Minneapolis City (part 19 of 80)

43, 44, 45, 46, 100, 101, and 123. The first school in the town was established, on section 4, in school district 42, in 1858. There has been a steady' improvement since that time. The school buildings are most of them comfortable, sup¬ plied with apparatus to some extent, and furnished with patent seats; yet, as in some other places, the out build¬ ings are, in some of the districts, a disgrace, lacking common decency. School district 42, which has alwaj^s been the leading district in the town, has a two room building, and employs two teachers.

A saw mill was built, on Elm Creek, section 10, in 1865, by Franklin Cook and changed to a grist mill. It now has two run of stone, one for flour and one for feed, which is a great con¬ venience for the immediate neighbor¬ hood. From lack of water, for the past few years, this mill has not done as much work as formerl3^ It is, however, noted for the feed ground, which is said to be of superior quality. Steam power has been employed to some extent.

The first town meetings were held in the house of Hiram Blowers. The first building owned by the town was one which Mr. Blowers had used for a granary. This was purchased and fit¬ ted up for the use of the town, in 1863. It is located on section 9, and was used until the present building was erected, in 1877, on the site of the old one. The present building is twentytwo hy thirty-two feet, one story high, well built and in-good condition.

There are six cemeteries in the town, located as follows: One on section 4, established twenty-four years ago by an association as a general burial ground; one on the extreme west of section 7; one on the north line of section 7; one near the Methodist church, on section 17; one near the German Methodist church, on section 16, and one at the Catholic church, on

Official Roster for 1891. Super¬ visors, O. H. Mitchell, chairman, Kden Schmidt, James Peters; Town Clerk, Charles Ziebarth; Treasurer, A. R. Champlin; Assessor, G. C. Koehler; Justices of the Peace, Charles Ziebarth and Jesse Cook.

Population 1880, 1,156; 1890, 1,174; increase in ten years, 18. Number of veterans. Civil War, 17. The popula¬ tion of Maple Grove includes men from nearly every civilized country in the world, and from many of the States of the Union. There are probably more of German than any one other class.

There have been many changes since Mr. Garvais made his claim, in 1852. The forests have been cleared up, neat and comfortable buildings erected, and more improvements made than in many towns in the old Bast that have been settled for a hundred years. This improvement is very noticeable in the matter of roads. At present, all parts of the town are easily accessible by fairly good roads, and the main roads have been graded and graveled until they are very cred¬ itable to the enterprise of the town. Very much of the credit for this is due to the early settlers, who volun¬ tarily contributed much time and labor.

Louis P. Garvais was born at Wolf River, near Montreal, Canada, in the year 1810, and here he spent the first sixteen years of his youth. In 1826, he moved to Lake Champlain, New wards to St. Anthony, Minnesota, where he lived until he came to Maple Grove, in 1852. Here he settled, far in advance of other settlers, and took up a fine claim, a part of which was in Maple Grove and a part in Brooklyn Townships. Here he remained, almost alone, for nearly two years, before other settlers came in around him.

At the time of Mr. Garvais' mar¬ riage, Abraham and Rosa Trambly were married, at the same mass, at Lake Champlain, New York, and in after years (by a mistake in calculat¬ ing the date) they celebrated the fifty-first anniversary of their mar¬ riage, at the Catholic church, at Osseo, in 1880.

At the golden wedding, Mr. and Mrs. Garvais' eight children and sev¬ enty-five grandchildren were present, and their descendants now number one hundred seventy-six. Mrs. Gar¬ vais died February 7th, 1882, the mother of ten children, eight of whom are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Trambly have passed away, since the above an¬ niversary, and last of the four was Mr. Garvais, who died December 16th, 1891, at the age of eighty-one years.

A. C. Austin was one of the most prominent citizens of the town. He was first chairman of the town board, held various other offices in the town, and was three times a representative in the State Legislature. He came to Maple Grove, in the spring of 1856, and took a claim on section 4, where he lived a number of years. He afterwards moved to Minneapolis, where he now lives. He has been County Commissioner several terms, and has, for a long time, been a mem¬ ber of the Minneapolis School Board. Among other prominent citizens and early settlers may be mentioned, J. M.

J. H. Mitchell, although not one of the first settlers, has long resided here and been closely identified with the interests and growth of the town. He was born in 1824, in the town of Kittery, Maine. Became a sailor, and was, for some years, connected with the United States Coast Survey'. Ar¬ rived, with his faniil}^ at Dayton, Hennepin County, May 1st, 1855, where he resided until June, when lie moved on a claim which he had made, in town 120, range 23, afterwards Hassan Town. The house which he built and occupied, at DajTon, was the first dwelling erected in that town. Helped to organize the town of Hassan, in 1858. Was the first postmaster, under commission dated March 9th, 1857; was also chairman of the Board of Supervisors of the town. In the fall of 1857, built the first school house in the town, and himself taught the first term of school. Moved to Maple Grove in April, 1861, where he has since resided. In 1862, was elected chairman of the Board of Supervis¬ ors, which office he held until he en¬ listed in the Eleventh Minnesota Vol¬ unteer Infantry, in 1864. Was, pre¬ vious to his enlistment, deputy pro¬ vost marshal. Was discharged, with his regiment, June 26th, 1865. In 1870, he took the national census in the towns of Corcoran, Medina, and Maple Grove, and, in 1890, that of Maple Grove. Was County Commissioner in 1873-4-5. Is (1892)- chairman of the town board, and has held various offices in the town at different times.

1856, at the age of eighteen. Was present at the organization of the town. In 1862, enlisted in Sixth Min¬ nesota Volunteer Infantry, and served with his regiment until the close of the war. At the close of the war, re¬ turned to his farm, in Maple Grove, where he has since resided. Is known as a genial and public spirited citizen and has served his town in various official capacities.

William E. Evans, one of the first settlers of the town, was born in Chittenden CouiiGl Vermont, Decem¬ ber 28th, 1824. He lived there until he was twelve years old, when he moved to Clinton County, New York, where he became a millwright. Afterwards, he moved to Northern Ohio, and from there to Minnesota, where he arrived in March, 1854. In 1847, he was mar¬ ried to Miss Lucia C. Austin, of Ver¬ mont. She died in 1880. Mr. Evans was one of the first two Justices of the Peace elected in the town, has been County Commissioner one term and has held various town offices. He still lives on the claim which he made on his first arrival. Mr. Evans is enterprising and public spirited and many of the improvements in the town are indebted to his sagacity.

G. C. Koehler was born in Ger¬ many (Kingdom of Witenberg), in 1830. Came to United States, first Illinois, in 1851, and then to Minne¬ sota. May 5th, 1855, he came to Maple Grove, and took his claim on section 7, where he has since resided. He has alwa3's been ver}^ popular and has held many town offices. He was elec¬ ted Assessor of the town in 1866; was afterwards Supervisor; was Assessor again from 1870 to 1875, and from 1886 to the present time.

This township is bounded on the east by the Mississippi River, on the south by the city of Minneapolis, on the north by Brooklyn, and on the west by Plymouth. The south line originally extended as far south as Twenty-sixth Avenue, North, Minne¬ apolis. The eastern portion lying' be¬ tween the lakes. Crystal and Twin, and the Mississippi River, is slightly rolling and wooded, the timber being scattered in park like groves over its surface. The section bordering the river, with its high lands and fine groves, commanding, as it does, an extended view of the great river and the blue hills beyond, made this por¬ tion of the original town, even in the state of nature, one of rare beauty.

West from the river, two miles. Crystal and the Twin Lakes form a chain extending from south to north nearly across the center of the town. Of the lakes. Crystal is the smaller, but its surrounding groves, to the north and east, and prairie on the west, along with its fine shores, makes it the finest of the four lakes in the town. North of Crystal, and half a mile distant, the Lower Twin Lake commences. The upper and lower lakes are very similar and together are two miles in extent, by one-half in width. They are connected by a narrow channel through which small boats may pass. These lakes abound in fish. From the southeast end of Lower Twin, a beautiful stream, the south branch of Shingle Creek, rises, and flows eastward, through Arm¬ strong Lake, and empties into the Mississippi River, at Camden Place, where it is, as it well may be, the pride of the people in that place. Arm¬ strong Lake is the smallest of the lakes in this town, but its pleasant surroundings make it a desirable ad¬ junct to the town.

From the southwest end of Crystal Lake, Crystal Prairie commences, and bears away, in a northwesterl3^ direc¬ tion, quite to the town line. This prairie is rich in soil and rare in beaut3\ It is four miles long and one in width. It is surrounded, on all sides, by timber, while many small groves, like islands, dot its surface. Between this prairie and the chain of lakes is a fine grove of timber, two miles long, by half a mile wide. This grove is a favorite resort for picnic and pleasure parties, from Minneapo¬ lis.

On the west side of the prairie, in all places, except where sta3^ed by the hand of man, the timber creeps up the sides of gently swelling hills. From the prairie, westward, to the town line, this is the character of the country.

Early Settlement. The first settle¬ ment made in this town was in 1852, the first settler being John Ware Dow, who came March 26th, and John C. Bohanon, the following day of this year 1852. Later in the year, came Mrs. Rhoda Bean, and family, Joel

L. Wagner was the first white woman in the west part of the town - Thomas Kirkwood, Josiah Dutton, Mr. Mc¬ Nair, Leonard Gould, W. S. Hopper, Rufus Farnham, Y. Gillespie, Luther

In 1854, and later, came the follow¬ ing and their families: Nicholas Schaffer, George Geibenhain, J. S. and David Malbon, Richard Jaques, Elisha McCausland, H. R. Stillman, J. B. Johnson, I). C. Crandall, L. W. Gibbs, J. H. White, David Beis, A. Yonker, Elisha Rivenburg, C. Reichard, M. Baker, John and Peter Schuller, B. Homines, F. S. Boumgartner, John Shumwa3q E. S. Jones, Duston Mer¬ ritt, and P. M. Reidheid. But space will not permit a further mention of the pioneers of this town.

Civil History. In 1858, two tiers of sections from the town of Brooklyn and one from Minneapolis were set apart, b3'^ the County Commissioners, and were called Farmersville, but, at a subsequent meeting, this action was reconsidered and Farmersville was nev^er organized.

In 18d0, Crystal Lake was organized. Two tiers of sections from the town of Brooklyn and two from Minneapolis were taken for this purpose. A cau¬ cus, for the nomination of officers for this new town, was held, at the house of J. S. Malbon, March 24th, 1860, and the first election, at the same place, April 3d. The meeting was called to order b3' Mr. Malbon, and H. S. Camp elected temporary chairman. Tlie fol¬ lowing officers were then elected:

Supervisors, Henry S. Plummer, chairman, J. B. Johnson and Lorenzo P. Warren; Treasurer, Y. Gillespie; Assessor, Luther Bartlow; Justices of the Peace, H. S. Camp and D. W. Jones; Constables, Warner Willy and J. S. Wales; Superintendent of Schools,

N. R. Thompson. The total number of votes cast was fift3^-five. The super¬ visors were authorized to levy a tax of $200 on the polls and real estate, to defra3^ incidental expenses for the year 1860. April 30th, Josiah Dutton was appointed Assessor, Mr. Bartlow having failed to qualify.

The year following the organization of the town, saw the commencement of the Civil War. The town paid no bounties, but furnished its quota of men - all volunteers except one.

Early Improvements. In 1852, the first manufactory in the town was es¬ tablished. This was a shingle mill, built at the mouth of Shingle Creek, by Stevens and Smith. It was the first shingle mill in Hennepin Count3L This mill soon passed into the hands of Mr. Farnham. In this mill, tiie bolts were steamed and shingles cut from them with a sharp knife. Man3^ of the first buildings in the town were covered with these shingles, under protest, as it were, the people regard¬ ing them as not good. But, after thirty-eight 3-ears' trial, some of the old buildings, to this da3-, attest their worth.

In 1876, on the cla3- beds adjacent to the Mississippi River, H. 1). Morrison and others opened brick 3'ards, which have since grown to be the seat of one of Minneapolis' great industries. As this portion of the town has since be¬ come a part of Minneapolis, the his-

Extending City Limits. Lands in the southeast part of the town, havingbeen platted as a part of Minneapolis, and built upon, were, by act of Legis¬ lature, in 1878, set off from the town and attached to the city. Great changes, however, are taking place in the city. The saw mills, located at the falls, must give place to other industries. So, one by one, these mills were plan¬ ted up and along the river front, from the falls to Camden Place. Soon after, other lands were platted and built upon, outside the cit}^ limits, until 1886, when the city once more extended its limits, taking all that portion of the town up the river as far as section 1. On this tract, the "up river" saw mills, the work house and Camden Place are situated.

The original town of Crystal Lake consisted of tw^entj^-four sections. Of these, Minneapolis had already taken six and Crystal Village sixteen, as will be shown hereafter, leaving in the old town but two sections, 1 and 2. The people in these two sections - all that is left of the original town - are prosperous, their town affairs are well managed, and they maintain a good school. At this writing, this is purely an agricultural communit3^ But the rapid strides the cit}" is making in this direction, must soon engulf them and all that is left of the old town and its pastoral life will soon pass away forever.

John Dickinson Taylor. "I was born on August 20th, 1832, in Westfield, Massachusetts, and have not died j^et. That's all it is necessary to say about me, for I have lived a quiet, contented^ uneventful, unostentatious life; hav¬ ing rarely deviated from my chosen calling of an honest farmer, striving for an honorable living," was John D. Taylor's laconic reply to a request for data for a biographical sketch. He came to Minneapolis in 1851, but soon after rembved to Monticello, where he lived for fourteen years. Mr. Taylor was reared on a farm in .the Ba3'- State and has always followed the calling of a farmer. He was married to Electa B. Hartwell, October, 25th, 1857, and by her had eight children, all bo3"s, two of whom are living. After leaving Monti¬ cello, he lived, for a time, in Minne¬ apolis, and, in 1877, moved to the old homestead, in the town of Crystal Lake, near Camden Place, where the famil3^ has since resided. Mr. Taylor has taken but little interest in politics, but has attended strictly to business, in which he has been highly success¬ ful.

Mrs. Electa B. Taylor. To Mrs. Electa B. Taylor belongs the high dis¬ tinction of havingbeenthe firstteacher in Minneapolis. She was one of the earliest settlers in the community, and, with the other pioneers, possessed her full share of that indomitable courage and perseverance which has made the city what it is. In nothing can the great contrast between the frontier post and the metropolis of the Northwest be seen more clearly than in the difference in the school facili¬ ties of pioneer times and the present. There were then many stumbling blocks in the road to knowledge, at no time a rojal highwa3L which have since been removed. The picture of the first school house, if painted with brush instead of pen, would show a primitive scene, indeed. A half fin¬ ished building from which the rain again and again drives the teacher and pupils to their liomes; a lonely path to reach it by, while a crouching Indian gazes stolidy on the passing throng of children, and who was then a real, not an imaginary bog3'^-man. Such were the conditions of the school in Minneapolis, which Mrs. Taylor so bravely taught.

Her maiden name was Hartwell, and she was born December 11th, 1833, in Jackson, Washington Count3', New York. Miss Hartwell came to St. Anthony in the fall of 1853, to her brother, Adelbert K. Hartwell, and, during the following winter, attended a school in St. Anthon3^ taught by Professor Merrell. The next spring, the land embracing the present site of Minneapolis was first thrown upon the market, and her brother pre¬ empted fort3" acres, in what is now the heart of the cit3''. It included the ground on which the new court house stands and all the lots in that vicinity. Mr. Hartwell built a cabin, on the corner of Fourth Avenue South and Fourth Street, into which he and his family, including his sister, moved, before the floor had been laid. The rush for favorable locations was so great that b3" the latter part of June a large colony had grown up.

Among these west side pioneers was Deacon E. A. Harmon, who had a large famil3^ of children, whom he was anxious to educate. There were then no school district organization and no school, so he went to Miss Hartwell, and asked her to open a private school, promising to put up a frame building, which she could use for a school house and Elder C. G. Ames for a church. She agreed to the proposition and Deacon Harmon at once began the erection of the struc¬ ture. It was made of rough, uuplaned boards, the supply of planed lumber not being ecpial to the demand, a roof of primitive shingles was put over the frame, two sides were boarded up, and, on the morning of the 5th da3" of Jul3^, 1854, the first session of the first school in Minneapolis was begun, with twenty-five pupils. There was yet no door in the doorwa3', the gables were open and as there were frequent and heav3^ rains that summer the school was frequentl3" broken up b3^ the inclemenc3'' of the weather. Mr. Harmon was also building a barn and when this was about half finished Miss Hartwell moved into that with her school, while the school house was being completed. From the barn, the school was moved to the house of John Jackins, where the term of three months was finished. While teach¬ ing, the only thing that worried Mrs. Taylor was the fear of meeting In¬ dians on her way to and from the school. There was an old Indian trail close to the building and many an aborigine glided silently along the path

In the winter of 1854-5, Miss Hart¬ well attended school in St. Paul and in the spring taught her second term in Minneapolis, in a tlaim shant3^ of Henry Angell's, near Lake Harriet. In 1856-7, Mrs. Ta3dor taught an In¬ dian mission school at Belle Prairie. There was on^^ one child, an Ameri¬ can, in that school who could speak English. The others were all Indians and French, who did not understand a word of that language. Miss Hart¬ well had nian3^ curious experiences in her attempts to train those wild ideas how to shoot.

She was married to Mr. J. 1). Ta3''- lor, October 25th, 1857, at her father's home, in Waukesha, Wisconsin, to which place her parents had moved.

from New York State, previous to Mrs. Taylor's appearance in St. Anthony Falls. After her marriage, she went to house-keeping in Monticello, Min¬ nesota, where Mr. Taylor had been living for several years. She has had eight children, all boys, two of whom are now (1892), living. Mrs. Taylor spent six years in Westfield, Massa¬ chusetts, so as to be near her sons while attending an educational insti¬ tution in that place. After returning, in 1877, the family moved to their present home, in the town of Crystal Lake, where Mrs. Taylor still lives.

Crystal Village

The citizens in the western part of the town of Crystal Lake, believing that their interests would be promoted thereb}^ on the 8th da3^ of March, 1887, proceeded to incorporate Cr3'stal Vil¬ lage. Up to this time, the section was exclusively agricultural. Here were the homes of the pioneers; not the rough, board shanties of thirty-eight 3'ears ago, but spacious, well appointed houses and barns, belonging to the white haired men, who, by years of honest toil, had won them from the earth. It is pleasant to think that here, at least, the earl3" settler is the possessor.

This section has been highly favored, never having been visited by pesti¬ lence or famine. There has always been a seed time and for them a har¬ vest.

Cr3'stal Village contains sixteen sec¬ tions and is four miles square. In it are Cr3'stal and Twin Lakes, Cr3'stal Prairie, and, on the west side, the roll¬ ing timber land already described in the histor3' of the original town.

The village was incorporated Januar3^ 11th, 1887. The first election of officers was held March 8th, 1887. The officers elected were: Arthur Sanborn, President; Thomas Gearty, J. H. White and Philip Kuch, Trustees; N. F. Russ, Recorder; J. B. Johnson. Treasurer; Thomas Kirkwood, Asses¬ sor; I). C. Crandall and H. R. Still¬ man, Justices of the Peace; Charles Homines, Constable.

The financial condition of the vil¬ lage is excellent, it being free from all debt, bonded or floating. The tax levy for 1891 was but five mills for all village purposes.

In 1888, a hall was erected for vil¬ lage purposes. It is a fine two-story brick building, costing $3,000. It stands on a one-fourth acre lot, donat¬ ed to the village for that purpose by one of its highly esteemed citizens, Mr. J. S. Malbon. This lot is a part of the land upon which Mr. Malbon set¬ tled in the early spring of 1854.

Robbinsdale Park is the rapidly de¬ veloping business center of Crystal Village. It is that portion of the vil¬ lage located on Cr3''stal Prairie, to the west of Crystal Lake and south and west of the Lower Twin. It is situated on a slightly rolling, high and well drained tract. From many places upon it, fine views of the lakes, to the east and north, may be had, between the clustering oaks that line their shores; while, to the south and west, the lands rise in higher swells and the woods to denser growth.

In 1887, Mr. A. B. Robbins came into the village and bought lands of Mr. Alfred Parker, George L. Brimhalb John Shumwa3^ and David Malbon, and at once proceeded to plat Robbinsdale Park. Soon after, Mr. Alfred Parker platted Parker's First Addi¬ tion to Robbinsdale Park, and Mr. George L. Brimhall platted Brimhall's First Addition to the same. From this time on, through the business tact and generous encour¬ agement of these men, and others, the Luther Seminar^^, Hubbard Spec¬ ialty Manufacturing Company, and The Morthern Car Compaii}^ Shops were located here, the result of which has been the rapid development of the place.

School district 24 is situated in Rob¬ binsdale. Owing to the rapid increase in population, in the year 1890, a new modern school building became a nec¬ essity. Accordingl}^, steps were taken, and $10,000 raised for that purpose. Too much credit cannot be given the school board, of which Mr. L. A. Tyler was chairman, H. R. Stillman, clerk, and Jarius Russ, treasurer. Through the untiring efforts of this board, and other citizens, Robbinsdale has today one of the finest school buildings of its kind in the State. This school is known as Parker School, in honor of Mr. Alfred Parker, an old settler, and a strong supporter of the school. It is a brick building, with stone basement and trimmings, elegant in design and convenient in arrangement, being sup¬ plied with all modern equipments. It contains four large rooms besides cloak rooms, office and recitation rooms. The halls are spacious and the basement contains gymnasium and furnace rooms. The entire building is exquisitely' finished in oak. The school is well graded and it will, probably', be¬ come one of the State High Schools within the next year. District 23 is situated on section 18. The people here have just completed a new school building and are now occupying it. The house is neatly finished and fur¬ nished. This school, like most of the others in this county, is doing good work. There are three joint school districts in the village. As their school buildings are located in Brookly'ii. Crystal Lake and Golden Valley', respectively, further mention of them may be found in the history of these places.

The Luther Seminary is one of the important educational institutions in the West. It is situated on a beauti¬ ful ten-acre tract, centrally situated in Robbinsdale Park. The main building is a massive brick edifice, with stone trimmings and basement. It cost $35,000, exclusive of the site, which was donated to the society by Alfred Parker, A. B. Robbins and George L. Brimhall, through whose generosity and enterprise this institution was located here. For further particulars in regard to this institution, the reader is referred to the article headed "Higher Bducational Institutions of Hennepin County."

The Crystal Lake and Brooklyn Free Will Baptist Church was organized May 27th, 1860, with six members, H. R. Stillman, Mrs. A. M. Stillman, Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Thompson, Mrs. H. Merritt and I. Smith, by Rev. W. Hay¬ den and A. D. Sandborn. It had no settled pastor, but only occasional preaching, until March, 1862. About this time. Rev. R. W. Bryant, of Min- neapolis, commenced visiting the church, liolding occasional meetings, and Rev. H. N. Herrick preached ever}'- two weeks. Rev. Mr. Bryant was pas¬ tor from this time until May, 1804, when he was succeeded by Rev. J. Elliot. Rev. \V. Hayden was pastor for the year 1869, and Rev. C. L. Rus¬ sell for the years 1870 and 1871. From this date to 1876, the church was par¬ tially supplied by H. N. Herrick. Then followed Rev. J. C. Robbinson, for one year. Following this. Rev. A. J. Davis, filled the pulpit until the autumn of 1878, when Rev. A. H. Hans came for one 3^ear. Then followed a vacancy', until April, 1880, when Rev. I). D. Mitchell was pastor for one year; then Rev. Stevenson for a year, when Rev. C. L. Russell became pastor and re¬ mained so until April, 1887, when Rev. H. G. Woodworth took charge and was pastor one year. After a vacancy of several months. Rev. T. B. Molton took charge and was pastor two years. At this time (1892), Rev. O. F. Burgess is pastor, and the church is in a flourish¬ ing condition. The church was built in 1875-6, on section 5, and is 32x45 feet. It is completely finished and is a neat structure. It cost $2,200.

St. Maries Catholic Church. The Catholic inhabitants, in the west part of the town, in 1863, erected a school house. In 1873, this building was re¬ modeled and enlarged, the result being the present pleasant little church building. At this time, the name, St. Maries, was given to the church. Peter and John Schuller and B. Hommes donated a five acre tract of land, where the church was erected. Their cemetery adjoins the church on the east. The first priest at St. Maries was Father Eberhart; the present. Father Florentius Kuryer. The mem¬ bership is eighty.

The First Congregational Church of Parker was organized June 14th, 1889, with a membership of thirty-five. It now has a membership of fifty. The first trustees were J. P. Shumway, L. A. Tyler and W. C. Gilbert; the dea¬ cons, O. W. Newell and L. C. Roth; treasurer, H. K. Smith; chorister, Stephen Burton and assistant. Lulu Downs; ushers, Ray Newell and Perry Smith, and clerk, W. C. Gilbert. Mr. C. W. Votaw was acting pastor, when the church was organized. A. D. Fanning was the first regular pastor. In 1890, the church voted to erect a building. The contract was let to E. K. Wilkins, of Minneapolis, for $4,125, to be completed about Jantiar}^ 1st, 1891. It was finished and dedicated near the second Sunday in May, 1891. The building, when completed and furnished, will cost about $6,000, with a seating capacit}^ of three hundred fifty. The location is at the corner of Shumwa}^ Avenue and the Shingle Creek Road. The lot contains onehalf acre. This church occupies an entirel}^ new field, it being the first established at Robbinsdale. The church building is modern in con¬ struction and convenient. It occupies a pleasant, centrally situated site, just on the border line between the prairie and grove. This church has always been, and is, at the present time, pros¬ perous. Rev. J. H. Pemberton is its present pastor.

Fraternal Beneficiary Organiza¬ tion. The Ancient Order of United Workmen organized a lodge, in 1890, with a membership of nine. R. D. Hutchinson was elected master work¬ man. Dr. C. A. Donaldson served as master workman "in 1891. O. B. Hoff¬ man is present master. The lodge has about twenty members.

practitioner of medicine and surgery. He located in Robbinsdale in 1888 and has, by his gentlemanly qualities and professional skill, established a large practice.

J. Trump has a grocery store, cen¬ trally located. Nasett and Linde carry a stock of general merchandise. George E. Swift has a well appointed drug store. He is also postmaster of Robbinsdale. J. J. Coulter has an ex¬ cellent meat market. Sand and Christenson do general blacksmithing, G. Irwin wagon maker. E. E. Higgins has a blacksmith shop. Peter Yarkanson, shoemaker, and Mr. Mitch¬ ell a barber shop.

Hotel Georgia is a fine, new, threestory wood building, and has a good location. This is a temperance house and is well kept by its owner, C. T. Griffith. There are three other houses, Johnson's Place, H. P. Witte's Crystal Park House, and M. Niesen's Crystal Lake House, These are pleasantly situated, on the shores of Crystal Lake.

Transportation. There are two trunk line railroads that pass entirely through the village. The Great Nor¬ thern, traversing it from south to north, and the "Soo," from east to west.

Street Cars. Early in the spring of 1891, the North Side Street Rail¬ road Company, having obtained an exclusive franchise, from the village, for a period of thirty years, proceeded to construct the road from the city limits to Robbinsdale. In its con¬ struction, the same weight of rails and the same gauge was used as in the city. Since the first of June, 1891, horse cars have been operated on this line. Arrangements have been made whereby the electric S3^stem of the city will be extended from Penn

Avenue out Thirty-second Street, onehalf mile, to the present terminus of this line, after which the village will have a good street car system to and from the city.

The manufacturing industries lo¬ cated in the village of Crystal, situa¬ ted on the side-tracks at Robbinsdale Station, are the Sweatt Manufactur¬ ing Company, engaged in the manu¬ facture of patent wheels, wheelbar¬ rows, camp furniture and other goods. The investment of this company amounts to $25,000. The plant con¬ sists of new buildings for manufactur¬ ing and storage purposes, fitted up in the best manner, and the firm are do¬ ing a ver}^ large and prosperous busi¬ ness, having orders for more goods than they can manufacture, and say that, in the spring, they will verj" largel}' increase their capacity.

The Northern Car Company is en¬ gaged in the manufacture of street railway and other cars, with a capital of $280,000, employing from one hun¬ dred fifty to two hundred men. It has a capacity of manufacturing seven cars per week. The cars manufac¬ tured by this company are said to be equal, if not superior, to those of an3^ other company in the country. The Minneapolis Street Railway Company give the cars the very highest recom¬ mendation. These works are now being enlai'ged, by the erection of an extensive brick building, for the fin¬ ishing of the work, which will add largely to its capacity.

These institutions have been located within the past two years, and are em¬ ploying a very desirable class, who will aid in building up the district.

In giving a history of this village it is but just that a brief mention be made of the men who have been large¬ ly instrumental in its development.

To Wnship Histor Y.

In 1887, Mr. A. B. Robbins platted Robbinsdale Park, and was largely in¬ strumental in securing the location of Luther Seminary, and, afterwards, the Hubbard Specialty Manufacturing Companj^, of which he was president. It was, also, largely through his efforts that the Northern Car Shops were lo¬ cated here. Pie is, at present, the president of this Compaii}', also presi¬ dent of the North Side Street Railwa}^ Company, and also instrumental in its organization. He has expended much money in the building of houses, grad¬ ing of streets, planting of trees and other public improvements.

Mr. Alfred Parker is another public minded citizen who has done much to promote the general welfare and pros¬ perity^, giving freely^ to the Luther Seminary^, the Hubbard Manufacturing Company^, and the Northern Car Com¬ pany. He, too, has built liouses and taken a general interest in the devel¬ opment of the village.

And all this niay^ be said of Mr. George L. Brimhall, who has given freely^, not only^ to the above, but, also, to the North Side Street Railways Com¬ pany.

the autumn of 1891, since which time the following important additions have been made: The village of Crystal has been disorganized, and three of its sections, in, the southeast portion of its territory, have been incorporated as the village of Robbinsdale. The present village board of Robbinsdale is composed of A. B. Robbins, Presi¬ dent; John Hayes, Recorder; L. I. Nasett, T. H. Girling, and H. Christ¬ enson, Trustees; G. E. Swift, Treasurer. The North Side Street Railway Com¬ pany now uses a gasoline motor, in ])lace of horses, and connects with the Minneapolis electric system at the corner of Penn and Thirty-second Avenue North. The Northern Car Company's shops, also the Hubbard Specialty^ Manufacturing Company's shops, have been destroped by fire. Robbinsdale has now become purely a residence village. The village is in a prosperous condition and its future is bright.

The balance of the territory^ that composed the village of Cry'stal has reverted into the original town of Crystal Lake. The town board is now composed of Paris Reidhead, Chair¬ man; Philip Kuch and V. D. Cran¬ dall, Supervisors; Jarius Russ, Clerk; C. F. McCausland, Treasurer. The town has just completed a creditable town hall.

The village of Osseo was originally a part of the towns of Maple Grove and Brookl3^n. It occupies a part of the level prairie known as "Bottineau Prairie," one of the most beautiful and fertile in the countr^^ from the old half-breed guide, Pierre Bottineau, who made a claim there in July, 1852. The village of Osseo was platted, Sep¬ tember 9th, 1856, by Warren Sampson and Isaac Labosiniere, and surveyed by Richard Strout, Soon afterwards, another village was laid out, by A. B. Chaffee, adjoining Osseo, on the southeast, which is now included in the latter. The village of Osseo was incorporated, by an act of the Legisla¬ ture, in 1875. Its government is vested in a President, three Councilmen, a Recorder, and a Treasurer. It consti¬ tutes an Election District. Its bound¬ aries are defined in the act of the in¬ corporation as beginning at the north¬ west corner of section 18, township 119, range 21, and running west, on the north line of said section, one hun¬ dred twenty rods; thence south two hundred rods; thence west forty rods; thence south eighty rods; thence west one hundred twenty rods; thence north two hundred eightyrods; thence east to the place of beginning. Osseo was settled, in 1854, by Warren Samp¬ son, Isaac Labosiniere, Clark Ells¬ worth, Seneca Brown, James McRay, and D. B. Thayer. During 1855-6, the surrounding country was occupied by settlers. After the village was laid out, in 1856, the settlement was rapid. The wooded district of Maple Grove commences a mile or two west of the village, and furnished, in early days, a considerable business, in bu3dng green cord wood from the settlers, and, after it became seasoned, selling it to teamsters, to, be hauled to Minne¬ apolis. A post office, store, black¬ smith shop and inn were established, and one church followed. Social and benevolent societies were formed, and the village soon became a compact and prosperous community.

A narrow gauge railroad was under¬ taken, by a local company, to furnish a better communication with Minne¬ apolis. The property and franchise were acquired by the Manitoba Com¬ pany, and the line was adopted for the main track of that corporation, be¬ tween Minneapolis and St. Cloud. Since the continuation of that line, Osseo has had a good rail communi¬ cation, both to the north and south. It has not been killed, like so many other thriving villages, but has taken on new life, since the advent of the railroad. Among the enterprising men who have made their homes in Osseo, some now deceased, are G. W. Savage, Seneca Brown, Eli Haviland, Mike Wilmes,Nic Wilmes, John Hechtman. Rev. A. Ladriere, E. Lefebvre, S.

Osseo has a population, at this time, of over four hundred, French, Can¬ adians, Germans and native Ameri¬ cans. It supports three general stores, two harness shops, two blacksmith shops, a drug store, a livery stable, tin shop, two meat markets, cigar manufactory, and three saloons. The school building, one of the finest in the count}^ was erected several 3"ears ago, at a cost of about $0,000. Osseo has alwa3^s contributed liberally to the cause of education. The first school was held in the summer of 1856, and taught by Miss Sylvia Roe, who is still living, in the state of "single blessedness," in the town of Dayton, this county. The school now furnishes emplo3unent for four teach¬ ers, and there are over two hundred pupils.

The grain elevator furnishes a con¬ venient market to the farmers of the surrounding country. A starch factor3', which makes starch from pota¬ toes, was erected, several years ago, by tbe Wilmes Brothers, which has proved of great benefit to the farmers of the vicinity. It is only run during seasons when the crop of potatoes is so abundant and the price in Minne¬ apolis so low as to render it unprofi¬ table to haul to that market. Al¬ though the price paid at the factor3" is usuall3" so low as not to offer much inducement to the farmer to raise po¬ tatoes, yet it is of great benefit to him in furnishing a market where he can get Honiothing for his crop, which would otherwise be ahnost worthless.

The average capacit3' of the factor3', when running, is 10,000 pounds of crude starch per day. The quality of the starch, owing to The excellence of the water used, is "A No. 1." It emplo3^s in operatioti about twenty men. The factory is now owned 1)3'' a stock company, of neighboring farmers.

A driving park was laid out, on the farm of Isaiah Garvais, in the town of Maple Grove, about half a mile north of Osseo, two 3'ears ago. It is called the Osseo Driving Park. The track was surve3"ed by Mr. W. B. Henr3", of Hassan, and graded by' Mr. A. J. Smith, of Brooklyn. It is a mile track, eliptical in shai^e, and has been pro¬ nounced, b3' competent judges, one of the finest anywhere. The facilities for viewing races are unexcelled on any race course, as one ma3" stand in any part of the grounds and view an3^ other part.

A considerable business is done at the elevator where much of the grain produced in the vicinit3" is marketed. Osseo is also quite a shipping point for potatoes, man3^ carloads being shipped, on the Great Northern Rail¬ road, from this point, every fall and spring.

Among the improvements to be noted within the last two or three years is the grading and graveling of the main street, making it as fine a road as can be found.

Osseo has several societies, or fra¬ ternities. Winslow Lewis Lodge, No. 125, A. F. and A. M., was organized in 1875. It has a membership of about fift3% is in a sound financial condition, owning its hall and having a surplus in its treasury. Stiles Gra3' and G. W. Savage were among its first masters. Elmer Owen now occupies the seat.

one of the past presidents of which, has been junior vice-president of the State Department of Minnesota. A chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, was organized here, in the spring of 1894. All these societies meet in the Masonic Hall. A lodge of Odd Fellows was organized, in the spring of 1892, and now numbers over fifty members. Edward Egan was the first N. G., Dr. A. F. Simard is the present. The Odd Fellows are at present building themselves a hall, which, when completed, will be the finest in the village. It is sixty feet long, fort}^ feet wide and two stories high; the upper to be their hall and the lower two store rooms to be rented. The Turners, in 1879, succeeded the Osseo Liederkranz, which was orga¬ nized in 1867. The Turners have a large hall, where most of the public meetings are held. The first society was a society of Spiritualists, of whom, in earl}' days, there were quite a number, which for a time had regu¬ lar meetings, built a hall and flour¬ ished. They long ago ceased to exist as an organization. A Good Templars lodge flourished, for a time, having, at one time, one hundred fifty members. There is also a society of Free Think¬ ers, which has been organized for over twenty-five years, and comprises about ten families. A Camp of S. of V. was organized, a number of years ago, and is in a flourishing condition. Frank Biederman is the present cap¬ tain. Osseo Land and Garden Cul¬ ture Society, organized in 1875, meets, on the second Sunday of each month, to discuss the management of farms and gardens. This society has twelve members. Both the Catholic and Lutheran churches have large congre¬ gations. Since the organization of the G. A. R., W. R. C., and S. of V.,

G. W. Savage was born in Lenawee County, Michigan, February 7th, 1844. Enlisted as private in Company F, Eleventh Michigan Infantry Volun¬ teers, August 24th, 1861. Was with his regiment until discharged, in No¬ vember, 1864. Was in the battles of Mill Spring, marched, under Buel, to re-inforce Grant, at Shiloh, Stone River, Chicamauga, Mission Ridge, and on to Atlanta, where he was shot through the thigh and sent to the hospital, where he remained until dis¬ charged. He was wounded, in the battle of Stone River, and lost two fingers while bearing the flag up Mis¬ sion Ridge. Mr. Savage took and passed the examination for promotion to command of colored troops, but re¬ fused to accept a captain's commis¬ sion, preferring, he says, to stay with the men who went in with him or with those that were left of them. The battle of Graysville, Georgia, just after Chatanooga, was the only battle in which his regiment was en¬ gaged in which he did not participate. After his discharge, Mr. Savage went home to his mother, in Michigan, where he remained about a year. Came to Osseo, November 24th, ]865, and engaged in the mercantile busi¬ ness, with his brother, C. W. Savage, and Eli Haviland, for about two years. Was married July 4th, 1868, to Miss Mary A. Henderson, of Brooklyn. The mercantile business not proving profi¬ table, he bought a farm, one mile east of Osseo, where he lived until 1884, when he bought another piece of land, in Osseo, adjoining his farm, upon which he moved into Osseo, where he has since lived. Mr. Savage has been Village Recorder, Assessor, Justice of the Peace, and is now serving his fourth year as President of the Coun¬ cil. He also served one term in the State Legislature, session of 1889. Mr. Savage was married a second time, November 13th, 1876, to Miss Sarah A. Whitney. He had by his first wife, three children, two of whom are now living; by his second, two, a girl and a boy.

John Hechtnan was born in the Rhine Province, Germany, December 27th, 1828. Emigrated to Erie, Penn¬ sylvania, in 1832. Went to California in '49, by Cape Horn, and was six months in making the voyage. There he stayed four months, in the mines, and then returned to Pennsylvania, where he remained till 1857, when he came to Minnesota. Again returned to Pennsylvania, in 1860, trying to make his fortune in oil, when the war broke out. He enlisted, in 1861, as a private, in the Eighty-third Pennsyl¬ vania, the greatest fighting regiment in the war, havdng lost more men from start to finish than any other regi¬ ment. He served four years and was in over twenty battles, including Get¬ tysburg, Seven Day's Fight, Chancellorsville, Frederickburg and Wilder¬ ness. Entered as private and rose to the rank of captain. Was senior cap¬ tain in the regiment when discharged. Was severely wounded, at the battle of Laurel Hill, in Ma}'', 1864, and was honorably discharged in September,

1865, and engaged in the mercantile business, which he has ever since car¬ ried on. He was elected to the State Legislature, in 1868, on the Republi¬ can ticket, when Hentiepin County had but three Representatives, and again, in 1874, when he got a bill through giving the village its charter. Has been President of the Council and held other offices in the village. He is a Mason. Captain Hechtman has, by his fairness and plain dealing, won for himself a very enviable repu¬ tation. His name, among those who know him, is the synonjmi of honesty.

E. Le Febre came to Osseo, in 1866, at the age of twenty-one. Clerked in Z. Demueles' store for seven years, since which time he has been running a gen¬ eral store. Was postmaster and post¬ master's clerk for twenty-four years, at Osseo. Has held several offices, and is now Village Recorder, and Clerk of the school district. Has held some office in the village since its organiza¬ tion. Was treasurer of Saint Vincent DuPaul's Church twenty-six years. Besides managing his store, Mr. Le Febre is recording agent for the St. Paul Fire and Marine, and Home In¬ surance Companies. Is married and has a large family,

William Krueger was born in West Prussia, October 21st, 1833. From the age of five to fourteen attended school, then herded cattle for two years, then served an apprenticeship of four years at the shoemaker's trade. Traveled ten years as a journeyman, such travel being necessary, by law, before a tradesman could set up for himself. In 1862, Mr. Krueger embarked for America. Stopped at St. Paul for two 3'ears, working at his trade. Located at Osseo in 1864, which has since been his home. Married, in October, 1864, to Miss August Harthoff, b}^ whom he has had seven children. Mr. Krueger has served on the school board, mem¬ ber of the Village Council, and has held

Dr. a. F. Simard was born in Mon¬ treal, Canada, in 1860, and educated at St. Hyacinth's Seminary, Quebec. At the age of twenty-one, he chose the practice of medicine as his profession. Graduated, four years later, from the School of Medicine and Surgery, Vic¬ toria University, Montreal. In 1885, attended the Mount Royal Rifles to the Northwest during Riel's Rebellion, as regimental surgeon. On his return from this expedition, spent one and one-half years at Hotel Dieu Hospital, Montreal. Practiced in St. Paul and Anoka for a short time. Came to Osseo four years ago, and now has a large practice.

proprietor of the International Hotel, and also the cigar manufactory, and Eli Haviland, who runs the hardware store. These, with those mentioned in the first part of this account, are public spirited, and have done much for the prosperity and stability of the village.

Its private residences are many of them handsome and convenient. Trees have been planted along the streets, which, with the growth of more than thirty years, afford a grateful shade in the summer time, while the yards are bright with shrubs and flowers. The whole aspect of the place is that of thrift and contentment.

The pioneers are passing away, but a new generation, native to the place, have come upon the stage, and, under the inspirations of our free institutions, and good educational advantages, per¬ petuate the names and virtues of the old founders.

First Settlement. John Carman, of Ohio, with some members of his family, settled on the peninsula now known as Spring Park, in 1853. This was the earliest settlement within the township of Orono. Carman, after es¬ tablishing himself on the peninsula, selected several tracts on the north shore as future homes for other mem¬ bers of his family, still remaining in Ohio.

It may be here stated that the coun¬ try about Lake Minnetonka was, dur¬ ing the years 1853-4, unsurveyed and the settlers held their lands by prior¬ ity of settlement, or squatters' rights, a usage which perhaps owed its exis¬ tence more to the consent of the set¬ tlers than to written law. Some lands, under this usage, were kept by settlers here for some friends still in the East, by merely making marks about the lands, indicating claims of such par¬ ties to the lands, which was mostly respected by land hunters.

Tn 1854, James and Francis Maxwell arrived at Wayzata. A few days later, O. E. Garrison and the Maxwells ex¬ plored the countr3^ between Wa3'zata and Long Lake, traveling along an Indian trail, near the present route of the South Watertown Road, being guided by information received from one of Shakopee's band of Indians, who, previous to their setting out, drew a diagram of the country, on the ground, with a stick, delineating the course of the Indian trail through the unbroken forest, and the positions of lakes, streams, marshes and hills, which the explorers, in their travels, found to be correct and of great ser¬ vice. They extended their explora¬ tions beyond Long Lake to Maxwell's Bay (the Indian name being Wiopeagta), where the Maxwells marked claims, where they, a few days later, erected cabins and began settlements. They were soon followed by Kelsey Hinman, who settled on the Graves and Teas land, and by Asa Kelly, who settled the tract now owned by Wil¬ liam G. White.

On July 4th, 1854, James and Fran¬ cis Maxwell, Kelsey Hinman and Asa Kelly set out on an exploring tour. Starting at Maxwell's Bay, and pro¬ ceeding in a northwesterl3' direction, for a short time, they found an Indian trail, running in the same direction, following which they ran across an Indian canoe, on dry land, which they took for an indication that a body of water existed near by, and, upon ad¬ vancing a short distance, their sur¬ mise was confirmed. The trail led them to a large silver3'^ sheet of water, which the3L in their ardor and patriot¬ ism named " Lake Independence." They found an abandoned Winnebago tent on the shore of the lake. Con¬ tinuing their explorations around the south shore of the lake and along the southerly border of marshy lands along the outlet of the lake. Pioneer Creek, they found the stream entering hard ground, through which it passed with a rapids. The scene at this point (now R. M. Mills' farm), awak¬ ened further enthusiasm in the minds of the explorers, in the contemplation of a future water power. Having dis¬ covered a lake, a stream of water and a water power and having honored the day (July 4th), by giving its name to one of the objects discovered, was glory enough for one day. They re¬ turned at eve to their domiciles on Maxwell Bay.

During the summer of 1854, further settlements, with accompan3dng in¬ cidents, were made in the following order: William F. Russell, a printer, from New York, settled on the west shore of Crystal Bay, in section 17, town of Orono, where, within a short time, he was followed by a brother printer, Frederick A. Jennings, of Ohio. Allen T. French, of Ohio, set¬ tled on the north shore of Crystal Ba^^ in section 9, Orono. In making his location, Mr. French took a canoe at John Carman's place (now Spring Park), where he and family were re¬ maining temporarily, and rowed through the narrows to the place of his future abode. While on his route, he noticed a sailboat on the main or lower lake, which craft, containing but one person, William Lithgow, was then on its fatal trip. After Mr. French had passed out of sight, the sailboat was capsized, by the wind, and its occupant was drowned. Thus Lithgow became the first white victim to the waves of Minnetonka. The wreck was discovered next morning by James Maxwell, who reported it to O. E. Garrison, and others, at Wayzata, who recovered Lithgow's body.

wife, Martha French, began their resi¬ dence in Minnesota. The scene of Mr. French's settlement was on the prem¬ ises of G. C. Rodell. On one occasion, during that year, Frederick A. Jen¬ nings, in passing* over Lake Minne¬ tonka, had his boat capsized and with great difficulty gained the shore, at what is now known as Orono Point, where, under an impression that he was on an island,, he remained many hours, running into days, being almost famished. He finally succeeded in at¬ tracting the attention of Allen and William French to his shouts and sig¬ nals of distress. Imagine his surprise on being informed by his rescuers, that he was on a peninsula, instead of an island, from where he could have emerged on dry land and reached the settlement of Allen T. French inside of an hour. From that circumstance the place was known, for many years, as Starvation or Printer's Point, the latter referring to the occupation of Mr. Jennings. William French settled in section 9, and Stephen Bean, of Maine, settled in section 33, on the premises now owned by Anna Ben¬ nett.

The large island in Lower Minne¬ tonka was first known as Meeker Is¬ land, so designated in honor to Judge Bradley B. Meeker, who, in company with Colonel John H. Stevens, Gov¬ ernor Alexander Ramsey, and others, had visited Lake Minnetonka some time previous to the settlement of the surrounding country.

In 1854, W. B Morse, located on the island, and, in due time, obtained a title of the United States Government to the island. Latterly it has been known as Morse's or Big Island.

located. I'he point of the peninsula projecting southward toward Big Is¬ land was part of Holmes' claim, once, and was known for many years as Holmes' Point.

Hon. Lewis Harrington, of Hutchin¬ son, deceased, located a claim on the land now owned by Jacob Hursh and others, in 1854, which he held until about 1855.

The first road in the town of Orono was opened, during the fall of 1854, under the following circumstances: Job Moffat, a Quaker, having learned, through Janies Maxwell, of the pros¬ pective water power on Pioneer Creek, and, witli the idea of utilizing the same, began a settlement there, that fall. In establishing himself at that place, he traveled, with an ox team, from St. Anthony's Falls, over O. E. Garrison's route, to Wayzata. From Wayzata, he was obliged to open and make his own road, following the In¬ dian trail westward, by Long Lake, and by the settlement of Stephen Bean, to a point near Maxwell's Bay, where he left the trail, hewing his way to a point near the southeasterly corner of Independence Township, from where he changed his course to a northwesterly direction, following the Indian trail leading to the forks of Crow River, and continued his exertions until he arrived at his desti¬ nation, on Pioneer Creek, thus becom¬ ing the first settler in the future town of Independence, the scene of which was in section 22, now the premises of Robert M. Mills.

While the settlements made pre¬ vious to the close of the year 1854 were sparse, they were permanent be¬ ginnings of a subjugation of the wil¬ derness to the uses of civilized man, and, during the fall of 1854, many of the pioneers, after having erected cab¬ ins on the spots of land cleared for habitations and cultivation, returned to their former homes in the older States, for their friends and families, including the swain returning to claim his first love, all inspired with the briglitest anticipations of thrift and happiness to be enjoyed in their prosjjective homes in Minnesota, which enthusiasm they imparted to neighbors and friends of their old homes, so that the visiting pioneers, on their return to Minnesota, the next spring, were not only accompanied by their families and relatives, but by others, in quest of homes in the prom¬ ised land. Also, many were induced to come to Minnesota by glowing let¬ ters from 2:)ioneers, so that on the ar¬ rival of the spring of 1855, a heavy tide of immigration into the "Big Woods'' was inaugurated, the route of immigration being by steamer to St. Paul and overland to Minneapolis, and following the road opened by Gar¬ rison and Moffat, to Wayzata and Pio¬ neer Creek. So important did this road become that it was legalized by a survey, made by C. Beall, in 1855, for C. W. Christmas, County Surve3"or.

In April, 1855, Theodore A. Norris and William C. Fleming, of Adrian, Michigan, settled on the southerl}^ shore of Long Lake, on the road opened by Job Moffat. A few days later, David A. Lydiard, Miles Bayer and Daniel Thompson arrived at the settlement of Norris and Fleming, and, after view¬ ing the country" surrounding Long Lake, attempted to cross the lake, oti thawing ice, at the risk of their lives, and, after slumping several times, suc¬ ceeded in gaining the north shore, where they found desirable land and immediately laid claim to portions with lake frontage, bj" commencing improvements thereon.

David A. Lydiard and Miles Bayer were Nova Scotians, and were the pio¬ neers of the Nova Scotia settlement about Long Lake, and also the first to break the forest on the north shore of that lake. They were soon followed by Richard Danforth, Wallace Hatter, John Carver and James Dunbrack (a Nova Scotian), who settled on the west shore of the same lake, and by John Matteson, who settled back of the lake. Lewis Harrison and Lorenzo Coleman wei'e successive squatters on land now owned by Jacob Hursh, and others, about that time.

In April, 1855, James and Francis Maxwell returned from a visit to their former homes, in Illinois, and were accompanied by their father, John Maxwell, and their brothers, Robert and George Maxwell, their sister, Mrs. Emily Turnham, and family,and, also, by a neighbor, John Shaefer, and while enroute, on the Mississippi steamboat. Galena, they became acquainted with three Pennsylvanians, Isaac A. Christlieb, Robert H. and Joseph L. Knettle. The latter, on learning the character of the country about Lake Minne¬ tonka, of the Maxwell brothers, de¬ cided to seek locations there. The Maxwells and relatives found their way to the cabins erected by Janies and Francis Maxwell, the previous year, on Maxwell's Bay, while the three Pennslvanians halted at the cabin of Stephen Bean, which was, as previously noted, in the same vicinity, where they were entertained, and, by the expiration of the first week of the following May, the entire party found locations; Isaac A. Christlieb, Robert H. Knettle, and John Shaefer in the same section with their host. Bean, Joseph L. Knettle further north, and Edwin Turnham and George Maxwell located between Bean's and Maxwell's

Bays. John Maxwell, the father, was a native of Scotland, and, in early life, enlisted as a soldier in the British army, and served under the Duke of Wellington, taking an active part in the battles of Badajoz and Salamanca, and was one of the veterans, who, on the defeat of Napoleon, and his (Na¬ poleon's) abdication and retirement to Elba, were sent against the Ameri¬ cans, in the war of 1812, serving under Packenham, at the battle of New Or¬ leans, where he escaped the bullets of General Jackson's riflemen, which ex¬ perience, instead of deterring him, drew his admiration, and, on the ex¬ piration of his term of service in the British Arm}'", he became an Ameri¬ can citizen and a resident amongst American riflemen or pioneers, in Vir¬ ginia, Ohio and Illinois, pursuing the avocations of peace, and finally ending an eventful life in the tranquillity of the forests of Lake Minnetonka, some time after his arrival in Minnesota, at a ripe old age.

In May, 1855, William Fogleman, his wife, Mary, his son, Henry A., and his son-in-law, Vincent Cox, of In¬ diana, arrived at Bean's cabin. Henry A. Fogleman and Vincent Cox took claims adjoining that of Isaac A. Christlieb. About the same time, Eleazer Dickey, Samuel Lydiard and Edward F. Walsh, Nova Scotians, ar¬ rived. Dickey and Lydiard settled near the east end of Long Lake, while Edward F. Walsh settled between Long Lake and Lake Minnetonka, in which he was accompanied by his bride, having married Miss Mary Dillman, of Nova Scotia, about the same of Ohio, settled on land north of J. L. Knettle's claim. During May and June, settlers located between Long Lake and Minnetonka, namely: Shep- arc! Barnes and famil3", of Maine; Jndd Beach, of Michigan; Newton French, Evan Templin, and wife, brother and brother-in-law of Allen T. French, William Carman, son of John Car¬ man, who located on land previously marked for him by his father, at pres¬ ent the land of J. J. Hill; Robert Max¬ well, previousl}" mentioned, and James B. Brown, and familj^ of Indiana, who located on that part of Lake Min¬ netonka which received its name from their settlement. Brown's Bay. The premises were since owned and occu¬ pied by Oliver B. and Joseph C., the sons of James B. Brown. Lewen C. Hunter and Benjamin C. Haines, of Ohio, with their, families, settled on Haines' Bay, Lake Minnetonka, early in 1855, and Fidel Striebel settled in the north part of Orono.

In the spring of 1855, William F. Russell, on returning to Minnesota from a visit to his native home, in New York, brought with him his father, Caleb Russell, and his two brothers, Harvey Y. (see Minnetrista) and Alexander Russell. Caleb Rus¬ sell, through having been a soldier of the war of 1812, had received a militar}^ land warrant of the United States Government, of which he was still possessed on his arrival in Minnesota, and which he located on land on the northerly shore of the West Arm of Lake Minnetonka, near the location made bj^ his son, Harvey Y. Russell, in Minnetrista, being the same land which now constitutes a portion of the plat of Saga Hill, and Alexander Russell settled on the same lake shore, on latid adjoining claims of Caleb and Harvey Y. Russell.

In April, 1855, a road was surve^'ed from Excelsior, across Hull's Narrows, to Greenwood, which road ran on and near the Indian trail, over which the

In June, 1855, William Archibald, of Nova Scotia, with his family, settled on land adjoining the claim of Vincent Cox, being the place where he and his son, Herbert, reside at present, and during the summer of 1855, John A. Coleman and family, of Trumbull Countj^ Ohio, arrived and settled on the claim of James Dunbrack, the lat¬ ter relinquishing his claim and seek¬ ing another, adjoining it on the south, and, likewise, James H. Clark suc¬ ceeded John Carver. On these two claims the village of Long Lake is now situated. In like manner, A. J. Underwood, of Trumbull Count}",

Allen Grave, of Richmond, Indiana, succeeded Kelsey Hinman and re¬ moved there with his famil}", being the lands now owned and occupied by his son, Charles T. Grave and others. Also, Alois and Frederick Fredericks settled in section 30, and Isaac Flaugher, of Ohio, settled in section 6. Other settlers of that 3"ear were Enos Stubbs and his wife, Lydia, the latter being a daughter of Allen Grave, and Charles Jenkinson, of Philadelphia, and family. Jenkinson was a dancing master, and, during the long winter ev'enings of those times, gav"e instruc¬ tions in his profession, in the log cab¬ ins of the "Big Woods."

John Carman, of Mahoning Count}", Ohio, who settled, as before stated, on what is now Spring Park, in 1853, was iTistrumental in having a number of his Ohio acquaintances settle in the "Big Woods," amongst whom were

United States Surveys. The United States surveys of the country north of Lake Minnetonka, made about this time, rendered it necessary for the squatters to modify the boundaries of their claims, which was satisfactory to some and the opposite to others, who, in some instances, abandoned their first localities to seek new ones. Amongst these were Miles Bayer, who abandoned his location, on the north shore of Long Lake, and made an¬ other, adjoining H. A. Fogleman, thus avoiding difficulties which beset his associates, D. A. Lydiard, E. Dickey, and Richard Danforth. They, having taken claims with one-fourth mile frontage on Long Lake and one mile in depth, were contested by German settlers, who insisted in taking square quarter sections, attempting to claim the rear halves of claims of the former. A physical conflict followed, in which the habitations of the Germans were literally hewn to pieces, the whole community of settlers about Long Lake having combined to put an end to "claim jumping." Later, the Nova Scotia settlers, on reconsideration, al¬ lowed the Germans to hold their claims in peace, which resulted in a good feeling between all the parties con¬ cerned.

In 1855, on the completion of the government surveys, plats were filed in the United States Land Office, then at Minneapolis, by which the lands north of Lake Minnetonka were opened to entry, under which the settlers were allowed to make their claims a matter of record, enabling them, on comply¬ ing with certain conditions, to hold their claims undisturbed until they were ready to purchase and obtain title from the government, upon

Other parties settling within the present limits of Orono, in 1855, whose names have not yet appeared were: Franklin N. Fleming and James N. Dudley, who were associated with Wayzata, held claims, for a time, near Long Lake, relinquishing them, later, to settlers who have already been mentioned, and William A. Spafford, who bought the claim of Stephen Bean, and lived there till 1856, when he sold it to Isabella Gilfillan, who pre-empted the place, upon which Spafford purchased the pre-empted claim of John Matteson, now the lands of George H. Smith and C. W. Weeks.

The' following parties, although minors at the time (1855) when their parents settled within the present limits of Orono, were old enough to jiarticipate in some of the experiences of their families in pioneering, name¬ ly: Robert, David and Herbert Archi¬ bald and their sisters, Mrs. Robert Coffin and Mrs. Taylor Archibald, were children of William Archibald; Selden, Madison, Addison, John and Wilber Coleman, were sons of John A. Coleman; Elbridge and Mellen Barnes were sons of Sheppard Barnes; James Turnham and his sisters, Mrs. Fleming and Mrs. Milton Stubbs, were children of Edwin Turnham; Jona¬ than, Charles, Mary Ann (Mrs. Par¬ ker), Rachel (Mrs. Hilton, deceased), and Ruth (Mrs. Brooks), were children of Allen Grave.

During the year 1856, several parties attempted to raft logs from the shores of Lake Minnetonka, across that body of water and through its outlet, to the saw mill and furniture factory of Sears, Eastman, Skoll and Atwood, success¬ ors to Stevens, Tuttle, Webster and others, erected on, and driven by the water collected in the dam built across the outlet at Miuuetouka City. While some of these parties succeeded iu briugiug logs to Miuuetouka Cit3", others failed iu the attempt aud the experiment, iu a general wa}', not proving to he a success, was aband¬ oned. The logs were collected on the shores aud on the ice during the jorevious winter, and those logs which were still in their unseasoned state sank, upon the thawing of the ice. Only those that had become seasoned, to sortie extent, could be rafted. Some of the parties engaged in this enter¬ prise were William and Samuel French, Isaac A. Christlieb, Miles Ba3^er and Rev. Abraham Gress (Independence), the latter being one of the parties whose logs sank upon the thawing of the ice. His son, William Gress, was then holding a claim in Orono.

The first white child born within the limits of Orono and Medina, was Emma, the daughter of George and Delilah Maxwell, and now the wife of Mellen Smith. She was born in Januar3'-, 1856.

Settlers of 1856 were: Isaac Shartle and family, and Mrs. Isabella Gilfillan, of Clark County, Ohio, these parties being acquaintances of Robert H. Knettle. Shartle bought Evan i'emplin's land, now the premises of J. H. Winslow, and Mrs. Gilfillan bought William A. Spafford's land, which em¬ braced lands now owned by Anna Bennett, William Smith and William Guise. About the same time, Henr3' Stubbs and family, of which Nathan, Milton, Rolla, and Anna Stubbs and Mrs. Rachel Talbert, were members, settled on land adjoining that of Allen Grav^e. Charles W. Gordon and famil3'.

of which Mrs. William G. Wliite was a member, and Gibson Teas and wife, with his onl3^ son, C. O. Teas, now of Ma3"er Station, settled on land which he purcliased of Allen Grave. Grave, Stubl)s, and Teas, were from Rich¬ mond, 1 adiana, where they were mem¬ bers of the Friends, or Quaker society, but, about the time of their migration to Minnesota, they became interested in spiritualism, adhering more closely to the latter faith than the former, after coming to Minnesota.

In 1855, George Knettle, of Penns3dvania, visited his nephews, Robert and Joseph Knettle, and, during his sojourn, became favorably impressed with the countr3'-, and decided to ob¬ tain a considerable quantity of "Big Woods" land, erect a steam saw mill and locate permanently. Land, then, was obtainable only under the pre¬ emption law, or by purchase from set¬ tlers who had proven up and made final entr3", under that statute, and there being then but few settlers who had obtained titles to their lands, and they being enthusiastic over their prospects, were indifferent about sell¬ ing, so Mr. Knettle found the matter of obtaining land attended with much difficulty. The pre-emption law, be¬ ing intended to secure actual settle¬ ment of lands, permitted but one entry of one hundred sixty acres to every citizen, under certain conditions, amongst which were, actual settle¬ ment on land, accompanied with im¬ provements sufficient for a habitation, and a residence of a certain period, requiring, on proving up, a declara¬ tion on the part of the pre-enq>tor or settler, under oath, that he had no ar¬ rangement, or bargain, by which an3' one, outside of himself, should obtain all or any part of the land. Knettle returned to Pennsylvania with the idea of disposing of his property there and bringing his family to Minnesota and inaugurating his enterprise, fol¬ lowing which several attempts were made to jump claims of parties who were supposed to have taken them in the interest of Knettle. The bona fide settlers, however, aided in driving off the jumpers, following which those pre-emptions were completed, and, in due time, Knettle obtained the title to the land.

In the fall of 1856, Knettle erected his saw mill, which was operated, that winter, by his nephew, Robert Knettle, and, in the spring of 1857, he brought in his family and settled on the land where the saw mill was located, which is now the premises of Jacob Hursh. Knettle, having also in contemplation the matter of laying out a townsite in connection with his steam saw mill, named his place Cumberland City, in honor of his nativecounty, in Pennsyl¬ vania. The premises being at a con¬ venient point on the Minneapolis and Watertown Road, Knettle entertained the traveling public, designating his hotel as the Cumberland House. There was considerable lumber manufac¬ tured at the place, for the inhabitants of the surrounding country, the saw mill rendering more benefit to the lat¬ ter, perhaps, than remuneration to the proprietors. Old settlers will recall, with considerable humor, the term "Eucherville," being a nickname ap¬ plied to Cumberland City, suggested by the several attempts at claim jump¬ ing at that place. The townsite was never laid out and its proposed name, as well as its nickname, exists only in the memory of old settlers toda3^.

During the winter of 1857-8 a school was organized at Cumberland, with Charles G. Christlieb as teacher, who was paid by subscription from the set¬ tlers. This was the first school within the limits of Medina and Orono. At this place, one year later, the first school of the same region, conducted under the school laws of the State, was taught by Miss Jane Cowden, of Ohio.

Farly in the settlement of the local¬ ity, music and dancing, with occasional games at checkers or cards were about the only amusements sought as a relief to the monotony of nature, and as a wind up at a logging bee.

In the latter part of 1857, a lyceum was organized at Cumberland and carried on, certain evenings, in the building occupied by the school, taught, during the day, by Charles G. Christlieb. Many important questions of the times were discussed, as "Wom¬ an's Rights," "Whether there was a future endless punishment," "Spirit¬ ualism," "The equality of the negro," and "The slavery question." The par¬ ticipants were Allen T., and his wife, Martha French, Henrj^ Stubbs, Nathan J. Stubbs, Allen Grave, Mary A. Grave, Samuel Lydiard, William Archibald, Fdward Hainlin, Gibson Teas, Mr. and Mrs. Sheppard Barnes, and others, some of the debaters coming from other localities; the participants hav¬ ing decided convictions on those ques¬ tions. Jacob Clasen was an 1857 set¬ tler.

Roads. The United States Govern¬ ment having authorized the location of a militar^^ road from Minneapolis to Fort Ridgely, surveys of competing routes for its location were commenced, late in 1856, two of these routes being as follows: One route was suggested by Isaac A. Christlieb, who, in com- pany with Samuel Lydiard, examined the proposed route, and finding it feas¬ ible, reported it to the commissioner having the matter in charge, who emploj^ed R. J. Mendenhall to make the surve}^ which finally resulted in its being established as a road, which, with some modifications, is now rej)- resented by Western Avenue, Minne¬ apolis, and the North Watertown Road, making a second road from Minneap¬ olis to Watertown, the two roads being, in after years, known as the north and south roads, east of their junction, at Irvin Shrewsbury's. The other com¬ peting route to Fort Ridgely was sug¬ gested by William F. Russell, in co¬ operation with others. It also left Minneapolis by Western Avenue, from which it soon diverged and continued westerly to Wayzata, and, from the latter place, it ran more southerly, touching the northerly extremes of the bays of Lake Minnetonka, running through William F. Russell's proposed townsite of Island City, lying between Crystal Bay and West Arm, and pass¬ ing on to St. Bonifacius and Glencoe. James Maxwell assisted in surve3dng the latter route.

In May, 1858, several Chippewas passed through the vicinity of Long Lake, on their return from a battle with the Sioux, on the Minnesota River, near Shakopee. They had some scalps and trophies of that en¬ gagement with them.

In 1858, Tamarack Post Office was established, at the residence of the postmaster, Henry Stul)bs, on the Minneapolis and Hutchinson mail route.

In 1858, on the first organization of townships in Hennepin Count^^ the territor^^ and settlement included within the present limits of Orono constituted parts of Excelsior and

Medina. It was over two decades later that the town of Orono came in¬ to existence. The intention of the writer is to present the histor3" of the territor3^ included within the present limits.

Settlers of 1858, were: Joel Stubbs and famil3^, Perr3' Parrish and family, of which Charles, Carlos F., Mrs. Snow, and Mrs. A. C. Baile3^ were memljers; Bradford Wakefield and famil3^ of which John B., Thomas C., Warren, and Kee Wakefield, M. D., and Mrs. B. F. Udell and Amy (Mrs. B. F. Cliristlieb, deceased), were mem¬ bers. B. F. Cliristlieb came early in May, 1859.

The opening of a market for gin¬ seng, at Wayzata, in 1859, was a mat¬ ter of immeasurable relief to the early settlers of Orono. It was about the only commodit3'' that brought ready cash in the market.

On the night of October 18th, 1859, a sailboat, containing B. Stone and wife and their two children and three other persons, Mr. Loveland, Mr. Butterfield, and Robert L. McKenzie, was cap¬ sized, b3' the wind, on Lake Minne¬ tonka, through which all on board, exceiiting McKenzie, lost their lives. The3" were removing Stone and family from Haines' Bay to Minnetonka Mills, b3' means of the sailboat, which, at the time of the disaster, was loaded with household goods, besides the seven persons. The accident occurred ojiposite Orono Point. For a time, after the capsizing of the boat, Mrs. Stone and the two children were ke^jt afloat, above the sail and mast, b3^ a feather bed, which was, however, in¬ sufficient to keep them afloat and re¬ sist the wind, and soon the mother and children were swept into eternit3\ The men sustained themselves above water, by clinging to the boat, until the wind, by means of the sail, turned the boat over, when Mr. Stone perished. During the night, Butterfield and Loveland, becoming benumbed and exhausted, sank, to rise no more. Mc¬ Kenzie, who was a youth of eighteen years, still clung to the boat and by the next morning, about ten o'clock, the boat had drifted to a place within ten rods of the south shore, where it was stopped by weeds. Nobody was in sight, at any time, to come to the relief of the party, or McKenzie, even after daylight, and, in his benumbed condition, he was obliged to make the effort to swim ashore. After swim¬ ming: to the extent of his endurance, he fortunately touched bottom with his feet and managed to wade ashore, after which he found his way to the house of Samuel Bartow and reported the sad occurrence.

In 1859-60, the settlers were put to much inconvenience by the order of President Buchanan, bringing the lands on which they were settled and holding by declaratory statements, under the pre-emption act, into mar¬ ket. This order required them to pay for their lands at the rate of $1.25 per acre. They succeeded in securing the title to their lands by temporary loans, from the bankers, in Minneapolis, in the shape of currency or a militar}" land warrant, mostly the latter, after which they secured the bankers by mortgages on the lands.

In December, 1859, and January, 1860, Shakopee's Indians, including the chief himself, and also "Cut Nose," and a number of other Indians, who afterwards became guilty of the most inhuman barbarities, during the mass¬ acre of 1862, camped on tke present site of Union Cemetry, Long Lake, and, on this occasion, made havoc of the deer. Their arms were muzzle loading rifles and shot guns, some of which were new and others old and abused by hard usage; and their method of hunting was a kind of skir¬ mish drill, organized on starting fro-m camp, in the morning. So with these weapons, heavily charged with pow¬ der, bullet, or buckshot, accompanied by long shaved rods of wood, used as gun rests, in firing, they patrolled the country for deer, and, with the great quantity of that game existing then, the shooting and slaughtering soon commenced. The shots were heavy and frequent, re-echoing through the forest as if a military battle was in progress, much ammunition being wasted in the poor markmanship dis¬ played. It took many charges to kill a deer. The lack of skill was, how¬ ever, made up by persistence. In a very short time, the quantity of deer had become considerably reduced, and the rapid destruction of game became a matter of serious consideration to the white settlers.

So, in January, 1860, two young men of the locality, John B. Wakefield and Selden Coleman, worked a ruse on the Indians camped at Long Lake, which proved to be a success in ridding them fi-oni that localit3^ These young men, knowing the different methods of mak¬ ing moccasins employed by the Sioux and Chippewas, iu the matter of posi¬ tion of the seams, went to Shakopee's camp, at Long Lake, one evening, and stated to some of the braves that dur¬ ing that day while they (Wakefield and Coleman) had been out hunting, they had lun across peculiar moc¬ casin tracks with certain impress of the seams in the snow, describing tracks of a Chippewa moccasin, with¬ out alluding to that race, which had the desired effect. They immediately^ exclaimed in their peculiar gutteral tone of voice: "Chippe\^ra! Chippe¬ wa!" And they went to work, forth¬ with, in that cold January night, forti¬ fying themselves, by digging a circu¬ lar hole into the earth, to a depth of about four feet, and about eight in di¬ ameter, and made low breastworks of a few poles covered with earth else¬ where- about their camp, and sent some of their braves out patrolling the surrounding country^, looking out for the dreaded enemy^, the Chippewa. They^ cautiously, but with an agitated movement and manner, stealthily ap¬ proached the windows of the settlers' houses, to see whether the enemy might be inside.

The next morning found Shakopee and his entire camp, including even a sick Indian in his couch, attached to poles and pony, over whom the medi¬ cine men had been powwowing for several days previously, on the march southward, across Lake Minnetonka, to their usual camping places on the Minnesota River. This was the last hunting excursion of the Indians through the country north of Lake Minnetonka.

In 1861, John A. Coleman was ap¬ pointed postmaster of Tamarack Post Office, succeeding Henry Stubbs, upon which the post office was re¬ moved to the residence of the new postmaster, on the shore of Long Lake.

In 1860, Mr. and Mrs. John Fleming, parents of William C. and Franklin N. Fleming, came, with other mem¬ bers of the family', namely: John L. and Anna (Mrs. Dillman). They were accompanied by' a grandchild, who is now S. J. Wooster, M. I). During this y'ear, Andrew Cruikshank brought in his family, of which Andrew, Jr., Don¬ ald and James Cruikshank were mem¬ bers. John T. Coates came in 1860. W S. Gray' came in 1861, and, in 1862, Wil¬ liam J. Lydiard and wife, parents of Samuel and David Lydiard, arrived, with other members of the family', of which Joseph H. Ly'diard, Mrs. Weeks and the two Mesdames Hig¬ gins, of Hutchinson, were members. They were accompanied by' Andrew Brown and the family, of which Mrs. Benjamin Drake and Mrs. Mary' H. Dodge, deceased, were members. Mrs. Brown was a daughter of William J. Ly'diard. Christopher Dillman and wife, parents of James D. Dillman, and Mrs. K. F. Walsh, came with the rest of the Dillman family, of which Jacob, George, Mrs. Ladenberg, of Marshall, and Mrs. Franklin, of Dela¬ no, were members.

In 1861, the Union Cemetery' Asso¬ ciation was organized, and its grounds, on Long Lake, were then purchased and laid out. The grave of Elmer E., infant son of Bradford Wakefield, was the first interment at that place, occurring March, 1862.

During 1860-1, the township school superintendent law was in existence, and Bradford Wakefield was Superin¬ tendent for Medina, which then inclu¬ ded a part of Orono, and under whom several school districts were estab¬ lished, namely: The north part of Long Lake district, with school house on North Watertown Road, the Reiser district and other districts. In ar¬ ranging some of these districts, the co-operation of the Rev. C. B. Shel¬ don, Superintendent t)f Excelsior, was necessary', on account of involv'- ing territory' in both towns.

especially on the occasion of the at¬ tacks and depredations on and about Acton, Forest City and Hutchinson, extended far beyond those localities into the "Big Woods," and soon the roads leading to Minneapolis were lined with people, on foot and with ox and horse teams, fleeing in apprehen¬ sion of Indians, and it seemed that the panic became more intense, as the dis¬ tance from the scenes of bloodshed in¬ creased. While many of the fugitives went to the cities, other congregated at certain places during night time. In the vicinity of Long Lake the places at which the people at that lo¬ cality and those who had fled from the vicinity of Watertown and from Wright and Meeker Counties, thus far, assembled, on those occasions, were George Knettle's, John A. Coleman's; shores of Long Lake, Isaac A. Christlieb's and James Johnston's, precau¬ tions being taken to have sentries placed on the lookout for Indians. A block house, or log fortress, was then erected, on the premises of John A. Coleman, about September, 1862, as a place of refuge, in case of an attack from the Indians. It stood on the present townsite of Long Lake, lot 17, block 1. It never became necessary to use the structure, for the purpose for which it was erected. Those scenes mostly took place in August and September, 1862. There was a repetition of them, to some extent, about July 1st, 1863, on the occasion of the massacre of the Dustin family, near Smith Lake, and the shooting of Little Crow by Lampson, which was intensified by a report of several In¬ dians being seen near James Mooney's, north of Long Lake.

by the capsizing of a canoe, in which they were traveling to Excelsior. Miss Mar3^ A. Grave, a sister of Mrs. Stubbs, barely escaped with her life.

Tamarack Post Office, with John A. Coleman, postmaster, was still in operation, on the present site of Long Lake, in 1866, being still a post office on the Hutchinson mail route. On the latter, during the war and until the railroad was built, a regular con¬ veyance for passengers was owned and operated by the successive mail contractors, amongst whom may be named Uriah Wilson, and Austin Knight. J. A. Coleman carried on hotel business in connection with the post office.

In 1866, Mr. Freeman and E. W. Cut¬ ter began the erection of a steam saw mill, on the southwesterly shore of Long Lake, and on the survey of the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, which was the beginning of Long Lake. The country- surrounding Long Lake was then within the limits of the towns of Medina and Excelsior. In a few months. Freeman sold his interest in the saw mill to Captain Arthur Mills, following which George Condit, of Chicago, bought an inter¬ est in the enterprise, so the firm be¬ came known as Mills, Cutter and Con¬ dit. They completed the mill, adding machinery for the manufacture of barrel staves and heading, at the same time opening up a general store, on the premises. The store was sold to J. F. Low, soon after, but the manu¬ facturing plant, although at no time remunerative, was carried on by Mills, Cutter and Condit, till 1868, when it was sold to Alexander S^mie, David

Synie, atid Charles Ma}', of Menasha, Wisconsin, who soon made the plant a success. The firm was known as May and Company. They opened a store in connection with their estab¬ lishment.

In 1867, the name of the post office was changed from Tamarack to Long Lake, and, in 1868, the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad established a station at Long Lake, with Pliney I). Putnam as agent. In 1869, May and Syme had a plat of the townsite recorded, being certified to by B. F. Christlieb as sur¬ veyor.

Up to 1868, the towns of Medina and Excelsior occupied a congressional township, in which the citizens resid¬ ing north of Lake Minnetonka, in Ex¬ celsior, found it very inconvenient to cross Lake Minnetonka to transact town business at Excelsior, and upon their petition, to the Board of Count}' Commissioners, in 1868, were annexed to IMedina. In 1869, J. F. Low removed his store to Darwin. About 1870, E. M. Snow and P. Parish opened a hotel, and David A. Lydiard and Benjamin Drake bought May and Company's store and continued in business till 1876, when they dissolved partnership, Lydiard continuing in the business at Long Lake.

The Memorial Presbyterian Church was built in 1870. Rev. James Hunter was the first minister. He was suc¬ ceeded by Rev. Charles Thayer, and other ministers, amongst whom were Rev. Mr. Williams; lastly by Rev. George Cullen and Rev. William Campbell.

In 1874, Freethinkers' Hall was erected, by the Medina Freeman's As¬ sociation (all being in Medina then). This hall, after passing from the orig¬ inal owners, through the Lydiard brothers, became a town hall - former-

In 1875, a flouring mill company was organized and erected what was known as the Medina Mills. The company consisted of Samuel, D. A. and J. H. Lydiard, I. A. Christlieb, E. Dicke}', W. H. Braden, Robert Logan, John Burns, E. M. Snow, and others. The mill, after passing from the Medina Mill Company, through hands of Croswell and S3une, Syme and De Mott, and De Mott and Shuler, was de¬ stroyed by fire, in 1885. In 1877, B. F. Christlieb and J. H. Lydiard, succeed¬ ing William Hendricks, opened a gen¬ eral store, under the firm name of Christlieb and Lydiard, which busi¬ ness continued till 1889, when the partnership was dissolved. B. F. Christlieb succeeded in the business.

In 1875, John Schmitz erected his hotel, which was carried on by Thomas Hellier till 1877, when the projjrietor took charge. Since 1880, the proprietor has rented the hotel to A. J. Rosander and O. T. Olson successive!}'.

In 1880-81, the Minnetonka Branch of the Great Northern Railway was constructed and lands on the north shore and projecting peninsulas were purchased and platted, through which the branch railroad was constructed, xipon which line Hotel Lafayette was then constructed, and soon the lands, which previously had only a nominal value, were sold at high prices.

About 1884, D. A. Lydiard sold his store to Thomas and Absalom Hellier, who, during 1884, sold to Lawrence Brothers, who are continuing the business, at present.

In 1884, the boundaries between Medina and Excelsior were ajrain changed, so as to bring Hotel Lafay¬ ette within the limits of Medina. It made the latter a very large town, and.

ill 1889, the town of Orono was con¬ structed, out of territory constituting the south half of Medina. The fol¬ lowing are the officers of Orono: Supervisors, A. S. Gardner, Chairman ; Milo Stubbs and Carl Ekstrom; Town Clerk, A. C. Bailey; Assessor, George Maxwell; Justices of the Peace, A. \V. Cook and A. C. Bailey.

Parties in business at Long Lake are: General merchandise, A. H. Law¬ rence, B. P. Christlieb; blacksmiths. Prank Smith, A. Bjiorklund; wagon maker, T. A. Ekstrom; hotel, O. T. Olson; butcher, Christian Hehl; painter, George A. Alley; barber, H. S. Johnston; horse breeder. Prank Smith; carpenter, Michael Huntsberger; postmaster, B. F. Christlieb.

Burke Edward Walsh. This en¬ terprising farmer was born, January 13th, 1858, on the old homestead, be¬ tween Long Lake and Lake Minne¬ tonka. His father's name was Ed¬ ward F. and his mother's, Mary A. Walsh. They came to Long Lake, from Nova Scotia, in the spring of 1856 and settled on a farm of one hun¬ dred sixty acres, on which the family has since lived. Edward F. Walsh died July 14th, 1882. Burke Walsh has always worked on the farm and made a success of his business. He has two brothers and three sisters, and is still (1892) unmarried. Mr. Walsh is a Republican in politics, and belongs to the Congregational church. He was also a member of the Good Templar organization, when there was a lodge in that locality. The rise in the value of real estate in that vicin¬ ity has made the farm very valuable property.