Waseca County, Minnesota - Chapter 7, 1905

Chapter 7

MORE SETTLERS IN MARCH - ROBBINS BROTHERS COME WITH CHRIS SCOTT - "BILL" ROBBINS LOST ON THE PRAIRIE, OUT TWO DAYS AND NIGHTS WITHOUT POOD - A SHOOTING AFFRAY.

The latter part of ilai-eh, after enduring- all sorts of hardships. Chris Scott returned from his trip to La Crosse for provisions, AYith him came two brothei's, (Jeorge Kobl)ins and Wni. Bobbins. young- and single men from Canada. They made claims on the east side of the river, opposite -^vhat was afterwards the village of Wilton, and where once was located a paper town called Walerlyiiii. Wm. Robbins, about this time, had a little experience in being lost on the prairie. He was eiiiplo>-ed to drive a team and take S. P. Child to ^lankato for suri;ical treatment. That was in April. AVlien they ai-i'ived at the .Mansfield and Callens' cabin, they learned lliat the water was so high in the Le Siieur river that they could not cross it to go on to ilankato. So it was ari-anged that Child and the team should remain wdii Mansfield and Callens imtil the waters should subside, and then u-o to I\Iankato, and Robbins should at once return to the Sutlief settlement on foot and report the condition of afit'airs. Tie left there early in the luorniiig, having with him a rille and a small supply of anununition. It seems that he went carelessly nlonir, shooting at birds, until well along in the afternoon, when it (n>- curred to him that he ought lo be near home. He looked in i>ver\- direction, but coidd see no object that look,>(l like anything:- he had ever seen before. But he was on a wagon trail and Uiought that tliai would lead him home. He had th(niuhllessly expended all his anununition, and night found him upon the open prairie

Avithout food, fuel, or even a blanket. He dared not move about much after dark for fear he would lose the wagon track. The next morning he was totally at a lo.ss as to which direction to Ko. He finally followed the trail in a southerly direction, and a<i'ain he spent the, night upon the prairie, without food or fire. Fortunately on the third day he met some government land surveyors on their way to :\Iankato who, like good Samaritans, took pity on him, fed and warmed him, and carried him back to the .Alansfield and Callens" place. It seems that xAien he left that place he took an old wagon trail leading south, instead of taking the Sutlief track leading east. Three days afterwards, he returned to our settlement somewhat wiser than when he left.

As soon as the watei's subsided so that the Le Sueur could be forded, S. P. Child proceeded to ]\Iankato, where his feet received the long-needed treatment. He then returned, to the settlement about two weeks after Robbins' return.

Reckless Shooting

A little matter occurred at this time that shows the recklessness of frontier life. ]Mr. Sutlief, while on his trip to ;\Iankato in February, had sold on credit, a pair of young oxen to a man named Wentworth, and had taken as security a chattel mortgage on the team. He left the chattel mortgage with nie and told me to keep an eye out for the cattle. When S. P. Child returned, he told me that Wentworth was sick of the country and would start for California as soon as the grass should grow. Wentworth lived about one and a half miles south of ^lansfield and Callens. I went out to that place on foot, a few days after my brother 's return, and stayed with ^Mansfield and Callens over night. They confirmed the report that Wentworth was selling off his personal effects and making arrangements to leave as soon as possible, and that he was trying to sell the Sutlief oxen. So, the next morning, I went to see him, supposing that he would pay for the oxen or, at least, give them up, as he had not paid anything on them. He very coolly told me that he should not pay for them nor give them up. Pie said the note was not due till a year from date and he should not pay it till then. He admitted that he should leave as soon as he could and take the cattle with him. I told him then that the cattle would have to be taken on the mort- gage, and tried to convince him that he had no right to hold the cattle, either in law or equity; but talk was of no avail. I then went to the yard, put the yoke on the oxen, and started to drive them out through the bars. Wentworth stood in the barway with a club and drove them back. I then tore down the yard fence on the other side and tried to drive them out there, but Went\vorth met them there and drove them back. For some time we drove the cattle back and forth; finally we came to a clinch. During the struggle, the oxen went out of the yard, and as soon as Wentworth could get loose and regain his feet he ran for the house ; I ran for the oxen and started them east as fast as possible. I had not gone more than eight rods before Wentworth came out with a shot gun and ordered me to stop or he Avould shoot. Well, matters were getting serious. I had no shooting iron. I didn't believe, however, that Wentworth would shoot at me, so I said "Shoot and be d - d." And sure enough Wentworth did shoot. I was badly seared, but I was satisfied that it I could get hold of Wentworth before the gun could be reloaded, I could soon put an end to the shooting business; so I made a run for the angry man, who ran into bis shanty and barred the door before I reached it. Then I knew it was time for me to leave if I expected to leave at all, and I accordingly left as fast as my legs could carry me. Fortunately for me, the cattle had kept on in the track leading to the Sutlief settlement, and I soon overtook them and put them into a trot which was kept up for some distance. I saw Wentworth come out of his shanty with his gun and walk towards me a short distance, then turn back and disappear into his cabin. I kept a "weather eye" out for my contestant all that day, and for some days after my return, but T never again saw the man, who soon after left the Territory.'