Fifty Years In The Northwest Part 90

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, const.i.tuting a council of recognition. Rev. J.

P. Parsons preached the sermon of recognition, and J. S. Webber extended the right hand of fellows.h.i.+p. 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 Was.h.i.+ngton 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 pa.s.sed 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 a.s.sociation 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 a.s.sociates.

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 a.s.sOCIATION.

By an act of the legislature approved May 33, 1857, the "Old Settlers a.s.sociation" 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.

Babc.o.c.k, 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 a.s.sociate 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 members.h.i.+p who had not been a resident of the Territory prior to Jan. 1, 1850. The seal of the a.s.sociation 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 a.s.sociate; _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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SEAL OF THE a.s.sOCIATION.]

ORGANIZATION.

The first meeting of the Old Settlers a.s.sociation was held, in pursuance of public notice, at the hall of the Historical Society of Minnesota, in the capitol, in St. Paul, on Sat.u.r.day, Feb. 27, 1858.

On motion of Judge Goodrich, his excellency Henry H. Sibley was unanimously elected president. Hon. Aaron Goodrich and Hon. L. A.

Babc.o.c.k were unanimously elected vice presidents, A. L. Larpenteur, Esq., secretary, and J. W. Ba.s.s, 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 a.s.sociation. 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. Babc.o.c.k 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 a.s.sociation; 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 a.s.sociation 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 a.s.sociation 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 a.s.sociation 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.*

Babc.o.c.k, Lorenzo A.*

Bailly, Alexis.*

Ba.s.s, 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.*