Fifty Years In The Northwest

St. Cloud is backed by a rich agricultural and timbered district. In the vicinity are valuable quarries of jasper, and of gray and red granite. Two granite polishing works, operated by steam, are located near the city. These quarries stretch away to the northeast, through the counties of Benton, Morrison, Mille Lacs and Kanabec. They give employment to 1,000 men. The Manitoba Railroad Company has purchased recently about 400 acres of land, on which to build extensive shops and stock yards, calculated to give employment, when completed, to 1,000 men. The principal hotels are the Grand Central and the West House.

The first bank in St. Cloud was established by Waite & McClure in 1859. This bank, a private institution, was the beginning of the banking system in St. Cloud. It is now operated by N. P. Clarke. The First National Bank was organized as a private bank in 1867, with a capital stock of $25,000; James A. Bell, president; Joseph G. Smith, cashier. It was reorganized as a state bank in 1879, with a capital stock of $50,000. In 1886 it was reorganized as a national bank. The first board of officers have served continuously to date. The business of the bank amounts to over $300,000. The German American National Bank was organized in 1883; Chas. A. Hull, president; Edgar Hull, cashier; capital stock $50,000. The business (in 1886) amounts to $250,000. The present board of officers are: F. E. Searle, president; John Cooper, vice president; F. M. Morgan, cashier.

St. Cloud has many fine buildings. The court house cost $40,000, and four school buildings an aggregate of $75,000. The bishop's cathedral cost $40,000, and the Catholic church $30,000. The Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Congregationalists, and Lutherans have organizations and good church buildings. The normal school buildings located here cost $100,000. St. Cloud University is a flourishing institution. St. John's University, although located in the adjoining town of St. Joseph, has been identified more or less with the interests of St. Cloud, and deserves mention in its history. It was originally located two miles south of St. Cloud, but was subsequently removed to a point northwest, a mile distant from the thriving village of Collegeville.

The university owes its existence to the zeal, energy and self devotion of the Benedictine Fathers, a colony of whom came to America in 1846. This colony settled first in Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, but in 1856, at the invitation of Bishop Cretin, came to Minnesota, where, the year following, they commenced their educational work on the banks of the Mississippi near St. Cloud. The school was commenced as a seminary, but in 1869 the state legislature granted authority to confer degrees, and in 1883 formally changed the name from St. John's Seminary to St. John's University. The buildings are ample and commodious, and located pleasantly on the banks of a beautiful lake. The faculty consists of Rt. Rev. Alexius Edelbrock and twenty-two professors. In 1885 St. Benedict's Hospital was erected at a cost of about $15,000. It is under the supervision of the Benedictine Nuns. The state reformatory was located at East St. Cloud in 1887.

LA SAUK,

Formerly St. Joe, adjoining St. Cloud on the north, had a saw and flour mill erected in 1855. These mills were burned in 1886, and rebuilt in 1887. Amongst the early settlers were J. H. Lineman in 1854, J. A. Upham and George Rieder in 1855.

Peter Schaeler, a farmer, a native of Germany, came to America in 1850, and to St. Joseph in 1856. John, his only son, retains the old homestead, and was in 1883 engaged in the insurance business in St. Cloud.

John L. Wilson was born in Columbia, Washington county, Maine, in 1820. He came to Minnesota in 1851, locating at St. Anthony, but in the following year removed to Sauk Rapids and in 1854 to St. Cloud. The first deed on record in Stearns county was from John L. Wilson to L. C. Kenna, and bears date of 1855. In 1855 he was married to Harriet N. Corbett. They have three children living.

Charles T. Stearns, from whom the county took its name, has been for many years a resident of Louisiana, and is a wealthy planter.

Henry G. Fillmore, a nephew of President Fillmore, was born in the state of New York in the '20s, and came to Watab in 1848. He has lived in St. Cloud many years.

Nathaniel Getchell was born in Washington county, Maine, in 1828. He came to St. Anthony in 1852, and to Stearns county in 1855.

James Keough came from Ireland to America in 1850, and directly to Watab. He settled in St. Cloud in 1854, was married in 1855, and has a large family.

Loren W. Collins was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, Aug. 22, 1839. He received a common school education; came to Hastings, Minnesota, some time prior to the Rebellion, studied law with Smith & Crosby and was admitted to practice, but in August, 1862, entered the service of his country in Company F, Seventh Minnesota Volunteers, of which company he was commissioned second lieutenant, and a year later first lieutenant. He was discharged with his regiment at the close of the war, and returned to his law practice. In 1866 he removed to St. Cloud and practiced law. He served as county attorney a number of years; was a member of the Minnesota house of representatives in 1881-83; was appointed judge of the Seventh Judicial district April 8, 1883, and elected to that office in 1884. Nov. 12, 1887, he was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Berry, an appointment that gives general satisfaction, Judge Collins having won an enviable reputation as a jurist and as a man.

Henry C. Waite was born in Albany county, New York, in 1830; graduated at Union College, Schenectady, New York; was admitted to practice law in 1852, and the same year came to Iowa. A year later he removed to Wisconsin, and located at Madison, where he practiced law two years. In May, 1855, he came to St. Cloud, where he has since continuously resided. The first ten years of his residence in St. Cloud he devoted to the practice of his profession, after which he devoted his time to farming and milling.

Mr. Waite was a member of the constitutional convention in 1857. He also served several terms in the senate and house. During President Lincoln's administration he served as register of the land office. He was married to Maria D. Clark in 1860. He has two sons.

Gen. S. B. Lowry was the son of the devoted and zealous missionary, Rev. David Lowry, who labored among the Winnebagoes in Northern Iowa in the '30s and '40s. He located first at Brockway, ten miles above St. Cloud, and established a trading post, but in 1853 removed to St. Cloud, where he surveyed and platted the village of Acadia, afterward known as "Lowry's addition." He made St. Cloud his home until his death, which occurred in 1861.

Anthony Edelbrock was the first resident of St. Cloud. His oldest son was the first child born there. This son died in infancy. His second son became the abbot of St. John's University. Mr. Edelbrock is now a resident of Missouri.

Joseph Edelbrock was born in Westphalia, Prussia, in 1826. He learned the trade of a carpenter, came to America in 1847, and lived in Chicago until 1855, when he came to St. Cloud and engaged in mercantile pursuits. He is the oldest merchant continuously in business in the city. He served as sheriff two years and as register of deeds four years. He was married in Chicago in 1852, and has six children living. A daughter, the second child born in St. Cloud, is the wife of Peter E. Kaiser.

John Rengel, made a claim here in 1855. He has been and still is a prosperous citizen. He has a family of ten children.

Louis A. Evans was born near Philadelphia, Nov. 2, 1822. His forefathers came to America with William Penn and bought of him a township of land, on which still reside many of his descendants. His father served as a soldier in the war of 1812. Louis was educated at the graded schools in Philadelphia; was apprenticed to a piano maker, and worked at his trade at Cincinnati, Ohio, Clinton, Mississippi, and New Orleans until 1856, when he came to St. Cloud, where he still resides. During his residence he has served as postmaster, judge of probate, clerk of the district court, editor of the St. Cloud Times, mayor of St. Cloud, and president of the council and member of the house and senate of the state legislature. He was married to Elisabeth W. Libby in 1871.

Ambrose Freeman. – We have no datum as to when Mr. Freeman came to St. Cloud, but it was probably prior to 1860. He was a stonemason, and while working on a cellar wall heard the report of the Sioux uprising and massacre (in 1862), and, dropping his tools, hurried off to satisfy himself as to the truth of the reports, called a meeting of citizens, and organized a company of twenty-five volunteers to assist in caring for the wounded and burying the dead. On his return he was commissioned captain of the Northern Rangers and marched with his command to the relief of Forest City and Fort Abercrombie. He was with Gen. Sibley's command in 1863, and while riding over the prairie was shot with an arrow by an Indian, and expired instantly.

Nathan F. Barnes has lived a somewhat eventful life. He was born at Portland, Maine, June 26, 1817; received an academic education; served as a midshipman in the navy from 1834 to 1839, visiting many parts of the globe. In 1840 he commenced the study of law, was admitted to practice in 1843 and practiced awhile at Conway, New Hampshire, where in 1844 he was married. In 1850 he was appointed mail agent on the Isthmus route to California, served six years, and then located in California. Two years later, in 1858, he removed to Alexandria, Minnesota. During the Sioux massacre he and Andreas Darling were the only persons remaining in the neighborhood who escaped being killed. In 1865 he came to St. Cloud, where he has been an active and prominent citizen. He served many years as city clerk and city justice and was elected to the house of the state legislature in 1875. He was influential in securing the location of the normal school in St. Cloud. One son, Percival S., died in the Saulsbury prison during the Civil War. He has one son and one daughter living.

Nehemiah P. Clark was born in Worcester county, Massachusetts, April 8, 1836. In his youth he attended school in Kentucky and at seventeen years of age was clerking in a store at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. In 1856 he came to St. Cloud and engaged actively in business, selling goods, farming, staging, lumbering, and dealing in pine lands. He has a farm in Le Sauk of 2,000 acres, a creamery, a cheese factory, and one of the largest and best herds of cattle, horses, hogs and sheep in the State. For office and official honors he has no taste. He served, however, as president of the State Agricultural Society in 1886.

Oscar E. Garrison was born at Fort Ann, New York, in 1825, and was early thrown upon his own resources. He came to Minnesota in 1850, and built the first house on the shores of Lake Minnetonka where Wayzata is now located. In 1850 he surveyed and platted the village of Wayzata. In 1860 he came to St. Cloud. He made a land claim in Polk county in 1862 and narrowly escaped being murdered by the Sioux at their uprising. His house and property were destroyed. While hiding with his wife and four-year-old son, Indians passed within twenty feet of him. After a perilous night journey, during which he came almost within touching distance of sleeping Indians, he arrived safely at Sauk Centre.

The Gilman Family. – The Gilman family of which Charles A. is a descendant came to America from Hingham, England, with the Folsoms, in 1638, and are the founders of the town of Hingham, Massachusetts. The Gilmans were renowned for their loyalty to the colonies, and later to the state and national government.

Charles A. Gilman was born in Gilmanton, New Hampshire, Feb. 9, 1833. His youth was spent at home, where he received a common school and academic education, the latter at Gilmanton Academy. He taught school during the winters. In 1855 he came to Sauk Rapids, Benton county, where he engaged in farming and real estate business; he also filled the offices of auditor and register of deeds. In 1861 he removed to St. Cloud, having been appointed register of the United States land office for that place. He served seven years as register and receiver. He studied law, and was admitted to practice in 1876. Mr. Gilman has lived a busy life, and besides his real estate, law, surveying and exploring business, he has taken a conspicuous position in the politics of his State, having served as state senator in the years 1868-69, and as representative from 1875 to 1879. In 1878-79 he served as speaker of the house. From 1881 to 1884 he was lieutenant governor of the State. He was elected to the legislature several times as a Republican, when the district was strongly Democratic, a high compliment to his ability and integrity. He was married to Hester Cronk, at Sauk Rapids, Jan. 1, 1857. They have six children living. He has lived at St. Cloud since 1861, where he has a delightful home.

Of St. Cloud citizens not elsewhere mentioned in this work, and who have been prominent in advancing its interests, are Charles Bridgman, Henry G. Mitchell and son, C. F. McDonald, Lewis Clark, Alonzo F. Cramb, C. F. Davis, Levi S. Geer, Josiah G. Hayward, David L. Kiehle, A. Montgomery, Overbeck brothers, John H. Owen, and John Cooper. St. Cloud has furnished three able jurists for the supreme bench in this district, E. O. Hamlin, J. M. McKelvy and L. W. Collins.

ANOKA COUNTY

Anoka county was organized in 1857, the nucleus or first settlement being a small village on the Mississippi, at the month of Rum river, named Anoka, from a Chippewa word meaning work or labor. The county has a fine location on the east bank of the Mississippi. Its boundaries on the north are Isanti county, on the east Chisago and Washington counties, on the south Ramsey county, and on the west Sherburne county and the Mississippi river. Rum river flows in a southeasterly direction through the county, and by this river, its tributaries and those of the Mississippi and St. Croix, the county is well watered and drained. The valleys of these streams furnish many fine natural meadows. The soil is a black sandy loam with clay subsoil. Townships 31, 32 and 33, range 22, are drained by the tributaries of the St. Croix. Originally consisting of oak openings, natural meadows and tamarack swamps, interspersed with small lakes, with excellent roads, school houses, churches and town organizations, the county is well settled and has many fine farms under a high state of cultivation. Its proximity to the pineries of Rum river and to the markets of Minneapolis and St. Paul makes it a desirable location for the lumbermen and farmers.

The county is subdivided into the following townships: Anoka, Bethel, Blaine, Burns, Centreville, Columbus, Fridley, Grow, Ham Lake, Linwood, Oak Grove, Ramsey, and St. Francis. The Northern Pacific and St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba railroads traverse this county near its western boundary, following the course of the Mississippi river. Outside of Anoka the first settlement in the county was within the bounds of the present town of Ramsey. Nathan Shumway, Cornelius Pitman and Daniel Hawthorne settled there in 1850.

The first county commissioners were appointed by the governor. They were E. C. H. Davis, J. P. Austin and Silas O. Lum. They met June 30, 1857, and appointed the following officers: Sheriff, James C. Frost; treasurer, James M. McGlauflin; coroner, Joseph C. Varney; assessors, Daniel Robbins, S. L. Guice, Francis Peeler. The first deed on record in the county bears date of June 30, 1857. It conveys the northwest quarter of section 26, township 33, range 24, from Nathaniel S. Davis to Mary S. Small, for a consideration of five hundred dollars. There is, however, a transcript of a deed from Ramsey county bearing original date of Sept. 11, 1849, conveying the north half of the northwest quarter of section 35, township 31, range 24, from Abel Bloodgood, of Minnesota Territory, to Henry M. Rice, for a consideration of two hundred dollars. The first town plat, that of Anoka, bears date of July 5, 1854.

ANOKA

This town lies on the east shore of the Mississippi and includes part of fractional township 31, range 24. It is watered by Rum river, which traverses the northwestern part, and by Coon creek in the eastern part. The town originally was chiefly prairie. Its early history is included in that of Anoka county.

ANOKA CITY

The county seat of Anoka county is located on the Mississippi at the mouth of Rum river and dates its settlement to the year 1847, when Thomas Holmes located on the east bank of the river, and built the first log house for a trading post. Aaron Betts, in the employ of Holmes, brought his family with him, the first family in the town. In the winter of 1847-48 Holmes sold out to Simeon P. Folsom, whose family was the second in the town. Mr. Folsom raised the first crop in the township. In September, 1848, Mr. Folsom removed to Sherburne county, selling out his claim to Louis Roberts. In the winter of the same year Wm. Dahl took possession for Mr. Roberts. In the spring of 1849 Antoine Roberts, brother of Louis, came from Prairie du Chien, took possession of the home, and lived there some years, when he was killed by an Indian. When the land on which the improvements were made was brought into market Louis Roberts entered it.

In 1851 Anton Guion entered a quarter section of land on the west side. He immediately sold his claim to Henry M. Rice, who bought it with the intention of platting it as a town site. His brother, Orrin Rice, occupied it and made improvements. Rum river has a fall of five feet, which is fully utilized at Anoka.

In 1851 Geo. W. Branch took up a claim on the west side, and built a house near what is now the corner of Main and Ferry streets. This was the first frame house in Anoka, which, from this time forward, grew almost imperceptibly into a village, till in 1855 the census showed nearly 300 inhabitants. In 1860 the population was 602, and in 1886, 5,000. Anoka was incorporated as a city in 1878, with the following board of officers: Mayor, G. W. Church; aldermen, D. C. Dunham, D. H. Lane, L. G. Browning, A. Davis, H. N. Seelye, and J. H. Pierce; treasurer, H. E. Lepper; justices of the peace, W. W. Fitch and E. S. Teller; constables, George Geddes and Norman McLean. At that time the city was divided into two wards, the First including the east side, and the Second the west side, of Rum river. In 1881 the west side was changed to the First ward, and the east side became the Second and Third wards.

In 1853 Ed. I. Shaw built and opened the first store. It was on the west side, and the building still stands, and is known as the Schuler building. It is now the hospital: Caleb and W. H. Woodbury erected a saw mill on the east side. It was subsequently owned by Woodbury, Shaw & Farnham. During the same year a bridge was built across Rum river by the government; Orrin Rice, contractor. The first flour will was finished in 1855. It was burned ten days after with $5,000 worth of wheat and corn a total loss, as there was no insurance. It was owned by A. P. Lane, Caleb and Henry Woodbury. The mill was rebuilt by Caleb Woodbury and Wm. L. Barnes. In 1855 H. L. Ticknor erected and opened the first store on the east side. Rev. Royal Twitchell preached the first sermon and taught the first school. The first mill was utilized on Sundays as a church.

The Congregationalists organized the first church in Anoka in 1855, and erected a church building in 1857. The Baptists and Catholics organized in 1856, the Methodists and Episcopalians in 1860, the Universalists in 1867, the Swedish Lutherans in 1870, the Adventists in 1880, and the Free Methodists in 1882. The Masons organized a lodge in 1866, the Knights of Pythias in 1872, the United Workmen in 1877, the Patrons of Husbandry in 1874, and the Odd Fellows in 1882.

Anoka has suffered from time to time by fires. A flour mill, two saw mills, half a dozen hotels, and a large number of stores have been burned at different times, and twice the business part of the city has been destroyed. Aug. 16, 1884, the entire business portion of the city, including 60 business blocks and the Washburn mills, was consumed. The loss amounted to $750,000, on which there was an insurance of $316,000. The burnt district has since been handsomely rebuilt, and the Washburn flour mill has been replaced with a superior building, five stories high, 60 × 180, ground plan, and rising to the height of 112 feet. This is one of the finest mills in the State.

The court house is valued at $35,000, the city hall at $12,000, and four school buildings at $75,000. The bridge across the Mississippi, a fine structure, 700 feet long, was built at a cost of $100,000. Street cars have been introduced on some of the streets. The principal manufactories are the Lincoln flouring mill, with a capacity of seven hundred bushels per day, owned by the Washburn Mill Company; four saw mills belonging to the Washburn Mill Company, with a capacity of 50,000,000 feet per year; the Anoka Sash and Door Factory, one of the most thriving industries in the city, Jonas Morell, manager; a starch factory, a boot and shoe company, with a capital of $30,000, recently organized. Other industries are well represented; the whole giving employment to over 1,000 men.

The First National Bank of Anoka was organized as a private banking institution in 1872. It became a state bank in 1882, with a capital stock of $25,000, and a national bank in 1883, with a paid up capital of $50,000. The officers are: President, H. L. Ticknor; cashier, B. F. Pratt. The Anoka National Bank was organized in 1883, with a paid up capital of $100,000. The officers are: President, W. D. Washburn; vice president, C. C. Crane; cashier. C. S. Guderian.

BETHEL

Includes township 33 and the twelve south sections of township 34, range 23. Its surface is partially prairie land, and is dotted with small lakes. The first settlers were Quakers, with the exception of Rice, Price, O. Evans and Robert Minard, who came in 1855. Bethel post office is located at what is known as Bethel Corners. The town was organized in 1858. The first supervisors were O. Evans, W. Dickens and R. Price.

BLAINE,

Named in honor of James G. Blaine, embraces township 31, range 23. It was originally included in Anoka, but was set off and organized in 1877. The first supervisors were Moses Ripley, George Tisdale and Richard de Long. The records have not been kept with sufficient accuracy to enable us to determine who were the first settlers. It appears, however, that the first comers abandoned their claims. Green Chambers is the first settler recorded. He came in 1865.

BURNS

Includes township 33, range 25, and is in the northwestern part of the county. The soil is clay loam, and in the western part are many lakes. Of these Twin lakes are ninety feet in depth. The first settler was John Derigan, who was also one of the first settlers of Elk River township, in Sherburne county. The town was organized in 1869. The supervisors were John D. Keen, John A. Mussey and W. D. Le Clair. A German Lutheran church was built in 1878.

CENTREVILLE

Includes township 31, range 22. It is the oldest settlement in the county, Alphonse Jarvis having located here in 1840. Frank Lamott settled here in 1849. The first considerable settlement was made on Rice lake, in 1850, by F. W. Traverse and other German families. A French colony settled in the eastern part of the town in 1852. Prominent among these colonists were Francis X. Levalle and brother, Oliver and Frank Dupre, Francis Lamott and Oliver Peltier. The town was organized in 1857, with the following commissioners: Oliver Peltier, chairman; Francis Lamott, treasurer, and Stephen Ward. The town was originally a timbered and meadow district. It has a good black loam soil, and is well watered by Rice lake and numerous small streams. It contains a number of ancient mounds. Its nearest railroad station is Centreville, on the St. Paul & Duluth road, an Washington county.

CENTREVILLE VILLAGE

Was platted in 1853, by Peltier, Lavalle & Lamott. It contains a substantial brick church known as the Church of St. Genevieve of Paris, built in 1859. The congregation numbers about four hundred.