IX. ASHLAND, BAYFIELD AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES…

IX. ASHLAND, BAYFIELD AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES

ASHLAND COUNTY.

Ashland was originally a part of Crawford county, afterward of St. Croix and La Pointe, and was set off from the latter March 27, 1860. It is bounded on the north by Lake Superior and Montreal river, on the east by Oneida, on the south by Price and Chippewa, and on the west by Bayfield and Chippewa counties. It includes townships 41 to 47, ranges 1, 2, and 3 east of the fourth principal meridian, and townships 41 to 48 west of the same; the northern towns bordering on Montreal river and Lake Superior are fractional. The group of Apostle islands belongs to this county. The surface is generally level except where broken by the iron and copper ranges in the middle and southern part of the county. The Gogebic range, southeast of Ashland, is especially rich in iron. A railroad along this range connects Ashland with the Michigan roads. The soil is somewhat varied, ranging from sandy loam in the interior, to red clay on the lake shore. The county is drained by Bad, White and Montreal rivers and their tributaries, and the headwaters of the Chippewa. The timber is pine, fir, birch, etc.

The Apostle islands, situated in Lake Superior at the mouth of Chequamegon bay, form a fine natural harbor. The group consists of twenty-two islands, the most considerable of which are Madeline, Oatez, Oak, Hemlock, Rice, Basswood, Presque, Bear, Sand, and Michigan. The islands range in area from a very few acres up to 14,804. They are heavily timbered with hardwood, have fertile soil, and are well adapted to farm and garden culture. The largest of these islands is Madeline, situated directly at the entrance to Chequamegon bay, and noted as containing the oldest settlement on the lake. Claude Allouez, a Jesuit missionary, landed at Madeline island Oct. 1, 1665, and erected a bark chapel at the place now known as La Pointe, and commenced instructing the Indians of the Algonquin and Huron tribes. Since that time the island has been held by missionaries and trading companies, with some pretty long intervals of abandonment. In 1800, M. Cadot, a French trader, came to La Pointe, erected fortified dwellings and lived here till his death, in 1837. At the commencement of the present century the American Fur Company made its headquarters on the southern part of the island, and occupied a post there until 1835, when they removed to La Pointe. Rev. Sherman Hall, of the Presbyterian church, established a mission here in 1830. In 1835 Rev. Father Baraga, a Catholic missionary, arrived, and built a church which he occupied until 1841, when he built a better one, which still stands in the inclosure of an ancient burying ground. This church contains a painting said to be over two hundred years old. Some of the graves are quite ancient, and have quaint inscriptions upon their tombstones. One that has often been copied and commented on by tourists is as follows:

"ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF ABRAHAM BEAULIEAU WHO WAS ACCIDENTALLY SHOT AS A MARK OF AFFECTION BY HIS BROTHER."

These islands are becoming a fashionable resort for tourists, and many of them have been utilized as pleasant summer residences. Some of them are occupied by lighthouses of which there are five in all. The islands abound in brown stone, which is being quarried extensively for building purposes. The stone for the Milwaukee court house was taken from the quarries on Basswood island.

LA POINTE COUNTY ELECTION.--In 1848 La Pointe county was set off from St. Croix county, and at an election held Nov. 10, 1848, John H. Wells and Leonard Wheeler were elected justices of the peace, and J. F. Hughes was elected clerk of the board of county commissioners. Returns of their election and that of members of the legislature were made to Hudson, county seat of St. Croix county.

HON. JOHN W. BELL, born in New York City in 1805, in his eighth year went to Canada with his parents, learned to be a watchmaker, a ship builder and a cooper, and came to La Pointe in 1835, where he has since resided. He carried on the coopering business first, for the American Fur Company, and then for himself established a trading post, became interested in mining stocks, and filled various county offices, having served as county judge and register of deeds a great many years. In later life he was postmaster at La Pointe. He was married in 1837 to Miss Margaret Brahant, in the Catholic chapel, by Bishop Baraga. He died in 1888.

ASHLAND

Is situated on a plateau of about thirty feet elevation, on the south shore and near the head of Chequamegon bay. The first house, a cabin, was built in 1854. Other cabins were added the same year. In the cabin erected by Mr. Asaph Whittlesey, in the winter of 1854-55, was preached the first sermon in Ashland by Rev. L. H. Wheeler, of the Odanah mission. A post office was established in March, 1855, Mr. Whittlesey, postmaster. The first American child born was the second daughter of Asaph Whittlesey. The name of Ashland was conferred upon the town by Martin Beaser, an ardent admirer of Henry Clay, it being the name of Mr. Clay's homestead. The village and post office was first known as Whittlesey, but on the organization of the county in 1860, the name of Ashland was applied to both. The new town was not destined to immediate and continuous prosperity, and at one time, in 1863, had decreased so much in population that its post office was discontinued for a period of nine years. After that date it entered upon an era of prosperity.

Julia Wheeler taught the first school in 1859. The Methodists organized the first Protestant society in 1872. The Catholics commenced a church building in 1873. In 1872 the first newspaper in Ashland, the Press, was established by Sam S. and Hank O. Fifield, under whose charge it remained until 1874, when S. S. Fifield bought his brother's interest in the paper and has since published it continuously, and in 1888 established a daily.

In 1872 the Wisconsin Central railroad commenced work at the bay, and the outlay for improvements that year amounted to $244,800. The Wisconsin Central railroad built the Hotel Chequamegon in 1877. It is built in the form of an L, 120 feet front and 80 feet deep with 400 feet of veranda, and accommodations for 100 guests. There are numerous other hotels in the city, and several boarding houses receive guests during the summer season. Ashland has vast lumber interests. The Ashland Lumber Company built the first mill, in 1872, which had a capacity of about 15,000,000 feet per annum. The Union mill, built in 1878, has a capacity of about 18,000,000 feet. Mueller & Richie's mill, built in 1881, has a capacity of about 20,000,000 feet. There is also a planing mill belonging to Geo. White. Ashland has become a railroad centre. The Wisconsin Central, St. Paul & Omaha, Milwaukee & Lake Shore and Northern Pacific concentrate a heavy freight for their elevators and lake docks. The largest dock in the world was built in Ashland in 1887. It was built almost expressly for iron ore shipments from Penoka and Gogebic ranges.

ASAPH WHITTLESEY selected the site of Ashland in 1854, and in conjunction with George Kilborn built the first dwelling. He was the first postmaster. He was appointed in 1855. He represented Ashland, Burnett, Douglas, La Pointe, Polk, and St. Croix in the Wisconsin assembly in 1860.

J. P. T. HASKELL was the second settler in Ashland. He came with his wife, Nov. 2, 1854, but did not long remain.

S. S. VAUGHN was born in Cuyahoga county, Ohio, Sept. 2, 1830. He came with his brother to La Pointe in 1852, and engaged in the fishing and fur trade until 1855, when he returned to Ohio. After taking a course in a commercial college, he returned to Wisconsin in 1856, took a claim of one hundred and sixty acres at Ashland and opened a store at Bayfield. In 1856 he surveyed and platted what is known as Vaughn's addition to Ashland. In 1871 he represented Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, and Polk counties in the Wisconsin assembly. At Ashland he built docks, warehouses and a store, and in later years dealt largely in iron mines and in lumber. He was married to Miss E. Patrick, of Ohio, in 1864. He died at Ashland, February, 1886. He induced the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company to make Ashland their lake terminus. He did more for that city than any other man.

EDWIN ELLIS, M.D., was born in Oxford county, Maine; was educated in Farmington Academy, Colby University and Bowdoin College, where he graduated and afterward completed a medical course at the University of New York. He came West in 1854, and located first at St. Paul, but in 1855 removed to Ashland where he made a claim, which, in part, became in 1873 Ellis' addition to Ashland. He practiced his profession at Ashland and Ontonagon, Michigan. He was married in 1850 to Martha B. Baker, of Sharon, Maine.

MARTIN BEASER, one of the pre-emptors of the site of Ashland, was born in Erie county, New York, Oct. 22, 1822. For many years he was a seafaring man. He spent seven years in whaling, at the close of which time he came to Ontonagon in a sailing vessel, and thence with three companions in a dog sledge to Ashland, arriving February, 1856. Here he pre-empted land, and assisted in laying out the village. He engaged in the mercantile business. He was drowned in November, 1866, while trying to cross Chequamegon bay in an open boat during a storm. Mr. Beaser was a public spirited man and freely used his wealth in attempting to build up Ashland. He never lost faith in the ultimate prosperity of his adopted home.

HON. SAM S. FIFIELD was born in Corinna, Penobscot county, Maine, June 24, 1839. His early days were spent in Bangor, and he had but limited school privileges. He was early thrown upon his own resources and learned lessons in the rough school of life. He spent his time variously, as errand boy, hotel clerk, night watch on a steamboat, toll keeper; but finally, having served a brief apprenticeship in a printing office, he became the proprietor of the Polk County Press in 1862. In 1872 he and his brother Hank O. established the Ashland Press, of which he is now sole editor and publisher. Mr. Fifield entered the political arena as a Republican and has been remarkably successful. His record from the Wisconsin blue book is as follows:

1868-69--Assembly proof-reader and assistant sergeant-at-arms. 1871-72--Assembly sergeant-at-arms. 1874-75-76--Member of assembly from Ashland, Barron, Burnett, Douglas, and Polk counties. 1876--Speaker of the assembly. 1877--Member of the senate. 1880-81--Member of the senate. 1882-86--Lieutenant governor.

Mr. Fifield was married to Stella Grimes, at Prescott, 1863. Considering the disadvantageous circumstances of his youth, Mr. Fifield's career has been a notable one.

BAYFIELD COUNTY.

Bayfield county includes townships 43 to 52, except as affected by the irregular outline of its lake boundary on the north, and ranges 5 to 9. It has seventy-five miles of lake shore, with some fine harbors, the finest of which are those in the shelter of the Apostle islands, on the northeast. The country is covered with dense growths of evergreen and hardwood timber. Numerous streams flow into the lake on the north, and into the tributaries of the St. Croix on the south. The Chippewa Indians formerly occupied the country. The Red Cliff Indian reservation is located at Buffalo Bay, a short distance north of Bayfield City. The territory of Bayfield county has been successively in the bounds of Crawford, St. Croix and La Pointe. By subsequent subdivisions Douglas and Ashland counties were set off from La Pointe, and the Apostle islands given to Ashland, and the remaining part of La Pointe was organized as Bayfield county, with the county seat at Bayfield, in 1868. Aside from traders and adventurers and the occasional advent of a missionary, the first settler was Elisha Pike, who came with his family in 1855, and settled in section 21, township 50, range 4, not far from Bayfield. Bayfield was named in honor of Admiral Bayfield of the British Navy, who made a survey of Lake Superior in 1822-23.

BAYFIELD.

The village of Bayfield was platted in 1856, by H. M. Rice. It has since been incorporated. It is beautifully situated. The site slopes gently from high timbered regions to the shores of the bay. The waters of the bay are deep, clear, and, from the shelter afforded by the Apostle islands, almost unruffled. The harbor thus afforded is among the best on the lake. Bayfield was made a port of entry in 1858. The city is well supplied with stores, mills, hotels, school houses, and churches. There are many pleasant homes, with fountains playing in front, lawns, shade trees and ornamental shrubs. The landscape, especially to those residing in the rear of the city on the higher grounds, is exquisitely beautiful. There are many beautiful trout brooks and ponds in the suburbs. As a summer resort Bayfield is becoming every year better appreciated. The Bayfield Press, established in 1874, is the local newspaper. It is edited and published by Currie C. Bell.

WASHBURN

Is a new town on the west side of Chequamegon bay. It is the lake terminus of the Omaha railroad. It has a fine harbor, large mills and other enterprises that mark it as a growing town.

DRUMMOND, PRATT AND MASON

Are prosperous manufacturing villages, with large saw mills, located on White river, on the line of the North Wisconsin railroad.

CABLE STATION,

On the railroad, in township 43, range 7, contains about a dozen buildings. Mathews, Olson & Co. are working a silver mine near Cable which yields twenty-three dollars per ton. There are several other villages and stations on the line of the two railroads passing through this county.

DOUGLAS COUNTY.

This county occupies the extreme northwestern corner of the State, having a frontage of six townships on the lake by six on the Minnesota state line, making a total of thirty-six whole townships and five fractional, the latter lying along the lake. The northern part of the county is drained by the tributaries of St. Louis river and Lake Superior, the principal streams being the Nemadji, Middle and Brule rivers. The southern part is drained by the St. Croix and tributaries. The Omaha railroad intersects the county from south to north, having its northern terminus at West Superior. The Northern Pacific crosses the upper tier of towns, having its principal station at Superior. Thriving villages are growing up along these lines of railroad, and the county is being rapidly settled. It was organized as a county in February, 1854, from territory originally belonging successively to Crawford, St. Croix and La Pointe counties.

The first election was held Nov. 7, 1854. The following officers were elected: County judge, J. A. Markland; sheriff, Asa A. Parker; district attorney, R. R. Nelson; register of deeds, F. A. Whitaker; county treasurer, Bradley Salter; supervisors, Frank Perfect, Chas. H. Kimball and Alexander Paul; supervisors' clerk, C. H. Kingsbury; superintendent of schools, J. J. Post; coroner, R. H. Barrett. Judge J. A. Markland held the first term of court, June 4, 1854. The first deed filed in the county was from William Herbert to Geo. L. Becker, being a warranty in section 14, township 47, range 14. Consideration, $250. The deed was recorded February, 1854. At the organization of the county, Superior was made the county seat.

SUPERIOR CITY.

The site is on a beautiful plateau originally covered with pine, lying on the southern shore of Lake Superior, separated, however, from it by the waters of Superior bay, a fine natural harbor shut in from the lake by tongues of land called Minnesota and Wisconsin Points. These approach within a half mile of each other, the space thus left being the original outlet of the bay. Between Wisconsin Point and the main land lie the waters of Allouez bay, extending in length a distance of three miles, and in width in its widest part about one mile. The Nemadji river flows into Superior bay near its outlet. The bay of St. Louis finds an outlet into Superior bay between Rice's Point and a tongue of land a mile or more in length, projecting from the Wisconsin main land. Minnesota Point, which separates Superior bay from Superior lake, is a strip of land seven miles in length, with an average width of seven hundred feet, beautifully fringed with pines. At the outlet of Superior bay two piers have been constructed, extending into the lake three-fourths of a mile. On one of these piers is a forty-day lighthouse, constructed by the government. The bay forms one of the finest harbors in the world.

The plateau on which Superior City is located is about thirty-five feet above the waters of the bay. The site occupies the triangular space lying between St. Louis bay and the bays of Allouez and Superior, and has at least eleven miles of frontage on these bays, along which numerous docks and piers have been built and projected, some of them costing as much as $200,000. The government surveys were made in 1853, by George R. Stuntz. In July of the same year J. Addison Bulmer made a location on Allouez Point. In August, John T. Morgan settled at the mouth of the Nemadji river. They were followed by Wm. H. Newton, George E. Nettleton, Benjamin Thompson, Col. D. A. Robertson, R. R. Nelson, and D. A. J. Baker, of St. Paul. In September the Roy brothers and ---- Cadott came. The same autumn Frank Roy, Abraham Emmuit and Louis Souvenard made pre-emptions of frontage on Superior bay. Several buildings were erected. Mr. Roy and others give to Col. Robertson the honor of building the first house in Superior. It is still standing.

In the fall of 1853 mineral explorations were made, and mines were worked during the ensuing winter. An Indian trail was widened and a road opened into the St. Croix valley by which supplies were brought from St. Paul. This road was not wide enough for wagons, but was traveled during the winter in dog sledges and on snowshoes. The winter following the opening of the road, Messrs. Robertson, Nelson and Baker went over it to St. Paul on foot. In the spring of 1854 Newton and others made additional surveys of the town site of Superior City, and the same was recorded Nov. 6, 1854. Settlers came in rapidly. O. K. Hall built a hotel. At the organization of Douglas county, in 1854, Superior was made the county seat, the proprietors donating twelve acres of land for county buildings. Two lots for every eight blocks were donated for schools, twenty lots for churches, and a square for a park. A weekly mail to and from St. Paul was established in July of that year. A saw mill was erected. A land office was established at Superior that year. Rev. David Brooks, a pioneer Methodist minister, preached the first sermon, using a carpenter's shop as an audience room.

An old settlers' association was organized September, 1855, known as the Fond du Lac Historical Society. Its officers were: R. B. Carlton, president; W. H. Norton and E. F. Ely, vice presidents; E. W. Perry, secretary. The Superior Chronicle issued its first number June 12, 1855. It was the first newspaper published at the head of Lake Superior. Ashton & Wise were the publishers. The second number contained the announcement of the opening of the Ste. Marie canal and the passage through it of the first boat, the steamer Illinois. It contained also the astonishing announcement, from the St. Anthony Express, that a salt lake had been discovered by W. H. Ingersoll, one hundred and fifty miles west of St. Cloud. The salt was said to be of good quality, and in such quantity that it could be gathered by the bushel. Large beds of coal had also been discovered near the lake. The Chronicle was discontinued in 1863 and succeeded by the Superior Gazette in 1864. The Gazette has been succeeded by the Superior Times, now edited by J. Lute, Thomas Bardon, proprietor.

Superior City has passed through periods of depression as well as of advancement. At an early period speculators were lured to the spot by the manifest advantages it presented for the building of a great city. The favorable site attracted attention throughout the Union. Wealthy men and men prominent in the political history of the country invested largely. Amongst these we find the names of W. W. Corcoran, of Washington; Robert J. Walker, of New York; G. W. Cass, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Horace S. Walbridge, of Toledo, Ohio; the Breckenridges of Kentucky; the Rice brothers, of St. Paul; and James Stinson, of Chicago. With the influence of these names, and the means furnished, the new city had a rapid, if not healthy growth. The prosperity was short lived. The adjacent country was not sufficiently developed, the shipping interests languished, and those who had been attracted hither by dreams of becoming suddenly rich, were discouraged and moved away, till, in 1858, the city was half deserted. The period of depression continued through the Civil War, and for years afterward, until, by the building of railroads and the consequent development of the country, the claims of Superior as a centre of trade were again acknowledged, and the tide of emigration was turned back. With Allouez, Superior and Duluth bays for its harbor, with its railroads already built, building or projected, its enterprising people are ready to contest with Duluth for the sovereignty of the Unsalted Seas.

Superior, being a combination of Old Superior and West Superior under one municipality, was organized as a village Aug. 27, 1887, and held her first village election Sept. 24, 1887, with a population of 6,000 people. It was organized with the following officers: President, L. F. Johnston; trustees, Wm. Munro, Neil Smith, L. G. Moran, A. Lederman, A. A. Cross, and Howard Thomas.

WEST SUPERIOR

Was platted in 1884. The first buildings were erected in October of the same year. The city has now a population of 3,000. It has excellent graded schools, under the supervision of Prof. G. Glen Williams. The Catholics, Presbyterians and Congregationalists have church buildings, and the Methodists are about to build. A hotel is in process of building that will cost when completed $100,000. West Superior is supplied with water works, the electric light, extensive coal docks and elevators, and has three newspapers, the Superior Inter-Ocean, established June 3, 1886; the West Superior News, established June 24, 1886; and the Sunday Morning Call, established July, 1887.

THE BARDON BROTHERS.--James, Thomas and John A. Bardon came early to Superior City and upheld her doubtful fortunes in the days of trial, never losing faith in her prospective greatness. They have not toiled and watched and waited in vain. The expected railways have been built; the improved harbor, with dredge boats, well built piers and lighthouse, has been completed. Surveys and terminal approaches of other roads insure the commercial prosperity of the city. Thomas has for some years been a resident of Ashland, Wisconsin.

WM. H. NEWTON, an early citizen of Superior City, is among those who have never lost faith in its future prosperity, believing the head of the lake to be the natural terminus of European trade and a centre of American commerce. He is an engineer, surveyor, real estate dealer, and is interested in some of the converging lines of railroad at Superior City.

SOLON H. CLOUGH.--Mr. Clough was born in Madison county, New York, Aug. 31, 1828; was educated at Fulton Academy, since known as Falley Seminary, Oswego county, New York. He attended for a short time Hamilton College, New York, studied law, and was admitted to the bar at Syracuse in 1851. He came to Hudson, Wisconsin, in the fall of 1857; in 1861 was elected mayor of Hudson; in 1864, judge of the Eleventh circuit, and removed to Osceola. In 1869 he removed to Superior City; in 1876 returned to Hudson, but removed again to Superior in 1881, where he still resides. He was re-elected circuit judge in 1870, and in 1882 was appointed by Gov. Rusk to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Barron. At the conclusion of his term he was re-elected for the ensuing term. Judge Clough was married in 1851 to Kate Taylor, of New York.

VINCENT ROY, a brother of Peter Roy, well known among the pioneers of the Northwest, was born in Fort Francis in 1825; came to La Pointe in 1839; attended school a few terms, and engaged in the fur trade. In 1854 he came to Superior, where he still resides, and is an active, enterprising merchant.

D. GEORGE MORRISON, a son of William Morrison, the discoverer of the source of the Mississippi, resides at Superior City, where he has served as register of deeds for Douglas county since 1856, a period of thirty-one years. He came to Superior an 1854.

AUGUST ZACHAU came to Superior in 1852, from Chicago, where he had been for three years, working at the carpenter's trade. He was then twenty-seven years of age, and a Prussian by birth. He was engaged by the Superior Town Site Company to superintend the building improvements going on at what is now the East End. When he came up, no Ste. Marie canal had been dug, and a portage was necessary between Lakes Superior and Huron, involving a change in the line of vessels. He built the first hotel in Superior, the old Pioneer House, which burned in 1857, and also the present Nicollet House, which was built of logs, cut on what is now Tower Slip. He also built the Quebec pier, the first dock ever built at the head of Lake Superior. He also assisted in cutting the old government trail through to the St. Croix river. He was an active participant in the defense of the town site people in their battles with the claim jumping pre-emptioners, who had settled on the lands adjoining, and who filed contests on much of the town site as soon as the plats were returned to the land office at Willow River, now known as Hudson. In cutting the sixty miles of trail to the St. Croix, every able-bodied man turned out, except enough to guard the homes and cut kindling wood. The axemen ground their axes at Fond du Lac, the only trading station of importance at that time on the St. Louis river. He pre-empted, in the interest of his fellow sufferers on the town site, eighty acres of land, now part of Superior. He has always led a quiet, laborious life; now runs a small general store at the East End, and does a little general contracting for ties and bridge timbers and dock piling. He has a family of five boys and one girl now living, all in Superior.

Among the first settlers were Judge Hiram Hayes, ---- Ritchie and ---- Gates.

X. PINE COUNTY

Prior to the organization of Minnesota Territory, in 1849, Pine county was included within the limits of St. Croix county, Wisconsin. Until the organization of Chisago county, in 1852, it was within the limits of Ramsey, and from thence until 1854, within the limits of Chisago, when it was organized under its present name. Until 1858 it included the territory of the present counties of Kanabec and Carlton. It is bounded on the north by Carlton county, on the east by the St. Croix river and the state line, and on the west by Aitkin and Kanabec counties. It is well watered by the St. Croix, Kettle and Kanabec rivers with their numerous tributaries. There are many fine lakes within its borders. The finest of these are Cross, Pokegama, Pine and Sturgeon lakes. This county was originally heavily timbered with pine, from which fact it derived its name. Though immense quantities have been removed, the supply is still great enough to make this region a lumberman's paradise for years to come.

The facilities for floating logs to the St. Croix are scarce equaled elsewhere. Since 1837 the Kanabec river has been a principal feeder to the lumber trade of the St. Croix valley. In some of the forests a new growth has succeeded the old, and should the land be not otherwise used, the lumberman may yet reap successive harvests in periods ranging from eight to fifteen years. Much of the land in this county is well adapted for agriculture. The soil is chiefly a sandy loam with clay subsoil. Much of the county will eventually become a good grazing and cereal growing region. The southern townships are heavily timbered with hardwood and are rapidly being converted into good wheat farms. A large quantity of cordwood, piles and ties is annually marketed by means of the railroad. Kanabec river is navigable from Chengwatana and Pine City to Brunswick, in Kanabec county. The same steamboat that since 1881 has navigated the Kanabec, also makes trips, six miles up the Rice and Pokegama rivers. The first crops raised in the county, except those raised by traders and missionaries, were raised on the Greeley farm, Kanabec river, near the western limits of the county, by Royal C. Gray.

At the organization of the county, Herman Trott, George W. Staples and Royal C. Gray were appointed commissioners. The county was attached for judicial purposes to Chisago until 1872, at which date the county seat, located at Chengwatana by legislative enactment, was changed by a popular vote to Pine City. The first district court was held in October, 1872, Judge Crosby, presiding; John D. Wilcox, clerk; Edward Jackson, sheriff.

The first marriage license, issued in 1872, was to John Kelsey and Mary Hoffman. The first board of county officers, after the removal of the county seat, were: Commissioners, Hiram Brackett, George Goodwin and Edward Jackson; auditor, Adolph Munch; register of deeds, Don Willard; county attorney, treasurer and superintendent of schools, John D. Wilcox. The first article recorded by the register of Pine county was a military land warrant, No. 12702, in the name of Prudence Rockwell, located by William Orrin Baker upon the southeast quarter of section 32, township 38, range 20, subject to forty days' pre-emption, dated Stillwater, June 19, 1855; T. M. Fullerton, register. Assigned, June 14, 1856, to Enos Jones. The second record is of a warranty deed from John F. Bradford to W. A. Van Slyke, of Ramsey county, of the west half of the northwest quarter of section 30, township 39, range 19, and the west half of the northwest quarter of the same section.

The finances of the county were in good condition until 1872, from which time, owing to heavy expenditures for new roads, with possibly injudicious management, and two defalcations of county auditors, considerable embarrassment ensued. In 1876 the state legislature bonded the county indebtedness of $10,000, in ten year bonds, at ten per cent interest. These bonds were readily received by the creditors, and the county is now free from debt. During the last year a bridge 800 feet long was built across the Kanabec river near Pine City, at a cost of $3,350, for which the State appropriated $1,500 and the county $1,850.

The Lake Superior & Mississippi railroad was completed to Kanabec river in 1868, and in 1869 extended northwest to the county line. The building of this road was speedily followed by the erection of numerous mills along its line, a list of which is appended, with the very remarkable statistics of the losses by fire, from which but four of these mills were exempt:

North Branch, Swenson & Co., flour mill; burned; loss, $8,000.

Rush City, Taylor & Co., capacity 1,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $3,000.

Rock Creek, Edgerton & Co., capacity 2,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $8,000; rebuilt.

Rock Creek, Strong & Co., capacity 1,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $1,500; rebuilt.

Rock Creek, Long & Co., capacity 1,000,000 feet yearly; removed.

Pine City, Ferson & Co., capacity 10,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $50,000; rebuilt.

Pine City, Ferson & Co., capacity 10,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $25,000; rebuilt.

Pine City, Munch & Burrows, stave mill; burned; loss, $10,000.

Pine City, Brackett & Co., capacity 3,000,000 feet yearly.

Mission Creek, Taylor & Co., capacity 3,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $12,500; rebuilt.

Mission Creek, Taylor & Co., capacity 3,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $12,500.

Hinckley, Grant & Co., capacity 1,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $3,000.

Hinckley, McKean & Butler, capacity 3,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $7,000; rebuilt.

Miller Station, Robie & Co., shingle mill; burned; loss, $3,000.

Kettle River, S. S. Griggs & Co., capacity 3,000,000 feet yearly; never operated; loss, $5,000.

Moose Lake, McArthur & Co., capacity 2,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $30,000.

Barnum, Cooley & Co., capacity 1,000,000 feet yearly; burned; loss, $5,000.

Barnum, Bliss & Co., capacity 10,000,000 feet yearly.

Northern Pacific Junction, Payne & Co., two mills burned; loss, $50,000; rebuilt the third time.

POKEGAMA LAKE.

This beautiful lake lies in township 39, range 22. It is about five miles in length by one in breadth and finds an outlet in Kanabec river. It is celebrated for its historical associations. Thomas Conner, an old trader, informed the writer of these sketches, in 1847, that he had had a trading post on the banks of this lake thirty years before, or about the year 1816. This was before Fort Snelling was built. Mr. Conner said that there was a French trading post at Pokegama long before he went there. It was in the spring of 1847, after a wearisome day's tramp, that I made his acquaintance and shared his unstinted hospitality. His post, at that time, was located at the mouth of Goose creek, Chisago county, on the banks of the St. Croix. His rude, portable house was built of bark, subdivided with mats and skins into different apartments. Although at an advanced period in life, his mind was clear and he conversed with a degree of intelligence which caused me to ask him why he lived thus secluded, away from all the privileges of a civilized life. His reasons, some of them, were forcible; he liked the quiet of the wilderness, away from the turmoils of the envious white race. I learned from him many interesting facts connected with travelers, traders and explorers of our St. Croix valley. This was the last season he spent on the river.

In 1847, when I visited Pokegama, Jeremiah Russell, an Indian farmer, had a very pretty farm on a point of land on the southwest side of the lake, and between the lake and the river. A Frenchman, Jarvis, lived a short distance from Russell. Across the lake from Russell's were the neat and tasteful log buildings and gardens of the Presbyterian mission. The mission was established in the spring of 1836, by Rev. Frederic Ayer and his associates, under the auspicies of the American Board of Foreign Missions. Mr. Ayer had been laboring at Yellow Lake mission, but, owing to the growing unfriendliness of the Indians, had been removed to Pokegama. Much pertaining to the mission work, both at Pokegama and elsewhere, will be found in the biographies of the principal missionaries. We mention here only such incidents as may be of more general interest. For many of these incidents we are indebted to Mrs. Elisabeth J. Ayer, of Belle Prairie, the widow of Rev. Frederic Ayer, for a long time missionary to the Ojibways. This estimable lady has passed her eighty-fifth year, but her mind is still clear and her hand steady, her manuscript having the appearance of the work of a precise young schoolmistress. She mentions an old Canadian, who had been in the country sixty years, and for seven or eight years had been entirely blind. He was known as Mushk-de-winini (The-old-blind-prairie-man), also the old trader, Thomas Conner, the remains of whose mud chimney and foundation of the old trading house may still be seen on the southern shore of the lake.

Franklin Steele was the first white man to visit the mission. In the spring of 1837 the mission aided three or four families in building. February, 1837, Rev. Mr. Hall, of the La Pointe mission, visited Pokegama, and organized a church of seven members,--three of whom were natives,--administered the ordinance of baptism to eight persons, and solemnized two marriages, probably the first in the valley of the St. Croix. Revs. Boutwell and Ely came to the mission in 1837. A school had been opened, some Indian houses built, and gardens enlarged, and the future of the mission seemed assured. Mrs. Ayer relates the following account of the

BATTLE OF POKEGAMA.

In 1811 the Sioux selected this settlement as the place to avenge the wrongs of the Ojibways--some of recent date; the principal of which was the killing of two sons of Little Crow (done in self defense) between Pokegama and the falls of the St. Croix. The Sioux arrived at Pokegama in the night, and stopped on the opposite side of the lake, two miles from the mission. The main body went to the main settlement, and, after examining the ground where they intended to operate, hid among the trees and brush back of the Indian gardens, with orders that all keep quiet on both sides of the lake till a given signal, when the Indians were busy in their gardens, and then make quick work. But their plans failed. Most of the Ojibways of the settlement had, from fear of the Sioux, slept on an island half a mile out in the lake (I mean the women and children), and were late to their gardens. In the meantime a loaded canoe was nearing the opposite shore and the few Sioux who had remained there to dispatch any who, in time of battle, might attempt to escape by crossing over, fired prematurely. This gave the alarm, and saved the Ojibways. The chief ran to Mr. Ayer's door and said, expressively: "The Sioux are upon us," and was off. The Indians seemed at once to understand that the main body of the enemy was at hand. The missionaries stepped out of the door and had just time to see a great splashing of water across the lake when bullets came whizzing about their ears, and they went in. The Sioux had left their hiding place and the battle commenced in earnest. Most of the women and children of the settlement were yet on the island. The house of the chief was well barricaded and most of the men gathered in there. The remainder took refuge in a house more exposed, at the other end of the village. The enemy drew up very near and fired in at the window. One gun was made useless, being indented by a ball. The owner retired to a corner and spent the time in prayer. The mother of the house, with her small children, was on her way to the island under a shower of bullets, calling aloud on God for help.

The missionaries seeing from their windows quantities of bloody flesh upon stumps in the battle field, thought surely that several of their friends had fallen. It proved to be a cow and calf of an Ojibway. The mission children were much frightened and asked many questions, and for apparent safety went up stairs and were put behind some well filled barrels. In the heat of battle two Ojibways came from the island and landed in front of Mr. Ayer's house. They drew their canoe ashore and secreted themselves as well as the surroundings would permit. Not long after three Sioux ran down the hill and toward the canoe. They were fired upon and one fell dead. The other two ran for help but before they could return the Ojibways were on the way back to the island. Not having time to take the scalp of their enemy, they hastily cut the powder horn strap from his breast, dripping with blood, as a trophy of victory. The Sioux drew the dead body up the hill and back to the place of fighting. The noise ceased. The battle was over. The missionaries soon heard the joyful words, quietly spoken: "We still live." Not a warrior had fallen. The two school girls who were in the canoe at the first firing in the morning were the only ones killed, though half the men and boys in the fight were wounded. The Sioux women and boys who had come with their warriors to carry away the spoils had the chagrin of returning as empty as they came.

The Ojibways were careful that no canoe should be left within reach of the Sioux. From necessity they took a canoe, made by Mr. Ely, and removed their dead two miles up the river, dressed them (seemingly) in the best the party could furnish, with each a double barreled gun, a tomahawk and scalping knife, set them up against some large trees and went on their way. Some of these articles, including their head-dresses, were sent to the museum of the American board, in Boston.

In the closing scene the missionaries had the opportunity of seeing the difference between those Indians who had listened to instruction and those who had not. The second day after the battle the pagan party brought back to the island the dead bodies of their enemies, cut in pieces, and distributed parts to such Ojibways as had at any time lost friends by the hands of the Sioux. One woman, whose daughter was killed and mutilated on that memorable morning, when she saw the canoes coming, with a head raised high in the air on a long pole, waded out into the water, grabbed it like a hungry dog and dashed it repeatedly on the stones with savage fierceness. Others of the pagans conducted themselves in a similar manner. They even cooked some of the flesh that night in their kettles of rice. Eunice (as she was named at her baptism) was offered an arm. At first she hesitated; but for reasons, sufficient in her own mind, thought best to take it. Her daughter-in-law, widow of her son who had recently been killed and chopped into pieces by the Sioux, took another, and they went into their lodge. Eunice said: "My daughter, we must not do as some of our friends are doing. We have been taught better," and taking some white cloths from her sack they wrapped the arms in them, offered a prayer, and gave them a decent burial. About this time a Mr. Kirkland was sent from Quincy, Illinois, by a party who wished to plant a colony not far from the mission station. He arrived at Pokegama very soon after the battle. Notwithstanding what had happened he selected a location on Cross lake, just where a railroad has now been in operation for some years. He worked vigorously for two or three weeks, and then went to consult the Indian agent and the military at Fort Snelling. They gave him no encouragement that the two tribes would ever live in peace; and he went home. The Ojibways lived in constant fear, and the place was soon deserted. This was a great trial to the missionaries; but they did not urge them to stay. They separated into small parties and went where they could get a living for the present and be out of danger. The teachers remained at their post, occasionally visiting the Indians in their retreat, hoping they might soon think it safe to return to their homes. In this they were disappointed. These visits were not always very safe. On one of these trips Mr. Ayer was lost, and from cold and hunger came near perishing. Not finding the party he sought, he wandered about for a day or two. In the meantime the weather became much colder. Not expecting to camp out he took only one blanket and food enough for one meal. In crossing Kettle river on a self-made conveyance, and there being ice on the opposite shore, he got wet. The Indians, anticipating his visit, had sent a young man to the mission station to guide him to, their new locality. He returned in haste, fell on Mr. Ayer's track, and a light sprinkle of snow enabled him to follow it until he was found.

Mrs. Ayer relates several incidents illustrative of Indian character. As her husband had been stationed at Yellow Lake, and afterward at Red Lake, these incidents are not necessarily located at Pokegama:

A NOBLE CHIEF.

The Red Lake Indians were a noble band--they had a noble chief. In civilization he led the way, in religion he did not oppose. He shouldered a heavy axe, and could be seen chopping on one side of a large tree, in perspiration, while his wife was on the other side, helping all she could with her hatchet. This chief was also an advocate of temperance. Not that he didn't love whisky, but he hated the effect of it on his band. He dictated a letter to the president, begging him not to let the white faces bring any more firewater to his people, giving as one reason that they had teachers among them who must be protected, and if they had whisky he did not know what might happen.

FRANK CONFESSIONS.

In the church there was much childish simplicity. Once when Mr. Ayer was lecturing on the eighth commandment, he paused, and without expecting an answer, said: "Now who is there among you who has not stolen?" One woman began to confess--another followed, then another. One thought she had stolen about seven times. Another entered more into particulars, mentioning the things she had stolen, till the scene was quite amusing. Another rose to confess, but was cut short by her husband, who said: "Who knows how many times he has stolen? We are a nation of thieves." And with a few remarks the meeting closed.

A COWARDLY DEED.

After a medicine dance, according to Indian custom, they proposed a feast, but there was nothing on which to feast. There was a large company and all were hungry. Mr. Ayer's cow was in the barnyard near. Three daring fellows sitting by themselves began to taunt each other in regard to their comparative prowess. After an excitement was created, one of them, to show his bravery, shot the cow. Mr. Ayer was in his garden and witnessed the performance. Two or three of the leading men in this pagan party came immediately to Mr. Ayer to learn whether he would take the cow for his own use. While they were talking (perhaps twenty minutes) the cow was cut in pieces, and in the Indians' kettles preparatory to a good time. After the Indians had sold their land they paid for the cow.

AN UNJUST ACCUSATION.

Indians are said to be revengeful. They are. So are white men. They fight for their rights. So do white men. They are thieves and liars. So are white men. Quarrelsome, envious, jealous. So are white men. Experience teaches that according to their knowledge they compare favorably with Anglo-Saxons. Sin is none the better, nor less mischievous, for being civilized.

A missionary, a good man, too, he was, accused an innocent woman of stealing his shirts that were laid out on the snow to whiten. His wife, not remembering that she had brought them in early in the morning, asked him to go out and get them. But they were not to be found! "Who has been here this morning?" was asked. "Ekwazans; I don't remember any other." "Well, she shan't have those shirts. I'll overtake her before she gets home." He followed her four miles, determined to have his shirts. The woman declared her innocence, and told him to search the wigwam. He did so, but said himself that it was done rather roughly. In the meantime the wife espied the shirts just where she had put them. This affair was ever after a source of regret to them.

Some of the Indians laughed heartily; others made remarks rather sarcastic. The woman herself felt disgraced by the accusation, but never manifested signs of wanting to "pay back," or in any way to avenge the wrong.

INDIAN MAGNANIMITY.

An employe of the American Fur Company, a "green hand," was crossing a portage. The load on his back was topped off with a bag of flour. The hill was steep and long. Steps were cut in it like a flight of stairs. As he reached the top a mischievous Indian touched the bag, and it went tumbling to the foot of the hill. The Frenchman immediately sent the Indian tumbling after it. Some of the company advised the Frenchman to run away, for the Indian might kill him. He told them boldly that he would not run away. The Indian gathered himself up, came to the top of the hill, told the Frenchman he had done just right, offered his hand and they were firm friends. Magnanimous had it been a white man.

REV. FREDERIC AYER was born in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in 1803. When he was two years old the family moved to Central New York. His father was a Presbyterian minister, and they intended that their son should follow the same profession; but before he was prepared his health failed and he turned his attention to other business.

He commenced his labors for the Indians in 1829, by teaching the mission school at Mackinaw, under the superintendency of Rev. M. Ferry. The pupils of this school were not all Ojibways but were from many different tribes, and spoke different languages. Mackinaw was then a general depot of the North American fur traders. They brought not only their own children to the school but such others as parents among whom they were trading wished to send. They were gathered from Lake Winnipeg, British America north, to Prairie du Chien and the head of Lake Michigan south. They were taught in English only.

In the summer of 1830 Mr. Ayer went to La Pointe, Lake Superior, with Mr. Warren, opened a school and commenced the study of the Ojibway language. In 1831 he met at Mackinaw, Revs. Hall and Boutwell, who were sent out by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions to the Indians, and he returned with Mr. and Mrs. Hall and their interpreter to spend another winter at La Pointe.

The next year, 1832, Mr. Ayer wintered with another trader at Sandy Lake. He opened a school there and completed a little Ojibway spelling book which was commenced at La Pointe. In the spring of 1833 he left Sandy Lake for Utica, New York, to get the book printed. Mr. Aitkin, with whom he had wintered, gave him eighty dollars, and with a pack on his back and an experienced guide, he started on his journey. Before they reached Sault Ste. Marie the ice on Lake Superior was so weak that Mr. Ayer broke through and was saved only by carrying horizontally in his hands a long pole to prevent his sinking.

Mr. Ayer hastened on to complete the object of his journey, that he might return to Mackinaw in time to go up Lake Superior with the traders. Mr. Ayer, hitherto an independent worker, now put himself under the direction of the "American Board," and was sent to Yellow Lake, within the present bounds of Burnett county, Wisconsin. Miss Delia Cooke, whose name should never be forgotten among the early missionaries of the American board to the Indians, and Miss Hester Crooks, a girl educated at Mackinaw, and who had some experience in teaching, were among the number who coasted up Lake Superior in a Mackinaw boat; the former to La Pointe mission, the latter to Yellow Lake with Mr. and Mrs. Ayer. They wintered in Dr. Borup's family. Mrs. Borup also had, for some years, been a pupil at Mackinaw. The next year Miss Crooks married Rev. Mr. Boutwell and went to Leech lake, and J. L. Seymour and Miss Sabrian Stevens, also Henry Blatchford, an interpreter from Mackinaw, were added to Yellow Lake mission. When Mr. Ayer told the Indians his object in coming among them, they gave him a welcome. But six months later, seeing two or three log houses in process of building, they were much troubled, and met in a body to request him to go away. A Menomonie from the region of Green Bay had stirred them up, not against the missionaries, but against the general government.

The speaker said: "It makes the Indians sad to see the white man's house go up on their land. We don't want you to stay; you must go." Further on he said: "You shall go!" Mr. Ayer answered him. The party left at midnight, and the missionaries went to bed with heavy hearts, thinking they might be thurst out almost immediately. But before sunrise the next morning about two-thirds of the same party returned, and said they had come to take back what they said the night before. The war chief was speaker, but his words were mild. "Why," said he, "should we turn these teachers away before they have done us any harm?" They would like to have us stay, he said, but added that they did not want any more to come, for the result might be the loss of their lands. We might use whatever their country afforded, but they would not give us any land, or sell us any. "For," said the speaker, "if we should sell our land where would our children play?"

Mr. Ayer finished his school house, and went on with his work as though nothing had happened. But evidently things were not as they should be. The chief seemed to "sit on the fence," ready to jump either way. The war chief was always friendly, but he had not so much control over what concerned us. He did what he could without giving offense, and was anxious that his daughter of fourteen years should be taken into the mission family. Mr. Ayer remained two years longer at Yellow Lake. In the meantime the chief of the Snake River band sent messages inviting the teachers to come and live among them. Accordingly in the spring of 1836 the mission was removed to Pokegama lake, eighteen miles up the river. The chief did all he had promised, and showed himself a man. Nothing was said here to remind the missionaries that they were using the Indians' wood, water and fish. On the contrary, when they sold their land, it was urged that the teachers' children should be enrolled for annual payment, the same as their own. The chief said that as they were born on the land it was no more than right, and he wished it might be done.

In 1842 Mr. Ayer went with his family to the States; and in Oberlin was ordained preacher to the Ojibways. He soon returned to the Indian country, and David Brainard Spencer, an Oberlin student, with him. They spent the winter of 1842-3 in traveling from one trading post to another, selecting locations for missionary labor. For their own field they chose Red Lake. When Mrs. Ayer, with her two little boys, six and eight years old, went to join her husband at the new station, Alonzo Barnard and wife and S. G. Wright, all of Oberlin College, went with her. Other missionaries soon followed, and that station was for many years supplied with efficient laborers. More recently the work there was assigned to Bishop Whipple, and is still carried on.

Mr. and Mrs. Ayer, in 1865, offered their services to the freed-men of the South and were employed at Atlanta, Georgia.

Mr. Ayer organized a Congregational church and a baptistry connected with the house of worship, that he might baptise by immersion or otherwise, according to the wishes of the candidate. He also formed a temperance society, which some months before his death numbered more than six hundred members.

There was great grief at his death amongst all classes. An aged man, who had lost a small fortune in his devotion to the Confederacy, embraced the corpse, and said: "If he had not holpen me, I should have before gone him." Many others, in word or action, expressed a similar feeling. All classes of people were represented at his funeral. His remains were buried in the Atlanta cemetery, Oct. 1, 1867. Thus passed away one who had spent a life for the benefit of others.

Mr. and Mrs. Ayer in some instances taught three generations of Ojibway blood, and North and South, they were, in the course of their labors, associated for a longer or shorter time, with more than eighty different missionaries,--a noble band,--with few exceptions worthy the name they bore. Most of them have passed away, and their graves are scattered here and there from British America to Georgia.

REV. WILLIAM T. BOUTWELL, who figures so prominently in the history of the early missions in the St. Croix valley, was born in Hillsborough county, New Hampshire, Feb. 4, 1803. He was educated at Dartmouth and Andover colleges, and in 1831, the year of his graduation at Andover, he came to the Northwest as a Presbyterian missionary. He spent one year at Mackinaw, learning the Chippewa language, under the instruction of Rev. W. M. Ferry, father of Senator Ferry, of Michigan.

In 1832 our government sent an embassy of thirty men, under the control of the Indian agent at Ste. Marie, Henry R. Schoolcraft, to tranquilize the tribes and effect some advantageous treaties. The embassy was accompanied by an outfit of soldiers under the command of Lieut. Allen, Dr. Houghton, physician, George Johnson, interpreter, and Mr. Boutwell. The embassy had a liberal outfit of provisions, equipages and trinkets for the Indians, and was conveyed in a large bateau of several tons capacity, and some birch canoes, the largest of which was thirty feet long, and capable of containing nine persons. On arriving at Fond du Lac, the head of navigation on the St. Louis river, Mr. Boutwell wrote as follows to the missionary board:

"On arriving here I was not a little surprised to find four hundred souls, half-breeds and white men. The scene at our landing was such as I never before witnessed, and enough to fill one, unaccustomed to the like as myself, with wonder, if not with fear. The yelling of Indians, barking of dogs, crying of children, running of the multitude, discharge of musketry, and flourish of flags, was noise in the extreme. At ten o'clock I preached to about forty in English, the first sermon ever preached here, and at 4 P. M. I addressed, through Mr. Johnson, more than twice that number of French, half-breeds and Indians; many of the latter of whom for the first time listened to the word of Life. All listened with attention and interest. My interpreter sat on my right, while a chief occupied a seat at my left. Around and below me, on the floor, sat his men, women and children, in a state of almost entire nudity, many of whom had no more than a cloth about the loins, and a blanket, but some of the children not even a blanket,--all with their pipes and tobacco pouches, painted with all the variety of figures that can be imagined."

From Fond du Lac he proceeded with the expedition up the St. Louis river, crossing the falls by a portage, and ascending to the point nearest Sandy lake, which was reached by a portage. The expedition proceeded up the Mississippi to Leech lake. Learning from the Indians at this point that Cass lake, the reputed source of the Mississippi, was not the real source, the expedition proceeded, under the guidance of a chief and a number of his tribe, to ascend the river further. When they reached the lake, now known as Itasca, five of the party, Lieut. Allen, Schoolcraft, Houghton, Johnson, and Boutwell, were sent in canoes with Indian guides to explore the shores of the lake. No inlet being found the party came to the conclusion that this was, as the Indians claimed, the true source of the Mississippi river. Mr. Schoolcraft being satisfied as to the correctness of the observations, landed his party on an island near the middle of the lake.

He was puzzled to know what name to give the lake, and asked Mr. Boutwell if he knew of any word that would express the term "true head of the river." Mr. Boutwell said he could think of no single word that would express it, but there were two Latin words that would answer the purpose, and those were veritas--true, and caput--head. Mr. Schoolcraft immediately wrote on a piece of paper the two words, and then erasing the first syllable of the first word and the last syllable of the latter, joined the remaining syllables. He then planted the stars and stripes on a little eminence, and formally christened the lake "Itasca." They then proceeded to descend the Mississippi. "As we were passing through the outlet of the lake," said Mr. Boutwell, "I stopped my canoe on the shore and jumped across the Mississippi. I considered that a great thing to relate in after years."

The party with their own boats descended the Mississippi, distributing tobacco, medals and flags to Indians on their way.[E] "When I see the great cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul now," said Mr. Boutwell, "I have to reflect that when we made our memorable trip down the river in 1832 we stopped at St. Anthony falls, and I stood on the east bank and looked across the river in profound admiration of the most beautiful landscape I had ever seen, with only a few head of government cattle belonging at Fort Snelling grazing upon it. The whole country on both sides of the river was as God had made it. When we passed the locality of St. Paul there was not even an Indian tepee to be seen."

The party halted at a Sioux Indian village at Kaposia, a few miles below St. Paul, and after a short consultation proceeded to the mouth of the St. Croix, and ascending the St. Croix to its source, made a portage of two miles to the source of the Burnt Wood river, which they descended to Lake Superior, and thence returned to their starting place. In the following year Mr. Boutwell established a mission at Leech lake. In giving an account of his reception by the Indians, he says: "When I arrived the men, with a few exceptions, were making their fall hunts, while their families remained at the lake and its vicinity to gather their corn and make rice. A few lodges were encamped quite near. These I began to visit, for the purpose of reading, singing, etc., in order to interest the children and awaken in them the desire for instruction. I told them about the children at Mackinaw, the Sault, and at La Pointe, who could read, write and sing. To this they would listen attentively, while the mother would often reply: 'My children are poor and ignorant.' To a person unaccustomed to Indian manners and Indian wildness it would have been amusing to have seen the little ones, as I approached their lodge, running and screaming, more terrified, if possible, than if they had met a bear robbed of her whelps. It was not long, however, before most of them overcame their fears; and in a few days my dwelling, a lodge which I occupied for three or four weeks, was frequented from morning till evening by an interesting group of boys, all desirous to learn to read, sing, etc. To have seen them hanging, some on one knee, others on my shoulder, reading and singing, while others, whether from shame or fear I know not, who dared not venture within, were peeping in through the sides of the cottage, or lying flat upon the ground and looking under the bottom, might have provoked a smile; especially to have seen them as they caught a glance of my eye, springing upon their feet and running like so many wild asses colts. The rain, cold and snow were alike to them, in which they would come, day after day, many of them clad merely with a blanket and a narrow strip of cloth about the loins. The men at length returned, and an opportunity was presented me for reading to them. The greater part listened attentively. Some would come back and ask me to read more. Others laughed, and aimed to make sport of both me and my mission."

He continued to labor here until 1837, when the Indians becoming troublesome, and having murdered Aitkin, an agent of the fur company, he deemed it advisable to remove the mission to Pokegama lake. He labored here faithfully, much respected by the Indians for his firmness and christian devotion. In 1847 he removed to Stillwater and settled on a farm near the city, where he is spending the remainder of his days, cared for by his affectionate daughter Kate and her kind husband, ----Jones. Though infirm in body on account of advanced age his mind is clear and his memory retentive. He enjoys the respect accorded to venerable age, and that which pertains to an early and middle life spent in unusual toils and hardships in the noblest work intrusted to the hands of man.

MRS. HESTER CROOKS BOUTWELL deserves honorable mention as the early companion of the devoted missionary. She was the daughter of Ramsey Crooks, of New York, an Indian trader. Her mother was a half-breed Ojibway woman. Hester Crooks was born on Drummond island, Lake Huron, May 30, 1817. Her father gave her a superior education at Mackinaw mission. She was a woman of tall and commanding figure, her black hair and eyes indicating her Indian origin. She was a fluent conversationalist, and careful and tidy in her personal appearance. She died in Stillwater in 1853, leaving a family of seven children.

CHENGWATANA.

This town derived its name from the Chippewa words, "cheng-wa" (pine) and "tana" (city), applied to an Indian village which from time immemorial had been located near the mouth of Cross lake. This locality had long been a rallying point for Indians and traders. When the writer visited it, in 1846, it had the appearance of an ancient place of resort. Half-breeds and whites with Indian wives settled here, and in 1852 there were several log houses, and a hotel kept by one Ebenezer Ayer. There was also a dam built for sluicing logs. Among the early settlers were Duane Porter, George Goodwin, Herman Trott, John G. Randall, Emil, Gustave and Adolph Munch. Mr. Trott built a fine residence on the shore of Cross lake, afterward the home of S. A. Hutchinson. The Munch brothers built a store and made other improvements. John G. Randall, in 1856-7-8, manufactured lumber, ran it down the Kanabec and St. Croix rivers to Rush Seba, Sunrise and Taylor's Falls. In 1852, and soon after the building of the government road to Superior City, a post office and a stage route from St. Paul to Superior City were established. The dam, to which reference has been made, was built in 1848, by Elam Greely. It is at the outlet of Cross lake and has ten feet head. The flowage covers many thousands of acres. The ownership has changed several times. The tolls levied amount to from ten to fifteen cents per thousand feet. The chartered operators control the flowage completely, opening and shutting gates at their pleasure. Many of the first settlers removed to other localities. Mr. Trott and the Munch brothers to St. Paul, J. G. Randall to Colorado, and Louis Ayd to Taylor's Falls.

In 1856 an effort was made to found a village on the site of the old Indian town of Chengwatana. Judd, Walker & Co. and Daniel A. Robertson surveyed and platted the village of Alhambra, but the name was not generally accepted, and the old Indian name of Chengwatana superseded it. The town of Chengwatana was organized in 1874. The first supervisors were Duane Porter, Resin Denman and Ferdinand Blank.

LOUIS AYD was born in Germany in 1840; came to America in 1852 and settled in Chengwatana. He served three and a half years as a soldier during the Rebellion, and was seriously injured in the service. On his return he settled in Taylor's Falls. He is a well-to-do farmer and dealer in live stock for the meat market. He has been a member of the Roman Catholic church from childhood. He was married to Rosabella Hoffman, of Hudson, Wisconsin, in 1871.

DUANE PORTER, the son of a surgeon in the United States Army in the war of 1812, was born in Washington county, New York, in 1825; came West as far as Illinois in 1852, and to St. Croix Falls in 1844. He was married in 1848 to Mary Lapraire, and in the same year located at Chengwatama. His occupation is that of an explorer and lumberman. He has ten children living.

S. A. HUTCHINSON.--Mr. Hutchinson was a native of Maine, and while yet a youth came to the valley of the St. Croix, and located at Chengwatana, where he married a Chippewa woman, and raised a family of half-breed children. "Gus" Hutchinson, as he was familiarly called, had many noble traits of character and was very popular with his associates. He had a well trained mind; was skilled as a lumberman and explorer, and was of a genial disposition, honest in heart and true in his friendships. He was elected sheriff of Pine county, and served four years. On the night of Aug. 16, 1880, he was found in a sitting posture on his bed, lifeless, a rifle ball having pierced his heart. It appeared, on investigation, that his oldest son wanted to marry an Indian girl, to which his father objected. On the night after the murder the marriage took place in Indian style. Suspicion pointing strongly toward mother and son, they were arrested, and an indictment found by the grand jury against the son. He was tried and acquitted.

HINCKLEY.

The township of Hinckley was organized in 1872. It includes a large area of land; heavily timbered with pine and hardwood. The soil is varied, consisting of black and yellow sand loam with clay subsoil. It abounds in meadows, marshes, tamarack swamps, pine and hardwood ridges, and is capable of cultivation.

THE VILLAGE OF HINCKLEY

Lies midway between St. Paul and Duluth, on the St. Paul & Daluth railroad. It was founded soon after the completion of the road. The Manitoba railroad passes through the village, running from St. Cloud to Superior. It was incorporated in 1885. The following were the first officers: President, James J. Brennan; recorder, S. W. Anderson; trustees, James Morrison, Nels Parson, John Perry; treasurer, John Burke; justices of the peace, John Brennan, A. B. Clinch; constable, Andrew Stone. Prior to this incorporation, Hinckley had suffered considerably from the lawlessness of its occasional or transient residents and visitors, and the large majority of the vote in favor of incorporation is justly considered as a triumph of law and order. The village has a saw mill doing a large business, a good depot, round house, four hotels, several stores, shops, and fine residences, a commodious school house, and two churches--a Lutheran and Catholic. The Minneapolis & Manitoba railroad connects here with the St. Paul & Duluth railroad, and is being extended to Superior.

JAMES MORRISON was born on Cape Breton island in 1840. Mr. Morrison was one of the first settlers of Hinckley, having come to the settlement in 1869, in the employ of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad. He has followed farming and hotel keeping. He is an active and industrious man, the proprietor of a large hotel, and a member of the Presbyterian church.

SANDSTONE VILLAGE

Is located in the northwest quarter of section 15, township 42, range 20. It contains about forty dwellings, three large boarding houses, two stores, one hotel and a stone saw mill with diamond-toothed saw, built by Ring & Tobin, at a cost of $30,000. The stone quarries of the Kettle River & Sandstone Company are located on sections 3, 10 and 15, in township 42, range 20, and extend two and three-quarters miles on each side of Kettle river. The first work in opening the quarries was done Aug. 22, 1885. The village plat was surveyed in June, 1887, and a post office established there the February preceding, W. H. Grant, Jr., being the first postmaster. The saw mill and the quarries give employment to about four hundred men. Sandstone is located on the old site of Fortuna. The Kettle River railroad was built to the quarries in 1886, from the St. Paul & Duluth railroad, a distance of five miles. The Manitoba railroad, running to Superior, passes through the village.

WILLIAM H. GRANT, SR., one of the founders of Hinckley, and the proprietor and founder of the Sandstone enterprise, was born Dec. 23, 1829, at Lyndborough, New Hampshire. He received his education at Hancock Academy, New Hampshire, and Yates Academy, Orleans county, New York. He studied law and was admitted to practice in 1854 at Hillsborough, New Hampshire. He came to St. Paul in 1859, where he still resides, his property interests at Sandstone being immediately under the super vision of his son, W. H. Grant, Jr. He sold his interest in May, 1888, for $100,000. He was married to Martha McKean in New Hampshire, January, 1855.

KETTLE RIVER.

The town of Kettle River, including townships 43 and 44, lying on the west line of the county, was organized in 1874. S. S. Griggs was chairman of the first board of supervisors. The town contains but one school district. The first settler was S. S. Griggs, who, in company with John S. Prince, of St. Paul, built a saw mill at the St. Paul & Duluth railroad crossing on Kettle river, in 1871-72. This was not a successful venture. A post office was established at the mill, and S. S. Griggs was appointed postmaster. The Manitoba and St. Paul & Duluth railroads pass through the town from south to north. The township now has no settlement except about twenty-four families at the station and village. It is heavily timbered with pine and hardwood. There are meadows, marshes and tamarack swamps, fine streams and beautiful lakes, and much excellent farming land besides. The Pine lakes in township 43, range 21, are beautiful sheets of water. There are no good roads or public improvements.

JOHN C. HANLEY was born in Covington, Kentucky, and was educated at Oxford College, Ohio. He came to St. Paul in 1849, as a machinist and millwright. He was married in 1853, at St. Anthony, to Sophia Ramsdale. In 1862 he enlisted in Company M, Minnesota Mounted Cavalry, a company recruited principally at Sunrise, Chisago county, by Capt. James Starkey. He was commissioned second lieutenant and was with Gen. Sibleys expedition against the Sioux. Subsequently he received a captain's commission, and recruited Company M, Second Minnesota Cavalry, stationed on the frontier. He was mustered out in 1865. He resides at Kettle River.

MISSION CREEK

Was organized as a town in 1880. The first supervisors were M. Thomas, T. Johnson, Wm. McKean; Messrs. H. A. Taylor and Philip Riley & Co., of St. Paul, were the first operators here. They built a saw mill with a capacity of 3,000,000 feet per annum. This property has changed owners, and is now held by the John Martin Lumber Company, of St. Paul. It was burned down in 1885, but was immediately rebuilt.

PINE CITY.

The town of Pine City was organized in 1874. The first supervisors were Hiram Brackett, H. B. Hoffman and James Griffith. The village of Pine City was platted in 1869. The original proprietors were James and Stephen H. Petrie, Catherine Sloan and Luther Mendenhall. The survey was made by B. W. Brunson. Wm. Branch acted as attorney and the acknowledgment was made by J. J. Egan, notary public, of St. Louis county. The village was organized in 1881, but the officers did not qualify until the following year.

The oldest settler was probably a Mr. Kirkland, of Quincy, Illinois, who worked for some time on the banks of Cross lake, on the present site of Pine City, hoping to be able to plant a colony there, but, according to the testimony of Mrs. E. T. Ayer, the missionary became disheartened by the Indian troubles, and left in 1841, abandoning his scheme. The completion of the railroad which crosses the Kanabec river at this point gave a great impetus to the prosperity of the village and neighborhood. It now contains a fine court house, built at a cost of $8,000, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian and Lutheran churches, good buildings for graded and common schools, and three hotels. Pine City has besides a pleasant park, the gift of Capt. Richard G. Robinson, which has been adorned and embellished and named after the donor, "Robinson Park."

RICHARD G. ROBINSON was born in Jackson county, Iowa, in 1829; he moved thence with his parents to Illinois, and to St. Croix Falls in 1848, where he followed lumbering, scaling, surveying and exploring. He lived at St. Croix and Taylor's Falls until 1872, when he received the appointment of land examiner for the Lake Superior & Mississippi Railroad Company. He was in the employ of the company twelve years, making his home at Pine City, where he still lives, engaged in lumbering and real estate. He was married to Catharine A. Fullenwider, of Iowa. Mrs. Robinson died at Pine City in 1885.

HIRAM BRACKETT was born in 1817, in China, Maine, and came to Pine City in 1868 from Aroostook county, Maine. He was among the first to make improvements. He built a hotel and was the first postmaster in the town. He died in 1883, leaving an estimable widow, three sons, John, Albert and Frank, and two daughters, Emily, married to Henry A. Linn, of Milwaukee, and Louise, married to Henry D. Crohurst, of Pine City.

RANDALL K. BURROWS, a native of Connecticut, came to Pine City in 1869, and, with Adolph Munch, built a large stave mill on the shores of Cross lake. This proved an unfortunate investment, resulting in litigation, during the progress of which the mill was destroyed by fire, in 1878. Mr. Burrows was an active, enthusiastic man, and worked hard for the interests of Pine City, filling many positions of trust. He was elected to the state senate from the Twenty-eighth district, in 1874. His seat was contested by John Hallburg, of Centre City. The Senate referred the question to the people, but in the election that followed (1875) he was defeated. In 1879 he removed to Dakota, where he died three years later.

JOHN S. FERSON came from Michigan to Pine City in 1869. During that and the succeeding year he was principal in building a first class steam saw mill. It was located on a bay in the western part of the city. This mill was burned in 1872, rebuilt and burned again. Mr. Ferson has since removed to Dakota.

SAMUEL MILLET settled in Pine City in 1869, and in 1870 erected the Bay View House, on an elevated plateau commanding a fine view of Cross lake and Kanabec river. Mr. Millet died in 1879, leaving a widow, two sons and three daughters.

ROCK CREEK

Was organized March, 1874. The first supervisors were Enoch Horton, Frank England, and S. M. Hewson. Obadiah Hewsom was town clerk. Enoch Horton and C. W. Gill were justices of the peace. Mr. Horton was the first settler, he having come to the county in 1872. The year following he raised the first crop. Mr. Horton was from Colchester, New York. He was born in 1811, and came to Minnesota in 1862. He was the first postmaster at Rock Creek. Other settlers came in slowly. Edgerton, Gill & Co. built a saw mill in 1873, with a capacity of 3,000,000 feet. This property has changed hands several times.

CAPT. ENOCH HORTON commenced official life at the age of twenty-two years, in New York, where he served twenty-eight years as justice of the peace and county judge. He served during the Rebellion as captain of a company of sharpshooters.

ROYALTON

Was organized in 1880. The first supervisors were Edward Peterson, Alexis Kain and Joseph Heiniger. It is a good farming township with many good farms. The first settlement was made by Elam Greely, in 1849, who made a farm and built a large barn, hauling the lumber from Marine Mills, a distance of seventy miles. The town was named in honor of Royal C. Gray, who located on the Greely farm in 1854, in the northwest quarter of section 15, township 38, range 22, on the banks of the Kanabec river.

WINDERMERE

Was organized as a town Jan. 3, 1882. The first supervisors were August Schog, William Champlain and Frank Bloomquist.

The towns of Kettle River, Hinckley and Pine City were organized, and Chengwatana reorganized by special act of the legislature in 1874, and at that time embraced all the territory in the county. Since 1874, Mission Creek, Rock Creek and Royalton have been set off from Pine City and Windermere from Kettle River.

The following villages were platted at the dates named: Neshodana, by Clark, Cowell & Foster, in townships 41 and 42, ranges 15 and 16, in 1856; Fortuna, by W. A. Porter, surveyor, at the crossing of Kettle river and the military road, January, 1857; St. John's, by M. L. Benson, surveyor, in section 26, township 41, range 17, October, 1857; Midway, by Frank B. and Julia L. Lewis, proprietors, in the northwest quarter of section 34, township 40, range 21, September, 1855.

A ROCK CREEK MURDER.

A man passing under the name of Harris had been arrested for stealing horses. George Hathaway started with the prisoner to Sunrise. Five days afterward Hathaway's dead body was found, and the inquest decided that he probably met his death by stabbing or shooting at the hands of his prisoner, who made his escape, and was never again heard from. Hathaway was a native of Passadumkeag, Maine.

THE BURNING OF A JAIL.

March 22, 1884, a couple of young men, John Cope and William Leonard, were arrested for drunkenness and disorderly conduct, and confined in the Pine City jail, a wooden structure. About three o'clock the next morning the jail was found to be on fire. All efforts to extinguish the flames or rescue the unhappy prisoners were unavailing. The fire originated from within, in all probability from the careless action of the prisoners themselves in striking matches, either for the purpose of smoking or of exploring their cells.

A DISFIGURED FAMILY.

Mr. Redman, the agent at the Kettle River railroad station, called my attention to the fact that old Batice is singularly disfigured. He was born without thumbs or big toes. The fingers and remaining toes resemble birds' claws. Two of the fingers of each hand and two of the toes on each foot are united to the tips but have distinct nails. Of his four children three are disfigured like the father. His grandchildren are many of them worse than himself, one having but one finger.

INDIAN FAITH CURE.

A woman at Pokegama was badly burned by the explosion of gunpowder while she was putting it in a flask. Her face became terribly swollen and black. The missionaries did what they could for her, but thought she must die. After two days the Indian doctors held a medicine dance for her benefit. After they had gone through with their magic arts the woman arose, and, without any assistance, walked around distributing presents to the performers of the ceremony. It was truly wonderful. She recovered rapidly.

INDIAN GRAVES.

The Chippewas bury their dead much as the whites do. The body is deposited in a grave and covered with earth. A low wooden covering, somewhat like the roof of a house, is reared above it, the gables resting on the ground. The roof is covered with white or bleached muslin, and surmounted by a board cross. An aperture about six inches square is left in each end of the structure. The head of the grave is toward the west, and here are deposited offerings of fruits and trinkets of various kinds. We found at one grave a broken saucer, an oyster can filled with blueberries, a large red apple, and a pair of old shoes. Friends of the deceased visit the graves for one or two years, renewing their tributes of affection, and bringing offerings of fruit according to the season, and various foods, from acorns to dried venison, but in time these visits are discontinued and the graves are neglected and forgotten.

STOICISM OF THE INDIAN.

On the banks of the Kettle river a five-year-old boy burned his hand badly. The mother, after examining the wound, decided that it was incurable, ordered the boy to place his hand upon a block, and by a single blow from a common hatchet severed it from the wrist. The boy endured the suffering without flinching.

OLD BATICE, alias "Kettle," lived on Kettle river in 1880. Counting by moons he claims to have lived there ninety-nine years. He is certainly very old. He says that he has always been a friend to the whites, and that in the Sioux outbreak of 1862 he counseled his people to remain quiet; that he was the enemy of the Sioux, three of whom he had killed and scalped. To commemorate his warlike deeds in slaughtering his enemies, he wore three large eagle feathers in his gray hair. He claims to be half French.

AN INDIAN DANCE.

In June, 1880, the Indians were practicing a new dance near the Kettle River railroad station, part of which it was my privilege to witness. The dance house was a rudely constructed pole frame covered with birch bark, fastened down with willow twigs. About thirty dancers, male and female, and of all ages, were crowded in the dance house, sweating, grunting, hopping and bounding at the tap of a deer skin drumhead, and the "chi-yi-chi-yi-chi-hoo" of a quartette of boys and girls, squatted in a corner of the bark house. The din was incessant, the chant of the singers, or howlers, monotonous and wearisome, yet the dancers stepped and bounded to their rude music as readily as do civilized dancers to the more exquisite music of stringed instruments. This dance was the same that so frightened the Burnett county people, and required at least ten days for its complete performance. A few minutes' observation amply satisfied us, and we gladly withdrew.

FOOTNOTES:

[E] Several years prior to this William Morrison had a trading station upon the shores of this lake, and is probably the first white man who visited it, but it does not appear that he identified it as the source of the Mississippi.

XI. KANABEC COUNTY

Kanabec county, prior to 1849, was included in St. Croix county, Wisconsin; thence until 1852 it was a part of Ramsey county, Minnesota; until 1854 a part of Chisago county; and thence until its organization in 1859, a part of Pine county. It was attached for judicial purposes at various times to Chisago, Isanti and Pine counties. In 1882 it was organized for judicial purposes, Judge Crosby holding the first term of court at Brunswick. The second term was held at Mora in 1884, in the new court house.

The writer, when a member of the Minnesota senate in 1858, selected the name and introduced the bill for the formation of the county. Its boundaries are Aitkin county on the north, Pine on the east, Isanti on the south, and Mille Lacs on the west. It is well watered and drained by the Kanabec and its tributaries. This river is navigable to Brunswick, and one of its tributaries, Rice river, is navigable six miles from its mouth to Rice lake. The soil is a rich, sandy loam, deep, strong and productive. One-fifth of the entire surface was originally covered with pines. About 25,000 acres are natural meadows, while much of the remainder is covered with hardwood, and a small portion is brush prairie, which can be easily rendered fit for cultivation. The best crops are wheat, oats and potatoes, but Indian corn can be grown profitably as compared with other localities in Minnesota. Small fruits, wild and cultivated, grow luxuriantly. Cranberries have been shipped in considerable quantities. Redtop, clover, and timothy grow rank, and are profitably cultivated. Upward of 5,000 tons of hay are cured annually. The lumbering interests are still important, about 75,000,000 feet of logs being annually driven to the Stillwater boom. This county is spotted with lakes and abounds in streams capable of being utilized as water powers. Good building granite is found on the Kanabec river above Mora, which will eventually be quarried and exported.

The first permanent settlers were George L. Staples and James Pennington, who came in 1855. They were followed by Stephen W. Tolman, Alvin De Wolf, John L. Spence and others. Gov. Sibley appointed the following as the first board of officers, June 10, 1859: County commissioners, Geo. L. Staples, chairman; Daniel Gordon, Benj. L. Gifford; clerk and register of deeds, James C. Morrison; treasurer, Alvah Lougee; sheriff, Benj. L. Gifford. The first election was held in October, 1859. The following were elected county officers: County commissioners, Geo. L. Staples, chairman; James Pennington, Geo. Morrison; auditor, Benj. Bill.

In the bill organizing the county, Brunswick was designated as the county seat, and so remained until 1882, when by popular vote Mora was selected. In 1883 the county built a court house at a cost of $5,000, and a jail costing $2,000. In 1874 the county built a bridge across the Kanabec at Brunswick, the bridge and its approaches being 1,300 feet in length, at a cost of $5,000. In 1879 the county built a bridge across the Kanabec at Grass Lake at a cost of $4,000. As this bridge obstructed navigation in 1884, the county, at a cost of $4,000, rebuilt it in such a way that steamers could pass underneath. In 1883 another bridge was built across the Kanabec in the town of Arthur at a cost of $4,000.

The first post office was established at Brunswick in 1859, Geo. L. Staples, postmaster. The first mail was from Anoka via Cambridge to Brunswick. In 1847 Rev. W. S. Boutwell preached the first sermon within the present limits of the county. The first deed recorded was a warranty deed from Ralph Potter to John A. Snyder, both of Illinois, in June, 1857, conveying lands in sections 3 and 10, township 38, range 25. The second deed recorded was from David Bagley to Hersey, Hall, Whitney and Fenno, of Boston, and Isaac Staples of Stillwater, conveying the northeast quarter of section 1, township 38, range 24, and other lands.

ARTHUR.

The town of Arthur includes township 39, ranges 23, 24 and 25. It was organized in 1883. The first supervisors were: Ira A. Conger, Andrew E. Westling and Charles A. Staples; clerk, Stanton D. Seavey. The village of Mora was the first settlement. Anna C. Larson was the first child born in the town. The first marriage was that of Frederick G. Turner and Edith Perkins. The first death was that of Henry Rust, in 1847, killed by Indians. There is one house of worship, at what is known as the Swedish mission.

MORA,

A village, platted in 1882, is located in section 11, township 39, range 24, on the Hinckley branch of the Manitoba railroad. Myron R. Kent, owner of the town plat, made the first improvements, building a hotel and post office, of which he became postmaster. Alvah J. Conger opened the first store in 1882. The village now contains a court house, school house, two hotels, five stores, three saloons, and many fine residences. Lake Mora, a lovely sheet of deep, blue water, about one hundred and fifty acres in extent, is located within the village limits. The village is beautifully situated on a plateau on the east side of Kanabec river.

STEPHEN L. DANFORTH lived in the county of Kanabec during the '70s. His occupation was that of a farmer or lumberman. He died in Stillwater in 1884.

N. H. DANFORTH, brother of S. L., also settled here in the '70s, and still resides here, an active business man.

ALVAH J. AND IRA CONGER are cousins. They came from Maine to Minnesota in 1850. Alvah J. kept the Tombler House in Wyoming. Subsequently he removed to Cambridge, where he kept a hotel and store, and thence removed to Pine City, where he kept a store until 1882, when he moved to Mora. He was married to Charlotte Pennington. They have no children. Ira Conger has been actively engaged in business at Cambridge and other places, and moved to Mora in 1883, where he is proprietor of a hotel and store. His oldest son, John, has charge of his business interests.

BRONSON.

This village is yet unplatted. It is located in section 21, range 24, on the line of the Manitoba railroad. A post office was established here in 1884, of which Frank P. Burleigh is postmaster. Adjoining and including this village is the large farm of Isaac Staples, including 2,000 acres, of which six hundred and fifty acres are under cultivation. The improvements on the farm are two large barns, one store, one blacksmith shop, one wood working shop, and commodious dwellings for employes. This farm is headquarters for the lumbering interests of Mr. Staples in Kanabec county.

BRUNSWICK

Includes township 38, ranges 24 and 25. The town was organized in 1883. The first supervisors were Eric Hokansen, John Rines and Haquin Ekman. The first school was taught by Charlotte Pennington, in 1856. The first death was that of ---- Cowan, killed accidentally, in 1857. There are two church organizations, Swedish Baptist and Swedish Lutheran. Stephen E. Tallman built a saw mill in 1870, and a flour mill in 1879. The village of Brunswick is located in the southwest quarter of section 1, township 38; range 24. It was platted in 1856, by Isaac and George Staples. It was originally designated as the county seat.

GROUND HOUSE CITY

Was platted by Isaac Staples for Hersey, Staples & Co., Jan 17, 1857, in section 7, township 38, range 24.

JAMES PENNINGTON was born in Queensborough, New Brunswick, in 1799. He lived in Houlton, Maine, fifteen years, and came to Kanabec county in 1854 with his family, who were the first permanent settlers in the county. Mr. Pennington farmed and lumbered. He died in December, 1887. Mrs. Pennington died in 1878. Six sons and three daughters are living. The sons are residents of Minnesota. The daughters are married as follows: Elisabeth to ---- Grant, of Detroit, Minnesota; Charlotte to A. J. Conger, of Mora, Minnesota; Augusta to B. C. Newport, of Pipestone, Minnesota.

GEORGE L. STAPLES settled in section 1, township 38, range 24, in 1855. He lived there eight years and filled various responsible offices. He was an upright, conscientious man, much respected by all who knew him. In 1863 he removed to Monticello, Minnesota, and died in 1877, leaving a widow, five sons and a daughter. Mr. Staples raised the first crop in the county, opened the first store, and gave the name of Brunswick to the town. Isaac Edwin Staples, son of George, was the first white child born in the county. He was clerk of court in Morrison county in 1887.

DANIEL GORDON was born in Readfield, Maine, in 1809. In 1856 he settled in the southeast quarter of section 1, township 38, range 24. He was married to widow Tallman in Brunswick. This was the first marriage in the town. Mrs. Gordon died in June, 1885.

GRASS LAKE

Includes township 38, range 23. It was organized in 1883. It is thickly settled, mostly by Swedes. They have good farms, roads and schools. The first settler was Solomon Anderson; the second, Benjamin Norton; both were farmers. There are in this town three houses of worship, two belonging to the Swedish mission, and one to the Baptists. There are five school houses.

The remainder of the county, consisting mostly of pine lands, and including nine townships, is without organization or township government. It is divided into three assessment districts over which the county exercises jurisdiction, making levies and collecting taxes.

ISANTI COUNTY.

Isanti county lies directly west of Chisago and south of Kanabec. It is bounded on the west and south by Sherburne, Mille Lacs and Anoka counties, and contains about fourteen towns. The soil is well adapted for agriculture. The county has no large lakes, but is well watered by tributaries of Rum and Sunrise rivers. It is well timbered in the north with sugar maple. The settlers are chiefly Scandinavians, who, by their industry, have made the plains and oak ridges to blossom with clover and the cereals. The county was organized Feb. 13, 1857. It took its name from a tribe of Indians who some time ago occupied the country about Mille Lacs. The first board of county commissioners consisted of Oscar Smith, Hugh Wylie and Elbridge G. Clough. The first county officers were: William Tubbs, auditor; F. H. Moon, treasurer; G. G. Griswold, register of deeds; Stephen Hewson, judge of probate; H. M. Davis, clerk; George L. Henderson, sheriff. The first court was held by Judge C. E. Vanderburgh in October, 1871. Prior to this time Isanti had been attached to Auoka county for judicial purposes.

CAMBRIDGE,

The county seat of Isanti, was incorporated as a village in 1876. It is pleasantly located on the west side of Rum river. It has one flouring mill, a newspaper office, and several stores, shops, dwellings and churches. The county buildings are neat and convenient. The new court house cost $7,000. It is worthy of mention that B. A. Latta, as county treasurer, paid the first money into the hands of the state treasurer for war purposes. The first postmasters in the county were Van Vliet Ainsley, of Spencer Brook, and G. G. Griswold, in 1858.

NORTH BRANCH TOWN

Lies on the headwaters of the Sunrise river. It was settled, as early as 1855, by John P. Owens, W. A. Hobbs, B. T. Huntley, and John Schinler. It was organized as a town in 1858, John P. Owens being chairman of the first board of supervisors. John Schinler raised the first crop, in 1857. Schools were established in 1860.

OXFORD.

Rensselaer Grant, M. Hurley and Stephen Hewson settled within the present limits of this town in 1855. At that time the town was not organized. In 1865 it was included within the limits of North Branch, but in 1878 the town of Oxford was set off as now defined. The first supervisors were John Bachelor, P. Lillygrin and P. Berg. Stephen Hewson was town clerk, and has retained the office ever since. A post office was established in 1863. Stephen Hewson was postmaster, and has held the office continuously ever since. The town is well settled by farmers. In 1870 a cyclone passed through the town, destroying everything in its track, which was about twenty rods wide. Not a building was left on the homestead of Mr. Hewson. His fine large barn was torn to pieces and the fragments scattered for the distance of a mile.

STEPHEN HEWSON is a native of England, which he left in 1844. He resided in Canada a few years, then came to Chicago, and later to Minnesota. He was for awhile a partner in the publishing firm of E. S. Goodrich & Co., then proprietors of the St. Paul Pioneer. He made his present home in Oxford in 1855, and has since that time been intimately identified with its history and that of the county of Isanti. He was a representative from the Fourth district in the legislature of 1865. He has filled the offices of county auditor, county commissioner and judge of probate court. As an ordained minister of the Methodist church he takes an active interest in religious matters, serving as superintendent of the Sunday-school, and occasionally filling the pulpit. Five of his daughters are school teachers, one of whom, Mary, in 1870, taught the first school in Oxford. He remains hale and hearty in his seventy-seventh year.

GEORGE W. NESBIT was born in 1828, in Delaware county, New York. He received an academic education. He came in 1856 to St. Francis, Anoka county, Minnesota, and in 1863 to Isanti county. He has been engaged in farming and selling goods, and is an energetic, busy man. He made the first pre-emption timber claim on the Mille Lacs reservation, which was rejected. Mr. Nesbit was married in New York and has a family of six children.

RENSSELAER GRANT was born in New York in 1816. His father was a native of Scotland but emigrated to the United States and took part in the war of 1812. Mr. Grant was married in Saratoga county, New York, in 1837, to Libiah Mitchell. The Grants moved to Illinois in 1850, and to Isanti county in 1856. Mr. and Mrs. Grant died at North Branch, in 1886, leaving, three married sons, two living in Isanti county, and one at Rush City, and three daughters, the eldest married to J. W. Delamater, the second to W. H. Hobbs, the third living in St. Paul.

MILLE LACS COUNTY.

This county is bounded on the north by Mille Lacs lake and Aitkin county, on the east by Isanti, Kanabec and Aitkin, on the south by Sherburne and on the west by Morrison and Benton counties, and includes about 17 townships extending from south to north a distance of 48 miles, and having a breadth of 12 miles, excepting the two upper series of towns, which have a width of 18 miles. It is, excepting two agricultural towns in the south, heavily timbered, chiefly with pine. It is well watered by Rum river and its tributaries, and by the body of water known as Mille Lacs, a large picturesque lake, which covers over one hundred and five sections of Aitkin, Crow Wing and Mille Lacs counties. The tributaries of the St. Croix also drain the northeastern part of the county. The southern townships consist of prairies and oak openings, the northern and central parts being covered with hardwood and pine. Immense quantities have been already marketed. The hardwood ridges and flats offer good farming lands, and the wild meadows, scattered over the county, excellent hay and pasturage.

Mille Lacs lake, the largest inland lake in Minnesota, is a beautiful and picturesque sheet of water, with receding wooded shores, with but little low land adjoining. The waters are deep and clear and abundantly supplied with fish. This lake, when reached by railways, will be one of the most pleasant summer resorts in the Northwest. It already attracts the attention of the tourist. A steamer built in 1885 floats upon its waters. The lake is about eighteen miles long by from twelve to fifteen wide, and covers about six townships. Three small islands gem its surface, one of which, from its columnar appearance, seems to be of volcanic or igneous formation.

The Mille Lacs reservation covers about four fractional towns, bordering the southern shore of the lake. Since the treaty these lands have been covered by pre-emptions, soldiers' warrants and half-breed scrip, but are held by a doubtful tenure owing to the uncertain and various rulings of the land department. Under the provisions of the treaty, the Indians, a band of Chippewas, were allowed to retain possession until ordered to remove. In anticipation of this order settlements have been made at various periods, and patents have been issued to the pre emptors in a few cases, but in many cases refused. Half-breed scrip has been laid upon thousands of acres under one administration at Washington, the permission to be countermanded by another. Meanwhile the Indians, not having received the order for removal, claim to be the owners of the land, and with some show of justice. In 1882 the Manitoba Railroad Company built a road through the county from east to west, through township 40, ranges 26 and 27.

In the early divisions of Minnesota into counties, the territory of Mille Lacs was included in Ramsey and Benton counties. Prior to its present organization, a county called Monroe, covering the territory of Mille Lacs, was established but never organized. By legislative enactment in 1857 Mille Lacs county was established and organized by the people in 1860, the counties of which its territory was originally a part concurring, and Princeton was made the county seat. In 1859 there had been effected the organization of one town in the county, known as Princeton. This has since been subdivided into Princeton Greenbush, and Milo. The officers of the town organization in 1859 were: Supervisors, C. W. Houston, Charles Pratt, Joseph L. Cater. The first county election, held April, 1860, resulted in the election of the following officers: County commissioners, Joseph L. Cater, chairman; Samuel Orton, C. S. Moses; auditor and register of deeds, W. W. Payne; clerk of court, S. M. Byers; treasurer, E. J. Whitney; sheriff, Wm. McCauley; probate judge, Samuel Ross. The first term of court was held June 3, 1861, E. C. Vanderburgh, presiding judge. The first recorded deed was from E. J. Whitney to Isaac Staples, and bears date Aug. 4, 1854.

MILACCA

Has a pleasant site on the Manitoba railroad, on the banks of Rum river at the crossing of the Manitoba & Superior and the junction of the Elk River & Princeton railroad. The Manitoba Company have a good saw mill here, with a capacity of 125,000 feet per day, built at a cost of $50,000. A planing mill is attached. There is a good three story hotel, well kept, here.

The village was surveyed and platted March 24, 1886; Chas. Keith, surveyor; James J. Hill, president of the Mille Lacs Lumber Company, proprietor. It is located in the town of Greenbush.

BRIDGMAN VILLAGE,

Located in the town of Milo, has a steam saw mill, spoke and hub factory, around which are several residences.

PRINCETON.

The village of Princeton is located at the junction of the two branches of the Rum river, on a beautiful prairie, surrounded by rich prairie and timber lands. The first log house was built in 1849, and kept as a stopping place by a mulatto known as "Banjo Bill." This house is still standing. The first permanent settlers were A. B. Damon, O. E. Garrison, C. H. Chadbourne, Edwin Allen, John W. Allen, Chas. Whitcomb, Joseph L. Cater, W. F. Dunham, and Samuel Ross. They were also the first settlers in the county, and came in 1853-7. In 1855 Messrs. Damon and Allen farmed on the present site of the village. The village was surveyed and platted Feb. 11, 1859, by S. Ross & Co. S. Ross also built a hotel where the North Star Hotel now stands. This year the first frame building was erected and used as a store. W. F. Dunham built a steam saw mill. The first school house was built, although school organization was not effected until 1858. James M. Dayton taught the first school. A post office was established with O. E. Garrison as postmaster. Samuel Ross brought the mail once a week from Anoka. A Congregational church was established, of which Rev. Royal Twichell was chosen as pastor. The Methodists organized a society the following year.

The village was incorporated March 13, 1877, by legislative enactment. The commissioners appointed under the organic act were E. C. Giles, H. B. Cowles, C. H. Rines, B. F. Whiting, and Charles Keith. At the election ordered by them the following officers were chosen: President, C. H. Rines; trustees. F. M. Campbell, Isaiah S. Mudgett, Thomas F. Caly; recorder, Silas L. Staples; treasurer, D. H. Murray; justices of the peace, Scott M. Justice, Charles Keith. The Princeton Appeal was established by Rev. John Quigley in 1873, but discontinued in 1875. In December, 1876, Robert C. Dunn started the Princeton Union, which he still publishes.

The Manitoba branch railroad from Elk River to Milacca village passes through Princeton. The first train arrived Nov. 30, 1880. The county contributed $47,000 in bonds at five per cent interest for twenty years, to aid in building the road. The St. Paul, Mille Lacs, Brainerd, Leech Lake & Crookston railroad will, when completed, pass through Princeton. An excellent school building was erected in 1885, at a cost of about $7,000. Guy Ewing is principal of the school, which is graded. The Grand Army of the Republic have a post here known as the Wallace Rines post. The Masons have an organization, with a splendid hall. A three story hotel, built by Samuel Ross, is kept by his only daughter, Mrs. Barker. A two story brick hotel, the Commercial House, Henry Newbert, proprietor, a handsome structure, was built in 1887. The Mille Lacs County Bank, located here, has a paid up capital of $20,000. Charles Erickson is president; L. P. Hyberg, vice president; Frank Hewse, clerk. Princeton has one steam saw mill, two flouring mills, one feed mill, two elevators with a capacity of 60,000 bushels, and one brewery. A court house and jail are in process of erection at an estimated cost of $10,000.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

SAMUEL ROSS was born Aug. 22, 1812. He attended Western Reserve College, but through ill health did not graduate. He came to Iowa in 1839, where he was married to Mary Vaughn in 1841. He came to Princeton in 1855, where he took an active part in building up the town and county, filled many prominent and responsible positions in the village and county, and served as representative of the first state legislature. Mrs. Ross died in 1851; Mr. Ross died in 1881, leaving an only daughter, Olive R., widow of A. P. Barker, who was a prominent lawyer of Princeton. Mrs. Barker was elected superintendent of schools in 1880, to which position she has been re-elected and is at present filling the office efficiently. She was the first female superintendent elected in Minnesota.

JOSEPH L. CATER was born in Strafford county, New Hampshire, in 1828. He came to Princeton in 1855 and engaged in farming. His name appears in all the original organizations of town and county. M. V. B. Cater and sons have also been active and prominent citizens of Princeton. M. V. B. Cater died some years since.

EDWIN ALLEN, originally from Welton, Maine, came to Princeton in 1855 and engaged in farming.

JOHN H. ALLEN came from Maine to Princeton in 1854, engaged in farming and became prominent as a public spirited citizen. He held various positions of trust in the county and was appointed receiver of the land office at Fergus Falls by President Hayes, and resides there.

A. B. DAMON came from Maine to Princeton in 1853 and made the first claim on the town site.

C. H. CHADBOURNE was born at Lexington, Massachusetts. At the age of sixteen he embarked in a seafaring life in which he continued nine years. Mr. Chadbourne, wishing to abandon his seafaring ways, and to put himself beyond danger of resuming them, came to the centre of the continent and located on a farm near Princeton in 1856. He has since followed farming continuously. His farm consists of 900 acres under cultivation, 500 of which is devoted to tame grass and pasturage, on which he feeds 150 head of blooded stock. He has a large dairy which nets him $1,200 annually. He was a member of the state legislatures of 1874-5 and was seven years county commissioner of Sherburne county. Mr. Chadbourne was married in 1852 to Deborah Crowell. They have three sons and two daughters.

XII. CHISAGO COUNTY

LOCATION--SURFACE--SCENERY.

Chisago county, located on the west bank of the St. Croix river, between the counties of Pine on the north and Washington on the south, the St. Croix river on the east and the counties of Isanti and Anoka on the west, presents an agreeable variety of surface, upland and generally undulating, covered with hard and soft wood timber, well watered by lakes and streams. Its principal streams are the St. Croix and its tributaries, Rush and Sunrise rivers and Goose creek, and its principal lakes are Chisago, Sunrise, Green, Rush, and Goose lakes. Its lake scenery is unsurpassed in beauty. The county takes the name of its largest and most beautiful lake. In its original, or rather aboriginal, form it was Ki-chi-sago, from two Chippewa words meaning "kichi," large, and "saga," fair or lovely. For euphonic considerations the first syllable was dropped.

CHISAGO LAKE.

This lake is conspicuous for its size, the clearness of its waters, its winding shore and islands, its bays, peninsulas, capes, and promontories. It has fully fifty miles of meandering shore line. Its shores and islands are well timbered with maple and other hard woods. It has no waste swamps, or marsh borders. When the writer first came to Taylor's Falls, this beautiful lake was unknown to fame. No one had seen it or could point out its location. Indians brought fish and maple sugar from a lake which they called Ki-chi-sago Sagi-a-gan, or "large and lovely lake." This lake, they said, abounded with "kego," fish.

In 1851 the writer, with Bart Emery, made a visit to this beautiful sheet of water. We found it what its Indian name imports, "fair and lovely water." The government had, the year before, completed a survey of the lake, and it was high time that it should be given a name by which it should be designated on the map and recognized by civilized visitors. What name more beautiful and appropriate than that which the Indians had already given it. That name we at once recognized and used all our influence to perpetuate under somewhat adverse influences; for Swedish emigrants having settled in its neighborhood, a strong effort was made to christen it "Swede Lake," but the lake is to-day known as Chisago, and Chisago it is likely to remain. We believe in the policy of retaining the old Indian names whenever possible. As a rule they are far more musical and appropriate than any we can apply. The Indians have left us their lands, their lakes, their streams; let us accept with them the names by which they were known. Some have been translated into English and appear on the maps as Goose, Elk, Beaver and Snake. By all means let us retranslate them in memory of the race that once owned them.

DALLES OF ST. CROIX.

Chisago county shares with Polk county in the ownership of the wildest and most peculiar scenery in the valley of the St. Croix. At Taylor's Falls, the head of navigation, the river flows between ledges of trap rock, varying in height from fifty to two hundred and fifty feet, for the most part perpendicular, but wildly irregular, as is common in trap rock formations. These ledges are crowned with pine trees and a dense undergrowth of bushes and vines. The prevailing color of the rock is a cold or bluish gray, but broken occasionally by brilliant patches of coloring, red, yellow or green, as they may be stained by oxides of the metals, or covered with lichens and mosses. This formation is known as "The Dalles," sometimes improperly styled "Dells." The rocks composing it are porphyritic trap, an igneous rock forced upward from the interior of the earth through crevices in the crust while still in a liquid state and then solidifying in masses, sometimes prismatic but oftener in irregular polygons, and broken by parallel lines of cleavage. Some geological experts claim that these rocks are "in place" as forming a part of the original crust of the earth, but the balance of evidence seems to be in favor of their having been erupted at a comparatively modern period. This is evidenced by the presence of water-worn boulders and pebbles, imbedded in the trap, somewhat like plums in a pudding, while it was yet plastic; and now forming a species of conglomerate as hard and compact as the trap itself. These rocks are supposed to be rich in copper and silver, and miners have spent much time in prospecting for these metals.

Whatever the origin of the rocks, it is conceded that they were once plastic, at which time this region could not have been a safe or pleasant dwelling place for such beings as now inhabit the world. The theory of a comparatively recent eruption of these rocks is not a pleasant one, for the suggestion forces itself upon the mind that that which has been, at least in recent times, may occur again. The occasional recurrence of earthquakes on our western coast, and the recent severe disturbances in South Carolina and Georgia, raise the query whether this region may not again be visited with an outburst and overflow of trap, terrible and destructive as the first. The foundations, however, seem firm enough to last forever. The rocks are of unusual hardness, and the crust of the earth is probably as solid and thick here as elsewhere. The Dalles proper are about one mile in length. The river, in its passage through them, varies in width from one hundred and fifty to three hundred feet. It was formerly reported unfathomable, but in recent years, owing to a filling up process caused by the debris of the log drivers, it is found to be not more than a hundred feet in its deepest place. The river makes an abrupt bend about a bold promontory of trap known as Angle or Elbow Rock. To the first voyageurs this seemed to be the end of the river, and gave rise to the story that at this point the river burst out of the rocks. Much of the frontage of the rocks upon the river is smooth and perpendicular, and stained with oxides of iron and copper. In places it is broken. The upper rocks are disintegrated by the action of rain and frost, and, where far enough from the river, have fallen so as to form a talus or slope of angular fragments to the water's edge.

THE DEVIL'S CHAIR.

There are some instances in which, by the breaking away and falling of smaller rocks, larger rocks have been left standing in the form of columns. Most notable of these are the "Devil's Pulpit," and the "Devil's Chair." The former, owing to surrounding shrubbery, is not easily seen. The latter is a conspicuous object on the western shore of the river a few rods below the lower landing. It stands on the slope formed by the debris of a precipice that rises here about 120 feet above the river. Its base is about 40 feet above low water mark; the column itself reaches 45 feet higher. It is composed of many angular pieces of trap, the upper portion bearing a rude resemblance to a chair. It is considered quite a feat to climb to the summit. The face of the rocks is disfigured by the names of ambitious and undeserving persons. The nuisance of names and advertisements painted upon the most prominent rocks in the Dalles is one that every lover of Nature will wish to have abated. To spend an hour climbing amongst these precipices to find in some conspicuous place the advertisement of a quack medicine, illustrates the adage: "There is but one step from the sublime to the ridiculous."

THE WELLS.

A more remarkable curiosity may be found on that bench or middle plateau of the Dalles, lying between the upper and the lower Taylor's Falls landings, in what has been not inaptly styled "The Wells." These are openings, or pits, not much unlike wells, in places where the trap is not more than 50 feet above water level, varying in width from a few inches to 30 or 40 feet, the deepest being from 20 to 25 feet. These seem to have been formed by the action of water upon pebbles or boulders, much as "pot holes" are now being formed in the rocky bottoms of running streams. The water falls upon the pebbles or boulders in such a way as to cause them to revolve and act as a drill, boring holes in the rock proportioned to the force of the agencies employed. Some of these boulders and pebbles, worn to a spherical shape, were originally found at the bottoms of these wells, but have been mostly carried away by the curious. Some of the wells are cut through solid pieces of trap. The walls of others are seamed and jointed; in some cases fragments have fallen out, and in others the entire side of the wells has been violently disrupted and partly filled with debris. The extreme hardness of the trap rock militates somewhat against the theory of formation above given. It is, however, not improbable that this hardness was acquired after long exposure to the air.

SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION.

In the history of St. Croix Falls mention has been made of some of the pioneers of Chisago county. St. Croix Falls and Taylor's Falls, the pioneer settlement of Chisago county, though a river divides them which is also the boundary line of two states, have much that is common in their early history. The inhabitants were always greatly interested in what was going on over the river. We may add, that although they now stand in the attitude of rival cities, their interests are still identical, and we believe that, but for the unwise policy of making St. Croix river a state line, they might be to-day under one city government, and as compact and harmonious as though no St. Croix river rolled between them. The river is their joint property; both have the same heritage of trap rocks and pines, the same milling privileges, the same lumbering interests, and, it must be confessed, they remain up to the present time about equally mated. J. R. Brown was unquestionably the pioneer of the settlement. Frank Steele says he found J. R. Brown trading, in 1837, on the spot now the site of Taylor's Falls.

He was not, however, the first white man upon the soil. There is some documentary evidence of the establishment by the French of a fort forty leagues up the St. Croix some time between the years 1700 and 1703. This fort was in all probability erected on the plateau below the Dalles, the distance given, forty leagues, being exaggerated after the fashion of the early voyageurs. It was called Fort St. Croix. There was also a prehistoric settlement, the ruins of which the writer noted as early as 1851, on the school land addition to Taylor's Falls. These were the foundations of nine houses, plainly visible. Over some of them trees two feet in diameter were growing. The rock foundations ranged in size from twenty to thirty feet, with the hearth containing ashes underlying the debris of ages, on smooth hearthstones showing years of service, being apparently a century old. These were the homes, undoubtedly, of a civilized people, and we may claim for Taylor's Falls, Chisago county, one of the first improvements made by whites in the limits of Minnesota.

During the last half of the last century a prominent trading post was established and maintained for many years on the St. Croix river, which was founded by Pierre Grinow, and during the close of the last century it was in the charge of one James Perlier, who afterward became one of the most useful citizens of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Lawrence Barth was also here in 1793. The evidence of the existence of this trading post rests upon traditions and the ruins referred to. Recurring to the pioneer Brown, the most irrepressible of all the advance guard of civilization, we find him only a transient inhabitant. He stayed long enough to cut 200,000 feet of pine logs from the present site of Taylor's Falls, when the neighborhood lost its attractions. These were the first pine saw logs cut in the St. Croix valley.

In 1838 a French trader, Robinet, was located at the same place, but in the summer of the same year came Mr. Jesse Taylor from Fort Snelling where he had been following the business of a stonemason. He had heard of the ratification of the Indian treaty by Congress, and he greatly coveted some of the rich lands brought into market by that treaty. Mr. Taylor, with an Indian guide, came to the Dalles of the St. Croix. As Mr. Steele had already claimed the east side, Mr. Taylor concluded that he would claim the west side. Returning to Fort Snelling he reported to an associate, Benjamin F. Baker, formed a partnership and returned with men, boats, provisions and building material, but on his return to the falls he found Robinet, the trader, in a bark shanty (at the present junction of Bridge and River streets). Robinet was in actual possession of the coveted acres. Robinet having no other function than that of a trader, and consequently having no serious designs on the lands was easily bought off, and Baker & Taylor, in August, 1838, commenced improvements, building a log house, a blacksmith shop, a mill, and commencing a mill race which had to be blasted. They also built piers and a wing dam just above the present location of the bridge. The mill was located at what has since become the upper steamboat landing. Mr. Taylor named the lower falls Baker's falls, and the settlement, Taylor's Place. When the town was platted, in 1850, it was called Taylor's Falls. The name came also to be applied to the lower falls.

The mill enterprise was a melancholy failure. The builders were not practical mill men. The improvements were expensive. The work of blasting rock and building made slow progress. There was no income as long as the mill was in process of building. In the midst of these embarrassments, in 1840, Mr. Baker died. Mr. Taylor took entire possession with no other right than that of a squatter sovereign. In 1843 Mr. Taylor sold the unfinished mill to parties in Osceola, and in 1844 everything movable was transferred to that place. The double log cabin remained, and there Mr. Taylor lived for eight years on the proceeds of the sale, performing in all that time no work more worthy of the historian's notice than fixing his name upon the settlement and falls. Many of the later residents query as to why it was ever called Taylor's Falls. It takes a keen eye to discover any fall in the river at the point named. The falls indeed were once far more conspicuous than they are now, owing to the fact that a large rock rose above the water at the ordinary stage, around which the crowded waters roared and swirled. That rock, never visible in later days, was called Death Rock, because three hapless mariners in a skiff were hurled against it by the swift current and drowned.

The old log house, the sole remnant of the Baker and Taylor project, if we may except some holes in the rock made by blasting, and some submerged ruins of the wing dam and pier, has passed through various changes. It has been used as a store, as a boarding house, as a warehouse, as a church, as a school house, and as a stable. Part of it still remains and is habitable. It is located on lot 18, block 15. In 1846 Jesse Taylor sold his claim to Joshua L. Taylor for two hundred dollars. This claim, like most of the claims made prior to the survey of government lands, was not accurately defined. It included, however, all the lands, on the west side of the river, extending northward to the St. Croix Company's claim, at the upper falls, and including the present site of Taylor's Falls.

Aside from mill building, nothing was done in the way of improvements until 1846, when Jerry Ross and Benjamin F. Otis commenced farming on what was subsequently known as the Morton and Colby farms. Both raised potatoes and garden vegetables and built houses. This was the first cultivation of the soil in Chisago county. In 1847 Mr. Otis sold his improvements to Wm. F. Colby, who, in that year, raised the first corn grown by white men in the county. In 1846 Thornton Bishop commenced improvements on a farm at the head of the rapids, six miles above Taylor's Falls. J. L. Taylor, in 1848, built a pre-emption shanty midway between the upper and lower falls. In 1849 he proved up his pre-emption to lots 5, 6 and 7, section 30, township 34, range 18. N. C. D. Taylor pre-empted the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 25, and the west half of the same quarter section; also lot 1, section 36, township 34, range 19.

In 1849 Lewis Barlow and Wm. E. Bush became citizens. An abstract of the canvassed returns of an election held November 26th shows but six votes in the settlement. In 1850 W. F. Colby pre-empted the northeast quarter of section 25, township 34, range 19, and W. H. C. Folsom the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of the same.

At a regular meeting of the St. Croix county board, held at Stillwater, April 2, 1850, the following judges of election were appointed within the present limits of Chisago county: St. Croix Falls precinct, Wm. F. Colby, Wm. Holmes, N. C. D. Taylor; Rush Lake precinct, Levi Clark, Walter Carrier and Richard Arnold. At a meeting, held Oct. 7, 1850, the petition of Lewis Barlow and ten others, of St. Croix Falls precinct, was presented, asking for a special election, to elect two justices of the peace. Their petition was granted. The poll was: Wm. E. Bush, one vote; John H. Reid, six votes; Ansel Smith, five votes. Reid and Smith were declared elected. The first survey of town lots was made in 1851, by Theodore E. Parker, of Stillwater, and under this survey the village was legally established as Taylor's Falls. The first deeds recorded in Chisago county were transcripts from Washington county of lands consisting of town site property, dated 1851, conveyed to W. H. C. Folsom by J. L. and N. C. D. Taylor.

The movement for the organization of a new county from the northern part of Washington commenced in the winter of 1851-52. A formidable petition to the legislature to make such organization, drawn up and circulated by Hon. Ansel Smith, of Franconia, and the writer, was duly forwarded, presented and acquiesced in by that body. The writer had been selected to visit the capital in the interest of the petitioners. Some difficulty arose as to the name. The writer had proposed "Chi-sa-ga." This Indian name was ridiculed, and Hamilton, Jackson, Franklin and Jefferson were in turn proposed. The committee of the whole finally reported in favor of the name, Chisaga, but the legislature, in passing the bill for our county organization, by clerical or typographical error changed the last "a" in "saga" to "o," which, having become the law, has not been changed.

The eastern boundary of the county was fixed as the St. Croix river; the southern boundary, the line between townships 32 and 33; the western, the line between ranges 21 and 22, for three townships south, and the line between ranges 22 and 23 for the remaining townships north. To show how little was known of the geography of the section we refer to the record of the county commissioners of Washington county, dated Dec. 15, 1848, at which St. Croix district, the present Chisago county, was established as "bounded on the north by Sunrise river and on the west by line between ranges 21 and 22"--an utter impossibility, as the Sunrise river flows in a northerly direction entirely through the county and at its nearest point does not come within three miles of the range line mentioned.

The election for the first board of county officers was held at the Chisago House, Oct. 14, 1851. Twenty-three votes were polled at this election. The following officers were elected: Commissioners, Samuel Thomson, chairman; N. C. D. Taylor, Thomas F. Morton; clerk of board and register of deeds, F. W. Abbott; treasurer, W. H. C. Folsom. The bill establishing the county provided that "the seat of justice of the county of Chisago shall be at such point in said county as the first board of commissioners elected in said county shall determine." In accordance with this law, at the first meeting of the commissioners, held at the office of N. C. D. Taylor in Taylor's Falls, Jan. 5, 1852, the town of Taylor's Falls was chosen as the county seat, "agreeable to the Revised Statutes, chapter 1st, section 14th."

As the population of the county increased the project of moving the county seat to a more nearly central position was agitated. In 1858 a vote was taken which resulted in favor of its removal to Centre City. The matter of the legality of the vote was referred to the court, and decided by Judge Welch adversely, on the ground that a majority of the voters of the county had not voted. The county seat consequently remained at Taylor's Falls. In 1861 another vote was taken by which the county seat was removed to Chisago City, and there it remained under somewhat adverse circumstances. Chisago City having but a small population and no conveniences for such a purpose, and being for several years without even a post office, repeated efforts were made for another removal, until in 1875 a vote to remove it to Centre City carried. In January, 1876, the records were removed. The county authorities issued $5,000 bonds for a court house which was erected on a point of land extending into Chisago lake, a beautiful situation. The bonds have been paid and the county is without indebtedness, and has a surplus of about $10,000.

The town of Amador comprises two eastern tiers of sections of township 35, range 20, and two fractional sections of township 36, range 20, fractional township 35, range 19, and one fractional section of township 36, range 19. The St. Croix river forms its boundary on the north and east. The surface is undulating. The western and southern part is covered with hardwood timber and has rich soil. The northern part has oak openings and prairie, with soil somewhat varied, in some places more or less sandy. It is well watered and drained. Thornton Bishop, the first settler, came in 1846, and located a farm on the banks of the St. Croix, at the head of the rapids, in section 34. Richard Arnold settled on Amador prairie in 1854, and was followed by James P. Martin, Carmi P. Garlick and others. Garlick was a practicing physician, but engaged in other work. He built a steam saw mill and made many other improvements, among them laying out the village of Amador in section 9, township 35, range 20. H. N. Newbury, surveyor, not succeeding in his undertaking, issued the prospectus of a paper to be called the St. Croix Eagle and to be published at Taylor's Falls. This failing he removed to Osceola.

Amador was organized in 1858. The first supervisors were C. P. Garlick, R. Arnold and James Martin. A post office was established in 1857; Henry Bush, postmaster. Mr. Bush had a small farm at the mouth of Deer creek, where he built a large public house, two stories high. This house burned down. He established a ferry across the St. Croix. He had a large family of boys who roamed the woods freely until one of their number was lost. The other boys came home as usual but of one they could give no account. Parties were organized for the search, which at last was given up as unsuccessful. A year afterward the bones of the missing boy were found some miles away, by the side of a log, where the little wanderer had doubtless perished of starvation and exposure. Mr. Bishop raised the first crops of the town. The first marriage was that of Charles S. Nevers and Mary Snell, by John Winans, Esq., Feb. 23, 1860.

THORNTON BISHOP was a native of Indiana. He came to St. Croix Falls in 1841 and was married to Delia Wolf in 1842, by Rev. W. D. Boutwell, at the Pokegama mission. This wife was a well educated half-breed. They raised a large family of children. He came to Amador in 1846 and farmed for some time at the head of the rapids, when he sold his farm and moved to Sunrise. In 1880 he removed to Kettle River station. In 1883-84-85-86 he served as commissioner for Pine county.

WILLIAM HOLMES came to Amador and settled on a farm at the head of the rapids in 1848. The farm is now held by John Dabney. Mr. Holmes married a sister of Mrs. Thornton Bishop. She was educated at Pokegama mission. They raised a large family of children. In 1852 Mr. Holmes removed to Sunrise and thence to Trade River, Wisconsin, in 1875, where he sickened. His brother-in-law, Bishop, came to his relief, removed him to his own home and cared for him till he died, May, 1876.

JAMES M. MARTIN was one of the first settlers in Amador. He came originally from Missouri, where he was married. He died July 17, 1887; Mrs. Martin dying some years prior. Their sons are James M., Harvey, Charles, Isaac, and Theodore. Their daughters are Mrs. Cowan, Mrs. Wilkes, Mrs. Nordine and Mrs. Lanon.

BRANCH.

The town of Branch, occupying township 35, range 21, was set off from Sunrise, and organized in 1872. The first supervisors were William Winston, Peter Delamater and Frank Knight. A post office was established in 1869; Geo. W. Flanders, postmaster. The surface is mostly undulating, and the soil a sandy loam. There are oak openings, and along the course of the north branch of the Sunrise river, which flows through the town from west to east, there are many excellent wild meadows. The north part originally contained pine forests; about 5,000,000 feet have been cut away. Branch contains some pretty and well cultivated farms. The St. Paul & Duluth railroad traverses the town from south to north.

NORTH BRANCH STATION.

The only village in the town of Branch was platted in January, 1870, the proprietors being the Western Land Association, L. Mendenhall, agent. The plat includes the north half of the northwest quarter of section 21, and the northeast quarter of section 20, township 35, range 21. The first settler was G. M. Flanders, who opened a store here in 1868, which was burned in 1869. Henry L. Ingalls erected a good hotel and other buildings. In 1870 Gurley & Bros. established a store; B. F. Wilkes built a hotel; Winston, Long & Co. established a store. In 1874 J. F. F. Swanson built a flouring mill, which was burned in 1878. The loss was about $6,000, with but little insurance. The village now contains two elevators, three hotels, six stores and the usual proportion of dwellings. There are two churches, the Episcopalian building, erected in 1883; and the Congregational, in 1884. There is also a good school house. The village was incorporated in 1882. In December, 1884, the store of Singleton & Bonnafon was burned; loss estimated at $15,000, with but little insurance.

HENRY L. INGALLS was born in Abingdon, Connecticut, in 1804. In 1832 he was married to Lavina L. Child, of Woodstock, Connecticut, and with his wife and younger brother emigrated to Illinois, settling at Chandler, Cass county. There he remained seventeen years, when, his impaired health necessitating a change, with his son Henry he went to California. In 1853 he returned and settled on Sunrise prairie, then an unbroken wilderness. For seventeen years he lived on his farm and kept a popular country hotel. In 1870 he removed to North Branch and built a large frame residence, where he lived until his death, which occurred Sept. 2, 1876. Mr. Ingalls left three sons, Ephraim, Henry and Van Rensselaer.

MRS. LAVINA L. INGALLS, whose maiden name was Childs, was born in Connecticut in 1806; was married as above stated in 1832, from which time she cheerfully and uncomplainingly shared the fortunes of her husband in the West, undergoing the usual toils and privations of the pioneer. While at Sunrise, during part of the time she had no neighbors nearer than Taylor's Falls. The first post office in Chisago county north of Taylor's Falls was at her house, and was known as Muscotink. She and her husband, during the later years of their lives, were Spiritualists, and derived great comfort from their peculiar phase of belief. Mrs. Ingalls was a talented and kind hearted woman, charitable in act and beloved by her associates. She died Dec. 29, 1879.

CHISAGO LAKE.

The town of Chisago Lake includes the four western tiers of sections of township 33, range 20, and township 34, range 20. A permanent characteristic of this town is its unrivaled lake scenery, rendering it not only attractive for residences but a favorite resort of visitors. Its principal lake has already been described. The first settler was John S. Van Rensselaer, who located on an island opposite the present site of Centre City in the spring of 1851, and raised a crop of corn and vegetables. He built him a cabin and lived there three years. Eric Norberg, a prominent Swede, came to the lake from Bishop's Hill, Illinois, in April, 1851, and being pleased with the locality, came back with a colony of Swedes, including Peter Berg, Andrew Swenson, Peter Anderson, Peter Shaline, Daniel Rattick, and others. They came by steamboat, landed at Taylor's Falls June 24, 1851, cut a road to Chisago lake and took undisputed possession of its shores, finding no trace of human occupancy save some deserted Indian tepees and the claim cabin of Mr. Van Rensselaer on the island. Mr. Berg settled on the west part of lot 3, section 35, and southwest quarter of southwest quarter of section 26, township 34, range 20. Peter Anderson on the east part of lot 3, and northwest quarter of northeast quarter of section 35, township 34, range 20. Andrew Swenson on lot 5, section 27, township 34, range 20. Mr. Norberg had come first to the country at the invitation of Miles Tornell, who was murdered in 1848, near St. Croix Falls, by some Indian assassins, hired to commit the deed by one Miller, a whisky seller. Mr. Norberg originally intended to make his home at Chisago Lake, but died at Bishop's Hill, Illinois, while on a visit in 1853.

The colony in 1852 raised the first rye, barley and flax in the county. They also raised potatoes, green corn and vegetables, cut out roads, cleared timber, and made other improvements. Peter Berg raised flax and made linen thread in 1852, the first made in Minnesota. Settlers came in rapidly. Among the arrivals in 1852 and soon after were the Petersons, Strands, Johnsons, Frank Mobeck, Dahliam, Porter, and others. A post office was established in 1858; A. Nelson, postmaster. The town was organized in 1858. The first supervisors were: Ephraim C. Ingalls, chairman; Frank Mobeck and Daniel Lindstrom.

The first church organization in the county was that of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran, in 1854. Here was built the first church edifice in 1855, a frame structure subsequently enlarged, but in 1882 superseded by a fine brick building, costing $30,000. Its dimensions are 116 × 66 feet, ground plan, and the spire is 135 feet in height. A fine organ was purchased at a cost of $1,500. This church building is an ornament to the town and the State, and would be creditable even to our great cities. The first pastor was Rev. P. A. Cedarstam. His successors are Revs. C. A. Hedengrand and John J. Frodeen, the present incumbent. The communicants number about 1,300.

In 1880 the St. Paul & Duluth railroad extended a branch road from Wyoming to Taylor's Falls. This passes through the town of Chisago Lake, from west to east, crossing three arms of the lake. To secure this road the town gave $10,000 in twenty year bonds. It obtains in exchange an outlet for the products of its farms and forests. The bridge across Chisago lake was built in 1857, at a cost of $1,500. It has since been made an embankment bridge at an additional cost of $1,600. Of this the State furnished $1,000 and the county $600.

CENTRE CITY,

The county seat of Chisago county, was platted May, 1857, on lot 5, section 27, township 34, range 20; Andrew Swenson, proprietor; Alex. Cairns, surveyor. It is located on a peninsula midway on the east shore of Chisago lake. Few villages are more beautifully situated. It contains two hotels, three stores, a saw and feed mill, two church buildings, a Swedish Lutheran and Swedish Methodist, a school house and many pleasant residences. The court house was built in 1876, at a cost of $5,000, on a promontory commanding a fine view of the lake. The depot of the branch of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad is located half a mile south of the village. Summer excursionists assemble here in goodly numbers, and the location bids fair to become very attractive as a summer resort. During the Indian outbreak in 1862, and the period of uncertainty as to the probable attitude of the Chippewa Indians, the people of Chisago Lake built breastworks for protection, on the isthmus connecting Centre City with the mainland, and planted cannon upon them for defense. The remains of these old fortifications may still be seen.

ANDREW SWENSON.--Mr. Swenson, the founder of Centre City, came to the shores of the lake in 1851, and made his home on the present site of the city. He was born in Sweden in 1817; came to America in 1850, and remained a short time in New Orleans before coming to Minnesota. He was a farmer and a member of the Methodist church. He was married to Catharine Peterson in 1838. He died in July, 1887, leaving two sons and two daughters.

JOHN S. VAN RENSSELAER came to Chisago Lake in the spring of 1851, and settled on an island, where he lived three years in hermit-like seclusion, raising corn and vegetables. His cabin, always neat and tasteful, was furnished with a choice library. In 1854 he removed to Sunrise Lake, where he lived fifteen years, engaged in farming. He removed thence to Sunrise City. Mr. Van Rensselaer was the founder of the first cheese factories in the county, at Sunrise City and Centre City. He is an honorable and upright man, whose high aim is to exemplify the golden rule in his life and deportment.

AXEL DAHLIAM settled on the west shore of East Chisago lake in 1852. Mr. Dahliam had been an officer in the Swedish Army. He was a cultivated gentleman. He died in 1869.

NELS NORD was born in Lindhopsing, Sweden, in 1819. In his eighteenth year he enlisted in the Swedish Army and served twelve years. He came to America in 1855 and located on Chisago lake, in the northeast quarter of section 32, township 34, range 20. He was married in Sweden to Lisa Anderson. They have one son, John P., who has been for seven years the popular and efficient auditor of Chisago county. He was married in 1878 to Hildah, daughter of Rev. C. A. Hedengrand. They have one daughter.

JOHN A. HALLBERG was born at Smolland, Sweden, in 1830. He came to America in 1853 and to Centre City in 1854. In 1872 he purchased a saw and feed mill of Shogren Brothers. In 1876 he built a hotel. He has held the office of justice of the peace many years and has served four years as county commissioner. He was married to Matilda E. Carlson in 1870.

CHAS. A. BUSH is of German descent. His father, Wm. H. Bush, lived in Wyoming. His great grandfather came to this country in 1765 and fought on the side of the colonies. Chas. A. came to Minnesota in 1869 from Pennsylvania. He has served as treasurer of Chisago county four years.

LARS JOHAN STARK was born in Sweden in 1826; came to America in 1850, and settled at Chisago Lake in 1852. He was married in 1865, and again in 1870. He has eleven children living. In Sweden he served as clerk ten years. In his American home he has followed farming chiefly. He has served as justice of the peace and county commissioner, and has filled some town offices. He was engrossing clerk of the house of representatives in 1864. He was a member of the house in the sessions of 1865 and 1875. In 1868 he moved to the town of Fish Lake, and in 1877 to Harris.

FRANK MOBECK was born in Sweden in 1814. He came to America in 1851, and in 1853 to Chisago Lake, where he settled on lot 5, section 34, township 34, range 20. His home is on a beautiful elevation, on a point of land projecting into the lake. Mr. Mobeck served in the Swedish Army seventeen years. He has raised a large family of children, all of whom are good citizens.

ROBERT CURRIE was born in Ayrshire, Scotland. After reaching manhood he was employed many years as superintendent of a fancy manufacturing company. He was married in Scotland. In 1854, after the death of his wife, he came to America, and in 1855 selected a place for a home on the north shore of west Chisago lake, where he lived till his death by drowning in 1883. The site of his home was well chosen. It commanded a beautiful view of the lake, and in the summer months was luxuriantly adorned with flowers. Mr. Currie was a man of fine intellect, well cultivated, and an ardent admirer of his countryman Burns, from whom, and from Shakespeare and other masters of English literature he could quote for hours. Mr. Currie's occupation was farming, but he filled several offices acceptably. He was superintendent of schools, judge of probate and clerk of district court. Though somewhat eccentric, he was a social, kind hearted man.

ANDREW N. HOLM, formerly Andrew Nelson, his name having been changed by legislative enactment in 1867, was born in Sweden in 1829. He learned the trade of carpenter, came to America in 1855 and located in Centre City in 1857, of which city he was first postmaster. He served as a soldier during the Civil War and at its close removed his family to Taylor's Falls, which is still his home.

LINDSTROM VILLAGE,

Located on the line of the Taylor's Falls branch of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad, on lot 4, section 33, town 34, range 20, was platted in 1880 by G. W. Sewall, surveyor. The proprietors are James and Elisabeth Smith. It is situated on high ground and almost surrounded by the waters of Lake Chisago. It would be difficult to find a lovelier site. Maurice Tombler built the first store and elevator here, in 1881. There are now three stores, one hotel, one railroad station and several shops and dwellings. A post office was established at Lindstrom in 1880; Charles H. Bush, postmaster.

DANIEL LINDSTROM was born in 1825, in Helsingland, Sweden. He had no early advantages for obtaining an education, and spent most of his youth herding goats amongst the mountains in the north part of Sweden. In 1854 he came to America and located on Chisago lake, choosing a beautiful location, which has since been laid out as a village, and bids fair to become a place of popular resort. Mr. Lindstrom was married first in Sweden, and now lives with his second wife, the first having died in 1864. He has a family of three children. He has filled official positions in his town acceptably.

MAGNUS S. SHALEEN was born in Sweden in 1796; came to America in 1855, and made a homestead near Lindstrom in section 29, town 34, range 20, where he died in 1869. Mrs. Shaleen died in 1873. John, the oldest son, resides on the family homestead. He has served as sheriff of Chisago county six years, and state senator eight years. Peter, the second son, has served as postmaster of Centre City fourteen years, and clerk of the district court five years. Sarah, the eldest daughter, married John Swenson. They have three sons, John H., Henry A. and Oscar, industrious, reliable young men, all in the employ of the St. Paul & Duluth Railroad Company. Mary married Andrew Wallmark at Chisago Lake, in 1856. One daughter is unmarried.

CHISAGO CITY.

The village of Chisago City is located on a hardwood ridge, between Chisago and Green lakes, in sections 6 and 7, township 34, range 20. It was platted by Isaac Bernheimer & Co., of Philadelphia, on lot 4, section 7, township 34, range 20, in 1855. They built a hotel, several dwellings, and a saw and grist mill on the banks of Chisago lake, at an expense of about $7,000. These mills were burned in 1872. A stave factory was built on the site of the burned mills, which was operated successfully for many years under the management of George Nathan, Otto Wallmark, W. D. Webb and others. This stave mill gave a new impetus to the prosperity of the village, under the influence of which the county seat was transferred to it. Its subsequent growth, however, did not justify expectations. It was for many years without even a post office. In 1875 the county seat was removed to Centre City. The Lutherans have here one of the finest church buildings in the county. The branch railroad depot is located one mile north, and quite a village has grown up around it.

OTTO WALLMARK was born Dec. 7, 1830, in the province of Halland, Sweden. In his minority he was nine years clerk in a store. He received a common school education. In 1854 he came to America and directly to Chisago City, where he lived many years, making a homestead, which has since been his permanent home. He served eighteen years as Chisago county auditor. He served several years as postmaster at Chisago City, and in 1886 was elected state senator for four years. His first wife was Mary Helene, his second wife, Eva Palmgreen. They have one son and one daughter.

ANDREW WALLMARK, brother of Otto, was born in Sweden in 1826; received a liberal education, and came to Chisago Lake from Sweden in 1854. He has filled several town offices; has been register of deeds for Chisago county nineteen years; was married to Mary Shaleen in 1856. They have two sons and three daughters.

FISH LAKE.

The town of Fish Lake includes township 36, range 22. It was originally well timbered, chiefly with hardwood, but 25,000,000 feet of pine timber has been cut from it and mostly manufactured in the town. There are some fine lakes in the town, of which the largest and finest are Horseshoe and Cedar. The soil is black clay loam with subsoil of clay. The town was cut off from the town of Sunrise and organized in 1868. The first supervisors were Chas. F. Stark, Benjamin Franklin and John A. Hokanson. A post office was established in 1868; Benjamin Franklin, postmaster. The first settlers were Peter Olaf and Peter Bergland, in section 25. The first school was taught by Miss Mattison. The first marriage was that of John Hokanson and Matilda Samuelson. The first death was that of John Erickson. The population is mostly from Sweden. There is a good Swedish Lutheran church built near the centre of the town. There are also a Swedish Methodist and a Swedish Baptist society. The people are a well-to-do, independent class. Fish Lake has a saw mill with a capacity of about 1,000,000 feet. In 1877 Hosburg, the watchman of this mill, was killed by Priestly, an Englishman. Hosburg, in accordance with the rules, had ordered him not to smoke on the premises. The Englishman was arrested, tried for murder and acquitted.

PETER BERG was born in Sweden in 1801; came to America in 1850, and settled at Chisago Lake in 1851. Some time subsequently he settled on the north shore of Fish lake. In 1886, at the age of eighty-five years, he is still a vigorous, active man. Mr. Berg was married in Sweden. He has one daughter, Katharine, who married Sam Hamilton, of Taylor's Falls. Mr. Hamilton died in 1871. She married as her second husband Swain G. Yongren.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, though he bears the name of America's most illustrious philosopher, is a native of Sweden, whence he came with a Swedish colony in 1852, settled at Taylor's Falls, and subsequently removed to the northern shore of Fish lake. By way of explaining how he came by his American name we add that soon after his arrival he came to the writer somewhat puzzled as to how he should write his Swedish name in English. He gave it as "Ben Franz Norel," but pronounced it in such a way that it sounded rather like Benjamin Franklin. We suggested that name as a happy solution of the difficulty, telling him something about the illustrious man who had made it honorable. He adopted it at once, and has never disgraced it. He is still a worthy, industrious and honorable citizen of Fish Lake.

FRANCONIA

Includes the two eastern tiers of sections of township 33, range 20, and fractional township 33, range 19, including about fifteen whole sections, and four fractional. The soil is good, and originally supported a growth of hardwood. The surface is undulating. It is well watered by Lawrence and several other small creeks tributary to the St. Croix, and has several small but clear lakes. Ansel Smith was the first settler of the town and village, which he named after Franconia in the White mountains. He came here in 1852, and located a claim on the present site of the village, on the St. Croix river, section 10, township 33, range 19. He did much for the prosperity of the village and town. He raised the first crops and was the first postmaster (1854). The town was organized in 1858. The first supervisors were Ansel Smith, Leonard P. Day and A. J. Adams. The town is now well settled and has many excellent farms. The branch St. Paul & Duluth railroad has a depot three-fourths of a mile from the village of Franconia. A German Methodist church is located near the centre of the town.

FRANCONIA VILLAGE

Was platted in 1858, by Ansel Smith. It was incorporated in 1884. Paul Munch, in 1860, erected a first class, three storied flouring mill on Lawrence creek. A saw mill, erected in 1854 by the Clark brothers and Ansel Smith, has passed through many changes of ownership. It is now the property of Matthews & Jourdain. Henry F. and Leonard P. Day built the first good dwelling in the village, on the banks of the St. Croix, just above the steamboat landing. Margaret Smith taught the first school. The first death in the village was that of Neil Monroe.

ANSEL SMITH came from Vermont to St. Croix Falls in 1850 and engaged in teaching. In 1851 he helped erect the Chisago House in Taylor's Falls. In 1852 he made a claim on the St. Croix river, in section 10, township 33, range 19, and there platted the village of Franconia, clearing away the worst of the timber with his own hands. He was an energetic, active business man, and took an interest not only in the affairs of his town and neighborhood, but in the country at large. He represented his district in the fifth, sixth and seventh legislatures. He was appointed register of the United States land office at Duluth in 1870 and served till 1872. Mr. Smith died at his residence in Duluth in 1878, leaving a wife and three promising sons, two of them practicing attorneys in Duluth; one cashier of a bank in Duluth.

HENRY F. AND LEONARD P. DAY.--The Day brothers came from St. Lawrence, New York, to the St. Croix valley in 1849, and settled in Franconia in 1852. Henry married Margaret Smith, daughter of David Smith. During the Rebellion he served in Company C, Seventh Minnesota Volunteers. He moved to Florida in 1886. Leonard P. was married to Mary Mitchell in 1856. He died in 1874, leaving a widow, two sons and two daughters. His widow (in 1886) is the wife of Henry Wills, of Osceola.

HENRY WILLS was born in 1829, in Illinois, and married his first wife in Missouri in 1856, who died in 1878, leaving nine children. Mr. Wills was one of the first farmers in Franconia, and has been active in promoting improvements in his town and county. He moved to Osceola in 1886.

THE CLARK BROTHERS came from Maine and located in Franconia in 1854, where they built the first mill in the village. Subsequently they became citizens of Taylor's Falls, engaging in the mercantile, livery, saw and stave mill business. James, the oldest, married Carrie Jellison in 1863, and moved to Windom, Minnesota. Rufus, the next in age, married Kate Strand in 1860, and died May, 1880, leaving a widow, three sons and one daughter. Charles, the youngest, was married to Martha J. Gray in 1868, and removed to Fergus Falls.

DAVID SMITH was born in Scotland. He came to Franconia in 1855, where he has now one of the best farms in Chisago county. His youngest son, James, lives on the old homestead with him. His second son, John, has made his home in Rush City. Andrew, his oldest, served during the Rebellion in company C, Seventh Minnesota. His oldest daughter, Margaret, is the wife of H. F. Day. His daughter Nancy is the wife of N. H. Hickerson and resides in California,. Barbary, the third daughter, is the wife of John Grove of Burnett county.

JONAS LINDALL was for many years an enterprising and prosperous business man in Franconia. He opened up an extensive wood trade with St. Paul, in which C. J. Vitalis is his successor. Mr. Lindall represented his county in the senate of the fifteenth and sixteenth state legislatures. He was accidentally drowned from a barge of wood at Hastings in May, 1872. His widow is married to Chas. J. Vitalis.

WM. PEASLEE came from Maine to the St. Croix valley and settled in Franconia in 1857, and followed mercantile pursuits at that place and at Taylor's Falls. He died at the latter place in 1876. Mr. Peaslee was married at Palmyra, Maine, to Sophia E. Harriman, who, with Clarence, an only son, survives him. His widow resides in Taylor's Falls and superintends a millinery and fancy store. Clarence succeeds his father in the grocery and dry goods business at Taylor's Falls. He married Rosa, a daughter of Patrick Fox.

CHARLES VITALIS was born in Smolland, Sweden, in 1843; came to America in 1868 and settled in Franconia village. He was for five years employed as clerk. In 1873 he embarked in the mercantile and wood business. In one year he shipped 13,000 cords of wood, and has averaged for the last 14 years 7,000 cords, making a total of 100,000 cords. He was married to Josephine Nelson, widow of Jonas Lindall, in 1873. They have three children. Elof, John, Elias and Hans are brothers of Charles Vitalis, residing in the town of Franconia.

AUGUST J. ANDERSON was born near Wexico, Sweden, in 1860; came to America with his parents in 1869, and to Franconia. At thirteen years of age he commenced clerking for C. Vitalis, with whom he continued until 1873, when he associated himself with him in the mercantile business. He visited Europe in 1883.

FRANK N. PETERSON.--Mr. Peterson came to America in 1865, and in 1866 settled in the valley of the St. Croix. He attended school at Carver, Minnesota, one year, when he became a traveling salesman for Leopold & Co., of Chicago, and in 1881 settled in Franconia. He organized the lumbering firm of Borens Brothers & Peterson, which continued until 1886, when a new organization was formed, called the Franconia Lumber Company, consisting of P. Jordan, Sam Mathews, of Stillwater, and the subject of our sketch.

Mr. Peterson has been the president of Franconia since its incorporation. In 1869 he married Miss Ingur Johnson, daughter of Eric Johnson, a pioneer of St. Peter, Minnesota, and is the father of two children, Axel, a promising son, who died in February, 1885, at fourteen years of age, and Maria, now a student in the Ladies' Seminary at Faribault, who is developing marked ability as a pencil artist. Mr. Peterson owns one of the finest houses in the valley, romantically situated, which is supplied with pure spring water. It is a pride to the village and attracts general attention. He is also the inventor and patentee of the Lindholm & Peterson adding machine.

HARRIS.

The town of Harris contains twenty-four sections of township 36, range 21, the four western tiers of sections. The soil is a sandy loam with clay subsoil. The town is well watered and drained by Goose creek, which entering the town from the northwest, and bending at first southward, then eastward, leaves the town near its southeastern line in section 22. The timber consisted originally of oak openings and pine; 10,000,000 feet of the latter have been removed from the southeastern portion. Luxuriant wild meadows are found along Goose creek. The first improvement was a farm, made by W. H. C. Folsom in sections 21 and 22 in 1854. The first permanent settler was Henry H. Sevy, who located on this farm in 1856. The town of Harris was organized in 1884.

HARRIS VILLAGE.

A charter organizing Harris village was granted by the district court, under the general law, in 1882. A question arose as to the legality of the act. A subsequent legislature, by legislative act, confirmed all similarly organized villages in the State. The supreme court decided the organization of such villages illegal and the legislative act sanctioning it unconstitutional. It was subsequently organized legally. The village was surveyed by A. D. Miller and platted in May, 1873, in the south half of section 21, township 36, range 21, Philip S. Harris and N. D. Miller, proprietors. It derived its name from Philip S. Harris, a prominent officer of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad. Fred Wolf was the first settler, in 1870, and first merchant and first railroad agent, in 1873. He acted as postmaster subsequently and filled other offices of trust. His interests are intimately blended with those of the village. Isaac Savage was the second settler and merchant. He was the first postmaster, in 1873. The first school was taught by Mary Gwinn, in 1873. The first marriage was that of M. P. Smith and Charlotte Swenson. The first child born was Brague, son of W. D. Sayers. The first death was that of Isaac Morrill. A good school house was built in 1877. The village is rapidly growing. It has an extensive trade in hay, wood, ties and piles. Wheat shipments are large. It has four stores, two hotels, three elevators, three hay presses, two wagon and smith shops, one agricultural warehouse, one skating rink, one livery stable, two saloons, one meat shop and a railroad depot.

LENT.

This town includes the whole of township 34, range 21. It is well watered and drained by Sunrise river, but has no lakes. The soil is a sandy loam; the timber chiefly oak openings. The early settlers were Harvey Lent, from whom the town derived its name, William Robinson, James Buchanan, who raised the first crops in 1855, Joshua Dawson, Jesse Moore and others. The town was organized in 1872. The first supervisors were Dawson, Moore and Robinson. The first post office was established in 1875, at Stacy, a railroad station on the St. Paul & Duluth railroad, which traverses this town from south to north. Frank Dawson was the first postmaster.

NESSELL.

Nessell includes township 37, range 22. The surface was originally covered with a growth of hardwood, with some pine. Of the latter, about 10,000,000 feet has been cut. The soil is adapted to wheat culture. It is well watered. Rush lake occupies a nearly central position, and is a beautiful sheet of water with about fourteen miles of meandering shore line, crystal clear, and deep, well stocked with fish, and bordered with groves of maple, oak and linden. The town was set off from Rush Lake and organized in 1870. The first supervisors were Wm. H. McCray, John H. Breit and Matts Colleen. The town is settled by a class of industrious, upright people. There are three churches, with prosperous societies, the Swedish Baptist, the Swedish Lutheran and German Lutheran. Martin Linnell was the first child born. The first marriage was that of Wm. Vanetta and Anna Johnson, in 1861. Alice Draper taught the first school. Rev. Cedarstam preached the first sermon.

ROBERT NESSELL was the oldest settler. The town was named for him. He was born in Germany in 1834; came to America in 1847, and to Minnesota in 1854. He was married at Sunrise to Kate Torbert, of Shafer, in 1856, and the same year located his present home. Other early settlers are John H. Breit, John Lindsey, P. Kelley, and the Jarchow brothers.

STEPHEN B. CLARK made Nessell his home in 1867. Mr. Clark was born in Vermont in 1830; came to Marine in 1851. He served three years during the Rebellion in the Second Wisconsin Cavalry. He removed to Rush City in 1856.

RUSH SEBA.

Rush Seba comprises township 37, range 21, and fractional part of township 37, range 20, consisting of about ten sections, irregularly bounded by the St. Croix river. It is timbered with hardwood, has good soil, chiefly a black clay loam, with clay subsoil, and is well watered by Rush river and Rock creek and tributaries. Wild meadows and marshes are intermingled with the timber. The town was organized in 1858, with George B. Folsom, Robert Newell and Timothy Ward as supervisors. A post office was established in 1859, in section 14, George B. Folsom, postmaster. George B. Folsom was the first settler, raising the first crops in the town in 1855. The St. Paul & Duluth railroad traverses the town from south to north. It was built in 1868, and a branch road to Grantsburg, Wisconsin, was built in 1884. Josephine Blanding taught the first school, in 1856. The first death was that of James Ward, who died from accidental poisoning.

RUSH CITY.

In 1868, at the completion of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad, a depot was built and a station established at the crossing of Rush river, around which rapidly grew up the village of Rush City. It was surveyed and platted by Benjamin W. Brunson, surveyor, in January, 1870, in the northeast quarter of section 21, township 37, range 26. The Western Land Association, L. Mendenhall, agent, was proprietor. Thomas Flynn was the first settler, he having in 1857 pre-empted the land which afterward became the site of the village. Among the improvements in 1869 was a steam saw mill, built by Taylor & Co. This mill was burned in 1879, at a loss of $13,000. Rush City was incorporated in 1874. Frank H. Pratt was president of the first village council. Rush City has now a commodious town hall, an exchange bank, one elevator, one foundry, a good school house, built at a cost of $3,000; a good graded school, under the supervision of Prof. V. D. Eddy; a lodge of Ancient Order United Workmen (No. 42), a board of trade, a Woman's Christian Temperance Union Association, a Sons of Temperance lodge, a post of the Grand Army of the Republic (Ellsworth Post, No. 58), and a masonic organization (Jasper Lodge). The following denominations have churches and societies: Catholic, Episcopalian, German Lutheran, Swedish Lutheran, and Swedish Evangelical. The Catholics are building a church at a cost of $10,000.

THOMAS FLYNN was born in county Mayo, Ireland, 1828. He came to America in 1831, and lived in Canada East until 1857; when he located in Minnesota, pre-empting the northeast quarter of section 21, township 37, range 21. His farm became the site of the village of Rush City in 1868, and in 1869 he built the first frame house in its limits. Mr. Flynn has been married three times, losing each of his wives by death. He has two sons living, James H. and Frank A.

PATRICK H. FLYNN was born in county Mayo, Ireland, in 1829; came to America in 1831; lived in Canada East until 1857, and coming to Minnesota pre-empted the northwest quarter of section 21. He was married in 1857 to Margaret Kelly, of Illinois. They have two sons and two daughters living. Mr. Flynn, in 1880, erected the Globe Hotel in Rush City, where he now resides.

RUFUS CROCKER was the second settler in Rush Seba. He was the first justice of the peace and held other offices. Mr. Crocker was married to Miss Mercy Hewson, of Isanti county. He is now a citizen of Rock Creek.

FRANK H. PRATT was born in Skowhegan, Maine, in 1836. His father, Henry P. Pratt, a veteran editor, who had served twenty years on the Kennebec Journal, and later was connected with the Somerset Journal and Skowhegan People's Press, came to St. Paul in 1854 with his family, and was associated with John P. Owens as assistant editor of the St. Paul Minnesotian. On Sunday, May 6, 1855, Mr. Pratt went on board the steamer Royal Arch, which had landed at the St. Paul levee that morning with a cargo of passengers, sick, dying and dead of cholera. Thirteen had already died on the boat. Mr. Pratt, Sr., went on board to alleviate the sufferings of the sick and dying, and in consequence, within two days, himself sickened and died. The writer and his family were passengers on the Royal Arch, and witnesses to these scenes of suffering and death and Mr. Pratt's heroic self-devotion. After his father's death Frank continued in the office of the Minnesotian as printer. He worked also in the offices of the St. Paul and St. Peter Tribune and the Prescott Transcript. In 1858-59 he served as local editor and foreman in the Transcript office. In 1860 he removed to Taylor's Falls, and established the Taylor's Falls Reporter, the first newspaper published in Chisago county. In 1862 he enlisted in Company C. of the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry; was commissioned second lieutenant, and served until he resigned his office in the latter part of 1864, having been promoted to the captaincy of Company C. After the war he located in Sunrise City, and engaged in mercantile pursuits. In 1872 he removed to Rush City, continued in mercantile business, and took an active part in all enterprises looking to the welfare of the city. He built a store, elevator and a fine residence, which was burned in 1881. Mr. Pratt represented his district in the sixteenth legislature. He was married to Helen A. Bossout, at St. Paul, in 1858. They have one son, Fred, and three daughters. Mr. Pratt moved to St. Paul in 1882, where he died, March 25, 1884. Fred, his son, succeeds him in business in Rush City. He is married to a daughter of Jonathan Chase, of East Minneapolis.

VOLORO D. EDDY was born in Java, Wyoming county, New York, Sept. 7, 1840; received a common school education supplemented by two years' attendance at Griffith Institute, Springfield, New York; gave up his school to enlist in his country's service, as a member of the "Ellsworth Avengers" (the Forty-fourth New York Volunteers). The regiment was mustered into service at Albany, New York, Aug. 8, 1861. He served in this regiment until June 5, 1864, when he was taken prisoner at Old Church, Virginia. He endured the horrors of prison life until Feb. 26, 1865, and was discharged from service May 20, 1865. In 1868 he came to Taylor's Falls and engaged in teaching, which he has made his profession, having taught continuously since 1869. He has been county superintendent of schools for twelve years, during which time he has resided at Rush City. Mr. Eddy was married to Frances Cowley, at Taylor's Falls, Sept. 30, 1868. Mrs. Eddy died June, 1881. He was married to Anna R. Olmstead, July 25, 1883, at Arcadia, New York.

FERDINAND SWEEDORFF CHRISTIANSON was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, April 18, 1837; came to the United States in 1866, to Minnesota in 1868, and to Chisago county in 1870. He was married to Selma A. Willard, at Red Wing, Minnesota, Dec. 12, 1869. He represented Chisago county in the legislature of 1878. He was assistant secretary of state from 1880 to 1882. In 1882 he established the Rush City Bank. In 1883 he was appointed member of the state board of equalization, and in 1885 was one of the committee for selecting a location for the Third Hospital for the Insane.

SHAFER

Comprises all of the territory of township 34, range 19, excepting the plat of Taylor's Falls, and fractional sections in the northeast corner of the township. It was at first heavily timbered with hardwood, interspersed with marshes and meadows. The soil is good. Lawrence and Dry creeks drain the greater part of the township. It is now well settled, and has many fine farms. A Swedish colony settled here in 1853, consisting of Peter Wyckland, Andros Anderson, Eric Byland, Tuver Walmarson, and others. The town organized first as Taylor's Falls, but the name was changed to Shafer in 1873. John G. Peterson, John Nelson and John Carlson were the first supervisors. The first school was taught by Ella Wyckoff, in the Marshall district, in 1859. The first marriage was that of Peter Abear to Kittie Wickland. The branch St. Paul & Duluth railroad passes through the southern part of this township. The township contributed to this road $3,000 in bonds. A railroad station in the southwest quarter of section 32 bears the name of Shafer, derived, together with the name of the township, from

JACOB SHAFER, who, as early as 1847, cut hay in sections 4 and 5. He seems to have been in no sense worthy of the honor conferred upon him, as he was but a transient inhabitant, and disappeared in 1849. No one knows of his subsequent career. The honor ought to have been given to some of the hardy Swedes, who were the first real pioneers, and the first to make substantial improvements.

PETER WICKLAND came from Sweden in 1853, and settled in the northeast quarter of section 26. He moved to Anoka in 1860, and was drowned in Rum river in 1880. His son Peter is a prominent merchant in Anoka.

TUVER WALMARSON was born in Sweden in 1812. He was a member of the Swedish colony of 1853, settled in the northwest quarter of section 26. Mr. and Mrs. Walmarson reared a fine family of children. Nelson Tuver Walmarson, the eldest son, inherits the industry and frugality of both parents. By hard work and close attention to business the family has prospered abundantly.

ANDROS ANDERSON came also from Sweden in 1853 and settled in the east half of the northeast quarter of section 34. Mr. Anderson moved to Taylor's Falls in 1859 and died there in 1873. He left but one child, the wife of Daniel Fredine, of Shafer. Mr. Anderson was a born humorist and fond of practical jokes. On one occasion his ready wit was exercised at the expense of a man to whom he had mortgaged his farm. Deeming the house in which he lived his own, in the absence of the mortgagee he removed it to Taylor's Falls. The mortgagee, E. W. Holman, told him that he had stolen the house and must replace it. Anderson told Holman to take the house and replace it himself, but if he took his (Anderson's) family along with it he would have him sent to the penitentiary. Mr. Holman did not see his way clear and the house was not disturbed.

ERIC BYLAND, another of the Swedish colony, settled in the west half of the southeast quarter of section 23. In 1860 he sold out and moved further west. The farm he left is now owned by John Nelson and is one of the finest farms in Chisago county.

JACOB PETERSON was born in 1847 and came with his parents to Chisago county in 1854. They located on a beautiful spot in Franconia, on the shore of a small lake, where they made a farm and where Jacob passed his boyhood and youth. In 1881 he commenced business at Shafer station as a merchant and dealer in wood. He was the first postmaster at Shafer. He was married in 1881 to Mary Heline.

AMBROSE C. SEAVEY was born in Machias, Maine, in 1824; was married to Elizabeth Ayers, in Crawford, Maine, in 1846, and came to St. Croix Falls in 1848. In 1852 he removed to Taylor's Falls, and opened the first blacksmith shop. He was absent two years in Colorado, and when he returned settled on a farm in the town of Shafer. He has a family of four sons and six daughters.

SUNRISE.

The town of Sunrise includes the two eastern tiers of sections of township 36, range 21, one whole and eight fractional sections of township 36, range 20, and all of township 35, range 20, except the two eastern tiers of sections. It is well watered by the St. Croix and Sunrise rivers and their tributaries. The latter river rises in Washington county, having for its principal source Forest lake, and flows through the town in a northerly direction into the St. Croix. It has three considerable tributaries from the west known as North, Middle and South branches. St. Croix river has, as tributary, Goose creek, which flows through the northern part of the town. The soil varies from a rich sandy loam to a sandy soil. The town contains many fine farms. The old government road from Point Douglas to Superior passes through the town.

Sunrise was incorporated as a town Oct. 26, 1858; Isaac A. Parmenter, David Lovejoy and A. C. Mattison, supervisors. A post office was established in 1856; George S. Frost, postmaster. The first marriage was that of Robert Nessell and Kate Torbert, by J. D. Wilcox, Esq. The first child born was Joshua Taylor Gallaspie. The first death was of an unknown man who died from the kick of a horse. Wm. Holmes, the first settler, located on Sunrise prairie in 1853, and raised crops on fifteen acres that year. John A. Brown and Patten W. Davis cultivated thirty-five acres the same year on Sunrise prairie. Messrs. Brown, Davis and Ingalls made a wagon road from Sunrise to St. Paul in 1853. John A. Brown, in the same year, built a hotel and opened a store. The hotel was built of logs, the store was a frame, the first erected in Sunrise. In 1855 he built a saw mill. His hotel was burned in 1856. These buildings were the nucleus of Sunrise village.

SUNRISE VILLAGE

Was platted July, 1857, in the north half of the northeast quarter of section 8, and the west half of the southwest quarter and the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 4, and the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 9, all of township 3, range 20. The proprietors were John A. Brown, J. S. Caldwell and C. L. Willis; surveyor, W. F. Duffy. It contains a first class roller flour mill, a saw mill, both owned by Caspar Spivac, two stores, a school house and several shops and dwellings. In 1857 a colony from Western New York settled in and around Sunrise village. The Wilcoxes, Wilkes, Collins, Gwynne, Smith, and others were of this colony. The village has suffered greatly from fires. The buildings lost at various times were one flouring mill, valued at $10,000, four hotels and several private dwellings. The flouring mill was the property of Mrs. J. G. Mold. Two lives were lost at the burning of the mill.

In the fall of 1862, immediately after the Sioux outbreak, and while considerable apprehension was felt as to the attitude of the Chippewas toward the white settlers, a company of volunteers under Capt. Anderson was stationed at Sunrise. This company built temporary quarters of logs, and were very comfortably fixed during the winter. They had presumably a very good time, but repelled no savage foes.

KOST VILLAGE

Is located in the west half of section 32, township 35, range 20. It has a first class roller flouring mill, owned by Ferdinand A. Kost, erected in 1883 at a cost of $13,000, and a saw mill, also owned by F. A. Kost, erected the same year. It has two stores, a number of shops and dwellings and a post office, established in 1884, of which F. A. Kost is postmaster.

CHIPPEWA

Was platted March, 1856, by Benj. Dinsmore, surveyor, in the northwest quarter of section 2, and the west half of the northeast quarter of section 2, township 36, range 21. The proprietors were James Starkey, Charles S. Patteys, Michael E. Ames, Isaac Van Etten, and Moses Sherburne. It makes a fair farm.

DRONTHEIM

Was platted in 1856, in the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter and the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 1, township 36, range 20; C. C. P. Myer, proprietor. It is still a brush and swamp plat.

NASHUA

Was platted July, 1857, H. H. Newbury, surveyor, on lots 6 and 7 of section 33, and lot 5 in section 34, township 34, range 20. Proprietors, N. F. Taylor, W. H. C. Folsom, L. K. Stannard and N. C. D. Taylor. It has made two fair farms.

WASHINGTON

Was platted August, 1856, W. F. Duffy, surveyor, in the south half of section 35, township 35, range 21. Proprietors, James Y. Caldwell and L. C. Kinney. On this site the Starkey Indian battle was fought.

JOHN A. BROWN.--Mr. Brown, a native of Pennsylvania, came to Sunrise in 1853, and was for awhile quite prominent, building a store, hotel and other buildings. In 1855 he was married to Emeline Hartwell. He prospered in business, but owing to some domestic difficulties, in 1857 left suddenly for parts unknown. His property was sacrificed to meet obligations, and his wife left helpless. Mrs. Brown died in Minneapolis in 1880.

PATTEN W. DAVIS was a native of Virginia. He came to Stillwater in 1848, and soon after removed to Osceola Mills, where he lived two years. In 1853 he removed to Sunrise, and was associated in business for two years with John A. Brown. He has held the positions of postmaster, town clerk, treasurer, county commissioner, supervisor, and assessor. In 1876 he married a Virginia lady, and returned to his native state.

JAMES F. HARVEY was born in 1820, in Penobscot county, Maine. He came West in 1847 and settled at Marine Mills. In 1854 he removed to Sunrise and located in the northeast quarter of section 14, township 36, range 21, at what was known as Goose Creek crossing. His first wife, whom he had married in Maine, died shortly after their arrival at Sunrise, leaving one daughter, Maria, wife of Leonard Clark, of Stillwater. Mr. Harvey was married in 1856 to widow Patience Knight, the mother of Mrs. Floyd S. Bates, Albert S. and Frank E., of Taylor's Falls, and Ella Medora Harvey, wife of J. A. Shores, of Minneapolis. Mr. Harvey died at his home in 1864. Mrs. Harvey died at Taylor's Falls in 1871.

FLOYD S. BATES, originally from Maine, has been since 1854 a prominent lumberman on the St. Croix, living first at Sunrise, and in later years at Taylor's Falls. He owns an extensive farm in Cass county, Dakota. Of his three brothers, E. Hines resides in Taylor's Falls, and J. Herrick and Charles in Dakota Territory.

ISAAC H. WARNER was born in New York in 1830, was married in 1852 and came to Sunrise in 1854, where he followed farming and selling goods. He has served as postmaster, justice of the peace and held other positions. He has three children. His eldest, a daughter, wife of Samuel McClure, a lumberman of Sunrise, died February, 1885. Mr. Warner removed to Dakota in 1883.

CHARLES F. LOWE was born in 1815 in Concord, New Hampshire, received a collegiate education and came to Sunrise in 1855. He interested himself in real estate but devoted about one-half of his time to travel, of which he was passionately fond. He made one trip around the globe, writing back interesting letters descriptive of what he had seen. He made his last annual tour in 1873, and, while sailing in a small boat in some of the waters of Florida, the boat was struck by a squall, capsized and Mr. Lowe was drowned. Mr. Lowe was a member of the Minnesota constitutional convention.

WELLS FARR came from New York State to Sunrise prairie in 1854, where he has since lived in a comfortable home, a successful farmer. He has a family of four sons and two daughters. His oldest daughter is the wife of Ephraim C. Ingalls. His second daughter is the wife of Frank Dawson, of Lent. Mr. Farr died in March, 1888.

JOHN G. MOLD came to Sunrise in 1854, where he engaged in milling, hotel keeping and mercantile business. He was the proprietor of the Sunrise City mills, since burned. He died in 1873, aged fifty years, leaving a widow, two sons and two daughters.

GEORGE L. BLOOD, during his early life, was a seafaring man, spending many years upon the ocean, and visiting during this time many foreign ports, keeping a daily record of his journeyings. Mr. Blood had learned the trade of house joiner, but coming to Sunrise in 1854, attempted farming, at which he was not successful. In 1864 he removed to Taylor's Falls, where he died in 1869. His life was an exemplary one, and his death that of a Christian. His family returned to their old home in Connecticut. His two sons reside in St. Paul.

JOEL G. RYDER came from New York to the St. Croix and settled in the town of Sunrise, near the village, about the year 1855. He was energetic and able, and was called to fill many town and county offices. He was a representative in the fifteenth state legislature. In 1860 he was married to Lizzie Perkins.

JOHN DEAN was born in 18--; was married to Mary Draper in 1860; came to Minnesota in 18--; served some time as river pilot, and settled on his farm near Sunrise City in 1860. Mr. Dean represented his district in the house of the twenty-first and twenty-second legislatures.

TAYLOR'S FALLS.

The village of Taylor's Falls was platted in 1851, a survey of lots having been made at that time by Theodore S. Parker, of Stillwater. Additions were made from time to time as the increasing population demanded. A year before the survey a frame building was erected on what was subsequently the northwest corner of River and First streets. In 1851 and 1852 some streets were opened, but with considerable difficulty, on account of the trap rock, which to be removed required blasting. Bowlders that could not be removed were buried. The work of cutting a street to the upper steamboat landing was specially difficult. There were no roads to the village, and the only means of travel was by steamboat, bateaux, or birch bark canoes, until the government road was opened sometime in 1856. A post office was established in March, 1851, and a weekly mail was ordered from Stillwater. Prior to this time a semi-monthly mail had been carried between the points named. Of the office established in 1851, N. C. D. Taylor was first postmaster. The office was in W. H. C. Folsom's store, Folsom acting as deputy postmaster. The successors of Mr. Taylor have been, Porter E. Walker, Edward P. Wyman, Thomas Holmes, Oscar Roos, George W. Seymour, and N. M. Humphrey; not a long list for thirty-five years. The location of the office was changed with each successive incumbent. The mail carrier in 1851 was the Hon. Warren Bristol, since then four times a representative and senator from Goodhue county in the state legislature, and United States judge in Arizona. The mail service has passed through all the gradations from a semi-monthly to a semi-daily mail. The mail has been carried in canoes or bateaux, on foot, on horseback, on steamboat and rail car. It is now carried by rail. Of the Baker & Taylor mill an account has been given elsewhere. The next mill, a grist mill, was built by N. C. D. Taylor, W. H. C. Folsom and the Day brothers, in 1852. It was several years later remodeled and changed into a carding mill, and is now the property of Jonas Gray. Kingman Brothers built a saw mill in 1857, with a capacity of 12,000 feet per day. Several parties succeeded to the ownership and control of the mill, but, after doing good service for many years, it was abandoned. Clark Brothers built a lumber and stave mill in 1868. After ten years this mill was removed.

The first merchant was Daniel Mears, who sold goods as early as 1848. W. H. C. Folsom opened a store in 1850; Taylor & Fox in 1852. The Chisago House was built by Thomson & Smith in 1852, on the corner of Bench and First streets. In 1870 the name was changed to Dalles House. It has changed landlords many times, the last being Henry Kattenberg. The Cascade House was built in 1853, on the corner of Walnut and Bench streets, by Richard Arnold. It is no longer used. The Falls House was built in 1870, on Bench street near Walnut, by Erastus Guard, and converted into a hotel in 1880, with Henry Kattenberg as proprietor, by whom it was conducted as a temperance house. It is now in charge of Eugene Fitzgerald.

The first physician was Lucius B. Smith. Susan Thomson taught the first school. The first marriage was that of Charles D. Turney and Cecilia Ring, Ansel Smith, justice of the peace, tying the knot. Wm. Colby was the first white child born in the village. The first death was that of a three-year-old daughter of Ansel Smith, in 1852. Rev. W. T. Boutwell preached the first sermon, in 1851. In 1852 three young Episcopal ministers, Revs. Breck, Myrick and Wilcoxson, alternated in holding services, but did not organize a society. Rev. Julius S. Webber, Baptist, preached occasionally in 1852 and 1853; Rev. W. Miner, Congregationalist, in 1856 and 1857 became the first resident minister. In April, 1859, Rev. Silas Bolles, a Methodist, organized a society, the first in the village. In June, 1859, Rev. A. M. Torbet organized a Baptist society and served as pastor four years. The society built a church in 1861 at a cost of $3,000.

In 1860 the Swedish Evangelical Lutherans built a church on the corner of Mulberry and Government streets, at a cost of $1,500. Rev. C. A. Cedarstam was pastor in 1871-72-73, Rev. ---- Tornell the three succeeding years, and three other pastors have served since. In 1866 Rev. John G. Hall organized a Presbyterian society, and built a church in 1868, on the corner of River and Chisago streets, at a cost of $1,500. Mr. Hall served as pastor four years. The Roman Catholics erected a church on the corner of Walnut and Centre streets in 1873, at a cost of $1,000. They have as yet no settled priest or parish school.

The St. Croix Bridge Company was organized in 1854. The incorporators were W. H. C. Folsom, Patrick Fox, Joshua L. Taylor, W. S. Hungerford, Wm. Kent, Nelson McCarty, John Dobney, W. F. Colby, Orange Walker, Fred W. Lammers, and N. C. D. Taylor. The bridge was built in 1856; W. S. Sewall, St. Paul, was the engineer. The capital stock amounted to $4,925, and was divided into 197 shares at $25 each. The bridge was rebuilt in 1870, on the same plan, and in 1884 was replaced by an iron bridge, at a cost of $6,253. The bridge has a span of 150 feet and is a light and graceful structure. It was the first bridge that spanned the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers.

The Chisago County Bank was organized in 1858, under the state banking law; capital stock, $25,000; Levi W. Folsom, president; S. C. Gould, cashier. It was closed in 1859.

The Taylor's Falls Copper Mining Company was organized Dec. 15, 1874; W. H. C. Folsom, president; George W. Seymour, secretary; L. W. Folsom, treasurer; D. A. Caneday, mining agent. The operations of this company extended to sinking a shaft to a depth of one hundred and thirty feet.

The Kahbakong Cemetery Association was organized in 1853. The first board of officers were W. H. C. Folsom, president; Joshua L. Taylor, secretary. The cemetery is located a mile and a half from the village and contains fifteen acres of ground beautifully located.

Zion Lodge, No. 55, A. F. &. A. M., was organized March 3, 1866. Sherman Post, No. 6, G. A. R., was organized in July, 1882, Caspar Hauser, commander. Taylor's Falls Library Association was organized Oct. 8, 1871, E. D. Whiting, president; J. A. McGowan, secretary. Within two years the library numbered 1,000 volumes and since that time the number has been increased to 1,500.

In 1858 the village of Taylor's Falls was regularly incorporated with the following board of officers: Trustees, Patrick Fox, president; W. H. C. Folsom, E. D. Whiting, L. W. Folsom; recorder, H. H. Newbury; treasurer, Wm. Comer.

AN INDIAN DANCE.

The last Indian dance in Taylor's Falls was given by a party of Chippewas in 1856. They had come down the St. Croix in birch canoes with furs and cranberries to exchange with Samuels in St. Croix village for "scootawabo," or whisky. They remained about a week, drinking and carousing in their peculiar style. One Sabbath, and when, for a wonder, they were quite sober, they visited Taylor's Falls and gave a series of grotesque and laughable dances in the street, opposite Folsom's store, after which they called for presents as tokens of friendship and appreciation, kindly and gravely shook hands and recrossed the river.

"Thus departed Hiawatha."

XIII. BIOGRAPHICAL

JESSE TAYLOR, the first permanent settler of Taylor's Falls, came to the Falls in 1838, as narrated in the general history of the village. Nothing is known of his life before coming to the Falls, except that he was originally from Kentucky, and lived at Fort Snelling, where he was employed as a stonemason. By the death of his associate, B. F. Baker, he came into possession of the mill property and its belongings. This he sold to Joshua L. Taylor in 1846, and removed to Stillwater, where he took a contract for stone work on the prison walls. His name appears as a member of the house from Stillwater in the territorial legislature for 1851 and 1852. He was married in 1844 to Abigail, daughter of widow Edwards, of Stillwater. He left Stillwater in 1853.

JOSHUA L. TAYLOR was born in Sanbornton, New Hampshire, in 1816. In 1836 he removed to Alton, Illinois, where he lived until 1840, when he came to Taylor's Falls in the employ of the St. Croix Falls Lumber Company. In 1846 he purchased the property of Jesse Taylor. He engaged in logging until 1849, meanwhile pre-empting portions of the site of Taylor's Falls. In the fall of 1849 he went to California, and was fairly successful in his mining ventures. He returned to Taylor's Falls in 1852, where he has since resided. He was married in October, 1856, at Skowhegan, Maine, to Clarinda Wyman. Mrs. Taylor died May 4, 1860, leaving no children. Mr. Taylor built a fine residence in 1856, on block 1, River street, Taylor's Falls, commanding a beautiful view of the river. Mrs. Gilmore, a sister of Mr. Taylor, and her daughter Mary, lived with him many years. Mrs. Gilmore died in 1868. Mary Gilmore was married to D. G. Sampson in 1881 and now lives in Ashland. Mr. Taylor had many opportunities of entering public life, but, with a solitary exception, declined them. At the organization of the territory of Minnesota, in 1849, he was appointed United States marshal, but declined. He was afterward appointed warden of the penitentiary at Stillwater, and served two years.

NATHAN C. D. TAYLOR, elder brother of Joshua, was born in Sanbornton, New Hampshire, in 1810; removed to Alton, Illinois, in 1832 and was for several years in the employ of Godfrey, Gilman & Co., merchants of Alton. Mr. Taylor came to St. Croix Falls in 1846. He was one of the original pre-emptors of the site of Taylor's Falls. In 1852 he engaged with Patrick Fox in the mercantile business. They carried on an extensive trade in goods and logs until 1858. The firm of Taylor & Fox erected a good store building on lot 16, block 15. He was a member of the house in the fifth and seventh territorial legislatures, and speaker of the fifth. In 1866 he was elected county treasurer of Chisago county, and thereafter to the same office continuously for ten years. Mr. Taylor never married. He died at Taylor's Falls, March 20, 1887.

THOMAS F. MORTON was born in South Carolina. He came to St. Croix Falls in 1840. In 1850 he settled on a farm adjoining Taylor's Falls, known as the Jerry Ross claim. He pre-empted the southwest quarter of section 25. In 1852 he was married to Mrs. Margaret Boyce, his second wife, mother of Silas Boyce, of Amador. He followed farming successfully a few years, and in 1862 enlisted in his country's service, as a private in Company C, Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and along with his friends Colby and Guard did noble service, participating in several battles, in one of which, the battle of Nashville, he was wounded by the bursting of a shell. He remained with the regiment, however, until, disabled by his wound and by sickness at the siege of Spanish Fort, he was compelled to return home. He never recovered his health, but in 1867 peacefully passed away. He was a good man, a brave soldier, and an exemplary Christian.

HENRY N. SETZER.--Mr. Setzer is a descendant of a North German family. He was born in Montgomery county, Missouri, Oct. 6, 1825, and received his education at home, which he left at the age of fourteen years, and afterward at St. Charles College, Missouri. In 1843 Mr. Setzer came to the St. Croix valley, where he engaged in lumbering for himself and others, and devoted some time to public affairs. From 1843 to 1854 he resided alternately at Stillwater, Marine, Taylor's Falls and Chengwatana. Mr. Setzer represented the Fourth district, including Marine, Rush Lake, Rice River and Snake River precincts, in the house of the first territorial legislature, and the First district, including the counties of Washington, Itasca, Chisago, Superior and Doty, in the council of the seventh and eighth territorial legislatures. He was a member of the Democratic wing of the constitutional convention in 1857. In 1857 he was appointed warden of the state prison at Stillwater, which position he held until 1860, when he was appointed register of the land office at Cambridge, Isanti county. He held this position until April,1861. Having devoted his leisure time to the study of law, and having been admitted to practice in the supreme court of Minnesota, he concluded to devote himself entirely to practice. He established a law office in Taylor's Falls with L. K. Stannard. He removed to Superior City in 1869, to Duluth in 1874, and returned to Taylor's Falls in 1877. He has served as town and county attorney in Chisago county for many years, and has an extensive practice in the higher courts.

PATRICK FOX was born in Tipperary county, Ireland, in 1819; came with his parents to America in 1823, and to Davenport, Iowa, in 1836. In 1841 he came to St. Croix Falls, where he lived three years, moving thence to Stillwater, where he engaged in logging until 1851, when he removed to Taylor's Falls and engaged in lumbering for a year, then entered into a mercantile partnership with N. C. D. Taylor. The firm closed business in 1858. Mr. Fox has been a public spirited citizen, contributing freely of his means for the improvement of the village, aiding in opening roads, building levees and bridges, and school houses, before such enterprises could be paid for out of tax revenues. Mr. Fox represented Chisago county in the second legislature, 1860. Mr. Fox is a good neighbor, industrious and temperate. He was married at Davenport, Iowa, to Elisabeth Riley. They have three sons and two daughters. The eldest daughter is the wife of Clarence Peaslee; the second daughter became the wife of Winfield P. Larcy, of Dakota, in 1886.

W. F. COLBY was born in Whitefield, Maine, June 12, 1818. In his early life he was a sailor. He came to St. Croix Falls in 1843. He was married to Salina De Attly in 1849, and removed to the west side of the river, where he located on the Otis farm which he had previously bought. He followed lumbering and farming and kept a lodging house for travelers. He built a good house, and the first frame barn in Chisago county. He sold his property, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres and improvements, for $8,000. In 1862 Mr. Colby enlisted in Company C, Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war as sergeant. Mr. Colby is a bluff, square, outspoken man, hearty in his manner, and somewhat sailor-like in his expressions though almost a lifetime has passed since he trod the deck of a vessel.

OSCAR ROOS was born in West Gothland, Sweden, in 1827. He came to America in 1850, and located in Taylor's Falls, where he has since resided continuously, taking an active part in public affairs, and a deep interest in everything pertaining to the growth of the village and county. Mr. Roos was postmaster at Taylor's Falls 8 years, register of deeds 8 years, register of the land office 5 years, and county treasurer 8 years. He is engaged in exchange, loaning money, etc., and has a branch office in Centre City. He was married to Hannah Swanstrom in 1870.

SAMUEL THOMSON, a Pennsylvanian by birth, came to Taylor's Falls in 1851, and in company with Ansel Smith built the Chisago House, a notable enterprise at that time, as neither the resources of the village or surrounding country had been developed in such a way as to give any assurance of success. Mr. Thomson removed in 1854 to Polk county; and settled on a farm in Osceola, where he made himself an attractive and pleasant home. His farm has long been celebrated for its trout pond. Mr. Thomson has given much attention and been quite successful in fish culture. The farm was sold in 1885, and Mr. Thompson removed to Arkansas, where he died Nov. 5, 1886.

SUSAN THOMSON, sister of Samuel Thomson, taught the first school in Taylor's Falls, in 1852. She had just come from Pennsylvania, and had traveled on horseback from Stillwater, there being no carriage roads above Marine. She was married to Daniel Mears, of Osceola, in 1852.

GEORGE DE ATTLY, a native of Virginia, came to St. Croix Falls with his family in 1847, and removed to Taylor's Falls in 1851, locating in section 25, and making a pre-emption. He was a carpenter. He raised a large and respected family. One son is in the Black Hills, Dakota Territory. His oldest daughter is the wife of Wm. F. Colby, of Taylor's Falls. His second daughter was the widow of Jacob Markley. His third daughter is the wife of Alvah Brown. One son, George, resides in Taylor's Falls. Mr. De Attly died in Nebraska.

JACOB MARKLEY came from Virginia to the St. Croix valley in 1847, settling first at St. Croix Falls, and in 1851 locating at Taylor's Falls, where he pre-empted the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 24. He went to Montana in 1869, where he died a tragic death. His widow and two children reside in the Black Hills, Dakota.

JOHN DOBNEY was born in England in 1820; came to America when a child, to Stillwater in 1845, and to Taylor's Falls in 1852. He followed logging for many years, and made himself a permanent home on a farm in Amador, on the banks of the St. Croix river, in 1858. He was married to Eveline Page, in Michigan, in 1859.

WILLIAM DOBNEY, younger brother of John, came to Taylor's Falls from Michigan in 1852, and engaged, with characteristic energy, in lumbering and selling goods until his death, which was the result of an accident, he having been thrown violently from a wagon which he was driving, in the spring of 1871. He was married in 1855 to Fanny M. Gray, who with two children survives him. The oldest, a son, is married and resides in Minneapolis. The daughter is the wife of Dr. Greely Murdock, of Taylor's Falls.

HENRY H. NEWBURY came to St. Croix Falls in 1849, and to Taylor's Falls in 1852. Mr. Newbury is a practical surveyor and explorer. He served as county surveyor and commissioner many years. He was married first to Sarah Ayers, widow of E. R. St. Clair, who died in 1874. In 1880 he was married to Fanny M. Gray, widow of Wm. Dobney.

EMIL MUNCH was born in Prussia in 1831; came to America in 1849, and to Taylor's Falls in 1852, where, until 1857, he worked at the carpenter's trade, when he removed to Chengwatana, Pine county, and engaged in lumbering and dealing in pine lands. He served as register of deeds in Pine county, and represented Washington, Chisago, Pine and Kanabec counties in the house of the third legislature in 1861. He enlisted at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, Oct. 16, 1861, as a private in the First Minnesota Battery, and was chosen captain on the following month; was wounded at Shiloh, April 5, 1862; returned to his battery in September of the same year, took part in the battle of Corinth, October 4th and 5th, and in the after campaign was appointed chief of artillery, in October, 1862, and from effects of exposure on the march was forced to resign in the December following, but again entered the service to fight the Sioux Indians on the Minnesota frontier in May, June and July, 1863. He entered the Veteran Reserve Corps in August, 1863. At the close of the war, in 1865, he settled in St. Paul and acted as deputy state treasurer. In 1868 he was elected state treasurer and held the office until 1872. Mr. Munch lost most of his property in a long litigation, in consequence of some unfortunate ventures in buying pine lands. Subsequent to his term of office as state treasurer he removed to Lakeland and engaged in the lumber business. In 1875 he removed to Afton where he took charge of a flouring mill. He was married in 1865 to Bertha Segar. He died Aug. 30, 1887.

ALVIN MASON WILMARTH.--Mr. Wilmarth came from Massachusetts to the valley of the St. Croix in 1849, and to Taylor's Falls in 1852. He has followed lumbering and farming. Mr. Wilmarth is a steady, temperate man.

LUCIUS KINGSBURY STANNARD was born in Franklin county, Vermont, July 6, 1825. He had good educational advantages and improved them. He completed his literary course at Barkersfield Academic Institute, Vermont, afterward studied law at St. Albans, and was admitted to the bar in 1850. In 1852 he came West and located at Taylor's Falls, where for some years he had charge of the business of Taylor & Fox. In 1857 he was a member of the territorial legislature, representing in the house the counties of Washington, Itasca, Chisago, Superior, and Doty. He was a member of the Republican wing of the constitutional convention of 1857. He represented Chisago, Pine and Isanti counties in the state senate of 1859-60. He was a member of the house of the thirteenth legislature, 1871, representing Washington, Chisago, Pine and Kanabec counties. He held the position of receiver in the United States land office at Taylor's Falls from 1861 to 1870. He was the first lawyer admitted to practice in the courts of Chisago county. He was associated in his law practice for several years with H. N. Setzer. He has served as prosecuting attorney and probate judge. He served several years as county surveyor. He has, in later years, been engaged in the lumbering and mercantile business, in the firm of Ellison & Stannard. In October, 1884, he was appointed register in the land office, which position he now holds. Mr. Stannard has a very pleasant home within the village limits, but some distance beyond the settled portion. He is a man of sound judgment, of grave and almost severe demeanor, outspoken and positive in his views, but withal a reliable citizen and kind neighbor. He was married in 1858 to Harriet Stevenson, in St. Louis. They have one son, Luke.

JAMES W. MULLEN was born in Nova Scotia in 1830. He came to Davenport, Iowa, in 1843. He commenced life on a steamboat at the age of fourteen years. He was employed on the steamer Boreas, plying between St. Louis and Keokuk, and followed river life most of the time until 1878. In 1885 he built the Vincent House, St. Croix. Taylor's Falls has been his home at different times since his marriage in 1854. He was married to Margaret Riley, of Davenport, Iowa. Their children are William, Edward and Elsa.

DAVID CANEDAY was born in Vermont in 1830, and settled in Taylor's Falls in 1853. Mr. Caneday has devoted much of his time to prospecting as a mineralogist. During the years 1861-62 he edited the St. Croix Monitor, and from 1881-84 the St. Croix Dalles. In 1862 he enlisted in Company C., Seventh Minnesota Infantry, and served till the close of the war. His record as a soldier was good. After the battle of Tupelo he volunteered to remain with the wounded, of whom there were about sixty, in the hands of the enemy. Two of these wounded were comrades and friends in Company C., Andrew J. Colby and John S. Swenson. The former died. Mr. Caneday remained at great personal risk, and saw the inside of several prisons before being exchanged. After his return Mr. Caneday engaged in mining and prospecting, except such time as he edited the St. Croix Dalles. He is now mining on Kettle river, in Pine county, Minnesota, and in Burnett county, Wisconsin. He was married in 1865 to Laura, daughter of Judge N. M. Humphrey.

GEORGE B. FOLSOM was born in St. Johns, New Brunswick, April 9, 1815. He was married to Deborah Sawyer, October, 1842, and came to Taylor's Falls in 1853, where he engaged in lumbering. In 1855 he removed to Rush Seba, locating in section 14. He was the first settler in the town and raised the first crops; built the first log and the first frame house, and was prominent in advancing the educational and other interests of the town. He was appointed postmaster in 1856, and held the office fourteen years. He held the office of county commissioner ten years. In 1875 he was appointed receiver of the land office at Taylor's Falls, which office he held for ten years, since which time he has resided in the village.

AARON M. CHASE was born in Machias, Maine, April 7, 1813. He received a home and common school education. In the fall of 1848 he came to St. Anthony and engaged in lumbering. He and Sumner Farnham ran the first logs down the Mississippi from Rabbit river to Fort Ripley and St. Anthony, in 1849. In the spring of 1849, in company with Pat Morin, he built a tow boat, clearing for that purpose a tow path on the eastern side of the river a distance of eighty miles. He carried freight for the American Fur Company, but the introduction of steamboats put an end to this enterprise. In the fall of 1849 he went to St. Louis and remained there till August, 1850, when he returned North, locating at the outlet of Balsam lake, Polk county, Wisconsin, where he built a saw mill. He built a dam and mill, bringing the materials together without other team than himself and five men. After completing the mill he engaged for some years in lumbering. He located at Taylor's Falls in 1853. In 1869 he supervised the building of a series of dams on streams tributary to the Upper St. Croix, the water collected by them to be used at low stages to float logs to the St. Croix and down that stream to Stillwater. These dams are operated under a charter from the state of Wisconsin, and have proved a great benefit to the lumbermen. Mr. Chase is president of the company. He is a man of strong, clear mind, deliberate in action, positive in his opinions and pointed in his expressions, and withal a kind hearted, generous and true man. Mr. Chase is unmarried.

PETER ABEAR was born in Canada East in 1830; came to Stillwater in 1850, but subsequently removed to Taylor's Falls where, in 1855, he was married to Kitty Wickland, who died in 1860, leaving a son, Franklin E., merchant at Anoka. Mr. Abear married again. His second wife died in 1868, leaving a daughter, Mary. Mr. Abear married a third wife, who died in 1874, leaving no children. Mr. Abear is a machinist but has given much of his attention to farming.

LEVI W. FOLSOM was born in Tamworth, Carroll county, New Hampshire, Sept. 25, 1821. He was fitted for college at Gilmanton, entered Penn College at Gettsyburg, Pennsylvania, and graduated in 1848. Returning to New England, he studied law at Cornish, Maine, with Caleb R. Ayer, and was admitted to practice in the county of Carroll, New Hampshire. He came to Taylor's Falls in 1854, and was admitted to practice in the supreme court of Minnesota, and practiced law for a period of fifteen years, when he engaged in real estate and other business. He is a pleasant and agreeable speaker, stands high in the masonic fraternity, is an ardent and uncompromising Democrat, a positive man with strong home and social feelings. He has been vice president of the Taylor's Falls branch of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad since its organization. He was married in 1859 to Abbie Shaw, in St. Paul.

EDDINGTON KNOWLES was born in Kentucky in 1821; came to St. Croix Falls in 1844, and followed lumbering. He was married to Ann Carroll at Taylor's Falls in 1854, and made his residence at Taylor's Falls. He enlisted for service during the Rebellion in the Third Minnesota Volunteers, but was discharged for disability before the close of the war. He died at Hayward, Wisconsin, in 1883, leaving a widow and three children. His oldest daughter is the wife of Douglas Greely, of Stillwater. His body was brought to the Taylor's Falls cemetery for interment.

DR. LUCIUS B. SMITH.--Dr. Smith was the first regular physician in Taylor's Falls, having located here in 1854. He was born in Berlin, Erie county, Ohio, in the year 1824. He was married in 1849, and after some years' practice of medicine in his native town he came West and located in Taylor's Falls, where he resided until 1862, when he was appointed surgeon of the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, in which regiment were many of his friends and associates. He performed well his duties in that position, but was killed on the day preceding the battle of Tupelo, the division to which he belonged having been ambuscaded by Forrest's troops. His remains were carried to the field of Tupelo and there buried, but have since been removed to Kahbakong cemetery, at Taylor's Falls. Dr. Smith was a tall man, of fine presence, with the air of an officer, for which reason, doubtless, some sharpshooter singled him out for destruction. Dr. Smith left a widow, one son, Charles, and one daughter, Mary, the wife of J. W. Passmore. His widow was married to E. D. Whiting. Both are deceased.

WILLIAM COMER was born in Cheshire county, England, in 1812; was married to Elisabeth Davis; came to America in 1846 and located in St. Louis, where he remained until 1852, when he removed to Pike county, Illinois. In 1854 he removed to St. Croix Falls and in 1855 to Taylor's Falls, where he has since resided. He has been treasurer of Chisago county two terms, and four years register of the United States land office. For a number of years he has held the position of town and bridge treasurer. He and his two sons, George and William, are engaged in the mercantile business. His daughter, Eleanor, is the wife of Benj. Thaxter, of Minneapolis.

DR. ERASTUS D. WHITING.--The Whiting family, consisting of three brothers, Erastus D., Selah and Charles B., came to Taylor's Falls in 1855, and for many years were prominent merchants and business men in the village. Erastus D. Whiting was born in Vernon Centre, Massachusetts, in 1811. He was educated in the common schools and at Westfield Academy. At the age of sixteen he commenced reading medicine and graduated at the Ohio Medical College in 1832. He practiced three years in Ashtabula, Ohio, and twenty years in Pike county, Illinois. When he came to Taylor's Falls he retired from practice and engaged in the mercantile and lumbering business until 1867. During this time he served in two sessions of the Minnesota legislature as representative, 1860-61. In 1869 he visited Europe. He died in Taylor's Falls in 1880. He was twice married; first in 1837, to Emily Bradley, who died in 1866; and second in ----, to Mrs. Smith (widow of Dr. L. B. Smith), who died in 1872.

SELAH WHITING was born in Connecticut; came West to Pike county, Illinois, in 1836, and to Taylor's Falls in 1855. He engaged in the mercantile business. His wife died in 1867. He died in 1868.

CHARLES B. WHITING was born in Litchfield county, Connecticut; came to Pike county, Illinois, in 1836, and to Taylor's Falls in 1855. He was associated with his brothers in the mercantile business. He was register of the land office four years and served as United States marshal during the war. His first wife died in Taylor's Falls. He was married to Flavilla Blanding in 18--. Mr. Whiting died in 1873.

FREDERIC TANG was born in Prussia in 1819. He learned the trade of house carpenter and served in the Prussian Army one year. He was married in Germany, in 1850; came to America in 1852 and to Taylor's Falls in 1856. He served three years in Company C, Seventh Minnesota, during the Rebellion. One son, Frederic, resides at Taylor's Falls, engaged in lumbering. His oldest daughter, Pena, is the wife of Ernest Leske, of Taylor's Falls. His second daughter, Bertha, is the wife of David Bowsher, of Dakota. Mr. Tang died in November, 1887.

WARD W. FOLSOM was born in 1822, in Tamworth, New Hampshire; was married to Matilda Stedman in 1844; came to Taylor's Falls in 1856, where he kept a boarding house for several years. He died at his home, Sept. 28, 1884. His eldest son, Charles W., was editor of the Taylor's Falls Reporter for several years. He was married to Luella Gray in 1865. He died in 1872. Edward H., his second son, for some years has edited the Taylor's Falls Journal. He started and conducted for some years the Stillwater Lumberman. He was married to Susie Way, in September, 1868.

GEORGE W. SEYMOUR was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, in 1828, and came to Taylor's Falls in 1857, where he has since resided, following the occupation of druggist, but occasionally holding a town office. Mr. Seymour held the positions of postmaster and justice of the peace for several years, and has been secretary of the Taylor's Falls & Lake Superior railroad since its organization. Mr. Seymour is an active member of the masonic fraternity, an ardent Democrat and thoroughly trustworthy and reliable as a man and friend. He is unmarried.

JAMES A. WOOLLEY, a native of England, came to Taylor's Falls in 1857. He was an engineer and in my employ as engineer and foreman in the pinery for fourteen years, during which period our association was quite intimate, and I learned to know him and esteem him as a true friend, and faithful to all his obligations as a man. He was a true Christian and died in full hope of immortality. He promised, when he knew himself to be dying, to return to earth and revisit me if possible, but so far has not returned. He died in 1874. His family removed to Dakota. His oldest son, John Alley, was killed in Washington Territory by a premature explosion of a blast in a mine, by which nineteen others were killed at the same time. Alida married William McKenzie and resides at Grand Forks, Dakota. Frank W. F., the youngest son, also lives in Dakota.

PATRICK CARROLL, was of Irish birth. His wife is a sister of Patrick Fox. He is about ninety years of age. They have had two sons, Joseph and one drowned, and three daughters, one the wife of E. Knowles, deceased, the other two becoming respectively the first and second wife of John O'Brien. Mr. O'Brien has two daughters, Minnie and Lizzie, and three sons, William, Joseph and Daniel.

JOSEPH CARROLL was born at Davenport, Iowa, in 1840; came to St. Croix when a boy, early in the 50's, and worked for his uncle, Patrick Fox, in the pinery; was married to Mary Cotter at Davenport, Iowa, in 1858. He resided at Taylor's Falls until 1861, when he enlisted in a Kansas regiment. He was severely wounded at Springfield, Missouri. He was subsequently transferred to a heavy artillery company of colored troops from Tennessee, and commissioned a lieutenant. He was at Fort Pillow during the massacre, was taken prisoner and confined at Andersonville eighteen months. After his dismissal he went to Memphis and was employed in the police service until 1867, when he and his wife died of yellow fever, leaving two daughters, one the wife of Edward St. John, of Marine, the other of Geo. W. Booth, of Taylor's Falls.

REV. E. E. EDWARDS was born in Delaware, Ohio, Jan. 26, 1831; was educated at Indiana Asbury University, and has been employed most of his life in educational work, serving as president of Whitewater College, Indiana, professor of Latin in Hamline University, professor of natural sciences at St. Charles and McKendre colleges, and president of the Colorado State Agricultural College. Mr. Edwards came to Taylor's Falls in the winter of 1860, and remained two years as pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, and teacher in the Chisago Seminary. During the last year of the war he was chaplain of the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. In the winter of 1885 he again became pastor of the Taylor's Falls Methodist Episcopal church. He was married in 1854 to Alice L. Eddy, of Cincinnati, Ohio. His family consists of four sons and one daughter.

STEPHEN J. MERRILL was born in Schoharie county, New York, in 1827; came to the St. Croix valley in 1848, and to Taylor's Falls in 1861. He was married to Caroline Nelson in 1861. They have six sons and one daughter. He has a beautiful and well improved homestead within the town limits, adjoining the cemetery.

NOAH MARCUS HUMPHREY was born in 1809, at Goshen, Smithfield Connecticut. He removed to Ohio in 1833, served in the Ohio legislature in 1852 and 1853, and was for six years judge of probate court in Summit county. He was married twice, the second time to Mrs. Young, in 1840. His first wife left two children, Mark, for some time a resident of Taylor's Falls, now deceased, and Laura, wife of David Caneday. Judge Humphrey has been justice of the peace in Taylor's Falls for twenty years, and postmaster for as many more. He was judge of probate court for ten years, and has recently been re-elected to that position.

ROYAL C. GRAY was born in Bakersfield, Vermont, October, 1832. He spent his early life in Vermont and Massachusetts. He came West in 1850, and located in Kanabec county, where he farmed and kept a public house at Greely station, on Kanabec river, until 1860, when he returned to Massachusetts. In 1864 he returned to the St. Croix valley and located in Taylor's Falls, where he still resides. He has been employed by the St. Paul & Duluth Railroad Company for ten years as surveyor and explorer, and holds some valuable pine lands. In 1861 Mr. Gray was married to Ann Eliza Johnson, in Massachusetts. They have one son, Orin.

JOHN PHILIP OWENS.--William Owens, the father of John Philip, came to America from North Wales, and served as a soldier in the war of 1812. John Philip was born Jan. 6, 1818. His father died seven years later, and the son was brought up on a farm by a stepfather. He received an academic education at Cincinnati, Ohio. At the age of seventeen he commenced learning the printer's trade, served as an apprentice four years, and graduated on his twenty-first birthday. Having some means inherited from his father, he commenced a newspaper enterprise at Cincinnati, invested and lost all his money. For several years he was engaged as a reporter and assistant editor on various papers in Cincinnati, Louisville, Vicksburg and New Orleans. In 1849 he formed a business partnership with Nat. McLean, of Cincinnati, to establish a paper at St. Paul. He arrived at St. Paul May 27th of that year. The first number of the Minnesota Register was printed in Cincinnati and brought to St. Paul for distribution in July. In October the paper was united with the Minnesota Chronicle, and so published until July, 1850, when it was discontinued. In 1851 Mr. Owens and G. W. Moore started the Weekly Minnesotian, adding in 1854 a daily and tri-weekly edition. The Minnesotian was ably edited, and was Republican in politics. Owing to poor health, Mr. Owens sold his interest in the Minnesotian. In 1862 he was appointed quartermaster of the Ninth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. This regiment did service in the State during the Sioux War, but in 1864 was ordered South and attached to the Sixteenth Army Corps. Mr. Owens served as regimental and brigade quartermaster until the close of the war. In April, 1868, he was appointed register of the United States land office, which position he held until his death, Sept. 11, 1884. He was first Grand Master of the I. O. O. F. in Minnesota; He left at his death an unpublished manuscript, "The Political History of the State of Minnesota." His first wife was Helen McAllister, whom he married in Ohio in 1848. She left an only daughter, Mary Helen. Mr. Owens' second wife was Frances M. Hobbs, whom he married Oct. 26, 1853, in New York City.

ANDREW CLENDENNING was born in 1798, in the north of Ireland. He was a Protestant, united with the Methodist church when a young man and proved ever after a consistent Christian, strong in his religious convictions and a faithful worker. He crossed the ocean in 1835, locating first at New Brunswick. In 1855 he came to Michigan, in 1859 to St. Croix Falls, in 1870 to Taylor's Falls, where he resided until his death, in 1875. He left three sons in Taylor's Falls, Andrew, James and George, and one son in Oregon. One son, Joseph, died in the service of his adopted country, having enlisted in Company C, Seventh Minnesota. One daughter, the wife of Thomas Thompson, of St. Croix Falls, died in 1886.

SMITH ELLISON was born in Marine, Madison county, Illinois, March 15, 1823. He came to Marine Mills in 1844. For two years he was in the employ of Judd, Walker & Co. The next three years he spent at Osceola, Wisconsin. In 1849 he engaged in logging and continued in that business for many years. In 1856 he settled on and improved a farm in Sunrise. In 1868 he removed to Taylor's Falls and formed a partnership with L. K. Stannard in the mercantile and lumbering business. Mr. Ellison was a representative in the eighth legislature, and served as county commissioner eight years. In late years he has been interested in a saw, planing and flour mill at Stillwater. He is a stockholder and director in the First National Bank at Stillwater and owns large tracts of pine lands. He has applied himself closely to business, is energetic, cautious and thoroughly reliable. Mr. Ellison is unmarried.

WYOMING

Includes township 33, range 21. The eastern half is well timbered, the west has oak openings. Sunrise river flows in a northerly direction through the township, and with its tributaries and numerous lakes supplies it abundantly with water. There are some wild meadows and tamarack swamps. Green lake, in the eastern part of the township, is a picturesque sheet of water, five miles in length by one and a half broad, with sloping timbered shores and cedar points projecting into the lake, in one place forming a natural roadway nearly across, which is connected with the mainland opposite by a bridge.

A colony from Eastern Pennsylvania settled the western part of the township in 1855. The colony was composed of L. O. Tombler, Dr. John W. Comfort, E. K. Benton, and some others, in all ten families. The eastern part had been previously settled by Swedes. The township was organized in 1858. The supervisors were J. W. Comfort, L. O. Tombler and Fred Tepel. A post office was established at Wyoming with J. Engle as postmaster. The Catholics and Methodists erected churches in 1864. The St. Paul & Duluth railroad was completed in 1868, and in 1879 the branch road to Taylor's Falls. The township was settled rapidly after the completion of the railroad. At the junction of the two roads there is a good depot, two stores and a fine hotel, the latter kept by L. O. Tombler.

WYOMING VILLAGE

Was surveyed and platted by Ben. W. Brunson in 1869, in portions of sections 17, 19 and 20, township 33, range 21; proprietors, Western Land Association, L. Mendenhall, agent.

DEER GARDEN VILLAGE

Was surveyed and platted by Alex. Cairns, October, 1856, in sections 1 and 12, township 33, range 21; proprietor, Erastus S. Edgerton.

LUCIUS O. TOMBLER was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1823. His ancestors were Moravians, who, driven from Germany in the eighteenth century, came to America, and founded the colony of Bethlehem, a colony famed for its thrift, advancement in educational matters, and high morality. Mr. Tombler and his wife, Christiana Brown, to whom he was married in 1845, were educated in the Moravian schools. They came with the colony from Bethlehem to Wyoming in 1855, and built a two story log hotel on the St. Paul and Lake Superior stage road, which was long noted as a rest for the weary traveler and a home for the invalid. Mr. Tombler was an energetic, worthy man, genial in his manners, a good farmer, a good landlord, and an accomplished musician besides. Mrs. Tombler possessed superior endowments as a landlady, and the house soon gained widespread popularity with the traveling public. The first hotel was burned in 1876, but the year following a more commodious building was erected on the grounds, which, with its modern improvements within, and its park-like surroundings, is more popular with the traveling public than its predecessor. The Tombler family consists of Charles A., the father of Lucius O., born in 1800, but still hale and vigorous, in the possession of all his faculties, two sons, Maurice and Milton, and one daughter, Laura. Charles A., the grandfather, has received the thirty-third degree Scottish Masonic rite.

DR. JOHN WOOLMAN COMFORT was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, in 1804. He graduated at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1836, and practiced medicine continuously, and, although an accomplished graduate of an allopathic school, was a zealous advocate and exponent of the Thompsonian system, in favor of which he published several works. He was also for some years editor of the Thompsonian Medical Journal. As a physician he was untiring, and impartial in the performance of his duties, never refusing a medical call on account of the poverty of the patient. He was especially kind to the poor. He came to Wyoming with the colony in 1855, and died there Feb. 9, 1881, leaving a widow, since deceased, one son in Philadelphia, and two daughters, Mrs. Markley, of Wyoming, and Mrs. Carter, of Melbourne, Australia.

ISAAC MARKLEY was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, April 2, 1822. In the spring of 1849 he came westward, and engaged in steamboating. He commanded the Uncle Toby, and in October, 1850, ran his steamboat from St. Louis to Taylor's Falls for the writer of this work. He engaged in mercantile pursuits for some time in St. Paul, and in 1871 came to Wyoming and located on a farm. He was married to Frances, a daughter of Dr. Comfort. He died at his home, February, 1883.

JOEL WRIGHT was born in Pennsylvania in 1800, and came to Wyoming with the Bethlehem colony in 1855. He is a blacksmith by trade, but has also devoted himself to hunting and trapping. Mr. Wright has been married three times, and has three children.

RANDALL WRIGHT, second son of the foregoing, was born in Pennsylvania in 1828; was married to Anna Montgomery in 1850, and came to Wyoming in 1855. He is a house carpenter by trade.

FREDERIC TEPEL was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1824; received a fair education and learned the trade of blacksmithing. He came to America in 1843, lived in New Orleans one year, in St. Louis ten years, in St. Paul one year, and settled in Wyoming in 1855. In 1847 he was married to Fredrica Wilmina, of St. Louis. They have seven children. Mr. Tepel has held many town offices to the satisfaction of his townsmen. He has been for forty years a member of the Methodist church. CHARLES HENRY SAUER was born in Germany in 1824; served as a soldier in the German Army three years, and in the twenty-fourth year of his age came to America. The year following he returned to Europe and was married. In 1851 he took up his residence in Chicago, and in 1855 came to Wyoming, and engaged in farming. He has three sons, Fred, Henry and Harvey, and a daughter married to a Lutheran minister.