Fifty Years In The Northwest / With An Introduction And Appendix Containing Reminiscences, Incidents And Notes

by William H. C. Folsom

Miss Bishop was one of the company of teachers sent West by Gov. Slade. She organized the first permanent day school and the first Sunday-school in St. Paul. The school house was a cabin on the corner of Third and St. Peter streets. Miss Bishop, later Mrs. McConkey, was the author of a valuable book of frontier sketches entitled "Floral Homes." She died in 1884.

Of Mr. Forbes mention is made in biographical sketches. Aaron Foster came from Stillwater. He was a carpenter by trade. He married Fanny Mortimer, daughter of Sergt. Mortimer. He died in 1864. S. P. Folsom is mentioned in biographical sketches. Dr. Dewey, the first practicing physician in St. Paul, was a member of the first territorial legislature, and established the first drug store in Minnesota. Parsons Johnson, a descendant on his mother's side of Jonathan Carver, engaged in tailoring, the first of his trade in St. Paul. He was a member of the first territorial legislature.

Cornelius V. P. Lull was a carpenter. He served as sheriff in 1849, and still lives in the city. Daniel Hopkins engaged in general merchandising. He died in 1852. W. O. Renfro, a cousin of Henry Jackson, had studied medicine, was a young man of ability but addicted to drinking habits. The winter after his arrival he wandered forth, suffering from mania a potu, and froze to death near the bend in Phalen's creek.

This year was memorable for the organization of a regular steamboat line from Galena to Mendota and Fort Snelling. The steamer Argo was purchased for the trade. M. W. Lodwick was made commander and Russell Blakely, clerk. The Argo was designed to make weekly trips, but sank before the close of the season, and the Dr. Franklin was purchased to take her place the ensuing year. St. Paul had not increased largely in population this year. One hotel and two dwellings had been built. Some progress had been made in farming and gardening, and there was much lively talk on the subject of making claims. The prospective separation of Minnesota into a territory, and the opening of the country for settlement gave a new impetus to business. The Wisconsin convention for the adoption of a state constitution was held Dec. 13, 1847. Its effects, however, were not greatly felt until toward the middle of the ensuing year.

Among the prominent accessions in 1848 to the population were Henry M. Rice, Henry C. Rhodes, David Olmsted, W. D. Phillips, E. A. C. Hatch, Bushrood W. Lott, W. H. Nobles, Nathan Myrick, A. H. Cavender, Benjamin F. Hoyt, William Freeborn, David Lambert, W. C. Morrison, Lot Moffett, and W. D. Brown. Of these Rice, Noble, Hoyt and Myrick are referred to in biographical sketches. Mr. Olmsted was a trader, and in the summer of the year 1848 established a trading post at Long Prairie, whither the Winnebagoes had removed. He was a member of the first and second territorial councils, and the first mayor of St. Paul, in 1854. He removed to Winona in 1855, and died in 1861. Olmsted county, Minnesota, is named in his honor. W. D. Phillips, better known as "Billy" Phillips, was a somewhat eccentric character who passed for awhile as a lawyer in St. Paul, and in 1856 drifted off into a clerkship at Washington, since which time nothing has been heard of him. E. A. C. Hatch was appointed Indian agent to the Blackfeet Indians by President Pierce in 1856. In 1863 he was commissioned as major in the volunteer service, and acquitted himself creditably. While stationed at Pembina, by strategy he captured the insurgent Indians, Shakopee and Medicine Bottle, who were hanged at Fort Snelling in 1865. He died in 1881. H. O. Rhodes was engaged in trade with David Olmsted. He died in California some years ago. A. H. Cavender was a blacksmith and wagonmaker on Robert street in 1849.

Wm. Freeborn was quite a prominent citizen and member of the town council. He is better known as one of the founders of Red Wing, to which place he removed in 1853. He represented his district in the territorial councils of 1854, 1855, 1856 and 1857. He removed to California in 1862. Freeborn county is named for him. David Lambert, a prominent member of the Stillwater convention, was a young man of promise, but addicted to drink. In 1849, while suffering from a delirious paroxysm induced by drink, he jumped from the deck of a steamer and was drowned. W. C. Morrison originally came from New York, thence to Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Galena, Dubuque, and other places and lastly to St. Paul, where he is widely and favorably known as a business man. Lot Moffett will be remembered as the builder and proprietor of the picturesque heap of rocks known as "Moffett's Castle," where he kept a temperance hotel for several years. He was a man of patriarchal appearance, wearing a long, white beard. He was known as an honest, kind hearted, benevolent man. He died in 1870. W. B. Brown came from Wisconsin and purchased the corner on which the Warner block now stands. He died some years ago. To enumerate the accessions to the population in 1849 would require more space than we are allowed. The fact that St. Paul was this year designated as the territorial capital brought in a great number of official personages, and an army of traders, boarding house keepers, builders and adventurers. Heretofore Mendota had seemed to be the objective point of steam navigation. It also aspired to be the capital of the new territory. Senator Douglas, chairman of the committee on territories, favored Mendota. Gen. Sibley, the territorial delegate, favored St. Paul, and earnestly solicited the senator to yield, which, along with the personal appeals of H. M. Rice, finally secured his acquiescence, and the bill to form Minnesota Territory, with St. Paul as its capital, finally passed March 3, 1849. The news, however, did not reach the capital until April 9th, it having been brought up on the Dr. Franklin, No. 2, the first boat of the season.

On May 27th the newly appointed governor, Alexander Ramsey, arrived with his wife, but not being able to obtain accommodations in St. Paul went for the time to Mendota, where they were entertained by Hon. H. H. Sibley. Every succeeding boat was crowded with emigrants. A newspaper was an immediate necessity. The first steps had been taken the year before by Dr. A. Randall, of Owen's Geological Survey. Dr. Randall was not immediately able to carry his project into effect, and not till April 27, 1849, did the promised paper, the Minnesota Register, appear. The first copy had, however, been printed at Cincinnati two weeks earlier. Of this paper Maj. John P. Owens was publisher.

The first number of the second paper in the city was issued April 28th. This was the St. Paul Pioneer, James M. Goodhue, publisher and editor. These papers and others established later became faithful chroniclers of the progress of the city, and invaluable as historical documents.