Reminiscences of Pioneer Days in St. Paul / A Collection of Articles Written for and Published in the Daily Pioneer Press

by Frank Moore

CAPT. E.Y. SHELLY.

Much has been written of the trials and tribulations of the pioneer editors of Minnesota and what they have accomplished in bringing to the attention of the outside world the numerous advantages possessed by this state as a place of permanent location for all classes of people, but seldom, if ever, has the nomadic printer, "the man behind the gun," received even partial recognition from the chroniclers of our early history. In the spring of 1849 James M. Goodhue arrived in St. Paul from Lancaster, Wis., with a Washington hand press and a few fonts of type, and he prepared to start a paper at the capital of the new territory of Minnesota. Accompanying him were two young printers, named Ditmarth and Dempsey, they being the first printers to set foot on the site of what was soon destined to be the metropolis of the great Northwest. These two young men quickly tired of their isolation and returned to their former home. They were soon followed by another young man, who had only recently returned from the sunny plains of far-off Mexico, where he had been heroically battling for his country's honor. Capt. E.Y. Shelly was born in Bucks county, Pa., on the 25th of September, 1827. When a mere lad he removed to Philadelphia, where he was instructed in the art preservative, and, on the breaking out of the Mexican war, he laid aside the stick and rule and placed his name on the roster of a company that was forming to take part in the campaign against the Mexicans. He was assigned to the Third United States dragoons and started at once for the scene of hostilities. On arriving at New Orleans the Third dragoons was ordered to report to Gen. Taylor, who was then in the vicinity of Matamoras. As soon as Gen. Taylor was in readiness he drove the Mexicans across the Rio Grande, and the battles of Palo Alto, Monterey and Buena Vista followed in quick succession, in all of which the American forces were successful against an overwhelming force of Mexicans, the Third dragoons being in all the engagements, and they received special mention for their conspicuous gallantry in defending their position against the terrible onslaught of the Mexican forces under the leadership of Santa Ana. Soon after the battle of Buena Vista, Santa Ana withdrew from Gen. Taylor's front and retreated toward the City of Mexico, in order to assist in the defense of that city against the American forces under the command of Gen. Scott. Peace was declared in 1848 and the Third dragoons were ordered to Jefferson barracks, St. Louis, where they were mustered out of the service. Capt. Shelly took passage in a steamer for St. Paul, where he arrived in July, 1849, being the first printer to permanently locate in Minnesota. The Pioneer was the first paper printed in St. Paul, but the Register and Chronicle soon followed. Capt. Shelly's first engagement was in the office of the Register, but he soon changed to the Pioneer, and was employed by Mr. Goodhue at the time of his tragic death. When Col. Robertson Started the Daily Democrat Capt. Shelly was connected with that office, and remained there until the Pioneer and Democrat consolidated. Capt. Shelly was a member of the old Pioneer guards, and when President Lincoln called for men to suppress the rebellion the old patriotism was aroused in him, and he organized, in company with Major Brackett, a company for what was afterward known as Brackett's battalion.

Brackett's battalion consisted of three Minnesota companies, and they were mustered into service in September, 1861. They were ordered to report at Benton barracks, Mo., and were assigned to a regiment known as Curtis horse, but afterward changed to Fifth Iowa cavalry. In February, 1862, the regiment was ordered to Fort Henry, Tenn., and arrived just in time to take an important part in the attack and surrender of Fort Donelson. Brackett's battalion was the only Minnesota force engaged at Fort Donelson, and, although they were not in the thickest of the fight, yet they performed tremendous and exhaustive service in preventing the rebel Gen. Buckner from receiving reinforcements. After the surrender the regiment was kept on continual scout duty, as the country was overrun with bands of guerrillas and the inhabitants nearly all sympathized with them. From Fort Donelson three companies of the regiment went to Savannah, (one of them being Capt. Shelly's) where preparations were being made to meet Gen. Beauregard, who was only a short distance away. Brackett's company was sent out in the direction of Louisville with orders to see that the roads and bridges were not molested, so that the forces under Gen. Buell would not be obstructed on the march to reinforce Gen. Grant. This timely precaution enabled Gen. Buell to arrive at Pittsburg Landing just in time to save Gen. Grant from probable defeat. For three months after this battle Capt. Shelly's company was engaged in protecting the long line of railroad from Columbus, Ky., to Corinth, Miss. On the 25th of August, 1862, Fort Donalson was attacked by the rebels and this regiment was ordered to its relief. This attack of the rebels did not prove to be very serious, but on the 5th of February, 1863, the rebels under Forrest and Wheeler made a third attack on Fort Donelson. They were forced to retire, leaving a large number of their dead on the field, but fortunately none of the men under Capt. Shelly were injured. Nearly the entire spring and summer of 1863 was spent in scouring the country in the vicinity of the Tennessee river, sometimes on guard duty, sometimes on the picket line and often in battle. They were frequently days and nights without food or sleep, but ever kept themselves in readiness for an attack from the wily foes. Opposed to them were the commands of Forest and Wheeler, the very best cavalry officers in the Confederate service. A number of severe actions ended in the battle of Chickamauga, in which the First cavalry took a prominent part. After the battle of Chickamauga the regiment was kept on duty on the dividing line between the two forces. About the 1st of January, 1864, most of Capt. Shelly's company reinlisted and they returned home on a thirty days' furlough. After receiving a number of recruits at Fort Snelling, the command, on the 14th of May, 1864, received orders to report to Gen. Sully at Sioux City, who was preparing to make a final campaign against the rebellious Sioux. On the 28th of June the expedition started on its long and weary march over the plains of the Dakotas toward Montana. It encountered the Indians a number of times, routing them, and continued on its way. About the middle of August the expedition entered the Bad Lands, and the members were the first white men to traverse that unexplored region. In the fall the battalion returned to Fort Ridgley, where they went into winter quarters, having marched over 3,000 miles since leaving Fort Snelling. Capt. Shelly was mustered out of the service in the spring of 1865, and since that time, until within a few years, has been engaged at his old profession.

Capt. Shelly was almost painfully modest, seldom alluding to the many stirring events with which he had been an active participant, and it could well be said of him, as Cardinal Wolsey said of himself, that "had he served his God with half the zeal he has served his country, he would not in his old age have forsaken him." Political preferment and self-assurance keep some men constantly before the public eye, while others, the men of real merit, who have spent the best part of their lives in the service of their country, are often permitted by an ungrateful community to go down to their graves unhonored and unsung.

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OTHER PRINTERS IN THE CIVIL WAR.

Capt. Henry C. Coates was foreman of the job department of the Pioneer office. He was an officer in the Pioneer Guards, and when the war broke out was made a lieutenant in the First regiment, was in all the battles of that famous organization up to and including Gettysburg; was commander of the regiment for some time after the battle. After the war he settled in Philadelphia, where he now resides.

Jacob J. Noah at one time set type, with Robert Bonner. He was elected clerk of the supreme court at the first election of state officers; was captain of Company K Second Minnesota regiment, but resigned early in the war and moved to New York City, his former home.

Frank H. Pratt was an officer in the Seventh regiment and served through the war. He published a paper at Taylor's Falls at one time. After the war he was engaged in the mercantile business in St. Paul.

John C. Devereux was foreman of the old Pioneer and was an officer in the Third regiment, and still resides in the city.

Jacob T. McCoy was an old-time typo and worked in all the St. Paul offices before and after the rebellion. Mr. McCoy was a fine singer and his voice was always heard at typographical gatherings. He enlisted as private in the Second Minnesota and served more than four years, returning as first lieutenant. He now resides in Meadeville, Pa.

Martin Williams was printer, editor, reporter and publisher, both before and after the war. He was quartermaster of the Second Minnesota cavalry.

Robert P. Slaughter and his brother, Thomas Slaughter, were both officers in the volunteer service and just previous to the rebellion were engaged in the real estate business.

Edward Richards was foreman of the Pioneer and Minnesotian before the war and foreman of the old St. Paul Press after the war. He enlisted during the darkest days of the rebellion in the Eighth regiment and served in the dual capacity of correspondent and soldier. No better soldier ever left the state. He was collector of customs of the port of St. Paul under the administration of Presidents Garfield and Arthur, and later was on the editorial staff of the Pioneer Press.

The most remarkable compositor ever in the Northwest, if not in the United States, was the late Charles R. Stuart. He claimed to be a lineal descendant of the royal house of Stuart. For two years in succession he won the silver cup in New York city for setting more type than any of his competitors. At an endurance test in New York he is reported to have set and distributed 26,000 ems solid brevier in twenty-four hours. He was originally from Detroit. In the spring of 1858 he wandered into the Minnesotian office and applied for work. The Minnesotian was city printer and was very much in need of some one that day to help them out. Mr. Stuart was put to work and soon distributed two cases of type, and the other comps wondered what he was going to do with it. After he had been at work a short time they discovered that he would be able to set up all the type he had distributed and probably more, too. When he pasted up the next morning the foreman measured his string and remeasured it, and then went over and took a survey of Mr. Stuart, and then went back and measured it again. He then called up the comps, and they looked it over, but no one could discover anything wrong with it. The string measured 23,000 ems, and was the most remarkable feat of composition ever heard of in this section of the country. It was no uncommon occurrence for Mr. Stuart to set 2,000 ems of solid bourgeois an hour, and keep it up for the entire day. Mr. Stuart's reputation as a rapid compositor spread all over the city in a short time and people used to come to the office to see him set type, with as much curiosity as they do now to see the typesetting machine. In 1862 Mr. Stuart enlisted in the Eighth regiment and served for three years, returning home a lieutenant. For a number of years he published a paper at Sault Ste Marie, in which place he died about five years ago. He was not only a good printer, but a very forceful writer, in fact he was an expert in everything connected with the printing business.

E.S. Lightbourn was one of the old-time printers. He served three years in the Seventh Minnesota and after the war was foreman of the Pioneer.

M.J. Clum is one of the oldest printers in St. Paul. He was born in Rensselar county, New York, in 1832, and came to St. Paul in 1853. He learned his trade in Troy, and worked with John M. Francis, late minister to Greece, and also with C.L. McArthur, editor of the Northern Budget. Mr. Clum was a member of Company D, Second Minnesota, and took part in several battles in the early part of the rebellion.

J.B. Chancy came to Minnesota before the state was admitted to the
Union. At one time he was foreman of a daily paper at St. Anthony
Falls. During the war he was a member of Berdan's sharpshooters, who
were attached to the First regiment.

S J. Albright worked on the Pioneer in territorial days. In 1859 he went to Yankton, Dak., and started the first paper in that territory. He was an officer in a Michigan regiment during the rebellion. For many years was a publisher of a paper in Michigan, and under the last administration of Grover Cleveland was governor of Alaska.

M.R. Prendergast, though not connected with the printing business for some time, yet he is an old time printer, and was in the Tenth Minnesota during the rebellion.

A.J. Underwood was a member of Berdan's Sharp-shooters, and was connected with a paper at Fergus Falls for a number of years.

Robert V. Hesselgrave was employed in nearly all the St. Paul offices at various times. He was lieutenant in the First Minnesota Heavy Artillery, and is now engaged in farming in the Minnesota valley.

William A. Hill came to St. Paul during the early '50s. He was a member of the Seventh Minnesota.

Ole Johnson was a member of the First Minnesota regiment, and died in a hospital in Virginia.

William F. Russel, a compositor on the Pioneer, organized a company of sharpshooters in St. Paul, and they served throughout the war in the army of the Potomac.

S. Teverbaugh and H.I. Vance were territorial printers, and were both in the army, but served in regiments outside the state.

There were a large number of other printers in the military service during the civil war, but they were not territorial printers and their names are not included in the above list.

TERRITORIAL PRINTERS IN CIVIL LIFE.

One of the brightest of the many bright young men who came to Minnesota at an early day was Mr. James Mills. For a time he worked on the case at the old Pioneer office, but was soon transferred to the editorial department, where he remained for a number of years. After the war he returned to Pittsburgh, his former home, and is now and for a number of years has been editor-in-chief of the Pittsburgh Post.

Among the numerous printers of St. Paul who were musically inclined no one was better known than the late O.G. Miller. He belonged to the Great Western band, and was tenor singer in several churches in the city for a number of years. Mr. Miller was a 33d Degree Mason, and when he died a midnight funeral service was held for him in Masonic hall, the first instance on record of a similar service in the city.

George W. Moore came to St. Paul in 1850, and for a short time was foreman for Mr. Goodhue. In 1852 he formed a partnership with John P. Owens in the publication of the Minnesotian. He sold his interest in that paper to Dr. Foster in 1860, and in 1861 was appointed by President Lincoln collector of the port of St. Paul, a position he held for more than twenty years.

Louis E. Fisher was one of God's noblemen. When he first came to St. Paul he was foreman of the Commercial Advertiser. For a long time he was one of the editors of the Pioneer, and also the Pioneer Press. He was a staunch democrat and a firm believer in Jeffersonian simplicity. At one time he was a candidate for governor on the democratic ticket. Had it not been for a little political chicanery he would have been nominated, and had he been elected would have made a model governor.

George W. Armstrong was the Beau Brummel of the early printers. He wore kid gloves when he made up the forms of the old Pioneer, and he always appeared as if he devoted more attention to his toilet than most of his co-laborers. He was elected state treasurer on the democratic ticket in 1857, and at the expiration of his term of office devoted his attention to the real estate business.

Another old printer that was somewhat fastidious was James M. Culver. He was the first delegate from St. Paul to the International Typographical Union. Old members of the Sons of Malta will recollect how strenuously he resisted the canine portion of the ceremony when taking the third degree of that noble order.

Who has not heard of David Ramaley? He is one of the best as well as one of the best known printers in the Northwest. He has been printer, reporter, editor, publisher and type founder. Although he has been constantly in the harness for nearly fifty years, he is still active and energetic and looks as if it might be an easy matter to round out the century mark.

H.O. Bassford, now of the Austin Register, was one of the fleetest and cleanest compositers among the territorial printers. He was employed on the Minnesotian.

Francis P. McNamee occupied most all positions connected with the printing business—printer, reporter, editor. He was a most estimable man, but of very delicate constitution, and he has long since gone to his reward.

The genial, jovial face of George W. Benedict was for many years familiar to most old-time residents. At one time he was foreman of the old St. Paul Press. He is now editor and publisher of the Sauk Rapids Sentinel.

The old St. Paul Times had no more reliable man than the late Richard Bradley. He was foreman of the job department of that paper, and held the same position on the Press and Pioneer Press for many years.

D.L. Paine was the author of the famous poem entitled "Who Stole Ben Johnson's Spaces." He was employed in several of the St. Paul offices previous to the rebellion.

The late John O. Terry was the first hand pressman in St. Paul.
He formed a partnership with Col. Owens in the publication of the
Minnesotian. For a long time he was assistant postmaster of St. Paul,
and held several other positions of trust.

J.B.H. Mitchell was a, member of the firm of Newson, Mitchell & Clum, publishers of the Daily Times. For several years after the war he was engaged as compositor in the St. Paul offices, and is now farming in Northern Minnesota.

Among the freaks connected with the printing business was a poet printer by the name of Wentworth. He was called "Long Haired Wentworth."

Early in the war he enlisted in the First Minnesota regiment. When Col. Gorman caught sight of him he ordered his hair cut. Wentworth would not permit his flowing locks to be taken off, and he was summarly dismissed from the service. After being ordered out of the regiment he wrote several letters of doubtful loyalty and Secretary Stanton had him arrested and imprisoned in Fort Lafayette with other political prisoners. He never returned to Minnesota.

Marshall Robinson was a partner of the late John H. Stevens in the publication of the first paper at Glencoe. At one time he was a compositor on the Pioneer, and the last heard from him he was state printer for Nevada.

Andrew Jackson Morgan was brought to St. Paul by the late Col. D.A. Robertson and made foreman of the Democrat. He was a printer-politician and possessed considerable ability. At one time he was one of the editors of the Democrat. He was said to bear a striking resemblance to the late Stephen A. Douglas, and seldom conversed with any one without informing them of the fact. He was one of the original Jacksonian Democrats, and always carried with him a silver dollar, which he claimed was given him by Andrew Jackson when he was christened. No matter how much Democratic principle Jack would consume on one of his electioneering tours he always clung to the silver dollar. He died in Ohio more than forty years ago, and it is said that the immediate occasion of his demise was an overdose of hilarity.

Another old timer entitled to a good position in the hilarity column was J.Q.A. Ward, commonly known as Jack Ward. He was business manager of the Minnesotian during the prosperous days of that paper. The first immigration pamphlet ever gotten out in the territory was the product of Jack's ingenuity. Jack created quite a sensation at one time by marrying the daughter of his employer on half an hour's ball room acquaintance. He was a very bright man and should have been one of the foremost business men of the city, but, like many other men, he was his own worst enemy.

Another Jack that should not be overlooked was Jack Barbour. His theory was that in case the fiery king interfered with your business it was always better to give up the business.

A.M. Carver was one of the best job printers in the country, and he was also one of the best amateur actors among the fraternity. It was no uncommon thing for the old time printers to be actors and actors to be printers. Lawrence Barrett, Stuart Robson and many other eminent actors were knights of the stick and rule. Frequently during the happy distribution hour printers could be heard quoting from the dramatist and the poet, and occasionally the affairs of church and state would receive serious consideration, and often the subject would be handled in a manner that would do credit to the theologian or the diplomat, but modern ingenuity has made it probable that no more statesmen will receive their diplomas from the composing room. Since the introduction of the iron printer all these pleasantries have passed away, and the sociability that once existed in the composing room will be known hereafter only to tradition.

The late William Jebb was one of the readiest debaters in the old Pioneer composing room. He was well posted on all topics and was always ready to take either side of a question for the sake of argument. Possessing a command of language and fluency of speech that would have been creditable to some of the foremost orators, he would talk by the hour, and his occasional outbursts of eloquence often surprised and always entertained the weary distributors. At one time Jebb was reporter on the St. Paul Times. Raising blooded chickens was one of his hobbies. One night some one entered his premises and appropriated, a number of his pet fowls. The next day the Times had a long account of his misfortune, and at the conclusion of his article he hurled the pope's bull of excommunication at the miscreant. It was a fatal bull and was Mr. Jebb's reportorial finish.

A fresh graduate from the case at one time wrote a scurrilous biography of Washington. The editor of the paper on which he was employed was compelled to make editorial apology for its unfortunate appearance. To make the matter more offensive the author on several different occasions reproduced the article and credited its authorship to the editor who was compelled to apologize for it.

In two different articles on nationalities by two different young printer reporters, one referred to the Germans as "the beer-guzzling Dutch," and the other, speaking of the English said "thank the Lord we have but few of them in our midst," caused the writers to be promptly relegated back to the case.

Bishop Willoughby was a well-known character of the early times. A short conversation with him would readily make patent the fact that he wasn't really a bishop. In an account of confirming a number of people at Christ church a very conscientious printer-reporter said "Bishop Willoughby administered the rite of confirmation," when he should have said Bishop Whipple. He was so mortified at his unfortunate blunder that he at once tendered his resignation. Of course it was not accepted.

Editors and printers of territorial times were more closely affiliated than they are to-day. Meager hotel accommodations and necessity for economical habits compelled many of them to work and sleep in the same room. All the offices contained blankets and cots, and as morning newspapers were only morning newspapers in name, the tired and weary printer could sleep the sleep of the just without fear of disturbance.

Nearly all the early editors were also printers. Earle S. Goodrich, editor-in-chief of the Pioneer: Thomas Foster, editor of the Minnesotian; T.M. Newson, editor of the Times, and John P. Owens, first editor of the Minnesotian, were all printers. When the old Press removed from Bridge Square in 1869 to the new building on the corner of Third and Minnesota streets, Earle S. Goodrich came up into the composing room and requested the privilege of setting the first type in the new building. He was provided with a stick and rule and set up about half a column of editorial without copy. The editor of the Press, in commenting on his article, said it was set up as "clean as the blotless pages of Shakespeare." In looking over the article the next morning some of the typos discovered an error in the first line.