CHAPTER III.
BIOGRAPHIES.
Joseph Renshaw Brown, one of the best known of the pioneers, came to Dakotah, Schulenberg's addition, in 1839. For items in his history I am personally indebted to him. He was born in 1805, and, when old enough, apprenticed to a printer. On account of ill treatment he ran away and enlisted in the United States army at the age of fourteen years, serving as a drummer boy. He came with the army to the Northwest Territory in 1819. After enlistment he made his first home at Gray Cloud on the Mississippi, where he married a half-breed woman. Wisconsin history says she was the daughter of Robert Dickson, Indian trader and friend of the English in 1812. He learned and spoke the Chippewa and Sioux languages fluently. In 1839 he founded the town of Dakotah, at the head of Lake St. Croix, and erected some log buildings. Through his influence, in part, St. Croix county was organized, and the county seat located in Dakotah.
He built here a two story log court house, which, the county failing to pay for, was left upon his hands. He kept a trading station, was clerk of the county court and county commissioner. He filled several offices of trust and was by far the most important and universally serviceable man in the new county of St. Croix. In 1843 he left Dakotah, and returning to Gray Cloud, continued his Indian trade at that point and further west by means of branch houses. He was a member of the territorial Wisconsin legislature two sessions at Madison. He returned to Stillwater in 1848, left again in 1849, and in 1850 removed to St. Paul, where, in 1852, he purchased of Mr. Goodhue the Pioneer, then the leading Democratic paper of the Territory. Mr. Brown was chief clerk in the Minnesota territorial legislature during the sessions of 1849, 1850 and 1851. In 1854 and 1855 he was a member of the territorial council. In 1857 he was a member of the Democratic wing of the constitutional convention. During his residence in St. Paul he was interested in building up the town of Henderson, to which place he ran a stage line from St. Paul. About this time, also, he busied himself with the invention of a steam wagon, calculated to traverse the western plains and drag after it trains of cars. Financial and other difficulties prevented the completion of his design, which, however, he never entirely abandoned during the remainder of his life. In fact he went East in 1870 expressly to get his invention perfected, but from this journey he never returned. He died somewhat suddenly in New York in that year.
Mr. Brown was a man of iron will and muscular frame. He owed but little to schools, but was a close observer of men and of the times in which he lived. He was a genial companion and true friend, and a man of honorable principles. His was a rugged but generous nature. He was public spirited, far seeing and far reaching in his plans. He believed in the great Northwest. He predicted its future greatness as a wheat growing and agricultural country, and, as far back as 1839, predicted that a great city would rise at the head of Lake St. Croix or at the Falls of St. Anthony. Yet so little schooled was he in the wisdom of the speculator that he sold the property in St. Paul now known as Kittson's addition, and worth several millions of dollars, for one hundred and fifty dollars, and a lot on Third street, now valued at $25,000, for a box of cigars.
Paul Carli.—Mr. Carli was of German and Italian descent. He was born in Italy, July 25, 1805. His father was a merchant. He was married in Chicago, in 1834, to a sister of Joseph R. Brown, and moved in 1841 to the outlet of Bolles creek, on the west side of Lake St. Croix, to a place near the site of Afton. In 1846 he was accidentally drowned in the lake, within sight of his dwelling. His children, Joseph R. and Maria, are residents of Stillwater.
Christopher Carli, brother of Paul, was born at Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany, Dec. 7, 1811. The youth of Christopher was devoted to study. He was educated at Heidelberg University, and studied medicine. He came to America in February, 1832. The March following he located in Buffalo, where he practiced medicine three years, and returned to Europe where he remained two years. Returning to America, he practiced a year in Chicago, a year in New Orleans and another year in Chicago. He came to Dakotah, St. Croix valley, May 24, 1841. March 12, 1847, he was married to the widow of Paul Carli, Joseph R. Brown officiating as magistrate. He was the first practicing physician north of Prairie du Chien. His home was at Dakotah until the organization of Stillwater. He opened his first office on the west side of Lower Main street, block 28. His practice extended from Lake Pepin to Lake Superior and from Menomonie Mills, Wisconsin, to the Mississippi river. His mode of travel was by birch canoe, on horseback, on skates and on foot. He was a member of the first city council in Stillwater and has been city and county physician. He opened the first bank in Stillwater when fractional currency was in demand. His floating scrip was all redeemed. Two children, Christopher and Socrates N., are married and residents of Stillwater. Dr. Carli died Nov. 6, 1887.
Lydia Ann Carli.—Mrs. Carli has passed through many stirring scenes, and is one of the first female settlers in the St. Croix valley. A fluent and interesting talker, her recitals of early incidents and adventures are heart enlivening. Lydia Ann Brown was born in Lancaster, Penn., March 18, 1818. In 1834 she came with friends to Chicago, where in 1839 she was married to Paul Carli. She came to Dakotah in 1841, and lived there until 1844. The village was surrounded by Indians and there was no white woman nearer than Marine, twelve miles distant. In 1844 the Carlis removed to the mouth of Bolles creek, near Afton, on Lake St. Croix, where they built themselves a two story house commanding a picturesque view of the lake and the adjacent prairies and hills. It was a lone tenement, midway between Prescott and Stillwater. Mrs. Carli having lost her husband as before narrated, in 1847 was married to his brother, Dr. Christopher Carli.
