Washington County, Minnesota - Chapter 45: Dkscuiit1ve - Eahlv S Ett Lem Km T - Im, 1881

Chapter 45: Dkscuiit1ve - Eahlv S Ett Lem Km T - Im

By an act of the legislature, approved March, 1858, nil that ]>ortioii of St. Croix county lying north of the line between townships 81 and 32, was set off and formed into a new county, to be known as Polk county, in honor of James K. Polk, ex-president. The county at that date included a part of Barron, Chippewa and Ashland counties, and all of Polk, Raylield, and Douglas counties, i By acts of the legislature from time to time, the territory was divided into the above named counties, leav¬ ing the present Polk county, located on the west¬ ern boundary of the state, on the east side of Lake St. Croix. It contains twenty-seven full and three fractional townships, with about 700,- 000 acres area. A bout three-sevenths of this is under improvement. Throughout the western portion of the county, near the river, the land is generally high and rolling. The central and east¬ ern portions are quite level. The country along the streams is well wooded with pine, oak and maple. The drainage is good. On the west the St. Croix flows the entire length of the county, while the Apple, Wolf, Trade, Wood, Clam and Willow are the principal rivers, which, with their tributaries and numerous small lakes, furnish the county with abundant irrigation. Fine trout, pickerel, bass, i>erch, and various other fresh¬ water flsh are plenty. Fine water-powers are found on the larger streams, of which the one at St. Croix Falls on the St. Croix river is the most important.

The soil varies from sandy to loamy, with a clay subsoil in places, and is well adapted to wheat raising. Indifferent portions of the county we find large deposits of lime and sand rocks, which furnish valuable material for building purl>oses. Deposits of iron, copper and lead are found in different portions of the county. Some of the llnest scenery in the northwest is found within the limits of the county - the dalles of the St. Croix, the towering rock, Devil's chair, with the high bluffs, the pleasant groves and fine scenery surrounding the beautiful lakes, are vis¬ ited by thousands of strangers during the sum¬ mer season.

The county agricultural society was organized in 1800, and has had many successful fairs, which have awakened an interest among the farmers for the more thorough development of the impor¬ tant branches of fanning.

This county was originally occupied by the Chippewa Indians. By a treaty which was made at Fort Snelling July 29th, 1837, between the United SUites, by their commissioner, Henry Dodge, then governor of the territory of Wiscon¬ sin, and the Chippewas, the latter ceded to the United States the upper valley of the St. Croix. The remainder of their lands in this region were ceded to the general government in 1842, since which time no organized bands have made a per¬ manent settlement in the county.

The first white men that visited this region were Daniel Greysolon Du Lliut, or Du Luth, with five French Canadians, who, as early as 1081, were ei gajed in trading with the Indians. The same year, Father Louis Hennepin visited this locality. A map of this portion of the country was made by Jonathan Carver in 1700.

The first permanent settlement was made in July. 1837, by Franklin Steele, George W. Fitch, Colonel Stambaugh, Emerson Maginnis and others, who made claims and squatted on land where the village of St. Croix now sUinds. In 1838, a company was organized to carry on a gen¬ eral lumber, manufacturing and trading business, composed of the following persons: Frank

Early Settlers

Jin Steele, Dr. George \V. Fitch, W. S. Ilungerfonl, James Livingston, James Libbey, B. F. Titcomband W. S. Holcombe; known as tlie St. Louis Lumber Company. This company built a dam and large saw-mill, with several stores and shops; also, quite a number of dwellings, and carried on an extensive business for a few years, when they failed. In 1847, another company was formed, consisting of James Perrington, from Maine, and Caleb Cushing, with a capital of $60,000, who obtained possession of the property, made many improvements, and did a fine busi¬ ness for a short time, when they succumbed to the hard times; we hear of Mr. Perrington, at the mouth of Willow river, building a saw¬ mill. Of those whose names we find on the roll of early settlers, who came between 1844 and 1848, are the following: William Kent, II. N. Setzer, Smith Ellison, J. L. Taylor, Daniel Mears, John Mower, William Nobles, Martin Mower, W. J. Vincent, Ilarvey Walker, W. Mahoney, Mr. Perkins, Joseph and W. R. Mar¬ shall, P. Jewell, J. Weymouth, W. S. Hungerford, Joseph Bowron, II. Schultz, Anson North¬ rop, Robert Kent and others. Of this number, we find that Wm. Kent erected a saw-mill at what is now Osceola Mills in 1844; he, with his brothers, were afterwards the founders of Osceola Mills. He was the first county treasurer, and has long been a prominent steamboat man on the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers. II. N. Setzer was established in the law business at Du¬ luth. Daniel Mears located at St. Croix Falls in 1848, where he remained for a short time, when he removed to what was Willow River, now Hud¬ son. He was elected to the state senate, 1868 and 1859, and has held a prominent position among the lumber interests of the St. Croix Valley.

W. R. Marshall afterwards became governor of the state of Minnesota, Joseph Bowron founded what is known as Bowron's mills in St. Croix county. In 1849, he represented St. Croix and La Pointe counties in the assembly. William Vincent held several important civil offices, and Robert Kent was county judge for ten years.

Settlers came in slowly until I860, when the influx of population began to set in at this point. The first hotel built in the county was by the St. Louis Lumber Company; known as the Planters' j

House. The first grist mill was built in 1848, by Kent brothers at Osceola Mills. The first store, first frame house, first blacksmith shop were built by the lumber company at St. Croix Falls. The second hotel was built by the Cushing Lum¬ ber Company at the falls. The first bridge built across the St. Croix river in 1856, located between St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin and Taylor Falls, Min¬ nesota. The first mail route was opened by Dr. Aldrich, from Stillwater to St. Croix, and the mail transported in a bateau on the river in the summer, on the ice in the winter once a week. The Doctor also established an over-land mail route in 1847, from what was then Willow River to St. Croix Falls. This was carried weekly on foot through the woods until 1855, when he es¬ tablished a regular stage line. The first white . child bom at the falls was Charles H. Northrup, September 25th, 1841. Rev. Mr. Boutwell per¬ formed the first marriage ceremony, for Louis Barlow. Mis. Tainter taught the first school at St. Croix Falls, in 1848.

UTlie first school taught in Osceola, was in 1845, by W. A. Talboys. The first school-house built in Osceola, was in 1864, in St. Croix Falls, in 1861. Rev. Mr. Boutwell, a Congregational mis¬ sionary, located at Pokegama, held the first re¬ ligious services at St. Croix Falls. The Metho¬ dists represented by Rev.Mr. Eddyvin in 1852, or¬ ganized the first religious society in Osceola. Dur¬ ing the ministry of Rev. S. T. Catlin, the Baptist society built their first church at Osceola Mills.

In all new settlements after the school and the church, comes the newspaper, the great dissemi¬ nator of information. The first to establish a newspaper at St. Croix Falls, was Messrs. Reymert and Bartlett in December, 1860, at which date they commenced the publication of the St. Croixian. One year later it assummed the title of the Polk County Press, and was removed to Osceola, by S. S. Fifield, in 1861, he having purchased the paper. Charles E. Mears afterwards became its publisher. The first to disi>ensc powders and pills to the sick and lan¬ guishing at St. Croix Falls, was Dr. Carli. The first dispenser of law to the lawless at St. Croix, was Isaac Freeland. The early settlers of this, then wild, remote district, had many trials to en¬ dure. Selfishness was often predominant in the matter of location of lands. The poor were over- ridden by the rich. An instance of this kind occ u red in the town of Farmington. A valuable piece of land had been pre-empted by several set¬ tlers who had failed in making their final entry at the proper time. One Ovid Finney, a wealthy speculator, taking advantage of this circumstance entered the lands from them.

This act so enraged the settlers that they re¬ solved to deal out to the "old man" a measure of speedy justice. They held a council and decided to drown him. But better judgment prevailing, they allowed the old man to depart. Many acts of lawlessness were committed during those early times. Murders were quite frequent, both with whites and Indians. So frequently were these acts committed that a well-organized vig¬ ilance committee was established by the settlers. Osceola and St. Croix Falls became points of some size in 184.5, and, as with other places that had the appearance of becoming even villages in size, a tract of land was platted and laid off into village lots by M. T. Chandler, for St. Croix Falls, in 1845, and by F. G. Murrey, April 26th, 1855, for Osceola Mills. Polk county has the honor of the building of the first steamboat in the St. Croix Valley, which was built at Osceola by Holmes and Cummings in the winter of 1855.

The first territorial election was held at St. Croix Falls in 1844, and the first general election was held in November, 1853. The county was at that time divided into two voting precincts, Le¬ roy and St. Croix Falls. The county seat was located then at the latter place. At the general election, sixty-four votes were cast, and the fol¬ lowing officers were elected: Isaac Freeland, clerk of the county; E. C. Treadwell, sheriff; O. A. Clark, surveyor; W. A. Talboys, register of deeds; William Kent, treasurer; Ilarman Cran¬ dall, coroner; Nelson McCarty, district attorney; ltobert Kent, clerk of the court. The first meet¬ ing of the board of supervisors was held at the house of F. W. Abbott in Osceola. At the same house the county offices were located for several yearn. At the fall election of 1853 a vote was taken to remove the county seat to Osceola, re¬ sulting in forty-four for, and none against the re¬ moval; the records were consequently removed to Osceola. The subject was still agitated, and again voted on in the fall of 1854, which resulted in the records remaining at Osceola. Judge

Wiram Knowlton. of the eighth judicial district, held the first court at Osceola in a school-house. The first county judge was Isaac W. Hale.

The county has one railroad, the North Wiscon¬ sin, which crosses the southeast corner of the county, built in 1874. Several ancient mounds are found in different parts of the county, from many of which have been exlmmed human bones large in size, which would indicate that a race of larger i>eople had once lived in these parts.

The records of Polk county, from organization to 1863, were destroyed. The following is the affidavit of C. II. Staples then clerk of the board of supervisors: "C. II. Staples, clerk of the board of supervisors of Polk county, being duly sworn, deposes and says, that lietween the 19th and 24th of April, 1863, the buildings occupied by the county offices for said county, were entered by some person or persons, and there was taken from them the records of the county, containing all of the proceedings of the county board of supervisors, since the organization of the county, also a copy of the tax sales of said county, and said book has not to this date been returned. Sworn and subscrilied to before me, this 18th day of May, 1863. W. M. Blonding, county judge." The first town organization was that of Leroy, in 1853, which at that time included the whole of Polk county. The next organization was that of Alden; as the books were destroyed, the dates do not appear. The boundaries were as follows : commencing at the south-east corner of the county, thence west to the south-west corner of section 33, township 32, range 18, thence north on the section line to the north-west corner of section 4, of said township and range; thence east to the eastern boundary of the county; then south to the place of beginning, to be known as Alden.

The next was Farmington, the boundaries of which are as follows: commencing at the south¬ east corner of section 32, township 32, range 18; thence north to the north-east corner of section 32, township 33, of range 18; thence west on section line to the north-west corner of section 35, town¬ ship 33, range 19; thence south on section line to the quarter post between sections 34 and 35; tlicnce west to the St. Croix river; thence south down said river to the south-west corner of the I county; thence east to the place of beginning to be known as Farmington.

The boundaries of the town of Osceola were as follows: commencing on the St. Croix river, on the township line between towns 33 and 34 ; thence east on township line to the north-east comer of section 4, township 33, range 17; thence south on the section line to the township line between townships 32 and 33; thence west to the south-west corner of section 33, township 33, range 18; thence north to the north-west corner of section 33; thence west on the northern bound¬ ary line of the town of Farmington, to the St. Croix river ; thence north on said river to the place of beginning.

Also the boundaries of the town of Lincoln, the date of the organization of which does not appear, were as follows: commencing at the north-east corner of section 4, township 33, rango 17; thence ojist on township line to the eiistern boundary of the county ; thence south to the town line l>etween township 32, range 33; thence west to the south-east comer of section 33, township 33, range 17; thence north on section line to the place of beginning.

The Imundarv of the town of "St. Croix Falls" was ns follows: Commencing at the St. Croix river on the township line between townships 33 and 34. Then east on said township line to the county line, thence north to the township line l»ebetween townships 35 and 30, then west on town¬ ship line to line between ranges 18 and 10, then south on range lino to the southeast corner of section 1, township 34, range 19. And all that portion of Polk county north of the northern boundary of the town of St. Croix Falls to known as the town of "Sterling."

In the winter of 1862 and '63, by a vote of the people of what was then known as Dallas county, townships 32, 33, 34, 35, 30 and 37, of range 15, were set off from the county of "Dallas," now "Barron," and attached to the county of Polk. At a meeting of the board of county supervisors held May 18th, 1863, township 36 and 37, of range 15, were set olT and called the town of "Sterling." At the same meeting it was voted township 34 and 35 of range 15, he attlachcd to the town of "St. Croix Falls." Also that township 33, range

No organizations of new towns were effected from this date until 1867, when at a meeting of the county board held August 15th, it was voted that all of tho territory of township 32 north, of ranges 15 and 16, west, situated in the town of "Alden" in the county of Polk, be and is hereby set off from said town of Alden and made into a new town to be known as the town of "Black Brook," the first election to be held at the house of Horace Nelson, on section 34, township 32, range 16, west.

At a meeting of the county l>oard held Novem¬ ber 9th, 1869, it was voted to lay off a new town to comprise the following territory, viz: All of townships 36 and 37, ranges 15, 16 and 17, be de¬ tached from the town of "Sterling" and formed into a new town to be known as "Luck," the first election to be held at the house of W. Foster, on section 28, township 36, range 17. At a meeting of the board held December 20th, 1869, it was voted that the following territory be set off from the town of St. Croix Falls: All of township 35, in ranges 15, 16 and 17, be and is hereby set off and formed into a new town to b3 known as "Alilltown," the first election to be held in the school house in district number 5. At the same meeting it was voted that all of township 31, ranges 15 and 16, and sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9,

At a meeting of the board held December 16tli, 1873, it was voted to lay off the following'described territory, viz: Township 35, range 18 and 19 to be detached from the town of St. Croix Falls, and formed into a new town to be known as Eureka, the first election to be held in the school-house in the Hoover district. At a meet¬ ing of the board held November 10th, 1874, it was voted to detach from the town of Sterling township 36, range 18, and said territory to be formed into a new town to be known as Lake Town, the first election to be held in school-house in district number 3. At a meeting of the board held November 10th, 1875, it was voted to form a new town from township 33, range 15 west, said territory to be detached from the town of Lincoln, and formed into a new town known as Clayton, the first election to be held at the house of Fisher Brown, section 26. At the same meet¬ ing it was voted to detach sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, mid 6, township 32, range 16, from Lincoln, and annex the same to Black Brook town. It was also voted to set off township 37, range 17 west, from the town of Luck, and form a new town known as West Sweden. The first election to be held at the school-house in district number 2. At a meeting of the board held June 8th, 1876, it was voted to set off from the town of Balsam Lake, township 34, range 15 and 16, and form the same into a new town to be known as Apple River. The first election to be held at the schoolhouse in district number 5. At a meeting of the board held July 14th, 1876. it was voted to de¬ tach from the town of Luck, township 37, range 16, and form the same into a new town to be known as Clam Falls. The first election to be held at the village of Clam Falls.

6, township 32, range 16, from the town of Lin¬ coln and annex the same to the town of Black Brook. Also voted to form a new town from township 32, range 15, said town to be known as " Clear Lake." The first election to be held at the school-house near the lake. -At a meeting of the board held November 15th, 1878, it was voted to detach township 35, ranges 15 and 16, from the town of Milltown, and form the same into a new town to be known ns "Georgetown." The first election to be held at the school-house in district No. 3.

"The war record of Folk county was what they may justly be proud of. The whole number of volunteers that enlisted from the county was sixty-two, which constituted one-fifth of the whole population of the county. It is doubtful if another county in the state can produce such a record of the patriotism of its people." Some a little too old, and many too young, if the exact figures had been given, rushed to the front, fired with a noble spirit of patriotism, to defend their country, in the hour of her need, from the de¬ stroying arms of her foe. Her volunteers were scattered into every regiment that went from the state.