the  firm 
name  of  J.  W.  Lauer  &  Co.  In  1881  they  built  their  present  drug 
house  and  took  possession  May  17  of  that  year.  It  is  a  two-story 
and  basement  brick,  22x70,  and  here  they  are  doing  a  thriving 
business,  sales  to  date  of  November  1,  1882,  showing  an  increase 
of  85  per  cent  over  corresponding  period  of  last  year.  Members  of 
firm  ai'e  J.  W.  Lauer  and  C.  W.  Anding.  J.  W.  Lauer  was  born 
in  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin ;  came  to  Winona  with  his  parents  in 
1855,  being  then  eighteen  months  old.  His  father,  John  Lauer, 
was  a  manufacturer  of  furniture  in  this  city  from  the  year  of  his 
arrival  until  his  death,  in  1861.  Mr.  J.  W.  Lauer  was  educated  in 
this  city  and  in  the  English-German  Academy  at  Milwaukee.  In 
1867  he  entered  the  drug  house  of  Edward  Pelzer,  remaining  five 
years ;  went  to  Milwaukee,  and  was  for  two  years  with  a  drug  house 
in  that  city,  then  for  two  years  more  with  a  Rochester  firm,  at  the 
expiration  of  which  time  he  returned  to  this  city  and  established 
business  for  himself.  Mr.  Lauer  is  a  member  of  the  Philharmonic 
Society  of  this  city,  and  of  Oak  Grove  Lodge,  No.  15,  A. CD. 

C.  W.  Anding,  brother-in-law  of  J.  W.  Lauer,  is  a  native  of  Wis- 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


651 


consin ;  came  to  Lake  City,  Wabasha  county,  with  his  parents,  when 
ten  years  of  age,  the  family  settling  on  a  farm.  At  twelve  years  of 
age  entered  the  drug  house  of  James  Crowley  &  Co.,  Wabasha,  and 
was  in  their  employ  three  years,  when  the  firm  sold  out.  Was 
engaged  in  farming  and  pursuing  his  studies  until  1877,  when  he 
entered  the  drug  house  of  Lauer  &  Co.,  and  in  December  of  the 
same  year  married  Miss  M.  Lauer,  sister  of  the  senior  member  of 
the  firm. 

Huff  House  ;  F.  M.  Cockrell,  owner  and  proprietor.  This  house 
stands  on  the  corner  of  Johnson  and  Third  streets,  and  is  the  oldest 
as  well  as  the  largest  hotel  in  the  city.  The  original  hotel,  60  X  90, 
was  built  by  H.  D.  Huff  in  1855,  and  opened  to  the  public  on  June 
5  of  that  year,  with  Willis  &  Hawthorne  as  proprietors.     In  the  fall 


^JjJSi^^j     ^A, 


Huff  House. 

of  that  same  year  Messrs.  F.  M.  Cockrell  and  Williams  bought  out 
Mr.  Willis'  interest,  and  business  was  conducted  under  the  firm 
name  of  Cocki-ell  &  Co.  until  1861,  when  Hawthorn's  interest  was 
purchased  and  the  house  became  Cockrell  &  Williams.  The  prop- 
erty was  purchased  in  1863  by  the  lessees,  by  whom  it  was  owned 
until  1S72,  when  Mr.  Williams  was  accidentally  killed  and  Mr. 
Cockrell  became  sole  proprietor  and  owner.  The  dining-room  addi- 
tion was  built  in  1857,  and  the  brick  addition  ten  years  later.  The 
lots  upon  which  the  hotel  stands  front  120  feet  on  Third  street,  and 
crossing  the  alley  in  the  rear  give  a  depth  of  nearly  200  feet.  The 
hotel  structure,  as  it  now  stands,  is  60x140  feet,  three  stories  in 
height,  and  has  comfortable  accommodations  for  100  guests.  The 
billiard  hall  is  furnished  with  four  tables,  and  special  provision  is 
made  for  the  wants  of  commercial  travelers.  The  house  employs  a 
force  of  thirtv-five  servants. 


652  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Mr.  Cockrell  is  a  native  of  Kentucky,  born  in  1814,  and  has  been 
engaged  in  liotel  business  lor  nearly  half  a  century,  having  opened 
his  tirst  hotel  in  his  native  state  in  1835.  Was  in  hotel  business  in 
Cincinnati  for  some  time,  and  came  from  there  when  he  located  in 
Winona.  Mr.  Cocki*ell  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  trade  and  one 
of  the  ten  stockholders  of  the  Winona  Gas  Light  Company.  He  is 
also  a  Master  Mason  of  forty -live  yeai's'  standing. 

Christian  Dbinohahan  was  born  in  Miokleburgh,  Germany,  in 
1820,  and  came  to  this  country  in  1852,  when  he  worked  on  a  larm 
in  Wisconsin,  and  afterward  working  on  a  railroad  in  Indiana.  He 
went  to  California,  where  he  remained  three  years,  seeking  his  for- 
tune in  the  gold  diggings.  In  1855  he  came  to  Mount  Vernon,  taking 
up  land  by  the  river.  He  purchased  his  present  farm  in  1860.  Mr. 
Drinchahan  has  been  remarkably  successful,  and  is  one  of  the 
wealthiest  citizens  in  the  township  and  probably  the  largest  land- 
owner. He  was  married  in  1855  to  Miss  Doris  Fhirot,  and  has  a 
fine  family  of  six  children.  He  is  an  active  re))ublican  and  a 
Lutheran  in  religious  opinions.  There  are  few  other  settlers  in  the 
township  that  so  thoroughly  enjoy  the  respect  and  esteem  of  the 
citizens  generally  as  does  Mr.  Drinchahan. 

James  Montgomery  is  of  Irish  descent,  his  fathei"  emigrating  to 
this  country  in  1820.  James  was  born  at  Rochester,  New  York,  in 
1830,  moving  west  with  his  lather's  family  in  1840  and  settling  in 
Elinois.  During  the  winter  months  he  attended  district  school,  work- 
ing on  the  farm  in  the  summer.  He  remained  with  his  father  until 
1855,  when  he  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Isaac  Pomeroy,  of  Illinois, 
and  moved  into  Mount  Yernon,  on  the  place  he  now  resides.  Mur. 
Montgomery  experienced  all  the  vicissitudes  and  hardships  of  a  first 
settler,  and  wiis  often  brought  into  rather  disagreeable  contact  with 
the  redskins.  On  one  occasion,  during  the  absence  of  himself  and 
wife,  they  completely  cleaned  his  shanty  out,  leaving  them  nothing 
but  the  clothes  they  stood  in.  He  has  two  sons,  James  and  John, 
who  assist  him  in  the  care  of  the  farm. 

Nick  Bartholme  was  born  in  Luxemburg,  Germany,  in  1824, 
emigrating  to  this  country  in  1849,  visiting  the  states  of  Missouri 
and  Illinois  before  finally  settling  in  Minneiska  in  1855,  when  he 
landed  on  the  island  opposite  where  the  village  now  stands.  Mr. 
Bartholme  suffered  every  privation  incident  t<^  first  settlement.  One 
year,  owing  to  malarial  att'ection,  was  only  enabled  to  earn  $21,  and 
tluit  was  by  cutting  twenty-one  cords  of  wood,  and  he  had  to  support 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  653 

himself  and  family  on  that  a  whole  winter.  Mr.  Bartholme  is 
identified  with  the  village  of  Minneiska  from  its  first  inception, 
engaging  in  every  and  any  occupation  that  presented  itself.  He  has 
a  snug  homestead  in  Mount  Vernon,  adjoining  the  village,  and  is 
now,  and  has  been  for  many  years,  employed  in  the  grain  elevator  of 
Brooks  ]3ro8.  He  was  married  in  1851  to  Miss  Mary  Waggoner, 
and  has  a  family  of  seven  children. 

Enoch  Brown  was  born  November  15,  1843.  He  does  not 
know  where,  neither  does  he  know  the  names  of  his  parents  or  any 
of  his  family  history.  He  was  bound  to  a  man  by  the  name  of  Fen- 
nan  Drake  when  he  was  very  young,  and  came  with  him  to  Minne- 
sota, where  they  landed  in  the  fall  of  1855,  and  settled  in  the  town- 
ship of  Homer  on  Homer  Ridge.  On  July  25,  1862,  he  enlisted  in 
Co.  A,  6th  Minn.  Inf.,  and  served  with  his  regiment  in  quelling  the 
Indian  outbreak  in  Minnesota.  He  then  went  south,  in  the  spring 
of  1863,  and  served  the  term  of  his  enlistment  for  three  years  and 
was  discharged  at  Fort  Snelling.  He  was  wounded  slightly  in  his 
right  hand  and  severely  in  the  left  leg  at  the  battle  of  Birch  Coolie, 
the  ball  passing  through  (  ne  bone.  He  had  several  shots  through 
his  hat  and  clothing.  He  is  now  drawing  half  pension,  and  has 
applied  for  an  increase,  which  will  probably  be  granted,  as  his  dis- 
ability becomes  greater  as  age  advances.  He  was  one  of  those 
honest  soldiers  who  was  always  at  his  post  of  duty.  In  1866  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Livina  Downing,  daughter  of  B.  F.  and  Malinda 
Downing,  by  whom  he  had  eight  children:  the  eldest,  Benjamin  R., 
born  January  27,  1867;  Flora,  born  April  9,  1869;  Fred  O.,  born 
April  25,  1871,  died  August  2,  1872;  Emma  M.,  born  August  17, 
1872;  Ora  E.,  born  July  22,  1874,  died  June  21,  1878;  Warren  L., 
born  January  31,  1877;  Goldie,  born  January  31,  1879;  Clifford  R. 
D.,  born  December,  1880.  Mr.  Brown  owns  a  small  farm  seven 
miles  from  the  city  of  Winona;  runs  a  threshing  machine,  and  is  an 
honest,  well-meaning  citizen,  and  a  republican  in  politics. 

Charles  Colwell  Williams,  a  native  of  New  York  State,  where 
he  was  born  in  1830,  and  came  west  when  quite  a  boy,  his  father 
settling  in  Iowa.  Mr.  Williams  moved  into  Mount  Vernon  in  1855, 
purchasing  the  farm  he  now  occupies.  He  was  married  to  Eliza 
Plank  in  Iowa  in  1854,  and  has  two  daughters. 

Charles  Clark  was  born  in  Delaware  county.  New  York,  August 
15,  1838,  and  received  a  limited  common  school  education.  His 
father  moved  to  Wisconsin,  and  kept  a  dairy  for  several  years,  and 


()54  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

then  to  Pleasant  Hill,  Minnesota,  in  1855,  and  bought  out  the  claim 
of  Hosea  Raymond,  and  moved  into  the  claim  shanty  12x16  feet, 
without  roof,  floor,  door  or  window.  Here  he  lived  with  his  widowed 
daughter  and  her  three  children  (making  a  family  of  nineteen  souls) 
from  September  1  till  November  1.  While  in  this  crowded  and 
exposed  condition  no  less  than  nine  of  the  family  had  the  ague  at 
one  time.  Charles  Clark  was  married  to  Eliza  Johnson  in  1861, 
and  the  next  year  he  worked  his  father's  farm,  and  in  the  early 
winter  he  moved  to  the  city  of  Winona  and  followed  teaming  through 
the  winter.  In  the  spring  he  moved  on  eighty  acres  north  of  his 
father's  and  went  to  farming.  He  has  cleared  and  improved  his 
farm  until  at  present  (1882)  there  only  remains  four  or  five  acres  of 
unredeemed  land  upon  his  eighty.  Mr.  Clark  has  suffered  consider- 
able loss  in  stock  ;  having  lost  seven  or  eight  head  of  horses  at 
different  times,  some  of  them  valued  at  $200  to  $300.  He  has  a 
family  of  six  children  :  the  eldest,  Olive  M.  is  married  to  the  only 
son  of  Samuel  W.  Spalding.  The  rest  are  with  their  parents  in  the 
enjoyment  of  peace  and  plenty. 

CuARLES  Gp:rrish,  |)resident  of  the  St.  Charles  board  of  trade,  is 
one  of  the  old  settlers  of  Saratoga  township,  where  he  was  engaged 
in  farming  for  over  twenty  years  previous  to  his  removal  to  St. 
Charles  in  1876.  Mr.  Gerrish  is  a  native  of  Canterbury,  New 
Hampshire,  and  was  engaged  in  farming  there  from  his  j'outh  until 
the  fall  of  1854,  when  he  came  west ;  spent  the  winter  of  1854—5  in 
New  Buffalo,  Michigan,  and  the  following  spring  removed  to  Minne- 
sota. June  19,  1855,  he  jjurchased  the  Whipple  claim,  N.E.  J  Sec. 
9,  Saratoga  township,  and  took  up  his  residence  there  with  his 
family,  consisting  of  a  wife  and  two  children.  In  February,  1876, 
this  farm  was  sold  to  its  present  occupant,  J.  D.  Ball,  and  Mr.  Gler- 
rish  removed  to  this  city.  Mr.  Gerrish  was  prominently  identified 
with  all  the  early  history  of  Saratoga  township.  The  first  school 
taught  in  that  township,  as  also  the  first  election  ever  held  in  that 
precinct,  was  held  at  his  liouse.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  district 
convention  assembled  at  Wabasha  in  1857  to  nominate  candidates 
for  the  constitutional  convention,  was  there  put  in  nomination, 
and  was  afterward  elected  and  served  as  a  member  of  the 
constitutional  convention;  assembled  at  St.  Paul  that  same  year, 
1857,  to  frame  a  state  constitution.  During  the  war  period  was 
township  treasurer,  the  only  township  office  ever  held  by  him.  He 
is  at  present  a  member  of  the  city  board  of  education,  and  on  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  655 

organizatioTi  of  the  St.  Charles  board  of  trade  was  made  its  chah-man. 
Mr.  Gerrish  is  married  and  has  three  children,  two  ot  tliem  born  in 
New  Hampshire,  one  in  Saratoga.  Two  of  the  children  are  mar- 
ried and  settled  in  the  county,  one  resides  at  home. 

S.  A.  Johnson  &  Co.,  dealer  in  shelf  and  heavy  hardware,  stoves 
and  tinware,  and  jobbers  in  tin  and  sheet  iron,  North  End,  White- 
water street.  This  business  was  established  in  1866  by  Marshall 
(liddings,  and  at  his  death  passed  into  the  hands  of  Charles  Wells, 
b}''  whom  it  was  sold  to  the  present  proprietor  in  1877.  At  this 
latter  date  business  was  carried  on  in  a  storeroom  across  the  street, 
and  so  continued  until  tlie  erection  of  the  present  commodious  brick 
in  1880.  This  building  erected  jointly  hy  Messrs.  Johnson  &  Co., 
and  Gates  and  Wardner,  and  the  masonic  lodges  of  St.  Charles  is  a 
substantial  two-story  brick,  stone  basement,  fronting  54  feet  on  White- 
water street,  and  having  a  depth  of  80  feet,  the  whole  costing  about 
$7,000.  The  staircases,  being  exterior  to  the  building,  gives  a 
clear  front  of  25  feet  to  each  of  the  storerooms.  Johnson  &  Co.  have 
their  warerooms  and  tinshop  in  the  rear ;  carry  a  heavy  stock  of 
goods,  employ  four  persons,  and  their  books  show  an  increased 
trade  for  the  season  of  1882  of  20  per  cent  in  excess  of  the  trade  of 
previous  year.  The  present  members  of  the  firm  are  S.  A.  John- 
son and  E.  C.  Johnson.  S.  A.  Johnson  is  a  native  of  Massachusetts, 
and  previous  to  coming  to  Winona  county,  in  1855,  was  in  the 
boot  and  shoe  trade  in  the  east.  Locating  in  St.  Charles  tovtTiship 
Mr.  Johnson  took  his  claim  on  Sec.  7  and  farmed  it  there  seventeen 
years  before  removing  to  the  city.  Has  not  been  engaged  in  busi- 
ness here  until  he  purchased  his  hardware  stock,  as  before  mentioned. 
Since  coming  here  has  been  for  several  terms  a  member  of  the  city 
government.  His  masonic  record  is  good,  and  he  is  an  approved 
member  of  both  chapter  and  blue  lodge.  Mr,  Johnson  is  married 
and  has  five  children,  all  grown  up. 


CHAPTER   LV 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


PIONEERS CONTINUED. 


Samuel  S.  Beman  (deceased). — The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
a  son  of  Rev.  N.  S.  S.  Beman,  D.D.,  wlio  was  forty  years  pastor  ot 
the  First  Presbyterian  cliurch  of  Troy,  New  York.  The  son  was 
born  just  before  the  removal  to  Troy,  at  Mount  Zion,  Hancock 
county,  Georgia,  March  11,  1822.  He  studied  Uiw  with  David  L. 
Sevmour  at  Troy,  and  removed  in  1843  to  Ahibama,  where  he 
engaged  in  practice  in  partnership  with  his  brother,  William  L. 
Yancy.  In  1816  he  was  a  whig  candidate  for  congress,  in  a  district 
having  6,000  democratic  majority,  and  was  beaten  by  only  thirty 
votes.  He  returned  to  New  York  in  1850,  and  was  elected  to  the 
legislature  two  years  later.  Mr.  Beman  came  to  Minnesota  in  1855 
and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Saratoga  township,  this  county  ;  in  1861  he 
removed  to  St.  Charles,  where  he  continued  to  reside  till  his  death, 
which  occurred  May  9,  1882.  At  this  time  he  was  a  member  of  the 
state  senate,  in  which  he  had  previously  served  several  terms.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  first  state  legislature,  elected  in  1857.  During  the 
latter  year  he  married  Caroline  W.,  daughter  of  the  late  Ebenezer 
Whiton,  of  Elyria,  Ohio.  The  family  of  the  deceased  includes 
three  children.  The  eldest,  Nathan,  was  born  February  22,  1859, 
and  is  now  living  at  Deming,  New  Mexico  ;  Louisa,  July  10,  1860, 
married  J.  D.  Marston,  and  resides  in  Chicago,  Illinois ;  Kate, 
March  9,  1865,  is  now  a  student  at  the  state  normal  school  in 
Winona.  Mrs.  Beraan  at  present  resides  in  St.  Charles.  At  the 
age  of  seven  years,  Mr.  Beman's  spine  was  injured  by  a  fall  from  a 
horse,  and  on  account  of  this  injury,  combined  with  an  attack  of 
typhoid  fever,  his  body  was  stinted  and  deformed,  but  his  intellect 
continued  to  grow,  and  his  was  recognized  as  a  master  mind.  His 
command  of  language  was  something  remarkable.  On  his  death, 
the  bar  of  Winona  county  and  tlie  city  council  of  St.  Charles  passed 
resolutions  of  respect  to  his  memory  and  condolence  with  his  family, 
and  his  fimeral  was  largely  attended  by  the  bar  of  Olmsted  county. 

Lewis  Skidmore,  farmer,  son  of  John  and  Ruth  Skidmore,  was 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  657 

born  in  Schoharie  county,  New  York,  in  1830,  and  there  attended 
school  till  seventeen  years  of  age,  living  with  his  father  (his  mother 
having  died  about  1853)  till  1855,  when  he  visited  Whitewater  and 
purchased  eighty  acres  of  good  farm  land  in  Sec.  35,  T.  108,  R.  10, 
and  in  the  fall  of  same  year  ( 1855 )  returned  east.  In  November, 
1848,  our  subject  married  Miss  Nancy  E.  More,  daughter  of  T. 
More,  of  Schoharie  county,  New  York,  and  by  this  marriage  has 
had  nine  children,  born  as  follows:   Melvin  H.,   born  March  31, 

1850,  now  (1883)  living  in  Dakota;  Cyremus  A.,  born  August  23, 

1851,  married  in  1875  Jennie  Sylvester,  of  Wabasha  county, 
Minnesota,  is  also  living  in  Dakota ;  John  W.,  born  March  4,  1853, 
married  Maud  Murdock,  1881 ;  Elinor,  born  June  25,  1855,  married 
in  1874  G.  Mortimer  Stoning,  of  Whitewater,  Minnesota.  All 
of  above  children  were  born  in  the  State  of  New  York,  the  rest 
being  born  in  Whitewater:  Franklin,  born  May  1,  1858,  died  May 
29,  1863  ;  Susan  E.,  born  October  9,  1860  ;  Edward  W.,  October  7, 
1866;  Mary  E.,  May  11,  1870;  Stella,  October  31,  1873.  In  the 
spring  of  1856  our  subject  returned  with  his  family  to  Whitewater, 
and  lived  in  a  log  cabin  wliich  was  standing  on  the  land  bought  the 
year  before,  John  and  Dave  Cook  having  built  it.  During  the 
month  of  April,  1858,  our  subject  built  the  frame  house  which  he 
now  occupies.  From  1868  till  1881  our  subject  held  the  office  of 
town  assessor,  and  for  a  number  of  years  has  been  justice  of  the 
peace.  In  1863,  feeling  that  the  country  needed  the  services  of 
every  able  man,  our  subject  left  his  wife  and  family  and  enlisted  in 
the  2d  reg.  Minn.  Yol.  Cav.,  Co.  L.,  with  which  regiment  he 
served  three  years,  being  mustered  out  in  1866.  In  the  fall  of  1880 
was  elected  county  commissioner,  which  office  he  still  (1883)  holds. 
Is  a  Mason,  being  a  member  of  Illustrious  Lodge,  No.  63,  of 
Plainview,  Minnesota.  Always  votes  the  republican  ticket.  Has 
liberal  views  on  religious  subjects,  and  is  connected  with  no  church, 
but  is  much  respected  by  all  who  know  him. 

Hon.  David  McCaety,  farmer,  son  of  Seth  L.  and  Rebecca 
(McCausland)  McCarty,  both  born  in  Lycoming  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  married  in  1833,  by  which  marriage  he  had  ten  children  : 
five  boys  and  five  girls.  David  McCarty,  subject  of  our  present 
sketch,  was  born  in  1836,  in  Whitchurch,  Ontario,  Canada.  In 
1838  moved  with  parents  to  Port  Huron,  where  he  attended  school 
until  1851,  when  moved  to  Stephenson  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
remained  one  year  and  again  moved,  this  time  to  Winnebago  county. 


()58  HISTOKY    OF    WINONA    COTNTY. 

Illinois,  and  in  the  spring  of  1855  moved  to  Olmsted  county,  Min- 
nesota, and  in  the  fall  of  same  year  to  the  tc)wn  of  Plainview.  In 
the  latter  })art  of  1S59  married  Miss  Cynthia  C.  Smith.  In  1802 
moved  to  the  town  of  Whitewater,  where  he  purcliased  his  present 
farm  of  about  200  acres,  situated  in  the  extreme  northwest  of  the 
town  of  Whitewater.  Our  subject  has  been  four  times  elected  super- 
visor. Was  elected  member  of  the  state  legislature  in  1878.  In 
))olitics  he  is  a  democrat,  in  religion  a  Freethinker.  Is  a  Knight 
Templar  and  member  of  the  Home  Commandery,  No.  5,  Rochester, 
and  member  of  Plainview  Chapter  and  Illustrious  Lodge,  of  Plain- 
view.  Joined  the  masonic  order  in  1865,  at  Oxford  county, 
Maine,  while  visiting  some  friends.  Mrs.  Cynthia  C.  (Smith) 
McCarty  is  also  a  Mason,  being  a  member  of  Eastern  Star  Lodge, 
of  Plainview.     Is  also  a  Freethinker  in  religion. 

Pliny  Putnam,  farmer,  born  in  Vermont,  November,  1801, 
and  married  in  New  York  in  1823  to  Flora  Edgerton.  She  was  born 
July  15,  1806,  and  died  April  6,  1876.  By  this  marriage  he  had 
eight  children,  as  follows  :  Orilla,  born  October  14,  1824,  died  Oc- 
tober 3,  1826;  Daniel  SimjJironius,  born  September  20,  1827; 
Alvers  Zebina,  born  October  1,  1829  ;  Florilla,  born  September  13, 
1831 ;  Alonzo  Davis,  born  September  7,  1834  ;  Isaac  Edgerton, 
born  September  7,  1837,  died  February  6,  1877;  Charles,  born  Oc- 
tober 17,  1842  ;  Worthy  Adelbert,  born  May  26,  1845.  Our  sub- 
ject moved  to  New  York  about  1822,  where  he  remained  till  1855, 
when  he  moved  to  Cook  county,  Illinois,  and  the  same  year  moved 
to  Whitewater  valley,  Minnesota,  where  he  pre-empted  160  acres  of 
land,  and  in  1856  built  the  frame  house  now  (1883)  occupied  by  his 
son  Charles,  in  which  he  lived  till  his  death  in  1881.  Was  a  mem- 
ber 01  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Alonzo  D.  Putnam,  farmer,  son  of  Pliny  and  Flora  (Edgerton) 
Putnam,  moved  to  Rolling  Stone  valley  in  1854,  and  during  the  win- 
ter of  same  year  assisted  in  laying  out  the  village  of  Stockton.  In 
sj)ring  of  1855  moved  to  Whitewater,  where  he  purchased  a  claim  of 
160  acres  from  A.  S.  Hopson,  and  pre-empted  it.  The  land  is  situ- 
ated in  Sec.  10  and  11,  T.  108,  R.  10.  Our  subject  was  born  in 
Oswego  county.  New  York,  in  the  year  1834,  and  in  1865  married 
Miss  Sarah  J.  Ford.  In  1862,  answering  the  call  of  his  country,  he 
joined  Co.  C,  10th  Minn.  Inf.,  and  was  chosen  corporal.  In  Decem- 
ber, 1863,  had  to  return  home  to  recruit  his  strength,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1864  again  joined  his  company,  but  in  the  fall  of  same 


BIOGEAPHICAL,  659 

year  was  discharged  for  inability  induced  by  exposure  during  illness. 
In  1879  he  built  the  house  now  occupied  by  himself  and  wife.  Has 
three  times  been  elected  chairman  of  the  board  oi  supervisors  for  the 
town  of  Whitewater  ;  has  also  been  elected  treasurer.  Is  a  repub- 
lican; in  religion  a  close  communion  Baptist.  Mrs.  Sarah  J.  (Ford) 
Putnam,  wife  oi  our  present  subject,  was  born  in  the  town  of  Poult- 
ney,  Vermont,  in  the  year  1835.  In  1864  moved  to  Whitewater, 
where  she  married  as  before  mentioned  ;  is  also  a  close  communion 
Baptist.  •  • 

Andrew  Jackson  McRay,  farmer,  son  of  Orsemous  McRay,  was 
bom  in  McKean  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1836,  where  for  a  few 
years  attended  school,  and  in  1843  moved  with  his  father  to  Dane 
county,  Wisconsin,  where  in  1852  his  father  died.  In  1855  our  sub- 
ject moved  to  Minnesota  and  speculated  in  cord  wood,  selling  to  the 
steamboats.  In  1861  bought  a  larm  containing  110  acres  in  the 
valley  of  the  Whitewater,  and  has  subsequently  added  to  this  230 
acres,  making  in  all  340  acres.  In  1866  married  Charlotte  Crump, 
born  in  Jefferson  county,  Wisconsin.  Has  had  by  this  marriage 
ten  children,  born  as  follows  :  Hattie,  born  February  7,  1867  ;  Ella, 
born  1869,  died  1870  ;  Jane,  born  1871,  died  1872  ;  Charles  and 
Andrew  (twins),  born  1873,  Charles  died  August,  1873  ;  Frank, 
born  1875  ;  Clarence,  born  December  13,  1877  ;  Ellen,  born  1878 ; 
Harry,  born  1880  ;  baby,  born  January  6,  1882.  Has  been  three 
times  elected  town  assessor ;  always  has  and  always  will  vote  the 
republican  ticket.  Is  a  Freethinker  on  religious  subjects,  as  is  also 
his  wife,  Mrs.  Charlotte  (Crump)  McRay. 

John  Ham,  farmer,  S.  i  of  S.W.  J  of  Sec.  21  and  X.  i  of  N.W. 
J  of  28,  township  of  St.  Charles.  This  claim  was  located  in  the 
fall  of  1855,  proved  up  the  same  season,  became  the  family  resi- 
dence and  has  so  continued  since  that  date,  a  period  of  over  twenty- 
seven  years.  The  first  house  built  by  Mr.  Ham  on  this  property 
was  nearly  in  the  center  of  the  claim,  a  log  house  still  standing, 
built  the  same  season  he  pre-empted,  1855.  This  house  was  aban- 
doned for  a  small  frame  one  built  in  1862  now  doing  duty  as  a 
granary,  and  which  ceased  to  be  occupied  as  a  dwelling  in  1868 
when  the  present  commodious  farm-house  was  erected.  The  original 
claim  has  been  added  to  by  purchase  from  time  to  time  until  the 
farm  now  includes  353  acres,  part  prairie  and  part  bottom  land. 
This  latter  is  a  sandy  loam,  a  warm  quick  soil,  well  adapted  for  the 
growth  of  corn  in  so  high  a  latitude  as  this.  Mr.  Ham's  farming 
39 


660  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

operations  ijic'lii(lc>  both  grain  and  stock  raising.  His  average  crop 
])er  acre  for  season  of  1882  was:  wheat,  14^  bushels;  barley, 
40  bushels ;  oats,  45  bushels ;  corn,  40  bushels  ;  timothy-seed, 
7  bushels ;  the  stock  upon  the  farm  numbers :  horses,  12 
head;  cattle,  U'>  head;  hogs,  28  head.  Mr.  Ham  is  a 
native  of  Somersetshire,  England,  h'om  which  country  he  emi- 
grated to  America  in  1850,  settling  in  Iowa  in  the  western 
part  of  Dubuque  county,  where  he  remained  until  coming  to  his 
present  location  as  betore  said  in  the  fall  of  1855.  July  12,  1858, 
he  married  Miss  Sarah  Talbot,  of  Dyersville,  Dubuque  county,  Iowa. 
They  have  live  children,  all  born  in  Winona  county  on  the  old  home- 
stead and  all  still  living  at  home,  the  eldest,  Alva  George,  born 
July  19,  1857,  is  among  the  early  natives  of  St.  Charles  township. 
Shortly  after  coming  to  the  county  Mr.  Ham  was  present  and  assist- 
ed at  the  raising  of  the  old  Stockton  mill  in  company  with  a  man 
then  of  Gilmore  valley,  and  with  whom  Mr.  Ham  stopped  over  night 
in  coming  to  his  claim  with  his  family. 

Lewis  B.  Ferrin,  farmer,  is  a  son  of  Aaron  and  Phoebe  Ferrin,  who 
removed  from  New  York  in  early  life  to  Hebron,  New  Hampshire, 
where  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  February  2,  1820 ;  he  was 
the  youngest  of  twelve  children,  all  of  whom  have  passed  away  but 
two.  Aaron  Ferrin  was  a  farmer,  and  gave  his  children  such  educa- 
tional advantages  as  the  common  schools  of  their  native  town 
afforded.  That  the  youngest  made  good  use  of  his  limited  oppor- 
tunities is  evinced  by  his  general  intelligence  and  position  in  the 
business  and  social  community.  On  reaching  maturity  he  engaged 
in  farming  on  his  own  account.  He  was  married  February  28,  1841, 
to  Margaret  D.  Brown,  whose  parents  were  Deliverance  and  Mary 
Brown,  all  of  New  Hampshire  birth.  In  1855  Mr.  Ferrin  emi- 
grated to  the  New  West,  landing  in  Winona  with  his  family  on 
June  10.  He  purchased  a  claim  in  the  town  of  Warren,  this  county, 
and  at  once  proceeded  to  open  up  a  farm.  In  1860  he  built  a  hotel 
on  his  farm  to  accommodate  the  large  travel  then  passing  his  door. 
For  six  years  he  continued  to  entertain  man  and  beast,  and  then  sold 
farm  and  all  to  the  present  occupant,  Duncan  McDougald.  After 
visiting  his  childhood's  home  Mr.  Ferrin  took  up  his  residence  in 
Mankato,  but  one  year's  life  away  from  the  farm  tired  him  of 
town  life,  and  he  came  to  St.  Charles  and  purchased  his  ])resent 
home  on  Sec.  18.  This  was  the  first  land  entered  in  the  town- 
ship,   being  taken  up  by  L.   H.  Springer,  founder  of  the  city  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  661 

St.  Charles.  The  estate  now  embraces  117  acres  of  farm  land  and  two 
blocks  (five  and  one-half  acres)  in  the  city.  It  has  been  highly  im- 
proved by  the  present  owner,  who  erected  large  and  convenient 
buildings  and  has  the  ground  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  Al- 
though now  sixty-three  years  of  age,  Mr.  Ferrin  plowed  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  the  fall  of  1882,- his  own  age  and  that  of  the  team 
employed  made  a  sum  of  a  hundred  and  fifteen  years.  His  present 
farm  is  the  third  on  which  he  has  erected  buildings  and  made  all 
improvements.  Mr.  Ferrin  was  formerly  a  democrat,  but  now  es- 
pouses the  principles  of  the  greenback  party;  he  was  a  member  of 
the  board  of  supervisors  in  Warren  for  several  years,  being  chair- 
man a  portion  of  the  time.  Since  his  residence  here  he  has  been  a 
member  of  the  St.  Charles  city  council.     In  religion  he  is  a  liberal. 

Hatsel  Brewer,  farmer,  was  one  of  Winona  county's  pioneers. 
He  was  born  in  Royalton,  Windsor  county,  Vermont,  in  1802.  He 
married  Polly  Bloss,  who  was  born  in  the  same  year  in  the  same 
locality.  (Tlieir  fathers  were  pioneers  in  Vermont,  having  removed 
from  Connecticut.)  He  was  one  of  the  pioneer  farmers  at  Water- 
town,  Wisconsin,  where  he  settled  in  1846.  His  eight  children 
settled  about  him  there,  and  three  sons  came  to  Minnesota  with 
him.  He  located  in  St.  Charles  in  1855,  and  remained  here  till  his 
death,  which  occurred  A])ril  9,  1874.  Mrs.  Brewer  survived  her 
husband  several  years,  passing  away  May  11,  1881.  Mr.  Brewer 
bought  a  farm  one  mile  south  of  Dover,  which  he  tilled  for  many 
years.  He  was  a  charter  member  of  the  St.  Charles  Congregational 
church,  and  served  the  town  as  justice  of  the  peace. 

Ira  Carlos  Brewer,  farmer,  is  a  son  of  the  above;  he  was  bor-n 
in  Tunbridge,  Orange  county,  Vermont,  December  16,  1832.  He 
received  the  training  of  an  American  farm  lad,  assisting  in  the  labors 
of  his  parents  and  attending  the  district  school.  His  father's  removal 
to  Wisconsin  occurred  when  he  was  thirteen  years  old,  and  he 
attended  a  select  school  at  Watertown  a  short  time.  He  came  to 
St.  Charles  in  1857  and  bought  his  brother's  claim  to  160  acres  of 
government  land  on  Sees.  13  and  24  in  the  township  of  Eyota,  Olm- 
sted county,  which  he  still  owns,  and  to  which  he  has  since  added 
fifty-four  acres  by  purchase.  He  continued  to  reside  in  this  city; 
since  1866  his  residence  has  been  on  Sec.  18,  where  he  owns  eighty 
acres,  at  that  time  purchased  in  partnership  with  his  father ;  this 
lies  within  the  city.  On  December  26,  1867,  he  married  Lizzie 
Evans,  who  was  born  in  Utica,  New  York.     (Mrs.  Brewer's  father, 


OG'2  HISTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Daniel  Evans,  was  also  an  early  settler  in  St.  Charles.  He  was  born 
in  Wales  in  181  ;i  He  married  Sarali  James  and  came  to  America  at 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  settling  in  Utica,  New  York,  where  he  pur- 
sued liis  trade,  that  of  tailor.  He  removed  to  Winona  in  1856,  and 
to  St.  Charles  in  1860.  While  here  he  owned  a  farm  in  Dover 
which  he  tilled.  He  removed  to  Lansing  in  1806,  and  subsequently 
to  Faribault,  where  he  taught  tailoring  in  the  State  Mute  Asylum. 
Mr.  and  INIrs.  Evans  were  charter  members  of  the  Congregational 
church  societies  at  Winona,  St.  Charles  and  Lansing  ;  Mr.  Evans 
was  a  deacon  in  all  of  them,  and  also  at  Faribault.  Both  died  at 
Faribault.  From  1870  to  1875  Mr.  Brewer  kept  a  flour  and  teed 
store  in  St.  Charles.  During  the  last  three  years  he  has  manufac- 
tured 3,000  gallons  of  amber  cane  syrup.  He  enlisted  in  November, 
1863,  in  Co.  A.  2d  Minn.  Cav.,  and  served  under  Gen.  Sully  in  the 
campaigns  against  the  Indians  on  the  frontier  until  April,  1866. 
Mr.  Brewer  is  a  member  of  St.  Charles  Lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.  M. ;  is 
also  clerk  of  the  Congregational  society  at  St.  Charles,  of  which  he 
has  been  a  member  nearly  ever  since  its  organization.  Two  children 
have  been  given  to  him,  as  follows  :  Bertha  E.,  born  May  9,  1870, 
and  Carlos  W.,  born  December  30,  1882. 

Robert  Crooks,  farmer,  son  of  an  Irish  linen  weaver,  was  born 
in  County  Tyrone,  November  16,  1817.  At  a  very  early  age  he 
began  to  assist  his  father  in  his  daily  labors.  At  twelve  years  old 
he  went  into  the  Scotch  coal  mines.  In  1849  he  emigrated  to  the 
United  States.  The  first  two  years  of  his  residence  in  America  were 
spent  at  the  coal  mines  of  Pottsville,  Pennsylvania,  and  the  next 
three  in  the  Dubuque  lead  region.  Mr.  Crooks  became  a  resident 
of  Minnesota  in  the  spring  of  1855,  having  satisfied  himself  of  its 
advantages  during  a  visit  made  the  previous  fall.  He  took  up  160 
acres  of  government  land  on  Sec.  32,  in  the  town  of  Elba,  which  he 
still  owns.  In  1871  he  bought  240  acres  on  Sec.  28,  in  the  same 
town,  on  which  he  resided  three  years.  During  the  same  year  he 
bought  lots  in  St.  Charles  and  built  a  store  on  the  corner  of  White- 
water and  Winona  streets.  In  1874  he  built  a  residence  adjoining 
the  store,  on  Whitewater  street,  and  has  ever  since  dwelt  therein. 
He  now  has  720  acres  of  land,  of  which  320  are  in  this  township, 
and  tills  a  part  of  it  himself.  He  was  married  November  5,  1855, 
to  Agnes,  relict  of  John  King,  born  in  Paisley,  Scotland,  January 
25,  1825.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crooks  were  reared  in  the  Presbyterian 
church,  with  which  they  have  always  been  connected  till  the  merging 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  663 

ol  the  Presbyterian  and  Congregational  societies  at  St.  Charles,  the 
members  of  the  former  uniting  with  the  latter.  Mr.  Crooks  was  an 
Odd-Fellow  imtil  his  residence  in  Minnesota.  In  politics  he  is  a 
republican  ;  was  a  member  of  the  town  board  in  Elba  in  1864-5. 
He  has  one  child,  Elmer,  born  July  6,  1802  ;  his  home  is  with  his 
parents.  Mrs.  Crooks  has  an  elder  son,  Alexander  King,  born  April 
22,  1848.  Her  daughter,  Maggie  King,  was  born  August  28,  1844; 
she  married  Samuel  Stebbins,  of  Winona  ;  died  in  Dakota,  Novem- 
ber 19,  1882. 

Samuel  T.  Harris,  farmer,  was  born  in  Blagden,  Somersetshire, 
England,  September  7,  1826.  He  attended  the  common  school  till 
fifteen  years  old,  when  he  was  apprenticed  to  a  joiner.  In  1849  he 
set  out  for  America,  and  landed  at  New  York  on  May  1.  He  at 
once  proceeded  to  Burlington,  Wisconsin,  where  he  pursued  his 
trade  ;  thence  he  proceeded  to  Dubuque  county,  Iowa,  and  built 
the  first  houses  in  Dyersville,  that  county.  In  1855  he  proceeded  to 
AVinona  and  continued  his  building  operations  in  that  city.  He 
became  a  resident  of  St.  Charles,  being  employed  in  building  houses 
and  in  the  wagon  factory.  In  1860,  with  the  savings  accumulated 
since  his  arrival  here,  he  purchased  sixty  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  15.  By 
various  subsequent  purchases  he  has  acquired  a  total  of  320  acres,  lying 
on  Sees.  15  and  22.  In  1875  he  bought  his  present  handsome  resi- 
dence on  Richland  street,  in  the  city  of  St.  Charles,  and  has  occupied 
it  since  October  of  that  year.  He  was  married  on  May  23,  1863,  to 
Elizabeth  Day,  who  was  born  in  Ware,  Somersetshire,  August  5, 
1832  ;  she  died  on  February  19,  1883,  leaving  five  children  to  mourn 
her  loss,  with  the  husband  and  father.  Their  names  and  dates  of 
birth  are  as  follows  :  Edward  Samuel,  February  6,  1 866  ;  John 
Arthur,  April  6,  1867  ;  Charles  Henry,  May  31,  1868  ;  Hester  H., 
January  18,  1871  ;  Thomas,  March  9,  1873.  Mrs.  Harris  was  a 
Congregationalist  in  religious  faith  ;  Mr.  Hams  was  reared  an 
Episcopalian,  and  still  adheres  to  the  faith  of  his  fathers.  He  is  a 
democrat  in  politics.  He  has  attained  success  in  life  by  industry 
and  perseverance.  His  life  has  been  a  quiet  one,  and  when  it  is 
done  all  will  say,  ' '  a  good  citizen  is  gone. " 

Job  Thornton,  farmer,  is  a  grandson  of  James  Thornton,  a 
native  of  Vermont,  who  served  the  colonies  as  a  soldier  during  the 
war  of  the  revolution,  and  is  a  pioneer  in  Winona  county's  develop- 
ment. Stutley,  son  of  James  Thornton,  was  born  in  Yermont  and 
married  Elizabeth  Stitt,  a  Canadian  descended  from  Irish  and  Dutch 


i\('A  HISTORY    OP^    WINONA    COUNTY. 

parents.  This  couple  settled  on  a  farm  in  Oakland,  Oakland  county, 
Michigan,  where  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  April  14,  1829. 
He  was  sent  to  the  common  school  till  about  fifteen  3^tiars  old.  His 
father  having  died,  at  this  time  he  was  forced  to  shift  for  himself, 
and  went  to  La  Salle  county,  Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in  brick- 
making  till  twenty-two  years  old  ;  he  then  went  to  California,  where 
he  followed  the  same  occupation  five  years.  In  1855  he  came  to 
Minnesota  and  took  up  a  quarter-section  of  land  in  the  township  of 
Hart,  this  county.  This  he  afterward  sold  and  bought  200  acres 
on  Sec.  10  in  that  township,  which  he  still  owns.  He  was  married 
on  November  22,  1857,  to  Nancy,  daughter  of  George  Bissett,  of 
Scotland  ;  her  mother  was  formerly  Elizabeth  Bullis,  of  Vermont. 
Mrs.  Thornton  was  born  in  Bytown,  Connecticut,  December  26, 
1833.  Mr.  Thornton  is  an  atheist  ;  he  has  taken  an  active  interest 
in  schools  all  his  life,  and  has  been  instrumental  in  securing  and 
fostering  good  schools  in  his  own  community.  During  his  residence 
in  Hart  he  was  made  chairman  of  the  town  board  for  several  years, 
and  also  town  treasurer  for  a  long  time.  In  October,  1877,  he 
purchased  230  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  10,  in  St.  Charles,  and  has 
lived  thereon  since  December  of  the  following  year.  His  property 
has  all  been  earned  since  his  arrival  in  the  state,  by  industry  and 
i^teady  application  to  his  own  business.  He  has  never  sued  or  been 
sued,  but  has  suffered  loss  in  some  cases  rather  than  pursue  a  debtor 
with  the  law.  His  children  number  three.  The  eldest,  Lee,  was 
born  August  16,  1858,  and  is  now  in  St.  Paul  ;  George,  born 
August  9,  1859,  married  Margaret  Simons,  and  has  one  child, 
Mabel,  born  February  3,  1883, —  resides  with  his  father;  Susan, 
born  June  23.  1864. 

John  Holland,  retired  farmer,  was  born  in  Ulceby,  Lincolnsliii-e, 
England,  April  30,  1821.  His  father  was  a  farmer,  and  the  son 
assisted  some  in  his  labors,  attending  school  during  the  winter  till 
ten  years  old.  At  eight  years  of  age  he  worked  all  summer  in  a 
brickyard.  He  came  to  this  country  in  1S51,  landing  in  New  York 
April  28,  and  at  once  proceeded  to  Illinois,  where  he  was  employed 
as  overseer  of  railroad  construction,- and  subsequently  in  the  coal 
mines.  In  1855  he  came  to  Winona  and  took  up  a  claim  near  that 
city.  He  also  engaged  in  brickmaking,  and  also  took  a  contract  for 
work  on  the  Stockton  and  Winona  wagon  road.  His  brickmaking 
enterprise  having  failed,  after  exliausting  his  capital  Mr.  Holland 
returned  to  Illinois  to  recuperate  his  broken  financial  resources.     In 


BIOGKAPHICAL.  665 

January,  1860,  he  met  with  a  terrible  experience  in  a  coal  mine  near 
Alton,  being  precipitated  sixtj^-six  leet  down  a  shaft  by  the  breaking 
of  a  rope.  Both  of  his  legs  were  broken  and  his  nervous  system 
received  a  shock  from  which  it  has  never  fully  recovered ;  the  effects 
become  more  annoying  as  age  approaches.  He  was  confined  to  his 
bed  over  six  months,  and  could  do  no  work  at  all  for  a  year.  He 
came  to  Minnesota  the  second  time  on  crutches,  and  without  any 
money.  For  the  first  day's  woi-k  he  received  ten  cents.  By  per- 
severance and  prudence  he  has  accumulated  his  present  handsome 
property.  In  1863  he  bought  forty  acres  of  land  in  Quincy,  Olmsted 
county ;  this  he  afterward  sold.  He  now  has  160  acres  on  Sec.  24 
of  that  township,  and  twenty  acres  of  timber  in  Elba.  In  Oct(jber, 
1879,  his  health  having  failed  so  as  to  prevent  his  laboring  on  the 
farm,  he  removed  to  St.  Charles.  He  bought  his  present  handsome 
brick  residence  at  the  head  of  Church  street,  with  two  lots,  in  1882. 
Mr.  Holland  took  a  life  partner  August  8,  1865,  in  the  person  of 
Mary  H.  Densmore,  who  was  born  in  Hancock,  Addison  county, 
Vermont,  August  3,  1833.  They  have  one  son,  Edward  M.,  born 
September  21,  1866.  Mr.  Holland  has  no  religious  views  ;  Mrs. 
Holland  is  a  Freewill  Baptist.  In  national  and  state  issues,  Mr. 
Holland  has  always  supported  the  republican  party. 

David  Harris,  farmer,  was  born  in  Buckinghamshire,  England, 
December  16,  1835.  His  education  was  furnished  by  the  farm  and 
the  common  school.  At  seventeen  years  of  age  he  crossed  the 
Atlantic,  and  spent  tour  years  at  Eaton,  Madison  county,  New  York, 
as  a  laborer.  He  came  to  Minnesota  in  April,  1856,  and  bought  160 
acres  of  land  on  Sec.  23,  in  the  township  of  Elba,  The  next  fall  he 
returned  to  New  York,  and  was  married  there  on  April  4,  1857,  to 
Sarah  A.  Firth,  who  was  born  in  Leeds,  England,  July  14,  1837. 
Mr.  Harris  returned  at  once  to  Minnesota  with  his  bride,  who  was 
his  faithful  companion  till  death  took  her  away,  January  31,  1880. 
She  had  been  in  poor  health  for  many  years,  but  remained  cheerful 
under  the  consolation  of  the  faith  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
Beside  her  husband,  there  were  left  to  mourn  her  one  daughter, 
Mary  E.,  born  February  1,  1858,  who  married  Thomas  Selleck,  and 
resides  at  St.  Charles  ;  also  an  adopted  son,  George  Harris,  born 
August  25,  1867.  Shortly  after  returning  to  Minnesota  Mr.  Harris 
sold  his  land  and  pre-empted  forty  acres  on  Sec.  2,  town  of  St. 
Charles,  on  which  he  has  ever  since  continued  to  reside ;  at  the  same 
time  he  purchased  adjoining  land,  and  now  has  131  acres,  constitut- 


666  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

ing  an  excellent  farm.  His  residence  is  built  of  brick  and  sur- 
rounded by  shrubbery  and  tasteful  farm  belongings.  From  his 
door-vard  a  fine  view  of  tlie  surrounding  country  for  many  miles  can 
be  had  on  a  clear  day.  On  March  5,  1883,  Mr.  Harris  was  married 
to  Marv  J.  Cater,  born  at  Walden,  in  Lincolnshire,  England,  Jan- 
uary 4,  1830.  Mr.  Harris  is  a  member  of  St.  Charles  Lodge,  A.  F. 
and  A.  M.,  and  is  a  republican.  He  was  reared  in  the  Episcopal 
church,  with  which  he  still  sympathizes  in  belief,  and  of  which 
organization  his  wife  is  a  member.  His  house  has  always  been  o])en 
to  the  traveler,  and  none  were  ever  turned  away  tired  or  hungry. 

John  Hanley  is  the  sixth  child  of  Thomas  and  Mary  Hanley, 
and  was  born  in  Luzerne  county,  Pennsylvania,  November  25,  1836. 
He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  that  state  and  came  with 
his  father  to  Minnesota  in  1855,  and  settled  in  the  township  of 
Homer.  On  January  10,  1861,  he  married  Miss  Rose  Hogan,  fifth 
child  of  James  H.  and  Catherine  Hogan,  by  whom  he  has  had  six 
(children  :  James  Francis,  born  October  23,  1861  ;  Willie  jSTorman, 
born  June  1,  1867;  John  Eddie,  born  November  16,  1870;  Thomas 
Eugene,  born  October  15,  1874  ;  Joseph  Earnest,  born  August  5, 
187<J ;  Mable  Rose,  born  January  11,  1879.  The  last  and  only  girl 
was  born  on  the  eighteenth  anniversary  of  their  marriage.  Mr. 
Hanley  enlisted  in  Co.  D,  7tli  Minn.  Inf.,  and  served  his  country 
honestly  and  faithfully  during  his  three  years'  enlistment.  He  was 
first  engaged  in  quelling  the  great  Indian  outbreak  in  1862  and 
afterward  went  south  where  he  ])articipated  in  the  battles  of  Nash- 
ville, Tupelo,  Mobile  and  all  other  engagements  in  which  his  regi- 
ment fought.  Mr.  Hanley  by  his  honesty  and  industry,  has  acquired 
a  good  farm  on  Homer  ridge,  seven  miles  from  tlie  city  of  Winona. 
He  has  many  warm  friends  and  a  loving  and  devoted  wife.  He  has 
held  many  township  and  school  offices,  and  the  office  of  county  com- 
missioner. He  is  a  democrat  in  politics  and  a  Catholic  in  religion. 
Mr.  Hanley  was  one  of- the  early  pioneers  who  helped  organize  the 
town  and  has  done  much  toward  the  development  of  his  own  town 
and  also  the  county  at  large.  Rose  Hanley,  his  wife,  the  fifth  child 
of  .lames  H.  and  Catherine  Hogan,  was  born  in  Bristol,  Connecticut, 
September  18,  1844,  and  removed  with  her  father  to  Iowa,  in  1853, 
an<l  to  Minnesota  in  1857,  and  settled  in  Pickwick,  Homer  town- 
ship. Mrs.  Hanley  was  educated  in  a  common  school  and  is  a 
Catholic  in  religion,  and  a  loving  and  devoted  wife  and  mother. 

JosKiMi  S.  Pkes'I'on,  son  of  .Joseph  and  Nabby  Preston,  was  born 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  667 

in  Oneida  county,  IS'ew  York.  July  30,  1825.  His  mother's  name 
before  her  marriage  being  Nabby  Colbourne.  Mr.  Joseph  S.  Frestpn 
came  to  Wisconsin  in  1836.  He  was  married  November  4,  1837, 
to  Miss  Mercy  A.  Way,  and  started  for  Minnesota  in  1855,  and  set- 
tled in  the  town  of  Pleasant  Hill,  and  from  there  proceeded  to  the 
town  of  Homer  in  the  year  1874.  Mr.  Preston  was  educated  in  the 
common  schools.  He  was  in  the  construction  corps  during  the  war, 
and  is  now  living  with  his  second  wife  ;  his  first,  Mercy  A.,  died 
November  22,  1874,  and  he  married  his  second,  Elizabeth  Langley, 
in  1875.  Mr.  Preston  has  held  several  of  the  town  offices.  By  his 
first  wife  he  had  four  children,  Josephine,  Eliza  Jane,  the  third 
dying  young,  the  fourth,  Annie.  Mr.  Preston  owns  a  beautiful 
farm  in  Pleasant  valley.  He  is  a  farmer  by  profession  and  democrat 
in  politics. 

William  E.  Walker,  farmer,  N.E.  ^  of  N.W.  J  of  Sec.  17,  R. 
10,  township  of  Saratoga.  This  farm  is  part  of  the  original  claim, 
bought  by  James  Walker  (father  of  William  E.)  and  pre-empted  by 
him  in  1855.  William  E,  Walker  was  born  in  Brandywine,  Del- 
aware, and  came  into  Winona  county  with  his  father's  family  when 
he  was  eight  years  of  age.  He  remained  at  work  on  the  home  farm, 
receiving  such  educational  advantages  also  as  the  county  schools 
afforded,  until  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age,  when  he  enlisted  as  a 
recruit  in  Co.  K,  9th  reg.,  Minn.  Inf.,  mustered  into  the  military 
service  of  the  United  States  at  Fort  Suelling,  February  27,  1864,  and 
the  following  month  joined  his  company  at  Rolla,  Missouri.  In 
May  was  ordered  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  participated  in  the  battle 
of  Guntown,  Mississippi,  fought  June  15,  1864.  Three  days  later 
he  was  captured,  with  about  three  hundred  men  of  the  9th  regiment, 
thirty-two  of  them  being  members  of  his  own  company  (K).  He 
was  taken  to  Andersonville  prison-pen  on  the  20tli  of  that  month, 
confined  there  until  September  13,  1864,  when  he  was  removed  to 
Florence,  South  Carolina,  in  which  stockade  he  was  confined  until 
November  28,  1864,  when  he  was  paroled  and  sent  north  to  An- 
napolis hospital,  Maryland,  There  he  remained  until  December  15, 
of  that  year,  when  he  was  sent  north  on  furlough,  being  disabled. 
His  furlough  was  extended  from  time  to  time,  .he  being  still  unfit 
for  service,  until  April  4,  1865,  when  he  returned  to  the  South,  join- 
ing his  regiment  May  20,  at  Marion,  Alabama,  having  been  detained 
in  camp  at  Benton  barracks,  St.  Louis.  He  returned  north  at  the 
close  of  the  war  and  was  mustered  out  of  service  at  Fort  Snelling 


668  HISTORY    OF    WnsrONA    COUNTY. 

August  20,  1865.  Of  the  thirty-two  membei's  ot  liis  cora])any  cap- 
tured with  him.  all  ot  whom  were  able-bodied  men,  only  eleven  sur- 
vived the  starvation  policy  of  tlie  inhuman  confederacy.  Returning 
to  his  home  in  Saratoga  township,  3'oung  Walker  remained  there 
until  January  3,  1878,  when  he  married  Miss  L.  Draper,  of  Sara- 
toga, Winona  county,  and  two  years  later  removed  to  the  farm  he 
now  cultivates.  They  have  two  children.  Since  his  confinement 
in  Audersonville  stockade,  though  then  but  sixteen  years  of  age. 
Mr.  Walker  has  not  gn^wn  a  hairsbreadth  in  height  or  increased  a 
pound  in  weight,  and  will  never  recover  the  effects  of  the  barbarous 
treatment  there  endured,  lie  is  turning  his  attention  to  stock  and 
dairying  rather  than  grain  growing.  His  1882  crops  averaged,  per 
acre — wheat,  12  bushels  ;  barley,  44  bushels  ;  oats,  50  bushels  ; 
corn,  50  bushels. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  Mark  Campbell,  the  son  of  Mark  and 
Elizabeth  Campbell,  was  born  in  Crawford  count\%  Pennsylvania, 
April  25,  1833.  His  father  was  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  died  in 
1870.  His  business  was  that  of  a  tanner  and  farmer,  to  which  the 
younger  Mark  was  brought  up,  and  received  his  education  in  the 
common  schools.  He  came  west  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  and  set- 
tled in  Olmsted  county.  He  was  married  June  9,  1862,  to  Miss 
Aniui  Hackett,  daughter  of  Daniel  D.  and  Mary  E.  (Merely)  Hackett. 
She  is  a  native  of  Massachusetts.  They  are  the  parents  of  five 
children  :  AVilliam  Mark,  born  June  6,  1863;  George,  born  August 
6,  1865  ;  Sidney,  born  March  3,  1867;  Alice  May,  born  December 
3,  1876;  PVeddie,  born  January  6,  1878.  For  some  years  after 
coming  here  Mr.  Campbell  teamed  between  Winona,  Chatfield  and 
other  places  when  he  was  not  engaged  in  farming.  In  the  autumn 
of  1863  he  bought  the  stock  of  goods  belonging  to  H.  E.  Broughten, 
of  Troy,  and  was  at  the  same  time  made  postmaster  at  Troy  by 
President  Lincoln,  a  place  which  he  still  holds.  This  business  was 
in  connection  with  one  Rice.  When  Lincoln  was  assassinated  Rice 
made  some  unnecessary  and  impolitic  remarks  about  it,  and  Mr. 
Campbell  requested  him  to  buy  or  sell.  He  sold.  The  business  was 
continued  until  1873  when  he  closed  out  his  stock,  rented  the  store 
and  went  to  farminjyj.  He  now  owns  a  splendid  farm  of  800  acres. 
In  1881  he  re-opened  a  store  at  Ti-oy  and  lias  his  son  William  in 
charge  of  the  business.  He  is  a  member  of  Evergreen  Lodge 
No.  46,  of  Masons,  at  Troy,  and  is  a  republican  in  politics.  He  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  church  of  United  Brethren  in  Christ. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  669 

During  the  harvest  of  1882  Mr.  Campbell  threslied  upward  of  7,000 
bushels  of  grain,  which  was  raised  on  his  farm. 

James  Walker  (deceased),  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  county  and 
one  of  the  best  and  purest  of  its  departed  citizens,  was  born  in 
County  Armagh,  L-eland,  near  Port  Morris,  May  3,  1810.  His 
parents,  Kobert  and  Ann  Walker,  were  farmers.  Here  James  grew 
to  manhood,  passing  his  early  days  among  the  sturdy  yeomanry  of 
the  vicinity.  At  an  early  age  he  went  to  the  trade  of  a  woolen 
weaver.  Tiring  of  the  meniality  of  an  Irish  mill-hand  in  1832  he 
came  to  America,  where  brains  and  muscle  have  more  to  do  in  shap- 
ing the  destinies  of  men  than  does  their  birthright.  He  stopped 
first  at  Philadelphia,  where  he  was  superintendent  of  a  woolen  fac- 
tory. Here  he  met  and  won  Rebecca  Anderson.  They  were  mar- 
ried October  20,  1837.  Rebecca  (Anderson)  Walker  was  born  in  the 
town  of  Borrah,  County  Tyrone,  Ireland,  August  3,  1822.  Her 
parents  were  Wm.  and  Elizabeth  Anderson;  her  father  was  a  mer- 
chant of  Borrah,  and  subsequent  to  his  death  in  1836  Rebecca,  in 
company  with  her  sisters  and  other  relatives,  came  to  America. 
They  remained  in  Plnladelphia  until  the  spring  following  their  mar- 
riage, when  they  went  to  Valley  Forge  on  the  Brandywine,  where 
Mr.  Walker  superintended  the  manufactories  of  Col.  Waters.  In  a 
short  time  the  colonel  went  into  bankruptcy,  and  Mr.  Walker  went  to 
Norristown,  but  only  remained  here  for  a  little  while  when  he  returned 
to  Philadelphia.  From  here  he  went  to  Wilmington,  Delaware, 
where  he  superintended  woolen  and  cotton  manufactories  and  kept 
store  for  ten  years.  His  health  becoming  bad  in  1850  he  sold  out 
and  went  to  Dubuque  county,  Iowa,  where  he  purchased  a  farm. 
He  remained  here  for  five  years,  when  he  sold  out  and  came  to 
Winona  county.  He  bought  out  the  claimants  to  half  of  Sec.  17 
in  Saratoga  township  for  $600.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  on 
July  14, 1882,  he  owned  a  fine  farm  of  400  acres.  At  one  time  Mr. 
Walker  was  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church.  He  was 
a  republican  in  politics,  and  was  for  some  time  justice  of  the  peace 
for  Saratoga.  He  sent  two  of  his  sons,  Wm.  and  James,  to  the 
war.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walker  had  born  to  them  ten  children  :  Rob- 
ert, born  December  28,  1838  ;  Eliza  Ann,  born  September  25,  1840  ; 
Willie,  born  August  15,  1843,  died  July  20,  1844;  James,  born  May 

24,  1845;  William,  born  September  6,  1847;  Rebecca  Jane,  born 
November  29,  1849,  died  September  10,  1855;  Henry  C,  born  June 

25,  1852;  Rachel  E.,  born  August  6,  1854;  Jane  Inez,  born  JSV 


(i70  HISTOllY    OF    WLNONA    COUNTY. 

vember  4,  1856 ;  aud  Albert  T.,  born  February  21,  1859.  Although 
Mr.  Walker  never  attended  school  a  day  in  his  life,  he  was,  through 
assiduous  application  in  leisure  hours,  a  well  informed  man. 

John  E.  Balcii,  son  of  Andrew  Balch,  was  born  in  Westmore- 
land county,  Kew  Hampshire,  April  27,  1833.  He  was  educated 
in  a  common  school  and  emigrated  to  Minnesota  in  the  year  1855  at 
the  age  of  twenty-two  years,  and  lirst  settled  in  the  town  of  Warren. 
He  was  married  September  15,  1859,  to  Miss  Lydia  M.  Reynolds. 
Removed  from  the  town  of  Warren  to  Dodge  county  in  1861,  and 
back  to  the  county  of  Winona  in  1869,  and  settled  in  the  town  of 
Wilson,  where  he  now  resides.  John  E.  Balch's  father  and  mo- 
ther were  married  in  New  Hampshire,  his  mother's  maiden  name 
being  Louisa  Fuller.  His  mother's  grandfather  came  from  England 
and  was  a  noted  physician.  Mr.  Balch  has  been  twice  married  ;  his 
first  wife  Lydia  died  January  1,  1859.  In  July,  1859,  he  married  a 
Miss  Margaret  Wagner,  his  present  wife.  Mr.  Balch  has  had  eight 
children  born  to  him,  four  boys  and  four  girls.  Has  held  several 
town  offices.  Is  a  practical  farmer  and  an  independent  democrat  in 
politics. 

Lauren  Thomas  comes  of  an  old  and  honorable  family.  His 
great-grandfather,  Amos  Thomas,  commanded  the  forces  who  repulsed 
the  traitor  Arnold,  after  the  burning  of  New  London,  Connecticut- 
His  grandfather,  Amos  Thomas,  was  a  captain  in  the  revolution  and 
war  of  1812.  His  father,  Rufus  Thomas,  was  born  November  13, 
1776  ;  he  was  a  captain  in  the  war  of  1812.  Lauren  Thomas,  our 
principal  subject,  was  born  in  Herkimer  county,  New  York, 
February  24,  1820.  He  was  raised  on  a  farm  and  received  a 
common  school  education.  In  1835,  with  his  parents,  came  west, 
settling  at  Chicago  July  9,  where  they  lived  until  1855,  when  they 
came  to  this  county.  With  them  they  brought  105  head  of  cattle. 
He  soon  went  into  the  mercantile  business  at  Upper  Witoka,  then 
called  Centerville,  and  followed  it  until  1861,  when  he  sold  out  and 
went  into  a  general  mercantile  business  at  Rushville,  which  was  not 
successful.  In  1867  he  went  into  the  general  merchandise  at 
Witoka,  which  he  closed  out  in  1876,  since  which  time  he  has  been 
engaged  in  farming  and  hotel-keej)ing.  At  the  time  he  lived  in 
Centerville,  now  Witoka,  he  kept  a  hotel  at  which  he  could  entertain 
a  hundred  men  and  beasts.  Mr.  Thomas  was  the  first  postmaster 
at  Witoka,  and  the  fii-st  justice  of  the  peace  of  his  township.  He 
was  married  September  1,  1844,  to  Mai'garet  Dennison,  of  Herkimer, 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  6  7 1 

New  York,  daughter  of  George  and  Lucy  Dennison,  who  was  born 
February  2,  1821.  This  union  has  been  blessed  with  tliree  children  : 
George  Thomas,  born  in  July,  1849  ;  Amanzo,  born  October  1^2, 
1855  ;  Emily,  born  May  11,  1860.  Mr.  Thomas  is  a  republican  in 
politics. 

Henry  A.  Young,  farmer,  was  born  in  Lower  Canada,  where  he 
resided  with  his  parents,  working  on  the  farm  and  attending  district 
school  until  his  twelfth  year,  when  his  father  purchased  a  claim  in 
Whitewater  township,  and  removed  there  in  the  spring  ot  1855. 
Henry  remained  working  with  his  father  until  1864,  when  he  joined 
Co.  H  of  the  11th  Minn,  regt.,  at  Fort  Snelling.  He  remained  with 
his  regiment  doing  patrol  and  railroad  guard  duty  until  their  muster 
out  of  service  in  1865.  Henry,  at  the  close  of  his  military  career, 
returned  home,  remaining  several  years,  then  going  to  Iowa  for  a 
short  time,  finally  coming  home  again,  when,  his  father  dying,  he, 
in  connection  with  his  brother,  took  the  management  of  the  farm. 
Mr.  Young  has  prospered,  and  is  one  of  the  first  farmers  of  the  town- 
ship. Some-  few  years  after  his  return  from  the  army  he  married 
Miss  Catherine  Bigelow,  and  has  a  fine  family  of  six  children, 
all  of  whom  are  living.  In  religious  opinion  he  is  a  Methodist,  and 
a  staunch  republican  in  politics. 

William  Wolcott,  farmer,  is  an  excellent  example  of  what  early 
training  and  inexorable  perseverance  will  accomplish.  Possessed  of 
one  of  the  best  farms  in  the  township,  an  extensive  owner  of  real 
estate  in  adjoining  towns,  an  assured  competency  for  his  declin- 
ing years,  respected  by  all  who  know  him  and  beloved  by  his  family 
and  friends.  He  entered  this  township  in  1855  with  an  axe  on  his 
shoulder  and  four  dollars  in  his  pocket, —  his  whole  capital,  four 
dollars  and  an  axe.  Liured  to  hardships  from  his  early  youth, 
knowing  well  the  obstacles  the  early  settler  has  to  contend  with, 
but  with  faith  in  his  own  abilities  and  a  strong  will  power,  he  tackled 
his  task  and  succeeded,  and  right  well  may  he  be  proud  of  his 
success.  Born  in  1828  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  of  English  parents, 
who  came  to  this  country  a  few  years  previous,  and  who,  through  a 
series  of  misfortunes,  were  almost  reduced  to  abject  poverty.  Some 
three  months  after  William's  birth  his  mother  died,  and  William 
was  left  to  the  tender  mercies  of  an  Indian  squaw's  care,  with  whom 
he  remained  until  his  seventh  year,  when  his  father  also  died,  and 
William  was  adopted  by  a  kind-hearted  Kentuckian  family,  who 
were    going   to   the    western  reserves  in  Ohio.     It    seemed  fated 


672  HISTORY  OF  winona  county. 

that  William's  i>'oo(l  Ibrtune  was  to  be  but  of  short  duration,  for  two 
years  afterward  he  was  deprived  of  his  friends'  protection  by  death. 
It  having  been  stated  that  he  had  an  uncle  in  western  Canada, 
some  neighbors  made  up  a  small  purse  and  paid  his  expenses  across 
Lake  Erie,  and  he  was  landed  at  a  place  now  called  Port  Stanley, 
with  a  quarter  of  a  dollar  and  a  written  card,  stating  he  was  looking 
for  an  uncle  named  John  AVolcott.  Christian  people  took  charge  of 
the  little  waif,  and  he  remained  some  three  years  among  different 
families  in  that  locality.  In  his  twelftli  year,  hearing  that  a  man 
answering  his  uncle's  name  resided  near  Goderich,  on  the  shores  of 
Lake  Huron  he  set  out  to  iind  him.  After  a  weary  tramp  of  some 
150  miles  he  arrived  only  to  find  his  long-sought  uncle  dead.  The 
aunt,  however,  took  charge  of  the  lad,  he  was  sent  to  school  and 
given  all  the  advantages  tliat  that  county,  at  such  an  early  day, 
aflPorded.  Here  he  grew  up  to  manhood  and  married  a  country  lass, 
Mary  Whitney,  who  like  himself  was  an  orphan  and  lived  out  on 
the  next  farm.  His  aunt  luiving  died,  William  rented  the  farm 
where  he  remained  until  1852  when  he  sold  out  and  started  west  in 
a  sailing  vessel,  landing  at  what  is  now  Duluth.  He  had  $700  done 
up  in  a  belt,  and  was  robbed  of  it  while  asleep  by  a  comrade.  After 
undergoing  many  vicissitudes  and  hardships  he  settled  on  the  White- 
water, and  four  years  alter  sent  to  Canada  for  his  bonnie  bride.  It 
would  take  a  volume  to  narrate  what  Mr.  Wolcott  and  his  good  wife 
suffered  and  went  through  before  they  had  attained  their  present 
comfortable  circumstances.  Mr.  Wolcott  has  a  large  family,  four 
sons  and  three  daughters,  worthy  branches  of  a  worthy  tree.  Mr. 
Wolcott's  views  are  independent  in  both  religion  and  politics. 

Lemuel  C.  Portp:e,  long  and  favorably  known  as  one  of  Win- 
ona's successful  pioneer  business  men,  and  more  generally  known  of 
late  years  at  home  and  abroad  as  the  head  of  the  L.  C.  Porter  Mill- 
ing Company  of  Winona,  is  the  son  of  Lemuel  and  Lucinda  Porter, 
who  removed  fi-om  Connecticut  early  in  the  present  century  and 
settled  in  Scipio,  Cayuga  county,  New  York,  where  Lenmel  C.  was 
born  April  14,  1823.  At  fifteen  years  of  age  the  young  man  left 
home  to  begin  life  for  himself,  and  entered  a  general  merchandising 
house  at  Moravia,  in  his  native  county.  In  181:7,  after  nine  years' 
experience  as  clerk  and  salesman,  with  a  cash  capital  of  $750,  Mr. 
Porter,  then  twenty-four  years  of  age,  started  business  as  a  general 
merchant  on  his  own  account,  and  successfully  conducted  it  until  the 
spring  of  1856,  when  he  sold  out,  having  determined  to  remove 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  673 

west.  Leaving  his  native  county  in  April  of  that  year,  accompanied 
by  his  family,  he  drove  his  team  across  the  vast  reaches  that  lay 
between  the  old  homestead  and  the  embryo  city  on  the  west  bank 
of  the  Mississippi,  whicli  has  now  been  his  home  for  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  century.  Arriving  at  this  point  in  May,  Mr.  Porter 
looked  the  ground  carefully  over  and  on  June  12,  1856,  made  liis 
lirst  investment  in  Winona  property.  This  was  the  purchase,  in 
connection  with  Wm.  Garlock,  of  a  half  interest  in  the  sawmill  of 
Hilands  &  WyckofF.  The  real  estate  of  the  mill  property  embraced 
a  tract  of  land  on  the  levee,  block  No.  1,  Laird's  addition.  The 
valuation  put  upon  this  property,  including  the  building,  was  $7,000. 
The  mill  had  been  built  by  Luther  Wyckoff  the  previous  fall  and 
some  sawing  done  in  the  late  winter  and  spring  of  1856,  but  the  old 
firm  were  cramped  for  capital,  and  on  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Hilands 
from  Pittsburg  early  in  June  of  that  year,  a  half  interest  was  sold  to 
Porter  &  Garlock,  who  soon  afterward  bought  out  Mr.  Wyckoif's 
fourth  interest,  rebuilt  the  mill  and  pushed  operations,  having  ex- 
pended more  in  refitting  than  the  original  cost  had  been.  Business 
was  conducted  under  the  name  of  Porter  &  Co.  To  the  sawmill 
was  added  that  same  fall  a  planing-mill,  adjoining  the  sawmill  on 
the  east,  Thomas  Simpson  being  a  partner  with  Porter  &  Co.  in  this 
industry,  which  was  sold  the  following  year  to  Robbins.  The  whole 
business  was  run  successfully  until  destroyed  by  fire  in  1863.  In 
1858  Mr.  Porter  started  a  grocery  house  on  Center  street,  to  which 
the  following  year  was  added  a  stock  of  dry  goods  owned  by  Thomas 
Simpson  and  the  business  was  conducted  by  them  jointly  until  1861, 
when  they  sold  to  Luke  Blair.  In  1859  the  first  warehouse  for  stor- 
ing and  shipping  grain  ever  built  in  this  city  was  erected  by  Porter 
&  Garlock  on  the  south  side  Front  street,  and  in  this  they  continued 
to  do  business  until  1870,  Mr.  Porter  still  retaining  his  interest  in 
the  property.  In  1863  (as  will  be  noticed  more  particularly  under 
head  of  Banks  and  Banking  Institutions),  the  first  bank  of 
issue  was  established  at  this  point,  with  Mr.  L.  C.  Porter  as  its 
president,  and  when  the  following  year  the  bank  became  the  First 
National  Bank  of  Winona,  Mr.  Porter  retained  his  place  as  its 
financial  heq,d,  and  has  so  continued  to  date.  In  1871  Mr.  Porter 
established  a  flour  commission  house  in  the  city,  and  havina;  built 
u})  a  large  business  successfully  conducted  it  until  1871,  when  he 
furnished  the  capital  for  erecting  a  large  steam  flouring  mill  and 
turned  his  attention   to  milling  business  ;    with  what,  success  will 


674  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

appear  from  the  sketch  of  his  mill  and  elevator  which  is  given  in 
connection  herewith.  In  addition  to  his  many  Winona  enterprises, 
Mr.  Porter  was  successtully  engaged  in  general  merchandise  and 
real  estate  at  Kasson,  Dodge  county,  Minnesota,  from  1862  to  1882, 
at  which  latter  date  he  sold  out  his  interest  there,  which  was  a])- 
praised  at  $40,000.  March  4,  1852,  Mr.  L.  C.  Porter  married  Miss 
Adelea  Horton,  of  Skaneateles,  Onondaga  county.  New  York  ;  and 
the  thirtieth  anniversary  of  their  wedding  was  celebrated  by  them 
in  mid-ocean  on  their  return  from  a  winter's  sojourn  in  Euroj^e.  They 
have  three  children  :  C.  Horton  Porter,  vice-president  of  the  First 
National  Bank,  of  this  city;  Adelbert  Porter,  assistant  manager  of 
the  mill  business,  and  Miss  Lillie  Porter,  now  pursuing  hei'  studies 
in  Dresden,  Germany.  Mr.  Porter  has  recently  been  conducting 
some  very  interesting  experiments  to  determine  the  quantity  of 
gluten  in  various  brands  ot  wheat  and  the  milling  process  best  cal- 
culated to  preserve  the  gluten  from  destruction.  During  his  recent 
visit  to  the  British  Islands  and  the  continent  the  subject  was  brought 
to  the  attention  of  prominent  millers  there,  and  the  correspondence 
that  has  followed  in  the  Millers'  Gazette  of  London,  England,  has 
been  of  a  most  interesting  character.  Mr.  Porter  is  emphatically  a 
man  of  business,  and  while  fully  alive  to  all  that  makes  for  the 
interest  of  Winona,  municipally  as  well  as  financially,  has  never 
burdened  himself  with  the  affairs  of  city  government. 

John  A.  Mathews,  real  estate  and  loan  office.  No.  74  East  Third 
street.  This  business  was  established  by  Mr.  Mathews  in  1855,  in 
Dr.  Sheardown's  drug  store  on  Front  street,  just  opposite  the  old 
United  States  land  office.  The  following  year,  1856,  Mr.  Mathews 
built  an  office  on  the  south  side  of  Front  street,  in  the  rear  of  the 
lots  on  which  E,.  D.  Cone's  hardware  house  now  stands,  and  cf)n- 
ducted  business  there  until  he  was  burned  out  in  1862.  His  office 
was  then  removed  to  the  east  side  of  Center  street,  between  Second 
and  First,  where  it  was  again  destroyed  by  fire.  Mr.  Mathews 
then  took  up  his  quarters  in  Helbert's  block,  removing  to  the  second 
story  of  E.  F.  Mens'  block  in  1871,  and  December  1,  1877,  to  his 
present  location.  Mr.  Mathews  is  a  native  of  New  York;  was  bred 
to  mercantile  trade  in  his  father's  business  house,  and  was  ten  years 
in  trade  at  Tioga,  Pennsylvania,  seven  of  them  for  himself,  before 
coming  to  Winona.  Mr.  Mathews  has  been  mayor  of  the  city  three 
times,"  1868-9,  1869-70,  1873-4. 

Hiram  Webster  (deceased)  was  a  native  of  New  England,  and 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  675 

was  one  of  the  very  first  to  take  up  a  claim  in  the  township  of 
Plain  view,  Wabasha  county,  settling  there  about  the  year  1855. 
He  subsequently  removed  to  Whitewater,  owning  several  farms. 
He  had  considerable  dealings  in  real  estate,  buying  and  selling,  as 
occasion  ottered,  and  was  considered  one  of  the  best  judges  of  farm 
property  in  Wabasha  and  Winona.  His  judgment  was  consulted 
by  most  new  comers,  and  he  was  instrumental  in  settling  a  lar^e 
number  who  are  now  the  most  substantial  residents  of  the  county. 
He  was  very  frequently  solicited  to  take  public  office,  but  invariably 
refused,  giving  as  his  reason,  that  no  man  could  serve  two  masters 
satisfactorily,  he  would  either  have  to  neglect  his  own  interests  or 
those  of  the  public,  and  he  preferred  to  attend  to  his  own.  He 
received  a  liberal  common  school  education  in  his  native  state, 
Vermont,  and  was  always  a  warm  supporter  of  the  school  system  of 
the  county.  He  married  in  1860  Miss  Mary  Webster,  a  cousin  to 
whom  he  had  been  warmly  attached  before  he  came  west.  When 
he  had  erected  a  home  in  the  Far  West,  he  returned  to  Vermont  for 
his  bride.  But  one  child  blessed  their  union,  a  daughter  who  is 
married  to  a  gentleman  named  H.  J.  Cleaver,  who  is  in  business  in 
Lake  City.  Mr.  Webster  caught  a  severe  cold,  and  after  a  very 
short  illness  died  September  26,  1876,  aged  fifty-seven  years. 

John  Bole,  farmer,  was   born  in  County  Down,    Ireland,    on 
Christmas  day,  1830.     His  father,  Hugh  Bole,  was  a  forehanded 
farmer,  and  gave  his  son  a  better  education  than  most  of  the  youth  • 
of  that  land  receive.     After  leaving  the  common  school  he  was  kept 
at  a  select  school  for  some  time.     When  twenty-two  years  old  Mr. 
Bole  emigrated  to  that  land  of   promise  to  all  oppressed  people, 
America.     After  spending  a  short  time  in  St.  Louis  he  came  up  the 
Mississippi  river,  and  landed  at  Winona  in  October,  1853.     The  fol- 
lowing winter  was  spent  in  the  township  of  St.  Charles,  where  he 
erected  a  small  cabin.     In  February,  1854,  he  made  a  government 
claim  to  160  acres  of  land,  where  he  has  ever  since  made  his  home,, 
on  Sec.  34,  in  the  town  of  Elba.     By  subsequent  purchase  he  has. 
acquired  120  acres  more,  and  has  a  handsome  farm,  with  handsome 
buildings  and  other  improvements,  as  the  result  of  his  foresight  and 
industry.     Over  200  acres   of  the  land  is  under  cultivation.     Mr. 
Bole  was  reared  in  the  Presbyterian  church,  but  was  not  satisfied 
with  its  teachings.     He  has    spent   considerable   time   and    travel 
within  a  few  years  in  investigating  religious  theories.     He  is  now  a. 
Perfectionist,  believing  that  God  will  come  and  dwell  within  the  true 
40 


fi76  inSTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY, 

seeker  on  eartli  and  make  his  life  and  being  perfect.  Unlike  most 
of  his  countrvinen  in  America,  or  his  fellow  townsmen,  he  adheres 
to  the  rej)ubli('an  ])nrty  in  political  issues.  His  intelligence  and 
education  were  immediately  called  into  use  in  the  service  of  the 
town  on  its  oi-ganization  in  1858.  He  was  elected  assessor  at  that 
time,  and  filled  the  position  for  several  successive  terms.  In  1865 
lie  was  chairman  of  the  town  board,  and  in  1872  was  elected 
justice  of  the  peace,  which  office  lie  held  for  some  time.  Mr.  Bole 
was  married  on  the  16th  of  .January,  1858,  to  Margaret  Connell, 
who  was  born  in  Crooks,  County  Tyrone,  Ireland,  in  1835.  Seven 
children  out  of  twelve  born  to  them  still  live  to  claim  the  parental 
afi'ection  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bole.  Their  names  and  births  are  given 
below:  Hugh,  October  18,  1858,  resides  at  Eldredge,  Dakota;  Mary, 
September  15,  1860,  married  Henry  Cornwell,  and  resides  near 
Hugh  ;  Robert,  December  29,  1862  ;  Alexander,  October  31,  1870  ; 
Maggie,  April  22,  1876.  John,  born  May  21,  1868,  died  October  8, 
1882  ;  and  a  twin  brother  of  Hugh  died  in  early  infancy.  Henry 
Connell,  Mrs.  Bole's  first  child,  was  born  July  3,  1855  ;  he  married 
Etta  Green,  and  is  living  at  Clausen,  Minnesota. 

William  Henry  Williams,  farmer,  came  to  Winona  county  in 
1853,  and  for  two  years  lived  in  a  tent  pitched  where  now  stands  the 
city  of  Winona.  During  this  time  he  assisted  settlers  in  obtaining 
land  and  building  claim  shanties.  In  1857  he  started  a  stage  line 
running  between  Winona  and  Rochester.  In  1861  he  married  Miss 
Mary  Sands,  daughter  of  Joseph  Sands,  of  Indiana,  and  has  by  this 
marriage  six  children  :  Abbie  Lenora,  born  December  23,  1861  ; 
Willie  H.,  born  1863,  died  the  same  year ;  Zemas  E.,  born  1864; 
Lena  Bell,  born  1869,  died  1870  ;  Florence  Josepha,  born  in  1876, 
and  Jessie,  born  in  1879.  In  1865  our  subject  joined  the  11th  Reg. 
Minn.  Inf.,  and  served  one  year.  After  his  discharge  he  settled 
with  his  family  in  the  town  of  Whitewater  and  pre-empted  80  acres 
of  land  on  the  Winona  road,  one-half  mile  east  from  Whitewater 
river,  where  he  now  resides.  Our  subject  was  born  in  1835,  in  the 
town  of  Chester,  New  Jersey,  where  he  lived  with  his  parents  until 
1851,  when  he  removed  to  JSTew  York  for  two  years  and  then  came 
to  Minnesota.  He  has  for  the  last  four  years  run  a  stage  between 
Elba  and  Minneiska  and  between  Oak  Ridge  and  Minnesota  City.  In 
politics  he  always  votes  the  democratic  ticket,  and  in  religious  views 
he  is  a  Freethinker. 

George  H.  Crow,  farmer,  is  a  son  of  W.  V.  A.  Crow,  of  Dover, 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  (i77 

Minnesota  ;  he  was  born  at  Fennimore  Center,  Grant  county, 
Wisconsin,  May  10,  1S48,  and  caine  to  Minnesota  with  his  parents 
in  October,  1854.  His  father  settled  on  a  farm  in  the  town  of  Elba, 
this  county,  where  he  received  his  schooling  in  the  common  schools. 
At  iifteen  years  of  age,  with  a  younger  brother,  he  ran  away  from 
home  and  enlisted  at  Minneiska  in  Co.  K,  9tli  Minn.  Inf.  The  date 
of  his  enlistment  was  November  12,  1863,  and  he  was  mustered  out 
January  4  following.  Soon  after  muster  his  father  secured  his  release 
from  the  service  on  account  of  his  youth,  and  brought  him  home. 
After  spending  the  following  summer  at  home,  he  again  enlisted 
with  his  lather's  consent  in.  Co.  I,  2d  Minn.  Cav.,  December  12, 
1864.  This  regiment  served  as  post-guard  most  of  the  time.  Com- 
pany I,  with  H,  K  and  L,  served  as  escort  for  an  emigrant  train 
from  Fort  Snelling  to  Fort  Rice  ;  also  as  escort  for  the  agent  who 
settled  with  the  Chippewa  Indians  at  Lake  Itasca  in  1865.  Mr. 
Crow  was  discharged  from  the  service  on  November  22,  1865. 
After  his  return  home  he  attended  school  at  Quincy,  Olmsted 
county,  a  short  time.  In  1868  he  went  to  Pope  county,  Minnesota, 
where  he  engaged  in  farming,  taking  up  a  quarter-section  of  public 
land.  In  1870  he  went  to  Mobile,  Alabama,  where  he  spent 
eighteen  months  ;  thence  he  went  to  Mexico  City,  and  again  returned 
to  Mobile.  In  1872  he  went  to  Shreveport  and  thence  to  Clinton, 
Texas,  between  which  point  and  Locust  Grove  he  drove  stage  a  year 
and  a-half.  Returning  up  the  Mississippi,  he  proceeded  to  Center- 
ville,  Iowa,  where  he  hired  out  to  farmers.  Here  he  formed  the 
acquaintance  of  Miss  Martha  J.  Cougar,  to  whom  he  was  married  on 
January  7,  1875  ;  she  is  a  daughter  of  Elias  G.  Congar  and  Rebecca 
Patterson,  and  was  born  in  Guernsey  county,  Ohio,  October  22, 
1845.  After  renting  land  some  time  in  Iowa,  Mr.  Crow  proceeded 
to  Osborne  county,  Kansas,  where  he  took  up  a  homestead,  of  which 
he  secured  a  deed,  and  returned  in  1882  to  Minnesota  and  settled  on 
his  father's  farm  of  320  acres  on  Sec.  3,  St.  Charles.  Of  this  farm 
280  acres  are  under  cultivation.  Mr.  Crow  is  a  republican  in 
politics.  His  religious  belief  is  in  sympathy  with  that  of  his  wife, 
who  is  a  strong  Methodist.  They  have  three  children,  born  as 
follows  :  Elias  Y.  A.,  October  28,  1875  ;  Mary  R.,  August  20,  1878  ; 
Roxie  v.,  March  10,  1883. 

Addison  E.  Todd  (deceased)  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  the  town 
of  Charlemont,  Franklin  county,  Massachusetts,  where  he  first  saw 
light  on  July  22,  1821.     His  father,  Eli  Todd,  was  born  in  New 


678  IIISTOHY    OF    WINOl^A    COUNTY. 

Haven,  Connecticut;  he  married  Mary  Legate,  a  native  of  Massa- 
chusetts, and  settled  in  Charlemont,  where  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  assisted  him  in  the  tilhige  of  his  farm,  attending  the  district 
school  a  part  of  the  time.  On  reaching  liis  majority  3'oung  Todd 
struck  out  for  the  west,  and  was  employed  in  the  sawmills  of  Lenawa 
county,  Michigan,  for  several  years.  Returning  to  Massaclmsetts, 
he  purchased  a  piece  of  timbered  land  on  Gilead  Mountain  and 
engaged  in  preparing  "shook,"  or  dressed  staves,  which  were 
shipped  to  the  West  Indies  to  be  used  in  barreling  sugar.  In  1854, 
with  his  brother  Dexter,  he  came  to  Minnesota,  and  was  employed 
for  a  time  to  assist  in  building  and  operating  a  sawmill  on  Rum 
river,  near  the  mouth  of  that  stream.  Passing  thence  to  Iowa,  he 
returned  in  the  fall  to  the  east.  In  the  spring  of  1855  Mr.  Todd 
again  came  to  this  state,  arriving  at  Elba  in  April,  and  bought  the 
claim  to  160  acres  of  land  on  Sees.  6  and  7,  where  he  made  his  home 
till  the  time  of  his  death  (September  14,  1878),  and  where  his  family 
now  resides.  In  1856  he  built  a  sawmill  on  Sec.  8,  opposite  the 
present  residence  of  his  brother,  L.  U.  Todd,  which  he  operated  for 
four  years,  and  then  removed  it  to  Sec.  6,  where  it  still  stands  and 
does  duty.  In  the  meantime  improvements  were  made  on  the  farm, 
and  by  various  purchases  the  domain  had  increased  at  his  death  to 
360  acres.  Mr.  Todd  was  a  positive  democrat;  he  was  active  in 
supporting  the  government  in  the  suppression  of  the  late  rebellion. 
At  one  time  he  advanced  one  thousand  dollars  from  his  own  pocket 
for  bounty  to  volunteers  ;  this  sum  was  subsequently  paid  over  to 
him  by  the  town.  During  much  of  his  residence  here  he  was  called 
upon  to  serve  the  town  in  some  capacity  ;  he  was  chairman  of  the 
board  of  supervisors  in  1861-2-3-4,  throughout  the  war,  and  again 
in  1871  ;  he  was  also  active  in  the  support  of  schools,  and  was  an 
officer  of  his  district  most  of  the  time.  On  March  22,  1860,  A. 
E.  Todd  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Isabella  Bass,  who  was 
born  in  Greenfield,  Franklin  count}',  February  .13,  1833  ;  her 
parents,  Nathaniel  and  Mary  (Holden)  Bass,  were  also  born  in 
the  same  county.  Besides  his  widow,  five  children  mourn  the  loss 
of  a  kind  husband  and  father  ;  their  names  and  dates  of  birth  are  as 
here  given  :  Oliver  S.,  August  14,  1861  ;  Mary  A.,  August  14, 
1864;  Charles  A.,  November  8,  1866;  Katie  B.,  February  20, 
1871;  Addie  E.,  May  25,  1878.  The  eldest  two  celebrated  their 
freedom  on  the  same  day  August  14,  1882. 

Dexter  J.  Todd,  farmer,  brother  of  the  above,  was ,  born   on 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  679 

September  22,  1828  ;  he  experienced  the  same  training  and  early 
life  as  his  brothers,  and  left  tlie  paternal  roof  at  Charlemont  when 
about  twenty-two  years  of  age.  From  this  time  until  he  was  twenty- 
five  he  worked  in  the  timber  most  of  the  time  getting  out  "  shook." 
In  the  spring  of  1854  he  came  with  his  brother,  as  above  noted,  to 
Minnesota,  and  was  employed  during  the  summer  on  a  dam  and 
mill  on  Rum  river  ;  the  following  winter  was  spent  in  the  pinery  on 
the  same  stream,  and  in  the  spring  he  came  to  Elba,  arriving  soon 
after  his  brothers,  and  took  up  160  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  8,  where  he 
now  resides.  He  at  once  began  to  improve  his  farm,  and  in  the 
summer  of  1856  built  the  first  frame  house  in  the  Whitewater 
valley.  Returning  to  Massachusetts  in  1858,  he  was  married  there 
to  Elizabeth  Elmer,  who  was  born  in  Ashfield,  July  17,  1835  ;  she 
was  a  daughter  of  Zenas  Elmer  and  Julia  Smith,  who  were  also  born 
in  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Todd  and  his  bride  at  once  settled- down  on 
his  farm,  which  he  continued  to  improve  and  add  to  till  he  now  has 
one  of  the  most  pleasant  homes  in  the  valley  ;  the  farm  now  includes 
253  acres,  on  Sees.  5,  8  and  9  ;  the  present  residence  was  enlarged 
and  remodeled  in  the  summer  of  1883.  Like  his  brethren,  Mr.  Todd 
was  always  a  pronounced  democrat,  but  took  no  active  part  in  the 
management  of  public  affairs.  His  family  includes  six  children,  all 
residing  with  their  parents.  They  were  born  as  follows  :  Jennie 
A.,  May  28,  1860  ;  Edward  E.,  March  29,  1862  ;  Cora  F.,  Septem- 
ber 24,  1865;  Hattie  M.,  February  14,  1867;  Roy  M.,  September 
7,  1869  ;  Ida  B.,  June  4,  1874. 

Lorenzo  U.  Todd,  farmer,  is  a  brother  of  the  above.  November 
16,  1832,  is  the  date  of  his  birth.  He  had  a  little  better  educational 
advantages  than  his  elder  brothers,  having  finished  his  studies  at  an 
academy.  He  engaged  in  teaching  for  a  short  time,  one  term  being 
in  the  west,  after  his  removal  thither.  He  came  to  Elba  in  April, 
1855,  with  his  elder  brother  as  above  noted,  and  made  claim  to  one- 
fourth  of  Sec.  8,  on  which  his  home  has  ever  since  been.  Various 
additions,  since  made  by  purchase,  have  enlarged  his  farm  to  264 
acres  ;  it  is  finely  improved  with  good  buildings,  etc.,  and  its  pro- 
prietor diversifies  his  interests  by  raising  stock  as  well  as  grain. 
His  premises  are  admirably  adapted  for  stock-raising,  the  north 
branch  of  the  Whitewater  furnishing  abundance  of  living  water  and 
its  valley  a  wealth  of  pasturage.  Mr.  Todd  was  wedded  to  Ellen 
Preston  on  March  3,  1859  ;  she  is  a  daughter  of  Hiram  and  Adassa 
(Wilson)  Preston,  of  New  York,  and  was  born  August  31,  1836. 


680  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Six  children  have  been  born  to  thein  as  follows,  and  all  still  dwell 
beneath  the  parental  roof:  Hoi'bert  P.,  March  14,  1860;  Adelia 
E.,  October  5,  1861  ;  Frances  L.,  January  8,  1864  ;  Lena  E.,  A])ril 
8,  1866;  Electa  E.,  January  7,  1869;  Lorenzu  U.,  November  26, 
1870.  In  religious  belief  Mr.  Todd  is  a  Universalist ;  in  politics  he 
has  always  been  a  democrat ;  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  in 
1857,  being  the  first  in  the  township,  and  served  till  the  state  organ- 
ization next  year  ;  he  was  town  treasurer  in  1859-60-1  ;  overseer  of 
the  poor  in  early  days  ;  member  of  the  town  board  in  1875  and 
chairman  of  that  body  and  justice  in  1883. 

WiNSLow  Talougan,  farmer,  has  been  a  resident  of  Elba  since  April 
30,  1855,  living  at  his  present  residence  on  Sec.  16,  where  he  has  200 
acres  of  land,  since  1860.  He  was  born  in  Prussia,  May  1,  1824. 
He  attended  school,  as  required  by  the  laws  of  his  native  country, 
and  subsequently  assisted  his  father  in  farming.  At  twenty-two 
years  of  age  he  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Erie  county,  New 
York,  where  he  was  employed  on  a  farm  and  in  the  lumber  woods. 
On  the  5th  of  Ai)ril,  1853,  he  married  Theresa  Maas,  who  was  born 
in  Prussia,  April  28,  1828.  On  his  removal  to  Elba  he  took  up  eighty 
acres  of  government  land  on  Sec.  13  ;  this  he  sold  in  1860  and  bought 
eighty  acres  where  he  now  dwells.  Subsequent  purchases  have 
m;ule  him  an  independent  farmer.  The  family,  numbering  ten 
members,  is  connected  with  the  Elba  Roman  (yatholic  church,  and 
the  voters  with  the  democratic  party.  The  names  and  births  of  the 
children  are  as  follows  :  Mary,  February  7,  1854,  married  Nicholas 
Steften,  and  resides  in  Elba  village  ;  Joseph,  December  15,  1856, 
lives  at  Elba  ;  Josephine,  February  20,  1859,  married  Adam  Stolz, 
and  lives  at  Man  to,  Dakota;  Antony,  December  13,  1860;  Sophie 
and  Elizabeth,  twins.  May  26,  1864  ;  Loiiis,  November  21,  18^7  ; 
Theresa,  June  20,  1871. 

William  Hk]\lmp:lbekg,  farmer.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one 
of  the  pioneers  who  penetrated  the  untrodden  valleys  of  the  lower 
Whitewater  basin,  and  has  established  a  home  which  is  a  monument 
to  his  hardihood  and  industry,  and  where  he  may  sometime  end  his 
days  amid  the  comforts  which  his  own  toil  has  earned.  Mr.  Hem- 
melberg  was  born  in  Wesel,  Prussia,  February  25,  1830.  He 
was  bred  after  the  manner  of  German  farmers'  sons,  assisting 
in  his  parents'  labors  and  receiving  the  practical  education  enjoined 
by  German  laws.  When  twenty-one  years  old  he  emigrated  to  the 
land  of  promise  west  of  the  Atlantic,  and  settled  in  Erie  county, 


BIOGEAPHICAL.  681 

New  York,  where  he  labored  in  the  pinery,  shingle  mills  and  on  farms. 
On  the  19th  of  April,  1855,  he  was  married  to  Catherine  Klein. 
She  was  a  daughter  of  Philip  Klein  and  Josephine  Kiefer,  natives 
ol  Loraine  and  Alsace,  Germany.  She  was  born  in  Buffalo,  New 
York,  August  5,  1838.  Immediately  after  their  wedding  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Hemmelberg  set  out  for  the  new  west,  and  arrived  in  Elba  on 
the  4th  of  May.  They  immediately  selected  their  present  location 
on  Sec.  11,  where  he  made  claim  to  160  acres  of  government  land. 
Mrs.  H.  took  her  first  ride  after  oxen  in  coming  from  the  Mississippi 
river  to  Elba.  She  found  the  lonely  life  of  a  pioneer  settler  very 
irksome  to  reconcile  with  her  city  breeding,  and  as  female  compan- 
ionship could  not  be  had  she  returned  to  Buffalo  after  a  stay  of 
about  tliree  months.  The  next  spring  she  returned,  accompanied 
by  her  mother  and  several  new  families,  and  they  were  very  soon 
surrounded  by  other  homes.  Mr.  Hemmelberg  now  resides  with 
his  family  in  a  large  stone  residence,  and  has  a  handsomely  im- 
proved farm.  Agreeing  with  his  neighbors  in  politics,  he  is  a 
democrat.  His  family  are  all  communicants  in  the  Elba  Roman 
Catholic  church,  in  which  Mrs.  Hemmelberg  is  very  active  in  teach- 
ing tlie  children.  Five  children  were  born  to  them,  as  herewith 
enumerated  :  William,  March  30,  1856,  now  in  Texas;  Louis,  Feb- 
ruary 20,  1859,  died  April  23,  1882  ;  Louisa,  May  10,  1863  ;  Albert, 
January  19,  1870 ;  Mary,  June  19,  1876,  died  October  19,  1878. 
Mr.  Hemmelberg  enlisted,  August  23,  1864,  in  Co.  H,  11th  Minn. 
Vols,,  and  served  till  June  26,  1865,  being  stationed  on  guard 
duty  most  of  the  time  at  Nashville,  Tennessee. 

Andrew  Burgee,  farmer,  a  native  of  Alsace,  now  part  of  Germany, 
was  born  June  23,  1821.  At  seventeen  years  old  he  came  to 
America,  and  worked  at  farm  labor  in  Oneida,  Erie  and  Orleans 
counties.  New  York,  for  several  years.  When  twenty-three  years 
old  he  went  to  Canada,  and  thence  to  Hillsdale  county,  Michigan, 
where  he  worked  on  the  Lake  Shore  &  Michigan  Southern  rail- 
road. In  1851  he  went  to  Indiana  and  then  to  Louisiana,  working 
at  farm  and  plantation  labor.  In  1852  he  went  to  California,  and 
after  losing  his  all  two  or  three  times  in  the  mines,  engaged  in 
farming  and  threshing.  Having  secured  a  small-  capital,  he  left 
California  in  the  spring  of  185S,  and  arrived  in  Elba,  where  he  had 
friends,  on  the  15th  of  May  ;  he  immediately  entered  a  claim  to  160 
acres  of  government  land  on  Sec.  11,  and  has  ever  since  dwelt 
thereon.     He  now  has  400  acres  on  Sec.  6,  7,  10  and  11,  of  which 


()82  HISTORY    OF    WESrONA    COUNTY, 

over  200  acres  are  under  the  ])1()W.  On  July  5,  1877,  his  large 
barn  was  burned  by  lightning,  and  has  not  been  rebuilt.  He  lives 
in  a  line  large  liouse,  and  iias  every  comfort  a  farmer  may  crave, 
the  product  ot  liis  own  .industry.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  society  of  Elba,  which  held  its  meetings  in  his  house  for 
many  years.  He  was  town  supervisor  in  1865  ;  was  formerly 
democrat,  now  independent. 

David  R.  Holbrook,  farmer,  is  descended  from  an  Englishman 
wlu)  was  belieaded  after  the  war  tor  the  kingdom  of  Scotland  for 
espousing  the  cause  of  the  latter  country.  His  four  sons  were  exiled 
for  their  part  in  the  contest,  and  settled  in  America.  The  father  of 
this  subject  (Peter  Holbrook),  was  born  in  New  Hampshire,  married 
Amy  Keed,  of  the  same  state,  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Swansea. 
Here  D.  R.  Holbi-ook  was  born  February  7,  1814;  he  attended  the 
common  school  of  his  native  town  during  the  winter  till  sixteen 
years  old.  From  twenty  years  of  age  till  forty  he  worked  at  getting 
out  staves  for  the  West  India  trade  ;  he  bought  timber  and  em- 
ployed men  in  })reparing  "shook,"  as  the  packages  of  prepared 
staves  are  called.  On  December  17,  18-46,  D.  R,.  Holbrook  and 
Mary  O.  Todd  were  united  in  marriage  ;  the  bride  was  a  sister  of 
A.  E.  Todd,  whose  parentage  is  given  elsewhere.  After  shar- 
ing her  husband's  toils  and  triumphs  in  the  development  of  this 
country,  Mrs.  Holbrook  died,  from  the  effects  of  cancer,  on 
October  4,  1869.  In  the  spring  of  1855  Mr.  Holbrook  came  with 
his  family  to  this  township  and  settled  on  a  quarter-section  of  gov- 
ernment land  on  Sec.  9,  where  he  still  dwells.  His  domain  now 
includes  220  acres  of  land,  and  he  is  reckoned  among  our  prosperous 
and  indejiendent  citizens.  Notwithstanding  his  age,  Mr.  Holbrook 
continues  to  engage  in  the  arduous  toil  incident  to  a  farmer's  life. 
He  is  a  universalist  in  religious  belief;  has  always  been  a  democrat; 
served  the  town  as  treasurer  in  1S69-70-1-2-4-5.  Of  the 
five  children  given  to  him,  but  three  are  now  living,  and  none  of 
them  are  at  home.  Here  is  the  family  record:  Edward  T.,  born 
October  2,  1847,  married  Susan  W.  Drullard  in  California,  January 
11,  1878,  and  died  in  St.  Charles  on  the  7th  of  April  following; 
Frank,  born  Nov^ember  10,  1850,  lives  in  Olmsted  county ;  Fred 
M..  born  December  2,  1854,  died  June  5,  1863;  Peter  E.,  born 
September  27,  1858 ;  Jane  E.,  born  March  25,  1864,  now  in 
California. 

Jacob  Wasem,  machinery  agent,  is  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  683 

Wasem,  natives  of  Prussia,  who  settled  at  Rolling  Stone,  in  this 
county,  in  the  year  1855.  The  snbject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in 
Ragersville,  Tuscaraugus  county,  Ohio,  May  29,  1838.  He  was 
therefore  seventeen  years  old  when  he  arrived  in  Minnesota,  and  at 
this  time  had  attended  English  schools  but  very  little  ;  two  terms  in 
the  primitive  schools  at  Rolling  Stone  completed  his  education,  as  far 
as  school  privileges  contributed  thereto.  However,  his  natural 
talents  led  him  to  self-cultivation,  and  he  is  now  numbered  among 
our  well-informed  business  men.  He  was  soon  compelled  to  engage 
in  active  life,  in  assisting  his  parents  to  develop  a  farm.  He  has 
probably  broken  up  as  much  new  land  as  any  one  in  the  state, 
having  taken  an  active  part  in  the  breaking  of  over  1,500  acres.  He 
broke  up  the  sod  on  the  site  of  the  present  village  of  Rolling  Stone 
with  eight  yokes  of  oxen.  He  relates  that  during  the  first  winter 
after  their  arrival  here  his  father  bought  a  barrel  of  cornmeal  in 
Winona  for  which  he  was  compelled  to  pay  $10,  and  then  incur  an 
expense  of  $6  to  get  it  hauled  home.  After  working  out  among 
farmers  a  few  seasons,  young  Wasem  invested  in  land  of  his  own, 
purchasing  40  acres  in  the  town  of  Mount  Vernon.  On  the  4th  of 
October,  1864,  he  enlisted  as  a  recruit  in  Co.  K,  1st  Minn.  Heavy 
Artillery,  and  served  as  corporal  till  discharged  on  the  7th  of  July, 
1865.  This  regiment  was  stationed  most  of  the  time  at  Chattanooga, 
Tennessee,  where,  for  a  period  of  forty-five  days,  each  man  was  com- 
pelled to  subsist  on  a  ration  of  three  hardtacks  per  day.  On 
the  15th  of  November,  1865,  Mr.  Wasem  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Mary  Amos,  who  was  born  in  the  same  locality  as  himself 
February  2,  1850.  After  living  on  his  land  till  1871  he  sold  it  and 
bought  eighty  acres  in  the  town  of  Quincy,  Olmsted  county,  which  he 
tilled  eight  years  and  then  sold.  After  carrying  on  the  machine 
business  at  Rolling  Stone  two  years  he  settled  at  St.  Charles,  where 
he  has  territory  assigned  to  him  and  acts  as  a  direct  agent  for  sev- 
eral first-class  farm  machines.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Evangelical 
church,  and  a  republican,  and  was  constable  of  the  town  of  Mount 
Yernon  eight  years.  His  family  includes  seven  children,  born  as 
follows  :  Jacob,  November  2,  1866  ;  Katy,  March  9,  1868  :  Christie, 
July  15,  1872  ;  William,  June  15,  1874 ;  Susan,  March  1,  1876  ; 
Benjamin,  September  7,  1879  ;  Rosa,  August  6,  1881. 

William  Gainey  (deceased)  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  being  born 
in  County  Cork  in  1823.  Assisted  his  parents  in  farming  till  twenty- 
eight  years  old,  and  then  set  out  for  the  refuge  of  all  oppressed 


684  HISTOK^    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

nations,  America.  He  at  first  settled  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and 
married  Nelly  McCarthy  on  the*  15th  of  December,  1854.  Mrs. 
Gainey  was  born  in  Cork,  October  16,  1835,  and  still  resides  with 
her  children  on  the  estate  of  her  late  husband.  In  1855  Mr.  Gainey 
came  to  Minnesota,  and  dwelt  in  Winona  for  two  years.  He  bought 
160  acres  of  land  in  St.  Charles  township,  on  which  he  lived  a  short 
time.  In  1859  he  sold,  and  bought  a  part  ot  the  present  estate  on 
Sec.  22.  Subsequent  purchases  increased  the  estate  to  280  acres, 
of  which  M.  W.  Gainey,  the  elder  son,  has  80  on  Sec.  15,  and 
Patrick  80  on  Sec.  22.  Mr.  Gainey  was  a  man  of  integrity  and 
intelligence,  and  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  townsmen  was  shown  in 
1879  by  electing  him  a  member  of  the  town  board  of  supervisors. 
His  eldest  son  now  fills  the  same  position,  and  is  in  every  way 
worthy  to  follow  in  his  father's  footsteps.  William  Gainey  died  of 
cancer  of  the  stomach  on  the  10th  of  June,  1882.  He  was  a  com- 
municant in  the  St.  Charles  Roman  Catholic  church,  as  are  all  his 
family.  Beside  the  widow,  nine  children  survive  him,  all  living 
on  the  old  homestead  and  unmarried.  Here  are  their  names  and 
dates  of  birth  :  Michael  W.,  September  25,  1856;  Patrick,  March 
20,  1858;  Mary,  December  20,  1859;  Ellen,  March  28,  1863; 
Maggie,  June  20,  1864  ;  William,  August  15,  1866  ;  John,  July 
15,  1868  ;  Eliza,  August  1,  1870  ;  Dennis,  April  1,  1873. 

David  Finley,  farmer,  settled  in  Whitewater  in  1855,  having 
purchased  eighty  acres  of  school  land  in  Sec.  16,  T.  108,  E..  10.  He 
was  married  in  1828,  to  Freanah  Kiser,  born  in  Switzerland  in  1808, 
and  by  this  marriage  had  seven  children.  Our  subject  was  born  in 
1803,  in  New  Jersey,  and  died  in  1877.  His  wife,  Freanah  (Kiser) 
Finley,  died  in  1881.  Sarah  E.  (Finley)  Graff,  the  only  child  of  our 
subject  now  living  (1883),  was  born  about  1829,  and  in  1870  married 
Jacob  Graff,  born  in  Germany  in  1844,  by  which  marriage  she  has 
had  three  children:  Ella  F.,  born  1872;  George  W.,  born  1873; 
Ada  S.  E.,  born  1875.  Mrs.  Graff  now  owns  the  farm  bought  by 
her  father,  also  eighty  acres  in  Sec.  21,  T.  108,  R.  10. 

George  Warner,  livery,  feed  and  sale  stables,  corner  of  Third 
and  Walnut  streets.  Mr.  Warner,  after  residing  at  Woodstock, 
Illinois,  came  from  that  place  to  Winona  on  Mai-ch  28,  1856.  Here 
he  at  once  established  himself  in  the  livery  and  stage  business,  in 
comi)any  with  H.  S.  Terry,  their  stables  being  on  Third  street, 
between  Main  and  Johnson,  where  the  old  Iliggs'  building  now 
stands.     Their  stage  route  was  opened  to  Rochester,  Olmsted  county. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  685 

April  8,  1856,  and  the  route  gradually  extended  to  Faribault,  with  a 
branch  mail  route  to  Chatfield.  This  partnership  was  maintained 
until  the  summer  of  1857,  and  when  it  was  dissolved  Mr.  Warner's 
connection  with  the  stage  route  ceased.  He  continued  business  at 
the  original  stand  until  1861,  when  he  bought  the  lot  on  the  north- 
west corner  of  Third  and  Washington  street,  removed  his  livery 
buildings  to  that  location  and  conducted  the  business  thereuntil  1871 
when  he  sold  out  to  D.  J.  Pettis.  This  sale  included  with  the  livery 
stable,  the  blacksmith  shop  on  the  rear  end  of  the  lot,  which  Mr. 
Warner  built  in  1862,  and  is  now  the  front  thirty  feet  of  the  black- 
smith shop  of  Heller  &  Perrot.  For  the  next  ten  years  Mr.  Warner 
was  variously  employed.  Several  years  of  that  time  in  his  old  business 
at  the  old  stand,  which  he  rented,  and  also  in  Dakota.  Keturned  to 
this  city  from  Dakota  in  1881,  he  opened  business  at  the  old  stables 
for  the  third  time,  continued  there  one  year  and  removed  to  his 
present  location.  Mr.  Warner  resides  on  the  corner  of  Winona  and 
Wabasha  streets  ;  has  two  daughters,  both  married.  One  to  J.  H. 
Jones,  secretary  of  the  city  gas  works,  and  one  to  Mr.  Blake,  com- 
mercial traveler. 

E.  A.  Gerdtzen,  real  estate  and  loan  agency.  No.  53  East  Third 
street.  Mr.  Gerdtzen  is  a  native  of  Hamburg,  Germany;  was  edu- 
cated at  Kiel  and  at  Berlin,  partially  completed  a  course  of  legal 
study  and  then  turned  his  attention  to  civil  engineering  and  archi- 
tecture, pursuing  his  studies  in  that  department  for  two  years.  In 
1849  he  came  to  America,  settled  on  a  farm  in  Wisconsin  where  he 
remained  but  a  short  time,  then,  after  a  year's  travel  through  the 
northwest,  engaged  in  mercantile  business  at  Davenport,  Iowa,  in 
1852.  Carae  to  Winona  just  before  the  land  sale  of  1855,  spent  two 
weeks,  returned  to  Davenport  for  the  winter,  and  on  April  28,  in  the 
following  spring,  made  a  permanent  residence  in  this  city.  Decem- 
ber 31  of  that  year,  1856,  he  was  appointed  notary  public,  and  was 
engaged  in  conveyancing  and  real  estate  until  1857,  when  on  the 
incorporation  of  the  city  he  was  elected  city  recorder,  and  held  the 
office  three  years.  April,  1861,  he  was  appointed  clerk  of  the  dis- 
trict court,  to  fill  a  vacancy,  Hon.  Thomas  Wilson  on  the  bench,  and 
the  following  fall  was  regularly  elected  to  that  office,  which  he  con- 
tinued to  hold  by  successive  re-elections  until  1878,  his  whole  term 
of  ofiice  being  nearly  seventeen  years.  Was  admitted  to  the  bar  at 
the  spring  term  of  court  1863,  having  passed  his  examination  in 
open  court.     Is  not  in  general  practice,  confining  himself  to  probate 


r>8(i  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

business.     Mr.  Gerdtzen  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  trade;  married, 
has  three  children,  two  of  them  in  attendance  upon  the  city  schools. 

Daniel  Evans,  justice  of  the  peace,  office  at  18  E.  Second  street. 
Mr.  Evans  was  elected  to  his  present  office  in  1880,  re-elected  in 
1882.  He  is  now  serving  his  second  terra  which  expires  April  1, 
1884.  Though  not  technically  a  police  justice,  most  of  the  police 
business  comes  before  Mr.  Evans,  and  is  transacted  at  this  office. 
Mr.  Evans  is  a  native  of  Vermont ;  passed  his  early  life  in  New 
Hampshire,  and  was  in  inercantile  business  in  New  York  and  col- 
lector of  tolls  before  coming  to  Winona  in  May,  1856.  Was  in  the 
United  States  land  office  at  this  point  until  its  removal  to  Faribault 
in  1857,  when  he  commenced  dealing  in  real  estate,  in  which  he  has 
been  more  or  less  interested  ever  since.  From  1861  to  1864  was 
engaged  in  securing  the  right  of  way  for  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter 
railway  and  in  locating  town  sites  along  the  prospected  line.  Mr. 
Evans  has  been  intimately  identified  with  the  city  government  since 
his  residence  here.  Was  for  twelve  years  a  member  of  the  city 
council,  his  last  term  of  service  expiring  in  1875. 

Wm.  Gaelock,  capitalist.  Mr.  Wm.  (Tarlock  has  been  a  resident 
of  this  Qity  since  June,  1856,  and  from  that  date  directly  concerned 
in  its  business  enterprises.  Immediately  upon  his  arrival  here,  in 
connection  with  L.  C.  Porter,  he  bought  the  sawmill  interest  of  Mr. 
Wyckhoff,  of  the  firm  of  Wyckhoff  &  Hiland,  and  was  interested  in 
that  business  until  1860.  In  1858  he  traded  lumber  for  the  first 
load  of  flour  offered  in  this  market,  the  wheat  for  which  was  ground 
in  Huff's  old  mill,  and  this  flour  was  in  turn  traded  for  logs.  That 
same  year  he  built  the  warehouse  in  which  he  is  now  doing  business, 
and  old  frame  building  on  the  south  side  of  Front  street,  opposite 
the  big  mill  elevator,  and  was  for  several  years  one  of  the  heaviest 
grain  operators  in  the  city.  Upon  tlie  organization  of  the  Bank  of 
Southern  Minnesota  in  1860,  he  became  vice-president  of  that  insti- 
tution in  which  he  was  a  stockholder  to  the  amount  of  $17,000. 
This  interest  he  sold  out  some  four  or  five  years  later.  At  present, 
Mr.  Garlock  is  not  very  actively  engaged  in  business  other  than  in 
looking  after  the  interests  of  his  own  property.  He  has  always  stood 
ready  to  encourage  the  manufacturing  industries  of  the  city,  and 
hokls  stock  in  some  of  these  enterprises.  He  is  also  a  stockholder 
of  the  Second  National  Bank  of  Winona,  of  which  his  son,  W.  H. 
Garlock,  is  cashier.  He  has  but  one  other  child,  a  daughter,  mar- 
ried and  removed  from  the  city. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  •  687 

C.  Heintz  &  Brother,  wholesale  and  retail  dealers  in  clothing, 
hats,  caps,  trunks  and  gents'  furnishing  goods,  40  East  Second 
street.  This  business  was  established  in  the  spring  of  1856  by  the 
present  proprietors,  in  a  small  frame  building  on  Walnut  street, 
between  Second  and  Front,  which  they  rented  of  H.  B.  Upman. 
The  year  following,  they  purchased  property  on  Second  street,  be- 
tween Walnut  and  Lafayette,  removed  their  business  to  that  location 
and  there  remained  until  1861,  when  they  took  up  their  quarters  on 
the  south  side  of  Second  street,  between  Center  and  Lafayette,  nearly 
opposite  their  present  location.  From  this  place  they  were  driven 
by  the  disastrous  tire  of  1862,  in  which  they  suffered  a  loss  of 
$1,000.  They  then  returned  to  their  old  location  between  Lafayette 
and  Walnut,  remained  one  year,  and  then  in  186H,  having  sold  that 
property,  removed  to  50  East  Second  street,  one  door  east  of  R.  D. 
Cone's  hardware  house.  Here  they  remained  eight  years,  until  they 
were  again  burned  out  in  February,  1871.  Removing  temporarily 
to  the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  they  purchased  the  property  they 
now  occupy  and  took  possession  of  it  that  same  spring.  Their  house 
is  a  substantial  two-story  and  basement  brick,  stone  foundations, 
fronting  twenty  feet  on  Second  street,  with  a  depth  of  120  feet,  the 
whole  occupied  with  their  stock.  Trade  has  gradually  increased 
until  they  maintain  a  branch  store  in  Watertown,  Dakota.  Do  quite 
an  extensive  jobbing  trade  along  the  railway  lines  leading  westward 
from  the  city,  and  carry  on  a  heavy  retail  trade  at  home.  The  opera- 
tions of  the  house  give  employment  to  a  force  of  twelve  persons, 
besides  the  proprietors,  who  are  always  found  on  duty  behind  their 
own  counters. 

C.  Heintz  and  brother  are  natives  of  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany, 
were  bred  to  the  tailor's  trade  and  followed  that  occupation  prior  to 
coming  to  America.  C.  Heintz  left  Germany  for  the  United  States 
in  1850,  and  worked  at  his  trade  in  Milwaukee  and  Cincinnati  before 
coming  to  Winona.  His  brother,  L.  Heintz,  came  to  the  United 
States  in  1853,  worked  at  his  trade  in  Milwaukee  three  years,  tlien 
came  to  this  city  with  his  brother  in  1856,  when  they  established 
their  present  business,  which  has  had  a  successful  career  of  over 
twenty-six  years.  The  firm  is  represented  in  the  board  of  trade, 
and  both  brothers  are  members  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Druids. 

William  Persons,  farmer,  has  been  a  resident  of  this  county 
since  1856.  He  was  born  at  Blackford,  Somersetshire,  England, 
May  29,  1835.     Sarah  Meads  was  born  at  Mark,  Somersetshire,  June 


688  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

13,  1835  ;  she  was  married  to  William  Persons  on  August  22,  1855. 
In  the  spring  of  the  following  year,  they  set  out,  in  company 
with  Mr.  Persons'  parents  and  family  ior  America,  and  landing  at 
New  Orleans  proceeded  up  the  Mississippi  to  Winona.  After  paying 
for  his  first  night's  lodging  in  Winona,  Mr.  Persons  had  but  seventy- 
five  cents  left.  The  party  set  out  on  foot  in  the  morning  and  arrived 
at  St.  Charles  the  same  day.  Our  subject  at  once  engaged  with 
W.  A.  Jones,  a  prominent  farmer  and  capitalist  of  that  township, 
and  worked  for  him  the  first  two  years  of  his  residence  here.  He 
also  split  a  great  many  rails  by  the  piece,  and  sowed  many  thousand 
acres  of  grain.  On  one  occasion,  on  a  wager,  he  sowed  forty  acres 
of  grain  in  a  single  day's  work,  receiving  a  bonus  of  five  dollars 
from  the  owner  of  the  land  sowed  in  addition  to  his  regular  stipend 
per  acre.  During  one  season  he  sowed  376  acres  of  grain.  In  the 
spring  of  1866  Mr.  Persons  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  1, 
Saratoga  township,  where  his  home  has  ever  since  been.  He  has 
now  162  acres  of  finely  improved  land,  and  is  prosperous  ;  he  now 
enjoys  the  benefit  of  his  pioneer  industry.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Persons 
were  early  trained  in  the  Episcopal  church,  and  still  cherish  the 
faith  of  that  body  ;  the  former  has  always  voted  with  the  republican 
party,  and  served  his  school  district  as  treasurer  for  five  years. 
Seven  children  are  living  to  bless  the  parents  of  this  family,  one 
having  died  at  the  age  of  seventeen.  Here  is  the  record  of  births,  etc : 
Reve,  July  12,  1856  ;  resides  with  parents.  Emily  J.,  February  27, 
1858  ;  died  February  15,  1875.  Henrietta,  April  15,  1859  ;  married 
Perry  Schermerhorn  ;  lives  in  St.  Charles  township.  Frank,  Febru- 
ary 26,  1861  ;  home  with  parents.  Celia,  December  5,  1863  ; 
married  Sumner  W.  Orr  ;  resides  at  Marshall,  Minnesota.  Jesse, 
March  16,  1865.     William  Oliver,  July  11,  1866. 

Thomas  A.  Richakdson,  watchmaker  and  jeweler.  No.  3,  Rich- 
ardson's Block.  This  business  was  established  in  1871  by  the  elder 
brother  of  the  present  proprietor,  into  whose  hands  it  came  by 
purchase  in  1879.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Winona  board  of  trade, 
and  of  the  various  masonic  bodies  of  the  city  ;  is  the  present  master  , 
of  Winona  Lodge,  No.  18,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  and  a  most  efficient 
presiding  officer.  Mr.  Thos.  A.  Richardson  was  born  in  Pittsburgii, 
Pennsylvania,  and  was  only  an  infant  of  three  months  when  his 
parents  removed  to  Winona  early  in  1856.  His  father,  William 
Richardson,  builder  of  the  block  which  now  bears  his  name,  was 
for  many  years  in  the  dry-goods  business  in  this  city,  and  for  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  689 

greater  part  of  the  time  in  the  bh:»ck  where  his  own  structure  stands. 
His  first  location  was  facing  Center  street  where  the  Chicago,  Mil- 
waukee &  St.  Paul  offices  now  are,  from  which  he  removed  in  1862 
to  the  north  side  Second  street,  where,  in  July  of  that  year,  he  was 
burned  out  and  returned  to  the  old  location.  His  business  partner- 
ships were  principally  with  his  own  brother  Alexander,  and  Dr. 
E.  T.  Clark,  now  deceased.  The  Richardson  block,  completed  in 
1871,  is  a  two-story  brick  with  stone  basement  fronting  93^  feet  on 
Third  street  and  96  feet  on  Center.  The  first  floor  occupied  by  dry- 
goods,  drug  and  jewelry  houses,  the  second  floor  by  offices.  Mr. 
Wm.  Richardson  died  May  31,  1874,  leaving  a  wife  and  six  children, 
five  of  whom  reside  in  the  city.  Of  his  estate,  still  undivided,  the 
Richardson  block  is  a  part. 

John  Dobbs,  member  of  the  firm  of  D.  Sinclair  &  Co.,  owners 
and  publishers  of  the  daily  and  weekly  "Republican"  of  this  city, 
and  bookbinders  and  publishers.  Mr.  Dobbs  is  a  native  of  Troy, 
New  York,  in  which  city  and  in  Albany,  New  York,  he 
learned  his  trade  as  a  bookbinder,  serving  two  and  a-half 
years  in  the  bindery  of  the  "Albany  Evening  Journal,"  and 
working  five  years  with  Frazer,  of  Troy.  In  1849  he  left  the  east 
for  California,  and  was  there  until  1852,  engaged  in  mining  opera- 
tions. Returning  to  Albany  he  remained  in  that  city  until  1856 
when  he  came  to  Winona  county  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Fremont 
township,  where  he  farmed  three  years  and  returned  to  fill  his  place 
in  the  bindery  of  the  "  Albany  Journal,"  from  which  place  he  came 
in  the  spring  of  1863,  to  take  charge  of  the  bindery  in  the  "  Repub. 
liean  "  office  in  this  city,  then  owned  by  Messrs.  D.  Sinclair  and  G.  W. 
Dje.  That  same  year  he  bought  out  the  bindery  department  of  the 
"  Republican  "  and  conducted  it  as  a  separate  establishment  until 
1866,  when  the  entire  concern  was  burned  out.  He  then  took  a  one- 
third  interest  in  the  entire  business,  devoting  himself  as  before  to 
the  management  of  the  bindery,  and  this  interest  he  still  retains. 
Mr.  Dobbs  was  long  connected  with  the  volunteer  fire  department  of 
the  city,  and  for  five  years  of  the  time  was  its  treasurer,  serving  also 
as  assistant  engineer  for  three  terms.  Mr.  Dobbs  is  married,  has 
six  children  living,  all  boys.  Three  of  them  are  grown  up,  absent 
from  the  city  in  business  for  themselves,  the  others  are  at  home,  one 
in  attendance  at  school  in  this  city. 

Maybury  &  Son,  architects,  rooms  over  No.  14  East  Third  street, 
Richardson's  block.     This  business  was  started  by  the  senior  May- 


690  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

bury  in  1S56,  the  same  year  that  he  came  to  Winona,  wlio  was  then 
engaged  as  drauglitsraan  and  contractor.  Since  1865  his  business 
has  been  exclusively  that  of  an  architect.  They  occupy  a  pleasant 
set  of  otHces  and  keep  two  assistants  constantly  employed. 
C.  G.  May  bury  was  born  in  Cortland  county.  New  York,  in  1880, 
where  he  served  a  reguhir  aj^prenticeship  of  five  and  a-half  years  to 
the  business  of  draughting  and  contracting.  This  business  he 
followed  for  nine  years  after  coming  to  Winona,  during  which'  time 
he  had  as  business  associates,  at  different  times,  C.  D.  Smith  and  A. 
W,  Gage,  both  well  known  builders  ot  this  city.  Since  confining 
his  attention  to  architecture  exclusively  Mr.  Maybury  was  alone  in 
business  until  January  1,  1881,  when  his  son  became  a  partner. 
During  the  past  eighteen  years  Mr.  Maybury  has  drawn  the 
plans  for  a  great  portion  of  the  work  in  southern  Minnesota,  and 
the  firm  is  now  extensively  engaged  on  church  and  school  plans 
for  Dakota,  in  which  they  give  special  attention  to  the  most  perfect 
systems  of  ventilation.  The  house  competes  successfully  with  the 
best  architects  of  the  larger  cities.  The  new  Presbyterian  church  at 
La  Crosse  was  constructed  from  their  plans,  as  were  some  of  the 
Minneapolis  churches,  and  not  less  than  forty  to  fifty  school  build- 
ings and  churches  in  this  state.  Mr.  Maybury  was  an  active  member 
of  the  city  board  of  education  for  four  years,  is  a  member  and 
director  of  the  board  of  trade,  and  treasurer  of  Winona  Lodge,  No. 
117,  Equitable  Aid  Union.  Married ;  wife  and  five  children  living, 
all  residing  at  home  except  the  eldest  daughter. 

S.  C.  White,  wholesale  and  retail  grocer,  northwest  corner  Cen- 
ter and  Second  streets.  This  house  was  established  in  1856,  on 
Front  street,  o])posite  the  present  site  of  Porter's  mill,  under  the 
firm  name  of  White  &  Fuller,  became  S.  C.  White  in  1858,  and  lias 
so  continued.  In  1860  Mr.  White  removed  to  his  present  location, 
and  two  years  later  built  his  grocery  house,  23x90  feet,  which  in 
1868  was  extended  to  140  feet.  The  first  business  of  the  house  was  in 
flour,  grain  and  provisions,  their  flour  trade  being  exceptionally 
lieavy,  as  no  flour  was  manufactured  at  that  time  in  this  section.  In 
1858  Mr.  Wliite  commenced  bu3dng  wheat,  which  he  carried  on  as 
a  separate  industry  until  1865,  since  which  time  he  has  confined  his 
trade  to  groceries,  fruit  and  provisions.  His  trade  has  now  become 
largely  a  wholesale  one,  and  it  is  his  intention  to  make  it  exclusively 
so.  The  business  of  the  house  employs  a  house  force  of  five  and 
two  traveling  salesmen.     Trade  extends  west  to  Fort  Pierre,  north 


BIOGEAPHICAL. 


691 


on  the  St.  James  river  branch  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  rail- 
way to  Ordwaj,  about  seventy-iive  miles  eastward  into  Wisconsin, 
and  annual  sales  are  from  $250,000  to  $300,000.  Mr.  White  is  a 
native  of  Yermont,  and  was  clerk  in  Whitehall,  in  his  native  state, 
prior  to  coming  to  Winona  in  1856.  He  is  a  member  and  director 
of  the  board  of  trade. 


S.  C.  White's  Stoke. 

Jacob  Story,  judge  of  probate  court  of  Winona  county,  is  a  native 
of  Massachusetts,  a  graduate  of  Yale  College,  class  of  1844,  and  of 
the  Dane  law  school,  Cambridge,  class  of  1846.  Was  in  the  practice 
of  his  profession  at  Boston  prior  to  coming  to  Winona  in  1856.  Has 
never  been  actively  engaged  in  law  practice  in  this  city.  In  1862  he 
was  elected  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  has  retained  that  office  by 
successive  elections.  In  1868  Mr.  Story  was  elected  judge  of  the 
probate  court,  a  position  he  has  now  hlied  for  the  past  fourteen 
years,  and,  judging  from  present  appearances,  seems  likely  to  fill 
for  years  to  come. 

H.  D.  Peekins,  dealer  in  lubricating  and  illuminating  oils, 
20  East  Second  street.  Mr.  Perkins  is  one  of  the  pioneer  business 
men  of  Winona,  having  been  in  active  business  in  this  city  for  a 
little  over  a  quarter  of  a  century.  He  is  a  native  of  Chatauqua  county, 
New  York,  and  was  there  in  business  for  the  New  York  &  Erie 
railway  company,  and,  on  his  own  account,  for  ten  years  before  com- 
ing to  Winona  in  1856.  In  May.  1857,  he  opened  a  grocery  store 
on  West  Front  street,  in  what  was  then  known  as  the  Washburn 
warehouse,  where  the  two  saloons  now  are,  just  above  the  city 
waterworks.  The  following  year  he  removed  to  the  foot  of  Center 
street,  remained  until  October  1859,  when  he  took  H.  C.  Haskiu,  his 
41 


692  HISTORY    OF    WENONA    COUNTY. 

brother-in-liiw,  into  partnership  with  him  and  removed  his  business 
to  the  south  side  of  Second  street,  where  S.  W.  Morgan  now  is. 
Mayl,  1803,  he  moved  into  a  one-storv  frame  buihiing  which  he  liad 
put  up  on  lot  No.  3,  East  Third  street,  which  he  had  recently  pur- 
chased. This  building  was  destroyed  by  the  great  tire  of  1862, 
after  he  had  occupied  two  months  and  five  days.  A  temporary 
location  was  obtained,  and  just  thiity  days  from  the  date  of  the  tire 
business  was  resumed  at  No.  3,  in  the  new  building  they  had  erected. 
April  7,  1869,  Mr.  Perkins  sold  out  his  interest  in  the  grocery  to  his 
partner,  and  opened  an  oil  house,  in  which  business  he  has  now 
been  engaged  for  over  thirteen  years.  Sales  from  1,000  to  1,200 
barrels  annually.  Though  not  an  aflSliated  member  of  the  order, 
before  coming  to  Winona,  Mr.  Perkins  had  passed  all  the  chairs 
of  the  I.O.O.F.,  including  the  encampment,  and  had  represented 
his  lodge  at  the  grand  lodge  session  of  1852,  in  Buffalo,  New  York. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  trade  of  this  city,  though  not 
actively  concerned  in  its  management.  He  has  one  son,  born  in 
Winona  in  May,  1859,  and  now  associated  with  him  in  business. 

G.  F.  Hubbard,  retired,  is  a  native  of  Swanton,  Vermont.  In 
1841  he  went  to  Boston,  Massachusetts,  and  was  in  the  dry-goods 
trade  there  until  his  removal  to  Winona  in  1856.  Was  in  active 
business  ag  a  dry-goods  merchant  in  this  city  from  1868  to  1875. 
The  other  years  of  his  residence  here  he  has  been  princijjally 
engaged  in  looking  after  his  own  personal  estate  and  money  loaning. 
In  1862  he  commenced  the  erection  of  what  is  known  as  Hubbard's 
block,  a  block  of  four  stores,  brick  with  stone  basements,  the  whole 
frontage  140  feet  on  Second  street,  just  west  of  Main,  and  in  1865 
the  last  store  rooms  of  the  block  were  completed.  In  No.  4  of  this 
block,  Mr.  Hubbard  conducted  his  dry-goods  business  during 
the  eight  years  he  was  in  trade  in  this  city.  Married  in  1864  ;  in 
1875  Mr.  Hubbard  was  wintering  in  the  south  for  his  health,  his 
family  being  in  Chelsea,  Massachusetts,  when  his  only  children,  two 
boys,  aged  eleven  and  four  years,  were  suddenly  cut  off  by  diphthe- 
ria. Not  of  robust  constitution,  the  northern  winters  are  quite 
trying  to  Mr.  Hubbard's  health,  and  his  winters  are  frequently  spent 
in  milder  clinuites.  Of  these  sojourns  he  preserves  pleasant  memen- 
toes in  the  shape  of  sea-mosses  and  ferns  in  preparing  which  he  is 
quite  an  artist.  He  is  one  of  the  prominent  members  of  the  Con- 
gregational society  of  this  city,  his  connection  with  that  denomina- 
tion dating  from  his  removal  to  Boston  in  1881. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  693 

Charles  N.  Wakefield  (deceased)  was  born  in  Saco,  York 
county,  Maine,  February  8,  1830,  was  educated  at  Thornton 
Academy  in  his  native  place,  and  at  North  Yarmouth  Academy,  and 
was  ready  to  enter  upon  his  classical  course  at  Bowdoin  College, 
when  he  turned  his  attention  to  mercantile  pursuits,  and  intermitted 
his  studies  and  was  in  merchandise  at  Saco  for  some  time  before 
coming  to  Winona  in  1856.  He  was  never  in  trade  in  this  city,  but 
was  employed  with  real  estate  and  loan  mattei's,  at  first  in  a  small 
way,  the  last  twelve  years  of  his  life  to  quite  a  considerable  extent. 
Was  one  of  the  early  judges  of  probate  for  the  county,  holding  that 
office  from  spring  of  1867  to  January,  1869  ;  was  justice  of  the  peace 
by  appointment  in  1865,  and  held  that  office  by  election  from  1866 
to  1868.  He  was  appointed  deputy  by  E.  A.  Gerdtzen,  clerk  of  the 
district  court,  and  so  remained  until  Mr.  Gerdtzen  retired  from  that 
office  in  1878.  The  friendship  between  these  gentlemen  fostered 
during  the  years  of  their  association  in  the  clerk's  office  was  con- 
tinued thereafter,  and  though  never  in  business  together,  they 
occupied  the  same  office  until  the  sudden  death  of  Mr.  Wakefield, 
June  6,  1882,  of  apoplexy.  The  estate  of  Mr.  Wakefield,  largely 
accumulated  during  his  residence  in  this  city,  was  something  in 
excess  of  $50,000,  consisting  in  great  part  of  mortgages,  business 
and  residence  property  in  the  city,  and  farming  lands  in  the  county. 
The  ' '  Wakefield  Block, "  the  walls  of  which  were  not  in  place  when 
the  foundations  of  his  own  life  were  so  suddenly  moved,  remains  a 
monument  to  his  spirit  of  enterprise,  and  his  confidence  in  the  future 
prosperity  of  the  city  which  had  been  his  home  for  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  century.  The  ''block"  is  on  the  corner  of  Center  and 
Fourth  streets,  a  beautifully  ornate  three-story  brick  structure  with 
stone  foundations,  dressed  stone  caps,  sills  and  trimmings  and  iron 
cornice,  the  whole  valued  at  about  $12,000.  The  first  floor,  cover- 
ing an  area  of  4,000  square  feet,  is  without  exception  the  finest  store- 
room in  the  city.  Mr.  Wakefield  never  married,  and  his  property 
passes  into  the  hands  of  an  only  brother  and  two  sisters,  all  residing 
in  the  east.  Personally  the  deceased  was  a  man  of  kind  disposition, 
pleasant  and  polished  in  social  intercourse,  though  not  seeking 
society,  a  steadfast  friend,  strong  and  unwavering  in  his  convictions 
and  of  great  tenacity  of  purpose. 

John  ISTellson  was  born  in  Sweden,  in  1821,  coming  to  America 
in  1856.  His  parents  were  farmers,  and  he  worked  on  his  father's 
farm  and  among  his  neighbors.     He  mai-ried  in  1846  Miss  Sarah 


694  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Lewis,  by  wlioin  he  had  three  children,  all  of  whom  died  before  he 
left  Sweden.  In  185(»  he  settled  and  built  himself  a  shanty  on  the 
present  site  of  the  village  ot  Minneiska,  where  he  has  since  remained 
progressing  with  the  village.  He  was  early  to  answer  the  call  of 
his  atlopted  country  for  defenders,  enlisting  in  the  10th  Minn., 
serving  two  years  and  eleven  months,  being  with  his  regiment 
under  (ren.  Sibley  to  the  west  and  participating  in  all  of  the  engage- 
ments of  this  command. 

Christian  Lineteman  was  born  in  Germany  in  1832,  and  worked 
farming  until  his  twenty-fourth  year,  when  he  came  to  this  country, 
going  direct  to  the  then  village  of  Winona.  He  obtained  employment 
in  the  first  lumber-yard  ever  opened  there,  continuing  to  work  in  the 
same  and  in  the  neighborhood  for  about  ten  years.  He  purchased 
a  farm  in  Mt.  Vernon  in  1863,  which  he  has  occupied  ever  since. 
He  married,  in  1876,  Miss  Catherine  Eggers,  by  whom  he  has  had 
four  children,  all  of  whom  are  living.  He  is  a  republican  and  a 
member  of  the  Lutheran  body.  He  has  filled  the  position  of  town- 
ship treasurer  and  other  offices,  and  bears  the  reputation  of  being  a 
thoroughly  reliable,  straightforward  citizen. 

David  Nisbit  was  born  in  Madrid,  New  York,  January  28,  1841. 
He  received  a  limited  common  school  education,  never  having  had 
any  o})portunities  of  attending  select  schools  of  any  kind.  His  youth, 
for  fifteen  years,  was  spent  on  a  farm  in  St.  Lawrence  count3%  New 
York.  Then  his  father  moved  to  Saratoga,  Winona  county,  Minne- 
sota, and  David  ran  a  breaking  team  for  four  seasons,  when  his 
health  failed  him,  and  for  several  years  he  was  unable  to  leave  the 
house.  As  soon  as  he  recovered  sufficientl}'  he  commenced  selling 
machinery.  He  followed  this  business  two  years  and  then  went  to 
selling  fruit-trees.  In  1872  he  went  to  Rushford  and  bought  a 
livery-stable,  and  took  charge  of  it  until  1875,  when  he  sold  out,  and 
went  back  to  the  farm  and  kept  an  apiary  for  several  years.  In  the 
spring  of  1880  he  bought  a  farm  in  Pleasant  Hill  township  and  has 
since  been  improving  it.  He  was  married  to  Dyantha  Hesslegrave, 
August  24,  1876.  They  have  two  children,  David  Earl,  born  March 
8,  1877,  and  Ray  Ellsworth,  born  March  31,  1881. 

Samuel  W.  Spalding  was  born  in  Eaton  township,  Lower  Canada, 
March  16,  1829.  He  received  a  common  school  education  in  the 
State  of  New  York,  where  his  father  moved  about  the  year  of  1834. 
When  twenty-two  years  old  Mr.  Spalding  went  to  sea  for  two  years, 
but  tiring  of  the  ocean  he  quit  that  business  and  went  to  Lockport, 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  695 

IlliiKns,  where  lie  worked  one  year.  He  then  went  to  Houston 
county,  Minnesota,  took  a  claim  on  Root  river,  built  a  claim  shant}^ 
and  lived  there  one  year  all  alone,  with  no  amusement  but  the  ague, 
with  which  he  suffered  most  of  the  time.  He  sold  his  claim  on  Root 
river  and  went  to  La  Crescent  and  took  a  claim  and  lived  on  it  one 
year.  He  then  sold  out  and  came  to  Pleasant  Hill  and  bought  a 
claim  of  eighty  acres,  with  small  shanty.  He  built  an  addition  to  the 
shanty,  cleared  and  broke  ground  until  the  fall  of  1856.  He  then 
went  to  Illinois,  and  January  15,  1857,  he  married  Sarah  J.  Hatch, 
of  Dwight,  Illinois,  and  returned  to  his  farm  in  Pleasant  Hill,  and 
has  since  been  improving  and  adding  to  the  same,  till  he  now  has 
160  acres  of  good  farming  land.  They  have  only  one  child  :  James 
F.,  born  October  18,  1858,  and  married  to  Olive  M.  Clark  and  living 
on  Sec.  3,  of  Pleasant  Hill  township. 

Gates  &  Wardner,  general  merchandise,  Masonic  block.  This 
business,  as  at  present  conducted,  was  established  in  1878,  and  the 
building  occupied  by  them  was  erected  two  years  later  in  common 
with  E.  S.  Johnson  &  Co.  and  the  masonic  bodies  of  the  city.  The 
salesroom  fronts  twenty-six  feet,  has  a  depth  of  eighty  feet,  with  *a 
good  stone  foundation  and  basement  under  the  whole.  Business 
employs  two  salesmen.  The  members  of  the  firm  are  M.  H.  Gates 
and  E.  S.  Wardner.  M.  H.  Gates  is  a  native  of  New  York,  from 
which  state  he  came  to  Winona  county  in  the  spring  of  1856,  settling 
in  St.  Charles,  where  he  opened  business  with  a  general  stock  of 
goods  and  continued  in  trade  about  six  years.  From  1862  to  1866 
he  was  engaged  in  farming,  about  three  and  a-half  miles  from  St. 
Charles,  and  since  the  latter  date  has  been  in  trade  in  this  city.  Mr. 
Gates  was  mayor  of  the  city  during  1879-80,  two  terras,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  present  city  council.  He  is  married  and  has  six 
children,  one  of  them  clerking  in  his  father's  store,  one,  a  daughter, 
teaching  in  the  city  schools,  and  two  others  attending  as  pupils. 
Mr.  Gates  is  a  member  of  Rising  Sun  Lodge,  No.  49,  A.  F.  and  A. 
M.,  and  of  Orient  Chapter  No.  19,  R.  A.  M.,  both  of  St.  Charles, 
and  a  member  of  Home  Commandery,  No.  5,  of  Rochester,  this  state. 

H.  C.  Parrott  &Co.,  manufacturers  of  spring  and  lumber 
wagons.  This  business,  at  present  the  leading  manufacturing  indus- 
try of  St.  Charles,  has  been  in  successful  operation  about  twenty-four 
years,  during  which  time  it  has  gi'own  from  comparatively  small 
beginnings  to  its  present  proportions.  Their  location  is  on  the  east 
side  of  Whitewater  street,  the  main  street  of  the  city,  and  adjoining  the 


t>96  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

tracks  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railroad  on  the  south.  Their 
lot  fronts  145  feet  on  Whitewater  street  and  runs  to  the  rear  about 
300  feet.  Upon  this  lot  they  have  erected  the  following  buildings  : 
one  brick  blacksmith-shop,  30  X  75  feet ;  a  two-story  machine-shop, 
38x75  feet;  a  two-story  wood-shop,  36x50  feet;  a  one  and  a-half 
story  wagon  and  carriage  repository,  40  X  SO  feet,  a  warehouse  20  X  50 
feet,  and  paint-shop,  40  X  70  feet.  These  buildings  are  exclusive  of 
sheds  for  stock  and  tlie  engine-room  in  which  a  twenty-five  horse- 
power Atlas  engine  supplies  motor  for  the  labor-saving  machinery  of 
the  several  departments.  The  operations  of  the  manufactory  em- 
ploy about  twenty-five  hands,  and  the  annual  manufactured  product, 
including  repairs,  about  $35,000,  for  wliich  a  market  is  found  in 
southern  Minnesota  and  Dakota.  Business  which  had  been  gradu- 
ally increasing,  reached  its  maximum  in  1878,  since  which  date  until 
the  present  season  there  had  been  a  gradual  decline.  The  orders 
received  for  the  first  three  months  of  1883  and  the  increasing 
demands  for  their  goods  foreshadow  an  increase  of  fully  twentj^-five 
per  cent  for  the  year  1883  over  any  former  year  of  their  operations. 
TKe  present  members  of  the  firm  are  H.  C.  Parrott  and  Henry  Talbott. 
H.  C.  Parrott  is  a  native  of  Oxford,  England,  from  which  country  he 
came  to  America  in  1853,  settling  in  Port  Sarnia,  Canada.  Came 
to  Winona  county  in  1856,  and  was  variously  employed  until  1859, 
when  he  established  his  present  business  which  he  conducted  alone 
one  year,  then  associated  with  himself  Charles  Ellsbury  and  Henry 
Talbott.  In  1865  Mr.  Ellsbury  retired  from  the  firm  and  the  busi- 
ness has  since  been  conducted  as  at  present.  Mr.  Parrott  has  been 
a  member  of  the  city  board  of  education  almost  continuously  for  the 
past  fifteen  to  twenty  years,  and  has  also  served  his  fellow-citijjensas 
head  of  their  municipal  government,  having  been  twice  mayor  of 
the  city.  He  is  also  an  acceptable  member  of  Rising  Sun  Lodge, 
A.  F.  and  A.  M.  and  Orient  chapter,  R.  A.  M. 

Jacob  Feigert,  farmer,  is  a  son  of  Frederick  Feigert,  who  emi- 
grated to  America  from  Hamburg,  Germany,  in  1837,  and  settled  in 
Elba  in  1856.  Jacob  Feigert  was  born  in  Hamburg  on  February 
24,  1831.  He  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  Tuscaraugus  county,  Ohio, 
attending  the  common  school  about  a  year  in  all.  He  was  married 
January  18,  1853,  to  Sophia,  daughter  of  Jacob  Miller,  of  Pennsyl- 
vania ;  she  was  born  in  Ohio,  February  20,  1833.  In  the  fall  of 
1856  Mr.  Feigert  came  with  his  father  to  Elba  ;  they  purchased  120 
acres  of  land  on  Sees.  13  and  14.     The  elder  now  lives  in  the  town 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  697 

of  Rolling  Stone,  this  county.  In  1866  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
bought  eighty  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  21,  where  he  has  since  dwelt. 
By  subsequent  purchase  he  acquired  eighty  acres  more,  adjoining 
the  first.  He  now  resides  in  a  large  and  handsome  dwelling,  and  is 
one  of  Elba's  independent  farmers.  He  is  a  democrat  in  politics  ; 
was  elected  town  supervisor  in  1868,  and  also  served  one  year  by 
appointment  subsequently.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Feigert  are  Presby- 
terians. They  have  twelve  living  children,  having  lost  three.  Here 
is  the  record  of  births,  marriages,  etc :  Catharine,  born  October  7, 
1855,  mari-ied  Alexander  King  and  lives  in  the  village  of  Elba  ; 
Margaret,  bom  May  12,  1857,  married  Albert  Myers  and  dwells  at 
Flandreau,  Dakota ;  Jacob,  born  December  20,  1859,  resides  with 
parents;  Elizabeth,  born  April  20,  1861,  married  James  McCabe 
(now  deceased),  resides  in  Eyota ;  Mary,  born  September  17,  1862, 
married  Isaiah  Frey,  now  living  on  Sec.  21  ;  Sophie,  born  March 
24,  1864 ;  William,  born  January  12,  1867  ;  Henry,  born  July  17, 
1869  ;  Lucy,  born  February  18,  1871  ;  Albert,  born  December  12, 
1872  ;  Edward  O.,  born  August  24,  1875  ;  Annie  C,  born  Novem- 
ber 18,  1877. 

Henkt  G.  Cox,  of  Saratoga,  is  one  of  the  early  settlers  and  most 
substantial  citizens  of  the  vicinity.  He  traces  the  family  history 
back  to  the  time  when  four  brothers,  Benjamin,  his  great-great- 
grandfather, George,  John  Davenport,  and  another  whose  name  is 
forgotten,  came  from  Warwick,  England,  and  settled  at  Hardwick, 
Massachusetts.  These  were  stout,  hearty,  robust  specimens  of  the 
hardy  English  yeomanry.  The  great-grandfather  was  a  captain  in 
the  revolution,  and  Benjamin,  the  grandfather  of  Henry,  was  a  waiter 
to  his  father.  After  the  war  he  removed  to  Barnard,  Windsor 
county,  Vermont,  where  Aurin,  the  father  of  Henry,  was  born. 
They  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  in  the  place.  His  father 
was  one  of  six  children  :  Gardner,  Nancy,  Benjamin,  Allen,  Aurin 
and  Lyman.  His  grandfather  was  a  farmer  and  carried  on  the  busi- 
ness of  a  cooper.  Aurin  Cox,  the  father  of  Henry,  was  raised  on  a 
farm  and  educated  in  the  common  schools.  He  learned  the  trade  of 
a  millwright  with  Joshua  Tainge,  at  Barnard,  Vermont.  This  he 
followed  for  a  number  of  years  until  he  lost  his  health,  when  he 
bought  a  farm  near  Barnard,  Yerraont,  where  he  lived  for  the 
remainder  of  his  days.  Here  Henry,  the  eldest  of  the  family,  had  a 
severe  trial  carrying  on  the  farm  and  making  a  living  for  the  family. 
His  mother  was  Hortense  P.  Chamberlain,  of  Royalton,  Yermont, 


698  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

to  whom  his  father  was  married  in  1828.  Henry  is  the  eldest  of  a 
tamily  of  seven  children  :  Esther,  Edna,  Mary  Jane,  Aurin,  Julia 
and  Edna  were  his  sisters  and  brother.  Here  on  the  fai-m  lie  grew 
to  manhood  and  received  a  common  school  education.  In  1850,  at 
the  age  of  twentj-one,  he  left  the  parental  roof  and  went  to  Pierre- 
pont,  St.  Lawrence  county.  New  York,  where  he  worked  in  a  starch 
factory  for  his  uncle,  Gardner  Cox,  for  near  five  years.  December 
25,  185-4,  he  married  Miss  Justina  Stevens,  of  Parishville,  New 
York.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Henry  Stevens,  a  millowner  of  that 
place.  They  are  the  parents  of  one  child,  Henry  Stevens  Cox,  born 
December  25,  18H6.  In  March,  1855,  Mr.  Cox  came  west  and 
stopped  for  awhile  at  Rock  Ishind,  Illinois,  1)ut  on  account  of  pre- 
valence of  cholera  he  went  to  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  and  commenced 
work  in  the  employ  of  Osgood  &  Co.,  where  he  remained  for  a  year. 
Thinking  to  better  his  fortunes  he  came  west  in  1856  and  settled  on 
Sees.  7  and  8,  in  Saratoga  township,  where  he  has  ever  since  carried 
on  farming.  He  owns  a  splendid  farm  here  and  another  in  Martin 
county,  Minnesota.  He  is  a  republican  in  politics,  and  his  belief  in 
religion  is  "to  do  all  the  good  you  can  and  as  little  harm  as  possi- 
ble." Mr.  Cox  built  a  neat  and  comfortable  frame  residence  in 
1857,  which  he  still  occupies.  Mrs.  Cox  died  October  29,  1881,  and 
lies  buried  at  Saratoga  burying-ground. 

William  H.  Morrill,  farmer,  Saratoga  township.  Mr.  Morrill's 
farm  consists  of  233  acres  of  land  in  Sees.  3  and  4,  and  its  several 
parts  were  pre-empted  by  John  Emerson,  John  B.  Brown  and 
Lysander  Kately,  the  whole  coming  into  Mr.  Morrill's  possession  by 
purchase  at  various  times  between  April,  1859,  and  1866.  Mr. 
Morrill  had,  however,  been  a  resident  of  the  county  for  two  years 
prior  to  securing  his  present  location,  his  first  farm  consisting  of  a 
forty-acre  lot  on  Sec.  34,  St.  Charles  township,  ])urchased  of  Charles 
H.  Alden,  in  May,  1857.  Mr.  Morrill's  farm,  crops  and  stock,  the 
season  of  1882,  were  as  follows  :  Bushels  of  wheat  per  acre,  17  ;  of 
oats,  a  small  ci-op  ;  barley,  35  ;  corn,  50  ;  hay,  two  tons  per  acre  ; 
15  horses,  27  cattle  and  12  hogs.  William  H.  Morrill,  is  a  son  of 
Hon.  David  Morrill,  now  living  in  Canterbury,  New  Hampshire, 
aged  eighty-four  years,  and  long  recognized  as  one  of  the  representa- 
tive men  of  that  state.  William  H.  is  a  native  of  the  old  Granite 
State  and  came  to  Winona  county  from  the  east  in  1856.  April  26, 
1860,  he  married  Miss  M.  M.  Foster.  They  have  two  children  :  the 
eldest.  Miss  M.  B.  Morrill,  is  teaching  school  in  a  school  district  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  699 

Saratoga  township,  and  the  youngest,  Willie  D.,  is  at  home  with  his 
parents.  Mr.  W.  H.  Morrill  enlisted  February  11,  1865,  in  Co.  K, 
1st  Minn.  Heavy  Art.,  Capt.  Hammond  commanding  company, 
was  sent  to  Chattanooga,  Tennessee,  March  1  following,  and  was 
on  duty  upon  the  fortifications  there  until  ordered  nortli  and  mus- 
tered out  at  Fort  Snelling,  Minnesota,  October  of  that  same  year. 
Mr.  Foster  had  two  brothers  who  gave  themselves  to  the  service  of 
their  country.  Alonzo  Foster,  who  enlisted  in  Co.  A,  2d  Minn. 
Inf.,  who  served  with  that  regiment  until  the  close  of  its  service, 
re-enlisting  as  a  veteran,  and  participating  in  Sherman's  march  to 
the  sea,  and  was  finally  mustered  out  at  Fort  Snelling  when  the  war 
closed.  The  other  brother,  L.  B.  Foster,  was  a  captain  in  the  26th 
Ohio,  was  several  times  wounded,  and  after  suffering  untold  tortures 
and  permanent  disability  of  eighteen  years  through  spinal  disorder, 
the  result  of  wounds  in  battle,  died  in  1882.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morrill 
are  ])rominent  members  of  the  Minnesota  Anti-Secret  Society  Asso- 
ciation, and  communicants  of  the  Congregational  church  at  St. 
Charles. 

Jerry  Moran,  son  of  Daniel  Moran,  was  born  in  the  county 
Tipperary,  Ireland,  February  2,  1846  ;  came  with  his  father  to  the 
United  States  of  America  in  the  yeai- 1853,  and  settled  in  Connecticut, 
and  from  there  proceeded  to  Minnesota  in  1856,  and  settled  in  the 
town  of  Wilson.  His  mother's  maiden  name  was  Margaret  Dwana  ; 
his  father  died  in  Minnesota  in  September,  1877,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
five  years  ;  his  mother  died  the  year  following,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
two.  There  were  eleven  children  in  the  family,  two  died  in  Ireland, 
two  in  Connecticut  and  one  in  Minnesota.  Jerry,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  has  held  the  offices  of  district  treasurer  and  supervisor  of  the 
town,  owns  a  splendid  farm  of  160  acres,  is  a  farmer  by  profession, 
a  democrat  in  politics  and  Roman  Catholic  in  religion. 

Gregory  &  Co.,  wholesale  and  retail  dealers  in  crockery  and 
glassware,  JSTo.  35  East  Second  street.  This  business  was  established 
in  1862,  in  the  block  east  of  that  where  now  located  ;  remained  there 
until  1867,  was  then  removed  to  the  north  side  of  the  street,  between 
Lafayette  and  Center,  where  business  was  conducted  until  1872, 
when  a  move  was.  made  to  the  south  side  of  the  street,  two  doors 
east  of  present  location,  to  which  business  was  removed  in  1882. 
Here  they  occupy  three  basements  for  heavy  storage  and  packing, 
aggregating  6,000  feet  of  flooring;  a  salesroom  22x120,  with  an 
elevator  in  the  rear  and  a  storeroom  overhead,  50x130  feet,  with 


700  HISTORY    OF    WrNONA    COUNTY. 

side  shelving,  staging,  galleries  and  every  appliance  for  economiz- 
ing space.  The  house  employs  a  clerical  force  of  three,  two  traveling 
salesmen  and  ten  hands.  Business  extends  west  to  the  Missouri 
river,  north  to  Lake  City,  to  Fargo  on  the  North  Pacific  railway  and 
eastward  to  the  Wisconsin  river.  Yearly  sales  are  considerably  in 
excess  of  $50,000.  The  house  is  represented  on  the  Winona  board 
of  trade.  The  members  of  the  firm  are  A.  S.  Gregory,  Geo,  W. 
Gregory  and  E.  S.  Gregory.  Mr.  A.  S.  Gregory,  the  senior  mem- 
ber of  the  firm,  is  a  native  of  Frorae,  England,  born  February  15, 
1S20.  In  1827  he  came  to  America  with  his  father,  who  was  a 
manufacturer  of  woolen  goods.  In  1856  Mr.  A.  S.  Gregory 
removed  to  Winona  county,  settling  in  Stockton,  where  he  |)urchased 
the  old  frame  sawmill  on  the  water-power  there,  which  had  been 
erected  by  J.  II.  Hurd  the  previous  year.  This  Mr.  Gregory 
converted  into  a  flouring-raill,  the  first  built  in  the  county,  which 
he  operated  until  1860,  when  he  sold  out  to  Mr.  H.  Sherry,  and  two 
years  later  opened  his  crockery  business  in  this  city.  Geo.  W. 
Gregory  is  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  removed  to  Wisconsin 
from  his  native  state  in  1852.  Five  years  later  Mr.  Gregory  removed 
to  Winona  and  was  in  the  drug  and  book  house  of  Bingham,  Benson 
&  Co.  until  1862,  when  he  left  this  city  for  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania. 
Remaining  there  one  year,  he  returned  to  Winona  and  entered  the 
crockery  house  of  A.  S.  Gregory,  as  a  partner  in  that  business. 
E.  S.  Gregory,  son  of  A.  S.  Gregory,  the  founder  of  the  firm,  has 
been  connected  with  the  house  for  the  past  five  years. 

Nathan  Harris,  son  of  Alpheus  and  Rebecca  Harris,  was  born 
in  King's  county.  Nova  Scotia,  February  22,  1813  ;  was  educated 
in  the  common  school  ;  came  to  the  United  States  in  1845  ;  landed 
in  Boston,  and  from  there  went  to  New  Hampshire,  where  he  was 
married  September  22,  1846,  to  Miss  Martha  W.  Fuller,  daughter 
of  Cajjt.  Edward  and  Patty  Fuller,  her  mother's  maiden  name 
being  Patty  Upham.  They  emigrated  to  Minnesota  in  1856  and 
settled  in  the  town  of  Wilson.  Have  had  three  children  :  Lucilla, 
the  eldest,  was  born  November  25,  1847,  and  died  May  15,  1872.  at 
the  age  of  twenty-five.  She  is  spoken  of  by  all  who  know  her  as  a 
very  amiable  and  highly  accomplished  young  lady,  the  only  girl,  and 
the  ])ride  of  the  family;  Edward  F.  was  born  March  28,  1850,  and 
Orlando  U.  was  born  May  2,  1854.  Mr.  Harris  owns  a  nice  farm 
four  miles  from  the  city  of  Winona,  in  Pleasant  valley,  besides  other 
lands.     Mrs,  Harris'  father,  Capt.  Edward  Fuller,  served  in  the  war 


BIOGRAPJIICAL. 


701 


of  1812  ;  was  captain  of  a  company  ;  came  to  Minnesota  with  Nathan 
Harris  ;  died  in  1865,  and  is  buried  in  the  cemetery  in  Pleasant 
valley.  Nathan  belongs  to  the  Congregational  church,  is  a  demo- 
crat in  politics. 

Francis  Faeanswoth,  farmer,  is  another  old  settler  whose  career 
is  a  good  example  of  what  industry,  integrity  and  perseverance  will 
accomplish.  Coming  into  the  township  in  1856  with  little  or  no 
capital  except  excellent  health  and  a  strong  right  arm,  he  has  accu- 
mulated considerable  property  and  one  of  the  handsomest  homes  in 
the  county.  He  is  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  being  born  at  Med- 
ford  in  1826  ;  his  family  moved  into  Michigan  in  1846  and  he  came 
with  them.  He  marrfed  in  1848  Miss.  Sarah  Cobb,  and  remained 
in  Michigan  farming  until  the  spring  of  1856,  when  he  came  to 
Whitewater,  where  he  has  been  a  resident  ever  since.  Few  men 
enjoy  the  respect  and  esteem  i^f  the  community  in  a  greater  degree 
than  Mr.  Faranswoth. 

John  Laemkuhl,  farmer,  was  born  in  Germany  in  1806.  He 
was  brought  up  as  an  agricultural  laborer,  and  worked  at  his  occupa- 
tion until  he  was  fifty  years  of  age,  when  he  emigrated  to  America, 
arriving  in  1856,  coming  direct  to  Kollingstone,  where  he  purchased 
the  farm  he  now  occupies.  He  was  married  in  Germany  in  1853, 
to  Sophia  Brown,  and  two  sons  and  two  daughters  have  blessed  their 
union.  Mr.  Laemkuhl,  by  frugality  and  industry,  has  accumulated 
considerable  property,  and  is  much  respected  by  his  neighbors.  He 
is  a  Lutheran,  and  is  independent  in  politics. 

Ira  Canfield  was  born  in  Tompkins  county.  New  York,  Jan- 
uary 14,  1822.  His  parents  were  Herman  and  Unice  Smith  Russell. 
His  father  was  a  carpenter  and  joiner  in  his  earlier  business  life,  but 
latterly  followed  farming.  Mr.  Canfield  was  reared  a  farmer  and 
has  always  followed  it  as  a  means  of  livelihood.  January  1,  1843, 
he  was  married  to  Julia  Ann  Orway,  by  whom  he  became  the  father 
of  five  children,  named  respectively  Hattie,  George,  Charley,  Stella 
and  Julia.  From  New  York  Mr.  Canfield  removed  to  Jackson 
county,  Iowa,  in  1852,  where  Mrs.  Canfield  died  September  12,  1856. 
In  the  autumn  of  this  year  he  came  to  this  county  and  settled  at  Troy. 
Some  time  after  coming  here  he  was  married  to  Miss  Rebecca  Dun- 
kinson,  by  whom  he  has  no  children.  He  is  a  democrat  in  politics, 
and  has  held  the  ofiice  of  constable  for  Saratoga  township  for  five 
years. 

Alonzo  D.  Nicholls  (deceased)  was  born  and  bred  on  a  farm  in 


702  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Ware,  New  Hampshire ;  his  father,  Hiram  Nicholls,  was  also  born 
in  Ware,  as  was  his  mother  Sarah  Dearborn.  April  4,  1831,  is  the 
date  of  birth  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  After  attending  the 
district  school  of  his  native  town  till  sixteen  years  of  age  he  entered 
a  clothing  factory,  where  he  was  employed  as  pressman,  and  this 
occu])ation  he  followed  for  nine  years.  He  was  married  January  9, 
1854,  to  Harriet  M.  Philbrick,  who  was  born  in  Ware,  December 
11,  1834;  her  father,  George  Philbrick,  was  a  native  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  her  mother,  Mariali  Burnham,  was  born  in  England.  In 
May,  1856,  Mr.  Nicholls  came  to  Elba,  and  purchasing  100  acres  of 
land  on  Sec.  10,  engaged  in  farming ;  his  family  arrived  the  follow- 
ing November.  Mr.  Nicholls  was  possessed  of  more  than  the 
average  ability,  and  soon  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  management 
of  public  affairs.  He  was  an  adherent  of  the  democratic  party  on 
political  issues.  He  was  town  clerk  ffom  1860  to  1868  inclusive, 
except  in  1862  ;  was  assessor  for  the  ten  years  succeeding  1869,  ex- 
cepting 1872.  In  1860  he  was  appointed  postinaster  at  Elba,  but 
resigned  two  years  later.  In  1867  Mr.  Nicholls  sold  his  farm  and 
bought  a  half-interest  in  a  flouring-mill  at  Chatfield,  removing  to  that 
place  in  September ;  after  a  year's  residence  there  he  returned  to 
Elba  and  engaged  in  farming  on  Sec.  5.  Here  he  died  March  1, 
1880,  and  the  following  year  his  family  removed  to  Fairwater, 
whei-e  they  now  reside.  Mr.  Nicholls'  religious  faith  was  univer- 
salism,  a  belief  also  embraced  by  his  family.  His  four  children  all 
reside  together  with  their  mother.  Their  names  and  dates  of  birth 
are  as  follows  :  Benjamin  F.,  June  1,  1859  ;  Clinton  A.,  September 
24,  1862  ;  Hattie  s'..  May  26,  1868  ;  Charles  H.,  August  17,  1872. 
Nicholas  Roberts,  farmer,  became  a  citizen  of  Elba  in  1856, 
when  he  purchased  40  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  10.  In  August  of  that 
year  he  married  Miss  Josephine  Klein,  of  this  town,  from  whom  he 
was  afterward  divorced.  They  had  one  child,  Albert,  who  was 
born  May  17,  1857,  and  is  now  living  in  the  adjoining  town  of 
Quincy,  Olmsted  count3^  Mr.  Roberts  was  born  in  Luxemburg, 
February  24,  1831.  His  f^ither  was  a  farnoier,  and  he  lived  the 
youth  of  a  German  farmer's  boy.  At  twenty  years  of  age  he  emi- 
grated to  America,  and  spent  five  years  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
where  he  was  employed  in  rutming  a  sawmill  engine.  Removing 
thence,  he  came  to  Elba,  as  above  noted.  He  afterward  bought 
120  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  4,  where  his  present  home  is  located. 
His  farm  lies  on  the  upland  prairie,  and  is  handsome  and  pro- 


UTICA    TOWNSHIP.  703 

ductive.  He  was  married  April  18,  1865,  to  Elizabeth  Neiheiser, 
who  was  born  in  Wittel,  Prussia,  August  10,  1842.  They  have 
four  children,  and  are  all  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church. 
The  names  and  dates  of  birth  of  the  children  are  as  follows :  Mary 
Louisa,  February  26,  1866 ;  Peter,  January  8,  1868 ;  Mary,  April 
13,  1871;  John,  April  10,  1874. 

James  Tierney,  farmer,  was  born  in  County  Galway,  Ireland. 
His  father,  Mark  Tierney,  was  a  farmer  and  gave  his  son  a  common 
school  education.  On  arriving  at  majority,  young  Tierney  emi- 
grated to  America ;  he  spent  his  first  year  in  the  country  in  a 
woolen  factory  at  Millville,  Massachusetts  ;  the  next  three  years 
were  spent  in  New  York  city.  He  was  married  there  in  1852  to 
Mary  Rodigan,  who  was  born  in  County  Galway  in  1833.  In  the 
spring  of  1856  Mr.  Tierney  came  to  Winona  and  worked  for  some 
time  on  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  railroad,  then  in  process  of  con- 
struction. He  afterward  rented  land,  which  he  tilled  in  the  town 
of  St.  Charles,  and  in  1858  bought  40  acres  on  Sec.  35  in  Elba; 
twenty  years  later  he  purchased  120  acres  on  Sees.  26  and  35,  and 
now  has  a  tine  farm.  Mr.  Tierney  is  a  democrat,  and  a  member  of 
the  St.  Charles  Roman  Catholic  church,  as  are  all  his  family.  He 
has  eight  living  children,  as  follows:  Mary  E.,  born  September  2, 
1853,  married  John  King  and  lives  in  Ripley,  Dodge  county ; 
Martin,  born  November  5,  1855;  John,  Thomas,  Catharine  E., 
Margaret,  Etta  and  Dora. 


CHAPTER  LYI. 


UTICA  TOWNSHIP. 


This  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  richest  agricultural  townships  in 
the  State  of  Minnesota.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  groves  of 
limited  area,  it  is  entirely  composed  of  gently  undulating  prairie, 
with  a  rich  surface  soil  lying  on  a  clay  subsoil.  The  township 
extends  nearly  to  the  bluffs  and  valleys  bordering  the  Mississippi 
river.  It  is  bounded  by  Norton  township  on  the  north,  Warren  on 
the  east,  Fremont  south  and  St.  Charles  west  ;  and  is  described  as 
T.  106,  R.  9,  W.  of  the  5th  P.M.  of  the  United  States  survey. 
Agriculture  employs  the  attention  of  nearly  every  one  of  its  citizens. 


704  HISTORf    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

• 
There  are  two  small  villages  within  its  limits,  one  bearing  the  name 

of  the  townsliij),  and  the  other  called  Lewiston,  in  honor  ot  its 
founder,  Jonathim  Smith  Lewis.  The  latter  village  is  incor})orated. 
Botli  these  hamlets  sprang  into  life  with  the  construction  of  the 
"Winona  &  St.  Peter  railroad,  on  which  Hue  thej  are  located.  There 
is  scarcely  a  farm  throughout  the  extent  of  this  township  that  is  not 
marked  by  large  and  handsome  buildings,  many  of  them  built  of 
brick  or  stone.  The  number  and  size  of  iarm  barns  is  something 
remarkable.  Utica  was  first  settled  by  people  from  New  York  and 
Indiana,  but  most  of  the  early  residents  have  gone,  and  their  places 
are  mostly  taken  b}^  emigrants  from  Germany.  The  eastern  hall  ©f 
the  township  is  now  almost  wholly  occupied  by  these  people,  many 
of  whom  are  recent  arrivals,  and  they  bid  fair  soon  to  possess  the 
whole  township.  Many  of  them  cannot  read  or  speak  the  English 
language,  but  they  are  an  industrious,  peaceful  class  of  citizens,  and 
are  fast  developing  the  agricultural  resources  of  the  country. 
Schools  and  churches  receive  a  liberal  support,  and  the  intellectual 
development  of  the  community  is  not  backward.  The  first  per- 
manent settlement  in  the  town  of  Utica  was  made  in  the  fall  of  1854. 
During  this  year  came  Andrew  Peterman  and  Peter  Raymond,  of 
Indiana,  Henry  and  Lyman  Raymond,  of  New  York,  Rev.  William 
Sweet,  E.  H.  Barrett,  Dr.  John  W.  Bentley,  and  two  others  named 
Hall  and  Malloy,  all  of  whom  spent  the  following  winter  here. 
Collins  Rice  came  and  took  a  claim  and  built  a  sod  house  thereon  in 
the  fall  of  1854  ;  the  next  spring  he  brought  his  family  and  lived  a 
short  time  in  this  house.  Mrs.  Rice  relates  that  one  morning 
while  washing  her  dishes  she  happened  to  look  up  and  discover  a 
snake  lying  close  under  the  roof  on  a  shelf  formed  by  the  sod  wall, 
and  surveying  the  scene  with  quiet  contentment.  The  good  lady's 
contentment  was  not  so  quiet,  and  the  intruder  was  soon  banished. 
A  frame  building  was  soon  prepared  and  occupied,  and  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Rice  are  still  to  be  found  in  their  pleasant  home  on  the  original 
homestead,  one  and  one-half  miles  southeast  of  Lewiston.  Another 
of  Mrs.  Rice's  un])leasant  experiences  was  with  a  weasel  which 
captured  two-thirds  of  her  small  brood  of  ciiickens  ;  but  his  weasel- 
ship  soon  paid  the  penalty  of  his  thefts  ;  one  night,  while  gorged 
with  his  ill-gotten  feast,  he  was  seized  by  the  neck  in  Mrs.  Rice's 
determined  grasp  and  held  a  prisoner  till  her  husband  dispatched  him. 
During  the  fall  of  1854  occurred  the  first  birth  of  a  white  child 
in  town,  a  daughter  born  to  Dr.  Bentley  and  christened  Harriet. 


UTICA    TOWNSHIP.  705 

In  1855  nearly  all  the  land  was  taken  up  by  settlers.  In  the  spring 
of  this  year  came  Austin  Raymond,  father  of  the  brothers  above 
named,  Luzon,  his  son,  James  Myers,  William  H.  D wight,  Clay- 
burn  Cheatham,  J.  S.  Lewis,  David  Wlietstine,  Philip  Ramer,  and 
numerous  others.  The  first  death  was  that  of  an  infant  child  of 
Peter  Ramer,  wliich  occurred  in  April,  1855.  In  the  fall  of  the 
same  year  Mrs.  Clayburn  Cheatham  died  of  consumption.  In 
October,  1856,  Daniel  Ramer,  a  brother  of  Philip,  died  of  the  same 
disease,  and  about  the  same  time  Mrs.  Perry  Miller  passed  away. 
In  February,  1857,  Steward  Cook,  one  of  the  pioneers,  was  killed 
by  a  landslide  from  the  bluff  while  going  through  a  valley  on  the 
way  to  Winona.  Steps  were  early  taken  to  secure  postal  facilities, 
and  a  postoffice  was  established  on  the  northeast  quarter  of  Sec.  23, 
the  fall  of  1855,  at  the  house  of  William  H.  Dwight.  The  business 
of  the  office  was  transacted  by  Collins  Rice.  Soon  after  this  a 
postofiice  was  also  established  at  Dr.  Bentley's  house,  on  Sec.  17,  ^ 
with  the  doctor  as  postmaster.  It  is  still  related,  as  one  of  the 
examples  of  the  style  of  business  in  those  days,  that  the  mail  was 
kept  in  an  old  trunk,  and  anyone  expecting  mail  was  free  to  sort 
over  the  contents  of  said  trunk,  taking  or  leaving  as  he  pleased. 
This  was  quite  as  "convenient"  as  Elder  Ely's  hat,  in  the  early 
days  of  Winona.  The  two  postofiices  still  maintained  in  the  town 
are  near  the  above  original  sites,  namely,  at  the  villages  of  Lewiston 
and  Utica. 

Among  the  settlers  of  1855  were  a  number  of  Dunkard  families, 
who  sought  to  settle  a  community  of  their  faith.  They  succeeded 
in  so  doing,  and  now  have  a  neat  and  commodious  church  edifice, 
standing  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  line  dividing  Utica  from  Warren 
township.  Philip  Ramer,  one  of  these  pioneers,  was  a  preacher  of 
this  faith,  and  very  soon  after  their  arrival  regular  meetings  of  the 
sect  were  inaugurated.  As  early  as  May  20,  1855,  Mr.  Ramer 
preached  at  the  house  of  J.  S.  Lewis.  In  July  of  the  same  year 
Rev.  William  Sweet  preached  in  a  grove  in  the  central  part  of  the 
town.  In  1856  Mr.  Ramer  conducted  religions  services  in  the 
western  part  of  the  town,  in  a  shanty  built  by  Luzon  Raymond  on 
his  first  claim.  The  first  school  of  which  we  can  find  any  memory 
was  taught  in  the  summer  of  1856  by  Miss  Elizabeth  Sands,  in  Mr. 
Raymond's  pre-emption  shanty  on  Sec.  19.  The  next  year  a  frame 
schoolhouse  was  built  in  the  same  locality,  and  a  good-sized  school 
occupied  it. 


TOG  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

The  large  niunber  of  men  seeking  locations  in  tliis  section  in 
1855-6  made  a  large  demand  for  hotel  accommodations,  and  very 
meagre  accommodations  were  satisfactorv.  The  first  hotel  was 
probably  that  kept  by  A.  and  L.  Raymond,  father  and  son,  in  a  log 
building  on  the  southeast  quarter  of  Sec.  18,  in  1855-6-7.  Dr. 
Bentley  was  the  first  justice  of  the  peace  in  the  town,  being  chosen 
at  an  election  held  at  his  house  in  the  fall  of  1855 ;  E.  H.  Barrett 
was  also  chosen  justice,  but  did  no  business.  The  other  officers 
were :  trustees,  Collins  Rice,  D.  Cheatham  and  Moses  Pike ;  as- 
sessor, Philip  Ramer;  treasurer,  J.  W.  Bentley;  constable,  L.  J. 
Aldrich.  As  a  sample  of  Dr.  Bentley's  easy  way  of  doing  business 
may  be  mentioned  a  marriage  ceremony  performed  by  him  in  1857. 
The  principals,  Frank  Gleason  and  Genevra  Bruce,  being  ordered 
by  the  doctor  to  stand  up  and  join  hands,  he  said:  "By  virtue  of 
the  authority  vested  in  me  by  the  Territory  of  Minnesota,  I  pro- 
nounce you  man  and  wife."  This  was,  perhaps,  the  first  marriage 
in  town.  In  November,  1856,  Edwin  Pierce  and  Chloe  A.  Ray- 
mond, residents  of  this  town,  were  married  at  Rochester.  Most  of 
the  weddings  in  early  days  were  performed  by  Esquire  Rice,  who 
was  chosen  at  the  second  election  as  justice  of  the  peace.  In  1858 
he  married  Moses  George  to  Lucretia  Lewis.  Soon  after  this  he 
joined  A.  P.  Lovejoy  and  the  widow  of  John  Morehead.  The  latter 
was  killed  by  falling  from  a  wagon  in  1858. 

On  the  organization  of  the  township,  following  the  admission  of 
the  state.  May  11,  1858,  the  town  election  was  held  at  Dr.  Bentley's 
house.  The  next  year  it  was  held  at  the  house  of  Levi  Matthews, 
on  the  S.E.  ^  of  Sec.  16,  and  continued  to  be  held  there  for  many 
years.  Mr.  Dwight  very  much  desired  to  have  the  town  named 
New  Boston,  but  a  majority  of  the  voters  coincided  with  Dr. 
Bentley's  wish,  and  it  was  accordingly  christened  Utica.  The  first 
board  of  supervisors  was  composed  of  Clayburn  Cheatham,  E.  P. 
Williams  and  William  Elliott.  Owing  to  the  destruction  of  the 
town  records  by  fire,  in  1880,  it  is  impossible  to  learn  who  were  the 
other  officers  elected  at  that  time  ;  and  no  record  can  be  given  of 
subsequent  elections,  except  the  last  four.  T.  J.  Hammer  has  been 
town  clerk  for  the  last  seven  years.  In  1880  the  supervisors  elected 
were  James  H.  Perry,  John  Posz  and  J.  B.  Stebbins  ;  the  next  year 
R.  K.  Holding  took  the  place  of  Stebbins.  The  same  board  was 
elected  in  1882  ;  but  Mr.  Holding  soon  died,  and  John  H.  Firth  was 
appointed  in  his  place.     At  the  election  this  year  Henry  Nusslock 


UTICA    TOWNSHIP.  707 

was  chosen  instead  of  Firth,  the  others  being  re-elected.  James  H. 
Perry  has  been  chairman  of  the  town  board  fourteen  years,  and  a 
member  of  that  body  sixteen  years.  John  Posz  has  been  super- 
visor or  assessor  every  year  since  1874  except  one. 

The  total  population  of  Utica  township  in  1880  was  1,335. 

LEWISTON    VILLAGE. 

The  act  incorporating  this  village  was  approved  February  23, 
1875.  It  includes  Sec.  17.  The  organic  act  required  that  the  first 
election  be  held  on  the  first  Monday  of  March,  that  year,  which 
was  the  first  day  of  the  month.  The  following  officers  were  elected : 
Trustees,  L.  J.  Allred,  William  Elliott  and  Peter  Peters  ;  clerk, 
N.  E.  Earch  ;  treasurer,  Peter  Lewis;  justice,  I.  C.  Slade  ;.  consta- 
ble, J.  B.  Lancaster. 

Tlie  village  is  now  in  prosperous  condition  financially.  The  re- 
port of  the  treasurer  at-the  last  election  showed  $510  in  the  treasury. 
Six  saloons  are  licensed  at  $75  per  year.  But  little  expenditure  is 
required  for  streets  and  sidewalks,  as  the  village  has  but  limited 
population  or  business. 

The  census  of  1880  showed  a  population  of  241.  Among  its 
business  establishments  at  this  time  are  three  grain  warehouses,  tour 
general  stores,  hardware  store,  harness  shop,  wagon  and  carriage 
shop,  meat  market,  and  several  blacksmith  and  shoemakers'  shops. 

The  site  of  the  village  was  chosen  in  1863.  The  railroad  com- 
pany had  contemplated  the  location  of  its  station  a  half  mile  farther 
ea^t,  and  a  few  farmers  in  that  locality  offered  Philip  Eamer  $50 
per  acre  for  the  site  in  order  to  secure  its  location  there,  but  he  re- 
fused to  sell  at  that  price.  J.  S.  Lewis,  who  owned  the  site  of  the 
present  station,  deeded  the  railway  company  an  undivided  half 
interest  in  fifteen  acres  of  land,  and  secured  the  location  of  the 
station  where  it  now  is. 

The  first  building  was  put  up  by  Jonah  Peterman  and  occupied 
by  him  as  a  store. 

Considerable  business  is  transacted  in  this  small  hamlet.  The 
difficulties  of  the  roads  through  the  Mississippi  bluffs  to  Winona 
drive  a  great  deal  of  trade  here  from  the  prairie  regions  lying  north 
and  south  ;  and  its  distance  from  St.  Charles  also  contributes  to  its 
local  importance  as  a  trading  center. 

The  present  oflicers  of  the  village  are :  Trustees,  Henry  Stock, 
M.  Neuman,  J.  W.  Kice  ;  clerk,  O.  W.  Hunt ;  treasurer,  John  Dorn  • 


708  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

justices,  August  Ogrosky,    Peter   Peters ;   constables,  Jacob  Posz, 
C.  D.  Jacobs  ;  assessor,  B.  M.  Seemann. 

UTICA    VILLAGE. 

Utica  village  was  laid  out  in  1866  by  Benjamin  Ellsworth,  owner 
of  the  site.  It  is  platted  at  right  angles  to  the  railroad,  and  is 
nearly  all  on  the  northwest  quarter  of  Sec.  19,  one  corner  lying  on 
Sec.  18.  The  tirst  building  on  the  site  of  the  village  was  a  grain 
warehouse,  erected  by  Mr.  Ellsworth  on  the  advent  of  the  railroad 
in  1868,  and  for  some  years  a  portion  of  this  structure  was  occupied 
as  a  depot  by  the  railway  company.  The  })lat  embraces  fifty  lots, 
160  X  60  feet  in  area,  and  twenty  lots,  132  X  60.  The  first  building 
erected'  after  the  survey  was  a  store  on  lot  two,  block  two,  built  and 
occupied  by  Gideon  Peterman;  L.  C.  Bates  soon  built  a  general 
store  on  lot  one,  block  two,  and  A.  D.  Ellsworth  built  the  hotel  on 
lot  five,  block  three.  There  are  now  two  warehouses,  a  general 
store,  hotel,  drug-store,  tin-shop,  harness-shop,  shoe-shop,  saloon, 
blacksmith-shops,  etc.  The  village  is  not  incorporated,  and  its 
exact  population  is  unknown. 

SOCIETIES. 

At  present  there  are  four  church  organizations  in  the  township 
and  three  church  edifices.  Others  have  been  organized,  but  have 
gone  out  of  existence.  The  first  society  which  sprang  into  existence 
was  that  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  In  1858  Rev.  Michael 
Klepper,  of  St.  Charles,  fiimiliarly  known  as  Father  Klepper,  began 
])reaching  in  the  little  frame  schoolhouse  which  stood  a  short  distance 
east  of  the  present  village  of  Utica.  During  this  year  or  early  in 
the  next  a  small  society  was  organized,  with  J.  B.  Stebbins  as 
steward  and  classleader,  which  ofiice  he  now  fills  for  the  same 
organization.  A  union  Sabbath  school  was  soon  organized  ;  L.  W. 
Rowlev  was  chosen  as  superintendent,  and  has  acted  in  that  capacity 
nearly  all  the  time  since,  still  doing  so ;  the  school  now  numbers 
fifty  members  and  is  prosperous.  Methodist  preaching  is  still  main- 
tained in  the  schoolhouse  at  Utica,  but  the  society  has  been  much 
weakened  ))y  deaths  and  removals  and  no  class  is  kept  up. 

In  the  fall  of  1860  a  Methodist  class  was  ofganized  in  the 
northern  ])art  of  the  town  at  the  "Red  Schoolliouse."  J.  B.  Jayne 
was  classleader  and  J.  B.  Stebbins  steward.  Tiie  class  numbered 
thirty-five  members,  and  sustained  a  Sunday  school  of  fifty  members, 


UTICA    TOWNSHIP.  709 

under  the  lead  of  Mr.  Jayne.  Rev.  Zara  Norton,  of  St.  Charles, 
was  pastor.  This  organization  was  six  years  later  merged  in  that 
at  Utica. 

The  second  society  was  the  Presbyterian,  organized  at  Utica  in 
1860,  by  Rev.  H.  L.  Craven,  who  then  resided  at  La  Crescent  and 
visited  this  point  once  in  three  weeks.  There  were  six  members,  viz: 
L.  W.  Rowley,  Thomas  Sloan  and  John  M.  Boyd,  and  their  respec- 
tive wives.  Mr.  Rowley  was  elder.  Wo  organization  is  now  kept 
up,  and  but  two  families  of  this  sect  remain  in  the  vicinity. 

The  Lutheran  Society  of  Lewiston  was  organized  under  the 
name  of  St.  John's  church,  in  the  year  1866.  At  that  time  the 
society  consisted  of  seventeen  members.  The  society  built  its  first 
church,  a  building  21x40  feet,  one  mile  west  of  the  village  of 
Lewiston.  The  first  minister  having  charge  of  the  society  was  Rev. 
L.  Schmidt,  who  supplied  the  church  for  about  two  years.  From 
the  year  1868  to  18T8  the  field  was  occupied  by  five  different 
ministers,  in  their  order  as  follows:  R.  Weise,  A.  Blumer,  L.  F. 
Frey,  H.  Freese  and  G.  Schaaf.  In  July,  1878,  Rev.  O.  Koch 
took  charge  of  the  church,  under  whose  pastorate  it  continues  up  to 
the  present  time.  In  the  year  1879  the  society  built  their  present 
edifice,  a  veneered  brick,  36x56  feet,  18  feet  high,  with  steeple  83 
feet  in  height.  The  present  building  is  in  the  village  of  Lewiston, 
was  built  at  a  cost  of  $3,000,  and  will  seat  five  hundred  people. 
The  following  year  the  old  building  was  moved  to  near  the  site  of  the 
new  church  and  is  used  for  school  purposes.  In  1882  the  society 
added  a  neatly  built  parsonage  to  its  church  property,  making  in  all 
property  valued  at  nearly  $5,000.  At  present  the  membership  of 
the  society  numbers  forty-five  and  it  is  enjoying  a  steady  and 
healthful  growth. 

In  1865  Rev.  B.  F.  Kelley,  a  Baptist  clergyman,  resided  at 
Lewiston,  where  he  attempted  to  organize  a  society,  but  did  not 
receive  sufficient  support  to  enable  the  plan  to  succeed.  He 
preached  there  about  a  year. 

A  Baptist  society  was  organized  at  Utica,  March  28,  1868,  by  Rev. 
Jackson,  of  St.  Charles  township,  who  had  been  holding  services 
there  at  intervals.  There  were  fourteen  members;  Joel  B.  Dewey 
was  deacon  of  the  class,  Henry  H.  Cheathan,  clerk,  and  Frank  W. 
Curtise,  treasurer.  Preaching  is  still  maintained  by  this  sect  at  the 
schoolhouse,  but  no  organization  now  exists. 

The  earliest  Roman  Catholic  service  was  conducted  by  Father 


710  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Alois  Flut,  of  Winona,  at  the  house  of  John  Kirch,  near  Lewiston, 
in  1868;  seven  families  participated.  In  1878  Peter  Peters  bought 
four  acres  of  land  in  the  S.W.  ^  of  S.W.  ^  Sec.  14,  which 
he  fenced  and  planted,  and  subsequently  gave  it  to  the  church 
for  a  building  spot.  The  site  is  a  beautiful  one,  the  ground 
gently  sloping  from  the  center.  In  1876  a  society  was  inau- 
gurated with  tliirty-seven  families.  John  Hatreich,  John  Daley 
and  Timothy  Roeling  were  the  trustees  ;  the  first  was  secretary  and 
Mr.  Daley  treasurer  of  the  society.  In  1878  a  veneered  brick 
church  was  built  on  this  site.  It  is  54  X  28  feet  in  area,  with  audi- 
ence room  twenty  feet  high,  and  will  seat  two  hundred  persons. 
Its  cost  was  $2,500.  Forty  families  are  now  included  in  the  organ- 
ization, and  services  are  regularly  conducted  by  Father  Smith,  of 
St.  Charles. 

Harmony  Lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  was  organized  at  Enterprise, 
three  and  one-half  miles  south  of  Lewiston,  but  soon  after  removed 
to  the  latter  place.     The  first  stated  communication  was  held  June 

1,  1863.  It  started  out  with  eleven  charter  members.  The  officers 
were  as  follows:  Orrin  Wheeler,  W.M.;  N.  B.  Uiford,  S.W.;  S. 
W.  Gleason,  J.W.  ;A.  R.  Hoit,  Treas. ;  Sebastian  Giesreidter, 
Sec;  William  Proteus,  D.S.D. ;  Lucius  Brainard,  J.D. ;  John 
James,  Tyler.  The  other  charter  members  were  S.  D.  King,  J. 
W.  Klepper  and  George  McNutt.  The  lodge  now  has  a  member- 
ship of  thirty-one,  and  is  in  a  prosperous  condition.  It  is  free  of 
debt,  has  $125  in  the  treasury,  and  is  well  supplied  with  regalia 
and  furniture.  Following  is  a  list  of  the  present  officers :  I.  C. 
Slade,  W.M.;  Henry  Nusslock,  S.W.;  K  Turner,  J.W.;  Peter 
Fischer,  Treas.;  O.  W.  Hunt,  Sec;  August  Zander,  S.D. ;  C.  J. 
Sivly,  J.D. ;  L.  Siebenhuener,  Tyler.  Since  the  first  formation  of 
the  lodge  one  hundred  and  twenty-nine  persons  have  been  connected 
with  it. 

Aurora  Grove  of  Druids  was  instituted  at  Lewiston,  February 

2,  1878.  This  is  an  insurance  organization,  and  started  in  with 
twenty-one  charter  members.  After  various  additions  and  losses, 
the  membership  now  includes  the  same  number.  Its  officers  at 
present  are  as  follows:  John  Roth,  Past  Arch;  A.  Merker,  N.A. ; 
Fred.  Suhr,  Y.A. ;  Henry  Nusslock,  Treas.;  August  Kessler,  Sec; 
B.  M.  Seemann,  F.;  John  Fold,  J.W.;  F.  Schmutzler,  O.W. 


CHAPTER  LYII. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


EARLY    SETTLE  RS. 


Thomas  Chappell,  blacksmith;  shop  on  Lafayette  street,  between 
Second  and  Third.  Mr.  Chappell  established  business  in  this  city  in 
May,  1857,  on  the  lot  adjoining  the  one  he  now  occupies,  on  the 
north.  These  lots  front  forty  feet  on  Lafayette  street  and  have  a 
depth  of  sixty  feet.  Tliis  is  the  oldest  blacksmith-shop  in  the  city, 
and  business  has  been  conducted  at  the  present  location  since  1868. 
Mr.  Chappell  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  Episcopal  church  of  this 
city,  and  enjoys  the  distinction  of  having  been  the  first  male  com- 
municant of  St.  Paul's  church ;  was  made  warden  soon  after,  and 
held  that  office  until  the  erection  of  the  new  church  edifice.  He  was 
marshal  of  the  city  in  1872-3,  and  five  years  later,  1878,  was  appointed 
deputy  United  States  marshal,  under  Marshal  McLaren.  Holding 
his  position  as  deputy  until  McLaren  was  superseded  by  R.  S. 
Denny,  Mr.  Chappell  was  rea])pointed,  and  still  holds  that  position, 
Mr.  Chappell  has  resided  for  the  past  twenty-five  years  on  the  prem- 
ises purchased  by  him  on  coming  to  this  city  in  1857,  three  lots 
comer  of  Sanford  and  Franklin  streets.  Mr.  Chappell  is  an  English- 
man by  birth,  an  affiliate  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  fraternity  and  a  member 
of  Winona  Lodge,  No.  18,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  of  Winona  Chapter, 
No.  5,  and  of  Coeur  de  Lion  Commandery,  No.  3. 

S.  W.  Hamilton,  treasurer  of  Winona  county,  is  a  native  of  the 
county  whose  funds  he  keeps.  He  is  the  son  of  Andrew  Hamilton, 
of  this  city,  born  October  5, 1857.  He  was  educated  in  the  schools 
of  this  city  and  graduated  from  the  state  normal  school  here,  class 
of  1875.  Kept  books  for  the  lumber-house  of  Horton  &  Hamilton, 
(the  latter  his  father)  and  was  traveling  in  the  interest  of  that  house 
when  he  was  elected  to  his  present  office  in  1879,  being  at  that  time 
but  twenty-two  years  of  age.  Re-elected  in  1881,  he  is  now  serving 
his  second  term. 

F.  L.  Cotter,  Treasurer  Hamilton's  deputy,  is  a  native  of  Min- 
nesota, born  in  St.  Paul  in  1856  ;  graduated  at  St.  John's  College,  in 
the  northern  part  of  Minnesota,  in  1 875  ;  then  went  to  Europe  and 


712  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

entering  the  University  of  Lourain,  Belgium;  pursued  his  studies 
there  five  years,  returning  in  1880  to  his  native  state.  The  same 
spring  he  was  appointed  to  the  desk  in  the  treasurer's  office,  which 
he  now  holds.  Both  treasurer  and  deputy  are  as  yet  in  the  ranks  of 
bachelordora. 

J.  M.  Sheardown,  clerk  of  district  court,  elected  in  the  fall  of 
1877,  re-elected  in  1881  ;  his  present  term  of  service  will  expire 
December  31,  1884.  The  successive  clerks  of  district  court  for 
this  county  have  been  :  John  Ke3^es,  clerk  under  the  territorial  ad- 
ministration ;  Henry  C.  Lester,  elected  in  1858,  who  resigned  the 
office  to  enter  the  United  States  army  in  the  spring  of  1861;  E.  A. 
Gerdtzen,  appointed  to  fill  vacancy,  then  regularly  elected,  who  held 
office  until  1878  ;  and  S.  M.  Sheardown,  present  incumbent.  Mr. 
Sheardown  is  a  native  of  I^ew  York,  came  to  Winona  in  1857  ;  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  here  at  the  spring  term  of  the  district  court  in 
1860  ;  entered  the  United  States  service  with  the  5th  IST.  Y.  Cav. 
Reg.  in  1862,  served  three  years  and  returning  to  this  city  in  1865 
resumed  practice  the  following  year.  He  was  elected  justice  of  the 
peace  in  187-1,  and  held  that  office  until  his  election  as  clerk  of  court 
in  1877.  Is  married,  and  has  two  children  attending  normal  school 
in  this  city. 

Edward  Pelzer,  druggist  and  dealer  in  paints,  oils,  etc.  This 
business  was  established  in  1867  by  Mr.  Pelzer,  coi-ner  of  Second 
and  Market  streets,  and  transferred  to  its  present  location,  corner  of 
Third  and  Market  streets,  September  27,  1872,  at  which  date  the 
building  which  he  had  erected  for  his  business  was  completed.  It  is 
a  three-story  and  basement  brick  24x70,  the  first  tioor  and  base- 
ment devoted  to  business,  the  upper  stories  for  dwelling.  The  busi- 
ness of  1881  footed  up  $12,000,  and  1882  shows  a  gratifying  increase 
over  that.  Mr.  Pelzer  is  a  native  of  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois  ;  came 
to  Winona  with  his  parents  in  1857,  at  which  time  he  was  twelve 
years  of  age.  In  1860  he  entered  the  drug  house  of  L.  Wienand  & 
Co.,  with  whom  he  remained  four  and  a-hall  years,  and  was  then  in 
Chicago,  111.,  Rochestei-,  Minn.,  and  in  this  city,  always  as  druggist 
clerk,  until  he  engaged  in  business  for  himself  in  1867,  at  which 
time  he  had  had  seven  years  practical  experience  in  his  line.  lie  is 
a  member  of  Humboldt  Lodge,  No.  24,  I.O.O.F.,  of  the  Druids 
beneficiary,  the  Philharmonic  society  and  the  board  of  trade.  Was 
married  in  1870,  and  has  three  children,  two  of  them  in  school. 

Hon.  William  Mitchell  was  born  on  the  old  Niagara  peninsula, 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  713 

a  few  miles  from  the  tails,  on  the  Canada  side,  JSTovember  19,  1832. 
At  sixteen  years  of  age  he  entered  Jefferson  College,  Pennsylvania; 
graduated  in  the  class  of  1853,  and  after  spending  two  years  in 
Virginia,  teaching,  entered  the  law  office  of  Hon.  E.  C.  Wilson,  of 
Maynard,  Virginia,  and,  completing  his  preparations  for  the  bar, 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  the  circuit  court  of  eastern  Virginia,  at 
the  spring  term  of  1857,  and  immediately  located  for  practice  in 
this  city.  Here  he  formed  a  law  partnership  with  Hon.  E.  M.  Wil- 
son, now  of  Minneapolis.  After  the  removal  of  his  partner  to 
Minneapolis  Mr.  Mitchell  was  associated  in  practice  with  the  Hon. 
D.  S.  Norton,  until  that  gentleman  was  elected  to  the  United  States 
senate.  Mr.  Mitchell  then  formed  a  partnership  with  Hon.  W.  H. 
Yale,  of  this  city,  which  continued  until  1873,  when  Mr.  Mitchell 
was  elected  judge  of  the  district  court,  for  the  third  judicial  district 
of  this  state,  for  the  full  term  of  seven  years.  Ke-elected  in  1880, 
Judge  Mitchell  resigned  that  position  the  following  spring  to  accept 
the  place  on  the  supreme  bench  of  the  state,  to  which  he  was 
appointed  by  Gov.  Pillsbury,  on  the  increase  of  that  judiciary  from 
three  to  five  members.  This  office  he  held  until  the  election  of 
1882,  when  he  was  returned  as  associate  justice  of  the  supreme  court 
for  the  full  term.  Though  confining  himself  closely  to  the  duties  of 
his  profession  Mr.  Wilson  has  frequently  served  as  member  of  the 
city  council ;  was  county  attorney  one  term,  and  a  member  of  the 
state  legislature  session  of  1859-60.  Judge  MitchelPs  first  wife 
dying  in  September,  1867,  after  ten  years  of  wedded  life,  he  again 
married  in  1872.  The  judge's  living  children  are  three  daughters 
and  one  son. 

John  L.  Downing,  farmer,  is  a  son  of  George  W.  and  Sarah 
(True)  Downing,  of  New  Hampshire,  and  was  ushered  into  the 
world  June  25,  1844.  He  lived  the  life  of  a  New  England 
farmer's  boy  until  thirteen  years  old,  since  which  time  he  has  been 
a  resident  of  Minnesota.  In  1855  George  W.  Downing  took  up  160 
acres  of  land  in  the  town  of  Saratoga,  this  county,  and,  returning  to 
New  Hampshire,  died  the  following  year.  In  1857  his  widow  and 
children  settled  on  this  land,  where  one  of  the  sons  now  resides. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  enlisted  August  13,  1864,  being  then 
twenty  years  of  age,  in  Co.  H,  11th  Minn.  Vols.,  and  served 
until  June  25  following.  His  regiment  was  stationed  in  the 
vicinity  of  Nashville,  Tennessee,  guarding  the  railroad  supply  route 
to  the  front.    Before  departing  for  the  south  Mr.  Downing  was  mar- 


714  HISTORY    OF    WrN"ONA    COUNTY. 

ried  to  Miss  Rosilla,  daughter  of  William  G.  and  Mary  West,  of 
Vermont.  She  was  born  at  Johnsburg,  New  York,  October  31, 
1842.  August  19,  1864,  is  the  date  of  their  marriage.  Returning 
from  the  south,  Mr.  Downing  settled  on  section  33,  in  this  town- 
ship, where  he  has  since  remained.  He  has  a  handsome  tract  of 
160  acres,  and  Mrs.  Downing  inherits  40  acres  adjoining,  making  a 
farm  of  200  acres  under  one  management.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Downing 
are  members  of  St.  Charles  Grange  and  Methodist  Episcopal  clmrch. 
The  former  has  been  clerk  of  St.  Charles  township  since  1874, 
inclusive,  his  political  opinions  are  republican.  Two  children  have 
been  given  to  him,  as  follows  :  Herbert  W.,  April  26,  1868;  Sarah 
M..  July  26,  1873. 

Jacob  Brizius,  farmer,  was  born  in  Germany  in  1812.  He  was 
apprenticed  to  the  cooper  trade,  working  at  the  trade  for  some  years. 
He  enlisted  in  the  Bavarian  army  and  served  twelve  years,  raising 
to  the  rank  of  sergeant.  In  1847  he  came  to  America,  settling  in 
Ohio,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  for  some  ten  ^^ears,  when  he 
came  west  to  the  Trout  valley.  With  his  wife  he  trudged  his  way 
through  the  valley,  becoming  lost  and  almost  discouraged  by  the 
difficulties  he  experienced,  but  like  the  old  soldier  he  was,  he  pushed 
on  until  he  found  the  place  he  thouglit  would  suit  him,  which  he 
settled  on  and  where  he  has  remained  ever  since.  He  has  by  dint 
of  hard  work  and  perseverance  gotten  himself  one  of  the  finest  farms 
in  the  valley.  He  was  married  in  1848  to  Miss  Catherine  Wasen, 
by  whom  he  has  thirteen  children,  three  of  whom  are  dead.  Mr. 
Brizius  has  held  the  position  of  supervisor.  He  is  Evangelical  in 
religion  and  a  republican  in  politics.  He  is  a  man  of  sterling  integ- 
rity and  is  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  fathers  of  the  settlement.  He 
is  still  a  hale,  hearty  old  man  and  takes  an  active  interest  in  ]>ubfic 
affairs. 

Patrick  Murray  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1824,  and  came  to  this 
country  in  1842,  going  to  Nashville,  Tennessee,  and  working  in  a 
machine-shop  until  1857,  when  he  moved  west  settling  in  Trout 
valley,  Mount  Vernon  township.  He,  with  Mr.  Woods,  were  the 
first  to  settle  in  the  valley,  which  was  a  perfect  wilderness.  Mr. 
Muri-ay  lived  to  see  the  valley  well  settled,  laid  out  in  roads  with 
schoolhouses  and  churches.  He  was  a  good  type  of  the  early  pioneer 
physically,  and  much  of  the  present  prosperity  of  the  township  is 
owing  to  his  efforts.  He  held  most  of  the  public  offices  in  the  gift 
of  the  township,  and  was  identified  with  every  public  movement. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  715 

[n  the  spring  of  1873,  while  plowing,  he  was  kicked  by  one  of  his 
horses,  sustaining  such  injuries  that  death  ensued  on  May  8.  He  was 
married  in  1860  to  Miss  Bertha  Miller,  daughter  of  Charles  Miller, 
of  Wisconsin,  seven  children  blessing  their  union,  all  of  whom  are 
now  living,  the  eldest  boys  working  the  farm  under  the  superin- 
tendency  of  Mrs.  Murray. 

George  B.,  son  of  George  and  Catharine  Dresbach,  was  born 
August  27,  1827,  in  Pickawaj^  county,  Ohio.  His  father  emigrated 
from  Pennsylvania  to  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  in  1802,  where  he 
bought  1,100  acres  of  land  of  the  government  at  $2.50  per  acre. 
His  father  remained  on  his  farm  until  his  death,  which  occurred  at 
the  advanced  age  of  eighty-five  years.  His  mother,  Catharine 
(Betz)  Dresbach,  died  also  in  Ohio  on  the  old  farm  at  the  age  of 
seventy-five  years.  George  B.,  the  subject  of  this  biography,  was 
bi-ought  up  on  the  farm,  accustomed  to  all  kinds  of  hard  physical 
labor  so  necessary  to  the  development  of  true  manhood.  He  attended 
district  school  part  of  each  year,  until  the  age  of  twenty  when  he 
entered  Greenfield  Academy,  of  Ohio.  Learning  of  the  great 
advantages  offered  to  the  young  in  the  west,  he  emigrated  to  Wis- 
consin in  1855  and  to  the  Territory  of  Minnesota  in  1857,  where  he 
founded  the  village  of  Dresbach  in  1857,  which  bears  his  name. 
The  township  was  named  Dresbach  under  the  "Township  Organiza- 
tion ■"  act  of  1858.  Mr.  Dresbach  has  always  taken  a  very  active 
part  in  the  development  and  building  of  the  village  and  township. 
He  has  held  various  offices  in  both  town  and  county.  He  was 
elected  by  the  democratic  party  a  member  of  the  Minnesota  legis- 
lature in  1868.  Was  again  elected  to  the  state  legislature  in  1878, 
by  his  party.  Mr.  Dresbach  was  married  to  Mary  C.  Nichols, 
daughter  of  Col.  C.  M.  Nichols,  Dane  county,  Wisconsin,  in  1856. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dresbach  have  five  children,  all  living.  George  B., 
Jr.,  whose  biography  appears  under  the  head  of  this  township, 
resides  in  Dresbach.  Minnie  M.,  now  Mrs.  Moss,  resides  in  Dres- 
bach. Mr.  John  H.  Moss,  of  Dane  county,  Wisconsin,  her  husband, 
is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  brick.  Charles  L.  is  now  tele- 
graph operator  and  agent  on  the  Minneapolis  and  St.  Louis  railroad. 
The  two  youngest,  Jessie  and  Nellie,  are  at  home. 

Mr.  Dresbach  has  had  a  great  deal. of  experience  in  various 
businesses  of  life.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  over  one  thousand  acres 
of  land,  including  a  part  of  the  village  where  he  now  resides.  He 
has  done  a  great  deal  to  the  building  up  of  the  village  of  Dresbach^ 


716  HISTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

and  is  now  endeavoring,  witli  others,  to  rush  tlie  valuable  stone- 
quarries  in  operation  in  Dresbach. 

George  B.,  Jr.,  son  of  George  B.  and  Mary  C.  Dresbacli,  was 
brtrn  in  Wisconsin,  April  IS,  1857,  at  Onalaska,  La  Crosse  county. 
Ilis  father  emigrated  from  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  to  Wisconsin  in  ' 
1855,  thence  to  the  Territory  of  Minnesota  in  1858.  His  mother  was 
born  in  Albany,  New  York.  George  B. ,  the  subject  of  this  biography, 
moved  to  Dresbach,  Minnesota,  with  his  father's  family  before  he 
was  a  year  old.  He  attended  the  village  school  part  of  each  year 
for  several  years.  His  education,  in  so  far  as  a  perfect  knowledge 
of  text-books  is  concerned,  is  somewhat  limited,  but  being  a  close 
student  and  observer  he  has  acquired  a  great  deal  of  information, 
and  is  conversant  with  the  leading  topics  of  the  day.  In  the  fall  of 
1879  he  became  editor  of  the  "  Winona  Democrat,''  and  was  editor 
of  that  paper  for  two  years.  He  sold  out  to  F.  W.  Flint  in  1881. 
The  name  of  the  paper  has  been  changed  to  the  ''  W^inona  Tribune." 
Mr.  Dresbach  returned  to  the  village  of  that  name  in  1881  and 
began  the  manufacture  of  brick.  He,  with  John  H.  Moss,  organ- 
ized the  Northwestern  Brick  Co.,  under  the  firm  name  of  Moss  & 
Dresbach,  reference  to  which  is  made  in  the  article  on  the  manu- 
factories of  Dresbach.  Mr.  Dresbach  takes  an  active  interest  in  the 
local  affairs  of  his  village  and  township,  and  is  laboring  earnestly  to 
develop  the  valuable  resources  of  his  village.  He  is  yet  free  from 
the  burden  of  domestic  responsibility,  and  can  devote  all  his  time  to 
active  business. 

Joseph  L.  Birge,  engineer.  Mr.  Birge  is  the  son  of  Joseph  and 
Sarah  M.  Birge,  pioneer  settlers  of  St.  Charles  township,  who  came 
to  this  locality  in  May,  1857,  and  died  here,  the  father  in  the  fall  of 
1879,  the  mother  in  August,  1882.  The  family  came  into  Iowa  from 
Connecticut  in  1847,  settled  in  Jackson  county,  a  few  miles  southwest 
of  Dubuque,  and  remained  there  until  their  removal  to  St.  Charles 
ten  years  later.  During  their  Iowa  residence  Mr.  Birge,  Sr.,  was  a 
member  of  the  Iowa  legislature,  during  the  session  in  which  the  state 
cajtital  was  removed  from  Iowa  City  to  Des  Moines.  The  old  Birge 
farm  embraced  a  tract  of  240  acres,  all  lying  within  what  is  now  the 
corporate  limits  of  St.  Charles,  about  80  acres  of  which  is  laid  off 
in  town  lots.  The  only  members  of  the  family  living  in  this  vicinity 
are  Jose]jh  L.  Birge,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  and  his  sister,  un- 
married, who  resides  on  the  old  homestead.  Mr.  Joseph  L.  Birge  is 
a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  came  west  witli  his  father's  family  to 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


717 


Iowa  in  1847,  and  to  St.  Charles  in  1857.     From  the  completion  of 
the  railway  to  this  point  he  was  engaged  in  buying  and  shipping 
grain,  in  company  with  his  father,  nntil  about  eight  years  ago,  since 
which  time  he  has  been  in  the  employ  of  C.  W.  Seefield,  one  of  the 
heaviest  grain  shippers  in  southern  Minnesota.     Mr.  Birge  is  mar- 
ried ;  has  seven  children,  four  of  them  attending  the  city  schools. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  R.  A.  and  K.  and  L.  beneficiary  societies. 
John  W.  Lockwood  was  born  in  Florida,  Montgomery  county. 
New  York,  October  4,  1839.     His  mother  died  while  he  was  only 
seven  years  old,  thus  depriving  him  of  that  maternal  care  and  watch- 
fulness so  necessary  to  the  proper  training  of  the  young.    At  the  age 
of  ten  years  he  hired  with  Mr.  John  Van  Huessen  and  worked  for  him 
three  years,  receiving  a  little  schooling  in  the  winters  and  working  on 
the  farm  in  the  summers.     After  working  in  various  places  till  1856 
he  started  west  to  find  some  ot  his  family  that  had  "gone  west "  some 
years  before.     He  searched  in  several  cities  in  Wisconsin  and  Min- 
nesota, where  he  had  heard  they  had  gone,  but  without  success,  until 
his  second  visit  to  La  Crosse,  where  he  met  his  cousin  Peter  Murray, 
who  told  him  that  his  folks  could  be  found  in  Pleasant  Hill  town- 
ship.    After  visiting  them  he  went  to  Stillwater,  Minnesota,   and 
worked  one  summer  on  a  farm.     Returning  home  in  the  winter  he 
was  obliged  to  walk  the  whole  distance  and  used  to  stay  with  the 
Indians  at  night.     He  worked  for  Mr.  Joseph  Cooper  four  or  five 
seasons   and  chopped  wood  for   steamboats   several   winters.^    By 
steady  application  of  his  time  and  talents  he  succeeded  in  getting  a 
quarter-section  of  land,  and  December  4,  1862,  he  and  Miss  Eliza- 
beth E.  Cooper  were  united  in  the  holy  bonds  of  matrimony.    They 
now   reside  on  their  farm,  surrounded  by  the  necessary  comforts 

of  life. 

Franklin  C.  Bryan  was  born  in  Ypsilanti,  Michigan.  November 
19,  1826.  His  father,  John  Bryan,  was  born  in  West  Stockbridge, 
Massachusetts,  and  his  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Sarah 
Babcock,  was  born  on  Long  Island,  New  York.  At  the  age  of 
seven  years  Mr.  Bryan  remcwed  with  his  parents  to  Constantine,  St. 
Joseph  county,  Michigan,  where  he  remained  on  a  farm  until  the 
age  of  twenty-two  years,  when  he  learned  the  trade  of  machinist, 
which  trade  he  foliowed  about  eight  years,  when  he  removed  to 
Plain  view,  Minnesota,  in  1857,  and  to  Rolling  Stone  township  in 
1868,  to  the  farm  on  which  he  now  resides.  Was  married  to  Miss 
Mary  E.  Donaldson  January  13,  1853.    Mrs.  Bryan  was  the  daughter 


718  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

of  William  and  Eliza  Donaldson,  and  was  born  in  Washington 
county,  Pennsylvania,  March  20,  1831.  Eight  children  have  been 
born  to  them,  seven  of  vs^hom  are  living.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brvan 
are  members  of  the  Congregational  church  of  Winona.  Mr.  Bryan 
is  of  an  inventive  turn  of  mind  and  has  invented  several  valuable 
improvements,  not  the  least  of  which  is  a  sulky-plow,  designed  for 
steep  hillsides,  but  works  equally  well  on  level  ground.  He  has 
also  on  his  farm  a  mineral  spring,  said  to  possess  very  medicinal 
properties,  a  notice  of  which  will  appear  in  the  proper  place  in  this 
work. 

Hiram  D.  Bailey  (deceased)  was  a  son  of  Daniel  Bailey,  who 
was  born  in  Ware,  New  Hampshire,  and  married  Sarah  Buzzell, 
a  native  of  the  same  township.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
born  there  April  .15,  1829.  Daniel  Bailey  was  a  mercliant,  and 
sent  his  son  to  the  district  school  and  then  to  the  academy  at 
Francistown,  New  Hampshire.  At  nineteen  he  began  teaching,  and 
after  three  terms  of  this  labor  began  to  take  work  from  a  shoe 
factory.  In  Ware  was  born  and  reared  one  Hiram  Nicholls, 
who  married  Miss  Sarah  Dearborn,  a  native  of  the  same  place  ; 
to  them  was  born,  February  15,  1833,  a  daughter,  whom  they 
christened  Arvill  J.  October  20,  1850,  Hiram  Bailey  and  Arvill 
J.  Nicholls  were  united  in  wedlock  at  Ware.  In  May,  1857,  Mr. 
Bailey  removed  with  his  family  to  the  village  of  Elba,  and 
during  the  next  winter  built  the  first  frame  house  in  the  village. 
This  building  still  stands  ;  it  is  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  near  the 
bridge.  Here  he  had  purchased  twenty  acres  of  land,  in  August, 
1858,  Mr.  Bailey  received  his  commission  as  postmaster,  and  the  first 
postoffice  was  opened"  in  his  house.  In  1860  he  sold  this  property, 
resigned  his  postraastership,  and  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  on  Sees. 
2  of  Elba  and  31  of  Whitewater,  the  dwelling  being  in  Whitewater, 
and  here  he  continued  to  reside  till  his  death,  which  occurred  July 
2f),  1876.  His  widow  and  two  children  still  reside  here.  Mr.  Bailey 
served  the  town  as  justice  of  the  peace  and  as  chairman  of  the  board 
of  supervisors  in  1859  and  1860.  He  adhered  to  the  democratic 
party  in  partisan  elections.  Four  children,  born  as  below,  survive 
him  :  Elbridge  O.,  May  14,  1852,  married  Ilhoda  Ellis,  and  resides 
at  Fairwater ;  Hiram  M.,  August  8,  1853,  lives  with  his  mother  on 
the  homestead  ;  Lizzie  E.,  August  26,  1858,  married  Charles  I, 
Moore,  and  dwells  near  her  mother,  in  the  town  of  Whitewater ; 


BIOGEAPHICAL.  719 

Ira  A.,  January  1,  1866  ;  Josiah  D.  was  born  February  20,  1860, 
and  died  November  25,  1863. 

Anthony  Heim,  farmer,  is  a  son  of  Bernard  and  Adelia  Heim, 
who  emigrated  from  Alsace,  now  part  of  Germany,  to  New  York. 
Bernard  Heim  was  a  shoemaker,  and  settled  on  some  land  in  Eaton, 
Erie  county,  New  York,  where  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  bo]-n, 
May  5,  1833.  Anthony  assisted  his  father  in  the  tillage  of  his  land 
and  attended  the  rude  schools  of  that  pioneer  region  about  three 
years  in  all.  In  April,  1857,  he  came  to  Minnesota,  and,  in  part- 
nership with  Ferdinand  Kramer,  bought  140  acres  of  land  on  Sees. 
11  and  14,  Elba.  He  now  owns  all  of  this  land,  his  mother  having 
bought  the  interest  of  his  partner  and  sold  to  him.  In  May,  1857, 
Mr,  Heim  was  married,  at  Dubuque,  to  Miss  Crescentia  Hafner,  who 
was  born  in  Baden,  Germany,  January  25,  1836,  and  they  imme- 
diately settled  down  in  Elba,  which  has  ever  since  been  their  home. 
By  various  purchases  Mr.  Heim  has  acquired  a  large  landed  estate, 
having  1,254  acres  in  this  vicinity  and  200  acres  in  Dodge  county. 
He  has  occupied  his  present  large  residence  on  Sec.  27  for  the  last 
sixteen  years.  His  political  principles  are  democratic,  and  he  has 
taken  a  prominent  part  in  public  affairs.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
town  board  in  1859,  1863,  1873,  1878  and  1880,  being  chairman  of 
the  board  in  the  four  last-named  years.  In  the  fall  of  1874  he  was 
elected  to  represent  his  assembly  district  in  the  state  legislature,  and 
served  with  satisfaction,  notwithstanding  the  district  has  a  republi- 
can majority.  Himself  and  family  are  members  of  the  Elba  Roman 
Catholic  church.  There  are  six  children,  born  as  follows  :  Adelia, 
February  22,  1863;  Louisa,  July  22,  1865;  Mary  A.,  September 
^5,  1867;  Carolina,  March  31,  1870;  Louis  A.,  November  5,  1873; 
John  E.,  February  15,  1877, 

David  W.  Brown,  farmer,  son  of  Samuel  Brown  and  Martha 
Prossor,  of  Baltimore,  Maryland,  was  born  at  Skulltown,  Salem 
county.  New  Jersey,  October  28,  1821.  Samuel  Brown  died  when 
David  was  but  three  years  old,  and  his  widow  removed  with  her 
family  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  The  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  was  the 
youngest  of  eleven  children,  was  put  out  with  a  farmer  to  be  brought 
up.  At  sixteen  years  of  age  he  took  up  the  trade  of  hatter,  which 
he  followed  many  years.  While  living  at  Chapin,  in  LS35,  Mr. 
Brown  rescued  Salmon  P.  Chase  from  a  mob  that  was  pursuing  him 
with  stones  and  rotten  eggs  for  uttering  abolition  sentiments.  It  is  a 
proud  thought  that  the  boy,  who  opened  a  gate  and  saved  Lincoln's 


720  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

secretary  of  war,  Yived  to  see  the  idea,  then  and  tliere  held  in  con- 
tempt, become  the  ruling  sentiment  and  law  of  the  land.  Mr. 
Brown  was  himself  surrounded  by  a  mob  one  evening  in  Cincinnati, 
and,  but  for  the  intervention  of  friends,  would  have  suffered 
violence,  on  account  of  his  known  abolition  sentiments.  The 
friends  who  saved  him  were  politically  opposed  to  him,  but  inter- 
posed for  personal  reasons.  In  November,  1850,  Mr.  Brown  was 
married  to  Miss  Rachael  Johnson,  She  was  born  at  Carlisle,  Penn- 
sylvania, March  19,  1828,  was  daughter  of  Robert  and  Nancy 
Johnson,  also  natives  of  the  same  state.  After  farming  several 
years  in  Indiana  Mr.  Brown  removed  to  Minnesota,  arriving  in 
Utica  in  the  fall  of  1857.  He  bought  the  farm  on  which  he 
still  resides,  being  the  N.E.  J  of  Sec.  19,  and  removed  here 
with  his  family  the  next  spring.  This  was  one  of  the  first  claims 
taken  in  the  township,  and  is  a  beautiful  farm,  on  which  its  owner 
has  erected  handsome  buildings.  Mrs.  Brown  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  her  husband  S3mipathizes  with  her 
in  faith.  He  is  a  republican  ;  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  two 
years,  and  as  school  officer  nineteen.  Ten  children  have  been 
born  to  them,  of  whom  eight  are  now  living,  as  follows :  Martha  J., 
October  12,  1853;  Samuel  W.,  September  10,  1855;  William  E., 
December  4,  1857;  David  M.,  September  12,  1860;  Henry  W., 
March  28,  1862,  now  station-agent  at  Utica;  Irwin  O.,  March  24, 
1865;  Benjamin  F.,  November  23,  1871;  Gertie  B.,  April  3,  1875. 
All  are  at  home. 

JosEi'U  Kramer,  farmer,  was  born  in  Baden,  Germany,  March 
12,  1831.  His  father,  Leonard  Kramer,  was  born  in  Baden  in  1801, 
and  married  Annie  Mary  Haaler,  born  in  1797.  In  1851  they 
removed  with  their  three  sons,  hereinafter  sketched,  to  Hamburg, 
Erie  county.  New  York,  and  engaged  in  farming,  and  in  1865  they 
removed  with  the  elder  son  to  Elba,  where  they  both  died,  the. 
latter  having  passed  away  October  26,  1871,  and  the  former  March 
26,  1880.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  in  his  twenty-first 
year  when  he  came  with  his  parents  to  America.  He  assisted 
his  father  in  the  management  of  his  farm,  and  removed  with  him  to 
another  farm  in  Cattaraugus  county.  New  York.  In  1853  he  mar- 
ried Carrie  Lindenmiller,  who  was  born  in  Wurtemburg,  October  6, 
1827.  Ever  since  his  arrival  in  Elba  he  has  been  one  of  her  leading 
representative  farmers.  He  at  first  purchased  ninety-eight  acres  of 
land  on  Sees.  7  and  18,  placing  his  residence  on  the  former  section. 


BIOGKAPHICAL.  721 

near  a  fine  spring  of  water,  and  where  he  still  dwells.  This  land 
was  in  a  state  of  nature  when  he  purchased,  but  was  speedily  im- 
proved. There  are  now  large  and  handsome  buildings  and  other 
improvements  thereon.  Subsequent  purchases  have  added  160 
acres  to  the  landed  domain,  of  which  over  200  acres  are  under  culti- 
vation. Mr.  Kramer  was  a  member  of  the  board  of  supervisors  in 
1870  and  1876  ;  he  is  a  democrat.  The  family  enjoys  and  profits 
by  the  teachings  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church  at  Elba,  in  which  all 
are  communicants.  There  are  seven  of  the  children,  whose  record 
of  births,  etc.,  is  here  appended  :  Joseph,  born  April  25,  1854, 
married  Ellen  Sands,  and  deals  in  ifterchandise  at  Elba  ;  Ferdinand, 
born  January  20,  1856,  resides  with  parents  ;  Caroline,  born  Febru- 
ary 3,  1858,  married  John  P.  Arnoldy  and  lives  at  Rolling  Stone  ; 
Annie,  born  March  11,  1859  ;  Charles,  born  May  3,  1861  ;  Mary, 
born  I^ovember  7,  1864 ;  Louisa,  born  July  21,  1867. 

Ferdinand  I^ramer,  farmer,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  one 
of  the  pioneers  of  this  township,  having  come  here  in  the  spring  of 
1857,  and  has  ever  since  made  his  home  here.     He  was  born  in 
Baden  on  St.  Yalentine's  day,  1832.     On  removing  with  his  father 
to  the  United  States,  he  assisted  him  in  the  tillage  of  his  farm  and 
also  labored  in  sawmills  and  on  neighboring  farms.     He  was  mar- 
ried in  August,  1859,  to  Catharina  Kopp  ;  she  was  born  in  Prussia 
in  1832,   and  died  at  Elba  April  1,    1876,   leaving  five  children, 
namely  :     Mary,  born  March  4,   1860,  married  Gottlieb  Lobitzka 
and  now  lives  in  Wisconsin  ;  Charles,  born  November  16,  1865  ; 
Louisa,  born  August  7,  1868  ;  Rosa  A.,  born  December  21,  1875, 
twin  sister  of  Clara,  who  died  when  nine  months  old.     On  arriving 
in  town  Mr.  Kramer  bought  a  half  interest  in  120  acres  on  Sees.  11 
and  14.     After  visiting  the  east  in  1859,  he  sold  this  property  and 
purchased  120  acres  on  Sec.  17,  on  which  he  resided  for  the  next 
seven  years.     By  various  purchases  he  has  acquired  1,500  acres  of 
land,  of  which  one  section  is  in  Steele,  Dakota,  and  the  balance  in 
this  vicinity.     In  1867  he  built  his  present  large  dwelling  on   Sec. 
18  and  has  lived  therein  ever  since.     His  large  barns  are  a  comfort 
to  the  eye  of  a  tidy  farmer,  and  his  broad  acres  of  prairie  furnish  a 
pleasant  view  for  all  who  may  pass  that  way.     Mr.  Kramer  was 
the  chief  instrument  in  securing  the  building  of  a  Roman  Catholic 
church  at  Elba,  and  is  still  one  of  the  pillars  of  that  organization. 
In  politics  he  is  an  independent  democrat ;  was  a  member  of  the 
town  board  in  1866,  1874  and  1875,  being  elected  chairman  in  the 


722  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

latter  year  ;  was  clerk  of  his  school  district  for  twelve  years.  On 
the  25th  of  July,  1875,  he  was  married  to  Louisa  Marnoch,  who 
was  born  in  Luxemburg,  May  22,  1842. 

Charles  I^jjamer,  farmer,  was  born  in  Baden,  July  8,  1839. 
He  attended  school  till  thirteen  years  old,  when  his  family  re- 
moved to  America.  He  attended  an  English  school  in  New  York 
during  two  winter  terms ;  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm  till 
eighteen  years  old,  and  then  worked  out  among  neighboring  farmers. 
In  1862  he  came  to  Elba  and  bought  160  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  18, 
where  his  home  now  is.  This  land  was  wild,  and  during  the  first 
vear  after  its  purchase  a  portion  of  it  was  broken  up.  In  the  mean- 
time he  was  employed  by  farmers  in  the  vicinity,  and  worked  two 
winters  in  Todd's  sawmill,  near  by.  The  second  year  a  crop 
was  harvested  and  a  small  dwelling  was  erected  on  the  farm. 
December  22,  1864,  he  was  married  to  Louisa  Roesler,  who  was 
born  near  Berlin,  Germany,  February  13,  1845,  and  settled  on  his 
farm,  which  has  ever  since  been  his  home.  By  perseverance  and 
industry  he  added  to  his  possessions,  and  now  has  395  acres  of  land, 
with  model  buildings  and  improvements.  About  340  acres  of  his 
domain  have  been  turned  by  the  plow.  Mr.  Kramer  was  a  member 
of  the  town  board  of  supervisors  in  1868  and  chairman  of  that 
body  in  1881-2.  In  politics  he  is  a  democrat.  All  the  family  is 
connected  with  the  Roman  Catholic  church  at  Elba.  Five  children 
are  included  in  the  number,  all  i-esiding  at  home.  Their  birth  dates 
are  as  follows  :  Leonard,  October  11,  1865  ;  Emma,  August  1,  1868  ; 
Edward,  November  3,  1870  ;  Frank,  May  27,  1875  ;  Clara,  Novem- 
ber 27,  1877. 

Peter  Hidershide  was  born  in  Luxemburg,  Germany,  in  1842, 
arriving  in  America  and  coming  direct  to  Mt.  Vernon  in  1857,  when 
he  purchased  from  Mr.  Pomeroy  the  farm  he  now  occupies  in  Trout 
valley.  When  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Trout  valley  there 
were  very  few  settlers  near  him,  and  he  may  be  considered  one  of 
the  first  to  break  ground  in  this  fertile  valley.  Mr.  Hidershide  has 
never  married.  He  is  a  Roman  Catholic  in  religion  and  a  democrat 
in  politics.  He  enjoys  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  neighbors  to  a 
marked  degree. 

Nicholas  Artz,  gunsmith  and  dealer  in  guns,  pistols,  fishing- 
tackle  and  sporting  goods,  east  side  Lafayette  street,  between  Second 
and  Third.  This  is  the  principal  depot  of  supplies  for  sportsmen  in 
this  city.     The  business  was  started  by  the  j^resent  proprietor  a  little 


BIOGKAPIIICAL.  723 

over  three  years  ago,  in  a  small  shop  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
street,  which  proving  too  small  for  his  business,  a  move  was  soon 
afterward  made  to  the  present  location.  Two  persons  are  employed 
about  the  establishment,  which  does  a  constantly  increasing  busi- 
ness. Mr.  Artz  is  a  Winona  boy,  born  July  20,  1858 ;  his  father, 
Nicholas  Artz,  having  been  one  of  Winona's  pioneer  grain  buyers. 

GusTAF  Carlson  is  a  native  of  Sweden,  where  he  was  born  in 
1835.  He  came  to  Minnesota  in  the  spring  of  1858,  his  capital  only 
consisting  of  a  few  hundred  dollars  ;  he  was  accompanied  by  his  wife 
and  two  children.  He  nor  his  family  could  not  speak  a  word  of 
English  and  knew  notiiing  whatever  of  the  customs  of  our  country. 
He  pre-empted  some  land  and  has  since  prospered  to  the  extent  that 
he  owns  a  fine  farm  and  home  and  is  in  very  comfortable  circum- 
stances.    He  is  a  Lutheran  and  a  republican. 

John  Van  Dyke,  farmer,  was  born  in  New  Jersey  in  1818,  his 
father  originally  came  from  Holland,  but  his  mother  was  German. 
He  had  very  little  opportunity  to  procure  much  schooling :  as  soon 
he  was  able  to  walk  he  was  set  to  work  on  his  father's  farm,  where 
he  continued  until  his  nineteenth  year,  when  he  set  out  for  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  he  procured  work  as  a  coal  miner.  At  this  occupation 
he  remained  some  five  years,  when  he  went  to  Ohio  working  at  min- 
ing and  farming.  In  1858  he  came  to  Elba,  buying  forty  acres ; 
since  then  he  has  added  forty  acres  at  a  time  until  he  now  owns 
160  of  the  finest  wheat  land  to  be  found  in  the  state.  He  married 
Miss  Sarah  Nelson  and  has  but  one  son,  who  now  mostly  manages 
the  farm. 

John  SMrrn,  farmer,  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  in  1833, 
and  came  to  America  in  1855,  landing  in  Canada,  where  he  remained 
several  years,  then  coming  to  this  township,  where  he  purchased 
the  farm  he  now  occupies  from  his  brother,  who  took  the  land  up  in 
1851.  Mr.  Smith  was  one  of  the  very  earliest  pioneers,  and  when 
he  took  up  his  residence  there  was  not  another  family  within  twelve 
miles  of  him.  He  had  considerable  transactions  with  the  Indians, 
knowing  a  number  of  those  who  were  hung  for  participation  in  the 
New  Ulm  massacre.  He  has  had  his  slumbers  fi-equently  broken 
by  the  war-whoop  of  the  savage  and  the  howl  of  the  wolf.  For 
miles  surrounding  him  not  a  road  was  opened  or  a  settlement  made, 
and  he  had  often  to  depend  upon  the  chase  for  food.  With  but 
$10  to  start  upon,  Mr.  Smith  has  by  indefatigable  energy  and  per- 
severance obtained  a  handsome  competence,  being  one  of  the 
43 


724  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

wealtliiest  iiion  in  the  township.  In  1862  he  married  Abby  Ann 
Tti])ley,  by  wliom  lie  lias  had  eight  children,  five  sons  and  three 
daughters.  Ever  since  he  was  ten  years  of  age  circumstances  forced 
him  to  earn  his  own  livelihood,  he  managing  in  face  of  many  difficul- 
ties to  educate  himself  sufficiently  to  transact  his  business  and  hold 
his  own  with  others.  Mi-.  Smith  is  a  staunch  republican,  and, 
though  not  taking  any  prominent  part  in  politics,  has  always  been  an 
active  worker. 

C.  C.  Beck,  farmer,  lands  lying  two  miles  southwest  of  city,  on 
Stockton  Bluft'  road.  Mr.  Beck  is  a  native  of  Wurtemburg,  bred  to 
the  trade  of  brewer ;  came  to  America  in  1857,  and  to  this  county 
November  11,  1858,  at  which  date  he  bought  out  the  interests  of 
Brently  &  Sherer  in  the  Gilmore  Valley  Brewer3%  the  real  estate 
included  in  the  })urcliase  being  about  two  acres.  In  1859  the  firm 
l)ought  sixty  acres  of  G.  W.  Clark,  and  in  1862  enlarged  the  dwell- 
ing which  he  had  with  the  original  purchase,  and  in  which  he  lived 
until  he  took  possession  of  his  new  residence  in  1877.  In  the  fall 
•of  1862  Mr.  Beck  bought  out  his  partner's  interest  in  the  brewery, 
the  real  estate  was  amicably  divided,  and  with  the  other  purchases 
since  made  gives  Mr.  Beck  a  solid  quarter-section  as  his  homestead 
property.  In  1872  he  built  his  brewery  saloon,  a  substantial  brick 
32x70,  with  eighteen-feet  walls,  the  structure  costing  about  $3,000. 
During  the  season  of  1876-7  he  built  his  house  on  a  natural  ridge 
overlooking  the  city  of  Winona  and  commanding  a  magnificent 
prospect,  extending  for  miles  along  the  river.  This  house  is  one  of 
the  finest  in  this  section  of  the  state.  It  is  of  solid  brick  and  stone, 
two  stories,  the  main  part,  40x45,  with  two  additions,  one  22x40, 
the  other  20x20.  The  workmanship  is  most  superior,  the  native 
wood  finish  very  fine,  the  cost  of  building  alone  being  $15^000. 
The  brewery,  which  at  the  time  of  purchase  had  a  capacity  of  600 
barrels,  was  gradually  enlarged,  until  its  ca])acity  was  between  four 
and  five  thousand  barrels,  with  an  actual  product  of  about  three- 
fourths  that  amount.  In  November,  1877,  the  same  year  his  resi- 
dence was  completed,  the  brewery  burned,  entailing  a  loss  of  over 
$8,000  above  all  insurance.  In  August,  1880,  Mr.  Beck  lost  his 
wife,  with  whom  he  had  lived  most  happily  for  eighteen  years. 
Mr.  Beck  is  a  member  of  the  town  board,  fully  alive  to  the  interests 
of  the  growing  county  in  which  he  has  lived  almost  a  quarter  of  a 
century,  and  in  which  he  has  considerable  landed  property  other 
than  tliat  included  in  his  home  farm. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  725 

Wesley  Hill,  farmer,  is  a  grandson  of  Jonathan  Hill,  who,  at 
the  age  of  fourteen,  stood  guard  during  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  in 
the  fort  on  Dorchester  heights,  and  was  only  prevented  by  the  rising 
of  the  tide  from  plunging  into  the  fight.  David,  the  son  of  Jonathan 
Hill,  was  born  in  New  Hampshire ;  he  married  Keziah  Franklin,  of 
Vermont,  and  settled  at  Winchester,  in  his  native  state,  where 
Wesley  Hill  was  born,  June  14,  1821.  Alvin  Twitchell,  grandfather 
of  Keziah  Franklin,  was  killed  in  the  memorable  Indian  massacre  at 
Walpole,  New  Hampshire.  At  eight  years  of  age  Wesley  Hill  was 
bound  for  six  years  to  a  farmer,  which  term  he  served,  receiving 
about  one  month's  schooling  per  year.  He  then  worked  for  a 
farmer  and  blacksmith  till  he  was  twenty.  The  four  years  were 
spent  in  lumbering  on  the  Connecticut  river.  Subsequent  to  this  he 
peddled  tin  and  wooden  ware  several  years,  and  again  returned  to 
farm  labor.  Septembei-  4,  1851,  he  married  Sarah  A.  Nash, 
who  was  born  at  Gilson,  New  Hampshire,  March  5,  1834.  Her 
father,  Charles  Nash,  was  a  native  of  the  same  state,  and  her 
mother,  Eliza  Gates,  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts.  On  a  dark  and 
chilly  morning  in  the  fall  of  1855  Mr.  Hill  landed  at  Minneiska, 
and  began  to  search  for  a  habitation.  After  an  hour's  search  in  the 
darkness,  himself  and  companion  were  accommodated  with  lodging 
in  a  settler's  log  hut  till  daylight.  Making  his  way  up  the  White- 
water valley  to  Elba,  he  took  up  160  acres  of  government  land  on 
Sec.  32  in  the  town  of  Whitewater,  and  after  securing  this  returned 
to  the  east.  In  the  spring  of  1858  he  returned  to  Minnesota,  and 
his  family  followed  the  next  fall.  A  part  of  the  original  claim  was 
sold  within  a  few  years,  and  sixty  acres  purchased  on  Sec.  5  in  this 
township,  on  which  the  residence  was  moved,  and  where  it  still  stands. 
On  account  of  a  broken  leg,  caused  by  being  caught  under  a  rolling 
log  in  the  spring  of  1865,  Mr.  Hill  was  compelled  to  dispose  of  forty 
acres  of  land.  His  farm  now  includes  140  acres;  there  are  two  fine 
springs  of  water  thereon,  and  it  is  supplied  with  good  buildings  and 
other  improvements,  and  its  owner  is  prepared  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of 
his  early  labors.  Much  of  the  land  was  covered  with  timber  where 
now  are  fruitful  fields  and  a  prime  orchard.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hill  are 
IJniversalists  in  religion.  Mr.  Hill  has  always  voted  the  republican 
ticket.  Four  children  are  included  in  the  family,  and  all  reside  with 
their  parents.  The  dates  of  their  nativity  are  as  follows :  Helen  E., 
May  19,  1853;  Kizzie  M.,  September  4,  1860;  David  F.,  August  29, 
1865;  Lora  E.,  June  13,  1868. 


726  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Frank  M.vkion  Winters,  farmer,  born  in  1853,  at  Riplej, 
Indiana,  is  a  son  of  John  D.  and  Juliette  (Tryon)  Winters.  He 
came  to  Whitewater  in  1858,  when  only  five  years  of  age;  lived  with 
his  parents  till  1875,  when  he  married  Harriet  J.  Stoning,  daughter 
of  Geo.  B.  Stoning,  of  Whitewater.  He  has  had  three  childreTi : 
Grace  Aprilla,  born  1876 ;  George  Earl,  born  1878 ;  Mark  Ernest, 
born  1880.  Our  subject  attended  school  at  Beaver,  and  from  1875 
till  1880  speculated  in  land.  In  1880  he  bought  a  quarter-section, 
N.E.  J  of  Sec,  5,  T.  108,  R.  10,  on  which  he  has  since  lived.  He 
is  a  Wesleyan  Methodist  in  religion,  and  in  j^olitics  a  republican. 

J.  J.  Randall  &  Son,  dealers  in  coal,  office  at  20  East  Second 
street,  sheds  in  rear  of  office  and  in  the  west  half  of  block  69,  the 
east  half  of  which  is  occupied  by  the  gasworks.  J.  J.  Randall 
established  himself  in  business  in  this  city  April  13,  1859,  as  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  L.  D.  Randall  &  Co.,  dealers  in  leather, 
hides,  shoe  findings,  saddlery,  hardware  and  harness  manufacturers. 
The  original  firm  into  which  J.  J.  Randall  came  was  established  two 
years  earlier,  under  the  name  of  P.  Yoneschen  &  Co.,  L.  D.  Randall 
being  a  member  of  that  firm.  In  1859  the  business  was  conducted 
on  the  east  side  of  Main  street,  between  Second  and  Third,  and  so 
continued  until  the  great  fire  of  1862,  in  which  their  losses  were 
$15,000;  insurance  only  $2,000.  The  fire  occurred  on  Sunday,  and 
the  following  Monday,  no  carpenters  being  available,  Mr.  Randall 
put  tools  into  the  hands  of  his  own  workmen,  and  in  five  days  had 
completed  a  one-story  frame  structure,  20  X  70  feet,  just  across  the 
street  from  the  old  location.  This  building  —  the  first  erected  and 
taken  possession  of  after  the  fire — is  still  standing.  The  same  fall 
they  built  upon  the  lot  they  now  occupy  a  two-story  brick,  with 
stone  foundations  and  basements,  23x140  feet,  of  which  they  took 
possession  November  1  of  that  year,  continuing  the  old  business.  In 
1873  the  business,  which  had  been  successfully  conducted  here  for 
sixteen  years,  was  discontinued,  and  a  coal  office  opened.  In  ad- 
dition to  their  city  trade,  which  aggregates  about  3,000  tons  per 
annum,  they  supply  coal-sheds  for  settlers  along  the  lines  of  the 
Hastings  &  Dakota  and  Minnesota  Southern  railwa3's.  These 
supplies  are  furnished  to  actual  settlers  through  local  agents  at  cost, 
plus  fifty  cents  per  ton  for  handling,  and  the  aggregate  annual  sales 
are  from  25,000  to  30,000  tons. 

J,  J.  Randall  was  born  July  6,  1829,  near  Ithica,  New  York, 
and  at  eight  years  of  age  came  into  Illinois  with  his  parents,  who 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  727 

settled  at  St.  Charles,  Kane  county,  in  that  state.  His  father  was  in 
the  shoe,  leather  and  harness  trade,  and  Mr.  Kandall  was  engaged 
in  this  business  in  his  father's  establishment  till  he  came  to  Winona 
in  1859.  Appointed  LFnited  States  revenue  collector  for  the  first 
Minnesota  district  in  1866.  Mr.  Kandall  held  that  office  until  1872. 
The  following  year  he  was  appointed  railway  commissioner  for  the 
state,  holding  that  position  to  the  expiration  of  the  term,  eighteen 
months.  He  was  also  chairman  of  the  board  of  county  commis- 
sioners for  twelve  years  —  from  1862  to  1874  —  and  city  treasurer 
one  term.  One  of  the  original  incorporators  of  the  Winona  Gas 
Light  Company,  he  is  now  president  of  that  corporation;  is  also  a 
member  of  the  board  of  trade,  and  thoroughly  identified  with  the 
industries  of  the  city.  Since  November,  1872,  has  been  president 
of  the  Woodlawn  Cemetery  Association.  Of  late  years  Mr.  Randall 
has  interested  himself  in  farming  operations,  principally  stock  and 
dairy.  His  Lake  View  farm  of  900  acres,  near  Tracy,  Lyons  county, 
has  500  acres  under  cultivation,  is  very  pleasantly  located,  and 
makes  a  pleasant  summer  resort  for  his  family. 

C.  S.  Randall,  the  ' '  son  "  of  the  firm,  was  born  in  St.  Charles, 
Kane  county,  Illinois,  May  11,  1856,  received  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  Winona,  and  at  twenty  years  of  age  entered  the  house  of 
which  he  became  junior  partner,  September  1,  1882. 

C.  Matzke,  wagon  and  carriage  maker,  shops  at  118  and  120 
Second  street. — Mr.  Matzke  was  born  in  Prussia,  in  1847,  came  to 
America  with  his  parents  when  eight  years  of  age,  the  family  settling 
in  Dodge  county,  Wisconsin.  From  that  place  they  came  to 
Winona,  in  1859,  where  young  Matzke  attended  school,  and  when 
of  suflicient  age  learned  his  trade  as  general  and  carriage  blacksmith 
with  Adam  Killian,  of  this  city.  In  1870  he  established  himself  in 
business  in  Lewiston,  this  county,  which  he  conducted  until  he 
removed  to  his  present  location  and  opened  shop,  in  the  spring  of 
1882.  He  occupies  100  feet  front,  and  his  lots  have  a  depth  of  150 
feet.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Winona  Sharpshooters  Club,  and  of 
Humboldt  Lodge,  No.  24,  I.O.O.F.  His  parents,  Godfrey  and 
Elizabeth  Matzke,  are  still  living  on  the  old  homestead  they  first 
took  possession  of  on  coming  to  the  county,  twenty-three  years 
since. 

Levi  C.  Wilder,  farmer,  is  a  descendant  of  Thomas  Wilder,  whose 
widow  emigrated  with  her  two  sons  from  England  to  America,  in 
1638.     Levi  Wilder,  the  father  of  this  subject,  was  born  in  Massa- 


728  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

chusetts  ;  lie  married  Berenice  Bates,  of  tlie  same  state,  and  settled 
on  a  farm  in  Waitstield,  Wasliini2;ton  county,  Vermont,  where  the 
junior  Levi  was  born  April  30,  1824.  He  assisted  his  father  in 
farming  o])erations,  i-eceiving  the  limited  education  affordcMl  by  the 
district  schools  of  his  native  town.  On  arriving  at  majority,  he  en- 
gaged in  operating  his  father's  farm  in  partnership  with  a  brother. 
On  November  2,  1853,  he  married  Miss  Oriiida  Holmes,  who  was 
born  at  Waterville,  Vermont,  August  21,  1820  ;  her  parents,  James 
and  Mehetable  (Webster)  Holmes,  were  natives  of  New  Hampshire. 
The  elder  Wilder  died  in  1855  at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty-three.  On 
the  settlement  of  his  estate,  L.  C.  Wilder  removed  to  Richland 
county,  Wisconsin,  where  he  purchased  land  and  engaged  in  farm- 
ing. In  1858  he  purchased  160  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  16,  in  St. 
Charles  township,  on  which  he  now  dwells,  in  partnership  with  a 
brother,  whose  interest  he  afterward  acquired.  Two  years  later  he 
sold  his  Wisconsin  property  and  removed  here  with  his  family,  and 
has  ever  since  dwelt  here.  Mr.  Wilder  has  been  an  active,  public- 
spirited  citizen,  and  has  been  called  upon  to  serve  the  town  in  some 
capacity  nearly  ever  since  his  residence  therein  ;  he  was  a  member 
of  the  board  of  supervisors  in  1870-1,  1874-5,  and  was  chairman  of 
that  body  from  1878  to  1881  inclusive.  In  1882  he  resigned  the 
latter  ofhce  to  accept  the  appointment  of  assessor,  in  order  that  the 
town  might  not  be  without  such  officer,  and  was  elected  to  the  same 
position  this  year.  His  political  principles  are  republican,  but  of 
late  he  has  joined  the  greenbackers,  as  has  also  his  son.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Wilder  are  members  of  the  St.  Charles  Congregational  church. 
They  have  one  child,  Ossian  L.,  born  February  18,  1855  ;  he  was 
married  December  7,  1876,  to  Miss  Tilla  Persons,  daughter  of  George 
and  Eliza  Persons,  of  this  township.  A  daughter,  christened  Etfie 
O.,  came  to  bless  this  union  July  12,  1882.  Father  and  son  reside 
together  on  the  farm,  which  affords  a  pleasant  home  and  is  one  of 
the  best  in  the  fine  agricultural  town  oi  St.  Charles.  One  of  the 
most  interesting  objects  to  be  found  in  their  pleasant  parlor  is  a 
large  and  neatly  printed  volume  giving  the  genealogy  of  the  Wilder 
family  from  a  very  early  period  of  English  history. 

Reubkn  Gates,  farmer,  has  been  a  resident  of  St.  Charles  since 
1860  ;  having  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  23,  in  1859,  he 
settled  here  with  his  family  the  following  year.  He  subsequently 
bought  eighty  acres  more  on  Sec.  26,  adjoining  the  first  purchase  ; 
his  farm  lies  half  on  either  side  of  the  St.  Charles  and  Winona  road  ; 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  729 

is  very  nearly  level,  and  is  a  sight  with  its  neat  buildings  and  other 
improvements,  to  delight  the  vision  of  a  tidy  agriculturist.  Willis 
Gates,  father  of  this  subject,  was  born  in  Ackworth,  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  married  Miss  Almira  Hulett,  of  Weatherstield,  Vermont. 
He  settled  on  a  farm  in  Elizabethtown,  Essex  county,  New  York, 
where  Reuben  Gates  was  born  on  July  28,  1826.  He  assisted  his 
father  on  the  farm  and  in  the  operation  of  a  sawmill,  attending  the 
common  school  of  his  native  town.  At  twenty-four  years  old  he 
purchased  a  farm,  and  has  always  been  a  tiller  of  the  soil.  On 
March  11,  1851,  he  was  married  to  Eliza  Wakefield  ;  her  father, 
Johnathan  Wakefield,  was  born  in  New  Hampshire,  and  her  mother, 
Rebecca  Haven,  was  a  descendant  of  Richard  Haven,  who  emi- 
grated from  England  to  America  in  1640,  and  was  born  at  Newport, 
Rhode  Island.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gates  were  members  of  the  Baptist 
church  in  New  York,  and  still  cherish  the  faith  of  that  sect.  In 
•  public  affairs  Mr.  Gates  affiliates  with  the  republican  party,  always 
has  and  expects  to  ;  he  was  assessor  of  St.  Charles  township  in 
1870,  and  supervisor  one  year.  Two  children  complete  the  family 
circle.  Erford  E.,  the  eldest,  was  born  December  19,  1857;  he 
married  Eva  W.  Leonard,  and  is  settled  on  a  farm  on  Sec.  26,  near 
his  father.  Lillie  O.  was  born  April  17,  1853  ;  she  married  Dr.  C. 
S.  Dixon  and  resides  at  Somonauk,  Illinois. 

James  W.,  son  of  John  and  Eliza  Young,  was  born  in  Canada 
West  December  25,  1837.  His  father  emigrated  from  Vermont 
and  his  mother  from  Maine.  His  father's  family  left  Canada  West 
when  James  was  a  mere  child  and  moved  to  Detroit,  Michigan.  He 
lived  in  Michigan  until  his  son  was  about  twelve  years  old  when  the 
family  moved  to  Aurora,  Illinois,  forty  miles  west  of  Chicago,  on 
Fox  river.  He  remained  here  with  his  father  on  a  farm  until  he  was 
eighteen  years  old.  His  time  was  divided,  similar  to  that  of  most 
farmers'  sons,  working  on  the  farm  in  summer  and  going  to  school 
in  winter.  He  received  nearly  all  his  education  in  Illinois.  He 
obtained  only  a  limited  education,  such  as  the  common  schools  of 
Illinois  offered  in  those  days,  yet  it  was  practical  and  well  adapted 
to  the  common  business  of  life.  He  left  Illinois  in  1855  and  moved 
to  Black  River  Falls,  Wisconsin,  with  his  father.  The  Black  River 
country  was  but  little  settled  then ;  a  few  bold  pioneers  had  ventured 
to  penetrate  the  forests  of  the  Badger  State ;  the  Indian  trail  was 
the  only  passable  route  through  the  mighty  forests,  now  so  valuable. 
James  having  grown  to  manhood,  and  used  to  all  kinds  of  manual 


730  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

labor,  was  soon  engaged  as  a  teamster  in  the  woods  in  the  winter 
and  rafting  lumber  during  the  summer.  lie  remained  at  Black 
River  Falls  about  two  years,  when  his  father  died,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  seventy-four  years.  Soon  after  the  death  of  his  father  James 
was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources  and  went  forth  to  brave  the 
storms  of  life.  Having  been  brought  up  to  all  kinds  of  physical 
labor  he  readily  found  employment  wherever  he  went.  He  left 
Wisconsin  and  returned  to  Illinois  in  1858,  where  he  was  employed 
on  a  farm  near  Fulton  City.  He  remained  here  a  few  months,  when 
he  went  to  Iowa.  Here  he  again  worked  on  a  farm  near  Sabula. 
In  1859  he  returned  to  Wisconsin  and  was  employed  in  getting  out 
logs  on  the  Mississippi  bottom,  opposite  the  old  village  of  Dakota. 
In  the  spring  of  1860  he  traded  off  some  property  belonging  to  his 
mother  in  Black  River  Falls  for  a  house  and  lot  in  old  Dakota.  He 
remained  here  until  the  spring  of  1861,  when  he  moved  to  Dresbach. 
Mr.  Young  was  married  May  29,  1861,  to  Miss  Maria  Doughty, 
daughter  of  Richard  and  Lydia  Doughty.  From  the  time  he  was 
married  to  the  9th  day  of  December,  1861,  Mr.  Young  was  em- 
ployed in  rafting  lumber  on  the  Mississippi  river,  at  which  time 
he  enlisted  in  the  war  in  Co.  B,  2d  Wis.  Cav.,  commanded  by 
the  late  C.  C.  Washburn,  of  Wisconsin.  Spent  the  winter  of 
1861-2  drilling  at  Milwaukee.  The  spring  of  1862  the  company 
went  to  St.  Louis,  where  they  received  their  horses.  While 
at  St.  Louis  the  company  was  ordered  to  march  to  Jefferson  City, 
Missouri,  thence  through  Arkansas  to  Helena.  Eight  weeks  of 
this  march  the  company  was  seldom  out  of  their  saddles  day  or 
niglit.  The  company  had  an  engagement  with  the  rebels  at  Cotton 
Plant;  several  lost  on  both  sides.  Remained  at  Helena,  Arkansas, 
until  the  latter  part  of  1862,  when  the  company  was  ordered  to  Mem- 
phis, Tennessee.  In  May,  1863,  the  company  was  called  to  Vicks- 
burgtojoin  the  besieging  army  commanded  by  Gen.  IT.  S.  Grant. 
Remained  there  and  took  active  part  in  the  capture  of  Yieksburg, 
July  3,  1863.  After  the  capture  of  Yieksburg  the  company  went  to 
Jackson,  Mississippi.  It  was  there  a  short  time  and  from  there  was 
ordered  back  to  Yieksburg.  Stayed  at  Yieksburg  and  vicinity, 
scouting  and  doing  patrol  duty,  until  the  winter  of  1S64.  The  fol- 
lowing winter  tlie  company  was  again  ordered  to  Memphis,  Ten- 
nessee, where  the  comjmny  was  discharged  in  January,  1865.  After 
returning  home  Mr.  Young  lived  on  a  farm  one  year  in  Dakota 
valley.     Sold  his  farm  and  moved  to  Dresbach.     Was  postmaster  at 


BIOORAPPIICAL.  781 

Dresbach  ;  kept  hotel,  store,  and  was  engaged  in  various  other  occu- 
pations in  the  village.  His  wife  died  of  consumption  September 
7,  1881,  in  the  village  of  Dakota,  after  an  illness  of  over  two 
years.  She  was  buried  in  Bluif  cemetery  of  Dakota.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Young  never  had  any  children.  Mr.  Young  resides  now  in  the 
village  of  Dakota,  and  is  the  owner  of  considerable  village  property. 
Thomas  Mat,  son  of  Dennis  and  Mary  May,  was  born  in 
County  Sligo,  Ireland,  April  !27,  1820  ;  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  that  country  and  married  to  Miss  Bridget  Flannegan  in 
1846,  by  whom  he  has  had  ten  children  ;  came  to  Canada  and 
landed  in  Quebec  in  1847,  and  from  there  to  Rochester,  New  York, 
and  then  to  Luzerne  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1848;  lived  there 
twelve  years  and  came  to  Minnesota  in  1860,  and  settled  in  the  town 
of  Wilson.  Mr.  May,  although  not  one  of  the  early  pioneers,  has, 
by  his  industry  and  frugality,  done  much  to  develop  the  county  and 
town  where  he  lives  ;  he  is  a  good,  practical  farmer,  and  well 
posted  in  the  history  of  his  adopted  country.  His  eldest  child, 
Dennis,  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  March,  1847,  and  died  in  the  United 
States  in  1851  ;  the  second  child,   Bridget,  was  born  in  January, 

1849,  and  died  October,  1851 ;  his  third  child,  Mary,  was  born  July  2, 

1850,  and  died  in  October,  1851,  all  three  dying  of  scarlet  fever  ;  the 
fourth  child,  Bridget  Ellen,  was  born  April,  1852,  and  was  married 
to  Hugh  Moran  in  1874,  by  whom  she  has  three  children  living ; 
the  fifth,  Dennis,  born  in  1853,  was  very  highly  educated  for  his 
years,  was  universally  loved  for  his  manly  qualities,  but  death  called 
him  away  in  November,  1870  ;  the  sixth,  Mary,  was  born  in  1855, 
is  now  a  seamstress  and  dressmaker  ;  seventh,  Katie,  born  July  3, 
1857,  also  a  seamstress  and  dressmaker ;  the  eighth,  Thomas 
Fi'ancis,  was  born  May,  1859,  is  now  at  work  at  home  with  his 
father  ;  ninth,  Hannah,  was  born  December,  1860  ;  tenth,  Alice,  was 
born  in  1862.  Both  the  last,  Hannah  and  Alice,  are  graduates  of 
the  normal  school  at  Winona,  are  teachers  and  attending  the  higher 
grade  of  instruction,  pre])aring  themselves  for  high  grade  teachers. 
Mr.  May  is  a  democrat  in  politics,  and  a  Catholic  in  religion  and  a 
thrifty  farmer  by  profession. 

Clark  Apollos  Fuller  came  to  Minnesota  in  1855  and  settled 
in  Freeborn  county  in  1858  ;  he  came  to  Winona  county  and  settled 
on  Sec.  12  (Wiscoy),  T.  106,  R.  6.  He  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and 
Muranda  Fuller,  and  was  born  in  Addison  county,  Vermont,  June 
28,   1846.     Mr.   Fuller's  father  came  to  this  countv  in  1867,  and 


732  HISTORY    OF    WESrONA    COUNTY. 

lived  here  until  his  deatli  in  1879.  Our  subject  was  raised  on  a 
farm  and  educated  in  the  common  schools.  For  a  number  of  years 
after  coming  to  Minnesota,  he  worked  in  a  saw-mill  In  1S60  he 
was  married  to  Betsey  Montgomery,  by  whom  he  liad  one  child,  a 
girl  named  Delilah.  Mrs.  Fuller  died  in  1865.  In  1867  he  was 
married  a  second  time  to  Julia  L.  Jenkinson,  by  whom  he  has  seven 
children.  Francis  E.,  George  C,  AValt.  S.,  Herbert,  Chauncy, 
Louis  and  John.  He  is  a  member  of  Winona  Lodge  of  Masons, 
No.  IS,  and  a  republican  in  politics.  September  11,  1877,  he  was 
a])pointed  county  commissioner  and  has  held  the  office  ever  since  by 
election. 

Christopher  Pfeil,  farmer,  was  born  near  the  Rhine  river,  in 
Hesse-Darmstadt,  Germany,  July  17,  1821.  He  was  accustomed  to 
farming  from  early  youth,  but  received  a  good  common  school 
education,  like  all  German  children.  In  1843  he  came  with  his 
parents  to  Milwaukee  county,  Wisconsin.  By  his  own  industry  he 
soon  secured  sufficient  means  to  purchase  eighty  acres  of  land  from 
the  United  States  government  in  the  heavy  timber  of  Washington 
county,  which  he  cleared  up  alone.  This  he  sold  and  bought  ninety 
acres  in  Milwaukee  county.  He  was  married  at  Milwaukee,  Janu- 
ary 14,  1849,  to  Elizabeth  Wambold,  a  native  of  the  same  locality  as 
himself  In  1860  Mr.  Pfeil  removed  to  Minnesota  and  bought  160 
acres  of  land  on  Sec.  4,  in  this  town,  on  which  fifty  acres  were 
broken.  Mr.  Pfeil  was  the  first  German  to  settle  here.  By  his 
attention  to  the  proj^er  tillage  of  his  farm  and  shrewd  business 
management,  he  has  accumulated  a  large  landed  interest.  His 
domain  includes  380  acres  on  Sec.  4  and  9,  thirty  acres  within  the 
city  of  St.  Charles,  and  800  acres  in  the  town  of  Elba.  Six  hundred 
acres  of  this  is  tilled  by  Mr.  Pfeil,  the  balance  being  devoted  to 
pasturing  his  large  stock  of  horses  and  cattle.  Immense  quantities 
of  manure  are  yearly  applied  to  the  enrichment  of  his  farm,  which 
is  known  as  one  of  the  most  productive  in  this  region.  His  fiirm 
buildings  are  the  most  complete  and  commodious  in  St.  Charles 
township,  and  everything  about  his  premises  betokens  thrift  and 
care.  Mr.  Pfeil  began  life  in  America  with  his  bare  hands,  clearing 
over  100  acres  of  timber  land,  and  now  enjoys  the  fruits  of  his  early 
toil.  He  is  independent  in  religion  and  politics.  His  family 
includes  eleven  children,  all  of  whom  are  at  liome.  Their  names 
are  Catharine,  John,  Jacob,  George,  Elizabeth,  Maggie,  Eva, 
William,  Lina,  Frederick  and  Caroline. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


733 


Henry  J.  Keeler,  general  niercbandise,  Co])ps  Hall,  St.  Charles. 
This  business  was  established  in  St.  Charles  by  the  present  proprie- 
tor in  1879,  and  was  removed  to  its  present  location  in  1882.  The 
main  salesroom  fronts  foxXj  feet  on  the  street,  has  a  depth  of  100 
feet  and  the  business  occupies  two  floors,  the  basement  being  devoted 
to  groceries  and  storage.  His  business  includes  dry  goods,  clothing, 
hats  and  caps,  boots  and  shoes,  notions,  merchant  tailoring,  grocer- 
ies, glassware,  crockery,  and  all  things  else  included  under  the  head 
of  general  merchandise.  His  stock  is  large,  the  invoice  for  Janu- 
ary, 1883,  footing  $27,500,  the  business  giving  employment  to  seven 
clerks  and  two  tailors,  and  the  volume  of  trade  100  per  cent  over 
that  transacted  at  the  old  stand.  Mr.  Keeler  is  a  native  of  ISTew 
York  and  commenced  selling  goods  in  Camden,  in  that  state,  when 
eighteen  years  of  age.  In  1850  Mr.  Keeler  came  west  and  was  a 
traveling  salesman  lor  a  New  York  hosiery,  white  goods  and 
notions  house  eighteen  years,  only  leaving  the  road  to  establish  him- 
self in  business  here  in  1879,  although  he  has  been  a  resident  of  the 
county  since  1860.  He  was  married  in  Will  county,  Illinois,  in 
1855,  to  Miss  H.  M.  Sims,  and  they  have  two  children.  Miss  Flor- 
ence, who  has  quite  a  local  reputation  as  a  musician,  and  Miss 
Gertrude  attending  Winona  city  schools. 

Henry  Swayne,  third  son  of  Samuel  and  Mary  Swayne,  born  in 
tlie  town  of  Southington,  Connecticut,  May  24,  1820.  The  Swayne 
family  are  of  English  origin  and  are  descended  from  Abram 
Swayne,  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  who  came  from 
Devonshire  in  1T90.  At  an  early  age  Henry  commenced  the  battle 
of  life,  lea\ang  home  when  twelve  years  of  age  and  finding  employ- 
ment choring  around  a  store  in  New  Haven.  He  had  had  little  or 
no  schooling  while  at  home  and  he  determined  to  make  up  the 
deficiency  attending  an  evening  school  for  some  two  years,  costing 
him  almost  his  entire  wages.  His  energy  and  perseverance  attracted 
attention,  and  kind  friends  were  ready  to  assist  the  struggling  youth. 
From  chore  boy  he  rose  by  successive  steps  until  finally  he  became 
the  owner  of  the  store  he  commenced  life  in.  Prosperity  for  a  time 
attended  his  efforts,  but  a  series  of  misfortunes  ultimately  forced 
him  to  close  out  business  and  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  west. 
Coming  to  Illinois  in  1850,  he  pre-empted  a  ftirm  in  Will  county, 
where  he  remained  until  1860,  when  he  came  to  Whitewater.  He 
was  married  at  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  in  1842,  to  Miss  Cora 
Whitley,  and  has  a  family  of  two,  a  son  and  daughter.     Mr.  Swayne 


784  HISTORY    OF    WESrOlSrA    COUNTY. 

enjoys  the  re})utati()n  of  a  man  of  great  force  of  character,  honor- 
able in  all  his  dealings  and  of  the  strictest  integrity. 

Ghehart  Simon  was  born  in  Germany  in  1801.  where  he  lived 
on  liis  parents'  farm  until  he  reached  manhood,  when  he  went  out 
working  at  farm  labor  among  his  neighbors.  In  his  twenty-seventh 
year  he  entered  the  Prussian  army,  of  which  he  was  a  member 
for  three  years  in  accordance  with  the  law  of  that  country.  At  the 
expiration  of  his  term  of  service  he  returned  to  the  home  farm  until 
the  year  1855,  when  he  emigrated  to  America,  going  to  the  city  of 
Milwaukee,  residing  there  some  five  years.  In  1860  he  came  west 
to  Mt.  Vernon,  where  he  took  up  land.  He  married  in  1831 
Miss  Elizabeth  Weitz,  by  whom  lie  had  five  children,  all  of  whom 
are  living.  His  wife  died  some  three  years  ago  at  the  ripe  age  of 
seventy-eight.  Mr.  Simon,  by  dint  of  perseverance  and  industry 
during  his  twenty-two  years  residence  in  Mt.  Vernon,  has  accumu- 
lated a  handsome  competency,  giving  each  one  of  his  sons  a  farm  of 
260  acres  on  their  reaching  manhood.  Mr.  Simon  is  today  a 
healthy,  hale  and  hearty  old  gentleman  of  eighty-two  summers  and 
bids  fair  to  live  many  years,  yet  universally  respected  by  his  neigh- 
bors and  beloved  by  his  sons,  daughters  and  numerous  grand- 
children. 

Charles  Smith  was  born  in  Carlton-road,  Norfolk,  England, 
May  1,  1817.  His  youth  was  spent  at  home  on  a  farm  in  England, 
and  although  he  was  an  extra  good  farm  hand  he  was  never  sent  to 
school  a  day  in  his  life.  The  only  education  he  ever  received  was 
picked  u])  at  Sunday  school,  and  improved  upon  at  every  opportu- 
nity through  life.  On  October  27,  1839,  Mr.  Charles  Smith  and 
Miss  Sophia  Arms  were  united  in  the  holy  bonds  of  matrimony. 
After  working  land  in  England  for  several  years,  they  thought  it 
best  to  emigrate  to  America,  but  owing  to  a  scarcity  of  funds  it  was 
decided  that  Mr.  Smith  should  first  go,  and  when  he  could  succeed 
in  saving  a  sufficient  amount  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  passage 
foi-  his  wife  and  family  he  should  send  for  them.  Accordingly,  he 
came  to  Fond  du  Lac,  Wisconsin,  May  31,  1856,  and  immediately 
found  employment  as  a  farm  laborer  at  $16  per  month,  for  three 
months.  After  that  he  worked  at  job  work,  ditching,  etc.,  and  at 
the  end  of  three  years  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  having  a  little  over 
$4(»0  in  cash.  He  then  sent  for  his  wife,  who  arrived  in  Wisconsin 
in  the  winter  of  1859.  He  then  bought  thirty  acres  of  land,  but  not 
having  any  team,  he  worked  a  farm  for  another  man  for  one-third  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  735 

the  crop,  the  owner  of  the  land  to  furnish  team,  feed  and  seed. 
During  this  year  he  built  a  log  house  on  his  little  farm,  and  then 
sold  out  and  came  to  Pleasant  Hill,  Minnesota,  where  he  had  taken 
a  job  of  breaking  100  acres  at  $3  per  acre.  He  completed  his 
breaking  and  split  rails,  and  built  one-half  a  mile  of  fence,  and 
invested  his  money  in  the  N.E.  ^  of  Sec.  15,  for  which  he  gave 
$400,  paying  $125  down  and  twelve  per  cent  interest  on  the  bal- 
ance. After  paying  for  this  farm  he  bought  eighty  acres  in  Sec.  22, 
where  he  now  resides.  He  has  also  320  acres  in  Faribault  county, 
Minnesota.  Mr.  Smith  and  wife  have  long  been  connected  with  the 
Baptist  church,  but  as  there  is  no  organization  of  Baptists  in  Pleas- 
ant Hill  they  are  debarred  from  many  church  privileges  which  they 
would  like  to  enjoy.  They  have  a  family  of  nine  children,  the 
youngest  of  which  is  living  at  home. 

Among  the  prominent  gentlemen  of  Pleasant  Hill  township  who 
have  taken  an  active  part  in  the  development  of  the  country  we 
may  very  properly  name  Mr.  James  P.  Berry,  who  was  born  Janu- 
ary 26,  1843.  Though  by  no  means  one  of  the  early  settlers,  yet 
by  his  sterling  integrity  he  has  succeeded  in  winning  a  fame  second 
to  none  in  the  township.  His  intellectual  training  he  received  in 
the  common  schools  of  Dane  county,  Wisconsin,  supplemented  with 
one  term  at  private  school  in  the  same  county.  His  youth  was 
spent  upon  a  farm,  where  he  developed  a  strong  attachment  for 
fine  cattle.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  he  enlisted  in  Co.  D,  7th 
Minn.  Inf.,  (General  Sibly  commanding),  which  was  ordered 
against  the  Sioux  Indians  at  the  time  of  their  outbreak,  in  August, 
1862.  He  was  wounded  in  his  right  shoulder  by  the  accidental  dis- 
charge of  a  musket  at  Fort  Abercrombie,  in  the  fall  of  1862.  After 
the  surrender  of  the  Indians  his  regiment  went  to  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, on  post  duty  for  six  months,  then  it  was  transferred  to  the 
sixteenth  array  corps,  first  division,  third  brigade,  General  A.  J.  Smith 
commanding.  He  was  in  all  engagements  of  the  regiment  until 
the  middle  of  February,  1865,  when  he  was  sent  to  McPherson 
hospital.  After  languishing  there  until  the  last  day  of  May,  1865, 
he  was  discharged  and  returned  to  civil  life.  He  was  married  to 
Miss  Emma  J.  Theyson  November  5,  1870.  To  them  have  been 
born  three  children,  only  two  of  whom  are  now  living.  In  politics 
Mr.  Berry  is  a  republican,  and  has  served  his  township  in  nearly  all 
of  its  various  offices.  He  is  at  present  serving  his  fifth  consecutive 
term  as  justice  of  the  peace.     He  served  his  congressional  district 


736  JIISTOIIY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

as  re})resentative  in  the  sixteenth  legislature.  He  has  acted  as 
collector  and  conveyancer  for  several  years,  and  though  residing  on 
a  farm  in  tlie  interior  of  the  county,  he  has  built  up  a  business 
which  occu])ies  the  greater  part  of  his  time,  and  secures  for  himself 
hosts  of  friends  all  over  the  state.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Pickwick 
Lodge,  No.  110,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  of  which  he  was  the  tirst  master. 
McNiK  ife  Co.,  booksellei's,  corner  of  Center  and  Second  streets. 
Salesroom  fronts  forty-five  feet  on  Second  street,  sixty  feet  on  Center, 
and  opens  on  both.  This  book-house  is  the  legitimate  successor  of 
that  established  in  this  city  in  1857  by  Messrs.  Bingham  &  Benson, 
and  which  a  few  months  ))rior  to  the  war  of  1861-5  became  Benson  & 
Upham.  This  firm  continued  to  do  business  until  Mr.  Upham  sold  out 
to  his  partner  in  ISftl  and  entered  the  United  States  service.  At  this 
time  the  business  of  bookselling  was  combined  with  that  of  drugs, 
the  two  branches  of  trade,  however,  being  conducted  in  separate  sales- 
rooms. In  the  fall  of  1862  the  booksellers'  department  was  sold  out 
to  Andrews  &  Son,  who  conducted  business  until  1867,  when  they 
sold  out  to  Alexander  McNie.  In  the  meantime  the  war  had  closed, 
and  Mr.  Upham  returning  home,  opened  trade  as  a  bookseller  and 
stationer,  conducting  business  one  year,  when  he  sold  out  to 
Sherman  &  McNie,  who  dissolved  partnership  about  one  year 
thereafter,  Mr.  Sherman  purchasing  McMe's  share  of  the  stock.  It 
was  at  this  time,  as  before  stated,  that  Mr.  McNie  purchased  the 
stock  of  Andrews  &  Son,  and  thus  became  lineal  successor  to  the 
old  house  of  Bingham  &  Benson.  This  business,  which  at  the  time 
Mr.  McXie  purchased  was  quite  moderate  in  its  extent,  soon 
improved  under  his  management,  until  from  1871  to  1874  it  took 
rank  as  the  second  book-house  in  the  state.  The  hard  times  of 
1873  and  later  on  crippled  the  business  of  the  concern,  the  firm 
name  of  which  had  always  been  Alex.  McNie  &  Co.,  and  in  1877 
G.  W.  Hoyt  was  taken  in  as  a  partner,  this  business  connection 
lasting  one  year.  In  1879  another  change  was  made,  the  firm 
became  McNie  &  Co.,  with  Alexander  McNie  as  manager,  and  so 
continues.  The  musical  department  of  the  business  was  added  in 
1875,  and  the  stock  now  includes  books,  stationery,  fancy  goods  and 
musical  instruments,  and  merchandise  of  all  descriptions.  The  book 
transactions  of  the  house  have  always  been  in  works  of  a  standard 
character,  and  it  has  always  been  the  boast  of  the  house  that  no 
literature  of  the  least  tendency  to  immorality  has  been  allowed  a 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  737 

place  upon  their  shelves.     This  fact  we  believe  is  equally  true  of  the 
book  trade  of  the  city  at  large. 

Alexander  McNie  is  a  native  of  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  from 
which  country  he  came  to  New  York  at  ten  years  of  age,  an  orphan 
boy,  seeking  his  fortune,  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land.  After  one  year, 
spent  as  a  newsboy  in  New  York,  young  McJSTie  came  to  Racine, 
Wisconsin,  and  from  there  in  1861  to  Winona.  Soon  after  his 
arrival  here  he  entered  the  book-house  of  Mr.  Benson,  and  when 
the  stock  was  purchased  by  Andrews  &  Son  transferred  his  services 
to  that  house,  from  whom  he  subsequently  purchased  their  stock  and 
engaged  in  business  tor  himself  Mr.  McNie  is  a  prominent  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church  of  Winona,  and  for  several  years  one  of 
the  trustees  of  that  society.  He  was  deeply  interested  in  forming 
the  Winona  Library  Association,  assisted  at  its  organization  and 
was  one  of  its  charter  members. 

Bentley  &  Yance,  attorneys-at-law ;  office  west  side  Center 
street,  over  general  oftices  of  Chicago  &  Milwaukee  railway  ;  mem- 
bers of  firm,  A.  N.  Bentley  and  D.  E.  Yance. 

A.  N.  Bentley  is  a  native  of  Wisconsin,  from  which  state  he 
came  to  Minnesota  in  1861.  Was  educated  in  the  high  school  at 
Rochester,  this  state,  and  in  the  State  University  at  Minneapolis  ; 
read  law  in  the  office  of  C.  C.  Wilson,  Rochester  ;  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  March  IT,  ISTrl,  and  immediately  located  for  practice  in 
this  city.  His  first  law  partnership  was  formed  with  C.  H.  Myers 
in  1876,  and  continued  until  Mr.  Myers  retired  from  practice  in 
1878,  on  account  of  ill  health.  He  then  formed  a  partnership  with 
his  brother,  A.  J.  Bentley,  which  was  terminated  by  that  gentle- 
man's death,  July  18,  1879.  October  1,  1880,  his  present  law 
association  with  D.  E.  Yance  was  formed.  Was  elected  county 
attorney  on  the  democratic  ticket,  tall  of  1878,  and  held  office  two 
years;  was  renominated  by  acclamation  at  the  close  of  his  term, 
but  was  beaten  with  the  entire  ticket,  polling  the  heaviest  vote  of 
any  candidate  of  his  party  in  the  district.  Mr.  Bently  is  captain 
of  Co.  C,  2d  batt.  M.  N.  G.  Member  of  Prairie  Lodge,  No.  7, 
I.O.O.F.,  Oak  Grove,  No.  22,  A.O.D.  and  of  the  A.O.U.W.  and 
Royal  Arcanum  beneficiaries.     He  is  married  and  has  one  child. 

D.  E.  Yance  is  a  native  of  Yermont;  was  educated  at  Topsham 
Academy,  in  his  native  state;  and  coming  to  Chicago,  graduated  at 
Eastman's  Business  College,  in  that  city,  in  1866.  Removing  to  Min- 
nesota he  located  in  Houston  county,  and  was  there   principally 


788  IIISTORr    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

engaged  in  teaching  until  1877,  wlien  he  came  to  Winona,  entered 
the  hiw  office  of  Judge  Barber,  of  this  city,  and  was  admitted  to 
practice  at  the  spring  term  of  the  district  court,  held  in  1878.  Be- 
fore coming  west,  June  13,  1862,  he  enlisted  in  the  9th  Vt.  Inf., 
was  captured  at  Harper's  Ferrj,  September  16,  1862,  paroled,  came 
to  Chicago  and  was  on  duty  at  Camp  Douglas  for  tiiteen  months 
as  assistant  commissary  of  prisoners.  In  January,  1864,  he  was 
returned  to  his  regiment,  then  on  duty  near  Moreliead  City,  North 
Carolina,  remaining  in  that  department  until  September  of  that 
year,  when  his  regiment  was  ordered  to  Petersburg,  Virginia.  He 
participated  in  the  series  of  engagements  resulting  in  the  capture  of 
Richmond,  his  regiment  being  one  of  the  first  to  enter  the  city  upon 
its  surrender.  Was  with  his  regiment  at  Washington  in  the  grand 
national  review,  and  was  mustered  out  at  Burlington,  Yermont, 
June  16,  1865.  Mr.  Vance  was  made  a  Master  Mason  in  1868,  and 
is  a  prominent  member  of  the  A.O.U.W.  fraternity.  Having 
served  as  master  of  his  lodge  two  terms  and  represented  it  in  tlie 
grand  lodge  session  of  1880.  November  29,  1879,  he  married 
Miss  Alice  J.  Maybury,  who  was  only  a  little  lady  of  two  years 
when  her  father,  C.  G.  Maybury,  came  to  this  city. 

Bottling  Works,  David  Fakler,  proprietor,  corner  Broadway 
and  Zimbro  streets.  This  business  was  established  in  this  city  by 
Messrs.  Flint  and  Kerry,  in  1878,  on  Seventh  street.  In  1871  the 
business  was  sold  to  Mr.  Fakler,  and  by  him  removed  to  their  pres- 
ent location.  His  manufactory  is  a  two-stor}^  frame,  40x48  feet, 
with  a  capacity  of  400  dozen  a  day,  actual  product  about  half  that 
amount.  He  manufactures  soda  water,  ginger-ale,  root-beer.  Seltzer 
water,  and  supplies  a  regular  trade  in  Lewiston,  Ridgeton,  Stockton 
and  Minnesota  City,  as  well  as  his  own  city.  He  keeps  one  team 
constantly  on  the  road  and  is  assisted  in  business  by  his  sons.  Mr. 
Fakler  is  a  native  of  Wurtemburg,  by  trade  a  miller,  came  to 
America  in  1861,  and  to  Winona  the  same  year.  Was  six  years  a 
musician  in  the  Gei*man  army  before  coming  here,  and  after  taking 
up  his  residence  in  this  city,  was  for  six  years  a  member  of  the  city 
band.  Was  nuirried  in  1868  and  has  five  children,  three  in  public 
school,  two  assisting  him  in  his  business.  Mr.  Fakler  is  a  member 
of  the  Philharmonic  society,  and  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Druids. 

W.  Wedkll,  dealer  in  furniture,  10  and  12  West  Second 
street.  Business  established  in  1861  on  north  side  of  Second  street, 
one  door  west  of  Lafayette,  and  was  there  conducted  until  moved 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  739 

into  its  present  location  in  1866.  Was  burned  out  once,  but  loss 
was  very  slight,  principally  caused  by  removal  of  stock.  His  busi- 
ness house  fronts  42  feet  on  Second  street,  is  60  feet  deep,  and  his 
stock  occupies  two  floors.  No  manufacturing  is  done  and  only  one 
assistant  employed.  Mr.  Wedel  is  a  native  o±  Leipsic,  Germany, 
was  bred  to  tlie  furniture  trade  in  that  city,  came  to  America  in 
1836  at  twenty-two  years  of  age,  was  in  Baltimore  four  years,  and 
then  for  twenty  years  foreman  of  the  furniture  manufactory  of 
Mitchelor  &  Rommeley,  before  coming  to  this  city.  Mr.  Wedel 
was  married  before  liis  immigration  to  this  country,  and  has  two 
children,  one  of  them  Dr.  W.  H.  Wedel,  of  this  city. 

Lemuel  Hill  was  born  in  Starksboro,  Vermont,  and  received  a 
good  common  scliool  education.  He  spent  his  youth  on  his  father's 
farm,  where  he  learned  economy  and  the  art  of  farming.  In  1861 
Mr.  Hill  left  Starksboro  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  west.  After  look- 
ing over  the  country  and  cities  in  Wisconsin  and  eastern  Minnesota, 
he  bought  the  E.  i  of  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  9  and  the  W.  ^  of  the  S.  W. 
J  of  Sec.  10,  and  engaged  in  farming.  He  has  held  the  office  of 
supervisor  six  years,  of  assessor  two  years,  and  is  at  present  (1882) 
township  treasurer.  He  has  also  taught  several  winter  terms  of 
school  in  this  township,  but  at  present  is  giving  his  whole  attention 
to  farming.  He  has  accumulated  property  and  invested  in  farm 
lands  until  he  now  has  control  of  560  acres  of  land,  lying  in  the 
townships  of  Pleasant  Hill,  Homer  and  Wiscoy. 

George  Von  Gentskow  was  born  in  Oklenburg,  Germany,  in 
1826,  of  noble  parentage.  He  was  educated  in  some  of  the  best 
schools  in  Germany.  He  was  of  very  progressive  ideas,  and  early 
in  life  incurred  the  hostility  of  the  authorities  and  was  forced,  from 
political  motives,  to  emigrate  to  America.  He  landed  at  New  York 
in  1854,  when,  after  a  short  residence  with  his,  brother-in-law, 
Carl  Schultz,  at  Williamsburg,  New  York,  he  came  west  and  settled 
on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  at  a  place  which  is  now  known  as 
the  village  of  Buftalo  City,  on  the  Wisconsin  shore,  where  he  went 
into  business  as  a  general  merchant.  Some  five  or  six  years  later 
he  moved  to  Minneiska  village,  engaging  in  various  occupations 
until  the  winter  of  1868,  when  he  went  into  tlie  butchering  business, 
which  he  has  carried  on  very  successfully  ever  since.  His  son 
Julius  is  now  associated  with  him.  He  is  also  proprietor  of  and 
carries  on  a  large  saloon  in  the  village.  Mr.  A"on  Gentskow  enjoys 
the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  citizens  of  Mt.  Vernon  and  Minneiska,. 
44 


740  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

particularly  of  the  Germans,  as  he  is  recognized  as  the  scion  of  a  good 
old  Ijunily,  and  liked  accordingly.  He  was  married  in  Germany  to 
Sophia  Schultz  and  has  had  eight  children. 

JosEi'H  L.  Leonard,  farmer.  Jacob  Leonard,  the  father  of  this 
subject,  was  born  in  Canada,  and  marrying  Mary  Brown,  of  Massa- 
chusetts, settled  on  a  farm  in  Charlotte,  Chittenden  county, 
Vermont,  where  Joseph,  his  son,  was  born,  August  29,  1820.  The 
father  of  Jacob  Leonard  was  a  shi])-carpenter  on  board  a  French 
man-of-war.  He  deserted  the  vessel  during  its  service  against 
the  English  colonies,  in  what  American  history  terms  the  "French 
and  Indian  war,"  and  settled  in  Canada.  Jacob  Leonard  served  the 
colonies  through  the  war  of  1812,  after  which  he  settled  as  above 
3ioted.  He  was  also  a  carpenter,  and  taught  the  trade  to  his  son, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  followed  that  occupation  in  Clinton 
county,  New  York.  The  latter  also  bought  a  farm  just  over  the 
Canadian  border  from  his  New  York  home,  which  he  tilled  six 
years.  He  had  been  reared  on  a  farm,  attending  the  common 
schools  and  Champlain  Academy.  He  was  married  September 
12,  1842,  to  Sophia  Chidester,  who  was  born  in  Maitland,  Ontario, 
October  15,  1826.  Her  father,  George  Chidester,  was  born  in  New 
York,  and  her  mother,  Jane  Byres,  was  a  native  of  Ireland.  In  1862 
Mr.  Leonard  sold  his  eastern  property  and  came  to  Minnesota,  buy- 
ing eighty  acres  of  land  in  the  town  of  Fremont,  this  county,  where 
he  lived  one  year.  This  he  sold  and  returned  to  Canada,  thinking 
to  engage  in  farming  there ;  but  the  east  did  not  appear  to  him  as 
before,  and  he  again  came  to  Minnesota,  which  has  since  afforded 
him  a  satisfactory  home.  In  1863  he  bought  a  residence  in  Winona, 
where  he  dwelt  a  short  time  and  was  engaged  in  overseeing  con- 
struction on  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  railroad.  During  the  fall  of 
1863  he  bought  and  kept  the  hotel  at  Stockton,  but  sold  it  after  a 
short  residence  there.  During  the  following  summer  he  kept  hotel 
at  [Jtica.  In  the  fall  of  1864  Mr.  Leonard  became  a  resident  of  St. 
Charles  city,  having  })urchased  three  lots  on  Winona  street,  where 
he  still  dwells,  and  120  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  20.  He  has  since 
])ureha8ed  seven  more  city  lots  and  forty-hve  acres  of  land,  and  is  ex- 
tensively engaged  in  farming  operations.  His  home  is  an  (U-nament 
to  the  city  and  a  credit  to  himself.  Mrs.  Lconai-d  is  a  member  of  the 
Advent  church,  and  her  husband  sympathizes  with  her  in  religious 
faith.  He  has  been  assessor  of  the  city  two  terms  and  street  com- 
missioner for  the  same  period.     His  political  affiliations  are  with 


BIOGEAPHICAL.  741 

the  democratic  party.  He  is  a  member  of  St.  Charles  Lodge  of  the 
Royal  Arcanum.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leonard  have  five  living  children, 
all  of  whom  are  married,  as  the  following  shows  :  Mary  J. ,  July  8, 
1845,  George  Williams,  reside  St.  Paul ;  Emma,  May  9,  1851,  Henry 
Gage,  St.  Paul;  Eva,  August  19,  1854,  Erford  Gates,  live  on  Sec. 
26,  this  township;  Joseph  P.,  January  12,  1857,  Sarah  Williams, 
dwell  at  Watertown,  Dakota ;  Josephine,  February  13,  1862,  Henry 
W.  Brown,  reside  with  Mr.  Leonard. 

William  Harrison  Martin,  farmer,  son  of  Freeman  Martin, 
was  born  in  Cook  county,  Illinois,  in  the  year  1838,  where  he 
attended  school  and  remained  with  his  father  till  1861,  when  he 
moved  to  Whitewater,  Minnesota.  In  1862  married  Miss  Ester 
Covey,  daughter  of  Stephen  Covey  (see  sketch),  and  by  this  marriage 
had  seven  children:  Lewis  H.,  born  1863;  Carrie  E.,  born  1864  ; 
Hjdon  F.,  born  1871,  died  1881  ;  Harry  E.,  born  1875  ;  Hattie  M., 
born  1867;  Morton  C,  born  1881.  In  1867  Freeman  Martin, 
father  of  our  subject,  purchased  S.W.  and  N.E.  ^  of  Sec.  2,  T.  108, 
R.  10,  containing  about  287  acres,  of  which  property  our  subject 
bought  an  even  half  Was  ten  times  elected  supervisor  and  five 
times  chairman  of  the  board  (see  town  record).  In  politics  always 
votes  the  republican  ticket ;  in  religion  a  Methodist  Episcopal.  Is 
much  esteemed  and  respected  by  all  who  know  him. 

Reuben  Drake  was  born  in  town  of  Redfield,  Oneida  county, 
New  York,  1801,  where  he  attended  school  and  made  his  home  till 
1862,  when  he  moved  to  Whitewater,  Minnesota,  having  traded  his 
property  in  Redfield  for  160  acres  land  situated  near  Minneiska  ;  also 
bought  ten  acres  adjoining  village  of  Beaver.  In  1832  our  subject 
married  Sophronia  Ranney,  and  has  been  blessed  with  four  children, 
born  as  follows :  Ellen,  born  1832,  married  in  1857,  G.  G. 
Knowles,  died  1863  ;  Jennette,  born  1836,  married  in  1857  to  J.  R. 
Martin ;  Bray  ton,  born  1838,  was  married  to  Miss  Emily  Hayes  in 
1862  ;  Margaret,  born  1842,  married  W.  Buckingham  in  1862. 
Our  subject  was  appointed  postmaster  during  the  administration  of 
Gen,  Jackson  for  the  town  of  Redfield,  New  York,  which  position 
with  but  short  intervals  he  held  till  he  moved  to  Whitewater  valley, 
when  he  was  again  appointed  under  President  Lincoln  and  held  the 
position  till  1881,  being  the  oldest  postmaster  in  the  United  States. 
In  religion  is  a  liberal  thinker,  in  politics  a  staunch  democrat. 

S.  W.  Morgan,  jeweller  and  watchmaker,  15  East  Second  street. 
This  business  was  begun  May  1,  1862,  in  its  present  location  and  has 


74i!  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

80  continued.  At  its  establishment  it  was  conducted  in  the  first 
floor  of  three-story  building,  upper  floors  used  for  hotel  purposes. 
This  building  was  destroyed  in  the  great  tire  of  July  5,  1862,  in 
which  Mr.  Morgan's  loss  was  comparatively  light,  his  whole  stock 
not  exceeding  $1,000  in  value,  and  which  was  mostly  saved  by  his 
owii  exertions.  The  next  morning  after  the  tire,  business  was 
temporarily  established  on  Main  street,  in  a  building  in  process  of 
erection  for  a  warehouse,  and  conducted  there  for  thirty  days,  when 
a  return  was  made  to  the  old  location,  where  a  temporary  structure 
liad  been  meantime  erected.  The  following  year,  1863,  Mr.  Morgan 
bought  the  lot  he  was  occupying,  and  in  1866  erected  his  present 
structure,  a  two-story  and  basement  brick,  20  X  53^  feet.  The  store 
is  furnished  with  a  double  compartment  steel  safe,  positively  fire- 
proof; the  business  employs  three  workmen  besides  the  proprietor, 
and  is  one  of  the  most  elegant  jewelry  establishments  in  the  state. 
Mr.  Morgan  is  a  native  of  Terre  Haute,  Indiana ;  came  with  his 
parents  to  Illinois ;  removed  afterward  to  the  county  seat,  where  he 
learned  his  trade,  and  had  resided  eleven  years  before  coming  to 
this  city.  He  is  member  and  director  of  the  board  of  trade,  a  stock- 
holder in  the  Winona  wagonworks,  and  fully  identified  with  the 
city's  commercial  and  industrial  growth.  A  prominent  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  ;  he  has  been  for  seventeen  years 
secretary  of  its  Sabbath-school. 

Philip  Spielman,  farmer,  was  born  near  Heidelberg,  Germany, 
October  14,  1814.  He  attended  school  till  eighteen  years  old,  the 
last  two  years  being  spent  at  the  famous  university  under  whose 
shadow  he  was  reared.  On  leaving  the  university  he  entered  the 
army,  in  which  he  served  seven  years.  In  1839  he  came  to  Amer- 
ica, landing  at  New  Orleans,  where  he  learned  tlie  carpenter's  tmde. 
He  arrived  at  port  seven  dollars  in  debt,  and  paid  this  by  two  days' 
labor  in  unloading  the  vessel.  From  New  Orleans  he  went  to  Port- 
age county,  Ohio,  where  he  was  married  November  2,  1841,  to 
Catharina  Mohn,  a  native  of  Loraine,  born  January  23,  1823.  In 
1844  Mr.  Spielman  went  to  Washington  county,  Wisconsin,  then  a 
new  region,  and  proceeded  to  open  up  a  farm  in  heavy  timber  ;  for 
a  short  time  after  locating  there  his  nearest  neighbor  was  eleven 
miles  away.  Here  he  ccmtinued  to  follow  his  trade  most  of  the 
time,  his  sons  carrying  on  the  farm  work  as  soon  as  they  were  old 
enough.  In  1862  he  came  to  St.  Charles  and  bought  160  acres  of 
land  on  Sec.  5,  where  he  lived  until  1877;  his  health  failing,  he 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  743 

bought  a  house  and  lot  in  St.  Charles  city,  where  he  has  lived  ever 
since  his  removal  from  the  farm.  He  now  owns  260  acres  of  land, 
eighty  acres  being  on  Sec.  7,  and  the  balance  on  Sec.  29,  in  Elba. 
Mr.  Spielman  is  a  member  of  St.  Charles  Lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.  M., 
in  which  he  is  now  steward  ;  he  is  a  republican  in  politics  and  in 
religion  a  Methodist.  He  has  reared  eleven  children,  as  follows  : 
John,  born  October  8,  1842,  married  Katie  Gim,  died  at  Faribault, 
April  30,  1868  ;  Catharina,  born  November  7,  1843,  married  Christ 
Busman  and  lives  on  Sec.  5  ;  Henry,  born  November  8,  1847,  died 
December  6,  1865,  at  St.  Charles;  Mary,  born  December  3,  1849, 
married  John  Henrich  and  is  living  in  the  township  of  Elba ; 
Andrew,  born  October  8,  1851,  married  Tilla  Kobler  and  lives  in 
St.  Charles  city;  Nathaniel,  born  September  16,  1853,  married 
Amelia  Bossewitz  and  lives  at  Curry,  Minnesota;  Philip  J.,  born 
March  27,  1855,  lives  at  St.  Charles;  Maggie,  born  August  20, 
1857,  dwells  with  parents ;  William,  born  April  18,  1860,  resides  on 
Sec.  7;  Mina,  born  April  15,  1862;  Sarah,  born  October  15,  1864. 

C.  L.  Bonner,  grain  and  commission  merchant.  Mr.  Bonner 
has  been  a  permanent  resident  of  this  city  for  the  past  twenty  years, 
having  come  here  to  stay  in  1862.  His  first  visit  to  the  place  pros- 
pecting for  a  field  of  operations  was  made  in  1857.  From  1862  until 
1881  Mr.  Bonner  was  actively  engaged  in  grain  trade  here.  He  was 
one  of  the  moving  spirits  of  the  Winona  Mill  Company,  one  of  the 
original  incorporators  and  the  first  president  of  the  company,  taking 
charge  of  its  affairs  September  1,  1881.  Mr.  Bonner  is  a  capitalist 
of  considerable  financial  weight,  and,  in  addition  to  his  grain  and 
mill  interests,  is  a  stockholder  of  the  Second  National  Bank  of  the 
city.  He  is  married  and  has  one  child  now  attending  the  high 
schodl  in  this  city. 

Charles  L.  Turnquest,  born  in  Sweden,  in  1828,  came  to 
America  in  1852  and  settled  in  Whiteside  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
remained  until  1862,  removing  to  Minnesota,  settling  in  Winona 
county  and  buying  the  property  he  now  occupies.  Pie  was  married 
at  Fulton,  Illinois,  to  Mary  Jonston,  by  whom  he  had  ten  children. 
He  entered  the  army  in  1864,  joining  the  11th  Minn.,  and  was 
under  Thomas  in  Tennessee  and  at  the  battle  of  Nashville.  He 
remained  with  his  regiment  until  their  muster  out  of  service,  when 
he  had  received  the  rank  of  a  non-commissioned  officer.  Mr.  Turn- 
quest  has  always  been  an  active  sportsman  and  has  experienced 
uiany  adventures.     He  is  now  engaged  in  pursuit  of  the  finny  tribe, 


744  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

and  is  shipping  large  quantities  to  St.  Paul  and  Chicago,  and  is 
making  preparations  for  the  opening  of  a  large  canning  establish- 
ment at  Minneiska.  He  had  his  house  and  outbuildings  swept  away 
by  the  great  storm  of  1880,  suffering  a  severe  pecuniary  loss.  He 
lost  his  wife  in  1879,  and  his  sons  have  started  out  in  business  for 
themselves,  one  being  in  the  drug  business  in  Chicago  and  the  other 
in  a  sash  and  door  factory. 

V.  A.  Brink,  grocer,  4  West  Third  street.  This  house  is  the 
successor  of  the  old  grocery  house  of  H.  D.  Perkins,  established  in 
1857  on  West  Front  street,  and  of  which  Mr.  Brink  became  sole 
owner  in  1878  by  ])urchasing  the  interest  of  his  partner,  W.  R. 
Williams,  with  whom,  seven  years  before,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Brink  &  Williams,  he  had  bought  out  the  stock  of  H.  C.  Harkins, 
Mr.  Perkins'  })artner  and  successor.  Mr.  Brink,  prior  to  removing 
to  his  present  location  in  1880,  was  on  East  Second  street,  first  at 
No.  2,  afterward  at  No.  11.  Business  is  gradually  growing,  and 
sales  are  slightly  in  advance  of  last  year.  The  business  gives  full 
employment  to  three  persons  and  one  delivery  wagon.  Mr.  Brink 
is  a  native  of  western  New  York ;  was  brought  up  on  a  farm  ;  came 
to  Winona  in  18fi2,  and  was  eight  years  in  the  dry-goods  house  of 
his  brother,  J.  L.  Brink,  before  opening  trade  on  his  own  account. 
Mr.  Brink  is  married  and  has.  three  children,  one  of  whom  is  in  at- 
tendance at  the  state  normal  school.  Mr.  Brink  was  made  a  Master 
Mason  in  1868 ;  became  a  member  of  Winona  Chapter,  No.  5, 
R.  A.M.,  in  1881,  and  a  Knight  Templar  in  Cceur  de  Lion  Com- 
mandery.  No.  3,  of  this  city,  in  1882. 

Danip:l  Burke  was  born  in  Ireland  June  4,  1839.  His  father, 
Thomas  Burke,  was  a  very  thrifty  farmer,  but  suffered  considerable 
loss  from  the  famine  of  1849,  he  having  become  surety  for  several 
families  who  were  unable  to  pay  their  rent.  His  mother,  Margaret 
Burke,  died  in  1852,  and  in  1855  his  father  emigrated  to  New  York 
with  the  rest  of  his  family,  and  he  and  the  subject  of  our  sketch 
went  to  work  u})on  the  Erie  canal  and  worked  there  until  it  was  com- 
pleted. Then  our  subject  hired  out  with  a  farmer  and  worked  for 
him  three  years.  When  done  work  for  this  farmer  he  came  to  Min- 
nesota, in  company  with  his  brother,  in  search  of  his  father  and  the 
rest  of  the  family  that  had  moved  to  Sugar  Loaf.  After  finding  his 
fanuly  he  looked  over  the  greater  part  of  Winona  county,  and  finally, 
in  1862,  bought  the  S.  i  of  the  N.E.  ^  of  Sec.  6  in  Pleasant  Hill 
township,  and  in  1863  he  bought  the  E.  ^  of  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  6.    He 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  T45 

was  married  to  Bridget  Moran  January  18,  1863.  He  and  his  wife 
went  to  work  with  that  energy  which  is  always  crowned  with  suc- 
cess, and  at  this  time  (1882)  they  have  320  acres  of  land,  fenced  into 
six  fields  and  well  stocked  with  horses,  hogs,  sheep  and  cattle.  They 
have  a  very  comfortable  frame  house,  with  modern  conveniences, 
and  good  barns  and  granary.  Their  union  has  been  blessed  with 
seven  children  :  Thomas,  born  November  20,  1863  ;  William,  born 
January  20,  1865  ;  Daniel,  born  September  20,  1866 ;  John,  born 
March  2,  1868,  and  died  March  2,  1869  ;  Mary  A.,  born  December 
2,  1869  ;  Margaret  E.,  born  June  4,  1871,  and  Hugh  James,  born 
March  15,  1871:.  The  children  are  all  living  at  home,  and,  with 
their  parents,  form  a  cheerful  and  contented  family. 

James  Koan,  farmer.  Lands  located  on  S.W.  J  of  N.W.  J  and 
W.  i  of  S.W.  i  of  Sec.  37,  and  on  the  S.E.  i  of  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  28, 
St.  Cliarles  township.  This  claim  was  made  in  May,  1855,  by  the 
present  proprietor,  and  proved  up  by  him  in  July  of  that  year  ;  but 
he  did  not  reside  upon  it  or  farm  it  in  person  until  the  fall  of  1862, 
since  which  date  it  has  been  his  family's  residence.  Mr.  Roan  has 
added  to  his  original  claim  of  160  acres  until  his  farm  includes  291 
acres,  mostly  oak  openings.  His  farming  operations  include  both 
grain  raising  and  stock,  although,  like  most  farms  in  this  township, 
grain  has  been  hitherto  the  staple  of  the  farmer.  The  yield  of  grain 
per  acre  on  this  farm,  for  the  season  of  1882,  was  :  wheat  (winter), 
24  bushels  ;  wheat  (spring),  19  bushels  ;  barlej,  30  bushels  ;  oats, 
45  bushels ;  corn,  40  bushels.  Of  stock,  there  are  12  head  of 
horses,  2  cows  and  6  hogs.  Mr.  Roan  is  a  native  of  Gloucester- 
shire, England  ;  came  to  America  in  1850,  traveling  that  season  as 
far  westward  as  Dubuque  county,  Iowa,  and  being  unmarried  was 
not  permanently  located  until  he  settled  upon  his  farm  here  in  1862. 
During  those  twelve  years  he  traveled  over  the  Mississippi  valley 
region  quite  extensively,  southward  as  far  as  New  Orleans,  Louisi- 
ana, and  northward  into  Minnesota.  In  1861  he  returned  to  his 
native  country,  England.  The  following  year,  1862,  he  married 
Miss  L.  Candy,  and  the  same  fall,  crossing  the  ocean  with  his  bride, 
took  up  his  permanent  residence  in  Winona  county.  The  following 
season,  1863,  he  built  what  now  forms  the  kitchen  of  his  comforta- 
ble farm-house,  moved  into  it,  and  so  became  fully  settled  in  his  new 
western  home.  The  main  part  of  the  dwelling  was  erected  in  1870. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roan  have  five  children,  all  inclined  to  intellectual 
and  mechanical  pursuits,  rather  than  the  home-work  of  tlie  farm. 


746  JIISTOUY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

The  eldest  daughter  is  now  pursuing  her  musical  studies  in  Winona 
cit}',  a  branch  of  art  for  which  she  evinces  a  decided  talent.  The 
youngest  cliild,  a  bright  boy  of  six  years,  is  at  home.  The  others, 
one  son  and  two  daughters,  are  pursuing  their  school  studies  under 
the  direction  of  Mr.  Parsons,  teacher  of  one  of  the  district  schools, 
anil  generally  accepted  as  one  of  the  most  effi('ient  teachers  in  the 
township.  Mr.  Roan  is  a  man  of  gentle  manners,  but  most  positive 
convictions  ;  a  genuine  reformer  in  temperance  matters,  and  quite  of 
the  radical  school.  An  air  of  genial  hospitality  and  genuine  home- 
feeling  pervades  the  household  which  it  is  im])ossible  not  to  recog- 
nize, even  on  casual  acquaintance. 

Peter  Ferdinakd  Boysen,  born  in  Schleswig,  Germany,  in  the 
year  1841  ;  received  a  common  school  education.  His  youth  was 
spent  on  a  farm.  He  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1862,  and 
removed  to  Rolling  Stone  township  the  same  year,  where  he  re- 
mained for  six  years,  when  he  removed  to  Hillsdale  township,  where 
he  has  since  remained.  In  1865  Mr.  Boysen  was  married  to  Mrs. 
Charlotte  Hertsberg,  widow  of  Herman  Hertsberg,  who  died  in 
Hillsdale  township  in  1862.  Mrs.  Boysen  was  born  in  Holstein, 
Germany,  December  30,  1830.  Mrs.  Boysen  emigrated  to  the 
United  States  with  her  first  husband  in  1853,  and  to  Hillsdale  town- 
ship in  1856.  Mrs.  Boysen  has  four  children  living  by  her  first 
husband,  and  four  b}^  Mr.  Boysen.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boysen  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Lutheran  church.  Mr.  Boysen  owns  340  acres  lying  in 
Sec.  15,  in  township  107  and  Sec.  22,  in  Hillsdale  township. 

A.  O.  Slade,  druggist  and  dealer  in  ])aints,  oils,  etc.,  City  Drug 
Store,  22  East  Third.  This  drug  house  is  the  legitimate  successor 
of  that  established  by  S.  N.  Wickersham,  and  which  was  discon- 
tinued upon  the  death  of  his  wife,  when  part  of  the  stock  was  shipped 
to  Philadelphia  and  the  rest  disposed  of  to  F.  Patton,  an  old  clerk 
in  the  Piiiladelphia  drug  house  of  Fahnstock,  of  which  the  Wicker- 
sham establishment  was  virtually  a  branch.  The  business  under 
Patton  soon  came  to  an  abrupt  termination  by  his  leaving  the  citj, 
after  placing  the  store  in  charge  of  his  clerk,  A.  O.  Slade,  who  noti- 
fied the  Philadeli^hia  house  of  the  facts.  This  brought  Mr.  Fahn- 
stock again  to  Winona,  and  the  drug  stock  was  jjurchased  by  Messrs. 
F.  C.  Ewing  and  A.  O.  Slade,  who  reopened  the  house  for  business 
under  the  firm  name  of  Ewing  &  Slade,  October  16,  1872.  This 
partnership  continued  until  March  14,  1877,  when  Mr.  Slade  became 
sole  proprietor  and  so  continues.    The  drug  house  fronts  twenty-two 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  747 

feet  on  Third  street,  is  seventy  feet  deep,  one  floor  and  basement  being 
occupied  witli  the  business  of  the  house,  which  employs  two  clerks, 
and  is  in  a  prosperous  condition.  Mr.  Slade  is  a  native  of  London, 
Enghmd.  Came  to  America  with  his  father's  family  in  the  summer 
of  1852,  making  a  temporary  residence  of  a  few  months  in  Brook- 
lyn, and  the  same  fall  removed  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  from  which  city 
they  came  to  Minnesota  in  1859,  locating  in  Fountain  City.  In 
1863  the  family  came  to  Winona,  which  since  then  has  been  their 
home.  Mr.  A.  O.  Slade  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of 
Davenport  and  this  city  until  1868,  when  he  commenced  life  as  a 
druggist's  clerk,  and  in  which  business  he  had  had  nearly  five  years' 
experience  when  he  purchased  an  interest  in  the  business  he  now 
exclusively  controls.  Mr.  Slade  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  trade, 
of  Winona  Lodge,  No.  18,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  of  Winona  Chapter 
No.  5,  and  Coeur  de  Lion  Commandery,  No.  3,  all  of  this  city. 

G.  C.  Boynton's  Sons,  successors  to  G.  C.  Boynton,  wholesale 
fancy  grocers,  31  East  Second  street  and  11  Center  street.  This 
business  was  established  in  1863  by  G.  C.  Boynton,  as  a  candy 
manufactory,  corner  of  Front  and  Zumbro  streets,  where  he  built 
the  first  candy  factory  in  Minnesota,  and  started  out  his  peddling 
•wagons.  To  this  business,  in  1864,  a  stock  of  staple  and  fancy 
groceries  was  added,  and  the  business  removed  to  Hubbard's  block, 
on  upper  Second  street,  thence  to  Holbrook  and  Webster's  block, 
thence  to  Mues'  block,  upon  its  completion  in  1871,  where  it  re- 
mained nearly  four  years.  Thence,  in  the  spring  of  1875,  they  removed 
to  62-64  Second  street,  where  business  was  transacted  until  Novem- 
ber 1,  1882,  when  the  present  more  central  location  was  taken.  In 
the  fall  of  1874  the  retail  department  of  the  grocery  was  discon- 
tinued, and  in  1881  the  manufacture  of  candy  was  abandoned,  the 
business  of  the  house  being  fancy  groceries,  cigars,  and  the  agency 
of  Joseph  Schlitz'  Milwaukee  brewing-house.  Their  business  house 
fronts  on  both  Second  and  Center  streets,  has  a  frontage  of  20  feet 
on  Second,  of  20  feet  on  Center,  and  a  depth  of  140  feet.  Their 
basement  for  storage  is  the  same  size.  Their  refrigerator  warehouse 
on  Front  street,  just  above  the  new  waterworks  building,  has  a 
capacity  for  six  carloads  of  beer.  They  keep  three  salesmen  on  the 
road,  employ  a  force  of  seven  persons  in  the  house,  handle  3,000,- 
000  cigars  a  year,  and  aggregate  sales  reach  $250,000  a  year.  Trade 
extends  all  along  the  lines  of  the  Northwestern  railway  and  its 
branches  in  Minnesota  and  Dakota  eastward  to  Green  Bay,  and  all 


748  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

tlirougli  southern  Minnesota  and  southeastern  Dakota.  January  1, 
1883,  tlie  grocery  business  of  the  house  was  entirely  discontinued, 
the  rapidly  enlarging  volume  of  their  other  trade  determining  their 
exclusive  attention  to  its  demands.  Since  this  date  the  trade  of  the 
house  has  been  exclusively  in  cigars  and  beer,  and  their  salesmen 
now  cover  all  the  leading  railway  lines  of  the  northwest  as  far  as 
British  Columbia. 

The  present  members  of  the  firm  are  H.  P.,  O.  J.  &  W.  L. 
Boynton.  G.  C.  Boynton  was  born  in  Canton,  St.  Lawrence  county, 
New  York,  in  1824,  died  in  this  city  May  18,  1875,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  sons.  His  father,  Parker  Boynton,  born  in  1 71)9,  still 
Survives,  was  in  this  city  until  1880  and  is  now  living  in  Ohio,  hav- 
ing almost  reached  his  eighty-fouith  year.  G.  C.  Boynton  was 
brought  up  in  early  life  as  a  clerk  in  his  father's  store  and  on  the 
lakes,  starting  business  for  himself  in  Ohio  in  1840,  when  only  six- 
teen years  of  age ;  was  afterward  in  grocery  business  in  Pennsylva- 
nia, and  came  fi-om  there  to  this  city  in  1863.  The  sons  are  all 
married  and  established  in  homes  of  their  own  in  the  city. 

John  Pickert,  postmaster  at  St.  Charles. — Mr.  Pickert  was  ap- 
pointed to  this  office  in  1871,  assuming  charge  of  the  office  April  1 
of  that  year,  and  holding  it  by  successive  reappointments  until  the 
present.  When  the  office  was  first  taken  charge  of  by  Mr.  Pickert 
it  ranked  as  one  of  the  fourth  class,  and  the  commission  issued  from 
the.  then  postmaster-general,  Creswell.  In  December,  1874,  the 
office  was  raised  to  one  of  the  third  class,  and  the  commission  then 
issued  bears  the  autograph  of  U.  S.  Grant,  The  sales  of  stamps, 
stamped  envelo})es,  etc.,  for  the  last  fiscal  3'ear  aggregated  about 
$2,400;  and  domestic  money  orders  to  the  number  of  2,300  were 
issued,  the  receipts  for  same  aggregating  $30,000.  John  Pickert 
is  a  native  of  New  York,  in  which  state  he  was  brought  up 
on  a  dair}'  farm,  and  there  followed  the  business  until  he  was 
twenty-seven  years  of  age,  when  he  went  into  Kentucky,  having 
accej)ted  the  superintendency  of  a  large  cheese  dairy  for  the  Mar- 
shalls,  of  that  state.  Was  there  when  the  war  broke  out,  and 
remained  two  }  ears  after  that  event,  removing  to  St.  Charles,  Min- 
nesota, in  1863.  Here  he  was  engaged  in  farming,  one-half  mile 
north  of  the  business  center  of  the  city,  and  in  various  other  pur- 
suits until  his  appointment  to  his  present  office,  a  little  over  twelve 
years  since.  He  has  been  prominently  identified  with  the  educa- 
tional interests  of  the  city  ever  since  his  residence  here,  and  has 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  749 

been  a  member  of  the  school  board  several  terms.  He  was  also 
chairman  of  the  township  board  when  the  greatest  number  of  volun- 
teers for  the  United  States  army  was  raised  in  this  township,  by 
virtue  of  which  enlistments  St.  Charles  was  practically  relieved 
from  military  draft.  As  a  Mason,  Mr.  Pickert  has  an  enviable 
record  at  home  and  abroad,  and  the  memory  of  his  services  as  H.P. 
of  Orient  Chapter  during  seven  successive  terms  was  most  pleas- 
antly commemorated  during  the  past  winter  by  an  elegant  cane 
presentation.  Mr.  Pickert  was  married  in  1849,  to  Miss  S.  A.  Custer, 
of  New  York,  and  their  thirty-fourth  wedding  anniversary  was  duly 
celebrated  not  long  since.  Of  their  nine  children  only  one  is  now 
living,  C.  J.  Pickert,  at  one  time  a  teacher  in  the  state  normal  school, 
and  at  present  in  Dakota. 

Daniel  Cook  was  born  in  the  town  of  Greene,  Shenango  county, 
New  York,  February  9,  1834.  His  parents  were  Daniel  and  Sarah 
Cook.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  his  mother  of 
Connecticut.  Daniel  grew  up  on  a  farm  and  received  a  common 
school  education.  *In  1848  his  parents  removed  to  Steuben  county. 
New  York.  From  there  in  1859  he  came  to  Adams  county,  Wiscon- 
sin. August,  ]862,  he  was  mustered  into  Co.  K,  25th  Wis.  Inf.,  at 
La  Crosse.  Was  mustered  out  at  the  end  of  his  term  of  service  as 
a  corporal.  He  was  at  the  battles  of  Decatur,  Eesaca,  and  was  one 
of  the  few  who  defended  so  nobly  a  train  against  a  horde  of  rebels 
at  Glendale.  In  1863  he  came  to  St.  Charles,  this  county,  and  two 
years  later  to  Homer  township,  and  from  there  to  Wiscoy  in  1876, 
where  he  now  owns  a  well  improved  farm  of  120  acres.  He  was 
married  May  19,  1867,  to  Mrs.  Eunice  (Greenman)  Birch,  of  Wiscon- 
sin. They  have  had  three  children,  one  of  which  is  dead :  Oliver 
Morton,  born  February  22,  1868,  died  December  6,  1880 ;  Ella  Lou- 
ray,  born  March  3,  1874;  Eddie,  born  September  15,  1879.  Mr. 
Cook  is  a  member  of  the  Lodge  of  Sons  of  Temperance  and  of  the 
Methodist  church.  He  is  a  republican  in  politics,  and  in  March, 
1879,  was  the  choice  of  the  people  for  justice,  and  two  years  later 
was  elected  town  treasurer. 

A.  O.  Adams,  dealer  in  clothing,  boots  and  shoes,  hats  and  caps 
and  gents'  furnishing  goods,  south  end  city,  opposite  Parrott's  manu- 
facturing establishment.  This  business  was  entered  into  by  Mr. 
Adams  in  1866,  at  which  time  he  had  been  a  resident  of  the  city 
about  three  years,  and  the  firm  was  known  as  S.  Y.  Hyde  &  Co. 
Mr.  Adams'  business  operations  had  always  been  in  company  with 


750  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

others  until  October  18,  1880,  when  he  moved  to  his  present  loca- 
tion and  opened  business  solely  on  his  own  account.  Business  is 
good  and  gives  employment  to  two  persons.  Mr.  Adams  is  a  native 
of  Ashtiibula  county,  Oliio  ;  was  educated  in  his  native  state  until  he 
was  sixteen  years  of  age,  when  he  came  west  to  Minnesota.  Two 
years  later,  May,  1861,  he  enlisted  in  Co.  G.,  2d  reg.  Wis.  Inf., 
particii)ated  in  the  first  Bull  Run  battle,  and  after  seven  months' 
service  was  discharged  on  account  of  sickness  incurred  in  the  army. 
As  soon  as  his  health  was  sufficiently  restored  to  admit  of  his  doing 
so,  Mr.  Adams  returned  to  Minnesota,  located  at  St.  Charles,  and 
entered  the  house  of  Hyde,  Brougliton  &  Co.  as  clerk,  with  whom 
he  remained  three  years,  and  on  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Broughton 
became  a  partner  in  the  house.  In  1870  he  married  Miss  Nelia  Z. 
Smith,  of  St.  Lawrence  county,  New  York.  They  have  three  chil- 
dren, two  of  whom  are  attending  school  in  this  city.  Mr.  Adams 
and  wife  are  active  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of 
St.  Charles,  holding  the  offices  of  steward  and  trustee  respectively. 
Mr.  Adams  is  also  a  worthy  frater  of  the  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  being  the 
present  W.M.  of  Rising  Sun  Lodge  and  P.S.  of  Orient  Chapter, 
No.  19,  R.A.M. 

Gallup  &  Thomas,  dealers  in  general  hardware  and  farm 
machinery.  This  business  was  established  by  E.  M.  Gallup  in  1881, 
and  became  Gallup  &  Thomas  in  1883.  They  employ  three  persons 
about  the  premises,  and  during  the  busy  farming  season  keej) 
four  teams  on  the  road.  Business  tor  1882  was  fully  twenty-five 
per  cent  in  excess  of  previous  year.  Members  of  firm  E.  M.  Gallup, 
W.  J.  Thomas. 

Mr.  Gallup  is  a  native  of  Vermont ;  came  into  St.  Charles 
township  in  1863  and  was  engaged  in  farming  until  he  established 
his  present  business.  He  is  married  and  has  three  children  ;  one 
teaching  in  the  county,  two  attending  school  in  St.  Charles.  Mr. 
Gallup  is  one  of  the  city  justices  of  the  peace,  chairman  of  the  board 
of  education  and  a  vice-})resident  of  the  board  of  trade. 

Mr.  Thomas  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  a  carpenter  by  trade  ; 
came  to  this  county  at  twenty-five  years  of  age  and  worked  at  his 
trade  in  this  city  and  vicinity  until  1878,  from  which  time,  until  the 
fall  of  1882,  he  was  principally  at  work  in  Tower  City,  along  the  line 
of  the  Northern  railway.  In  January,  1883,  he  entered  into  part- 
nership with  Mr.  Gallu}),  and  may  be  considered  a  fixture  in  St. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  751 

Cliarles.     He  is  married  and  has  two  children,  both  attending  the 
city  schools. 

Benjamin  F.  Downing,  son  of  Francis  and  Elisabeth  Down- 
ing, was  born  in  Franklin  county,  Ohio,  January  24,  1816,  and  is  of 
Scotch-Irish  and  English  descent.  When  he  was  fifteen  years  old 
his  father  emigrated  to  Indiana,  and  settled  in  Tippecanoe  county. 
He  lived  there  five  or  six  years  and  then  removed  to  Laporte  county, 
Indiana,  wliere  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  married  to  Miss 
Malinda  Baldwin,  by  whom  he  has  had  thirteen  children.  Sarah 
E.,  Mary  Ellen,  Cordelia  L.,  Nancy  A.,  Malinda  M.,  Francis  L., 
Oscar  F.,  William  A.,  Charles  E.,  Jared  A.,  Julia  A.,  Gilbert  P. 
and  Isaac  C,  four  of  whom  are  dead  ;  Charles  E.,  Gilbert  P.,  Mary 
E.  and  Cordelia  L.  The  rest  are  all  living.  Mr.  Downing  moved 
from  Laporte  to  Jasper  county  in  the  year  1850,  and  settled  near 
Rensselaer  (tlie  county  at  that  time  being  thinly  settled,  but  full  of 
wild  deer  and  game  of  all  kinds),  where  he  found,  great  sport  in 
hunting,  often  killing  three  or  four  deer  in  one  day.  But  his  family 
being  sick  much  of-  the  time  with  the  ague,  he  emigrated  to  Minne- 
sota in  the  year  1863,  and  settled  first  in  the  village  of  Homer,  but 
subsequently  bought  land  on  Homer  ridge,  where  he  yet  resides. 
His  mother  and  father  both  died  at  his  house,  she  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety  years  and  his  father  at  the  age  of  seventj^-two.  Mr. 
Downing  had  five  brothers  and  four  sisters.  His  father  was  in  the 
war  of  1812.  Most  of  his  ancestors  were  long-lived  and  religiously 
inclined,  many  of  whom  were  ministers  of  the  gospel,  himself 
joining  the  Methodist  church  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years.  Mr. 
Downing  has  been  a  conscientious,  hard-working,  energetic  and 
industrious  man,  believing  that  hard  work  is  the  only  honest  way 
of  making  a  living.  He  is  a  good  farmer  and  owns  a  nice  farm  near 
seven  miles  from  the  city  of  Winona,  and  is  a  republican  in  politics. 
Malinda  Downing,  his  wife,  the  eldest  child  of  Gilbert  and  Sarah 
Baldwin,  was  born  in  Gallic  county,  Ohio,  March  12,  1822.  She 
also  descended  from  Scotch  and  Irish  ancestors,  some  of  whom 
lived  to  a  remarkable  old  age,  her  great-grandfather  Waddle  living 
to  over  the  age  of  one  hundred  years.  None  know  mother  Downing 
but  to  love  her.  She  has  devoted  her  life  to  the  wants  of  others. 
In  good  works  and  in  raising  a  large  family  she  has  done  a  mother's 
part,  and  for  deeds  of  charity  and  kindness  will  long  be  remembered 
throughout  her  large  circle  of  acquaintances. 

Pev.  Michael  Zickrick  is  the  son  of  a  German  farmer,  and  was 


752  HISTORY    OF    WESrONA    COUNTY. 

bom  at  Grierade,  near  Berlin,  Prussia,  May  22,  1828.     His  educa- 
tion was  completed  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  after  which  he  assisted 
his  father  in  his  tarming  operations  till  he  was  twenty  ;  at  this  age 
lie  went  to  learn  the  business  of  brickmaking,  which  he  has  followed 
nearly  ever  since.     On  March  12,  1846,  he  married  Justina  Seefield, 
and  two  years  later  emigrated  to  America,  settling  on  a  farm  at 
Lomira,  Dodge  county,  Wisconsin ;    here    he   also  carried  on  the 
manufacture  of  brick.     Mr.  Zickrick  was  reared  in  the  Evangelical 
church,  and  in  1851  began  to  preacli  its  doctrines,  and  has  ever 
since  labored  in  this  manner.     In  1864  he  came  to  Minnesota  and 
purchased  a  larm  in  Elba  township,  this  county,  where  one  of  his 
sons  now  resides.     For  the  iirst  two  years  of  residence  here  Mr. 
Zickrick  was  constantly  engaged  in  missionary  labor  and  traveled 
Irom  place  to  place.     In  1869  he  purchased  thirty-nine  acres  of  land 
on  Sec.  29,  now  within  the  limits  of  the  city  of  St.   Charles,  on 
which  he  began,  the  manufacture  of  brick,  and  still  carries  on  the 
same  industry,  making  an  average  of  nearly  two  hundred  thousand 
bricks  per  annum.     In  1870  he  removed  his  family  to  the  present 
residence,  near  the  brickyard,  and  has  since  made  his  home  here. 
He  now  preaches  once  a  week  in  the  Evangelical  church  ol   this 
city,  and  occasionally   in   Dover,  Quincy,    and   other  neighboring 
localities.     He  recently  spent  six  months  in  Winona,  supplying  the 
puljnt  of  a  sick  pastor.     He  has  taken  little  part  in  politics  ;  has, 
iiowever,  served  as  judge  of  election  in  the  city  several  times.     He 
was  a  democrat  until  Lincoln's  candidacy,  since  which  time  he  has 
supported  the  republican  party.     Twelve  children  have  been  born  to 
him,  of  whom  eleven  are  now  living.     Their  births,  marriages,  etc., 
are  indicated   below:     Michael   J.,    June   20,    1849,    lives   at   St. 
Charles;  Edward  W.  F.,  March  21,  1851,  married  to  Hattie  Bair, 
resides  on  the  old  homestead  in  Elba;  Mary  A.,  August  1,  1852, 
married  to  Gustav  Gick,  i«  a  resident  of  St.  Charles  ;  Minnie  D.  W., 
March  8,   1854;  Gustav  R,   May  2,    1855,    home   in    Nordland, 
Dakota;  Julius  T.,  October  13,  1856  (now  conductor  on  railroad), 
married  to  Alice  Tuck,  lives  at  Zumbrota,  Minnesota;  Lydia  M., 
January  31,   1858  ;  Sarah  E.,  September  23,  1859,  is  teaching  in 
Elba;  Peter S.,  February  15,  1861,  died  before  two  years  old ;  Jacob 
E.,  April  8,   1862;  Richard  B.,   September  14,    1863;  Emma  E., 
March  14,  1866.     All  are  natives  of  Wisconsin  except  the  latter. 


CHAPTEE  LVIII. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


EAELY    SETTLERS CONTmUED. 


Godfrey  Widmoyer,  son  of  Gottlob  and  Catherine  Widmoyer, 
was  born  January  11,  1832,  in  Strempeleach,  Kingdom  of  Wurtem- 
berg,  Germany.  He  attended  school  regularly  eight  years  in  Strem- 
peleach. Left  for  America  September  14,  1852,  and  landed  in  New 
York  October  8,  1852.  On  landing  in  New  York  he  worked  nine 
months  at  the  baker  trade.  Left  New  York  city  and  went  to  Weis- 
port,  Pennsylvania,  and  remained  there  about  five  years,  being  em- 
ployed at  various  occupations.  Still  anxious  to  come  west,  he  came 
to  Onalaska,  Wisconsin,  in  the  fall  of  1858.  Lived  at  intervals  in 
Onalaska  and  La  Crosse  for  the  next  four  or  five  years.  Moved  to 
Dresbach  in  the  spring  of  1864.  Worked  in  a  sawmill  three  or  four 
years ;  at  the  same  time  opened  his  farm  where  he  now  lives.  Mr. 
Widmoyer  was  married  to  Mary  Sold,  daughter  of  Adam  and  Eve 
Sold.  She  was  born  in  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Widmoyer 
have  nine  children,  all  living.  The  two  eldest,  William  and  Mary, 
are  married  ;  William,  telegraph  operator,  lives  in  Dresbach  ;  Mary, 
now  Mrs.  Dalton,  lives  in  Dakota,  this  county.  The  other  children, 
Fred,  George,  Dealia,  Gertrude,  Jessie,  Guy,  and  Edward,  live  at 
home.  Mr.  Widmoyer  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  has  always  lived  an  upright  and  conscientious  life,  and 
is  highly  respected  as  a  man  and  citizeu.  By  industry  and  economy 
he  has  made  a  good  living  and  accumulated  means  to  support  him  in 
his  latter  days. 

Wesley  Martin,  of  Homer,  is  the  son  of  Asa  and  Elizabeth  Mar- 
tin. He  was  born  in  Stockton  county,  New  York,  June  24,  1818. 
His  parents  were  natives  of  Connecticut,  and  farmers.  His  grand- 
father Martin  was  in  the  expedition  which  Arnold  led  against  Quebec. 
His  father  Asa  was  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  present  at  the  burn- 
ing of  Buffalo.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  raised  on  a  farm,  and 
received  a  common  school  education.  In  1822  his  parents  moved  to 
GaUia  county,  Ohio.  Here  he  experienced  the  vicissitudes  of  pioneer 
life.    At  an  early  age  he  went  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  carpenter.    In 


754  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

1841  he  removed  to  Boone  coimty,  Indiana,  where  he  worked  for  a 
while  at  his  trade.  In  1845  he  went  into  tlie  mercantile  business  at 
Lebanon,  Boone  county,  retiring  in  1848.  In  1855  he  bought  an- 
other stock  of  goods,  which  he  closed  out  in  1859.  He  then  bought 
a  woolen  and  grist  mill  at  .lamestown,  Indiana,  which  he  operated 
until  1864,  when  he  sold  out  and  came  to  Winona  county,  Minnesota, 
settling  in  Sec.  30,  T.  107,  R  6.  He  now  lives  on  Sec.  32.  He 
has  held  several  town  othces,  and  was  the  nominee  of  his  party  for 
the  legislature.  December  6,  1838,  he  wedded  Mary  King,  of 
Gallia  county,  Ohio.  They  are  the  parents  ot  eight  children  now 
living,  whose  names,  in  the  order  of  their  birth,  are  :  Henry  M., 
Darius  C,  William  F.,  Lineous  L.,  Fares  B.,  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
Smith  Corben  ;  Esther  A.,  now  Mrs.  Caleb  Bourn,  and  Olive  E., 
now  the  wife  of  Oscar  Downing.  Fares  B.  was  born  in  Boone 
county,  Indiana,  in  1853.  He  was  reared  mostly  on  the  farm,  and 
his  early  education  was  received  in  the  common  schools,  and  com- 
pleted with  a  course  at  the  Winona  high  school.  He  was  married 
in  the  fall  of  1877  to  Miss  Jennie  A.  Smith,  a  native  of  the  State 
of  New  York.  He  is  now  residing  on  a  farm  in  the  township  of 
Plomer. 

C.  W.  Seefip:ld,  dealer  in  grain.  This  business  was  established 
by  Mr.  Seefield  in  1872,  at  which  time  he  rented  an  elevator  of  H. 
E.  Broughton,  and  commenced  operations  as  a  buyer  and  shipper  of 
grain.  The  following  year,  1873,  Mr.  Seefield  purchased  the  Brough- 
ton elevator,  and  since  then,  enlarging  his  operations  from  year  to 
year,  has  become  one  of  the  heaviest  buyers  in  southern  Minnesota, 
owning  ten  elevators  along  the  line  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern 
railway,  between  Utica  and  Iroquois.  In  connection  with  this  busi- 
ness Mr.  Seefield  does  a  heavy  trade  in  coal,  salt  and  flour,  the 
latter  the  product  of  his  steam  flouring-mill  at  Nordlon,  Dakota, 
with  a  capacity  of  sixty  barrels  a  day.  The  capacity  of  his  St. 
Charles  elevators  (of  which  he  owns  two,  having  a  joint  interest  in 
a  third)  is  about  45,000  bushels,  and  of  the  whole  number  about 
130,000.  To  man  these  elevators  he  employs  a  force  of  thirty- 
one  hands,  and  the  aggregate  bushels  of  grain  handled  the  past  sea- 
son were  about  900,000.  Mr.  Seefield  is  a  native  of  Louisa,  Dodge 
county,  Wisconsin.  He  came  to  this  county  without  capital  in 
1864,  being  at  that  time  seventeen  years  of  age,  and  was  variously 
employed  during  the  eight  years  that  intervened  before  he  com- 
menced shipping  grain  on  his  own  account.     Three  years  of  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  755 

eight  were  spent  in  the  grain-house  of  J.  Hempstead  &  Co.,  at  tlie 
expiration  of  which  time,  in  partnership  with  Ed.  Birge,  Mr.  See- 
field  commenced  operating  in  grain,  and  the  results  of  his  eleven 
years'  operations  speak  for  themselves.  As  a  member  of  the  ma- 
sonic fraternity,  and  of  the  city  government,  as  well  as  of  the  busi- 
ness circles  of  the  city,  Mr.  Seefield  ranks  well.  He  is  a  member  of 
Rising  Sun  Lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.;  Orient  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  and 
Home  Commandery,  K.  T.,  of  Rochester;  a  member  of  the  city 
council  during  several  terms,  and  mayor  of  St.  Charles  in  1881  and 
1882. 

Lorenzo  D.  Mead,  was  born  in  Illinois  in  1826.  He  was  raised 
on  a  farm  near  Galena,  Illinois,  working  and  attending  school  when 
opportunity  offered.  When  he  reached  his  twenty-fourth  year  he 
purchased  a  farm  in  Wisconsin,  which  he  retained  and  worked  for 
some  years,  then  sold  out  and  removed  to  Crawford  county,  Wiscon- 
sin, where  he  purchased  another  farm,  remaining  some  six  years.  He 
removed  west  to  Minneiska  in  1864,  where  he  has  remained  ever 
since,  being  connected  with  the  elevators  and  obtaining  such  other 
employment  as  offered.  He  has  been  twice  married,  the  first  time 
in  1850,  to  Miss  Gertrude  Bruce,  who  died  in  1852,  leaving  one 
child,  who  also  died  a  short  time  afterward;  the  second  time  to 
Miss  Ellen  Owen,  in  1854,  by  whom  he  has  five  children. 

C.  F.  Putsch,  watchmaker,  jeweler,  and  dealer  in  small  musical 
instruments  and  merchandise,  57  East  Third  street.  This  business 
was  established  by  his  brother  A.  Putsch,  Jr.,  in  1874,  on  Center 
street,  between  Second  and  Third  streets,  and  was  removed  from 
tliere  to  its  present  location  in  1876.  The  following  year  A.  Putsch, 
Jr.,  died,  and  the  business  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  present  pro- 
prietor in  1878.  He  has  one  assistant  in  his  business.  C.  F. 
Putsch  was  born  in  Portage  City,  Wisconsin,  and  came  from  there 
to  this  county  witli  his  father's  family  in  1864;  has  resided  within  its 
limits  ever  since,  and,  with  the  exception  of  three  years,  in  the  city 
of  Winona,  where  he  received  his  education.  He  is  a  member  of 
Oak  Grove  Lodge,  Ancient  Order  of  Druids,  and  also  of  the  Winona 
Gun  Club. 

J.  Baeeie,  merchant  tailor,  16  Center  street.  This  business  was 
established  in  1864,  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Third  street,  and  was 
removed  to  its  present  location  in  the  summer  of  1882.  He  manu- 
factures custom  work  exclusively,  and  has  built  up  a  more  extensive 
trade  than  is  at  all  common  in  a  western  city  the  size  of  Winona. 
45 


756  HISTORY    OF    WESrONA    COUNTY. 

Two  cutters  are  kept  constantly  employed,  and  the  establishment 
furnishes  work  for  fifteen  tailors.  Mr.  Barrie  is  a  native  of  New 
York,  and  has  been  in  the  business  he  now  carries  on  since  enter- 
ing the  shop  as  a  tailor's  apprentice  nearly  forty  years  ago,  at  which 
time  he  was  thirteen  years  of  age.  Has  been  in  business  for  himself 
thirty-five  years.  From  the  east  Mr.  Barrie  came  to  Fall  River, 
Wisconsin,  in  1850,  and  six  years  later  to  Waseca  county,  in  this 
state,  his  health  at  that  time  demanding  change  of  air  and  employ- 
ment. 

Frederick  Deuzer  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1843,  and  was  brought 
up  on  his  father's  farm,  working  during  the  summer  and  attending 
school  during  the  winter  months.  He  remained  at  home  until  he 
was  twenty-one  years  of  age,  when  he  came  west,  settling  in  the 
town  of  Whitewater,  where  he  purchased  a. farm  of  142  acres,  which 
he  cultivated  for  some  years,  when  he  sold  and  purchased  another 
farm.  Selling  again  he  bought  the  farm  he  now  occupies  in  1876. 
He  was  married  in  1866,  to  Miss  Mary  Hostetter,  by  whom  he  had 
three  children.     He  is  a  Presbyterian,  and  a  democrat  in  politics. 

DouD  &  Thomas,  boots  and  shoes,  hats  and  caps,  trunks  and 
gents'  furnishing  goods,  corner  Third  and  (Center  streets.  This 
business  was  started  in  1879  at  the  corner  of  Second  and  Center 
streets,  and  removed  to  its  present  location  in  the  spring  of  1882. 
The  storeroom  fronts  twenty-four  feet  on  Third  street,  has  a  depth 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet,  with  a  lateral  extension  in  the  rear 
24X50,  giving  a  little  over  four  thousand  square  feet  of  flooring- 
room.  They  employ  three  persons  and  carry  a  stock  of  from  $12  to 
$15,000.  The  members  of  the  firm  are  R.  T.  Doud  and  W.  W. 
Thomas. 

R.  T.  Doud  was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York,  in  1835,  came 
to  Michigan  with  his  parents  when  quite  young,  and  five  years  later 
to  Illinois.  In  1857  the  family  removed  to  Trempeleau  county, 
Wisconsin,  and  R.  F.  Doud  was  there  in  business  with  his  father 
under  the  firm  name  of  Doud  &  Son  (now  Doud  Son  &  Co.,  of  this 
city)  until  his  removal  to  Winona  in  1865.  Upon  the  organization 
of  the  Winona  Milling  Co.  in  1879,  Mr.  Doud,  who  was  a  large 
stockholder  in  that  concern,  was  elected  secretary  and  still  holds 
that  office.  In  September  of  the  same  year,  in  connection  with  Mr. 
W.  W.  Thonuis,  he  founded  the  firm  of  Doud  &  Thomas,  which  has 
had  a  growing  trade  since  its  organization.  Mr.  Doud  is  married 
and  has  three  children,  boys.     He  is  a  member  of  Winona  Lodge, 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  757 

No.  18,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Winona  Chapter,  No.  5,  and  Coenr  de  Lion 
Commandery,  No.  3. 

W.  W.  Thomas,  the  junior  of  the  lirm,  is  a  native  of  New  York. 
Came  to  Winona  in  1869,  and  was  a  clerk  in  the  dry-goods  liouse  of 
his  brother,  J.  W,  Thomas,  of  this  city,  until  he  established  himself 
in  his  present  business.  He  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  trade  and 
its  present  treasurer. 

J.  P.  ScHMiTz,  collar  and  fly-net  manufactory,  north  side  Third 
street,  between  Walnut  and  Market.  The  building  is  a  two-story 
brick,  with  basement,  the  basement  and  upper  story  devoted  to 
manufacturing  purposes.  This  business  was  established  in  this  city 
in  1865,  by  P.  J.  Schmitz,  brother  of  J.  P.  Schmitz,  with  whom 
the  present  proprietor  learned  his  trade,  and  then  in  1868  formed  a 
partnership  which  lasted  two  years,  when  J.  P.  Schmitz  left  the 
city  and  spent  two  years  traveling  as  a  joarneyman,  during  which 
time  he  visited  California.  On  his  return  was  for  a  short  time  in 
partnership  with  his  brother,  then  bought  out  his  interests  here  in 
1874,  and  has  since  conducted  the  business,  which  is  gradually 
growing.  The  product  of  1874  was  about  five  dozen  collars  a  week, 
and  in  that  year  H.  W.  Cooper  was  admitted  partner,  this  business 
association  continuing  until  1878,  since  which  time  Mr.  Schmitz 
has  conducted  business  alone.  He  now  employs  a  force  of  from 
8  to  18  hands,  according  to  season  and  the  demands  of  trade, 
turns  out  from  12  to  15  dozen  collars  a  week,  and  from  300 
to  325  dozen  fly-nets  a  season.  Sixteen  different  kinds  of  col- 
lars are  manufactui-ed,  and  trade  extends  into  Iowa,  Nebraska, 
Dakota  and  Wisconsin.  In  1880  Mr.  Schmitz  took  out  letters 
patent  for  an  improved  collar  cap,  known  as  Schmitz's  patent 
cap,  which  is  meeting  witli  much  favor  wherever  introduced. 
By  this  invention  a  smooth  bearing  surface  always  rests  upon  the 
horse's  neck,  the  collar  top  is  stiffened  so  as  to  retain  its  shape,  all 
seams  by  which  the  horse's  neck  might  be  galled  are  done  away  with, 
and  water  perfectly  excluded  from  the  collar  top  without  the  inter- 
vention of  extra  caps,  either  leather  or  metal.  It  is  a  common-sense 
contrivance  sure  to  meet  a  practical  want.  Mr.  Schmitz  was  born  in 
Chicago,  in  1848,  and  spent  some  years  in  Wisconsin  before  coming 
to  Winona  in  1865.  He  is  a  member  of  Oak  Grove  Lodge,  No.  15, 
A.O.D. 

E.  S.  Morgan,  bookseller  and  stationer,   9  East  Third  street. 
This  business  was  established  by  the  present  proprietor  in  1865,  on 


758  HISTORY  OF  winona  county. 

Second  street,  and  removed  to  its  present  location  in  1874.  The 
business  is  both  a  jobbing  and  retail  trade  in  books  and  stationery. 
The  building  he  now  occupies  is  22  X  80,  two  stories  above  the  base- 
ment, all  devoted  to  his  business.  Trade  extends  along  the  line  of 
the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  division  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern 
railway,  and  along  the  western  end  of  the  Green  Bay  &  Minnesota 
railroad.  Business  gives  employment  to  a  force  of  si:'C  persons,  and 
shows  an  increase  of  about  twenty  per  cent  over  sales  of  last  year. 
Mr.  Morgan  is  a  native  of  Indiana,  came  witii  his  parents  when 
quite  young  to  Oquawka,  Illinois,  entered  a  bookstore  in  that  place 
as  a  boy,  and  came  from  there  to  this  city  the  same  year  that  he 
established  trade  here,  1865.  He  is  married,  a  member  of  the 
board  of  trade,  also  of  the  Methodist  Ej^iscopal  church,  and  has 
one  child  in  attendance  at  the  high  school  of  this  city. 

Arthur  Beyerstedt,  grocer  and  dealer  in  provisions  and  naval 
stores,  corner  Main  and  Second  streets.  This  business  was  originally 
established  in  the  spring  of  1865,  on  the  levee  at  the  foot  of  Main 
street,  as  a  boatstore,  sales  being  exclusively  to  rivermen,  and  was 
there  conducted  until  1870,  when  it  was  removed  to  its  present  loca- 
tion. The  business  house  is  48x60,  employs  a  force  of  six  clerks 
and  two  delivery  wagons,  and  its  transactions  show  a  steady  growth 
from  year  to  year,  the  increase  of  this  over  last  year's  sales  being 
ten  per  cent.  Mr.  Beyerstedt  is  a  native  of  Hamburg,  Germany; 
came  to  America  with  his  parents  when  ten  years  of  age.  The 
family  settled  in  Davenport,  Iowa,  in  1856,  and  the  following  year 
removed  to  Wisconsin,  the  parents  being  residents  of  this  city. 

Pkter  Peshon,  farmer,  was  born  in  Luxemburg,  Germany,  in 
1842.  When  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age  he  emigrated  to  America, 
landing  in  New  York  in  1862.  He  went  to  Wisconsin,  where  he 
engaged  in  the  service  of  a  man  who  was  purchasing  horses  for  the 
government,  remaining  with  him  during  the  continuance  of  the 
rebellion.  In  1865  Mr.  Peshon  took  uj)  his  residence  in  Minnesota, 
buying  the  farm  he  now  lives  on.  In  1870  he  married  Miss  Jane 
Piffer,  by  whom  he  has  had  four  children.  Mrs.  Peshon  died  in 
1880.  Mr.  Peshon  is  a  democrat  and  a  Koman  Catholic.  He  culti- 
vates a  good  farm  and  is  well  res})ected  and  liked  by  those  who 
know  him.  He  has  never  held  political  office,  preferring  to  attend 
to  his  own  affairs  rather  than  those  of  the  public,  though  often 
solicited  to  do  so. 

Peter  Sfeltz,  farmer,  was  born  in  Luxemburg,  Germany,  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  759 

1839,  working  on  his  father's  farm  and  attending  such  schools  as 
were  in  his  immediate  neighborhood  until  manhood.  In  1864  he  came 
to  this  country,  joining  a  brother  who  was  already  settled  in  Iowa, 
where  he  remained  a  short  time,  when  he  came  to  Mt.  Yernon,  pur- 
chasing land  and  settling  down.  Mr.  Speltz  had  but  very  little 
capital,  but  with  perseverance  and  energy  he  has  placed  himself  in 
the  front  rank  of  the  many  wealthy  settlers  of  Mt.  Yernon  township. 
He  erected  and  occupies  one  of  the  finest  brick  residences  in  the 
county,  and  his  outbuildings  are  a  model  to  his  brother  farmers. 
He  is  a  representative  German,  and  has  always  taken  a  very  active 
part  in  public  and  political  affairs.  He  was  the  democratic  nominee 
for  county  commissioner,  and  has  twice  been  elected  chairman  of 
supervisors,  and  has  held  other  township  offices.  He  married  in 
1866  Miss  Anna  Rivers,  sister  of  Henry  Rivers,  Esq.,  of  Rolling 
Stone,  by  whom  he  had  five  children.  She  died  October  16,  1876, 
after  a  long  and  painhil  illness,  universally  respected  and  beloved, 
which  was  evidenced -by  an  immense  funeral,  the  settlers  turning 
out  en  masse  to  do  honor  to  her  remains,  forming  a  cortege  of  over 
one  hundred  teams.  Hers  was  the  first  burial  in  the  Catholic 
cemetery.  Mr.  Speltz  was  married  again  in  1878,  to  Miss  Anna 
Geudinger,  daughter  of  N.  Geudinger,  Esq.,  of  Norton.  He  was 
the  promoter  of  and  very  active  in  the  erection  of  the  Catholic 
church  at  Oak  Ridge,  and  was  one  of  the  first  communicants  in  the 
township. 

Timothy  Hess,  of  Witoka,  was  born  in  Herkimer  county,  New 
York,  September  8,  1816.  He  is  the  son  of  Daniel  and  Margaret 
Hess,  both  natives  of  New  York.  They  are  of  German  descent ;  his 
grandfather  Hess  was  in  the  revolution,  and  his  father  was  in  the 
war  of  1812  ;  was  at  Sackett's  Harbor  under  Brown.  Timothy  was 
raised  on  a  farm,  and  educated  in  a  common  school.  When  he  be- 
came of  age  he  went  to  work  on  the  canal,  and  soon  had  charge  of 
a  boat.  Finally  he  bought  a  boat,  and  followed  the  business  for 
twenty  years.  He  was  one  of  the  men  selected  by  the  "F.  and  F." 
company  to  make  the  trial  trip  with  a  steam  tug  from  New  York 
city  to  Buffalo.  September  S,  18-18,  he  married  Lucy  Chapin,  of 
Herkimer  county.  New  York.  They  have  six  children,  five  of  whom 
are  living:  Mary,  Ellen,  James,  Cornelius,  Daniel  and  Emma. 
Mr.  Hess  came  to  Minnesota  in  1865,  and  settled  on  Sec.  2,  T.  106, 
R.  7.     Mrs.  Hess  is  deceased. 

John  Groesbeck,  farmer,  was  born  in  Germany,  in  1825.    He  was 


760  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

brought  up  a  tanner,  working  with  his  parents  until  his  twenty-fifth 
year,  when  he  came  to  America.  He  found  employment  at  various 
occupations,  farming,  working  on  the  railroad,  and  at  day's  labor, 
until  1865,  and  managed,  by  dint  of  economy,  to  save  a  few  hun- 
dred dollars,  with  which  he  purchased  forty  acres  of  land  in  Mt. 
Vernon  township.  This  he  occupied  and  worked  for  ten  years,  sell- 
ing out  and  purchasing  a  farm  of  160  acres  in  Whitewater.  He 
married,  in  1860,  a  German  lady.  Miss  Peshon,  by  whom  he  has 
had  six  children.  Mr.  Groesbeck  has  had  many  difficulties  to  con- 
tend with,  and  it  has  only  been  by  dint  ot  frugality  and  persever- 
ance he  has  attained  his  present  prosperity.  He  is  a  Roman  Cath- 
olic, and  has  no  decided  political  views. 

Georgp:  L.  Camp  was  born  in  New  York  State  in  1830,  and  came 
to  Minnesota  in  1851,  finding  employment  lumbering,  he  remaining 
in  the  vicinity  of  Minneapolis  and  St.  Paul  until  the  breaking  out  of 
the  rebellion,  when  he  joined  the  gallant  9tli,  and  his  regiment  was 
one  of  the  first  to  march  to  the  relief  of  the  settlers  at  the  time  of 
the  Sioux  outbreak,  and  was  present  with  General  Sibley's  command 
in  every  engagement  with  the  Indians,  returning  with  his  regi- 
ment in  the  fall  of  1864.  They  were  then  sent  to  the  front,  and  he 
took  part  in  the  engagements  of  Murfreesborough,  Kingston,  JSTorth 
C^arolina,  and  the  surrender  of  General  Johnson  at  Raleigh.  After 
the  war  was  over  he  purchased  some  land  in  Norton,  which  he 
aftei-ward  sold,  buying  the  farm  he  now  resides  on.  He  married,  in 
1866,  Miss  Bertha  Stearns,  and  has  two  children.  Mr.  Camp  is  a 
prominent  temperance  man,  and  takes  an  active  part  in  every  tem- 
perance movement  that  has  taken  place  in  the  town. 

Carl  Fink,  farmer,  is  of  German  descent,  having  been  born  in 
Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  in  1820,  where  he  was  brought  up,  and 
learned  the  trade  of  wagon-maker.  He  was  married  in  1842  to 
Miss  Anna  Heising,  also  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  He  followed  his 
trade  for  some  years  at  different  points  in  Pennsylvania  and  Mary- 
land. In  1848  he  came  west  to  Detroit,  where  he  remained  two 
years.  His  wife  died  here,  leaving  no  children.  In  1856  he  moved 
to  Wisconsin,  i)urchasing  a  farm,  which  he  worked  up  until  1865, 
when  he  sold  out  and  removed  to  Whitewater,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  He  married  a  Wisconsin  lady,  Mrs.  Bertha  Felex,  by 
whom  lie  has  had  four  children.  Mr.  Fink  is  a  Lutheran  and  a 
republican. 

Addison  Garrison,  farmer,  born  in  Kipley  county,  Indiana,  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  761 

1828,  where  he  attended  school  and  worked  on  a  farm.  In  1849 
married  Miss  Martha  Bennett.  By  this  marriage  has  had  five 
children  :  Charlotte,  born  1850,  married  Jerrj  Rollings  ;  Rachael, 
born  1851,  died  September  21,  1856  ;  Margaret,  born  1853,  married 
in  1875  Andrew  Parker,  of  Big  Stone  county,  Minnesota  ;  Theodore, 
born  1855,  married  in  1880  Ida  Orantz,  born  in  Sweden  in  1855  ; 
Emaline,  born  1857,  died  1877  ;  Mrs.  Martha  (Bennett)  Garrison, 
died  the  same  year  (1877).  Our  subject  in  1862  joined  the  15th 
reg.  of  Ind.  Vols.,  and  was  discharged  the  following  year  owing  to  ill 
health.  In  1865  moved  to  Whitewater,  Minnesota,  where  he 
purchased  200  acres  of  farm  land  in  Sec.  5,  T.  108,  R.  10.  Has 
been  three  times  elected  supervisor ;  is  a  republican  in  politics  and 
in  religion  favors  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

August  Detrich,  farmer,  was  born  in  Luxemburg,  Germany,  in 
1830,  and  came  to  this  country  with  his  parents  when  he  was  five 
years  old.  They  settled  on  the  Western  Reserves,  Ohio,  where  Mr. 
Detrich  remained  until  1860,  being  employed  mostly  in  farming. 
He  enlisted  in  the  army  in  1861,  joining  the  67th  Ohio  Vols.,  and 
was  with  his  regiment  under  Gilmore  in  the  department  of  the  south. 
He  was  slightly  wounded  at  Fort  Wagner,  Charleston  Harbor.  He 
was  made  color-sergeant  in  1864,  and  carried  them  through  the 
fights  of  Bermuda  Hundreds,  Hatcher's  Run,  Fort  Harrison  and 
Dutch  Gap.  His  regiment  was  part  of  the  well-known  10th  corps 
or  Terry's  fighting  corps,  which  was  subsequently  consolidated  with 
the  18th  and  made  the  24th.  He  participated  in  all  the  fighting 
around  Richmond  and  Petersburgh,  and  came  up  with  his  corps  just 
in  time  to  fire  a  farewell  shot  at  Appomattox  courf-house.  His  army 
record  has  been  a  grand  one  ;  he  bore  his  regiment's  colors  proudly 
aloft  through  seven  engagements  and  never  lowered  them  once  to 
the  foe.  On  the  close  of  the  war  he  moved  west,  purchasing  land  in 
Whitewater,  where  he  still  resides,  enjoying  the  prosperity  his  labor 
has  endowed  him  with,  beloved  by  his  family  and  respected  by  all 
who  know  him.  He  was  married  on  the  eve  of  his  enlistment  to  a 
young  lady  whose  patriotism  was  only  equaled  by  her  love,  and 
who  willingly  surrendered  him  to  his  country's  cause,  and  claimed 
him  not  again  until  rebellion's  serpent-head  was  laid  low  in  the  dust. 
Mary  Meyers,  her  name  deserves  to  be  recorded  on  the  roll  of  those 
noble  women  who  suffered  so  much  that  their  country  might  live. 
Three  sons  have  blessed  their  union,  Abram,  John  and  Sherman. 


762  HISTORY    OF    WrPfONA    COUNTY. 

Mr.  Dctricli  is  a  staunch  republican,  a  member  of  the  G.A.R.,  has 
held  numerous  local  town  offices,  and  is  a  Methodist  in  religious  views. 

Charles  Francis  Dunkhorn  is  of  Prussian  descent,  born  at 
Detroit,  Mlchia^an,  in  ISiO,  and  spent  his  younger  days  on  his 
father's  farm  in  the  neighborhood  of  Ypsilanti,  Michigan.  He  was 
one  of  the  first  young  men  of  his  town  to  enter  the  Union  ranks,  be- 
coming a  member  of  Co.  C,  8th  Mich.,  and  serving  during  the  entire 
rebellion,  mustering  out  in  1865  as  orderly  sergeant  of  his  company. 
He  was  twice  wounded  at  Petersburgh  and  Hatchers  run,  though 
slightly,  and  only  lost  ten  days'  duty  from  sickness  or  disability  dur- 
ing his  entire  enlistment. 

Mark  Willson  is  the  only  son  of  John  I.  and  Mary  Willson;  was 
born  at  Newmarket,  Ontario,  February  27,  1820.  In  1824  his 
parents  removed  to  western  Pennsylvania  and  settled  in  Sugar 
drove,  Warren  county,  where  the  family  resided  until  1863.  His 
father  and  mother  both  died  and  were  buried  at  Sugar  Grove.  At  an 
early  age  Mr.  Willson  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business,  which  he 
followed  until  his  removal  to  the  great  west  in  1863.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-one  he  was  elected  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  continued  to  fill 
that  office  by  re-election  for  a  period  of  twenty-five  years.  He  also 
filled  the  office  of  postmaster  and  various  other  local  offices  to  the 
entire  satisfaction  of  the  community.  In  1853  he  was  married  to 
Elizabeth  Hallock,  of  New  York  city.  Disposing  of  his  property  in 
1S63,  he  came  west  and  settled  at  Hastings,  Minnesota,  where  he 
had  friends  then  living,  and  re-embarked  in  the  business  of  a  general 
dealer  in  merchandise.  Here  he  remained  until  1866,  serving  one 
year  as  mayor  of  that  thrifty  city.  In  that  year  he  removed  his 
family  and  business  to  Winona,  where  he  has  since  resided.  In 
1868  he  disposed  of  his  stock  of  merchandise  and  engaged  in  the 
banking  business,  taking  an  active  part  in  the  organization  of  the 
Second  National  Bank,  with  which  he  remained  connected  as  an 
officer  several  years.  In  1877  he  resigned  his  position,  and  with 
others  secured  a  charter  for  the  Merchants'  National  Bank,  of  which 
institution  he  has  been  president  ever  since.  Mr.  Willson  is  a 
staunch  republican,  and  an  exemplary  and  public-spirited  citizen. 

W.  L.  Nkvius  &  Bro.,  livery  and  sale  stables,  city  omnibus  and 
hack  line,  office  corner  of  Johnson  and  Fourth  streets.  The  princi- 
pal stables  of  the  firm  are  at  this  location,  and  occupy  a  lot  fronting 
140  feet  on  Fourth  street  and  60  feet  on  Johnson.  The  business  has 
grown  from  a  comparatively  small  stable  of  fifteen  horses  in  1872  to 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  763 

really  metropolitan  proportions.  En  addition  to  the  premises  above 
mentioned  they  occupy  commodious  stables  on  Johnson,  between 
Third  and  Fourth  streets,  fronting  the  Huff  House,  and  also  on  the 
northwest  corner  of  Johnson  and  Third  streets.  Their  livery  stock 
consists  of  sixty  head  of  horses,  thirty-two  carriages  and  buggies, 
three  omnibuses  and  four  hacks,  to  man  which  a  constant  force  of 
twelve  employes  is  required.  To  their  enterprise  is  owing  the 
establishment  of  a  city  omnibus  line,  which  at  the  time  it  was  put 
in  operation  was  considered  a  decided  risk  financially.  This  omni- 
bus line  is  maintained  in  winter  as  well  as  summer,  and  no  *city  of 
its  size  is  better  provided  with  transportation  facilities  of  this  kind 
than  Winona  has  been  of  late  years  through  the  enterprise  of  this 
firm.  They  are  as  fully  equipped  for  winter  as  for  summer  business, 
and  when  occasion  demands  the  whole  outfit  is  put  on  runners,  as 
was  the  case  during  the  winter  of  1882-3  just  closed.  The  members 
of  the  firm  are  W.  L.  Nevius  and  E.  G.  Nevius. 

Mr.  W.  L.  Nevius  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  ;  married  and  has 
one  child  now  attending  school  in  this  city.  He  was  engaged  in 
farming  and  live-stock  operations  until  1866,  at  which  time  he  came 
to  Winona  from  Knox  county,  Ohio,  and  opened  a  stable  for  the 
sale  of  horses  on  Washington  street,  between  Second  and  Third,  at 
that  time  known  as  the  Bauder  House  stables.  Having  purchased 
the  stables  on  the  corner  of  Market  and  Third  streets,  now  occupied 
by  Mr.  George  Warren,  Mr.  Nevius  removed  his  business  to  that 
location  in  1869,  and  from  there  to  his  present  stand  in  1872.  The 
business  was  exclusively  a  sale  business  until  1870,  when  the  livery 
department  was  added,  since  which  time  it  has  been  conducted  as  a 
joint  livery  and  sale  establishment.  The  sales  of  the  first  year, 
1866,  aggregated  200  head  ;  from  that  date  until  1870  the  annual 
sales  were  from  300  to  400  head,  and  in  1877  reached  a  total  of  fully 
600  head.  The  theater  of  operations  has  very  materially  changed 
since  1866,  at  which  time  purchases  were  from  Indiana  and  Ohio 
breeders  with  sales  to  Minnesota  farmers.  Later  purchases  were 
from  Illinois  and  Iowa,  and  sales  were  made  to  settlers  in  the  Red 
River  country  of  the  north  and  the  lumbermen  of  the  northern 
pineries.  Since  1880  purchases  have  been  made  quite  extensively 
from  the  horse  breeders  of  Winona  and  adjoining  counties,  while 
sales  have  been  pretty  evenly  divided  between  the  agriculturists  of 
western  Minnesota  and  Dakota  and  the  lumbermen.  During  the 
months  of  November  and  December,  1881,  Nevius  &  Bro.-  paid  to 


764  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

the  fanners  of  Winona  and  adjoining  counties  about  $12,000  for 
horses,  all  of  them  purchased  to  supply  the  demand  of  the  Eau  Claire 
pineries.  The  purchases  from  the  same  sources  during  the  corre- 
sponding months  of  1882  were  fully  thirty  per  cent  in  advance  of  those 
above  given  for  1881.  The  firm  also  own  considerable  farming 
lands  in  the  western  portion  of  the  state,  from  which,  if  necessary, 
they  can  draw  supplies  for  the  use  of  their  stock  at  this  point. 

E.  G.  Nevius  is  a  native  of  Ohio  ;  came  to  Winona  in  1870,  took 
charge  of  the  livery  stables  of  his  brother,  W,  L.  Nevius,  in  1872, 
and  the  following  year  entered  into  partnership  with  him.  Mr.  E. 
G.  Nevius  is  a  member  of  Winona  Lodge,  No.  18,  A.  F,  and  A.  M., 
Winona  Chapter,  No.  5,  and  of  Coeur  de  Lion  Commandery,  No.  3. 
He  was  married  in  1875,  to  Miss  E.  Simpson,  daughter  of  V.  Simp- 
son, Esq.,  one  of  Winona's  pioneer  business  men.  They  have  three 
children. 

James  P.  CBrien,  farmer,  was  born  in  Ireland,  in  1832,  and 
came  to  this  country  while  very  young.  His  father  settled  in  New 
York  city,  and  James  learned  the  bricklayers'  trade.  When  he  was 
twentj^-one  he  married  Miss  Kate  Sullivan,  and  has  a  family  of 
seven  children.  Mr.  O'Brien  followed  his  trade  in  different  cities 
up  to  1862,  when  he  enlisted  in  -lOth  regt.  N.  Y.  Vols.;  was 
wounded  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  for  which  he  now  receives  a 
pension.  He  participated  in  the  seven  days'  fighting  around  Rich- 
mond under  Mc(]lellan,  and  was  in  other  severe  engagements.  He 
left  the  service  with  the  rank  of  sergeant ;  he  came  west  to  Elba  in 
1866,  and  has  built  most  of  the  brick  houses  in  the  township.  Mr. 
O'Brien  also  carries  on  farming  to  some  extent,  cultivating  forty 
acres.  Mr.  O'Brien  owns  considerable  property,  and  is  much  re- 
spected and  liked. 

Peter  Hannberg,  watchmaker,  was  born  in  Sweden,  February 
11,  1827.  He  was  early  apprenticed  to  the  watchmaking,  and  after 
learning  his  trade  he  worked  for  some  years  at  Hellingsland,  and 
other  points  in  Sweden.  In  1866  he  came  to  this  country,  coming 
almost  direct  to  Mt.  Vernon.  He  was  the  first  to  erect  a  dwelling 
at  Millville,  Wabasha  county,  and  has  been  closely  identified  with 
the  prosperity  of  the  township,  in  both  Winona  and  Wabasha 
counties,  lying  adjacent  to  each  other.  He  has  been  engaged  in 
various  businesses,  carrying  on  limekilns,  farming,  mercantile,  and 
now  caiTies  on  his  old  trade  of  watchmaking.  He  was  married  in 
1849  in  .Sweden,  to  his  cousin,  Anna  Hannberg,  and  has  had  one 


BIOGEAPHICAL.  765 

child.  He  is  a  Lutheran  in  religious  convictions,  and  a  staunch  re- 
publican in  politics.  Mr.  Hannberg  resides  on  his  own  property, 
near  to  the  town  line  of  Minneiska,  and  is  very  popular  with  his 
countrymen  in  this  and  other  townships. 

E.  G.  Hill,  justice  of  the  peace.  Mr.  Hill  is  a  native  of  Ver- 
mont ;  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1866,  and  to  St.  Charles  the  following 
September  ;  since  coming  here  has  not  been  in  trade  ;  was  the  first 
assessor  of  the  city  after  its  incorporation,  1870  and  1871,  and  has 
served  several  terms  as  such ;  has  been  justice  of  the  peace  over 
five  years  of  that  time,  and  is  the  present  secretary  of  both  the 
masonic  bodies  in  the  city. 

Leander  KoKTON  was  born  in  Starksboro,  Vermont,  July  10, 1825. 
He  spent  his  youth  at  home,  working  on  his  father's  farm  in  the 
summer  time  and  going  to  school  in  the  winter.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-six  he  married  Miss  Catherine  Hill,  and  bought  a  farm  near 
Starksboro,  and  lived  on  it  four  years,  and  sold  it  and  bought  an- 
other near  Huntington,  Vermont,  and  worked  it  one  year.  He  then 
sold  out  farm  and  implements  and  moved  back  to  Starksboro,  and 
bought  a  sawmill  and  300  acres  of  timber  (hardwood  and  spruce). 
After  running  the  sawmill  about  three  years  he  sold  out  and  moved 
to  Kipton,  and  bought  a  farm  and  kept  a  dairy  for  eight  years. 
About  this  time  he  caught  the  "  Western  fever,"  and  after  dispos- 
ing of  his  farm  and  stock  he  was  carried  off  by  it  to  Pleasant  Hill, 
Minnesota,  where  he  arrived  in  March,  1866,  and  bought  the  S.W. 
^  of  Sec.  15,  which  he  now  owns  and  has  under  a  good  state  of  cul- 
tivation. Mr.  Norton  has  six  children  :  the  eldest,  Rollin,  mar- 
ried Sarah  A.  Cooper,  and  now  resides  in  the  southwestei-n  part  of 
the  township. 

Nick  Biever,  postmaster,  Oak  Ridge,  was  born  in  Germany, 
1846,  and  came  to  this  country  in  1852,  going  to  Wisconsin,  where 
he  remained  fourteen  years  fanning.  He  then  removed  to  this  town- 
ship in  1866,  where  he  purchased  land  and  engaged  in  farming.  In 
1876  he  removed  to  Oak  Ridge,  and  was  appointed  postmaster, 
which  position  he  continues  to  fill.  He  also  carries  on  business  as 
shoe  and  general  store.  He  married  Miss  Susan  Becker  in  1867, 
and  has  had  six  children,  one  of  whom  has  died.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  church.  He  was  a  member  of  the  2d  Wis. 
Cav.,  and  served  under  Banks,  participating  with  his  regiment  in 
the  numerous  engagements  of  his  command. 

Gould   &  Snow,  attorneys-at-law  ;  office  corner   of  Third   and 


766  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Center  streets,  in  postoffice  block.  Law  partnership  formed  Janu- 
ary 1,  1877.  Members  of  tirm,  O.  B.  (xould  and  A.  11.  Snow. 
Hon.  O.  B.  Gould  is  a  native  of  Brantford,  Ontario  ;  received  his 
early  education  in  the  common  scliools  of  Ohio,  and  at  the  outbreak 
of  the  war  was  prepariugfor  college  at  the  Seneca  County  Academy, 
Kepublic,  Ohio.  Leaving  school,  he  enlisted  on  September  25, 
1861,  in  the  55th  Ohio  Inf.  reg.,  and  served  with  the  army  in  West 
Virginia,  taking  part  in  all  the  engagements  fought  there  until  the 
fall  of  1862.  He  was  then  with  Pope's  command  in  the  Shenandoah, 
taking  part  in  the  second  Bull  Run  fight,  and  after  that  engagement 
was  with  the  ai-my  of  the  Potomac  until  after  the  battle  of  Gettys- 
burgh,  though  not  in  that  engagement,  having  been  wounded  at 
Chancellors ville  May  2,  1863,  and  taken  prisoner  after  the  battle.  In 
about  two  weeks  after  being  taken  prisoner  he  was  paroled,  and  as 
soon  as  sufficiently  recovered  was  placed  in  command  of  the  parole 
camp  of  prisoners  at  Washington,  having  been  promoted  second 
lieutenant  April  22  of  that  year.  The  same  fall  (1863)  he  was 
exchanged  and  joined  his  regiment  then  on  duty  with  Grant  and 
Sherman's  army  in  the  southwest,  taking  part  in  the  battles  of 
Mission  Ridge  and  Lookout  Mountain.  He  marched  with  Sher- 
man's army  to  the  relief  of  Burnside  at  Knoxville,  and  the  follow- 
ing spring  took  part  in  the  great  series  of  engagements  lasting  four 
months  which  resulted  in  the  capture  of  Atlanta.  Was  with  the 
army  that  ''marched  down  to  the  sea,"  and  ])articipated  with  his 
regiment  in  the  siege  of  Savannah,  the  battles  of  Averyboro  and 
]5entonsville,  and  was  at  Ealeigh  when  Johnson  surrendered.  After 
that  event  his  regiment  marched  to  Washington,  where  it  partici- 
pated in  the  grand  review,  and  was  then  transferred  to  Louisville, 
Kentucky,  where,  with  the  rest  of  his  comnumd,  Capt.  Gould  was 
mustered  out,  July  11,  1865,  after  three  years,  nine  months  and 
seventy-two  days  of  hard  service.  His  first-lieutenant  commission 
bears  date  March  19, 1864  ;  his  captaincy  was  obtained  November  9, 
same  year.  Returning  home,  Capt.  Gould  read  law  in  the  office  of 
Lee  &  Brewer,  of  Tiffin,  Ohio,  attended  law  lectures  at  Michigan 
University,  graduating  in  1867  and  receiving  his  parchment.  The 
same  fall  he  located  in  Winona,  and  was  mostly  in  practice  without 
any  partner  until  his  association  with  Mr.  Snow,  nearly  six  years 
since.  In  the  fall  of  1880  Mr.  Gould  was  nominated  for  state 
representative  by  the  republican  county  convention,  and  returned  by 
a  majority  of  300  in  a  district  confessedly  democratic  by  at  least  300 


BIOGEAPHICAL.  767 

majority.  Was  in  attendance  at  the  sessions  of  the  general  assembly 
when  the  state  capital  was  burned,  and  also  during  the  bond  bill 
excitement,  recording  his  vote  against  that  measure,  which  was 
afterward  declared  unconstitutional  by  the  supreme  court.  Was  in 
the  extra  session  of  assembly  that  same  fall  (1881),  and  was  one  of 
the  committee  of  arrangements  upon  whom  devolved  the  prosecution 
of  a  certain  district  judge  of  this  state,  which  resulted  in  his  impeach- 
ment and  remc'val  from  office.  Nominated  by  his  party  for  state 
senator  in  1882,  he  made  the  canvass  against  ex-chief  justice  Wilson. 
Mr.  Gould's  name  appears  in  connection  with  many  of  the  industrial 
and  educational  institutions  of  the  county.  A.  H.  Snow  is  a 
native  of  Michigan,  a  graduate  of  its  State  University  class  of  1865 
and  of  the  Albany  Law  School  class  of  1867.  Located  for  practice 
in  Albany,  but  two  years  later  removed  to  California  and  was  in 
practice  in  San  Francisco  for  twelve  years  prior  to  locating  in  Winona 
in  1871.  Here  he  formed  a  law  partnership  with  John  Keyes,  which 
ccmtinued  until  Mr.  Keyes'  death  in  1876.  The  following  January 
his  present  partnership  was  formed.  He  was  city  attorney  in  1874; 
the  same  fall  was  elected  county  attorney,  holding  the  office  four 
years.  He  is  the  present  attorney  of  the  Winona  Building  Associa- 
tion ;  married  and  has  three  children  in  tlie  city  schools. 

J.  Kendall,  wholesale  and  retain  dealer  in  drugs,  oils,  paints 
and  glass,  17  East  Second  street.  This  house  is  the  lineal  successor 
of  the  old  drug-liouse  of  Charles  Benson,  established  in  this  city  over 
twenty-six  years  ago,  and  which  was  successively  Benson,  Benson 
&  Upham,  Benson  &  Bingham,  Benson,  Bingham  &  Co.,  Benson  & 
Kendall,  and  since  1875  J.  Kendall.  The  premises  now  occupied 
by  this  business  were  purchased  by  Mr.  Kendall  in  1870,  from 
S.  N.  Wickersham,  who  had  occupied  it  as  a  drug-house  until  tlie 
death  of  his  wife,  when  he  discontinued  business,  shipped  part  of  his 
stock  to  Philadelphia  and  disposed  of  the  remainder  to  F.  Pattou. 
The  building  is  a  three-story  and  basement  structure,  stone  front, 
20X100  feet,  with  an  addition  40x20,  fronting  on  the  alley.  The 
business  of  the  house  occupies  two  stories  and  the  basement,  and 
gives  employment  to  a  force  of  five  clerks  and  one  traveling  sales- 
man. The  great  bulk  of  trade  is  in  lubricating,  illuminating  and 
paint  oils,  of  which  from  6,000  to  7,000  barrels  are  annually  disposed 
of.  The  oil-house,  corner  of  Second  and  Washington  streets,  has  a 
capacity  of  1,000  barrels.  The  house  holds  the  agency  of  the 
Standard  Oil  Company,  and  extends  its  trade  along  the  lines  of  the 


768  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Chicago  &  Northwestern  railroad  and  brandies  in  Minnesota  and 
Dakota,  and  also  along  the  Green  Bay  &  Winona  road  in  Wisconsin. 
Mr.  Kendall  was  born  in  Ithaca,  New  York,  in  1822,  and  was  in  the 
drv-goods  trade  in  that  city  twenty-five  years  before  coming 
to  Winona  in  ISfid  Mr.  Kendall's  whole  time  is  given  to  business. 
He  is  a  member  and  director  of  the  board  of  trade  and  chairman  of 
its  city  committee. 

John  Latschi,  grocer,  103  East  Second  street,  has  been  in  business 
in  this  city  since  May,  1867,  and  in  his  present  location  since  the  fall 
ot  1870,  the  same  year  in  which  he  bought  the  ))roperty  and  built  his 
stone  building,  a  two-story  brick,  25x80  feet,  the  lirst  floor  and 
basement  occupied  with  his  business,  the  uj)per  story  for  family 
dwelling.  The  trade  gives  employment  to  a  force  of  five  persons 
and  one  delivery  wagon. 

Mr.  Latsch  is  a  native  of  Zurich,  Switzerland  ;  came  to  America 
in  1854  ;  settled  in  Dakota,  Winona  county,  but  only  remained  a 
short  time,  removing  to  Wisconsin,  where  he  was  engaged  in  farming 
until  1864.  February  27th  of  that  year  he  enlisted  in  the  25th  Wis. 
Inf. ;  was  mustered  in  at  La  Crosse,  and  the  following  spring  trans- 
ferred to  the  12th  reg.,  with  which  he  served  until  mustered  out  at 
Louisville  July  1,  1865,  having  served  with  Sherman's  army  and 
pai-tici])ated  in  the  march  to  the  sea.  Since  coming  to  America  Mr. 
Latsch  has  twice  revisited  his  native  country,  once  in  1873  and  again 
in  1882.  He  is  married  and  has  three  children,  two  of  them  assist- 
ing in  the  grocery  house  and  one  in  attendance  at  the  city  schools. 

Robert  Burns,  farmer,  was  born  in  Dundee,  Scotland,  in  1837, 
and  came  to  this  country  when  he  was  seven  years  of  age,  in  care  of 
his  aunt,  who  had  adopted  him,  his  parents  both  being  dead.  She 
settled  in  Beloit,  Wisconsin,  where  Robert  received  such  education 
as  the  district  schools  afforded.  When  twenty  years  of  age  he 
struck  out  for  the  Pacific  coast,  determined  to  see  as  much  of  life  as 
he  could,  and  gain  a  fortune  in  the  land  of  gold  if  possible.  He 
wandered  some  four  years,  residing  in  different  parts  of  California 
and  in  the  Black  Hills,  Salt  Lake  City,  Denver,  and  other  western 
])oint8.  His  health  failing  somewhat  he  returned  home,  where  he 
remained  a  year.  Regaining  his  former  strength  and  vigor,  he 
worked  at  farming  in  Wisconsin  and  Iowa,  and  finally,  in  1867,  he 
])urchased  the  fine  farm  in  Whitewater  he  now  occupies  from  Mr.  O. 
Medcalf  The  farm  was  in  a  very  poor  condition,  and  Whitewater 
but  sparsely  settled,  and  Mr.  Burns  had  many  obstacles  to  overcome ; 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  769 

but  naturally  being  possessed  of  great  energy  and  push,  he  deter- 
mined to  become  possessed  of  one  of  the  best  farms  that  the  heart 
of  a  farmer  could  wish,  and  he  has  succeeded,  for  few  stock  farms  in 
the  town  can  rival  it.  He  married  in  1866  Miss  Kate  E.  Ellis,  of 
Ohio,  who  is  a  most  estimable  lady,  and  who  has  shared  with  Mr. 
Burns  the  privations  of  an  early  settler,  and  has  ably  assisted  him  in 
the  acquisition  of  the  handsome  competency  he  now  enjoys. 

H.  G.  C.  Schmidt,  wholesale  dealer  and  importer  of  wines  and 
liquors,  T7  East  Second  street.  This  business  was  established  by 
F.  S.  Holleysworth  some  sixteen  years,  and  purchased  by  the  pres- 
ent proprietor  in  1881. 

Mr.  Schmidt  is  a  native  of  Nassau,  Germany  ;  graduated  at  the 
University  of  Bohn,  and  was  for  a  season  in  the  employ  of  the  gov- 
ernment there  with  the  surgei-y  corps  of  the  mining  department. 
Came  from  Germany  to  America  in  1848,  to  Boone ville,  Missouri, 
from  which  point  he  made  the  overland  route  to  California  in  1850, 
remaining  until  1862.  The  family  settled  in  Booneville,  and  there 
Mr.  Schmidt  made  his  home,  with  the  exception  of  the  twelve  years 
spent  in  California,  until  his  removal  to  Winona  in  1867.  Here  he 
was  engaged  in  furniture  manufacture  from  1867  to  1870,  and  in  the 
grocery  business  from  1870  to  1881.  He  has  the  agency  for  ten  of 
the  principal  trans- Atlantic  steamship  lines,  and,  as  notary  public, 
having  full  acquaintance  with  the  regulations  of  the  German  gov- 
ernment, transacts  business  for  German  emigrants  with  European 
parties.  He  is  a  member  of  the  I.O.O.F.  fraternity,  and  for  the 
thirteen  years  prior  to  1881  was  secretary  of  this  lodge,  his  present 
business  engagements  compelling  him  to  decline  that  office.  He 
keeps  one  traveling  salesman  on  the  road  and  two  employes  in 
his  store ;  is  married  and  has  five  children,  four  of  them  attending 
school. 

H.  J.  O'Neill,  grain  dealer ;  office  on  west  side  Center  street, 
between  Second  and  Third  streets.  Mr.  O'Neill  is  lessee  of  the 
C.  &  N.  W.  Railway  Company's  elevator  at  this  point,  and  his 
Winona  business  consists  solely  in  handling  grain  in  transitu  from 
western  stations  to  the  eastern  markets.  Grain  is  bought  all  along 
the  lines  of  the  road  to  its  western  terminus,  and  of  the  crop  of  1881 
700,000  bushels  passed  through  his  Winona  elevator.  But  little 
wheat  is  handled,  operations  being  largely  in  barley.  The  elevator 
has  a  capacity  of  unloading,  cleaning  and  discharging  2,000  bushels 
per  hour,  employs  a  force  of  from  ten  to  twelve  hands,  and  is  fiir- 


770  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

nished  with  engines  of  100  horse  power.  Mr.  O'Neill  is  also  owner 
of  the  Minneiska  elevator  just  beyond  the  county  limits,  in  Wabasha 
county. 

Mr.  H.  J.  O'Neill  is  a  native  of  New  York  State  ;  came  to  Minne- 
sota fifteen  years  since,  and  during  that  time  has  been  engaged  in 
the  grain  trade  at  Minneiska  and  this  point. 

C.  L.  Pottle,  superintendent  of  the  Ellsworth  Flouring  Mills, 
Minnesota  City,  Minnesota,  was  born  in  the  State  of  Maine,  in  the 
year  1844,  of  American  parents.  Received  a  collegiate  education  at 
Kentshill  College,  Maine.  His  youth  and  early  life  was  spent  on  a 
farm.  In  1867  he  was  married  and  removed  to  Minnesota,  where 
he  taught  school  for  a  time,  until  he  took  charge  of  the  Ellsworth 
mills,  in  which  capacity  he  has  remained  ever  since.  Mr.  Pottle  is 
one  of  the  most  social  and  agreeable  of  men,  and  by  strict  atten- 
tion to  business  has  amassed  a  very  handsome  competence,  and  is 
one  of  the  successful  business  men  of  the  county.  Mr.  Pottle  is  a 
republican  in  politics  and  a  member  of  the  A.  F.  and  A.  M. 

Dajmiel  W.  Stone,  capitalist,  is  a  son  of  Joshua  Stone,  a  teacher 
and  lumberman,  who  was  born  on  Long  Island ;  he  married  Chloe 
Morehouse,  of  Rhode  Island,  and  settled  on  the  St.  John's  river,  in 
Douglas  county.  New  Brunswick.  Here  was  born  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  on  September  18,  1805.  His  parents  soon  moved  across 
the  state  line  into  Maine,  and  here  he  received  the  limited  education 
afforded  by  the  common  schools  of  that  time  and  locality.  On 
reaching  manhood  he  purchased  a  farm,  which  he  tilled  during  the 
summer,  and  spent  his  winters  lumbering.  He  was  married  October 
5,  1831,  to  Mary  A.  Harris,  who  was  born  at  Machias,  Maine, 
January  5,  1814  ;  her  parents,  Samuel  Harris  and  Mary  Gallup, 
were  also  born  in  Machias.  Mrs.  Stone  died  at  Sun  Prairie,  Wis- 
consin, June  18,  1856.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church. 
Five  children  survive  her,  as  follows:  Samuel  W.,  born  January 
14,  1833,  married  Harriet  E.  Pike,  and  lives  at  Aurora,  Dakota  ; 
Mary  E.,  born  May  14,  1836,  married  Jonathan  Burrington  (now 
deceased),  afterward  married  James  P.  Duncan,  and  resides  at  Rich 
Hill,  Missouri ;  George  W.,  born  May  27,  1843,  lives  in  Montana, 
a  hunter  by  occupation ;  Melvin  L.,  born  August  3,  1848,  married 
Alice  Barnett,  and  lives  at  Rich  Hill  ;  Nehemiah,  born  Sep- 
tember 1,  1850,  also  a  hunter  in  Montana.  Mr.  Stone  removed 
to  Sun  Prairie,  AVisconsin,  in  1845,  and  was  one  of  the  successful 
pioneers  of  that  region.     At  forty-five  years  of  age  he  began'work 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  771 

as  a  stonemason,  and  followed  the  occupation  for  some  time  ;  he 
also  engaged  in  carpenter  work,  and  built  many  houses  complete 
from  cellar  to  garret.  In  1868  he  sold  his  Wisconsin  property,  and 
after  spending  some  time  in  prospecting,  purchased  his  present  home 
in  St.  Charles  in  the  fall  of  that  year,  and  has  dwelt  here  ever  since. 
He  now  owns  three  stores  in  the  city,  from  whose  rental  a  portion 
of  his  income  is  derived.  On  July  22,  1862,  he  married  Attaresta, 
relict  of  Samuel  R.  White;  she  was  born  in  Thompson,  Connecticut, 
in  January,  1816  ;  her  fathei^  Asa  Burgess,  was  born  in  Plymouth, 
Massachusetts,  and  her  mother,  Millie  Town,  was  a  native  of 
Thompson.  Three  children  of  Samuel  R  White  are  living:  Ellis  T., 
born  October  12,  1843,  married  Desire  Kearney,  lives  in  La  Salle 
county,  Illinois  ;  Millie  A.,  born  December  31,  1844,  married 
Charles  W.  Hall,  dwells  in  Alden,  this  state  ;  Orman  S.,  born 
January  3,  1847,  married  Dolly  Terris,  resides  at  Long  Prairie, 
Minnesota.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stone  are  members  of  the  St.  Charles 
Baptist  church,  in  which  the  former  has  been  a  deacon  for  the  last 
six  years.  He  has  always  been  a  democrat  in  politics.  He  was  a 
town  supervisor  during  the  greater  part  of  his  residence  in  Sun 
Prairie  ;  has  been  alderman  of  this  city  four  years,  and  in  1874  was 
mayor. 

John  Yon  Rohk,  druggist  and  dealer  in  paints,  oils,  etc.,  north- 
east corner  Main  and  Second  streets.  The  drug-house  of  which  Mr. 
Yon  Bohr  is  the  successor  was  established  by  L.  Wienand  &  Co.,  in 
May,  1857,  in  an  old  frame  building  still  standing  on  the  north  side 
of  Second  street,  between  Walnut  and  Market.  After  about  six 
montlis  the  business  was  removed  one  block  west  and  across  the 
street,  and  there  continued  until  1867,  when  it  was  changed  to  its 
present  location,  and  there  conducted  until  the  present.  The  origi- 
nal company  were  L.  Wienand  and  H.  B.  AVedel,  and  so  continued 
until  Dr.  Wedel  sold  his  interest  to  his  partner,  and  entered  the 
United  States  army  in  the  4th  Minn,  reg.,  in  1862.  L.  Wie- 
nand continued  the  business  until  1865,  when  he  died  and  the 
stock  was  sold  to  Dohmen  Schmidt  &  Co.,  who  after  one  yearV 
management  of  afiairs  sold  out  to  Dr.  Wedel,  who  had  returned 
from  the  army.  The  new  firm  was  AVedel  &  better,  and  so 
remained  until  Dr.  Wedel  bought  out  his  partner  in  1869,  con- 
tinuing business  alone  until  January  1,  1881,  when  he  sold  out  to- 
John  Yon  Bohr.  The  house  does  a  good  general  trade,  a  fine 
46 


772  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

prescription  business,  and  requires  the  services  of  three  persons  to 
conduct  it. 

John  Von  liohr  is  a  native  of  Niagara  county,  New  York, 
where  he  was  educated  and  partially  fitted  for  business,  having 
spent  three  years  as  druggist's  clerk  in  the  city  of  Buffalo  prior  to 
coming  to  Winona  in  1868.  He  entered  the  drug-house  of  Benson 
&  Kendall  in  the  spring  of  1869,  and  was  with  that  house  eleven 
years,  one  year  as  partner,  before  establishing  his  present  business. 
Mr.  Von  Rolir  is  married  and  has  foun  children.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Philharmonic  Society  of  this  city. 

Louis  Sounkll,  dealer  in  grain,  elevator  situated  south  side 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  railroad  tracks  ;  capacity,  15,000  bushels; 
erected  in  1880,  at  a  cost  of  $5,000  ;  size  26x66,  with  office  16x  12. 
Mr.  Schnell  is  a  native  of  Berlin,  Germany,  from  whicli  country  he 
came  to  America  in  1867,  and  to  this  county  one  year  later.  From 
1868  until  1870  Mr.  Schnell  was  in  this  city  handling  grain  for  J. 
Hempstead  &  Co.  He  then  removed  to  Winona,  and  until  1876 
was  with  the  grain-house  of  C.  G.  Miller  &  Co.  (afterward  Ott(; 
Sontag).  In  1876  returned  to  St.  Charles  and  was  one  year  in 
partnership  with  C.  W.  Seefield  &  Co.,  at  the  expiration  of  which 
time  he  rented  the  horse-power  elevator  of  C.  E.  Kendall  &  Co., 
which  operated  until  it  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1878.  Mr.  Schnell 
then  made  arrangements  to  build  an  elevator  for  himself,  which  he 
completed  and  occupied  in  time  to  handle  the  grain  crop  of  1880, 
and  in  which  he  is  now  doing  a  successful  grain  trade.  His. elevator 
is  worked  by  a  steam-engine  of  about  eight-horse  power,  gives 
employment  to  a  force  of  from  two  to  three  hands,  and  shipments 
for  1882  were  fully  thirty-three  percent  in  advance  of  previous  year. 
These  shipments  are  principally  of  barley  and  oats  to  the  Milwaukee 
and  Chicago  markets.  Wheat  shipments,  owing  to  the  short  crops 
of  the  past  two  or  three  years,  are  comparatively  light.  Mr. 
Schnell  is  married,  is  a  P.M.  of  the  A.O.U.W.  and  also  a  member 
of  Winona  Grove,  No.  6,  A.O.U.D. 

Nicholas  Schell,  Jr.,  teacher  and  town  clerk,  was  born  in 
Luxemburg,  Germany,  in  185-4,  emigrating  to  America  with  his 
parents  in  1869,  when  his  father  settled  in  Rolling  Stone.  Mr.  Schell 
was  a  pupil  of  the  high  school,  Winona,  and  also  attended  several 
terms  at  St.  John's  College,  Stearns  county,  Minnesota.  Finisliing 
his  education,  he  embraced  the  profession  of  teacher,  moving  into 
tins  township  and  taking  charge  of  the  school  at  Oak  Ridge,  which 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  773 

he  still  continues  to  teach.  He  was  elected  town  clerk  in  1879, 
filling  that  position  ever  since.  He  married,  in  1880,  Miss  Marj 
Kimmell,  daughter  of  the  late  Nicholas  Kimmell,  of  Rolling  Stone. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and  votes  with  the 
democratic'party. 

Julius  F.  Boschee,  farmer,  is  German  by  nativity,  and  came  to 
the  United  States  in  1849,  when  he  was  about  twenty  years  of  age. 
He  resided  for  some  years  in  New  York  city,  working  in  a  brewery. 
He  also  worked  for  a  year  in  Cleveland  at  the  same  business.  He 
worked  on  a  farm  in  Summit  county,  Ohio,  until  the  breaking  out  of 
the  rebellion,  when  he  entered  the  service,  joining  the  19th  Mich., 
serving  with  that  regiment  and  being  with  them  at  the  battle  of  the 
Wilderness.  Having  been  detailed  into  the  pioneer  corps  he  con- 
tracted rheumatism  while  building  a  pontoon  bridge,  and  was 
shortly  afterward  mustered  out  of  service,  under  a  disability  dis- 
charge. He  was  married  in  1865,  at  Akron,  Ohio,  to  Miss  Anna 
Blumenthal,  by  whom  he  has  had  five  children.  In  1869  he  pur- 
chased the  fine  farm  he  now  occupies  in  Whitewater.  He  has  gone 
extensively  into  stock-raising  and  is  considered  an  authority  on  all 
matters  pertaining  to  stock.     He  is  a  Lutheran  and  a  republican. 

Winona  Shoeing  Shop,  Heller  and  Perrott,  proprietors  ;  Third 
street  near  court-house.  This  business  was  established  in  1862,  by 
George  Warren,  who  was  at  that  time  in  livery  business,  on  tlie  east 
end  of  the  lot  on  which  the  shoeing  shop  now  stands.  The  shop 
was  at  that  time  but  half  its  present  size,  having  been  enlarged  by 
the  present  proprietors  in  1882.  This  property  was  sold  by  Mr. 
Warren  in  1871,  to  D.  J.  Pettis,  who  sold  to  T.  J.  Heller,  March  24, 
1875.  The  present  partnership  was  formed  in  1882,  when  the  shop 
was  enlarged  and  an  additional  forge  was  put  in,  making  three  fires. 
The  business  of  the  firm  is  steadily  increasing,  gives  employment  to 
four  men.  They  do  a  general  blacksmithing  business,  but  special 
attention  is  paid  to  horse-shoeing,  and  they  now  do  the  greater  part 
of  the  fine  shoeing  done  in  the  city. 

T.  J.  Heller  has  resided  in  this  city  since  1869.  He  learned  his 
trade  with  George  McNutt,  of  Stockton ;  came  to  this  city  and  was 
two  years  in  the  employ  of  the  Winona  Carriage  Works,  and  after 
one  year's  work  in  the  city  shops  as  journeyman  blacksmith  rented 
the  premises  he  bought  two  years  later  and  established  himself  in 
business.  He  is  a  member  of  St.  Joseph's  Catholic  church,  and  of 
the  St.  Joseph's  Benevolent  Society  as  well. 


774  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Z.  Perott  is  a  native  of  France,  and  came  to  Canada  with  his 
parents  when  but  eighteen  months  old.  Removing  to  the  New 
Enghind  states,  he  learned  his  trade  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island, 
and  coming  west  settled  in  Winona  in  1871.  He  is  a  member  of 
Prairie  Lodge,  No.  7,  I.O.O.F.  •      * 

E.  F.  CuKTis,  grocer,  15  East  Third  street.  This  business  was 
established  June  1,  1869,  just  across  the  street  in  Richardson's  block, 
thence  to  the  corner  of  Center,  same  block,  and  to  its  present  loca- 
tion in  1879.  This  business  was  conducted  as  a  retail  trade  until 
1873,  then  in  connection  with  J.  C.  Black  as  wholesale  and  retail 
until  Mr.  Black  retired  two  years  later.  Since  1875  it  has  been 
principally  retail,  although  some  jobbing  is  still  done.  Six  clerks 
and  two  delivery  wagons  are  kept  constantly  employed.  Mr.  Curtis 
is  a  native  of  Connecticut  ;  left  the  home  farm  at  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  and  previous  to  coming  to  Winona  in  1869  was  traveling 
salesman  for  a  New  York  boot  and  shoe  house.  He  is  a  director  of 
the  board  of  trade,  and  quite  extensively  engaged  in  stock-farming. 

F.  FiLiTZ  was  born  in  Germany,  1839,  coming  to  this  countr}^  in 
1864,  going  west  to  Wisconsin,  where  he  rented  a  farm,  working  it 
for  five  years,  when  he  moved  up  into  Mt.  Vei-non,  and  purchased  the 
farm  he  now  occupies.  He  was  married  in  1872,  to  Miss  Louisa 
KuUer,  by  whom  he  has  had  five  children.  She,  after  a  long  and 
painful  illness,  died  December  6,  1882,  aged  thirty-eight  years,  uni- 
versally beloved  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  her.  Mr.  Filitz  is 
a  Lutheran  in  religion  and  a  democrat  in  politics.  He  is  thoroughly 
respected  and  liked  by  his  neighbors. 

Smith  Brothers,  brass  and  iron  founders,  west  side  Walnut 
street,  between  Third  and  Fourth.  Tliis  is  a  new  enterprise,  com- 
menced in  1881  by  two  industrious  mechanics  with  limited  capital, 
who  had  learned  their  trade  in  the  foundry  and  machine  shops  of 
W.  M.  Hurlbert,  of  this  city,  and  concluded  to  establish  business  for 
themselves.  They  occupy  a  lot  fronting  40  feet  on  Walnut  street, 
with  a  depth  of  120.  Their  casting  house  is  24x40  feet,  with  a 
small  addition  for  engine  and  cupola.  The  engine  for  blowing  pur- 
poses is  of  seven-horse  power,  and  their  cupola  has  a  capacity  of 
from  2,500  lbs.  to  3,000  lbs.  of  metal.  Ten  persons  find  constant 
employment,  and  the  contents  of  the  cupolas  are  run  off  three  times 
a  week.  Business  is  steadily  increasing,  and  larger  quarters  will 
soon  be  required  for  their  operations.  Tlie  members  of  the  firm  are 
J.  F.  and  M.  M.  Smith.     They  are  the  sons  of  Matthew  and  Mary 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  775 

Smith,  and  came  to  this  city  witli  their  widowed  mother  and  their 
grandparents,  all  of  whom  form  one  household.  The  grand- 
father is  still  living,  aged  almost  ninetj-one  years.  The  grand- 
mother died  in  18T2,  aged  eighty-seven,  after  a  married  life  of 
sixty-eight  years.  J.  F.  Smith  is  a  native  of  Iowa ;  M.  M.  Smith, 
of  Illinois. 

Antoine  Fabeie,  farmer,  is  a  native  of  the  Province  of  Quebec, 
Canada,  having  been  born  at  St.  Hilaire  in  1840.  His  parents  were 
poor,  and  the  small  farm  they  tilled  hardly  gave  sustenance  to  their 
large  family.  Antoine  had  to  work  early  and  late  for  a  bare  live- 
lihood, and  had  no  time  to  procure  any  schooling.  He  left  home 
when  he  was  sixteen  and  went  lumbering  up  the  Ottawa.  This 
vocation  he  followed  for  a  number  of  seasons.  In  1862  he  came 
west  to  Minnesota  with  a  gang  of  other  French  Canadians  to  cut 
logs.  In  1867  he  worked  among  the  farmers  in  Elba  and  White- 
water. In  1870  he  rented  a  farm  of  forty  acres,  whicli  he  finally  pur- 
chased and  now  occupies.  He  married,  in  1870,  Miss  Bertha  Jonson, 
and  has  a  family  of  three,  two  girls  and  a  boy.  Mr.  Fabric  is  a 
Roman  Catholic  and  independent  in  politics. 

Martin  Hagan  was  born  in  Homer,  Cortland  county.  New  York, 
August  22,  1841,  and  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  that 
county,  and  remained  at  home  with  his  parents  until  1862,  when  he 
entered  the  army  with  the  29th  N.  Y.  Inf  He  participated  in  the 
battles  of  Malvern  Hill  and  Fair  Oaks,  Williamsburgh  and  Glendale. 
He  returned  to  New  York  after  the  war  and  married  Miss  Jenne 
Judd.  He  came  west  in  1870,  buying  land  in  Whitewater,  where 
he  has  remained  ever  since.  Mr.  Hagan  is  a  very  successful  farmer, 
and  one  of  the  most  extensive  wheat  growers  in  the  county. 

Otto  Sontag,  dealer  in  grain,  hides  and  wool.  This  business 
was  established  in  1870,  in  an  offit^e  and  warehouse  on  the  levee,  on 
the  present  site  of  the  Winona  Mill  Company's  mill.  Capacity  of 
warehouse  15,000  bushels,  with  rented  storerooms  of  double  that 
capacity.  Shipments  were  made  by  river  to  La  Crosse,  there  being 
then  no  outlet  by  rail  to  the  eastern  markets.  In  1873,  on  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railroad  to  this  point, 
Mr.  Sontag  occupied  a  warehouse  on  the  tracks  of  that  company 
with  a  capacity  of  20,000  bushels.  This  was  one  of  the  old-time 
warehouses,  with  an  elevated  bridge  upon  which  teams  were  driven 
and  the  grain  dumped  into  bins.  In  1877,  in  connection  with  the 
Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railway  Company,    he  built  the 


776  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

elevator  which  now  stands  on  the  track  of  that  road  just  east  of  the 
passenger  depot.  It  is  a  frame  structure,  30  X  50  feet,  modem  style, 
with  a  liandling  capacity  of  30,000  bushels  and  a  storage  capacity 
of  50,000  bushels.  Originally  shipments  of  grain  were  largely  in 
wheat,  but  of  late  years  shipments  of  barley  have  rapidly  increased 
until  they  fully  e(pial  those  of  wheat,  the  1882  barley  crop  being 
somewhat  in  excess  of  that  of  wheat.  Of  the  1881  crop  Mr.  Sontag 
handled  135,000  bushels  of  wheat  and  100,000  bushels  of  barley; 
that  was  a  short  crop,  however,  as  high  as  500,000  having  been 
handled  by  him  in  a  single  year.  Prior  to  August,  1882,  was 
largely  interested  in  hides,  in  company  with  G.  H.  Krumbeck,  of 
this  city,  sales  of  single  lots  rising  as  high  as  $20,000.  Is  at 
present  dealing  only  in  local  hides,  the  product  of  Winona  butchers, 
of  which  the  sales  are  about  $1,000  per  month.  Wool  sales, 
which  since  1875  have  been  quite  heavy,  were  quite  light  for  1881, 
the  business  of  that  year's  clip  aggregating  about  20,000  pounds. 
In  1878,  when  the  Winona  Mill  Company  bought  the  river  front, 
Mr.  Sontag  removed  his  office  to  the  west  side  of  Walnut  street, 
between  Second  and  Third,  in  a  brick  structure  20x40,  two  .stories 
and  basement,  the  latter  used  for  curing  hides.  He  has  connection 
by  telephone  with  the  City  Exchange,  and  has  also  a  private  line 
communicating  with  his  elevator.  Mr.  Otto  Sontag  was  born  in  the 
Duchy  of  Brunswick,  Germany,  in  1841  ;  came  to  America  with  his 
parents  and  located  in  Milwaukee  in  1848.  After  some  experience 
as  a  merchant's  clerk,  in  1862  he  formed  his  first  acquaintance  with 
the  grain  trade  as  clerk  in  a  grain  house.  This  business  he  has  fol- 
lowed for  twenty  years,  twelve  of  them  in  this  city.  December 
16,  1866,  Otto  Sontag  married  Miss  Roselia  Schorse.  They  have 
five  children,  four  of  them  in  attendance  upon  the  city  schools. 

Jacob  E.  Peterson  was  born  in  Sweden  in  1841,  and  came  to 
this  country  in  1860,  coming  almost  direct  to  Minnesota.  He  used 
to  work  at  $4  a  month  farming  in  Sweden,  and  managed  to  save 
enough,  with  the  aid  of  a  little  borrowed  money,  to  pay  his  passage 
to  New  York.  He  found  employment  with  different  farmers  be- 
tween New  York  and  Detroit,  gradually  working  himself  west.  In 
1864  he  was  working  lumbering,  and  in  1870  he  bought  land  in 
Elba.  He  was  married  at  Winona  in  1868,  to  Miss  Johnson.  He 
is  a  thorough  farmer  and  is  possessed  of  a  great  deal  of  energy  and 
enterprise. 

M.  ToYE,  plumber,  steam  and  gas  fitter  and  dealer  in  engineers' 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  777 

supplies,  at  14  West  Third  street.  This  house  was  established  by 
the  present  proprietor  in  1870,  and  his  present  location  taken  in 
1877,  in  which  year  he  built  his  present  business  house,  a  two-story 
and  basement  brick,  24x80  teet,  the  whole  occupied  by  his  business, 
which  shows  an  increase  of  about  thirty-five  per  cent  over  operations 
of  last  year.  He  carries  a  very  complete  stock  of  all  goods  required 
in  his  line,  equal  in  variety  to  any  house  in  the  state,  and  employs 
an  average  force  of  eight  workmen.  His  largest  contract  this  season 
has  been  in  connection  with  the  new  waterworks  of  the  city.  Mr. 
Toye  is  a  native  of  Scotland  ;  learned  his  trade  in  New  York,  and 
has  now  been  a  resident  of  the  city  over  twelve  years.  Was  elected 
county  commissioner  for  the  second  district  in  1881,  and  is  now  in 
ofiice.     Is  married,  and  has  one  child  in  school. 

J.  W.  Dyckson,  attorney-at-law ;  ofiice  southwest  corner  of 
Lafayette  and  Second  streets.  Practice  established  in  this  city  about 
twelve  years  since.  Mr.  Dyckson  is  a  native  of  New  York  ;  grad- 
uated from  Allegheny  City  College,  Pennsylvania,  class  of  1860  ; 
read  law  in  the  ofiice  of  Thomas  George,  Newburg,  New  York  ; 
was  admitted  to  practice  in  Poughkeepsie,  New  York,  in  1862. 
Practiced  in  Newburg  from  1862  to  1867,  and  for  the  following  three 
years  in  New  York  city.  Came  to  Winona  in  1870.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  one  year  as  the  partner  of  Chief-Justice  Buck,  of  Idaho, 
and  one  year  with  George  Robinson,  Mr.  Dyckson  has  had  no  law 
partnerships  in  this  city.  He  was  city  attorney  during  1881,  and  his 
criminal  practice  is  equal  to  that  of  any  attorney  in  the  city. 

Joseph  Richmond  was  born  in  Alaska,  La  Crosse  county,  Wis- 
consin, October  4,  1856.  His  youth  was  spent  on  a  farm  with  his 
parents,  where  he  diversified  his  time  with  hunting,  fishing  and 
going  to  the  common  school.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  hired  out 
to  work  on  a  farm.  He  followed  this  for  several  years,  chopping 
wood  in  the  winter  seasons.  He  has  sj^ent  several  winters  in  the 
pineries  of  Wisconsin  with  profitable  results,  and  invested  the  pro- 
ceeds in  land  in  Pleasant  Hill  township.  Mr.  Richmond  is  a 
•  young  man  of  sterling  qualities,  and  will  undoubtedly  become  one 
of  the  leading  men  in  the  township. 

David  S.  Babcock,  farmer,  was  born  in  Luzerne  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, September  1,  1850,  and  was  one  of  a  large  family.  He 
did  not  enjoy  many  advantages  as  a  boy,  but  had  to  help  work  a 
large  farm  as  soon  almost  as  he  was  able  to  walk.  He  managed, 
however,  in  spite  of  many  obstacles,  to  procure  a  very  good  edu- 


778  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

cation,  and  succeeded  liis  own  teacher  in  cliarge  of  the  district 
ecliool,  which  he  taught  some  years.  When  he  was  twenty  years 
of  age  he  married  in  Wilkesbarre  a  young  lady,  Miss  Mary  Jane 
Kungle,  and  with  a  capital  of  $1,500  the  young  couple  struck  out 
west,  and  after  pro8})ecting  some  months  finally  concluded  to  settle 
down  in  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Whitewater.  He  bought  a  tine 
farm  and  went  to  work,  and  succeeded  in  the  comparatively  few  years 
he  has  been  in  the  township  in  accumulating  quite  a  snug  fortune. 
Mr.  Babcoc'k  is  yet  a  young  man,  but  he  is  rapidly  making  his  mark, 
and  will  at  no  very  distant  day  be  in  Winona's  fi-ont  rank  of  wealthy 
farmers  and  representative  western  men.  He  is  an  Episcopalian,  and 
in  politics  a  strong  republican.  He  has  a  family  of  two  sons,  John 
and  Alfred,  bright  youths,  John  being  considered  quite  a  musical 
phenomenon,  while  Alfred  as  a  mathematician  is  only  excelled  by 
his  teacher.  Mr.  Babcock  is  thoroughly  esteemed  by  his  brother 
farmers  throughout  the  county. 

Elmer  &  Tenney,  photographers,  and  dealers  in  frames  and 
photographic  and  artists'  materials,  18  Center  street.  This  busi- 
ness was  established  by  Howard  &  Tenne}^  on  the  south  side 
Second  street,  between  Lafaj^ette  and  Main  streets,  and  was  removed 
to  its  present  location  in  1874.  The  house  became  Elmer  &  Tenney 
in  1879,  at  which  time  E.  S.  Elmer  purchased  the  interest  formerly 
held  by  Howard.  Their  house  fronts  24  feet  on  Center  street  and 
has  a  full  depth  of  150  feet.  The  basement  is  used  for  packing  and 
storage,  and  the  upj^er  story  for  light  storage,  the  operating  rooms 
being  all  on  the  first  fioor.  The  firm  employ  a  force  of  eight  hands 
and  do  quite  an  extensive  jobbing  trade  in  frame  and  photographic 
stock.  They  are  now  making  a  specialty  of  Minnesota  and  Wis- 
consin scenery,  and  in  this  work  are  successfully  rivalling  the  best 
competition  of  Minneapolis  and  St.  Paul.  Of  their  snow  views  for 
the  exceptional  winter  of  1880-1  they  have  sold  over  25,000,  and 
their  cabinets  hold  some  of  the  most  charming  natural  views  to  be 
found  in  the  whole  range  of  northwestern  scenery.  The  present 
members  of  the  firm  are  E.  S.  Elmer  and  C.  A.  Tenney. 

Mr.  E.  S.  Elmer  is  of  Connecticut  ancestry,  w^as  born  in  Whites- 
town,  New  York,  and  was  connected  with  the  Rand  Ironworks,  of 
Detroit,  for  ten  years  :  eight  of  them  as  cashier  of  the  house,  before 
coming  to  this  city,  where  for  the  past  three  years  he  has  been  the 
financial  head  of  the  house  with  which  he  is  now  identified. 

C.  A.  Tenney  is  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  came  to  Chicago 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  179 

in  1869,  and  there  learned  his  trade  as  an  operating  photographer. 
In  1871  he  removed  to  Winona,  and  in  the  same  year  established 
himself  in  business  in  this  city.  Mr.  Tenney  is  a  married  man  and 
has  one  child  in  the  kindergarten  department  of  the  normal  school. 

OscAK  Jacobs,  born  in  Sweden,  1840,  came  to  this  country  in 
1861.  Mr  Jacobs'  parents  were  very  poor,  and  when  he  landed  in 
New  York  he  was  penniless,  could  not  read  or  write  or  speak 
English,  but  he  was  a  young  man  of  nerve  and  push,  and  he 
tramped  into  New  Jersey  and  worked  several  months  for  his  board. 
At  Somerville,  New  Jersey,  he  got  work  in  a  blacksmith  shop, 
remaining  there  several  years  and  learning  the  trade.  He  never 
used  tobacco  or  drank,  and  saved  his  wages,  employing  a  portion  of 
them  in  paying  a  teacher  to  teach  him  reading  and  writing.  In 
1872  he  came  west,  settling  in  Whitewater,  farming  and  working  at 
his  trade.  In  1870  he  married  Miss  Christiana  Linestrom,  and  has 
three  children.  In  addition  to  his  farm  and  blacksmith  shop  in 
Whitewater  he  has  just  purchased  a  large  shop  in  Plain  view,  which 
he  wilt  carry  on  in  connection  with  his  brother.  He  is  a  Lutheran 
and  a  republican,  and  a  prominent  officer  in  the  Good  Templars. 

The  Jewell  House,  corner  of  Johnson  and  Second  street,  is 
owned  by  Y.  Simpson,  and  leased  by  S.  F.  Sherwood.  The  house 
as  oi-iginally  constructed,  a  three-story  brick,  40  X  80  feet,  was  built 
by  F.  G-.  Siemers  in  1871,  and  by  him  sold  to  Y.  Simpson  in  1874, 
who  the  same  season  rebuilt,  doubling  the  size  of  the  structure.  It 
now  fronts  eighty  feet  on  Second,  has  an  equal  frontage  on  Johnson, 
and  is  most  conveniently  arranged  for  travelers  with  the  office, 
reading-room,  commercial  travelers'  sample  rooms,  dining-rooms, 
billiard  rooms,  all  on  the  ground  floor  and  opening  directly  on  the 
street.  The  house  contains  fifty  guest-rooms,  is  well  furnished, 
employs  twenty  servants,  and  is  growing  in  popularity  with  the 
traveling  public  as  its  increasing  patronage  attests.  S.  F.  Sher- 
wood, lessee  and  proprietor,  is  a  native  of  New  York,  was  in  the 
hotel  and  livery  business  in  Danbury,  New  York,  from  1869  to 
1872,  then  came  to  Winona  county,  where  for  three  years  he  was 
engaged  in  running  a  supply  store  in  connection  with  the  brick 
yards  of  Sherwood  &  Johnson,  at  Dresbach.  He  then  accepted  a 
situation  as  traveling  salesman  for  a  wholesale  grocery  house  in 
Chicago,  and  was  on  the  road  in  that  capacity  for  six  years,  when  he 
leased  the  house  he  now  runs,  bought  its  furniture  and  took  posses- 
sion January  15,  1882.     The  lease  is  for  five  years,  with  a  privilege 


780  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

of  ten.  Mr.  Sherwood  is  a  man  of  family,  and  one  of  his  children 
is  attending  kindergarten  in  this  city. 

CiiAs.  IIiLLK,  jobber  and  retail  dealer  in  hides,  wool,  pelts, 
leather  and  findings,  54  East  Third  street.  This  business  was  started 
by  Mr.  Hille  in  1872,  on  Lafayette  street,  between  Front  and 
Second,  and  there  continued  one  year.  He  then  bought  the  lot  he 
now  occupies,  fronting  twenty  feet  on  Third  street,  140  feet  deep, 
and  erected  a  two-story  and  basement  brick,  20  X  70  feet,  into  which 
he  moved  his  stock  in  the  same  year,  1873.  He  employs  three 
hands,  and  keeps  one  team  constantly  on  the  road.  He  handles  in  a 
season  about  $40,000  worth  of  hides,  pelts  and  furs  ;  $30,000  worth 
of  leather  and  findings,  and  from  7,000  as  high  as  20,000  pounds  of 
wool.  His  trade  extends  eastward  to  La  Crosse  and  Merillan,  west- 
ward to  Dakota  and  along  the  Minnesota  Southern  to  Houston. 
Mr.  Hille  is  a  native  of  Brunswick,  Germany,  from  which  country 
he  came  to  America  for  a  permanent  residence  in  1868,  having 
spent  the  closing  years  of  the  late  war,  1864-5,  in  the  United  States. 
He  had  an  extensive  acquaintance  with  continental  Europe,  before 
coming  to  America,  and  after  his  arrival  here  from  1868  to  1870 
was  traveling  for  the  "Herald"  publishing  house  of  Milwaukee. 
He  then  engaged  in  tannery  business  at  Wabasha,  coming  from 
that  place  to  Winona  in  1872.  He  is  married  and  has  one  son  in 
the  city  schools.  Mr.  Hille  is  a  member  of  Winona  Lodge,  No.  18, 
A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  of  Winona  Chapter,  No.  5,  and  of  Cceur  de  Lion 
Commandery,  No.  3,  all  of  this  city.  He  is  also  affiliated  with 
Humboldt  Lodge,  No.  24,  I.O.O.F.,  is  connected  with  the  Philhar- 
monic Society,  and  a  member  of  the  board  of  trade. 

Maire  &  Shank,  harness-makers,  carriage-trimmers  and  dealers 
in  harness,  leather  trimmings,  trunks  and  horse  goods.  Place  of 
business  three  doors  south  of  bank.  This  business  was  established 
by  the  present  ])roprietors  in  1878,  under  the  linn  name  of  Shank 
&  Co.  The  proprietors  are  both  skilled  workmen,  and  the  business 
has  steadily  prospered  since  its  establishment.  They  own  their 
storeroom  and  shop,  a  neat  one-story  frame,  22x46  feet,  carry  a 
good  stuck  of  goods,  and  the  business  constantly  employs  from  three 
to  live  persons.  The  members  of  the  firm  are  Henry  Maire  and  J. 
G.  Shank.  Mr.  Maire  is  a  native  of  Dodge  count}',  Wisconsin, 
learned  his  trade  there,  and  came  to  St.  Charles  in  1872,  and  was  a 
journeyman  in  John  Welch's  harness  shop  until  starting  his  present 
business.     Mr.  Maire  is  a  member  of  the  LO.O.F.  fraternity  and 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  781 

warden  of  the  lodge  of  that  order  in  this  city.  Mr.  Shank  is  also  a 
native  of  Wisconsin,  born  in  Washington  county,  learned  his  trade 
at  Hartford,  and  came  to  St.  Charles  in  1877  to  establish  himself  in 
business,  which  he  did  the  following  year,  after  working  one  year  in 
the  shop  of  N.  H.  Smith. 

Peter,  son  of  Christ  and  Christina  Keinortze,  was  born  Decem- 
ber 14,  1844,  in  Kalln  on  the  Rliine,  Prussia.  He  went  to  school 
winter  and  summer  from  the  ages  of  six  to  fourteen  years.  Learned 
the  trade  of  shoemaker  in  Prussia,  at  which  he  has  worked  ever 
since.  Lived  in  Prussia  until  he  started  for  America  in  1865,  land- 
ing in  New  York  April  15  in  the  above  year.  Worked  seven 
months  at  his  trade  in  New  York  city,  when  he  left,  November, 
1865,  for  Chicago,  where  he  continued  to  work  at  his  trade  one  year 
and  two  months.  Still  more  anxious  to  see  and  learn  more  of  the 
great  west,  he  left  Chicago  and  arrived  in  north  La  Crosse,  Wiscon- 
sin, January,  1867.  Being  a  first-class  workman,  he  readily  found 
employment  in  the  boot  and  shoe  shop  of  a  Mr.  Grover,  an  English- 
man. Mr.  Reinortze  was  employed  by  Mr.  Grover  for  two  years, 
when  he  had  a  better  offer  tendered  him  in  La  Crosse.  Here  he 
continued  to  work  at  his  trade  for  several  years.  He  was  married  to 
Miss  Apelona  Hoffman,  of  La  Crosse,  in  1870.  He  opened  and  ran 
a  boot  and  shoe  shop  in  Dakota  in  1873.  In  1876  he  moved  his 
shop  to  Dresbach,  where  he  has  found  constant  employment.  He 
is  now  building  a  shop  in  Dakota,  preparatory  to  returning  to  this 
village  again.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reinortze  have  had  seven  children, 
two  of  whom  are  dead  and  five  living.  Besides  making  a  good 
living  for  his  family,  Mr.  Reinortze  has  accumulated  some  property. 
Tiie  people  of  Dakota  are  glad  to  have  such  a  skilled  workman  in 
their  midst,  and  he  may  be  assured  that  his  skill  and  genius  as  a 
workman  will  be  amply  rewarded  while  in  that  village. 

H.  O.  Larrabee,  dentist,  East  Third  street,  over  Cummings 
&  Vila's  shoe-house.  Mr.  Larrabee  is  a  native  of  Leicester,  Ver- 
mont, born  August  31,  1837.  Left  home  at  fifteen  years  of  age,  and 
was  merchant's  clerk  in  Albion,  New  York,  until  1857,  when  he  re- 
turned to  Peru  and  was  in  business  there  until  1860.  Leaving  home 
a  second  time  for  Albion  he  entered  the  dental  office  of  Briggs  & 
Doolittle  in  that  city,  completed  his  studies,  which  he  had  previously 
pursued  to  some  extent,  and  in  1861  removed  to  Delevan,  Wisconsin, 
where  he  was  in  practice  ten  years.  After  the  great  Chicago  fire  of 
1871  he  opened  an  office  in  that  city,  at  348  Wabash  avenue,  and  was 


782  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

in  practice  there  until  the  close  confinement  of  years  proving  detri- 
mental to  health,  he  accepted  a  situation  as  traveling  salesman  tor  a 
drug-house,  and  was  so  employed  until  1877,  when  he  resumed  the 
practice  of  his  profession  in  this  city,  to  which  he  had  moved  in 
1873.  Mr.  Larrabee  has  three  children:  (jne  daughter,  wife  of 
E.  K.  Tuttle,  Berlin,  Wisconsin ;  one  son  in  the  office  at  Byron, 
Minnesota,  and  one  daughter  in  high  school. 

John  W.  Short,  hotelkeeper,  was  born  in  Union  county,  Indiana, 
in  1832,  and  his  earlier  years  were  mostly  passed  on  his  father's 
farm.  Schools  were  scarce  in  Indiana  in  those  days,  and  he  only 
received  one  month's  schooling ;  but  being  a  youth  of  energy  and 
ambition  he  managed  to  acquire,  by  self-tuition,  a  fair  English  edu- 
cation. When  he  reached  manliood  he  rented  a  farm  in  Illinois, 
which  he  worked  for  some  years.  On  the  breaking  out  of  the  re- 
bellion he  enlisted  in  the  17th  111.  reg.,  participating  in  all  of  the 
engagements  of  his  command,  notably  those  of  Belmont,  Missouri, 
Fort  Donaldson,  Pittsburg  Landing  and  Chickamauga.  He  conse- 
quently saw  some  of  the  most  severe  fighting  of  the  war.  He 
remained  with  his  regiment  until  its  three  years  of  service  had  ex- 
pired. There  were  but  seventy-five  men  left  of  the  full  regiment 
that  went  into  the  service,  and  they  to  a  man  re-enlisted,  and  Mr. 
Short  was  one  of  the  number  of  this  gallant  band.  Mr.  Short  re- 
mained in  the  service  while  there  was  a  gun  to  be  fired,  and  was 
mustered  out  at  the  close  of  the  war  with  a  record  that  any  patriot 
might  be  proud  of.  He  returned  to  his  farm,  where  he  remained 
some  years,  and  then  he  went  to  Hamilton,  Illinois,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  the  hotel  business  for  some  time.  He  removed  to  Min- 
neiska  in  1873,  working  at  carpentering  and  warehousing  up  to  1880, 
when  he  became  proprietor  of  the  American  Hotel.  A  year  later 
he  took  possession  of  the  National,  which  he  now  conducts.  In 
1861  he  married  Mary  Short,  daughter  of  William  Short,  of  Ken- 
tucky, and  has  had  two  children.  Mr.  Short  is  a  man  of  sterling 
integrity  and  much  respected.  He  is  very  ])()pular  as  "  mine  host," 
and  is  widely  known  throughout  the  adjoining  townships. 

William  C.  Bekry  was  born  in  Elk  Grove,  Wisconsin,  Novem- 
ber 11,  1848.  His  parents  moved  to  Dane  county,  Wisconsin,  when 
he  was  but  five  years  old.  Here  he  went  to  the  country  schools 
until  about  twelve  years  of  age,  when  his  parents  moved  to  New 
Hartford,  Minnesota.  Here  he  enjoyed  the  country  schools  winters 
and  "grubbing"  summers;  and  while  he  made  decided  progress  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  783 

the  schools,  there  is  no  record  to  show  that  he  made  any  progress  in 
the  art  of  "grubbing."  In  1874  Mr.  Berry  bought  a  farm  of  160 
acres  in  Pleasant  Hill.  He  married  Miss  Orilla  Richmond  and  com- 
menced to  improve  his  farm.  He  has  taught  school  negj-ly  every 
winter  and  tilled  the  ground  in  summer,  and  by  so  doing,  and  prac- 
ticing a  fair  amount  of  economy,  he  has  succeeded  in  surrounding 
himself  and  family  with  all  the  necessaries  of  life.  He  has  served 
his  township  two  terms  as  assessor,  and  has  been  a  Master  Mason 
since  1873.  He  has  four  children:  Mary  Orilla,  born  June  13, 
1875;  Zoe  Susannah  Hannah,  born  September  22,  1877;  Maud 
Beatrice,  born  October  28,  1879 ;  Elsie  Elizabeth,  born  June  1, 
1882. 

Christopher  Busmann,  farmer,  was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany, 
December  13,  1843.  He  came  with  his  parents  to  Monroe  county, 
Illinois,  when  ten  years  old.  Here  he  received  his  training  on  a 
farm  and  in  the  common  school.  In  1870  his  father  died,  and  in 
1872  he  paid  a  visit  to  Minnesota.  Three  years  later  he  removed  here 
and  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  7,  St.  Charles,  which  has  been 
his  home  ever  since.  He  was  married,  March  4,  1873,  to  Catharine, 
daughter  of  Philip  Spielman,  of  this  township.  Mr.  Busmann  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  His  political  principles 
are  republican.  He  has  held  some  public  positions  of  trust  and 
responsibility,  and  in  Illinois  he  was  deputy  sheriff  four  years.  He 
has  been  school  director  in  his  district  for  several  years  since  coming 
here.  Mr.  Busmann's  family  includes  six  children,  born  as  follows : 
William,  May  14,  1874 ;  Matilda,  June  30,  1875 ;  Katie,  November 
3,  1876 ;  Henry,  February  10,  1879 ;  Frederick,  July  16,  1880  ; 
Lydia,  April  1,  1882. 

M.  B.  Webber,  county  attorney,  elected  in  the  fall  of  1880,  term 
of  service  expires  December  31,  1882,  and  was  renominated  without 
.opposition  by  the  republican  convention  of  October,  1882.  Office 
corner  Maine  and  Third  streets,  over  Hackley's  drugstore.  Mr. 
Webber  is  a  native  of  Racine  county,  Wisconsin,  received  his  early 
literary  training  in  the  schools  of  Racine  and  graduated  from  Hills- 
dale College,  Michigan,  in  1875,  class  of  thirty  graduates.  Came  to 
this  city  the  same  year,  read  law  with  ex-Gov.  Yale,  and  was 
admitted  to  practice  at  the  October  term  of  the  district  court  for 
1877.  In  the  spring  of  1878  he  formed  a  law  partnership  with  Mr. 
Yale,  which  continued  until  he  entered  upon  his  duties  as  county 
attorney  in  1881,  to  which  he  had  been  elected  as  the  nominee  of 


784  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

the  republican  party  by  a  majority  of  180,  in  a  district  usually 
democratic  by  500  majority.  Mr.  Webber  married  Miss  A.  M. 
Robertson,  daughter  of  Mr.  Robertson,  of  Hillsdale.  He  is  a 
member  'of  the  lodge  of  K.  of  P.  of  this  city,  and  its  present 
prelate. 

Henry  Taylor  is  of  English  descent,  his  father  settling  in 
Massachusetts  in  1818,  where  Henry  was  born  November  20,  1842. 
Mr.  Taylor  was  engaged  with  his  father  on  the  home  farm  until  he 
became  eighteen  years  of  age,  when  he  went  into  the  grocery  store 
of  Simmons  &  Co.,  Concord,  Massachusetts,  as  clerk,  where  he 
remained  several  years.  He  came  to  Wisconsin  in  1870  and  en- 
gaged in  agricultural  pursuits,  moving  into  this  state  in  1875,  and 
went  into  the  lumber  business  at  Minneiska,  in  which  he  is  now 
engaged.  Mr.  Taylor  married  Miss  Julia  Berry,  of  Keene,  New 
Hampshire,  in  1868,  and  has  no  children.  He  has  never  engaged 
actively  in  politics,  though  often  solicited  to  do  so. 

Swan  Peterson,  farmer,  was  born  in  Sweden,  1814,  where  he 
remained  until  his  thirty-fourth  year  working  at  agricultural  pursuits. 
He  came  to  America  in  1848,  settling  in  Michigan  as  a  farm  laborer. 
Several  years  later  he  came  to  Minnesota  and  purchased  a  claim  in 
Watopa,  Wabasha  county,  which  he  soon  converted  into  a  fine 
farm.  After  a  twelve  years'  residence  he  sold  out  and  purchased 
another  farm  at  Sand  Prairie,  same  county,  which  he  also  held  tor 
some  ten  or  twelve  years,  when  he  again  sold  and  came  to  Minnieska 
village,  where  he  still  resides.  Mr.  Peterson  has  accumulated  a 
handsome  competency.  He  has  never  assumed  the  matrimonial 
yoke,  and  prides  himself  on  being  a  confirmed  old  "bach."  Re- 
publican in  politics,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  church. 

John  H.  Morley,  pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  church  of 
Winona,  was  born  at  Hartford,  Connecticut,  January  3,  1840;  was 
the  second  son  of  Rev.  S.  B.  and  Mrs.  Anna  C.  Morley.    His  mother- 
was  the  only  daughter  of  Selah  Treat,  of  Hartford,  and  sister  of  Rev. 
S.  B.  Treat,  of  Boston,  Massachusetts,  for  many  years  secretary  of 
the  American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions.     She  died  May  9,  1881. 
Mr.  Morley  graduated  at  Williams  College,  1863,  and  at  Andover  . 
Theological    Seminary,    1866.     During   the  war   he   spent  several 
months  at  the  south  in  the  sei-\ace  of  the  United  States  Christian 
Commission.      He   became   acting   pastor   of    the    Congregational 
church,    at   Magnolia,  Iowa,    in   December,    1866,   where   he   was 
ordained,  January  2,  1867,  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.     In  June, 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  785 

1879,  he  resigned  the  pastorate  of  this  church,  and  accepted  a  call 
to  the  Congregational  churcli  at  Sioux  City,  Iowa.  In  November, 
1876,  he  resigned  at  Sioux  City  and  accepted  a  call  to  the  Con- 
gregational church  of  Winona.  He  was  married  October  12,  at 
Mendota,  Illinois,  to  Miss  Edith  T.  Johnson,  daughter  of  George 
and  Mrs.  Edith  (Baxter)  Johnson.  Miss  Johnson  had  been  a 
teacher  in  the  Illinois  State  Normal  University,  and  in  Bonham's 
Ladies'  Seminary  at  St.  Louis.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morley  have  three 
children  :  Frank  Johnson,  born  June  5,  1875  ;  Edward  Treat,  born 
December  22,  1876,  and  Clara  Edith,  born  October  12,  1879. 

G.  H.  Krumdigk,  dealer  in  grain,  hides,  seeds,  wool,  cement, 
etc.  Office  and  elevator  corner  of  Front  and  Lafayette  streets.  His 
lot  fronts  100  feet  on  Front  street,  120  on  Lafayette,  and  upon  it,  in 
the  fall  of  1882,  he  erected  his  elevator,  a  wooden  structure  80x50 
feet,  with  a  handling  capacity  of  28,000  bushels  a  day  and  a  storage 
capacity  of  40,000  bushels  ;  motor  supplied  by  a  twenty-five  horse- 
power engine,  and  a  force  of  four  men  kept  employed.  Cost  of 
construction,  including  machinery,  $9,000.  Wheat  and  barley  are 
handled  in  about  equal  quantities,  oats  one-third  the  amount  of  these 
grains,  and  corn  one-fifth.  Business  was  established  in  1876,  cor- 
ner of  Front  and  Center  streets,  and  there  conducted  until  possession 
was  taken  of  the  elevator,  October  10,  1882.  The  volume  of  busi- 
ness for  the  current  year  foots  up,  in  round  numbers,  as  follows  : 
Hides,  15  car  loads;  wool,  1  carload;  cement,  10  cars;  stucco, 
6  cars  ;  salt,  30  to  35  cars.  Of  the  1881  grain  crop  the  house 
handled  about  70,000  bushels  of  wheat,  75,000  bushels  of  barley, 
25,000  bushels  of  oats  and  15,000  bushels  of  corn.  Mr.  Krumdick 
is  a  native  of  Hanover,  Germany  ;  came  to  America  with  his 
parents  in  1854,  the  family  settling  at  Sheboygan,  Wisconsin,  where 
he  remained  until  1863.  From  that  date  until  1876  he  was  at  Foun- 
tain city,  Wisconsin,  dealing  in  grain  and  agricultural  implements, 
then  came  to  this  city.  Mr.  Krumdick  is  married,  and  has  three 
children  attending  scfiool  in  this  place.  His  parents  are  still  re- 
siding on  the  old  homestead,  near  Sheboygan,  where  tliey  have  lived 
twenty-eight  years  and  over,  and  where,  on  the  9th  day  of  October, 

1880,  they  celebrated  their  golden  wedding.     Of  the  eight  children 
born  to  them  all  are  now  living. 

Nicholas  Krrz,  a  native  of  Germany,  emigrated  to  this  country 
at  an  early  age  and  took  up  his  residence  in  Mount  Vernon  town- 
ship in  1876.     Mr.  Ritz  cultivates  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  the 


786  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

county,  and  is  also  an  extensive  breeder  of  hogs.  He  was  married 
to  Miss  Blumenthal,  of  Luzerne  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1843,  and 
has  had  a  family  of  two  sons  and  one  daughter.  He  lost  his  eldest 
son,  Plerman,  in  the  army,  and  he  himself  served  in  the  99th  Penn. 
reg.,  participating  in  some  of  the  most  severe  engagements  of  the 
war. 

A.  J.  Bykne,  of  Witoka,  was  born  in  Lafayette  county,  Wiscon- 
sin, March  31,  1850.  His  parents  were  natives  of  Ireland  and  came 
to  America  in  1848.  They  first  settled  at  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania, 
but  soon  after  removed  to  Wisconsin.  His  parents  were  farmers, 
and  he  consequently  spent  his  boyhood  days  on  a  farm,  receiving  at 
the  same  time  a  common  school  education.  In  1868  he  went  to 
learn  the  blacksmith's  trade  with  James  Kunton,  at  Schullsburg, 
but  being  apt  he  soon  started  a  shop  for  himself  at  Monroe.  In 
1877  he  opened  a  shop  at  New  Hartford,  which  he  continued  with 
success  until  the  first  of  January  last,  when  he  bought  the  saloon 
business  at  Witoka  which  he  now  carries  on.  August  20,  1872,  he 
wedded  Miss  May  Daacon,  of  Schullsburg,  Wisconsin.  She  is  the 
daughter  of  Theodore  and  Catherine  Daacon.  They  have  had  one 
child,  now  dead:  George,  born  June  14,  1874,  died  June  15,  1876. 
Baby  lies  buried  at  Schullsburg,  Wisconsin.  Mr.  Byrne  is  a 
democrat  in  politics. 

J.  Marsland,  dealer  in  furniture  and  crockery,  97,  99,  107  East 
Third  street.  This  business  was  established  by  Mr.  Marsland  five 
years  since  at  108  East  Third  street,  and  removed  to  its  present  loca- 
tion in  1880,  having  leased  the  premises  of  A.  Munch  before  the 
buildings  were  erected,  of  which  he  took  possession  as  soon  as  com- 
pleted. No.  107  was  not  occupied  until  the  season  of  1881.  He 
occupies  a  total  of  over  8,000  feet  of  flooring-room  in  his  storerooms, 
keeps  the  largest  stock  of  furniture  in  the  city,  a  heavy  assortment 
of  crockery  and  glassware,  employing  a  force  of  five  persons.  Mr. 
Marsland  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  in  1832 ;  was  bred  a 
machinist,  but  for  twentj^  years  prior  to  coming  to  America  was  cotton- 
mill  foreman  in  Rochedale,  Lancaster,  and  had  for  some  years  as 
many  as  1,100  operatives  under  him.  He  came  to  America  in  1877, 
direct  to  Winona ;  commenced  business  in  a  small  way  the  next  day 
after  his  arrival,  October  21,  1877,  and  has  been  steadily  enlarging 
his  trade  ever  since.  Does  quite  an  extensive  jobbing  trade,  shipping 
as  far  west  as  Dakota. 

Joseph  E.  Wollsey  was  bom  in  Peoria,  Llinois,  in  1850,  his 


BIOGKAPHICAL.  787 

father  carrying  on  the  carpenter  business  which  Joseph  also  learned. 
He  received  a  good  district  school  education,  and  early  in  life  he 
struck  out  for  himself,  working  at  his  trade  in  Chicago  and  Milwaukee. 
His  health  failing  he  was  forced  to  give  up  working  as  a  carpenter 
and  obtained  a  position  as  clerk  with  the  hrm  of  Smith  &  Hotchkiss, 
La  Crosse,  Wisconsin.  Kemaining  with  them  a  couple  of  years,  he 
then  went  traveling  for  a  La  Crosse  commission  house,  purchasing 
produce,  pickles,  etc.  He  is  now  the  representative  of  several 
agricultural  establishments  selling  reapers,  mowers  and  other  farming 
implements.  He  is  well  and  favorably  known  throughout  this  and 
adjoining  counties.  He  married  in  1878  Miss  Eliza  St  oner,  the 
daughter  of  a  well  known  resident  of  Whitewater,  and  makes  his 
home  at  Beaver.  He  is  an  independent  in  politics  and  was  brought 
up  an  Episcopalian. 

L.  F.  YoN  WmPFFEN,  civil  engineer  and  architect ;  room  5^ 
Simpson's  block.  Mr.  Yon  Winpfl'en  was  born  in  Alsace-Loraine, 
April  26,  1841,  was  educated  at  the  Grane-Klaster,  Berlin,  graduat- 
ing there  in  1858.  He  then  successively  attended  the  universities 
of  Heidelberg,  Jena  and  Geneva,  completing  his  studies  in  1862,  at 
which  time  he  entered  the  military  service  of  Prussia  as  cadet  in  the 
1st  Dragoon  Guards,  Berlin.  In  1863  he  graduated  lieutenant  at 
the  Military  Academy,  Potsdam,  and  was  then  transferred  to  the 
Queen's  2d  regiment  of  Cuirassiers,  in  Pomerania,  and  served  there 
until  after  the  Austro-Prussian  war  of  1866,  being  wounderl  at  the 
battle  of  Koeniggraetz.  On  the  formation  of  the  sixteen  new  regi- 
ments he  was  transferred  as  recruitmg  ofhcei-  to  the  11th  Dragoons, 
then  in  Pomerania.  In  1868  he  was  granted  leave  of  absence  to 
visit  India  and  the  outlying  islands.  While  there,  in  the  capacity 
of  civil  engineer,  he  was  with  the  topogra])liical  survey  in  Sumatra, 
Celebes,  Java  and  Amboyna,  in  which  latter  island  he  assisted  in 
making  the  original  surveys.  Returning  to  Germany  in  1871,  he 
passed  through  the  closing  scenes  of  the  Franco-Prussian  war,  with 
the  engineer  reserve  corps,  and  then  resigned  the  service  with  the- 
rank  of  captain  of  engineers.  The  next  two  years  were  spent  in 
England,  and  in  1874  the  captain  came  to  America.  Was  here 
employed  in  the  United  States  coast  survey  in  the  department  for 
compilation  of  maps,  at  Washington,  District  of  Columbia.  He  wa& 
then  transferred  to  the  bureau  of  education,  under  Gen.  Eaton,  for 
whom  he  made  all  the  map-work  for  the  records  of  that  board  at  th& 
Centennial  exhibit  of  1876.  Of  these  maps  there  were  thirty-two. 
47 


788  HISTORY  OF  winona  county. 

During  the  Playes  campaign  lie  served  as  assistant-secretaiy  for  th6 
Union  congressional  committee  of  the  re])ul)lican  party,  under 
Edmunds,  of  Vermont.  He  was  then  transferred  to  tlie  war  depart- 
ment for  construction  of  state  war  and  navy  dej^artment,  under  Col. 
(\isey,  and  was  thei-e  until  he  left  the  national  capital  for  Winona  in 
]  878.  Since  coming  to  this  city  he  has  served  three  years  as  c'Ay 
engineer,  from  1879  to  1881  inclusive,  and  is  now  serving  his  second 
term  as  county  surveyor.  During  this  time  lie  has  made  to  date, 
October,  1882,  296  sectional  surveys,  chiefly  for  sub-sections  and 
county  roads.  He  is  also  successfully  prosecuting  claims  for  United 
States  pensioners  as  pension  agent ;  belongs  to  the  Knights  of 
Honor  and  Druid  beneficiary  associations. 

William  Franklin  Richakds  has  but  lately  removed  into  Mt. 
Vernon,  though  identified  with  the  county  for  many  years.  INfr. 
Richards  was  bom  in  Vermont,  in  1850,  coming  west  in  1870,  settling 
in  Wabasha  county.  He  was  married  in  1872,  to  Miss  Eliza 
Dermoth,  a  young  lady  from  Wisconsin.  Mr.  Richards  will  prove  a 
great  acquisition  to  the  township. 

Walter  S.  Cr^ustdall,  of  AVitoka,  was  born  in  Bedford  county, 
Pennsylvania,  October  2,  1853.  He  is  the  son  of  Dr.  J.  C  and 
Oeraldine  (Bogg)  Crandall,  both  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  Walter 
received  a  common  school  education,  and,  in  addition,  is  a  graduate 
of  La  Crosse  Business  College,  La  Crosse,  Wisconsin.  At  the  age 
of  twenty  he  went  into  the  employ  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  & 
St.  Paul  railroad  as  a  brakeman,  and  subsequently  as  a  telegraph 
operator.  He  was  in  the  employ  of  this  com])any  and  the  North- 
western for  three  years.  At  La  Crosse  he  learned  the  trade  of  a 
wagon  and  buggy  builder,  and  subsequently,  at  Money  creek, 
learned  the  trade  of  carriage  and  sign  painter.  August  15.  1881, 
he  bought  the  shop  in  Witoka,  where  he  now  does  a  good  business 
in  buggy  and  wagon  repairing. 

K.JOSTOL  (tundkrson  was  born  in  Norway,  in  1812,  where  he 
grew  up,  mari'ied,  and  i-emained  until  his  thirtieth  year  on  a  little 
farm  that  barely  gave  them  sustenance.  When  he  arrived  in 
America  he  had  but  very  little  money,  and  could  not  read  or  write. 
He  got  as  far  as  Ohio,  where  he  worked  out  for  some  years  among 
the  fanners.  He  accumulated  some  money,  and  in  the  meantime 
had  taught  himself  to  read  and  write  English.  He  came  west  and 
pre-empted  a  claim  in  Zumbrota  township,  Goodhue  county,  where 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  789 

lie  remained  some  years.  He  then  sold  out  and  moved  into  the 
Whitewater  valley,  where  he  now  resides. 

F.  Dixon,  dentist,  came  to  Minnesota  from  Canada  in  1877, 
where  he  was  born  in  1852,  in  the  town  of  Mount  Forest,  near 
London.  Mr.  Dixon,  besides  being  a  dentist,  has  charge  of  a  stock 
of  furniture  the  property  of  Mr.  D.  Bacon.  He  is  a  married  man 
and  officer  of  I.O.O.F. ' 

Francis  Demoth  was  born  in  Luxemburg,  Germany,  in  1831, 
came  to  America  in  1836  and  settled  in  this  county.  Mr.  Demoth 
was  elected  supervisor  for  a  number  of  years  for  Elba,  and  has 
always  enjoyed  the  esteem  and  respect  of  his  fellow  citizens.  Mr. 
Demoth  has  never  married. 

John  Walters,  born  in  Aurora,  Illinois,  in  1858,  married  in 
1880,  to  Miss  Jenny  Minsky,  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  Mr.  Walters 
is  thoroughly  versed  in  agricultural  affairs,  and  is  a  typical  young 
American  farmer.  He  is  so  improving  his  estate  that  it  will  be  at 
an  early  date  one  of  the  finest  in  the  county. 

GEc)R(iE  Miller,  butcher,  was  born  in  Bavaria,  September  2, 
1848.  He  received  a  common  German  education,  and  emigrated  at 
sixteen  years  of  age  to  America,  coming  direct  to  St.  Charles. 
After  working  at  farm  labor  two  years,  he  went  in  partnership  with 
a  brother  in  a  meat  market  on  Whitewater  street,  this  city,  and  in 
1870  became  sole  owner  of  the  shop  and  business.  After  several 
removals  he  built  his  present  brick  market  on  Whitewater  street  in 
1880,  which  is  a  handsome  and  neat  structure,  50x22  feet  in  area. 
He  also  owns  the  adjoining  dwelling,  in  which  he  resides,  and  the 
original  shop  and  dwelling  at  the  north  end  of  the  street ;  also  has 
a  farm  of  eighty  acres  within  the  city  limits,  on  section  30.  His 
business  is  prospering,  and  he  earns  his  good  fortune  by  industry. 
Mr.  Miller  is  a  member  of  the  St.  Charles  Odd-Fellows'  lodge  and 
Knights  of  Honor.  He  was  reared  under  the  Roman  Catholic 
religion.  On  May  14,  1872,  he  was  married  to  Anna  M.  Speeter, 
who  was  born  in  Washington  county,  Wisconsin,  May  29,  1854. 
They  have  five  children,  born  as  follows  :  Mary  K.,  April  27,  1873  ; 
Otto  P.,  December  28,  1874 ;  Rosa*  C,  January  30,  1878  ;  Edward 
J.,  April  2,  1880  ;  Clara  E.,  April  24,  1882. 


CHAPTER  LIX. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


OTHER   PROMINENT   CITIZENS. 


Charles  G.  Bachelder,  book-keeper,  is  of  English  descent. 
His  grandfather,  Nathan  Bachelder,  moved  from  New  Hampshire 
to  Plallowell,  Maine,  and  built  his  house  in  the  midst  of  tliick 
woods,  where  now  is  the  busy  city.  Here  was  born  to  him  Charles 
G.,  the  father  of  this  subject ;  he  married  Susan  M.  Curtis,  a  native 
of  Boston,  Massachusetts,  and  engaged  in  mercantile  business  at 
Hallowell,  where  was  born  the  person  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch,  July  26,  1843.  After,  and  in  connection  with  his  course 
at  the  public  school  and  academy,  he  received  some  practical  com- 
mercial training  in  his  father's  store.  At  fifteen  years  of  age  he 
went  to  Boston  and  entered  the  employ  of  an  uncle  in  the  fruit  and 
produce  business  at  Faneuil  Hall  market.  From  here  he  went  to 
Chicago  in  the  spring  of  1863,  and  took  charge  of  a  storage  ware- 
house for  Seavens  Brothers  three  years  ;  was  three  years  with  the 
Lake  Shore  &  Michigan  Southern  Railway  Company  as  checking 
clerk  and  bookkeeper,  and  kept  books  a  short  time  for  a  produce . 
commission  house.  In  the  fall  of  1869  he  entered  the  employ  of  a 
live-stock  commission  merchant  at  St.  Louis  and  remained  there 
ten  years.  He  was  married  in  St.  Louis  March  26,  1873,  to 
Rhoda  C.  Mumbower,  who  was  born  in  Monongahela  City,  Penn- 
sylvania, November  20,  1853.  In  October,  1879,  Mr.  Bachelder 
became  a  resident  of  St.  Charles,  having  been  employed  to  keep  the 
books  of  C.  W.  Seefield,  an  extensive  grain  dealer,  with  warehouses 
in  various  parts  of  this  state  and^  Dakota.  For  the  past  two  years 
he  has  acted  as  city  recorder  ;  in  politics  is  a  republican.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  masonic  order  and  of  the  A.O.U.W. ;  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Unitarian  church  in  the  East  and  still  cherishes  that 
belief.  Six  children  have  been  born  to  him,  as  below  noted  : 
Annie  M.,  February  1,  1874;  Maud,  August  17,  1875;  George, 
June  27,  1877  ;  Charles  G.,  April  16,  1879  ;  Harry,  August  27, 
1881  ;  William  M.,  May  19,  1883. 

Walter  M.  Ross,  agricultural  merchant,  is  of  Scotch  parentage. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  791 

His  father,  Allen  Ross,  emigrated  from  the  Highlands  to  Canada 
when  eighteen  years  old,  and  his  mother,  Isabella  McKay,  was 
about  the  same  age  at  the  time  of  landing  in  America.  They  were 
married  in  Canada  and  had  seven,  sons  and  one  daughter,  all  of 
whom  are  now  living  save  two,  three  of  them  in  the  west,  one  in 
Oregon,  one  at  Luverne,  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch  at  St. 
Charles.  The  latter  was  born  in  Burford,  Oxford  county,  Ontario, 
February  17,  1841.  He  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm  till  of  age, 
and  then  worked  among  neighboring  farmers.  He  soon  became 
imbued  with  the  spirit  of  enterprise  which  has  developed  the  west, 
and  spent  the  summer  of  1864  in  Dodge  county,  Wisconsin,  where 
he  was  engaged  in  drilling  wells.  In  October  of  the  same  year  he 
removed  to  St.  Charles,  and  has  ever  since  been  a  resident  here.  He 
followed  drilling  for  several  years,  and  in  the  spring  of  1873  opened 
a  livery  business  in  this  city,  which  he  conducted  five  years  ;  at  the 
same  time  he  sold  some  agricultural  machinery,  and  has  ever  since 
made  a  specialty  of  the  J.  I.  Case  threshers.  After  closing  his  liv- 
ery business  he  engaged  exclusively  in  the  sale  of  machinery  ;  has 
also  dealt  in  horses  and  other  stock  to  a  considerable  extent.  He 
owns  his  present  business  location  on  Whitewater  street  and  a  resi- 
dence on  Church  street,  and  also  160*  acres  of  land  near  Kedwood 
Falls.  Mr.  Ross  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  trade,  and  is  one  of 
the  foremost  of  the  citizens  who  are  trying  to  develop  the  city  and 
its  interests.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  board  of  aldermen  for 
the  past  four  years  ;  is  a  republican.  He  was  reared  under  Presby- 
terian teachings,  but  is  a  liberal  in  religion,  affiliating  most  nearly 
with  Universalism.  Mr.  Ross  was  united  in  marriage  January  12, 
1869,  to  Miss  Martha  J.  Remore,  who  was  born  near  Racine,  Wis- 
consin, July  23,  1848.  Her  parents,  Jacob  F.  Remore  and  Casen- 
dana  Brown,  were  natives  of  New  York.  They  have  two  children, 
whose  births  date  as  below:  Mina  E.,  May  1,  1872;  Grace  D., 
October  2,  1875. 

John  Macomber,  farmer,  is  a  son  of  Joshua  Macomber,  who 
emigrated  from  Rhode  Island  to  Granville,  Washington  county,  New 
York,  and  married  Hannah  Watson,  a  native  of  Salem,  in  the  same 
county.  John,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  here,  July  28, 
1828.  He  assisted  in  the  labors  of  the  farm  and  attended  the 
district  schools  till  seventeen  years  old.  At  this  time  he  was 
apprenticed  for  five  years  to  a  carpenter  and  builder,  and  for  twenty 
years  after  serving  his  time  he  followed  this  occupation.     Decern- 


792  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

ber  24,  1851,  he  married  Lucretia  W.  Stewart,  a  native  of  the 
same  town  as  himself.  She  was  born  March  8,  1829.  Her  father, 
Samuel  Stewart,  served  througli  the  war  of  1812.  After  living  on 
a  farm  in  P'ort  Ann  four  years,  he  came  to  Minnesota,  arriving  in 
St.  Ciiarles  in  the  spring  of  1874.  He  had  traded  his  eastern  farm 
for  one  of  ninety-six  acres  within  the  limits  of  this  city,  on  Sec.  29, 
and  found  a  better  domain  than  he  expected.  The  health  ol  liis 
family  was  very  much  improved  by  this  removal,  but  Mr.  Macomber 
has  suffered  a  great  deal  of  late  from  heart  disease,  probably  the 
result  of  his  hard  labor.  His  life  has  been  one  of  severe  and  con- 
stant toil,  and  he  cannot  be  content  when  idle.  Mr.  Macomber  is  a 
staunch  republican.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church 
since  1843,  and  his  wife  joined  the  same  body  fifteen  years  since. 
John  S.  Macomber,  son  of  the  above,  was  born  in  Granville,  Feb- 
ruary 1,  1852.  He  attended  the  village  school  till  twenty  years  old, 
working  part  of  the  time  with  his  father  from  his  sixteenth  year. 
He  came  with  his  parents  to  this  city,  and  has  been  in  partnersliip 
with  his  father  in  business.  For  the  last  five  years  he  has  made  a 
specialty  of  breeding  fine  blooded  poultry,  and  has  several  varieties, 
doing  a  good  business  in  the  sale  of  chickens  and  eggs.  He  was 
married  October  4,  1880,  to  'Mary,  daughter  of  David  and  Mary 
Jones,  of  Wales.  She  was  born  at  Columbus,  Wisconsin,  August 
15,  1860.  They  have  one  child,  John,  born  November  14,  1881. 
Mr.  Macomber  agrees  with  his  father  in  political  opinions,  but  is  not 
so  well  established  in  religious  faith  ;  his  life,  however,  is  an  exem- 
plary one,  and  he  is  reckoned  among  the  promising  young  men  of 
our  rising  city. 

John  H.  Firth,  farmer,  is  a  son  of  Vincent  Firth,  a  native  of 
Sheffield,  England,  who  came  to  the  United  States,  married  Emily 
Briggs,  of  Pennsylvania,  and  settled  near  Philadelphia,  engaging 
in  mercantile  business.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born 
here  September  5,  1832.  When  four  years  old  his  ])arents  re- 
moved to  Switzerland  county,  Indiana,  where  he  received  his 
education  in  common  and  select  schools.  After  graduating  at  the 
Oincirmati  Commercial  College  he  engaged  in  teaching,  which  he 
followed  several  years.  He  visited  Minnesota  in  1856,  and  settled 
permanently  in  Utica  township  in  1859.  He  bought  eighty  acres  of 
land  on  Sec.  25,  which  he  cultivated  two  years  and  sold  after  owning 
six  years.  He  opened  the  first  grocery  store  in  Lewiston,  in  1861, 
and  sold  it  out  in  the  fall  of  1863.     In  January,  1864,  he  bought 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  793 

the  farm  on  which  he  still  resides ;  this  embraces  160  acres  of  Sec. 
12,  and  is  one  of  the  handsomest  farms  in  the  county,  being  finely- 
improved  through  Mr.  Firth's  industry  and  sagacity.  He  was 
married  November  9,  1862,  to  Miss  Lucy  Myers.  Mrs.  Firtlfs 
father,  James  Myers,  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Utica. 
He  was  born  in  Kentucky,  November  15,  1815.  His  wife,  Mary 
Elliott,  was  a  native  of  the  same  state.  Lucy,  their  daughter, 
was  born  in  Decatur  county,  Indiana,  February  20,  1846.  Mr. 
Myers  removed  from  Indiana  to  this  town  in  the  spring  of  1855,  and 
resided  on  Sec.  12  nearly  seven  years.  He  then  returned  to  Indiana, 
and  is  now  residing  in  Kansas.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Firth  are  Baptists  in 
faith,  the  latter  having  joined  a  church  of  that  denomination.  The 
former  is  an  ardent  republican ;  he  was  town  clerk  in  1S66-7, 
treasurer  in  1862-3,  and  served  by  appointment  as  supervisor  in 
1882.  The  family  includes  four  children,  whose  births  are  thus 
recorded  :  Vincent  IL,  October  24,  1863  ;  Nellie  E.,  May  28,  1866  ; 
Cora  M.,  July  22,  1869  ;  Ida  M.,  October  5,  1871. 

B[enry  Nusslock,  farmer,  son  of  Yalendin  Nusslock  and  Anna 
K.  Heck,  was  born  in  Rheinpfalz,  E-ohrbach,  Beilandan,  Bavaria, 
April  10,  1840  ;  he  has  always  been  a  farmer;  his  education  in 
English  has  all  been  obtained  by  private  study  ;  he  attended  school 
in  his  native  land,  and  emigrated  to  the  United  States  at  seventeen, 
coming  direct  to  Utica  township.  After  working  as  a  farm-laborer 
several  years,  he  sent  funds  to  his  fatherland,  brought  over  his 
parents,  a  brother  and  sister  and  aunt.  In  1864  he  bought  eighty 
acres  of  land  on  Sec.  12,  and  next  year  bought  forty  acres  more 
adjoining  and  built  a  residence  thereon.  He  now  has  a  finely 
improved  farm.  His  parents  have  resided  with  him  since  he  acquired 
a  home  ;  the  father  died  Ma}-  16,  1883,  aged  seventy-eight  years  ; 
the  mother  is  still,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two,  a  strong  and  rugged 
woman.  Mr.  Nusslock  was  married  November  16,  1864,  to 
Apolonea  Posz,  who  was  born  in  Billigheim,  Bavaria,  May  23,  1827. 
They  are  Presbyterians  in  religigus  faith.  Six  children  have  been 
born  to  them,  as  follows  :  Peter,  September  5,  1866  ;  Jacob,  March 
22,  1868;  Amelia,  January  15,  1871;  Lucy,  February  18,  1872; 
Henry,  April  28,  1873  ;  Emma,  January  23,  1880.  Mr.  Nusslock 
is  a  member  of  the  lodge  of  A.F.  and  A.M.  at  Lewiston,  and  Aurora 
Grove  of  Druids  of  the  same  place.  He  is  a  democrat  ;  has  been 
treasurer  of  his  school  district,  and  was  elected  town  supervisor  in 


794  JIISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

1883.  He  is  a  mau  of  intelligence  and  sagacity,  and  will  yet  be 
heard  from  by  the  public. 

Bkrnhard  Seeman,  farmer,  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  Mecklen- 
burg-Schwerin,  Germany,  where  he  was  born  August  16,  1831. 
After  attending  the  common  school,  as  customary  in  his  native 
land,  till  fourteen  years  old,  he  was  apprenticed  at  fifteen  to  a 
miller  for  three  years  ;  this  business  he  followed  about  twenty 
years.  At  twenty-three  he  came  to  the  United  States,  and  was 
employed  several  years  in  a  mill  at  Watertown,  Wisconsin.  He 
came  to  Minnesota  in  1867,  and  worked  in  a  mill  in  Warren  town- 
ship, this  county  ;  two  years  later  he  bought  160  acres  of  land  on 
Sec.  34,  Utica,  where  his  home  has  ever  since  been  ;  he  has  since 
made  purchase  and  sale  of  land,  and  now  has  120  acres,  on  which 
he  is  erecting  new  buildings  ;  also  has  a  house  and  lot  in  the  village 
of  Lewiston.  His  wife,  Caroline  nee  Hoebbe,  was  born  in  the  same 
parish  as  himself,  January  18,  1834,  and  they  were  united  in 
marriage  at  Watertown,  May  1,  1856.  Mr.  Seeman  has  cultivated 
a  kTiowledge  of  English  by  private  study,  and  is  one  of  our  repre- 
sentative men.  He  is  a  member  of  Aurora  Grove  of  Druids,  at 
Lewiston,  a  Lutheran  and  a  democrat.  His  sons  are  educated  and 
promising  young  men.  There  are  four  children  :  Bernhard  M., 
born  July  14,  1857,  married  Maggie  Posz,  June  14,  1883,  and  lives 
at  Lewiston  ;  Charles  H.,  September  24,  1861,  now  teaching  at 
Lewiston  ;  WiUiam  A.,  March  2,  1865  ;  Helen  H.  September  18, 
1872. 

Oliver  W.  Hunt,  blacksmith,  is  descended  from  an  English 
family  of  tliat  name  who  settled  at  Weymouth,  Massachusetts,  in 
1630.  George  Hunt  was  born  in  Canton,  Norfolk  county,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  married  Polly  Bryant,  a  native  of  the  same  town. 
He  was  a  blacksmith  and  worked  all  his  life  here.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch,  his  son,  was  born  on  January  9,  1843.  He  attended 
the  common  schools  till  seventeen  j^ears  old,  and  was  then  appren- 
ticed to  a  blacksmith,  and  has  ever  since  followed  that  occupation. 
He  began  business  for  himself  in  his  father's  shop  in  Canton,  and 
contiimed  several  years  in  the  vicinity.  On  September  5,  1864,  he 
enlisted  as  a  sailor  on  the  United  States  gunboat  luka,  and  served 
till  June  15,  1865.  His  vessel  belonged  to  the  east  gulf  squadron, 
and  ci-uised  about  the  blocked  ports  in  its  beat.  Mr.  Hunt  came 
to  Minnesota  with  a  colony  in  1872,  and  after  prosjjecting  about 
Glyndon  left  the  colony  and  returned  to  Winona,  where  he  worked 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  795 

a  short  time.  After  spending  a  year  at  Stockton  he  settled  in  busi- 
ness at  Lewiston  in  September,  1873.  He  bought  a  residence  and 
shop  on  the  south  side  of  the  railroad,  where  he  is  still  located. 
He  has  six  lots,  and  in  1883  built  a  large  two-storj  shop,  where  he 
makes  wagons  and  does  general  repairing.  Mr.  Hunt  is  a  member 
of  Harmony  Lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  at  Lewiston,  of  which  organ- 
ization he  is  secretary.  He  is  also  village  clerk,  has  been  village 
assessor  and  justice,  and  clerk  of  the  school  district  six  years.  In 
1875  he  was  elected  to  the  legislature,  and  served  the  following 
winter  with  credit  to  himself  and  the  district.  His  political  tenets 
are  republican.  His  wife  (Marcia  Davenport)  was  also  born  in 
Canton,  on  August  7,  1846.  Her  parents  (Jesse  Davenport  and 
Elmira  Hill)  were  natives  of  the  same  state.  She  was  joined  to 
Mr.  Hunt  in  holy  matrimony  September  30,  1863.  They  have  four 
living  children  and  have  lost  one.  Here  is  their  record  :  Almira, 
born  July  22,  1864,  married  John  Erion,  and  lives  in  this  township  ; 
Dora  E,  October  18,  1867,  married  Joseph  Posz,  and  lives  at 
Winona  ;  Louis  O.,  July  24,  1871,  died  when  eighteen  months  old  ; 
Emma  W.,  March  20,  1875  ;  Edith  L.,  July  21,  1879. 

John  Fohl,  restaurant,  was  born  in  the  town  of  Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin,  November  15,  1848,  his  parents,  Nicholas  and  Catharine 
Fohl,  were  born  in  Luxemburg,  Germany.  He  was  reared  on  a 
farm,  and  received  very  little  schooling.  He  came  to  Minnesota  in 
1865,  and  worked  six  years  on  the  construction  of  the  Winona  &  St. 
Peter  railroad.  He  was  married  on  January  15,  1871,  to  Amelia 
Kuhnert,  who  was  born  in  Brandenburg,  Germany,  in  the  fall  of 
1856.  They  have  five  children:  Louis,  Julia,  William,  Linas  and 
Benjamin.  In  1870,  while  hunting,  Mr.  Fohl  was  accidentally  shot 
through  the  right  arm,  which  disabled  him  for  some  time;  the  mis- 
hap was  caused  by  a  horse  starting  while  he  was  lifting  his  gun 
from  the  cutter  to  which  the  animal  was  attached.  In  1873  he 
opened  a  refreshment  saloon  at  Lewiston,  and  has  continued  in  the 
business  since.  He  soon  bought  the  property,  which  he  rented  at 
first,  and  now  owns  a  handsome  brick  residence  and  two  business 
lots  in  Turner's  addition,  opposite  the  railroad  depot,  and  is  doing  a 
prosperous  business.  In  1883  he  built  a  new  business  stand,  with 
public  hall  overhead,  46  X  24  feet  in  size.  He  is  one  of  the  enter- 
prising men  of  the  village.  He  is  a  member  of  Aurora  Grove 
Druids,  a  democrat  and  a  Roman  Catholic. 

Jonathan  Lewis,  farmer,  son  of  Jonathan  S.  Lewis,  founder  of 


796  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

the  village  of  Lewiston,  was  born  near  Penuinuton,  Ripley  county, 
Indiana,  September  11,  IS-H.  In  1855  his  father  settled  on  Sec.  14 
in  this  township,  where  he  dwelt  till  liis  aeatli.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  had  but  few  school  privile.i>:es,  as  the  country  attorded  small 
advantages  in  that  line,  until  he  began  to  care  for  himself,  and  his 
services  were  required  b}'  his  parents  in  developing  their  new  farm. 
At  twentv-one  he  worked  out  among  neighboring  farmers.  In  1863 
he  went  to  Warsaw,  Goodhue  county,  in  this  state,  where  he  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  of  land,  that  he  tilled  iive  years.  In  the  spi-ing 
of  1864  he  married  Marcia  (xeorge,  who  died  on  Christmas  day, 
1870;  one  child  of  hers  is  now  living, —  Mary  A.,  born  December 
15,  1860,  now  in  the  state  asylum  for  the  blind.  In  1868,  having 
sold  his  Goodhue  county  property,  Mr.  Lewis  returned  to  Utica,  and 
bought  160  acres  on  Sec.  35,  and  still  resides  thereon.  He  has  since 
purchased  forty-two  acres  more,  and  has  an  excellent  farm  with  good 
buildings  and  improvements.  On  September  1,  1872,  Mr.  Lewis 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Melissa  J.  Whetstone,  daughter  of 
David  and  Nancy  Whetstone,  who  removed  from  Indiana  to 
Warren,  1855.  She  was  born  in  Dearborn  county,  Indiana,  January 
10,  1852.  Mrs.  Lewis  is  a  member  of  the  Dunkard  church,  and  her 
husband  sympathizes  with  her  faith.  He  is  a  democrat  in  political 
principle.  They  have  three  children,  born  as  follows  :  Jonathan 
Smith,  May  20,  1876;  David  H.,  June  13,  1878;  Hattie  D.,  April 
21,  1880.  In  1869  Mr.  Lewis'  granary,  machinery,  etc.,  were 
damaged  by  a  flood,  which  swept  some  articles  half-a-mile  from  the 
foundation  ;  and  in  1870  his  house  was  destroyed  by  Are,  while 
uninsured,  but  he  went  to  work  with  the  energy  which  wins  to 
repair  the  damages,  and  is  now  independent. 

Aakox  Lewis,  farmer,  brother  of  the  above,  was  born  at  th&sanie 
place,  March  19,  1847.  Ever  since  he  was  seven  years  old  he  has 
resided  in  this  township.  He  began  to  care  tor  himself  at  twenty 
years  of  age.  He  was  married  December  12,  1870,  to  IVIary  A. 
Stewart,  who  was  born  in  Granville,  New  York,  August  21,  1850. 
Her  father,  John  Stewart,  was  born  in  New  York,  and  her 
mother,  Rosilla  Kilbourn,  is  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  they  now 
reside  in  the  town  of  Warren.  Mr.  Lewis  operated  a  threshing 
machine  several  years.  In  1873  lie  rented  a  farm  in  Warren,  which 
he  tilled  until  he  purchased  his  present  domain  ;  this  consists  of 
eighty  acres,  on  Sec.  34,  Utica,  which  he  acquired  in  1882.  Both 
himself  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Dunkard  church.       He  has 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


797 


voted  but  once  in  his  life,  and  then  cast  a  democratic  ballot.  Four 
children  have  been  given  him,  as  recorded  below  :  Nettie  May, 
September  12,  1871;  Cora  A.,  February  10,  1875;  Elizabeth  A., 
March  21,  1877;  John  H.,  February  7,  1881. 

Charles  Schaetan  (deceased)  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  "^ 
Utica  township,  having  bought  a  claim  to  160  acres  of  land  on  Sec. 
11,  where  he  dwelt  till  the  fall  of  1882.  He  was  born  in  Prussia, 
January  19,  1813,  and  married  Mary  Abel  December  26,  1838.  He 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1848,  but  becoming  dissatisfied, 
returned  to  his  native  land.  Keturning  again  to  America,  he  bought 
a  farm  near  Muscatine,  Iowa,  which  he  tilled  until  his  removal  here. 
He  sold  his  farm  to  his  son-in-law  in  the  fall  of  1882  and  removed 
to  the  village  of  Lewiston,  where  he  died  December  22,  that  year. 
He  had  three  children,  of  whom  one  died  in  Colorado.  The 
youngest,  Elizabeth,  was  born  November  29,  1842  ;  married  William 
Kramer,  and  lives  on  Sec.  11.  William  C.  Schartan,  son  of  the 
above,  was  born  in  Saxony,  Prussia,  July  6,  1840,  and  was  there- 
fore eight  years  old  on  his  first  visit  to  America.  Most  of  his  edu- 
cation was  received  in  our  common  English  schools,  and  he  has  not 
disgraced  his  opportunities.  Most  of  his  life  has  been  spent  in  this 
township.  He  went  south  early  in  1864,  and  after  serving  the 
United  States  as  a  watchman  at  Nashville'  for  six  months  enlisted,  in 
August  of  that  year,  in  Co.  I,  40th  Mo.  Inf.,  and  served  about  a 
year.  He  participated  in  the  battles  of  Franklin  and  Nashville, 
Tennessee,  and  capture  of  the  forts  about  the  harbor  of  Mobile.  At 
the  close  of  the  war  he  was  discharged  and  returned  to  Utica.  In 
1869  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  2,  on  which  he  lived 
seven  years.  He  was  married,  March  18,  1876,  to  Anna,  daughter 
of  Frederick  Ogrosky  ;  she  was  born  in  Lesing,  Prussia,  June  28, 
1856.  They  have  three  children,  whose  births  date  as  follows  : 
Minnie,  October  6,  1877  ;  Edward,  October  8,  1880  ;  Charles,  March 
19,  1883.  After  selling  his  farm,  in  1876,  Mr.  Schartan  moved  to 
the  village  of  Lewiston,  where  he  still  resides,  and  took  up  carpenter 
work,  his  present  occupation.  He  is  a  republican  in  politics  and  a 
Universalist  in  religion. 

William  Dexter  Bosworth,  farmer.  The  father  of  this  subject. 
Constant  D.  Bosworth,  was  one  of  the  force  called  out  in  what  was 
called  the  "  Aroostook  war, "  to  drive  the  Canadians  from  American 
timber  on  the  Maine  border.  He  was  a  native  of  Maine,  as  was  his 
wife,  Eliza  Adkins.     W.  D.  Bosworth  was  born  in  Sumner,  Oxford 


798  HISTORY    OF    WEVONA    COUNTY. 

county,  Maine.  February  1,  1842.  His  father  died  when  he  was  but. 
a  youth,  and  he  was  early  compelled  to  care  for  himself.  At  sixteen 
he  began  to  work  out  on  farms  during  the  summer.  His  education 
was  furnished  by  the  common  schools,  supplemented  by  three  terms 
at  Farmington  and  Kent's  Hill  academies.  On  reaching  his  twenty- 
third  year  he  resolved  to  make  himself  a  home  in  the  west,  and  came 
to  Minnesota,  arriving  in  Utica  in  March,  1865.  The  next  year  he 
bought  a  half  interest  in  192  acres  of  land  in  the  southwestern  part 
of  the  town.  At  present  he  owns  185  acres  of  land  in  Sees.  20  and 
29,  and  has  his  farm  under  a  good  state  of  cultivation,  with  fine 
buildings  and  other  improvements.  His  wife,  Maria  E.,  is  a 
daughter  of  Samuel  A.  Campbell  and  Emily  Buttertield,  both  of 
whom  were  born  at  Campbell,  Maine.  Mrs.  Bosworth  was  born  in 
Farmington,  same  state,  March  25,  1847.  Mr.  Bosworth  is  a  mem- 
ber in  good  standing  of  Harmony  Lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  at  Lewis- 
ton  ;  is  a  LTniversalist,  and  a  republican.  Three  children  have  been 
given  to  him  and  one  taken  away.  Following  is  the  record :  Nettie 
E.,  born  February  7,  1874,  died  June  11,  1876;  Roy  D.,  April  1, 
1877  ;  Verne  H.,'  March  30,  1879. 

David  H.  and  John  Q.  Wilson,  farmers,  were  born  at  Alton, 
Illinois,  the  former  on  September  9,  1830,  and  the  latter* August  13, 
1837.  Their  parents,  S.  S.  Wilson  and  Mary  Hill,  were  natives  of 
Kentucky.  William  Wilson,  grandfather  of  S.  S. ,  emigrated  with  a 
brother  from  Ireland  to  North  Carolina.  The  latter  was  killed  by 
tories  during  the  revolution.  James,  father  of  S.  S.  Wilson, 
settled  in  Kentucky,  whence  he  removed  to  Sinclair  county,  Illinois, 
of  which  region  he  was  a  pioneer,  and  where  he  died.  David 
Wilson  was  reared  on  a  farm  and  received  a  limited  common  school 
education.  At  sixteen  years  of  age  he  went  out  to  farm  labor.  He 
owned  and  operated  a  farm  in  Jersey  county,  Illinois,  eight  years. 
In  September,  1861,  he  bought  120  acres  on  Sec.  20,  Utica  township, 
and  brought  his  family  here  on  April  13,  following.  Himself  and 
brother  are  in  partnership,  and  have  been  together  since  their  advent 
here ;  they  have  a  highly  improved  farm.  D.  H.  Wilson  was 
united  in  holy  matrimony  to  Mary  Cheatham  on  March  28,  1859  ; 
she  was  born  in  Marion,  Crittenden  county,  Kentucky,  January  24, 
1837 ;  her  parents,  W.  W.  Cheatham  and  Margaret  Wilson,  were 
also  natives  of  that  state.  Six  children  have  blessed  this  union,  of 
whom  three  are  living,  born  as  follows  :  Etta  M.,  March  18,  1S64; 
Charles,  September  21,  1868  ;  Edson  W.,  May  20,  1882.     Messrs. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  799 

Wilson  are  believers  in  the  second  advent  of  Christ.  In  politics 
they  affiliate  with  the  republican  party.  The  elder  has  been  school 
treasurer  eleven  years,  town  treasurer  two  years  and  supervisor  lour 
years.  John  Q.  Wilson  enlisted  February  20,  1865,  in  the  3d 
kinn.  batt.,  and  served  till  February  28,  1866,  quelling  Indians 
on  the  western  frontier. 

James  J.  H.  Dickson,  farmer,  is  a  descendant  of  George  Dickson, 
a  Protestant,  who  emigrated  from  Ireland  to  the  colonies  and  served 
in  the  continental  army  thrbugh  the  revolution  ;  he  married  Keziah, 
daughter  of  Joshua  Hurmer,  a  Quaker,  and  settled  in  Perry  county, 
Pennsylvania.  Here  was  born  his  son,  George,  who  served  the 
United  States  through  the  war  of  1812  ;  he  married  Fannie  Garrett, 
and  resided  on  a  farm  near  Meadville,  Pennsylvania.  His  son,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  here  August  14,  1819.  James 
Dickson's  early  life  was  spent  on  a  farm  and  in  learning  his  father's 
trade,  that  of  millwright,  receiving  some  instruction  in  the  common 
schools.  On  reacliing  manhood,  he  kept  a  grocery  store  a  short 
time,  bought  a  farm,  which  he  soon  sold.  On  May  25,  1842,  he  was 
joined  in  matrimony  to  Miss  Sarah  R.  Jones  ;  she  was  a  daughter 
of  Nathaniel  Jones  and  Lavina  Tyon,  of  Vermont,  and  was  herself 
born  near  Whitehall,  Vermont,  July  1,  1816.  In  1843  Mr.  Dickson 
settled  at  Northville,  La  Salle  county,  lUinois,  where  ^le  engaged  in 
farming  and  the  manufacture  of  pumps.  In  1861  he  removed  to 
Minnesota,  and  bought  230  acres  of  land  in  Saratoga  township,  this 
county,  which  he  owned  and  tilled  most  of  the  time  till  1871. 
While  on  this  farm  he  made  a  great  many  pumps,  and  removed  the 
business  to  St.  Charles,  where  he  carried  it  on  nearly  five  years  and 
again  returned  to  the  farm  with  it.  He  has  made  many  hundreds 
of  wooden  pumps.  While  living  here,  August  28,  1869,  his 
faithful  life  partner  was  taken  away  by  death.  She  had  become  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  when  a  young  girl,  and 
lived  and  died  a  consistent  christian.  Six  children  survived  her  ; 
here  is  their  record:  Joseph  H.,  born  March  26,  1843,  lives  in  San 
Bernardino  county,  California,  having  married  Julia  Harvey  ;  Dallas 
S.,  May  29,  1844.  served  nearly  a  year  in  the  11th  Minn.  Vols., 
having  enlisted  August  20,  1864,  now  living  in  Adams  county, 
Iowa  ;  Harriet  J.,  September  16,  1848,  resides  atKhinebeck,  Grundy 
county,  Iowa  ;  Charles  S.,  March  17,  1850,  married  Lillie  Gates, 
is  practicing  medicine  at  Somonauk,  Illinois  ;  Caroline  P.,  Septem- 
ber 8,  1851,  married  Thomas  W.  Hill,  with  whom  she  resides  at 


800  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COITNTY. 

Rhinebeck,  Iowa  ;  Juines  P\,  March  19,  1857,  lives  at  Lake  Minne- 
tonka.  In  June,  1881,  Mr.  Dickson  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  on 
Sec.  29,  Utica,  where  is  home  now  is.  He  was  married  on  October 
30,  1872,  to  Catharine  W.,  relict  of  Louis  Bearss  and  daughter  ot 
James  Beatty  and  Elizabeth  Bull,  of  Perry  county,  Pennsylvania, 
where  she  was  born  October  29,  1824.  She  is  a  member  of  the 
Congregational  church  at  St.  Charles,  and  Mr.  Dickson  is  a  member 
of  the  Utica  Methodist  Episcopal  society.  He  was  a  democrat  in 
early  life,  was  present  at  the  nomination  of  Abraham  Lincoln  for 
the  presidency,  and  has  voted  the  republican  ticket  ever  since  that 
time. 

Clinton  Doolittle,  farmer,  is  a  descendant  of  Eliasaph  Doo- 
little,  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Oneida  cfumty,  New  York, 
whither  he  emigrated  from  liis  native  Connecticut ;  he  was  a  soldier 
in  the  war  of  1812.  Willard  Doolittle,  son  of  Eliasaph,  was  born 
in  Oneida  county  and  married  Hannah,  daughter  of  Charles  and 
Abigail  Forsyth,  of  Connecticut.  She  was  born  in  ^hatauqua  county. 
Willard  Doolittle  lived  on  a  farm  in  Westfield,  last-named  county, 
where  was  born  the  person  whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  February 
8,  1886.  Clinton  Doolittle  received  a  common  school  education 
while  helping  his  father  on  the  farm.  In  1854:  he  accompanied  his 
father  to  Winona  county,  the  latter  settling  on  a  farm  below  Minne- 
sota City,  where  he  died  April  11,  1860.  In  1862  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  became  a  resident  of  Utica,  purchasing  120  acres  of  land 
on  Sec.  30,  his  home  ever  snnce.  His  farm  is  a  handsome  one  and 
well  imju'oved  by  Mr.  D.'s  industrious  care.  His  marriage  took 
place  November  22,  1864,  the  bride  being  Miss  Elizabeth,  C, 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Maria  (Cheatham)  Hilton  ;  she  was  born  in 
Lexington,  Missouri,  January  22,  1844.  Her  parents  were  of  Scotch 
and  English  descent,  and  born  in  Virginia  and  Kentucky  respect- 
ively. Mr.  Doolittle  is  a  republican  and  a  Congregationalist ;  Mrs. 
D.  is  a  Cam])bellite  in  belief.  Their  four  handsome  and  interesting 
chihlren  are  all  at  home.  Their  births  date  as  here  given  :  Myrtie 
M.,  November  5,  1866  ;  Mary  Frances,  September  6,  1868  ;  Wil- 
lard E.,  June  2,  1872  ;  Jay  C.',  December  27,  1881. 

Wm.  F.  Phelps,  ex-president  of  the  National  Educational  Asso 
ciation  of  the  United  States,  and  well  known  at  home  and  abroad 
as  one  of  the  distinguished  educators  of  the  northwest,  is  a  Tuitive 
of  Auburn,  New  York.  In  1846  Mr.  Phelps  graduated  from  the 
state  normal   school   at  Albany,  with  which  institution  he  was  con- 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  801 

nected  for  several  years  as  an  instructor.  He  graduated  from  Union 
College,  Schenectady,  New  York,  in  1851,  and  had  the  degree  A.M. 
conferred  upon  him  by  liis  Alma  Mater  three  years  later.  In  July, 
1855,  Mr.  Phelps  was  appointed  ]jrincipal  of  the  ISTew  Jersey  state 
normal  school  at  Trenton.  This  was  a  new  institution  to  which 
the  state  was  just  giving  tbrm.  The  buildings  for  the  school  were 
planned  by  the  new  principal,  who  also  oi'ganized  the  school  and 
conducted  it  for  nine  years,  at  the  expiration  of  which  time  he  closed 
his  educational  work  in  New  Jersey,  having  accepted  the  principal- 
ship  of  the  state  normal  school  at  Winona,  Minnesota.  This  insti- 
tution has  been  given  due  place  in  the  educational  department  of 
this  history,  and  any  particular  mention  is  unnecessary  here.  Mr. 
Phelps  remained  at  the  head  of  its  affairs  during  a  period  of  twelve 
years,  in  whicli  its  foundations  were  enduringly  laid,  and  its  char- 
acter as  a  training-school  for  teachers  fully  approved.  Leaving 
Winona  in  1876,  Mr.  Phelps  took  charge  of  the  normal  school  at 
Whitewater,  Wisconsin,  and  continued  at  its  head  for  two  years, 
during  which  time  he  edited  the  "Chicago  Educational  Weekly," 
the  first  weekly  educational  journal  published  in  the  west.  In  1856 
Mr.  Phelps  assisted  at  the  organization  of  the  National  Normal 
School  Association,  in  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  being  one  of  its 
originators,  and  for  five  successive  years  its  president.  This  nor- 
mal association  was  afterward  merged  into  the  National  Educa- 
tional Association,  still  continuing  its  work,  however,  as  one  of  the 
five  original  departments  of  the  more  inclusive  organization.  At 
the  annual  session  of  the  National  Educational  Association,  held  at 
Minneapolis,  in  1875,  Mr.  Phelps  was  elected  its  president,  and  in 
that  capacity  delivered  the  opening  address  at  the  session  of  1876, 
held  at  Baltimore,  July  10,  11  and  12  of  that  year.  One  week 
later  the  International  Congress  of  Education  was  held  at  Phila- 
delphia. This  congress,  the  result  of  the  presence  of  eminent 
educators  from  all  parts  of  the  world  in  attendance  upon  America's 
centennial  celebration  at  Philadelphia,  convened  in  the  judges' 
pavilion  on  the  centennial  grounds,  on  the  afternoon  of  July  17. 
Sir  Redmond  Barry,  of  Australia,  was  elected  president,  and  of  the 
two  American  vice-presidents  Mr.  W.  F.  Phelps  was  chosen  one,  and 
requested  to  preside  over  the  deliberations  of  the  congress.  At  this 
congress  there  were  I'epresentatives  from  twelve  foreign  countries, 
and  twenty-four  of  the  states  of  the  American  Union.  This  was  the 
first  conference  or  congress  of  the  kind  ever  held,  and  the  position 


802  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

of  Mr.  Phelps  as  its  presiding  officer  naturally  directed  attention  to 
his  educational  labors.  At  the  Paris  exposition  the  following  year 
Mr.  Pheli)S  was  awarded  silver  medal  and  di})lotna  as  an  educaticuial 
writer  and  collahorateur.  In  1875  Mr.  Phelps  published  through  tiie 
house  of  A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co.,  of  New  York,  his  "Teachers'  Hand- 
book,'' a  practical  manual  for  the  use  of  teachers,  which  has  had  a  most 
extended  sale.  In  1878  he  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the  '  *  Teach- 
ers' Retreat''  at  Chautauqua,  New  York,  and  was  director  of  this  par- 
ticular department.  At  the  request  of  the  Chautauqua  manage- 
ment he  prepared  five  small  volumes  to  be  used  as  handbooks  for 
the  work  there  prosecuted.  In  1881,  after  nearly  forty  years'  con- 
tinuous service  in  the  educational  ranks,  during  which  he  had  held 
the  very  chief  seats  of  honor  in  the  national  and  international  associa- 
tions, Mr.  Phelps  retired  from  educational  work  to  devote  his  later 
years  to  business  affairs.  He  is  at  present  and  lor  the  past  four 
year  has  been  the  efficient  secretary  of  the  Winona  board  of  trade. 

John  Ludwig,  mayor  of  city  of  Winona.  Mr.  Ludwig  is  a 
native  of  Luxemburg,  Germany,  from  which  place  he  came  to 
America  when  sixteen  years  ot  age,  settling  in  Fond  du  Lac,  Wis- 
consin. Was  engaged  in  clerking  there  until  the  early  fall  of  1861, 
when  he  enlisted  in  the  9th  Wis.  Inf.  reg.,  and  was  sent  to  the 
department  of  Missouri.  His  command  was  attached  to  the  seventh 
army  corps,  and  their  field  ot  operations  was  in  Kansas,  Arkansas 
and  Missouri,  the  service  being  largely  one  of  fatiguing  marches 
and  semi-guerrila  warfare,  in  which  there  is  more  hard  woi"k  than 
opportunity  for  glory.  During  considerable  portion  of  the  time  he 
was  in  the  service  Mr.  Ludwig  was  with  the  commissary  department 
or  on  recruiting  service.  The  hardest  engagement  in  which  he  took 
part  was  that  at  Newtonia,  Missouri,  October  28,  1864.  His  first  term 
of  enlistment  expiring,  Mr.  Ludwig  re-enlisted,  and  served  until 
mustered  out  in  the  fall  of  1865,  having  been  lour  years  and  four 
months  in  the  army.  In  1867  Mr.  Ludwig  came  to  Winona,  and 
opened  the  Winona  house,  since  which  time  he  has  been  engaged  in 
hotel  business.  He  was  for  three  years  treasurer  of  the  city,  and 
had  served  one  term  as  alderman  of  the  second  ward,  when  lie  was 
elected  mayor  of  the  cit}'  in  the  spring  of  1883.  (See  official  list.) 
Mr.  Ludwig  is  married,  and  has  seven  children,  four  of  them  attend- 
ing school  in  the  city. 

WmoNA  Harvester  Works. — This,  though  the  last,  is  by  no 
means  likely  to  prove  the  least  of  Winona's  manufacturing  Indus- 


BIOGEAPHICAL.  803 

tries.  The  company  was  organized  May  27,  1883,  the  incorporators 
being  J.  D.  Easter,  L.  C.  Bonner,  H.  W.  Lamberton,  V.  Simpson, 
J.  H.  Jenkins,  T.  T.  Hayden,  J.  J.  Eandall,  C.  H.  Porter,  W.  H. 
Garlock,  J.  Kendall,  F.  A.  Johnston,  W.  K.  F.  Yila,  and  A.  C. 
Tucker.  The  capital  stock,  all  taken,  is  $250,000,  and  the  business 
of  the  corporation  will  be  the  manufacture  of  harvesters  and  binders 
and  the  manufacture  of  farm  machinery  and  agricultural  implements 
in  general.  Their  location  is  upon  a  tract  of  twenty-seven  acres,  in 
the  western  part  of  the  city,  between  the  tracks  of  the  Chicago  & 
Northwestern  and  Chicago,  Milw^aukee  &  St.  Paul  railways.  Here 
ground  has  been  broken,  and  their  buildings  are  being  erected,  con- 
tract calling  for  their  completion  October  1,  1883.  These  buildings 
are  a  main  manufactory,  260  X  50  feet,  three  stories  high  ;  foundry, 
105x70,  one  story;  blacksmith  shop,  50x70,  and  an  engine-house, 
32x40,  furnished  with  an  engine  of  200  horse-power.  These 
buildings  are  all  of  brick  with  substantial  stone  loundations.  When 
completed  the  works  will  give  employment  to  about  400  men.  The 
present  officers  of  the  company  are  :  President,  C.  L.  Bonner ; 
vice-president,  J.  J.  Randall;  secretary  and  treasurer;  C.  H.  Porter; 
general  manager,  J.  D.  Easter. 

CuMMiNGS  &  Yila,  wholesale  and  retail  dealers  in  boots  and 
shoes,  17  East  Third  street. — This  business  was  established  in  1862, 
by  Cummings  &  Cushing,  on  Second  street,  in  what  was  then  known 
as  No.  3  Union  block,  the  east  storeroom  of  the  two  numbers  now 
occupied  by  Saml.  Fox's  clothing-house.  Business  was  carried  on 
at  this  location  until  1872,  when  it  was  removed  across  the  street  to 
No.  3  Simpson's  block,  ti'om  which  place  it  was  transferred  to  the 
present  location,  in  1875.  The  storeroom  now  occupied  fronts  23^ 
feet  on  Third  street,  and  has  a  depth  of  90  feet,  a  basement  of  equal 
dimensions  being  used  for  packing  and  storage.  The  firm  of  Cum- 
mings &  Cushing  became  Cummings,  Cushing  &  Co.,  in  1863,  by 
the  admission  of  W.  K.  F.  Yila  to  a  partnership  in  the  business, 
and  on  the  withdrawal  of  Mr.  Cushing,  in  1865,  became  Cummings 
&  Yila,  and  has  so  continued.  The  present  firm  are  J.  B.  Cum- 
mings and  W.  K.  F.  Yila. 

J.  B.  Cummings  is  a  native  of  Kennebeck  count}-,  Maine.  Left 
home  when  a  young  man,  as  sailor  before  the  mast,  and  was  on  the 
open  seas  four  years,  voyaging  around  the  Cape  and  to  the  Pacific 
coast.  Was  in  California  for  four  or  live  years  before  coming  to 
this  city  in  1859,  and  was  in  grocery  trade  here  until  his  ])reseiit 
48 


804  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

shoe  business  was  established,  three  years  later.  Mr.  Cummings  is 
a  prominent  member  of  the  masonic  fraternity,  holding  important 
offices  in  blue  lodge,  chaj^ter  and  commanderv,  as  will  be  seen  by 
the  records  turiiished  for  insertion  in  this  volume. 

W.  K.  F.  Vila  is  a  native  of  Boston,  Massachusetts;  left  home  at 
seventeen  years  of  age,  was  for  four  years  a  sailor  before  the  mast, 
in  the  same  vessel  as  his  pai'tner,  and  made  tlie  trip  around  the  Cape 
with  him.  Returning  home,  was  in  Boston  from  1854  to  1859. 
Came  to  Winona  in  1860,  and  was  in  grain  business  here  until  1803, 
when  he  formed  liis  connection  with  the  shoe-house  ol  Cummings  & 
Co.  Mr.  Vila  is  a  member  and  director  of  the  board  of  trade  ;  a 
member  of  AVinona  Lodge,  No.  18,  A.  F,  and  A.  M. ;  ol  Winona 
Chapter,  No.  5,  of  which  he  was  high  priest  three  years,  and  of 
Coeur  de  Lion  Commandery,  No.  3. 

A.  D.  Ellsworth,  Minnesota  City  Mills,  at  Minnesota  City; 
office,  corner  of  Third  and  Main  streets,  Winona.  The  original 
mill,  built  by  Miller  &  Ellsworth,  on  this  mill  site,  was  erected  in 
1867,  about  eighty  rods  west  of  the  Union  depot,  at  the  intersection 
of  the  railway  tracks  at  Minnesota  City.  The  real  property  and 
water  privilege  includes  143  acres  on  the  Eolling  Stone  river. 
This  stream,  being  fed  by  springs,  never  runs  dry,  and  at  tlie  mill 
there  is  a  head  of  eleven  feet,  affording  ample  power  for  all  pur- 
poses required.  The  mill,  70x72  feet,  is  built  upon  a  solid  stone 
foundation,  above  which  the  wooden  structure  rises  three  stories  in 
height,  and  originally  furnished  with  six  run  of  stone,  and  having  a 
daily  capacity  of  200  barrels  of  flour.  The  mill  was  run  as  a  burr 
mill  until  1880,  when  it  was  reconstructed  as  a  gradual  reduction 
mill,  and  has  now  a  daily  capacity  of  240  barrels,  the  average  prod- 
uct being  about  140  barrels  a  day.  The  business  done  is  a  mer- 
chant milling  one,  the  wheat  supply  being  both  local  and  from  the 
western  sections  of  the  state,  principal  shij)])ing  points  being  Sleepy- 
Eye,  Redwood  Falls  and  Marshall.  Besides  supplying  his  mill,  Mr. 
Ellsworth  is  an  extensive  shipper  of  grain  to  eastern  markets,  prin- 
cipally wheat,  alsf)  barley,  seeds  and  oats.  Mill  product  is  marketed 
Doth  south  and  east.  The  mill  gives  emj)loyment  to  ten  hands,  the 
various  shipping  points  six  more,  besides  the  bookkeeper  in  the  cen- 
tral office,  O.  H.  Clark.  The  last  year's  business  aggregated  from 
250,000  to  300,000  bushels.  Mr.  Ellsworth  is  a  native  of  Maine, 
which  state  he  left  in  1851  for  California,  where  he  remained  Ave 
years,  and  then  settled  in  Waupun,  Wisconsin.     Was  there  engaged 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  805 

in  grain  trade  till  he  came  to  Winona  county  in  1862,  since  which 
time,  until  1882,  he  has  been  extensively  engaged  in  farming  as  well 
as  grain  shipping  and  milling.  Mr.  Ellsworth  has  one  child  living, 
Amos  D.  Ellsworth,  Jr.;  his  mother,  Mrs.  Lizzie  C.  Ellsworth 
{7iee  Smith)  having  died  May  7,  1881.  The  family  residence  is  on 
the  corner  of  Washington  and  Fourth  streets. 

County  Auditor. — R.  B.  Bastord,  present  incumbent,  was 
elected  in  1880,  and  present  term  of  service  expires  March  1,  1883. 
Mr.  Basford  is  a  native  ot  Maine  ;  came  to  Winona  from  the  east, 
where  he  had  been  engaged  in  merchandising,  in  1856,  and  was 
here  one  year  in  the  service  of  Indian  agent  Berly.  Went  to  the 
Pacific  in  1857,  returning  in  1859.  Has  been  permanently  a  resi- 
dent of  the  city  since  1866,  from  which  period  until  1875  he  was  in 
real  estate  business.  Elected  county  treasurer  in  1875,  he  held  that 
office  two  terms,  and  was  then  nominated  and  elected  auditor.  Mr. 
Basford  is  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Building  Association.  He 
was  made  a  Master  Mason  in  1860  ;  two  years  later  took  his  chapter 
degree,  and  in  1874  became  a  member  of  Coeur  de  Lion  Com- 
mandery.  No.  3. 

Benton  H.  Langley.  division  freight  agent  of  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railway,  was  born  at  Andover,  New  Hamp- 
shire, September  28,  1841.  His  education  was  received  in  the 
schools  of  his  native  town,  which  he  attended  until  his  parents 
removed  to  the  west  in  1854,  at  which  time  Benton  was  thirteen 
3^ears  of  age.  Since  then  he  has  been  educated  in  the  school  of 
personal  endeavor.  The  family  first  settled  in  Elgin,  Illinois,  re- 
maining until  the  spring  of  1855,  when  they  located  in  Hastings, 
Minnesota.  During  that  spring  and  summer  young  Langley  was 
employed  in  lathing  and  shingling,  one  of  his  jobs  being  the  old 
Catholic  church,  the  first  church  building  erected  in  Hastings. 
That  fall,  1855,  he  returned  east,  remaining  until  the  spring  of  1857, 
when  he  came  back  to  Hastings,  clerked  in  the  postoffice  there-  one 
year,  and  in  the  spring  of  1858  went  to  Mankato,  as  agent  for 
Thome,  Follett  &  Co. ,  bankers,  at  Hastings,  for  whom  he  was  pur- 
chasing and  shipping  ginseng.  That  same  fall,  1858,  he  entered 
the  commission  and  forwarding  house  of  North  &  Carll,  remained 
one  year,  and  then  took  a  similar  position  with  the  house  of  Davis 
&  Yan  Auken.  A  few  months  later,  March  4,  1860,  Mr.  Langley 
bought  Davis'  interest  in  the  business,  the  firm  becoming  Van  Auken 
&  Langley,  and  so  continuing  until  the  fall  of  1866.     In  the  winter 


806  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

of  1864-5,  Mr.  Langley,  under  the  iirm  name  of  B.  H.  Langley 
&  Co.,  established  an  agency  for  tlie  Northwestern  Packet  Company, 
at  Winona,  and  removed  to  this  city  with  his  family,  February 
27,  1865.  The  firm  became  Seavey  tfe  Langley  in  1867,  Langley 
&  Hatcher  in  1869,  and  the  business  discontinued  two  years  later, 
when  Mr.  Langley  became  directly,  as  he  had  heretofore  been  indi- 
rectly, the  agent  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railway 
Company.  As  agent  of  that  road  he  held  his  position  until  1879, 
when  he  was  promoted  to  the  post  of  division  freight  agent,  with 
headquarters  at  Winona.  May  12,  1862,  Mr.  Langley  married 
Miss  M.  A.  Chase,  of  Rochester,  Minnesota.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren :  Mary  E.,  attending  school  at  Wellesley,  Massachusetts,  and 
B.  H. ,  attending  the  model  department  of  the  normal  school  here. 

N.  F.  HiLBEKT,  civil  engineer  and  surveyor,  is  a  native  of 
Luxemburg,  Germany,  from  which  country  he  came  to  America  at 
twenty-two  years  of  age,  having  pursued  his  studies  until  then  at 
his  native  university.  In  1853  he  was  employed  as  draughtsman 
under  Col.  Berien,  chief  engineer  of  Michigan  Central  railway  sur- 
vey and  construction  from  Michigan '  City  to  Chicago,  and  in  the 
following  year  was  under  the  same  chief  engineer  in  Illinois,  on  the 
central  military  tract  railway  fi'orn  Princeton  to  Galesburg,  the  pro- 
files and  estimates  of  these  lines  being  prepared  by  Mr.  Ililbert. 
His  health  failing  in  that  work,  Mr.  Hilbert  came  to  Winona  in  the 
S])ring  of  1855,  and,  when  the  transit  railway  line  was  run  between 
this  city  and  New  Ulm,  assumed  charge  of  the  surveys  under  his 
brother,  H.  J.  Hilbert,  chief  engineer  of  the  road.  N.  F.  Hilbert 
was  railroad  expert  for  the  appraisement  between  this  city  and 
Janesville,  Minnesota,  for  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  Railway  Com- 
pany. He  was  treasurer  of  Winona  county  from  1868  to  1874, 
and  cashier  of  the  Merchants  National  Bank  from  1874  to  18Y8, 
when  impaired  health  compelled  him  to  desist  from  office  work. 
The  ofiaces  of  county  surveyor  and  city  engineer  he  has  held  at 
various  times,  and  there  is  scarcely  a  road  in  the  vicinity  or  an  addi- 
tion to  the  city  upon  which  his  surveying  skill  has  not  been  exercised. 
The  beautiful  grounds  of  Woodlawn  cemetery  were  designed  by 
him,  and  much  of  their  attractiveness  is  due  to  his  labor.  His 
name  is  given  to  the  brick  block  on  the  corner  of  Second  and  Lafay- 
ette streets,  a  substantial  two-story  structure,  60x80,  the  second 
story  of  which  is  his  family  residence. 

M.  K.  Drew  &  W.  S.  Drew.     These  gentlemen  (brothers)  have 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


807 


been  residents  of  Winona,  the  former  since  1854,  the  latter  since 
1855.  Previous  to  making  this  city  their  home  they  were  in  dry- 
goods  business  for  a  number  of  years  at  Meadville,  Pennsylvania. 
W.  S.  Drew,  being  officially  connected  with  the  financial  board  of 
Allegheny  College,  located  there.  M.  K.  Drew  and  his  brother 
made  extensive  purchases  of  real  estate  on  coming  into  Minnesota, 
and  for  the  first  twenty  years  of  their  residence  here  were  in  partner- 
ship in  that  business.  Upon  its  discontinuance,  W.  S.  devoted 
himself  exclusively  to  city  business,  and  M.  K.  to  the  management 
of  his  landed  property,  principally  farms  in  the  western  part  of  the 
state.  Mr.  M.  K.  Drew  was  twice  mayor  of  the  city,  and  was  also 
a  member  of  the  city  council  at  various  times  as  alderman.  In  the 
spring  of  1856  he  married  Miss  M.  A.  Lombard,  of  Boston,  Massa- 
chusetts. Mrs.  Drew  is  stili  living,  but  their  four  children  all  died 
in  infancy.  W.  S.  Drew  was  mayor  of  the  city  in  1870-71  ;  was 
president  of  the  Minnesc^ta  Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  during  all  the 
years  of  its  existence  ;  city  assessor  during  at  least  half  of  the  years 
of  the  city's  corporate  existence,  and  has  always  been  actively  iden- 
tified with  its  interests.  W.  S.  Drew  married  Miss  Carrie  C.  Sanborn, 
in  Meadville,  Pennsylvania.  Four  children  were  born  to  them,  three 
of  them  still  living :  one,  married,  resides  in  Minneapolis,  and  one 
son  and  a  daughter  at  home. 

Matthew  Marvin,  superintendent  of  Woodlawn  cemetery,  is 
a  native  of  Madison  county.  New  York,  where  he  was  born  in 
1838.  He  came  to  Winona  in  1859  and  entered  the  leather- 
store  of  J.  J.  Randall  as  clerk,  remaining  in  that  situation  until  the 
war  of  the  rebellion  broke  out,  in  the  spring  of  1861.  Mr.  Marvin 
was  one  of  the  first  to  sign  the  volunteer  enlistment  paper  which 
brought  into  existence  the  Winona  company  of  the  Minnesota  regi- 
ment ;  volunteered,  with  most  of  his  company,  for  the  three  years' 
.service,  and  afterward  was  in  some  of  the  severest  battles  on  the 
"peninsula."  When  the  regiment  was  accepted  for  the  three  years' 
service  Mr.  Marvin  was  made  fifth  corporal,  and  was  finally  mustered 
out  as  sergeant.  The  service  seen  by  his  company  appears  in  the 
military  record  of  Co.  K,  1st  reg.  Minn.  Inf.,  U.S.Y.  Mr.  Marvin 
participated  in  all  the  marches  and  battles  fought  by  his  regiment 
and  company  until  he  was  wounded  in  the  leg  at  Harrison's  Land- 
ing and  disabled  for  nearly  three  months,  during  which  time  the 
regiment  was  engaged  at  Vienna  and  Antietam.  Recovering  from 
his  wound,  he  joined  his  command  before  the  battle  at  Charleston, 


808  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

Virginia,  October  16,  1862,  and  was  in  all  the  engagements  follow- 
ing, until  severely  wounded  at  Gettysburg  by  a  musket-shot,  which, 
passing  lengthwise  through  his  foot,  so  crippled  him  that  he  was  on 
crutches  for  over  a  year  thereafter,  not  being  again  Hi  for  service  until 
the  term  of  his  enlistment  had  expired.  Leaving  the  service,  Mr. 
Marvin  settled  in  Illinois,  and  did  not  return  to  Winona  until  January, 
1871,  when  he  established  himself  in  the  harness  trade  here.  This 
business  he  followed  until  April,  1873,  when  he  accepted  the  position 
of  superintendent  of  Woodlawn  cemetery,  a  post  which  he  proved 
himself  eminently  qualified  for  during  the  ten  years  he  has  held  it. 
Mr.  Marvin  was  married  at  St.  Charles,  Illinois,  August  29,  1867, 
to  Miss  Angie  A.  Towle ;  they  have  one  child,  Mabel  W. ,  born,  as 
befits  a  soldier's  daughter,  on  Decoration  da}^  centennial  year. 

W.  E.  Smith,  florist,  south  side  King  street,  between  Lafayette 
{ind  Walnut.  Business  was  established  in  1879,  is  growing  rapidly, 
and  gives  promise  of  constant  increase.  His  lots,  purchased  four 
years  since,  front  150  feet  on  King  street,  and  run  to  the  alley  in  the 
rear  140  feet.  Upon  these  premises  Mr.  Smith  built  his  residence 
four  years  since,  and  the  following  year  commenced  the  erection  of 
his  greenhouses  and  jireparation  of  hotbeds,  to  which  additions  have 
been  made  from  year  to  year,  his  last  greenery,  15X36  feet,  for 
carnation  pinks,  having  been  completed  last  fall.  He  has  now 
about  8,000  square  feet  under  glass,  heated  by  hot  air  conveyed 
through  brick  flues.  His  gardens  contain  100  hotbed  frames,  3x6 
feet,  and  the  number  was  doubled  the  summer  of  1883.  Business 
is  hardly  established  as  yet,  but  sales  of  1882  were  more  than  double 
those  of  1881,  with  good  pros]3ect  of  a  very  material  increase  for 
coming  seasons.  Mr.  Smith  is  a  painter  by  trade,  a  native  of 
Binghamton,  New  York,  and  was  born  October  23,  1853.  Ten 
years  ago  he  came  to  this  city,  and  has  industriously  followed 
the  business  of  his  trade  ever  since.  He  is  a  fine  fresco  painter,  and 
has  worked  up  a  large  business,  and  has  found  ample  employment 
for  a  force  of  six  painters,  but  inasmuch  as  his  floral  business  is 
assuming  such  large  proportions  he  intends  in  the  future  to  devote 
all  his  time  to  that  industry.  March  18,  1873,  lie  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Elvira  Hamlin,  a  native  of  Ohio.  They  are  the 
parents  of  two  children :  May  H.  and  William  E. 

Wm.  G.  MrCuTCHEN,  dealer  in  grain,  seeds,  salt,  stucco  and  cement; 
office  and  warehouse  on  Front  street,  between  Johnson  and  Main. 
Elevator  and  warehouse,  30x130,  with  a  storage  capacity  of  25,000 


BIOGEAPHICAL.  809 

bushels;  boiler  house,  17x30,  iron  sheeted,  furnished  with  an  engine 
of  25  horse-power.  Business  for  1881  aggregated  nearly  300  car- 
loads of  grain,  two-thirds  of  which  was  wheat,  thirty  car-loads  of 
salt,  and  about  live  car-loads  of  stucco  and  cement.  Mr.  McCutchen 
came  to  Winona  in  1856,  direct  from  New  York  city,  where  he  was 
born,  in  1829,  and  where  he  had  been  engaged  in  hardware  trade. 
He  embarked  in  general  merchandising  at  this  point,  purchasing 
grain  in  connection  therewith,  and  bought  the  first  load  of  wheat 
offered  in  this  market,  winter  of  1856-7.  After  the  big  fire  of  1862 
Mr.  McCutchen  engaged  in  grain  commission  business,  with  ware- 
houses on  the  corner  of  Third  and  Center,  which  he  built  in  1860,  and 
removed  from  there  to  the  warehouse  on  Front,  between  Lafayette 
and  Walnut,  which  he  still  uses  for  storage  purposes.  His  parents, 
William  and  Eliza  (St.  John)  McCutchen,  were  natives  of  New  York 
and  Connecticut,  respectively.  Mr.  McCutchen  was  married 
November  7,  1866,  to  Miss  Sarah  Ridgway,  a  native  of  Paterson, 
New  Jersey,  and  has  a  family  of  three  children,  as  follows  :  Anna 
v.,  who  graduated  at  the  State  Normal  with  the  class  of  1882  ;  and 
Mary  R.  and  William,  now  in  attendance  at  the  city  schools. 

John  B.  Kirch,  dealer  in  agricultural  implements,  82  East  Second 
street.  Warehouse,  20x70  feet,  with  basement,  and  an  addition 
18X45  feet.  Business  was  established  by  present  proprietor  in 
May,  1871,  at  same  location.  Heaviest  sales  have  been  of  Deering's 
twine  binders  and  thrashers,  manufactured  by  J.  I.  Case,  Racine. 
During  the  busy  season  Mr.  Kirch  keeps  a  force  of  from  seven  and 
eight  hands  constantly  employed,  and  his  sales  for  1881  aggregated 
$45,000,  all  retail  trade  within  the  county  limits.  The  trade  for 
this  season,  1882,  will  be  fully  equal  to  that  of  1881.  Mr.  Kirch  is  a 
native  of  Luxemburg,  Germany;  came  to  America  with  his  parents, 
John  and  Hellen  (Guidinger)  Kirch  when  in  his  infancy,  the  family 
settling  in  Ozaukee  county,  Wisconsin,  on  a  farm.  Remaining  there 
until  1867,  they  removed  to  Winona  county.  From  that  date  until 
1871  Mr.  J.  B.  Kirch  was  grain  inspector  in  the  elevator  there ;  then 
removed  to  Winona,  and  established  trade  in  farm  machinery. 
Business  has  grown  from  small  beginnings  until  he  has  become  the 
heaviest  dealer  in  his  line  within  the  county  limits.  He  is  a  member 
and  trustee  of  St.  Joseph's  Catholic  church,  and  also  a  member  of  the 
St.  Joseph's  Benevolent  Society  connected  therewith.  In  1873  he 
married  Miss  Sarah  Remendeno.  a  native  of  Woodstock,  Illinois. 
They  are  the  parents  of  four  children,  one  son  and  three  daughters. 


810  HISTORY    OF    WES'ONA    COFNTY. 

Franklin  B.  Kowell,  of  Homer  township,  is  a  native  of  Aliens- 
town,  New  Hampshire.  He  is  a  son  of  Charles  and  Mary  (Davis) 
Rowell,  and  was  born  November  14,  1820.  At  the  age  of  sixteen 
years  he  became  an  apprentice  to  the  trade  of  boot  and  shoe  maker, 
and  soon  after  completing  his  trade,  engaged  in  the  business  for 
himself.  This  he  followed  till  1855,  when  he  sold  out  with  a  view 
to  trying  the  realities  of  the  famous  west,  and  in  May  of  that  year 
arrived  in  Winona  and  at  once  made  a  claim  on  Sees.  6  and  7,  in 
the  township  of  Homer,  where  he  permanently  located  and  engaged 
in  farming.  For  the  last  few  years  Mr.  Rowell  has  made  vegetables 
and  fruit  gardening  a  specialty,  finding  a  ready  market  for  his 
superior  produce  in  the  city  of  Winona.  November  8,  1847,  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Jenkins,  at  Deeriield,  New  Hampshire, 
a  native  of  Cxreenland  of  that  state.  They  are  the  parents  of  three 
sons,  Charles  F.,  who  was  educated  for  the  law,  and  is  now  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits  in  Brown  county,  this  state;  George  W.,  of 
Winona,  and  Clarence  M.  at  home.  Mr.  Rowell  is  now  spending 
his  declining  years  surrounded  with  the  comforts  of  a  pleasant  home. 

George  F.  Story,  the  oldest  resident  barber  in  this  city,  first 
made  his  appearance  here  in  1855,  and  occupied  a  small  space  in  the 
old  Winona  house  on  the  levy.  During  his  long  residence  here  he 
has  changed  locations  eleven  different  times,  and  has  worked  up 
and  down  the  river  among  the  boat  and  raftsmen,  but  has  never  lost 
his  right  of  residence  here.  He  was  born  in  Galena,  Blinois,  in 
188(),  and  early  in  life  took  a  position  on  a  river  steamboat,  as 
cabin-boy  and  worked  his  way  up  to  steward.  Mr.  Story  (more 
familiarly  known  as  Prof.  Story)  is  one  of  a  family  of  natural 
musicians  and  has  played  Math  Prof.  Rohweder,  of  the  Germania 
band  for  the  last  twenty-five  years.  This  fact  is  proof  of  his  skill 
as  a  musician.  As  Prof.  Rohweder  has  so  many  years  retained  him 
in  his  company  regardless  of  some  opposition  on  account  of  race  and 
color. 

Frank  W.  Schmidt,  pro])rietor  of  the  Boston  bakery  of  this  city, 
established  business  here  in  the  spring  of  1868,  at  his  present 
quarters,  85  East  Third  street.  His  first  building  was  burned  in 
1870.  and  he  at  once  rebuilt,  though  at  first  only  one-story,  but  soon 
after  raised  his  building  one  story  higher  and  built  a  large  addition 
to  the  rear  of  it,  and  in  1881  added  another  fine  two-story  brick 
addition  fronting  on  Third  street.  His  entire  beautiful  brick  front 
is  forty-four  feet  and,  including  his  well  arranged  ice-cream  gardens, 


BIO&EAPHICAL.  811 

seventy  feet.  .Mr.  Schmidt  is  by  nativity  a  Saxon-G-erman,  and  was 
born  in  1830  ;  came  with  liis  parents  to  America  in  1844,  sailing 
from  Bremen  in  the  Caroline.  Soon  after  his  arrival  in  New  York 
he  entered  a  Brooklyn  bakery  as  an  apprentice,  and  after  the  com- 
pletion of  his  trade  followed  that  business  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston 
and  New  York  till  1854.  He  then  went  via  the  Isthmus  to  California, 
where  he  remained  till  1867,  and  then  returned  to  New  York,  and 
thence  the  same  year  to  this  city.  He  was  married  in  1870,  and 
has  five  children,  whose  names  in  the  order  of  their  births  are 
Paul  W.,  Charles  M.,  Frank  E.,  Walter  H.  and  Emma  F. 

Kingsbury,  Holland  &  Co.,  grocers,  3  East  Third  street.  This 
business  was  started  by  Keeler  &  Taylor,  in  1865,  on  the  northwest 
corner  of  Main  and  Third  streets,  and  was  the  first  store  that  did 
business  on  Third  street,  trade  being  confined  at  that  time  to  Second 
street  and  the  cross-streets  nearer  the  levee.  In  September,  1866, 
Keeler  &  Taylor  sold  out  to  Kingsbury  &  Jones,  who  continued 
business  until  March,  1867,  when  A.  Holland  purchased  Jones'  in- 
terest, the  house  becoming  Kingsbury  &  Holland.  One  year  later, 
1868,  the  business  was  removed  to  its  present  location.  After  ten 
years'  successful  management  Mr.  Kingsbury  retired,  his  place 
being  taken  by  his  sons,  F.  E.  Kingsbury  and  H.  W.  Kingsbury,  the 
firm  becoming  Kingsbury,  Holland  &  Co.  In  March,  1882,  the 
firm  purchased  the  property  they  had  so  long  occupied,  and  at  the 
same  time  A.  Holland  bought  the  property  adjoining  them  on  the 
west,  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Third  streets.  The  building  of  the 
firm  fronts  24  feet  on  Third  street  and  has  a  depth  of  82  feet.  They 
have  a  growing  trade  ;  do  a  fine  retail  business,  employing  a  force 
of  six  persons  and  two  delivery  wagons.  W.  F.  Kingsbury,  father 
of  the  Kingsbury  members  of  the  firm,  is  a  native  of  Maine,  where 
he  was  engaged  in  farming  previous  to  his  coming  to  Winona  in 
1865.  Though  no  longer  an  active  member  of  the  firm,  he  is  no 
disinterested  observer  of  the  growth  of  the  business  he  assumed 
control  of  sixteen  years  since,  and  which  he  has  now  surrendered 
into  the  hands  of  his  sons,  who  were  trained  for  business  under  his 
own  eye,  in  his  own  establishment.  He  is  a  prominent  member  of 
the  Baptist  denomination  of  this  city.  He  is  also  interested  in 
farming,  owning  a  fine  farm  in  Utica  township,  A.  Holland  is  a 
native  of  Vermont ;  came  to  Quincy,  Olmsted  county,  Minnesota; 
in  1861,  and  in  November  of  that  year  enlisted  in  Co.  K,  1st  Mimi. 
Inf.     The  first  season  he  was  in  the  field,  saw  little  active  service, 


812  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

owing  to  sickness,  but  from  October,  1862,  was  constantly  with  his 
regiment,  until  disabled  at  Petersburg  in  June,  1861-,  being  severely 
wounded  in  the  right  arm  and  was  pronounced  unlit  for  duty,  until 
he  left  the  service  at  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  enlistment  and 
returned  to  this  state.  Mr.  Holland  owns  560  acres  of  real  estate 
in  the  county,  including  a  dairy  and  stock  farm  at  Homer,  from 
which,  during  1882,  he  made  1,200  pounds  of  butter;  the  other 
stock,  principally  cows  and  Cottswold  and  Leicester  sheep.  He 
married  Miss  Ella  Kingsbury,  the  daughter  of  his  old  partner,  in 
1866.  They  have  one  child,  Gertrude,  a  daughter,  now  in  attend- 
ance at  the  Winona  Higli  School.  Mr.  Holland  is  a  director  of  the 
Board  ot  Trade  and  a  member  and  trustee  of  the  Baptist  church 
of  this  city. 

James  W.  Stovall,  Winona,  proprietor  of  the  Stovall  dining 
hall,  at  4  East  Second  street,  established  business  in  this  city  in 
1878.  Mr.  Stovall  is  a  native  of  Decatur,  Alabama,  and  in  slavery 
times  was  the  property  of  Mayor  Wise.  He  is  one  of  those  who 
have  been  bettered  by  the  abolition  of  slavery.  In  1864,  when 
the  colored  people  became  useless  to  their  owners,  and  could  no 
longer  be  provided  for  by  them,  by  reason  of  the  occupation  and 
desolation  of  the  country  by  federal  troops,  James  left  the  old  plan- 
tation and  joined  the  51st  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  in  the  capacity  of  cook. 
After  the  close  of  the  war  he  went  to  Chicago,  and  there  engaged  in 
civil  pursuits  till  his  removal  to  Winona  in  1877.  While  in  Chicago, 
and  since  his  residence  in  this  city,  Mr.  Stovall  has,  by  honesty, 
sobriety  and  industry,  made  for  himself  many  friends,  and  in  these 
few  years  acquired  enough  to  make  himself  comfortable,  and  also  to 
enable  him  to  give  liberally  to  the  worthy  poor.  The  above  facts 
were  gleaned  from  an  editorial  in  the  Decatur  (Alabama)  "Weekly 
News,"  of  May  18,  1883,  a  paper  which  rarely  ever  contained  a 
friendly  notice  of  a  man  of  Mr.  Stovall's  raCe  or  color. 

Jacob  Stirnkman,  proprietor  of  the  steam  bakery,  Winona, 
manufacturer  of  crackei's  and  jobber  in  confectionery,  etc. — business 
on  Third  street,  between  Main  and  Johnson — is  a  native  of  Granichen, 
canton  Argau,  Switzerland,  and  was  born  in  1826.  At  the  age  of 
fifteen  he  began  an  apprenticeship  in  a  bakery,  and  after  completing 
his  trade  began  business  for  himself  and  followed  the  same  till  1851, 
when  he  left  his  native  land,  sailing  for  New  York  in  the  ship  Sam- 
uel Fox.  The  first  three  years  in  this  country  he  spent  as  a  hand  in 
a  bakery  in  Rochester,  New  York,  after  which  he  started  in  busi- 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  813 

ress  for  himself  in  that  city.  In  1865  he  sold  out  and  removed  to 
Springfield,  Illinois,  where  he  conducted  a  prosperous  business  till 
his  removal  to  Winona  in  1876.  He  is  now  occupying  the  first 
floor  and  basement,  24x100  feet,  uses  steam  and  all  the  modern  ap- 
pliances of  a  first-class  bakery.  He  was  married  in  1845,  to  Miss 
Mary  Luscher,  also  a  native  of  Switzerland,  by  whom  he  has  a 
family  of  three  children,  as  follows  :  Mary,  now  the  wife  of  Fred- 
rick Bauer ;  Margaret,  the  wife  of  Martin  Behner,  and  Jacob,  who 
married  Lizzie  Franckle,  and  in  1878  engaged  in  merchandising  in 
the  grocery  line  at  La  Crosse,  Wisconsin. 

J.  Winkles,  upholsterer  and  dealer  in  furniture.  No.  42  East  Sec- 
ond street.  This  business  was  established  by  the  present  proprietor  in 
1857,  on  Second  street,  two  doors  west  of  Lafayette,  and  after  some 
changes  in  location,  during  which  business  was  done  either  on  Main 
or  Second  street,  a  move  was  made  to  the  present  number  in  1876, 
when  a  partnership  was  formed  with  A.  Thrune,  which  was  dis- 
solved in  June,  1882,  Mr.  Winkles  continuing  the  business  a!one.  His 
storeroom  is  20  feet  front,  80  feet  deep,  and  his  business  occupies 
two  stories  above  the  basement,  the  latter  used  for  storage  and  finish- 
ing room.  Previous  to  1856  did  a  considerable  undertaking  busi- 
ness, but  at  that  date  it  was  discontinued.  Mr.  Winkles  is  a 
native  of  Westphalia,  Prussia,  learned  his  trade  in  Munster,  in  his 
native  province,  and  came  to  America  in  1852.  Was  engaged  in 
business  in  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  and  in  Dubuque,  Iowa,  previ- 
ous to  coming  to  this  city  a  full  quarter  of  a  century  ago.  He  is  a 
member  of  St.  Joseph's  Catholic  church  of  this  city,  and  of  the 
St.  Joseph's  Benevolent  society.  His  first  wife,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  1853,  in  Dubuque,  Iowa,  was  Anna  Klunke,  also  a  native 
of  Prussia ;  she  died  in  1873.  Mr.  Winkle's  second  marriage  was 
in  1874,  to  Miss  Anna  Thrune.  She  is  the  mother  of  five  of  his 
eleven  children,  eighth  of  whom  are  sons  and  three  are  daughters, 
all  of  whom  are  receiving  a  liberal  education. 

Otis  C.  Tucker,  capitalist,  Winona.  Prominent  among  Winona's 
many  eminently  successful  business  men,  and  indeed  the  peer  of  not 
a  few,  is  the  subject  of  this  brief  sketch,  a  man  whose  career  has 
been  marked  by  no  sudden  or  unexpected  rise,  fame  or  fortune,  but 
who  has  made  his  way  slowly  but  surely  from  incipiency  to  man- 
hoodX  ripest  years.  And  as  virtue  and  conscientious  industry  has 
its  sure  reward,  Mr.  Tucker  is  leisurely  spending  his  declining 
years  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  substantial   fortune.     The  history  of 


814  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

such  men  should  stand  as  landmarks  to  the  thousands  of  young  men 
just  entering  upon  the  great  arena  of  human  life.  Mr.  Tucker  is 
the  fifth  child  and  third  son  of  Silas  H.  and  Betsey  (Crandell)  Tucker, 
and  was  born  March  12,  1822,  in  Hoosic,  Rensselaer  county,  New- 
York,  but  was  reared  in  Broome  county,  in  the  same  state.  His 
father  was  quite  an  extensive  farmer,  and  at  the  same  time  largely 
engaged  in  the  lumber  business,  and  hence  afforded  for  his  sons  a 
hardy  and  healthy  occupation,  as  well  as  a  practical  knowledge  of  the 
affairs  of  after-life.  Our  subject's  early  educational  advantages  were 
only  as  were  afforded  in  the  common  schools  of  his  boyhood  days, 
to  which  was  added  two  years'  study  under  Prof.  Wheeler,  who  was 
then  teaching  advanced  branches  at  Union,  New  York,  Soon 
after  attaining  his  twenty-first  year,  Mr.  Tucker  engaged  for  himself 
in  the  lumber  business,  in  Broome  county,  New  York,  and  which  he 
afterward  extended  into  Pennsylvania.  After  a  few  years  of  hard 
work  and  faithful  industry  he  had  laid  the  foundation  for  a  future 
competency,  and  in  1858  came  to  Minnesota,  where  he  invested  in 
real  estate,  but  soon  after  returned  to  his  old  home.  July  2,  1860, 
he  was  united  in  marriage  vnth  Miss  Lucinda  C.  Rounds,  a  daughter 
of  Benjamin  Rounds,  Esq.,  of  Broome  county,  New  York.  In  the 
fall  of  1860  he  again  came  west,  with  a  view  to  better  investments 
and  a  permanent  settlement.  For  a  short  time  he  remained  in  Iowa, 
looking  after  a  suitable  location.  While  thus  engaged  an  opening 
oftered  itself  which  led  him  to  Winona,  where  he  at  once  engaged 
in  the  lumber  trade,  to  which  he  also  added  the  purchase  and  sale  of 
grain  for  a  short  time.  In  1874  he  abandoned  the  lumber  business, 
as  his  large  real  estate  interests  and  cash  capital  had  accumulated  to 
an  extent  sufficient  to  occupy  as  much  of  his  time  as  he  wished  to 
devote  to  business.  On  the  organization  of  the  Second  National 
Bank  of  Winona  he  became  a  stockholder,  and  is  now  a  director  of 
the  same.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tucker  are  the  happy  parents  of  but  one 
child,  a  beautiful  and  accomplished  daughter,  Ella,  born  in  1861. 
After  graduating  from  the  state  normal  school  at  Winona  she  took  a 
two  years'  course  at  the  University  at  Evanston,  Illinois,  and  was,  for 
a  short  time,  a  student  at  the  Cooper  Institute,  of  New  York.  She 
has  won  for  herself  some  considerable  distinction  as  an  artist, 
having  produced  some  very  fine  painting,  both  in  oil  and  water- 
colors.  ^ 

Dr.   Francis   J.    Touktelloti^e,   capitalist,    Winona,    was   born 
December  26,  1835,  in  Windham  county,  Connecticut.     He  is  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  816 

son  of  Jacob  and  Mary  (Ballard)  Tourtellotte,  of  Windham,  Connec- 
ticut. His  first  paternal  ancestor  in  this  country  settled  in  either 
Connecticut  or  Massachusetts.  He  had  fled  from  France  for 
religious  liberty  during  the  period  of  the  persecution  of  the  Hugue- 
nots. Dr.  Tourtellotte  first  graduated  from  the  normal  school  of 
Bridgewater,  Massachusetts.  Then  began  the  reading  of  medicine, 
under  Dr.  John  McGregoi",  of  Thompson,  Connecticut,  and  finally 
graduated  from  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  of  New 
York.  In  1863  he  entered  the  medical  service  ol  the  naval  depart- 
ment, where  he  served  as  surgeon  till  1868.  Coming  to  Winona  in 
1869,  he  engaged  in  the  business  of  loaning  money.  June  26,  1865, 
he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Harriett  A.  Arnold,  a  daughter 
of  William  S.  Arnold,  of  Windham  county,  Connecticut.  They 
are  tlie  parents  of  but  one  child,  a  daughter,  Frank,  born  July  28, 
1874.  Afit'able  and  courteous  in  manner,  with  strict  business 
principles,  are  the  characteristics  of  Dr.  Tourtellotte. 

Edwin  V.  Bogart,  sheriff  of  Winona  county  —  ofiice  in  county 
jail  —  had  been  deputy-sheriff  of  the  county  for  more  than  ten  years 
when  he  was  elected  to  office  in  the  fall  of  1881,  his  term  of  service 
expiring  December  31,  1883.  There  are  three  deputies  connected 
with  the  office :  Valentine  Hengel,  and  John  Bolton, —  the  last- 
named  a  resident  of  St.  Charles.  Mr.  Bogart  is  a  native  of  New 
York  State;  came  to  Wisconsin  with  his  parents,  Christopher  and 
Rhoda  E.  (Smith)  Bogart,  at  six  years  of  age.  Came  to  Winona  in 
1861,  bought  out  the  marble  firm  of  Warren  Powers,  and  conducted 
that  business  until  January  1, 1882,  when  he  sold  out  to  assume  charge 
of  the  office  to  which  he  had  been  elected.  In  1867  he  married  Miss 
Euphema  Lowe,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  who  came  to  Winona 
with  her  parent,  John  Lowe.  They  have  children  —  Benjamin  F., 
Hiram  Y.  and  Earle  Y.  The  two  former  are  attendants  of  the  city 
schools. 

John  L.  Brink,  Winona,  dealer  in  dry  goods,  carpets  and 
notions,  corner  of  Main  and  Third  streets.  This  house  was  estab- 
lished in  1858,  and  has  been  successfully  conducted  for  twenty-five 
3^^ars.  Business  was  first  opened  in  the  fall  of  1858,  on  Second 
street,  between  Lafayette  and  Center,  where  a  thriving  trade  was 
carried  on  till  the  disastrous  fire  of  1862  swept  this  house,  with  the 
best  business  portion  of  the  city,  out  of  existence.  Business  was 
immediately  resumed  in  the  block  just  east  of  the  original,  and  there 
continued  till  1870,  when  he  removed  to  the  Simpson  block,  where, 


816  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

in  1877,  his  entire  establishment  was  agahi  destroyed  by  tire.  Soon 
after  this  last  fire  lie  opened  business  in  the  Elv  block,  where  he  con- 
ducted trade  until  duly,  1>^82,  at  which  time  he  took  possession  of 
his  [)resent  ([uarters.  Trade,  which  was  at  one  time  considerably  in 
the  jobbing  lino,  changing  with  the  growth  and  demands  of  the  city 
and  outside  country,  is  now  almost  exclusively  retail,  a  few  of  his 
old  jobbing  customers  still  securing  their  supplies  from  the  house. 
Sales  are  about  $60,000  annually,  and  a  force  of  seven  persons  is 
required  in  the  conduct  of  the  business.  Mr.  Brink  is  a  native  ot 
Steuben  county,  New  York,  and  was  born  in  1826;  learned  the 
blacksmith  trade,  and  conducted  that  industry  for  some  years  in  his 
native  county,  but  had  turned  his  attention  to  mercantile  pursuits, 
following  the  business  a  few  years  before  coming  to  Winona,  in 
1857.  In  1848  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Abigal  D. 
Palmer,  a  native  of  Binghamton,  New  York,  by  whom  he  has 
reared  a  family  of  five  sons,  as  follows:  James  T.,  Charles  T.,  John 
L.,  George  H.  and  William  E.,  three  of  whom  are  married  and 
living  outside  of  the  state,  while  two  yet  remain  with  the  parents. 
All  are  educated  gentlemen.  Mr.  Briukis  a  staunch  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  for  the  last  twenty  years  has  been 
a  member  of  the  official  board,  and  for  twenty-live  years  a 
teacher  and  faithful  worker  in  the  Sabbatli  school.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  mascmic  fraternity,  and  prominently  connected  with 
the  business  prosperity  of  the  city.  Was  a  member  of  the  council, 
represeuting  the  second  ward,  at  the  time  the  erection  of  the  present 
waterworks  building  was  decided  upon,  and  rendered  efficient  ser- 
vice in  securing  this  valuable  improvement  to  the  city.  Mr.  Brink 
is  one  of  those  men  wlio  are  indispensable  to  the  best  interests  of  a 
city. 

AzARiAH  Thomas,  Winona,  is  a  son  of  Gilbert  and  Mary  A. 
(Miller)  Thomas,  and  was  born  April  8,  1837,  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  but  principally  reared  in  Pennsylvania.  In  1857  he  came  to 
Winona,  and  for  the  next  twelve  years  was  employed  by  Mr.  Malory 
and  his  son.  March  2,  1861,  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  M. 
Campbell,  a  native  of  County  Donegal,  Ireland,  who  emigratejl 
to  this  country  when  but  a  child.  Mr.  Thomas  spent  a  short  time 
in  the  volunteer  service  during  the  late  war,  as  a  member  of  Co.  H, 
1st  Minn.  Vol.  Inf.  In  1880  he  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  though  his  wife  is  a  member  of  St.  Thomas  Catholic  church. 
They  have  three  children  living,  whose  names  are  Frank  H.,  Mary 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  817 

A.  and  Edward.  In  1881  Mr.  Thomas  purchased  tlie  business  of 
his  former  employer,  and  is  now  engaged  in  the  pump  and  well 
business,  making  drive-wells  a  specialty. 

George  Lane  Hollowell,  who  established  himself  in  the  grocery 
trade  in  this  city  in  1871,  is  now  located  at  10  West  Third  street. 
In  January,  1882,  the  tirm  became  Hollowell  &  Co.  by  the  admis- 
sion of  Cornelius  Fookens  to  a  partnership  in  its  affairs.  They 
occupy  the  first  floor  and  basement,  20  X  60,  and  are  conducting'  a 
prosperous  trade.  Mr.  Hollowell  was  born  in  Yates  county,  New 
York,  December  24,  1824.  His  parents,  Joseph  and  Elenor  (Smith) 
Hollowell,  were  natives  of  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  and  Ply- 
mouth, Massachusetts,  respectively,  and  were  substantial  Methodists 
of  the  old  school.  Our  subject  was  first  married  in  the  State  of 
New  York  in  1857,  to  Mary  L.  Clark,  of  the  same  state,  and  came 
to  Winona  in  1859,  and  for  the  following  ten  or  twelve  years  was 
employed  as  bookkeeper  of  J.  L.  Brink,  of  this  city.  His  first  wife 
died  and  his  second  marriage  took  place  in  Indiana,  to  Miss  Emilj 
H.  Snyder,  in  1864.  They  are  the  parents  of  two  children,  Mary 
L.  and  John  D.  Mr.  Hollowell  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church,  he  is  a  member  of  the  official  board  and  a 
faithful  worker  in  the  Sabbath  scliool. 

William  Wright  Slocumb,  son  of  Samuel  and  Polly  (Beck) 
Slocumb,  was  born  in  White  county,  Illinois,  October  30,  1822. 
His  father  was  a  Methodist  missionary  and  a  colleague  of  the  ven- 
erable and  historic  pioneer  preacher  Peter  Cartwright.  W.  W. 
Slocumb,  more  familiarly  known  as  Capt.  Slocumb,  is  a  pioneer 
son  of  the  great  Mississippi  valley,  and  began  life  on  the  river  in 
1843,  and  tlie  same  season  navigated  the  Father  of  Waters  as  far 
north  as  Lake  Pepin,  and  was  one  of  tlie  parties  to  move  the  first 
drive  of  logs  from  the  waters  of  these  upper  lakes.  It  was  at  this  time 
that  the  captain  first  met  Father  Hobert,  then  a  Methodist  missionary 
among  the  Indians,  and  relates  an  incident  which  occurred  at  Red 
Wing,  where  the  raftsmen  attempted  one  evening  to  tie  up  for  the 
night.  At  this  time  a  large  number  of  Indians  were  camped  near 
the  place,  and  at  once  scores  of  them  swarmed  on  and  about  the  raft, 
and  soon  became  so  demonstrative  that  the  chiefs,  fearing  a  massa- 
cre, importuned  the  whites  to  move  on,  and  to  hasten  their  departure 
a  chief  cut  the  fastenings  with  a  hatchet.  The  same  night  a  battle 
took  place  between  a  band  of  the  Sioux  and  Chippewas,  in  which 
many  scalps  were  taken,  and  a  few  of  them  seen  by  the  raftsmen  the 


818  HISTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

next  day,  Capt.  Slocumb  says  that  onl}''  an  occasional  adventurer, 
some  explorer  or  half-breed  Indian  trader  was  to  be  seen  along  the 
Upper  Mississippi  that  year.  September  22,  1847,  Mr.  Slocumb  was 
married  to  Miss  Margaret  Stagi;;,  a  native  of  Ohio,  by  whom  he 
reared  a  family  of  the  children  whose  names,  in  the  order  of  their 
birth,  are  Henry  F.,  William  F.,  Margaret  Emma,  the  two  former 
merchandising  in  the  grocery  line  in  this  city,  and  the  latter  a  teacher 
of  music.  In  1873  Capt.  Slocumb  removed  from  Reed  Landing, 
where  he  had  resided  many  years,  to  the  city  of  Winona,  with  a  view 
to  securing  better  educational  advantages  for  his  children.  He  and 
his  wife  aijd  daughter  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  of  this  city,  and  he  is  a  member  of  the  official  board.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  masonic  fraternity.  The  captain  has  been 
for  many  years  in  the  employ  of  the  immense  lumber  firm  of  Laird, 
Norton  &  Co.,  of  this  city,  as  commander  of  their  beautiful  little 
steamer  engaged  in  rafting  logs  from  their  Wisconsin  pineries. 

Thomas  Wright,  loan,  real  estate  and  insurance  agent,  Winona, 
is  a  native  of  Cayuga  county.  New  York,  and  was  born  May  23, 
1818.  His  parents  were  Anson  and  Lydia  (Soule)  Wright,  the  latter 
a  member  of  one  of  tlie  most  remarkable  families  in  the  State  of 
New  York  for  longevity.  In  1841:  Mr.  Wright  emigrated  west  and 
established  himself  in  Kenosha,  Wisconsin,  where  he  continued  to 
reside  till  he  came  to  Winona,  in  1856.  During  the  last  few  years 
of  his  residence  in  Kenosha  he  filled  the  position  of  assistant  cashier 
in  a  bank  in  which  he  had  a  considerable  financial  interest.  On 
coming  to  this  city  he  at  once  turned  his  attention  to  the  loan  and 
real  estate  business,  and  soon  became  the  owner  of  2,000  acres  of 
land  in  this  county.  Mr.  Wright  is  a  man  of  a  speculative  turn  of 
mind,  and  is  ever  ready  to  take  hold  of  any  enterprise  that  money 
can  be  made  in.  In  1857  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Harlow,  a 
native  of  Sackett's  Harbor,  New  York.  They  are  the  parents  of 
three  children,  namely.  Will  T.,  who  is  now  a  resident  of  Dakota, 
and  Grace  H.  and  Charles  S.  still  residing  at  home. 

Ai,FRED  Welch  is  a  native  of  England.  He  was  born  in  Glas- 
tonbury, Somerset  county,  November  12,  1822.  When  about 
eight  years  of  age,  the  family  consisting  of  the  father,  mother  and 
nine  children,  of  which  Alfred  was  the  fifth,  removed  to  America, 
landing  at  Quebec  after  a  tedious  passage  of  nine  weeks  and  one 
day.  The  family  settled  on  a  farm  near  Hammond,  St.  Lawrence 
county,  New  York.     Two  years  later,  in  1832,  the  family  moved  to 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  819 

Watertown,  where  they  lived  until  1858.  Our  subject  in  the  mean- 
time had  married  Miss  S.  Fidelia  White,  and  now,  at  the  date  last 
named,  ill  health  caused  a  removal  to  Minnesota,  and  April  14 
found  them  in  Winona.  The  family  then  consisted  of  the  parents 
and  three  children,  Mary,  Abraham  and  Lily.  Four  others  had 
been  left  behind  in  Watertown  cemetery.  Other  children  were 
born  to  them  after  their  residence  in  Winona,  Gracie  only  of  these 
surviving.  Abraham  Welch,  the  father  of  our  subject,  died  in 
Winona,  the  mother,  Mary  Welch,  having  passed  away  in  Water- 
town,  New  York.  They  were  both  from  early  life  consistent  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  he  being  a  local  preacher 
of  that  denomination  until  the  close  of  his  life.  Alfred  Welch 
prepared  himself  for  the  ministry,  and  engaged  actively  in  the  pro- 
fession at  different  times,  but  loss  of  voice  has  prevented  him  from 
continuing  in  that  calling.  In  his  later  years  he  has  been  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  dentistry. 

Peter  H.  Neiheisel,    mechanic,   born   in   Bavaria,    Germany, 
1846,  son  of  Belderser  and  Barbara  Neiheisel,  came  with  parents 
to  America,  town  of  Hudson,  Walworth  county,  Wisconsin,  in  1848. 
He  there  attended  the  public  school  and  worked  on   his  father's 
farm  till  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  in  1861,  when  he  enlisted  in 
the  Ist  Wis.  Inf ,  Co.  C.     Was  discharged  the  following  year,  owing 
to  ill  health,  at  Murfreesboro,  Tennessee,  re-enlisting  in  the  fall  of 
1863,   in  2d  Minn.    Cav.,  Co.   L,   and  was  mustered  out  in  1866. 
The  same  year  (1866)  Mr.  Neiheisel  settled  on  a  farm  of  160  acres 
in  Sec.  1,  Town  of  Elba.     In  1868  he  sold  his  farm  and  moved  to 
St.  Charles  and  worked  at  general  carpentering.     Married  in   1872 
Miss  Susan  Lehnerts,  born  in  Luxemburg,  Germany,  daughter  of 
Peter  and  Mary  Lehnerts.      By  this  marriage  has  five  children  : 
Lucy,  born  October  17, 1873  ;  Willie,  February  6, 1875  ;  Frank,  Aug- 
ust 6,  1876  ;  Joseph,  November  15,  1877,  and  George  Henry,  July 
1,    1879.     In   1873   our   subject  moved  to  the  village  of   Beaver, 
town   of  Whitewater,  and   built   on  block   14,  which  he  had  pur- 
chased  from    Fred   Brooks,   a  hotel  and  restaurant.     In  1874,   in 
company  with   his   brother,  J.   W.  Neiheisel,  built  a  wagon  and 
general  repair  shop,  and  in  1876  built  a  commodious  frame  building, 
30X50,  for  a  public  hall,  and  the  same  year  a  large  blacksmith-shop. 
In  1880  bought  from  his  brother  his  interest  in  the  above  property, 
and  has  since  carried  on  business  alone.     In  1882  the  hotel,  having 
accidentally  caught  fire,  was  burned  to  the  ground,  and  during  the 
49 


820  IIISTOKr    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

same  vear  Mr.  Neiheisel  built  one  of  the  finest  frame  houses  in  the 
village  of  Beaver,  which  he  now  occupies.  Our  subject  has  shown 
considerable  enterprise  in  his  efforts  to  build  up  a  business  in  the 
village  of  Beaver.  In  religion  is  a  liberal  Roman  Catholic,  and  in 
politics  always  votes  the  democratic  ticket. 

Frkdekeck  E.  Bfxker,  miller,  born  in  Saxony,  Germany,  .in 
1836,  where  he  learned  from  his  father,  John  Becker,  his  trade  of 
miller.  In  1859  came  to  America  and  went  directly  to  La  Crosse, 
Wisconsin.  In  1860  visited  Missouri  and  Louisiana,  but  the  war 
breaking  out  (1861)  he  returned  to  La  Crosse,  Wisconsin.  In  1863 
was  engaged  as  manager  of  Smith  &  Lamberton's  mill,  in  Winona, 
and  in  the  following  year  rented,  and  subsequently  purchased,  a 
gristmill  at  Rolling  Stone.  In  1873  bought  half  interest  in  the  mill 
situated  on  Beaver  creek,  from  Dr.  Sheldon  Brooks,  and  the  year 
following  purchased  the  other  half  from  W.  M.  Taylor.  This  is  the 
only  gristmill  in  the  town  of  Whitewater.  In  1882  our  subject  in- 
troduced into  his  mill  the  most  improved  machinery  for  the  manu- 
facturing of  flour,  and  can  now  make  as  good  flour  as  is  made  in 
the  county.  Married  in  1871  Miss  Anna  Lehnerts,  born  in  1846, 
in  Luxemburg,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Mary  Lehnerts.  By  this  mar- 
riage has  had  five  children:  Lizzie,  born  1872;  Peter,  born  1873, 
died  1880;  Susie,  born  1876;  Ernest,  born  1S79,  and  Felix  Morris, 
born  1881.  In  politics  our  subject  belongs  to  no  party,  always 
voting  for  the  best  man.     In  religion  is  a  liberal  Roman  Catholic. 

William  H.  Fry,  head  clerk  in  United  States  railway  postal 
service,  was  born  in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania,  January  7, 
1834.  He  came  to  Saratoga,  Winona  county,  in  1857,  and  followed 
his  occupation  as  a  carpenter  there  until  his  enlistment  in  the  4th 
reg.  Minn.  Inf.,  in  January,  1864.  Was  with  the  department  of 
the  Southwest,  and  was  present  at  the  battle  of  Altoona,  the  great 
march  through  Georgia,  the  battle  of  Savannah,  and  all  the  skir- 
mishes and  engagements  })articipated  in  by  his  regiment  after  he 
joined  them  in  the  field.  Returning  home  in  1869,  he  was  appointed 
route  agent  in  the  railway  mail  service,  on  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter 
raili-oad,  between  Winona  and  Waseca.  In  1862  was  promoted  head 
clerk  and  assigned  to  duty  in  the  United  States  railway  ])Ostal  ser- 
vice between  Chicago  and  St.  Paul.  The  routes  were  all  rearranged 
in  1882,  and  Mr.  Fry  was  transferred  to  the  service  over  the  Chi- 
cago &  Northwestern  road,  between  tliis  city  and  Chicago.     Febru- 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  821 

ary  6,  1861,  Mr,  Fry  married  Miss  Eliza  Walker,  of  Saratoga  tovsTi- 
ship.     They  have  three  children,  all  living  at  home. 

Hon.  C.  F.  Buck,  farmer,  has  been  a  resident  of  Winona  county 
since  1863,  at  which  date  he  settled  in  Homer,  and  remained  there 
until  the  fall  of  1855,  when  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  terri- 
torial legislature  and  removed  to  his  present  home,  just  across  Lake 
Winona,  at  the  foot  of  the  bluifs  which  overlook  the  city  on  the 
south.  Here  Mr.  Buck  has  resided  for  almost  twenty-seven  years, 
and  when  not  engaged  in  politics  devotes  himself  mainly  to  horti- 
culture. He  has  been  continuously  in  political  life  since  coming  to 
the  county ;  has  been  three  terms  in  the  house  of  representatives, 
and  three  terms  in  the  senate  of  the  state,  and  is  at  present  one  of 
the  representatives  of  Winona  county  in  the  state  legislature.  He 
was  also  postmaster  four  years,  during  the  second  term  for  which 
Mr.  Lincoln  was  elected  president.  In  1852,  the  year  before  he 
removed  to  Winona  county,  Mr.  Buck  married  Miss  N.  C.  Robin- 
son, of  Batavia,  Illinois.  They  have  had  six  children,  all  of  them 
educated  at  the  city  and  normal  schools  of  Winona.  Two  of  the 
children  graduated  from  both  the  high  school  and  the  normal' school, 
one  from  the  normal  school,  and  one,  LI.  L.  Buck,  graduate  of  the 
Winona  high  school,  takes  his  parchment  this  year  from  the  law 
department  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin,  at  Madison.  The 
daughters  have  considerable  musical  talent,  and  one  of  them  has 
quite  a  local  celebrity,  and  is  regarded  as  a  young  musician  of  more 
than  average  promise. 

E.HEINBERGER  BROTHERS,  dealers  in  dry  goods,  corner  of  Third 
and  Center  streets.  These  gentlemen  established  themselves  in 
trade  in  this  city  in  April,  1877,  their  location  at  that  time  being 
on  Center,  four  doors  north  of  Third.  They  removed  to  the  corner 
they  now  occupy  in  1880,  and  it  is  the  most  eligible  dry-goods  stand 
in  the  city.  They  front  twenty-three  feet  on  Third  street;  their 
Center  street  front  is  eighty-five  feet.  They  have  good  entrances  on 
both,  and  front  the  Postofiice  block  on  the  east  and  the  Republican 
block  on  the  south.  The  firm  employs  seven  clerks.  One  of  the 
partners  superintends  the  salesroom  and  purchases  the  goods,  the 
other  has  charge  of  the  finances.  Business  has  steadily  increased 
from  year  to  year,  and  they  are  acknowledged  as  the  leading  house 
in  the  city  in  their  line  of  goods  —  fine  stock  for  the  best  city  trade. 
Sales  of  1882-3  show  an  increase  of  twelve  and  one-half  per  cent 
over  corresponding  period  of  1881-2.     Rheinberger  Brothers  were 


822  HISTORY    OF    WLNONA    COUNTY. 

bred  to  business  in  Nauvoo,  Illinois,  and  in  Chicago,  coming  from 
the  latter  city  to  Winona,  when  they  established  trade  here.  Their 
names  are  A.  J.  and  F.  J.  Reinberger.  They  are  both  married 
and  reside  in  the  city,  the  former  corner  of  Wabasha  and  Lafayette 
streets,  the  other  near  the  corner  of  Main  and  Wabasha. 

S.  Fleishma_n,  successor  to  S.  Friend  &  Co. ,  jobber  and  dealer  at 
retail  in  clothing,  gents'  furnishing  goods,  hats,  caps,  etc.,  34  and  36 
East  Second  street.  This  house  was  established  twenty-four  years 
ago,  in  a  small  wooden  building  on  the  corner  of  Second  and  Center 
streets,  where  the  Second  National  Bank  now  stands,  and  has  never 
removed  its  location  at  any  time  more  than  a  few  doors  from  the 
corner  u])on  which  it  was  originally  established.  It  was  in  the  burned 
district  of  the  great  fire  of  1862,  and  was  doing  business  on  the 
corner  of  Center  and  Second  in  January,  1877,  when  its  growing 
trade  and  the  burning  of  Simpson's  block  impelled  it  to  seek  larger 
quarters.  S.  Fleishman,  who  became  sole  proprietor  of  the  business 
by  purchase  in  February,  1883,  entered  the  service  of  the  house  in 
1865,  became  a  partner  in  1871,  and  has  been  manager  of  its  affairs 
since  the  removal  of  S.  Friend  to  Milwaukee,  in  1876.  Mr.  Fleish- 
man's location  is  central,  his  salesrooms  commodious,  fronting 
forty  feet  on  Second  street  and  running  to  the  rear.  Two  floors 
are  occupied  with  his  stock,  five  salesmen  are  employed  and 
business  is  steadily  increasing  from  year  to  year.  Mr.  S.  Fleishman, 
son  of  W.  K.  Fleishman  and  Esther,  his  wife,  was  born  in  Bavaria, 
Germany,  January  7,  1849.  He  came  from  the  continent  direct  to 
Winona  in  1865,  the  same  year  that  he  entered  the  house  of  which 
he  is  now  sole  proprietor.  January  11,  1882,  Mr.  Fleishman  married 
Miss  Fannie  Cohen,  a  native  of  New  York.  They  have  one  child, 
Minnie  E. 

John  Crooks,  farmer,  was  born  in  Tyrone,  Ireland,  in  1832.  He 
was  bred  in  the  ordinary  life  of  an  Irish  farmer's  son,  attending  the 
parish  school  about  three  years.  At  sixteen  years  of  age  he  left 
liome  and  came  to  America,  spending  three  years  at  Frostburg, 
Maryland,  thence  he  went  to  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
spent  nearly  twenty  years  in  the  coal  mines.  On  July  9,  1855,  he 
married  Jane  Gallaghan,  who  was  born  in  Tyrone,  June  16,  1829  ; 
she  died  on  May  16,  1869,  leaving  one  son,  Robert  J.,  who  was 
bom  August  26,  1860,  and  now  resides  at  Eldredge,  Dakota.  In 
1872  Mr.  Crooks  abandoned  mining  and  came  west ;  he  bought  240 
acres  of  land  on  Sec.  15,  in  this  township,  and  has  ever  since  tilled 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  823 

and  dwelt  on  the  same.  At  the  time  of  this  purchase  there  were 
but  sixty  acres  of  the  land  broken,  but  he  now  tills  over  200  acres,  and 
has  a  handsomely  improved  farm,  with  commodious  buildings  and 
all  the  surroundings  of  a  prosperous  husbandman.  Mr.  Crooks 
was  married  March  7,  1871,  to  Isabella,  relict  of  James  Dalzell, 
born  in  Milligan,  Ayrshire,  Scotland,  August  26,  1834  ;  she  has  two 
children  :  John  Dalzell,  born  January  14,  1863,  and  William  Crooks, 
December  21,  1873.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crooks  were  reared  in  the 
Presbyterian  church,  to  which  they  adhered  while  in  reach.  Mr. 
Crooks  is  a  republican,  was  town  supervisor  in  1880-1,  and  is  a 
representative  citizen. 

Eben  Churchill,  farmer,  is  descended  from  a  long  line  of 
prominent  men  in  England  and  New  England.  His  father,  Eben 
E.  Churchill,  was  born  in  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire  ;  he  married 
a  native  of  the  same  city.  Miss  Ann  E.  Gove,  and  settled  on  a  farm 
in  Newmarket,  same  state.  Here  was  born  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
on  March  2,  1834  ;  he  lived  the  ordinary  life  of  the  New  England 
farmer's  boy,  receiving  his  education  in  the  common  school  and  at 
Wakefield  Academy.  Early  in  the  spring  of  1856  he  struck  out  for 
the  new  west,  and  arrived  in  Plainview,  Wabasha  county,  this  state, 
on  May  6.  Here  he  took  up  1 60  acres  of  government  land,  which 
he  at  once  proceeded  to  improve.  In  1860  he  married  Miss  Emeline 
K.  Bowen  ;  her  parents,  William  Bowen  and  Roxana  P.  Nye,  were 
natives  of  Vermont.  In  the  fall  of  1863  Mr.  Churchill  sold  his 
farm  and  spent  the  following  winter  in  the  east.  The  next  spring  he 
returned  to  Minnesota  and  settled  in  St.  Charles.  He  enlisted 
March  17,  1865,  as  a  recruit  in  the  Ist  Minn,  reg.,  and  was  assigned 
to  Co.  E  ;  the  immediate  close  of  the  war  cut  the  term  of  his  service 
down  to  f(^ur  months.  After  leaving  the  army  he  resided  one  year 
on  a  farm  in  the  town  of  Whitewater.  In  1867  he  bought  320 
acres  of  land  on  Sees.  2  and  3,  in  the  town  of  Elb^ ;  in  1870  he 
built  his  present  residence  on  Sec.  2,  and  has  ever  since  dwelt  there. 
He  now  has  360  acres  of  land  here,  and  one  section  near  the  Steele, 
Kidder  county,  Dakota.  Mr.  Churchill  is  a  republican,  and  an 
active  man  in  both  private  and  public  affairs.  He  was  chairman  of 
the  board  of*  town  supervisors  in  1869,  1877  and  1879,  and  also  a 
member  of  the  same  body  in  1874  and  1876  ;  was  assessor  in 
1880-82-3.  In  the  fall  of  1880  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
state  assembly,  and  took  his  seat  in  the  following  January  ;  he  was 
a  member  of  the  joint  committee  on  legislative  apportionment  and  of 


824  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

tiie  committee  on  claims,  taxes  and  tax  laws.  By  his  influence  and 
vote  he  opposed  the  payment  of  the  famous  $5,000,000  bond-loan 
in  aid  of  railroads,  because  it  was  not  demanded  in  full,  and  was 
therefore  a  confessedly  unjust  debt ;  he  also  opposed  granting 
swamp  lands  to  railroad  corporations.  Five  children  were  given 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Churchill,  as  follows  :  Edwin,  October  28,  1860, 
lives  in  Viola,  Olmsted  county  ;  Rowena  A.,  March  28,  1862, 
married  Cyrus  C.  Udell,  and  lives  at  Elba  ;  Dora  E.,  January  21, 
1865,  is  teaching  at  home  ;  Frank,  August  11,  1867  ;  Joseph  P., 
September  17,  1874. 

William  Niknow,  farmer,  was  born  near  Stettin,  Germany, 
March  3,  1832.  He  attended  school  till  fourteen  years  old,  and 
then  worked  as  a  laborer  on  farms  and  in  the  city.  In  1856  he 
came  to  America  and  spent  four  years  in  and  about  Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin.  ,He  came  to  Minnesota  in  1861,  and  bought  eighty  acres 
of  land  on  Sec.  28,  in  Elba,  on  which  his  home  has  ever  since  been. 
This  he  cleared  entirely  of  the  undergrowtli  which  covered  it,  by  his 
own  labor,  and  afterward  bought  eighty  acres  adjoining  it  on  the 
west.  This  has  also  been  nearly  all  cleared,  and  he  now  has  a  model 
farm  in  appearance  and  productiveness.  His  buildings  are  ample 
and  handsome,  and  he  'has  all  that  a  farmer  can  wish  tor.  Feb- 
ruary 13,  1862,  he  married  Augusta  Schwanbeck,  who  was  born  in 
]*)raridenberg,  Prussia,  November  13,  1840.  Mr.  Nienow  has  been 
ti-easurer  of  his  school  district  for  nine  years  ;  was  a  member  of  the 
town  board  in  1869-70-1  and  in  1880-1 ;  is  a  democrat  in  principle. 
He  was  reared  a  Lutheran  ;  was  instrumental  in  building  the  Berea 
Moravian  church,  near  his  residence,  paying  the  cost  of  an  acre  of 
ground  for  its  site  ;  has  been  a  member  of  that  body  since  1870,  and 
was  an  elder  for  several  years. 

Ferdinand  Loppnow,  carpenter  and  farmer,  has  made  him- 
self a  comfortable  home,  and  is  reckoned  among  the  prosperous 
representative  farmers  of  Elba.  He  was  born  at  Pomen,  Prussia, 
October  7,  1825.  He  left  school  at  fourteen,  and  was  apprenticed  to 
a  carpenter,  continuing  at  his  trade  contiiniously  till  two  years  after 
his  arrival  in  Elba.  March  22,  1852,  he  inari'ied  Carolina  Kroening, 
who  was  born  in  Pribbernow,  Prussia,  May  24,  1828.  He  emi- 
grated with  his  family  to  America  in  1870,  and  settled  at  once  in 
this  township.  In  1872  he  purchased  120  acres  of  wild  land  on  Sec. 
23,  and  at  once  took  up  his  residence  thereon  and  began  to  clear  it 
of  timber  and  undergrowth.     Subsequent  purchases  have  added  120 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  825 

acres  to  his  domain,  and  he  now  has  160  acres  under  the  plow.  In 
1876  he  built  his  present  large  and  handsome  dwelling,  and  is  well 
situated  in  every  way  for  a  farmer.  Mr.  Loppnow  is  a  democrat ;  is 
a  member  of  Berea  Moravian  church,  in  which  he  is  an  elder,  and 
whose  edifice  he  assisted  in  building  as  a  trustee.  There  are  five 
children  in  the  family,  born  as  below:  Gustav,  January  2,  1855, 
married  Minnie  Nienow,  and  lives  on  Sec.  33 ;  Otto,  April  9,  1857, 
and  Julius,  July  15,  1859,  are  now  in  Dakota;  Theodore,  April  20, 
1862,  lives  with  his  father ;  William,  December  23,  1866. 

Michael  F.  Donoghue,  farmer,  was  born  on  a  farm  near  Kil- 
larney,  County  Kerry,  Ireland,  September  19,  1819.  He  was 
educated  in  both  English  and  Celtic.  He  was  married  February  3, 
1845,  to  Margaret  Collins,  who  was  born  half  a  mile  from  the  birth- 
place of  her  husband.  She  died  in  Chicago,  June  19,  1855,  leaving 
one  child,  which  soon  after  died.  Mr.  Donoghue  came  to  America 
in  1851,  arriving  in  New  York  April  28.  He  spent  two  years  in 
Connecticut,  being  employed  at  farm  labor  and  in  a  foundry.  He 
removed  to  Illinois  in  March,  1853,  and  found  employment  in  a 
lumber-yard  in  Chicago,  and  continued  to  sort  and  pile  lumber  till 
his  removal  to  Minnesota.  January  27,  1856,  he  married  Johannah 
Costollo,  who  was  also  born  in  Kerry.  Mr.  Donoghue  came  to 
Elba  April  27,  1864,  and  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  35, 
which  he  has  ever  since  tilled.  He  has  reduced  it  from  a  state  of 
nature  to  its  present  improved  form.  The  present  residence  was 
built  in  1874.  He  has  been  industrious,  and  abstained  from  incur- 
ring debts  for  the  sake  of  acquiring  more  land,  and  is  now  inde- 
pendent. He  has  always  been  a  democrat.  Himself  and  family 
are  communicants  in  the  St.  Charles  Roman  Catholic  church. 
There  are  six  children,  all  residing  in  this  township,  as  follows: 
Michael,  born  September  22,  1858  ;  Cornelius,  September  23,  1860 ; 
Patrick,  April  23,  1863;  Catharine,  September  15,  1866,  married 
Thomas  Lynch;  Daniel,  October  20,  1867;  John,  June  28,  1870. 

William  R.  Parr,  millwright,  is  a  grandson  of  Thomas  Parr, 
who  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  after  which  he  settled  in  Vermont. 
William  H.,  son  of  Thomas  Parr,  was  born  here;  married  Catharine 
Babcock,  a  native  of  the  same  state,  and  located  in  Bombay, 
Franklin  county.  New  York,  where  he  engaged  in  farming.  Here 
was  born  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  on  March  30,  1827.  He 
attended  the  common  school,  and  assisted  on  the  farm  till  seventeen 
years  old ;  he  then  took  up  his  trade  with  an  uncle,  and  has  ever 


826  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

since  tbllowod  it.  In  1849,  moved  by  the  s|>irit  which  everywliere 
actuates  tlie  young  American,  he  set  out  for  tlie  west  to  carve  out  a 
niche  for  himself  in  the  arch  of  progress.  Coming  to  Wisconsin,  he 
found  ample  use  for  his  talents  and  experience  in  that  growing 
commonwealth.  He  planned  and  built  the  first  mill  at  La  (Vosse  ; 
built  saw  and  grist  mills  at  Madison,  Fox  Lake,  Menasha,  Clinton- 
ville,  Neenali,  and  numerous  other  points.  He  was  married  July  8, 
1852,  to  Ellen  L.  Armstrong,  who  was  born  at  Erie,  Pennsylvania, 
nineteen  years  previous  to  her  wedding-day.  Her  parents,  John 
Armstrong  and  Martha  Stancliff,  were  born  in  New  York.  In  May, 
18H0,  Mr.  Parr  came  to  Minnesota,  and,  going  into  partnershij)  with 
W.  K.  Ellis  (for  whom  he  had  previously  built  a  mill  in  Menasha), 
built  and  operated  a  gristmill  at  Elgin,  Wabasha  county.  Five 
years  later  they  removed  this  mill  to  the  town  of  Elba,  this  county, 
where  it  is  still  operated,  by  a  son  of  Mr.  Ellis,  and  known  as  Fair- 
water  mill.  In  1876  Mr.  Parr  sold  his  interest  there,  and  built  and 
operated  a  mill  at  Quincy.  In  1880  he  removed  to  St.  Charles, 
where  he  owns  a  handsome  residence  on  St.  Charles  street.  He 
served  as  alderman  in  1882-3,  and  is  a  prominent  member  of  the 
city  board  of  trade.  In  politics  he  is  a  republican,  and  in  religious 
belief  a  Baptist ;  is  a  member  of  Friendship  Lodge,  Knights  of 
Honor,  St.  Charles.  Two  children  of  this  family  are  now  living: 
William  E.  was  born  October  15,  1855,  married  Dilla  Hendee,  is 
now  marshal  of  the  cit}'  ;  Jennie  May,  October  18,  1863,  resides 
with  parents;  Katie  C,  August  31,  1859,  died  before  reaching  six 
years  of  age.  William  E.  Parr  has  one  son  —  Robert  B.,  born 
August  7,  1882. 

Lorenzo  W.  Rowley,  farmer,  is  a  son  of  Abijah  Rowley,  of  New 
York,  who  married  Ruth  Forward,  of  Ccjnneeticut,  and  settled  on  a 
farm  at  Painted  Post,  Steuben  county.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  born  here  January  15,  1811.  He  lived  the  life  of  a  farmer  boy, 
attending  the  common  schools.  On  reaching  manhood  he  engaged 
in  farming  and  lumbering.  Electa  D.  Ilazelton,  to  whom  Mr. 
Rowley  was  married,  on  March  28,  1833,  was  born  at  Argyle,  Ver- 
mont, February  13,  1815.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Elisha  Ilazelton 
and  Mary  Kent.  In  the  spring  of  1850  Mr.  Rowlej'  set  out  to  find  a 
location  in  the  west.  He  settled  at  Oswego,  Illinois,  where  he 
engaged  in  the  lumber  trade  for  several  years.  He  came  to  this 
county  seven  years  later,  and  bought  eighty  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  19, 
Utica,  where  has  always  been  his  home  since.     His  farm  is  just 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  827 

outside  the  limits  of  the  village  of  Utica,  and  now  includes  144 
acres.  He  has  a  tine  location,  convenient  to  school,  railroads,  etc. 
Mr.  Rowley  was  made  postmaster  very  soon  after  his  arrival  in 
town,  and  held  the  office  till  1881.  He  was  justice  of  the  peace  for 
five  years ;  is  a  republican.  At  nineteen  years  old  he  joined  the 
Presbyterian  church,  and  was  elder  of  the  society  of  that  sect  when 
organized  here.  On  its  decline,  and  merging  in  the  Congregational 
church  at  St.  Charles,  he  became  a  charter  member  in  the  latter. 
Six  children  of  Mr.  Rowley  are  still  living.  The  eldest,  Ambrose 
H.,  was  born  March  5,  1884,  and  died  May  16,  1878,  leaving  a 
widow  (formerly  Catharine  Everton)  and  three  children  at  Aten, 
Nebraska.  Those  living  are  as  follows  :  William  F.,  August  10, 
1836,  married  Harriet  A.  Knight  (now  deceased), —  married  Isabel 
Lellar,  lives  at  Winona;  Orinda  F.,  April  13,  1838,  married  William 
B.  Allen,  and  lives  at  Hastings,  Minnesota;  Mary  K.,  May  20, 
1840,  married  Gerry  Terry,  resides  at  Eldorado,  Iowa;  *Edward  A., 
September  1,  1842,  married  Harriet  B.  Ebersole,  dwells  at  Mitchell, 
Dakota;  Erastus  M.,  August  22,  1848,  Alwilda  Stackhouse,  resides 
on  father's  farm;  Brainerd  K.,  August  15,  1851,  married  Mary 
McGovern  (now  deceased), —  married  Ida  Knudson,  and  now  resides 
at  Athol,  Dakota, —  was  conductor  on  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  rail- 
road twelve  years. 

Isaac  Martin,  farmer,  born  in  Pike  county,  Missouri,  in  1843. 
In  1848  he  moved  with  parents  to  Galena,  Illinois,  where  he  at- 
tended the  public  school  for  nine  years,  when  he  again  moved  with 
his  parents  to  Stillwater,  Minnesota,  and  in  two  years  to  Taylor 
Falls,  Minnesota,  where  he  attended  school  for  five  years.  He  en- 
listed in  the  Minn.  Light  Art.  in  1864,  and  was  discharged  in  1865, 
since  which  time  he  has  suffered  severely  from  the  consequences  of 
exposure  while  in  the  army.  In  1870  he  married  Miss  Mary  E. 
Murphy,  born  in  Wisconsin  in  1851,  daughter  of  N.  W.  and  Maria 
Murphy.  Our  subject  has  had  by  this  marriage  three  children: 
Katie  Lea,  born  1871  ;  Stella  Ray,  born  1874;  Blanche  Minerva, 
born  1879.  Mr.  Martin  removed  with  his  family  in  1871  to  Chip- 
pewa count3%  town  of  Montevideo,  where  he  farmed  for  five  years, 
but  was  in  1877  driven  away  by  the  grasshoppers,  and  in  the 
same  year  bought  a   farm  of  120    acres   in   Whitewater,  on  Sec. 

*  Enlisted  in  1861,  in  1st  Minn.  Vols.  Was  wounded  and  taken  prisoner 
at  Bull  Run,  and  discharged;  re-enlisted,  and  served  under  W.  T.  Sherman  till 
close  of  the  rebellion. 


828  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

18,  T.  108,  R.  10,  on  wliich  he  has  since  resided.  He  has  been 
twice  elected  supervisor,  and  is  this  year  (1883)  chairman  of  the 
board.  He  is  a  republican  in  politics,  and  a  simple  believer  in 
religion. 

William  Buckingham,  farmer,  son  of  Samuel  and  Thankfiil 
Buckingham,  was  born  in  Hartford  county,  Connecticut,  in  the  year 
1828.  In  1834  he  moved  with  his  parents  to  Ohio,  where  he 
attended  school  and  assisted  his  father  on  the  farm.  In  1852,  hav- 
ing a  small  attack  of  the  "gold  fever,''  our  subject,  with  lorty  others, 
formed  a  train  under  the  command  of  Parson  Herrick,  and  went  to* 
C'alifornia,  making  the  trip  in  four  months,  meeting  no  Indians  nor 
having  bad  luck  of  any  kind  on  the  way.  In  California  our  subject 
worked  on  a  ranch  and  part  of  the  time  in  a  mine.  In  1857  he 
returned  to  Ohio,  where  he  was  employed  in  Tnercantile  business. 
In  1860  he  moved  to  Beaver,  Minnesota,  where  he  engaged  in 
business  with  G.  G.  Knowles,  keeping  a  general  country  store,  and 
in  1864  he  farmed  on  shares.  In  1872  Mr.  Buckingham  again 
opened  store  in  Beaver,  and  in  1875  bought  E.  -^  of  S.W.  ^  of 
Sec.  31,  containing  about  eighty  acres,  on  which  he  at  once  built  a 
commodious  frame  dwelling-house,  in  which  he  has  since  resided. 
In  1862  he  married  Miss  Margaret  Drake,  who  was  born  in  Oswego 
county,  New  York,  in  1842,  daughter  of  Keuben  and  Sophronia 
Drake.  There  are  four  children  of  this  marriage,  born  as  follows : 
Willis  P.,  January,  1863;  Arthur  A.,  May  13,  1866;  Brayton  S., 
August  9,  1868  ;  Eoy  W.,  October  2,  1873.  Mr.  Buckingham  is  a 
republican  in  politics,  has  been  twelve  times  elected  town  clerk  and 
once  as  tovsm  treasurer.     In  religious  views  he  is  a  Congl-egationalist. 

John  Ploof,  farmer,  son  of  Alexander  and  Charlotte  Ploof,  was 
born  in  Quebec,  Canada,  in  1834.  When  only  fourteen  years  of 
age  he  left  his  home  in  Canada  and  went  to  Burlington,  Vermont, 
where  he  remained  only  one  year,  when  he  moved  to  Northfield, 
Vermont,  and  in  one  year  again  moved,  this  time  to  Goshen,  Vir- 
ginia. In  1853,  being  then  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  married  Miss 
Mary  Alvina  Allen,  daughter  of  Noah  Allen,  of  Addison  county, 
Vermont,  at  which  place  his  bride  was  born.  By  this  marriage  he 
has  had  four  children:  Alfred  E.,  born  1862  ;  George,  born  1867  ; 
Waldo  R,  born  1872;  Orris,  born  1875.  In  1860  our  subject  left 
Wisconsin  for  Quincy,  Minnesota,  and  in  two  years  moved  to  Plain- 
view,  Minnesota.  In  1863  enlisted  in  the  1st  Minn,  batt.,  and 
served  two  years,  being  discharged  in  July,  1865.     Owing  to  fever 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  829 

and  bad  food  our  subject  during  his  service  in  the  army  became 
almost  blind,  and  has  not  since  recovered  his  sight.  In  the  fall  of 
1866  he  moved  to  Whitewater  and  bought  a  farm  of  eighty  acres, 
E.  i  of  N.E.  i,  Sec.  31,  T.  108,  K.  10,  from  Mr.  Mitchell,  and 
subsequently  purchased  from  A.  B.  McCarty,  Sec.  ^  of  S.E.  J  of 
Sec.  30,  T.  108,  R.  10,  containing  eighty  acres,  making  in  all  a 
farm  of  160  acres.  This  farm  when  bought  was  heavily  timbered, 
but  our  subject  has  shown  great  perseverance  in  clearing  and  im- 
proving it,  the  land  being  now  almost  entirely  under  cultivation. 
Mr.  Ploof  is  a  republican  in  politics,  and  in  religion  a  liberal 
thinker. 

Silas  B.  Patterson,  retired  farmer,  is  a  son  of  William  Patter- 
son, a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812.  William  Patterson  married  Miss 
Charlotte,  daughter  of  Silas  Baker,  of  Maine  (who  served  the  colo- 
nies throughout  the  revolutionary  war),  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  the 
town  of  Freeman,  Franklin  county,  Maine,  where  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  born,  January  15,  1826.  On  reaching  maturity 
Silas  Patterson  engaged  in  farming.  He  was  married  October  21, 
1854,  to  Mary,  daughter  of  Jesse  S.  Burbank  and  Hannah  C. 
Ames,  all  of  the  State  of  Maine  ;  Mrs.  Patterson  was  born  in  Free- 
man, December  24,  1827.  Mr.  Patterson  came  to  this  county  in 
1861,  arriving  in  Saratoga,  April  21  ;  here  he  bought  300  acres  of 
land  on  Sec.  11,  which  he  still  owns  ;  he  also  has  160  acres  near 
Marshall,  this  state,  and  eighty  acres  in  Anoca  county.  He  lived 
upon  and  tilled  his  farm  in  Saratoga,  till  December,  1882,  when  he 
removed  to  the  city  of  St.  Charles,  where  he  had  purchased  a  house 
and  six  lots  the  year  previous  ;  he  also  has  four  acres  of  land  in  an- 
other place  witliin  the  city  limits.  Mr.  Patterson  pays  little  atten- 
tion to  public  affairs,  but  deems  it  his  duty  to  vote  at  least  at  every 
presidential  election  and  for  the  republican  nominees.  Himself  and 
wife  have  been  for  thirty  years  members  of  the  Freewill  Baptist 
church.  They  have  had  four  children,  of  whom  two  are  now  living. 
Here  is  their  record:  Lieuprelett,  born  February  7,  1856,  died 
February  25,  1880  ;  Charles,  August  24,  1858,  died  at  ten  years  old  ; 
Joseph  L.,  October  22,  1860,  lives  on  his  father's  farm  in  Saratoga; 
Almira  L.,  February  9,  1867. 

Edward  C.  Ellis,  miller,  was  born  in  Acushnet,  Bristol  county, 
Massachusetts,  September  15,  1846.  His  father,  William  R.  Ellis, 
was  a  son  of  William  Ellis,  both  being  bom  in  Plymouth  county, 
Massachusetts,  and  descended  from  the  early  English  settlers  of  that 


830  JIISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

region.  W.  R.  Ellis  married  Rhoda  A.  Collins,  of  Bristol  county, 
who  died  when  the  infant  Edward  was  but  fifteen  months  old. 
After  building  flour-mills  in  Sheboygan  and  Winnebago  counties, 
Wisconsin,  W.  R.  Ellis  came  to  Minnesota  in  1860  and  built  a 
mill,  in  company  with  W.  R.  Parr,  at  Elgin,  Wabasha  county, 
where  he  became  prominently  identified  with  town  affairs,  serving 
as  assessor  for  two  years;  was  also  chairman  of  Elba  in  1866. 
During  the  latter  year  Ellis  &  Parr  removed  their  mill  to  Sec.  5, 
Elba,  where  it  is  still  in  operation  and  known  as  Fairwater  Mill.  In 
1870  Mr.  Ellis  returned  to  Massachusetts,  where  he  now  resides. 
Edward  C.  Ellis  was  reared  till  ten  years  old  by  an  aunt,  and  was 
then  brought  by  his  father  to  Menasha,  Wisconsin,  where  he  at- 
tended the  city  schools  for  four  years.  He  then  removed  with  his 
father  to  Elgin,  where  he  worked  on  a  farm  during  the  summer  and 
attended  school  in  winter  for  six  years.  In  1866  he  went  into  the 
mill  at  Fairwater,  where  he  has  been  occupied  nearly  all  the  time 
since.  In  1877  Mr.  Ellis  removed  to  Dover,  Nebraska,  where 
he  engaged  in  farming  for  four  years.  During  this  time  he  served  as 
postmaster  at  Dover;  was  also  assessor  one  year,  and  took  the 
census  of  two  precincts  in  1880.  Owing  to  the  need  of  attention  to 
his  father's  mill  property  here,  Mr.  Ellis  returned  to  Fairwater  in 
1881  and  bought  a  half  interest  in  the  mill,  also  leased  his  father's 
interest  and  operates  it  for  himself  Mr.  Ellis  is  a  republican,  and 
has  been  postmaster  at  Fairwater  since  the  establishment  of  that 
office  in  April,  1882.  He  was  married  August  2,  1868,  to  Emma 
E.,  daughter  of  Nathan  B.  Lewis  and  Cynthia  B.  Brown,  of  New 
York.  They  have  three  children,  born  as  follows:  William  L., 
May  28.  1869;  Ida  B.,  September  21,  1870;  Claude  Y.,  December 
18,  1874. 

Rev.  Edward  Ely  was  born  in  Up]ier  Middletown,  Connecticut, 
September  17,  1812.  His  parents,  Selden  and  Hepsebeth  (Gibson) 
Ely,  were  both  natives  of  that  state.  Mr.  Ely  received  his  early 
education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  state,  but  attended  the  Madi- 
son University  at  Hamilton,  New  York,  where  he  graduated,  taking 
both  the  classical  and  theological  courses,  preparatory  to  engaging 
in  the  profession  of  a  minister  of  the  Baptist  church.  His  first 
location  in  his  profession  was  at  Milton,  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Ely 
was  married  in  Owego,  New  York,  A])ril  26,  1843.  His  wife,  Jane 
Wellington  Barker,  was  born  in  Utica,  New  York,  November  8, 
1817.     Her  father  was  Mason  Barker,  a  contractor  on  public  works. 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  §  3 1 


After  his    marriage   tliey   moved   to   Lancaster,    Ohio,    where   he 
preached   for   seven   years.      From   there   he   went  to   Wheehng, 
Virginia,  where  he  remained  two  years,  and  from  thence  he  came 
to  Minnesota.     He  landed  at  Wabasha  prairie,  now  city  of  Wmona, 
May  4   1852,  where  he  has  since  made  it  his  home.     As  an  mduce- 
ment  for  him  to  locate  here  the  town  proprietors  gave  him  an  acre 
of  land   on  what  is  now  the  corner  of  Center  and  Second  streets, 
where  '''Ely  Block"  stands.     He  here  built  a  residence  in  the  tall 
ot  1852      This  was  theiirst  lathed  and  plastered  house  in  the  city  of 
Winona      During  the  years  1852  and  1853  Elder  Ely  preached  to 
the  early  settlers  in  Winona  county  and  also  at  La  Crosse.     In  this 
latter  place  he  was  employed  in  the  winter  of  1852-3  to  conduct  a 
protracted  revival  meeting.     His  efforts  were  productive  of   good 
results      Among  the  numerous  converts  baptized  by  him  was  Mons 
Anderson,  a  prominent  citizen  of  La  Crosse.     For  his  professional 
labors  in  Minnesota  Elder  Ely  never  received  any  pecuniary  reward. 
The  first  funeral  services  held  in  the  county  were  conducted  by  him 
at  the  burial  of  William  Christie,  in  1852.     The  first  marriage  cere- 
mony in  the  county  was  pronounced  by  him  at  his  house      Tlie 
parties  were   S.  K.  Thompson   and   Mrs.   Sutherland.     Elder  Ely 
abandoned  his  profession  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel  not  long  after 
he  came  to  Minnesota,  and  has  never  attempted  to  resume  it  as  a 
means  of  support.     He  has,  however,  remained  an  active  member 
of  the  Baptist  church  since  its  organization.     He  was  for  awhile  m 
mercantile  business  and  in  insurance  and  real  estate  transactions, 
but  has  never  been  steadily  engaged  in  any  special  branch  of  busi- 
ness     His  buildings  on  the  corner  of  Center  and  Second  streets 
were  all  swept  away  by  the  "big  fire"  in  1862.     Elder  Ely's  news- 
paper articles  of  reminiscences  of  pioneer  life  have  for  many  years 
interested  the  readers  of  the  city  papers.     From  the  frequency  of 
these  communications  he  has  sometimes  been  designated  as  -rtie 
old  settler,"  and  quoted  as  the  local  historian  of  the  county.     His 
writings  and  lectures  on  this  topic  have  been  numerous,  but  have 
never  appeared  in  any  other  form  than  as  newspaper  contributions. 
He  was  a  popular  speaker,  and  was  usually  called  out  for  a  speech 
on  all  public  gatherings.     He  was  always  prompt  to  respond,  on 
every  occasion,  in  a  humorous  and  entertainmg  manner      He  was 
the  first  resident  postmaster  in  the  city  of  Winona.     The  first  regular 
mail  made  up  and  sent  from  this  ofiice  was  by  him,  about  the  first 
of  January,  1853.     He  held  the  ofiice  until  the  sprmg  of  1855.     He 


832  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

was  for  a  term  or  two  coroner  of  Winona  county.  In  1872  he  was 
sergeant-at-arms  of  the  senate  in  the  state  legislature.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Ely  have  four  children  living,  but  none  of  them  are  residents 
of  this  county.  Charles  E.  is  married  and  living  in  Dakota  Terri- 
tory;  Helen  M.,  also  married,  and  residing  in  Dakota.  Mason  B. 
is  in  Texas;  and  Hattie  E.,  married,  is  now  living  in  Montana  Ter- 
ritory. Mrs.  Ely  has  for  many  years  been  a  successful  portrait 
painter.  Her  studio  is  in  Ely  block,  on  the  same  locality  where  her 
residence  stood  in  her  pioneer  days  of  1852.  In  all  the  years  of  his 
life  he  never  used  tobacco  or  intoxicating  liquors  in  any  form  ;  never 
was  sick  a  day  in  his  life,  nor  had  a  physician  to  feel  his  pulse  ; 
neither  has  he  ever  used  spectacles,  as  his  vision  is  unimpaired. 

Father  Joseph  B.  Cotter,  pastor  of  St.  Thomas'  Catholic  church, 
of  this  city,  was  born  in  Liverpool,  England,  November  19,  1844. 
His  parents,  Lawrence  and  Ann  M.  (Perrin)  Cotter,  were  natives  of 
Ross  Castle,  County  Kerry,  Ireland,  and  Liverpool,  England,  re- 
spectively. In  1840  they  emigrated  to  America,  settling  first  in 
New  York,  but  soon  after  removed  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  where  they 
remained  till  1855,  and  where  his  mother  died.  In  that  year  the 
father,  with  the  remaining  members  of  his  family,  removed  to  and 
permanently  located  in  St.  Paul,  Minnesota.  Father  Cotter  was 
primarily  educated  in  the  cathedral  parochial  school,  in  St.  Paul, 
after  which  he  entered,  as  a  theological  student,  at  St.  Francis' 
Seminary,  Milwaukee,  and  later  completed  a  three  years'  course  at 
St.  Vincent's  College,  in  Westmoreland,  Pennsylvania.  Three  years 
more  were  spent  at  the  St.  John's  University,  in  Minnesota,  after 
which  he  was  ordained  for  the  ministry  at  St.  Paul,  May  21,  1871, 
and  June  9,  the  same  year,  was  assigned  to  the  pastorate  of  the 
church  at  Winona.  The  testimony  of  very  many  of  the  best  citi- 
zens of  this  city  is  that  Father  Cotter  has  done  more  to  advance  the 
cause  of  temperance  here  than  any  other  man  in  the  city. 

Father  Alois  Heller,  of  the  St.  Joseph's  Catholic  church,  of  this 
city,  was  born  in  Austria,  October  28,  1835.  By  the  death  of  both 
parents  he  was  left  an  orphan  at  the  age  of  five  years.  At  the  age 
of  fourteen  years  he  was  placed  in  college  at  Prague,  the  capital  of 
Bohemia,  from  which,  twelve  years  later,  he  was  ordained  a  priest 
by  Cardinal  Schwartzenberg,  on  August  2,  1863.  The  six  years  fol- 
lowing his  ordination  he  applied  himself  to  the  labors  of  his  profes- 
sion in  his  native  land,  after  which,  in  answer  to  a  call  from  Father 
Gardener,  he  came  to  America,  and  soon  after  assumed  the  pastorate 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  833 

of  a  church  in  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  and  three  years  later  was 
transferred  to  Baltimore,  where  he  remained  till  called  to  Winona, 
in  February,  1878.  Here,  as  elsewhere,  his  untiring  and  zealous 
Christian  labors  have  been  crowned  with  success,  and  the  fine 
church  edifice  erected  under  his  care  will  long  stand  a  monument  to 
his  memory. 

Hon.  W.  H.  Yale,  attorney-at-law,  oflice  on  north  side  Third, 
between  Main  and  Johnson  streets,  practice  established  in  this 
city  in  1857.  Mr.  Yale  was  born  in  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  No- 
vember 12,  1831,  and  completed  his  school  studies  by  a  three  years' 
course  in  the  Connecticut  Literary  Institution,  at  Sufiield.  Read  law 
two  years  in  the  oflice  ot  Hon.  Geo.  R.  Cowles,  of  Norwalk,  Con- 
necticut, came  to  Winona  March  28,  1857,  was  admitted  to  practice 
by  Chief- Justice  Wech,  of  the  territorial  court,  in  August  of  that 
year. .  The  following  spring  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace,  the 
only  republican  on  the  ticket,  and  held  that  oflice  two  years.  In  the 
fall  of  1859  was  elected  probate  judge,  the  term  of  oflice  being  for 
one  year,  and  upon  its  expiration  assumed  the  duties  of  county 
attorney,  to  which  he  had  been  elected  at  the  general  election,  fall 
of  1860,  holding  that  office  two  years,  and  was  again  elected  county 
attorney,  fall  of  1864,  for  a  further  term  of  two  years.  In  the  fall 
of  1866  was  elected  to  represent  his  district  in  the  state  senafe, 
served  one  term,  and  in  the  fall  of  1869  was  elected  lieutenant- 
governor,  from  which  office  he  retired  at  the  expiration  of  his  second 
term,  having  been  re-elected  in  1871.  Was  returned  to  the  state 
senate  for  the  two  years'  term,  1875-6,  and  since  its  expiration  has 
been  engaged  solely  in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  Mr.  Yale  has 
had  few  law  partners  during  the  more  than  twenty-five  years  of  liis 
practice  at  the  Winona  bar.  He  was  associated  with  Hon.  Wm. 
Mitchel  in  practice  from  1867  until  that  gentleman  went  upon  the 
bench,  in  1874,  and  this,  with  the  single  exception  of  a  short  asso- 
ciation in  business  with  M.  B.  Webber,  has  been  the  extent  of  his 
law  partnerships.  Mr.  Yale  is  married  and  has  two  sons,  one  a 
child  at  home,  and  the  other,  Charles  B.  Yale,  admitted  to  the  bar 
of  this  county  in  1878,  and  for  the  past  two  years  attorney  in  the 
general  office  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railroad,  at 
Milwaukee,  in  charge  of  the  personal  injury  department.  The  ex- 
governor  is  a  communicant  of  the  E})iscopal  church  of  this  city,  and 
a  senior  warden  of  its  vestry. 

H.  Stevens  &  Son,  booksellers  and  stationers,  store  on  East 


884  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Third  street,  in  Stevens  block.  This  business  was  established  in 
1877,  in  its  present  location,  and  gives  employment  to  four  persons. 
Members  of  the  firm  are  Henry  Stevens  and  H.  0.  Stevens.  Henry 
Stevens  came  to  Winona  in  the  fall  of  1862,  and  established  himself 
in  drygoods  trade  on  Second  street,  4  Simpson's  block.  This  busi- 
ness was  conducted  until  1874,  from  which  date  until  the  establish- 
ment of  the  book-house  in  1877  Mr.  Stevens  was  not  in  trade.  In 
1875  he  built  "Stevens  Block,'-  a  three  story  and  basement  brick, 
stone  foundations  and  facings,  fronting  48  feet  on  Third  street,  with 
a  depth  of  90  feet ;  the  half  of  the  ground  floor  occupied  with  his 
own  business.  Mr.  Stevens  was  a  member  of  the  city  council 
during  1879-80;  has  been  president  of  the  board  of  education  for 
the  city,  and  since  1864  has  been  one  of  the  board  of  trustees  for 
the  Congregational  church,  and  a  member  of  its  building  committee 
for  the  erection  of  the  new  church  just  completed. 

Benjamin  Ellsworth,  Utica,  the  model  farmer  of  Winona 
county,  was  born  in  the  State  of  Maine,  in  Franklin  county,  July 
8,  1826.  His  parents,  William  and  Polly  (Dolbier)  Ellsworth,  were 
also  natives  of  Maine,  and  were  born  toward  the  close  of  the  last 
century,  and  are  now  buried  in  their  native  state.  They  were  the 
parents  of  eight  children,  four  sons  and  four  daughters.  The  former 
was  of  English  ancestry,  as  his  grandfather  with  two  brothers  emi- 
grated to  this  country  from  England  in  the  early  part  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  and  settled  in  Maine,  New  Hampshire  and  Vermont 
respectively.  Benjamin,  the  subject  of  this  brief  sketch,  was  reared 
on  the  farm  and  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  state. 
Soon  after  he  became  of  age,  ambition  and  an  enterprising  spirit 
led  him  and  his  brother  Amos  D.  to  California,  where  for  five  and 
a-half  years  they  successfully  engaged  in  mining,  after  which  they 
returned  to  their  old  home.  Soon  after  his  return  from  California 
Mr.  Ellsworth  made  a  prospecting  tour  as  far  west  as  St.  Paul, 
Minnesota,  and  the  same  fall  (1857)  went  to  Waupon,  Wisconsin," 
where  he  engaged  in  the  grain  trade  till  1863,  when  he  removed  to 
Winona,  Minnesota,  and  continued  to  deal  in  grain  here  till  the 
completion  of  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  railroad  as  far  west  as  his 
farm  in  Utica  township.  The  farm  is  located  on  Sees.  18  and  19, 
T.  106,  R.  9,  and  was  bought  by  Mr.  Ellsworth  in  1860.  On  his 
removal  to  his  farm  he  at  once  built  a  warehouse,  which  has  con- 
tinued to  be  a  market  for  grain  at  that  })oint.  It  may  be  here 
stated   that  Mr.  Ellsworth  shipped  the   first   carload  of  wheat  in 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  *       835 

bulk  sent  over  tlie  road.  Mr.  Ellsworth  also  platted  the  village  of 
Utica,  and  a  few  years  ago  built  his  fine  and  stately  residence  a  few 
rods  north  of  the  village,  and  has  since  his  residence  here  been 
actively  engaged  in  stock-raising  and  farming.  In  his  pastures  can 
always  be  found  good  grades  (and  some  thorough-bred  stock)  of 
cattle,  horses,  sheep  and  swine.  He  is,  no  doubt,  the  most  ex- 
tensive and  intelligent  farmer  and  stock-raiser  in  the  county,  and  a 
large  land  owner  in  and  out  of  the  county,  all  of  which  is  the  result 
of  honest  industry,  good  management  and  close  attention  to  busi- 
ness. November  29,  1866,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Emma  G.  Campbell,  also  a  native  of  Franklin  county,  Maine,  by 
whom  he  has  an  interesting  and  healthy  family  of  four  children, 
whose  names,  in  the  order  of  their  birth,  are  Frank  W.,  Vesta  E., 
Ethlin  M.  and  Osman  B. 

Robert  Morgenbier,  artist  and  photographer;  reception-rooms 
and  studio  at  11  and  13  Second  street,  Winona,  Minnesota.  The 
business  was  established  by  the  present  proprietor  and  his  then 
partner,  Mr.  Leopold  Weiskopf  lately  deceased.  The  gallery  has, 
as  regards  dimensions,  appointments  and  equipments,  few  equals, 
and  no  superiors,  that  is,  of  galleries  devoted  entirely  to  private 
portraiture.  The  large  and  increasing  patronage  enjoyed  is  an 
assurance  that  fine  work  finds  proper  recognition  everywhere. 
Photography  has  made  such  rapid  strides  toward  the  realm  of  high 
art,  that  the  best  results  of  a  few  years  ago  can  in  no  way  endure 
comparison  with  the  brilliant  productions  of  a  thorough  artist  of 
to-day.  To  make  photographs  acceptable,  to  many  is  not  a  very 
serious  matter,  but  to  produce  such  work  as  will  impress  even  a 
casual  observer  with  their  artistic  beauty  is  another  thing.  The 
capability  of  producing  such  results  emanates  from  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  and  training  in  the  elements  of  high  art.  The  rising 
and  successful  photographer  of  the  day  must  be  an  adept  with'  ])encil 
and  brush  aside  of  his  experience  in  practical  photography.  Mr. 
Morgeneier  is  fortunate  in  being  one  of  a  family  of  artists,  and  from 
childhood's  years  a  pupil  of  his  father,  Mr.  John  W.  Morgeneier,  a 
gentleman  prominent  in  art  and  photographic  circles.  Since  in 
Winona,  Mr.  Morgeneier  has,  aside  of  attending  his  many  sittings 
in  gallery,  found  time  to  finish  a  number  of  brush  pictures  that 
merit  universal  approval.  A  constant  contributor  to  the  literature 
of  his  profession,  he  has  been  accorded  the  honor  of  being  placed 
upon  the  list  of  authorities  upon  matters  pertaining  to  photography, 
50 


83()       *  IIISTOKi^    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

(See  "  Wilson's  photographies,"  Bennermim  and  Wilson,  publishers, 
Philadelphia,  1881).  In  the  regular  gallery  work  he  has  live  as- 
sistants, and  everything  moves  with  the  regularity  of  clockwork. 
In  a  visit  to  this  lino  establishment  ample  recompense  will  be  found 
in  examining  the  work  therein  displayed.  Patrons  or  visitors  are 
assured  of  ec^ual  i)olite  reception. 

CuARLES  Gernes,  ail  early  resident  of  this  county  iirst  landed  in 
Winona,  November  9,  1854.  At  that  time  but  few  white  settlers 
cnjoved  what  might  be  termed  houses,  but  rather  existed  in  shanties 
little  better  than  the  Indian  tepees,  which  were  then  numerous  where 
the  gem  city  of  Winona  now  stands.  Mr.  Gernes  is  a  native  of 
that  part  of  Holland  which,  by  conquest  in  later  years,  became  a 
part  of  the  kingdom  of  Belgium.  He  was  born  April  2,  1816,  and 
early  in  life  learned  the  trade  of  tanner.  In  1840  he  married 
Miss  Mary  Lebotee,  a  native  of  Holland,  and  conducted  the 
business  of  his  trade  till  1850,  when  in  the  capacity  of  counsel  or 
su])erintendent  he  brought  to  this  country  a  colony  of  160  families, 
all  of  whom  he  located  at  Green  Bay,  Wisconsin.  The  ocean  passage 
was  made  in  the  sailing-vessel  Tuskena,  and  occupied  a  period  of 
sixtv-two  days.  From  his  arrival  in  America  till  his  settlement  in 
Winona  Mr.  Gernes  resided  in  Delaware  county.  New  York,  in  the 
community  of  a  French  colony  that  had  previously  located  there. 
For  many  years  after  his  advent  into  Winona  c<iunty  Mr.  Gernes 
devoted  the  most  of  his  time  to  locating  land-seekers,  and  early 
became  acquainted  with  all  parts  of  this  and  adjoining  counties, 
passing  many  nights  out  on  the  open  prairie.  His  first  wife  died  in 
1856,  and  his  second  marriage  was  in  1857,  to  Mary  Millaerd.  'She 
was  a  native  of  Belgium,  and  for  a  time  a  governess  in  the  family 
of  Col.  Benton,  whose  wife  was  a  daughter  of  John  C.  Calhoun, 
well  known  in  American  political  circles.  She  died  in  this  cit}^  in 
1873.  'Mr.  Gernes  has  several  times  visited  Europe,  and  looks  back 
with  much  pleasure  to  the  happiness  these  trips  afforded  him,  and 
especially  to  the  season  of  1878,  when  he  visited  his  old  Holland 
home,  accompanied  by  his  children.  That  year  he  frequently  met 
General  Grant,  while  that  distinguished  American  citizen  was 
making  a  txnir  of  the  world.  His  children  are  :  Theodora,  born  in 
Europe,  and  Anna  F.  and  Bernard  A.,  born  in  this  country.  The 
latter  is  now  engaged  in  merchandising  in  the  dry  goods  and  cloth- 
ing line,  in  his  new  brick  business-house,  on  the  corner  of  Second 


BIOGRAPHICAL.  837 

and  Market  streets.  He  is  also  handling  farm  machinerj,  including 
self-binding  harvesters. 

Professor  Hermann  Rohweder,  leader  of  the  Germania  band  of 
this  city,  is  a  native  of  Holstein,  Prussia.  He  is  a  son  of  George 
Rohweder,  and  was  born  May  3,  1842.  At  the  age  of  seven  he 
began  the  study  of  music,  and  soon  developed  a  taste  and  proliciencj 
in  music  which  gave  promise  of  a  briglit  future.  Early  in  the  spring 
of  1857  he,  with  his  father,  brother  William  and  a  sister  Mary, 
sailed  from  Hamburg  for  America  in  the  steamship  Borussia,  and 
landed  in  Winona  late  in  May.  Soon  after  his  arrival  here  he  made 
an  effort  to  organize  a  band,  associating  with  himself  Prof  Story 
and  a  few  others.  Their  first  instruments  were  a  harp  and  violin. 
The  former  was  made  here,  and  is  still  owned  by  Prof  Story, 
though  he  has  since  purchased  an  instrument  of  that  kind  at  a  cost 
of  $800.  From  this  small  beginning  the  Professor  has  succeeded  in 
making  the  Germania  band  of  Winona  a  permanent  institution  and 
the  best  organization  of  the  kind  in  southern  Minnesota.  They  first 
started  as  the  North  Star  band,  but  some  years  later  assumed  their 
present  name.  The  company  contains  fourteen  expert  players,  and 
the  estimated  value  of  their  instraments  and  fixtures  is  $5,000. 
Prof  Rohweder  is  a  gentleman  who  thoroughly  understands  his 
profession,  and  is  a  competent  instructor  on  all  horn  and  string 
instruments.  He  was  married  in  1863,  to  Miss  Margaret  Dickmann, 
also  a  native  of  Holstein,  and  has  one  chiFd  living. 

Michael  Hanley,  street  commissioner  of  Winona,  was  born  in 
Tipperary,  Ireland,  and  in  infancy  was  brought  by  his  parents  to 
Hamilton,  Ontario,  Canada.  His  father,  who  was  a  carpenter  by 
trade,  died  soon  after  their  arrival  in  Canada,  and  four  years  later 
his  mother  died  of  cholera.  In  July,  1856,  our  subject,  with  a 
younger  brother  Martin  and  sister  Maria,  came  to  Winona.  In  1867 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Mai-garet  Carney,  a  native  of  County  Sligo, 
Ireland,  by  whom  he  has  five  children,  whose  names  are  Mary  A., 
Margaret,  Elizabeth,  Thomas  and  Genevieve.  He  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  St.  Thomas  Catholic  church  of  this  city,  and  he 
is  a  member  and  faithful  worker  in  the  Father  Mathew  Society,  and  a 
member  of  the  Catholic  Knights  of  America. 

Dr.  John  D.  Ford  (deceased)  was  born  at  Cornish,  'New  Hamp- 
shire, April  18,  1816.  He  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College,  and 
subsequently  from  the  medical  college  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia, 
in  1843.    Soon  after  he  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine  at  Nor- 


838  HISTORY    OF    WESrONA    COUNTY. 

"wich,  Conneetieat,  ^nd  early  attained  a  high  position,  ranking  with 
the  very  first  among  his  professional  brethren.  While  a  resident  of 
Norwich  he  was  warmly  interested  in  the  educational  institutions  of 
that  city,  and  labored  earnestly  in  behalf  of  its  common  schools. 
Excessive  devotion  to  his  professional  labors,  however,  produced  a 
sensible  effect  upon  his  delicate  constitution,  and  after  a  successful 
practice  of  about  eleven  years  he  was  compelled  to  seek  a  climate 
more  congenial  to  his  health,  and  he  came  to  Winona,  in  1856, 
while  our  young  city  was  just  emerging  from  the  wilderness.  He 
here  assumed  his  practice,  which  soon  became  extensive  and  suc- 
cessful in  the  highest  degree.  But  the  same  earnest  devotion  to 
his  work,  which  was  an  eminent  characteristic  of  Dr.  Ford's,  and 
which  is  indispensable  to  all  who  would  lead  in  the  development  of 
great  enterprises,  soon  began  to  tell  upon  his  frail  constitution,  and 
he  was  compelled  to  relinquish  the  practice  of  his  profession  and 
turn  his  attention  to  pursuits  better  suited  to  the  condition  of  his 
health.  Accordingly  he  accepted  the  agency  of  several  of  the  old 
and  responsible  insurance  companies  of  the  east ;  with  his  great 
organizing  and  executive  abilities,  his  quick  and  clear  perceptions, 
and  good  judgment,  he  within  a  short  time  established  extensive 
and  important  business  relations  between  these  companies  and  the 
citizens  of  this  state.  Bringing  with  him  to  his  western  home  the 
same  earnest  interest  in  the  cause  of  education  which  he  had  felt  in 
New  England,  he  early  identified  himself  with  the  history  and 
progress  of  the  common  school  system  of  this  city  and  state.  His 
work  was  a  pioneer  work,  so  to  speak.  It  was  undertaken  at  a  time 
when  there  was  no  public  sentiment  to  sustain  such  efforts,  and 
when  there  were  difficulties  and  prejudices  to  be  encountered  which 
often  appal  the  stoutest  hearts.  But  the  crowning  labors  in  the  life 
of  this  great  and  good  man  are  those  which  he  has  so  unselfishly 
and  nobly  given  toward  the  establishment  of  the  great  normal 
school  system  of  this  state.  Dr.  Ford  was,  no  doubt,  the  first  to 
propose  this  comprehensive  plan  for  the  ])re])aration  of  teachers, 
without  which  all  other  efforts  for  the  education  of  the  masses  must 
be  comparatively  valueless.  Few  men  in  our  countr>'  yet  appreciate 
the  great  idea  symbolized  and  represented  by  these  institutions  for 
the  training  of  those  who  were  to  become  the  missionaries  and  in- 
structors of  the  masses.  lie  believed,  with  Horace  Mann,  that 
"coiled  up  within  this  institution  is  a  spring  whose  uncoiling  may 
wheel   the    spheres."      Hence    his  faith   in   its    power  for  good 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  839 

amounted  almost  to  inspiration.  It  is  a  foregone  conclusion  that 
but  for  his  labors  the  normal  school  of  this  state  would  not  now 
be  in  existence.  While  others  have  despaired  he  has  believed, 
when  others  were  indifferent  and  inactive  he  labored,  and  not  until 
he  beheld  it  a  fixed  fact — not  until  he  foresaw  it  clearly  expanding 
into  the  fullness  of  its  power  and  usefulness — not  until  he  felt  the 
premonitions  of  faihng  mortality,  and  a  growing  necessity  for  repose 
from  the  cares  of  life, — did  he  relinquish  his  place  at  the  helm  where 
he  so  nobly  stood  through  the  last  eight  dubious  years.  His  work  in 
the  city  of  Winona  will  be  through  all  the  coming  generations  a 
monument  to  his  farseeing  intelligence,  and  to  his  generous  regard 
for  the  future  welfare  and  greatness  of  his  adopted  state.  In  his  rela- 
tions to  it  he  belongs  to  the  state,  and  the  generous  people  of  the  state 
will  ever  cherish  as  one  of  its  best  friends  and  noblest  benefactors. 
He  died  October  29,  1867,  and  was  buried  in  Woodlawn  cemetery, 
near  the  beautiful  city  he  so  much  loved,  and  a  few  years  later  his 
devoted  wife  followed  him  to  the  same  last  resting-place.  The 
normal  school  board  and  the  board  of  trade  both  passed  and  entered 
on  their  files  suitable  resolutions  of  respect  to  their  honored  dead. 


CHAPTER   LX. 


WINONA  AS   IT   IS. 


The  substructure  of  Winona's  prosperity  was  laid  when  she 
reached  out  her  hand  to  tlie  immense  grain  fields  that  were  waiting 
to  pour  their  golden  plenty  into  the  lap  of  commerce,  and  drew 
them  within  the  circle  of  her  distributive  facilities.  This  act  of 
wisdom  was  accomplished  when  she  voluntarily  laid  tribute  upon 
her  own  pocket-book,  and  made  a  highway  across  the  sloughs  and 
over  the  bluffs  along  which  the  grain  wagons  of  the  interior  could 
reach  the  market  she  had  opened  on  the  shores  of  the  great  river. 
Like  the  Dakota  of  the  present,  the  Minnesota  of  twenty-five  years 
ago  was  the  land  of  promise  to  the  prospective  wheat-grower.  In 
1850  the  actual  population  of  the  state  was  but  5,350,  and  Winona 
had  not  received  her  first  permanent  settler.  Five  years  later  the 
estimated  population  was  50,000  souls,  and  Winona  was  becoming 


840  JII8T0KY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

known  as  the  seat  of  the  United  States  land  office  and  an  aspirant 
tor  future  lionors  as  the  coming  commercial  capital  of  the  southern 
part  of  the  state.  Two  years  later  and  the  little  city  liad  taken  on 
civic  honors,  lier  first  charter  election  held,  and  it  was  manifest  that 
her  population  was  not  less  than  3,000.  Two  years  more  and  the 
product  of  the  grain  fields  of  the  state  had  outgrown  the  demand  of 
home  consumption,  and  the  golden  stream  that  poured  across  her 
eastern  frontier  to  find  a  market  in  the  older  east  began  to  be 
measured.  The  acreage  of  wheat  that  year  was  124,792  acres,  and 
the  number  of  bushels  harvested  2,874,415.  To  consume  this  prod- 
uct there  was  a  population  of  about  170,000.  At  the  usual  estimate 
of  nine  bushels  per  head  of  the  population,  the  home  consumption 
would  be,  in  round  numbers,  about  1,300,000  bushels,  leaving  for 
export  of  that  year's  crop  a  little  in  excess  of  1,050,000  bushels,  and 
of  this  amount  Winona  exported  405,000  bushels.  The  exports  of 
the  crop  of  1858  were  about  one-third  of  that  amount,  and  of  this 
130,000  bushels  were  forwarded  by  Winona  grain-dealers.  The 
returns  from  year  to  year  show  that  Winona  did  not  lose  her  hold 
on  the  grain  trade  of  the  state.  The  following  carefully  compiled 
table,  made  by  the  editor  of  the  "Winona  Daily  Republican,"  D. 
Sinclair,  Esq.,  shows  the  Winona  wheat  shipments  for  a  series  of 
years : 

Years.  Bushels.    I    Years.  Bushels. 

1859 130,0(10  I  18()7 2,;)48,759 

1860 40."..000  I  ]868 2,-i32,(vS6 


1861 <J9M.133 

1862 1,20H,1()1 

1863 1,251.830 

1864 ^S.M.TiJo 

1865 2.54:!. 146 

1866 3.256.482 


1869 3,769,736 

1870 3,159.716 

1871 3.167.672 

1872 3.773.142 

1873  5.811,843 


The  last  two  or  three  years'  compilation  included  the  entire  grain 
shipments  over  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  railroad,  and  as  it  was 
almost  impossible  longer  to  keep  the  run  of  the  actual  shipments 
from  first  hands,  the  compilation  was  discontinued.  In  1868,  when 
the  grain  shipments  reached  as  per  above  table,  the  amount  of 
2,432,080  bushels,  Winona  rated  as  the  fourth  primary  grain  market 
in  the  Tnited  States,  Chicago,  Milwaukee  and  Toledo  alone  leading 
her  in  this  respect.  No  pains  were  spared  to  center  this  immense 
grain  trade  at  this  distributing  point,  and  this  intelligent  effort  was 
crowned  with  such  success  that  it  soon  raised  Winona  to  the  very 
front  rank  of  Minnesota  cities,  and  gave  her  an  impetus  in  the  way 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS. 


841 


of  progress  that  has  tided  her  over  the  shoals  of  two  seasons  ol 
financial  depression  into  the  haven  of  assured  prosperity.  During 
the  ten  days  ended  July  24,  1875,  the  shipments  of  wheat  from 
Winona  were  100,000  bushels.  Until  railway  communication  was 
established  with  the  eastern  markets,  tliat  is,  for  about  twelve  years 
from  the  opening  up  of  the  export  trade  in  wheat  at  this  point,  all 
shipments  were  by  river,  and  the  scene  along  the  Winona  levee 
during  the  months  that  navigation  was  open  was  indeed  a  busy  one. 
This  new  industry  came  most  opportunely  to  Winona,  at  a  time  when 
she  was  just  recovering  from  the  financial  depressi(m  of  1857-8,  and 
under  its  impulse  and  the  returning  prosperity  her  population  almost 
doubled  in  the  five  years  from  1860  to  1865,  notwithstanding  the 
nation  was  involved  in  bitter  and  protracted  civil  war  during  almost 
that  entire  period.  During  the  next  five  years  she  more  than  doubled 
her  population,  and  was  conceded  without  question  the  third  place  in 
importance  and  population  in  Minnesota.  As  was  natural,  the 
growth  of  the  little  settlement  on  Wabasha  prairie  began  along  the 
front  of  the  great  river  whose  current,  unused  for  ages  by  larger  craft 
than  the  canoe  of  the  aborigines,  had  of  late  years  felt  the  ploughing 
keels  of  mightier  craft,  and  borne  the  burdens  of  a  growing  com- 
merce. The  dedication  of  the  original  plat,  among  other  reserva- 
tions, for  public  use  and  pleasure,  stipulated  for  a  levee  stretching 
along  the  sandy,  gravelly  margin  of  the  river  for  about  2,000  feet, 
from"  Walnut  street  on  the  east  to  Washington  street  on  the  west, 
and  running  back  from  the  river  to  Front  street.  The  foot  of  Center 
street  touched  this  public  levee  as  nearly  as  possible  in  the  center,  as 
its  name  indicates.  Fronting  this  levee,  almost  at  its  eastern  ex- 
tremity, the  cabins  of  the  pioneers  and  the  shanties  of  the  first 
merchants  were  clustered  in  the  early  days  of  1852-3.  Later,  the 
warehouses  of  the  grain-dealers  clustered  around  the  outskirts 
of  the  levee,  and  the  whole  face  of  trade  was  turned  toward  the 
Father  of  Watei-s,  whose  broad  tide  floated  the  commercial  ventures 
of  the  growing  metropolis  of  southwestern  Minnesota. 

The  same  year  that  saw  the  land  office  established  here  wit- 
nessed the  erection  of  the  first  sawmill  on  the  river  bank  east  of  the 
public  levee,  and  the  following  year  a  planing-mill  was  added.  Fol- 
lowing these,  in  the  same  year  that  the  city  was  incorporated.  Laird 
&  Norton's  mill  and  Youman  Bros'  mill  were  erected,  and  the 
lumber  manufactures  of  the  city  took  form.  These  latter  establish- 
ments are  still  in  vigorous  existence,  each  year,  almost,  adding  to 


842  HISTOIJY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

tlicir  facilities  and  stiti'eiiing-  the  linancial  backbone  created  out  of 
comparatively  nothing  by  the  successful  management  of  the  business 
itself.  This  interest  has  grown  with  the  growth  of  the  city,  and 
new  enterprises  of  a  similar  character  multiplied  until  the  manufac- 
ture of  plain  and  dressed  lumber  has  attained  a  value  over  $2,500,- 
000  per  annum.  The  manufacture  of  flour,  a  comparatively  recent 
industry,  was  early  begun  by  the  building  of  the  Fogg  mill,  at  the 
extreme  west  end  of  the  town  plat,  in  1856.  The  mill  was  not  a  suc- 
cess, and  for  nearly  twenty  years  thereafter  the  great  grain  market 
of  Minnesota  did  not  manufacture  flour  for  her  own  consumption. 
The  building  of  the  L.  C.  Porter  mill  in  187-1-  was  the  beginning  of 
the  milling  enterprise  of  the  city,  which  in  the  short  space  of  eight 
years  has  reached  a  production  of  over  half  a  million  barrels  of  flour 
per  annum.  The  new  impetus  given  trade  by  the  general  interest 
taken  in  the  establishment  of  manufacturing  concerns  of  all  kinds-^ 
as  wagons,  plows,  carriages,  machinery,  agricultural  implements, 
harvesting  machines — has  been  most  marked  during  the  past  four 
years,  within  which  period  the  city  has  more  than  doubled  her  man- 
ufacturing capital  and  her  manufactured  products  of  all  kinds,  besides 
creating  new  channels  for  her  industries  and  marvelously  multiply- 
ing her  resources.  In  all  this  the  citizens,  whose  business  energy 
and  foresight  have  built  up  so  prosperous  a  business,  have  not  for- 
gotten the  arts  of  beautifying  the  city  and  rendering  its  exterior 
pleasant  and  attractive.  As  was  to  be  expected,  the  wisdom  that 
stretched  ita  constructive  hand  over  the  bottomless  sloughs  and 
rugged  bluffs  that  environed  the  city,  and  made  over  and  across 
them  a  highway  for  the  freightage  of  a  vast  inland  district,  that  wis- 
dom did  not  neglect  the  home  necessities  of  broad  streets,  good 
crossings,  sidewalks  and  shade.  When  the  flrst  settlement  was 
made  at  this  point  there  was  one  solitary  tree  on  the  great  Wabasha 
flat.  To-day,  not  thirty-two  years  later,  the  city  of  13,000  popula- 
tion is  literally  embowered  in  shade,  and  her  streets  and  public 
parks  and  private  grounds  are  vast  reaches  and  masses  of  vivid 
greenness,  tiie  luxuriant  foliage  rustling  most  [jleasantly  in  the  sum- 
mer south  winds,  and  shutting  out  the  burning  glances  of  the  mid- 
day sun,  so  severely  felt  in  this  high  latitude.  The  three  parks, 
Central,  First  and  Third  Ward  parks,  as  they  are  respectively  desig- 
nated, were  dedicated  to  the  city  by  the  original  owners  of  the  town 
plat.  Central  ])ark  lies  just  to  the  east  of  Center  street,  and  between 
Fifth    and    Broadway   streets.     It   occupies  a  square  of  .'500  feet, 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  843 

crossed  transversely  bj  broad  paths  of  hard  gravel,  the  rest  ot  the 
ground  covered  with  a  beautiful  carpet  of  rich  green  sod,  which  is 
kept  close  shaven,  and  with  the  shade-trees  preserved  from  the  hand 
and  foot  of  vandalism,  without  being  denied  a  free  enjoyment  to  all 
civilized  beings.  The  band-stand  is  placed  near  the  center  of  the 
park,  and  on  Friday  evenings  the  square  presents  a  most  enlivening 
appearance.  On  this  evening,  during  the  summer  season,  an  open- 
air  concert  is  given,  and  the  broad,  well-sprinkled  streets  surround- 
ing the  park  are  literally  crammed  with  carriages,  as  are  the  sidewalks 
with  camp-stools,  promenaders,  baby-carriages,  bicycles  and  other 
indications  tliat  the  city  is  taking  its  ease.  These  concerts  are  pro- 
vided for  at  the  public  expense,  privately  arranged  for,  and  are  a 
delightful  feature  of  the  summer  attractions  of  the  place. 

When  the  great  fire  of  1862  swept  clean  the  business  of  the 
place,  and  so  many  presaged  the  death  of  the  young  city,  it  was  in 
fact  but  the  clearing  away  of  the  old  wooden  structures,  that  upon 
their  unsightly  ruins  might  be  laid  the  substantial  foundations  of 
tlie  solid  blocks  of  brick  and  mortal-  that  have  risen  in  their  place. 
This  work  of  building  has  kept  pace  with  the  growing  prosperity  of 
the  city,  until  to-day  whole  blocks  of  solid  brick  stretch  along  the 
main  business  thoroughfares  of  the  city,  and  give  an  air  of  substantial- 
ness  and  permanency  to  the  trade  of  the  city,  thoroughly  in  keeping 
with  the  confidence,  everywhere  felt  by  her  capital  and  trade,  that 
this  permanency  is  real.  The  residence  portion  of  the  city  is  also 
most  creditable  to  the  taste  of  the  citizens,  and  evidences  the  pride 
they  feel  in  the  city  they  have  built.  Elegant  dwellings,  spacious 
grounds,  velvet  lawns,  charming  beds  of  color  in  flower  and  foliage 
are  found  all  along  the  principal  residence  streets;  and  outside 
these  grounds  the  ornamentation  is  continued  in  broad  borders  of 
greensward,  extending  from  the  sidewalks  toward  the  center  of  the 
street  from  ten  to  twelve  feet,  and  rising  above  the  driveway  from 
ten  to  twelve  inches.  The  sod  on  these  borders  is  kept  as  closely 
shaven  and  well  watered  as  the  lawns,  and  the  whole  eft'ect  most 
grateful  and  cooling  to  the  senses  as  one  walks  or  drives  along  the 
thoroughfare  in  the  delicious  fragrance  of  an  early  summer  evening. 
The  public  buildings  (with  the  single  exception  of  the  court-house, 
which  time  will  some  day  remedy)  are  a  credit  to  the  city.  The 
state  normal  school,  erected  at  a  cost  of  $165,000,  occupies  two  full 
blocks  in  a  charming  situation,  well  back  from  the  river,  and  its 
grounds  are  most  delightfully  laid  out,  unfenced,  and  always  kept 


844  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

green  and  fresh  during  the  growing  season.  The  high  school 
building  and  the  ward  scliools  each  occupy  a  full  block,  and  the 
spacious  grounds  are  kept  in  most  excellent  condition.  The  ample 
roominess  ot  these  grounds,  and  the  provision  made  for  the  comfort 
of  the  children,  as  well  on  the  play-grounds  as  within  the  scliool- 
rooms,  are  a  noticeable  feature  of  the  Winona  public  schools.  As 
in  her  schools,  so  in  her  churches  Winona  has  taken  a  most  com- 
mendable pride.  The  (,'atholics,  Episcopalians.  Congregationalists, 
Presbyterians  and  Methodists  have  all  that  could  be  required  in  this 
direction.  The  Episcopal  and  Congregational  churches  are  built  of 
solid  stone,  and  the  latter  of  these  structures,  erected  in  1882,  is 
really  a  poem  in  stone,  an  architectural  gem  in  granite.  The  bend 
in  the  river  at  this  point  has  placed  Winona  within  a  ]K)cket  in  the 
bluffs,  and  looking  out  in  any  direction  your  eye  rests  on  the  sur- 
rounding heights,  rising  above  the  spires  of  the  city  and  over- 
looking every  object  of  interest.  Across  Winona  lake  lies  Wof)d- 
lawn  cemetery,  that  beautiful  city  of  the  silent,  than  which  no  more 
quiet  resting-place,  in  which  to  sleep  after  life's  fitful  fever  is  over, 
can  well  be  found.  It  lies  just  within  a  little  upland  vale,  and 
encroaching  very  perceptibly  upon  the  rugged  steeps  that  inclose 
the  little  valley  on  the  west.  Here  the  ground  has  been  terraced 
and  sodded,  and  broken  into  irregular  forms,  and  in  all  things 
made  to  preserve  its  character  as  the  dear  resting-place  for  the 
weary  when  the  di-eamless  sleep  into  which  life  sooner  or  later 
quiets  itself  shall  come.  The  morning  beams  salute  the  faces  of  the 
terraces  as  the  sun  climbs  the  eastern  sky  and  peers  over  the  bluff 
in  the  orient.  The  midday  sun  warms  the  cool  shadiness  and  pene- 
trates each  leafy  nook  and  green  retreat,  the  westering  sun  retires 
behind  the  height  up  which  the  terraced  mounds  are  built,  and  his 
long  shadows  fall  like  the  hovering  wings  of  peace,  regretful  to 
depart,  over  the  beautiful  resting-place  of  Winona's  dreamless 
sleepers.  Turning  from  the  quiet  of  Woodlawn  to  the  bustling 
activities  of  the  city,  witliout  more  particularly  noting  the  stages 
of  her  growth,  her  magnificent  system  of  water-works,  or  aught  else 
connected  with  her  public  spirit  or  private  ways,  leaving  unsaid  all 
so  easily  inferred,  the  growing  wealth  of  her  citizens,  the  superior 
character  of  her  j)ublic  schools,  tiie  intelligence  of  her  people,  the 
social  culture  of  her  homes,  the  health  fulness  of  her  atmosphere, 
the  beauty  of  her  surroundings,  and  the  charming  views  of  natural 
scenery  alternating  in  wood  and  water  colors ;  we  close  this  article 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  845 

with  the  following  summary  of  business  improvements  for  the  year 
1882. 

The  erection  of  the  pumping-works  and  standpipe  for  the  water 
supply  of  the  city,  $60,000;  the  Wisconsin  Ferry  road,  $15,000; 
churches  erected  and  repairs  made,  $35,200,  of  which  amount 
$22,000  was  expended  in  the  erection  of  St.  Joseph's  (Catholic) 
church,  corner  of  Fifth  and  Walnut  streets  ;  school  grounds,  $7,600; 
the  state  normal,  $5,000;  city  schools,  $2,000;  business  blocks, 
$35,000,  of  which  $12,000  is  for  the  erection  of  Wakefield's  block, 
corner  of  Center  and  Fourth  streets.  It  contains  by  odds  the  finest 
drygoods  salesroom  in  the  city.  Elevators  and  warehouses,  $25,000; 
Krumdick  &  Co.  having  expended  $15,000  for  their  new  elevator, 
corner  Front  and  Lafayette  streets.  The  expenditures  for  improve- 
ments by  manufacturers  for  buildings  and  machinery  were:  You- 
mans,  Hodgins  &  Brothers,  $34,000;  Laird,  Norton  &  Co.,  $21,000; 
The  Winona  Lumber  Co.,  $61,000;  The  Winona  Wagon  Works, 
$27,500;  The  L.  C.  Porter  Milling  Co.,  $14,000;  The  Bohn  Man- 
ufacturing Company,  $9,000;  The  Winona  Mill  Company,  $5,500; 
Empire  Lumber  Company,  $8,000;  Schroth  &  Ahren,  $4,000;  The 
Gate  City  Carriage  Works,  $3,000;  The  Winona  Plow  Works, 
$2,000;  Noonan  &  Stetwagen,  $1,000;  to  planing-mill  and  other 
manufacturers  smaller  amounts,  the  whole  aggregating  $194,000. 
The  number  of  dwellings  erected  and  substantially  enlarged  was 
about  130,  while  many  others  were  more  or  less  improved.  The 
aggregate  expenditures  for  this  work  footed  $200,000.  The  finest 
residences  erected  being  those  of  Charles  Horton  and  William 
Garlock,  the  former  costing  $10,000,  the  latter  $7,000.  The  sum 
of  $3,000  was  expended  in  improving  the  gasworks  and  extending 
the  mains;  $6,000  on  railway  improvements;  $21,000  on  suburban, 
and  about  $20,000  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  catalogue,  making  a 
grand  total  in  building  improvement  for  the  year  of  $622,000,  a 
little  more  than  double  the  volume  of  1881.  The  bank  reports  for 
the  same  period,  1882,  show  loans  and  discounts,  $1,009,214;  de- 
posits, $1,042,457;  interests,  $83,581;  exchange,  $8,754;  giving  a 
total  of  $2,144,006. 

The  summary  of  the  year's  trade,  and  its  increase  over  that  of 
1881,  is  as  follows  : 


848  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

BUSINESS.  AMOUNT    1882.  INCREASE. 

Ap-ricultural  imitlenuaits $         59,947      $   

Boots  and  slioes 87,500  ♦),5()0 

Books  and  stationery 85,000  28,440 

Baking  and  confectionerv 40,000  3,500 

Barrels '■  ■ 105,000  35,000 

Carriajres  and  sleighs 41 ,682           

('li)thing  and  furnishing  goods 283,500           

Crockery ^'. 04,388  14,389 

Coal 25,000  5,000 

Cigars  and  tobacc( lOO.OOf)  75,000 

Drugs,  paints  and  oils 105,320           

Dry  goods,  wholesale  and  retail 550,270  141,276 

Dravage 17,000  2,000 

Furniture 24,808           

Flour 2,200,000  320,000 

Groceries,  wholesale  and  retail 550,350           

Guns,  ammunition,  etc 7,000           

Hotels  and  restaurants 125,000  10,500 

Hides,  pelts,  leather  and  findings 112,783  62,783 

Harness,  saddles,  collars 53,000  41,600 

Horses,  livery,  sale,  exchange 71,600           

Hardware ^ 246,000  13,000 

Insurance  premiums ! 51,888           

Jewelry,  watches,  etc 50,000  15,000 

Lumber 2,574,229  1,450,395 

Musical  instruments   27,013  1 7,013 

Millinery  goods 24,000  500 

Meats,  fresh  and  cured 189,000  118,000 

Marble  works 9,500           

Printing  and  publishing 56,000  31 ,029 

Photography  and  art  goods 23,500  10,000 

Sash,  doors, "blinds,  etc 234,500           

Sewing  machines 29,262  29,262 

Variety  goods 40,000  4,500 

Wagons 135,000  85,000 

Wines,  liquors  and  beer,  wholesale 184,000  69,500 

Wlieat,  barley,  oats,  purchased  in  this  market 1.433,000  1,193,451 

Miscellaneous  business 100,000           

Total 10,099,046  3,324,319 

The  summary  for  the  whole — trade,  banking  business,  buildings 
and  improvements,  given  us  for  1882 — is  $12,865,053.  Increase  over 
1881,  $5,097,251.  These  figures  are  supposed  to  be  official  and  cor- 
rect, being  from  tlie  Board  of  Trade  report  for  the  current  year 
1882. 

The  number  of  bushels  of  grain  handled  here,  shipped  at  or 
through  this  point  by  Winona  dealers,  or  converted  into  flour  for 
shipment,  for  the  year  ending  with  this  summary.  May  30,  1883, 
and  estimated  for  the  months  of  June  and  July,  are  : 

Wheat 2.998,582 

Barley 1,640,100 

Oats 178,000 

Corn 1 1,500 


Total 4,828,182 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS. 


847 


COmJClL    ACTS. 

The  proceedings  of  the  city  council  in  most  matters  of  general 
interest  connected  with  city  affairs  have  been  sufficiently  indicated 
in  treating  of  the  various  departments  of  this  municipality.     There 
are,  however,  some  facts  remaining  unnoted,  or  cursorily  alluded  to, 
that  are  of  sufficient  historical  importance  to  require  a  place  in  this 
record.     On  November  28,  1868,  the  city  council,  by  an  ordinance 
passed   on  that   date,    and   duly   published,    contracted    with    the 
La  Crosse,  Trempeleau  &  Prescott  railway  to  deliver  to   that   com- 
pany the  bonds  of  the  city  of  Winona,  to  the  amount  of  $100,000, 
rate  of  interest  and  time  of  maturity  of  bonds  duly  specified,   as 
also  the  conditions  upon  which  the  bonds  should  become  payable, 
with  the  stipulation  that  if  these  conditions  were  not  met,  the  bonds 
should   be  returned  to  the  mayor  ot   the  city  and  canceled.     The 
material  condition  on  the  part  of  the  company  was  made  the  construc- 
tion of  a  railway  from  La  Crosse,  in  Wisconsin,  to  a  point  on  the 
Mississippi  river  opposite  Winona,  and  the  erection  of  a  railway 
bridge  at  this  point  to  unite  the  tracks  of  the  La  Crosse,  Trem- 
peleau &  Prescott  railway  with  those  of  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter 
railway  in  this  city,  thus  affording  an  outlet  to  the  trade  of  Winona 
by  rail  to  the  eastern  markets.     This  accomplished,  $75,000  of  the 
bonds  were  to  be  delivered  to  the  railway  company,  and  the  other 
$25,000  when  the  railway  company  should  construct  a  track  along 
Front  street,  from  the  depot  of  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  railway  to 
Chatfield  street,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city.     The  franchises  of 
this  railway  corporation  subsequently  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
Winona  &  St.  Peter  Kailway  Company,  and  on  March  1,  1869,  the 
city  council   passed   an  ordinance   authorizing  the  Winona  &  St. 
Peter  railway  to  lay  down  and  operate  the  track  on  Front  street, 
under  certain  conditions,  which  if  fulfilled  should  be  accepted  as  a 
performance   of  the  previous   contract   between  the   city  and  the 
La  Crosse  &  Trempeleau  company.     The  time  at  which  the  track 
was  to  be  laid  and  the  bridge  built  having  expired,  and  the  work 
remaining  undone,  the  bonds  were  forfeited  to  the  city  and  returned. 
This  ordinance  contained  the  following  section  :   "Sec.  10.  The  city 
council  of  the  city  of  Winona  shall  have  the  right  to  amend  this 
ordinance  at  pleasure,  and  from  time  to  time  make  such  rules  and 
regulations  regarding  the  mode  of  using  and  operating  said  track 
(on  Front  street)  as  they  may  deem  necessary  for  the  safety  and 
good  order  of  the  city."     Some  immaterial  amendments  were  made 


848  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

to  the  ordinance  that  same  year.  The  conditions  as  to  time  not 
having  been  fulfilled,  November  4,  1872,  the  council  revised  the 
ordinance  and  indelinitely  extended  the  time  of  constructing  the 
track.  August  25,  1873,  the  city  council  amended  tliis  railway 
ordinance  by  the  addition  of  the  following  section:  "Said  track 
shall  on  such  terms  and  for  such  compensation  as  may  be  reason- 
able and  just,  be  subject  to  the  use  of  any  railroad  company  upon 
wliich  authority  for  such  use  may  hereafter  be  conferred  by  the  city 
council."''  All  subsequent  amendments  to  this  railway  ordinance 
contain  the  same  provision  stipulating  for  use  of  tracks  by  any 
other  authorized  railway  company.  It  would  appear  from  this  that 
the  qualifying  clause  restricting  the  right  of  the  Winona  &  St. 
Peter  railway  to  absolutely  control  the  track  on  Front  street  was 
not  in  the  original  ordinance  of  1869,  but  in  an  amendment  made 
thereto  three  and  a  half  years  thereafter.  On  this  point  there  is  a 
confliction  of  statement,  the  city  attorney,  who  drafted  the  ordi- 
nance of  1869,  declaring  positively  that  the  restricting  clause,  pur- 
porting to  be  made  as  an  amendment,  was  in  the  original  draft  of 
that  instrument,  and  was  a  material  part  of  the  ordinance  of  1869. 
To  determine  this  question,  which  is  certainly  one  of  possible  im- 
portance, a  search  was  made  for  the  original  transcript  of  the  ordi- 
nance in  the  archives  of  the  city  council,  but  neither  that  document 
nor  the  book  of  ordinances,  in  which  it  should  be  found  engrossed, 
can  be  discovered.  For  some  reason  the  fu-st  volume  of  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  Winona  city  council  has  disappeared  from  the  council- 
chamber,  and  its  whereabouts  remains  at  present  unknown. 

This  history  is  not  as  important  in  itself  as  it  becomes  taken  in 
connection  with  the  most  important  suit  at  civil  law  the  city  of 
Winona  has  ever  been  a  party  to,  and  on  account  of  which  the  city 
of  Winona  has  ofttimes  been  charged  with  repudiating  her  obli- 
gations. This  suit,  in  which  the  city  of  Winona  was  plaintiff,  was 
brouglit  to  secure  judgment  against  the  Minnesota  Construction 
Company  in  the  sum  of  $125,000  damages  sustained  by  the  city  on 
account  of  the  construction  company  having  unlawfully  secured 
possession  of  the  bonds  of  the  city  to  the  amount  of  $100,000. 
These  bonds  had  been  voted  at  a  special  election  ordered  by  the 
council,  and  held  on  April  21,  1870,  as  ])rovided  by  act  of  legisla- 
ture of  March  2,  authorizing  the  issue  of  $100,000  bonds  to  aid 
in  the  construction  of  the  St.  Paul  &  Chicago  railway.  On  April 
23,  of  that  same  year,  tlie  council  of  the  city  contracted  with  the 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  '        849 

Minnesota  Railway  Company  to  deliver  to  tliem  the  bonds  of  the 
city  to  the  amount  of  $100,000,  conditioned  in  effect  upon  the 
following  terms  :  Either  in  their  own  name,  or  that  of  their  suc- 
cessors or  assigns,  or  in  the  name  of  the  St.  Paul  &  Chicago  Rail- 
way Company,  the  Minnesota  Construction  Company  were  to  build 
and  equip  a  good  and  substantial  railway  from  the  city  of  St.  Paul 
to  the  city  of  Winona,  put  it  into  o])eration  within  three  years  from 
the  date  of  contract,  and  connect  at  Winona  by  bridge  or  ferry 
with  the  La  Crosse,  Trempeleau  &  Prescott  railroad.  The  agree- 
ment thus  entered  into  expressly  sti])ulated  for  the  return  of  the 
bonds,  which  were  to  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  a  depositary,  if  the 
road  was  not  built  according  to  contract ;  it  being  further  provided 
tliat  "in  no  case  shall  the  said  bonds,  or  any  part  thereof,  be  delivered 
by  said  depositary  to  the  said  Minnesota  Railway  Construction 
Company  until  a  truss  railroad  bridge  is  constructed  across  the 
Mississippi  river  at  Winona,  connecting  the  said  St.  Paul  &  Chicago 
railway  or  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  railway  with  the  La  Crosse, 
Trempeleau  &  Prescott  railroad,  at  the  present  terminus  of  the  last- 
named  railroad."  This  terminus  was  across  the  river  in  Minnesota, 
at  a  point  north  of  the  foot  of  Washington  street  in  this  city.  The 
road  was  built  by  the  construction  company  within  the  time  speci- 
fied in  their  contract,  to  a  point  just  within  the  western  limits  of 
the  city,  where  it  connected  by  switch-tracks  with  line  of  the 
Winona  &  St.  Peter  railway,  over  whose  lines  it  reached  the  termi- 
nus of  that  road  near  the  foot  of  Washington  street.  From  this 
point  it  crossed  the  river  on  a  Howe  truss  bridge  to  the  terminus  of 
the  La  Crosse,  Trempeleau  &  Prescott  railroad  on  the  Wisconsin 
side  of  the  river.  The  tresslework  over  the  street  leading  to  the 
terminus  of  the  railroad  bridge  from  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  rail- 
road was  built  by  this  latter  road  under  authority  of  a  franchise 
granted  by  the  city  council.  May  8,  1871.  The  Minnesota  Construc- 
tion Company  having  accomplished  their  work  as  stated,  made  ap- 
]>lication  to  the  depositary  of  the  bonds,  H.  Thompson,  Esq. 
(cashier  of  the  First  N'ational  Bank  of  St.  Paul),  for  their  delivery, 
and,  in  order  to  secure  immediate  possession  of  them,  covenanted  to 
indemnify  the  depositary  for  any  loss  he  might  sustain  by  virtue  of 
their  delivery.  Upon  this,  without  notifying  the  city  council,  the 
bonds  were  surrendered  by  Mr.  Thomson  to  the  construction  com- 
pany, and  were  by  them  negotiated  and  sold.  The  city  council  re- 
fused to  pay  the  coupons  maturing,  and  suit  was  brought  against 


850  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COT^NTY. 

tlie  city  by  N.  A.  Cowdrj,  in  tlie  United  States  circuit  court  at 
St.  Paul,  in  May,  1873,  for  tlie  sum  of  $12,000,  Mr.  Cowdy  claim- 
ing to  be  a  bona-iide  purchaser  of  the  bonds  of  city.  The  city 
defended  the  suit,  Hon.  Thomas  Wilson,  ex-justice  of  the  supreme 
court,  conducting,  being  employed  as  counsel.  The  verdict  was  for 
the  plaintiff. 

Pending  the  result  of  a  rehearing  of  this  suit  in  the  higher 
courts.  Judge  Wilson  advised  the  city  to  acknowledge  its  liability 
for  the  bonds,  and  bring  suit  against  the  construction  company  for 
damages  in  fraudulently  converting  the  bonds  to  their  own  use  ;  the 
city  claiming  that  in  no  sense  within  the  meaning  of  the  contract 
had  the  road  been  built  to  make  a  continuous  connection  between 
St.  Paul  and  Chicago,  through  the  city  of  Winona,  as  was  the 
understanding  of  the  city  when  she  issued  her  bonds  as  a  considera- 
tion for  such  continuous  railway"  connection.  The  suggestion  of 
the  counsel  for  the  corporation  was  taken,  and  suit  for  damages  to 
tlie  extent  of  $125,000  begun.  The  parties  to  the  suit  mutually 
agreeing  to  have  the  case  tried  where  a  more  impartial  hearing 
might  be  had  than  in  either  Winona  or  St.  Paul,  the  case  was 
called  before  Judge  Samuel  Lord,  of  the  fifth  judicial  district 
of  Minnesota,  at  Owatonna,  Steele  county,  June  25,  1876.  The 
case  was  argued  before  the  court  only,  the  counsel  mutually 
agreeing  to  dispense  with  a  jury,  and  the  decision  was  for  the 
plaintiff.  Motion  was  then  made  by  the  attorneys  of  the  construction 
company  for  a  new  trial.  This  motion  was  overruled,  whereupon 
an  appeal  was  taken  to  the  supreme  court.  Case  came  before  the 
supreme  court  October  17,  1877,  and  an  opinion  rendered  by 
Judge  Cornell,  reversing  the  decision  of  the  lower  court  and 
ordering  a  new  trial.  The  grounds  on  which  this  decisio:^  was 
rendered  not  being  co.nsidered  fatal  to  a  successful  issue  of  the  case, 
Judge  Wilson  prepared  for  a  new  trial,  and  asked  leave  to  amend 
his  pleadings.  Motion  to  amend  was  granted,  an  appeal  from  that 
decision  taken  to  the  supreme  court,  who  sustained  the  order  to 
amend,  and  the  case  came  up  for  trial  before  Judge  O.  P.  Stearns, 
(if  Duluth,  whom  Judge  Lord  liad  requested  to  try  the  case,  there 
being  no  jury  empaneled.  The  trial  began  March  4,  1879.  and  as 
ably  argued  as  it  could  be  by  the  most  distinguished  counsel  in  the 
state.  The  case  was  taken  under  advisemeiit  l)y  the  judge,  who 
rendered  his  decision  on  July  29  of  that  year,  in  favor  of  the 
plaintiff.     Motion  for  a  new  trial  was  made  by  defendants  before 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  851 

Judge  Stearns -T  motion  denied,  and  appeal  taken  from  the  order 
of  the  court,  denying  new  trial,  to  the  supreme  court,  which 
aiiirraed  the  order.  Plaintiff  then  entered  judgment  for  the  amount 
of  damages  with  costs,  and  defendants  appealed  from  the  judgment. 
The  supreme  court  affirmed  the  judgment.  Defendants  then  moved 
for  a  reargument  of  the  whole  case  before  the  supreme  court.  The 
motion  was  granted;  the  case  argued  before  the  supreme  court,  who 
reaffirmed  the  judgment  of  the  lower  court.  The  amount  recovered 
by  the  city  in  this  action  was  $182,650,  and  included  bonds,  interests 
and  cost  of  suit.  By  this  decision  of  the  supreme  court  all  accounts 
for  payment  of  bonds  by  bona-fide  purchasers  were  rendered  un- 
necessary, the  city  paying  the  bonds  as  they  were  presented,  the 
Minnesota  Construction  Company  having  returned  the  greater  part, 
which  had  never  been  negotiated.  In  the  amended  pleadings  above 
alluded  to  the  counsel  employed  by  the  city  alleged  additional  non- 
fulfilment  of  contract  by  the  construction  company,  in  that,  while  the 
contract  called  for  the  building  of  a  Howe  truss  bridge  across  the 
Mississippi  river,  to  connect  the  railway  tracks  on  the  Minnesota  and 
AVisconsin  shores  of  the  river,  so  much  of  the  bridge  as  carried 
the  railroad  tracks  above  the  sandbar  in  front  of  the  city  was  built 
on  piles.  From  after  developments  the  conclusion  seems  justified 
that  the  Minnesota  Construction  Company  were  hardly  acting  in 
good  faith  with  the  city,  and  that  the  bridge  contract  was  more  in 
the  interests  of  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  road,  and  the  system  of 
lines  of  which  it  afterward  became  a  part,  than  in  that  of  the  St. 
Paul  &  Chicago  road;  or,  if  not  that,  that  this  latter  road,  having  in 
prospect  the  iDridging  of  the  Mississippi  river  at  North  La  Crosse, 
and  a  continuous  road  through  that  city  from  St.  Paul  eastward,  had 
only  availed  themselves  of  the  tracks  of  the  La  Crosse,  Trempeleau 
&  Prescott  railway,  and  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter's  lines  within  the 
Winona  city  limits  as  a  temporary  expedient  for  which  the  building  of 
the  bridge  was  a  necessity.  (For  history  of  the  railway  construction 
see  railway  article.) 

By  act  of  the  city  council  May  22,  1883,  an  ordinance  was 
passed  granting  to  T.  T.  Hayden,  John  A.  Mathews,  Royal  D. 
Cone,  C.  H.  Porter,  Charles  Horton,  and  their  associates,  successors 
and  assigns,  the  exclusive  right  and  authority,  for  a  term  of  twenty - 
five  years,  from  June  1,  1883,  to  lay  down,  maintain  and  operate 
lines  of  street  railway  within  the  corporate  limits  of  the  city,  along 
such  streets,  alleys,  etc.,  as  the  city  should  permit,  and  to  operate 
51 


852  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

them  by  other  ])Ower  than  steam,  subject  to  certain  conditions,  the 
more  important  of  whicfi  were,  substantially,  that  the  tracks  were  to 
conform  to  the  street  grades  as  now  or  hereafter  established;  that  the 
rails  should  be  laid  in  such  manner  as  to  otter  the  least  possible 
obstruction  to  carriages  crossing  them,  and  the  street  crossings 
planked  on  both  sides  of  the  rails  and  between  them  wherever 
required  by  the  council;  that  these -rails  should  be  laid  as  nearly  as 
possible  in  the  center  of  the  streets  and  alleys  traversed,  and  the 
track  be  of  such  width  and  laid  in  such  manner  as  that  ordinary  road 
wagons  and  carriages  could  run  upon  them  most  readily;  that  over  all 
bridges  having  double  roadways  there  should  be  a  track  laid  in  each 
roadway,  if  required  by  the  council  ;  that  over  paved  streets  the 
track  within  the  line  should  correspond  to  that  on  both  sides  thereof, 
and  that  the  city  should  not  be  liable  for  damages  on  account  of 
stoppage  of  travel  during  the  repairing  of  streets,  alleys,  bridges, 
etc.,  construction  of  sewers,  gas  or  watermains,  unless  the  same  was 
unreasonably  delayed.  A  license  fee,  to  be  determined  by  the 
council,  was  to  be  paid  into  the  treasury  of  the  city  on  or  before 
June  1  in  each  year,  for  every  car  put  upon  the  tracks  and  operated 
by  the  company,  and  in  case  of  non-payment  a  penalty  was  to 
attach.  The  company  were  furthermore  required  to  place  a  sufficient 
number  of  cars  upon  their  lines  to  accommodate  the  traveling 
public,  the  night  cars  to  carrj'  signal  lamps  and  the  animals  used  to 
have  a  bell  attached.  The  maximum  rate  of  speed  was  fixed  at 
seven  miles  per  hour,  and  the  maximum  cost  of  fare  five  cents  over 
line  and  its  extensions  within  the  city,  except  when  cars  are 
chartered  for  a  special  purpose.  The  city  guaranteed  the  company 
against  obstructions  and  interference  in  running  their  cars,  by  giving 
them  prior  right  of  way  over  all  their  tracks,  and  imposing  a  fine  of 
from  $5  to  $50  and  costs  of  prosecution  for  every  violation  of  this 
stipulation.  It  was  also  provided  that  in  case  the  company  tailed  to 
operate  any  of  their  tracks  or  extensions,  or  to  lay  down  new  lines 
on  such  streets  as  the  council  should  require,  then  such  failure  of  the 
com])any  should  be  a  forfeiture  of  the  whole  of  the  neglected  line 
and  its  extensions,  and  the  council  might  grant  authority  to  others 
to  build  new  lines  or  o])erate  the  neglected  one,  as  the  case  might  be. 
The  company  were  given  five  days  from  the  date  of  the  ordinance 
to  file  their  acceptance  of  the  conditions,  and  a  certain  number  of 
miles  of  track  were  to  be  laid  before  the  close  of  the  present  year. 
The  track  to  be  laid  this  year  was  to  be  from  the  point  where  the 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  853 

Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railroad  now  crosses  Fifth  street  to 
Chatfield  street,  and  another  line  running  from  the  present  passenger 
depot  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  road  to  the  depot  of 
the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  road.  The  first-named  line  will 
traverse  the  city  from  west  to  east,  along  such  streets  as  the  city 
council  shall  designate,  that  from  the  Winona  Wagon  Co's  works  in 
the  extreme  west  of  the  city  to  some  terminus  one  block  east  of  the 
macadamized  road  leading  to  Sugar  Loaf  Bluff,  a  total  distance  of 
about  two  and  a  half  miles.  The  line  connecting  the  railway 
depots  will  intersect  this  first-mentioned  line  at  right  angles, 
traversing  the  city  from  north  to  south,  a  distance  of  one  and  a 
quarter  miles.  It  will  obviate  all  necessity  for  farther  reference 
to  this  matter  to  add  that  the  day  following  the  passage  ot 
the  above  ordinance  the  street  railway  company  promptly  filed 
their  acceptance  of  the  conditions  and  limitations  expressed  in  the 
ordinance  with  city  recorder,  and  entered  upon  the  construction  of 
their  lines. 

WATEK-WORKS    DEPARTMENT. 

The  Winona  water-works,  though  of  recent  establishment,  are  a 
just  source  of  pride  to  her  citizens,  and  have  called  forth  the  most 
eulogistic  approval  from  as  competent  authority  on  hydraulics  as  is 
to  be  found  in  the  United  States.  The  friends  of  the  movement, 
however,  had  a  hard  up-hill  fight,  lasting  for  a  period  of  ten  years, 
before  they  were  able  to  accomplish  their  object  and  secure  the 
needed  supply  of  water  for  fire  protection  and  street  and  domestic 
purposes.  A  brief  sketch  of  these  efforts  will  very  properly  preface 
a  description  of  the  present  water-works  system  of  the  city. 

Early  in  the  summer  of  1869  the  question  of  an  adequate  water 
supply  for  the  city  was  a  subject  of  general  discussion,  and  in  August 
of  that  year  a  joint  committee  of  citizens  and  members  of  the  com- 
mon council  had  the  matter  committed  to  them  for  examination  and 
report.  This  committee  called  into  existence  by  act  of  the  city  coun- 
cil was  formed  August  13,  1869,  and,  having  fully  considered  the 
whole  question  involved,  made  their  report  to  the  Winona  city 
council  January  3,  1870.  The  members  of  that  committee  on  behalf 
of  the  council  were  John  A.  Mathews  (mayor)  and  aldermen  Ball, 
Ealphe  and  Garlock ;  citizens,  W.  H.  Laird,  E.  D.  Williams  and 
J.  J.  Randall. 

Their  report  embraced  a  consideration  of  the  best  means  for  fire 
extinguishing,  as  well  as  the  best  system  of  water  supply  for  the  city, 


854  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

and  after  discussing  the  relative  merits  of  the  "Holly  "  and  "  Reser- 
voir ""  systems,  pronounced  in  favor  of  the  former  and  recommended 
its  adoption.  En  the  meantime  the  Winona  board  of  trade  had 
been  resuscitated,  after  tliree  and  a  half  years  of  practical  non-exist- 
ence, and  while  the  question  of  water-works  was  under  discussion  in 
the  city  council,  the  board  of  trade  throttled  the  project,  and  con- 
demned it  by  a  vote  of  thirty  to  ten.  This  action  was  followed  by  a 
resolution  declaring  as  the  sense  of  the  board  that  "the  city  charter 
be  so  amended  as  to  prevent  the  city  council  from  incurring  any 
indebtedness  exceeding  the  sum  of  $10,000  for  any  one  purpose, 
without  first  submitting  the  question  to  a  vote  of  the  people."  This 
quietus  was  rendered  additionally  effective  by  a  further  resolution  of 
the  board  of  trade,  adopted  two  weeks  subsequently,  "  That  no  sys- 
tem of  fire  protection  other  than  that  now  in  use  is  necessary." 
Buried  under  these  accumulating  resolutions  the  question  of  water- 
works died  out  of  the  public  consideration  at  least  for  that  time.  A 
little  more  than  three  years  passed,  and  on  the  23d  of  February, 

1873,  the  legislature  of  the  State  of  Minnesota  authorized  the  city 
council  to  issue  water-works  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $80,000,  pro- 
vided, of  course,  the  requisite  vote  of  the  citizens  could  be  obtained. 
By  ordinance  of  the  council  of  the  city  of  Winona,  passed  May  18, 

1874,  the  creation  of  a  department  of  water-works  for  the  city  was 
declared,  and  the  question  of  issuing  bonds  to  establish  pumping- 
works  and  lay  water-inains  was  ordered  submitted  to  the  people  at  a 
special  election  to  be  held  some  weeks  subsequently.  This  action 
of  the  city  council  was  rescinded  of  their  own  motion,  in  so  far  as 
deferring  the  election  indefinitely  was  concerned,  the  committee 
having  the  matter  in  charge  reporting  that  the  citizens  were  not  pre- 
pared to  vote  u]>onthe  question.  The  agitation,  however,  continued. 
A  committee  of  the  city  council,  of  which  Prof.  W.  F.  Phelps  was 
chairman,  was  instructed  to  prepare  a  report  on  the  advisability 
of  constructing  water-works  for  fire  protection  and  other  i)urposes, 
to  embody  in  their  report  the  approximate  cost  of  constructing  the 
same,  and  submit  the  report  in  full  detail  to  the  common  council  for 
their  action.  The  committee  reported,  and  their  report  was  unani- 
mous in  favor  of  the  Holly  system  of  water-works.  Elaborate 
speeches  in  support  of  the  report  were  made  by  Prof.  Phelps,  Hon. 
E.  S.  Youmans  and  others,  and  the  opinion  expressed  that  there 
would  be  no  opposition  to  the  movement,  once  it  was  fully  under- 
stood by  the   citizens.     In  the   meantime  the   report  was  ordered 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  855 

printed  while  awaiting  action  of  council,  and  on  the  17th  of  Novem- 
ber of  that  year,  1874,  the  city  council  declared  itself  in  favor  of  the 
prosecution  of  the  work,  and  ordered  a  special  election  to  be  held 
December  7  next  ensuing,  at  which  time  all  who  desired  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  works  should  vote  yea  and  those  opposed  nay.  Tlie 
day  of  election  came  ;  polls  were  opened,  and  the  returns  showed 
that  the  project  had  been  literally  snowed  under  by  a  vote  of  775 
nays  to  l-tl  yeas.  Thus  ended  the  second  chapter  in  the  history  of 
water-works  enterprise  in  the  capital  of  southeastern  Minnesota. 
This  action  ot  the  citizens  was  most  unwelcome  to  the  more  consid- 
erable property-holders  of  the  city,  particularly  to  those  whose 
interests  and  possessions  were  in  the  business  center  of  the  city, 
as  it  was  only  too  apparent  that  they  were  at  the  mercy  of  circum- 
stances should  a  fire  once  break  out  and  gain  headway  in  the  busi- 
ness portion  of  the  city.  The  danger  which  thus  threatened  the 
commercial  interests  of  the  place  was  doubly  menacing  to  the  manu- 
facturing industries,  which  were  principally  lumber,  and  specially 
liable  to  destruction  by  fire.  To  effect  their  own  self-protection,  the 
lumbermen  on  the  levee  had  connected  heavy  force-pumps  with  their 
engines,  laid  water-pipes  in  their  mill  yards  and  provided  hose 
ready  to  be  attached  at  a  moment's  notice.  Feeling  comparatively 
secure  on  their  own  account,  and  seeking  some  way  of  turning  this 
security  to  the  advantage  of  the  business  circles  of  the  city,  the  two 
principal  lumber  firms  opened  correspondence  with  the  city  council. 
This  communication  came  before  that  body  July  27,  1875,  and  was 
a  proposition  from  Youmans  Bros.  &  Hodgins  and  Laird  &  Korton 
and  C.  H.  Bohn  to  connect  the  water-works  of  their  several  estab- 
lishments by  a  water-main  running  through  the  business  portion  of 
the  city  down  Third  street,  with  a  view  of  furnishing  "better  pro- 
tection against  fire  to  the  business  houses,  sprinkling  the  streets  and 
supplying  water  for  domestic  purposes.  The  proposition  was  laid 
before  the  council  by  his  honor  the  then  mayor  of  the  city,  A.  Ham- 
ilton, and  the  assurance  given  that  should  the  offer  of  the  firms,  as 
ab(we  cited,  be  accepted  they  would  undertake  to  keep  steady  press- 
ure in  the  mains  and  provide  ample  power  for  forcing  water  wherever 
desired  along  the  proposed  route.  The  proposition  as  thus  sub- 
mitted did  not  assume  any  definite  shape,  but  was  simply  presented 
as  a  suggestion  that  might  lead  to  practical  results.  The  scheme 
appeared  feasible  upon  the  face  of  it,  and  the  city  surveyor,  J.  B. 
Fellows,  was  instructed  to  visit  Clinton,  Iowa,  examine  the  recently- 


856  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

erected  water-works  at  that  point  and  submit  a  carefully  digested 
report  to  the  city  council.  Tlie  visit  was  made  in  company  with 
city  recorder  Schrotli,  and  included  an  examination  of  the  pumping 
works  at  Davenport  and  Rock  Island  as  well  as  Clinton.  The  results 
of  their  observations  were  duly  incorporated  in  a  report  and  pre- 
sented to  the  city  council,  together  with  the  length  and  estimated 
cost  of  pipe  necessary  to  connect  the  works  of  Messrs.  Youmans 
Bros.  &  Hodgins,  Laird  &  Norton  and  Conrad  Bohn.  From  this 
report' it  appeared  that  the  total  length  of  pipe  required  to  make  the 
connections  with  various  mills,  including  L.  C.  Porter's  grist-mill, 
and  lay  the  mains,  would  be  1,44:0  teet  of  twelve-inch  pipe,  6,^50 
feet  of  ten-inch  pipe.  The  estimated  cost  of  pipe,  weight  and  thick- 
ness of  metal  scheduled,  was  placed  at  |9,970.74.  This  report  was 
ordered  printed  (we  have  not  been  able  to  secure  a  copy  of  it)  and 
the  recorder  directed  to  correspond  with  pipe  manufacturers  with 
reference  to  price  of  pipe.  Bids  for  the  supply  of  pipe  according  to 
specification  were  opened  September  7,  1875,  and  contract  for  a 
limited  number  of  feet  awarded  to  Dullard  &  Hayes,  of  Buffalo, 
New  York.  This  action  taken,  bids  were  solicited  for  digging  mains 
and  laying  pipe,  and  the  finance  committee  of  the  council  directed  to 
make  a  temporary  loan  of  $10,000  for  water-works  expenditures. 
Thus  it  was  that  after  six  years'  working  and  waiting  the  first  actual 
step  was  taken  to  supply  this  long-felt  want. 

Before  the  close  of  the  year  1875  there  had  been  laid  one  mile 
one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  rods  and  seventeen  feet  of  pipe ;  of 
which  1,582  feet  were  12-inch  pipe,  4,000  feet  10-inch  pipe,  2,000 
feet  6-inch  pipe,  and  150  feet  4-inch  pipe.  These  pipes  were  laid 
at  a  depth  of  seven  feet,  and  through  them  connection  was  made 
between  the  water  pipes  of  Youmans  Bros.  &  Hodgins,  Jat  the 
intersection  of  Fourth  and  Wilson  streets,  and  the  pipes  of  Laird, 
Norton  &  Co.,  on  Second  street,  also  with  the  L.  C.  Porter  Mill 
Co.,  on  Front  street.  Thirteen  Mohawk  hydrants  were  set  that 
year,  and  eight  stop-gates.  The  work  as  done  was  quite  satis- 
factory; there  was  no  trouble  from  freezing  that  winter,  and  no 
friction  other  tlian  was  easily  remedied  in  the  working  of  the 
hydrant's  shut-off.  Tiie  entire  cost  of  the  work  to  the  close  of  that 
year,  1875,  was  $11,632.05.  The  work  was  finished  so  late  in  the 
season  that  no  water-rents  were  collected.  The  pipes  as  laid  ex- 
tended through  F()urth  street  from  Wilson  street  to  Laird  street, 
through  Franklin  street  from  Fourth  street  to  Porter's  mill,  and 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  857 

through  Kansas  street  from  Fourth  street  to  Laird  and  Norton's,  on 
Second  street.  Work  was  resumed  in  the  spring  of  1876,  and 
during  that  year  there  were  one  mile  and  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
four  rods  of  pipe  laid ;  seventeen  Mohawk  hydrants  and  four  new 
stop-gates  set.  Tlie  entire  cost  of  construction  for  the  year  was 
$13,881.03,  and  the  water-rents  collected  aggregated  $443.03.  The 
pipe  laid  during  the  season  was  distributed  as  follows:  on  Fourth 
street,  1,180  feet;  Broadway,  740  feet;  Second  street,  1,826  feet; 
Laird  street,  1,464  feet;  Kansas  street,  392 feet;  Winona  street,  320 
feet;  Johnson  street,  708  feet;  Wabasha  street,  1,140  feet;  Center 
street,  56  feet;  and  hydrant  connections,  160.  The  construction  of 
mains  was  rapidly  pushed  during  1877,  during  which  season  nearly 
five  miles  were  put  down.  Of  this  amount  3,716  feet  were  of  12- 
inch  pipe;  3,786  feet  of  10-inch  pipe;  5,425  feet  of  8-inch  pipe; 
12,616  feet  of  6-inch  pipe;  and  360  feet  of  4-inch  pipe  connecting 
mains  with  hydrants.  There  were  35  Holly  hydrants  and  18  new 
stop-gates  set  during  this  year,  the  whole  cost  of  construction  for 
the  year  being,  with  interest  on  drafts  unpaid,  $32,235.90.  Water- 
rents  received  for  the  year,  $1,572.33.  This  work  as  thus  scheduled 
was  performed  under  the  directions  of  city  surveyor  John  B.  Fellows, 
and  the  total  length  of  pipe  laid  (mains  and  hydrant  connections), 
during  the  years  1875-6-7,  was  seven  miles  three  hundred  rods  and 
two  feet,  at  a  total  cost  of  $57,889.60,  including  repairs  to  that  date. 
The  connections  between  the  pumps  in  the  Laird  &  Norton  and 
Youmans'  Bros.  &  Hodgins  mills,  and  the  mains  on  Second 
and  Fourth  streets,  proving  insufficient,  measures  for  increasing 
their  capacity  were  adopted  in  the  spring  of  1878.  The  mains  on 
Second  and  Fourth  street  were  the  leading  arteries  of  the  water 
supply  at  that  time,  and  were  constructed  of  10  and  12  inch  pipe, 
while  their  connections  with  the  pumps  were  made  through  6-inch 
pipes,  thus  entailing  the  disadvantage  of  working  through  small 
pipes  into  large  ones  instead  of  through  large  pipes  into  small  ones. 
The  work  of  remedying  this  defect  was  begun  in  April,  1878,  city 
engineer  John  B.  Fellows,  under  whose  directions  an  8-inch  pipe 
was  laid  from  the  corner  of  Liberty  and  Front  streets,  connecting 
witli  Laird  &  Norton's  pumps,  south  a  few  feet  across  the  railroad 
track,  thence  west  parallel  to  the  railway  tracks  to  Market  street, 
thence  south  on  Market  until  an  intersection  was  made  with  the  12- 
inch  pipe  on  Second  street,  thus  affording  an  additional  outlet  of 
eight  inches  from  Laird   &  Norton's  pumps  into  the  12-inch  main 


858  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

OTi  Second  street.  On  this  line  was  set  one  8-inch  valve  in  Laird  ife 
Norton's  engine-room,  and  three  Holly  hydrants  at  various  points. 
At  Porter's  mill  the  6-inch  main  was  intersected  with  a  cross  6x6 
and  8x8,  and  a  6-inch  valve  set  to  shut  off  the  water  from  the 
mill  in  case  of  emergency,  and  turn  the  whole  force  of  the  pumps 
through  the  city  mains  into  the  hydrants.  At  the  same  time  there 
was  laid  a  6-inch  pipe  from  the  west  end  of  the  10-inch  main  on 
Fourth  street,  running  north  from  Fourth  on  Wilson  street  to  the 
north  line  of  Second  street,  and  thence  through  Youmans  Bros. 
A:  Hodgins'  millyard  to  tlie  new  puni])  in  the  sawmill  of  that  firm. 
There  was  also  a  branch  line  from  this  pipe,  extending  westward 
along  Third  street  to  a  6-inch  connection  with  the  pump  in 
Youmans  Bros.  &  Hodgins'  planing-mill.  This  gave  the  10-inch 
main  on  Fourth  street  a  double  connection  with  the  pumps  of 
Youmans  Bros.  &  Hodgins,  through  two  separate  pipes,  and  was 
considered  to  afford  the  city  all  the  water  they  could  possibly  need 
for  some  years  to  come.  The  cost  of  the  work  for  1878  was 
$4,851.53;  water-rents  for  the  year  were  $1,689.30,  and  the  ad- 
ditional number  offset  of  pipe  laid,  2,987  feet. 

During  tlie  years  1879-80  comparatively  little  work  was  done  in 
the  way  of  laying  additional  pipe,  and  no  changes  were  made  in 
the  operation  of  the  work  of  supply.  The  pumps  were  doing  all 
that  their  capacity  enabled  them  to  do,  and  the  water  service  of  the 
city  was  performed  as  satisfactorily  as  it  could  possibly  be  under  the 
existing  order  of  things,  but  it  had  become  apparent  to  those  best 
acquainted  with  the  situation  of  affairs,  that  the  employment  of  addi- 
tional power  at  the  pumps,  and  an  independent  system  of  water 
supply  for  the  city  were  only  a  question  of  time.  The  city  had  now, 
1881,  about  nine  and  a-half  miles  of  mains  laid  in  the  streets,  and 
ninety-two  hydrants  for  tire  purposes.  To  meet  the  expenses  of  this 
work  the  bonds  of  the  city  were  issued  to  the  amount  of  $40,000. 
These  bonds  were  to  bear  interest  at  seven  per  cent  ])er  annum,  and 
run  for  a  period  of  ten  years.  The  actual  cost  of  laying  pipe  and 
maintaining  the  water  supply  of  the  city  to  this  date  had  been 
somewhat  in  excess  of  $60,000,  and  this  excess  of  $20,000  had  been 
met  by  drafts  upon  tlu'  city  treasury.  The  new  lease  of  life  taken 
by  the  city  in  1879,  as  evidenced  by  the  rapid  multiplication  of  her 
iiiamifacturing  industries,  and  the  effectfive  work  of  stimulation 
performed  by  the  Winona  board  of  trade  since  its  recreation  in 
1879  had  led  the  capitalists  of  the  city  to  indulge  in  brighter  hopes 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  859 

of  her  future.  The  years  1880-1  gave  promise  of  an  assured 
growth,  and  under  the  new  incentive  thus  given  to  trade  and  manu- 
facturing industry,  public  spirit  seemed  to  revive,  and  among  other 
works  of  a  public  character  the  establishment  of  such  a  system  of 
water-works  as  would  eifectually  settle  the  question  of  adequate 
water  supply  for  decades  to  come  was  seriously  entertained.  The 
project  took  form  in  the  winter  of  1881-2,  under  the  administration 
of  his  honor  H.  W.  Lamberton,  mayor,  and  was  put  into  immediate 
execution.  The  council's  committee  on  water-works  was  at  that 
time  composed  of  J.  L.  Brink,  Wm.  Noonan,  Wm.  Garlock  and 
John  Dotterwick,  the  first-named  gentleman  '  chairman.  Every 
conceivable  system  of  water  supply,  that  gave  promise  of  answering 
the  end  designed,  was  duly  considered,  and  after  a  thorough  canvass 
of  all,  and  careful  examination  by  committees  and  experts  into  their 
practical  workings,  cost  of  construction,  economy  of  service,  steadi- 
ness of  supply,  etc.  etc.,  the  city  council  in  February,  1882,  decided 
in  favor  of  the  standpipe  system.  The  issue  of  $60,000  water  bonds 
had  been  previously  authorized,  and  the  issue  was  made  July  1  of 
this  year,  1882.  These  bonds  were  negotiated  at  par,  have  twenty 
years  in  which  to  mature,  and  bear  annual  interest  at  five  per  cent. 
The  character  of  the  work  having  been  decided  upon,  G.  C.  Morgan, 
manufacturer  and  mechanical  engineer,  of  Chicago,  was  employed  to 
draw  plans,  make  specifications  and  superintend  construction  of  the 
whole  work,  his  salary  for  all  services  rendered  being  fixed  at  $2,500. 
The  plans  presented  by  him  and  adopted  by  the  council  were  for 
constructions  as  follows:  one  well,  one  boiler-house,  one  pump- 
house,  one  standpipe.  The  work  thus  begun  by  the  city  council  was 
not  intermitted  when  their  successors  came  into  office  in  April,  1882. 
H.  W.  Lamberton  was  re-elected  mayor,  and  the  water  committee 
was  constituted  as  follows  :  A.  W.  Gage,  chairman  ;  Wm.  Garlock, 
C.  H.  Lamberton  and  Fred  Bauman  ;  Messrs.  Brink,  Noonan  and 
Dotterwick  being  no  longer  members  of  the  council.  The  super 
vision  of  the  work  from  April,  1882,  until  the  pumps  of  the  new 
works  were  started  on  the  first  of  the  following  December,  at  which 
time  the  city  relieved  the  Messrs.  Youmans  Bros.  &  Hodgins  and 
Laird,  Norton  &  Co.  from  all  responsibility  in  supplying  the  mains 
with  water,  was  committed  to  the  chairman  of  the  council's  com- 
mittee on  water-works,  A.  W.  Gage,  a  prominent  contractor  and 
builder  in  the  city.  Mr.  Gage  devoted  almost  his  entire  time  to  the 
service  of  the  city  during  the  months  intervening  from  April  to 


860  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

December,  and  the  manner  in  which  that  work  was  performed  is 
abundantly  a])proved  in  the  result.  During  the  nine  years  that 
the  firms  of  Youmuns  Bros.  &  Hodgins  and  Laird,  Norton  &  Co. 
had  been  pumping  for  the  city  the  cost  to  the  corporation  aggregated 
from  $3,000  to  $5,800  per  annum,  and  the  work  was  most  satisfac- 
torily performed  ;  but,  as  before  stated,  the  wants  of  the  city  had 
outgrown  their  capacity  to  supply,  and  the  erection  of  the  works 
had  become  a  necessity.  The  well  from  which  the  pumps  draw 
water  is  of  solid  masonry,  fifty  feet  in  diameter  and  twenty-eight 
feet  deep.  The  walls  are  laid  up  with  stone  and  cement,  and  are 
practically  water-tight.  All  the  water  that  comes  into  the  well 
filters  through  the  sand  u])on  which  the  walls  rest  and  rises  to  the 
level  of  the  river  surface  through  the  well  bottom.  The  excavation 
for  the  well  is  made  thirteen  feet  below  extreme  low-water  mark, 
insuring  at  least  thirteen  feet  of  water  at  all  times.  This  water, 
creeping  through  its  natural  sand  filter,  rises  in  the  well  and  reaches 
the  mains  as  clear  as  crystal.  Pure  water  being  one  of  the  ends 
sought,  the  well  has  been  carefuU}'  protected  against  all  filth  or 
vermin  from  whatever  source,  and  being  covered  with  a  fire-proof 
roof  may  be  considered  a  permanent  fixture.  At  a  distance  of 
twenty  feet  from  the  well  on  the  east,  at  the  foot  of  Johnson  street, 
stands  the  boiler-house.  This  is  a  substantial  brick  structure, 
34  X  34  feet,  resting  upon  a  solid  stone  foundation,  with  a  chinmey 
sixty-five  feet  in  height,  the  stone  foundation  of  which  is  twelve  feet 
square.  In  the  boiler-room  are  two  non-explosive  Firmanich  boilers, 
with  a  Baragwanath  heater  and  a  Worthington  duplex  feed-pump 
for  forcing  water  into  the  boilers.  These  boilers  are  the  invention 
of  Firmanicli,  whose  name  they  bear,  an  old  sugar-refiner  of  Buffalo, 
New  York,  and  are  rated  at  a  capacity  of  seventy-five  horse-power 
each.  Adjoining  the  boiler-room  on  the  east  is  the  pumping-room, 
built  of  brick  and  stone,  as  is  the  boiler-room,  both  of  them  covered 
with  a  good  slate  roof. 

The  pump-room  is  34x46  feet,  and  is  supplied  with  two 
Worthington  pumps — one  high  pressure  and  the  other  a  k'W  pres- 
sure pump.  The  high  pressure  pump,  designed  for  fire  use  ex- 
clusively, is  of  duplex  construction,  with  29-inch  steam  cylinders, 
16-inch  water  plungers,  and  a  24-inch  stroke.  This  pump  has  a 
maximum  capacity  of  3,000,0(>0  gallons  of  water  in  twenty-four 
hours.  The  low  pressure  engine  for  domestic  purposes  is  a  com- 
pound duplex,  its  low  pressure   steam  cylinders   24|-inches  in  di- 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS. 


861 


ameter,  its  high  pressure    steam   cylinders  U  inches  in  diameter, 
with  14-inch  water  plungers,  and  18-incli  stroke.     This  pump  has 
a  capacity  o!  2,000,000  gallons  per  twenty-four  hours,  and  the  two 
an  aggregate  of  5,000,000  gallons,  or  160,000  barrels  every  twenty- 
four  hours.     The  steam    cylinders    and   chests   ol   the  pumps  are 
handsomely  jacketed  with  black  walnut,   oil  finished,  and   banded 
with  brass.   '  The  water  cylinders  are  painted  in  lake  colors,  nicely 
varnished,  and  modernly  ornamented  with  gold.     The  pump-room 
is  very  tastefully  fitted  up.     The  floors,  where  not  covered  with 
oilcloths  and  mattings,  are  painted   in  imitation    ot    tessel  work, 
and  this,   with  the  ornamental  work  of  the  cylinders,  the  bright 
chandeliers  and  the  stands  of  flowers,  gives  a  very  pleasing  variety 
of  color  and  a  cosy  cheerfulness  to  the  place,  which  make  it  quite 
an  attraction.     The  credit  of  this  adornment,  in  great  measure,  is 
due  to  T.  H.  Botham,  chief  engineer,  and  his  assistant,  H.  C.  Hig- 
gins.     An  electric  fire-alarm  connects  this  building  with  the  head- 
quarters oi  the  tire  department  in    the  city  hall.     Still  east  from 
the    pump-room,    a    distance  of   70   feet,  rises  the  standpipe  to  a 
height  of  210  feet  above  the  cast-iron  base  and  collar  on  which  it 
rests.     The  standpipe  proper  is  a  wrought-iron  tube  210  feet  high, 
4  feet  in  diameter,  and  varying  in  thickness  from  seven-sixteenths 
of  an  inch  at  its  base  to  three-sixteenths  of  an  inch  at  the  top.     The 
sections  of  which  it  is  composed  were  solidly  riveted  together  as  it 
lay  upon  the  ground,  and  the  whole  raised  to  its  place  by  Captain 
Woolverton,  formerly  ot   the  United   States    navy,  who  achieved 
considerable  notoriety  in  some  gunboat  operations  on  the  lower  Mis- 
sissippi river  during  the  late  war.     It  was  quite  an  engineering  feat 
to  raise  that  hollow  tube  of  iron,  210  feet  long,  from  a  dead  level  to 
a  living  perpendicular  ;  but  the  work  was  skillfully  accomplished 
without  accident  and  the  great  bore  solidly  anchored  in  its  upright 
position  September  29,  1882.     The  foundation  upon  which  it  rests 
is  a  solid  substructure  of  wood,  stone  and  iron.     The  excavation  is 
made  in  the  sand  to  a  point  below  extreme  low-water  mark,  and  at 
this  depth  the  first  course  of  timber  is  laid.     These  timbers,  12x12, 
6X8  and  3X12,  are  laid  transversely,  sohdly  bolted  together,  and 
being  below  low-water  mark,  will  be  constantly  covered,   air  ex- 
cluded and  decay  prevented.     Upon    this    timber  foundation   the 
masonry  of  massive  stone  is  built  up.     Some  of  these  blocks  of 
stone  are  of  immense  size,  from  16  to  25  inches  in  thickness,  and 
all   nicely   fitted   and   solidly   bedded   together.      This   stonework 


862  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

is  carried  up  a  height  of  17  feet  8  inches  above  the  timber  substruc- 
tui*e  on  which  it  rests,  and  stands  about  6  feet  above  the  natural 
surface  of  the  ground.  Upon  this  massive  stone  foundation,  and 
firmly  ancliored  to  it,  rests  the  standpipe,  from  which  the  pressure 
upon  the  mains  is  supplied.  From  this  foundation  also  rises  the 
inclosing  masonry  work  of  stone  and  brick  surrounding  the  stand- 
pipe,  yet  leaving  a  space  of  2  feet  and  8  inches  between  the  inclos- 
ing wall  and  the  iron  tube.  This  space  is  filled  with  a  spiral  stair- 
case of  iron  leading  to  the  top  of  the  standpipe,  which  is  decked 
over  and  guarded  with  an  iron  railing.  The  extreme  height  from 
the  ground  to  the  railing  above  is  about  218  feet,  and  the  view  from 
this  elevation  is  one  of  the  finest  conceivable.  The  first  58  feet  of 
the  inclosing  wall  are  of  rustic  rockwork  with  cut-stone  trimmings, 
the  balance  of  brick  trimmed  with  cut  stone.  The  standpipe  is  con- 
nected with  the  street  mains  by  a  20-inch  pipe,  and  by  its  steady, 
uniform  pressure  relieves  both  mains  and  machinery  from  the  shock 
of  the  recoil  caused  by  opening  and  shutting  the  hydrants  when 
under  great  pressure.  Of  the  20-inch  pipe  there  was  laid  in  the 
fall  of  1882  a  total  distance  of  434  feet,  and  of  16-incli  pipe  a  dis- 
tance of  762  feet.  This  pii)e  was  laid  in  Johnston  street,  and  through 
it  connection  was  made  with  the  12-incli  pipes  on  Second  and  Fourth 
streets,  which  are  the  main  arteries  of  the  water  supply  to  the  east 
and  west  ends  of  the  city.  At  the  time  this  connection  was  made 
with  the  city's  pumping-works,  a  16-inch  gate  was  put  in  on  John- 
son street,  just  south  of  Second  street,  and  a  12-inch  water-gate  on 
Second  street,  east  side  of  Johnson.  During  this  year,  1882,  there 
were  laid,  in  addition  to  the  pipes  already  mentioned,  3,333  feet  of 
8-inch  pipe,  through  which  connection  was  made  along  Fifth  street 
to  the  wagon-works  in  the  west  end  of  the  city.  The  entire  length 
of  the  city  mains  as  now  constructed,  April  1,  1883,  is  within  a 
small  fraction  of  11  miles,  and  through  them  are  supplied  102 
hydrants  belonging  to  the  city,  and  15  others,  which,  though  con- 
sidered private  property,  are  under  control  of  the  city  for  fire  pur- 
poses. The  actual  requirements  of  the  city  per  day  of  twenty-four 
liours  is  about  500,000  gallons  on  an  average,  only  one-fourth  the 
capacity  of  the  low  pressure  pump.  A  test  of  the  standpipe  pres- 
sure shows  a  force  of  about  96  pounds  to  the  square  inch  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  ])ipe  when  it  is  full.  At  a  distance  1^  miles 
from  the  pumps  the  pressure  drops  to  from  80  pounds  to  85 
pounds  per  square  inch.     This  latter  pressure  is  estimated  to  main- 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  863 

tain  from  twelve  to  fifteen  streams  of  water,  if  forced  through  an 
inch  nozzle,  to  the  height  of  from  100  to  125  feet.  The  entire 
cost  of  the  pumping  will  be  about  $54,000,  and  the  expenditures  of 
the  city  for  all  purposes  of  water-works  construction  will  not  fall 
much  short  of  $150,000.  O.  H.  Clark  is  the  present  water  commis- 
sioner for  the  city. 

POLICE    DEPARTMENT. 

The  administration  of  the  department  of  police  for  the  city  as 
now  conducted  is  of  comparatively  recent  date,  the  very  office  of 
chief  of  police  being  one  of  which  the  city  charter  makes  no 
mention,  nor  ever  has.  The  office  of  marshal,  created  by  the 
original  act  of  incorporation,  in  1857,  and  recognized  in  all  sub- 
sequent changes,  revisions  and  amendments  of  that  instrument,  is 
the  only  office  to  which  is  committed  the  execution  of  the  orders  of 
the  council  in  matters  pertaining  to  the  public  peace,  good  order 
and  cleanliness  of  the  city,  and  all  other  matters  usually  falling 
under  the  head  of  police  regulations.  Reference,  it  is  true,  is 
occasionally  made  in  the  charter  to  police  officers,  but  only  in  the 
most  general  terms,  although  the  city  ordinances  make  frequent 
allusions  thereto,  and  specially  define  their  duties.  From  a  careful 
perusal  of  the  city  charter  and  amendments  thereto,  and  the  various 
ordinances  passed  by  the  council  bearing  upon  this  subject,  it  ap- 
pears that  the  city  marshal  is  the  sole  responsible  head  of  the  police 
department  of  the  city,  and  by  virtue  of  the  ordinance  of  September 
12,  1872,  is  ex-officio  "acting  chief  of  police,"  with  power  to  ap- 
point a  deputy  chief  of  police,  said  appointment  subject  to  the 
approval  of  the  council.  This  ordinance  of  September  12  was 
supplemented  with  one  bearing  date  October  7  of  that  same  year, 
but  in  neither  of  these  instruments  is  there  any  reference  to  the 
method  by  which  the  members  of  the  police  force  are  to  be  selected, 
whether  by  vote  of  council,  or  by  appointment  of  chief,  with  or 
without  the  approval  of  council.  The  present  mode  of  procedure  is 
for  the  city  marshal,  acting  as  chief  of  police,  to  make  such  nomi- 
nations from  the  several  wards  as  are  in  judgment  most  fitting,  and 
present  the  same  to  the  city  council  for  their  iipproval  or  rejection, 
the  vote  of  the  council  being  final  in  that  matter.  The  list  of  suc- 
cessive city  marshals  elected  or  appointed,  just  as  the  demands  ot 
the  charter  at  any  particular  date  required,  will  be  found  in  the 
tabulated  list  of  city  officials  given  in  a  former  chapter  of  this  work. 
Tracing  the  police  history  of  the  city  during  the  twenty-six  years  of 


864  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

its  existence — from  that  beginning  in  which  one  marshal  had  all  the 
leisure  necessary  to  health,  to  the  establishment  of  tlie  force  upon 
its  present  basis  as  a  department  of  the  second  class,  there  is  noth- 
ing of  general  interest  to  demand  record.  The  police  department, 
like  all  others,  has  simply  grown  with  the  growth  of  the  city,  until 
a  more  perfect  organization  of  the  force  was  required,  the  patrol  of 
the  streets  in  regularly  established  beats,  at  least  upon  the  more 
public  thoroughfares,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  saloons,  having 
become  a  necessity.  This,  being  determined  upon  by  the  city 
council  in  the  spring  of  1882,  was  effectively  carried  into  operation 
by  city  marshal  W.  W.  Miller,  in  his  capacity  as  chief  of  police. 
As  now  existing,  the  police  force  of  the  city  consists  of  a  chief, 
a  deputy,  a  captain,  twelve  ])atrolmen  and  six  special  policemen. 
The  city  is  districted  into  eight  regular  patrol  beats  and  a  night 
patrol  assigned  to  each.  The  special  police  are  stationed  one  each 
at  the  Central,  Madison,  Washington  and  State  Normal  school 
buildings,  and  one  each  at  the  passenger  depots  of  the  Chicago  & 
Northwestern  and  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railways.  These 
special  police  are  also  employed  as  night  watchmen,  the  expense  of 
maintaining  the  depot  watchmen  being  largely  borne  by  the  com- 
panies in  whose  interest  they  are  employed.  The  headquarters  of 
the  police  department  is  in  the  city  building  on  Lafayette  street, 
between  Third  and  Fourth  streets,  and  within  two  blocks  of  the 
center  of  the  city.  The  rooms  occupied  by  them  are  the  chief's 
office  and  an  outer  office,  12x16  feet,  out  of  which  the  chief's 
office  opens  on  one  side,  the  city  station  on  another,  and  the 
engine-room  of  the  city  fire  department  on  still  another.  The 
chief's  office  is  a  comfortable  room,  11x12  feet,  provided 
with  two  desks,  gas-jets,  carpeted,  connected  with  the  depo*:s, 
school-buildings,  telegraph-offices,  and  principal  business-houses 
of  the  city,  through  the  city  telephone  exchange,  and  with  the 
pumping-room  of  the  water-works  by  an  electric  fire-alarm.  The 
station-room,  for  taking  care  of  those  run  in  by  the  police  until  duly 
disposed  of  according  to  law,  is  a  solid  brick  roouj  about  20x26 
feet,  has  four  cells  and  a  corridor,  and  can  accommodate  from 
twenty  to  twenty-eight  persons  over  night.  The  cells  are  of  wrought 
iron,  after  the  latest  and  most  approved  plans  of  construction.  The 
work  of  the  department  of  police  for  the  twelve  months  ending 
March  31,  1883,  may  be  summarized  as  follows:  Arrests  made 
during  the  year  were  653,   of  which  number  312  were  tramps  or 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  865 

vagrants,  who  were  given  a  night's  lodging  in  the  station-house  and 
against  wliom  no  criminal  complaint  was  lodged  ;  the  remaining 
341  were  drunk,  disorderlies,  criminals,  et  Id  genus  omne.  Of  these 
latter  about  five  per  cent  were  what  are  usually  termed  the  danger- 
ous classes,  and  were  subjects  for  state's  prison,  upon  conviction  of 
the  crimes  charged.  The  collections  made  for  the  benefit  of  the 
city  treasury  during  the  year  by  the  police  department,  arising 
from  licenses,  fines,  etc.,  aggregated  $9,800,  itemized  as  follows: 
Fines,  $1,685;  licenses  collected  for  sale  of  liquors,  $7,200;  hall 
licenses,  $265 ;  auctioneer's  license  and  per  cent  of  sales,  $225 ; 
circus  license,  $265  ;  and  peddlar's  license,  $160.  The  present 
officers  of  the  force  are:  chief  of  police,  W.  W.  Miller;  assistant 
chief  of  police,  L.  K.  Esty ;  captain  of  police,  Louis  Hoffenbecker. 
The  salaries  of  the  officers  and  men  composing  the  department 
are:  chief,  $1,000  and  fees,  equivalent  to  $1,800  per  annum; 
assistant-chief,  $65  per  month  and  fees,  equivalent  to  $1,100 
per  annum ;  captain,  $60  per  month;  and  patrolmen,  $50.  The 
special  police  at  the  various  school-buildings  act  also  as  janitors 
of  the  buildings,  and  receive  from  the  city  treasury  the  sum  of 
$55  per  month  each.  The  special  police  at  the  passenger  depots 
of  the  railways  are  paid  $5  each  per  month  from  the  city  treasury, 
*and  the  balance  of,  their  salary  is  paid  by  the  companies  employing 
them. 

FIRE    DEPARTMENT. 

At  the  time  of  the  incorporation  of  the  city,  Winona  was  entirely 
unprotected  against  damage  and  destruction  by  fire.  There  was  not 
at  that  time  even  a  bucket  brigade  or  an  organized  effort  of  any 
kind,  or  any  volunteer  association  having  for  its  object  the  pre- 
vention of  loss  by  fire,  although  the  population  of  the  city  was  fully 
3,000.  The  first  attempt  to  aftbrd  the  city  the  much-needed 
protection  was  made  by  the  city  council  in  the  summer  of  1857,  a 
few  months  after  the  city  was  duly  incorporated.  Acting  under  the 
authority  of  the  council,  two  companies  were  formed,  and  for  their 
equipment  engines  were  ordered  from  Boston,  hose  purchased, 
engine-house  erected,  reservoirs  for  water  supply  dug,  appropriations 
for  firemen's  uniform  made,  and  the  fire  department  formally 
established  upon  a  very  respectable  basis,  the  outlay  of  the  city  for 
fire  purposes  at  that  time  aggregating  about  $5,000.  The  first 
company  organized  was  known  as  the  ''Fire  King,"  of  which  0. 
S.  Richardson  was  foreman,  the  other  officers  of  the  company  being 


866  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

J.  C.  Fuller,  H.  S.  Terry,  H.  B.  Cozzens,  H.  B.  Upman,  Sam. 
Melvine,  J.  E.  Gable,  R  A.  lloxtluill,  M.  M.  Barker,  J.  C.  Laird,  D. 
Redenour  and  M.  S.  Gordon.  The  organization  of  the  second 
company  followed  hard  upon  the  heels  of  the  iirst,  and  it  is  not 
unworthy  of  note,  that  of  the  committee  of  three  who  drafted  its 
constitution  and  by-laws,  one  (W.  H.  Yale)  was  afterward  lieutenant 
governor  of  the  state,  and  one  (W.  Windom)  became  United  States 
senator  and  secretary  of  the  treasury.  The  engines  ordered  for  the 
fire  department  by  the  city  council  were  of  the  well-known  Hunne- 
man  patent,  and  were  considered  at  that  time  the  best  hand  fire- 
engine  manufactured,  but  they  were  heavy  of  draught,  and  by  the 
time  the  firemen  had  lugged  them  a  few  blocks,  through  the  heavy 
sands  of  the  city  streets,  they  had  little  strength  or  breath  left  for 
' '  manning  the  breaks  "  and  keeping  the  pumps  at  woi-k.  The  agent 
employed  by  the  council  for  their  purchase  was  Mr.  C.  L.  Richard- 
son, foreman  of  Fire  King  No.  1,  and  he  was  restricted  to  an 
expenditure  of  $1,600  for  the  engines  and  $1,500  for  the  hose,  the 
terms  of  payment  to  be  one-fourth  cash  u])on  the  delivery  of  the 
engines  in  Winona,  and  the  balance  at  the  expiration  of  eight  months. 
The  engine-house  built  for  their  reception  was  located  on  north  side 
Second  street,  between  Center  and  Main,  and  was  burned  in  the 
great  fire  of  1862,  at  which  time  the  department  had  all  its  hose 
burned,  and  only  saved  their  engines  with  the  greatest  difficulty. 
From  Second  street  the  engines  were  removed  shortly  after  the  fire 
to  the  old  city  building,  corner  of  Fourth  and  Lafayette  streets,  now 
known  as  the  Library  building,  and  this  was  headquarters  for  the 
fire  department  until  the  present  city  building  on  Lafayette  street 
was  erected,  in  1870.  In  185T  the  city  council  ordered  the  con- 
struction of  a  large  cistern  or  reservoir  at  the  intersection  of  Second 
and  Center  streets,  which  was  followed  not  long  afterward  by  tlie 
construction  of  several  others  in  various  parts  of  the  city  —  one 
being  located  at  the  northwest  corner  of  the  high  school  grounds, 
another  on  the  west  side  of  the  gasworks  block,  another  at  in- 
tersection of  Winona  and  Broadway,  another  at  the  corner  of 
Washington  and  Sanborne,  and  still  others  in  the  western  part  of 
the  city.  These  have  long  since  been  superseded  by  the  water- 
mains,  as  have  the  old  engines  by  the  new  fire  steamer  and  the 
hydrants  of  the  water-works.  The  old  engines  themselves  were 
recently  sold,  and  the  proceeds,  $275,  turned  over  to  the  city 
treasury.     One  of  them  is  now  doing  duty  at  Sleepy-Eye,  having 


wiNoisrA  AS  IT  IS.  867 

been  purchased  by  the  authorities  of  Sleepy-Eye  lake,  in  October, 
1881,  and  the  other  by  the  city  fathers  of  Waseca,  in  the  following 
February,  1882.  The  organization  of  the  fire  companies  was  soon 
followed  by  that  of  the  hook  and  ladder  company,  and  these  were 
supplemented  in  1862  by  the  formation  of  bucket  companies  in  the 
several  wards.  These  bucket  companies  had  quite  a  numerous 
membership,  and  that  in  the  first  ward  had  quite  an  elaborate  drill. 
Each  member  was  bound  to  provide  himself  with  a  bucket  of  a 
given  make,  so  as  to  preserve  uniformity  in  the  brigade,  and  attend 
drill  at  specified  times,  and  report  with  his  bucket  at  the  first  fire- 
alarm. 

These  brigades  were  all  formed  early  in  1862,  but  there  appears 
to  be  no  record  of  their  services  in  the  disastrous  fire  of  July  follow- 
ing. That  calamity  was  a  very  unwelcome  yet  conclusive  demon- 
stration of  the  inadequacy  of  the  fire  department  as  it  was  then 
equipped,  and  its  utter  inability  to  stay  the  progress  of  any  fire 
once  it  was  fairly  under  way.  It  was,  therefore,  only  a  question  of 
time  for  some  more  efficient  means  of  protection  against  fire  to  be 
afforded  to  the  city.  This  came  in  a  measure  five  years  later,  in 
1867,  when  the  new  steam  fire-engine  was  procured,  and  more  fully 
with  the  increased  means  of  protection  afforded  by  the  city  water- 
works so  recently  completed.  The  new  steam  fire-engine.  City  of 
Winona,  No.  1,  built  by  Silsby  &  Co.,  of  Seneca  Falls,  is  an  engine 
of  the  second  class,  and  cost  at  the  time  of  its  purchase,  in  con- 
nection with  the  three  hose-carts  then  furnished,  the  sum  of 
$10,000.  The  fire  department  of  the  city  as  now  conducted  is  in 
the  main  as  it  was  instituted  by  the  ordinance  of  1872,  and  it  will 
be  sufficient  for  the  purjooses  of  this  article  to  present  the  department 
as  it  now  is.  The  present  equipment  is  one  steam  fire-engine,  five 
hose-carts  (three  of  them  two-wheeled  carts,  and  two  four-wheeled), 
all  hand-carts  ;  one  hook  and  ladder  truck,  furnished  with  one  sixty- 
five  feet  extension  ladder,  one  forty-five  feet,  one  twenty-four  feet,  one 
sixteen  feet  and  one  twelve  feet ;  and  about  4,000  feet  of  hose.  There 
are  six  organized  companies :  Turner  Hose  Company,  No.  1 ;  Mys- 
tic Hose  Company,  No.  2 ;  Live-Oak  Hose  Company,  No.  3  ;  Crys- 
tal Hose  Company,  No.  4;  Alert  Hose  Company,  ISo.  5  ;  Excelsior 
Hook  and  Ladder  Company.  The  Turner,  Mystic  and  Live-Oak 
hose  companies  and  the  Hook  and  Ladder  company  have  their 
quarters  in  the  city  building,  which  is  the  headquarters  of  the  city 
government,  containing  tlie  rooms  of  the  city  council,  office  of  chief 
52 


868  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

of  police,  and  the  rooms  of  the  fire  department.  This  building  is 
a  substantia]  brick,  40x60  feet,  with  a  tower  rising  eighty  feet 
above  the  foundation,  and  furnished  with  a  fire-bell  weighing  2,500 
pounds.  The  ground  floor  of  the  building  is  occupied  with  the  en- 
gines, carts  and  furniture  of  the  companies  as  above  specified,  and 
their  hall  for  the  transaction  of  business  occupies  a  portion  of  the 
second  floor.  Crystal  Hose  Company  No.  4  occupies  what  is  known 
as  the  Jefferson  school  building  in  the  first  ward,  and  the  Alerts 
are  (puirtered  in  a  building  belonging  to  the  department  situated 
in  the  fourth  ward.  The  hall  of  the  firemen  in  the  city  building  is 
18x40  feet,  and  has  been  very  tastefully  fitted  up  by  the  depart- 
ment at  an  expense  of  about  $000.  A  rich  brussels  carpet  covered 
with  ducking  to  protect  it,  elegantly  upholstered  chairs  and  sofa, 
chandeliers,  ornamental  dais,  walls  adorned  with  engravings  and 
paintings,,  together  with  the  dress  parade  and  presentation  regalia  of 
the  officers,  give  the  hall  a  most  inviting  appearance  and  speak  vol- 
umes for  the  pride  the  firemen  take  in  their  surroundings.  The 
officers  of  the  fire  department  are  a  chief  and  two  assistants,  elected 
by  the  members  of  the  several  companies  and  confirmed  by  the 
council,  and  a  secretary  and  treasurer  elected  by  the  board  of  direct- 
ors, the  board  being  constituted  of  one  representative  from  each 
company  and  the  officers  of  the  department.  Each  company  man- 
ages its  own  affaii'S,  subject  only  to  the  general  rules  and  regula- 
tions of  the  department.  For  some  years  past  the  department  has 
received  a  stated  sum  annually  from  the  city  treasury.  The  amount 
at  ])resent  derived  from  that  source  is  $1,500  a  year,  appropriated 
to  the  several  companies,  each  of  which  receives  $250  per  annum. 
Of  this  sum  ten  per  cent,  $25  per  company,  goes  into  the  general 
treasury  of  the  department,  the  balance  is  the  property  of  the  com- 
panies, to  be  expended  by  them  as  they  shall  determine.  All  other 
revenues  of  the  dejiartment  are  derived  from  the  membership  fees, 
which  are  $3  per  member  per  annum,  and  from  fines  and  the 
initiation  fees  of  new  members.  The  department  is  purely  volun- 
tary, the  members  providing  their  own  caps,  shirts,  some  of  which 
are  individual  property,  some  the  property  of  the  companies,  and 
all  maintained  at  comparatively  trifling  cost  to  the  city  treasury, 
from  which  special  appropriations  are  occasionally  made. 

The  report  of  the  chief  engineer  of  the  department  to  the  city 
council  for  the  year  just  closed,  April  30,  1883,  shows  the  number  of 
active  firemen  connected  with  the  department  to  be  132.    Tlie  engine 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  869 

is  reported  in  good  order,  with  the  exception  of  suction  hose,  and  all 
other  equipments  ready  for  effective  service.  The  department  has 
4,000  feet  of  hose,  3,000  in  good  condition,  and  the  report  recom- 
mends the  immediate  purchase  of  an  additional  1,000  feet.  Mention 
is  also  made  of  the  necessity  of  the  department  owning  a  team  for 
hauling  the  hook  and  ladder  truck  and  engine,  a  want  sensibly  felt  by 
the  members  of  the  department,  and  which  if  supplied  would  A-ery 
materially  increase  its  efficiency.  This  with  an  electric  fire-alarm 
connecting  the  central  station  with  the  hose-houses  in  the  first 
and  fourth  wards  would  very  materially  facilitate  the  prompt  arrival 
of  the  hose  companies  at  whatever  point  their  services  might  be  re- 
quired, and  also  obviate  the  necessity  of  unnecessarily  rousing  the 
citizens  by  a  general  fire-alarm.  The  total  number  of  fire-alarms 
responded  to  by  the  department  for  the  year  was  twent^^-six.  Of 
these  eight  were  false  alarms,  four  fires  that  resulted  in  no  loss  of 
property,  and  fourteen  with  loss,  aggregating  $7,750,  upon  which 
there  was  an  insurance  of  $16,000.  The  officers  of  the  department 
for  the  year  beginning  May  1,  1883,  are  :  Chief  engineer,  A.  W. 
Fuhrman  ;  first  assistant  engineer,  Jos.  Edwards ;  second  assistant 
engineer,  W.  T.  Gage  ;  secretary,  E.  A.  Ramm  ;  treasurer,  John 
Von  Rohr  ;  foreman  of  hose  company  No.  1,  F.  A.  Moebus  ;  fore- 
man of  hose  company  No.  2,  L.  Koelmel ;  foreman  of  hose  company 
No.  3,  T.  Chappell  ;  foreman  of  hose  company  No.  4,  M.  Hanley  ; 
foreman  of  hose  company  No.  5,  M.  Mackey  ;  foreman  of  hook  and 
ladder,  W.  T.  Gage. 

DESTRUCTIVE    FIRES. 

Like  all  other  cities,  Winona  has  felt  the  effects  of  the  ever-to-be- 
dreaded  "fire  fiend."  And  yet,  notwithstanding  that  her  entire 
business  quarter  was  at  one  time  swept  clean,  it  is  a  question  if  she 
has  not  been  on  the  whole  much  more  fortunate  in  escaping  loss  by 
fire  than  the  average  city  of  her  class  and  character  of  business.  The 
lumber  interests  of  the  city  have  always  been  a  leading  considera- 
tion, and  the  mills  of  this  class,  with  their  yards  for  piling  lumber 
stretching  along  not  much  less  than  two  miles  of  river  front,  of  which 
they  occupy  at  least  two-thirds,  have  rendered  the  city  peculiarly 
susceptible  to  destruction  by  fire,  and  yet  it  is  certainly  no  exaggera- 
tion to  say  that  $20,000  would  cover  all  the  loss  sustained  by  the 
mills  or  to  property  in  their  vicinity  from  fire.  For  the  first  ten 
years  of  the  actual  settlement  on  Wabasha  prairie  there  were  no  fires 
of  sufficient  magnitude  to  require  specific  mention,  but  the  city  had  a 


870 


HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 


rude  awakening  on  the  morning  of  July  5,  1862.  The  previous  day, 
''the  glorious  Fourth,'"  had  been  celebrated  with  great  enthusiasm  ; 
the  concourse  of  visitors  from  the  surrounding  country  had  been  im- 
mense ;  the  streets  were  literally  crowded  all  day  ;  the  fireworks 
disjday  in  the  evening  was  brilliant,  and  tlie  city  laid  down  to  rest 
at  a  late  hour,  congratulating  herself  on  having  had  a  really  success- 
ful celebration.  Shortly  after  1  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  fifth 
the  cry  of  "fire"  rang  out  on  the  air,  quickly  followed  by  the  ring- 
ing of  the  alarm-bells.  The  flames,  doubtless  caused  by  the  fire- 
works of  the  previous  evening,  were  found  to  proceed  from  the  rear 
of  Clapperton's  bakehouse  on  Center  street.  This  bakery  stood  on 
the  east  side  of  the  street,  just  north  of  the  alley  between  Second  and 


Merchants  Bank. 


Third  streets,  where  the  Merchants  Bank  now  is.  The  fii'e-engines 
were  promptly  on  hand,  but  the  compactly-crowded  wooden  struc- 
tures, among  which  the  fire  originated,  were  dry  as  tinder,  and 
before  the  engines  could  be  brought  into  use  the  fire  had  passed  be- 
yond control.  The  wind  was  blowing  freshly  from  the  south  and 
east,  and  the  fire  was  swept  rapidly  down  the  wooden  row  of  build- 
ings toward  the  corner  of  Second  and  Center  streets,  the  very  busi- 
ness center  of  the  cit}^  In  this  vicinity  there  were  a  dozen  families 
occupying  rooms  in  the  second  and  third  stories  of  buildings,  and 
many  of  these  had  barely  time  to  escape  with  their  lives,  destitute 
even  of  sufficient  clothing  to  properly  cover  them.  The  wind  in- 
creased in  strength  as  the  fire  spread,  and  despite  all  effort  to  con- 
fine tlie  flames  to  the  block  in  which  they  originated,   they  were 


WIlSrONA   AS   IT    IS.  871 

driven  across  Center  street  and  tlie  block  on  the  west  side  was  soon 
in  flames.  Tliis  occurred  about  half-past  two  o'clock,  or  a  little  over 
an  hour  from  the  time  the  fire  was  discovered.  By  three  o'clock  the 
fire  had  crossed  Second  street  on  both  sides  of  Center,  and  the  entire 
section  of  the  city  lying  between  Lafayette  street  on  the  east.  Main 
street  on  the  -west.  Third  street  on  the  south  and  the  river  on  the 
south  was  absolutely  swept  clean  of  buildings.  Within  these  limits 
were  comprised  four  full  blocks  of  the  most  conij^actly  built  struc- 
tures in  the  city  and  fully  nine-tenths  of  its  business  houses  and 
stocks  of  merchandise.  To  the  heroic  exertions  of  the  bucket  com- 
panies was  owing  the  preservation  of  that  section  of  the  city  lying 
west  of  Main  street.  The  fire  was  checked  at  Main  street  a 
little  after  daylight,  and  the  morning  broke  upon  a  scene  of  utter 
desolation. 

The  smoldering  ruins  of  the  principal  business  houses  of  the  city 
told  their  own  tale  of  loss  irreparable  to  the  trade  of  the  young  city. 
The  piles  of  goods  and  merchandise  scattered  on  the"  levee  and 
streets,  some  of  it  burning,  much  of  it  spoiled  in  the  act  of  removal, 
told  too  plainly  of  ruined  merchants  and  wrecked  mercantile  hopes. 
In  tlie  short  space  of  from  three  to  four  hours  110  buildings  were 
reduced  to  ashes  and  a  much  greater  number  of  persons  bereft  of 
places  of  business,  dwellings,  goods,  clothing,  household  efi'ects, 
etc.,  and  in  their  place  was  left  a  scene  of  desolation  only  to  be  im- 
agined, not  described.  The  office  of  the  daily  and  weekly  "Repub- 
lican "  was  wiped  out  with  the  rest,  only  the  subscription  and  account 
books  saved.  The  losses  reported  and  published  in  the  "Republican" 
of  July  9,  four  days  after  the  fire,  which  was  printed  at  the  office  of 
the  St.  Paul  "Press,"  shows  an  aggregate  loss,  as  scheduled,  of  $299,- 
875,  upon  which  there  was  an  insurance  of  $78,200.  This  schedule, 
as  was  to  be  expected,  was  most  incomplete,  and  after  investigations 
showed  that  the  actual  computable  loss  was  about  half  a  million  of 
dollars,  upon  which  there  was  not  more  than  eighteen  per  cent  of  in- 
surance. No  loss  of  life  occurred,  nor  is  it  known  that  any  perma- 
nent injury  resulted  from  such  minor  accidents  as  happened.  The 
heaviest  loser  was  IST.  S.  Wickersham,  druggist,  whose  loss  was  placed 
at  $20,000,  upon  which  there  was  not  one  dollar  of  insurance.  The 
losses  ranged  from  $50  up  to  this  amount,  and  was  particularly  dis- 
astrous in  that  so  many  small  dealers  were  burned  out,  and  those 
just  commencing  business  totally  broken  up  in  trade,  the  losers  of 
$5,000  or  upward  only  representing  seventeen  per  cent  of  the  whole 


872  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

number  reported.     This  fire  is  usually  spoken  of  as  the  "  fire  of  July 

4,  1862,  which  burned  up  the  city." 

Some  time  during  the  following  September  (date  not  accurately 
preserved)  the  old  sawmill  built  by  Wyckofi"  &  Hylands,  afterward 
known  as  the  Porter,  Garlock  &  Van  Gorder  mill,  caught  fire  from 
the  smokestacks  of  the  Laird  &  Norton  sawmill,  and  was  burned. 
The  loss  was  $5,000,  no  insurance,  and  its  destruction  is  referred  to 
simply  because  it  was  the  first  mill  of  any  kind  ever  erected  in  this 
city,  having  been  built  in  the  fall  and  early  winter  of  1855. 

Standing  just  alongside  of  this  sawmill  was  the  planing-mill  of 
Grant  &  Stevens,  which  narrowly  escaped  destruction  at  the  same 
time,  Mr.  Grant  remarking  afterward  that  the  "greatest  luck  he 
had  had  in  connection  with  the  mill  was  saving  it  under  such  cir- 
cumstances," This  satisfaction  was  short-lived,  and  the  planing- 
mill,  also  an  old  landmark,  the  first  planing-mill  built  in  the  city, 
did  not  long  survive  the  sawmill.  This  latter  tire  occurred  July  27, 
1863,  at  about  half-past  four  in  the  afternoon,  and  in  half  an  hour 
the  mill  and  stock  were  totally  consumed.  The  loss  was  about 
$7,000,  upon  which,  as  in  the  former  case,  there  was  no  insurance. 

On  Sunday  morning,  March  12,  1865,  another  destructive  fire 
visited  the  business  portion  of  the  city.  This  fire  was  just  west  of 
the  section  burned  over  in  1862.  It  originated  in  the  west  end  of 
tlie  Hubbard  block,  corner  of  Main  and  Second  streets.  Three  store- 
rooms in  Hubbard's  block  and  three  other  business  houses  with 
dwellings  or  offices  overhead  were  destroyed.  The  progress  of  the 
fire  was  ra]>id,  but  the  wooden  building  in  which  it  occurred  being 
fianked  by  brick  structures  on  Main  and  Second  streets,  and  tlie 
wind  being  in  the  east,  not  driving  the  flames  across  Main  street  to 
the  wooden  buildings  there,  the  tire  was  circumscribed  in  its  limits 
and  burned  itself  out  in  about  two  hours,  the  disorganized  condition 
of  the  fire  department  and  the  unserviceableness  of  the  engines 
aflfording  no  relief  in  that  quarter.  The  total  loss  was  $50,000, 
divided  among  nearly  a  score  of  people.     One-half  this  loss  fell  upon 

5.  D.  Jackson  &  Co.,  who  were  damaged  $25,000.  one-half  covered 
by  insurance.  Tliere  were  some  narrow  escapes,  and  some  of  the 
occupants  of  the  upper  rooms  would  doubtless  have  perished  in  the 
flames  but  for  the  timely  assistance  rendered  ;  most  of  these  escaped 
in  their  night-clothing,  losing  all  their  eft'ects.  The  entire  amount 
of  insurance  was  $22,100. 

On  August  19,  1865,  another  of  the  landmarks  of  Winona's  early 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  873 

manufacturing  industries  was  destroyed  ;  this  was  the  old  gristmill 
erected  in  1850,  at  the  west  end  of  town,  on  the  corner  of  the  block, 
diagonally  across  Second  street  from  where  Youmans  Bros.  & 
Hodgins'  lumber  office  now  stands.  The  alarm  was  sounded  early 
in  the  evening  from  the  whistle  of  Youmans  Bros'  sawmill, 
and  it  was  at  first  supposed  that  the  fire  was  in  that  mill.  The 
gristmill  was  originally  erected  by  one  Fogg,  and  passed  into  the 
possession  of  H.  D.  Huff  shortly  afterward.  It  was  never  a 
successful  venture,  and  after  several  attempts  to  keep  the  stones 
running  it  was  suft'ered  to  lie  idle.  It  was  a  strongly  built  two-and- 
a-half  story  structure,  and  should  have  had  a  more  kindly  fate 
as  the  ]3ioneer  flourmill  in  a  city  since  noted  for  its  successful 
milling  operations.  The  mill  was  valued  at  the  time  of  its  de- 
struction at  about  $12,000,  upon  which  there  was  an  insurance 
of  about  $7,000.  Youmans  Bros'  mill  had  a  very  narrow  es- 
cape and  was  on  fire  several  times,  but  the  efforts  to  save  it 
proved  successful.  On  the  afternoon  of  Sunday,  June  20,  1875, 
a  fire  broke  out  in  the  shaving-room  of  Mr.  Conrad  Bohn's 
mill  on  the  levee,  foot  of  Laird  street.  The  wind  was  blow- 
ing from  the  south  across  the  river,  and  the  water-works  pipes 
connected  with  Laird  &  Norton's  mills  did  splendid  service,  effect- 
ually preventing  the  spread  of  the  flames  to  the  piles  of  lumber  in 
the  vicinity,  and  avoiding  what  might  very  easily  have  become 
a  general  conflagration.  The  fire  originated  in  the  boiler-room,  where 
the  engineer  and  watchman  had  been  engaged  in  cleaning  boilers, 
and  had  just  started  a  fire  a  short  time  before  the  smoke  was  seen  by 
the  watchman,  who  was  at  that  time  at  work  in  the  upper  story. 
The  engines  were  immediately  tried,  but  as  there  was  not  a  pound 
of  steam  up  the  mill  was  left  to  its  fate,  as  the  pumps  could  not  be 
worked.  The  internal  arrangements  for  quenching  fire  were  admi- 
rable, iron  pipes  running  all  through  the  mill,  and  had  the  pumps  been 
supplied  with  steam  the  extinguishing  of  the  fire  would  have  been 
easily  effected.  As  it  was,  only  the  safe,  patterns,  books,  accounts, 
and  some  stock  in  the  wa}  of  glass,  tools,  etc.,  were  saved.  The 
building  was  new,  had  been  erected  the  previous  season  at  a  cost  of 
$35,000,  in  addition  to  which  loss  there  were  several  carloads  of 
valuable  lumber,  among  them  some  choice  black-walnut,  a  large 
amount  of  finished  work  ready  for  delivery,  and  some  expensive 
full  glass  fronts,  glazed  and  stored  in  one  of  the  upper  stories.  The 
entire  loss  footed  up  about  $45,000,  upon  which  there  was  a  small 


874  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

insurance  of"  $6,000.  The  loss  was  more  tlian  personal ;  it  ert'ected 
])uilding  operations  and  threw  a  large  number  of  persons  out  ot 
employment.  Early  in  the  morning  of  April  28,  1876,  quite  a 
destructive  lire  occurred  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Second  streets, 
in  a  row  of  wooden  buildings  erected  there  after  the  great  tire  of 
1862,  and  which  had  such  a  narrow  escape  when  the  Hubbard  block 
was  burned  in  1865.  The  tire  was  contined  to  the  four  buildings 
on  the  corner,  and  only  made  no  further  progress  because  a  sub- 
stantial brick  tirewall  had  been  built  in  the  rear  of  the  buildings, 
and  also  on  the  east,  in  anticipation  ot  just  such  a  catastrophe,  and 
pending  the  erection  of  brick  structures.  The  entire  loss  was  fully 
covered  by  the  insurance,  $11,650.  Here  again  the  new  water- 
works ]>rove(l  effective. 

Three  daj'S  later  a  tire  broke  out  on  the  levee  in  an  old  building 
known  as  the  Riverside  Hotel,  an  ancient  city  landmark  erected 
by  Taylor,  Bennett  &  Co.  and  L.  D.  Smith  &  Co.  in  1856.  It 
stood  near  the  corner  of  Lafayette  street,  and  at  the  time  of  its 
erection  cost  about  $6,500,  and  was  the  tinest  building  the  city 
boasted  at  that  time.  It  had  a  history.  Was  at  one  time  tlie  head- 
quarters of  the  Transit  Railway  Company,  now  the  Winona  &  St. 
Peter,  who  had  their  general  offices  in  the  building;  was  the  United 
States  land  office,  when  L.  D.  Smith  was  receiver  of  that  office  in 
the  flush  days  of  Winona's  early  jn'osperity.  It  was  afterward  used 
as  a  high  school  building;  then  was  i-etitted  as  a  hotel,  in  which  latter 
cai)acity  it  was  not  a  success.  At  the  time  of  its  destruction  it  was 
owned  by  Mr.  John  Kendall,  the  wholesale  druggist,  and  was 
rented  and  occu})ied.  As  some  attempts  had  previously  been  made 
to  tire  the  building,  the  general  voice  declared  the  act  incendi- 
ary by  which  it  was  tinally  destroyed.  Mr.  Kendal's  insurance 
was  about  $2,500.  carried  by  companies  for  which  he  was  himself 
agent.  The  wooden  block  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Center  and 
Second  street,  in  the  very  heart  of  the  burned  district,  had  been 
replaced  by  a  substantial  three-story  brick,  with  stone  basement, 
known  as  the  Simpson  block.  About  1  o'clock  a.m.  on  Sunday, 
January  14,  1877,  tire  was  discovered  in  the  boot  and  shoe  store  of 
Mr.  Blanchard,  on  the  tirst  floor  of  the  block.  The  alarm  was  im- 
mediately given,  but  the  fire  had  gained  too  great  headway  to  be 
arrested,  and  the  entire  block  was  doomed  to  destruction.  There 
being  no  brick  partitions,  the  fire  swept  through  the  entire  structure 
from  front  to  rear  and  from  basement  to  topstone.     The  first  flo(^r 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  875 

was  occupied  by  S.  Friend  &  Co.,  clothiers;  J.  L.  Brink  &  Co., 
drygoods,  and  L.  F.  Blancluird,  boots  and  shoes.  The  second  story 
was  occupied  by  various  parties,  as  oifices,  dressmaking  and  mil- 
linery rooms,  etc. ;  and  the  third  floor  was  fitted  for  society  halls, 
and  occupied  by  the  I.O.O.F.,  Sons  ol  Temperance  and  Temple 
of  Honor.  The  principal  loss  fell  upon  the  owner,  Y.  Simpson, 
Esq.,  and  the  merchants  on  tke  main  floor.  Mr.  Simpson's  loss 
was  $25,000,  insured  for  $16,000;  J.  L.  Brink,  loss  $12,500,  in- 
sured for  $15,000;  L.  F.  Blanchard,  loss  $12,000,  insured  for  $11,- 
000,  and  S.  Friend,  insured  for  $11,500,  which  will  much  more  than 
cover  all  his  loss,  as  most  ol  his  goods  were  removed.  The  entire 
loss  was  summed  up  at  about  $70,000,  upon  which  there  was 
insurance  to  the  amount  of  $55,000.  Damage  was  done  some 
buildings  on  Center  street,  in  the  rear  of  the  block,  but  not  to  any 
serious  extent.  The  entire  block,  save  the  walls,  which  through  the 
exertions  of  the  firemen  were  preserved  from  injury,  was  immedi- 
ately rebuilt  at  a  cost  of  $40,000. 

Two  years  later  a  fire  broke  out  in  the  block  on  the  east  side  of 
Center  street  facing  Second,  also  within  the  old  burned  district  of 
1862,  in  a  brick  building  occupied  by  A.  Moses  as  a  billiard  hall  and 
liquor  store,  and  owned  by  Otto  Troost.  Adjoining  this  building 
was  the  wholesale  crockery  house  of  A.  S.  Gregory  &  Co.  The  fire 
was  discovered  early  on  Tuesday  morning,  or  about  midnight  of 
Monday,  March  3,  1879,  in  the  basement  of  the  Troost  building, 
where  Mr.  Moses  had  stored  a  large  stock  of  wines  and  liquors.  The 
efiective  work  of  the  fire  department  saved  the  building  from  total 
destruction,  but  the  damage  by  water,  smoke  and  fire  was  so  great 
that  nothing  of  value  remained.  The  loss  to  Gregory  &  Co.  was 
largely  from  water  and  smoke,  the  floors  being  flooded  and  the  roof 
burned  away.  Mr.  Moses,  loss  was  $10,000,  insured  for  $4,500. 
Gregory  &  Co.  were  insured  for  $14,300,  and  the  loss  was  about 
thirty  i)er  cent  of  that  amount.  Mr.  Troost  was  insured  for  $4,000, 
which  would  probably  cover  the  loss.  Since  this  date  there  has 
been  no  fire  in  the  business  portion  of  the  city  of  any  magnitude. 

Two  fires  that  have  occurred  at  the  car  and  machine  shops  of 
the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Kailroad  must  be  briefly  mentioned,  and 
these  will  close  the  list.  The  first  of  these  fires  occurred  in  the  car 
shop,  a  two-story  brick  building  140  feet  long,  80  feet  wide,  engine- 
room  25^X27  feet.  There  were  two  planers,  three  saws,  a  match- 
ing machine,  mortising  machine,  lathe,  and  some  cars  undergoing 


876  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

repairs,  on  the  first  floor,  aTid  the  upholstering  rooms  and  pattern 
rooms  and  some  clioice  lumber  on  the  second  floor.  It  originated 
in  the  attempt  of  the  night-watchman  to  kindle  a  fire  in  the  boilei- 
room  with  a  too  free  use  of  turpentine,  about  six  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  October  21,  1881.  The  loss,  as  reported  by  master 
mechanic  W.  A.  Scott,  was  about  $10,000,  and  he  pronounced  it 
the  result  of  gross  carelessness.  The  explosion  which  followed  the 
ignition  of  the  turpentine  occurred  so  close  to  the  fire  apparatus  that 
before  water  could  be  turned  on  or  pumps  started  the  fire  had  gained 
too  great  headway  to  be  controlled,  and  the  building  witli  all  its 
contents  was  a  total  loss  ;  no  insurance. 

The  second  fire  at  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  machine  shops 
occurred  on  the  morning  of  April  11,  1883,  at  about  three  o'clock, 
and  the  cause  of  its  origin  is  not  accurately  known.  It  was  first 
discovered  near  the  partition  between  the  tinshop  and  the  round- 
house, and  spread  with  great  rapidity.  The  size  and  character  of 
the  buildings  are  noted  in  article  found  elsewhere.  The  means  at 
hand  were  insufficient  to  check  the  ravages  of  the  flames,  and  the 
nearest  fire-plug  being  at  the  wagon-works  one  thousand  feet  distant, 
some  delay  was  experienced  in  getting  the  steamer  to  play  upon  the 
fire,  the  machine-shops  lying  outside  of,  the  district  reached  by  the 
water-mains.  There  were  seventeen  locomotives  in  the  roundhouse 
at  the  time  the  fire  started.  Six  of  these  were  run  out  safely,  the 
rest  were  more  or  less  damaged.  The  roundhouse,  machine-shop, 
blacksmith-shop,  engine-room,  boiler-house  and  tinshop  were 
burned.  The  railmill,  office,  storeroom  and  carshop  (rebuilt  from 
the  fire  of  1881)  were  all  saved.  The  direct  loss  was  about  $40,000. 
The  indirect  loss  in  patterns  for  shafting,  etc.,  has  no  computable 
estimate.  Before  the  fire  the  railway  compan_y  had  determined  to 
make  some  changes,  enlarging  their  capacity  and  increasing  the 
number  of  their  workmen.  This  work  was  promptly  undertaken 
as  soon  as  the  fire  occurred,  and  tlie  preparation  of  plans  begun. 
The  improvements,  which  will  be  pushed  to  completion  as  rapidly  as 
possible,  are,  in  brief,  these :  The  old  machine-shop  will  be  rebuilt 
as  a  blacksmith-shop  and  boiler-shop  ;  the  former  blacksmith-shop 
will  be  rebuilt  as  a  coppersmith-shop  and  engine-room.  A  new 
machine-shop  will  then  be  built  on  the  south  side  of  the  main  track, 
just  west  of  the  old  machine-shop,  one  opening  into  the  other.  The 
new  structure  will  be  222  feet  long  and  96  feet  wide.  There  will  be 
also  a  new  oil  and  store  room,  60x40  feet.     The  estimated  cost  of 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  877 

these  improvements,  and  the  machinery  to  equip  them,  will  be 
about  $80,000.  When  completed  the  mechanical  force  of  the  shops 
will  be  increased  about  thirty  per  cent. 

WINONA   POSTOFFICE, 

There  is,  perhaps,  no  one  fact  more  significant  of  the  almost 
immeasurable  chasm  that  bridges  the  distance  between  the  Winona 
of  thirt}'^  years  ago  and  the  Winona  of  today  than  that  which, 
according  to  "Nasby,"  is  "postoffis."  From  the  date  at  which 
Elder  Ely  was  popularly  said  to  have  held  the  office  in  his  hat,  and 
which  was  perhaps  much  nearer  the  literal  truth  than  is  nowadays 
imagined,  until  today,  is  not  quite  thirty-one  years,  and  yet  what 
changes  ! 

The  first  appointment  of  postmaster  for  the  ofiice,  now  known  as 
Winona,  was  made  in  July,  1852,  at  which  time  the  ofiice  was 
officially  designated  as  Montezuma.  The  appointee  was  George  S. 
Baker,  who,  being  a  non-resident,  was  ineligible,  and  never  assumed 
the  duties  of  the  ofiice. 

On  August  16  following,  the  appointment  was  conferred  on 
Abner  S.  Goddard,  and  the  name  of  the  office  changed  to  Winona. 
The  notice  of  this  appointment  reached  Mr.  Goddard  while  lying 
very  sick,  and  he  refused  to  qualify.  This  sickness  proved  fatal, 
and  the  little  settlement  would  have  been  without  a  mail  had  not 
Elder  Ely  cut  the  Gordian  knot.  The  mail  arrived,  and  as  Mr. 
Goddard  never  had  qualified  for  the  office  he  did  not  deem  it  right 
to  open  the  sack,  and  so  refused.  Elder  Ely,  wlio  was  present  with 
his  wife,  considered  the  situation  demanded  a  prompt  action,  and 
as  the  main  thing,  after  all,  was  for  each  one  to  receive  the  letters 
addressed  them,  he  broke  open  the  sack  and  made  the  distribution. 
By  this  act  the  "elder"  seemed  to  have  appointed  himself  post- 
master, and  there  seems  to  be  no  doubt  that  for  some  time  he 
discharged  the  duties  of  postmaster  of  the  new  office  very  acceptably. 
Not  long  after  the  events  narrated,  the  last  steamer  arrived  for  the 
season,  and  the  mail  was  carried  on  foot  from  Prairie  du  Chien  to 
Fort  Snelling.  There  is  no  record  of  any  appointment  of  post- 
master in  1853,  and  the  probability  is  that  Elder  Ely  acted  as  mail 
distributor  for  the  entire  region  for  a  period  of  about  two  years, 
making  frequent  trips  to  La  Crosse,  and  bringing  mail  from  the 
office  at  that  point  to  parties  in  Winona.  Just  prior  to  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  land  office  here,  in  the  fall  of  1854,  John  W.  Downer 


878  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

was  appointed  postmaster  of  Winona,  and  opened  the  office  in  a 
small  building  on  Front  street,  where  the  elevator  of  the  Winona 
INIilling  Company  now  stands.  This  office  Mr.  Downer  held  until 
May  t5,  1861,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  C.  II.  Blanchard,  wlio  was 
postmaster  four  years,  and  then  surrendered  his  office  to  C.  F.  Buck, 
whose  commissi(m  was  dated  July  21,  1865.  Mr.  Buck's  services  as 
Winona  postmaster  ceased  when  his  successor,  D.  Sinclair,  Esq.,  was 
appointed,  May  16,  1869.  Since  then  there  has  been  no  change, 
Mr.  Sinclair  having  held  the  office  by  successive  reapix/intments  for 
a  little  over  fourteen  years.  When  the  office  was  taken  charge  ot 
by  the  present  postmaster  it  was  located  on  the  east  side  of  the 
alley  on  Third  street,  north  side,  where  Orrin  Drew's  fruit  and 
conlectionery  store  now  is.  Prior  to  that  time  the  office  had 
been  on  its  travels.  It  had  been  established  in  the  Downer 
building ;  it  was  twice  located  on  the  corner  where  Mues  block 
is;  once  on  the  corner  of  Third  and  Center,  where  Rheinberger's 
dry-goods  house  now  is;  then  on  Main  street,  between  Third  and 
Fourth,  in  the  small  frame  building  occupied  by  Bell  as  a  bath- 
house ;  and  once  on  south  side  Second  street,  between  Center 
and  Lafaj'ette  street,  where  it  was  burned  out,  and  possibly  in 
other  locations.  Mr.  Sinclair,  maintained  the  office  in  the  small 
building  on  the  north  side  of  Third  street  until  the  present  post- 
office  building  was  erected,  in  1872,  at  which  time  (April  1,  1872) 
the  office  was  removed  to  its  present  location  on  the  northeast  corner 
of  Third  and  Center  streets.  This  building  was  erected  by  Winona 
capitalists  under  a  contract  with  the  United  States  postal  department 
to  rent  the  first  floor  for  postoffice  ])urposes  for  a  term  of  years, 
and  was  one  of  the  first  buildings  erected  under  such  contracts  with 
the  department.  The  building  is  (as  stated  elsewhere)  a  three-story 
brick  with  stone  foundations  and  high  basement.  The  floor  occupied 
by  the  postoffice  is  90x24  feet,  and  in  the  basement  there  is  a 
mailing-room  24x40  feet.  Upon  the  main  floor  is  the  office  for  the 
delivery  clerks,  most  conveniently  arranged  for  distributing  mail  and 
delivering  it  at  call.  The  postoffice  boxes,  1,500  in  number,  are 
ranged  around  the  three  sides  of  the  parallelogram  within  which  the 
clerks  answer  all  calls  for  mail  through  the  ample  delivery  windows. 
The  outer  floor  room  is  ample,  as  the  space  between  the  boxes  and 
the  side-walls  of  the  exterior  office  is  fully  six  feet,  while  the  space 
in  front  is  four  times  as  great.  Double  doors  on  Center  and  Third 
streets  afford   ample   exit,  and   a   well-supplied   news   and   stamp 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  879 

counter,  in  a  recess  on  the  right  as  you  enter  from  Third  street, 
accommodates  the  public  demand  for  daily  papers,  and  saves  the 
delay  of  m-aking  change  for  stamps  at  the  delivery  windows  of  the 
postoffice.  The  money-order  office  and  the  postmaster's  private 
office  are  in  the  rear  of  the  main  and  delivery  rooms,  and  a  fireproof 
vault  affords  ample  security  against  loss  of  valuable  packages 
belonging  to  the  department,  as  this  is  the  depositing  office  for  all 
the  fourth-class  offices  in  southern  and  central  Minnesota.  The 
work  of  the  mailing  clerk  is  exceptionally  heav}'  for  an  office  of  this 
class  in  a  city  of  this  size,  as  it  is  not  only  a  separating  office,  but 
makes  Up  special  pouches  for  delivery  at  stations  along  the  entire 
line  of  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  and  Dakota  Central  railways.  When 
Mr.  Sinclair  assumed  charge  of  the  office  it  was  one  of  the  second 
class,  but  under  the  old  system  of  classification  it  was  raised  to  an 
office  of  the  first  class,  and  had  so  rated  for  a  few  months  when  the 
present  law  of  classification  was  adopted  by  the  department,  and  it 
became,  as  now,  an  office  of  the  second  class.  The  staff  of  the 
office :  Assistant  postmaster  and  clerk  in  the  money-order  office, 
two  delivery  clerks,  mailing  clerk  and  assistant.  The  amount  of 
mail  matter  originating  in  this  office,  as  shown  by  the  official  state- 
ment of  the  third  week  in  December,  1880,  was : 

Total  number  of  letters  mailed 18,274 

''              Postal  cards 3,4o7 

'■              Newsj^apers  and  periodicals 6,049 

"            '■             Packages  oi'  transit  i)rinted  matter 523 

"            "             Packages  merchandize 1 19 

Grand  total 28,4(i2 

The  corresponding  week  of  last  year  was  estimated  at  an  increase 
of  twenty  per  cent  throughout,  which  would  make  a  grand  total  for 
that  date  of  34,082  letters,  postal  cards,  etc.,  mailed  at  this  office  in 
one  week. 

The  volume  of  business  of  the  office  is  shown  in  the  appended 
financial  statement  for  the  year  closing  December  31,  1882,  and 
which  the  report  made  at  that  time  affirms  to  be  an  increase  in 
postal  receipts  over  those  of  previous  year  equal  to  thirteen  per  cent 
of  the  full  amount.  A  very  large  increase  in  the  registration  work 
of  the  office  is  also  reported. 

POSTAL    BUSINESS. 

Stamps,  envelopes,  etc  .  sold $17.07(\(i8 

Waste  paper  sold 'i—'B 

Received  from  box  rents 1,939.25 

$19,019.19 

Deduct  expense  account 6.611.75 

Net  revenue  to  the  department $12,407.44 


880  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

GENERAL   ACCOUNT. 
RECEIVED. 

Postal  funds  deposited  by  other  postmasters $23,oti6.06 

Net  revenue  of  this  office 12,407.44 


Total $35,973.50 

DISBURSKO. 

Remitted  United  States  treasurer $29,525.06 

Paitl  railway  postal  clerks  and  mail  messenger 6,448.44 


$35,973.50 

MONEY    ORDER   BUSINESS. 
RECEIPTS. 

4,668  Domestic  orders  issued $.50,018.30 

Fees  on  same 541.20 

15  Canadian  orders  issued 240.95 

Fees  on  same 4.20 

40  British  orders  issued 529.31 

214  German  orders  issued 2,641.36 

5  French  orders  issued 32.75 

17  Swiss  orders  issued 202.45 

Drafts  on  New  York 29,700.00 


$83,910.52 

DISBURSED. 

4,614  Domestic  orders  paid $79,300,45 

10  Canadian      "         "     260.75 

9  British           "          "     282.62 

102  German         "          "     3,542.89 

]  1  Swiss             "          "     409.02 

Balance  on  hand  December  31 114.79 

$83,910.52 

Grand  total $167,821.04 

REGISTRY    BUSINESS. 

No.  I  )f  registered  letters  received  for  delivery l'),844 

"  "        dispatched 1,644 

"  '•  "        and  packages  received  in  transit 36,948 

Total  number  handled T  42,436 

SUMMARY   OF   GROSS   RECEirTS. 

The  following  table  exhibits  the  gross  annual  postal  receipts  of 
the  office  for  a  series  of  years,  beginning  with  1870.  These  figures 
accurately  reflect  the  general  business  condition,  the  fluctuations 
and  growth  of  the  city  during  that  time : 

Year.  Amount.  '  Year.  Amount. 

1870 $9,:;82.83  '  1877 13,018.76 

1871 10,065.34   1878 13,796.08 

1872 10,813.12   1879 14,2:54.61 

1873 12,362.46   1880 15,371.10 

1874 14,174.32   1881 16,902.42 

1875 12,778.14  ■  1882 19,019.19 

1876 12,649.07  ' 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  881 

BOARD    OF    TRADE. 

The   tirst   attempt  of  wliich   any  record   has   been  preserved, 
looking  toward  the  organization  of  a  board  of  trade  at  this  place, 
was  made  nearly  eighteen  years  ago,  shortly  after  the  close  ot  the 
war  of  the  rebellion.      At  a  meeting  held  October  11,  1865,  the 
draft  ot  a  constitution  and  by-laws  was  presented,  read,  and  its  fur- 
ther consideration  postponed  one  week.     These  are  spread  upon  the 
record-book  of  the  "old  board,"  but  there  is  no  minute  noting  their 
adoption,  and  the  general  impression  seems  to  be  that  they  were 
never  either  considered  or  acted  upon.     A  president,  vice-president, 
board  of   directors,  secretary,  treasurer,  grain  inspector  and  com- 
mittee   on  arbitration  were  elected,  and  it  would  seem  from  the 
short-lived  transactions  of  this  body  that  its  primal  object  was  to 
regulate  and  facilitate  dealings  in  grain  and  produce,  Winona  being 
at  that  time  a  very  extensive  wheat  market,  meetings  for  regulating 
grain  deals  being  held  daily  from  two  to  three  o'clock.     Kailway 
discussions  were  also  under  way,  a  connection  being  desired  with 
St.  Paul  on  the  north  and  Green  Bay  on  the  east.     The  extension 
of  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter  railway  was  also  agitated  at  that  time. 
There  is  nothing  known  to  determine  what  influence,  if  any,  these 
discussions  had  upon  the  projects  mentioned,  all  of  which  were  sub- 
sequently consummated,   but  it  is  a  fair  inference  that  the  agita- 
tion  in  the  "old  board  of  trade"  had  some  influence  in  requiring 
these  results,  so  conducive  to  the  prosperity  and  material  growth  of 
the   city.     After   an  existence  of  about  six  months  the   "board" 
ceased  to  be,  at  least  there  is  no  record  of  its  meeting  later  than 
April  23,  1856. 

The  second  attempt  to  create  a  "board  of  trade"  was  made 
December  27,  1869,  at  which  date  the  organization  was  partially 
effected,  a  constitution  and  by-laws  being  adopted,  and  the  names 
of  about  sixty  members  enrolled.  Four  days  later  the  organization 
was  perfected  by  the  election  of  officers,  and  the  event  duly  cele- 
brated by  the  action  of  the  board  emphatically  disapproving  of  the 
establishment  of  the  Holly  system  of  waterworks  by  the  city  (see 
article  on  waterworks).  Seven  meetings  of  this  "second  board  of 
trade"  are  recorded  as  being  held  prior  to  January  21,  1870,  and 
these  were  devoted  mainly  to  the  consideration  of  railway  projects. 
These  were  the  Green  Bay,  Winona  &  St.  Paul,  the  Chicago  & 
St.  Paul,  and  the  Winona  &  Southwestern,  the  latter  one  of  the 
most  important  railway  lines  proposed  for  the  interests  of  the  city. 


882  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

but  which  was  unfortunately  allowed  to  fail  of  execution,  after  its 
success  seemed  positively  assured  (for  particulars  see  railway  ar- 
ticle.) The  last  meeting  held  by  this  organization  was  on  June  27, 
1870,  at  which  time  there  were  but  five  members  present  to  hear  the 
reading  of  the  treasurer's  report,  which  seems  to  have  wound  up 
''  Winona  Board  of  Trade"  No.  2,  as  no  further  record  of  its  trans- 
actions appears.  Like  its  predecessor  the  work  of  this  "board," 
though  only  existing  through  a  period  of  six  months,  discussed 
measures  and  helped  to  further  measures  that  have  been  of  lasting 
benefit  to  the  city.  There  is  scarce  a  doubt  that  a  recognition  of 
the  really  substantial  results  secured  through  the  former  "boards  of 
trade"  had  no  little  bearing  u})on  the  question  of  making  one  more 
attempt  to  establish  a  board  of  trade  and  give  it  permanency.  The 
subject  was  taken  up  by  the  daily  press  in  the  summer  of  1879,  and  in 
a  series  of  able  editorials  the  "Daily  Rei)ublican  "  urged  the  establish- 
ment of  a  board  of  trade  as  a  necessary  antecedent  to  a  new  era  of 
commercial  prosperity.  Trade  was  stagnant,  population  certainly 
not  increasing,  manufactures  at  a  standstill,  and  there  was  an  urgent 
necessity  for  some  revival  of  business  enterprise  such  as  had  been 
experienced  at  an  early  stage  of  Winona's  growth.  These  articles  in 
the  "Kepublican"  brought  forth  fruit.  They  were  of  a  practical 
character  and  very  succinctly  set  forth  the  advantages  of  Winona 
as  a  receiving,  manufacturing  and  distributing  point,  and  a  live  or- 
ganization of  business  men  for  the  protection  of  the  interests  already 
centered  here,  and  the  inauguration  of  new  manufacturing  and  com- 
mercial enterprises,  was  earnestly  advocated.  A  call  in  accordance 
with  the  spirit  of  these  articles  was  issued  for  a  meeting  of  those 
interested,  and  after  one  or  two  preliminary  gatherings  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  present  Winona  board  of  trade  was  formally  effected,  Aug- 
ust 21,  1879.  The  name  of  the  association  is  designated  in  the  con- 
stitution thereof  as  the  "Board  «f  Trade  of  the  City  of  Winona," 
and  the  object  of  its  organization  "to  unite  the  mercantile,  manu- 
facturing, shipping  and  other  material  interests  for  the  purpose  of 
advancing  and  increasing  the  trade  and  business  of  the  city  of  Wi- 
nona; to  promote  just  and  equital)le  principles  of  trade;  to  discover 
and  correct  abuses ;  to  support  such  means  as  may  be  deemed  best 
to  promote  these  ends  ;  and  to  use  their  influence  as  a  body  to  protect 
their  rights  and  interests  as  citizens  and  l>usiness  men."  From  this 
declaration  of  principles  it  appears  that  the  board  of  trade  has 
become  to  no  small  degree  the  sponsor  of  the  city  and  the  guardian 


WEsroisrA  as  it  is. 


883 


of  its  materia]  interests,  rather  than  an  exchange  for  market  quota- 
tions and  grain,  provision  and  stock  deals.  That  the  responsible 
duties  thus  assumed  have  not  been  lightly  undertaken  or  carelessly 
esteemed  seems  evident  upon  a  review  ot  the  transactions  of  the 
board  and  a  resume  of  the  industries  fostered  and  undertaken 
through  its  agency  or  under  its  stimulus. 

Before  we  make  this  review,  a  word  as  to  its  management.  This 
control  is  vested  in  the  hands  of  the  president,  vice-presidents  (2), 
secretary  and  treasurer  (ex-officio  directors),  and  twenty-four 
directors,  all  of  whom  are  to  be  residents  of  the  city  of  Winona, 


Merchants  Hotel. 

and  members  of  the  board  of  trade.  The  annual  meeting  is  held 
on  the  second  Monday  in  January  of  each  year,  at  which  time^^the 
election  of  officers  is  held,  their  term  of  service  being  for  one  year. 
The  term  of  director  is  for  three  years,  eight  of  the  twenty-four 
members  of  the  board  being  chosen  annually.  The  original  officers 
of  the  board  of  trade  were  :  President,  Thos.  Wilson  ;  first  vice- 
president,  W.  H.  Laird ;  second  vice-president,  S.  C.  White  ; 
secretary,  Wm.  F.  Phelps  ;  treasurer,  L.  P.  Brooks,  who  held  office 
from  the  organization  of  the  board  until  the  annual  meeting  in  1880. 
The  directors  hold  monthly  meetings,  and  special  meetings  of  both 
53 


884  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

the  association  and  the  directors  are  provided  for.  The  fees  for 
membership  are  $5  or  more  per  annum,  and  new  members  pay  the 
same  amoimt  on  signing  the  constitution,  no  further  payments  being 
required  unless  by  reguhir  assessment  until  the  ensuing  annual 
meeting.  The  standing  committees  of  the  board  are  on  finance, 
manufactures,  city  affairs,  wholesale  and  jobbing  trade,  legislation, 
transportation  routes,  and  rates  and  membership.  Including  the 
regular  and  special  meetings  of  both  the  association  and  its  direc- 
tory, fifty-six  meetings  were  held  prior  to  the  annual  election  of  1883. 
The  present  officers  of  the  boaid  of  trade  are  :  Pi-esident,  Q.  B. 
<TOuld  ;  first  vice-president,  W.  A.  Scott ;  second  vice-president, 
John  Kendall ;  secretary,  "Wm.  F.  Phelps ;  treasurer,  "W.  W. 
Thomas.  Secretary  Phelps,  in  his  last  annual  report,  s])eaking  of 
the  work  accomplished  by  the  board  during  the  three  and  a-half 
years  of  its  existence  to  date  of  said  report,  at  annual  meeting  of 
January  1883,  says:  "During  this  period  a  wholesome  agitation 
has  been  kept  up,  and  a  considerable  amount  of  important  business 
has  been  transacted  which  has  led  to  practical  results.  Among  the 
more  immediate  of  these  results  were  the  establishment  of  the 
Wagon-works,  on  a  capital  of  $45,000,  and  of  the  Winona  Mill 
Company,  with  a  capital  of  $80,000.  These  enterprises  have  been 
followed  successively  by  the  erection  of  tlie  planing-mills.  and  sash 
and  door  factory  of  the  Empire  Lumber  Company,  the  mills  of  the 
AVinona Lumber  Company,  with  a  capital  of  $250,000,  there-establish- 
ment of  the  Winona  Carriage-works,  the  erection  of  the  Winona 
Plow-works,  the  organization  of  the  Building  and  Loan  Association, 
with  a  capital  of  $500,000,  three-fifths  of  which  is  already  taken, 
the  organization  of  the  Gate  City  Carriage  Company,  and  of  the 
Wincma  Carriage  Company,  each  with  a  capital  of  $25,000,  and  of 
the  raj)id  extension  and  development  of  all  the  manufacturing 
concerns  in  the  city  to  the  amount,  in  invested  capital,  of  several 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  For  example,  the  capital  stock  of  the 
Winona  Wagon  (Company  has  been  increased  from  $45,000  to 
$100.00(1,  and  that  of  the  Winona  Mill  Company  from  $80,000  to 
$30<l,0()0.  Since  this  report  was  submitted,  the  Plow-woi'ks,  with  a 
capital  of  $25,000,  has  passed  into  other  hands  and  its  capital 
increased  to  $100,000.  The  Winona  Machine  Company  has  been 
incorporated*  with  a  capital  of  $50,000;  the  Winona  Harvester- 
works  with  a  capital  of  $250,000,  and  such  ])rogress  made  toward 
securing  a  tannery  and  boot  and  shoe  manufactory,  with  a  capital  of 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  885 

$100,000,  as  practically  insures  the  success  of  that  enterprise. 
More  specific  information  concerning  the  manufacturing  industries 
of  the  city,  including  location,  dimensions  of  buildings,  number  of 
employes,  etc.,  will  be  found  in  another  department  of  this  work. 
In  addition  to  the  work  thus  enumerated,  and  the  results  thus 
achieved,  the  influence  of  the  board  of  trade  is  favorably  felt  in  the 
city  council  chamber,  and  has  manifested  itself  in  a  demand  for 
better  sidewalks,  cleaner  streets,-  better  crossings  a  more  efiicient 
system  of  police,  the  erection  and  maintenance  of  one  of  the  best 
system  of  waterworks  to  be  found  in  any  city  east  or  west,  in  the 
direct  control  of  the  ferry  and  the  building  of  a  roadway  across  the 
Wisconsin  bottoms,  that  insures  access  to  this  market  at  all  seasons 
of  the  year,  the  passing  of  an  ordinance  granting  franchise  for  a 
street  railway,  and  in  divers  ways  more  readily  felt  than  expressed. 
The  financial  management  of  the  board  of  trade  has  been  most 
admirable.  Each  year  has  ended  with  a  very  respectable  surplus  in 
the  treasury,  and  the  membership  fee  has  been  reduced  from  $5  to 
$2.50  per  annum.  The  financial*  report  for  the  year  last  closed 
showed  a  surplus  of  $300.  Since  that  report  was  submitted,  and  in 
accordance  with  its  recommendations,  very  comfortable  rooms  have 
been  fitted  up  on  the  east  side  of  the  hall  in  the  second  story  of  post- 
office  block,  and  possession  was  taken  in  1883.  The  board  of  trade 
of  the  city  of  Winona  has  not  lived  in  vain,  and  having  now  secured 
a  home  in  a  central  location,  easy  of  access  and  well  lighted,  there 
is  every  reason  to  prophesy  for  it  a  life  of  increasing  usefulness  and 
activity  as  its  work  becomes  approved  in  beneficial  results. 

THE    CITY    FERRY. 

As  has  been  elsewhere  remarked,  in  nothing  was  the  wisdom 
and  forethought  of  the  founders  of  Winona  more  clearly  manifest 
than  in  their  early  efforts  to  establish  communication  with  the  sui-- 
rounding  country,  by  opening  and  maintaining  practicable  roadways, 
and  thus  make  Winona  accessible  as  a  market  at  all  seasons.  In 
furtherance  of  this  policy,  an  attempt  was  made  to  establish  a  ferry 
at  this  point  as  early  as  1855,  and  render  the  adjacent  sections  of 
Wisconsin  tributary  to  the  trade  of  the  city.  The  attempt  then 
made,  seen  in  the  light  of  subsequent  events,  seems  premature, 
there  not  being  at  that  time  any  possibility  of  sufficient  trade  with 
the  Wisconsin  agriculturalists  to  maintain  a  ferry  at  this  point.  The 
fact  that  ferry  franchises  were  secured  at  that  early  period,  a  year 


886  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

after  the  t'oniuil  organization  of  the  county,  simply  proves  how  ready 
the  early  settlers  of  this  section  were  to  avail  themselves  of  every 
means  likely  to  increase  the  trade  of  the  embryo  city.  The  act  of 
incorporation  constituting  the  "  Winona  Ferry  Company  "  was  passed 
by  the  legislature  of  the  state  March  25,1855,  and  the  franchises 
conferred  were  for  a  period  of  twenty-five  years  from  the  date  of  the 
act,  which  became  law  immediately  upon  its  passage.  The  incorpo- 
rators named  in  the  act  were  Lorenzo  D.  Smith,  Wm.  A.  Jones, 
Henry  D.  Huff  and  John  C.  Laird.  The  capital  stock  of  the  com- 
pany was  $3,000,  with  privilege  of  increase  to  $10,000,  and  they 
were  required  to  organize  as  a  company  within  three  months  from  the 
date  of  the  passage  of  the  act;  to  file  a  bond  of  $1,000  for  the 
proper  performance  of  their  contract,  as  carriers  under  the  provi- 
sions of  the  act,  within  six  months  of  its  passage,  and  put  their  boat 
on  the  river  within  one  year  of  said  date  of  passage.  Rates  of  toll 
were  established,  ferry  landings  designated,  and  all  was  in  readiness 
for  the  filing  of  bonds  indicative  of  the  acceptance  of  the  franchise. 
This  was  not  done,  however,  and  the  privileges  conferred  expired 
by  limitation.  Two  years  later,  in  the  spring  of  1857,  another 
attempt  of  a  similar  character  was  made  by  what,  for  the  sake  of 
distinction,  maybe  designated  as  "Winona  Ferry  Company  No.  2." 
This  project  was  more  ambitious  than  the  original  one.  Its  stock 
was  placed  at  $20,000,  and  a  promise  of  successful  business  given 
in  a  clause  empowering  the  city  council  of  Winona  to  regulate  the 
tolls  of  the  ferry  aftei-  it  had  been  in  operation  for  five  years,  the 
term  of  the  franchise  being  fixed,  as  in  the  first  instance,  at  twenty- 
five  years.  Owing  to  the  business  depressions  of  1857  and  subse- 
quent years,  this  attempt  also  failed  to  materialize  into  a  ferry  in 
esse,  and  for  eight  years  thereafter  the  quiet  sloughs  and  lagoons  of 
the  Buffalo  bottoms  in  Wisconsin  were  un vexed  by  any  craft  other 
than  the  punt  of  the  sportsman  or  the  skiff  of  the  pleasure-seeker. 
Acting  under  the  authority  of  a  charter  granted  in  the  spring  of 
1865,  by  the  legislature  of  the  State  of  Wisconsin,  and  of  a  license 
issued  liim  by  the  board  of  commissioners  of  Winona  county,  Sam- 
uel D.  Van  Gorder  placed  a  ferry-boat  upon  the  Mississippi  river  at 
this  point.  May  20,  1865.  The  ferry  then  established  has  been  con- 
tinuously operated  during  the  navigation  season  ever  since,  but  has 
])assed  out  of  the  hands  of  the  private  parties  by  whom  it  was 
established  and  conducted  for  fifteen  years,  into  the  custody  of  the 
city  of  Winona,  and  is  now  operated  by  that  corporation.     To  main- 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  887 

tain  the  ferry,  which,  according  to  the  terms  of  his  Wisconsin  char- 
ter, was  to  be  operated  to  meet  the  necessities  of  the  community, 
Mr.  Van  Gorder  purchased  a  ferry  steamer  from  Rymer,  Dineau  & 
Downer,  of  Wabasha,  and  commenced  operations  at  the  date  above 
mentioned,  May  20,  1865.  This  boat,  named  the  "Turtle,"  was  a 
small  center-wheel  steamer,  70  feet  over  all,  of  thirty  tons  register, 
and  cost  $3,000.  Trips  were  made  the  first  season  during  two  days 
of  the  week  only,  and  the  landing  for  teams  on  the  Wisconsin  shore 
was  six  miles  above  the  present  ferry  dock,  the  Buffalo  bottoms  being 
impassable  by  teams.  The  rates  of  toll  established  by  the  Wiscon- 
sin authorities  were  :  for  double  teams,  $1.00;  single  horse  and  car- 
riage, 60  cents;  stock  (as  horses,  cattle,  mules),  25  cents  per  head; 
sheep  and  swine,  5  cents  each:  foot  passengers,  25  cents  each,  and 
merchandise,  10  cents  per  hundredweight.  Ferrying  was  continued 
under  these  conditions  until  the  spring  of  1868,  when  Mr.  Yan  Gor- 
der received  a  charter  from  the  legislature  of  the  State  of  Minnesota 
authorizing  him  to  establish  and  maintain  a  ferry  across  the  Missis- 
sippi river  "at  a  point  in  the  city  and  county  of  Winona  where 
Center  street,  if  extended  northwardly  across  the  public  levee,  would 
intersect  said  river,  and  above  and  below  said  point  at  any  place 
within  the  corporate  limits  of  said  city;  and  no  other  ferry  shall  be 
established  within  said  corporate  limits  of  said  city  during  the  period 
of  ten  years  from  the  passage  of  the  act."  The  bonds  to  be  given 
were  the  same  as  heretofore,  $1,000,  and  the  rates  of  toll  about  75 
per  cent  of  those  allowed  under  the  Wisconsin  charter.  This  latter 
charter,  having  expired  by  limitation  in  1875,  was  extended  for  a 
further  period  of  ten  years  by  the  State  of  Wisconsin.  In  1869  the 
old  ferry-boat  "Turtle"  was  overhauled,  new  boilers  and  engines 
put  in,  and  completely  refitted,  at  a  cost  of  $3,000. 

In  the  meantime  a  road  had  been  constructed  across  the  Buffalo 
county  bottoms  in  Wisconsin,  directly  opposite  the  city  and  the 
ferry  landing  made  at  that  place.  In  1878  Mr.  Van  Gorder  built 
his  new  ferryboat,  the  S.  D.  Van  Gorder.  This  boat  was  ninety- 
five  feet  over  all,  twenty-six  feet  beam,  was  rated  at  sixty  tons  bur- 
den, and  could  accommodate  sixteen  teams  besides  passengers. 
Upon  the  expiration  of  Mr.  Van  Gorder's  charter,  received  from 
the  legislature  of  this  state,  it  was  not  renewed,  and  two  years  later 
the  ferry  property  was  purchased  by  the  city  and  is  now  operated 
by  them,  under  charters  from  the  states  of  Minnesota  and  Wisconsin. 
The  consideration  paid  Mr.  Van  Gorder,  who,  after  two  failures  by 


888  HISTORY    OF    WLNONA    COUNTY. 

other  parties,  bad  successfully  establislied  and  maintained  the  ferry 
for  fifteen  years,  was  $6,000  in  money  and  the  tree  use  of  the  ferry 
for  himself,  his  heirs,  his  executors  and  administrators,  his  prop- 
erty on  the  Wisconsin  side  of  the  river  making  this  stipulation  of 
free  ferryage  a  very  valuable  consideration.  During,  the  first  year 
that  the  ferry  was  in  operation  not  more  than  a  dozen  teams  were 
transported  across  the  river.  During  the  last  year  of  its  operations 
under  the  Yan  Gorder  management  the  number  of  teams  ranged 
from  fifteen  to  twenty  })er  day  for  the  season,  and  the  average 
receipts  were  $19  a  day  for  the  period  during  which  the  river 
remained  open.  The  Minnesota  charter  granting  the  ferry  fran- 
chise to  the  city,  bears  date  February  15,  1879,  and  differs  in 
several  essentials  from  the  preceding  ones,  among  others  the  follow- 
ing :  the  grant  was  perpetual  ;  the  rates  of  toll,  if  any,  were  to  be 
established  by  vote  of  the  common  council  of  the  city,  to  whom  was 
also  granted  the  power  to  maintain  a  free  ferry  if  adjudged  best  for 
the  interests  of  the  city  ;  the  lease  of  the  ferry  by  the  council  was 
permitted,  but  under  such  restrictions  as  amounted  virtually  to  a 
prohibition.  The  purchase  or  construction  of  docks,  piers,  ferry- 
houses,  etc.,  was  permitted  the  council,  and  the  building  and  main- 
tenance of  such  roads  across  the  bottoms  in  Wisconsin  leading  to 
and  terminating  at  the  ferry  landing  on  that  side  of  the  river,  as 
the  wisdom  of  the  council  should  determine  ;  and  finally  the  council 
w^s  granted  authority  in  its  corporate  capacity  to  execute  bonds  of 
indemnity  to  any  town  or  board  of  supervisors  of  such  town  in  the 
State  of  Wisconsin  in  which  such  roads  ma}'  be  located,  in  such 
penal  sum  as  may  be  necessary  ;  the  city  of  Winona  to  keep  such 
roads  in  good  re])air  and  indemnify  such  towns,  as  afoi-esaid,  from  all 
liabilities  incurred  by  them  on  account  of  any  failure  to  maintain 
said  roads  in  good  condition.  The  charter  granted  the  city  of 
Winona  by  the  Wisconsin  legislature  bears  date  in  1881,  and 
requires  a  bond  of  indemnity  from  the  city  in  the  penal  sum  of 
$5,000  for  the  proper  observance  of  its  stipulations, — this  among 
others,  that  the  city  of  Winona  shall  designate  some  resident  of 
Buffalo  county,  Wisconsin,  as  its  agent ;  said  agent  to  be  held 
legally  responsible  for  the  acts  of  the  city  in  the  management  of  the 
ferry,  his  name  to  be  duly  registered  for  said  county  of  Buftalo  ;  said 
agent  to  personally  represent  said  city  of  Winona,  so  as  to  accept 
service  for  and  on  behalf  of  the  city  that  all  legal  process  may  be 
liad  against  the  city  of  Winona,  the  same  as  if  said  city  was  within 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  889 

the  limits   and  jurisdiction  of  said   Buffalo  county.     It  does  not 
appear  that  this  bond  has  as  yet  been  filed. 

But  two  accidents  of  a  serious  nature  have  occurred  during-  the 
eighteen  years  that  the  ferry  has  been  maintained,  and  both  of  these 
were  in  1879.  B}^  one  of  these  a  horse  was  drowned  and  a  wagon 
and  load  of  wheat  lost,  the  accident  arising  from  the  team  backing 
off  the  boat.  The  other  accident  resulted  in  the  death,  by  drown- 
ing, of  a  ten-year-old  boy.  The  boy  was  on  the  ferryboat,  and, 
while  the  boat  was  backing,  attempted  to  climb  into  the  yawl  which 
hung  from  the  davits  over  the  stern  of  the  ferryboat.  The  yawl 
upset  and  the  boy  was  thrown  under  the  boat  as  it  passed  over 
him,  and  drowned.  The  direct  distance  from  landing  to  landing 
across  the  river  at  this  point  is  155  rods,  but  the  actual  course 
of  the  ferryboat  is  not  much  less  than  twice  that  distance,  the  sand- 
bar in  front  of  the  levee  necessitating  a  deflection  of  the  course  to 
that  extent. 

WOODLAWN    CEMETERY. 

The  early  interments  in  the  Wabasha  prairie  were  not  infre- 
quently made  in  the  private  grounds  of  those  who  had  lost  friends 
and  family  relatives,  doubtless  awaiting  the  time  when  some  suitable 
place  of  sepulture  should  be  prepared.  The  mouth  of  the  Burns 
valley,  just  bej^ond  Sugar  Loaf  Blufl",  was  early  utilized  for  burial  pur- 
poses, but  the  ground  -was  so  low  that  it  was  always  subject  to  over- 
flow in  high  water,  and  on  that  account  quite  unsuitable  for  cemetery 
use.  The  open  square  now  known  as  Central  Park  was  also  used  for 
the  interment  of  the  dead  at  an  early  day,  some  twelve  or  tifteen  per- 
sons at  one  time  or  another  having  been  buried  there.  In  1862,  several 
gentlemen  in  this  city,  who  had  been  considering  the  matter  of  pro- 
viding a  suitable  place  for  a  city  cemetery,  took  definite  steps  toward 
the  accomplishment  of  that  purpose,  and,  deciding  upon  the  locality 
most  eligible  for  their  purpose,  called  a  meeting  for  the  avowed 
object  of  organizing  the  association.  The  meeting  was  held  in  the 
hall  of  the  Huff  House,  and  acting  under  the  authority  conferred  by 
the  revised  statutes  of  Minnesota  proceeded  to  the  organization  of 
'•  Woodlawn  Cemetery  Association."  This  meeting  was  held  June 
6,  1862,  and  on  the  12th  of  the  same  month  the  organization  was 
perfected  by  the  election  of  the  following  officers  and  board  of 
trustees  :  President,  Ezekiel  D.  Williams  ;  secretary,  J.  H.  Jacoby  ; 
treasurer,  Warren  Powers.  E.  D.  Williams,  J.  H.  Jacoby  and  M. 
K.  Dre-w  were  elected  trustees  for  the  one-year  term,  A.  F.  Hodgins, 


890  HISTOIIY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Thomas  Wilson  and  ^ValTen  Powers  for  the  two  years'  term,  and 
Thomas  Simpson,  R.  D.  Cone  and  John  Curtis  for  the  three  years' 
term.  Messrs.  M.  K.  Drew,  A.  F.  Hodgins  and  E.  D.  WilHams 
were  ajipointed  a  committee  on  grounds,  to  make  survey,  complete 
bargain  and  perfect  title,  the  site  as  before  said  having  been  already 
decided  upon.  This  was  accordingly  done  and  deed  taken  Septem- 
ber 13,  1862,  the  contract  price  of  the  ground  being  $630,  and  tlie 
tract  as  described  in  the  survey — "commencing  at  the  southwest 
corner  of  lot  No.  4  in  the  southwest  fractional  quarter  of  Sec.  No. 
27,  T.  107,  N.  K  7  W.  ;  thence  along  the  west  line  of  said  lot  4 
northerly  thirty-nine  chains  to  the  lake  ;  thence  south  fifty-four  de- 
grees twenty-eight  minutes,  east  along  the  lake  fourteen  and  eighty- 
three  hundredths  chains ;  thence  in  a  straight  Hne  southerly  and 
parallel  to  the  first-mentioned  line  thirty  and  eight  hundred  and  forty- 
five  thousandths  to  the  south  line  of  said  Sec.  4 ;  thence  westerly 
along  the  south  side  of  said  Sec.  10  and  forty-six  hundredths  chains  to 
the  section  corner,  place  of  beginning."  The  tract  at  that  time  pur- 
chased was  about  forty  acres.  Januarj^  1,  1883,  an  additional  forty 
acres  was  purchased  lying  south  of  the  original  forty.  For  this  latter 
tract  the  sum  of  $200  was  paid,  the  owner.  Judge  Mitchell,  being 
one  of  the  members  of  the  cemetery  association  and  quite  moderate 
in  appraising  the  value  of  .the  land  sold.  Mr.  E.  D.  WilHams  con- 
tinued to  act  as  president  of  the  association,  and  exercised  such  a 
const.iut  supervision  over  its  affairs  tluit  he  was  justly  regarded  as 
its  putative  father.  His  deatli,  which  occurred  October  31,  1872,  tei-- 
minated  his  term  of  office,  and  he  was  laid  away  in  the  beautiful 
grounds  upon  which  so  much  of  his  thought  and  loving  care  had 
been  exj)ended.  Mr.  Williams  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  J.  J.  Randall, 
one  of  the  original  members  of  the  association,  who  held  his  office 
until  the  January  of  1883,  when  Hon.  William  Mitchell  was  chosen 
to  succeed  him.  I.  B.  Cummings,  the  present  efficient  secretary, 
was  elected  about  four  years  since,  and  the  records  of  the  association, 
which  had  become  sadly  deranged  and  neglected,  were  put  in  proper 
2ondition,  regular  entries  of  financial  transactions  made  and  a  sys- 
tenuitic  arrangement  of  business  introduced.  The  association  as 
originally  formed  was  not  for  profit  nor  persoiuil  benefit,  but  for  the 
public  good — a  private  corporation  managed  for  the  good  of  the 
people.  This  object  has  been  steadily  kept  in  view,  and  to  the  pub- 
lic spirit  and  wise  disinterestedness  of  a  few  the  many  are  indebted 
for  one  of  the  most  picturesque  and  beautiful  retreats  for  both  living 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  .891 

and  dead  that  can  be  found  anywhere  in  the  ^dcinity  of  the  great 
lakes  or  the  big  river.  The  revenue  of  the  cemetery  is  derived 
solely  from  the  sale  of  lots,  and  two-fifths  of  all  moneys  received 
from  this  source  is  set  apart  as  a  reserve  fund  from  which  to  main- 
tain the  cemetery  when  all  lots  shall  have  been  disposed  of  and  that 
revenue  cut  off.  The  number  of  lots  disposed  of  to  date,  June  9, 
1883,  has  been  773,  the  number  of  interments  2,356,  and  the  amount 
of  reserve  accumulated  about  $3,500. 

Long  before  Woodlawn  cemetery  had  existed,  even  in  the  thought 
of  the  dwellers  in  this  vicinity,  the  first  burial  had  taken  place  in  the 
ground  now  formally  set  apart  for  the  resting-place  of  the  dead.  This 
was  the  body  of  Scott  Clark,  brother  of  George  W.  Clark,  the  oldest 
Winona  county  pioneer  now  living  within  the  county  limits,  who 
was  buried  in  the  little  dell  almost  thirty  years  since. 

The  tirst  regular  interment  after  the  grounds  were  dedicated  to 
burial  purposes,  was  tiiat  of  the  body  of  Benjamin  Lowe,  sometime 
in  the  summer  of  1862.  Woodlawn  cemetery,  is  just  what  its  name 
implies,  woods  and  lawns.  It  lies  south  from  the  western  portion 
of  the  city,  across  lake  Winona,  about  two  miles  from  the  business 
center  of  town.  The  only  approach  by  carriage  is  around  the  lake, 
a  distance  of  about  four  miles,  and  affording  one  of  the  most 
delightfully  picturesque  drives  imaginable.  The  cemetery  grounds 
embrace  a  tract  of  eighty  acres,  in  which  are  included  two  bold  bluflPs 
rising  about  450  feet  above  the  level  of  the  river.  The  entrance  to 
the  grounds  is  quite  level,  and  the  main  carriage-drive,  running  in  a 
southerly  direction,  has  scarcely  a  perceptible  ascent  until  you  near 
the  center  of  the  gi-ounds,  when  you  reach  the  foot  of  the  south 
bluff,  which  protects  itself  into  the  little  dell  lying  between  the 
cemetery  bluff  on  the  west  and  another  on  the  east,  lying  quite 
beyond  the  cemetery  grounds.  The  lower  slope  of  the  south  bluff 
does  not  rise  precipitously,  and  the  carriage-drive  sweeps  around 
the  swelling  U-shaped  rise  on  either  hand,  to  cross  it  some 
distance  up  the  slope  and  afford  a  charming  view  of  the  valley 
below.  To  the  west,  as  you  enter  the  cemetery  inclosure,  the 
bluffs  rise  quite  precipitously,  and  a  succession  of  well  sodded 
terraces  make  most  sightly  lots  for  burial  use.  The  distribution 
of  the  ground  is  such  that  there  is  little  choice  as  to  location,  save 
that  near  the  cemetery  entrance  on  the  west  the  lot  lies  so  near 
the  mouth  of  the  dell,  that  a  long  vista  of  river  scenery  opens  to  the 
view,    with    Trempeleau    mountain    some   half-dozen   miles   away 


892  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

rising  as  it  were  from  the  very  bosom  of  tlie  river.  The  wliole 
cemetery  is  a  succession  of  terraces  and  slopes,  interspersed  with  here 
and  there  a  phit  that  may  be  called  level  only  by  comparison,  or 
because  the  hand  of  art  has  smoothed  the  rugged  unevenness  of 
nature.  The  dell  contains  many  native  forest-trees,  as  do  the 
lower  slopes  of  the  bluffs,  which  are  nowhere  destitute  of  trees  and 
shrubs.  The  most  skillful  adaptation  of  the  ground  to  its  destined 
use  has  been  wrought,  and  the  wliole  effect  is  incomparably  beau- 
tiful. To  the  forest-trees,  evergreens  and  ornamental  shrubbery 
have  added  their  attractions ;  flowers  adorn  the  grassplats,  and  also 
spring  in  native  beauty  from  the  uncultivated  grounds  ;  a  heavy 
carpeting  of  well  kept  turf  covers  the  levels  and  sides  of  the  terraces 
with  a  beautiful  greenness,  and  there  is  at  all  times  a  most  refresh- 
ing sense  of  coolness,  restfulness  and  deep  peacefulness  pervading 
the  place.  The  superintendent  of  the  grounds,  Mr.  Mathew  Marrin, 
has  taken  a  sincere  pride  in  his  charge,  and  the  results  of  his  taste 
and  the  wisdom  of  the  cemetery  management  are  seen  in  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  of  all  the  silent  cities  of  the  northwest.  Removed 
from  the  busy  hum  of  city  life  in  the  quiet  recesses  of  its  own  green- 
ness, the  towering  bluffs  sentineling  its  everlasting  repose.  Wood- 
lawn  cemetery  waits  to  receive  Winona's  weary  ones  when  life's  last 
sleep  has  come. 

CENSUS    AND    VALUATION. 

The  observation  that  figures  won't  lie  is  no  more  trite  than  true. 
We  herewith  present  some  figures  showing  the  growth  of  the  city 
of  Winona  from  year  to  year,  as  evidenced  by  her  census  reports, 
and  the  returns  of  the  taxable  property  of  the  city,  real  and  personal. 
Not  that  these  are  to  be  taken  as  certain  indices  of  actual  values, 
but  as  actual  indices  of  the  rate  of  growth  in  the  material  of  the  city 
and  its  citizens.  Population  within  the  corporate  limits  of  the  city 
was  roughly  estimated  at  3,000,  in  round  numbers  when  the  city 
was  incorporated.  This  was  in  the  spring  of  1S57,  when  matters  had 
reached  the  utmost  stretch  of  development  for  some  years  to  come, 
the  whole  country  being  then  on  the  eve  of  a  great  financial  crisis. 
The  first  census  taken  of  the  city  was  under  the  provisions  of  the 
United  States  census  law,  and  the  actual  population  at  that  time  was 
2,900,  a  decrease  of  100  from  the  estimate  of  1857.  The  following 
years,  from  1860  to  1865,  were  not  so  depressing  to  the  business 
circles  of  the  west,  and  by  the  state  census  returns,  a  very  observ- 
able  progress  in  population  had  been  made,  the  figures  for  1865 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS, 


893 


being  4,439.     The  increase  was  eqnally  marked  daring  the  semi- 
decade,  when  the  returns  for  1870  gave  7,192,  as  the  population  of 
the  city.     The  census  report  for  1875  still  gave  gratifying  evidence 
of  prosperity,  and  confirmed  the  good  opinion  formed  by  the  citizens 
of  Winona,  of  the  future  prospects  of  the  city,  the  figures  standing 
9,501.     The  depressions  of  trade  were  sensibly  felt  during  the  next 
five  years,  and  had  the  census  of  the  population  been  taken  in  1878 
or  1879,  it  is  the  opinion  of  those  who  are  best  informed  on  these 
matters  that  a  decrease  would  have  been  apparent.     The  year  1879 
saw  the  revival  of  business  and  the  opening  of  a  new  era  of  pros- 
perity.    When  the  enumeration  was  made,  under  the  United  States 
census  law  of  1880,  the  city  had  a  little  more  than  recovered  its 
lost  ground,  and  the  population  was   returned   at   10,187.     Since 
then  Winona  has  added  millions  to  her  manufacturing  capital,  every 
department  of  business  has  felt  the  impetus  of  a  new  life,  and  it  is  a 
very  moderate  and  certainly  an  unexaggerated  estimate  that  places 
the  present  population  of  the  city  at  fully  13,000  souls.     In  the 
meantime  the  county  had  kept  step  to  the  march  of  the  city  in  this 
respect.     The  population  in  1857  was  estimated  at  8,000;  in  1860 
it  had  grown  to  9,208;  the  next  five  years  carried  it  15,277,  and 
when  the    United   States   census   of  1870  was   taken   the   county 
returned  22,319  population.     The  next  five  years  were  also  years  of 
increase,  and  1875  the  county  was  credited  with  a  population  of 
27,385.     The  returns  of  1880  give  no  increase,  the  figures  being 
27,268,  a  decrease  of  115  in  that  semi-decade.    The  immense  emi- 
gration   to  Dakota   some  three  or  four  years  since  is  accountable 
for  this  apparent  retrogression.     Since  then  emigration  from  this 
county  has  largely  ceased,  and  the  population  has  certainly  increased 
to  a  little  over  30,000.     The  figures  showing  the  valuation  of  real^ 
and  personal  property  within  the  city  are  equally  demonstrative  of 
Winona's  steady  growth  in  all  material  wealth.     The  returns  on  file 
with  the  county  auditors  give,  for  the  various  semi-decades  of  the 
city's  life,  property  returns  as  follows : 


I860  Real  property $    5S3,46-4 

"     Personal  property.  .. .        151,168 

1865  Real  property 850,44o 

"     Personal  property.  .  . .        291,887 

]  870  Real  property .  . .' 1,499,948 

"     Personal  property ... .        695,5;'>5 


1875  Real  property $2,223,019 

"     Personal  property. . .  •  1,469,250 

1880  Real  i)roperty .  .  .' 2,649,564 

••     Personal  property.  ..  .  1,231,511 

1882  Real  projjerty ..." 2,833,010 

'•     Personal  property   ...  1,256,386 


This  places  the  total  valuation  of  the  taxable  property  of  the  city 
at  a  little  over  |4, 000, 000.     In  securing  this  valuation  it  must  be 


894  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

remembered  tluit  the  valuation  of  property  as  it  appears  rated  upon 
the  tax  lists  is  notoriously  lower  than  its  actual  worth. 

BONDS    AUTHORIZED,    ISSUED    AND    REDEEMED. 

The  history  of  a  people's  liberality  or  parsimony  in  matters  of 
public  expenditure  is  always  of  value  in  fixino;  the  boundary  between 
a  wise  expenditure  of  the  public  funds  on  the  one  hand,  and  a  too 
lavish  or  a  too  niggardly  outlay  on  the  otlier.  A  detailed  statement 
in  the  present  instance  will  not  be  found  necessary,  and  the  follow- 
ing general  presentation  of  facts  concerning  the  authorized  and 
actual  issue  of  bonds,  making  of  loans  and  redemption  of  pledges 
thus  made,  will  be  all  that  is  needed.  Our  object  is  simply  to  show 
how  far  the  credit  of  the  city  has  been  pledged,  how  wisely  these 
pledges  have  been  made,  how  carefully  the  monetary  interests  of 
the  citizens  have  been  guarded  in  making  them,  and  to  what  extent 
these  pledges  have  been  redeemed.  The  actual  results  in  the  sev- 
eral enterprises  thus  cherished  it  is  not  our  province  now  to  con- 
sider, as  these  are  more  fully  set  forth  in  tlie  special  notices  made  of 
these  several  enterprises  separately  considered. 

The  first  authorization  of  a  loan  by  the  city  council  of  Winona 
antedates  the  admission  of  the  state  into  the  federal  union,  and  was 
made  by  act  of  territorial  legislature,  approved  x\ugust2,  1858.  The 
amount  of  this  loan  was  fixed  at  a  maximum  of  $10,000,  the  rate  of 
interest  not  to  exceed  twelve  per  cent  per  annum,  and  the  purpose 
of  the  loan  was  to  meet  some  outstanding  obligations  of  the  city 
and  erect  a  suitable  building  for  school  purposes.  No  record  of  the 
city's  action  in  the  matter  appears.  Inasmuch  as  there  was  no 
school  building  erected  in  the  city  for  years  thereafter,  and  that  the 
council  was  in  straits  for  money  wherewith  to  pay  the  expenses  of 
engines  and  hose  for  her  recently  created  fire  department,  it  is  a  fair 
inference  that  the  loan  never  was  made.  This  inference  is  corrobo- 
rated by  an  examination  of  the  tax  list,  which  shows  no  special 
school  tax  for  that  or  years  immediately  following,  and  the  then  city 
recorder  has  no  rec(jl lection  of  any  vote  of  the  city  being  ordered 
for  the  apj)i-()val  or  disapproval  of  such  loan.  By  an  act  of  the  legis- 
lature of  the  State  of  Minnesota,  approved  February  28,  1866,  the 
board  of  education  of  the  city  of  Winona  was  authorized  to  nego- 
tiate a  loan  of  $15,000,  said  loan  to  be  made  upon  the  credit  of  the 
city,  by  bond  duly  executed  by  the  common  council  upon  the  wish 
of  the  citizens  expressed  at  the  polls.     These  bonds  were  required 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  895 

to  be  issued  at  par,  and  the  annual  rate  of  interest  was  limited  to 
ten  per  cent.  The  issue  of  these  bonds  being  approved  by  the  vote 
of  the  people,  they  were  offered  for  sale  and  disposed  of  on  or  be- 
fore December  26  of  that  same  year.  The  proceeds,  $15,000,  were 
deposited  with  the  treasurer  of  the  city,  and  used  in  aid  of  the  build- 
ing fund  of  the  central  school.  These  bonds  were  redeemed  within 
six  years  of  their  issue  and  canceled  ;  $3,500  in  1869,  the  same 
amount  in  1870,  $4,000  in  1871,  and  the  remaining  $4,000  one  year 
later.  March  4,  1867,  the  state  legislature  authorized  the  city  coun- 
cil to  issue  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $100,000,  in  aid  of  the  La  Crosse, 
Trempeleau  &  Prescott  Railway  and  Bridge  Company,  a  corporation 
whose  objects  are  sufficiently  indicated  in  the  above  title.  The  rate 
of  interest  was  limited  to  six  per  cent.  The  scheme  was  not  suc- 
cessfully prosecuted,  and  the  bonds  of  the  city  were  never  issued. 
March  1,  1868,  the  legislature  authorized  the  city  council  to  expend 
the  sum  of  $10,000  in  improving  the  approaches  to  the  city  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Mississippi  river,  across  the  Wisconsin  bottoms, 
directly  opposite  the  city.  For  this  purpose  no  bonds  were  issued, 
but  special  orders  were  drawn  on  the  credit  of  the  city  for  $5,000 
expended  in  this  work,  and  it  is  but  just  to  include  that  amount  in 
this  schedule.  March  2,  1868,  the  city  council  was  duly  authorized 
by  the  state  legislature  to  bond  the  city  to  the  extent  of  $15,000,  in 
aid  of  the  state  normal  school  located  here.  The  matter  was  ap- 
proved, the  bonds  issued  and  negotiated,  and  the  proceeds,  $15,000, 
were  conveyed  into  the  treasury  of  that  institution.  The  bonds,  as 
will  be  noted,  were  issued  at  par ;  they  had  ten  years  in  which  to 
mature,  and  drew  interest  at  ten  per  cent  per  annum,  payable  semi- 
annually. These  bonds  were  all  paid  at  maturity,  and  canceled  as 
follows:  $2,000  on  the  ninth  day  of  March,  1877,  $8,000  in  Octo- 
ber, 1878,  and  the  remaining  $5,000  on  the  sixth  day  of  the  follow- 
ing month.  Their  date  of  issue  was  November  1,  1868.  The  same 
year  that  the  normal  school  bonds  were  issued  the  state  legislature 
authorized  the  city  council  of  Winona  (act  of  March  4),  upon  the 
sanctioning  vote  of  the  citizens,  as  in  such  cases  required,  to  bond 
the  city  to  the  amount  of  $100,000  to  aid  in  the  construction  of  a 
line  of  railway  from  St.  Paul  through  Winona  to  Chicago,  known 
as  the  St.  Paul  &  Chicago  railway.  The  matter  was  submitted  to 
the  people,  approved  by  them,  and  after  some  delay  the  bonds  were 
issued  and  placed  in  the  hands  of  trustees,  to  be  by  them  turned 
over  to  the  Minnesota  Construction  Company  upon  the  completion 


896  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

ot  tlie  j-oiid  as  per  schedule,  the  Minnesota  Construction  (Company 
having  the  contract  for  bnikling  the  pro])osed  line  of  railway.  The 
agreement  of  tho  construction  company  was  not  kept  with  the  city 
of  Winona  in  important  particulars  (see  railway  article),  but  the 
company  succeeded  in  obtaining  possession  of  the  bonds.  Suit  was 
begun  by  the  city  to  recover  damages  equivalent  to  the  value  of  the 
bonds,  and  the  view  taken  by  the  city  in  the  case  was  sustained  by 
the  courts,  and  the  bonds  were  finally  surrendered.  These  bonds 
were  negotiated  at  six  per  cent  per  annum,  to  mature  in  from  twenty 
to  thirty  years. 

March  3,  1869,  an  annual  appropriation,  amounting  to  $1,000, 
for  the  maintenance  of  a  public  library  in  the  city,  but  the  vote  taken 
on  that  subject  resulted  in  defeating  the  project.  February  :27,  1871, 
by  act  of  legislature  of  that  date,  the  city  council  were  authorized 
to  issue  the  bonds  of  the  city  for  $150,000  in  aid  of  the  Minnesota 
and  Southwestern  railway.  The  proposed  line  was  to  connect  with 
the  Green  Bay  &  Minnesota  at  its  western  terminus  across  the 
river,  and  run  in  a  southwesterly  direction,  crossing  the  state  line 
into  Iowa  at  some  point  not  definitely  fixed.  The  proposition  was 
received  by  the  citizens  with  favor,  the  aid  voted,  and  the  city 
was  ready  to  issue  its  bonds,  but  the  project  fell  through  after  the 
line  had  been  surveyed  at  an  expense  to  the  city  of  $3,000,  and 
the  charter  for  the  road  secured.  The  bonds  authorized  were  there- 
fore never  issued.  The  city  treasury  being  at  a  'low  ebb,  Feb- 
ruary 24,  1872,  the  city  council  were  authorized  to  issue  bonds  to 
the  amount  of  $20,000  to  pay  the  floating  indebtedness.  The  vote 
approving  the  issue  was  polled,  and  the  bonds  were  issued  in  de- 
nominations of  $1,000  each,  bearing  interest  at  ten  per  cent  per 
annum,  and  were  negotiated  as  follows,  at  the  Deposit  National 
Bank  of  this  city:  $10,000  on  March  21,  1872,  $7,000  on  the  5th 
of  the  following  June,  and  $3,000  on  the  7th  day  of  April,  1873. 
The  entire  issue  was  made  payable  in  three  years  from  the  date  of 
negotiation,  and  $13,000  were  paid  March  20,  1875;  an  additional 
$3,000  was  paid  April  10,  1879,  and  the  remaining  $4,000  on  the 
following  October  1.  February  28,  1873,  the  legislature  authorized 
the  issue  of  $80,000  water-works  bonds,  provided  the  requisite  ma- 
jority vote  of  the  citizens  could  be  obtained,  but,  as  appears  under 
the  article  (water- works),  the  citizens  were  not  ready  for  the  project, 
and  no  bonds  were  issued.  February  5,  1874,  the  issue  of  $50,000 
in   bonds  in  aid  of  the  Green  Bay  &  Minnesota    railway  was  au- 


wnsroNA  AS  it  is.  897 

thorized,  the  bonds  to  bear  no  higher  rate  of  interest  than  eight  per 
cent,  and  mature  in  twenty  years  from  date  of  issue.  These  bonds, 
in  reality,  were  intended  to  cover  a  private  subscription  amounting 
to  $35,000,  made  bj  private  citizens  of  Winona  in  aid  of  the  above- 
mentioned  railway,  which  subscription  had  been  made  upon  the  tacit 
understanding  that  being  for  the  general  good  the  general  credit  of 
the  city  would  be  invoked  to  reimburse  the  subscribers.  The  citi- 
zens, nevertheless,  refused  to  vote  the  issue  of  the  bonds  for  that 
purpose,  and  the  subscribers  to  the  Green  Bay  &  Winona  rail- 
way had  the  meager  satisfaction  that  their  money  had  "  gone  where 
it  would  do  most  good  "  to  somebody  beside  themselves.  This  was 
the  last  attempt  made  to  bond  the  city  for  railway  purposes.  The  board 
of  education  of  the  city  of  Winona,  having  in  contemplation  the 
erection  of  a  creditable  school-building  in  the  western  part  of  the 
city,  applied  for  and  secured  the  authoi-ity  of  the  legislature  for  the 
issue  by  the  city  of  school  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $15,000,  the 
bonds  to  run  for  a  period  of  from  one  to  six  years,  and  bear  inter- 
est at  a  rate  not  to  exceed  nine  per  cent  per  annum.  The  bonds  were 
issued  at  various  dates  as  the  work  of  the  board  of  education  de- 
manded— $10,000  of  them  prior  to  January  1,  1875,  and  the  remain- 
ing $5,000  April  10,  1875.  The  proceeds  were  turned  over  to  the 
building  fund  of  the  board  of  education,  then  engaged  in  erecting 
the  Madison  school  building.  These  bonds  have  all  been  redeemed 
and  canceled  as  follows:  $2,500  in  March,  1876;  $1,500  in  March, 
1877;  $2,000  in  March,  1878;  $3,000  in  March,  1880;  $4,000  in 
March,  1881.  The  remaining  $2,000  were  not  canceled  until  1883, 
the  holder  being  a  non-resident  of  the  state,  and  careless  in  present- 
ing them,  but  interest  ceased  at  maturity,  April  10,  1881.  In  the 
meantime  the  board  of  education  had  decided  on  building  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  city,  favorable  legislation  being  secured  by  an 
act  approved  January  25,  1876,  and  the  affirmative  vote  of  the  city 
obtained.  The  bonds  of  the  city  were  issued  in  behalf  of  the  board 
of  education,  for  a  further  sum  of  $25,000,  interest  at  not  more 
than  eight  per  cent  per  annum ;  bonds  to  run  from  eight  to  fifteen  years. 
These  bonds  were  all  issued,  and  none  of  them  have  yet  matured. 
February  15;  1877,  the  issue  of  $-10,000  water  bonds  was  authorized 
by  the  legislature  of  the  state  to  meet  expenses  already  incurred  by 
the  city  in  laying  mains  and  meeting  contract  entered  into  with  the 
mills  to  supply  pumping  power,  as  noted  in  article  on  water-works. 
The  issue  was  approved  by  the  vote  of  the  city,  and  the  bonds  were 


898  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

accordingly  drawn  and  negotiated.  The  interest  was  not  to  exceed 
seven  per  cent,  and  the  term  for  wliich  they  were  issued  was  limited  to 
ten  years.  By  January  1,  1878,  $21,000  of  the  issue  had  been 
placed,  $5,000  more  were  taken  by  February  6  of  that  same  year, 
and  the  I'emaining  $8,000  the  following  month.  These  bonds  have 
still  four  years  to  run.  On  March  8,  1878,  the  issue  of  $30,000  for 
ferry  and  bridge  purposes,  and  for  the  cojistruction  of  a  permanent 
roadway  across  the  Wisconsin  bottoms  to  the  ferry  landing  on  the 
north  side  of  the  river,  was  authorized  by  the  act  of  legislature  of 
the  above  date,  sanctioned  by  a  vote  of  the  citizens,  and  issued  as 
follows:  $1,500  issued  March  19,  1880,  bearing  interest  at  seven  per 
cent;  $5,000  issued  on  1st  day  of  the  following  April,  interest  at  six 
per  cent,  and  $23,500  negotiated  January  1,  1883,  at  an  annual 
interest  of  five  per  cent.  These  bonds  mature  in  from  ten  to  twenty 
years.  The  issue  of  $12,000  to  cover  the  floating  debt  of  the  city 
was  authorized  February  17,  1881.  These  bonds  were  drawn  to 
mature  in  fifteen  years,  and  bear  interest  at  seven  per  cent  per  annum. 
Of  these  bonds  $7, 000  have  been  issued  to  cover  special  orders  cashed 
at  Winona  Deposit  Bank,  in  anticipation  of  this  enabling  act  of  P'eb- 
ruary,  which  was  called  for  by  resolution  of  the  council.  Bonds 
for  the  remaining  $5,000  never  were  issued.  November  4,  1881, 
the  issue  of  $10,000  for  macadamizing  and  paving  the  streets  of  the 
city  was  authorized  but  not  issued. 

At  the  same  date  the  legislature  authorized  the  council  of  tlie 
city  to  issue  bonds  to  the  full  amount  of  $60,000,  for  the  erection  of 
pumping-works  for  the  city  mains  and  the  establishment  of  a  system 
of  water-works.  These  bonds  were  to  bear  six  per  cent  interest  at 
maximum,  and  run  for  twenty  years  from  date  of  issue.  They  were 
negotiated  as  follows  :  August  11,  1882,  $20,000,  at  five  percent; 
August  15,  1882,  $20,000,  at  five  per  cent  ;  and  September  -1,  1882, 
$20,000,  same  rate  of  interest.  These  bonds  will  not  mature  this 
century.  It  appears  from  the  above  statement  of  the  bond  and  loan 
transactions  of  the  city  that  no  funds  of  the  city  have  been  exi)en(led 
in  aid  of  railway  construction  beyond  the  amount  of  $3,000,  for  sur- 
veys in  connection  with  the  Winona  and  Southwestern  :  that  the 
bonds  of  the  city  were  never  issued  for  railway  construction  save  in 
the  case  of  the  St.  Paul  &  Chicago,  and  that  the  city  recovered  the 
amount  so  conveyed.  A  reca})itulation  of  the  amounts  autliorized 
by  the  legislature,  actually  issued  or  borrowed  by  the  city,  as  also 
the  bonds  canceled  on  loans  paid,  and  outstanding  bonds  at  this 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  899 

date,  are  as  follows :  total  amount  authorized  bj  acts  of  Minnesota 
state  legislature,  $742,000  ;  amount  actually  issued  in  bonds  of  the 
city,  $332,000,  less  the  $100,000  recovered  by  judgment  from  the 
Minnesota  Construction  Company — $232,000.  Amount  redeemed 
by  moneys  paid  out  of  city  treasury,  $70,000,  leaving  a  total  bonded 
indebtedness,  not  reckoning  interest,  of  $162,000,  distributed  as 
follows :  Water-works  bonds,  $100,000 ;  ferry,  bridge  and  road 
bonds,  $30,000  ;  school  bonds,  $25,000  ;  to  cover  floating  indebted- 
ness, $7,000.  These  bonds  have  from  two  to  twenty  years  in  which 
to  mature,  and  their  average  rate  of  interest  is  six  per  cent  per 
annum.  The  entire  indebtedness  of  the  city  as  shown  by  the 
recorder's  report,  submitted  to  the  city  council  at  the  close  of  the 
tiscal  year,  March  31,  1883,  is  placed  at  $181,810.39.  This  is  equi- 
valent to  a  tax  of  one  and  four  tenths  per  cent  on  the  yolume  of 
l)usiness  transacted  for  the  year.  It  may  not  be  amiss  to  say  that 
of  the  $100,000  bonds  issued  to  the  Minnesota  Construction  Com- 
pany there  are  still  $8,000  unredeemed,  the  bonds  never  having 
been  presented  to  the  city  treasurer.  As  the  city  recovered  dam- 
ages for  the  full  amount,  these  $8,000  should,  strictly  speaking,  be 
added  to  the  $162,000,  making  a  total  of  $170,000,  which  is  the 
amount  upon  the  treasurer's  books. 

SOME    WINONA   NAMES. 

Winona  in  serving  herself  has  not  neglected  her  duties  to  the 
state  and  the  nation,  her  professional  and  business  circles  having 
sent  forth  from  their  midst  those  who  have  attained  more  than  a 
local  celebrity.  Among  these,  as  is  eminently  fitting,  w^e  note  the 
two  attorney-generals  Winona  has  furnished  the  state,  Hon.  C.  H. 
Berry  and  Hon.  George  P.  Wilson.  The  supreme  justices  she  sent 
to  grace  the  highest  judiciary  of  the  state,  Hon.  Thomas  Wilson, 
chief-justice  of  Minnesota,  and  Hon.  William  Mitchell,  associate 
justice  of  the  supreme  bench  ;  Hon.  W.  H.  Yale  for  two  terms  lieu- 
tenant-governor of  the  state  ;  Hon.  Norman  Buck,  judge  of  the  U.  S. 
district  court  for  Idaho  ;  Hon.  Thomas  Simpson,  for  many  years 
president  of  the  state  normal  school  board,  and  Hon.  D.  S.  Norton 
and  Hon.  William  Windom,  United  States  senators.  These  old 
Winona  citizens  were  all  members  of  the  Winona  bar,  and  to  the 
article  on  the  ' '  J  udiciary  of  Winona  county  "  we  refer  for  further 
particulars  concerning  them. 

Of  Hon.  William  Windom,  it  may  here  be  said,  that  he  is  at  the 
54 


'MK)  HISTOEY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

present  time  the  most  j>rominent  citizen  of  the  State  of  Minnesota,  a 
man  of  whom  Winona  may  feel  justly  proud  ;  for  the  name  of  Will- 
iam Windom  is  widely  known  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of 
our  country,  is  now  a  part  of  her  liistory  as  well  as  being  familiar  to 
all  those  in  other  countries  who  watch  the  changes  of  government 
and  the  progress  of  American  politics,  in  the  latter  of  which  Mr. 
Windom  has  taken  a  leading  part  for  many  years.  Therefore  it  is, 
that  not  only  from  his  identification  with  the  political  measures  and 
reforms  of  his  adopted  state,  or  even  from  the  fact  of  his  being  her 
representative  in  the  legislative  halls  of  both  houses  of  congress  at 
Washington  for  many  successive  terms,  has  Mr.  Windom  become 
familiarly  known  to  the  people  of  his  country,  but  when  at  the 
republican  national  convention  of  1880,  which  resulted  in  the  nomi- 
nation of  the  lamented  Garfield  for  the  office  of  president  of  the 
United  States,  Mr.  Windom's  nomination  was  stronglj^  urged  for  that 
office  by  his  party  with  the  solid  delegation  from  Minnesota  at  his 
back.  Upon  the  accession  of  Mr.  Garfield  to  the  presidency  he  paid 
a  just  tribute  to  the  statesmanship  and  sterling  integrity  of  William 
Windom  by  tendering  to  him  a  place  in  his  cabinet,  entrusting  him 
with  the  portfolio  of  secretary  of  the  treasury,  which  position  Mr. 
Windom  accepted. 

The  well-known  Maj.  Ben.  Perley  Poore,  of  Massachusetts,  clerk 
of  printing  records  in  the  United  States  congress,  thus  refers  to  Mr. 
Windom  in  the  congressional  directory:  "William  Windom,  of 
Winona,  was  born  in  Belmont  county,  Ohio,  May  10,  1827  ;  received 
an  academic  education  ;  studied  law  at  Mount  Vernon,  Ohio  ;  prac- 
ticed his  profession  in  that  state  and  in  Minnesota  until  1859  ;  was 
elected  prosecuting  attorney  for  Knox  county  in  1852  ;  removed  to 
Minnesota  in  1855  ;  was  a  representative  in  the  thirty-sixth,  thirty- 
seventh,  thirty-eighth,  thirty-ninth  and  fortieth  congresses  ;  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  governor  of  Minnesota,  in  July,  1870,  to  fill  the 
unexpired  term  of  Hon,  Daniel  S.  Norton,  deceased,  in  the  senate 
of  the  United  States  ;  was  subsequently  elected  as  a  republican,  and 
was  re-elected  in  1877.  He  resigned  March  4,  1881,  having  been 
ai)pointed  secretary  of  the  treasury  by  President  (rarfield,  and  was 
re-elected  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  his  resignation,  taking  his 
seat  December  5,  1881." 

Mr.  Windom's  term  of  service  in  the  United  States  senate  ex- 
pired March  3,  1883. 

In  addition  to  those  already  mentioned,  Winona  has  funiished 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  901 

two  superintendents  of  instruction  for  the  state,  Hon.  Mark  Dunnell, 
also  member  of  congress  for  the  first  congressional  district  of  Minne- 
sota, and  Rev.  David  Burt,  whose  name  was  so  many  years  a  house- 
hold word  among  the  Congregation  alists  of  this  city. 

Hf)n.  Mark  Dunnell,  who  had  been  United  States'  consul  at  Vera 
Cruz  during  the  Maximillian  invasion  of  Mexico,  came  to  Winona 
during  the  later  years  of  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  and  in  1867  was 
appointed  state  superintendent  of  public  instruction,  the  first  appoint- 
ment under  the  law  creating  that  office,  the  duties  of  which  had 
been  previously  discharged  by  the  secretary  of  state.  This  office 
was  held  by  Mr.  Dunnell  until  his  nomination  to  congress  in  Aug- 
ust, 1870,  when  he  resigned  his  othce  as  superintendent,  and  shortly 
afterward  removed  to  Onatona. 

Rev.  David  Burt  was  born  in  Munson,  Massachusetts,  August  2, 
1822.  His  father  being  pecuniarily  unable  to  afford  him  the  advan- 
tages of  a  liberal  education  the  young  man  determined  to  secure 
such  education  for  himself,  and  after  taking  an  academical  course 
in  his  native  state  entered  Oberlin  College,  from  which  institution 
he  graduated  with  the  highest  honors  in  the  class  of  1847.  His  in- 
tention being  to  enter  the  ministry  he  pursued  his  theological  course 
at  Andover,  graduating  in  1851.  During  all  these  years  he  had 
largely  maintained  himself  by  his  own  exertions.  After  a  four 
years'  pastorate  in*  one  of  the  eastern  towns,  Mr.  Burt  ceased 
preaching  on  account  of  bronchial  trouble,  came  west,  taught 
school  in  Chicago  a  year,  and  in  1858,  finding  himself  able  to 
resume  his  work  in  the  ministry,  accepted  a  call  to  the  Congrega- 
tional church  of  this  city.  His  pastoral  connection  with  the  church 
continued  until  his  failing  health  admonished  liim  to  desist  in  1866, 
when  he  resigned  his  charge  and  accepted  the  superintendency  of 
the  schools  established  by  the  Freedmen's  bureau  of  Tennessee. 
During  the  eight  years  of  his  pastorate  in  this  city  Mr.  Burt  deeply 
interested  himself  in  the  success  of  the  city  schools,  and  was  for 
some  years  of  that  time  city  superintendent  of  schools  here.  After 
a  two  years'  residence  in  Tennessee  Mr.  Burt  was  necessitated  to 
relinquish  his  labors  there  on  account  of  the  iniurious  effect  of  the 
climate  upon  his  health,  and  returned  to  Minnesota.  In  1870  he 
was  made  county  superintendent  of  schools  for  Winona  county,  and 
five  years  later  took  a  step  higher,  having  been  appointed  state 
superintendent  of  instruction  by  his  Excellency  Gov.  Pillsbury. 
This  latter  position  Mr.   Burt  continued  to  hold,   discharging  the 


902  HISTOKY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

duties  of  the  oftice  with  efficiency  until  within  a  few  weeks  of  his 
deatli,  which  occurred  at  Northtield,  in  this  state,  Saturday,  Septem- 
ber 24,  1881. 

The  other  Winona  notables  that  belong  to  this  list  are  :  Mrs. 
Mary  Clemmer  (formerly  Mary  Clemmer  Ames) ;  Prof.  W.  F. 
Phelps  (whose  biographical  record  is  found  elsewhere) ;  Rev.  Ed- 
ward Eggleston  and  Capt.  Sam  Whiting. 

Captain  Sam  Whiting  was  born  at  Hempstead,  Long  Island,  in 
the  year  1814.  He  appears  to  have  received  an  excellent  English 
education,  was  a  natural,  easy  writer,  and  a  poet  of  some  little  local 
celebrity.  He  was  naturally  of  a  roving  disposition,  and  at  an 
early  age  went  to  sea,  rose  rapidly  in  his  chosen  calling,  and  about 
the  time  Winona  was  receiving  her  pioneer  settlers,  was  in  command 
of  one  of  the  famous  clipper  merchant  ships  plying  between  New 
York  and  Liverpool.  He  was  subsequently  in  the  Mediteri'anean 
trade,  and  later  still  made  several  voyages  to  the  East  Indies.  He 
came  to  Winona  in  1854,  having  just  returned  fi'om  a  voyage  around 
the  world,  touching  by  the  way  at  China  and  Japan.  The  following 
spring  (1855)  Captain  Whiting  volunteered  to  accompany  the  Hart- 
stein  Arctic  expedition  in  search  of  Dr.  Kane,  and  was  absent  from 
the  city  until  the  following  October.  This  voyage  furnished  the 
materials  for  many  interesting  articles,  some  of  which  subsequently 
appeared  in  the  columns  of  the  "Republican."  This  paper  was 
started  the  same  fall  that  Captain  Whiting  returned  from  his  voy- 
age into  the  north  seas,  and  for  the  first  six  months  of  its  existence 
he  conducted  its  editorial  columns.  Captain  Whiting  soon  drifted 
eastward  again,  and  in  the  wiiiter  of  1860-1  was  in  command  of  the 
steamer  Marion,  plying  between  New  York  and  Charleston.  On 
December  29,  1860,  his  steamer  having  been  seized  by  the  rebel 
authorities  for  state  purposes.  Captain  Whiting  steamed  out  of  the 
harbor  defying  the  authorities,  and  when  opposite  Fort  Sumter  ran  up 
the  stars  and  stripes,  dipping  his  colors  to  the  national  ensign  float- 
ing above  the  fort.  In  answer  to  a  letter  from  J.  M.  Tuomey,  of 
Charleston,  challenging  his  action,  Captain  Sam  replied  that  "he 
was  born  under  the  stars  and  stripes  and  had  always  sailed  under 
them,  and  by  the  blessing  of  God  would  die  under  them."  Not 
long  after  this  event,  which  gave  him  a  national  reputation,  Captain 
Whiting  was  appointed  United  States  consul  at  Nassau,  New  Provi- 
dence, where  he  remained  four  years.  Soon  after  the  close  of  the  war 
]ie  returned  to  Winona,  remaining  about  a  year,  but  not  succeeding 


WINONA    A.S    IT    IS.  903 

in  establishing  himself  in  business  satisfactorily,  he  again  drifted 
east,  led  for  many  years  a  rambling  life,  until  in  1880  he  was  disabled 
by  a  fall  in  Broadway,  New  York,  and  taken  to  Snug  Harbor  hos- 
pital, Staten  Island,  where,  despondent  and  perhaps  despairing  ot 
a  change  for  the  better,  he  put  an  end  to  his  own  existence,  July  30, 
1882. 

Edward  Eggleston  was  born  in  Indiana  in  1837.  His  father,  a 
prominent  lawyer,  dying  when  Edward  was  quite  young,  the  family 
circumstances,  as  well  as  his  own  delicate  health,  prevented  his 
securing  the  advantages  of  a  collegiate  training.  He  came  to 
Minnesota  in  1857 ;  was  that  same  fall  admitted  into  the  annual 
conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  which  convened  at 
Winona  in  August  of  that  year,  and  was  assigned  a  circuit  which 
included  St.  Peter  and  Traverse  de  Sioux,  on  which  he  spent  one 
year,  during  which  time  he  married.  The  following  year,  1858,  he 
was  employed  as  agent  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  and  then 
served  successively  the  Market  street  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at 
St.  Paul,  the  church  in  Stillwater,  and  the  Jackson  street  church  in 
St.  Paul.  When  serving  this  latter  church  he  was  compelled  to 
resign  his  pastorate  on  account  of  failing  health,  and  for  a  season 
engaged  in  other  pursuits.  Recovering  his  health,  he  was  assigned 
to  the  churcli  in  this  city  in  the  fall  of  1864,  and  remained  until  the 
spring  of  1866,  when  his  health  compelled  him  a  second  time  to 
cease  pulpit  work,  and  he  removed  to  Evanston,  Illinois,  where  he 
was  engaged  in  literary  labors,  as  editor  of  the  ''  Little  Corporal," 
and  of  a  Sunday  school  magazine  published  in  Chicago.  Acquiring 
some  reputation  in  this  field,  he  removed  to  Brooklyn,  New  York, 
in  1810,  and  took  a  position  on  the  editorial  staff  of  "The  Inde- 
pendent."" This  position  he  held  for  a  year  or  two,  and  then 
exchanged  it  for  the  editorial  chair  of  ''Hearth  and  Home,"  in  which 
"The  Hoosier  Schoolmaster"  soon  afterward  appeared  as  a  serial, 
attracting  much  attention.  This  book  was  subsequently  published  in 
book  form,  and  had  a  great  sale.  He  has  also  published  "The  End 
of  the  World,"  the  "Mystery  of  Metropolisville,"  a  story  of  early 
times  in  Minnesota;  "The  Circuit  Rider,"  "Roxy,"  and,  in  con- 
nection with  his  daughter  (Mrs.  Seeley),  several  volumes  of 
biographical  stories  for  the  young.  Early  in  1875  Mr.  Eggleston 
became  pastor  of  the  church  of  the  Christian  Endeavor,  in  Brooklyn, 
an  independent  church  organization,  with  which  he  remained  until 
1880,  when,  broken  down  in  health,  he  resigned  his  pastorate  and 


004  HISTORY    OF    WmONA    COUNTY. 

spent  a  year  in  Europe.  With  his  health  sonoiewhat  improved,  he 
resumed  his  literary  labors  on  his  return,  and  has  also  engaged  in 
lecturing,  but  has  taken  no  regular  pulpit-work.  He  is  at  present 
engaged  in  preparing  a  historical  volume,  designed  to  portray  the 
domestic  and  social  life  and  the  manners  of  the  early  American 
colonists,  a  work  expected  to  fill  an  unoccupied  niche  in  the  liistory 
of  this  country.  He  has  also  been  a  quite  liberal  contributor  to  the 
American  reviews  and  magazines. 

Mrs.  Mar}'  Clemmer,  as  she  is  now  called,  though  known  to 
early  settlers  in  Winona  as  Mary  Clemmer  Ames,  is  a  native  of 
Westfield,  Massachusetts,  where  she  was  born  somewhere  about  the 
year  1830,  removing  in  early  life  to  central  New  York.  At  the  age 
of  fifteen  years  she  began  writing  for  the  press,  notably  the  Utica 
'^ Herald"  and  the  Springfield,  Mass.,  "Republican,"  contributing 
regularly  to  both  of  these  ])apers  until  after  the  outbreak  of  the  war 
of  the  rebellion,  when  she  engaged  her  services  exclusively  to  the 
''Independent,"  at  a  salary  of  $5,000  per  annum,  a  relation  which 
she  still  sustains.  She  married  Rev.  Daniel  Ames,  and  with  him 
removed  to  Winona  in  1856,  where  they  remained  about  two  years, 
Mr.  Ames  being  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church  here.  They 
subsequently  removed  to  Jersey  City,  and  then  to  Brooklyn.  In  1861 
she  commenced  to  write  her  well-known  series  of  "'A  Woman's 
Letters  from  Washington,"  which  have  given  her  a  more  than 
national  reputation.  She  was  at  Harper's  Ferry  during  the  siege  of 
that  place,  and  wrote  a  most  vivid  description  of  that  event  from  her 
position  between  the  hostile  armies.  Mrs.  Clemmer's  "Ten  Years 
in  Washington  "  was  founded  upon  her  Independent  letters  from  the 
capital,  and  had  a  very  extended  sale.  She  has  also  written  several 
works  of  fiction — "  Victoire,"  "Irene"  and  others.  A  volume  of 
poems  from  her  pen,  entitled,  "  Poems  of  Life  and  Nature,"  recently 
published,  has  passed  to  a  second  edition.  Her  separation  from 
her  husband,  which  occurred  about  eight  years  ago,  was  occasioned 
by  his  persisting  in  some  visionar}'  real-estate  speculations  at 
Harper's  Ferry,  in  which  he  liad  squandered  tens  of  thousands  of 
lier  money,  and  which  she  saw  no  other  way  of  preventing.  It  was 
simply  an  unfortunate  necessity  of  the  situation. 

W.  J.  You  mans,  M.D.,  at  present  the  associate  editor  of  the 
"Popular  Science  Monthly,"  was  for  some  two  years  a  practicing 
physician  in  this  city.  Dr.  Youmans  graduated  from  the  medical 
department   of   the   University   of   New    York,  taking  special  in- 


WINOISTA    AS    IT    IS.  905 

struction  under  Professor  Draper,  and  soon  afterward  went  to 
England  to  pursue  his  physiological  studies  in  the  laboratory  of 
Prof.  Huxley.  While  there,  in  connection  with  Prof.  Huxley,  they 
jointly  published  Huxley's  and  Youmans'  Physiology,  the  depart- 
ment of  hygiene  falling  to  Prof.  Youmans.  This  work  was 
simultaneously  published  in  England  and  this  country.  Returning 
to  America,  Dr.  Youmans  soon  after  came  to  Winona,  1869,  and 
remained  here  about  two  years,  when,  on  the  establishment  of  the 
"Popular  Science  Monthly,"  he  was  called  to  New  York  to  assume 
the  pctst  of  assistant-editor —  under  his  brother.  Prof.  E.  L.  Youmans, 
editor-in-chief  and  originator  of  the  journal  Dr.  Youmans  has 
been  connected  with  the  "Popular  Science  Monthly"  since  its  first 
issue,  and  has  now  for  some  time  been  its  associate  editor. 

For  a  small  city,  situated  so  far  from  the  brain-breednig  centers 
of  thought  and  intellectual  activity,  in  a  new  state,  where  the 
struggle  for  established  institutions  for  higher  education  is  only 
begun,  Winona  may  well  congratulate  herself  upon  the  record  she 
has  made  through  so  many  of  her  citizens,  who  have  attained  a 
justly  earned  celebrity.  A  celebrity  that,  overrunning  the  boun- 
daries of  the  growing  commonwealth,  has  brought  her  into  favorable 
notice  from  the  great  river  on  her  eastern  border  to  the  oceans  that 
bound  the  continent  on  either  shore. 

soldiers'  orphans'  home. 

The  Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  of  Minnesota,  located  at  Winona, 
has  a  somewhat  peculiar  history.  It  was  not  established  and  main- 
tained by  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  "soldiers'  orphans"  created 
by  act  of  state  legislature,  approved  March  4,  1869,  and  exercising 
authority  in  consonance  with  the  provisions  of  that  act,  but  by  a 
corporation  acting  under  contract  with  the  "  state  board  of  trustees," 
created  as  above  mentioned.  The  war  of  1861-5  was  drawing  to 
a  close  when  the  legislature  of  the  State  of  Minnesota,  then  in 
session  at  St.  Paul,  moved  thereto  by  its  own  patriotic  impulses, 
passed  an  act  for  the  benefit  of  the  orphans  of  such  Minnesota 
soldiers  as  had  died  in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  or  from 
wounds  received  in  battle,  or  from  sickness  incurred  in  the  military 
or  naval  service  of  the  United  States.  This  act  was  passed  March 
3,  1865,  and  devoted  to  this  purpose  the  proceeds  of  all  the  swamp- 
lands conveyed  to  the  state  by  the  general  government  and  not 
otherwise  appropriated  for  educational,  railway  and  other  purposes. 


9HG  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Inasmuch  as  it  was  generally  accepted  tliat  the  grants  already  made 
of  these  lands  covered  every  acre  that  could,  would  or  should  ever 
be  worth  entering,  the  value  of  the  grant  was  not  very  highly 
appreciated.  In  .laniiary,  1869,  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
(u  non-})olitical  non-sectarian  society  of  such  citizens  as  had  served 
as  soldiers  in  the  late  war  of  the  rebellion),  met  in  Winona,  and, 
among  other  acts,  passed  a  resolution  requesting  the  legislature  to 
provide  for  the  maintenance  and  education  of  the  orphans  of  the 
soldiers  of  the  state.  The  Grand  Army  also  a))pointed  a  committee 
to  go  before  the  legislature  and  urge  the  passage  of  such  an  act  as 
would  give  the  needed  relief  and  care  thus  sought.  The  Winona 
member  of  that  committee  and  its  chairman  was  Gen.  J.  W. 
Sprague.  This  action  of  the  Grand  Army  of  Republic  resulted  in 
the  passage  of  the  act,  approved  March  4,  1869,  providing  for  an 
accurate  census  of  the  soldiers'  orphans  within  the  state,  with 
statistit^s  of  their  condition,  and  appropriating  the  sum  of  $10,000 
for  the  temporary  relief  of  such  as  were  destitute.  This  act  also 
created  a  board  of  trustees  of  the  Soldiers'  Orphans,  composed  of 
seven  members  and  the  adjutant-general  of  the  state,  who  was 
ex-oiiicio  secretary  of  the  board.  The  act  of  1869  also  authorized 
the  placing  (jf  the  orphans  in  certain  designated  orphan  asylums 
and  the  payment  by  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  Soldiers'  Orphans 
of  the  sum  of  three  dollars  per  week  for  each  orphan  thus  dis})osed 
of.  The  legislature  of  1870  continued  the  appropriation  for  tem- 
porary relief  The  first  report  of  the  board  of  trustees,  made 
through  its  secretary,  the  adjutant-general  of  the  state,  is  for  the  fiscal 
year  closing  November  30,  1870.  The  statistical  return  of  orphans 
of  soldiers  for  1869  were  quite  incomplete,  sixteen  per  cent  of  the 
counties,  and  some  of  these  the  most  populous  in  the  state,  making 
no  returns.  From  the  returns  as  received  the  total  number  was 
1,239,  of  whom  217  were  reported  destitute.  Of  the  whole  number 
reported  922  were  the  orphans  of  Minnesota  soldiers,  and  of  the  217 
reported  destitute  150  were  the  orphans  of  soldiers  who  had  entered 
the  service  from  this  state.  The  rei)ort  of  November  30,  1870,  also 
called  attention  to  the  necessity  of  establishing  and  maintaining  an 
asylum  exclusively  for  the  care  and  education  of  soldiers'  orphans, 
and  this  recommendation  of  the  board  was  urged  upon  the  broad 
ground  that  without  such  soldiers'  orphans'  home  these  wards  of 
the  state,  made  such  by  the  patriotic  devotion  of  their  fathers,  were 
compelled  to  become  "the  daily  associates  of  foundlings,  paupers 


WESrONA    AS    IT    IS. 


907 


and  the  usual  accumulations  of  charity  asylums."  The  more 
thorough  education  of  these  soldiers'  orphans  was  declared  to  be  of 
paramount  importance,  and  it  was  also  stated  that  the  citizens  of 
Winona  had  in  contemplation  the  establishment  of  a  home  of  the 
desired  character,  without  expense  to  the  state.  The  expediency  of 
increasing  the  grant  from  $3  per  week  per  child  to  $4  per  week 
was  also  set  forth  and  the  increase  urged.  Acting  upon  the  sugges- 
tions contained  in  tliis  report,  the  state  legislature  passed  an  act  the 
following  spring,  March  4,  1871.  authorizing  the  board  of  trustees 
to  place  in  any  soldiers'  orphans'  home  any  number  of  destitute 
soldiers'  orphans,  not  to  exceed  seventy-five,  and  maintain  them  at 
an  expense  of  not  to  exceed  $4  each  per  week,  the  provision  to 
apply  to  all  soldiers'  orphans,  who  were  bona-fide  residents  of  the 
state,  between  the  ages  of  four  and  sixteen  years.  This  extension  of 
the  benefits  of  the  home  to  include  the  orphans  of  other  than  Min- 
nesota soldiers  was  made  upon  the  recommendation  of  the  board. 

February  1,  1871,  in  anticipation  of  the  act  of  legislature  of 
March  4,  1871,  above  cited,  articles  of  incorporation  ''of  the  Sol- 
diers' Orphans'  Home  of  Minnesota "  were  filed  with  the  register 
of  deeds  of  Winona  county,  and  on  the  fifth  of  the  same  month 
were  also  filed  in  the  office  of  the  secretary  of  state  at  St.  Paul. 
The  incorporation  was  effected  under  the  general  statutes  of  the 
state,  and  the  object  of  the  corporation  "the  maintenance  and  edu- 
cation of  children  whose  fathers  have  died  in  the  military  or  naval 
service  of  the  United  States  during  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  or 
from  diseases  contracted,  or  from  wounds  received  in  such  service." 
"Its  place  of  location  shall  be  the  city  of  Winona,  in  said  State 
of  Minnesota."  The  officers  of  the  association  were  to  be,  presi- 
dent, vice-president,  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  a  board  of  thirteen 
directors,  "composed  of  the  mayor  of  the  city  of  Winona  (ex-officio), 
six  female  members  of  the  corporation  and  six  members  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic."  The  original  incorporators  were 
sixty-eight  in  number.  By  act  of  March  4,  1871,  the  city  of  Wi- 
nona was  duly  authorized  to  appropriate  $1,000  to  the  establishment 
and  furnishing  of  a  soldiers'  orphans'  home  in  Winona,  and  the 
appropriation  was  accordingly  made  upon  due  petition  of  the  citi- 
zens. When  the  affairs  of  the  home  were  closed  out,  in  1878,  this 
appropriation  of  $1,000,  with  an  additional  sum  of  $500  as  interest, 
was  returned  to  the  city  by  Mayor  Gould,  the  financial  head  of  the 
home  and  its  manager  from  the  beginning.     The  officers  of  the  Sol- 


908  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

diers'  Orphans"'  Home  were  continued  from  year  to  year,  by  successive 
re-elections,  and  there  are  no  changes  to  record.  They  were  all  of 
Winona.  W.  S.  Drew,  president ;  W.  F.  Phelps,  vice-president 
and  superintendent  of  instruction  ;  O.  B.  Gould,  secretary  and  treas- 
urer ;  J.  B.  McGaughey,  M.D.,  surgeon.  April  13,  1871,  the  Sol- 
diers' Or|)hans'  Home,  through  its  president  and  secretary,  entered 
into  contract  with  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  soldiers'  orphans 
of  Minnesota,  through  the  executive  committee  of  said  board 
of  trustees,  to  receive,  maintain  and  educate  soldiers'  orphans  as  set 
forth  in  their  articles  of  incorporation,  under  the  provisions  of  the 
act  of  legislature  of  1871.  The  trustees  agreed,  on  their  ])art,  to 
place  all  orphans  under  their  charge  (if  placed  in  any  such  home) 
in  the  Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  of  Minnesota,  and  ])ay  the  sum  of 
$4  per  week  for  each  orphan  so  placed  ;  the  officers  of  the  home 
agreeing,  on  their  part,  to  provide  the  orphans  under  their  care  with 
a  comfortable  abode,  wholesome  food,  medical  attendance,  decent 
clothing  and  admission  to  the  state  normal  school  on  equal  terms 
with  the  students  of  that  institution.  The  home  was  opened  March 
30,  1871,  in  the  State  Normal  School  building,  through  the  courtesy 
of  the  officers  of  that  institution,  and  pending  the  securing  of  proper 
quarters  elsewhere,  and  was  removed,  on  the  first  of  the  following 
May,  to  the  Tucker  House,  a  large  building  in  the  western  part  of 
the  city.  The  report  of  Secretary  Gould,,  made  September  30,  1871, 
showed  a  total  of  thirty-four  orphans  in  the  home,  the  maximum 
number  they  could  accommodate  at  that  time,  and  the  report  of  their 
superintendent  of  instruction  returns  them  all  as  enrolled  in  the 
classes  of  the  state  normal  school.  It  was  apparent,  however,  that 
many  more  childi-en  throughout  the  state,  entitled  to  the  benefits  of 
the  Home,  could  not  be  provided  for  unless  the  officers  of  the  home 
should  erect  a  building  expressly  for  that  purpose.  The  gross 
amount  expended  for  the  home  to  date  of  report  was  $3,212,  and 
there  was  an  outstanding  indebtedness  of  $3,000.  Applications  for 
admission  to  the  home  came  crowding  upon  the  managers,  and  pri- 
vate homes  were  found  for  man}^  at  the  expense  of  the  institution. 
This  was  not  in  accordance  with  the  benevolent  designs  of  the  man- 
agers, and  a  new  departure  was  made.  The  state  legislature,  under 
act  of  February  29,  1872,  entitled  "An  Act  to  enable  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  Soldiers'  Orphans  to  rent  a  suitable  building  for  a 
Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home,"  approj)riated  the  sum  of  $1,800  per  an- 
num for  said  rent,  for  a  term  of  six  vears.     March  1,  1872,  Mrs.  L. 


WINONA    AS    IT    IS.  909 

* 

D.  Kempton,  of  New  Bedford,  Massachusetts,  a  woman  of  remark- 
able executive  ability,  was  employed  as  matron  of  the  home,  and 
this  position  was  maintained  by  her  until  it  was  closed  six  years 
later.     To  her  able  supervision  and  noble  unselfishness  the  home 
was  as  much  indebted  for  its  successful  administration  as  to  any  other 
one  cause.     On  July  20  of  that  year  contract  was  entered  into  with 
Conrad  Bohn,  of  this  city,  to  erect  a  suitable  building  for  the  home, 
and  rent  it  to  the  officers  of  that  institution  for  six  years,  at  an 
annual  rental  of  $1,800.     This  building  was  at  once  commenced. 
The  site  chosen  was  the  southwest  comer  of  Center  and  Sanborn 
streets,  and  here  a  substantial  stone  and  brick  structure,  fronting  72 
feet  on  Center  street  and  40  feet  on  Sanborn  street,  was  erected. 
The  building  rose  two  and  a-half  stories  above  the  high  basement, 
the  upper  stories  used  for  dormitories  and  the  basement  for  kitchen, 
laundry,  play-rooms,  etc.     The  home  was  completed  that  same  sea- 
son, and  taken  possession  of  December  15.     Tlie  report  of  that  year, 
September  30,  1872,  showed  an  increase  of  twenty-five  members  in 
the  number  cared  for;  expenditures  for  the  year,  $6,044.74,  and 
unpaid  claims  to  the  amount  of  $1,200.     By  act  of  February  20, 
1873,  the  restriction  limiting  the  number  of  orphans  in  any  home 
to  seventy-five  was  withdrawn,  as  the  home  could  comfortably  ac- 
commodate  a   greater  number.      The  secretarv's   report  for  1873 
shows  ninety-three  members  enjoying  the  privileges  of  the  home 
during  the  year,  and  eighty-five  resident  there  at  the  date  of  report. 
The  superintendent's  report  shows  eighty-nine  in  attendance  at  the 
normal  school,  and  a  commendable  progress  made  in  study.     The 
physician's  report  is  a  most  favorable  comment  upon  the  sanitary 
condition  of  the  home — implied,  not  expressed.     There  were  seri- 
ous cases  of  erysipelas,  pneumonia  and  influenza  in  March,  and 
seven  cases  of  malignant  scarlet  fever  in  August,  with  only  a  total 
fatality  of  two.     The  gross  expenditures  for  the  year  were  $17,431, 
and  the  unpaid  claims  about  $1,800.     For  1874  the  total  number  of 
orphans  under  the  care  of  the  home  was  one  hundred  and  five,  at 
the  close  of  the  year,  eighty-five ;  expenditures,  $15,500;  outstand- 
ing claims,   $1,500.      School  statistics   encouraging   and  surgeons 
report  "no  sickness."     The  reports  of  1874  and  1875  are  of  no 
special  significance.     In  1876  there  was  a  very  perceptible  diminu- 
tion in  the  number  of  admissions  and  an  increase  in  the  number 
discharged,  demonstrating  that  the  Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  was 
nearing  the  end  of  its  honorable  and  patriotic  labors.     This  was 


910  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

more  plainly  apparent  month  by  month? '  The  rej)ort  of  September 
30,  1877,  shows  but  forty  remaining  under  the  care  of  that  institu- 
tion. The  trustees  of  soldiers'  orphans  report  a  further  decrease 
of  six  at  the  date  of  their  returns,  November  30,  1877,  leaving  but 
thirty-four  orphans  in  the  home.  The  board  of  trustees  of  soldiers' 
orphans,  knowing  that  a  large  number  of  those  remaining  there 
would  leave  the  home  at  the  close  of  the  school  year,  in  May,  1878, 
resolved,  in  view  of  the  small  number  of  orphans  under  their  care, 
to  close  the  home  at  Winona  on  or  before  June  15,  1878,  as  the 
numbers  remaining  would  not  compensate  the  local  board  at  this 
place  for  the  maintenance  of  the  orphans  as  provided  by  law,  and  it 
was  accordingly  done.  Four  years  prior  to  the  closing  of  the  home 
the  legislature  of  the  state  authorized  the  board  of  trustees  of  soldiers' 
orphans  to  make  further  provisions  for  such  of  their  wards  as  had 
reached  the  age  of  eighteen  years.  And  under  the  regulations  of 
that  act  at  the  time  the  home  in  Winona  closed,  some  of  the  dis- 
charged members  were  pursuing  their  studies  at  the  state  university, 
and  others  serving  apprenticeships  to  useful  trades,  both  classes  re- 
ceiving some  measure  of  aid  from  the  board.  The  work  accom- 
plished by  the  Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home  of  Minnesota  was  as  purely 
a  philanthropic  work,  as  faithfully  performed,  as  efficiently  managed, 
as  necessary  to  be  undertaken,  and  as  far-reaching  in  its  results,  as 
can  well  be  conceived.  The  exceptional  method  of  its  management 
confers  lasting  honor  upon  those  to  whom  it  was  intrusted. 


CHAPTER  LXI. 


MILITARY   RECORD. 


The  military  history  of  Winona  county  is  one  of  the  difficult,  it 
were  better  to  say  impossible,  things  to  write.  It  is  a  history  not  of 
regiments;  only  in  isolated  cases  is  it  a  record  of  complete  companies; 
it  is  in  the  main  only  a  narrative,  broken  but  brilliant,  ot  the  services 
of  detachments,  fragments  of  commands  more  anxious  to  serve  their 
country  and  support  the  national  government  in  its  hour  of  peril 
than  to  be  the  recognized  integers  of  some  military  brigade  whose 
achievements  should  confer  honor  on  Winona  county,  as  the  par- 
ticular locality  from  which  they  came.     The  sparsely  settled  condi- 


MILITAEY    RECORD.  911 

tion  of  the  county  and  the  intense  loyalty  of  the  citizens,  responding 
in  some  degree  to  every  call  that  emanated  from  the  governor  of  the 
state  for  another  regiment,  are  largely  answerable  for  the  fact  that 
the  enlistments  from  Winona  county  are  so  scattered  over  all  the 
regiments  sent  out  from  the  state,  that  to  trace  the  movements  of 
these  detachments,  or  even  to  determine  accurately  the  number  of 
soldiers  furnished  by  the  county  for  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion, 
is  simply  impossible.  We  shall,  therefore,  confine  ourselves  to  a 
history  of  such  regiments  as  contained  whole  or  fragmentary  com- 
panies from  Winona  county,  and  only  to  such  fragmentary  companies 
as  contained  so  large  a  percentage  of  Winona  county  enlistments  as 
to  justly  entitle  -them  to  be  regarded  as  Winona  county  companies. 
In  accomplishing  our  task,  rendered  doubly  difficult  by  the  imperfect 
records  of  the  adjutant-general's  reports,  we  have  searched  every 
available  record,  all  reliable  memories  have  been  invoked  and  no 
pains  spared  to  make  the  history  as  full  as  there  is  material  to  write 
it  from. 

FIRST    MINNESOTA   INFANTRY. 

April  16,  1861,  four  days  after  the  rebels  opened  fire  on  Fort 
Sumter,  Hon.  Ignatius  Donnelly,  governor  of  Minnesota,  issued  his 
proclamation  calling  for  one  regiment  of  infantry  of  ten  companies, 
each  company  to  consist  of  one  captain,  two  lieutenants,  four  ser- 
geants, four  corporals  and  sixty-four  privates  and  one  bugler,  sev- 
enty-six men  in  all,  to  serve  for  the  term  of  three  months.  The 
regular  volunteer  militia  companies  of  the  state,  already  organized, 
were  given  the  preference  in  the  formation  of  the  new  regiment,  and 
several  companies  were  at  once  reported  ready  to  rendezvous  at 
Fort  Snelling.  Winona  had  no  militia  company  organized,  but  de- 
termined if  possible  to  secure  a  representation  in  the  regiment  called 
for,  and  took  steps  accordingly.  A  public  meeting  was  held  in 
the  hall  of  HufTs  hotel,  April  19,  and  ended  its  session  in  the  open 
air,  the  hall  being  unable  to  hold  the  excited  populace.  The 
next  morning  the  active  work  of  enlistment  began,  and  the  fol- 
lowing is  a  verbatim  copy  of  the  original  agreement  under  which  the 
Winona  company  was  enlisted,  and  which  was  in  the  handwriting  of 
Henry  C.  Lester,  afterward  elected  captain  : 

"We,  the  undersigned,  mutually  agree  to  unite  ourselves  to- 
gether as  the  Winona  Volunteer  Company  and  tender  our  services 
to  the  state  adjutant-general  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  part  of  the 
Minnesota  regiment  of  infantry  for  the  purpose  of  sustaining  the 


912  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

government  of  the  United  States  in  ]:»ursuance  of  the  call  of  the  gov- 
ernment. The  details  of  subsequent  action  to  be  arranged  upon  the 
receipt  of  proper  instructions  from  the  adjutant-general's  otiice  at 
St.   Paul." 

Active  measures  were  undertaken  by  the  citizens  for  the  relief  of 
such  families  as  might  need  their  care,  on  account  of  husband  or 
son  enlisting,  and  the  work  ot  recruiting  was  prosecuted  so  vigor- 
ously that  the  full  complement  of  men  was  obtained  by  the  26th  of 
April,  and  having  been  notified  that  it  would  not  be  too  late  for 
acceptance,  left  Winona  on  Sunday  morning,  the  28th  of  April,  for 
the  rendezvous  at  Fort  Snelling.  The  steamer  Golden  Era,  on  which 
the  company  had  taken  passage  up  the  river,  arrived  at  Fort  Snelling 
on  Monday  morning,  and  the  same  day,  April  29,  1861,  the  Ist 
reg.  Minn.  Vol.  Inf.  was  mustered  into  the  service  for  the  term 
of  three  months,  the  Winona  contingent  being  designated  as  Co.  K, 
and  ot  which  Capt.  Lester  was  in  command. 

It  was  soon  apparent  that  the  war  was  likely  to  be  more  pro- 
tracted than  was  at  first  deemed  probable,  and  on  May  3,  1861,  a 
call  came  from  Washington  for  42,000  troops,  to  serve  for  a  term  of 
three  years  unless  the  war  should  sooner  close.  In  response  to  this 
call  the  question  of  volunteering  for  three  years  instead  of  three 
months  was  submitted  to  the  1st  Minnesota,  and  almost  unani- 
mously agreed  to.  Of  the  76  men  in  Co.  K  who  had  enlisted  for 
three  months,  over  sixty  agreed  to  the  three-years  term.  Capt. 
Lester  having  obtained  leave  of  absence  for  that  purpose,  returned 
to  Winona,  and  the  work  of  recruiting  the  company  to  the  full 
standard  recpiired,  101  men,  was  rapidly  and  patriotically  prosecuted. 
Forty-six  recruits  for  the  three-years  service  were  enlisted,  and 
reached  Fort  Snelling  May  21,  1861,  and  this  regiment,  the  Fighting 
Fii'st  of  Minnesota,  was  the  first  regiment  accepted  for  the  three- 
years  service  by  the  United  States  government.  The  com])any  con- 
sisted of  one  captain,  two  lieutenants,  five  sergeants,  eight  corporals, 
eighty-two  privates,  one  drummer,  one  fifer,  and  one  teamster,  as 
follows : 

COMPANY    K,    FIRST    RKGIMKNT,    MINNESOTA    INFANTRY    VOLS. 

Captain,  Henry  C.  Lester. 

Lieutenants:  1st,  Gustavns  Holtzborn  ;  2d,  .Idsc})!)  Periam. 
Sergeants:  1st,  John  Ball;  2d, Horatio  Hinirham  ;  3(1,  John  G.  Merritt;  4th, 
Zuar  E.  Moore  ;  r)th,  Hiram  A.  Brink. 

Corporals:  1st,  Samuel  E.  Stebbins ;   2d,  David  B.  Dudley;  3d,  George  N. 


MILITARY    RECORD.  913 

Burgess;  4th,  James  E.  Seely  ;  5th,  Matthew  Marvin;  6th,  William  Smith; 
7th,  Julian  Fajans;  8th,  Edgar  Chapman. 

Privates:  Charles  H.  Andrews,  John  Anderson,  W.  H.  Abell,  Levi  J. 
Albred,  Henry  Boysen,  Baltaser  Best,  Charles  Behr,  Ephraim  P.  Burton, 
Stephen  Brockway,  John  J.  Badgley,  Chardon  Bourne,  James  M.  Babeock, 
William  Beales,  Noah  T.  Berry,  Charles  B.  Boardman,  Joseph  M.  Crippen, 
Alfred  P.  Carpenter,  William  H.  Churchill,  Charles  C.  Countryman,  Alfred 
Colburn,  William  A.  Coy,  Edward  Carey,  William  B.  Chase,  John  Day,  David 
Drayne,  George  H.  Durfee,  Jasiin  Durfee,  Charles  E.  Ely,  John  Einfelt,  John 
J.  Evans,  Jos.  S.  Eaton,  James  M.  French,  William  H.  Flemming,  Charles 
Goddard,  Fritz  Grimm,  Jacob  Geisreiter,  Andrew  George,  Hiram  Harding, 
Joseph  S.  Hill,  J.  M.  Kennedy,  Timothy  Kelly,  William  Kinyon,  Byron 
Knupp,  John  Lynn,  Charles  E.  Lincoln,  Origine  B.  Lacy,  Malcomb  Mclntire, 
William  Martin,  Stephen  E.  Martin,  John  Moore,  Oliver  W.  Moore,  Henry 
Morton,  John  Mannings,  Allen  McDonell,  Charles  North,  Samuel  Nicklen, 
John  Palmer,  William  Pfund,  Joseph  J.  Reynolds,  George  Raymond,  Elijah 
Remore,  Ed.  A.  Rowley,  James  O.  Richarson,  Eldredge  Smith,  George  C. 
Smith,  Samuel  Smith,  William  G.  Sergeant,  Alexander  Shaw,  Franklin  Sheeks, 
John  A.  Southmayd,  Moses  J.  Teeter,  John  Thorp,  Aaron  J.  Thompson, 
David  Taylor,  Israel  M.  Terrill,  Peter  Vosz,  Frank  Woodward,  Warren 
Warner,  Randolph  Wright,  Henry  C.  Winters,  Lucius  T.  Walden,  William 
Winchell. 

Teamster,  John  Dreibblebiss. 

Drummer,  Erick  Iverson. 

Fifer,  Mathias  Kinnon. 

The  whole  number  of  recruits  sent  to  tlie  company  cannot  be 
accurately  ascertained,  but  is  usually  placed  at  about  seventy-live. 
The  names  of  several  of  these — especially  those  who  reached  the 
company  shortly  after  it  took  the  field — have  been  preserved,  and 
as  far  as  known  are  as  follows  : 

Alonzo  Holland,  Lewis  Hansen,  Cornelius  Ketchum,  Alfred  Kenniston, 
Joseph  Lincoln,  William  Patten,  Alonzo  Pickle,  Augustus  H.  Smith,  William 
M.  Sherman,  John  W.  Selley,  Andrew  J.  Truesdale,  Reuben  Tennison,  Samuel 
Tenney,  James  Turner,  Israel  Durr,  Samuel  W.  Burgess,  Chester  S.  Durfee, 
Joseph  C.  Chandler. 

On  the  twenty-fifth  day  of  May  a  flag  was  presented  to  the 
regiment  by  the  ladies  of  St.  Paul,  with  appropriate  ceremonies. 
Three  days  later.  May  28,  a  beautiful  flag  arrived  at  the  fort,  the 
gift  of  the  ladies  of  Winona,  who  tendered  it  to  the  regiment 
through  Capt.  Lester,  of  the  Winona  company,  by  whom  it  was 
transmitted  to  Col.  William  A.  Gorham.  This  flag  was  a  beautiful 
national  ensign,  made  by  Genin,  of  New  York.  It  was  emblazoned 
with  thirty-four  stars,  and  bore  on  one  of  the  stripes  the  simple 
inscription  ''First  Minnesota."     There  were  twenty-five  printers  in 


914  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

the  regiment,  as  it  lay  at  Fort  Snelling,  and  they  formed  a  "shoot- 
ing-stick" association,  of  which  S.  E.  Stebbins,  of  tlie  Winona 
"Republican,"  was  made  secretary.  The  association  served  to  while 
away  time  in  camp,  but  soon  had  sterner  work  on  hand.  While 
lying  at  Fort  Snelling,  Charles  E.  Ely,  son  of  the  elder,  who  had 
been  rejected  at  Winona  on  account  of  his  age,  being  but  sixteen 
years  old,  put  in  his  plea  so  strongly  for  a  chance  to  tight  his 
country's  battles,  that  he  was  accepted,  mustered  in  and  saw  some 
hard  service  as  will  subsequently  appear. 

Some  of  the  companies  of  the  1st  had  been  sent  to  garrison 
frontier  forts,  in  order  to  relieve  the  regular  troops,  who  were 
rapidly  sent  forward  to  the  seat  of  war,  and  the  boys  were  grumbling 
at  their  not  "getting  a  whack  at  the  Rebs,"  when  most  unex- 
pectedly the  order  for  marching  southward  came,  and  all  was 
rejoicing  and  confusion.  Couriers  were  immediately  dispatched  for 
the  companies  that  had  been  ordered  to  Fort  Abercrombie  and 
elsewhere,  and,  in  the  language  of  a  correspondent  writing  home, 
"  the  regiment  fairly  howled  with  joy." 

About  this  time  Dr.  E.  H.  Patterson,  of  Winona,  had  received 
nt>tification  of  his  appointment  by  the  war  department  as  a  member 
of  the  state  medical  board,  and  was  ordered  to  St.  Paul  to  assume 
his  duties,  arriving  there  on  June  16.  June  18  Rev,  E.  D.  Neil 
was  elected  chaplain  of  the  1st,  and  four  days  later  the  regiment  was 
under  marching  orders  for  Washington.  The  steamers  War  Eagle 
and  Northern  Belle  had  been  engaged  to  transport  the  troops,  who 
where  to  proceed  to  Chicago  in  two  detachments — one  by  way  of 
Prairie  du  Chien,  the  other  by  way  of  La  Crosse.  The  latter 
detachment  contained  the  Winona  company,  and  was  on  board  the 
steamer  Belle  for  La  Crosse.  Leaving  Fort  Snelling  on  the  morning 
of  June  22,  the  transport  reached  the  Winona  levee  at  6.30  p.m., 
landed,  and  the  troops  marched  out  upon  the  levee,  where,  with 
open  ranks,  tiiey  waited  to  receive  the  last  farewell  of  friends.  The 
leave-taking  was  short,  and  the  boys,  leaving  sadder  hearts  behind 
than  they  carried  in  their  own  breasts,  re-embarked  for  La  Crosse, 
where  they  took  the  cars  for  Chicago.  From  Chicago  to  Pittsburgh 
the  run  was  made  in  twenty-four  hours,  to  Harrisburg  in  thirty-six, 
and  from  thence  to  Washington,  after  being  uniformed,  ai-riving  at 
the  capital  on  June  27.  One  week  later  they  were  posted  on  the 
road  to  Fairfax  Court  House,  and  the  record  of  the  First  Minnesota 
Iwnceforth  becomes  a  part  of  the  military  history  of  the  war  of  the 


MILITAEY    RECORD.  915 

rebellion.     The  heroic  achievements  of  the  Fighting  First  can  only 
be  rapidly  reviewed:  July  21,    1861,  in  the  first  Bull  Kun  battle 
they  were   ordered   to   the   front   to   support   Rickett's   battery,   a 
position  most  trying  to  well  disciplined  troops,  and  one  which  Col. 
Gorham  says,  in  his  official  report,  "two  other  regiments  refused  to 
occupy."     The  Minnesota  regiment  supported  the  battery  in  good 
style,  and   only  retired    when  commanded,   taking   up   their  new 
position  in  admirable  order.  In  this  engagement  all  the  color-guard, 
except  the  bearer  of  the  flag,  were  wounded,  and  the  flag  itself  bore 
ample  testimony  to  the  severity  of  the  fight,  having  been  pierced  by 
one  cannon-ball,  two  grape-shot  and  sixteen  bullets.     The  loss  was 
thirty-nine   killed    and    about  one  hundred   wounded.       Of   these 
Co.  K  lost  three  killed,  six  wounded  and  one  prisoner.     After  this 
battle  the  regiment  received  eighty-four  recruits  to  fill  its  decimated 
ranks.      Before  the  close  of  the  year  eighteen  recruits  were  en- 
listed tor  Co.   K,  and  joined  the  command  early   in    1862.     The 
battle  of  Bull  Run  had  fully  tried  the  temper  of  the  regiment,  and 
won  for  them  a  high  reputation  for   bravery   and   steadiness,   by 
virtue  of  which  they  were  ever  after  assigned  the  post  of  honor, 
which  is  the  post  of  danger.     This  fact  is  attested  by  the  losses 
sustained  during  its  three   year's   honorable   service.     When   the 
regiment  left  the  state  it  numbered  1,046  men;  it  was  recruited  up 
to  1,729  men  subsequently,  and  of  these  only  416  remained  on  the 
rolls  when  it  returned  to  the  state.     The  regiment  was  present  at 
the  disastrous  battle  of  Ball's  Bluff,  October  21,  1861,  where  it  was 
ordered  to  cover  the  reti-eat  of  the  left  wing,  and  sixty-five  men  were 
detached  to  man  the  boats  at  Edwards'  Ferry,  in  which  the  crossing 
was  effected.     The  casualties  here  were  slight,  only  one  killed  and 
one  wounded.  The  regiment  went  into  winter  quarters  in  the  camps 
around  Washington,  and  took  the  field  early  in  the  following  spring 
to  serve  under  Gen.  MacClellan,  in  his  bloody  peninsula  campaign. 
Commencing  with  the  siege  of  Yorktown  in  April,  1862,  the  Minne- 
sota First   was  engaged  in   all  that  series   of   hard  fights  whicli, 
though  comparatively  fruitless  in  results,  forever  established  tlie 
reputation  of  the  citizen  soldiers  of  the  North,   and  covered  the 
participants  in  these  several  engagements  with  imperishable  laurels. 
The  rebel  forces  were  successively  encountered  at  West  Point,  Fair 
Oaks,  Peach  Orchard,  Savage  Station,  Glendale,  White-oak  Swamp, 
the  two  battles  of  July  1  and  August  5  at  Malvern  Hill.     Closing 
the  campaign  upon  the  peninsula  with  the  second  Malvern  nilT 
55 


916  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY.  . 

engagement,  the  regiment  returned  to  Washington,  and,  scarcely 
halting,  on  the  following  month,  after  a  lesser  tight  at  Vienna  on 
Sejitember  2,  took  ])art  in  the  tei-rible  sti-iiggle  at  Antietam  two 
weeks  later,  September  17,  1862.  In  this  latter  engagement  the 
regiment  again  lost  heavily,  the  casualties  in  the  Winona  company 
being  four  killed  and  six  wounded,  Captain  Holtjcborn  being  am(mg 
the  slain.  In  addition  to  the  battles  already  mentioned,  the  regi- 
ment was  in  the  tight  at  Charleston,  Virginia.  October  16,  1862,  in 
both  of  the  engagements  at  Fredericksburg,  at  Haymarket,  and  then 
in  that  most  disastrous  of  all,  the  battle  ol  Gettysburg,  fought  July 
2  and  3,  1863,  closing  their  brilliant  record  with  the  Mine  Run 
light,  November  27,  1863.  The  battle  fought  by  Meade,  at  Gettys- 
burg, Pennsylvania,  always  accepted  as  one  of  the  most  stubbornly 
contested  of  the  whole  war,  was  that  most  particular  occasion  on 
which  the  glorious  old  First  crowned  a  long  series  of  brilliant 
achievements  with  the  most  dazzling  of  them  all,  and  covered 
herself  with  imperishable  fame.  The  lirst  day's  fight  at  Gettysburg 
closed  with  the  advantages  decidedly  in  favor  of  the  enemy. 
Reynolds  was  killed,  and  the  Union  troops  engaged  were  driven 
from  the  field  and  through  the  city,  taking  up  a  position  on  Ceme- 
tery Hill. 

On  the  morning  of  the  second  days'  fight,  Longstreet  massed  his 
forces  to  crush  the  Union  left  under  Sickles.  A  desperate  struggle 
ensued,  in  which  Gen.  Sickles  fell,  and  his  troops  were  driven  back 
with  great  slaughter,  uncovering  the  left  center  of  the  T^nion  army, 
which  was  to  have  been  occupied  by  Hancock's  cor})s,  then  rapidly 
approaching.  Longstreet  marched  his  victorious  columns,  6,000 
strong,  directly  upon  this  unprotected  portion  of  Hancock's  line,  and 
would  have  penetrated  it  and  won  the  battle,  but  for  the  First  Minne- 
sota, which  was  then,  as  she  ever  had  been,  in  the  front.  Hancock 
saw  that  single  regiment  (some  say  325  strong,  Maj.  Magiimis  says 
2.52)  way  in  the  front,  and  dashing  up  to  Col.  Colville,  at  the  head  of 
the  First  Minnesota,  cried  out,  "Colonel,  advance  and  take  those 
colors  I"  It  was  a  march  to  death.  All  knew  it,  all  felt  it.  The 
desperation  of  despair  was  in  Hancock's  voice  as  he  hoarsely  cried, 
looking  around  upon  the  mere  handful:  "Great  God!  is  this  all 
the  men  we  have  here?"  Five  minutes'  delay  even  would  be  of 
incalculable  service.  Could  that  victorious  column  only  be  stayed  in 
its  march  until  Gen.  Williams'  division  could  come  into  })Osition  on 
the  right  the  day  might  yet  be  saved.      "Forward!"  shouted  Col. 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


917 


Colville,  and  the  doomed  regiment  stepped  down  the  slope  toward 
the  enemy  as  steadily  as  if  on  review.  No  excitement,  no  word 
or  cheer  escaped  their  lips.  Five  color-bearers  are  shot  down  ;  five 
times  the  tiag,  proudly  waving,  goes  on  as  before.  As  soon  as  the 
advance  of  the  gallant  First  was  noticed,  the  columns  ot  the  enemy 
halted  and  poured  in  a  murderous  fire  at  fifty  yards  distance.  In 
the  language  of  Maj.  McGinnis,  the  rebel  flanks  lapped  around  the 
heroic  First  like  water  round  a  rock.  "Charge,  men  !  "  ran  along  the 
line,  and  with  a  cheer,  emptying  their  guns  with  the  very  muzzles 
at  the  hearts  of  their  foe,  the  Minnesota  boys  were  upon  them  with 
the  steel.  Xo  ammunition  was  wasted.  A  clean  swath  was  made 
in  the  rebel  ranks,  and  the  recoil  upon  their  second  and  third  sup- 
porting lines  threw  them  into  confusion.  The  time  had  been  gained, 
a  Union  battery  poured  its  fire  into  that  confused  mass  and  the  as- 
tonished Minnesota  boys,  the  few  who  were  left,  found  no  longer  an 
enemy  in  their  front.  That  rebel  column  had  vanished  from  the 
field,  and  the  hearty  cheer  of  the  Union  reinforcements  rose  over  the 
field.  Maj.  Maginnis  says  :  "The  almost  fatal  attack  was  repulsed  ; 
but  where  was  the  First  Minnesota  ?  Had  they  deserted  the  field  for 
the  first  time  ?  This  was  the  first  idea  that  came  to  my  senses,  half 
oblivious  of  what  had  passed.  But  forty-seven  men  now  gathered 
around  the  colors.  Great  heavens  !  is  it  possible  that  the  other  205 
lie  bleeding  under  there?  Yes,  they  are  all  there  within  a  hundred 
square  yards  of  crimson  sward — 205  killed,  wounded,  none  miss- 
ing." The  colonel,  lieutenant-colonel,  major  and  adjutant  were  all 
wounded,  and  each  severely ;  out  of  twenty-one  line  ofiicers  only 
■fi've  were  fit  for  duty. 

The  following  letter  from  the  lieutenant  commanding  the  Winona 
company  gives  the  list  of  casualties  in  his  command  : 

Battlefield,  near  Gettysburg,  .July  4.  18(33. 
Editor  Winona  Republican: 

We  are  in  the  midst  of  a  terrible  battle,  and  what  remains  of  our  regiment 
is  now  for  the  third  day  in  the  front  line.  Co.  K  went  into  the  battle  with 
twenty-nine  men,  of  whom  twenty-two  beside  the  captain  are  either  killed  or 
wounded.     The  casualties  thus  far  are : 

Mortally  wounded— Capt.  Jos.  Periam. 

Killed— Lester  P.  Gore,  Randolph  Wright,  David  Taylor,  Augustus  Smith, 
Henry  C.  Winters,  Jacob  Geisreiter. 

Wounded— Sergts.,  M.  Marvin,  in  the  foot,  and  P.  Carpenter,  slightly. 
Corporals,  Timothy  Reily,  severely,  and  John  Einfelt  and  Charles  North, 
slightly.  Privates,  Charles  Behr,  Chester  L.  Durfee.  Israel  Durr,  Charles  Ely 
and  Peter  Vosz,  all  severely  ;  J.  S.  Eaton,  Charles  Goddard,  William  Kinyon, 


918  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

James  Turner,  Samuel  B.  Tenney  and  Louis  Hansen,  slightly.  (Peter  Vosz  and 
Israel  Durr  died  of  their  wounds  soon  after  the  battle).  Col.  Colville  is  severely 
wounded ;  Lieut.-Col.  Adams,  mortally ;  Maj.  Downie  and  Adjt.  Peller, 
severely  ;  Capts.  Messick  and  Muller  are  killed,  and  Farrar  mortally  wounded  ; 
Lieut.  Farrar  is  killed,  and  Lieuts.  Sinclair,  May,  Boyd,  1  )('marest,  DeHiray  and 
Mason,  wounded.  Two-thirds  of  the  regiment  are  killed  or  w(ninded.  We 
got  the  better  of  the  enemy  in  the  fight,  and  our  regiment  captured  one  stand 
of  colors.  Wm.  Lochrkn,  lieut.  commanding  Co.  K,  \st  reg.  Minn.  Vols. 

The  regimental  report  was  :  Mustered  ior  duty  before  the  action, 
325  ;  killed,  47  ;  wounded,  121  ;  missing,  70  ;  fit  for  duty,  87. 

The  regiment  returned  to  the  state  the  following  winter,  arriving 
at  Winona  February  12,  1864,  where  they  were  received  as  became 
the  bravest  of  the  brave,  and  then  proceeded  to  the  capital.  Having 
completed  its  three  years'  term  of  service  April  29,  1864,  and  the 
decision  of  the  war  department  being  to  the  eftect  that  the  regimental 
organization  could  not  longer  be  preserved,  the  First  Minnesota  was 
mustered  out  early  in  May.  Under  the  impression  that  they  would 
not  be  again  required  to  do  service  beyond  the  state  limits,  many  of 
the  old  veterans  re-enlisted,  and  these  with  the  recruits  formed  the 
1st  Minn.  Inf  Batt.  This  battalion,  about  200  strong,  was  ordered 
to  the  front  May  18,  1864,  and,  proceeding  to  Washington,  arrived 
there  June  2.  Though  contrary  to  their  understanding  at  the  time 
of  re-enlistment  the  remnant  of  the  old  First  were  loyal  to  their  colors, 
and  met  the  enemy  as  they  had  ever  done.  Resuming  their  old 
work  as  part  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  they  were  in  the  light  at 
Petersburg,  June  18,  1864,  at  the  Jerusalem  Plank  roads  on  the  22d 
and  23d  of  the  same  month,  and  at  Deep  Bottom  only  four  days 
later.  This  was  rather  active  work  for  a  battalion  impressed  with 
the  idea  that  they  had  veteranized  for  state  service,  that  the  later 
enlisted  regiments  who  had  not  borne  the  burden  and  heat  of  war 
might  have  a  share  in  the  perils  and  glory  of  ho,  work  at  the  front. 
But  this  was  not  the  end  of  the  battalion's  services  ;  August  14, 
1864,  they  were  again  under  fire  at  Deep  Bottom,  and  before  the 
month  closed  had  again  met  the  enemy — this  time  at  Ream's  Station. 
Hatcher's  Run  engagement  was  participated  in  by  them  October  27, 

1864,  making  six  encounters  with  the  enemy  since  leaving  their 
native  state. 

The  campaign  of  1865  found  them  in  the  field,  and  they  opened 
tlieir  work  of  that  year  just  where  they  closed  it  the  previous  fall — 
at  Hatcher's  Run — this  second  engagement  occurring  February  5, 

1865.  Shortly  after  this  engagement  Co.  C,  which  consisted  entirely 


MILITARY    RECORD.  919 

of  new  recrnits,  joined  the  battalion,  and  the  command  as  thus  con- 
stituted took  an  active  part  in  the  campaign  commencing  March  28, 
and  which  resulted  in  the  capture  of  Petersburg  April  2,  1865,  and 
the  surrender  of  Lee's  army  just  one  week  later.  Four  new  com- 
panies joined  the  battalion  at  Berksville,  Virginia,  in  April,  and  all 
marched  to  Washington,  District  of  Columbia,  in  May,  where,  after 
being  joined  by  two  more  companies,  they  were  ordered  to  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky,  in  June.  They  continued  in  service  until  mustered 
out  at  Jeifersonville,  Indiana,  July  14,  1865,  and  were  finally  dis- 
banded at  Fort  Snelling,  Minnesota,  on  the  25th  of  the  same  month. 
The  number  of  men  who  joined  this  battalion  as  recruits  from 
Winona  county  cannot  be  ascertained.  The  two  companies  forming 
the  original  battalion  lost  in  killed,  died  from  wounds,  or  other  causes 
in  the  service,  a  total  of  forty-two  men  during  the  time  they  remained 
in  service.  Bj  reference  to  the  RepxMican  tiles  of  1861-5  it  is 
quite  certain  that  at  least  150  men  from  Winona  county  entered  the 
1st  regiment  of  infantry,  and  not  less  than  forty-five  the  1st  infantry 
battalion,  so  that  Winona  is  justly  entitled  to  a  credit  of  195  men  as 
her  quota  in  furnishing  the  1st  regiment  and  battalion. 

SECOND    REGIMENT    MINNESOTA   INFANTRY. 

This  regiment  was  partially  recruited  under  the  first  call  for 
troops,  and  it  was  intended  by  those  who  first  interested  tliemselves 
in  recruiting  the  men,  who  subsequently  became  a  part  of  this  com- 
mand, to  form  a  company  for  the  first  regiment.  That  regiment 
filled  its  ranks  so  rapidly  that  more  men  ofifered  than  were  needed, 
and  those  who  could  not  join  the  first  naturally  took  their  places  in 
the  second.  For  this  regiment  Winona  county  furnished  men  as 
follows  : 

Co.  A — Corps.:  Alex.  H.  Bolin,  Zebediah  W.  Marsh;  Privates:  Ebenezer 
E.  Corliss,  William  N.  Corliss,  Saml.  W.  Cox,  Jacob  Rose,  George  Hewett, 
George  Rockwell,  Chas.  B.  Rouse,  Alonzo  F.  VVorden,  Wm.  H.  Boss,  Justice  B, 
Brainard,  Alonzo  Foster,  Geo.  L.  Gates,  H.  J.  Marsh,  Nathan  Marsh,  Wm.  T. 
Richards,  Frank  A.  Van  Vleet. 

Co.  B — Privates :  Franklin  Katlig,  Arthur  Wellington, 

Co.  C — Privates :  John  G.  Ellis,  Elpharen  A.  Parks. 

Co.  F — Privates :  Erick  Iverson,  Thomas  H.  Brown,  Rob.  H.  Chapman, 
George  H.  Page. 

Co.  G — Private,  Nicholas  Shierard. 

Co.  H — Privates :  Lewis  Erickson,  Recharten  Martin,  Ole  Oleson,  Ole  N. 
Oleson,  Plans  Thompson. 

Co.  I — Privates :  Herman  H.  Stage,  John  J.  Grindell,  Sherburne  Cady. 

Co,  K — Privates:  John  C,  Smith,  John  Vreeland. 


920  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

This  regiment  was  organized  under  the  call  for  three-years  men, 
and  was  mustered  into  service  in  July,  1862.  In  tlie  following 
October  it  was  ordered  to  Louisville,  Kentucky,  and  was  there 
assigned  to  duty  as  part  ot  the  army  of  the  Ohio.  January  19, 
1862.  the  regiment  had  its  iirst  encounter  with  the  enemy,  at  what 
is  usually  called  Mill  Spring,  on  the  headwaters  of  the.  Cumber- 
land. The  rebel  forces,  consisting  of  seven  regiments  of  infantry,  two 
battalions  of  cavalry,  and  six  pieces  of  artillery,  attempted  to  sur- 
prise the  throe  Union  regiments  lying  between  the  river  and 
Somerset.  The  Union  forces  were  prepared  to  give  them  a  warm 
reception,  and  after  a  severe  light  of  two  hours  the  battle  was  won 
tor  the  Union  forces  by  a  gallant  charge  of  the  9tli  Ohio,  supported 
by  the  2d  Minnesota.  The  rebel  loss  in  killed  was  192 ;  the  Union 
loss  39  killed,  207  wounded.  The  2d  lost  twelve  men  killed,  or 
died  from  wounds  received.  This  battle  was  followed  by  that  of 
Corinth,  Mississippi,  in  April,  1862,  and  were  then  transferred  to 
the  army  of  the  Tennessee.  September  18,  1862,  Bragg  made  his 
famous  proclamation  to  the  Kentuckians,  and  entered  the  state,  as 
he  said,  to  stay.  Buell  delayed  meeting  Bragg  for  some  time,  but 
finally  encountered  him  at  Perryville,  and  after  a  hard  tight,  in 
which  the  greater  losses  were  on  the  Union  side,  the  rebels  with- 
drew from  the  tield  under  cover  of  darkness.  In  this  battle  the  2d 
Minnesota  was  actively  engaged,  and  sustained  the  reputation  they 
had  gained  at  Mill  Spring.  This  action  was  fought  October  8,  1862. 
They  were  in  tiie  battle  of  Chickamauga  September  19  and  20,  1863, 
and  lost  quite  heavily  in  killed  and  wounded.  The  Mission  Ridge 
fight  of  November  25,  1863,  added  another  to  the  list  of  hard-wo{i 
fights  in  which  they  had  participated.  In  January,  1864,  the  regiment 
veteranized,  and  the  following  summer  took  part  in  the  skirmishes 
and  fights  of  the  great  Atlanta  campaign,  being  engaged  with  the 
enemy  at  liesaca,  June  14,  15  and  16 ;  at  Kenesaw  Mountain,  June 
27;  were  with  Sherman  when  he  came  through  Georgia  and  down  to 
the  sea,  through  the  Carolinas,  their  last  engagement  being  at  Ben- 
tonville.  North  Carolina,  March  19,  1865.  Returning  home,  they 
were  mustered  out  at  Fort  Snelling,  July  11,  1865. 

The  3d,  4th,  5th  and  6th  regiments  of  infantry  had  so  few  mem- 
bers from  Winona  county  that  any  particular  mention  of  the  service 
of  these  regiments  seems  unnecessary,  only  forty-two  men  from 
Winona  county  being  enrolled  in  the  four  regiments  named.  These 
regiments  were  in  the  west,  and  the  first  two  saw  hard  service  in 


MILITARY    RECORD. 


921 


the  sieges  of  Vicksburg  and  Atlanta,  and  all  the  series  of  brilliant 
battles  fought  in  connection  therewith.  The  5th  was  also  at  the 
siege  and  assault  upon  Vicksburg. 

THIRD    MINNESOTA    REGIMENT    INFANTRY    ( WINONA    COUNTY)    ENLISTMENTS. 

Col.  Henry  C.  Lester,  originally  captain  of  Co.  K,  1st  Minn.  Reg.  Inf. 
Co.  B — Private,  Samuel  Neill. 

Co.  K— Privates :  James  L.  Bundy,  Abisha  Thomas,  John  Delac,  Hiram 
Ketchum,  Walter  Millett,  James  Okins,  Wm.  H.  Rice,  Jules  E.  Welkins. 

FOURTH    REGIMENT   MINNESOTA    INFANTRY. 

Surgeon,  W.  H.  Wedell. 

Co.  C— Private,  Bernard  L.  Hamilton. 

Co.  E— Private,  George  Spies. 

Co.  H— Private,  Henry  Trachte. 

Co.  K— Privates :  Geo.  Carey,  James  FuUerton,  W.  H.  Fry,  John  Hammer, 
Arthur  Littlefield,  Wm.  Tripp,  Hiram  Van  Buren,  Dan  K.  Bishop,  Eugene 
Oviatt,  Thomas  P.  Baldwin. 

SIXTH    REGIMENT    MINNESOTA  INFANTRY. 

Co.  A— Privates:  George  W.  Eagles,  George  Howard,  Moses  Bryant, 
Charles  Bryant,  Chauncey  L.  King,  John  R.  King,  John  Quinn,  Milton  R.  Sea- 
man, Marvin  H.  Tolan. 

Co.  B — Private,  John  Jacobs. 

Co.  C— Privates :  Charles  S.  Hall,  John  Johnson,  John  Maurer,  Peter  T. 
Nordeen,  Abram  Muisiner,  John  Malcolm. 

Co.  D— Private,  Archibald  Thompson. 

Co.  K— 2d  Lieut.,  Charles  L.  Gayle. 

THE    SEVENTH    KEGIMENT    INFANTRY. 

This  regiment  contained  two  full  companies  of  Winona  soldiers, 
and  part  of  a  third.  Cos.  B  and  D  were  exclusively  recruited 
in  this  county,  and  several  men  from  Co.  G.  The  whole 
number  enlisting  from  the  county  in  the  regiment  being  258,  nearly 
double  the  number  enrolled  in  any  other  regimental  organization, 
as  having  enlisted  here.  The  names  of  officers  and  men,  as  they 
appear  upon  the  rolls  of  Cos.  B,  D,  G,  are  : 

Quarterm.,  Henry  G  Bolcom  ;  Serg.  Maj.,  Alvah  E.  Dearborn;  Com.  Serg., 
Geo.  L.  Richardson ;  Prin.  Mus.,  Henry  H.  Rogers. 

Co.  B— Capt.,  John  Curtis;  1st.  Lieut.,  Albert  H.  Stevens;  2d  Lieut., 
Archibald  A.  Rice;  Sergs.:  Ermon  D.  Eastman,  John  W.  Wilson,  C.  C. 
Chapman.  John  Hammond,  James  McDonald  ;  Corps.:  Geo.  L.  Coburn,  Geo.  E. 
Merrill,  Henry  G.  Bilbie,  Stephen  Mills,  Samuel  H.  Harrison,  Henry  H.  Rogers, 
Myron  Tomes,  James  T.  Rammes ;  Mus.:  Benj.  B.  Evans,  John  Pritchard ; 
Wagoner,  Jas.  H.  MoFarland  ;  Privates :  Ethan  W.  Allen,  Obed  Averell,  Geo. 


922  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Blackwell,  Geo.  E.  Brown,  H.  C.  Bolcom,  Charles  Billings,  Emerson  W.  Bigelow, 
Alfred  Bartlett,  Win.  Burns,  Iliram  W.  W.  Bell,  Jacob  C.  Beach,  Geo.  W. 
Buswell,  Napoleon  Chamberlin,  Collens  Corey,  John  Clears,  Harry  Clark, 
Robert  Cully,  Edward  Dowlinij,  Daniel  Dana,  Alvak  E.  Dearborn,  James  D. 
Daniels,  Joseph  Dalley,  Jacob  Deacondress,  David  Dubblebies,  Benjamin 
Every,  Maurice  Fletcher,  Geo.  E.  Fletcher,  Oscar  G(nigin8,  John  Hughs, 
Thiimas  Hanley,  Barzelia  B.  Howe,  George  Holbert,  Josei)h  Hazen,  Janes  B. 
Howell,  John  R.  Harris,  Albert  T.  Hough,  Edwin  C.  Hinckley,  David  A.  Kenedy, 
Watson  Lamson,  Joseph  Larney,  Richard  D.  Lefler,  James  Lynn,  John 
Lighthall,  James  Moaks,  Jerry  Murphy,  Henry  Mountain,  John  W.  Moore, 
Winborn  S.  Marsh,  Noah  D.  Marsh,  Isaac  M.  May,  Edwin  .S.Metcalf,  Robert  F. 
Norton,  William  Newman,  George  P.  Nichols,  Zedekeah  Neal,  John  B.  Pres- 
wick,  Douglas  F.  Pierson,  Martin  V.  Post,  Hiram  Phillips,  Phileties  A.  Phillips, 
David  A.  Penkman,  William  S.  I^atterson,  Frank  C.  Richardson,  Geo.  W. 
Raymond,  AVni.  P.  Rogers,  William  Stevens,  Ernst  Shuman,  Leander  Slade, 
Maurice  W.  Taylor,  Ulrick  Therman,  Alanson  Turner,  Jeptha  Turner,  Samuel 
G.  Wright,  Anselius  Wilgus,  Levi  Ward,  Amos  B.  Watson,  Charles  E.  Bradt, 
Francesco  Burley,  David  Q.  Burley,  Jeremiah  Biram,  Wheelock  Carpenter, 
John  Debois,  James  L.  Denman,  Eugene  Fadden,  Harrj'  Gray,  Calvin  V.  Gray, 
John  Ginney,  Moses  M.  Haines,  Peter  J.  Hammer,  F.  D.  Joy,  Thomas  H.  King, 
John  Knible,  William  Lewis,  Peter  LeMay,  Thomas  C.  Marsh,  John  W. 
Mnrphy,  J.  B.  Norton,  Martin  V.  Oliver,  Geo.  L.  Richardson,  Henry  Sleinbeck» 
John  F.  Smith,  Cornelius  P.  Turner,  John  W.Thackery,  Jacob  Turner,  William 
Wright,  William  Watson,  John  N.  Miller. 

Co.  D  —  Capt.,  Rolla  Banks;  1st  Lieut.,  Norman  Buck;  2d  Lieut.,  Zebedia 
W.  Marsh  ;  Sergs.:  Martin  Robinson,  Malcolm  Clark,. Franklin  Kideto,  James 
M.  Canfield,  Chares  J.  Kenyon  ;  Corps.:  Mathew  Monahan,  A.  S.  Hagay, 
Helkiah  Lilley,  Franklin  Webb,  Louis  P.  Grout,  Geo.  A.  Carsley,  Thomas 
Davidson,  Levi  B.  Whillock ;  Mus..  Alson  Barton,  Wm.  Shay;  Wagoner, 
John  Morrison  ;  Privates  ;  Isaac  Bertrand,  Charles  Brewer,  Chas  L.  Blair,  Geo. 
Bissett,  Abert  C.  Buck,  John  B.  Berry,  John  Bolin,  John  Bissett,  James  J. 
Berry,  Charles  L.  Berghart,  Jefferson  Buthrick,  Edwin  Brown,  Asbury  B. 
Clark,  Daniel  M.  Cooper,  Dudley  C.  Cass,  Gilbert  C.  Corey,  Daniel  H.  Cherry, 
John  Cripps,  Albert  J.  Clark,  Robt.  W.  Davidson,  James  Davis,  John  A. 
Dickson,  Geo.  H.  Ellsbury,  John  Frederick,  Eugene  Fay,  Judson  "W.  Fuller, 
Geo.  M.  French,  Albert  H.  Fuller,  Arnold  W.  Grout,  Orrin  Grout,  Oliver  P. 
Gales,  Edwin  D.  Gilbert,  Fletcher  C.  Harvey,  Henry  C.  Hitchcock,  Henry  W. 
Hughes,  Irvin  M.  Hill,  John  Hanley,  John  K.  Howe,  Thomas  Hartley,  Melzar 
Hutton,  Edward  D.  Jackson,  Horace  E.  Jeffrey,  George  V.  Jenkins,  Levi  D. 
Libbty,  Bens(m  Lee,  Gardner  W.  Lee,  John  Leighton,  Daniel  G.  Leighton, 
"William  Montgomery,  Malcolm  Mott,  Samuel  McCann,  Ober  Nelson,  Arnold 
Newcomb,  Stephen  L.  Northrop,  Wm.  O'Hara,  Edgar  A.  Perkins,  Daniel 
Phelps,  George  Richardson,  Rufus  Reed,  Daniel  Stedman,  Benjamin  F. 
Shaffner,  William  Small,  Henry  L.  Small,  Morgan  J.  Thomas,  Mark  Thompson, 
Calvin  J.  Vance,  Jacob  Van  Slyke,  Edwin  D.  Wilmot,  John  H.  Whillock, 
Andrew  Winget,  Chas.  F.  Wegener,  Edmund  Wriglit,  William  Brown,  David 
J.  Butterfield,  Files  Brickert,  John  L.  Burton,  Andrew  Bathrick,  Henry  Barker, 
Alvan  Canfield,  Herman  Canfield,  William  Edwards,  Henry  Ehrendreich, 
Charles  E,  Eves,  Henry  T.  Hysell,  Elmore  D.  Hysell,  Wm.  Lynch,  Phileoman 


MILITARY    RECORD.  923 

Lee,  Hiram  W.  Mallory,  Wm.  W.  Parker,  George  Pinkham,  Wm.  D.  Parks, 
Delos  M.  McReady,  Philip  Saftbrd,  Hialmer  Stone,  Martin  Schultz,  Albert  M. 
Smith,  Joseph  Roberton,  John  R.  Woodworth,  Christian  Walker,  William  C. 
Sweet. 

Co.  G — Privates:  Edward  Hewett,  Ole  N.  Holverson,  Ole  Larson,  Olans 
Larson,  Henry  Murray,  Wm.  Nolan,  Foster  Peterson,  Peter  Peterson,  Ole  J. 
Skadson,  John  Weaver,  Ole  H.  Wentzell. 

This  regiment  was  mustered  into  service  in  August,  1862,  but 
instead  of  being  ordered  south,  as  the  men  so  much  desired,  they 
were  sent  to  the  frontier  in  the  expedition  against  the  Indians,  where 
hard  marching,  little  lighting  and  no  glory  was  the  order  of  the  day. 
In  September,  1862,  they  had  a  brush  with  the  Indians,  at  Wood 
Lake,  in  this  state,  and  spent  the  winter  of  1862-3  in  the  forts  on 
the  Indian  frontier.  In  May,  1863,  they  were  ordered  upon  a  second 
Indian  expedition,  and  were  engaged  with  the  hostiles  during  the 
latter  week  in  July  of  that  year,  at  the  battle  of  Big  Mound,  so 
called  by  way  of  distinction,  but  the  campaign  soon  ended,  and  on 
October  7,  1863,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  St.  Louis.  In  April, 
1864,  they  were  sent  to  Paducah,  Kentucky,  Irom  thence  to 
Memphis,  Tennessee,  and  in  June  of  that  year  were  assigned  to  the 
16th  army  corps.  Under  Gen.  A.  J.  Smith  they  started  from  Salis- 
bury, fifty  miles  east  of  Memphis,  on  the  17th  of  July,  1864, 
and  skirmishing  with  Forrest's  cavalry  reached  Tupelo,  Mississippi, 
July  14,  where  the  rebel  general  had  concentrated  his  command, 
14,000  strong,  and  where  he  had  resolved  to  fight.  Three  times 
the  assault  was  made  upon  the  Union  lines  and  as  often  repulsed, 
Forrest  being  finally  driven  from  the  field  with  the  loss  of  as  many 
killed  as  the  Union  army  had  in  both  killed  and  wounded.  August 
7  and  8,  1864,  the  regiment  was  in  action  at  Tallahatchie,  and  were 
thence  ordered  into  Arkansas  to  pursue  Price.  Took  part  in  the 
chase  from  Brownsville,  Arkansas,  to  Cape  Girardeau,  Missouri, 
thence  by  boat  to  Jefferson  City,  thence  to  the  Kansas  border,  and 
finally  to  St.  Louis.  The  regiment  was  also  engaged  in  the  battles 
of  December  15  and  16,  1864,  at  Nashville,  Tennessee,  and  at  the 
siege  of  Mobile,  in  April,  1865.  The  war  having  closed  and  their 
terra  of  enlistment  having  expired,  tliey  returned  to  the  state  and 
were  mustered  out  at  Fort  Snelling,  August  16,  1865,  having  been 
in  the  army  at  the  south  nearly  two  years. 

The  8th  Inf  regiment  had  only  ten  enlisted  men  from  Winona 
county,  and  of  these  only  five  are  known  positively,  they  are  : 


924  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Co.  D  —  Serg.,  E.  B,  Cxerry  ;  Corp.,  Amos.  T,  Crowl ;  Privates  :  Wni.  Crowl, 
Jos.  R.  Maxwell. 

Co.  H  —  Private,  Edwin  8.  Metcalf. 

The  9th  regiment  was  organized  in  August,  1862,  under  the 
same  call  that  brought  the  7th  into  existence,  and  like  that  regiment 
was  stationed  upon  the  frontier,  and  engaged  in  guarding  the  western 
borders  of  the  state  from  Indian  depredations,  until  ordered  south 
in  September,  1863.  It  was  largely  engaged  in  the  same  skirmishes, 
raids  and  severer  engagements  as  the  7th  regiment,  and  the  history 
of  the  one  is  so  near  the  history  of  the  other  that  a  recapitulation  is 
unnecessary.  The  9th  regiment,  however,  or  that  part  ol  it  recruited 
from  Winona  county,  Co.  K,  had  a  taste  of  Andersonville  that 
did  not  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  more  fortunate  7th.  At  the  battle 
of  Gunton,  June  10,  1864,  Gen.  S.  D.  Sturges  was  completely  out- 
generaled by  Forrest,  and  his  whole  command  routed  and  driven 
back,  "the  pursuit  continuing  almost  to  Memphis.  In  this  battle 
and  retreat  the  9th  Minnesota  lost  heavily,  300  men  being  captured, 
most  of  whom  were  confined  in  the  rebel  pen  at  Andersonville. 
Company  had  thirty-two  men  taken  prisoners,  all  of  them  strong, 
healthy,  able-bodied  men,  and  of  these  only  eleven  survived  the 
terrible  sufferings  of  that  rebel  slaughterhouse  :  one  in  three  was 
the  small  pi-oporti(»n  of  the  survivors.  The  prisoners  reached  Ander- 
sonville about  June  20,  and  some  of  the  few  who  survived  the  three 
months  of  barbarous  cruelty  and  slow  starvation  were  then  sent  to 
South  Carolina,  and  released  late  in  the  month  of  November. 

The  names  of  Winona  members  of  this  regiment  are  : 

Surgeon,  Bingham. 

Co.  A  —  Privates:  Wm.  A.  Liint,  Alexander  Rice,  Absalom  Rice. 

Co.  K  —  ( "apt.,  D.  W.  Wellman  ;  2d  Lieut.,  Charles  Neidenhoffen  ;  .Sergs.: 
George  Hayes,  Hugh  ]McAlden,  Geo.  AVheelock,  Ditty  Deirks;  Corps. :  William 
G.  Brown.  Francis  Fletcher,  Charles  Abbott,  Jerry  G.  Wood,  George  Gray, 
Patrick  Murray;  Mns.,  Jacob  Inman;  Privates:  John  Banman,  Miram  Bur- 
rows, Hiram  A.  Buck,  Ezra  Chesrow^n,  Samuel  Donald,  Albert  T.  Downing, 
Charles  Deitrich,  Henry  Ehmke,  T.  Fenstemacher,  John  G.  Frederick,  William 
Gordon,  John  Gordon,  John  F.  Guxthner,  Charles  H.  Higby,  Hans  Jansen, 
George  A.  Jenkins,  Franz  Koelmel,  John  King,  Hans  Luthey,  Samuel  Mickel, 
Thomas  Morton.  Charles  Newton,  Peter  Nerairs,  Enoch  Pike,  George  Reis, 
Daniel  Rochester,  Lyman  Raymond,  Charles  Sprung,  Chauncy  L.  Hill,  Seth 
Hoag,  Gregine  B.  Lacy,  Johnson  A.  Stout,  Martin  Short,  Charles  R.  Tuttle, 
Michael  AV.  Lawton,  Joseph  Contune,  Gustav  Shatt,  Wiihelm  Stark,  Benjamin 
F.  Tanner,  Jacob  Wiltse,  (ieorge  D.  Watchter,  Alonzo  F.  Wheelock,  Sayles 
Brown,  James  D.  Chamberlin,  (feorge  B.  Coniff,  Edwin  Day,  Allan  Hilton, 


MILITAEY    RECOKD.  925 

Samuel  Hackett,  John  E.  Harvey,  Christ  KoUer,  James  H.  Sackett,  Anson 
Spencer,  Levi  C.  Taylor,  William  E.  Walker,  Myron  A.  Tower,  Rob.  H. 
Durham. 

The  10th  Minnesota  had  only  thirteen  men  from  Winona  county, 
distributed  as  follows  : 

Surgeon,  Saml.  B.  Sheardown. 

Co.  C — 1st  Lieut.,  Albert  S.  Hempson  ;  Corp.,  Alonzo  D.  Putnam ;  Privates: 
Gilbert  F.  Hancock,  James  R.  Pope,  Wm.  A.  Miles,  Robt.  S.  Rolph,  Henry 
South  wick,  Henry  8nyder,  Ebenezer  L.  Starr,  Geo.  W.  Tennj\ 

Co.  E — Private,  Godfrey  Huber. 

The  service  of  this  regiment  was  practically  the  same  as  that  of 
the  Tth. 

The  11th  regiment,  the  last  infantry  regiment  raised  in  Minnesota 
for  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  was  mustered  in  the  service  in  August, 
1864,  and  was  principally  engaged  in  defending  the  approaches  to 
Nashville,  guarding  bridges  and  railway  lines.  No  record  of  the 
Winona  enlistments  can  be  obtained.  The  lieutenant-colonel  was 
John  Ball,  of  Winona,  who  was  first  sergeant  of  Co.  K  of  the  old 
1st  Minnesota,  who  was  successively  promoted  second  lieutenant, 
first  lieutenant,  and  received  his  captain's  commission  May  6,  1863. 
The  quartermaster  of  the  11th  was  Nathaniel  C.  Gault,  of  this  city, 
who  is  authority  for  the  statement  tliat  of  the  men  composing  com- 
panies I  and  K  of  his  regiment  at  least  one-third  (he  thinks  more 
than  that)  were  from  Winona  county,  and,  as  he  spent  nearly  two 
months  in  assisting  to  secure  enlistments  throughout  the  county, 
knows  whereof  he  speaks.  This  would  make  the  quota  furnished  by 
this  county  about  seventy  men. 

FIRST  KEGIMENT  HEAVY  ARTILLERY 

Was  organized  in  April,  1865.  There  were  in  this  regiment  nineteen 
volunteers  from  Winona  county,  viz  : 

Chaplain,  Chas.  Griswold ;  Surgeon,  Milo  M.  Mead. 

Battery  A — Privates :  Andrew  Beran,  Edwin  J.  Clark,  James  Finch,  Abram 
Nelson,  Saml.  P.  Marlett,  Theod.  E.  Zielckoe. 

Battery  B — 1st  Lieut.;  Lon  A.  Abred;  Privates:  August  Cooper,  James 
Gordon,  Michael  Gordon,  Saml.  C.  Tomlinson. 

Battery  C — Privates :  Lambert  Miller,  Monroe  Ricker. 

Battery  D — Private,  Cornelius  C.  Hinckley. 

Battery  F — Privates :  Leonard  Hoffman,  Charles  H.  Lindsey,  James 
Pepper. 

The  regiment  was  sent  to  Chattanooga,  Tennessee,  and  was  sta- 


926  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

tioned  in  the  defenses  there  until  mustered  out  of  service,  in  the 
September  following  their  enlistment. 

The  mounted  rangers,  sharpsliooters,  Hatch's  cavalry  battal- 
ion, and  Brackett's  battalion  of  cavalry  furnished,  all  told,  tliirty-six 
of  their  men  from  Winona  county,  only  one  name  appearing  among 
the  shar])shooters  —  that  of  Tlioraas  Donlon  —  wliose  name  is  not 
on  the  lists  by  commands  herewith  appended. 

The  mounted  rangers  were  only  on  frontier  duty,  and  were  not 
sent  to  the  army  at  the  south. 

Brackett's  battalion  cavalry  was  organized  in  November,  1861, 
and  was  ordered  to  Benton  barracks,  Missouri,  the  following  month. 
Their  first  assignment  was  to  a  regiment  known  as  "  Curtis  Horse," 
and  they  afterward  formed  companies  C,  D  and  K  of  the  5th  Iowa. 
They  were  at  Fort  Henry  in  February,  1862,  at  the  siege  of  Corinth 
in  April  following,  and  at  Fort  Herman,  Tennessee,  the  next  August. 
Tliey  became  a  veteran  organization  in  1864;  were  ordered  to  the 
northwest  upon  the  Indian  expedition  of  that  year,  and  mustered 
out  about  June  1,  1866. 

Hatch's  battalion  cavalry  was  organized  in  July,  1863,  and  was 
ordered  to  Pembina,  Dakota  Territory,  in  the  following  year.  May, 
1864,  it  was  ordered  to  Fort  Abercrombie,  and  there  remained  until 
mustered  out,  in  the  early  summer  of  1866. 

FIRST    REGIMENT    MOUNTED    RANGERS. 

Asst.-Surgeon,  Bino;ham  ;  Saddlery  Sergt.,  George  Parks. 
Co.  A — Privates :  David  Coulter,  Patrick  Hagerty,  John  H.  Hicks,  George 
Perath. 

brackett's  cavalry  BATTALION. 

Co.  A — Privates :  W.  H.  Barclay,  Hugh  Barclay,  George  Nelson,  Duncan  B. 
Stocking,  Rob.  C.  Barclay,  Christopher  Beck,  Augustus  Jones,  David  W.  James, 
M.  W.  Webber. 

hatch's   BATTALION    CAVALRY. 

Co.  A — Private,  Sylvester  Bedal. 

Co.  B — 2d  Lieut.,  Stephen  H.  Miner;  Corp.,  Frank  A.  Holtsman  ;  Mus., 
Geo.  B.  Hazen;  Privates:  Henry  J.  Cook,  Chas.  H.  Googins,  Wm.  Holtzinan, 
Alfred  Miller,  .lachry  Putman,  G.  J.  Russell,  Gilbert  R.  Tucker. 

Co.  C — Privates:  John  Currie,  Jos.  A.  Hardwicke,  Lewis  Kopp,  Christian 
Lohre,  Ferdinand  Wander. 

Co.  D— 2nd  Lieut.,  Wm.  R.  Ross;  Privates:  John  S.  Dilley,  Lafayette 
Fisher,  F.  W.  Gates. 

Co.  E — Private,  Timothy  Young. 


MILITARY    RECORD.  •  927 

2d  Minnesota  Cavalry  was  organized  in  January,  1864.  Tlie 
number  of  enlistments  from  Winona  county  were  128,  as  follows  : 

Saddler  Sergt.,  Torger  Swinson. 

Co.  A — Corp.,  James  Walker;  Privates:  Ira  C.  Brewer,  Austen  Maxwell, 
Curtis  Smith. 

Co.  B— Private,  E.  A.  Pattee. 

Co.  G — Sergt.,  Seth  B.  Chase;  Privates:  Chittle  Chittlerin,  Geo.  Dunn, 
Hans  Jahnsen,  James  I.  King,  Wm.  Marcy,  Jas.  Richardson,  Michael  P.  Ryan, 
Swand  Wilson,  Hewit  M.  Yeomas. 

Co.  I — Capt.,  Isaac  Bonham ;  1st  Lieut.,  Wm.  L.  Sherman ;  1st  Sergt.,  David 
G.  Smith;  Quarterm.  Serg.,  Chas.  E.  Churchill;  Com.  Serg.,  George  Little; 
Sergs.,  Bradford  Welch,  Nathan  E.  Sherman,  Julius  Williams,  Sebastian  Geis- 
reiter,  Ed.  R.  Green ;  Corps. :  Thomas  Brown,  Jonathan  Mosher,  Morris  M.  Small, 
Ruftis  Gage,  Charles  Green,  Van  B.  Burkitt,  David  Huddlestone,  John  E.  Kane; 
Farrier,  Simeon  Todd ;  Blacksmith,  John  B.  Gerard ;  Saddler,  Torger  Swendson; 
Wagoner,  Obed  Andrews;  Privates:  Chas.  W.  Andrews,  Abraham  Anderson, 
John  Adamson,  John  Berkers,  S.  C.  Boardman,  Geo.  W.  Bingham,  Horace 
Barnes,  N.  Barker,  Charles  Bandy,  Harvey  Bartholomew,  Lewis  H.  Bingham^ 
Geo.  H.  Crow,  John  Carey,  Hagen  Christopherson,  Albert  E.  Clark,  John 
Carter,  Ferdinand  Cox,  John  W.  Crow,  Mark  Downs,  Austin  S.  Dunning,  Geo. 
W.  Donald,  Jos.  W.  Emerson,  Evan  Evanson,  Frank  Eaton,  Albert  Eaton, 
Frank  P.  Field,  George  Ferris,  John  E.  French,  Andrew  Galvin,  Charles  M. 
Gage,  Wm.  Grover,  Nathan  Green,  Scott  Hathaway,  Byron  F.  Hathaway, 
David  L.  Jones,  Alfred  M.  Jones,  Phillip  Kelley,  John  F.  McCoy,  Ole  Nelson, 
John  Oleson,  Michael  O'Hare,  Pike  Paine,  Elijah  W.  Putney,  Heber  C.  Palmer, 
Geo.  Radabaugh,  John  Robash,  Tobias  N.  Ryckman,  Edward  Ryan,  Wm.  I. 
Strawbridge,  Wm.  Streeter,  David  Traver,  Peter  J.  Traver,  David  Van  Alstine, 
Henry  S.  Williams,  John  Williams,  Harry  W.  Warren,  John  H.  Wright,  Fritz 
Zander,  Anton  Artz,  John  M.  Hazen,  Benjamin  Hazen,  Tomlinson  Pears,  Lewis 
Gowdy,  Nelson  Breed. 

Co.  L— Capt.,  Horatio  S.  Bingham ;  Serg.,  Lewis  Skidmore  ;  Corps. :  Hugh 
Callander,  Geo.  W.  Brown;  Farrier,  Nelson  D.  Munson;  Wagoner,  William 
Hinds ;  Blacksmith,  Arthur  D.  Ketchum ;  Saddler,  John  Franklin ;  Privates  : 
Levi  S.  Elmer,  Rob.  M.  Elliott,  Renaldo  S.  Farrall,  W.  H.  Jacoby,  James  Kit- 
chell,  Anson  V.  Kimber,  Stephen  Lawrence,  David  S.  Lay,  Johnson  E.  Myers, 
Montgomery  Milford,  Joseph  M.  Donald,  John  McMurdie,  Saml.  P.  Reed,  Jas. 
T.  Smith,  Gehiel  Sames,  Ole  Torgeron,  S.  Burton,  James  Konkwright. 

The  regiment  was  ordered  upon  the  Indian  expedition  of  May, 
1864,  and  were  stationed  at  frontier  posts  until  mustered  out  in 
1865  and  1866,  by  companies.  Very  many  of  this  regiment  were 
men  who  had  served  their  terms  of  enlistment  at  the  south  and  had 
re-entered  the  service  as  veterans. 

FIRST    BATTERY    LIGHT     ARTILLERY. 

This  command  received  seventy-six  enlisted  men  from  Winona 
county.     The  battery  was  accepted  for  service  by  the  government  in 


928  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

October,  1861,  and  the  following  December  was  ordered  to  St. 
Louis,  and  from  that  j>oint  to  Pittsburgh,  landing  the  following 
Febriiarv,  1862.  They  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  April  5 
and  6,  1862  ;  siege  of  Corinth  the  same  month ;  battle  of  October 
3  and  4.  1862;  the  march  to  Oxford,  Mississippi,  and  thence  to 
Memphis,  Tennessee,  and  were  then  assigned  to  the  17th  army 
corps.  In  January,  1864,  became  a  veteran  organization,  and  were 
afterward  ordered  to  Cairo,  Illinois,  thence  to  Huntsville,  Alabama, 
and  from  there  to  Altoona,  Georgia,  and  to  Ackworth  in  the  same 
state.  They  took  part  in  the  battles  of  Kenesaw  Mountain,  the 
siege  of  Atlanta,  July  22-28,  1864,  and  then  took  the  route  through 
Georgia  and  the  Carolinas  with  Sherman's  army  in  the  great  march. 
They  were  mustered  out  at  Fort  Snelling,  Minnesota,  June  30, 
1865.     The  Winona  county  members  of  this  batteiy  were  : 

1st  Lieut.,  Ferd.  E.  Peebles;  Sergs. :  William  Z.  Clayton,  Jesse  Connor; 
Corps.:  Harison  Washburn,  Sylvester  Fry,  Pliinnens  Gates,  Albert  T.  Rogers; 
Privates:  Hiram  Campbell,  Henry  Doly,Raizin  Everett,  Samuel  Frothingham, 
Jacob  Earner,  William  F.  Gates,  Thomas  Gorden,  George  A.  Greenfield,  Solo- 
mon Hayden,  Charles  A.  Johnson,  William  Koethe,  George  King,  Davis  King, 
Murray  Kelley,  William  McGinnis,  Die  Nesburg,  Andrew  0.  Nelson,  Joseph 
Noyes,  .Tosei)h  O'Hara,  Joseph  Seigle,  Cyrus  Smith,  Nicholas  Shammel,  Richard 
O.  Tilson,  John  W.  Torrey,  Josiali  E.  Van  Goden,  S.  Woodward,  ("harles  F. 
Wade,  WilUam  H.  Wiltsey,  William  R.  Wolbert,  Lenuiel  Woodle,  Marcus  A. 
Wooley,  Samuel  Wooley,  Marcus  W.  Watson,  Daniel  W.  Wright,  Philip  H. 
Wilson,  Noah  Blanchard,  James  Bayliss,  Charles  Bayliss,  James  C.  Burroughs, 
John  L.  Blair,  Silas  E.  Crandall,  Robert  Cheatham,  H.  L.  Church,  John  W. 
Church,  Rob  C.  Eagles,  James  J.  Folke.  James  C.  Fisher,  Albert  C.  Grant,  A. 
O.  Gross,  Michael  Hall,  Elmore  Hyrell,  John  W.  Haviland,  O.  R.  T.  Kingsley, 
John  H.  Ledstrand,  Peter  M.  Lee,  E.  D.  Lathrop,  John  W.  Mallarin,  Benjamin 
W.  Macomber,  George  W^.  Page,  Alonzo  Patchin,  p]d  A.  Rowley,  William 
T.  Scott,  R.  Salisbury,  E.  Sheeks,  Stephen  H.  Van  Horn,  Daniel  W.  Wright, 
George  W.  Wlnans,  Henry  S.  Wood,  Alonzo  W.  Young. 

SECOND     BATTERY,    LIGHT    ARTILLERY. 

Winona  county  furnished  for  this  organization  a  contingent  of 
thirty-eight  men,  and  for  the  3d  battery,  four  men. 

The  2d  battery  was  organized  in  December,  1861,  and  was  not 
ordered  from  the  state  until  the  following  April,  when  it  went 
south  to  St.  Louis,  first,  and  afterward  to  Corinth,  Mississip])i. 
This  command  as  well  as  the  1st  battery  saw  hard  service,  and  did 
effective  work.  The}'  were  at  the  siege  of  Corinth  ;  upon  the  track 
of  Bragg  during  his  Kentucky  raid,  and  then  assigned  to  the  army 


MILITARY    RECORD.  9 'J  9 

of  the  Tennessee,  were  at  the  battle  of  Perryville,  October  8  and  9, 
at  Lancaster,  October  12  ;  Knob  Gap,  December  20,  1862,  and  ten 
days  later,  at  the  sharp  light  at  Stone  Kiver,  Then  followed  Tul- 
lahoma,  the  march  to  Rome,  Georgia,  via  Stephenson,  Alabama, 
Caperton's  Ferry,  and  finally  to  Lookout  Mountain.  September  19 
and  20,  1863,  they  were  in  the  Chickamauga  light ;  then  at  Mission 
Kidge,  November  25  ;  thence  through  Kihggold,  Georgia,  to  the 
relief  of  Knoxville,  Tennessee,  and  at  Buzzard's  R(wst  Gap.  The 
battery  veteranized  in  March,  1864,  and  were  in  the  battle  of 
Nashville,  December  15  and  16,  ol  that  year.  Returned  to  the 
state  and  were  mustered  out  at  Fort  Snelling,  July  13,  1865. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  Winona's  contribution  to  these  two 
batteries  : 

SECOND    BATTERY,    LIGHT    AKTILLERY. 

1st  Lieut.,  Richard  L.  Dawley ;  Serg.,  John  S.  White ;  Corps.:  John  C.  Van 
Vleet,  Horatio  N.  Joy;  Privates:  William  Blake,  George  Crowsen,  Perry 
Fisher,  John  Gibson,  Silas  Howard,  Ottis  M.  Hunter,  G.  Hamilton,  James  A. 
Haggadown,  James  W.  Boardman,  John  Decondress,  Carter  Fuller,  John  W. 
Hovey,  Jerry  A.  Hovey,  John  I.  Hopkins,  George  Hitchcock,  Samuel  Loudon, 
W.  S.  Hale,  Ira  C.  Munson,  Lauritz  Oleson,  John  C.  Phelps,  Emil  Solner,  John 
M.  Sisler,  W.  F.  Silsbee,  Gulbi'and  Toftner,  Christopher  Anderson,  John  H. 
Church,  John  A.  Handy,  Benjamin  F.  Joy,  James  P.  Jackson,  Andrew  Main, 
Alonzo  Mixter,  Ole  Oleson,  2d,  George  I.  Rule,  Charles  M.  Whitman. 

THIRD    BATTERY,    LIGHT    ARTILLERY. 

Privates:  William  H.  Billington,  Henry  Cheatham,  George  Herning, 
Joseph  B.  Wheelock. 

The  number  ol  men  killed,  wounded,  captured,  missing,  died  in 
service  of  wounds  or  sickness,  cannot  be  accurately  given.  The 
reports  are  too  incomplete,  and  private  statements  too  conflicting 
to  be  relied  upon  for  a  historical  narrative.  The  men  furnished  by 
Winona  county,  whose  names  appear  above,  aggregate  801.  Add 
to  these  the  unknown  recruits  ol  the  1st  regiment  and  battalion  ol 
infantry,  the  enlistments  in  the  11th  infantry,  and  others  whose 
names  cannot  be  given  in  the  8th  regiment,  and  it  is  certain  that 
Winona  county  lurnished  not  less  than  1,000  men  for  national  de- 
fense during  the  war  of  the  rebellion.  It  must  not  be  forgotten, 
however,  that  while  Minnesota  was  thus  loyally  endeavoring  to  do 
her  part  in  the  great  struggle  for  national  existence,  she  was  for  a 
time  seriously  handicapped  by  an  Indian  war  on  her  own  frontier. 
To  meet  this  incursion  of  the  hostiles  calls  were  made  upon  the 
various  sections  of  the  state  for  volunteers  for  this  special  purpose. 


930  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUMTY. 

Among  the  responses  made  to  this  call  was  that  of  Winona,  in 
furnishing  and  equipping  a  com]>any  of  cavalry  for  the  Indian 
campaign.  This  company,  enlisted  by  C.  F.  Buck,  left  Winona 
for  the  frontier  September  1,  1862,  and  are  in  no  way  included 
among  the  troops  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  list.  There  were  also 
several  incidents  connected  with  the  "home  army,"  the  men  wlio 
stayed  behind  and  furnished  the  sinews  of  war ;  the  women  who 
gave  time,  and  prayers,  and  tears,  and  means,  and  loving  sympa- 
thies to  the  work  of  sustaining  the  courage,  and  ministering  to  the 
health  of  the  sick,  and  the  needs  of  the  wounded  in  camp  and 
hospital.  A  few  of  these  incidents  illustrative  of  Winona  county 
loyalty  and  zeal  are  here  given. 

The  Winona  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  was  established  in  the  fall  of 
1861.  Some  time  in  April,  1864,  a  communication  was  received 
from  St.  Paul  requesting  the  Winona  society  to  become  a  branch  of 
a  state  sanitary  commission  which  the  people  at  the  capital  were 
then  organizing,  or  had  just  organized.  The  reply  of  the  secretary 
of  the  Winona  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  is  a  little  too  long  for  publica- 
tion, but  here  are  some  of  the  points.  The  Winona  society  had 
contributed  $2,675.25,  for  the  benefit  of  the  soldiers  since  November 
12,  1862  ;  the  St.  Paul  society  had  sent  no  sanitary  supplies  for  tw^o 
years,  though  the  cit}^  was  three  times  as  populous  as  Winona  ;  the 
Winona  society  was  then  shipping  at  the  rate  of  fifty  bushels  a  day; 
had  recently  pushed  out  for  the  organization  of  auxiliary  societies, 
and  had  then  thirty  in  active  operation.  Of  the  amount  previously 
mentioned,  Winona  city  had  contributed  all  save  $150  ;  the  ladies  also 
had  a  $200  box  ready  for  the  Mississippi  sanitary  fair,  and  had  just 
put  in  operation  a  plan  by  which  they  expected  to  secure  a  contri- 
bution of  6,000  bushels  of  wheat  from  the  southern  Minnesota 
farmers.  The  writer  of  the  letter  pointed  the  whole  by  declining  to 
become  tributary  to  a  society  located  in  a  place  three  times  as 
populous  as  Winona,  and  yet  which,  according  to  the  published 
reports  of  the  jN.  W.  Sanitary  Society,  had  not  sent  forward  one 
dollar's  worth  of  sanitary  su]>plies  in  two  years. 

When  the  call  for  500,000  troops  was  made  by  the  government 
in  1861,  John  A.  Mathews,  of  this  city,  offered  a  flag  of  the  value 
of  $100  to  the  first  com])auy  that  would  organize  under  that  call  in 
Winona  county.  The  honors  fell  to  Co.  B,  Ttli  reg.  Inf.,  Ciyjt. 
Curtis  commanding ;  the  flag  was  presented  April  16,  1863,  and 
consigned  to  the  care  of  Capt.  Curtis,  then  ab  home  on  leave  of 


MILITARY    RECORD.  931 

absence.  The  flag  itself  was  a  beautiful  national  ensign,  regulation 
size,  manufactured  to  order  by  Tiffany  &  Co.,  of  New  York.  The 
material  was  of  heavy  silk,  the  stars  embroidered  in  white  silk 
thread  on  a  blue  field.  It  was  furnished  with  a  jointed  staff,  sur- 
mounted with  an  eagle  and  tipped  with  silver.  The  silver  plate  on 
the  staff  bears  the  inscription  "Presented  by  John  A.  Mathews,  to  Co. 
B,  Capt.  John  Curtis,  7th  reg.  Minn.  Yols.  It  is  by  no  means  neces- 
sary to  record  the  patriotic  work  of  the  citizens  of  Winona  county  in 
supplementing  the  work  of  their  fathers,  brothers,  sons  and  hus- 
bands at  the  front.  No  regiment,  either  of  their  own  or  neighbor- 
ing states,  passed  through  the  city  without  experiencing  the  hospital- 
ity of  the  generous  citizens,  to  whom  a  soldier  was  always  a  son  of 
the  country,  and  a  regiment  or  company  of  them  a  most  welcome 
guest.  The  frequent  visits  of  citizens,  on  private  account  or  com- 
missioned by  Soldiers'  Aid  or  other  societies  to  the  front,  will  long 
be  remembered  by  those  who  received  their  welcome  visits  in  camp 
or  in  hospital.  The  letters  sent  home  recounting  the  heroism  ot 
loved  ones  in  the  hour  of  danger,  and  the  unselfish  messages  that 
came  from  the  suffering  ones  will  never  be  forgotten.  But  these 
are  only  the  universal  experiences,  and  these  mementoes  but  the 
general  possession  of  the  nation,  Winona  being  but  one  among  the 
tens  of  thousands  of  such  communities  all  over  the  north  from  April, 
1861,  to  April,  1865.  The  amount  of  Winona's  private  benefac- 
tions, independent  of  the  public  moneys  voted  for  bounty,  and 
which  were  derived  from  direct  tax  levied  upon  the  property,  footed 
up  about  $52,000,  including  private  subscriptions  for  bounty  funds. 
No  draft  was  ever  actually  resorted  to  to  fill  Winona's  quota;  the 
enrollment  was  frequently  made,  and  two  or  three  times  a  draft 
was  ordered,  but  a  more  careful  enumeration  of  the  actual  enlist- 
ments within  the  county  always  showed  that  the  quota  of  the 
county  was  either  in  excess  or  filled,  or  so  nearly  so  that  the  actual 
conscription  was  unnecessary,  and  so  it  was  to  the  end.  Winona 
county  met  all  demands  upon  her  most  nobly,  and  left  in  the  record 
of  her  loyal  sons  a  legacy  of  true  devotion  to  government,  and  of 
deep  attachment  to  the  principles  of  the  "fathers,"  and  of  abiding 
faith  in  the  perpetuity  of  republican  institutions  that  will  enrich  all 
after  generations  of  her  citizens. 
56 


CHAPTER  LXIL 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


Note. — The  matter  contained  in  this  chapter  was  received  too  late  for 
insertion  in  its  proper  order. —  Ed. 

Bethany  Mokavian  church  was  organized  by  Rev.  H.  Reuswig, 
July  6,  1867.  It  was  composed  ot  people  residing  in  the  town- 
ships of  Norton  and  LFtica,  and  numbered  fourteen  adult  members 
and  three  children.  The  first  meetings  were  held  at  the  house  of 
Ferdinand  Hans,  on  Sec.  4,  and  subsequently  in  the  ' '  Red  scliool- 
house,"  on  Sec.  5.  In  a  short  time  a  residence  and  schoolhouse,  in 
one  building,  were  constructed  on  the  northeast  corner  of  the  latter 
section,  and  meetings  were  held  in  the  schoolroom.  In  1872  a 
church  building  was  erected  adjoining  the  schoolhouse.  This  is 
40x50  feet  in  area,  and  has  a  capacity  for  seating  three  hundred 
persons  ;  its  cost  was  $1,500,  and  that  of  the  other  buildings  of  the 
society  about  $900.  A  handsome  and  convenient  parsonage  was 
built  near  the  church,  on  Sec.  32,  Norton  township,  by  Rev. 
Reuswig,  and  is  now  rented  for  the  use  of  his  successor ;  it  will, 
doubtless,  soon  be  purchased  by  the  society.  Rev.  J.  Peter  Guten- 
sohn  took  charge  of  the  ]mrish,  on  the  withdrawal  of  Mr.  Reuswig, 
in  July,  1882.  Although  several  communicants  have  gone  away, 
there  is  still  a  powerful  organization,  including  eighty-eight  adult 
people  ;  there  is  a  Sunday-school  of  over  sixty  members,  presided 
over  by  Julius  Schattschneider.  The  elders  of  the  body  are  William 
Buchholz  and  August  Strehlow.  Tiiere  is  a  board  of  five  trustees, 
of  which  William  Benedit  is  president,  Julius  Schattschneider 
secretary  and  Ferdinard  Hans  treasurer ;  the  other  members  are 
John  Schwager  and  William  Scheel. 

The  first  Universalist  sermon  delivered  in  this  township  was 
at  the  funeral  of  Oliver  Peabody,  January  12,  1868,  by  Rev.  §.  A. 
Gardiner.  Mr.  Gardiner  subsequently  delivered  several  discourses 
here,  and  finding  some  encouragement,  proceeded  to  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  society.  In  1870  this  was  accomplished,  the  membership 
then  numbering  forty  persons.  J.  H.  Perry,  James  Holt  and 
Benjamin    Ellsworth    were   the   trustees,    and   Benjamin    Peabody 


MISCELLANEOUS.  933 

secretary.  A  strong  ladies'  society  was  also  a  part  of  the  church 
machinery.  Shortly  after  the  organization,  Rev.  I.  M.  Westphall  took 
charge  and  preached  in  the  schoolhouse  at  Utica  once  a  month  for 
five  years.  He  was  succeeded  by  a  Mr.  Marvin,  who  labored  one 
year.  Several  of  the  members  having  died  or  moved  away,  there 
was  not  sufficient  strength  to  maintain  preaching,  and  it  has  occurred 
only  at  rare  intervals  since.  Meetings  are  occasionally  held  in  the 
schoolhouse  near  the  residence  of  J.  H.  Perry,  and  there  is  still  a 
strong  leaven  of  [Jniversalism  in  the  township. 

Rescue  Lodge^  No.  1'28,  I.O.G.T.^  was  organized  at  Utica, 
November  16,  1882,  with  eighteen  charter  members.  Following  is 
a  list  of  the  first  officers:  W.C.T.,  H.  S.  Terry;  W.V.T.,  Mrs. 
Anna  C.  Hammer;  chaplain,  J.  S.  Stofer;  W.Sec,  G.  H.  Geutsko; 
W.F.S.,  Miss  E.  L.  Holt;  W.Treas.,  Henry  Brown;  W.M.,  K 
Reed;  W.I.G.,  MissL.  Terry;  W.O.S.,  S.  Wilmot;  lodge  deputy,  S. 
L.  Stofer.  The  meetings  are  held  every  Saturday  evening  in  their 
hall,  over  a  hotel,  and  the  lodge  is  growing  steadily  in  numbers  and 
prosperity.  It  now  has  a  membership  of  sixty-three,  with  the  fol- 
lowing officers  :  P.W.C.T,,  H.  S.  Terry  ;  W.C.T.,  C.  M.  Boyles  ; 
W.V.T.,  Miss  E.  L.  Holt;  W.S.,  E.  M.  Rowley;  W.F.S.,  Mrs.  A.  C. 
Hammer;  W.C,  M.  Brown;  W.M.,  John  Blair;  W.T.,  T.  J.  Ham- 
mer; W.I.G.,  Mabel  Blair;  W.O.S.,  S.  L.  Stofer. 

Wewspapers. — During  the  year  1881  O.  S.  Reed  began  the 
publication  of  a  democratic  paper  called  the  "  Lewiston  Index." 
Finding  no  support  in  that  democratic  stronghold,  he  removed  his 
establishment  to  Utica,  where  C.  M.  Boyles,  then  teaching  there, 
agreed  to  assume  editorial  charge  and  share  the  expense  of  pub- 
lication. The  first  issue  of  the  Utica  "Transcript"  was  put  forth 
on  November  20,  1881.  It  was  a  five-column  quarto,  neutral  in 
politics,  and  flourished  for  a  season.  Mr.  Boyles  withdrew  from 
connection  with  it  in  April  following,  and  soon  the  paper  began  to 
advocate  the  greenback  idea,  which  proved  its  deathblow,  and  it 
was  discontinued  on  July  1.  These  are  all  the  journalistic  ventures 
ever  attempted  in  this  town. 

James  H.  Perry,  farmer,  was  born  September  26,  1827,  in 
Dutchess  county.  New  York,  where  his  father,  Sanriuel  Perry,  was 
born,  February  26,  1794.  His  mother,  Minerva,  was  a  daughter  of 
Dr.  Mather,  of  Connecticut,  descendant  of  the  renowned  Cotton 
Mather,  of  Salem,  and  was  born  September  24,  1798.  Samuel 
Perry  removed  to  Chautauqua  county  when  the  subject  of  this  sketch 


984  HISTORY  OF  winona  county. 

was  but  a  small  boy,  and  the  latter  was  reared  on  a  farm  there, 
attending  the  common  school,  and  spendhig  a  short  time  at  West- 
field  Academy.  At  nineteen  years  of  age  he  began  teaching,  and 
taught  six  terms.  His  father  was  a  carpenter,  and  he  early  learned 
the  use  of  tools,  and  soon  became  a  valuable  assistant  in  his  father's 
labors.  In  1854  he  set  out  for  the  wide  west.  After  working  at 
his  trade  for  two  years  in  Johnstown,  Wisconsin,  he  returned  to  New 
York,  and  in  the  spring  of  1857,  came  to  Winona,  and  again  took 
up  carpenter  work.  In  1859  he  purchased  320  acres  of  land,  lying 
in  Sees.  29  and  30,  Utica,  and  removed  to  his  present  residence  on 
Sec.  29  in  March,  1860.  lie  now  has  360  acres  in  this  township, 
and  is  a  prosperous  and  progressivle  farmer.  He  has  been  called 
upon  to  manage  town  affairs  nearly  every  year  since  his  residence 
here,  having  been  a  supervisor  fifteen  years,  and  chairman  of  the 
board  all  that  time,  save  two  years.  He  has  been  twent3^-three  years 
a  school  officer,  and  in  the  fall  of  1882  was  elected  county  commis- 
sioner for  the  term  of  three  years.  He  was  one  of  the  active  organizers 
of  the  Universalist  society  in  his  township,  and  has  labored  to 
sustain  it  from  first  to  last.  In  political  principle  he  is  a  democrat. 
On  December  7,  1856,  Mr.  Perry  was  joined  in  holy  matrimony  to 
Miss  LncindaM.,  daughter  of  Amasa  Morey,  of  Rhode  Island,  and 
Abigail  Young,  of  Connecticut.  She  was  born  in  West  Winfield, 
New  York,  June  19,  1833.  They  have  five  children,  born  as  here 
recorded  :  Fred  L.,  January  14,  1858,  married  Ella  M.  Baker,  and 
lives  on  Sec.  30,  opposite  his  father's  residence;  Lillian  E.,  February 
13,  1800;  Eva  A.,  December  9,  1862;  Edith  E.,  March  11,  1865; 
James  W.,  October  12,  1868.  In  1863  Mr.  Perry  was  drafted  as  a 
soldier,  but  supplied  a  substitute,  as  he  could  not  leave  his  family. 

Jonathan  Moshek,  farmer,  has  been  a  resident  of  Winona 
county  since  1860,  arriving  here  April  24,  that  year.  He  bought 
fitly  acres  of  land  in  Norton  township,  on  which  he  dwelt  till 
December,  1862,  when  he  sold  it.  On  November  18,  1863,  he 
enlisted  in  the  2d  Minn.  Cav.,  Co.  I,  and  served  till  November  22, 
1865,  on  the  western  frontier  ;  he  was  stationed  at  Fort  Snelling, 
Kasota,  Fort  Ridgely,  Jackson  and  Heron  Lake,  at  various  periods 
of  this  time.  In  the  spring  of  1866  he  bought  a  piece  of  land  on 
Sec.  30,  Utica,  where  he  has  continued  since  to  dwell  and  till  the 
soil.  He  has  seventy-nine  acres  of  level  and  finely  improved  land, 
and  is  an  independent  farmer.  Mr.  Mosher  is  somewhat  skeptical 
about  the  divine  authority  of  the  bible,  although  a  believer  in  and 


MISCELLANEOUS.  985 

supporter  of  religion?  He  votes  the  republican  ticket.  Mr.  Moslier 
is  a  son  of  Ricliard  Mosher,  a  native  of  Westchester  county,  New 
York,  and  was  born  in  Bedford,  in  the  same  county,  March  12, 
1836  ;  his  mother's  maiden  name  was  Mehetable  Jerman,  and  she 
was  born  in  Connecticut.  Jonathan  Mosher  assisted  his  father  on 
the  farm,  and  attended  the  common  scliool  till  seventeen  years  old, 
after  which  he  cared  for  himselt,  working  out  at  farm  labor.  In 
1858  he  went  west  and  located  in  Green  Lake  county,  Wisconsin. 
Here  he  was  married,  in  February,  1859,  to  Mary  E.,  daughter  of 
John  Corbett,  of  Boston,  and  Abigail  Hurd,  of  Harmony.  Maine  ; 
she  was  born  in  Belfast,  Maine,  January  13,  1839.  They  have  four 
living  children,  given  them  as  below  noted  :  Ernest,  born  Decem- 
ber 21,  1861,  now  a  student  of  the  Winona  Normal  School ;  Eviah, 
born  October  4,  1869  ;  Laura,  born  December  1,  1871  ;  Roy,  born 
September  30,  1875. 

John  Posz,  farmer,  was  born  in  Billegheim,  Bavaria,  May  19, 
1827.  He  attended  the  common  schools  of  his  native  land  till 
fourteen  years  old,  as  there  required  by  law,  and  so  made  use  of  his 
opportunities  as  to  secure  a  large  fund  of  general  information.  This, 
coupled  with  a  naturally  perceptive  mind,  enabled  him  to  acquire  a 
good  knowledge  of  American  ideas,  customs  and  language  on  his 
arrival  in  this  country,  and  he  now  ranks  among  the  progressive  and 
leading  men  of  Winona  county.  Mr.  Posz  crossed  the  ocean  in 
1849,  and  was  employed  as  a  moulder  for  many  years  in  a  Connecti- 
cut four  dry.  In  1858  he  came  to  Utica,  and  has  ever  since  followed 
farming  here.  At  first  he  purchased  forty  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  10; 
his  next  acquisition  of  land  embraced  twenty-six  acres,  the  next 
forty,  and  so  on  till  he  now  has  240  acres  of  prairie  land  and  a  forty- 
acre  timber  lot  in  Elba  township.  He  was  elected  supervisor  in 
1869,  assessor  in  1874  and  the  three  succeeding  years;  again  chosen 
supervisor  in  1879  and  every  year  since  He  is  an  independent 
democrat :  in  religion  a  Calvinist,  and  a  member  of  Aurora  Grove 
Druids,  Lewiston.  Mr.  Posz  was  united  in  marriage,  March  4,  1854, 
to  Margaret  Bickel,  who  was  born  in  the  same  province  as  himself, 
April  7,  1833.  They  have  ten  children,  as  follows:  Amelia,  born 
February  15,  1855,  married  Bernhard  Sackreiter,  and  lives  on  Sec. 
22  ;  George  B.,  born  August  24,  1856,  married  Bertha  Pingel,  and 
resides  on  Sec.  16;  John  H.,  born  April  22,  1858;  Frank,  born 
March  14,  1860,  now  clerk  in  register's  ofhce  at  Winona;  Joseph, 
born  January  29,  1862;  married  Dora  Hunt,  and  is  now  living  at 


936  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Winona  ;  Maggie,  born  January  10,  1864,  married  Bemhard  M.  See- 
man,  and  dwells  at  Lewiston ;  Edward,  born  December  20,  1866  ; 
Julia,  born  December  5,  186!) ;  Catharine,  born  January  16,  1872 ; 
Walter  II.,  born  March  26,  1875. 

Jonas  B.  Stkbbins,  farmer,  was  born  in  Brookline,  Windham 
county,  Vermont,  February  12,  1827.  His  father,  Rufus  Stebbins, 
was  also  born  in  Brookline.  Jothan,  father  of  Rutus,  was  born  in 
Massachusetts,  and  enlisted  under  Benedict  Arnold,  and  served 
through  the  revolutionary  struggle.  Clarissa  Blandin,  who  married 
Rufus  Stebbins,  and  became  the  mother  of  this  subject,  was  a  native 
of  the  same  township  as  her  husband.  Jonas  Stebbins  was  reared 
on  a  farm,  his  education  being  finished  by  two  terms  at  an  academy. 
'When  nineteen  years  old  he  took  up  carpenter  work,  which  he 
followed  till  1856.  In  the  fall  of  1855  he  became  a  resident  of 
Winona,  and  in  April,  1857,  -he  bought  160  acres  of  land  on  Sec. 
17,  in  Utica  township,  where  his  home  has  been  since  that  time, 
and  he  became  a  tiller  of  the  soil.  He  has  a  finely -improved  farm, 
with  buildings  of  his  own  construction.  He  made  the  doors  and 
sash  of  his  residence  with  his  own  hands.  His  domain  now  includes 
210  acres.  July  7,  1861,  Mr.  Stebbins  became  the  husband  of 
Mariali  S. ,  widow  of  Albert  D.  Randall,  of  New  York,  who  died  in 
Louisiana  in  1859,  and  daughter  of  J.  B.  Jayne.  (Mrs.  Stebbins' 
father  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Utica,  where  he  died.  May  5, 
1881.  He  was  a  republican,  and  served  as  town  supervisor;  was  a 
Methodist  for  fifty  years,  and  active  in  church  work.  He  left  a  repu- 
tation for  honesty  and  upright  life  that  will  outlive  him  many  years. 
He  was  born  in  Sraithtown,  Suffolk  county,  New  York,  December  8, 
1804.  and  was  therefore  in  his  seventy-seventh  year  at  death.  January 
15, 1829,  he  was  married  to  Sarah  Smith,  a  native  of  Connecticut.  In 
July,  1856,  Mr.  Jayne  became  a  resident  of  this  town,  buying  land 
on  Sec.  11,  which  he  tilled  until  1869,  when  he  removed  to  St. 
Charles.  After  the  death  of  his  wife,  which  occurred  October  22, 
1876,  he  resided  the  remainder  of  his  days  with  his  daughter,  Mrs. 
Stebbins.  He  was  the  father  of  eight  children,  two  of  whom  are 
now  living.  One  son  died  in  the  army  in  1862.  Austin,  the  only 
remaining  son,  has  been  a  sailor  all  his  life,  oeing  over  twenty  years 
master  of  a  vessel.  He  resides  in  New  York  city.)  Mrs.  Stebbins 
was  born  in  Smithtovvn,  November  19,  1835.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stebbins 
have  been  prominent  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
ever  since  its  organization  here,  the  former  being  steward  and  class- 


MISCELLANEOUS.  937 

leader  all  the  time.  He  is  a  republican,  and  served  as  supervisor  in 
1878-9-80.  Mrs.  Stebbins  is  the  mother  of  four  children,  the 
eldest — Eugene  W.  Randall,  born  January  1,  1859  —  graduated 
Irom  the  Winona  normal  school  in  1879,  and  is  now  editing  a  paper 
at  Morris,  Minnesota  (married  Dora  Stone).  Mr.  Stebbins'  children 
were  born  and  christened  as  follows:  Sidney  J.,  August  7,  1862; 
lives  in  Rochester,  Minnesota;  Ida  G.,  February  24,  1861:,  is  teach- 
ing in  Morris;  Webster  J.,  December  3,  1869. 

Richard  Patterson,  farmer,  was  born  near  Hull,  in  Yorkshire, 
England,  December  11.  1821.  He  received  the  benefit  of  the 
English  common  schools  till  nine  years  old,  and  was  then  employed 
at  farm  labor.  At  twenty  years  of  age  he  emigrated  to  America, 
and  lived  at  Lansingburg,  New  York,  three  years.  After  a  visit  to 
England,  he  again  dwelt  in  the  United  States  three  years.  Again 
returning  to  England,  he  was  married  there  on  January  2,  1850,  to 
Mary  Wallis,  who  was  born  within  a  mile  of  his  birthplace,  Sep- 
tember 17,  1826.  Mr.  Patterson  immediately  came  with  his  bride 
to  America  and  engaged  in  farming  at  Dresden,  New  York,  for  five 
years.  After  spending  a  year  in  Jackson  county,  Iowa,  he  came  to 
Winona  county,  settling  in  Utica  in  1856.  He  took  up  160  acres  of 
school  land  on  Sec.  16,  to  which  he  afterward  obtained  a  deed. 
Here  he  dwelt  ten  years,  then  sold  the  property  and  bought  161 
acres  on  Sec.  11,  in  St.  Charles,  and  still  lives  thereon  ;  he  has  also 
fifteen  acres  on  Sec.  1,  which  he  purchased  for  its  timber.  His 
farm  is  graced  with  excellent  buildings,  and  his  house  is  handsomely 
furnished.  Mr.  Patterson  is  a  prosperous  farmer,  and  a  hospitable 
and  genial  man.  He  has  been  a  republican  since  Lincoln's  time. 
Five  of  his  children  grew  to  maturity,  of  whom  four  are  now 
living.  Here  is  their  record  :  Amy  C,  born  May  1,  1851,  married 
K  C.  Dell,  died  December  18,  1880,  and  left  one  child,  Mary  R, 
born  July  9,  1872,  who  lives  with  Mr.  Patterson;  Frederick  W., 
born  September  17,  1854,  married  Maria  Vowles,  and  lives  at 
Wentworth,  Dakota  Territory;  Joseph  W.,  born  July  4,  1861  ; 
Annie  E.,  born  September  19,  1864  ;  Emma  L.,  born  August  2, 
1867. 

William  Small,  farmer,  was  born  March  17,  1844,  in  Tipperary, 
Ireland.  At  seven  years  of  age  he  came  with  his  parents  to 
America,  and  was  brought  up  on  a  farm  in  Green  Lake  county, 
Wisconsin.  In  1858  he  came  to  Minnesota,  and  resided  some 
years   in   the  town  of  Quiiicy,  Olmsted  county.     On   August  15, 


938  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

1862,  being  then  but  eighteen  years  old,  he  enlisted  in  the  United 
States  service,  serving  just  three  years  in  Co,  D,  Ttli  Minn.  Inf.  He 
was  under  Gen.  Sibley  in  several  skirmishes  with  the  Indians  on  the 
western  frontier,  and  subsequently  joined  tlie  western  army.  He 
participated  in  the  battles  of  Tupelo,  Mississippi,  Nashville,  Ten- 
nessee, Spanish  Fort  and  Fort  Blakeley,  and  numerous  minor 
engagements.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  returned  to  this  locality, 
and  was  married  January  27,  1866,  to  Miss  Sophia  Talbot,  of  this 
township.  He  bought  ninety-five  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  15,  in  1871, 
and  has  since  tilled  the  same.  He  also  rented  a  half  of  Sec.  14, 
belonging  to  S.  T.  Harris,  on  which  he  dwells.  Mr.  Small  was 
reared  under  Roman  Catholic  teachings,  and  is  a  democrat.  He  has 
three  living  children,  born  as  follows:  Charles  W.,  January  28, 
1867  ;  Minnie  S.,  July  28,  1869  ;  Lillie  B.,  February  12,  1870. 

Marquis  "Waldo  "Watson,  farmer.  John  "Watson,  father  of 
"Waldo,  was  born  in  Coleraine,  Massachusetts  ;  he  married  Lucy 
Webber,  a  native  of  Springfield,  same  state,  and  settled  on  a  farm 
in  Caledonia,  Racine  county,  Wisconsin,  where  the  subject  of  this 
sketcli  was  born,  October  20,  1840.  He  attended  the  Racine  city 
schools,  and  assisted  his  father  in  the  tillage  of  the  farm  while  out 
of  school.  In  the  fall  of  1860  John  Watson  removed  to  Fremont, 
in  this  county,  and  bought  a  large  farm  on  Sees.  9  and  16,  where  he 
died.  May  27,  1882.  Waldo  Watson  came  with  his  father  to  Min- 
nesota, and  enlisted  November  21,  1861  (a  month  after  reaching  his 
majority),  in  the  1st  Minn,  battery  of  liglit  artillery,  and  served 
until  July  3,  1865.  He  was  an  actor  in  the  battles  of  Shiloh,  siege 
of  Corinth,  second  Corinth,  Raymond,  sieges  of  Vicksburg,  Atlanta 
and  Savannah,  besides  numerous  smaller  engagements  and  skir- 
mishes, where  Sherman's  army  went.  Returning  to  Minnesota 
after  the  war,  Mr.  Watson  has  ever  since  dwelt  here.  He  was 
married  to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Schermerhorn,  whose  parentage  is  else- 
where given,  November  23,  1867.  They  have  been  given  two 
children,  born  as  follows  :  Waldo  E.,  October  20,  1868,  and  Nellie 
G.,  September  25,  1880.  Mr.  Watson  coincides  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  in  religious  faith,  and  with  the  republican  i)arty  in 
political  principle.  In  the  fall  of  1875  he  bought  228  acres  of  land 
on  Sees.  34  and  35,  St.  Charles,  where  he  has  since  resided,  and  is 
now  an  independent  farmer.  He  had  previously  owned  and  lived 
on  several  farms  in  Fremont  and  Saratoga  for  periods  of  two  to  four 
years. 


MISCELLANEOUS.  939 

William  Schermerhoen,  farmer,  was  born  in  Schenectady,  New 
York,  August  6,  1824.  His  fatlier,  Jacob  Sclierraerhorn,  was  born 
in  the  same  city;  his  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Eleanor 
Tubbs,  was  born  in  Bethlehem,  New  York.  Mr.  Schermerhorn  was 
reared  on  a  farm,  and  has  followed  the  tilling  of  ground  nearly  all 
his  life.  In  1849  he  went  into  the  grain  business  in  Albany,  where 
he  continued  six  years.  January  17,  1847,  he  married  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Wilson)  Blair,  natives  of  Massa- 
cliusetts  and  Vermont.  She  was  born  in  Troy,  New  York,  on 
Christmas  day,  1826,  and  died  October  13,  1877,  leaving  eight 
children,  as  follows  :  Sarah  E.,  born  June  22,  1847,  married  M.  W. 
Watson,  and  lives  on  Sec.  35;  William  J.,  born  December  7,  1849, 
and  Jjolm  S.,  born  August  10,  1851,  live  together  on  a  farm  in 
Fremont  township;  Catharine  J.,  born  April  18,  1854,  married 
Samuel  West,  and  resides  on  Sec.  33;  Perry  E. ;  George  W.,  born 
May  11,  1859,  died  June  20,  1878;  Henry  D.,  died  when  six  years 
old;  Anna  M.,  born  November  11,  1863,  died  at  eighteen;  Lucy, 
born  July  13,  1872,  lives  with  her  sister,  Mrs.  West.  In  October, 
1855,  Mr.  Schermerhorn  came  to  St.  Charles,  and  took  up  160  acres 
on  Sec.  35,  where  his  home  has  been  till  he  removed  to  the  city  of 
St.  Charles,  in  September,  1881.  He  was  married  July  5,  1879,  to 
Laura,  daughter  of  Josiah  and  Belinda  Gordon,  of  Maine;  she  was 
born  in  Franklin,  Maine,  June  8,  1843.  They  have  two  children: 
Y.  G.,  born  April  2,  J 880;  and  an  infant  son,  yet  unnamed, 
born  August  21,  1882.  Mr.  Schermerhorn  is  a  Methodist  in  belief, 
and  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church. 

Perry  Schermerhorn,  son  of  the  above,  was  born  on  the  farm 
where  he  now  lives  (his  father's).  May  13,  1856.  His  life  has  all 
been  passed  here,  his  education  being  imparted  in  the  district  school 
where  he  lived.  He  was  married  November  1,  1878,  to  Henrietta, 
daughter  of  William  Persons,  whose  history  is  elsewhere  given. 
Since  his  marriage  Mr.  Schermerhorn  has  operated  his  father's  farm. 
He  has  one  child,  Albert,  born  August  22,  1879.  He  is  a  Methodist 
and  a  democrat. 

Jonathan  F.  Taylor  (deceased)  was  a  son  of  Josiah  Taylor  and 
Phoebe  Butterfield,  natives  of  New  Hampshire.  He  was  born  in 
Hillsborough  county.  New  Ham])shire,  May  29,  1814.  At  twelve 
years  of  age  he  went  with  his  parents  to  New  York  State,  where  his 
father  died  when  he  was  btit  sixteen,  and  the  management  of  home 
affairs  fell  upon  him.     He  remained  at  home  till  his  marriage,  which 


940  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

occurred  July  2,  1840.  Ilis  wife,  Betsey,  who  still  survives  him, 
was  born  June  5,  1814,  in  Kichford,  Tioga  county,  New  York  ;  her 
parents  were  Thomas  O.  Brown,  born  in  Vermont,  and  Polly  Bur- 
git,  of  Massachusetts.  After  his  marriage  Mr.  Taylor  went  on  a 
farm  in  Broome  county,  New  York,  where  he  remained  till  his 
removal  to  Saratoga,  in  1855.  He  arrived  here  in  June  and  took 
up  one-fourth  of  Sec.  11,  on  which  he  dwelt  till  he  died,  August  28, 
1878  ;  the  estate  at  that  time  embraced  200  acres.  Mr.  Taylor 
enlisted  in  February,  1862,  in  Co.  B,  9th  Minn.  Inf ,  and  his  first 
service  was  in  the  campaign  against  the  Sioux  Indians  on  the 
western  frontier  ;•  he  was  in  Fort  Snelling  when  it  was  attacked  by 
Indians,  and  narrowly  escaped  being  shot.  When  the  regiment 
went  south  he  was  rejected  on  account  of  poor  health.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Taylor  were  members  of  the  Congregational  church  ;  he  was  a 
staunch  republican.  Besides  his  widow,  six  children  mourn  his 
loss.  Two  other  children  died  before  the  father.  Levi  E.,  the 
eldest,  was  born  May  29,  1841  ;  he  enlisted  in  the  spring  of  1864, 
was  taken  prisoner  at  Murfreesboro,  and  died  at  Andersonville  on 
the  24th  of  the  following  September;  Philena  F.,  May  13,  1843, 
married  M.  I.  Davis  and  resides  at  Columbus,  Kansas  ;  Marion  D. , 
April  5,  1845,  married  Maggie  Clawson,  lives  on  Sec.  14  ;  Mel- 
ville J.,  October  7,  1847,  married  Maggie  Gordon,  now  living  at 
Houston,  this  state  ;  Judson  M.,  August  7,  1849,  married  Sarah  J. 
Endersby,  dwells  at  Curry,  Minnesota;  Daniel  L.,  February  20, 
1852,  married  Martha  Matilda  Donalson,  and  occupies  the  home- 
stead ;  Julia  G.,  October  23,  1854,  married  F.  W.  Davis,  with 
whom  she  resides  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri ;  Zula  B.,  Sejjtember  4, 
1857,  died  before  six  years  old.  There  are  now  nineteen  of  Mr. 
Taylor's  grandchildren  living.  His  demise  was  caused  by  heart 
disease.  He  ha^  performed  a  good  day's  labor  in  the  harvest  field, 
and  dropped  dead  as  he  was  going  to  feed  his  hogs. 

Solomon  Hiltz  (deceased)  was  born  in  Herkimer,  Herkimer 
county.  New  York,  April  18,  1801.  His  grandfather,  George  Hiltz, 
served  through  the  French  and  revolutionary  wars,  was  captured  by 
the  IndiiHis  during  the  former  and'  held  a  prisoner  in  Canada  seven 
years,  till  released  by  treaty  with  the  United  States.  John  G., 
father  of  Solomon  Hiltz,  was  born  and  reared  in  Herkimer.  Jacob 
Folts,  also  of  Ilerkimei-,  married  Catluu-ine  Hayes  of  the  same  town- 
sliip  ;  their  daughter,  Catharine,  was  born  September  20,  1802,  in 
Herkimer,  and  married  Solomon   Hiltz  March  5,  1821.     Mr.  Hiltz 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


941 


went  to  St.  Charles,  Illinois,  in  the  fall  of  1849,  and  engaged  m 
farming  in  that  vicinity  twenty-live  years.  He  came  to  Saratoga  m 
May,  1864,  and  bought  forty  acres  on  Sec.  13,  which  he  tilled  until 
his'death,  which  occurred  March  31,  1882.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  six  sons  and  two  daughters.  Of  the  former  one  was  a  pioneer 
in  the  adjoining  town  of  Fremont,  where  he  now  lives,  and  one 
resides  here  ;  one  is  in  Illinois  and  three  in  Dakota ;  one  daughter 
resides  in  Nebraska  and  one  in  Illinois.  Mr.  Hiltz  was  a  member 
of  the  Congregational  church  and  a  democrat,  as  are  most  of  his 

David  Hiltz,  son  of  above,  was  born  in  Herkimer  April  8, 
1S36.  He  engaged  in  farming  in  Illinois,  where  he  remained  after 
the  removal  ot^his  parents  hither.  In  1871  he  came  here  and  bought 
sixty -four  acres  of  land  adjoining  his  father's,  and  cared  for  his 
parents  since  that  time.  He  was  married  December  23,  1882,  to 
Maggie,  daughter  of  George  and  Elizabeth  Erlein,  natives  of  Ger- 
many ;  she  was  born  in  Dodge  county,  Wisconsin,  July  24,  1857. 

James  Kobinson,  farmer,  was  born  near  Armagh,  Ireland,  Nov- 
vember   29,   1826.     His   parents,  John   and  Margaret   Robinson, 
brought  him  to  America  when  he  was  but  two  years  old,  and  settled 
in  St.  Lawrence  county,  New  York.    Here  he  attended  the  common 
school  till  fourteen  years  old,   and  since  seventeen  has  cared  for 
himself.     His  present  large  domain  is  a  monument  to  his  industry 
and  faithfulness.     He  now  has  400  acres  of  land  where  he  lives 
(Sec.  25,  Saratoga),  one  section  near  Odelbolt,  Iowa,  and  a  quarter- 
section  in  Dakota.     All   of  his   home   farm   save  forty   acres   of 
timbered  land  is  finely  improved.     His  buildings   are   models  of 
completeness  and  comfort.     When  seventeen  years  old  he  went  m 
the  western  part  of  Canada,  four  hundred  miles  from  home,  where 
he  engaged  in  farm  labor.     He  spent  three  winters  in  the  Canadian 
pineries,  and  ran  the  St.  Lawrence  river  with  rafts.     In  1848  he 
married  Emma  Bolus,  who  died  within  a  year.     On  October   2, 
1849,  he  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Elizabeth  Braithwait,  who  was 
born'  in  Madrid,   St.   Lawrence  county,   New   York,   February  7, 
1 883 .    After  living  seven  years  on  a  farm  which  he  owned  in  Lisbon, 
St.  Lawrence  county,  he  set  out  for  the  west,  arriving  in  Saratoga 
October  12,  1856.     He  took  up  the  S.W.  i  of  Sec.  25,  where  his 
home  is  now,   and  at  once  began  to  make   improvements.     Mr. 
Robinson  is  a  very  early  riser,  and  may  still  be  found  among  his 
men  doinff  his  share  of  the  work  in  the  fields.     He  arrived  m  this 


942  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

town  with  $1,200  and  a  team,  and  by  economy  and  judicious  use  of 
liis  means  secured  independence,  and  is  a  contented  man.  In  1859 
lie  nuiintained  a  school  at  his  own  expense  in  his  shanty,  and  again 
in  the  parlor  of  his  present  residence  in  1867-8.  He  is  determined 
that  his  children  and  those  of  his  neighbors  shall  have  opportunities 
for  an  education.  It  was  largely  due  to  his  efforts  that  a  public 
school  was  established  in  the  vicinity.  A  handsomely  furnished 
schoolhouse,  36x26  feet  in  size,  now  stands  within  half  a  mile  of 
his  home,  and  a  large  proportion  of  the  tax  required  to  build  it 
came  from  his  pockets.  Mr.  Ilobinson  is  a  democrat  and  a  Meth- 
odist. He  has  nine  living  children,  two  having  died.  Their  record  is 
here  given:  Margaret  A.,  November  30,  1852,  at  home;  John, 
December  14,  1854,  married  Jennie  Hunt,  lives  at  Odelbolt,  Iowa ; 
Robert  S.,  June  15,  1856,  married  Hattie  Whitney,  lives  near  John; 
J.  Duncan,  December  17,  1858,  married  Isabella  French,  lives  near 
John  ;  Eli  and  Emma,  died  at  six  and  twelve  years  old ;  Sidney  H., 
December  11,  1865,  with  brothers  in  Iowa;  George  E.,  August  13, 
1868;  Charlotte  E.,  September  17,  1870;  Henry  W.,  February  14, 
1872 ;  Pet,  June  30,  1877. 

Samuel  W.  Oviatt,  farmer,  is  a  son  of  Stephen  Oviatt,  born  in 
Massachusetts,  and  •Prudence  Davidson,  born  in  Pennsylvania.  His 
birth  took  place  in  Trumbull  county,  Ohio,  October  26,  1819.  His 
parents  died  before  he  attained  his  majority,  and  he  remained  on  the 
homestead  where  he  was  born  until  his  marriage.  This  event  occurred 
A])ril  22,  1847.  Miss  Laura  Salisbury,  the  bride,  who  is  still  his 
faithful  helpmeet,  was  born  in  Medina  county,  Ohio,  June  22,  1829; 
her  parents  were  William  and  Laura  Salisbury,  of  New  York.  Mr. 
Oviatt  had  removed  to  Medina  county  a  short  time  before  his  mar- 
riage, and  remained  on  a  farm  there  fifteen  years.  In  1861  he 
became  a  resident  of  Minnesota,  purchasing  one-fourth  each  of  Sees. 
12  and  13,  Saratoga,  which  he  still  retains,  his  residence  being  on  Sec. 
12.  During  the  first  winter  after  his  arrival  here,  his  log  cabin  with 
all  its  contents  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  he  had  greater  hardships 
to  encounter  than  many  of  the  earliest  ])ioneers.  At  that  time  calico 
cost  sixty  cents  per  yard,  and  everything  else  was  in  like  proportion. 
Mr.-  Oviatt  was  refused  a  bolt  of  cotton  cloth  in  exchange  for  a 
1,300-pound  ox.  Through  the  kindness  of  neighbors  they  were 
sujjplied  with  sufficient  bedding  to  make  them  comfortable,  and 
lived  for  some  time  in  the  second  story  of  a  granary ;  now  have 
comfortable  buildings  and  a  pleasant  home.     Mr.  Oviatt  engages 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


943 


quite  extensively  in  the  growth  of  amber  cane  and  its  manufacture 
into  syrup,  making  2,500  gallons  per  year.    He  has  been  a  member 
of  the  Baptist  church  forty-two  years.     He  was  justice  of  the  peace 
in  Saratoga  one  term.     His  political  preferences  are  with  the  re- 
publican party.     Five  children  of  this  family  are  now  living,  born  as 
follows:  Frank,  December  22,  1851,  now  living  at  Huron,  Dakota; 
Walter,  July  &,   1857,  also  at  Huron ;  Delana,  January  6,  1862 ; 
Sidnev  S..  January  22,  1865;  Alice  C,  April  18,  1871;  Stephen 
C,  born  October  6,  1849,  died  July  13,  1878,  Laura,  born  January 
2,  1855,  die'd  November  14,  1863. 

Joseph  Campbell,  tarnier,  is  a  son  of  John  Campbell,  born  m 
Edinburgh,  and  Marian  Roberton,  born  in  Glasgow.     He  was  born 
in  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  November  11, 1833.     At  ten  years  of  age  he 
came  with  his  parents  to  America,  settling  in  Canada,  where  he  was 
employed  in  assisting  to  open  up  a  farm,  and  had  very  few  educa- 
tional'advantages.     He  came  to  Saratoga  in  1856,  arriving  May 
26,  and  at  once  located  on  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  23,  of  which  he  secured 
a  deed  from  Uncle  Sam,  and  on  which  his  home  still  is.     He  has  a 
large  and  handsome  residence  thereon,   and   numerous   extensive 
barns  and  other  farm  buildings.     His  domain  now  embraces  the 
S.  i  of    Sec.    23,    all   but   four  acres  of   which    is  tillable.     Mr. 
Campbell  raises  a  great  deal  of  stock,  and  therefore  has  need  of  his 
large  barns.     He  "kept  bach"  in  a  log  cabin  for  four  years  after  his 
arrival,   when   his  parents  came  and  dwelt  with  him  two   years. 
They  then  moved  to  Fillmore  county  and  left  the  poor  bachelor 
alone  again.     At  last  becoming  tired  of  single  blessedness,  he  looked 
for  a  mate,  which  he  found  in  Miss  Cecelia  Wood,  to  whom  he  was 
wedded  September  11,  1871  ;  her  parents,  George  and  Mary  Wood, 
were  natives  of  New  York,  and  she  was  born  in  Cambridge,  Wash- 
ington county.  New  York,  December  22,  1842.     Mr.  Campbell  is  a 
liberal    in   religion.     He  was  once   a   democrat,  but  now   classes 
himself  with  greenbackers.     He  came  to  Saratoga  with  $300.     Two- 
thirds  of  this  went  to  pay  for  his  claim.     Perseverance  and  his  own 
labor  have  made  him  independent. 

Alexander  Campbell,  brother  of  above,  was  born  m  North 
Sherbrook,  Lanark  county,  Ontario,  in  June,  1843.  He  has  always 
been  a  farmer,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  this  state  in  1860,  with 
them  he  went  to  Fillmore  county,  and  lived  on  a  farm,  which  he 
bought  in  Arndale,  for  fifteen  years.  He  was  married  October  18, 
1867,  to  Mary  Coulter,  who  was  born  in  Glasgow,  June  4,  1842. 


944  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

They  have  eiglit  children,  born  as  here  recorded  :  Elizabeth,  Feb- 
ruary 6,  1867;  John  W.,  March  18,  1871;  Christopher  G., 
December  1J-,  1872;  Joseph,  August  29,  1876;  James,  September 
1,  1878  ;  Ada,  September  11,  1880  ;  Tliomasand  Laura,  twins,  April 
6,  1883.  In  1875,  Mr.  Campbell  sold  his  Fillmore  county  property, 
and  purchased  244  acres  on  Sec.  14,  Saratoga,  where  he  is  sur- 
rounded by  everything  to  make  the  life  of  a  farmer  enjoyable.  He 
is  a  Presbyterian  and  a  greenbacker  ;  has  been  clerk  of  his  school 
district  for  seven  years,  and  was  elected  town  supervisor  in  1882-3. 
Charles  Anson  Morey  was  born  in  Vershire,  Orafige  county, 
Vermont,  August  9, 1851.  His  father,  Koyal  Morey,  and  his  mother, 
Jennette  Ellen  Felton,  both  came  of  numerous  and  long-lived  New 
England  families  of  Scotch  descent.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is 
their  first  child  and  only  living  son.  In  the  spring  of  1861  the 
family  left  the  old  homestead  in  Vershire  and  came  to  Illinois.  In 
October,  however,  of  the  same  year  they  came  by  covered  wagon  to 
the  town  of  Chester,  Wabasha  county,  Minnesota,  where  a  farm  was 
purchased  and  improvements  begun.  At  the  end  of  three  years, 
during  which  time  the  children  had  attended  school  at  the  log 
schoolhouse,  the  farm  was  sold  and  the  family  moved  to  Lake  City, 
in  the  same  county,  where  they  still  reside;  Charles  attended  the 
winter  terms  of  the  village  school  and  worked  upon  a  farm,  or  as  a 
joiner  or  millwright  when  opportunity  offered,  until  1870,  when  he 
was  engaged  to  teach  the  school  at  Gopher  Prairie,  near  Lake  City. 
So  successful  was  he  in  this  new  field  of  operations,  that  the  next 
year,  in  company  with  several  young  men  from  that  vicinity,  he 
came  tc*  Winona  and  entered  the  State  Normal  School  to  prepare 
himself  more  thoi-ouglily  for  that  work.  He  graduated  I'.l  the  head 
of  his  class,  May  22,  1872,  and  was  at  once  selected  by  the  authori- 
ties of  the  school,  and  instructed  to  proceed  with  his  preparations 
to  take  charge  of  the  new  department  of  natural  sciences  about  to  be 
established  in  the  school.  Accordingly,  in  September  of  that  year, 
he  entered  the  Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology,  in  Boston,  as 
a  special  student  in  the  scientific  departments.  In  the  Jiext  two 
years  he  passed  through  the  entire  laboratory  course  of  that  ad- 
vanced and  practical  institution.  During  the  latter  part  of  the  last 
3^ear  he  worked  in  company  with  Prof.  A.  Graham  Bell,  the  in- 
ventor of  the  telephone.  At  the  close  of  the  year  he  read  a  paper 
before  the  Society  of  Arts  and  Sciences  of  the  institute,  describing 
and   illustrating    his   improvements   upon    the    ph  on  autograph,  an 


MISCI^LLANEOUS.  ^^5 


important  acoustical  instrument.     The  paper  was  published  m  the 
-American  Journal  of  Science,"  and  the  improvements  upon  the 
familiar  piece  of  apparatus  have  been  generally  adopted.     He  was, 
in  the  spring  of  1874,  elected  professor  of  natural  science  m  the 
State  Normal  Scliool,  at  Winona,  and  at  once  entered  upon  his  duties. 
Under  his  direction  laboratories  were  established,  and  the  Hew  ex- 
perimental method  of  teaching  the  sciences  put  in  lull  operation.    A 
large  amount  of  valuable  apparatus  was  made  on  the  spot  by  hiraselt 
and  by  pupils  under  his  direction.     Upon  the  resignation  of  Prot 
William  F.  Phelps,  in  1876,  Mr.  Morey  was  appointed  principal  of 
the  school      Under  his  administration  the   institution  took  many 
decided  steps  in  advance.     The  course   of  study  was   rearranged 
upon  the  basis  of  a  year  instead  of  a  term.     The  advanced  course 
and  the  professional  course  for  graduates  of  colleges  and  high  schools 
were  established.     By  his  economical  management  of  the  affairs  of 
the  school,  the  authorities  were  enabled  to  supply  the  funds  neces- 
sary to  fit  up  and  furnish  the  extensive  museum  and  art  gallery  of 
the  institution,  which  was  done  under  his  direction.     He  had,  how- 
ever, since  a  boy,  determined  to  eventually  make  the  law  his  pro- 
fession, and  had  employed  his   leisure   accordingly.     In  1879  he 
resigned  the  principalship,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  immediately 
entered  upon  the  practice  of  the  law  at  Winona,  as  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Berry  &  Morey.     He  was  married  November  28,  1877,  to 
Kate  Louise  Berry,  daughter  of  Gen.  C.  H.  Berry.     They  have  two 
children,  Janette,  five  years  of  age,  and  Charles  Berry,  three  years 
old      Mr  Morey  is  a  republican,  and  an  active  participant  m  cam- 
paign work.     lie  is  a  member  of  the  school  board,  a  director  of  the 
Merchants'  Bank,  of  the  board  of  trade,  and  is  secretary  of  the 
Winona  Building  and  Loan  Association.     In  any  movement  to  ad- 
vance the  interests  of  the  city  of  Winona,  he  is  always  ready  to  ]Oin 

with  heart  and  hand.  . 

Allen  G.  Wilmot,  of  New  York,  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers 
of  Winona  county,  having  located  on  government  land  m  the  north- 
eastern part  of  St.  Charles  township  in  1856.  After  six  years 
residence  thereon,  he  removed  to  Sec.  36,  of  the  same  town,  where 
he  remained  till  the  fall  of  1881,  and  then  removed  to  Iowa.  His 
wife's  name  before  marriage  was  Sarah  Remore. 

Edwik  D  Wilmot.  son  of  above,  was  born  in  Rome,  New  York, 
May  23,  1844,  and  was  not  yet  twelve  years  old  on  becoming  a 
resident  of  Minnesota.     All  his  life  has  since  been  passed  here,  his 


946  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COtlNTY. 

education  being  completed  in  the  Winona  grammar  school.  lie 
enlisted  in  August,  1862,  in  Co.  D,  7tli  Minn.  Vols.,  and  served 
three  years.  The  first  year  of  liis  army  life  was  s})ent  under  Gen. 
Sibley,  on  the  western  frontier,  where  he  participated  in  a  few 
skirmishes  with  the  Indians.  His  regiment  was  then  placed  with 
the  arrriy  ol  the  Tennessee,  and  he  passed  through  the  battles  of 
Tupelo,  Nashville,  and  the  forts  above  Mobile.  In  186(5  he  bought  a 
farm  on  Sec.  3,  Saratoga,  on  which  he  lived  four  years.  He  then  sold 
and  bought  160  acres  on  Sec,  12,  where  he  dwells  now.  His  build- 
ings are  comfortable  and  on  a  superb  location,  commanding  a  view 
of  the  beautiful  prairies  for  miles  around.  He  was  married  on 
Marcli  1,  1868,  to  Idella,  daughter  of  John  and  Lucy  (Webber) 
Watson,  of  Fremont  township.  They  have  four  children,  born  as 
follows  :  Minnie  A.,  February  1,  1869;  Alfred  W.,  July  24,  1870  ; 
Da'-,y,  February  6,  1873  ;  Pearl,  May  25,  1880.  Mr.  Wilmot  is  a 
republican,  and  member  of  St.  Charles  Lodge  I.O.O.F. 

John  D.  Clyde  (deceased)  was  born  in  Lyme,  New  Hampshire, 
January  2,  1828.  His  father,  John  Clyde,  was  a  farmer  of  Scotch 
descent,  and  his  mother  was  Esther  Hovey.  Mr.  Clyde  was  accus- 
tomed to  farming  all  his  life.  From  twenty  years  old  to  twenty-six 
years  he  worked  for  one  farmer  in  New  Hampshire, —  Major 
Franklin,  He  went  to  St.  Charles,  Illinois,  in  1854,  and  kept  a  sale 
stable.  He  came  to  Fremont  in  1856,  arriving  April  20,  and  secured 
a  quarter  of  Sec.  30.  This  he  sold  in  a  few  years  and  bought  the 
present  home  of  his  family,  the^S.W,  ^  of  Sec,  18,  on  which 
he  dwelt  till  his  death,  which  took  place  May  28,  1883,  He  also 
owned  eighty  acres  on  Sec.  7,  which  is  still  a  part  of  the  estate.  Pie 
was  married  December  1,  1862,  to  Sarah  A,,  daughter  of  Charles 
and  Caroline  (Robinson)  Henderschott ;  she  was  born  in  Hornells- 
ville,  New  York,  April  20,  1844,  Besides  his  widow,  six  children 
mourn  his  departure.  Their  names  and  births  are  thus  recorded ; 
John,  September  1,  1863  ;  Louisa,  June  29,  1867  ;  Kittie  M.,  June 
22,  1869;  Emogene,  May  25,  1872;  Annabel,  April  10,  1876; 
Gertie,  July  7,  1879,  Mr,  Clyde  was  buried  with  masonic  honors, 
being  a  member  of  Harmony  Lodge,  of  Lewiston,  His  religion  was 
the  golden  rule.  In  politics  he  was  a  republican,  and  he  had 
served  his  town  as  chairman  of  its  board  of  supervisors. 

JoiiN  Blair  (deceased)  was  reared  to  sixteen  years  of  age  in 
Ware,  Massachusetts,  where  he  was  born  May  26,  1799,  At  sixteen 
he  went  with  his  parents  to  Troy,  New  York.     He  married  Betsey 


MISCELLAISTEOUS.  947 

Wiltse,  of  Hoosac,  New  York,  and  in  early  life  was  a  farmer  in  the 
vicinity  of  Troy.  Was  several  years  in  mercantile  business  in  Troy 
and  Albany,  and  also  dealt  in  produce  for  the  New  York  market. 
In  the  spring  of  1865  he  set  out  for  the  west,  and  arrived  at  Sara- 
toga April  9.  Here  he  took  up  a  quarter-section  of  Uncle  Sam's 
domain  on  Sec.  2,  and  dwelt  thereon  till  the  fall  of  18Y3.  He  died 
in  the  city  of  Albany  two  years  later.  Mr.  Blair  was  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  a  democrat ;  he  served  as 
justice  of  the  peace  in  Saratoga  two  years.  He  had  four  sons  and 
five  daughters;  of  the  latter,  but  one  is  now  living, —  Mrs.  Dr.  C.  H. 
Smith,  of  Albany ;  of  the  former,  two  now  reside  in  this  town  and 
one  is  in  California. 

John  T.  Blair,  son  of  above,  was  born  in  Pownal,  the  southwest 
corner  township  of  Vermont,  November  21,  1827.  His  youth  was 
passed  on  the  farm  and  in  the  city  of  Albany,  in  the  schools  of 
which  city  his  education  was  finished.  At  fifteen  years  of  age  he 
went  into  a  store  and  followed  mercantile  life  till  1855,  keeping  a 
store  at  one  time  in  Albany  ;  was  member  of  a  fire  company  there 
seven  years,  being  foreman.  He  was  married,  February  24,  1850, 
to  Miss  Eveline  Clark,  who  was  born  near  Schenectady,  New  York, 
September  15,  1826 ;  her  parents,  William  P.  Clark  and  Catharine 
Truax,  were  also  natives  of  that  state.  Mr  Blair  came  to  Saratoga 
in  company  with*  his  father,  and  located  on  Sec.  1,  where  his  resi- 
dence has  been  ever  since.  Besides  his  original  claim  he  has  since 
secured  ninety-six  acres,  a  part  of  which  is  in  St.  Charles  township. 
He  is  a  member  of  Harmony  Lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  at  Lewiston, 
and  of  the  St.  Charles  Methodist  Episcopal  church ;  votes  with  the 
republican  party.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  town  board  six 
times,  part  of  the  time  chairman  ;  was  treasurer  two  years  and 
justice  of  the  peace  four  years.  Is  the  oldest  commissioned  post- 
master in  the  state,  having  been  appointed  in  charge  of  Worth  post- 
office  in  1856,  and  held  the  office  ever  since.  The  wall  of  Mr. 
Blair's  parlor  is  adorned  with  a  painting  representing  the  log  cabin 
in  which  he  lived  and  kept  the  postoffice  in  1856.  It  was  two  stories 
high,  and  covered  with  butternut  shingles  shaved  by  Mr.  Blair.  In 
1855,  while  finishing  this  dwelling,  Mr.  Blair  went  to  Winona  to 
buy  lumber,  and  purchased  all  there  was  in  the  city  —  348  feet.  In 
May,  1855,  Mr.  Blair  was  followed  half  a  mile  by  four  timber 
wolves,  and  would  doubtless  have  been  devoured  had  he  attempted 
to  escape  by  running.  By  retaining  his  leisurely  gait  and  calm 
57 


948  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

demeanor,  he  kept  them  at  bay  till  he  reached  home,  lliis  was  in 
daytime.  Four  children  remain  in  this  family,  two  having  died  in 
New  York.  All  are  at  home  and  date  their  births  as  below  :  John 
M.,  August  3,  1856;  Frank  C,  September  5,  1858;  Edward  E., 
June  23,  1860  ;  Mabel,  January  22,  1864. 

Leonard  M.  Shelton,  farmer,  was  born  in  Raymond,  Racine 
county,  Wisconsin,  March  17,  1843,  and  was  therefore  but  eleven 
years  old  when  (as  elsewhere  related)  he  came  with  his  widowed 
mother  to  Minnesota.  Most  of  his  schooling  was  received  in  Wis- 
consin. He  dwelt  with  his  mother  many  years  on  the  farm  where 
his  home  now  is  (Sec.  1,  Saratoga),  and  where  still  stands  the  pic- 
turesque log  cabin  which  was  their  home,  and  a  shelter  for  hundreds 
of  travelers  during  the  years  1855-6-7.  This  hotel  was  a  pretentious 
structure,  for  this  section,  when  built.  An  upright,  18x26,  two 
stories  high,  was  built  in  the  fall  of  1855,  and  the  following  spring  a 
"  lean-to"  of  boards  was  added;  it  ran  the  whole  length  of  the  main 
structure,  and  was  sixteen  feet  wide.  In  after  years  another  wing 
was  added  on  the  opposite  side,  for  a  summer  kitchen.  A  large 
grape-vine  ran  over  one  end  of  the  house  and  reached  out  to  a  tree 
near  by,  thus  forming  a  pleasant  arbor,  where  Mr.  Shelton  has 
pleasantly  passed  many  an  hour  during  the  heat  of  summer.  This 
farm  is  now  owned  by  Mr.  Shelton's  uncle,  and  occupied  by  the 
former  as  a  tenant.  He  possesses  a  farm  of  120  acres  on  Sec.  3, 
which  he  bought  in  1873,  and  on  which  he  resided  for  six  j^ears 
thereafter.  At  tlie  earnest  solicitation  of  the  owner  he  took  charge 
of  the  farm  where  he  is.  The  raising  of  hogs  and  pure  Durham 
cattle  is  largely  carried  on  here.  Mr.  Shelton  also  raises  a  great 
many  horses  on  his  own  account.  December  18,  1866,  L.  M. 
Shelton  and  Mary  L.  Bradt  were  united  in  holy  matrimony.  Mrs. 
Shelton  was  born  in  Albany,  New  York,  February  2,  1846.  They 
have  been  blessed  with  three  bright  and  promising  children,  as 
below  :  Mary  L.,  October  7,  1868;  Minnie  L.,  July  27,  1871;  Lillian 
M.,  April  9,  1878.  Mr.  Shelton  enlisted  August  20,  1864,  in 
Co.  H,  11th  Minn,  reg.,  and  served  till  the  close  of  the  war, 
being  occupied  in  guard  duty  along  a  railway  near  Nashville, 
Tennessee.  He  "  votes  as  he  fought,"  under  the  banner  of 
republicanism.  In  religious  sympathy  he  is  with  the  close-com- 
munion Baptists. 

William  Henry  Shelton,  farmer,  one  of  tlie  pioneers  of  Fre- 
mont township,  has  secured   a   competency   by    his  industry  and 


MISCELLANEOUS.  '.>49 

faithfulness.  He  was  born  in  London,  England,  June  11,  1829,  and 
came  with  his  parents  to  America  when  six  years  old,  receiving  his 
education  in  the  common  schools  of  Racine  county,  Wisconsin.  In 
the  fall  of  1854  he  came  with  his  widowed  mother  (elsewhere  men- 
tioned) to  Winona  county,  and  in  the  tollowing  spring  took  up  160 
acres  of  government  land  on  Sec.  6,  Fremont,  where  he  has  ever 
since  dwelt.  He  has  a  large  and  handsome  residence,  which  is 
elegantly  furnished,  complete  farm  buildings,  etc.  His  domain  now 
embraces  300  acres  of  land,  of  which  250  have  been  broken  up.  Mr. 
Shelton  attends  to  the  details  of  his  business  as  usual,  and  is  himself 
found  every  day  at  work.  He  is  now  quite  largely  engaged  in 
raising  hogs  and  other  stock.  He  is  a  free-will  Baptist  and  a 
republican;  has  never  mixed  in  public  concerns,  bnt  given  his  whole 
attention  to  his  large  private  interests.  March  8,  1868,  he  was 
joined  in  holy  wedlock  to  a  daughter  of  Jesse  Ingersoll,  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  Raymond,  Racine  county,  Wisconsin,  and  the  widow  of 
H.  M.  Bentley.  She  was  born  January  9,  1840,  near  Castleton, 
Ontario,  and  christened  Julia.  They  have  been  given  three  children, 
as  follows:  William  H.,  October  24,  1864;  Ida  M.,  February  7, 
1869;  Delia  M.,  June  13,  1873. 

Mrs.  Louisa  Shelton,  widow  of  William  Shelton,  was  one  of 
the  pioneers  of  this  region,  having  taken  up  a  claim  on  Sec.  31,  Utica, 
in  the  fall  of  1854,  and  now  resides  there  with  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
A.  D.  Trowbridge.  Mrs.  Shelton  kept  a  hotel  in  a  log  building  on 
the  corner  of  Sec.  1,  Saratoga,  for  some  years  in  the  period  of  early 
settlement.  This  was  on  the  stage  route  traversed  by  the  early 
pioneers,  and  was  widely  known  as  the  "  Widow  Shelton  House." 
Mrs.  Shelton  was  born  in  Elliott,  England,  in  1806,  and  married 
William  Shelton,  in  London.  They  came  to  America  in  1834,  and 
after  a  residence  of  over  a  year  in  Buffalo,  New  York,  settled  on  a 
farm  in  Racine  county,  Wisconsin.  Mr.  Shelton's  death  took  place 
here  in  January,  1845,  and  in  1854  his  widow  moved  west,  where 
land  was  plenty  for  her  sons.  There  were  three  of  the  latter,  two 
of  whom  reside  near  by,  one  in  Fremont  and  one  in  Saratoga,  on 
the  land  where  his  mother  kept  hotel  ;  Stephen,  the  third  son,  is 
now  at  Flandreau,  Dakota.  There  were  two  daughters,  the  one 
mentioned  above,  and  the  wife  of  Lewis  Downing,  residing  in 
Saratoga  township. 

Alexander  D.  Trowbridge,  farmer,  was  born  in  Tully,  Onon- 
daga county,  New  York,  May  3,  1834,  and  was  raised,  to  twelve 


950  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

years  of  age,  on  a  farm  in  Courtland  count3^  His  father,  James 
Trowbridge,  came  of  a  very  long-lived  family  ;  he  married  Hannah 
Van  Cant,  mother  of  the  subject  of  tliis  sketcli,  who  was,  like  him- 
self, a  native  of  New  York.  When  Alexander  was  twelve  years  old 
his  parents  removed  to  Oberlin,  Ohio,  from  which  point  he  came  to 
Winona  county  at  the  age  of  twenty-one.  He  arrived  in  Saratoga 
in  August,  1855.  After  spending  a  night  with  friends  who  had 
preceded  him  hither,  he  was  on  the  ground  where  he  located  at  six 
o'clock  next  morning,  and  by  four  in  the  afternoon  had  a  shantj'^ 
erected.  By  daylight  next  morning  he  was  in  Chatfield  and  filed 
his  claim  to  the  land.  The  location  was  on  Sec.  22,  and  here  he 
resided  ten  years.  On  April  10,  1860,  he  was  married  to  Sarah  E. 
Shelton,  who  was  born  in  London,  England,  February  18,  1834  ; 
she  was  a  daughter  of  Mrs.  Louisa  Shelton,  a  widow  lady  who  was 
one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  vicinity  and  spoken  of  elsewhere.  In 
1867  Mr.  Trowbridge  removed  to  Missouri,  where  he  engaged  in 
farming.  After  nearly  four  years'  residence  there,  he  was  compelled 
to  give  Uj5  on  account  of  loss  of  health,  and  spent  about  four  years 
under  treatment  in  Ohio.  He  took  up  his  residence  where  he  now 
is,  on  Sec.  31,  Utica,  in  1881.  Mr.  Trowbridge  is  an  orthodox  in 
religion,  and  a  republican  in  politics.  He  was  the  second  town  clerk 
elected  in  Saratoga,  serving  three  successive  years. 

Fkank  a.  West,  grain  buyer,  came  to  Minnesota  when  ten  years 
old  with  his  parents,  who  died  before  he  was  fourteen  years  old, 
since  which  time  he  has  cared  for  himself.  Elijah  West  and  Amy 
Lewis,  parents  of  Frank  West,  were  natives  of  New  York  State. 
They  were  residents  of  Fulton,  Indiana,  on  August  31,  1843,  at 
which  time  and  ])lace  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born.  He 
attended  school  but  three  terms  after  he  was  eleven  years  old. 
After  the  death  of  his  parents  he  resided  two  years  with  an  elder 
brother  in  Illinois,  and  came  with  him  to  Rochester,  this  state.  On 
June  26,  1861,  he  enlisted  at  Chatfield  in  Co.  A,  2d  Minn,  reg., 
and  served  as  a  soldier  till  June  26,  1865.  After  nearly  two  years' 
service  in  the  ranks  he  was  transferred  to  the  signal  corps,  in  which 
he  was  promoted  for  bravery  during  the  battle  of  Altoona  Gap  ; 
by  his  daring,  when  all  others  of  the  corps  gave  up  in  terror,  com- 
munication was  kept  up  with  the  commanding  officer  of  Kenesaw 
Mountain.  The  principal  battles  in  which  Mr.  West  was  an  actor 
were  those  of  Chickamauga,  Mill  Spring,  Resaca,  Dalton,  Kenesaw 
Mountain  and   the   Chattahoochie   river.     He    was    in    numerous 


MISCELL  A.NEOUS.  951 

smaller  engagements,  his  diary  showing  a  total  of  over  thirty  fights 
and  skirmishes.  After  the  war  he  rented  land  in  Olmsted  and 
Fillmore  counties,  and  followed  farming.  In  1876  he  went  to 
Melrose,  Minnesota,  where  he  bought  grain  for  the  Minneapolis 
Millers'  Association  three  years.  He  then  spent  nearly  three  years 
in  the  Black  Hills,  and  was  one  of  the  organizers  and  vice-president 
of  the  Garden  City  Hydraulic  Mining  Company.  He  sold  his 
interest  in  this  concern,  but  still  holds  shares  in  some  of  the  mines 
there.  In  1882  he  became  a  resident  of  Utica,  where  he  is  engaged 
in  buying  grain  for  C.  W.  Seafield.  He  is  a  skillful  business  man, 
and  does  not  let  past  reverses  interfere  with  his  attention  to  business. 
He  is  a  liberal  in  religion,  and  "votes  as  he  fought,"  with  the 
republicans.  Mr.  West  was  married  March  27,  1870,  to  Miss  E.  M. 
Miller,  who  was  born  near  Saratoga,  New  York,  April  16,  1854, 
They  have  two  children,  given  them  as  follows  :  John,  July  23, 
1873  ;  Ettie,  August  22,  1878. 

George  Evans,  merchant,  was  born  in  Herefordshire,  England, 
September  17,  1842.  His  father  died  when  he -was  an  infant,  and 
Jiis  mother  brought  him  to  America  when  six  years  old.  Since  ten 
years  of  age  he  has  cared  for  himself,  working  in  his  earlier  years 
at  farm  work  during  the  summer  and  attending  school  in  winter. 
He  resided  in  the  State  of  New  York  until  fourteen  years  old,  when 
he  came  west  and  dwelt  in  Wisconsin  and  Illinois.  In  1864  he 
became  a  resident  of  Minnesota,  locating  at  Centerville,  this  county. 
He  subsequently  dwelt  at  Northfield  two  years,  and  was  for  a  period 
at  St.  Anthony  and  Duluth.  For  five  years  he  peddled  dry  goods 
and  notions  with  a  wagon,  making  his  home  at  Centerville.  In  May, 
1876,  Mr.  Evans  became  a  resident  of  Utica,  opening  a  general  store 
here  ;  his  is  the  most  complete  store  in  the  village.  In  1878  he 
bought  his  present  residence  south  of  the  schoolhouse,  and  intends 
to  make  this  his  home.  His  mercantile  business  covers  $10,000  per 
year,  and  he  last  year  did  a  business  of  twice  that  amount  in  buying 
hogs  for  market.  Mr.  Evans  is  a  member  of  the  Rochester  lodge, 
I.O.O.F.,  and  of  the  Congregational  church  :  is  a  republican  in 
national  principle.  He  was  married  to  Lucinda  Hand,  a  native  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  on  November  2,  1878.  They  have  one  child, 
Gerti-ude  L.,  born  November  30,  1880. 


ADDITIONAL   MATTER.* 


Joshua  Martin,  dentist.     The  great-grandfather  of  this  snbject, 
John  Martin,  was  a  captain  in  the  Continental  army  during  the  revo- 
lution.    He  was  twice  ca])tured  and  taken  to  England,  and  died  there 
during  the    second    period   of   his    imprisonment.      Himself  and 
brothers  wei-e  pioneers  in  the  settlement  oi  the  new  colony  of  New 
Hampshire ;  the  latter  served  as  a  captain  through  the  French  and 
Indian  war.     Samuel,  a  son  of  John  Martin,  lived  and  died  in  New 
Hampshire ;  his  son  Joshua  was  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch ;  he  married  Azubah  Burnham,  also  reared  in  that  state,  and 
engaged  in  farming  in  Grafton  and  afterward  in  Hillsborougli  count3^ 
Joshua  Martin  was  born  in  Canaan,  Grafton  county,  April  4,  1829. 
His  education  was  completed  at  Pembroke  and  Andover  academies. 
At  twenty  years  of  age  he  began  the  study  of  dentistry  under  the 
auspices  of  an  association  formed  at  Manchester  for  giving  practical 
instruction  in  this  line.      Here  he  began  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion and  continued  there  two  years.     He  was  married  at  Plattsburg, 
New  York,  on  July  6,  1852,  to  Elvira  M.  Coombs;  her  father,  John 
Coombs,  ran  away  from  his  birthplace,  Charlestown,  New  Hampshire, 
at  fifteen,  and  served  through  the  war  of  1812  as  private  secretary  to 
Gen.  Scott ;  her  mother  was  Florinda  Miles,  of  the  same  town.     In 
1856  Mr.  Martin  came  to  St.  Charles ;  he  took  up  a  quartei'-section 
of  government  land  in  Dover  township,  near  the  city,  on  which  he 
dwelt  and  made  improvements,  [.racticing  his  profession  as  oppor- 
tunity offered.     He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  Dover  township, 
and  served  there  six  years  as  justice  of  the  peace.     Mr.  Martin  is  a 
lifelong  democrat ;  he  has  filled  numerous  public  positions.     He  is 
now  serving  his  third  term  as  assessor  of  the  city  of  St.  Charles. 
While  in  New  Hampshire  his  services  were  called  in  requisition  as 
town  superintendent  of  schools.     He  is  a  member  of  Rising  Sun 
Lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.M.,  St.  Charles;   both  himself  and  wife  are 
members  of  the  Episcopal  church  here.     In  1865  Mr.  Martin  pur- 
chased his  present  residence  on  Wabasha  street,  and  removed  thither 

*  This  matter  was  received  after  the  previous  tbnn  had  gune  to  press. 
58 


954  HISTORY    OF    WESrONA    COUNTY. 

from  tlie  farm,  whicli  lie  has  since  disposed  of.  He  now  occupies 
an  office  on  A¥hitewater  street  and  devotes  liis  time  to  dentistry. 
Nine  children  have  been  born  to  him,  as  follows:  Kacliel  W.,  June 
4,  1S53,  married  Elias  Franklin  (now  deceased)  and  resides  at 
Wheatland,  Dakota;  Lucia  L.,  October  3,  1854,  married  Adelbert 
W.  Wheeler,  with  whom  she  dwells  at  Stockton,  Minnesota  ;  Isa- 
bella S.,  April  24,  1858,  married  Z.  J.  Wood,  and  now  lives  at  Red- 
field,  Dakota ;  Albert  Maitland,  June  27,  1860,  resides  at  Redfield  ; 
Edgar  L.,  February  14,  1862,  Redfield  ;  Josephine  G.,  April  7, 
1866;  AVillard  L.  and  Walter  L.,  twins,  March  8,  1871;  Mary  L., 
June  14,  1873. 

Richard  L.  Dawlf.y,  railroad  repairer,  son  of  Elijah  Dawley  and 
Esther  Baldwin  Dawley,  of  New  York  birth,  was  born  in  Galen, 
Wayne  county,  March  26,  1826.  life  lived  on  a  farm  and  at- 
tended a  common  school  until  eighteen  years  old,  residing  with  an 
uncle,  his  parents  having  died  before  he  was  two  years  old.  At 
nineteen  he  came  to  what  was  then  the  west,  and  learned  cabinet- 
making  in  Milwaukee.  August  13,  1846,  he  enlisted  in  the  regular 
army  of  the  United  States,  and  served  five  years,  going  through  the 
Mexican  war  under  Gen.  Scott.  On  his  discharge  at  Fort  Ripley 
in  1851,  he  went  to  Plymouth,  Wisconsin,  and  worked  at  his  trade. 
In  1856  he  became  a  resident  of  Winona,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  fanning  mills,  in  partnership  with  another  party. 
The  business  was  removed  to  St.  Charles  three  years  later,  and 
kept  up  till  1862.  In  January  of  the  latter  year  Mr.  Dawley 
enlisted  in  the  2d  Minn.  Lt.  Art.,  in  which  he  served  till  April, 
1864,  holding  the  rank  of  first  lieutenant  when  he  resigned.  He 
was  an  actor  in  the  battles  of  Perryville,  Stone  River,  Tullahoma, 
Chickamauga,  Chattanooga,  Lookout  Mountain,  Mission  Ridge,  and 
numerous  skirmishes  and  light  engagements.  His  business  and 
family  affairs  requiring  his  presence  at  home,  he  was  compelled  to 
resign.  He  engaged  in  farming,  his  land  lying  partly  within  the 
limits  of  this  city,  and  followed  that  occupation  till  1873,  ever  since 
which  time  he  has  been  in  the  employ  of  the  Winona  &  St.  Peter 
Railroad  Company.  Mr.  Dawley  was  at  one  time  director  of  the  city 
school  board,  and  to  him  is  due  a  large  share  of  the  credit  for  the 
establishment  of  the  present  graded  system  of  their  government  and 
conduct.  He  was  again  chosen  member  of  the  same  board  in  1882, 
foi-  the  term  of  three  years.  He  was  chairman  of  the  town  board  in 
ISOo   and   city   councilor  in   1881.      His  political    principles    are 


ADDITIONAL    MATTER.  955 

democratic.  In  religion  lie  is  orthodox.  In  1861  he  organized  a 
militia  company  here,  and  has  ever  since  been  known  by  the  title  ot 
captain.  Most  of  this  company  afterward  entered  the  United 
States  service.  Mr.  Dawley  is  a  member  of  Rising  Sun  Lodge, 
A.  F.  and' A.  M.,  of  St.  Charles.  In  November,  1853,  he  was 
married  to  Mary  J.  Avril,  who  was  born  in  Bellville,  Canada, 
May  1,  1835.  She  was  a  daughter  oi  Henry  Avril,  of  New  York. 
Mrs.  Dawley  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at 
her  death,  which  occurred  April  4,  1874.  Seven  children  survive  her, 
as  follows:  William  H.,  born  August  -1,  1854,  now  in  Fargo,  Dakota; 
Charles  L.,  February  28,  1856,  lives  at  De  Smet,  Dakota:  Ida,  April 
18,  1858;  Emma,  November  26,  1859;  Hiram  A.,  August  20,  1865; 
Richard  Starr,  September  9,  1867;  Frank  M.,  March  30,  1872. 

Vinson  Hicks  (deceased)  was  born  in  Potsdam,  St.  Lawrence 
county,  New  York,  May  16,  1821.  John  and  Sallie  Hicks,  his 
parents,  were  natives  of  Vermont.  His  early  years  were  jiassed  on 
a  farm,  and  he  early  learned  the  millwright's  trade,  which  he  nearly 
always  followed.  He  was  married  at  Westport,  New  York,  Sep- 
tember 24,  1847,  to  Olive  E.,  daughter  of  Adin  B.  and  Anna  B. 
Towner,  of  Connecticut;  she  was  born  in  Ferrisburg,  Vermont, 
January  29,  1823.  In  1856  Mr.  Hicks  became  a  resident  of  Winona 
county,  settling  at  Stockton.  The  following  year  he  bought  120 
acres  of  land  on  Sec.  31,  St.  Charles,  where  he  resided  till  his 
death.  He  continued  to  work  at  his  trade,  leaving  the  labor  of  the 
farm  partly  to  his  sons.  His  latter  years  were  passed  in  lighter 
occupations,  owing  to  poor  health.  While  visiting  Beaver  to  sell 
machinery,  he  died  there  very  suddenly  of  neuralgia  of  the  stomach, 
on  June  19,  1873.  Mr.  Hicks  joined  the  order  of  A.  F.  and  A.  M., 
in  New  York,  and  was  a  charter  member  of  Troy  Lodge,  organized 
in  1863 ;  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  a  member  of  Rising  Sun 
Lodge,  of  St.  Charles.  His  religious  faith  was  represented  by  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  his  political  ideas  by  the  demo- 
cratic party.  Besides  his  widow,  four  children  survive  him,  whose 
record  is  as  follows:  Darwin  T.,  born  May  16,  1851,  resides  St. 
Charles;  Arthur  V.,  August  13,  1855,  tills  home  farm;  Emma  L., 
November  6,  1857,  a  teacher,  now  in  Minneapolis;  Marietta  S., 
October  20,  1859,  married  Lester  L.  Babcock,  dwells  on  Sec.  30. 

Richard  N.  Miller,  merchant,  is  of  Irish  and  English  descent. 
Both  his  parents  were  born  in  Vermont.  His  mother,  Doborah, 
was   the   second  wife   of  Richard   Miller,   his  father.     Since   Mr. 


956  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Miller's  residence  here,  his  mother  took  up  her  abode  with  him, 
and  died  here.  R.  N.  Miller  was  born  in  the  town  of  Minerva, 
Essex  county,  New  York,  December  4,  183(i.  lie  was  reared  on  a 
tiirm,  and  received  a  common  scliool  education.  He  was  married 
September  2,  1860,  to  Eliza  L.,  daughter  of  Valentine  and  Huldah 
Kellogg,  pioneers  of  Eh'zabeth,  Essex  county.  For  some  time  after 
his  marriage  Mr.  Miller  engaged  in  farming.  In  March,  1869,  he 
became  a  resident  of  the  city  of  St.  Oharles,  and  for  seven  years 
kept  books  for  N.  N.  Pike.  He  bought  a  lot  at  the  south  end  of 
Whitewater  street,  on  which  he  built  a  residence.  During  the 
latter  part  of  his  service  with  Mr.  Pike,  he  began  to  turn  some 
attention  to  the  sale  of  organs,  and  soon  began  to  make  the  sale  of 
musical  instruments  and  sewing  machines.  A  year  was  spent  in 
Winona  and  another  at  Utica.  In  1879  he  opened  a  store  for  the 
sale  of  these  goods  on  South  AVhitewater  street,  where  he  may  now 
be  found  doing  a  successful  business.  Mr.  Miller  is  a  republican, 
and  a  member  of  the  orders  of  K.  of  H.  and  Knights  and  Ladies  of 
Honor.  Himself  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  of 
St.  Charles.  Mr.  Miller  served  a  year  in  conquering  the  rebellious 
enemies  of  his  countr3\  having  enlisted  in  August,  1864,  in  the 
16th  batt.  N.  Y.  Heavy  Art.  He  was  soon  detailed  as  a  clerk 
in  the  quartermaster's  department,  and  therefore  saw  no  field 
service.  He  is  the  father  of  five  children,  four  of  whom  are  at 
home.  Here  is  the  record  of  their  births ;  Richard  T. ,  at  Potters- 
ville,  New  York,  May  16,  1862,  now  a  resident  of  St.  Paul ;  Mary 
G.,  February  15,  1864;  Louisa  Gr.,  September  10,  1866;  Arthur 
C,  at  Utica,  September  21,  1878;  William  Eugene,  December  27, 
1880.  Mrs.  Miller's  mother  came  west  with  her  daughter,  and  died 
here.  Mrs.  Miller's  sister,  Miss  Mary  Kellogg,  is  now  a  member 
of  the  family. 

Collins  Rice,  farmer,  is  descended  from  Irish  and  English 
ancestors  who  settled  in  Connecticut.  His  grandfather  located  in 
Claremont,  New  Hampshire,  where  Stephen,  father  of  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  was  born.  Stephen  Rice  married  Mary  Barron, 
of  Amherst,  New  Hampshire,  and  engaged  in  farming  in  Clare- 
mont, where  Collins  Rice  was  born,  March  16,  1814.  Our  subject 
was  reared  on  a  farm  and  attended  the  common  school  till  eighteen 
years  old.  By  pro])er  diligence  tlien  and  since,  he  acquired  a  good 
fund  of  information,  and  was  fitted  to  take  the  leading  position  he 
has  since  filled   in  the  development  of  a  new  state.     At  eighteen 


ADDITIOlSrAL    MATTER.  957 

Mr.  Rice  was  apprenticed  to  a  hatter  at  Springfield,  Vermont.  At 
his  majority,  liaving  become  master  of  his  chosen  trade,  he  was 
employed  as  a  journeyman  in  Lowell,  and  afterward  at  Boston.  In 
1835  he  went  to  Cincinnati,  and  two  years  later  returned  to  Spring- 
field. He  was  married  here  September  11,  1837,  to  Lucetta  L. 
Griswold,  who  was  born  in  Johnson,  Franklin  county,  Vermont, 
February  12,  1816  ;  John  Griswold,  her  father,  was  a  native  of 
Connecticut,  and  Hannah  Heath,  his  wife^  was  born  in  New  Hamp- 
shire. Alter  Mr.  Rice's  marriage  he  resided  four  years  in  Lamoille 
county,  Vermont.  Subsequent  to  this  he  spent  three  years  in 
Cincinnati  and  seven  years  in  Lidiana,  in  the  hatting  business.  In 
the  fall  of  1854  he  visited  Minnesota  and  claimed  160  acres  of 
government  land  (the  S.W.  ^  of  Sec.  24)  south  of  the  present  site  of 
Lewiston,  and  built  a  sod  house  thereon.  May  1,  1855,  he 
settled  on  this  claim  with  his  family,  and  lives  there  still,  with  his 
children  comfortably  settled  around  him.  He  subsequently  bought 
the  southeast  quarter  of  the  same  section,  which  lie  divided  equally 
between  two  of  his  sons  ;  besides  the  original  claim,  he  also  has  fort}- 
acres  of  timber  in  Warren  township  and  100  acres  of  land  in 
Faribault  county.  Mr.  Rice  was  a  very  useful  man  in  tlie  early 
years  of  this  townshi]),  and  in  fact  until  he  insisted  on- retiring  from 
active  life.  He  was  chairman  of  the  town  board  during  the  first 
half-dozen  years  of  its  existence,  and  served  as  town  clerk  for  the 
same  length  of  time  ;  he  was  justice  of  the  peace  from  1858  to  1872, 
and  has  probably  written  more  deeds  and  mortgages  than  any  one 
man  in  the  county  outside  of  Winona  ;  he  was  county  commissioner 
from  1870  to  1873  ;  was  elected  a  member  of  the  legislature  in  1858, 
but  did  not  serve,  as  the  governor  failed  to  call  a  session  ;  was 
elected  to  the  same  position  in  1873  and  again  in  1874,  and  served 
the  two  terms  with  credit  to  himself,  the  district  and  the  state. 
Mr.  Rice- is  a  staunch  republican,  and  has  been  a  delegate  to  nearly 
every  county  convention  of  that  party  ;  was  a  member  of  the  state 
convention  in  1873.  He  was  a  member  of  tlie  Patrons  of  Husbandry 
while  the  grange  at  Lewiston  existed,  and  was  master  of  that  organ- 
ization. In  religion  he  is  a  Universalist,  and  Mrs.  Rice  also.  They 
have  five  children  living,  having  lost  two.  Mary  E.,  born  April  23, 
1839,  married  William  Z.  Clayton,  died  May  io,  1864;  Abby  A., 
February  21,  1842,  married  C.  H.  Ramer,  lives  at  Tower  City  ; 
Stephen  H.,  October  21,  1845,  died  September  22,  1869  ;  John  W., 
December  21,  1847,  married  Hannah   Lysauka,  is   postmaster  at 


958  IITSTOllY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

Lewiston,  where  he  keei)S  a  e^eneral  store;  George  W.,  April  25, 
1851,  married  Ainanchi  Lund,  resides  on  Sec.  2-t ;  Charleg  C, 
November  0.  1855,  married  Minnie  (Irethurst,  lives  on  Sec.  24  ; 
James  M.,  May  10,  1858,  clerk  in  postoffice  at  Lewiston. 

Christian  Kramku  (deceased)  was  horn  in  Brandeid3urg,  Ger- 
many, in  1709.  Lie  married  Christina  Koeppen,  and  had  five  sons, 
two  of  whom  reside  in  Utica,  one  at  Trempealeau,  Wisconsin,  one  at 
Dodge  Center  and  the  other  near  Mankato,  Minnesota.  In  1850 
Mr.  ivrainer  emigrated  direct  to  this  township,  and  bouglit  280  acres 
of  hand  on  Sees.  1  and  2.  He  gave  forty  acres  to  each  of  his  sons, 
leaving  eighty  acres  in  his  own  homestead.  He  died  on  December 
26,  1807,  and  Mrs.  Kramer  died  in  December,  1881. 

William  Kramer,  son  of  above,  was  born  in  Brandenburg, 
September  13,  1832,  and  was  therefore  nearly  twenty-four  years 
old  when  he  came  to  America  with  his  parents.  On  July  24, 
1800,  lie  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Charles  Schartan,  a 
deceased  pioneer  of  this  town,  elsewhere  mentioned  in  this  work. 
After  buying  a  share  in  his  father's  homestead  he  sold  the 
whole  of  his  land  and  bought  the  Schartan  homestead  of  100 
acres,  on  Sec.  11,  in  1882,  and  dwells  thereon.  He  is  a 
Lutheran  and  a  republican ;  has  served  as  school  directoi-.  Eight 
children  have  been  born  to  him,  as  here  given :  Mary  A., 
March  12,  1862,  married  Frank  Miller,  now  living  near  Bigstone 
City;  Frank,  June  12,  1863;  Otto,  July  22,  1868;  Elmer,  March 
13,  1871 ;  Elizabeth,  April  25,  1874;  Molly,  June  22,  1876;  Susan- 
nah, March  30,  1879;  Huldah  A.,  June  27,  1881. 

Abraham  M.  Ramer,  merchant,  was  born  in  Ripley  county, 
Indiana,  July  30,  1851.  When  in  his  fourth  year,  his  parents  re- 
moved to  this  township,  where  most  of  his  life  has  since  been  spent. 
Philip  Ramei-,  father  of  this  subject,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  this 
county.  He  was  born  in  Ohio  in  April,  1814,  was  a  son  of  Reter 
and  Sarah  (Cook)  Ramer,  of  North  Carolina.  He  married  Ruth 
Thackeray,  daughter  of  Stephen  and  Sarah  Tluxckeray,  Quakers,  of 
New  York.  In  A]3ril,  1855,  Mr.  Ramer  took  up  his  residence  in 
LTtica  townshi]),  taking  one-fourth  of  Sec.  13  under  the  pre-emp- 
tion law,  and  buying  the  claim  to  aiK)ther  quarter-section  adjoining. 
He  was  at  that  time  a  member  of  the  society  of  Dunkards,  for  whom 
he  preached.  The  first  religious  service  in  the  town  was  conducted 
by  him.  Subsecpient  to  1860  both  himself  and  wife  left  the  Dunk- 
ards and  joined  the  Second  Advent  believers,  and  Mr.  Ramer  was 


ADDITIOISrAL    MATTER.  959 

for  several  years  pastor  of  a  church  of  that  denomination  in  Winona. 
He  was  many  years  assessor  of  the  town  of  Utica,  and  was  once 
elected  to  the  legislature.  In  1865  lie  sold  his  property  here  and 
removed  to  Winona.  Here  he  lost  his  capital  of  $17,000  in  an  un- 
successful attempt  with  other  parties  to  manufacture  gang  plows.  He 
is  now  a  resident  of  Flandreau,  Dakota,  where  he  is  engaged  in 
farming.  Mrs.  Ramer  died  in  December,  1872.  Abraham  Earner 
received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Lewiston  and  Winona. 
At  eighteen  he  began  mercantile  life  as  clerk  in  H  store  in  Winona, 
where  he  remained  some  yeai's.  After  six  months  spent  in  Dubuque, 
he  took  charge  of  a  store  in  Chicago  one  year.  Eeturning  to  Lewis- 
ton,  he  was  clerk  for  three  years  in  the  general  store  of  J.  W.  Eice. 
On  November  1,  1881,  he  opened  a  new  general  store  on  the  main 
street  of  Lewiston,  buying  the  building  at  the  same  time.  His  capi- 
tal was  very  small,  but  by  close  attention  to  business  he  has  built  up 
a  good  patronage.  His  residence,  which  he  built,  is  one  of  the  best 
in  the  village.  Mr.  Earner  was  married  May  9,  1874,  to  Augusta 
Lasansky,  who  was  born  in  Germany  in  1853.  They  have  two 
children,  who  were  born  as  below :  Gertrude  E.,  February  16,  1875  ; 
George  H.,  June  18,  1878.  Mr.  Eamer's  religious  views  are  most 
nearly  re])resented  by  the  Adventists.  He  is  a  republican,  and  has 
served  as  justice  of  the  peace  three  years. 

Joseph  D.  Ball,  farmer,  was  born  in  the  town  of  Illinois, 
Chautauqua  county,  New  York,  November  14,  1843.  His  father  was 
James  Ball,  a  native  of  New  York,  and  his  mother,  Julia  A.  Med- 
bury,  was  born  in  Connecticut.  Mr.  Ball  was  reared  on  a  farm,  and 
attended  the  common  schools.  His  natural  shrewdness  and  ability 
have  placed  him  among  the  foremost  farmers  of  his  community.  On 
April  21,  1861,  just  seven  days  after  the  firing  on  Fort  Sumter,  he 
enrolled  his  name  among  his  country's  defenders.  The  first  enlist- 
ment was  for  ninety  days,  in  McLean's  Erie  regiment ;  at  the 
expiration  of  this  time  he  re-enlisted  for  the  war,  and  was  assigned 
to  Co.  G,  150th  Pa.  reg.,  and  served  until  June  29,  1865.  He  was 
wounded  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg;  also  participated  in  the  battles 
of  Fredericksburg,  Chancellorsville,  the  Wilderness  campaign,  and 
numerous  smaller  engagements,  of  which  the  history  of  the  army  of 
the  Potomac  tells.  In  1866  Mr.  Ball  became  a  resident  of  Saratoga, 
buying  160  acres  of  land  on  Sec.  23,  on  which  he  dwelt  ten  years* 
In  1876  he  sold  this  and  bought  400  acres,  including  the  quarter  of 
Sec.  9  where  he  lives.       This   is   the   original   claim   of   Charles 


960  HISTORY    OF    WFNONA    COUNTY. 

Gerrisli,  taken  in  1855,  and  from  whom  he  purchased  it.  Mr.  Ball 
raises  considerable  stock,  largely  Percheron  hoi'ses.  He 'is  a 
republican,  and  served  as  supervisor  of  Saratoga  in  1880-1-2.  He 
came  here  with  the  savings  of  an  army  life —  about  $300, —  and  has 
secured  his  present  large  property  by  his  own  industry  and  ability, 
assisted,  of  course,  by  his  estimable  wife.  This  lady  was  Miss 
Augusta  F.  Smith,  born  in  Leon,  Cattaraugus  county.  New  York, 
July  21,  1849.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  eFulia  A.  (Scott) 
Smith,  also  natives  of  New  York,  and  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Mr.  Ball  on  Christmas  day,  1867.  They  have  three  children,  born 
as  below  noted  :  Monroe  J.,  December  28, 1868;  Nellie,  October  11, 
1871;  Dwight,  January  13,  1878. 

Alvano  B.  Dyer,  farmer.  Joseph  Dyer,  great-grandfather  of 
this  subject,  was  a  sea-captain,  who  emigrated  from  England  to 
Massachusetts  before  the  revolution,  and  was  married  May  2,  1771, 
to  Elizabeth  Nickols,  oi  Maiden.  This  lady  prepared  the  blacking 
which  stained,  the  faces  of  the  famous  "Boston  Tea  Party,"  in 
December,  1773,  and  her  husband  was  one  of  the  party  who  threw 
the  tea  overboard.  He  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-five  years.  His  son, 
John  M.,  was  also  married  in  Maiden,  and  settled  in  Freeman, 
Franklin  county,  Maine,  in  1802.  His  grandson,  Azor,  now  resides 
on  the  same  farm  which  he  cleared  up  in  the  then  district  of  Maine, 
a  part  of  Massachusetts.  Azor  Dyer,  father  of  the  last-named,  and 
of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  on  this  farm  October  20, 
1S12,  and  was  married  in  1836  to  Mary  Davis,  a  native  of  Cape  Cod. 
A.  B.  Dyer  was  born  to  them  December  17,  1839,  on  the  old  home- 
stead in  Freeman.  His  youth  was  spent  here,  his  education  being 
finished  at  a  select  school  in  Phillips.  His  parents  were  Methodists, 
and  his  sympathies  are  with  that  faith.  He  is  a  republican,  and  has 
been  su[)ervisor  of  Saratoga  two  years.  He  became  a  resident  of  the 
township  in  the  spring  of  1865,  and  in  June  of  that  year  purchased 
the  quarter  of  Sec.  9,  on  which  he  resides.  By  proper  management 
and  close  attention  to  business  he  has  added  to  his  possessions  till 
they  now  include  356  acres  of  prairie  and  seventy  of  timber  in  this 
vicinity,  and  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Redwood  county.  Mr.  Dyei- 
was  married  November  18,  1869,  to  Adah,  daughter  of  Charles 
Gerrish,  a  pioneer  of  Saratoga,  whose  biography  is  elsewhere  given 
in  this  work.  Five  children  are  included  in  this  family,  given  to  it 
;is  here  noted  :  Charles  A.,  November  20,  1870;  M.  Davis,  Septem- 


ADDITIONAL    MATTER.  961 

ber7,  1872;  John  G.,  November  12,  1874;  liurt  Alvano,  October 
23,  1877;  Mary  O.,  October  30,  1879. 

Charles  ABBO'rr,  farmer,  is  a  son  of  Quartras  B.  Abbott,  a 
native  of  New  York,  a  soldier  in  the  Blackhawk  war;  his  wife, 
Mary  Atkinson,  was  also  a  native  of  New  York.  Charles  Abbott 
was  born  in  Fort  Winnebago,  Wisconsin,  February  18,  1836.  His 
father  was  subsequently  a  ship  carpenter,  serving  on  the  Mississippi 
steamers,  and  he  came  with  him  to  St.  Paul,  in  1850 ;  his  summers 
were  afterward  spent  in  Minnesota,  and  his  winter  life  was  passed 
on  a  farm  in  Illinois.  He  was  married  in  January,  1859,  to  Melissa 
Fleming,  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Nancy  Fleming,  of  Ohio.  In  the 
spring  of  the  latter  year  he  removed  to  Saratoga  village,  where  he 
resided  four  years.  Here  he  began  work  at  the  mason's  trade,  which 
has  occupied  his  time  more  or  less  since.  He  owns  a  piece  of  land 
in  Mower  county,  which  he  purchased  on  his  first  arrival  here.  In 
1863  he  took  up  his  present  residence  on  Sec.  10,  on  land  belonging 
to  Mrs.  Abbott.  In  August,  1862,  Mr.  Abbott  responded  to  the 
call  for  troops  to  defend  settlers  against  the  belligerent  Indians, 
enlisting  in  Co.  K,  9th  Minn.  Inf.,  and  served  on  the  frontier  until 
discharged  on  account  of  illness  in  July,  1863.  He  is  a  Baptist  in 
religious  faith,  and  a  republican  in  politics ;  has  been  three  years 
constable  of  his  township.  He  has  two  children,  having  lost  one 
by  death.  Their  births  are  given  thus :  Nellie,  March  22,  1864, 
married  Burton  Wood,  home  at  present  with  parents;  Clarence, 
April  11,  1876. 

George  L.  Wheelock,  farmer,  is  a  son  of  Humphrey  Wheelock 
and  Sophia  Le  Seur  Wheelock,  of  Massachusetts  birth.  The  father, 
Humphrey,  was  a  soldier  in  the  revolutionary  war.  George 
Wheelock  was  born  in  Barnard,  Windsor  county,  Vermont,  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1834.  At  eighteen  he  left  home,  and  spent  five  years  in 
and  near  the  city  of  Boston,  being  employed  in  Faneuil  Hall 
market  part  of  the  time,  and  as  a  teamster.  He  was  married 
March  11,  1857,  to  Mary  J.,  daughter  of  Orrin  and  Hatherowe 
(Chamberlain)  Cox,  of  Vermont ;  she  was  born  in  Barnard,  October 
10,  1839.  In  September  of  the  same  year,  he  became  a  resident  of 
Winona  county,  taking  up  school  land  on  Sec.  16,  Saratoga,  where 
his  home  was  .till  1865.  Mr.  Wheelock  was  one  of  those  who 
volunteered  to  defend  the  white  settlers  from  Indian  attacks  in 
1862,  being  enrolled  August  22,  in  Co.  K,  9th  reg.  After  serving 
a  year  on  the  western  frontier  his  regiment  joined  the  army  of  the 


/ 


962  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

'I  eniiesseo.  He  was  cMi)tiirc'd  tit  Guntown,  Mississippi,  in  June,  1864, 
iuul  ku})t  ill  various  rebel  ])ri8()ns  a  year,  the  last  live  months  at 
Aiidersonville.  He  was  exchanged  at  the  close  of  the  war,  and  is 
one  of  three  out  of  eleven  Saratogans  who  survived  an  imprison- 
ment at  Andersonville.  After  the  close  of  the  war  he  sold  his 
Saratoga  property  and  removed  to  Elmira  township,  in  the  adjoin- 
ing county  of  Olmsted,  where  he  still  owns  240  acres  oi  land,  tilled 
by  his  eldest  son.  In  September,  1882,  he  bought  the  property  on 
wliich  he  resides,  being  240  acres  on  Sees.  3  and  4,  Saratoga,  the 
residence  being  on  the  latter.  He  is  a  republiqan,  and  served  eight 
successive  years  as  supervisor  in  Elmira,  and  six  years  as  justice  of 
tlie  j)eace.  He  is  the  father  of  four  children,  born  as  here  recorded  : 
Frederick  A.,  February  9,  1859,  resides  Elmira;  Emma  L.,  August 
8,  1860,  married  James  W.  Rutledge,  lives  at  Dundee,  Dakota; 
Eva  G.,  May  4,  1867;  George  Leroy,  June  14,  1875. 

Nathan  M.  Cross,  farmer,  was  born  in  Chautauqua  county,  New 
York,  November  9,  1835.  His  parents,  Joel  and  Julia  A.  Med- 
bury  Cross,  were  also  natives  of  that  state.  He  has  always  been  a 
farmer,  having  been  reared  on  a  farm.  In  1859  he  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Saratoga,  buying  one-fourth  of  Sec.  27,  where  his  home 
has  ever  since  been.  By  subsequent  purchase  he  has  acquired  200 
acres  more,  and  is  one  of  the  most  successful  and  substantial  farmers 
of  this  rich  township.  Mr.  Cross  is  a  skeptic  on  religious  questions. 
His  political  principles  are  republican  ;  he  has  been  treasurer  of  his 
school-district  fourteen  years,  and  was  elected  town  treasurer  in  1883. 
On  April  7,  1856,  he  was  joined  in  holy  wedlock  to  Miss  Anna 
Lane,  who  was  born  in  Utica,  New  York,  Novem'ber  14,  1848.  They 
have  two  children  living,  given  them  as  follows  :  William  E.,  August 
5,  1871;  Cora  B.,  October  12,  1873.  Mr.  Cross  enlisted  under  the 
last  call  for  troops,  in  April,  1865,  and  was  gone  a  little  over  three 
months,  but  saw  no  active  service. 

Ira  Murphy,  farmer,  was  born  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  August 
20,  1852.  He  is  a  son  of  John  Murphy,  native  of  Tennessee,  and 
Mary  J.  Murphy,  of  Indiana.  In  1856  his  father  settled  in  Jordan,  Fill- 
more county,  this  state,  where  he  has  become  a  wealthy  man.  He 
has  520  acres  of  land  in  this  township.  In  1876  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  began  managing  this  property,  and  has  resided  since  1876  on 
a  quarter  of  Sec.  22,  which  now  constitutes  his  charge.  He  was 
married  April  12,  1881,  to  Ella  Griffin,  who  was  born  near  Logans- 
port,  March  6,  1860.     They  have  one  child,  Nora  Sibyl,  born  March 


ADDITIONAL    MATTER.  963 

22,  1883.  Mr.  Murphy  is  a  inember  of  (Ihattield  Lodge,  A.  F.  and 
A.  M.,  and  a  democrat.  Altliougli  not  a  ineniber  of  any  elmrcli,  he 
is  a  iirni  believer  in  the  Christian  religion. 

James  Walker  (deceased)  was  born  near  Port  Norris,  County 
Armagh,  Ireland,  May  3,  1810.     He  was  reared  on  a  farm  and  sub- 
sequently engaged  in  manufactures.     He  came  to  the  United  States 
in  1833,  and  to^ok  charge  of  a  cotton-mill  at  Philadelphia.     He  was 
married  Isovember  20,  1837,  to  Miss  Rebecka  Anderson,  who  was 
born  in  the  town  of  Baragh,  County  Tyrone,  Ireland,  August  3, 
1822.     About  1840  he  removed  to  Delaware,  and  during  several 
years  of  his  residence  there,  kept  a  general  store  near  Wilmington. 
After  five  years'  residence  on  a  farm  in  Iowa  he  became  a  resident 
of  Saratoga,  buying  claims  to  a  half  of  Sec.  17,  where  he  resided 
till  his  death,  July  14,  1882.     Mr.  Walker  was  an  active,  intelhgent 
man,   and  by  giving   close   attention  to  business   was   prospered. 
At  one  time  he  owned  over  a  section  of  land  ;  after  presenting  each 
of  two  sons  with  eighty  acres  of  land  he  left  an  estate  of  400  acres, 
with  complete  buildings  and  other  improvements.     He  gave  little 
attention  to  public  affairs,  but  voted  with  the  republican  party.     He 
was  several  yeays  a  town  supervisor,  and  also  justice  of  the  peace 
some  time.     He  joined  the  I.O.O.F.  in  Pennsylvania,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  lodge  at  Winona  at  the  time  of  his  death.     Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Walker  were  both  Presbyterians.     Beside  his  widow  and  many 
friends  the  following  eight  children  mourn  his  loss  :  Robert  J.,  who 
married  Martha   Burrell,  resides  on  Sec.  22;  Elizabeth   A.,  Will- 
iam Fry,  Winona;  James  J.,  Frances  Van  Aiken,  Winona;  William 
E.,  mentioned  elsewhere;  Henry  C,  operates  farm;  Rachel  E.,  Jen- 
nie I.,  at  home;  Albert  T.,  Lizzie  Culbertson,  Saratoga. 

George  Crowson,  farmer,  was  born  in  Broughton,  Leicester- 
shire, England,  February  18,  1837.  He  was  brought  up  In  the 
country,  and  his  mother  being  early  left  a  widow,  he  had  little 
opportunity  for  educatiim;  the  only  advantage  he  enjoyed  in  this 
line  was  that  furnished  by  the  Sabbath  and  night  schools.  His 
natural  strength  of  mind  and  subsequent  self-culture  have  stood 
him  in  good  stead,  and  he  is  numbered  among  the  representative 
men  of  which  Saratoga  township  boasts  so  many.  At  eighteen  years 
of  age  he  emigrated  to  America,  settling  near  Oberlin,  Ohio,  where 
he  engaged  in  farm  labor.  Six  years  later  he  came  to  Saratoga  and 
rented  land.  In  the  fall  of  1861  he  bought  a  farm  on  Sec.  8.  This 
he  soon  sold,  and  has  owned  several  farms  for  short  periods.     In 


964  HTSTOTIY    OF    WTNON^A    COUNTY. 

1870  lie  piircliased  one-foiirtli  of  Sec.  7,  wliere  his  home  has  been 
ever  since.  Mr.  Crowson  was  reared  in  the  Episcopal  church,  and 
still  gives  his  support  to  that  sect.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Patrons  of  Husbandry,  and  of  Troy  Lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  He  is 
a  republican,  and  has  served  as  town  suj^ervisor  one  year ;  has  been 
school  director  several  terms.  In  1855  Mr.  Crowson  was  wedded 
to  Mary  A.  Parmer,  who  was  born  near  Broughton,  August  26, 
1830.  She  died  September  14,  1875,  leaving  the  following  children: 
George  W.,  born  April  23,  1856,  married  Wealthy  Gallup,  resides 
in  St.  Charles;  Elizabeth  M.,  February  2,  1859;  Sarah  J.,  October 
14,  ISCO;  James  E.,  October  24,  1862;  Frank  E.,  September  10, 
1865.  On  May  1,  1876,  Mr.  Crowson  married  Sarah  Wilson,  born 
near  Columbus,  Wisconsin,  July  28,  1856.  The  children  born  to 
the  latter  union  are:  Alice  E.,  August  27,  1877;  Ernest  A.,  Feb- 
ruary 10,  1881. 

Abram  D.  Hesselgrave,  farmer,  was  born  in  Lisbon,  St.  Law- 
rence county.  New  York,  July  22,  1827.  His  parents,  James  H. 
and  Margaret  (Ilolderness)  Hesselgrave,  emigrated  from  England  to 
America.  He  has  always  been  a  farmer,  being  reared  to  that 
calling.  He  bought  a  farm  in  Parish ville,  New.Yoi'k,  which  he 
tilled  many  years.  His  marriage  took  place  July  16,  1851,  the  bride 
being  Miss  Margaret  Shampyne,  who  was  born  in  Cornwall, 
Canada,  March  9,  1831.  Her  parents  were  John  and  Rosanna 
Shampyne,  and  were  born  in  Canada.  Mr.  Hesselgrave  early 
responded  to  the  calls  of  his  native  land  for  aid  in  suppressing 
treason  in  its  midst.  He  enlisted  August  25,  1862,  in  Co.  E,  106th 
reg.  N.  Y.  Inf.,  and  served  in  the  army  of  the  Potomac  through  all 
its  severe  campaigns.  The  most  important  battles  in  which  he  was  an 
actor  were  those  of  Martinsburg,  Gettysburg,  Mine  Run,  Culpepper, 
the  A\^il(lerness,  Spottsylvania  Court  House,  Cold  Harbor,  Bermuda 
Hundred,  Cedar  Creek  and  Petersburg.  At  the  latter  contest  he  was 
sliot  through  the  rightwrist,  April  2, 1865.  He  was  discharged  in  June 
of  this  year,  and  sold  out  his  New  York  property  and  removed  to 
the  west.  He  arrived  in  Saratoga  in  the  fall,  and  bought  forty 
acres  of  land  on  Sec.  16,  where  he  lived  seven  years.  This  he  sold, 
and  lived  on  rented  land  a  few  seasons.  In  1878  he  acquired  his 
present  domain,  embracing  114  acres  on  Sec.  15.  He  is  a  Methodist 
in  religious  belief  and  a  republican  in  political  principle.  Following 
is  the  record  of  his  children  :  Jane,  born  June  22,  1852,  married 
Charles  Brackley,  lives  on  Sec.  15;  Margaret,  July  16,  1853  ;  Julius 


ADDITIONAL    MATTER. 


9G5 


Beebe,  Oporto,  Dakota;  Henry,  March  16,  1855,  Utica;  John, 
December  11,  1856,  at  home;  Emily,  September  27,  1858  ;  Jeffer- 
son Skinner,  Oporto,  Dakota  Territory ;  James,  July  8,  1861,  at 
home;  Fred,  March  21,  1869;  Ella,  February  27,  1871;  Albert, 
January  12,  1873. 

John  Gibson,  farmer,  was  born  in  Leicestershire,  England,  Jan- 
uary 19,  1834.     Up  to  thirteen  years  of  age  his  life  was  passed  on  a 
farm,  and  he  was  then  apprenticed  to  a  tailor,  and  worked  at  that 
trade  eight  years.     At  twenty-four  he  emigrated  to  America,  and 
engaged  in  farm  labor  near  Oberlin,  Ohio,  three  years.     In  1860  he 
moved  westward  and  settled  in  Saratoga.     He  had  been  here  but  a 
short  time  when  he  responded  to  the  call  of  his  adopted  country  for 
troops  to  suppress  rebellion.     He  was  enrolled  in  January,  1862,  in 
the  2d  batt.  Minn.  Light  Art.,  and  served  in  the  army  of  the  Cum- 
berland till  April,  1865,  taking  part  in  twenty-one  battles  and  nine 
skirmishes.     Principal  among  the  former  were  those  of  Corinth,  Fer- 
ryville.  Stone  River,  Chickamauga  and  Sherman's  Atlanta  campaign. 
Two  horses  were  shot  under  him,  and  he  was  internally  injured,  so 
that  he  never  fully  recovered,  by  the  fall  from  his  steed  at  Stone 
River.     Mr.  Gibson  was  married  April  8,  1862,  at  Winona,  to  Miss 
Maggie  Burns,  who  was  born  in  County  Kildare,  Ireland,  November 
24,  1832.     He  now  has  120  acres  of  land  on  Sees.  7  and  8,  Sara- 
toga, and  is  a  happy  and  prosperous  farmer.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gibson 
are  Methodists  in  religious  faith.     They  are  members  of  the  order 
of  Patrons  of  Husbandry.     Mr.  Gibson  is  a  republican. 

John  L.  Blair,  farmer,  was  born  in  Rensselaer  county,  New 
York,  July  7,  1834.  He  is  a  son  of  Luke  Blair,  one  of  Winona 
county's  pioneers,  elsewhere  mentioned.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
passed  his  early  years  on  a  farm,  attending  the  common  schools  of 
New  York.  He  was  in  his  nineteenth  year  when  he  came  with  his 
father  to  this  county.  He  afterward  made  claim  to  160  acres  of  land 
on  Sees.  1  and  2,  Saratoga,  which  he  retained  and  dwelt  on  till  1866. 
He  was  married  April  16,  1859,  to  Miss  Martha  E.  Cheatham,  born 
in  Woodburn,  Illinois,  January  7,  1835  ;  her  parents,  W.  W.  and 
Margaret  S.  (Wilson)  Cheatham,  were  born  in  Kentucky.  Mr.  Blair 
has  seen  active  military  service,  having  been  mustered  as  a  recruit 
in  the  1st  batt.  Minn.  Heavy  Art.,  February  16,  1864.  He  was 
under  fire  over  ninety  days  in  all,  this  batteij  being  in  active 
service  in  the  army  of  the  Tennessee.  He  ]>artic\pated  in  the  bom- 
bardment at  Kenesaw,  siege  of  Atlr^nta,  of  Savannah  and  the  march 


9(><1  HISTORY    OF    WINONA    COUNTY. 

to  Washington,  by  way  of  Richmond  and  Petersburg.  After  the 
close  of  the  war  Mr.  Blair  bought  a  farm  on  Sec.  35,  St.  Charles, 
and  soon  after  sold  his  original  claim  and  has  ever  since  resided 
within  this  townsliip.  His  landed  j)roperty  at  present  embraces  120 
acres  on  Sees.  30  and  31,  and  a  quarter-section  near  Ordway, 
Dakota.  He  has  resided  since  November,  1882,  on  St.  Charles 
street,  in  tlie  city  of  St.  Charles.  lie  has  been  called  upon  several 
times  since  the  war  to  fill  various  public  positions.  He  was  assessor 
for  thi-ee  years  in  the  town  of  St.  Charles,  and  supervisor  for  a  like 
period  ;  he  served  one  term  as  justice  of  the  peace,  and  on  re-elec- 
tion refused  to  serve.  In  1871  he  was  elected  by  the  republicans  to 
the  fourteenth  legislature,  and  served  with  credit  to  himself  and  his 
constituents.  He  is  now  independent  in  political  matters.  His 
religious  views  are  most  nearly  represented  by  the  Swedenborgians. 


IftOVS