Washington County, Minnesota - Chapter 51: Election Precincts - First Court - Land, 1881

Chapter 51: Election Precincts - First Court - Land

In accordance with the act creating St. Croix county in 1840, an election was held. At the first meeting of the board, October 6th, 1840, Joseph R. Brown was chosen clerk. Among the many acts of the board, was the granting of $30 each to Joseph R. Brown and William Dibble, for carrying the election returns to Prairie du Chien. They also deeded to Joseph R. Brown the tract of land described in his claim, in con¬ sideration of $800 paid into the county treasury; and also purchased from Mr. Brown one-half acre, for a site for county buildings, to be selected by the county commissioners in the central part of the town, when it shall have been laid out. The board also made a contract with Joseph R. Brown, to provide the necessary buildings for a court house, jail and county offices. The board also granted a license to Philander Prescott to establish a ferry across the St. Croix river, at or near its mouth. The ferry was established, and led to the beginning of the present tow'll of Pres¬ cott, Wisconsin.

The county commissioners of St. Croix, located the following election precincts, July 5th, 1841, and appointed proper judges of election: No. 1, on Grey Cloud Island, at the house of Hazen Mooers; Joseph Haskell and David Hone, judges. No. 2, at the mouth of St. Croix river, at the house of Philander Prescott; Oscar Burress and Mr. Brush, judges. No. 3, at Marine Mills, at the house of Samuel Burkleo; Asa Par¬ ker and T. Harrington, judges. No. 4, at the

Falls of St. Croix, at the house of Joshua L. Tay¬ lor; W. Furberand Jesse Taylor, judges. No. 5, at Pokeguma Lake, at the house of Jeremiah Russell; E. Myers and M. Ely, judges.

The county was divided into the following as¬ sessor's districts: First district, south of aline running from the lower part of Rush river, to the mouth of the Kinnickinnic, on St. Croix lake; thence on a direct line to the mouth of Pine river on Rum river; thence due west to the western line of the county. Second district, north of the above line, and south of a line drawn from the head of Rush river, to the mouth of Apple river; thence due north to the county line. The third district comprised all of the county north of the above descrilied line.

The Wisconsin legislature passed an act, Janu¬ ary, 1846, making Stillwater and St. Paul election precincts; and also designated Stillwater as the county seat of St. Croix county, which continued till the establishing of Washington county by the first Minnesota territorial legislature in 1849. In 1846, the election precincts were: St. Croix Falls, Marine Mills, Stillwater, St. Paul and Lake. In 1848, the election precincts were: St. Croix Falls, Marine Mills, Stillwater, Snake River, Rush Lake, Rice River, St. Paul, and St. Anthony. During this year the assessor's districts were changed, and thus described: First district in¬ cluded all of the county lying south of the town¬ ship line between townships twenty-eight and twenty-nine. The second district included all north of the above line, and south of the correc¬ tion line between townships thirty and thirty-one. The third district included all the county north of the above named correction line. These as¬ sessors districts were also constituted road dis¬ tricts in the spring of 1850.

The first term of district court, in the county of St. Croix, was held at Stillwater, in June, 1847, Judge Charles Dunn presiding; Joseph R. Brown, clerk; Franklin Dunn, William Brace and Wiram Knowlton, attorneys.

This court is said to have been held in the upper story of John McKusick's store, on the comer of Main and Myrtle streets. A Chippewa Indian by name, Notinorodin, (the wind,) was tried for the murder of Jack Drake. Drake kept a trading post and sold liquor to the Indiansf which, on this occasion led to an altercation and the shooting of Mr. Drake, After hearing the evidence, finding that the Indian had been pro¬ voked, the judge concluded it was expedient to acquP him.

At a meeting held this fall for representative of the district composed of Crawford, St. Croix, Chippewa and La Pointe counties to the legisla ture of Wisconsin, Henry Jackson was chosen.

During these passing years, improvements had been made, as the number of inhabitants were con¬ stantly on the increase. Wisconsin was admitted as a state with St. Croix Lake and river as its west¬ ern boundary, leaving the territory west of that river without a government. Prior to this date, St. Croix county had been attached to Crawford county for judicial purj>oses, but during this year was detached and constituted the first district, with Stillwater as the county seat. In August, 1849, the first terra of court in the judicial district was held by Aaron Goodrich, of the United States court. Harvey Wilson, of Stillwater, was appointed clerk of the court.

Parallel with some of the latter events, the government surveys of land in the St. Croix Val¬ ley, and in the vicinity of St. Paul and St. An¬ thony had been prosecuted, and on the 14th of August, 1848. the first sale of land in the valley was made in the land ofiice at St. Croix Falls, by virtue of a proclamation of President Polk. At this sale, twenty-seven whole and fractional townships or 436,737 acres were offered for sale, part of which was in Wisconsin; only 3,326 acres were sold, at $1.25 per acre.

A gentleman present on that memorable occa¬ sion, gives the following account. "The land ofiice for the Chippewa land district was opened by General Samuel Leech, receiver, and Colonel C. S. Whitney, register at the Falls of St. Croix, early in August, 1847. The first sale in the dis¬ trict commenced on, or about the 15th of August, 1848, and continued for two weeks. At this sale the first lands were sold, that are now comprised within the present limits of Minnesota, including the town sites of Stillwater, St. Paul and St. Anthony. At this period, there were few set¬ tlers within what is now the state of Minnesota, and they were principally located within and around the above named places. For the better accommodation of the people, the convenience for travel and entertainment being very poor, those having charge of the land office gave timely notice of the exact day upon which certain town¬ ships, would be offered for sale; so that at no time were there more than forty or fifty persons pres¬ ent. No speculators were in attendance at this sale, which accounts for the fact that but one case of opposition in bidding occured during the whole sale, and that took place between two set¬ tlers, whoresided somewhere in the neighborhood of what now is Cottage Grove, in Washington county. It seems that after having secured their respective claims, they could not agree upon which should have a certain eighty acre tract of timber land lying adjacent to each. The success¬ ful bidder paid about ten cents above the minnimum price per acre."

Hon. Henry II. Sibley gives the following note: "At the land sales of the Falls of the St. Croix, in 1848, when the site of the present city of St. Paul and the tracts adjacent thereto on the east side of the Mississippi were exposed to public sale, I was selected by the actual settlers to bid off portions of the land for them, and when the hour for business had arrived, my sent was in¬ variably surrounded by a number of men with huge bludgeons. What was meant by the pro¬ ceeding, I could of course only surmise, but I would not have envied the fate of the individual who would have ventured to bid against me." The removal of the land office to Stillwater, from the Falls of St. Croix, was effected after much delay and difficulty, as a remonstrance had been made by the members of the Wisconsin legisla¬ ture. The people held a meeting and authorized one of their number to write to Senator Isaac P. Walker, to use his influence against its removal from the state. The difficulty was surmounted by establishing an additional land district in Wis¬ consin, at Willow River; hence on the 1st of July, 1849, the land office was removed to Still¬ water, with A. Van Vorhes, register. It was subsequently removed to Cambridge, thence to Sunrise and then to Taylor's Falls, where it re¬ mains, with Colonel Owens as receiver. About this time, through the influence of Hon. II. II. Sibley, a mail was granted to the people of the county and valley, by the kindness of the post¬ master general.

For some years the only roads were those af¬ forded by nature; but as men began to look out from a few saw-mill centers and pine forests, lying above on the head waters of the St. Croix river, to the hidden wealth of the soil, and began to cultivate the prairies and find use for the tim¬ ber sections, roads were demanded and finally constructed. The road from Stillwater to St. Paul doubtless was established by the people from these places passing back and forth, on ns direct a route as possible, till in time it became an es¬ tablished road recognized by state authority. This road changed from time to time, taking a course both feasible and advantageous to the traveler. It appears that John Morgan built a house, known ns the half-way house on this road, in the fall of 1849, showing that it was a traveled road before the building of any authorized roads on record.

"J. W. Furber was appointed by the commis¬ sioners. June 7th, 1841. as commissioner to lay out and establish a territorial road from Marine Mills to Gray Cloud Island."

We have no evidence that this road was estab¬ lished. The earliest record we have of any regu¬ larly authorized public highway was by authority of the first territorial legislature of Minnesota. During the first session a number of territorial roads were directed to be constructed, the chief one crossing Washington county.

By act of the legislature 11. W. Brunson, Al¬ bert Harris and Mahlon Black were appointed to meet on the 31st of October, 1849, and lay out a road, from Stillwater in a westerly direction to White Bear lake ; thence to some point at or near the mouth of Rum river. This was the first road authorized by the legislature, and doubtless the first laid out in the territory according to law. By an act of the second legislature, John Morgan, C. S. Dorr and Joseph W. Marshall, were ap¬ pointed to meet February 3d, 1851, and lay out a road from the village of St. Anthony Falls by the nearest and most feasible route by John Mor¬ gan's tavern, on the road leading from Stillwater to St. Paul, to the lower ferry on the west side of Lake St. Croix, opposite the village of Willow River, Wisconsin.

By authority of the legislature, Joshua L. Tay¬ lor, John Rollins, James Meredith, Charles R. Conway and Joseph L. Bonne were appointed to meet March the 1st, 1853, and lay out a read from St. Anthony Falls, by way of Chisago lake, to Taylor's Falls. By special act of March 5th, 1853, Messrs. Charles R. Conway, John A. Ford and William Altenburgh were made commission¬ ers to alter or change a rood running from Point Douglas to St. Paul, to a more practicable route than the one then traveled.

By social act of the sixth territorial legis¬ lature, Mahlon Black, Isaac Staples and James II. Spencer were appointed commisioners to meet in March, 1856, and lay out a road from Stillwater, by way of Comfort's settlement, to a point on Snake river.

Division Into Towns

A board of commissioners was apj>ointed by the governor to divide the county into townships, by which the following towns were organized during the mouth of May. 1858. This date is taken from the !>ook of record of county supervisors, but re¬ ferring to the history of the townships it appears that a large portion of them were organized Octol>er 20th, 1858. The names of these townships at the first division were: Vasa, Marine, Stillwater, Greenfield, Baytown, Lakeland, Oakdale, Afton, Red Rock, Delhi, Cottage Grove and Newport. So far as it seemed practicable, the commissioners retained the old historic names. In the original dividing of the county into townships, it appears that township 32, ranges 19, 20 and 21, was known as Vasa; this was changed by an act of the board of county commissioners to Otis, June 7th, 1859, and by an act of the same board the year following, attached to Marine. At the annual meeting of the board of county commissioners held September 4th, 1870, the town of Oneka was was created, comprising congressional township 37, range 21. By an act of the same board, March 11th, 1874, in compliance with a petition from the citizens of congressional township 32, range 21, asking to be set off from Marine, a new town was formed called Forest Lake/'

The following subscription was taken for the purpose of erecting a court house: We, the under¬ signed, agree to pay the amount set opposite our several names, to be invested in a court house and jail in the town of Stillwater, to be built in accordance with a plan submitted by Jacob Fish¬ er, provided the county of St. Croix will pay the balance of the cost of said building after deduct¬ ing $1,200, which amount we projiose to raise by the subscription, and pay to the holder of this paper as may be required for the purpose of the building.

The first deed of which we have any record in the county, was given by John McKusick to the village of Stillwater, bearing date December 20th, 1847, by which he deeds to the town a lot for the purpose of a court house and jail.

The commissioners convened at the above date, received the deed of Mr. McKusick, located a site for a court house and jail, and let the contract for the erection of a specified building to Jacob Fish¬ er. This action of the commissioners created some feeling on the part of the people during the winter and early spring. In the spring of 1848, Mr. Fisher began work on the court house ac¬ cording to the contract made in December previ¬ ous.

After the work had been prosecuted for a short time, the people presented a petition signed by 289 persons, praying the commissioners to set aside the contract of building a court house and jail, until the boundary lines of the territory of Minnesota shall be established, 'or till the people call up the question, which they will do, as soon as it seems to lie feasible. The debate that fol¬ lowed the presentation of this petition, was ani¬ mating and exciting; citizens, not members of the board, participating in the discussion. The en¬ tire session, extending far into the night, was oc¬ cupied in the debate. At the hour of 10 o'clock, Socrates Nelson, one of the commissioners, with¬ drew from the contest, but another member of the board, we are not informed which of the two remaining commissioners was so tenacious, con¬ tinued the contest for two hours, when this reso¬ lution prevailed:

"Resolved, That the progress of building the court house and jail, under contract to Jacob Fisher, be suspended until July next, and a notice served on Jacob Fisher to this effect."

It seems that the work was suspended for a time, and then pushed forward to a certain stage of completion; and on the 1st of August, 1849, was accepted in an unfinished condition by the board of commissioners of St. Croix county, but Mr. Fisher did not receive compensation for said building until the first meeting of the board of commissioners of Washington county, as the following preamble and resolution clearly show:

"Whereas, The county of St. Croix on the 1st day of August, 1849, did receive from Jacob Fisher the uncompleted building of the court house in Stillwater, and whereas, the erection of said building was authorized by the commission¬ ers of the county of St. Croix, ns per contract on file, and whereas, the said building has cost, and is estimated to be worth the sum of $2,366.66, and, therefore, showing a balance due to Jacob Fisher, on the aforesaid, from the 1st dny of Aug¬ ust, of $116.66, it is hereby resolved, by the board of county commissioners of the county of Wash¬ ington, that orders on the treasury of Washing¬ ton county be issued, in said Jacob Fisher's fa¬ vor for the amount of the above sum, $116.66, to be paid out of the St. Croix county funds, in full payment of building at the time of its reception."

This building, located on the corner of Chest¬ nut and Fourth streets, quaint in its form of structure, having four cells in the basement, one general and two small rooms on the first and only floor, serving for court room, jury box, etc., was finally finished. This was the first court house in the territory, and was the house honored with the first court held after declaration of the terri¬ torial organization by Governor Ramsey. Judge Goodrich presided at this term of court, second Monday of August, 1849.

Early incidents. The first county election held in this country, embracing several counties, was for the organization of St. Croix county, August 3d, 1840. The first meeting of county commis¬ sioners was October 5th, 1840, at which time the board examined and approved the bond of Joseph R. Browm ns treasurer of the county, when Mr. Brown was "swrom to the faithful discharge of the duties of his office, and the support of the constitution of the United States." At this same meeting, the board fixed "the price of license for selling liquor to be drank in or out of the house, shall be twenty dollars per annum for those who sell in quantities not less than one quart; and the license of taverns is fixed at five dollars per annum." The same board granted license to Philander Prescott to establish aud keep a ferry across the St. Croix river, at or near its continence with the Mississippi river, leading to Point Douglas. Commissioners' estimate of expenses, made July 4th, 1842: "For viewing and surveying road, $31; payment of county officers and expenses of county, $180; contingent expenses, $100; school-house at Dakota, $05; re¬ demption of county orders for 1841, $100; total expenses, $482." "The treasurer of Wisconsin territory was notified that the property assessed in the count}' amounted to $03,048.75, on which a tax of five and one-half mills on the dollar has been ordered, amounting to $350.07, from which deduct for collectors' fees five per cent., leaving $332.50; from which there will be due the terri¬ tory for the ensuing year the sum of $16.62J, leaving for county purposes the sum of $316.93J. Signed by Joseph It. Brown, clerk; Ilazen Mooers [seal], and Samuel Burkleo [seal], county com¬ missioners." "November 6th, 1843, William Holcombe granted license to Rev. W. S. Boutwell, of Pokeguma, to solemnize marriage." We find on record of same date, the following certificate of marriage from W. T. Boutwell, "uniting in holy wedlock John Kinney and Sally Piajig, in con¬ formity to the law of the land." The following is copied from the records: "Certificate of mar¬ riage from Rev. J. S. Ilurlburt, and license to marry W. B. Dibble and Eliza McCauslin, re¬ ceived and on file in this office, January 1st, 1844." The next marriage recorded was that of Benja¬ min F. Otis and Anna Little Wolf, by Rev. W. T. Boutwell, January 6th, 1844. The following is an abstract of the votes polled in the county of St. Croix on the 6th of April, 1847, for ratifica¬ tion or rejection of the constitution adopted at the convention held at Madison in the fall of 1846, for the formation of a state government; also for or against equal suffrage of colored per¬ sons: For the constitution, 65 votes; against the i constitution, 612 votes; for equal suffrage of colored persons, 1 vote; against, 126. Another note of interest, dated July 5th, 1847: "Joseph R. Brown, clerk of the district court of the United States, presented a petition for a desk for the use of his office; petition was gran ted, providing the same shall not exceed $10 in value." "A road from Stillwater to Marine viewed by J. B. Corey and Cornelius Lyman, and accepted by the coun¬ ty commissioners October 4th, 1847." "An elec¬ tion was held March 13th, 1848, for the ratifica¬ tion or rejection of the constitution adopted by the late territorial convention, for the anticipa¬ tion of a state government of Wisconsin. Votes cast in favor of ratification, 17; rejection, 269." The first deed made and recorded after the land sale in 1848, in the town of Stillwater, is dated September 5th, 1848, by which John McKusick conveys and transfers a certain lot therein de¬ scribed, to Andrew Randall, of Cincinnati, Ohio. This is the first deed recorded after the United States survey was made, which was completed for this and several adjacent counties, December 25th, 1847.

Schools connected with mission stations in¬ tended for Indians and half-breed children were the first, and, for a long time, the only schools in the county; often attended also by the child¬ ren of the first settlers, These schools were the vanguard of the educational movement for the north-west, aud the "open sesame" to the en¬ lightenment that followed. These efforts were followed as soon as settlement began, by local schools, supported by the new settlers, who blazed roads with their axes, and promptly built schoolhouses as they advanced.

Mission schools *for Washington county grew out of those established at Kai>osia, Dakota county; one, in 1837, by Rev. David King, which continued but a short time, and the boarding school of Amos Jones, in 1839, at the same place. The mission school at lied ltock, under the su¬ pervision of the Methodist mission, was oi>ened about 1840, and continued to 1849. MissJ. S. Williamson taught a Dakota and English school at Kaposia during 1846-7. The attendance at these schools was small, varying from five to twenty-five. The attainment made by the pupils was as varied as the attendance. Some never learned to read, while others made good progress.

Schools And Missions

A daughter of an unassuming gentleman of in¬ tegrity, and a settler of Minnesota as early as 1819, is here cited as a case in point. He had married a Dakota wife, wholly ignorant of English, who was the mother of the young girl referred to. In consequence of her receptive, mind and diligence in study, the daughter was sent at a proper age to a boarding school of some celebrity, where she completed the prescribed course, and returning to her home on the banks of the Mississippi, became the wife of an intelli¬ gent settler. This union has been blessed and the bride, now a mother, is training up her little ones in the fear of God, preparing them to be¬ come useful and industrious citizens.

Though much of the labor of missionaries in the northwest came to naught, because of the lack of appreciation and receptivity on the part of the savages, we cannot doubt that enduring results, . worthy of the cost, grew out of these simple mis¬ sionary schools.

In the summerof 1849, Miss Judd, now the wife of A. Eldridge of the city of Stillwater, began a school in the village of Stillwater ; soon after this in the summer of 1848, Miss Ilosford, now the wife of H. L. Moss of St. Paul, taught a select school in Stillwater. J. 11. Craig opened a school at Point Douglas early in January, 1860, and had about thirty scholars. By referring to the town histories it will be seen that the organization of district schools began in 1850, and continued to increase from year to year, as the influx of popu¬ lation demanded, till every town was permanent¬ ly organized. Some of the first districts com¬ prised a whole township, and were in time divided into two districts, and then subdivided, and so on till we come to the present efficient school system.

Since that date the number of district schools has not materially increased, and yet the school system is rapidly attaining a state of perfectness.

Most of the original and unsightly log cabins and rudely constructed buildings have been sup¬ planted by neat and well furnished school-rooms, combining beauty, comfort and an attraction for the expanding mind, showing that the " Fathers do know how to give good gifts to their children."

The interest taken in schools in the county has proved to be one deep and noble purpose. The small beginning of 1846, one teacher and nine pupils, compared with the report of 1880, shows the growth of thirty-four years; a condition of school interests and privileges no one can have imagined possible in so short a period; number of organized school districts, sixty; number of pupils in the county, 3,609; 1,100 in the city of Stillwa¬ ter, leaving 2,409 in the county outside of the city of Stillwater; the average wages paid to male teachers $48 i>er month; to females $42 per month. Value of school property in county $144,700.

Parallel with the development of the north¬ west, the cause of Christianity was both intro¬ duced and advanced by earnest men, who love to do good among the destitute. The first effort to establish Christianity in this county was probably made by the Roman Catholic church, and al¬ though names and dates cannot be given with great accuracy, yet it is a well known fact that almost the entire trade with the Indians for more fifty years was in the hands of French voyageura. It may be doubted by some, and yet circumstan¬ tial evidence goes to establish the fact beyond a doubt, that Dr. Williamson began missionary movements at Kaposia sometime during the summer of 1836. The Methodist Episcopal church established a mission at that place in 1837, and sent Rev. Alfred Brunson to take charge of the work. Rev. Brunson found a congenial compan¬ ion and helping hand in the person of Rev. David King, who was engaged in a mission school among the Indians at this same place. After years of labor and toil in the face of almost in¬ surmountable difficulties, this mission was aban¬ doned in 1842. The name of this mission was changed to Red Rock. In many places the name Red Rock is used, and stands for the old Knposia mission.

' The first missionary sent to this country to preach the gospel to white settlers only, was Rev. Mr. Ilurlburt of the Methodist Episcopal church. He came in the fall of 1844 and left in 1845. In 1846 Rev. J. W. Putnam, of the same church, was appointed to the St. Croix mission, which in¬ cluded all the settlements on the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers above Point Douglas. After continuing two years, he was succeeded in 1848 by Rev. Benjamin Close. In 1849 Rev. James Harrington was stationed at Stillwater, but died in August, 1850, when Rev. L. Nobles took charge. Rev. Nobles had been stationed at Point Douglas, and was succeeded in that held by Rev. J. W. Dow. In the autumn of 1840 the Presbyterian mission work among the Chippewa nation became more interesting. About this time Little Crow made application to l)r. Williamson, to come and live at his village of Kaposia, a few miles below St. Paul. Rev. Williamson, M. D., accepted the kind invitation, and soon moved to Kaposia. In the spring of 1847, the missionary force was in¬ creased by the addition of Revs. Gideon II. Pond and Robert Hopkins. These two missionaries could speak the Dakota language, and under¬ stood the peculiar customs of the Indians. Rev. G. II. Pond had sp?nt, prior to this, thirteen years among the Indians in this territory.

In the summer of 1848 the strength of this mission was again increased by the addition of Rev. Joshua Potter, who was transferred from the Choctaw mission. In their account of this work we find a sentiment of this character: '-Although strong in laborers, and occupying so many stations, the progress was slow and the opposition great; the gospel does not seem to take root here as it did at Lac-qui-Parle. The Dakotas desired to have a missionary reside at their village, because it brought them temporal advantages in various ways, but they sought not as yet the higher blessings which the gospel is designed to bring." These missionary move¬ ments led to an early move to establish churches in Washington county. Rev. W. T. Boutwell came into the country, under the direction of the Home Missionary society, in 1846, preaching at Stillwater, Marine, Cottage Grove and other points. By ordinary movement, in 1850, Rev. Mr. Whitney was sent to Stillwater. Rev. E. A. Greenleaf was appointed missionary at Still¬ water by the Protestant Episcopal church in April, 1846. Bishop Kemper stated that in June, 1848, that the Rev. Greenleaf was the only resi¬ dent minister of their denomination in the county at that date, lie had built a house for his family, which also served as a school-room and I as a place of worship. In the spring of 1847, he i reported that he had preached at the Falls of St. I

Croix, Cottage Grove, Prairie Farm and Still¬ water. The destruction of his house by a tornado, almost as soon as it had been finished, so dis¬ couraged him that he left the place in the fall of 1848.

The associate missionary for Minnesota Episcopals, came to St. Paul, June, 1850. Washington county was a part of the field they controlled. This mission was comj>osed of Revs, James L. Breck, John A. Merrick and Timothy Wilcox son. They visited Stillwater, in July, 1850, walking from St. Paul. On the fourth of July two of them returned to St. Paul on foot; on the seventh of the same month Breck and Merrick officiated in Stillwater in the morning, and in Hudson, Wisconsin, in the afternoon of the same day; and on the 21st of July they held a service at Point Douglas, at the house of an old settler by the name of Jesse Jackson. After this date services were held occjisionally at Stillwater, Point Douglas, Cottage Grove, Afton and Areola Mills. St. Paul's parish, of Point Douglas, was organized on Easter Monday, March 24th, 1856. In the year 1863, a parish was set off from St. Paul and Point Douglas, called St. Mary's, of Basswood Grove; services were held regularly until July, 1868, when a church was built. The corner stone was laid by Bishop Whipple in June, 1864; but it was not completed and consecrated until the dategiven al>ove. The church at Point Douglas was begun in 1867, and is still unfinished though comfortable for a house of worship. In February, 1849, Rev. Mr. Brown w;is apjH)inted by the American Baptist Home Mission society, as missionary, and stationed at Stillwater; he was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Webl>er, who came to Stillwater in the summer of 1850. The church has failed to establish a permanent organization in Stillwater. An effort is making at this date, (April, 1881), to effect an organization.

In' the early summer of 1850, hostilities were renewed between the Dakotas and Chipi>ewns. A famous war prophet at Red Wing, dreamed that he ought to collect together a war party. No sooner did he proclaim his convictions, than a number of his tribe expressed their willingness to join his cruel expedition. A small party from Kaposia joined the band, under the leadership of a despicable Indian, who had served a terjn in

County Fairs

After preparing according to the Indian cus¬ tom, this band passed up the valley of the St. Croix. They were on the watch to discover any line that might lead them to their desired object. A few miles above Stillwater, the band discovered the marks of a keg and foot-prints on the snow. This led them to conclude that a couple of Chippewas had been to some trading place, secured some whiskey, and were returning to their camp. They followed the trail to Apple river, some twenty miles above Stillwater, when they found a small band of Chippewas, all quartered in one lodge.

Waiting till the break of day, Wednesday, April 2d, the Sioux made a sudden attack upon their unsuspecting victims, stupefied by their night debhuch. The camp numbered fifteen and all were killed and scalped, except a lad of about fifteen years of age, who was made a cap¬ tive. After mutilating the bodies according to their custom, they started for Stillwater, which place they reached on Thursday. This band was composed of some sixty warriors. They danced the scalp dance in front of the Minnesota house, around the captive boy, making him beat the drum, in the excitement striking him in the face with the yet scarcely cold scalps of his relatives. A gentleman who witnessed the scene says it was terrible to look upon. The dancers stretched the scalps over hoops made from thin sticks, useing them as banners while they danced, thus man¬ ifesting the cruelty of their nature. An observer remarked, no man of humane feeling could look upon the scene without the conviction of an en¬ tire want of compassion on the part of the In¬ dians. Some of the older citizens of Stillwater, doubtless, will remember this, and almost wish they could blot it from memory, yet it must be told as one of the outbursts of an uncultured and savage life.

After the savage orgies ended the captive boy was ca ried away to Kaposia and adopted by the chief of the band. Measures were, however, promptly taken by Governor Ramsey for his re¬ lease. Soon after, a conference was held at the Governor's mansion and the boy delivered up. On being conducted to the kitchen, where food was offered him by a son of the governor, since deceased, he manifested much alarm and wept bitterly, more frightened amid the kind whites than when a captive at Kaposia. He was re¬ turned in safety to his tribe.

The Washington County Agricultural society was organized at Cottage Grove in the winter of 1870 and '71, and incorporated the same year. The first election resulted in the choice of W. Furber, president; J. S. Norris, vice-president; T. El well, secretary; and James Middleton, treas¬ urer. Suitable grounds were secured and fitted up, with fence, buildings, sheds, etc. The society held its first fair in the fall of 1871, with good re¬ sults, enabling the association to pay all expenses of fitting up the grounds, and leaving a surplus in the hands of the treasurer. Some years prior to this move an effort was made by Isaac Staples and several other gentlemen, to organize a society of similar character, and make Stillwater the place of its annual meeting, but for want of in¬ terest on the part of the people of Stillwater, it never came to maturity, and must be registered a failure. These same gentlemen took an interest in this organization at Cottage Grove, and at the next annual meeting, the delegates from Still¬ water being in the majority, moved that the next fair be held there. After some discus¬ sion this motion prevailed; the city of Stillwater offering the society a bonus to hold the next fair in or near their place. The grounds were prepared and appropriate buildings erected on Webster field near the race track. The fair that fall, 1873, proved a success.

In the spring of 1873, the driving park associa¬ tion was organized and secured suitable gounds. An offer was then made by them to the agricul¬ tural society that the two associations unite in fitting up grounds for joint accommodation. The offer was accepted and the grounds furnished with improvements accordingly, the agricultural society furnishing lumber and the driving. park association providing labor. The grounds are known as the Webster grounds and are furnished with all necessary appliances.

The terms of agreement gave the driving park association control of the race course with the proceeds of sales of seats in the ampitheatre, and a portion of the entrance fees.

all expenses, and leaving a surplus in the treas¬ ury. In the spring of 1875, there was some dis¬ agreement between the two associations in regard to the amount charged by the driving park asso¬ ciation. After some discussion between these bodies, the driving park association decided that they could not rent their grounds to any other association, on account of rules laid down by the National Driving Park Association, by which this association was governed. This led to a di¬ vision of interests, and the agricultural associa¬ tion began to look for a new and convenient lo¬ cation where they could erect suitable buildings for the next fair. The St. Paul, Stillwater and Taylor's Falls Railway Company made the asso¬ ciation an offer of the free use of grounds, lo¬ cated between their tracks and the north end of Lake Elmo, with free transportation of all mate¬ rial for fitting up the grounds. This proposition was accepted, and the grounds properly fitted up during the summer at great expense, with race course, halls, etc. Some attractive features were added that same fall, as rowing on the lake, bull and rifle clubs; these, with convenient access to the new location, combined to make the fair in the fall of 1875, a grand success, in attendance and display; but the expense of fitting up a race¬ course, erecting an entirely new set of buildings, fence, and all that pertains to a complete fair ground, was so large, that after deducting the receipts from the outlay, there still remained an indebtedness of $1,-100 against the society. This did not discourage the managers, for they looked forward to the next annual fair with fond expec¬ tation of canceling the indebtness. But these hopes, like the summer rose nipped in early au¬ tumn, were doomed to sudden destruction. In the month of June, 1877, a cyclone visited this part of the country, destroying tho buildings, sheds and fences. It is said the large hall was picked by the current of air, carried up about one hun¬ dred feet, turned over, and then dashed to the ground with great violence, a perfect wreck.

The hotel belonging to the railroad company was thrown over and nearly destroyed. The depot building was taken up, twisted in pieces, and scattered for some distance in the path of the cyclone. It is said that portions of the din¬ ing hall were never found, while pieces were picked up several miles from the fair-ground.

So complete was the destruction that the society could realize but $80 for what remained of a once well-furnished fair-ground. Immediately after this mishap the officers of the society effected a union with the driving park association, which during the year lmd changed officers. The fair was held for the two following years under this arrangement; but from unforeseen causes, proved unsuccessful, When the enterprise was abandoned. The following officers assumed the debt, paying the amount of $200 each: William Fowler, J. II. Crain, E. M. Cox, Newton McKusick, J. W. Wheeler, George Kern, James Mid¬ dleton and W. II. Getchell. The next year no fair was held in the county, and now, in the early part of 1881, an effort is making to reorganize the defunct society.

County Pooh Fa Km

The county poor-house is located on a farm of 207 acres, about five miles north of tho city of Stillwater. It is in township 30, range 20, sections 5 and 6; eighty-seven acres being in section 5, and one hundred and twenty acres in section 6. It was purchased by the county, through Ilarvey Wilson, the clerk of the county court. Here the poor share the bounty, a benefi¬ cent hand is pleased to bestow upon the county. The county has erected a comfortable two-story frame building, affording all the necessary com¬ forts for those who are in any way constrained to make tliis their home. It has two barns fur¬ nishing ample convenience for stock and grain.

The stump-tail currency. During a few years before Minnesota became a state, the financial condition of the country was anything but pro¬ pitious. The terrible financial commotion of these years had prostrated all business, destroyed the real value of property, and undermined confi¬ dence in men and business pursuits, so that the am¬ bition which had overcome the obstacles of a new country, was well-nigh crushed. The years slowly passed, leaving sad recollections of early hoj)es in many a once happy home. The harvest of 1858 was good for this county, and yet a large amount or bread-stuff was imported. The year following this depression must, of necessity, be more op¬ pressive. A sad state of thing3 followed. Many were not able to pay taxes, to say nothing of con¬ tracted debts and any desire to secure more com- modious and convenient homes. The price of labor had so depreciated, that when one had been fortunate enough to obtain employment, the com¬ pensation was not sufficient to secure the necessi¬ ties for an ordinary family. To still further increase the suffering, already great, the scrip of the county and of the state was at a discount; while that of other states, especially of Illinois and Wisconsin, was almost worthless. Discounts of forty and fifty per cent, were common on all except banks secured by state laws.

During 1869 the financial condition of the county grew worse. The circulating medium of the county and state was almost unknown. Many could not avoid failure, even with a farm almost free from incumbrance, or engaged in business in the best possible form. Property had depreci¬ ated at least one-half, business pursuits so thwarted, that any article of merchandise must be disposed of at great sacrifice. This dark cloud began to break in 1860, by the introduction of a solar influence, affording a bounteous har¬ vest; but for want of a circulating medium, the heavy lines of gloom still lingered over the coun¬ ty. Some one has aptly said, "The severest blow the North-west has felt came through the agency of the Illinois and Wisconsin stump-tail currency. For three years it has been our circulating me¬ dium, driving out almost all other currency. The result is, that nearly all the money in the Northwest is of this character, and not one note out of every hundred is worth a continental. Something must be done soon, and that some¬ thing will be the refusal of all Illinois and Wis¬ consin currency. Our granaries are filled with produce, and that produce will soon be demanded in the eastern markets. If all our dealers would combine and refuse to sell our grain except for coin or eastern currency, gold would soon take the place of tire miserable stuff with which the country is now flooded." This shows the true condition of the country at this peculiar crisis.

In the city of Stillwater, prompt action was taken to free the people from the dilemma, by re¬ fusing to accept the trash in circulation for money, and substituting something of a home character to take its place.

The city authorities and school board combined, and issued school bonds, calling for five and ten dollars each, to the amount of several thousand dollars; these bonds circulated for some time in place of bank bills, and served a good purpose. For a time these bonds were the only circulating medium in the county, continuing up to the time that greenbacks were issued by the United States. This marks one of the darkest periods in this county, in financial movements. Many of the good people of to-day can call to mind scenes of suffering, far in excess of any picture portrayed in these pages.

The county is traversed by four railroad lines, which give it direct communication with the out¬ side world and transport its productions and im¬ portations. The era of railroad enterprise began in 1865, by the agitation of a project to construct a road to be called the St. Croix and Lake Su¬ perior railroad. This enterprise was never car¬ ried out; the survey of a route ending its exist¬ ence. The method in early days was to obtain a land grant from the state and then secure sub¬ scriptions from the population along the proposed route. This plan placed the inhabitants of a county under obligations to the corporation, which largely counteracted the benefits growing out of the construction of a road.

The Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad Company obtained a grant of 1,202,712 acres. Charter was granted May, 1857, to this company, the line to run from St. Paul to Duluth. Work on the original route was commenced in 1864, and the line was opened for traffic, August, 1870. Total cost of the road, $7,700,000. In 1877, it passed into the control of the St. Paul and Du. luth Railroad Company, who now operate it.

The Stillwater and St. Paul railroad, incorpo¬ rated July 24th, 1867, secured a land grant of 63,863 acres. This line' runs from Stillwater to White Bear, where it joins the Lake Superior and Mississippi railroad. It was opened for traffic in May. 1871.

The St. Paul and Duluth Railroad Company was organized in June, 1877, and assumed con¬ trol of the Lake Superior and Mississippi rail¬ road, which it had acquired by purchase through the United States circuit court the preceding month. The line connects Stillwater and White Bear, and runs north through the towns of Oneka and Forest Lake.

ami St. Paul railway passes through the towns of Newport, Cottage Grove and Denmark. The line from St. Paul to Hastings was built in 1869, by the Chicago and St. Paul Railway Company, under charter granted to the Minnesota and Pa¬ cific Railroad Company in 1857. The present man¬ agement obtained control of the line in 1872. The bridge across the Mississippi at Hastings was con¬ structed in 1878, and was the first iron railway bridge in the state. In respect of cost and work¬ manship, it ranked with the important structures of the North-west. The total length of the river bridge is 706 feet, and consists of an iron draw span 300 feet long, two fixed spans each of 150 feet in length, and a combination span on the north shore 100 feet in length. The cost of the struc¬ ture was $200,000.

The St. Paul, Stillwater and Taylor's Falls railroad received from the state of Minnesota 44,246 acres of land, the proceeds of the sale of which was to be applied to the construction of the above named road. The company was organ¬ ized under the general laws of the state, and in¬ corporated September 23rd, 1869. The route of the road defined in the articles of incorporation is between St. Paul and Taylor's Falls by way of Stillwater, passing through or near Marine, with a branch road to Hudson. Wisconsin. Length of main line from St. Paul to Stillwater is seven¬ teen and fifty-four-hundredths miles. Hudson branch line from Stillwater Junction to Lake St. Croix three and one-fourth miles. South Still¬ water branch line from Stillwater to South Stillwater, three miles. The first train by this line reached Stillwater from St. Paul, February 9th, 1872. The capital stock, one million dol¬ lars, may be increased at pleasure. The number of shares of capital stock is ten thousand, of one hundred dollars each, limit of indebtedness, one million five hundred thousand dollars. Total tonnage of this road for the year ending June 30th, 1879, was 32,123 tons. Gross earnings for freight, $38,089.31; passengers, $29,021.78; express, $1,- 012.74; rents, $42,727.56; total, $1 10,851 .39. The tonnage of the Stillwater branch of the St. Paul and Duluth railroad, 59,400 tons. Gross earnings for 1880, was, freight, $26,742.98; passengers, $21,086.96; total, $47,829.94. During the winter of 1880 and 1881, the road passed under the con¬

Statistics

Washington county need not be ashamed of her record, whatever may be said of the finan¬ cial condition of things in 1860. A radical change has taken place, as we learn from the following figures, showing the amount of real and personal property returned by the assessors of the various townships for 1880, giving the value of the lead¬ ing items.

In the township of Afton, there was returned $58,151 of personal property, including 262 horses and 517 cattle; in Baytown, $21,970 of personal property, including 115 horses and 323 cattle; Cottage Grove, $69,850 personal property, includ¬ ing 337 horses and 626 cattle; Denmark, $42,071 of personal property, including 287 horses and 560 cattle; Grant, $17,502 of personal property, in¬ cluding 116 horses and 274 cattle; Lakeland, $41,- 409 of personal property, including 171 horses and 415 cattle; Marine, $74,337 of personal prop¬ erty, including 200 hundred horses and 900 cat¬ tle; Newport, $21,245 of personal property, in¬ cluding 74 horses and 230 cattle; Oakdale, $34,- 714 of personal property, including 176 horses and 465 cattle; Oueka, $12,445 of personal prop¬ erty, including 42 horses and 160 cattle; Stillwa¬ ter, $82,270 of personal property; including 128 horses and 216 cattle; Woodbury, $49,992 of per¬ sonal property, including 291 horses and 632 cat¬ tle; Stillwater, (city) $519,149 of personal prop¬ erty, including 811 homes and 199 cattle; total value of horses in the county at $69.84 per head, $175,083; cattle at $15.60 per head, $84,539; total valuation of Stillwater, personal, $519,149, of the county outside of Stillwater, $479,891; total, 999,- 040;total amount of personal property exempt from taxation, $144,528, leaving $851,572 of taxable property; aryd real estate, $2,236,296 in the county, $3,087,808.

"The report shows the number of farms under cultivation, and the number of bushels produced: In 1850, 157 farms producing 1,400 bushels; in 1860,18,081 farms, producing 2,186,373 bushels; in 1870, 46,256 farms, producing 17,680,467 bush¬ els; in 1875, 60,000 farms, producing 31,475,000 bushels. From the report of state commissioner of statistics, for the year 1875, we learn there is an unoccupied wheat area sufficient for 100,000 to 150,000 new wheat farms of an average size, yet remaining to be opened and improved in the state. It is not an ill-founded supposition to say the day is not far distant when every available acre of till¬ able land in the state will be cultivated. When this shall have been accomplished, there will be produced 100,000,000 bushels per annum, suffi¬ cient to furnish bread for the world. Such a wheat crop would load one continuous train of cars 1 ,900 miles in length. If it were possible the locomotive would have passed New York and Boston and reached a point four hundred miles beyond, before the last car would have left the Minneapolis depot."

Washington county is situated on the eastern border of the state, forming a part of the St. Croix valley. It is about thirty-eight miles long, with tabling an area of 418 square miles, or 267,520 acres. The southern portion of the county is a rich rolling prairie. It is justly described as having a diversified surface; the central por¬ tion abounds in small prairies, and oak open¬ ings; and the northern portion becomes brok¬ en, and some parts intercepted by deep ra¬ vines covered with forests. All kinds of timber known along the Mississippi is found here, except beach and sycamore. In an earlier day the In¬ dians utilized the maple in the production of sugar, while the cottonwood and butternut were con¬ verted into canoes for their comfort and conven¬ ience. In modern times the great pineries of the St. Croix Valley, produce the chief branch of trade, and form an important source of wealth for the state. For a full description of the lum¬ ber industry, see chapter on the St. Croix Valley.

The climate of this country has elicited enconiums from its frequent visitors, although errone¬ ous impressions have prevailed at a distance in consequence of the low range of temperature dur¬ ing the winter. The summer days correspond to those of Philadelphia, while the evenings are cool and refreshing. Sweltering nights from which the sleeper awakes exhausted, rather than re¬ freshed, are unknown.

In winter the climate is not subject to sudden and marked changes, and hence winter is no more trying to the constitution than the summer. The quantity of snow that falls from year to year varies much; cloudy days are .few; and the night skies are studded with a glittering array of stars; the air is dry and bracing; so that from early morn to late evening, the weak and indisposed often find the healing balm needed to restore them to the desired state of vigor and health.

During the coldest weather, the air is remark¬ ably quiet; and hence the temperature is much more tolerable, and even pleasant, than could be supposed by those who live in the same latitude on the Atlantic coast, or on the level prairies of Illinois, subject to the miasmatic influences of so rich and cereal a district. These statements por¬ tray the candid conclusion of a majority of the people, and hence do not admit of the slightest doubt, though they may differ radically from the preconceived opinions of many who may talk learnedly of climatology.

day of a propitious future. The unfoldings of a few years predicate her future greatness. Her present status, though great, is but the incipient condition of what doubtless will be a glorious future. She has no classic grounds, no fields of Marathon, and no Valley of Idumea within her borders; nothing pre-historie, save those things to which the red man pointed as the "Golgo¬ tha" of his fathers. Here, on these shores for many years the smoke of the Indian's wigwam gracefully curled upward amid nature's forest trees. On the banks of these beautiful lakes of limpid water, bordered with heavy bodies of timber and vast woodlands, which have been for centuries, we see manufacturing interests of all kinds, and active, growing towns, educational centers, with numerous subordinate branches, so that the chil¬ dren of rich and poor may enjoy advantages of education; numerous elegant church edifices with spires glittering in the beams of the morning sun.

And now, standing in the aurora, forecasting a brilliant future, we are content with our progress, and, if we have no triumphal arch to which we can point with ancestral pride, no golden medals to recall self-sacrificing heroes and gallant patriots, yet we have much of interest to those who come after us. In the future of Minnesota, doubtless this county will not prove unworthy of the timehonored name it bears, as the previous record shows her to have been worthy of it in the past.