Note: This address by M. Sargeant Wheeler is typed as it appeared in the Winona Weekly Republican, March 3, 1858. Topics have been identified and topical identifies are inserted [Topic Heading] to assist the reader who is looking for a specific section of the address.[Speculation: Too Good to be True?] [High Water: Navigation Error Leads to Fiasco] [Fear & Greed Run Amok!] [Some Throw in the Towel] [Some Persevere] [Very Hard Times for Many] [Navigating "Straight Slough:" a Failed Attempt][More Claim Troubles] [Even in Failure, Some Notable Accomplishments][Elsewhere Around the County] [Steamboating on the Prairie][First Christmas in Winona][Pistols, Pugilism and Politics] [County Organizing: an Office for Every Settler] [T. B. Twiford and Some Early Political Chicanery]
Concluded [Part 2]
The Committee immediately started upon their mission; they arrived in Minnesota before the opening of navigation.
On this prairie, on this Townsite even, for a trifling consideration they might have secured a location suited to their scheme; but to them this was a mere sand-bar of the Mississippi, subject at any time to inundation.
In justice to them, visionary and impracticable as they unquestionably were, it must be confessed that at this period the same opinion was honestly held by many who from long residence ought to have been well acquainted with this section of the country.
It was the same mistake which led Nathan Brown to Dacota, and W.B. Bunnell to Minneowah-which subsequently induced the St. Paul capitalists to pay considerable sums for an interest in Bunnell's Landing, while this prairie might have been had for the taking.
Haddock and company therefore passed this "sand-bar," and pushed up the river in quest of some more eligible and elevated grounds for the future city.
The ice of the preceding winter still covered the Mississippi and its innumerable sloughs-what was channel and what was slough, a stranger , when the river was open, could not always determine; covered with ice, it was of course impossible.
Hence, he mistook "straight slough" for the channel-and following it up with this idea, it is by no means wonderful that his attention was captivated by the really beautiful table lands of the Rollingstone. The only draw-back upon its maritime prospects was that it was situated three-fourths of a mile from the supposed channel, across an intervening marsh; but the bands of winter were upon it-he passed over dry shod; and his faith was unabated. He fixed upon that table and its adjuncts for the future city-and as it was to form "par excellence the City of the Territory, they named it Minnesota City-(a very big handle to a very small thing).
How far it confirmed the expectations of the Association, we shall see.
In the first number of the "Western Farm and Village Advocate," a diagram of a village is presented, corresponding to their ideas; a river with a "valuable water power" upon it ran straight through the middle-it was divided into 144 blocks-each block into three four-acre lots-and inclusive of streets and public grounds would cover about 2500 acres. It had four parks of about twenty-five acres each, a public square still larger, and various other elephantine attractions.
To show our subsequent Town site speculators that they are mere imitating pigmies compared with the gassing giants of those days, I shall extract something from the "Advocate."
[Speculation: Too Good to be True?]
After stating that each Village plot would contain about 4 acres, costing about $25, it proceeds in this way-"every acre will be susceptible of division into 4 handsome building lots," making a total of 16-and it is not too much to predict that in five years, each one of these subdivisions will be rated at not less than $100-some say more," it adds, "but extravagance is not what we are dealing in-our object is candor."
"It will be perceived," it continues, "that each of the original four-acre village lots will have increased in the aggregate to $1600"!-it then cites Morrisonia, 10 miles from New York City, in illustration. The next advantage was "suburban"-each was to have 40 acres adjacent to the city-this in five years would be worth $30 per acre, or $1200.
The third, was the "wood-plot"-each man was to have one, of 41 acres, which in five years it was estimated would be worth $20 per acre, or $800. Fourthly, it says, "the residue of what each member is allowed to hold will probably consist of prairie, and amount to 80 acres," "which in five years will be worth not less than $10 per acre," or $800-making a grand total of $4400 in five years for an outlay of only $225-calculations only equaled in absurdity by those of that interesting young lady of the old spelling-books, whose complexion green is said to have suited best.
They required that each member should come well recommended, and pay his initiation, and say that they have "200 chosen men of known intelligence, probity, industry, imbued with a spirit of progression, and awake to all the means that render man happy and society agreeable."
They offer as a further inducement to join the Association that "those only who become members can sign the petition to Congress and stand a chance of getting a free grant of land."
One number of thus speaks of Haddock and Murphy, who had then done nothing but write each a letter from Chicago, and again from Madison, recounting the hardships of travel, &c.: "Look at those two whole-souled men, who comprise the locating committee, traveling with all speed possible, sleeping alternate nights, wafting back in all convenient seasons, pleasing intelligence to strengthen and encourage us onward."
After this Committee had found the City and duly reported, followed the "Pioneer squad"-this had its President, Secretary, Treasurer, Foreman and By-laws. As had been the case with the locating committee, so for the "Squad," every act was prescribed with a minuteness of detail which strongly reminds one of the Gather of Tristram Shandy. Men of sense would not regard such petty regulations-fools could not-and between the two the thing very naturally miscarried.
On the 17th of April, A. D. 1852, in the "Old Nominee," the first boat of that season came the "Pioneer Squad," about a dozen in number, specially deputed to go before and prepare the way for the Association. With them came one woman, A Mrs.____, with her seven children, leaving her husband temporarily behind--she remained for a short time at Winona, in the shanty of E. H. Johnson--the rest wended their immediate way to the land of promises.
Some two or three weeks later, upon the Excelsior, came a second party, about fifty in number, men, women and children--among these were H. Driver and wife, S.E. Cotton, wife and young child, Hutton, wife and four children, (Hutton and one child died soon after,) Dr. Geo. F. Childs, wife and niece--the Rev. E. Ely had been one of the party, but stopped at La Crosse for a short time, and for some reason, luckily for himself, never sought the City of refuge, but abode in Winona.
[High Water: Navigation Error Leads to Fiasco]
It was now high water in the Mississippi--the highest of which there is authentic record--a steamboat might easily have gone up "straight slough," and not merely up it but out of it, and across the intervening Marsh to the base of the table selected for Minnesota City--the bottoms or marsh in front of that City were covered to the depth of six feet. Thus far, all things concurred to confirm them in the illusion that they had chosen a site upon navigable water, and that Winona was impracticable for the purpose of dry-shod settlement; and having once imbibed this idea, they afterwards clung to it with a tenacity that set the demonstrations of experience at defiance.
Their mistake was natural--their subsequent adhesion to it insane.
This second party did not land on this prairie; they had been prejudiced against it before they reached here--and when they saw it, the prospect was far from attractive.
Seen from a boat, the lower prairie had the appearance of a small island, that barely raised its flat surface above the level of the water.
This appearance was singularly deceptive--that apparently small island had an area fully equal to 1200 acres--and its scarcely perceptible elevation was from fifteen to twenty feet above the utmost adventure of the "Father of Waters."
Around it the waters indeed looked ominously--between it and the Burns Valley hundreds of acres had become a Lake-- a sheet of water equaling in appearance its parent stream came rushing from "straight slough," overspreading the low lands between this and the upper prairie, covering a portion of the lands now cultivated by the Messrs. Clark, obliterating our famous "Crystal Lake," and gradually widening itself into two miles of front as it again presented itself to the Mississippi.
Upon the upper prairie the prospect was no better--it presented another island about two-thirds the size of the lower--the bottoms between the City of the Association and the slough were navigable for boats of the largest class--between it and the upper prairie, at the narrowest point, there was at least half a mile of water; and this water communicated with that below by a stream half a mile in width, between either prairie and the bluffs behind.
These Associationists therefore passed on--passage to Minnesota City except by water was impossible from here--they therefore thought to land at a nearer and more available point. The boat touched at Fountain City for wood, where there was living one solitary German--there they found and took on board T. K. Allen, who came overland through Wisconsin with a plow and cow, alike bound for the City of their imagination.
Inquiries were here made for Minnesota City--none had heard the name--the Excelsior again pushed off, towing alongside a wood-boat that the wooding process might not detain her passage--this wood boat, according to the custom, was to be detached and dropped down the river when unloaded.
The Fountain City German was its master--with him they agreed for $15 to be floated down to Minnesota City, when his boat should be discharged.
This process was not completed till they were within two miles of what is now Mount Vernon--it was then about 6 o'clock p.m.--the wind was blowing hard--rain was falling--and a night of pitchy darkness ensued.
But halting was useless without shelter--so all aboard, about fifty in number, they dropped the wood-boat down the current hugging the western shore--far enough down the stream, as they thought, the boat was moored--while the German and Horace Ranney started off to find the "Pioneer Squad," and Minnesota City.
They waited without food or shelter until about 12 o'clock at night, when they heard a gun, the concerted signal--as they then thought, about two miles off--it proved to be about four.
They were at this time near the head of "straight slough," down which they now dripped till they were abreast of the sought for City, still three-fourths of a mile distant, Further the current would not take them, though the intervening distance was covered with some six feet of water--across this flooded bottom they poled their craft, and struck "terra firma" about half a mile above the present residence of H. Campbell, in said City.
It was 2 o'clock A.M. when they reached the camp fire of the Pioneer Squad--not a single shanty had been built, even for themselves, though they had been expressly delegated to prepare the way for the migrating families.
They had devoted their whole time to the laying out of the city--not indeed the ideal of its projectors--it possessed not one of those features so laboriously enumerated by the board.
The "pioneers" were with difficulty keeping their single camp fire from expiring under the excessive peltings of the wind and rain. The new comers were coolly told that by going half a mile back they might find the shanty of a Mr. Narrican, who had come into the Rollingstone valley the fall before, and was not of the Association. Thither they posted--found a twelve by fourteen feet concern, with a cook stove filling about half of the only room--into this place they managed to pack the children of the company.
They then placed their blankets under some trees, and on these like drowned rats were disposed the women of the party.
The men, through fear of the Indians, traveled about with their guns till daylight.
Mrs. Dilworth then made some tea, procuring some bread and pork from the shanty.
About 8 o'clock next morning they found Haddock making no preparation for the women and children, of whom he had been in hourly expectance, but running out city lots!--the first town-site maniac in this county.
Not to the head of navigable water--not to a site with a river through its middle, having equal mathematical proportions of prairie, timber, and town, had he brought these dupes of his own infatuation--but into a valley gorge, at least two miles, across bottom, slough and island, to the Mississippi and six miles to anywhere else!
About nine o'clock that morning , there was a cry of Indians!--in battle array they down to the water, where they found three of the terrible foe with wild ducks, who, less cowardly than their new neighbors, returned with them to camp.
By this time, Dr. Childs, a Mr. Sperry and two others, concluded that they had seen enough of that elephant, and that it was time to decamp. Some of the party had helped the German back to Fountain City with his boat and had returned with another, the Macedonia.
This they landed with their effects, and started for Winona--they poled it from the "table" of the City across the lower portion of the farm of J. S. Denman and others this side, disembarking about a mile west of the John Evans claim on the lower prairie. There Dr. Child staid by the freight--the rest walked to Winona; while thus waiting a Mr. Wheeler came along with a team on his overland route to Minnesota City; finding further transit to be made by water only, he took on the discharged freight and returned to Winona.
Seven or eight others left the new city the same day--they climbed one of the bluffs that overhang the city, reported that they couldn't find a rail-cut, were too much disgusted to look further, and returned, first to Winona, then to the places from whence they came.
The survey of the city went on with unabated vigor--3,000 acres were laid out, embracing the whole of that tract between the bluffs on either side from the mouth (marsh and all) of the Rollingstone to some distance above its first forks--each city lot contained two acres--this was accompanied by a four-acre lot on the bottoms, for a garden, and a forty-acre out lot; each could have a 160 acre farm, if he had force enough to go out and claim it.
Many very wisely went out at once claiming for several miles up either branch of the Rollingstone--a Mr. Taylor first claimed what is now Stockton.
H. H. Hull, Wm. Sweet, and Dr. J. Bentley went out on the prairie in the spring of 1852, very soon after their arrival, and had nothing further to do with the Association--they made their claims where they have since resided, and were the first settlers of the present county who had the courage to leave the bluffs of the Mississippi. Bentley and Hull were the first settlers in Town 106, Range 9, Sweet in Town 107 Range 9.
The others, with five or six exceptions, hovered around their city, or became disheartened and left the country--at different times 200 of the 220 members of the Association were within the limits of what is now Winona county--with their women and children, making a total of about 400.
After the second party, flocked others on every boat--some landed at Winona, others went up the river and down "straight slough," or back again to Winona, and thence overland to their city.
Many of these fared hardly, both here and at their destination--some eight or nine families, from want of better, or rather any shelter, built with their trunks and boxes a sort of shanty between H. Ranney's house and the river, on an Indian mound upon what is now the Levee.
There first died Wm. Christy--a Mr. Taylor lost his wife and three children there--these with some others were buried upon the claim of John Evans, not far from where he subsequently built his house. It was an unhealthy summer on the Mississippi--the unprecedented high water, succeeded by weather intensely hot, produced sickness and death with alarming frequency.
Utter destitution of the experience and appliances of border life made the Association the readier victims. in a few weeks 20 had died--others, shattered alike in health and hopes, barely dragged an undesirable existence.
Arrive at Minnesota City, their condition was no better--unaccustomed to, and unprepared for, the vicissitudes of emigrant life, they did and took everything at disadvantage.
The season was damp and hot--lumber was not to be had; and instead of constructing the hunter's tent or woodman's camp, they hastily threw up turfs something after the fashion of an oven, wet and dark; into these they crawled and sickened and died.
Still, so great had been the excitement, discouraging as were their prospects, many as were their dying sickening or leaving in disgust, their members rapidly augmented with those whose eyes were yet to be opened to the folly and duplicity of their leaders, and the gullibility of themselves.
Of the 400 who came here, about one half escaped desertion and death,--so many, that for more than one year after their arrival, the members of the "Western Farm and Village Association" composed a majority of the inhabitants of the present county.
J. S. Denman, a member of the Association came here on the 4th of May A. D. 1852, with his wife, mother and four children; the same afternoon he swam his horses over to the new city, looked at the members and their plight, and returned in disgust to Winona. He brought with him the first span of horses and the first breaking plow into this county--breaking first about two acres for John Evans.
Mrs. Denman was the third white woman on this prairie--the second who came to stay, Mrs. Dr. Childs (the first who remained,) having got here a few hours first on the same day. But to Mrs. Denman belongs the post of honor among the matrons of Winona. She was the first mother; PRAIRIE LOUISE DENMAN, born on the 8th day of July, 1852, is the oldest "native" of our prairie.
The expectations of the Association were raised so high that it required the sharpest rebuffs to undeceive the majority. The eyes of some, as Denman, were satisfied with a single view; others, Like Dr. Childs, were satiated with a "night's entertainment," while others were months and even years in coming to their senses. The last to do so, was, or I might say is Robert Pike, Jr., of whom I have no reliable evidence that he has even yet despaired of the eminent practicability of the "Western Farm and Village Association!"
[Navigating "Straight Slough:" a Failed Attempt]
After the waters had subsided from the bottoms between them and the river, and they found their maritime port at least a mile, high and dry from even a slough of the Mississippi, a new hallucination enthralled them. To them the "straight slough" was yet the channel. Their mistake in this regard was subjected to a later and still more mortifying demonstration,--They now sought communication with the slough; meeting after meeting was called, in which were sapiently discussed the relative merits of dike, dredge, canal and railroad. It was finally decided in solemn conclave that a team railroad was the one thing needful.
In furtherance of this idea, they built a log warehouse of most imposing proportions on the edge of the slough, and importuned the steamboat company to land at their wharf; but the company did not readily yield to their solicitations.
The Rev. Mr. Cressy, who had for some time supervised their spiritual welfare, now enlisted in behalf of their temporal and his own. Assisted by a brother, he took a boat, pen, paper and pole, and commenced a systematic sounding of the slough, the results of which they duly noted upon a chart as they advanced. This done, and its navigability demonstrated to his and their satisfaction, Elder Cressy and the chart were despatched to Galena, again to besiege the steamboat company.
The company, upon exhibition of the chart and representations of the Elder, now yielded, conditioned only that the Elder should pilot the first boat. He consented. About 12 o'clock one Sunday, the "Old Nominee" might have been heard sloughing her way up the Mississippi and into "straight slough," the good Elder in the pilot house guiding the steamboat and its freight of souls into what would have been a "haven of eternal rest," if they hadn't backed water. They stuck in the mud in the only place which the conscientious Elder had neglected to sound, and consequently, to note its shallow depth upon his veracious chart.
They landed the unearthly Elder at the point nearest possible to his Sabbath aim, backed till they could turn, gladly left treacherous slough, and went on their accustomed route, the Mississippi.
Thus perished the maritime prospects of Minnesota City. A few were even yet unconvinced, alleging that as Capt. Smith was interested in Winona, the experiment was not conducted in good faith, in irreverent disregard, both of the Rev. pilot and the day.
From the first, jealousies and bickerings crept into the Association--they quarreled about their site, their survey, and their division.
Finding they could get no grant from Congress, (which with many had been the principal inducement to membership,) and that they could not legally hold their lands in the manner contemplated by their articles, they commenced jumping and arbitrating, fighting and litigating after the most approved fashion among claimants.
On the 9th of May, A. D. 1852, J. S. Denman claimed where he now resides; this tract the Association also claimed and surveyed in town lots. Nevertheless, Denman went upon it about the first of September of that year. To get him off, they tried moral, legal, and physical suasion, but he adhered.
In order to bring themselves within the provisions of the Territorial claim law, in the following spring they had a new survey; but the "claim law" and the law of the Association were equally ineffectual.--Denman held his ground; and at that day was accused of breaking up the "Western Farm and Village Association." Doubtless he expedited is fall, by setting an example in claim jumping, which they could not punish and too readily followed.
[Even in Failure, Some Notable Accomplishments]
But the whole affair was begotten in fanaticism and conceived in folly. Rotten from its birth, it tumbled to pieces from its inherent weakness.
Of course Denman's unpunished example was followed. The few, who had money, like O. M. Lord, bought out where it was unconscionable to jump, till they got a large proportion of the individual shares from the many who died or scattered over the country; and in 1853, about a year after its premature development, this offspring of a diseased imagination died an easy and quite natural death.
Its President Haddock did not stay to witness its dissolution. In the summer of 1852, after the utter absurdity of the scheme had been demonstrated to all sane persons, he went cast for his wife and returned with fresh accessions to their numbers. His wife died shortly after her arrival here. He subsequently bargained for a printing press for the Association, but their combined resources were not sufficient to pay its freight hither, so it never came. At length getting into ill-repute with the Association, and his own eyes perhaps partially opened, he left the City and Territory in the fall of 1852.
This Association has the honor of starting the first school in the county, shortly after their arrival. It was kept by a Miss Orton, afterwards Mrs. Houck. Also the first church, (Baptist) of which Messrs. Iams and Brooks were deacons
In June, 1852, was surveyed for Orrin Smith and Erwin H. Johnson, by John Ball, the town of Montezuma--whether reverence for the name of the Mexican potentate , or recollection of a marsh of that name in New York, inspired the christening, I am not informed. Its name was, however, changed to Winona before it was formally placed on the records.
No Government survey having at that time been made, Ball, to use his own expression, tied the town to Wisconsin in these words: "from the north-west corner of block 9 the meander post in Wisconsin on the Mississippi river, between sections 1 and 6, town 18 north, of range 10 and 11 west, 4th meridian bears 35 degrees east, 39 chains distant."
This is all that determines the "whereabouts" of Winona to this day. It is to be hoped that his compass was perfectly adjusted--that his mathematical triangulation was infallible, (as the river was open and no actual measurement made)--or, that no curious wight shall take it into his head to chain upon the ice from the corner of said block to the meander post in Wisconsin. A trifling and by no means improbable error might give the original town a shove up or down the river in a way disagreeable to it proprietors.
It might well be to procure an Act of our new Legislature, prohibiting a resurvey of anything--otherwise a legacy of litigation is left to our posterity.
The town was laid out according to the claim lines, at right angles with the Mississippi--subsequent additions have been surveyed to correspond with the original. The course of the river unfortunately 21 degrees south of east, hence that delightfully discrepant state of our city and section lines, that glorious incertitude of area that attends our fractional blocks and lots, which will be more fully appreciated by a succeeding generation.
The original town contained about 100 acres, corresponding to the upper Johnson claim as before described.
Further in the way of city building, in July 1852 was surveyed the now obsolete town of Minneowah. Its proprietors were Willard B. Bunnell of Minneowah, IsaacVanEtten, Charles W. Borup, Charles H. Oakes, Alexander Wilkin, Justus C. Ramsay, (brother of the then Governor) and William L. Ames of St. Paul, and Timothy Burns, Lieut. Governor of Wisconsin.
These were of the magnates on both sides the river--and for the next year, it was by far the most pretentious place below St. Paul. There were eight shares, for which the proprietors paid $200 each--more than they will be worth in 1952.
The town contained 318 lots, consequently at that early day looked quite imposingly on paper--still more so, on the spot--for at least one-half of it was 400 feet above the river, and of nearly perpendicular access.
As that town is now defunct I will here pronounce its obituary--it never had any inhabitants except Bunnell and family (with an occasional boarder,) and Myron and James F. Toms--except the unimportant items of locality, buildings and inhabitants, it had all the characteristics of a great city.
In 1853 its proprietors built the then best house between St. Paul and Dubuque, for a tavern. It had every advantage that a hotel keeper could desire, except custom. Thus it remained, till March 25th 1855, when Myron Toms, acting under a power of attorney from the proprietors, with the laudable purpose of ousting the whole of them, withdrew the plot from the Register's office at Chatfield, where it had been filed, but never regularly recorded, and blotted it out forever.
On the 10th of May, 1852, S. M. Burns landed at Mount Vernon. The following July, John Cook went into the forks of the Whitewater, the first who ventured up the valley of that river for purposes of settlement.
Hamilton McCollum settled this year in what is now the extreme south-east corner of Winona County. Two or three German families also settled on Pine Creek, and three brothers of the name of Campbell on the stream above.
[Steamboating on the Prairie, and Other Foible of the First Arrivals]
Another fact is worthy of notice here, as it is doubtless the source of the 1001 falsehoods subsequently fabricated regarding our periodical subjection to deluge.--This season the steamboat Lynx, its pilot unaccustomed to navigating the upper Mississippi, ran, during the high water, out of the channel and into or rather upon the marsh at the lower end of this prairie--there she grounded. This is the origin of stories formerly current, of the passage in steamboats over the prairie. That the Lynx could not thus pass, she learned to her cost--as she spent several days in wearing her way back into the channel.
The Rev. H. S. Hamilton and son came here in July, 1852--they made their first claim back of the Lake--but were speedily dislodged by the mosquitos, though fortified with a revolver and big dog. They then moved their shanty, revolver and dog to an Indian mound on the levee, nearly opposite the present office of the Messrs. Kirk; there they tarried till they concluded to take the claim from Wm. Nash, where they now reside.
This year, (1852,) started the first exploring party from Winona, consisting of Dr. John L. Balcombe, (who had recently landed in the Territory,) Ed. Hamilton, and Ed. Hamilton's grey mare; these three were the first Winonans who ventured beyond the present county limits. Passing out of the Gilmore Valley, they went through the present St. Charles westward, upon the dividing ridge between the Root and Zombro Rives, missing the present site of Chatfield on the one hand, and Rochester on the other, and made a claim at what they called High Forest, which still bears the name.
On this trip, while in the vicinity of High Forest, they saw the last herd of Elk, some 40 in number, which has appeared within 100 miles of the Mississippi. They crossed the branches of the Zombro northward to Cannon river, and then returned from a journey of about three weeks duration. The Dr. invariably talked and smoked one half of each night, to the unalloyed discomfort of his two more phlegmatic companions.
The Doctor has since deceased from amongst us, and I may be permitted to say that he was a man of the most extended information of any among the early settlers. Nervous, excitable in the extreme, he had of course his hobby; that hobby was abolitionism. The last conversation that I recollect with him, speaking of the prospects for civil war in consequence of Southern aggression, he said: "God grant it may come! I only ask to remain on earth to join in that fight!" But his wish was not granted. He died on the 24th day of September, A. D. 1856, one of the first and best of our early citizens.
In this year came to Winona, Elijah Silsby, S. K. Thompson, O. S. Holbrook, John and Royal B. Evans, and the two Emersons; also Abner S. Goddard and family in the month of April. Goddard was the first Postmaster appointed for this Post Office, but died before his commission reached here in Sept. 1852. He was succeeded by Viets in that office, who held it by himself and deputy till the succeeding summer, when he was superceded by E. Ely.
Sanborn's Addition was first claimed by Peter Burns, and was held for him by a man named Simons. Once in Simon's absence, this claim was jumped by S. K. Thompson and John Evans. On Simon's return something of a fight occurred--they finally compromised by Simons agreeing to give Thompson 50 acres, which he, of course, never obtained.
Unknown to Burns, Simons subsequently sold the claim to one Viets, who sold to Sanborn.
This Viets built the Winona House, which for two years was the Almack's of the city. About the close of navigation Viets left the Territory, renting the Winona House to Ed. Hamilton, who "batched" therein during the succeeding winter.
Just before the river closed, Johnson with several others poled a flat boat to La Crosse for provisions, and, which was more difficult, back again. Freight was then by hand more expensive than even steam is now--either high enough.
First Christmas in Winona, 1852
The first Christmas, or other celebration in the county, was had at the Winona House, Dec. 25th 1852--about 20 were present--the principal dish was a roasted coon. Ed. Hamilton was host and master of ceremonies.
On the 1st of January, 1853, there were within the present limits of Winona County, about 350 souls, of whom a majority were, or had been members of the "Western Farm and Village Association."
On the 5th of March, A. D. 1853, it was enacted by our Territorial Legislature, "that so much territory as is contained within the following boundaries be and the same hereby is erected into the county of Fillmore, to wit: Beginning at the southwest corner of Wabashaw county, thence south-east to the Iowa State line, thence east on said Iowa State line to the Mississippi river, thence up the middle of said river to the mouth of the Minneskah or White river, thence up said river on the south line of Wabashaw county to the place of beginning."
By reference to the boundaries of Wabashaw county, which immediately precedes it, it will be found that the starting point, the south-west corner of Wabashaw County, was the "head waters of the Minneiskah"--a quite indefinite point, since the Minneskah (now written Minneiska,) has three branches of nearly equal size and length, whose "head waters" would vary this starting point some dozen miles either way; it is therefore fortunate that no question of county jurisdiction arose under this Act.
But as there were no inhabitants within some miles of what would in any event have been the west line, this geographical uncertainty was of no practical consequence.
Fillmore county then embraced all of the present Winona county, except a small tract on the north side of the Minneiskah (how large depends very much on which branch of said river was followed to the "head waters")--also, three or four Townships of Olmstead, and about half of the present Fillmore county, (taking the source of the middle branch for the "head waters") and the whole of Houston county.
It was further declared in said Act that the County of Fillmore was "an organized county," and "invested with all and singular the rights and privileges and immunities to which all organized counties are in this Territory entitled to by law"--and that it was the duty of the Governor "at so soon a time as possible to appoint all county officers, justices of the peace and constables, as said county may be entitled to by law, who shall hold their offices until their successors shall be elected and qualified at the next general election."
Under this Act, H. B. Stahl was appointed Register of Deeds.
The first deed made in this county was a quitclaim from Wm. B. Gere of part of his claim on this prairie to A. M. Fridley of St. Paul--it is dated Nov. 1st, 1852,l but not filed for record till the 29th of June, A. D. 1853. The first recorded deed is one from Isaac Van Etten to H. B. Stahl, dated January 4th, and filed May 11th, A. D. 1853--this conveyed one half of Van Etten's interest (one-sixteenth) in Bunnell's Landing. Grove. W. Willis was appointed Clerk of the District Court for the then Fillmore county, by the Hon. A. G. Chatfield, Judge.
Andrew Cole was appointed Judge of Probate--I cannot find that he administered upon any estate but his own--of which there remains no record.
John Burns and Geo. M. Gere continued in their office of Justice; before whom practiced Andrew Cole, Grove W. Willis, Wm. B. Gere and Charles S. Hamilton.
[Pistols, Pugilism and Politics]
H. D. Huff came here June 26, 1853, at the same time came Judge Chatfield G. W. Willis, his clerk, to hold the first court in Fillmore county. They had a Grand Jury who did not indict E. H. Johnson for shooting a man named Simons; what they did does not appear upon any record.
The shooting was on this wise: Simons had jumped Johnson and Smith's lower claim, abetted by two citizens of this place and one of La Crosse, who were to share in the spoils. While Simons and Charles S. Hamilton were at supper at the Rev. H. S. Hamilton's Johnson and Royal B. Evans went down and took possession of Simon's shanty. Simons and Hamilton returning after supper, Johnson forbid their entrance; a fight ensued. Johnson pitted against Simons, Hamilton against Evans. Simons got shot in the arm, Johnson got pounded, but not conquered; Hamilton and Evans could also show the scars of battle. Simons left to dress his wounds--Hamilton with him.--Evans put for home, but Johnson only retired to return; bruised as he was, pulled down the shanty, and threw it with its contents into the Mississippi. A warrant was issued by Justice Gere for the arrest of Johnson. Johnson retired towards St. Paul; Sheriff Iams pursued. At Mt. Vernon they had an interview--Johnson on the top, Iams at the foot of the bluffs.--On an intimation from Johnson that the rocks were loose in his vicinity, Iams desisted further pursuit, and Johnson made "the even tenor of his way" to St. Paul for counsel.
In due time he returned, but he passed unscathed through the legal ordeal to which he was subjected--whether from the fact that shooting was then deemed of no consequence, or that Simons deserved the shooting I am not informed.
Before the affray a survey and plot had been made of the disputed ground by Simons nominally, (in fact for Stevens of La Crosse, Wm. B. Gere, and C. S. or H. S. Hamilton of this place, and himself.) They called it Wabashaw Village. It contained 141 acres, tied to a couple of trees on the banks of the Mississippi;--of it nothing now remains but the registered copy of its plot.
[County Organizing: an Office for Every Settler]
In the spring of 1853 were appointed by the then Governor Ramsey, three Commissioners for Fillmore county--Henry C. Gere, Myron Toms, and William. T. Luark. They held their first meeting at the Winona House, on the 22d day of May. H. B. Stahl as Register of Deeds was Clerk. The only transaction was the appointment of three Assessors--S. A. Houck, J. C. Laird, and J. Tibbets. It will thus be seen that taxation is the primary object of county organization.
As there was no county seat their meetings were rotatory--the second meeting was held at the house of John Burns, June 4th, 1853 at which they did nothing--a precedent that might have most happily been followed by subsequent boards.
The third was appointed at Minneowah, no one present but Toms and Stahl, the clerk, and they adjourned to meet the next day at Winona.
We next find the following entry: "Winona, July 5th, 1853--H. C. Gere and Wm. T. Luark, Commissioners, met pursuant to adjournment at the Winona Hotel--Myron Toms, one of the absent Commissioners, not being able to reach Winona on account of the high state of water and the then impassable gulf, the former Commissioners adjourned to meet at the Winona Hotel, Saturday, July 9th, 1853--approved the bond of E. H. Johnson, County Treasurer.
This entry was made by Stahl at the next meeting; it is in Stahl's handwriting, who was not present--it was intended by him and Toms as a squib at Winona.
July 9th, 1853:--The Board met and divided the County into precincts; one was bounded as follows--its north line beginning at a point opposite Black river in Wisconsin, then due west to the west line of the county; its south line beginning at the mouth of Root river, and running due west to the west line of the county; another began five miles down the river from Mount Vernon, ran Due west as the others and embraced all north of it.
These precincts had no names given them on the records--though by common consent the first was called Root River, and the second, Mt. Vernon, precinct. In the first, the judges of election were G. W. Gilfillan, Joseph Brown and John L. Looney; in the second, James Kirkman, Louis Krutzly and A. R. Hall--Gilfillan, Brown and Hall were within the present limits of Winona couonty--Kirkman and Krutzly were at Minneiska, in the present Wabashaw county, and Looney of Root river, in what is now Houston county..
C. R. Coriell was appointed County Surveyor--H. B. Waterman, O. H. Houck and E. B. Drew were appointed judges of election for Minnesota City precinct, and J. F. Toms, W. B. Bunnell, and Wm. Hewitt, for Minneowah--this is the first time that either of these(Minnesota City and Minneowah) precincts are named in any records.
The Commissioners seem to have followed some law of compensation--they first make and bound two precincts without any name--they then name two precincts without any bounds.
Winona was the only precinct at this session both named and bounded--it was to include Wabashaw prairie;--Harvey Hubbard, O. S. Holbrook, and Geo. F. Childs, judges.
In May 1853, for J. M. T. Hall, was surveyed the town of Mount Vernon--it contained 191 lots, besides out lots--made a formidable show on paper, though two-thirds of it was on precipices where neither chainman nor surveyor had ever climbed. It was not, and is not to this day described as being any where except upon the Mississippi river; of course any latitude from the Gulf of Mexico to the 47th parallel will answer for the description of this Mount Vernon--it is limited to no county or State, nor to any particular side of the Mississippi.
They met again July 22d of that year, Luark and Gere present--appointed Sylvester J. Smith, Clerk, pro tem--and accepted a survey of a road from Winona to Minnesota City with out either plot or field notes--without beginning, middle or end--and of course the parent road of the county. I have observed its family resemblance to succeeding roads in the feature of uncertainty.
I do not assert that S. J. Smith is the father or god-father of roads; he need have no apprehensions of responsibility: its identity is more uncertain than "Tadmor of the Desert."
August 27th of that year, the Board met again--made Brownsville a precinct, which included all below Root River, and was consequently wholly in the present county of Houston.
I first saw this county, August 1st, 1853, carrying a chain northward between Towns 105 of Ranges 8 and 9. The first house I saw was that of Wm. Davidson, August 11th. Towns 105 of Ranges 7, 8, 9 and 10, had no occupant. Towns 106 of the same ranges had no inhabitants, except L. H. Springer, Wm. Davidson and families in 106, Range 10, and Hull and Bentley in 106, Range 9.
Town 107, Range 9, had Wm. Sweet and family--107, Range 10, none--108, R. 10, had John and David Cock. The other settlers of our county were on the Mississippi, or in the immediate valleys of some of its tributaries.
On the 19th of September of that year, the speaker first saw this prairie, coming in from the Gilmore valley. Fancy he made something of a spread that night, for with a half dozen others he slept at full length on the ground between his present office and the Mississippi, with his hat for a night cap and boots for a pillow. His toilet he prefers giving in an autobiography when called for; it is not particularly allied to the history of this county.
At that time, Sanborn & Colburn (the only merchants) were trading in a shanty located in the street, corner of Center and Front.
The Winona House was in blast as the only hotel, by E. M. Murray.
Elder Ely's present dwelling house was half finished. Andrew Cole was living in the house now occupied by Messrs. Wilson and Mitchell as an office--Dr. Balcombe in that now owned by H. Ranney--A. B. Smith was in part of what is now the Wabashaw House--the two story part of the Transit House was framed and the Drug Store, corner of Center and Front streets, enclosed. Wm. Stevens had a house just above the Wabashaw House--Elder Hamilton was in his present one. Besides these, the old John Evans house, part of the winged house of J. C. Laird, part of Mr. Mead's house, then occupied by Geo. M. Gere, Holbrook's bachelor tenement and another on Sec. 21, and the log house of Gilmore, now owned by Orrin Clark, are the only ones that I recollect, parts of which are now standing.
Besides these, the Hubbards, Hamiltons, Keyes, H. C. Gere, E. Sitsby, G. Clark, and the Emersons had shanties, which have since been superseded by more pretentious edifices.
On the second Tuesday of October, 1853 was held the first general election in the then Fillmore county. At this election, Andrew Cole was made District Attorney, H. B. Waterman Judge of Probate, Wm. B. Gere, Register of Deeds, John Iams, Sheriff, and John C. Laird Robert Pike, jr., and W. B. Bunnell, County Commissioners.
Justices for Winona were Geo. M. Gere, and Wm. H. Stevens--Minnesota City, H. B. Waterman and Robert Pike, jr.--Mt. Vernon, S. M. Burns--Minneowah, Myron Toms.
Nov. 4, 1853, was filed a plot of Upper Minneowah, by W. B. Bunnell, H. B. Stahl and John Savine, designed as suburban to the principal city--it consisted of "out lots," generally ten acres in size--one of the out lots contained forty acres--it had no definite description, and, as an attachment to Minneowah, needed none.
It was nearly all marsh, which is still there--but Ichabod has, or would have, been written on this city, if all of its proprietors could have written--as it is, one has simply left an X for posterity.
The first or appointed Commissioners, acted of course till January 1st 1854.
By the act creating Fillmore and some half dozen other counties, it was provided as follows--"It shall be hereafter elected in any county laid off in pursuance of this act, as soon after said board shall have been elected and qualified as provided by law, as the said board or a majority of them shall determine, to locate the county seat of the county, and the location so made as aforesaid shall be the county seat of the county to all intents and purposes , until otherwise provided by law."
Assuming that the appointed board could locate the county seat, (though the contrary was obvious to every one, i. e., that this power was vested in the first elected board,) they did it--as appears by the following entry upon their "minute book"--Pursuant to agreement, the Commissioners of Fillmore county, Minnesota Territory, on the 19th day of December, A. D. 1853, at the residence of Mr. Case, in Root River Precinct, in the Town of Chatfield--present Henry C. Gere and Myron Toms--the object of said meeting was to locate the county seat of said Fillmore county, pursuant to the statute in such case made and provided. It was then and there resolved that the county seat should be located at Chatfield, in the center of Section 6, Town 104 North, R. 11 West."
They then adjourned to meet at the residence of W. B. Bunnell, in Minneowah precinct, Dec. 27, 1853--when Toms and Gere met and issued County Orders, mostly to county officers, to the amount of $411.47. So stands the records.
[T. B. Twiford and Some Early Political Chicanery]
Some time previous, T. B. Twiford, from Iowa, had made a tour of exploration on the Root River, and coming to the present site of Chatfield, conceived the project of a town.
The thing wanted prestige.
He came to Winona, and from partial sounding justly estimated the political integrity of the then county officials.
To them he proposed a joint stock company of twelve--a town--county seat--and share in the spoils.
He proposed so large a number of shares because he well knew that that board had no power to locate--he sought to buy them each with a share, and retain enough to buy in like manner the succeeding board.
The old board accepted each his share--(W. T. Luark excepted, who was absent from the county)--H. C. Gere and Myron Toms, Commissioners, and Wm. B. Gere Register of Deeds and ex-officio Clerk of the Board, and G. W. Willis, Clerk of the Court.
This disposed of the old or appointed board: Twiford put up a shanty in the projected town--called it Chatfield, to propitiate the Judge--put a man by the name of Case in the shanty--whither went Toms, Gere and Willis as we have stated.
Then there was no house within a dozen miles of it--and it was then, and forever must be uncertain whether the projected town was within the limits of that county seat--from the ill defined "head waters" of the Whitewater upon which depended the western boundary. But for this neither Board of Commissioners cared--they were to have each a twelfth in the new town, and by calling it a county seat could bring it into notice. The new board, with the exception of John C. Laird, had accepted each his share before the entered upon their official duties.
But when it came to be formally acted upon, a difficulty occurred. Bunnell was at Minneowah, Pike at Minnesota City, Laird and Wm. B. Gere at Winona--all wanted justify themselves to their neighbors, except Gere, who had nothing to lose, and everything to gain. January 2, 1854, they met at Minnesota City--did some business in the way of appointing Assessors, which was nullified by the subsequent division of the county--but said nothing of the county seat, at least, put nothing upon the records.
Meanwhile, the Winonans, of whom H. D. Huff took the lead, were no idle; meetings were called and various plans proposed and discarded--the position of the Commissioners and citizens was a novel one; not one man in the county excerpt the two boards of Commissioners, the Register and Clerk of the court (except Messrs. Harvey and John I. Hubbard , who alone of the non-officials had been honored with a share wanted the county seat at Chatfield.
They were divided for Winona, Minnesota City, Minneowah" of these Minnesota City had the most votes and Winona the most brains. Huff labored to create jealousness between Minnesota City and Minneowah that would force the Commissioners to agree on Winona for the county seat; in this he would have succeeded had J. C. Laird possessed the duplicity and determination to such a game; but in these he was wanting, and it failed.
Bunnell and Pike could therefore each in a measure excuse himself to his constituents by asserting the impossibility of agreeing upon either of their respective towns--and gladly availed themselves of this fallacious prospect for future bread.
On the first of January, 1854, there were not far from 800 inhabitants within the present limits of Winona county.
January 7th, the Board met at John C. Laird's office in Winona--stated the county indebtedness at $536.86, but on their records touched not the vexed question of a County seat.
Meanwhile, having lost all confidence in the Board, the Winonans began to direct their attention towards the Legislature, then in session at St. Paul.
L. H. Springer and myself met H. D. Huff at his residence, where we agreed upon the outlines of a new county to be called Winona, with exactly its present boundaries.
Huff, having the most time and money, agreed to engineer it through the Legislature.
Upon this mission, armed with a petition having as many names as we thought the population would justify, and the other documents adapted to various supposable emergencies, he started for St. Paul.
January 30th, 1854, the Board brought themselves to the "sticking point"--they resolved that the County seat was at Chatfield--John C. Laird, considering further opposition useless, that Pike and Bunnell would place it there in any event, and that he might as well have his twelfth in the town, finally consented.
(At this meeting of the Board, C. F. Buck was appointed Judge of Probate, and the speaker District Attorney" offices in which it is difficult to tell whether the honor or the enrobement was the greater, for we never got a dime.)
G. W. Willis was sent to St. Paul to procure a charter for the Chatfield Land Company and to defeat the division of the County; he got the charter, but the division was effected.
Winona County, of which Henry D. Huff is the responsible god-father was born on the 23d day of February, A. D. 1854.
"Esto perpetua."
