Washington County, Minnesota - Chapter 36: Reminiscences of Judge Jolil. Foster on the Early History of River Falls, 1881

Chapter 36: Reminiscences of Judge Jolil. Foster on the Early History of River Falls

" 'Judge, how did you happen to find this beau¬ tiful little nest, hid away here among the hills as it were?' 'What induced you to come out here and locate all alone as you did?' These ques¬ tions have been put to me so often in the last twenty-seven or eight years, I shall state as briefly

Judge Foster'S Reminiscenses

"At the time of the breaking out of the Mexi¬ can war, I was in business in Edwardsville, Mad¬ ison county, Illinois, having come west at an early day, a boy of sixteen, locating in the valley of the Mississippi, forty-six years ago this coming winter. The location proved almost fatal to the family, there being eight of us at this time, five brothers and three sisters, and I became so well satisfied of the mistake made in locating so far south, with different water and air from what we had been breathing and drinking, and that I must shift my location if I wanted to live long, that I made use of the war to help me break up where I was, and give me chance to view Texas and Mex¬ ico, with reference to future location. Of course there was a small sprinkling of patriotism and loyalty in it.

"The campaign in Texas and Mexico proved a great help to me so far as health was concerned. I became stout and robust The mountain air of Mexico agreed with me, but on returning home to Illinois a relapse took place, and I was in a fair way to be worse off than ever, and was thinking of starting to San Antonio, Texas, when a nephew, Eli Lewis, who afterward settled-on the place that Mr. O. S. Powell now owns, near the village of River Falls, came down from this section. He told me he thought it very healthy, though no farming country; but you understand steam¬ boating, you can go into that, or lumbering. I started at once, as there was no time to spare, on account of ill-health; took passage with Captain Harrison the old 'Senator,' almost the only boat that came up this far at that time. The boat had two barges in tow loaded with United States dra¬ goons for Fort Snelling. It was a month, lacking three days, when we landed at St. Paul, owing to the overloading of the boat and breaking the main shaft. The boat landed at the foot of the street that goes to the river, past the Merchants' hotel, on Saturday evening. Had few or no passengers ex¬ cept the troops and myself. The plank was run out just long enough for me to walk ashore with my rifle, blanket and satchel, the boat pushed off, and started for the fort. I looked around and on the bank, or bluff above me, in the grass and hazel brush, was a bench with five or six men sitting on it.

In looking for a place to get on the upper bank I found a narrow cut through, that enabled me to land on the bank above. There was a small building, where the Merchants now stands, for a hotel. The grass and hazel brush were all around it.

"Next morning was the Sabbath. There was little stir. Some half dozen of us were sitting on a bench outside of the house. About ten o'clock a man came along with some rather better clothes than the most that were around. He stopped and looked us over and eyed me in par¬ ticular. I had on a coat that I had worn through the war. Part of the officers of Col. Bissell's regiment instead of adopting the army frock coat had adopted the dress coat with the same collar, and when we cut off the brass buttons and put on black, it made the clergy uniform. After looking at me some time he gave me a very polite invitation to go with him to church. I excused myself on the ground of ill-health, this mistake you will see is easily made when you see how near an honest copperhead Democrat resembles an honest preacher.

"The boat returned about 11 oclock Sunday. Captain Harris hailed me on the bank, and said: 'Foster, you had better come on board and go round to Stillwater, and make out your month.' I did so and found myself at Stillwater next morning at sunrise. In the course of the fore¬ noon I went into a saloon to get out of the sun, as I was quite weak; not able to walk two hun¬ dred yards without resting. There were a num¬ ber of men drinking and talking. They appeared to be men that had been employed in hunting pine lands, and carrying axes and chains on on government surveys. They were talking of the advantages and disadvantages of different localities, when one who was a little more drunk, than the rest, said: 'Gentlemen you may talk of your fine lands, and locations, but if I had a sec¬ tion or two in the Kinnickinnic Valley, I would not ask General Jackson to be my aunt.' He staggered near me and I said; 'Where is this valley?' 'Oh, over in Wisconsin, back of the mouth of the Willow river.' 'Where in the val¬ ley is this land?' 'Oh, anywhere near the falls.' 'Are there falls?' 'Yes stranger, the

Illinois, had located at the mouth of Willow river, near Hudson, and that being the point that I wanted to stop at to look around, I looked out for the first skiff or dug-out to get down from Stillwater, and stopped with Milton Noble, in a little log house on the bank of the lake.

"At this time the inhabitants of what is now Hudson, on both sides of the Willow river; what could be called located, consisted of old 'Doc' Ald¬ ridge and his son Bascol and families, Amos An¬ drews, the Noble brothers, Peter Bouchea, Louis Massey, Joe Lagrew, and one or two half-breeds. These composed the inhabitants on the south side of the river. Old Herrington as we called him, who had just moved down from St. Croix Falls and located on the north side of the river, and commenced building a dam for a mill, and Capt. Paye, who had commenced lumbering on the Willow river, embraced the settlers on the north side of the river. Strong feeling existed at that time as to which side of the river the future town should be located. Perrington and Paye could control more votes as they employed the floating population in lumbering, the only business at that time it was thought the country was fit for. I found the greatest excitement on the south side at the time of my arrival in laying out a town and inducing settlers to locate, and beat old Perring¬ ton. They had a surveyor at work, but were not agreed as to the name for the new town. I sug¬ gested the name of Buena Vista, from the battle of that name, just won, which in the Mexican lan¬ guage means beautiful view, an appropriate name since the town site gave a beautiful view of the lake. Within two or three days the new town received a reinforcement that raised the spirits of the settlers very high. They had got a new settler down as it were, right out of the ene¬ my's camp. Moses Perrin came to their landing from up the river. He was a first-class carpenter and builder. He had been at work at St. Croix Falls for Perrington, and had taken his wages in lumber, and was going to locate with them, put his lumber in a house and keep a hotel. lie did so, and it was the first hotel built, and a firstclass house for those times. It was not very large, but large enough to accommodate the traveling public at that time. It held the land office and boarded the officers in a later day. The climate and water appeared to take immedi¬ ate effect on my health. My recovery was so rapid that in four or five days I could take my rifle and go up the bottom shooting, going farther each day, until I got to the point I wished to ex¬ amine. The heavy timber on the Willow river bottom extended then nearly to its mouth. I continued all the time quizzing and laughing at the settlers about their country, but taking note of everything of importance. In ten or twelve days I had gained strength sufficient to go to Rush river, a distance of twenty miles, by using two*days for the excursion. This stream was at this time called the best trout stream in the sec¬ tion. I had become quite anxious to view the Kinnickinnic valley and falls, but as fishing and hunting was all the interest I claimed to take in the country, and liaving been told there was no trout in the Kinnickinnic, and learning that the trail to the Rush river crossed near the falls of the Kinnickennic, I set myself at work hunting up some one that would take the trip with me to the Rush on a hunting and fishing excursion. Looking around I fell in with a sort of a 'Leather Stocking' that was stopping on the other side of the lake at what is now called Baytown. He agreed to go with me if I could get supplies of pork and bread, or flour, which at that time was hard to get outside of lumbering camps.

"The settlers on the south side of the Willow river had to this time relied on deer killed by Peter, the half-breed, and the large amount of fish which were easy to take, for supplies. It so hap¬ pened that three or four days after, Mr. Nobles was going to Stillwater, in a skiff, and my appe¬ tite had so improved that I wanted pork to cook with my fish and venison. I said, 'Nobles, don't you think you could get some pork at Stillwater?' He replied, 'Yes, if I had the money.' On start¬ ing up the river, I had placed in my watch pocket $200, one twenty and one two dollar bill, Bank of Missouri money, at that time land office money. Having spent my small change, I had to fall back on these bills, and gave Nobles the two dollar bill, to buy pork. On seeing the other bills he said: 'Foster, here now, you see that I have got a claim on this quarter section, and it will make a town some day. Now I will tell you what I will do. I will relinquish my claim in your favor. You enter and give me forty acres.' I laughed at him, saying: 'What do I want of this sand bank? What show for a town here? The lum¬ bermen say it is no pinery country.' He got the pork, which gave me supplies for the trip to Rush river. I told my hunting companion that we could go only half way the first day, and would start after dinner. We did so, and encamped under a black oak tree just back of what is now Professor Wild's residence, and I could hear the roar of the falls. Next morning I suggested to my partner that we take a hunt, he go up stream and I go down. I climbed up the mound and came on to the point behind which Mr. McGreg¬ or's house now stands. Viewing the valley be¬ fore me for a few moments I made straight for the falls, not stopping to shoot a deer that leaped the tall grass before me; viewed the falls awhile and returned to find my friend waiting. We broke camp and reached what was known as the crossing on Rush river about two o'clock. We caught all the trout we wanted that evening; one looked as though it would weigh three pounds, and returning the next day camped on the same place as the night before. I took an¬ other look at the falls and returned to the lake the next day to be laughed at as usual for not be* ing a better hunter and fisher. I have thus stated the train of circumstances that led me to find the location. Now the inducement that led me to locate here, a short extract from a letter to my brother may give some light. 'I think I have found the New England of the north-west, the same pure water, the same speckled trout, the same swamp alder, with a more beautiful forma¬ tion. It looks as though the Almighty had made this portion of our country first and made it on a perfect system, piling the rocks up in beautiful mounds, spreading over them sufficient soil to dress and beautify and make pasture land of them, spreading out the farming lands between the mounds, with pure streams of water and beautiful falls, giving abundant water-power, with timber convenient. The great growth of vegetation growing wild, told me that the same soil would also grow tame vegetation. I knew that nature never belied herself, and the history of the wild man had taught me that they never made a mistake in locating, as far as natural ad¬ vantages are concerned. What has been their judgment in reference to the St. Croix Valley?

the other at the foot, as it were, the Chippewas and Sioux. That this section, watered by the Apple, Willow, Kinnickinnic, Rush and Eau Galle rivers had been the neutral or bloody grounds between the two tribes. The only ques¬ tion for me to decide was what point in the val¬ ley embraced the most of the advantages. I thought the falls of the Kinnickinnic.'

Having selected the falls of the Kinnickinnic in preference of all other points in the St Croix Valley as my future home, believing it to embody more natural advantages than any other point in the valley, the next step was to examine the out¬ lets for that point. For that purpose I purchased from Peter Bouchea a skiff, and made prepara¬ tions. as I told them, to get out of the country before winter set in, and one beautiful morning in the fall of '48 loaded all I had, consisting of blankets, pork and bread, on board of my skiff. I think all the men in their new town were on the lauding to see me off, except Uncle Massey and one half-breed, Jo Lagrew. They appeared to feel sad that any one should leave them when needed settlers so badly. We shook hands all around; I pushed off and gave them my benedic¬ tion: 'Boys get out of this frozen, God forsa¬ ken country as soon as possible; but if you will stay, God have mercy on you I' When about fifty yards from shore I heard one of them say : 'This is the last we shall see of Foster in this country.'

"There was a large flock of wild geese on the sand-bar on the Minnesota side; I floated near them, fired, and got two of them. At noon I was at Cat-fish bar, now Glenmont, looking for a boat landing and some outlet for a road towards the falls. Had broiled pork and goose for my dinner and pushed on to the mouth of the Kin¬ nickinnic, to examine how far the lake backed up and what chance for an outlet from the falls in that direction. Went up the mouth in my boat to the first riffle, just below what is now the crossing of the Prescott and Hudson highway, and camped for the night. The next morning I rigged up my blanket for a sail, rowed out into the lake and had hoisted my sail, when one of those sudden gusts of wind struck my boat and came near upsetting me. The wind blowing di¬ rectly down the lake, I did not dare to attempt landing, so turning the bow of the boat down the lake, and it run that six miles like a race-horse, shot out of the mouth of the lake, behind the point of rocks, into the Mississippi, running up almost high and dry on the sand.

'-The mouth of the lake, or what is now Pres¬ cott was the controlling point at this time so far as fanning was concerned, as St. Croix Falls was for lumbering. St. Croix Falls had control of all the valley, and could send whoever they pleased to represent them politically.

"I found the settlers at the mouth of the lake raising the third little frame house in the place - The Thing brothers were building it. There were at this time around the mouth of the lake, opening and preparing to open farms, Doe, the two Harnsberger brothers, the three Thing brothers, two Comelison brothers, ltice, Schaser, McMurphy, Rissue, Miner, and a fur trader whose name I do not recollect.

"I soon learned that I should not have to use my boat any further, as a steamboat had just gone up to the fort with supplies. I sold my skiff, and while waiting for the boat in the trad¬ er's little store, a circumstance took place that benefited me much in reference to my situation with the Indiaus afterwards. I was sitting on the trader's counter looking at an Indian crossing the river in a canoe. He landed and came into the store, extended his hand to the trader saying ' IIow !' They commenced talking. In a short time he gave a kind of a grunt, ' Ugh ! ' and commenced eyeing me as it were on the sly. Af¬ ter he left I said to the trader : 4 What were you and the Indian talking about ? ' * About you.'

1 What had you to say about me V' 'He wanted to know what 'chemokee man,' or white man that was ? ' 4 What did you tell him ? ' 'I told him that you were one of old General Taylor's braves, just off the war-path with Taylor.' 'That was the reason he gave the grunt.' The Indian happened to be Six, the chief of the Red Wing ' band, and a friend of General Taylor when he was in command at Fort Snelling.

"There are three things that the Indian thinks necessary to take him to the beautiful and happy heaven, or hunting grounds with his fathers; these are bravery, strength and marksmanship. Six had found me a brave, he afterwards found me strong and a good shot, and he always re¬ spected me and made his people do the same.

"The next morning the boat came down. I got on board, went to St. Louis, told my brother what I had found, and that I intended to return iu the spring. Said he, ' As you are in no business, would it not be better to return at once and see how you like the winter in that country ? Re¬ sides there is no telling what may take place in your absence. Others may see all the advan¬ tages you have and get the start of you.' I re¬ plied : 4 That is so. If I can get a boat back I will go." I started for the landing and found the * Senator,' Captain Harris, going on her last trip. Next morning I engaged passage for my¬ self and ajblack boy, at that time twenty years old, who had bound himself to me after losing his parents at nine years of age, until he should be twenty-one. I had obtained permission from the judge of probate of Madison county, Illinois, for him to come with me.

"On landing at the mouth of the cooley, or ra¬ vine that leads to the lake at what is now Hud¬ son, with our supplies, we created quite a sensa¬ tion among the settlers. They had not expected another boat to land there that season, moreover, when I went ashore they appeared greatly sur¬ prised to see me; and when they saw my supplies - three barrels of beans, one of sugar, a sack of coffee a barrel of vinegar, one of hard-bread, and one of flour - they concluded I meant lumbering. They were much pleased to see the supplies, as these were all there were in the new town. They helped me to get them into the cellar of the first little building erected for a store, on the bank of the lake, which building was afterward occupied by Mr. Stone, the first merchant of Hudson.

"The first question I asked the settlers was: Have you had any new settlers in the country since I left? 'Not a man; but what have you come back for?' 'Boys,. I hated to see your settlers all starve.' I got the loan of an old gray pony for a day or two, packed on our blankets, buffalo robes, axes, provisions for a few days, shouldered our rifles and said to the little crowd that then composed what is now the city of Hud¬ son: 'Gentlemen, if you come out our way, don't fail to call on Mr. and Mi's. Foster, at the falls of the Kinuickinnic.'

Judge Foster'S Reminiscences

"We arrived at the falls and selected a place to camp at what was called the middle falls, at the junction of the two streams, under the rocks that shelved over at that point. We made our house by splitting logs about ten feet long for one side, one end locked on to the side, the other against the rock, the upper end left open for fire-place and entrance. The shelving rock made half of our roof; we levelled the floor, put down a carpet of grass, fastened up hooks to hold our rifles, started a fire against the rock at the entrance of our house, and found that there was so strong a suction or draft that when the rock got heated up it threw the heat into our parlor so that it almost made an oven of it.

"Commenced looking around to see what we could have for tea besides pork and bread. Dick took his rifle, and I took my rifle, fish-line, and hooks. We passed down the little pasture to the mouth of the spring branch, about 160 yards be¬ low the falls. I crawled into a large clump of alders to get a view of the main stream, at the mouth of the spring branch, and found it fairly black with trout that would weigh from onefourth to two and one-half pounds. Commenced to clear away brush to make it convenient to the water, cut a slim alder for a fish-pole, fastened on my line, caught a 'hopper' placed him on the hook, and let him gently touch the water, when there was a great commotion, and out came a trout that wotdd weigh about a pound; took out another, placed my fishing tackle convenient for future use, and returned for tea, satisfied that our future supplies of fish were as sure and handy as any house-keepers's fish barrel.

"Having selected the land now occupied as a driving-park for farming, and the rise of ground now used as a grove, which has grown up since, for Fourth of July purposes, for my building-spot, I went to work at once to get material on the ground for a shanty to winter in, as my first one would be too far from ray rail-splitting to be con¬ venient. We had cut logs, made shakes for cov¬ ering, got a few rocks out for the chimney, got Uncle Massey's oxen - the only yoke owned in what is now Hudson - got all on the ground, got the house up, covered and ready to daub with mud, when the first snow-storm of the season set in and the snow fell to the depth of about a foot

"I told Dick that we would try for deer. Both started out with rifles; Dick returned to camp first: just as he arrived on the bank above the camp, he heard a loud whoop from some one be¬ low, on the left bank of the stream. Supposing it to be some one in search of our camp he an¬ swered it, when some one answered from the right hand side of the stream, near the lower falls. They kept up this triangular yelling at each other until finally the man on the left side of the stream, to the left of the lower falls, came to where Dick was standing on the point of the rocks over the camp, leaning on his rifle. He was the head man of a surveying party that had got behind in their job of sub-dividing this section of country up to the lake into sections. Not sup¬ posing there was any one but themselves, unless it was Indians, in the country, he was greatly sur¬ prised to find a black man that would weigh 200 pounds leaning on a rifle. 'Wherein the name that my brother was correct. Here was a man that bad made the same discovery that I had, and was going to return and take advantage of it as soon as he could close up his job and settle with the government.

"The third day after the storm some one whooped to find our camp; it proved to be a man by the name of Webster, who was hunting pine lands. He was very cold. He told me that there was a man dead, or nearly so, at the head of Rocky Branch. It proved to be a man that had started to carry too much whis¬ key with him from Diamond Bluff to Pres¬ cott. and had lost his course in the storm.

"We were forced to dig a hole inside our chain, build a fire, and heat water to make mud to finish the cabin and chimney; the mud froze just as fast as put on and remained frozen till spring.

"At that time few or no wild bees had been seen in the country. We felled a tall oak ex¬ pecting to get three cuts for rails, which in fall¬ ing, struck the stump of another tree, and burst all to pieces, covering the snow with bees and a large amount of fine honey. We cut down a basswood, dug out a trough, gathered up our honey and got it all safe in our cabin, using it for dessert all winter, by sopping fried-cakes or hard-bread in it after sopping them in pork grease, Dick using one end of the trough, and I the other.

"One of us had to go in to the mouth of the Willow, as we called it at that time, for supplies every ten days. The snow got to be very deep, and it was a hard trip, taking from four in the morning until after dark. Having all the coffee and sugar in the place, except Peter's and Un¬ cle Massey's maple sugar, I always saw all of the settlers, and got all the news, as most of them came for sugar and coffee. On about the first of December, on one of my trips for supplies, I met Joseph Bowron for the first time, at Mr. Wm. R. Anderson's. Mr. Anderson had come down from St. Croix Falls, moved into the building in the cellar of which I kept my supplies. He had no family except a young, energetic, and stirring wife. Before I got warm was posted in all the news. Husband was a surveyor; wasn't at home; member of the legislature; was then trying to get some way to get to Madison. Mr. Bowron came in and introduced us to each other. She said she could give us something to eat if she could get that 'blamed' frozen pork to pieces, pointing to a barrel. Bowron went for the ax,

"Mr. Anderson has been a very useful man in the county from that day to this; he was our first county clerk, a practical surveyor, and has raised up a large family. Mr. Bowron after a good deal of trouble succeeded in getting Mr. Milton Noble to take a horse for packing purposes; they started in the direction of Madison, through the Big Woods. After straying a good deal they arrived at Black River Falls, where Noble hung up until spring, and Bowron got through to Madison. We never knew until spring whether our important interests were being attended to or not. Mr. Bowron returned in the spring, fetching a wife and his wife's sister, which made a great addition to our society. Mr. Bowron had much to do in giving this section its first start: He was a whole-souled, liberal man, to the extent of injuring himself.

"About the first of January was m for supplies again; met Messrs. Dan. Mears and Kelley, of St. Croix Falls for the first time, and Lane, the fur trader from the mouth of the lake; stopped over night to compare notes and attend a halfbreed ball at the cabin of Jo Lagrew, on the lake shore close to the mouth of the Willow river. Peter was manager in chief; there were three ladies from near Cat-fish bar, on the Minnesota side, part negro, part French; they were the lead¬ ing belles, straight as Indians; having long black hair with a beautiful kink in it, they appeared to realize their superiority over the full and half blood Indian. The balance of the ladies consisted of the squaws and half breed squaws. The danc¬ ing went off lively, the ladies occasionally clipping the pigeon wing in their beaded moccasins and the gentlemen trying to keep even in their plain moccasins; there was none of that rough coming down on the heel of the young buck of the pres¬ ent day. They danced reels and cotillions, but the most interesting dance was the one before the nut cakes and black strap, made of whiskey and maple sugar, was served up - a sort of French dance. Uncle Massey led to the middle of the floor an elderly half-breed lady, saluted her in the style of a French dancing master, the music struck up, and they commenced dancing at each other with all the force and energy they could throw into it. A ring was formed at once, the men on one side and the ladies on the other. I did not understand the dance; it appeared that Mears, Kelley and the trader did. They appeared to be getting a good ready for something. Directly Mears stepped in front of Uncle Massey, made a bow to him, turned to the lady and and got right down to work, beautifully. In jumped one of the belles with the beautiful kinky hair, courtsied low to the half-breed lady, turned to Mears and shook her beaded moccasins most beautifully at him. Kelley and the trader followed Mears; the excitement ran high ; the sweat fairly run off the fiddler ; there was a half brother of Peter's pres- ent that looked like a full-blooded Indian. Hav¬ ing some whisky in him he was getting as much excited as he would at a war dance, when he gave a regular war whoop which made the cabin ring. It was like Tam O'Shanter and his witches. All were seated and the ladies and gentlemen ate nutcakes, drank blackstrap, and shook hands all around to show that all was lovely. After re¬ freshments the trader and myself left and went to Pascal Aldridge's, at the mouth of the cooley.

"What became of the trader I never knew; Kel¬ ley was killed in some kind of a scrape at St. Croix Falls, that had a woman in it; Mr. Mears has since raised a family, has done much to im¬ prove the section of country he is in by lumber¬ ing and farming, and has represented this sena¬ torial district in Madison.

"Having by the 1st of February made all the rails that I intended to make that winter, I told Dick we would go into the lake and start up something to do until we could go below to St. Louis for horses and tools for summer work. The only horses in the country were a pair of small one ones belonging to Pascal Aldridge, and Uncle Masse) 's one-eyed pony.

"There was nothing going on on the south side of Willow river but a lawsuit about a hog, between 'old Perrington,' as they called him, and Samuel Worth, of St. Croix Falls. They had had one suit over the boarding of an ox, and Perrington and his side had to go to St. Croix Falls to the trial, but as they had a justice and a constable in the persons of Aldridge and Peter at the mouth of the Willow, they were determined the hog trial should come off there, and the St. Croix Falls people had to come to time. As there were no lawyers on this side of the lake, both parties had to go to Stillwater for lawyers. Wilkinson, since Senator Wilkinson, of Minnesota, was on one side and North, the first settler of Northfleld, Minnesota, on the other.

"Dick and myself had taken robes and blankets, and gone in to the Lake. I had persuaded Al¬ dridge to go in with me and put a lot of wood on the bank for boats - I cut, he haul, and divide equally. The wood was cut on the bottom, now overflowed by the mill pond. Aldridge had to lose a day on account of the hog suit. When I came in in the evening, the suit was in full blast in the little cabin. The room was about 12x15 feet; Mrs. Aldridge and the children in one cor¬ ner, behind the stove, the court using the balance of the room. As this suit drew all, or nearly all of the settlers on this side of the lake together, except from Prescott, it gave us a chance to get acquainted with each other. We all knew each other by bear-say, but we always examined each other for ourselves when we met to find out if the new-comer was an educated, smart man, a natural fool, or an educated one. It appeared to be my turn to be examined. The justice stopped pro¬ ceedings and gave me an introduction all around. Perrington led off, 'Well, Mr. Foster, are you trying to get an honest living?' 'Well, yes! only as an experiment, however, as I saw that was the only business that no one had gone into, as yet. I had some hopes of being able to start an ox boarding house, or fancy hoggery, but I see I am too late.' The court, lawyers and all hands took a hearty laugh, and went on with the trial.

" I see from my book of accounts that I sold my two barrels of beans to Perrington for $1.25 per bushel. Captain Harris made his appearance first in the spring with a now boat, and landed at the foot of the cooley. His favorite old pilot was at the wheel, and when he saw me and Dick in the small crowd on shore, hails the captain and says 'Captain,' pointing to me, 'didn't I tell you we were sure of one passenger in the spring?' " Captain Harris invited me to get on board and go up to the falls with him. I did so, which was the first time I ever saw St. Croix Falls. On our return Dick got on board and we started for St. Louis. The pilot would hardly believe that I was foolhardy enough to try farming in this country.

" I returned from St. Louis about the 10th of June ; had four horses, two cows, three dogs, twelve chickens, one sixteen-inch plow, and seven dollars in money on hand. I broke seven acres of ground as soon as possible to put in oats for horse feed the next winter ; could find no seed oats nearer than Stillwater, and I went in to the lake, got a skiff of Peter, pulled up to Still¬ water, got seven bushels of oats by running all over the place, getting from one to two bushels in a place from the lumbermen, all they had left, and half of that was pigeon-grass, with which I was unacquainted, and thought was millet, and was very careful to sow every seed of it. I broke up a hazel-brush thicket and planted potatoes.

" The horses were all young, the weather very warm, the buffalo gnats thick, the breasts of the horses became sore ; the gnats were eating them to the extent that they began to look scabby. Finally I told Dick that we must stop breaking except morning and evening, but soon found that was the only time the horses could eat. I got somewhat disgusted with things generally, turned out the team early and went to the lower falls for fish and deer. At that time the fish could come from the lake to the falls, and all kinds of fish such as bass, wall-eyed pike, pickerel, cat¬ fish and very large trout could be taken to almost any amount at the lower falls. We soon had all the fish we wanted and returned to the shanty, to look to the horses. If they were out of sight long, they were liable to be taken by the Indians for strays to l>e returned for money, or taken for keeps if not caught next morning. On stepping outside the cabin, I observed a fine deer going from the river toward the mound walking very leisurely indeed. I took my rifle and went nearly to the spot he would pass ; waited for him and gave him the signal that I wanted him to stop while I shot him; hailed Dick to come and help haul him to the cabin.

"I was in a quandary what to do. The horses looked so bad that I did not like to work them, and we had used up all the old pants and coats we could muster to protect their breasts. The pike were very fat, their insides were one mass of fat. The thought struck me that fish-oil would be good to keep off the gnats. We oiled every part where the gnats troubled the homes, took the deerskin, put it the flesh side down un¬ der the collar on the worst home, and started to breaking. The gnats left the homes, the fresh deer skin took all the fever and soreness out of the horses shoulders, and we were all right, as we could get all the fish and skins we wanted. '

"About this time they had a big arrival on the south side of the Willow, in the person of a Mr. Putnam, from Ohio, who was about to fetch on seventy families to settle the country, and he would build a large hotel at the landing at the mouth of the cooley. The first thing to be donfe was for a delegation, consisting of the old Di*. Aldridge and others, to fetch him right out to the falls and show him the valley and the back coun¬ try that was to build up their town site. At the same time there was a man by the name o Davis, from Michigan, looking over the country in the in¬ terest of the Goodrich family. One of the brothers was then at St. Paul, in the person of Judge Goodrich. There were four or five brothers of them, and they were prospecting for a future location for the family, and this man Davis appeared to be in their employ. Davis and Putnam had met and got acquainted. While Putnam was out in the valley, Davis was looking over the falls of the Willow river. On their return to Buena Vista, the name of the new town, they compared notes. Putnam told Davis he had found something worth looking after; it was true there was a fellow squatted on it, but he would not amount to much.

"Davis started out at once, came to my cabin late one Saturday evening, spent the Sabbath with me. After breakfast I told him that I must go to the falls for fish. It was very warm. After tak¬ ing what fish we needed, we went on to the ground now used as an Episcopal burying ground, to view the falls and stream, and get a cool breeze. There were three deer in the stream in the still water, almost one hundred yards below where the bridge stands. I went for one of them, picked out my deer and fired. The deer went out on the left hank; the grass was very high and thick, I was sure the deer was killed, and I went over to cut its throat. I searched all around but did not find him. When I came back to Davis, he says, 'Why didn't you cut the throat of your deer?' 'Couldn't find him.* 'He fell close to the bank. You went too far around him.' Da¬ vis returned to Buena Vista, and he and Putnam conferred together again. Davis told Putnam there was something very desirable there, but the man that had located there knew his business, and the less he fooled with him the better.

"Davis reported to the Goodrich family. The result was one evening there was a fine double carriage driven up to my shanty, containing Judge Goodrich, the first landlady of the old American hotel, Mrs. Parker, another lady, and the driver. We gave the ladies the inside of the cabin, and took the outside for sleeping purposes. Mrs. Parker was pleased with what is now called Mann valley, and laid claim to all of it as her future farm. In a short time one of the Good¬ rich brothers made his appearance, made a claim on whnt was afterwards taken by the Powells; bought part interest in the falls, and made ar¬ rangements with me to test the country as to growing winter wheat, by agreeing to ship to me three barrels of seed wheat, one barrel to be clear white flint, one, Sewell's, and one, a mixture of all kinds, which he did. It was quite a round-a¬ bout way to get it here at that time. It had to go down the Illinois river to St. Louis and up the Mississippi to Buena Vista.

"I broke about twenty acres of prairie, and went to work preparing for the next winter. Dick, the black man, would be of age and free in the fall. He had made a claim on what is now Professor Weld's farm, and had made arrangements to go below, marry a wife, return in the spring, and keep house for me and improve his claim. He worked very hard with me in digging and walling a well and a cellar, building a large log house and cutting hay for winter. The house was made of large logs. We used a horse and long rope with long skids, the rope passing over the house. We had got all done but chinking and daubing the house and digging the potatoes, when Dick must go below. I took him in, to the lake, and made arrangements with Captain Harris to see him safe to St. Louis. As we shook hands he was much affected, and the tears ran quite lively. He said, 'I shall bo sure to return.' We have never met since. lie married, and his wife's friends told him it would be wrong for him to take his wife to such a cold region, where no black people would ever go, and she w'ould never have company. On returning alone to the valley quite a feeling of loneliness came over me, but having so much to do to prepare for winter, there was little time to waste in sympathising with Inyself.

"One afternoon, two young men made their ap¬ pearance at my cabin. They said they w-ere hunt*, ing a place to locate for themselves, and wanted to go at once to work if they could find a place to suit them. They said their names were Walter and James Mapes. Walter had been in the Mexi¬ can war. Here was a chance for a neighbor and a brother Mexican soldier. They stayed all night, and I gave them all the information I could to induce them to locate. Next morning we stood in front of my shanty and I pointed the country out to them, describing Mann valley, the main stream towards the monument, which they could plainly see, the south fork valley, and the fine body of timber handy. They said little after I was through. Walter says, 'IIow much is to pay?' 'Not anything.' He flushed in the face and says, 'We are no beggarel We want to pay our way.' I replied, I never had charged any¬ thing yet; did not know how soon I should, but did not w'ant to begin on them. Hoped they would find something to suit them and that they would settle, and it would be all right. They left, going up the main stream toward the monu¬ ment. When they returned they told me they were satisfied and would locate here. James wanted to stop with me while Walter went below to Galena for supplies. Put James to digging potatoes in my hazel thicket. They were of the old Irish gray kind as we called them, and very large. James worked very well except when he rolled out one that he called a pumpkin, then he would stop to laugh.

"Walter returned and they cut hay, not very good - cut too late, for the breaking team that they meant to get early in the spring, put up a cabin for the winter, and went to keeping house. Walter was 'Mr.' and James, 'Mrs.' Mapes.

"Quite a change had taken place at BuenaVista. They had got a land ofllce, with Messrs. Gibson and Catlin as register and receiver. Mr. J. O. Henning and wife had come to the country. These with the wife and wife's sister of Mr. Bowron put their new town far ahead of anything on this side of the lake.

"I at one time had faint hopes, being a common farmer, that I should be able to come into this aristocratic crowd by way of the wife's sister, as Bow ron and myself were good democrats together but my hopes were small, as I had Gibson, and a new doctor by the name of Handy to conteud with, and the latter made himself entirely too ^handy tp the young lady for both of us. But a circumstance took place that ruined all my hopes of the matrimonial kind at that time. I had worked almost night and day to get my log house ready for winter. Had sent by Dick to have my brother at St. Louis send me a supply of common clothing. I was nearly destitute of clothing, the brush and tall grass had so cut my over garments that they failed to cover my under garments. I had lost my razor, had been three weeks without shaving, did not expect any one of the female kind except squaws, had got my hair full of mud in daubing my house, and had got to look like a cross between the lower order of the heathen Chinee and the Digger Indian. Had got out of meat as well as clothes. Would not stop for any¬ thing until the house was daubed for winter. Started early in the morning for deer; shot a fine buck, came in and got a team and had just got him to the house and thrown him out in front of the door, and gone inside when a carriage drove up In front of the door. There was no window hole cut at that time, there was no chance to get into the brush, and there were Mi's. Ilenning, the wife's sister from Madison, and some others. Frank Catlin, from the land office, had them in charge, and I think that I have never got ac¬ quainted with any one that enjoyed anything in the ludicrous order more than he, or made more out of it. He comprehended the situation in a moment, and no exhibitor of wild animals ever took more delight in stirring them up with a long pole than he did exhibiting mb. Mi's. Henning saw his game and helped me out somewhat, though the thing was so ludicrous that I could not help laughing myself to see how he enjoyed it; but 1 was too much like the frog in the fable; it was fun for him but death to me.

"We had got to be somewhat ambitious by this time, and did not like the plan of waiting from fall to spring for our mail and news from below. We had got word that if we would cut a trail through the woods to Eaton and Carson's mill on the Eau Galle river, we could have a mail once a month, on horseback. We in the valley - that is, the Mapes and myself, were ready to do our part. I would supply a team and go myself if I could find some one to keep house while gone.

" A short time before this, one evening, some seven or eight men from Canada landed at the log house which they had now named ' Fort Fos¬ ter.' Mr. McGregor was one of the number. Most of them had on the little scotch cap. They all camped down on the floor and left next day. In a few days McGregor returned and said that he should like to take a claim near me, and move into my house and winter with me. IDs wife could do the cooking. He said he could come right along. I told him to do so as it would en¬ able me to go on the road expedition. Ex-Gover¬ nor Tim Burns was at St. Croix Falls, having

" He said if we would raise our company he and his clerk would join us, and help open the road, as it would enable him to get below before spring. Our company was composed of Henning, Deni¬ son, Peter, the surveyor, Bums and his clerk, Walter Mapes and myself. The trip was a very pleasant one although we were caught in a very severe snow storm. Peter was the guide and hunter, Mapes and Denison the choppers, Hen¬ ning nnd Burns to pack the wood and build flres, the clerk take care of horses, and I to do the cooking. We had rousing flres and after supper good stories from Henning and the governor. Then we would go for each other on our town sites. Henning having located at Hudson, my¬ self at the falls, and Bums had got Ids eye on La Crosse. It would be two against one, first Bums and myself would go for Henning : * What have you got to build up a town?' He would fall back on Mapes and me and say here are my far¬ mer backers. We were camped at or near what is called Rock Elm Center, near a spring among very tall butternut, oak, and rock elm timber, when Bums says : * Well Foster, what have you got to build a town after Henning steals it all V" I arose to my feet pointed to the tall timber and said : 4 Gentlemen do you see these trees point¬ ing so high towards the heavens ; do you see this spring, this soil, these are my backers.' I then said to Tim 4 What have you got to back your sand-bank ?' He claimed it was the only good point for some distance on the river, and there were some good valleys around it.

" When we returned I found McGregor and his wife hard at work fixing up the house, as winter had set in in earnest. He had hung a door, cut a hole for a six pane window, and things began to look awfully stuck up. Up to this time we had been living in tliis beautiful valley like Adam in the garden, in a state of perfect innocence, sleeping on prairie feathers, robes and blankets. McGregor introduced women, rocking chairs and feather-beds, and whether he can be justly held responsible for all the wild extravagances that have spread over this valley from that time to the introduction of the 'pinback' is a question I shall leave for future historians to decide.

through the winter, getting out rail timber, for fencing for both, and logs for a house for Mc¬ Gregor, at the rate of one load for him, and two for me. As there was no grain in the country for horse feed but what I had raised .from my seven bushels of seed, we concluded to let one pair of horses winter on hay, with a little oats, and keep the other pair in good shape for hard work, and campaigning through the winter. This proved good policy, as we afterwards found.

"During the early part of the winter, four men, afterwards known as the French boys, Jack, Lewey, Jo Bonner, and John D., had gone into camp on Rush river, on the opposite side of the river from Rouche's store, in Martel, for hunting and trapping purposes. As there were no roads, every man made his own track and tried to keep it open for his own use. If you went outside of that, it was a hard fight for men and horses, as the snow was deep, and in places drifted very hard.

"I was forced to make a trip to St. Paul on business in connection with the Goodrich family. At that time there were no roads from opposite Hudson to St. Paul, but there was one from Stillwater. We had heard in the valley of a man stopping at the lake with Esq. Aldridge, making sash and doors for a new house for Aldridge, by the name of Cox, from Ohio, who was talking of building a saw and grist mill on the Kinnickinnic. The lumbermen thought he must be a fool, and if the farmers did, they kept still about it. I had a little curiosity to look at him, and meant to do so on my trip to St. Paul. I had a favorite horse for such trips that I always used. Being of good blooded stock, and what horsemen call 'game,' I have often felt badly that I parted with him as I did after the great service he had done me. lie had a record many an old settler will recollect. 1 sold him to Horace Taylor, a boy at that time, on credit, to assist in starting the first mail conveyance to our town from Pres¬ cott. lie had managed by the assistance of friends, to get another horse. Two horses, a buggy and harness, and a tin horn completed the outfit. No doubt it was the biggest under¬ taking of his life. We all fe'lt that it was a big thing, and no doubt you at this time would think so too if you could see him rise the slope coming from Prescott, near the house of John Foster, slowly until he got on top in view of what we thought our big hotel , and two or four small bouses then he would straighten up, pull up his shirt col¬ lar, pick up his horn, tighten up his reins, give several loud blasts on his horn which would raise the ears of old Jim as well as his own, and the way they would come tearing into our big town over the south fork bridge was very exciting to say the least, and if by chance he had a passen¬ ger, every one wanted to know if he was going to 8 top here; if he had money; where he was from; was he married; if it was a woman: who does she belong to, or is she free. 'Hod,' as we called him, was always prepared to inform us. lie started early in life in the news and blow business, and is in it yet. From Taylor, old Jim went into the hands of some one in Hudson, I think Douglass, and became the pioneer horse to carry the mail through the big woods on the Prairie du Chien road. At that time he was always on time with the mail, as he was a good three minute horse. The next man that owned him was, I think, a well-digger, rather a hard case. Old Jim at this time had got to be little but skin, bones, and cords, but still this man would charge through our Alain street, as we called it, on old Jim that they had now named old rail-splitter, the old horse show¬ ing all the life he did with Ilod and his horn be¬ hind him. Where his bones lie I cannot say.

"I mounted him early one morning to make my trip to St. Paul through deep and quite hard snow; got to Hudson early, and went into Aldridge's cabin to warm. Aldridge sat close to the stove holding a child about two years old. A stranger sat wedged in behind the stove with one much young¬ er. Both of them appeared to l»e hard at work to keep the little ones quiet, whilst Mrs. Aldridge got the breakfast ready. The stranger appeared to understand his business, and the way he fought that baby to keep it quiet, showed me that he re¬ alized that his breakfast depended in a great measure upon the result of the fight. The fight was getting interesting. He was turning the child every way but the wrong end up, and mak¬ ing all kinds of faces at it, when Mrs. Aldridge gave her left arm a kind of a scoop which landed the child square on her left hip in good old Illi¬ nois style whilst with the right she grabbed the coffee pot off the stove and says, 'Sit right up to the table. Come Air. Foster, you need a hot cup of coffee after your ride.' Aldridge appeared to take great pleasure in introducing Mr. Cox and myself to each other on that occasion, it being the first of our meetings. My being the pioneer farmer of this section and he intending to be the * pioneer miller, and it may truly be said of us that we have been warm social friends and po¬ litical enemies from that day to this.

"I broke my track until I struck the trail from Stillwater, got to St. Paul by the middle of the afternoon, and started back the next morning. Old Jim was anxious to get home, and fairly plowed through the snow. I found a team had left this side of the lake and gone in the direction of the falls, found where they had unloaded in a snow bank near the hog-back, turned around and gone back. I got home between two and three in the afternoon. Mrs. McGregor told me that Jock, one of the French boys, had been to Still¬ water for supplies, and had got kettles and boilers to make sugar with in the spring. They had hired Putman and Aldridge to fetch them to my place. They had hitched up three horses and started with four or five hundred pounds all told; had run into a snow bank and then unloaded, the horses were so weak for want of grain that they could hardly get back to the lake. Jock wanted me when I got home to take my team, get the traps and take them out to them ; that one of them would stay in camp to be sure to answer my hail when I struck the Rush, and help me into camp, and they would give me a §4.85 gold piece for doing it. I hitched on to the sled, went back that evening and fetched every¬ thing to my house.

"It was a debatable question whether I could break through with a team in one day. I started with old Jim and his mate, both strong and longlegged, got off at four in the morning; never stopped the horses except when they would get into the snow so deep and hard that they could go no further, then they would stop themselves, and old Jim would look around as much as to say, 'Now it is your turn.' I would pull off my coat go in front and tramp and break a track for each one until I thought it was shallow enough for them to go ahead again. In this way I succeeded in coming in sight of the old crossing, between sundown and dark, without stopping to eat or do anything else ; gave a loud whoop, got a reply lower down stream, from the camp on the oppo¬ site bank. One of the boys, Joe Bonner, had re¬ mained in camp to cook and watch for me. They had been betting and gambling on my bringing the supplies and kettles. Old Jock, as they called him, was ready to go his pile on my coming to time. I don't think I ever saw so much meat de¬ voured by five men at one time, as we ate at that meal. It was venison, with just pork enough to season well,oooked in a large kettle and emptied into a large pan, such as is used to wash dishes in ; setting it in the middle of the table, every one helped himself. Next morning 1 found the mucles of my legs very sore and tender, but made the re¬ turn trip in time for dinner at Fort Foster.

"In the fall two young men by the name of Bai¬ ley came to the country, and were stopping with my nearest neighbor toward Prescott, Mr. George Rissue. I made a call on Rissue, stopping over night, and slept with the two Baileys in rather a narrow bed in the loft of Rissue's old log house, got acquainted, talked much of the future hopes and prospects of the country, what experiments would be best to try first to test the country. I found them to be pioneers, for more of the family were to come if things looked favorable to them, and both Dexter and Monroe Bailey haye done much to develop the resources of the country for the country's benefit as well as their own.

"On looking at my old account book at that time, I find quite an increase of names on or about the opening of navigation in the spring of 1850. I find charged March 30th, 1850, Mr. Fish Dr., to one-half day's hauling from town, to one and one-half day's hauling logs. Mr. Fish set¬ tled near the point of the mound where Mr. Strahl now lives. April 1st, Fish Dr., to moving family one and one-half days. It appears that his house was ready for use.

"April 28th, 1850, Mr.Livingston I)r., to postage paid on letter, fifteen cents. Mr. Livingston had come to the country with Mr. Fish, and they were making claims together, in co-partnership as it were.

"April 28th, 1850, Sam, Dr., to pork, fifty cents. Sam was a Swede. lie made claim to all that part of Mann valley called the Burrough's farm, as well as some others. Sam was quite quick tem¬ pered, got into trouble about his claim, and left the country April 29th, 1860.

"There was little or no money used among us then. It was help for help. May 20th, Mr. Liv¬ ingston debtor, to breaking ground, $2.50. Creditor, by laying floor, by plowing two days. Mr. Clark Greea debtor, to six day's board. Mr. Clark Green settled were Mr. S. Wales now lives. The country was filling up fast, we thought, and we were going to be a success. Had got a road through the big woods called the Prairie du Chien road, but reported so bad that it was doubtful if any one could get through on it.

"Must have a big Fourth of July celebration, and big dinner in good old fashioned style, with roast pig. The committee reported that it would nearly destroy the hog crop of the country to have pig. What to do we did not know. Peter came to the rescue, said he would get up early on the Fourth, kill a deer in time, and we could have trout and any amount of little fixings. The committee accepted Peter's plan and he killed the deer, and we had a glorious time eating and drinking with the spread eagle all in, but the best part took place whilst we were eating. Some one reported that an emigrant wagon with family and live stock had just arrived through the big woods, on our new road. This created great excitement. A committee was sent at once to fetch every¬ thing, dogs and all, right to the table and have them feasted.

"Mr. Cox had got to work near the mouth of the river, at what is now Clifton, on his saw* mill. Mr. Strahl and Mr. Shaddock, the pioneer farm¬ ers of that locality, had commenced work. I had changed some of my horses for cattle. One Sun¬ day morning was quite tired, and would like rest, but what should I do to feed company through the week. Must try to get some large three pound trout for corning as well as to use fresh.

. I hitched a yoke of oxen to the wagon, put in hay to ride on, took my rifle and fishing tackle and started the oxen toward what is called Dayton's pond. Arrived at the little bottom at the head of the pond, and had no trouble in getting a fine string of large trout. I was on the point of start¬ ing home, when I saw Mr. Cox coming up the stream at the foot of the little bottom with a large string of trout in his hand. It was very warm. He came slowly up to my wagon and says, 'They say that the way of the transgressor is hard, but I don't see but your way is easy enough.' 'They likely meant the other fellow. How will it be with you by the time you get home with that string of trout?' Mr. Cox at that time had to feed the most of the stragglers at that end of the stream as I was doing at the falls. We compared notes a short time and went home with our sup¬ plies.

"The question is often asked, 'How did you spend your long winter evenings?' We had some very good books, we talked of the future of the country, Mr. McGregor could sing a good Scotch song, and if anything turned up for fun we made the most of it. One evening after a hard day's work, Mr. McGregor complained of not feeling well, thought he had got a cold some way. Mrs. McGregor had, it appeared, for fearof such times, laid in a quart or two of fine whisky and maple sugar.

"She went at once for her supplies and made two glasses of black strap out of sugar, whisky and hot water, and gave each of us one. It had good effect. It cured McGregor and he sung his song before going to bed. While coming in from work a few evenings after, we concluded we must have more of that whisky. I must play sick. It came. We kept on in that way, until one even¬ ing it was McGregor's turn to be sick, when Mrs. McGregor says, ' What shall we do. The whis¬ ky is all gone.' He looked at me and says,

' Well it is no use being sick if the whisky is gone.' We got a lecture upon the meanness of two men taking advantage of a lone woman ten miles from anywhere, to get the last drop of whisky in the house. ' What would we do if we were sick. Didn't care much if we were.' We hung our heads, but got no credit for penitence, but had our regular sing before going to bed, but did not think it sounded as well or that McGregor sung as well as when we had our regular medi¬ cine, but the result was we had to get along the balance of the winter without sickness or whisky. Society will no doubt excuse us for making the most of bur opportunities for pleasure, even though some of them were at the expense of a lady, when they consider that we were debarred as it were of all the higher order of pleasures of to-day, such as Sabbath evening theaters and operas, ten cent Christian sociables and charities.

"One Saturday evening some ten or twelve men came to the log house. They were very tired, dusty and hungry. They had been traveling over in Minnesota looking for homes ; were not satisfied, and had crossed over to this side. They were Norwegians. There was a clergyman along with them by the name of Clausen, a very highly educated gentleman, speaking different languages very fluently. lie was their spokesman : 1 Can we stop with you to-night ? Can you feed us ? We are very hungry ; have been living on dried meat and crackers for some time. Do you know of any good section of country for a settlement ?' ' What kind of land do you want I Why did you not like Minnesota?' 'It is too unlike the country we have left. We want more clay, gravel, timber and water combined, something like the country we have left, but not so hard.'

" 'Do you know of such a section of coun¬ try?' 'Yes.' 'Will you show it to us?' 'Yes.' 'How far is it?' 'Twelve miles.' I got them up a good meal - trout and pork, cream biscuits, and nearly a half bushel of One potatoes, and plenty of coffee. I poured the potatoes into a large pan in the centre of the table, and told them to sit up. I don't think any crowd ever enjoyed the exhibition of seeing wild animals fed in a menagerie more than 1 did to see those men eat. The potatoes were very large and mealy - the skins burst open on them. The first thing done was to reach the right hand and take two and place them beside their plates. Some of the men had been eating cold potatoes whilst I was cook¬ ing supper; but the clergyman describes the sup¬ per better, in the following extract from a letter to me, than 1 can:

Dear Sir: I feel really ashamed that I have not written to you l>efore, to thank you again for your friendly hospitality towards me and my fellow travelers, when we were repeatedly at your house, and almost ate up all your provisions.

I often laugh heartily when I think of that almost ferocious appetite with which we fell over your cold potatoes first, and then keeping you in con¬ stant exercise, emptying your pan and eating your biscuit as fast ns you could fry and bake. I assure you such recollections often makes my heart yearn after your country with its fresh and bracing climate, its delicious trout, venison, etc.

"The next morning being the Sabbath they held divine service, the first ever held in this part of the country. The arrangement was that after service I should hitch up my team and take them to the promised land I had told them of. The French boys had built a fine log house in the little pine grove on Jock's claim. The pines were the first you came in sight of and that told you where the stream was. We got there about two in the afternoon, and the clergyman and myself went at once to work to see which could get the most trout in the least possible time, for supper. The crowd scattered in every direction, some to hunt, and some to fish. We soon had an abundance of trout and met again under the pines for supper. I had taken bread, pork and coffee, had a large fire started and went at once to cooking trout in large frying-pans. They de¬ voured about as fast as I could cook, but they had to stop at last. There were a few trout left, but I put on a fresh pan to fry, and commenced eating. Clausen says : 'What are you frying those for; we are all done?' 'Do you begrudge me a few trout. I guess your men don't know how to eat trout,' and I commenced eating in bnckwoods style.

"lie began making fun at my expense. I kept right on eating as though I had had nothing to eat for a week, when I stopped, leaned forward towards Clausen, drew down my face and said, 'Can you see any red specks on my face ?' He leaned forward, took a good look and said 'No.' 'Are you sure ?' He took another good look and says, "I can't see any.' 'I am all right then. I al¬ ways eat trout till the specks show," and then went to eating again, and he and the French boys took a hearty laugh at his expense. Next morn¬ ing they all selected places, and some of them are in them yet. This is the start of the large Norwegian settlement that has done so much in - this section of country. Had nothing inter¬ vened to disarrange the plans of myself and Clausen, this place would have been now quite a city. He was to fetch settlers and have an in¬ terest in the water-power; we were to get an in¬ terest at Prescott for an outlet. I carried out my part. Mr. Clausen was unable to fulfill his part of the plan owing to the war between Den¬ mark, Austria, and Prussia. Mr. Prescott the old proprietor of that city, came down from the Fort to lay out his town. He got Mr. J. O. Hen¬ ning to do the work. I went to Prescott whilst they were laying out the town, took dinner with Prescott in the old log house; the dinner was cooked by a squaw, the wife of an old French¬ man that lived in the house. I told Mr. Prescott what I would like to do. He was very liberal. He said: 'Mr. Foster, I will sell you lots fair, and will give you one. Take it where you like.' Up to this time I had been popular in Hudson - all were very friendly to me, and in directing peo¬ ple where to go, they would tell them they could not go anywhere without going by Foster's, at the Falls of the Kinnickinnic. After that they would tell them they could not go anywhere and go past Foster's.

"Two new names August 1st, 1850 ; Mr. Woods debtor, to horse to Big river, credit, by work one day. Mr. Woods, at times known as Capt. Woods, was the first settler on Big river. French Brothers debtors, to one plow $15; by cash $5.00. The same plow broke the first ground on both streams. Mr. Luke Pomeroy had come to the valley that spring but had not at that time located in the valley. Tho first time I saw him was on this side of the mound this side of Hudson, start¬ ing a breaking team, breaking the first furrow on the Jones farm. Ho and others had had a hard time getting through the woods on our new road with his teams and stock. December 15th, 1850, Mr. Bartlett, debtor, to one horse and cow, $75. Mr. Bartlett was quite an old man. He had come over the road with a lot of cows for sale late in fall. He did not stop in the country but several that came with him did. One man by the name of Baker, settled at what was Baker Station. Another by the name of Fuller settled near the mouth of Rush river. The first circuit court was held in the small frame house, built by one of the Nobles and sold to Col. Hughes, by Judge Jackson of Mineral Point. Two Indians were tried for killing a white man. It took all the settlers to make up a jury. We lacked one man. A man who was in the habit of stopping on either side of

"I was selected foreman. This court w'as a grand thing for us as it gave us a chance to meet and know each other personally, ns we had by re¬ port. It was the most intelligent body of men that I ever met in like associations, and Judge Jackson made the same remark after shaking hands with nearly all present on the occasion.

"It gave us a good chance to post ourselves on what had taken place or was going to take place in the country. Some one from down the river toward Prescott was telling me of some very interesting circumstances that happened, when I asked who was along. He said there were three brothers by the name of 'Thing' in the county, and all were at court; one had a clubfoot. My informant answered: 'I was along, and such a one,' pointing to another, and to one of the Things, 'This Thing was along, and that Thing, and the Devil's own Thing, was along,' pointing to the one with the club foot; which remark caused a good deal of merriment. Again refering to the account book we find: 'October 20th, 1850 - Mr. Fish, debtor, to trip to town for doc¬ tor; to cash paid for sugar and candles, 75 cents; and sundries.'

"This was tho first occurrence of the kind that had taken place in this section, the arrival of set¬ tlers by birth, a boy and girl. Mr. Fish had gone below for supplies of lumber, Mr. McGregor was in Hudson at work, I was the only man available on the occasion and did my duty manfully; so much so that Mrs. Fish said if I would wait long enough, I should have the girl. 'Mr. Comstock, debtor, to two. meals, 25 cents.' There were two of the Comstocks, and a brother-in-law, Mr. Dud¬ ley. One of the brothers died at Diamond Bluff. The other and Mr. Dudley axe living on a fine farm near Prescott.

"'January 1st, 1851, Mr. Hayes, debtor, to team to move from town, $1.00.' Mr. Hayes worked for me and his wife kept house until spring, when he moved on to land about half way to Rush river. 'February 14th, 1851 - Settled this day with D. McGregor.' This I think is the first settlement made in the Valley. It will be seen that in the spring of 1851 there was quite a rush of settlers to the Valley. March 1st, 1851, Mr. Perrin settled on land now owned by Professor

Wild. Mr. Cowen selected'land near the edge of the woods, the same spring, and still remains. 'April 7th, 1851, Mr. Parks, debtor, to two biishels of corn, $1.50.' Mr. Parks settled near the Mapes's on the banks of the Kinnickinnic. April 7tli, Mr. W. A. Tozer settled on the place now owned by Mr. Spaulding. Mr. Seeley came about this time and settled near the mouth of Rush river. This spring seemed to be a very busy time with us at the 'fort,' as they called it. AmongThe number that called on us and settled on the road to Rush river was Nelsen, a Dane. Mrs. Nelson was the first white woman that settled in that section. Mrs. Nelsen was a small woman, but wide awake. She with the other settlers, had her share of ray chickens. She said she did not see what an old bachelor wanted w ith so many hens. I had occasion to visit the French boys, that had -settled on the Rush river in the fall, and on the way 1 called on Mr. Nelsen.

He was away from home. Mrs. Nelsen was very much pleased to see me. 1 must stop to dinner. I told her I could not wait. 1 Rut me have one little baby and you must see him.' She went to a short piece of hollow log, split in two. with the bark off and made smooth, so it could rock, and took a fine, healthy child up to show me. 'What is it?' 'One little girl.' I told her that was wrong for a new country; 'Yes, yes, Nelsen want him a boy.' ' Mr. Foster, them chickens you let me have, they all make eggs." ' The one you gave me to make noise, he make egg to.' 'Mr. Nelsen must come and get more." Here was encouragement to a democratic old bachelor, that believed in home resources, and was ambitious to fill up the country and build up a city, to have ladieB in the country that would raise settlers right on the ground and make roost¬ ers lay eggs for supplies."

"Judge Foster was married in 1856, to Miss Charlotte Porch, of Chicago. The fruit of the union was five children. Albert P., Charlotte A., Joel J., Eunice A. and Mary. His daughter Charlotte died March 30th, 1869."