Goodhue County, Minnesota - Chapter 4: Expeiiiences Continued, 1893

While the Dakotas wcsre in possession we had no lack of wild fresh meat, but the advent of white lianters soon diminished the amount of game in aJl the region. The Indians were skillful in taking their game by stealth, instead of chasing it with hounds. Tliey were careful not to kill any more than necessary at one time. I have seen a Dakota go through the prairie grass on all fours, or rather on threes, for he held a shot-guu near the ground in one hand. At a few rods distance I should easily have taken him to be a quadruped. He was on the track of a deer. I have the impression that a fresh sirloin steak of elk or bear, killed by an Indian in those days was much finer than any meat i have ever eaten which came from the butcher.

John Day and family were residents of Trenton, Wisconsin, for a time previous to theij- coming to Red Wing. The story we ncnv relate is told by Mr. Day, the circumstances occurring while they lived at Trenton:

While seated at breakfast one morning Mrs. Day called the attention of her husband to a large black object which at first tliey thought to be a black hog, but which on closer inspection proved to be a bear. Day seized a gun loaded with slugs and fired at the bear, but the slugs fell short of the mark. The bear took to the river and made for the Minnesota shore, leaving Mr. Day standing disappointedly watching his movements. While thus engnged a splashing of the Avater near attracted his notice and looking in the direction he saw his wife coming towards him with a small skiff. As soon as she discovered that her husband had missed his aim and that the bear liad taken to the water, with a woman's forethought slie caught up an axe, and hurrying to the skiff, unmoored it, and started to the aid of her husband, determined that tiie bear should not escape. As soon as the skiff' touched the shore, Mr. Day jumped in and following bruin's wake, succeeded m heading him off and turning him towards the Wisconsin shore. When nearly opposite his home Mr. Day managed to get near enough to his game to use the axe. A short and desperate struggle ensued, resulting in victory for Day. The bear was towed to the shore and found to weigh 400 pounds. Mr. Day was much praised by the Indians for his daring and prowess. They forgot that the credit for the success of the adventure belonged to Mrs. Day. Had it not been for her forethought in taking the axe and canoe when she did, her husband would have stood there looking until the bear had crossed the river and made his escape. Mrs. Day was an example of the kind of stuff' many of Minnesota's pioneer women were made of.

The Dakotas of Red Wing used log canoes for navigating the rivers. It required some skill to manage such a craft in the water. My first experiences in canoe traveling were rather ludicrous. Being at the landing one day when a man and boy were about to launch one of these vessels for a hunting excursion I asked the privilege of a ride with them, which was readily granted.

As I attempted to board the thing, it slipped from me so quickly that I came near falliug iuto the stream. But the man and boy held the canoe so that I succeeded in the next attempt. AVe had not gone far up the stream keeping along near the shore, when I noticed the water was not very deep and having a long stick in my hand, which I had been using for a staff, I thought I might increase the speed and help the rowers. I put my stick over the side^ touched the bottom and gave a good push. The stick stuck in the muddy bottom and when I pulled to get it out, quick almost as lightning the boat rolled over and all three were ducked headforemost into the Water. When I regained a standing position the two Indians were fishing for their guns and powder horns from the river bottom. We soon secured all the lost baggage as the water was not more than three feet deep where the catastrophe occurred. It was fortunate for me that I had but little acquaintance with the language at that time. So the scathliug rebuke which was given did not arouse my indignation. Acknowledging my ignorance I promised to keep still in the future and after wringing some of the water from our garments we embarked again and finished the trip without further accident. After this I learned very soon how to paddle the canoe and frequently took short journeys in one. The same vehicle could be, and was sometimes used for traveling on the land.

On the Fourth of July, 1852, wo celebrated the day by an excursion down to the head of the lake, visiting with the trader, Mr. Bullard and family, at that place. The party consisted of Mr. John Bush, Indian farmer, his wife, myself, wife and one child. Mr. Bush considered that it would be easier to take a team and go by land tliau to go ou the river. A large canoe was brought into requisition. The oxen were hitched to one end by a log-chain. We four took seats on quilts in the canoe. Mr. Bush driving the oxen, walked by their side. The wild grass being quite tall and thick the canoe glided along where the grou :d was level like a sleigh over the snow. But in many places the lautl was uneven. The oxen seemed in good spirits and walked rather lively. Frequently the canoe struck a stone or a sideling place and we were immediately turned out. These turnovers were often and gave us great merriment. We were thrown out at different times and found ourselves in all sorts of positions imaginable. Mr. Bush protested that he tried to find the smoothest places, but I rather suspected his honesty. AVe accomplished the trip however, had a good time and returned in the evening with the same consequences of turning over and fun. That twelve miles of riding in a canoe by land was the most laughable experience of my life.

On the fifteenth day of June, 186U, W. W. Sweney, M. D., delivered an address in Red Wing, describing scenes and incidents attending the first settlement, well worthy of a . permanent record. I have selected from his address the following extracts:

"In the spring of 1852, Calvin Potter, with whom 1 had previously been acquainted, called at my office in St. Paul and informed mo that he had bought out Mr. Snow, a licensed Indian trader at Red Wing, and in view of a treaty then in process of confirmation, he thought that point a good location for a town site; also that he would like to interest some one with him in a claim he had there. Mr. William Freeborn, being one of the old residents of St. Paul and having a large ac- quaiutance, Mr. Potter thought, would be a desirable man. From my opinion of the country, acquired by various conversations with an old French voyager and also from an Englishman by birth, but in language and habits a compound of English, French and Indian, who had been in the country for tliirty years, I was more than anxious to take a part in the enterprise and brought about a speedy meeting between Mr. Potter and Mr, Freeborn. In our council Mr. Freeborn demuired at first, urging his inability to remove to the new El Dorado immediately. I proposed to remove that objection by coming myself, to which he acceded. The result was that we three took the return boat and landed in Red Wing in the early part of May. While there I purchased a claim-right from a half-breed, named Benjamin Young, of that part of the city known as Sweney's addition, as also that old weather-beaten two-story log house, known to old settlers, that stood near the ground now occupied by the La Grange Mill. This done I returned to St. Paul, put my business in proper shape and came back to Red Wing with James McGinnis who concluded to try his fortune in this then unexplored country. We made our headquarters in the venerable tenement before mentioned and 'kept back.' This was in the latter part of May or the beginning of June.

"As it was not advisable to go into any farming or building operations until the treaty was ratified, we had plenty of idle time on our hands and the grand difficulty was to know how to dispose of it. The families then here were the Rev. J. W. Hancock, of the Presbyterian mission and John Bush, Indian farmer. John Day was not far ofP, however. The old 'Excelsior' never made a trip up from below that John did not board her, to hear 'about the treaty.' There were several transient persons here whose whereabouts are uot now known. The only actual residents of the county previous to my coming, besides those above mentioned were George Ballard and family at Wacouta, James Wells, since killed by the Indians, who then had a trading post at what is now the village of Frontenac and a Mr. Gould who resided near the mouth of Wells creek with his family. This comprised the white population of what is now Goodhue coiinty. Of the county back of us even for four miles I could learn nothing. Mr. Knauer, the engineer of the old military road up the river, said he rode out to the source of Hay creek and that it originated in a line tamarack marsh. It occurred to McGinnis and myself that a good tamarack swamp in a prairie country woald be a fine thing to possess, and being like the caged starling, anxious to get out, we just went for Hay creek and to our intense disgust, didn't find any tamarack. In an after conversation with Mr. Knauer, I am persuaded that not following the valley of the creek all the way he mistook a popular grove, known in early times as 'Albert's grove,' for the swamp aforesaid. After the disappointment about the source of Hay creek our trips were mainly confined to the river side of the county, between the divide of the waters of the Zumbro and Mississippi. Even Belle creek was not known except as its locality and course was described to us by an Indian. It was not deemed advisable to go far from the river, as many of the Indians were decidedly hostile to ceding their lands and the Zumbro country was the common hunting ground for several bands of the Mdewakantowan Dakotas, besides being in the traveling route of the Indians from the upper

"Having become acquainted with the principal men among the Indians, I thought it safe to bring ray family from St. Paul, which I did in July, 1852, as did also Mr. McGinnis. I liave a very lively recollection of getting our household stock from the landing to our residence. A winding rugged path up the bank was the course by which we conveyed it. 'Mc' and I transformed ourselves into pack mules, until stoves, bureaus, provisions and various etceteras of two households were placed under shelter and we were at home. AVithin the next twenty-four hours ninety-nine hundreths of the Indian population had called in through curiosity, and their various comments would have doubtless been edifying had we been able to understand them. Friendly relations were established however, and we never could complain of lack of company as long as they remained in the village. I must also say in justice to these original settlers and occupants of tlie soil, that I was never more 'kindly treated by any people, nor did I ever enjoy myself better.

"The treaty being ratified by the Senate of the United States with some alterations from the original, as framed by the Dakotas and commissioners, it became necessary to convene the different bands interested therein to get their consent. Notice was accordingly given them to meet at Fort Snelling early in the fall, in consequence of which a perfect exodus of the aborigines took place, and nothing more was seen of them here until late in November, after the close of navigation. When they did return a more squalid, wretched looking set I never saw. Bitter were the complaints against the govern- ment officials. Their annuities were spent in waiting at the fort. The best of the hunting season had passed, their canoes were frozen in the ice away from home and would be mainly lost. I remember well when the first installment that came home, three families, pitched their tents in the evening near the mission house. They were worn out, cold and hungry, the children emaciated and sick from want and exposure. They were supplied by the whites with food until the men could obtain game for their sustenance. In the morning two of the men weut out hunting and as I came home in the evening unsuccessful from a similiar expedition on Hay creek, I struck their trail and in a short time overtook them, a little below where Cogels' tlouring mill now is, each of them toiling through the deep snow under the burden of a deer. The men seemed exhausted and requested me to stop at their teepees and tell the women where they were, that they had got tado (fresh meat) and wanted them to come to their assistance. I hurried home to communicate the joj-ful intelligence to the inmates of those three lodges. Upon reaching them I told one of the women the good news. She immediately shouted forth a peculiar cry which was echoed by all in the tent. This brought out the inhabitants of the other lodges. Upon being told the cause of the commotion, the same shout went up from all present. The women rushed about for straps, knives and blankets and the children jumped up and down for joy. After giving them proper directions three Avomen started on a dog trot and were soon lost to view. Sometime after dark I called at the lodges and found them busily engaged in masticating large mouthfuls of venison. The cry or ^hout mentioned I have heard frequently and it is made

"The additions to our population that fall were John Day and family, E. C. Stevens, David Puckett, Jack Saunders, Ben. Hill and Charles Parks who came in November. The proprietors of the townsite had procured lumber late in tlie fall for the erection of a hotel early in the spring and it was necessary to engage carpenters to prepare such material in the winter as could be done in the shop. H. B. and Joseph Middaugh were obtained and became residents of the town in December. About this time also, the first of our Scandinavian population arrived here. Mathias Peterson (Ringdahl,) a Norwegian by birth, and Nels Nelson, a Swede, who for a long time lived with me. These two men were the pioneers of that nationality in Goodhue county. Both these men formerly resided in St. Paul. In the spring following, Albert, a Norwegian, settled here and made his claim in what is now Featherstone township at Albert's Grove, now embraced in the limits of the farm of Mr. Frenn.

"The winter of 1852-3 was passed very pleasantly by our little isolated community. The natives soon left on their winter's hunt after their return from the treaty ratification at the fort and we saw but little of them until sometime in January; in fact we saw nobody but our own residents. Communication between us and the civilized world was only resumed when the frost had rendered traveling safe on the Mississippi river. The mail was carried from Prairie du Chien through Wisconsin, crossing the Chippewa river near Menomonee, thence to Stillwater and St. Paul. When the ice was safe trains passed frequently from below, laden with pork and Hour. Our isolation was from about the middle of November till some time iu January. Such supplies as ran short were obtaiiietl of Mr. Potter, whose establishment contained those articles more especially demanded by Indian trade; from G. W. Bullard, at Wacouta, whose situation at the head of the lake rendered it necessary for him to keep a more extensive assortment of goods to supply the wants of the lumbering interests; or if these stores were deficient, tlien St. Paul was the last resort for the winter. As it is impossible to relate all I wish to say in chronological order I may as well give a few incidents connected with our county history even though out of their proper era.

"On the Wisconsin side of the river, previous to the settlement here iu 1852, the land was ceded, surveyed and opened to settlement. At Diamond Bluff lived John and George Day, Allen Wilson and Jack Payne; at the mouth of theTrimbelle, 'Old H iwley,' and Jack Meade, at Things' landing (now Trenton) Wilson Thing, E. C. Stevens and Mr. Dexter, all more or less engaged in getting out wood for the use of steamboats. The two Days and Stevens afterwards resided in this cor.nty. 'Old Hawley' Avas rather a hard case. By his sale of whisky our community was frequently disturbed by the whooping and yelling of drunken Indians, upon which occasions about all the natives not engaged in the spree would tlee to the houses of the whites for protection and there remain until the 'Minui Wakan' gave out and the legitimate results of a high old time hatl overtaken the carousers. Nothing is certainly known of Hawley's fate, but from a knowledge of his character, I would infer that he is at some side station or switch-off in that undiscovered country from whence no traveler returns.

of Wilson Thing, a very eccentric man, a strict vegetarian, a man of strong prejudices, but moral and upright, a good neighbor and an honest man. He was the only justice of the peace for many miles around and cousequenily had a little legal business to perform.

"Previous to my coming here a fair widow of this place had entered into a marriage contract with a gentleman of St. Paul and the time was fixed for a consummation of the happy event. AVhen the tiuie arrived and tlie parties to the contract were present, a grand ditBculty occurred. Eev. Mr. Hancock, the only one authorized to solemnize marriages, was absent. The bridegroom was impatient and the bride annoyed. Friends suggested a canoe ride to Trenton and the services of Squire Thing as the only solution of the difficulty. Of course under the circumstances, the bride and bridegroom acceded to the proposition and in a short time the bridal party was under way for the residence of the justice. They found this worthy representative of the law, as enacted and promulgated by the great state of Wisconsin, busily engaged in the rather feminine occupation of washing a two months' accumulation of dirty shirts (he being at that time a bachelor) and he was somewhat embarrassed by the sudden irruption into his sanctum. Tlie bride, however, wos plucky, and to relieve the justice and give him time to make himself presentable and con over the marriage ceremony, she proposed that herself and mother would finish the laundry operations while he got ready for his part of the proceedings, which was accepted, and in due time both the shirt washing and marriage ceremony were completed to the satisfaction of all concerned.

about for a supply of vegetables for winter use, as there was none to be had on this side of the river. Upon inquiry I found that Mr. Thing had planted four or five acres of potatoes, besides some beets and cabbage wliich latter we were able to purchase. Tlie potatoes, however, were not to be obtained by a regular business transaction of cash down. In the first place they were planted on the sod, that is two rounds were plowed, the potatoes droj)ped in the last furrow and covered by the sod of the next round, and so on. The squire's field was the prairie between Trenton and the bluffs. The season was not favorable for rotting the sod and the tubers were hard to excavate. He wanted help which was hard to get. We wanted potatoes and money would not buy them. Consequently it Avas 'root, hog or die' with us and we went to rooting. A hard day's work unearthed ten bushels to the man, for which one bushel Avas given as Avages. I have to this day a very acute appreciation of the pleasant occupation I was then engaged in. Just fancy my getting up at four o'clock in the morning, breaking my fast as soon as possible, getting into a canoe with my hoe, basket and sack and paddling up to Trenton, thence to the field. Now commence the dissection of those guttapercha sods with a plantation hoe. A little experience in another line of business enabled me to get the hang of the thing. In getting honey out of a hollow tree, the best way is to cut two carfs into the cavity, then split off the block of timber between. The same rule held good in the present instance, but I must say I never saw sod so tough, potatoes so hard to get at and so small when I got them. Bnt as an offset I have never eaten potatoes of equal excellence, and I was prouder of the ten bushels I thus acquired, than of the biggest buck I ever arrested in his wild career through the woods, or the largest trout I ever landed from the clear rushiug waters of his native brook. Just think of it, ten bushels all my own, no gift, not begged, but earned. One hundred bushels torn from the rugged earth, ninety given as a peace offering, but ten my own for use and dissipation. I tliink I didn't dissipate. On my back I nightly bore my wages down to my gondola and sailed away for home.

"Among the first items of information I obtained from the Indians was that the small spring brooks contained an abundance of trout and the equally gratifying intelligence that they never used them as an article of food, as their religious notions tabooed their use. From the name they gave the speckled beauties I would infer they considered them too bad to eat, 'Hogan-wichastasni,' literally, wicked-man- fish. They really believed some malign influence resided in the fish and that to eat them would be to invite disease and the anger of the gods. This feeling was very prevalent among them, and the chief Wacouta, being invited to take dinner with me at Avhich meal I informed him there would be a dish of trout, he consented to be present provided we would lock the doors, eat dinner up-stairs, hang a curtain before the wiudoAv, and sny nothing about what he had eaten. This was done and the old shooter made a very hearty meal, as Indians are apt to do, but I thought during the trout course, that he acted as though the morsels were hard to bolt, like a boy swallowing his first oyster. He ate frequently with me afterwards, but I cannot say that trout ever appeared to be a favorite dish with him. All the small streams within the limits of our county abounded with trout, with the exception of the Zambro, Prairie creek and the Little Cannon. The latter stream has since been stocked and now affords very fine sport. I only fished in four of these streams the first two years of my residence here, to-wit: Trout brook, Springcreek, Hay creek and Bullard's creek. The first of these being adjacent io town, was where 1 got my supply for home use. An hour or two in the evening would net me eight or ten pounds of the fish.

"In the fall of ISot^, having a fishing seine in our possession, we organized a fishing party and built the necessary craft for running a fishery. We began this enterprise for the purpose of supplying our own wants. Meeting with great success and having nothing else to do, salt and barrels were procured and in a short time we supplied St. Paul with forty bairels of good fish at the remarkably low price of six dollars per barrel. Our fishing grounds were the bay in front of Cogel's (now Betcher's) mill and a lake on the AViscousin shore about a mile above Bay City. Large quantities were caught of all kinds inhabiting the river, but we only preserved the best fish, rejecting pike, pickerel, bass, sturgeon, dogfish, sheephead and gars, while the rich, fat and luscious cat, bufPalo and carp were carefully cleaned and salted, well repaying us for our labor. At one haul of our seine in the lake above referred to, we took out over eight barrels of fish when cleaned and packed, l)esides an innumerable quantity of the 'baser sort' as before indicated. These remarks may provoke satirical comments from the members of a certain fishing ring, who think that the mantle of old Isaac Walton has fallen on them individually and that their palates and peculiar notions should form the standard of true sport and gustatory excellence. But to these I would say, we only wanted such fish as would repay us in nutriment and feed for the animal economy, when the mercury ranged from zero to forty below. This was supplied by our selection, some of the fish yielding over a pint of good oil. Pike, pickerel, bass and trout, as salt fish, are about as nutrient as fioating-island, puffs, pastry and gimcracks, and all are measurably worthless as food to strong, hearty, working men.

"In the spring of 1853 I farmed the old Indian cornfield, which occupied that portion of the city now lying between Third and Bush streets and College bluff as far west as Mr. Densmore's residence, besides breaking up that portion lying west of the latter point and extending to the John Day farm. The crop was oats, corn, seven acres of potatoes, six of rutabagas, turnips, pumpkins, cabbages, beans, etc., all of which yielded largely. In the fall I needed help to secure the corn and potatoes, and there was no other resource than to hire native laborers. The Indian camp was then on the Mississippi bottom near the mouth of Cannon river. I sent word to the camp that twenty women were wanted to help me, who should receive a barrel of potatoes for every four times they dug across the field. Thirteen women came the next morning accompanied by about two- dozen dogs and as many children. The day after thirtytwo squaws appeared with their camp kettles, sack straps and hoes and this number continued until the field was finished, having gathered for me over 1,000 bushels of potatoes exclusive of their own wages."