Fifty Years In The Northwest

The latest claim made as to the discovery of the source of the Missispippi is that of Capt. Willard Glazier, who, in 1881, claimed to have discovered Elk lake as the source of the Mississippi. The Minnesota State Historical Society promptly repudiated his assumptions, and protested against affixing to Elk lake the name Glazier, as the captain was in no sense a discoverer, either of the lake or its connections with Itasca, the adjacent lands having been surveyed in 1875, and partially covered with claims in 1881. With far more justice we might claim for Lake Boutwell, a more remote lake, the distinguished honor of being the true source of the Mississippi.

COPPER MINING ON THE ST. CROIX

As early as 1842, a company, composed of the Harris brothers and others, of Galena, Illinois, prospected in the Upper St. Croix valley for copper. Their superintendent, Mr. Crosby, located a mineral permit at Pine island, one mile above St. Croix Falls, where he found rich specimens. Citizens and operatives at St. Croix Mills gave liberally to aid the enterprise, but Mr. Crosby's health having failed he left expecting to spend the winter in Cuba, but sickened and died at New Orleans, and the mining enterprise of the Galena company was never resumed.

In 1847, a Boston company, composed of Caleb Cushing, Robert Rantoul, Dexter and Harrington, and others, of Boston, and some other capitalists, located a mineral permit one mile square at St. Croix Falls, and another of the same dimensions on the St. Croix and Kettle River rapids. This proved to be a speculative scheme of Boston and Washington capitalists and politicians.

In 1848, David Dale Owen, a prominent geologist, made an exploration of the territory now included in Minnesota and Wisconsin and published a report. His work being done at the order of the government, he was accompanied by a corps of scientific men, and had time and means to make thorough investigations. He reported that the trap rock ranges of the St. Croix, a continuation of the copper ranges of Superior, are rich in specimens of copper. These ranges crop out every few miles in a southwesterly direction from Superior. The most southerly are those known as the Dalles of the St. Croix, including as a part the Franconia ledge three miles below. The Kanabec river range crops out near Chengwatana. The Kettle river range crosses the St. Croix further north.

In 1865 the Minnesota legislature placed the sum of $1,000 in the hands of N. C. D. Taylor for the purpose of examining and reporting the different mineral prospects on the St. Croix and its tributaries. He reported the Kettle river veins as being very promising. Mr. Taylor sunk a shaft in a locality in Taylor's Falls to a depth of forty feet and found excellent indications of copper, and some good specimens. He reports most of the rock in the St. Croix valley above Taylor's Falls to be of the different kinds of trap rock, with belts of conglomerate running through them in a direction from northeast to southwest, the conglomerate being most abundant on the Kettle river. There are limited patches of sandstone which in places contain marine shells, but no rock in place. Prof. Hall says of the Taylor's Falls vein that it is a very distinct vein and shows quite equal to the early showing of many of the best paying mines of Superior. He regards the Kettle river vein as one of the most promising yet found in the country.

Other veins have been discovered in the vicinity of the St. Croix Dalles. Considerable money has been spent in prospecting and development, but more capital is needed than miners have yet been able to obtain.

Taylor's Falls Copper Mining Company was organized Dec. 15, 1874, W. H. C. Folsom, president; Geo. W. Seymour, secretary; Levi W. Folsom, treasurer; David A. Caneday, mining agent. They sunk a shaft one hundred and thirty feet deep and found good indications. This mine was worked in 1875-76, at an expenditure of over $5,000. Excellent specimens were found but not in paying quantities. The rock increased in richness as the shaft sunk in depth. The work was suspended for want, of material aid. There is but little doubt that as the valley becomes known and populated, that as wealth increases, the mineral resources of the country are better known, mining will become a prominent and profitable industry.

REMINISCENCES OF REV. JULIUS S. WEBBER. 10

We reached Stillwater, June 3, 1850, and moved into the Elfelt house on North Hill. The village contained at that time about thirty dwellings, two hotels, three stores, and a number of saloons. Three religious denominations held services each Sabbath, the missionaries in charge alternating through the successive Sabbaths, and supporting in addition a union prayer meeting and Sabbath-school, of which Capt. Wm. Holcomb was the first superintendent. The meetings were held in a school house on Third street.

My appointments outside of Stillwater were at Willow River, Kinnikinic and Prescott, Wisconsin, and at Cottage Grove and Point Douglas in Minnesota. In 1852 Rev. S. T. Catlin was appointed to that part of my field lying east of the St. Croix river, and I formed appointments at Arcola, Marine, Taylor's and St. Croix Falls. We organized a Baptist society at Stillwater, Oct. 26, 1850, consisting of eight members; Rev. J. P. Parsons and wife, Dean A. H. Cavender and wife of St. Paul, J. S. Webber and wife, constituting a council of recognition. Rev. J. P. Parsons preached the sermon of recognition, and J. S. Webber extended the right hand of fellowship. The first baptism by immersion in the county was administered in a large spring just below Nelson's store, Jan. 30, 1853, the waters of the spring being free from ice. The candidate was Margaret Towner, of Pembina. In 1853 I made a tour of the Minnesota valley to Mankato. On the first day, September 23d, I traveled from Fort Snelling to Shakopee and saw not a human habitation nor a human being on the trail. At Shakopee I found a home with Judge Dowling. On the next day I traveled to Le Sueur. On Sabbath morning I preached at Traverse des Sioux, and in the afternoon I went to Mankato, and stopped at the house of Mr. Hannah, where I preached in the evening, to a congregation that had come together hastily from the neighborhood, the first sermon preached in Mankato. On the twenty-sixth I preached the first sermon at Le Seuer, and the first sermon at Shakopee on my return.

In 1854 I opened on the South Hill, known later as Nelson's addition to Stillwater, a school known as Washington Seminary, which received liberal patronage from the citizens of Stillwater and surrounding country. In May, 1855, I sold the school to Mr. Kent, and it passed into the hands of an Episcopal clergyman. I returned to New York where I have since lived, pursuing my calling, which has suffered thus far no interruption from sickness or infirmities.

The remembrance of my association with the people of the St. Croix valley is pleasant. Amongst the most pleasant of my recollections are those of the lumbermen of St. Croix, who often made up a large portion of my congregation. They were kind and courteous, attentive hearers and valued as friends and associates.

AN AMUSING INCIDENT

An amusing incident occurred in Carver county, in Judge E. O. Hamlin's district (an account of which was published in "The Drawer" of Harper's Monthly, some years after it occurred). Judge Hamlin, going to Chaska to hold his first term of court in Carver county, found the sheriff absent, and his deputy, a foreigner who could speak English very imperfectly, ignorant alike of his duties and of the language in which they were to be performed, confessed his entire ignorance of "how to open court," but said he could read writing. Therefore Judge Hamlin wrote out the form for opening court, and instructed him when the order was given for "the sheriff to open court," to stand up and read distinctly the form prepared for him. This was in the usual terms, beginning "Hear ye, hear ye, all manner of persons having any business," etc., etc., and ending with "come forward and give your attendance, and you shall be heard." At the hour fixed the court room was reasonably well filled. Parties, witnesses and jurors, together with the district attorney (who at that time went with the judge over the whole district) were in attendance. The judge was on the bench, and the deputy sheriff, fully conscious of the dignity of his office, awaited the order of the judge. Upon being told to "make proclamation for the opening of court," this officer arose, and holding the written form before his eyes, roared out in stentorian tones: "Here we are! Here we are!" and running through the remainder of the form closed with "come forward and give your attendance, and you will be sure to be here!" The air of importance with which it was said, together with his self complacency in the discharge of his new duties, was scarcely less amusing than the mistake he had made. Its effect may be better imagined than described.

THE OLD SETTLERS ASSOCIATION

By an act of the legislature approved May 33, 1857, the "Old Settlers Association" was incorporated with the following charter members: H. H. Sibley, Socrates Nelson, Franklin Steele, A. L. Larpenteur, Wm. Holcombe, Wm. H. Randall, Wm. Hartshorn, Cornelius Lyman, Lorenzo A. Babcock, J. D. Ludden, David Olmsted, H. M. Rice, Alex. Ramsey, Wm. R. Marshall, Jos. R. Brown, Chas. W. Borup, Henry Jackson, Martin McLeod, Norman W. Kittson, Vetal Guerin, J. W. Selby, Aaron Goodrich, and Philander Prescott. These members, with those whom they might associate with them, were duly empowered to buy, sell, hold property, to sue or be sued, to receive donations, to keep a common seal, and to enjoy all the franchises incident to a corporate body.

It was provided that no person should be eligible to a membership who had not been a resident of the Territory prior to Jan. 1, 1850. The seal of the association was devised by Aaron Goodrich. On the two sides of the seal were represented the past and the future. In the background of the side representing the past is delineated a plain; in the distance are seen the last rays of the declining sun; nearer are seen Indian hunters, their lodges, women and children, and a herd of buffalo.

Prominent in the foreground of the side representing the future stands an aged man with silvered hair; he leans upon his staff; he is in the midst of a cemetery; the spire of a church is seen in the distance; as he turns from a survey of the various monuments which mark the resting place of departed old settlers, his eye rests upon a new made grave. It is that of his last associate; he is the last survivor; his companions have fallen asleep. A group of children in the foreground represents the rising generation of Minnesota which shall reap the fruits of the pioneer's toil.

ORGANIZATION

The first meeting of the Old Settlers Association was held, in pursuance of public notice, at the hall of the Historical Society of Minnesota, in the capitol, in St. Paul, on Saturday, Feb. 27, 1858.

On motion of Judge Goodrich, his excellency Henry H. Sibley was unanimously elected president. Hon. Aaron Goodrich and Hon. L. A. Babcock were unanimously elected vice presidents, A. L. Larpenteur, Esq., secretary, and J. W. Bass, Esq. treasurer. After which Gov. Sibley addressed the meeting in a manner able, pertinent and feeling. Several other members spoke.

On motion a committee of three was appointed by the chair to report by-laws for the government of the association. Also a committee of three to report such measures as shall be deemed best calculated to effectuate the objects of the charter.

The president appointed H. L. Moss, L. A. Babcock and T. R. Potts committee on by-laws, and Aaron Goodrich, B. W. Lott and Chas. S. Cave committee on charter.

Judge Goodrich said this occasion was one of deep and abiding interest to the pioneers of Minnesota; that there were epochs in our history that should be commemorated. He desired that the first day of June be fixed upon as the day for the future meetings of the association; he named this day for the reason that on the first day of June, 1849, the local organization of this Territory took place.

The following resolution was adopted:

Resolved, That the annual meeting of this association be held on the first day of June, providing that when said month shall commence on the Sabbath, said meeting shall be held on the following Monday.

On motion of Judge Goodrich the following preamble and resolution were adopted:

Whereas, The object of this association and the individuals composing the same are closely allied to and identified with that of the Historical Society of Minnesota, therefore

Resolved, That up to the period in which this association shall possess a hall in which to meet, its place of meeting shall be the hall of said Historical Society.

As a matter of history we record the names of the members originally and subsequently enrolled.

Ames, Michael E.*

Ayer, Frederick.*

Abbott, G. S.+

Altenberg, William.*

Armstrong, William.+

Atkinson, John W.

Anderson, John.+

Arpin, A.*

Babcock, Lorenzo A.*

Bailly, Alexis.*

Bass, Jacob W.

Beatty, James.

Banfill, John.*

Barton, Thomas.*

Bazille, Charles.*

Becker, George L.

Berard, Antoine.+

Bevans, Henry L.*

Black, Mahlon.

Bautien. V.+

Beaulieu, Clement H.

Beau, James.+

Bishop. Thornton.

Beaupre, Philip.

Blackburn, John T.

Burns, Hugh.

Berriwick, J.*

Blair, O. H.*

Boutwell, W. T.

Blakeley, Russell.

Bolles, Lemuel.*

Borup, Chas. W. W.*

Bostwiek, Lardner.*

Bradley, J.*

Brady, Patrick.*

Brawley, Daniel J.*

Brisette, Edmond.*

Bromley, C. B.

Brown, Joseph R.*

Brown, Wm. R.*

Brunson, Benj. W

Bryant, Alden.+

Buffit, C.+

Burkelo, Samuel.*

Bottineau, Pierre.

Bettington, John C.+

Beauchier, Francis.+

Besour, A. C.*

Bailly John.+

Boal, James Mc C.*

Campbell, George W.*

Cavalier, Charles.

Cave, Chas. S.

Cavender, A. H.

Chute, Rirchard.

Clewitt, James R.*

Colter, William.*

Conway, Chas. R.

Cooper, David.*

Cormack, John.*

Cave, William.

Culver, George.*

Culver, J. B.*

Connell, William.+

Cummings, R. W.

Curtis, Harley.*

Chapman, John J.+

Cloutier, A.+

Colby, Wm. F.

Colter, Charles.

Carlie, C.*

Chase, A. M.

Comer, Elias H.

Church, Cal.+

Dana, Napoleon, J. T.

Day, David.

Day, James.*

Dayton, Lyman.*

Desmarais, Louis.

Desnoyers, Stephen.*

Dewey, John J.

Dibble, William B.*

Doe, William E.*

Day, Henry T.

Day, Leonard P.*

Dorr, Caleb D.

Dobney, John.

Durant, E. W.

Day, William P.+

Dudley, John.

Davis, Patten W.

Dresser, Horace.+

Elfelt, Charles D.

Ely, Edmund F.*

Ellison, Smith.

Eddy, Frank S.*

Eldridge, Ariel.

Eaton, Alonzo.+

Elfelt, L. C.*

Faribault, J. B.*

Faribault, Alex.*

Farrington, G. W.+

Fisher, Jacob.

Forbes, W. H.*

Ford, J. A.+

Finch, T. M.+

Findley, S. J.*

Foster, A. D.*

Foster, Thomas.*

Freeborn, William.*

French, A. R.*

Folsom, S. P.

Furber, J. W.*

Furber, P. P.*

Fuller, A. G.+

Folsom, W. H. C.

Fox, Patrick.

Fairbanks, John H.

Foster, Henry.+

Furber, Theodore.

Fisk, Frank.

Folsom, Edgar.

Folsom, Ward W.

Farnham, S. W.

Fillmore, R. G.

Fisher, John.

Finn, William.

Farnham, Rufus, Jr.

Gammel, Irenus.*

Gibbs, H.R.

Gilman, David.*

Godfrey, Ard.

Goodrich, Aaron.*

Greely, Elam.*

Guerin, Vetal.*

Gautier, Napoleon.

Guernsey, W.H.

Glenn, Samuel.*

Getchel, W. W.

Gervais, Benjamin.

Gardner, Charles R.

Gardner, John C.*

Gray, Isaac.

Guion, Joseph.

Hartshorn, W.*

Hartshorn, W. E.

Hobart, Chancey.

Holcombe, William.*

Holmes, Thomas.*

Hoyt, B. F.*

Hoyt, Lorenzo.

Hopkins, Daniel.*

Hopkins, Peter.

Humphrey, J. K.

Harris, George.

Holton, John.*

Houghton, George.

Houghton, James.

Haskell, Joseph.

Hone, David.*

Henkly, J. S.+

Hoffman, James.+

Haskill, Hiram.+

Hetherington, Thomas,*

Holcombe, W. W.

Hill, Lewis.

Irvine, J. R.*

Irvine, B. F.

Jackson, Henry.*

Jarvis, W. H.*

Johnson, P. K.

Johnson, R. W.

Jackins, John.*

Jackman, H. A.

Kellogg, M. N.

Kennedy, Robert.

Kittson, N. W.*

Keogh, James.

Knox, M. C.

Kent, William.

Kattenberg, Henry.

Lambert, H. A.*

Larpenteur, E. N.*

Larpenteur, A. L.

Lennon, J. G.*

Lennon, J. E.

Leavitt, Martin.

Lull, C. P. V.

Lyman, Cornelius S.*

Lott, B. W.*

Ludden, J. D.

Leonard, C. E.

Loomis, D. B.

Lowry, S. B.*

Lyman, Stoers B.

Lyman, David P.

McKenny, J. H.*

McKenzie, J. G.

Masterson, H. F.

McKusick, John.

McKusick, J. E.

Mitchell, J. B. H.

Marshall, W. R.

McLeod, Martin.*

McCleod, Alexander.*

McLean, N.*

Murphy, Edward.*

Meeker, Bradley B.*

Murphy, Alfred C.+

McKusick, William.

McHattie, Alexander.

Manaege, Peter.

Mackey, Andrew.

McDonald, R.+

Masier, Josiah.*

Marks, Isaac.*

Moreau, Charles.*

Mahoney, Wm.*

Mahoney, Jeremiah.

Morgan, John.*

Moffett, Lot.*

Morrison, W. C.

Morrison, Allen.*

Morton, T. F.*

Moss, H. L.

Murray, M. P.

Murphy, J. W.

Myrick, Nathan.

McComb, J. D.

McKean, Elias.

McMullen, James.+

McLean, Henry.+

Masterman, Joseph.

Mause, John.

Mower, Wm.*

Mower, Martin.

Mower, John E.*

Mosher, Jacob.

McHale, M.+

McHattie, John.

McLery, Charles.+

Moulton, E. (Jr.)+

McCarty, A.+

Manse, Charles.+

Neill, E. D.

Nichols, G. C.*

Nelson, Socrates.*

Nobles, W. H.*

Norris, J. S.*

North, J. W.

Northrup, Anson.

Newbury, H. H.

Oakes, C. H.*

Oakes, David.*

Odel, T. S.*

Olmsted, David.*

Owens, J. P.*

Parker, Rodney.*

Perin, Moses.

Potts, T. R.*

Prescott, Philander.*

Presley, Bartley.*

Pomeroy, J. H.

Proctor, J. S.

Pond, G. H.

Powers, Simon.*

Potter, Colver.+

Perro, Joseph.

Parker, L. N.

Parsons, Oliver.

Quinn, W. B.

Quinn, Peter.+

Randall, B. H.

Randolph, S. R.*

Ramsey, Alexander.

Ramsey, J. C.*

Ravoux, Auguste.

Reed, C. M.*

Rice, H. M.

Rice, Edmund.

Robertson, Andrew.*

Rice, C. R.*

Robert, Louis.*

Robert, Joseph.*

Richardson, R. M.

Rollins, John.*

Rose, Isaac.*

Russell, R. P.

Russell, Jeremiah.*

Riggs, S. R.*

Robert, Alexis.+

Roy, Peter.*

Russell, William.

Rohrer, Daniel.

Robert, Nelson.

Rogers, John.

Ramsden, Thomas.

Rutherford, Wm.*

Rogers, Richard.+

Rutherford, James.*

Selby, J. W.*

Simons, Orlando.

Simpson, J. W.*

Simpson, Robert.

Shaffer, C. E.

Shearer, A. L.*

Sherman, M.

Spencer, J. B.

Spicer, Nathan.+

Shelley, E. Y.

Steele, Franklin.*

Spencer, John H.+

Sawyer, Seth M.*

Spates, Samuel.+

Somerville, John.+

Stevens, J. H.

Stone, Lewis.*

Sturgis, W.*

Sweet, G. W.

Setzer, H. N.

Stanchfield, Sam.*

Sibley, H. H.

Stinson, C. F.+

Santel, A.+

Staples, Josiah.+

Shamley, John+

Sanford, H. S.+

Shearer, James.

Stratton, L. W.*

Scott, C. P.+

Short, A. J.

Shoasby, John.*

Stiles, W. L.+

Taylor, J. L.

Taylor, Jesse W.*

Taylor, N. C. D.*

Terry, J. C.

Tinker, W. H.

Thompson, James (colored).*

Trask, Sylvanus.

Trower, John.+

Thompson, G. W.*

Terry, Robert.*

Van Voorhes A.*

Villaume, Thomas.*

Von Tassel, William.*

Walker, Orange.*

Whitaker, E. H.

Whitney, J. C.

Wilkinson, M. S.

Wilkin, Alex.*

Wells, James.*

Wilson, Harvey.*

Woodbury, Warren.*

Willoughby, A.*

Wright, Thomas.+

Williamson, T. S.*

Willim, William.

Wilmarth, Alvin M.

Wallis, John.+

Worthingham, Wm.+

White, Asa.*

Westing, Henry.*

Welshance, M.*

Williams, D. D.*

Whalen, Patrick.*

Yorks, J. C.

[Note: * Deceased.]

[Note: + Unknown.]

OBJECTS AND ORGANIZATION

The society was organized in 1849 by a few of the pioneers of the Territory, and incorporated by an act of the first territorial legislature, approved Oct. 20, 1849, this being the first literary institution organized in the Territory; and its "library," then only a few volumes, was the first ever established in Minnesota. The original charter of the society stated its objects to be: "The collection and preservation of a library, mineralogical and geological specimens, Indian curiosities, and other matters and things connected with, and calculated to illustrate and perpetuate the history and settlement of said Territory." The amended charter of 1856 enacted: "The objects of said society, with the enlarged powers and duties herein provided, shall be in addition to the collection and preservation of publications, manuscripts, antiquities, curiosities, and other things pertaining to the social, political and natural history of Minnesota, to cultivate among the citizens thereof a knowledge of the useful and liberal arts, science and literature."

The work of this society may therefore be formulated thus:

I. (1) The collection, (2) the preservation, (3) the publication of materials for the history of Minnesota and its people.

II. The collection and management of a library containing useful works of reference on the most valuable departments of knowledge.

III. The diffusion among citizens of the State of useful knowledge.

ITS PROGRESS

In the early days of the Territory, owing to its want of means, the sparse population and its poverty, and the infancy of the commonwealth generally, the society accomplished but little beyond collecting some information regarding the early history of this region, and printing the same in several pamphlet volumes. In 1864 it had only eight hundred and forty volumes in its library. It was then reorganized, and with the aid of a small annual appropriation from the State, since enlarged, has been able to make very gratifying progress.

ITS PRESENT CONDITION

It has now comfortable apartments in the state capitol, a building believed to be fireproof; a sufficient income to pay its current expenses, granted partly by the State and partly contributed by its members; one of the largest and most valuable libraries in the State, containing 22,000 volumes of choice works, together with a cabinet or museum of historical and archælogical curiosities, and a number of historical pictures, engravings, manuscripts, etc. An endowment fund of several thousand dollars, accumulated by gifts and membership fees; two lots, eligibly situated, on which at no distant day, will be erected a fireproof building.

PROPOSED BUILDING FOR THE SOCIETY

Reference was made before to the building lots of the society. These were purchased by a subscription of the members in 1855, for the sum of $1,500, in hopes that the society would be enabled to erect thereon a fireproof building for its use, but up to this time it has not been able to do so. The lots are now valued at $20,000 or more. Several months ago an effort was made by the president of the society to raise enough by subscription to insure the commencement of a building to cost, completed, $50,000; of this amount $14,500 was subscribed, and it is believed that there are liberal and public spirited citizens of our State who will contribute the balance when called on, or provide, by will, for bequests in its aid. Such an edifice would be a perpetual monument to their generosity and public spirit, and would be an inestimable boon to succeeding generations, who will frequent our library in pursuit of knowledge.