Fifty Years In The Northwest Part 6

ALBERT HARRIS.--Mr. Harris was a native of Maine. He was born in 1815 and married to Miss Greenleaf in 1841, who died in 1853. He came to Stillwater in 1845, where he died in 1856, leaving one daughter, wife of the late Levi Thompson, attorney at law in Stillwater, and one son in California. Mr. Harris was a house carpenter and much respected by his neighbors.

CORNELIUS LYMAN.--Mr. Lyman is of the seventh generation of the Lyman family that came over from England in 1631. He was born in Brookfield, Vermont, Aug. 11, 1792. He was married in Brookfield to Betsey Cushman and came to Illinois at an early date, whence he removed to Marine Mills, in 1842, where he kept a boarding house until 1844, when he removed to Stillwater, where he kept a boarding house until 1848. He then removed to his farm three miles above Stillwater, where, by industry and economy, aided by his faithful wife, he was able to build a comfortable home, in which they continued to live until at a good old age they were removed by death, which claimed them in the same year, the husband dying January, 1864, and the wife in April. They were members of the Presbyterian church from early life, and respected as citizens, honored as Christians. Mrs. Lyman was one of the excellent of the earth. Mr. Lyman had an inexhaustible fund of humor, and was rather fond of practical joking. Many of his jokes were of the rarest description. They left two sons, Cornelius Storrs and David Pride.

DAVID B. LOOMIS.--Few men have been more active in business and public life than David B. Loomis. He was born in Wilmington, Connecticut, April 17, 1817. In 1830 he came with his parents to Alton, Illinois, where, at the age of fifteen, he engaged as clerk in a store and served in that capacity five years. Mr. Loomis was in the building in Alton in which Lovejoy was shot and killed for the expression of sentiments which the nation has since been compelled to adopt. In 1843 he came to the St. Croix valley and engaged in lumbering. In 1846 he was one of the four original owners of the Arcola mill, but in 1849 sold his interest to Mr. Mower, and for four succeeding years was in charge of the St. Croix boom. In 1847 he was surveyor general of logs and lumber. In 1851 he was a member of the Minnesota territorial council, and was re-elected in 1853, serving in all four years, during one of which he was president of the council. In 1853 he was one of a company that built a mill in South Stillwater. He sold out in 1859. In 1861 he entered the army as lieutenant, Company F, Second Minnesota Volunteers, and was promoted to a captaincy. He served three and a half years. Stillwater has been his home since the war. In 1873 he represented Was.h.i.+ngton county in the legislature.

WILLIAM E. COVE.--The year of Mr. Cove's birth is not known. He came to Stillwater in 1844. His marriage to Nancy Edwards, elsewhere noted, was the second marriage in the village. He was by trade a house carpenter. He removed to Minneapolis in 1864.

JOHN SMITH.--Of the eight first families, that of John Smith was one.

Of this particular "John Smith" little is known, except that he was sober and industrious, and, in 1848, moved to parts unknown.

JOHN MORGAN.--We have no account of the early days of Mr. Morgan, except that he was a native of Pennsylvania. He was living in Stillwater in 1845, in the employ of Churchill & Nelson. In 1848 he was elected sheriff of St. Croix county, Wisconsin. In the same year he was married to Hannah Harnish. He settled on a farm and kept a "half way house" on the road from Stillwater to St. Paul, when the pioneer stages of Willoughby & Power were placed on this route. In 1848 he obtained a charter from the Wisconsin legislature for a ferry across Lake St. Croix at Stillwater. This ferry changed owners.h.i.+p repeatedly and was discontinued when the bridge was built.

ANSON NORTHRUP.--This gentleman, whose name was borne by the first steamboat ever launched on the Red River of the North, and who brought the first drove of cattle through from Illinois to St. Croix Falls, deserves a conspicuous place in the annals of the Northwest. He was born in Conew.a.n.go, Cataraugus county, New York, Jan. 4, 1817. His education was limited, but he was a man of more than ordinary native ability and energy. He lived in Ohio some years, and came West in 1838. In 1839 he drove the first herd of cattle through a wilderness country from the Wisconsin river to the St. Croix. In 1841 he removed his family from Ohio to St. Croix Falls. He came by way of St. Louis, from that point embarking on the steamer Indian Queen for the Falls.

The steamer was three weeks making the trip. Above Prairie du Chien crew and pa.s.sengers were obliged to cut wood to run the boat. Mr.

Northrup had married Betsey Edwards, daughter of widow Edwards, one of the pioneers of Stillwater. Charles H., their eldest son, was the first white child born at St. Croix Falls. In the spring of 1844 he moved to Stillwater, where he built and kept the first hotel in that place. From 1847 to 1848 he was part owner of the Osceola saw mill along with Mahony and Kent. In 1849 he removed to St. Paul, and built the American Hotel on Third street, east from Seven Corners. In 1851 he removed to St. Anthony Falls and built there the St. Charles Hotel.

In 1853 he removed to Minneapolis, and built the Bushnell House, the first brick building in the city. Subsequently he became a resident at Long Prairie, Swan River and Duluth. Although Mr. Northrup's genius tended chiefly in the direction of hotel building, his abilites in other directions were beyond question. With equal facility he turned his hand to lumbering, steamboating and statesmans.h.i.+p. His great steamboat enterprise was the attempted transfer of the steamer North Star by water from the Mississippi to the Red River of the North. The boat was one hundred feet long by twenty wide, and of light draught.

Starting from St. Cloud in the spring of 1859 he performed the wonderful feat of ascending the Mississippi as far as Pokegama Falls, hoping to ascend further, and during a high stage of water to float the boat over the height of land into some of the tributaries of the Red river. The water was not sufficiently high. The winter following he took the boat to pieces, and removed it by land to Red river, opposite the mouth of the Cheyenne, where it was reconstructed and launched, taken to Fort Garry and afterward sold to Mr. Burbank. This boat, its name being changed to Anson Northrup, was the first steamboat on the waters of Red river.

Mr. Northrup's political career commenced and closed with the first Minnesota legislature, 1857-58, he representing the counties of Morrison, Crow Wing and Mille Lacs in the senate.

During the Rebellion he served as wagon master. He lived in Texas three years, returned to St. Paul, where he lived in 1874-75-76, and now lives in Bismarck, Dakota.

ROBERT KENNEDY.--Mr. Kennedy, in 1839, located at Holmes' Landing, now Fountain City, on the banks of the Mississippi, above Winona. In 1844 he removed to Dakotah, where he kept a hotel in the old tamarack court house, built by Joseph R. Brown. In 1846 he kept a hotel in the Northrup House, Stillwater; in 1848 he kept the American Hotel, Shakopee. Subsequently he returned to St. Paul and kept a boarding house, and for three years the hotel known as "Moffett's Castle."

Afterward he kept the Snelling House, and last the Bernard House.

From 1853 to 1856 he was collector of customs for the port of St.

Paul, and during that time the fees amounted to the enormous sum of forty six dollars and forty-two cents. Mr. Kennedy spent about thirty years as a landlord, in which capacity he was very popular.

HARVEY WILSON.--Mr. Wilson was born in Corinth, Saratoga county, New York, December, 1815. He resided in his native county twenty-five years, then removed to St. Louis, where, for three years, he engaged in surveying. He came to St. Croix Falls in 1843 and to Stillwater in 1847. He acted as J. R. Brown's deputy clerk of court, June term, 1847. He was appointed clerk of the first Minnesota territorial term of court, Aug. 13, 1849, in which office he continued until his death, Nov. 3, 1876. Mr. Wilson was married in 1851 to widow Mary Stanchfield.

ANDREW JACKSON SHORT.--Mr. Short was born in St. Clair county, Illinois, in 1818. He came thence to the St. Croix valley and located at Marine in 1843, and commenced running rafts with W. B. Dibble. In 1857 and 1858 he gathered logs as agent in Lake St. Croix, rafted and run them below, but lost heavily and was in fact financially wrecked.

He afterward engaged in the logging and hardware business in Stillwater. In 1868 he built the famous Dudley mills at Point Douglas, at a cost of $35,000. Mr. Short made Stillwater his home until 1862, when he removed to Hastings. Much credit is due him for what he has accomplished. When he came to the St. Croix valley he could neither read nor write, but by energy, industry and native force of character, notwithstanding a few reverses, he has done far more than many other men in his position could have done. As a man he is genial and social.

JAMES D. MCCOMB.--Mr. McComb was born in Was.h.i.+ngton county, Pennsylvania, Feb. 13, 1827, came to Stillwater June 10, 1846, and engaged in mercantile business with John H. Brewster three years, when he entered the firm of Anderson, McComb & Co., Robert Simpson being the third member. They did an extensive business for years. They built the large stone store on the corner of Main and Myrtle streets. Mr.

McComb in 1860 became clerk in the surveyor general's office, which position he held ten years. He was surveyor general of logs and lumber four years, his accurate knowledge of the various marks used admirably fitting him for the position. He served as deputy sheriff in 1846 under James Fisher, of Prairie du Chien, and in 1847 under W. H. C.

Folsom, of Stillwater. Mr. McComb has pa.s.sed all the degrees in Odd Fellows.h.i.+p. He was married to Eliza T. McKusick in Stillwater, March 4, 1851. Mrs. McComb died in Stillwater Sept. 17, 1885.

WILLIAM RUTHERFORD.--Mr. Rutherford was born in 1823, in Stanton county, New York, and came to Stillwater in 1844. He married Christina J. Holcombe, at Jackson, Mississippi, in 1849. In 1848 he removed to his farm near Stillwater, where he has since lived. He has been quite successful as a farmer. Mr. Rutherford died March 15, 1888. His name will be remembered with honor.

ALBION MASTERSON.--Mr. Masterman has also prospered as a farmer. He was born in Franklin county, Maine, in 1823; received a common school education; was married to Eliza Middleton in 1848; came to Stillwater in 1844, and in 1850 removed thence to his farm, where he died, Aug.

8, 1886. Mr. Masterman's life has been an industrious and exemplary one.

JOSEPH N. MASTERMAN.--Mr. Masterman came to Stillwater, September, 1848. He engaged in lumbering and scaling continuously. He was born in Franklin county, Maine, in 1814, and spent his youth at home, but his education was somewhat limited. At the age of sixteen years he moved to Schoodic, lived there fourteen years, when he married Alice M.

Prescott, and four years later came to Stillwater. His two sons, Wellington and Joseph P., reside in Stillwater. Wellington is auditor of Was.h.i.+ngton county.

MAHLON BLACK.--Mr. Black is of Scotch descent. His grandfather was a naval officer during the war of the Revolution, and a soldier in the war of 1812. Mahlon Black was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, Oct. 4, 1820. He spent his youth on his father's farm, and received a common school and academic education. When seventeen years of age he began the study of medicine in Cincinnati Medical College, but did not complete the course. In 1842 he came to Menomonie Mills, Wisconsin, and engaged in lumbering until 1846. In 1847 he was connected with government surveys, and the same year located in Stillwater. He was a representative in the first, third, and last territorial legislature, also a member of the extra session in 1857. He was mayor of Stillwater in 1860-61. In 1862 he enlisted in a company of sharpshooters, which was a.s.signed to the Army of the Potomac. He was promoted to be captain, and provost marshal in the second division of the Second Army Corps, and one of Gen. Gibbon's staff officers. He was in fifty-four battles and skirmishes, in some of which over 100,000 men were engaged on each side. He was wounded four times, once severely, by a bayonet thrust received in a charge at the battle of Petersburgh. He served until the close of the war, and received a special and honorable discharge from his commander, Gen. Smyth, on the face of which are recorded the names of the battles in which he partic.i.p.ated. In 1867 he removed from Stillwater to Minneapolis, where he has held the positions of land examiner and auditor of Hennepin county. He has the distinction of being the first Odd Fellow initiated in Minnesota.

Sept. 21, 1850, he was married to Jane M. Stough, of Pennsylvania.

MORTON S. WILKINSON.--The record of Mr. Wilkinson, though brief, is brilliant. He was born in Skaneateles, Onondaga county, New York, June 22, 1819; received an academic education in his native town; read law; was admitted to the bar at Syracuse, New York, in 1842; commenced practice in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, and in 1847 came to Stillwater.

Mr. Wilkinson was the first practicing lawyer northwest of Prairie du Chien, was the prosecuting attorney at Judge Dunn's court in Stillwater, June, 1847, and was a member from Was.h.i.+ngton county of the first territorial legislature in 1849. He removed to St. Paul in 1850, to Mankato in 1857, and in 1859 was elected United States senator. In 1860 he was one of the commissioners to compile the state statutes. In 1868 he was elected representative to Congress and at the close of the term was re-elected. From 1874 to 1877, inclusive, he served as state senator from Blue Earth county. Mr. Wilkinson is an eloquent and forcible speaker, and a man of unusual ability, a sound and logical reasoner, and withal fluent. He has been twice married. His first wife was a daughter of Rev. Lemuel n.o.bles, of Michigan. Mrs. Wilkinson died in Michigan. He married a second wife before coming West. They reside in Wells, Minnesota.

WILLIAM STANCHFIELD.--Mr. Stanchfield was a native of Maine, born in the year 1820, was married to Mary Jackins, in Bangor, Maine, in 1840, and came to Stillwater in 1846, where he engaged in keeping a hotel on Main street, which was burned while he was in charge. Mr. Stanchfield died in 1850, leaving a widow who subsequently married Harvey Wilson, and an infant daughter, who became, years after, the wife of George Davis.

THOMAS RAMSDELL.--Mr. Ramsdell was born at Falmouth, England, Dec. 28, 1820. He married in England and came to this country with his wife in 1843. He settled in Stillwater in 1844, and removed to his farm in 1846, where he has been successful in raising apples and smaller fruits. His wife died in 1851. His second wife was Jane Willey. Mr.

Ramsdell has been a quiet, good citizen, reliable and trustworthy.

CHARLES MACY.--An orphan at thirteen years of age, Mr. Macy's early life was full of changes, adventures and vicissitudes. He was born in Canada East in 1821. He lived a somewhat wandering life until 1845, when he came to Fort Snelling, and shortly after to Stillwater, where, in 1846, he made a claim which became his permanent home. He was married in 1854.

JONATHAN E. MCKUSICK.--There was no more genial, pleasant, off-hand man than Jonathan E. McKusick. He was the life of public gatherings.

His remarks, full of wit and sentiment, would keep his audience in a pleasant frame of mind. At old settlers' meetings his fund of anecdotes, historical incidents and reminiscences were in the highest degree interesting and entertaining. Mr. McKusick was born in Cornish, Maine, in 1812; was married to Minerva King in 1836, and came up the Mississippi on the ice, in December, 1845, to Stillwater, which he made his home until his death, which occurred Aug. 21, 1876. He took an active interest in the welfare of the city and held many offices of trust. He served his country during the war of the Rebellion, and in 1863 was appointed quartermaster with the rank of captain, which position he held until mustered out at the close of the war.

JOHN MCKUSICK.--Prominent amongst the pioneers of the St. Croix valley, and deserving of special mention for his enterprise and public spirit, is the subject of this sketch. He was born in Cornish, Maine, in 1815; received a common school education; came to Illinois in 1839, and to St. Croix Falls in 1840, where he engaged in the lumbering business, getting logs to the Falls mill, and sawing them. Through industry and economy he saved enough to enable him to become part owner and builder of the first mill in Stillwater. He has held many positions of trust. He served as state senator in 1863-64-65 and 66.

He was active in aiding to secure the land grant to build railroads into Stillwater, in the welfare of which city he has ever manifested the deepest interest. He has been one of the largest proprietors, and most liberal in improving and adorning the city, has encouraged a sound system of finances, and has steadily opposed the bonding system.

Mr. McKusick was married to Phebe Greely in 1847, who soon afterward died. He married his second wife, Servia Greely, in November, 1849. He has three children living, Newton, Chester and Ella. Mrs. McKusick died Feb. 18, 1887.

[Ill.u.s.tration: John McKusick]

WILLIAM MCKUSICK, a younger brother of Jonathan E. and John McKusick, came to Stillwater in 1847, and engaged in lumbering. He was a member of the fifth territorial house, and a senator in the second, sixteenth and seventeenth state legislatures. In 1870, with the firm of McKusick, Anderson & Co., he built the large saw mill at Houlton, opposite Stillwater. In 1882 he made his home upon a farm at Big Stone Lake.

NOAH MCKUSICK, another brother, came to Stillwater in 1847, followed lumbering some years, removed to Oregon, and died there in 1886.

ROYAL MCKUSICK came to the valley in 1848, and died a few years later, leaving a large and respectable family.

IVORY E. MCKUSICK.--Ivory E., brother of John and J. E. McKusick, was born in Maine, July 2, 1827. In 1847 he came to Stillwater, with which city he has since been permanently identified. He spent two years working in the old mill, the first built at Stillwater, and then engaged in lumbering until 1859. In 1862 he was appointed prison guard, and served two years. In 1864 he was in the service of the government, and helped build Fort Wadsworth, Dakota. He served as surveyor general several years, and later has engaged in the forwarding and commission business. He was married to Sophia A.

Jewell, Feb. 9, 1854. He is a man of probity and merit.

CHARLES E. LEONARD.--The subject of this sketch was born Feb. 25, 1810, at Worthington, Ma.s.sachusetts. His father died when he was four years old. In his early life he experienced some vicissitudes. He tried farming and hotel keeping, but owing to poor health was obliged to give up these employments. He started West in 1846, remained awhile in Hanc.o.c.k county, Illinois, and in 1847 came to Stillwater, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits. He removed to St. Anthony in 1850, to St. Paul in 1855, to Point Douglas in 1866, to Sioux City in 1880, and to Princeton, Mille Lacs county, in 1881. Mr. Leonard has held several official positions. In 1852 he was appointed territorial treasurer, and in 1857, serving four years; was a member of the Democratic wing of the const.i.tutional convention. He did some military service during the Indian outbreak in 1862. He was married to Catherine Yendes, of Rodman, New York, January, 1835.

DANIEL MCLEAN.--Mr. McLean was born in the north of Ireland in 1800 and came to America in his youth with his brothers. He lived successively in Philadelphia, Indianapolis and St. Louis, whence he embarked for St. Croix Falls in 1839, in the employ of the Falls Manufacturing Company. He came to Stillwater in 1848. Through industry and economy he acc.u.mulated a handsome fortune, which, at his death, he left to his heirs in Stillwater. He was an upright christian man. He died in Stillwater in 1873.

ROBERT SIMPSON.--Mr. Simpson was born in Suss.e.x, England, in 1815. He married Mary Ann Sh.e.l.ley in 1840 and came the same year to the United States. After spending two years in New York and other places, he came to St. Croix Falls in 1842, where he followed lumbering until 1850, when he came to Stillwater. He belonged to the firm of Simpson, Anderson & McComb, lumbering and merchandising, and engaged in other branches of business. He was a member from Stillwater of the first state legislature. He is a quiet, un.o.btrusive gentleman, greatly esteemed by those who know him. Mrs. Simpson and an only child died in Stillwater in 1856.

WILLIAM H. HOOPER.--This gentleman attained considerable notoriety in later life as an influential Mormon and a delegate to Congress from Utah from 1859 to 1868. He was a man of unquestioned ability and an eloquent speaker. His plea for "religious liberty," made against the Cullom bill, is said to have been one of the most eloquent speeches ever delivered in Congress. Mr. Hooper was born in Warwick Manor, Maryland, Dec. 25, 1813. In 1835 he moved to Galena and engaged in mercantile business. In the panic of 1838 Mr. Hooper and his partner failed to the amount of $200,000, but, after years of struggling, the debt was entirely paid. In 1843 Mr. Hooper engaged in steamboating as clerk on the steamer Otter, on the Upper Mississippi and its tributaries, and was well known at Stillwater. His boat in 1843 landed the mill irons for McKusick & Co.'s mill. In 1844 he built the steamer Lynx and several other boats, the last being known as the Alex.

Hamilton, of which he was part owner. This was burned at St. Louis in 1849, which left him again penniless. In 1850 he emigrated to Salt Lake and there in his business enterprises greatly prospered. Although he espoused Mormonism and became one of its leaders, he was opposed to polygamy. He died in Salt Lake City.

JAMES H. SPENCER.--James H. Spencer came to Stillwater in 1845, a boy of sixteen. His educational privileges had been limited, but he was ambitious and studious, and by his own unaided exertions acquired a practical business education. He followed lumbering and exploring, and was employed as state timber agent for fifteen years. He was born in Boone county, Missouri, in 1829, and was married to Rose M. Winters, in Stillwater, in 1869.

JOHN T. BLACKBURN.--The brothers Blackburn were born in Cincinnati, Ohio, John, the elder, in 1823. He came to Stillwater in 1844, and has since been actively engaged in lumbering. His home has been at Stillwater, Marine, Taylor's Falls, and Sh.e.l.l Lake, where he now resides.

JOSEPH T. BLACKBURN.--Joseph, the younger brother, was born in 1834, and in 1847 came to Stillwater. He has followed lumbering and Indian trading. He has made his home at Stillwater, at Taylor's Falls, and, since 1860, on Totogatic river, in Douglas county, Wisconsin, ten miles from Gordon. Mr. Blackburn enjoys wilderness life, is eccentric in manner, and attends strictly to his own business.

HORACE K. MCKINSTRY.--We have no data of Mr. McKinstry's early life.

He came to Stillwater in 1846. His family consisted of his wife, three daughters, and son, John, who afterward married the eldest daughter of Anson Northrup. Mr. McKinstry was a justice of the peace in 1847 and 1848, and was engaged in mercantile business the two succeeding years.

He removed to Maiden Rock, Wisconsin, a year or two after and died there March 12, 1884.

SETH M. SAWYER.--Mr. Sawyer was born in Skowhegan, Maine, in 1822. He came to Stillwater in 1846, followed lumbering, and afterward engaged in building a saw mill in the firm name of Sawyer & Heaton. In 1850 he was married to Eliza McKinstry. Mr. Sawyer left Minnesota in 1866 for an extended sojourn in the Southern States, and engaged in business there, but nothing is known positively of his present whereabouts.

HENRY SAWYER.--Henry, the younger brother of Seth, came from Skowhegan to Stillwater in 1849, and engaged in mercantile pursuits for two years in partners.h.i.+p with Horace McKinstry. In 1856 he built the first stone block in Stillwater, on lot 2, block 27. In 1857 he built the Sawyer House, a four story hotel. Mr. Sawyer married Lucy Noyes. He died in Stillwater, Dec. 27, 1865, and his remains were buried in the Kah-ba-kong cemetery, at Taylor's Falls.

ALVAH D. HEATON.--Mr. Heaton was the partner of Seth Sawyer in building the second saw mill in Stillwater. He came to St. Croix in 1847 and worked at the Osceola mills some time. He was a partner in logging with O. H. Blair and afterward with Wm. Kent. He was a brother-in-law to Hon. Cyrus Aldrich, representative in Congress from Minnesota. In after years he removed to Idaho.