Fifty Years In The Northwest

Charles Hoag was born in Sandwich, New Hampshire, in 1808. He received a good education and taught school fifteen years. He came to Minneapolis in 1852, and occupied various positions of trust, having been a member of the first town council, the second treasurer of Hennepin county, and the superintendent of schools four years, commencing with 1870. Mr. Hoag suggested the name of Minneapolis for the growing young city of his adoption. He was a man of marked ability and refinement, and although a strong partisan his many admirable personal qualities won the esteem of those who most radically differed from him. He was twice married, his first wife dying in 1871. In 1873 he was married to Miss Susan F. Jewett who, with a daughter, Mrs. C. H. Clark, and one son, Levi, survives him. Mr. Hoag died February, 1888.

Franklin Steele. – No other pioneer has been more prominent in the early history of Minneapolis than Franklin Steele. A bold, sagacious, enterprising man, he came in the very vanguard of civilization, and promptly and fearlessly availed himself of the splendid opportunities that this, then almost unknown, frontier afforded. We have not many data of his early life, but his history since he set foot in Fort Snelling is elsewhere given as a part of the early history of the section in which he located, and need not be here repeated.

Franklin Steele was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. He came West by the advice of President Andrew Jackson, and arrived at Fort Snelling just after the conclusion of the treaty by which the Indians ceded their St. Croix lands to the government; whereupon Mr. Steele visited St. Croix Falls, made a claim and proceeded to make further improvements, such as building mills, as elsewhere narrated.

When appointed sutler of the army at Fort Snelling, he sold his St. Croix claims and identified himself thereafter with the interests of St. Anthony Falls and the section adjacent thereto, where he made claims and improvements. Among other enterprises illustrative of the faith of Steele and others in the future greatness of the prospective river cities, the fact may be mentioned that an organized company built a wire suspension bridge over the river just above the falls, a work projected while the adjacent lands were still in the hands of the government, and completed in 1855, at a time when such a structure was most needed and advantageous.

Mr. Steele was a man of far more than ordinary ability. Col. J. H. Stevens says of him: "He has been a good friend to Hennepin county, and as most of the citizens came here poor they never had to ask Mr. Steele a second time for a favor. Fortune has favored him, and while many a family has reason to feel thankful for his generosity and kindness, he constantly made money." The county of Steele was named after him. Mr. Steele was married to Miss Barney, a relative of the distinguished naval officer of that name. He died in Minneapolis in 1880.

Roswell P. Russell was born in Richland, Vermont, March 15, 1820. His privileges for education were limited. He came to Michigan in 1836 and to Fort Snelling in 1839. He came from Prairie du Chien to the Fort in a mackinaw boat, part of the way on foot over the ice, and suffered much for want of food, sleep and from exposure. Mr. Russell remained at Fort Snelling until 1845, engaged for two years in the Indian trade, made a claim at St. Anthony Falls in 1847, and opened the first store, in a log building, at that place. In 1854 he was appointed receiver of the land office at Minneapolis. He has since been actively engaged in farming, merchandising and real estate transactions. He was the first chairman of the St. Anthony Falls town board, and has served one term as representative in the state legislature. He was a true and steadfast friend to his adopted city. He was married at St. Anthony Falls, Oct. 3, 1848, to Marion Patch. They have a family of seven sons and three daughters: Lucy C., wife of W. C. Colbrath; Charles M., Roswell P., Mary Bell, wife of F. M. Prince, of Stillwater; Carrie E., wife of F. L. Lovejoy, of Fargo, Dakota; Frank and Fred, twin brothers; Geo. B. Mc – , died in 1881; William and Edward E.

Horatio Phillips Van Cleve was born in Princeton, New Jersey, Nov. 22, 1809. He was educated at Princeton College and West Point, graduating from the latter institution in 1831. He served five years in the army, resigning in 1836. He followed farming and engineering in Michigan until 1856, when he came to Morrison county, Minnesota. In 1861 he enlisted as a volunteer in the Second Regiment, Minnesota Infantry, of which regiment he was commissioned colonel. He served during the war and left the service with a major general's commission, and has since served as adjutant general of the state of Minnesota. He was the postmaster of St. Anthony Falls prior to the union of that city with Minneapolis. He was married to Charlotte O. Clarke, daughter of Maj. Gen. Clarke of the United States Army. They have seven children.

Charlotte Ouisconsin van Cleve, a daughter of Gen. Clarke of the United States Army, was born at Fort Crawford, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, in 1819. Soon after her birth her father came up the river on a flatboat to the site of Fort Snelling. They were six weeks making the voyage. Miss Charlotte grew up amidst military surroundings, and on a remote frontier, and was married at Fort Winnebago, Wisconsin, to Horatio P. Van Cleve, when she had barely attained the age of sixteen years. Her husband resigned his position in the army about the time of his marriage, and removed to Michigan, but since 1856 her home has been in Minnesota. Of her children six sons are living in Hennepin county. A daughter is the wife of H. V. Hall, a missionary to the Sandwich Islands. Besides her own family she has reared five orphans. She is intellectually active and vigorous, takes great interest in the reforms of the day, and is a noble specimen of the pioneer women of the State. She is the founder of the Bethany Home in Minneapolis. She has specially interested herself in the poor, the downtrodden and the outcast classes of human society, and has exercised in this direction an untold influence for good.

Ard Godfrey was born at Orono, Maine, Jan. 18, 1813. He came to St. Anthony Falls in 1847, and was among the first to make improvements in utilizing the water power furnished by the falls. He built a dam and mill, and subsequently engaged in lumbering. In 1852 he settled on a claim near Minnehaha falls, where he built a saw and grist mill, some years later destroyed by fire. He was married in Maine, January, 1838, and has a family of six children. He still lives at his old homestead near Minnehaha falls.

Richard Chute was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Sept. 22, 1820. He first visited St. Anthony Falls in 1844, and built a trading house. He was one of the firm of W. G. Ewing & Co. In 1854 he located permanently at the Falls where he has been engaged in real estate operations, milling and other branches of business. He has been successful in his undertakings, and is a man of excellent standing in the community.

Lucius N. Parker was born in Chester, Vermont, Dec. 11, 1823. He came to Illinois in his boyhood and remained there till eighteen years of age, when he came to Marine, Minnesota, and engaged in lumbering. In 1846 he was one of the proprietors of the Osceola (Polk county, Wisconsin) mills. In 1849 he sold out his interest, removed to St. Anthony Falls and carried the mail between St. Paul and that city. He removed to the west side of the river, known now as Minneapolis, and has since resided there. He was married to Amanda Huse in 1849.

Capt. John Rollins was born in March, 1806, at New Sharon, Maine. While in Maine he followed lumbering and hotel keeping. In 1848 he came to the Falls and engaged in lumbering, steamboating, milling and farming. He was a member of the first territorial council of Minnesota, in 1849-50. He was married to Betsey Martin at Newport, Maine, in 1832. They have seven children living. Capt. Rollins died in 1885.

John G. Lennon was born in Bolton, England, July 6, 1815. He came to America in 1841 as supercargo of a vessel bound to New Orleans. In 1843 he located at St. Croix Falls, removed to St. Paul in 1848, and in 1850 to St. Anthony Falls, where he entered the service of the St. Anthony Outfit. In 1856 he engaged in the lumbering and mercantile business and in 1859 removed to a stock farm in Sibley county. During the Civil War he served as assistant commissary, and through Gen. Sibley's Indian campaign. At the suppression of the Indian revolt his regiment was transferred South and attached to the Sixteenth Army Corps, under Gen. A. J. Smith and Division Commander Gen. Joseph Mower and he served as quartermaster until mustered out at the close of the war, when he returned to civil life and commenced dealing in real estate. In 1873 he returned to Minneapolis. He was married to Mary D. McLain in 1851. He died in August, 1887, leaving a widow and two children.

John H. Stevens. – Col. Stevens traces his ancestry to the Moors who, during the wars of the Alhambra were carried captive to France, where they became known as Huguenots. Driven by persecution from France to England, they emigrated thence with the Puritans on the Mayflower to America. Col. Stevens was born June 13, 1820, in Lower Canada, whither his parents had emigrated from Vermont. His father gave him an excellent education.

At an early day John H. came to the lead mines of South Wisconsin. During the war with Mexico he served as a soldier, and after the war, in 1849, came to the Northwest and located on the west bank of the Mississippi, at St. Anthony Falls, where he built the first frame house on the west side, on ground that afterward became the site of the union depot. He was a member of the lower house of the legislature of 1876, and has filled other public positions with honor to himself. He has been influential in municipal affairs, and always a staunch advocate of the interests of his city, county and State. He is the author of a book of "Reminiscences of Pioneer Life." He was married at Rockford, Illinois, in 1850, to Frances Helen Miller. They have one son, Francis H. G., and three daughters, Orma, Sarah and Kittie D., wife of P. B. Winston.

Caleb D. Dorr was born at East Great Works, Penobscot county, Maine. He became a practical lumberman, and, coming to the Falls in 1847, bought of Hole-in-the-Day, a Chippewa chief at Swan River, one hundred trees at five dollars per tree, for St. Anthony Falls improvements, the first timber floated down the Mississippi above the mouth of Rum river.

Mr. Dorr was in the employ of the government for ten years, locating state and school lands. He has followed the business of scaling logs, and has also been boom master. He was married to Celestia A. Ricker, of Maine, March 4, 1849.

Rev. Edward Duffield Neill, the well known author of the "History of Minnesota," was born in Philadelphia Aug. 9, 1823. He was educated at the University of Pennsylvania and Amherst College, Massachusetts, graduating from the latter in 1842. He studied theology at Andover Theological Seminary, Massachusetts, and in 1847 preached as a missionary amongst the miners in and around Galena, Illinois. He was transferred to St. Paul in April, 1849, where he organized a society and erected the first Protestant church building in Minnesota not on mission grounds. It was situated on Third and Market streets. He also built for himself, on the corner of Fourth and Washington streets, the first brick house in the city. In 1855 he organized the House of Hope society and acted as its pastor five years. He was also the prime mover in establishing the Baldwin School. In 1855 he secured the building of the St. Paul College, for some years conducted as a classical school and afterward consolidated with the Baldwin School. He was the first territorial superintendent of public instruction, in 1851-2, and served as state superintendent from 1858 to 1864. He was called to fill many educational trusts.

April 29, 1861, he was appointed chaplain of the First Minnesota Volunteers, and served as such over two years. He was with his regiment at the battles of Bull Run, Fair Oaks and Malvern Hill. President Lincoln appointed him hospital chaplain, he became one of the president's private secretaries, and continued in that relation during the presidency of Andrew Johnson. In 1869 President Grant appointed him United States consul at Dublin, where he resided two years. Returning to Minnesota in 1871, he removed to Minneapolis and conducted the Baldwin School and St. Paul College, under the title of Macalester College, and located his school in the old Winslow House, Minneapolis. In January, 1874, Mr. Neill connected himself with the Reformed Episcopal church.

Mr. Neill has been a busy worker in literary, chiefly historical, fields. Editions of his "History of Minnesota" were published in 1858, 1873 and 1878. He has published many other valuable historical works. He is a ready and versatile writer, and is an authority on the subjects concerning which he treats. Mr. Neill was married to Nancy Hill, at Snow Hill, Maryland. Their children are Samuel Henry, Edward Duffield and John Selby Martin.

John Wensignor, a native of Switzerland, was born May 22, 1825; came to America in 1833, to St. Anthony Falls in 1849, and engaged successfully in mercantile pursuits. Mr. Wensignor has been a generous man to the poor, and although public spirited, has persistently declined office. Mr. Wensignor died in 1886.

Robert H. Hasty was born in York county, Maine, Dec. 12, 1823. He came to Stillwater in 1849, and engaged in lumbering. He was surveyor general of the First district two years. He enlisted in Company I, Sixth Minnesota, at the organization of the regiment in 1862, was commissioned second lieutenant, promoted to first lieutenant, and resigned Jan. 15, 1865. In 1881 he removed to Crystal Lake, Minnesota.

Stephen Pratt, a native of Penobscot county, Maine, was born, in 1828; came to St. Anthony Falls in October, 1849, where he followed lumbering until 1858. He was a member of the First Minnesota Cavalry during the Rebellion. In 1864 he removed to a farm. He died in 1887.

Capt. John Tapper was born in Dorsetshire, England, March 25, 1820; came to America in 1840, and to Prairie du Chien and Fort Snelling in 1844. He served as a soldier during the Mexican War. He was the first toll collector on the St. Anthony Falls wire suspension bridge. He finally located on Steele's farm near Minnehaha falls, and is now living in Clayton county, Iowa.

R. W. Cummings was born in Lycoming, Pennsylvania, June, 1825. He settled at Cottage Grove, Minnesota, in 1845, and in 1848 made a claim in St. Anthony, and improved it as a farm until the city required it for lots, since which time he has been engaged in the real estate business.

Elias H. Conner was born in New Sharon, Maine, in 1824. In 1848 he came to Lakeland, Minnesota, and in 1849 to St. Anthony Falls, where he had charge of the work on the first suspension thrown across the Mississippi at that point. He also built the first bridge that spanned the St. Croix at Taylor's Falls. In 1855 he was married to Hannah Rollins.

C. F. Stimson was born in Maine, April 19, 1822. He came to Stillwater in June, 1848, and thence to St. Anthony Falls, where he followed lumbering. He was treasurer of Ramsey county for one year. In 1879 he moved to his farm near Elk River. He has a wife and two children.

William Dugas was born in Three Rivers, Canada East, May 17, 1809. He came to New York in 1831. He spent some time traveling, visiting Africa, New Orleans, Indian Territory, Iowa, and Illinois, and other places more or less remote. He came to Minnesota in 1844, and was a representative in the first territorial legislature. Later he removed to St. Anthony Falls. He afterward removed to Dayton, Minnesota. He was married at Prairie du Chien in 1844.

Davis Gorham was born in Quebec; came to Virginia, where he spent two years, and thence to Maine, where he lived twelve years. In April, 1849, he came to St. Anthony Falls, and made valuable land claims near Lake Calhoun. He followed lumbering for about twelve years. In 1864 he started for California, but was driven back by the Sioux Indians. In 1867 he settled in Plymouth, where he has been supervisor for ten years.

Edwin Hedderly was born in Philadelphia in 1814. In 1849 he came to St. Anthony Falls and in 1851 made a claim of one hundred and sixty acres west of the river, within the present bounds of Minneapolis. He served on various committees for selecting a name for the new city and its streets, and until his death was ever active and influential in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the city. He was married to Mary J. Kennard, of Philadelphia. Eight children of this union survive him and are residents of the city. Mr. Hedderly died in 1879.

Louis Neudeck, born December, 1821, came to St. Anthony Falls in 1849. He subsequently lived in Missouri, Illinois and at Stillwater, but in 1855 returned to the Falls. He died in 1864. He was supposed to have been killed by Indians while absent in Montana, the only clue to his sad fate being the recovery of his revolver having his name inscribed on it, from an Indian. He left a widow and five children.

Andrew J. Foster was born in Cooper, Maine, June, 1827, and came to the Falls in 1849, where he engaged in the lumbering, grocery, gardening, and real estate business. He married Mrs. Mary Averill, of Stillwater. Their children are Ada, William, Owen and Elmer.

A. D. Foster, a Pennsylvanian, born in 1801, came to St. Anthony Falls in 1848. He assisted in building the Gov. Ramsey, the first boat above the falls. He has engaged in fruit culture and merchandising. He was married in Pennsylvania and has three children; Josiah, resident in Indianapolis; Lysander, a physician in Minneapolis; and a daughter, married.

Charles E. Vanderburgh, a native of Clifton, Parke county, New York, born Dec. 2, 1829, graduated at Yale College an 1852, and served for awhile as principal of Oxford Academy, New York. He studied law and was admitted to practice in 1855. In 1856 he came to Minneapolis, which has since been his home. In 1849 he was elected judge of the district court, which at that time embraced all the territory west of the Mississippi from Fort Snelling to the north boundary line. He has been continuously re-elected, an evidence of the high estimation in which he is regarded by his fellow citizens.

Judge Vanderburgh has been twice married. His first wife, Julia M. Mygatt, wedded Sept. 2, 1857, died April 23, 1863, leaving two children, William Henry and Julia M. His second wife was Anna Culbert, married April 15, 1873. They have one child, Isabella McIntyre. His daughter Julia was accidentally drowned Sept. 12, 1871.

Dorillius Morrison was born at Livermore, Oxford county, Maine, Dec. 26, 1816. He received a common school and academic education. He taught school awhile, and then engaged in the mercantile business, the last eleven years at Bangor, when in the spring of 1853 he came to Minneapolis, where he became prominent as a business man, following lumbering, dealing in real estate, milling and railway building. He is one of the projectors and proprietors of the Minneapolis Mill Company. He is also sole owner and proprietor of a cotton mill costing $100,000. He was deeply interested in the Northern Pacific railroad. He was the first mayor of Minneapolis, in 1867, and served as senator in the sixth legislature in May, 1840. He was married to Harriet Putnam Whitmore, a descendant of Gen. Israel Putnam. They have three children, Clinton and George Henry, residents of Minneapolis, and Grace E., the wife of Dr. H. H. Kimball, of Minneapolis.

H. G. O. Morrison, brother of Dorillius, was born in Livermore, Maine, Jan. 24, 1817. He graduated at the Bangor high school. He worked at printing in his youth, read law and was admitted to practice in 1838, locating afterward at Sebre, Maine. He was a member of the Maine senate in 1841. In 1855 he came to St. Anthony Falls. He moved to Dakota county soon after, and represented that county in the state legislatures of 1860-61. He resided in Dakota county for twelve years. He was assessor of internal revenue from 1869 to 1873, during which time he lived in St. Paul. In 1873 he removed to Minneapolis, where he has since resided. He has been twice married. His second wife was Rebecca Newell. They have three children, Daniel W., Samuel B. and Stanford.

Judge F. R. E. Cornell was born in 1821, in Chenango county, New York; was educated at Union College, New York; studied law and was admitted to practice in 1846. He came to Minneapolis in 1854. During his residence in New York he was a member of the state senate. In January, 1875, he took his seat as associate justice of the supreme court of Minnesota, which office he held until his death, which occurred in 1879.

Gen. A. B. Nettleton came from Ohio, and became one of the editors of the Minneapolis Tribune. He served during the Civil War, participated in seventy-three battles, and was promoted through the various grades from private to brigadier general.

Judge Isaac Atwater was born in Homer, Cortland county, New York. He graduated at Yale College in 1844, practiced law in New York City until 1850, when he came to St. Anthony Falls and practiced law with G. W. North as partner. He was one of the first regents of the State University; edited the St. Anthony Express from 1851 to 1857; served as district attorney from 1853 to 1857; was elected associate justice of the supreme bench in 1857, resigned the position in 1864, and removed to California, where he practiced law. After an absence of three years he returned to Minneapolis, where he has been honored with the offices of alderman, president of the Board of Education, etc. He was married to Pamelia A. Sanborn in 1849. Their son John B. is associated with his father in law practice.

Rev. David Brooks, a venerable pioneer clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal church, was born in England in 1802. He was educated there and preached ten years in the Wesleyan connection. He came to America in 1842, and joined the Methodist Episcopal church, which he has served faithfully since as pastor and presiding elder in Northern Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. He was among the pioneer preachers in the latter state. In 1853 he was presiding elder of a district that included all of the present Minnesota conference. In 1854 he secured the charter for Hamline University, and was instrumental in obtaining a donation of $25,000 from Bishop Hamline for its endowment.

Rev. Jabez Brooks, D.D., son of Rev. David Brooke, was born in England, and came to America in 1842. He is a graduate of Middleton Wesleyan University. For several years he was professor of Greek, and later president, of Hamline University. He served also as professor of Greek in Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin. He has for many years been professor of Greek in the State University.

John S. Pillsbury was born in New Hampshire, July 29, 1828. He received a New England common school education. He came to the Falls in 1855, and by close application to business acquired a position of wealth and influence. He has occupied many prominent positions in Minneapolis and the State. He served five terms as state senator, from the sixth to the tenth legislatures. In 1863 he was appointed a regent of the State University. He was elected governor of the State in 1875, and re-elected in 1877. He was married in November, 1856, to Mahala Fisk, of Warner, New Hampshire. Their children are Ada, Susie, May, Sadie Belle, and Alfred Fisk.

Henry T. Welles was born in Connecticut, April 3, 1821, graduated at Trinity College, and came to St. Anthony Falls in 1853, where he engaged successfully in the lumbering, banking and real estate business. He is a liberal, public spirited citizen, contributing freely to all enterprises looking to the growth and welfare of the city as well as to charitable objects.

David Blakely has been prominent in journalism, having been connected at various times with papers in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Chicago: He was one of the founders of the Minneapolis Tribune.

William Lochren, a native of Tyrone, Ireland, was born April 3, 1832; was brought to America when he was two years old; was educated in Vermont; admitted to the bar, and came to the Falls in 1856, where he has since practiced law, excepting a term of service in the army during the Rebellion as first lieutenant of Company E, First Minnesota Volunteers. Since the war he has served as city attorney, as state senator in 1868 69, and as district judge from 1883 to the present time. In 1871 he was married to Mrs. Martha Demmen, who died in 1879.