LEVI W. STRATTON.--Mr. Stratton was one of the passengers of the

Palmyra in 1838. He worked for the St. Croix Company two years. After

leaving the Falls, he changed his residence several times, and finally

settled at Excelsior, Hennepin county, Minnesota, where he died in

1884. Mr. Stratton wrote for the Minneapolis papers many interesting

reminiscences of pioneer life on the St. Croix.

ELMA M. BLANDING.--Mr. Blanding was born in Harford, Susquehanna

county, New York, Feb. 14, 1800. He was married to Eliza Tuttle in

1826. He settled on a farm near St. Croix Falls in 1856, where he

died, Sept. 16, 1871. Father Blanding, as he was affectionately called

in the later years of his life, was a man of exemplary habits, of

strong religious convictions, and a consistent member of the

Presbyterian church. He left a widow, five sons and three daughters.

Mrs. Eliza Blanding died Jan. 18, 1887. Wm. M. Blanding, the oldest

son, owns a fine farm near the Falls, formerly known as "Jerusalem."

He is a surveyor, lumberman and farmer, and a prominent citizen. He

was married to Eliza Tuttle. A family of thirteen children has grown

up around him. In 1887 he was appointed receiver in the St. Croix land

office. John, the second son, is also a farmer in St. Croix Falls. He

was married to Sarah, daughter of Edward and Mary C. Worth. Eugene E.

is engaged in the drug business at Taylors Falls, and is also surveyor

and express agent. He married Joanna Ring, of Taylors Falls, in 1871.

Fred, the fourth son, was married in 1885 to Emma Sly. He was

appointed United States land receiver at St. Croix Falls in 1887. He

died in California, Jan. 30, 1888. Frank, the youngest son, was

married to Annie McCourt, and lives on the homestead. Josephine, the

oldest daughter, is the wife of Wm. Longfellow, and resides in

Machias, Maine. Flavilla, the widow of Charles B. Whiting, lives at

St. Paul, Minnesota. Her husband died in 1868. Mrs. Whiting was

executrix of the will of Dr. E. D. Whiting, and successfully

controlled a property valued at about $80,000. Mary, wife of Wm.

McCourt, died in 1880.

[Illustration: WILLIAM M. BLANDING.]

FREDERICK K. BARTLETT was a native of New England. He came to St.

Croix Falls in 1849, as attorney and land agent for Caleb Cushing. He

was candidate for judge of the district court in 1850, but was

defeated. He subsequently settled in Stillwater, and later in Hudson,

where he died in 1857, leaving a wife and one son, who became a civil

engineer and died in St. Paul in 1885, and one daughter, Helen, who

achieved some reputation as a writer for periodicals.

MICHAEL FIELD was born June 8, 1806. He came from a New England

family, his father and mother having resided in Connecticut. In early

life he removed to New York and resided awhile at Rochester. He

engaged principally in transportation business. The earliest work he

ever did was on the Erie canal. He was married in 1833 to Miss

Reynolds, who died in 1874. His children are Capt. Silas Wright Field

(mortally wounded at Shiloh), Norton, a resident of Racine, Wisconsin,

Mrs. Fanny Nason, wife of Hon. Joel F. Nason, Phebe and Mary,

unmarried and resident in Brooklyn. Mr. Field was married to his

second wife, Mrs. Harriet Lee Bracken, in 1882. He was appointed

register of the land office at St. Croix Falls by President Lincoln in

1861, and served twenty-six years. Though over eighty years of age he

retains his faculties and general health, and his mind is a store

house of the early history of the country.

ALDEN.

The town of Alden embraces township 32, range 17, and twenty-four

sections of range 18. It has both prairie and timber land, and is

abundantly supplied with water. Apple river traverses it from

northeast to southwest. There are many tributary small streams, and a

large number of small lakes, of which Cedar lake is the largest. This

lies only partially in Alden. The surface is gently undulating.

The town of Alden was organized in 1857. The first board of

supervisors were Stephen Williams, William Folsom and H. Sawyer. The

first post office was established at Wagon Landing in 1862, V. M.

Babcock, postmaster. The first settlers were Wm. Folsom, V. M.

Babcock, V. B. Kittel, I. L. Bridgman, Charles Vassau, Jr., and

Humphrey Sawyer, in 1856. Mr. Bridgman raised the first crops in 1857.

The first marriage was C. Vassau to Alma Kittel, in 1858, by Rev. A.

Burton Peabody. The first white child born in Alden was P. B. Peabody,

July 28, 1856. The first death was that of a child, Nicholas W.

Gordon, June 10, 1857. Alden has two post towns, Little Falls and

Alden.

REV. A. BURTON PEABODY was born May 22, 1823, in Andover, Windsor

county, Vermont. He was the youngest of four minor children, and was

left fatherless at eight years of age, and motherless at fifteen. He

obtained a good English education in the common schools, and at

Chester and Black River academies. The winter terms he spent in

teaching. In 1844 he came to Janesville, Wisconsin, where he spent two

years, partly on a farm and partly in a law office, as a student and

clerk. In 1847 he went to Iowa county, and taught school through the

winter at Mineral Point. The next year he went to Clarence, Green

county, Wisconsin, where he spent four years in teaching. In 1852 he

entered the Nashotah Theological Seminary, where he completed the

course, and was ordained deacon in the Protestant Episcopal church,

June 3, 1855, by the Rev. Bishop Kemper, and took temporary charge of

Grace church, Sheboygan. He was married to Charity Esther Kittel,

Sept. 22, 1855, at Clarence, by the Rev. Wm. Ruger. In November of the

same year he removed to Mississippi, spending the winter at Jackson.

In February he went to Middleton, Mississippi, to take charge of a

mission work, including several appointments. He came, the June

following, to Polk county, Wisconsin, and spent the summer at Wagon

Landing, on Apple river, where his wife's friends had made a

settlement, but in the winter returned to his mission work in the

South, and there remained until 1857. Owing to the troubled political

condition of the South, he did not deem it advisable to remove his

family thither, and so returned to Wagon Landing and obtained mission

work, visiting at intervals Foster's Mills, now New Richmond,

Huntington, Cedar Valley, and St. Croix Falls. The intervening country

was, much of it, an unbroken wilderness, and he was obliged to make

his journeys not infrequently on foot, to cross the swollen streams

and dare all the perils of the winter storm. In 1859 Mr. Peabody

accepted a call to the rectorship of St. Paul's church, Plymouth,

Sheboygan county, but in 1862 returned to the valley of the St. Croix,

and settled on a farm, undertaking meanwhile ministerial work at

Prescott and other points, in a line extending as far north as St.

Croix Falls. Three years later Prescott and River Falls were made

independent, another man taking charge. In 1879 Mr. Peabody undertook

additional work on the North Wisconsin railroad, including a large

number of places, to be visited monthly. In 1882 his railroad work was

limited to Clayton, Cumberland and Hayward. He still has charge, as

rector, of Star Prairie and Wagon Landing. Few men have led more

laborious lives or been more useful in their calling. He has witnessed

the erection of eight churches on the field in which he labored,

though concerned directly in the building of only four. Mr. Peabody's

family consists of seven sons and seven daughters. One of the latter

died in infancy.

V. M. BABCOCK settled at Wagon Landing, town of Alden, in 1856. He was

born in Rensselaer county, New York; married his first wife in New

York and his second wife at Somerset, St. Croix county, Wisconsin.

They have four children. He has held town offices ever since the

organization of the town. He has been sheriff, and was county

superintendent of schools for seven years.

APPLE RIVER.

The town of Apple River includes township 34, range 16, and derives

its name from its principal river. The town is well watered by Apple

river and its tributaries, and it also has numerous lakes, the most

considerable of which is White Ash lake. The surface of the town is

gently undulating, and was originally covered with pine, interspersed

with hardwood groves. There is good wheat soil, and natural meadows

are found in some parts. The town was organized Jan. 22, 1876, having

been set off from Balsam Lake. There are two post offices, Apple River

on the west, and Shiloh on the east town line.

BALSAM LAKE.

The town of Balsam Lake embraces township 34, range 17, and takes its

name from a lake within its bounds. It has an undulating surface,

covered with heavy oak, pine, and maple timber principally. Balsam

creek, the outlet of Balsam lake, flows through it in a southerly

direction, affording fine water powers. About one-sixth of the surface

is covered with lakes. The largest of these, Balsam lake, in the

Indian language An-in-on-duc-a-gon, or evergreen place, gives name to

the town. Deer, Long, Wild Goose, and Mud lakes are fine bodies of

water with bold, timbered shores, and abundance of fish. The town is

near the geographical centre of the county. The first white man, prior

to the organization of the town, to locate within its present bounds

was a disreputable trader named Miller, who in 1848 built a shanty on

Balsam lake, from which he dispensed whisky to the Indians. This man

was not long afterward driven out of the country. (See history of St.

Croix Falls.) The town was organized in 1869. The first board of

supervisors consisted of Geo. P. Anderson, Wright Haskins, and Joseph

Loveless. The clerk was H. J. Fall; the treasurer, F. R. Loveless. The

first school was taught by Jane Husband. Aaron M. Chase built a

shingle mill at the outlet of Balsam lake in 1850, and he seems to

have been the first actual settler or the first man to make

improvements. As he had neither oxen nor horses, the timbers for the

mill were hauled by man power with the aid of yokes and ropes. Other

persons came to the mill and lived there awhile, but the first

permanent settlers came in in 1856. They were J. Shepherd, Joseph

Loveless, Joseph Ravett, and John M. Rogers. Mr. Rogers raised the

first crops in the town; Joseph Ravett was the first postmaster. The

first marriage was that of J. K. Adams to Miss L. A. Millerman, by W.

H. Skinner. The first white child born was a daughter to R. S.

Haskins. The first death, that of a child, occurred in 1870. A first

class flouring mill has been erected at the outlet of Balsam lake. It

is owned by Herman Corning; a saw mill is also in operation at this

point. A Methodist church, 30 × 40 feet ground plan, was erected at

Balsam Lake by the Methodist society in 1886.

BEAVER.

The town of Beaver includes township 34, range 15. It was set off from

Apple River and organized Nov. 15, 1885. The name was suggested as

being appropriate from the work of the beaver in past ages. Beaver

dams are numerous on all the creeks. These ancient works will mostly

disappear with the progress of agriculture. The town is drained by

streams flowing into Apple river. Horseshoe lake, in the northeast

corner, is three miles in length.

BLACK BROOK.

The town of Black Brook includes township 32, range 16. Apple river,

with its tributaries, supplies it with abundant water privileges.

Black Brook, the principal tributary, gives the town its name, and

drains the southern portion. There are many small lakes. The surface

is undulating and most of the soil good. The post office of Black

Brook is in section 32. The North Wisconsin railroad passes through

sections 25, 35 and 36. This town was originally a part of Alden, but

was organized and set off as a new town Aug. 5, 1867. J. C. Nelson

and G. H. Goodrich were the first supervisors. The first settlers

(1863) were John Gorsuch, John Reed and Jacob Polwer; the first

postmaster was ---- Gates; the first school teacher, Tina

Starkweather; the first marriage that of S. D. Starkweather and Mary

Danforth; the first death that of Mrs. Ben Gilman.

CLAM FALLS.

Clam Falls comprises township 37, range 16, and derives its name from

the falls on Clam river. The surface is rolling and timbered with

hardwood and pine. It is well watered by South Clam creek and its

tributaries. Somers' lake, in section 27, is the only lake. An

upheaval of trap rock on Clam creek has caused the waterfall from

which the town has taken its name. It is a fine water power. A dam for

collecting tolls on saw logs has been placed just above the Falls.

Good specimens of copper ore are found in the trap. The town was set

off from Luck and organized Nov. 15, 1876. The first town meeting was

held April, 1877. The first supervisors were Daniel F. Smith, John

Almquist and John Bjornson. D. F. Smith was the first settler, built

the first saw mill, and raised the first crops.

Daniel F. Smith, a peculiar and eccentric man, was born in Chautauqua

county, New York, in 1813; emigrated to Michigan in 1834, where he

married Eliza Green the following year, and moved to Racine county,

Wisconsin. In 1842 he engaged in lumbering on the Wisconsin river, his

home being at Stevens Point. He was of the firms of Smith & Bloomer

and Smith & Fellows. Mr. Bloomer was accidentally killed, on which

account the business of these firms was closed, Mr. Smith removing to

Galena to facilitate the settlement of their affairs. In 1852 he

removed to St. Louis; in 1853 to Memphis, Tennessee, where he engaged

in the wholesale grocery business, losing heavily, in fact all the

accumulations of his life. In the spring of 1855 he leased the St.

Croix Falls saw mill, and operated it for two years, when trouble

arose and litigation ensued, in which Smith obtained a judgment

against Cushing for $1,000. In 1860 he removed to Clinton, Iowa, and

thence in the same year to California. He traveled much, visiting

mines. He spent some time in mining, and also manufactured shingles.

In 1862 he returned to St. Croix Falls and engaged in lumbering for

three years. In 1868 he built a saw mill at Butternut Lake,

Wisconsin. He did much to open that country to settlement. He was the

founder of a town which he called "Luck." In 1872 he was the first

settler at Clam Falls, where he built a saw mill with but one man to

assist, and around that mill has sprung up a flourishing settlement.

Dan Smith, with undaunted perseverance, has battled his way through

life, and has come out victorious over difficulties and opposition

that would have discouraged and turned back other men. Mr. Smith is a

plain, direct, outspoken man; a man of energy and ability. He has ably

and satisfactorily filled many places of trust. For many years he has

been a commissioner of Polk county.

CLAYTON.

Clayton includes township 33, range 15. The town was set off from

Black Brook. The surface of a great part of the town is level and was

originally marshy, but these marshes have been gradually drained, and

fine farms and hay meadows have taken their place. The town was

organized Nov. 10, 1875. The first supervisors were Morris De'Golier,

Worthy Prentice and H. D. West. The first homestead entries were made

in 1865 by Peter Bouchea and John McKay, a Frenchman, both Indian

traders, who established a post at Marsh lake, but in six months

abandoned it and never returned. The next settlers were Vandyke,

Morehouse and Tanner, near the west line of the town, about 1870. The

first improvements were made by Elam Greely in 1862, who dug a canal

into Marsh lake to get water to float logs out of Beaver brook,

thereby draining great tracts of swamp land. The laying of the North

Wisconsin railroad track gave a fresh impetus to business, and

conduced greatly to the building of the village of Clayton in section

24. The first sermon in the town of Clayton was preached by Rev. W. W.

Ames, a Baptist; the first school was taught by S. M. De'Golier; the

first store was opened by A. M. Wilcox, 1874. D. A. Humbird was the

first postmaster. The North Wisconsin railway passes through the

southeast part and the Minneapolis, Soo & Atlantic passes from the

west side to the northeast corner of the town, and has a station,

Gregory, in the west part.

REUBEN F. LITTLE was born June 13, 1839, in Topsham, Devonshire

county, England. At ten years of age he began to care for himself,

working for sixpence per week, carrying pottery in a moulding house.

Before leaving England his wages had increased to three shillings per

week. In the spring of 1853 he had saved three pounds sterling, and

his grandfather gave him two pounds sterling. This five pounds paid

his passage to Quebec and Montreal, where he got four dollars per

month. Soon after he apprenticed himself for five years to learn the

baker's and confectioner's trade at London, Upper Canada. Subsequently

he took a homestead from the British government at Trading Lake, Upper

Canada.

[Illustration: REUBEN F. LITTLE.]

In the spring of 1861, at Detroit, Michigan, he enlisted in the United

States infantry, regular army, and was promoted successively to first

sergeant, to sergeant major, to second lieutenant, to first

lieutenant. He resigned in September, 1865. During the war he served

continuously in Gen. George H. Thomas' division, and took part in all

the engagements under him, from Miles Springs, Kentucky, to Nashville,

Tennessee. On the twenty-second of September, 1863, Mr. Little had the

honor of being the last man to leave the Rossville Gap in front of

Chattanooga after the disastrous fight of Chickamauga. He was wounded

in the battle of Hoover's Gap and Smyrna, and at the siege of Corinth.

Mr. Little was married in 1865, and divorced in 1869, and re-married

in St. Paul in 1878. He lost his Canada homestead, and took another

homestead in Lincoln, Polk county, Wisconsin, in 1866. Afterward he

went to St. Paul and became one of the firm of Little & Berrisford in

the wholesale confectionery business. In 1879 he returned to Clayton,

formerly part of Lincoln, and reclaimed a swamp of over six hundred

acres, making it a productive meadow and tillage farm. Mr. Little has

served several years as Clayton's town supervisor.

CLEAR LAKE.

Clear Lake embraces township 32, range 15. It derives its name from a

beautiful clear lake on the western boundary near Clear Lake village.

The west part of the town is timbered principally with hardwood, and

is good farming land. The eastern part is more diversified, and there

are some large groves of pine. Willow river runs through the town. The

North Wisconsin railroad traverses the town diagonally from northeast

to southwest: The town was organized June 20, 1877; S. D. Mann, J. C.

Gates, and W. R. Ingalls, supervisors. The first settlers were John

Hale, L. P. Nash, S. D. Starkweather, and Perry Clark. Lawrence

O'Connor was first postmaster; Mr. Starkweather carried the mail on

foot. Israel Graves, in 1875, built the first saw mill in Clear Lake

village and the first house. There is now at the village a stave mill

owned by Symme & Co. Jewett Bros. own a saw mill on Willow river,

three miles from the village, which has a capacity of 8,000,000 feet.

The lumber is delivered to the railway at the village by a wooden

tramway. The lots for the village were purchased from the government

by A. Boody and A. Coventry, in 1856. The plat was made by Symme,

Glover & Co. The survey was made by G. W. Cooley. Thomas T. McGee was

the first settler (1875), and Stephen H. Whitcomb the second. The

first school house was built in 1875, and the first school was taught

by Clara Davis in the same year. The village has now a good graded

school with three departments, Charles Irle, principal. Its two church

buildings, Congregational and Methodist, were destroyed by the cyclone

of 1884, but are being rebuilt. The Swedish Lutherans have a church a

mile from the village. Chas. Decker was the first postmaster; A. Symme

& Co. were the first merchants; P. Gates, M.D., the first practicing

physician; F. M. Nye the first lawyer. The first marriage was that of

John C. Gates and Ella Scovill. The first birth was Chas. W. Whitcomb,

and the first death that of a child of Hans Johnson.

PINEVILLE.

The town of Pineville, a railroad station and village in section 9, is

a lumbering centre. The Pineville Lumbering Company have here a saw

mill with a capacity of 7,000,000 feet. The logs are brought on wooden

railways three to ten miles. P. B. Lacy & Co., of Hudson, are the

proprietors.

FRANK M. NYE was born in Shirley, Piscataquis county, Maine, in 1852.

His parents removed to Wisconsin in 1854. He was educated at the

common schools and at River Falls Academy. He came to Clear Lake in

1879, and was elected district attorney for Polk county in 1880, and

representative in the Wisconsin assembly in 1885. He removed to

Minneapolis in 1887.

EUREKA.

Eureka embraces township 35, range 18 and a fractional part of range

19. The west part is somewhat broken by the St. Croix bluffs; the

remainder is undulating and capable of agricultural improvement. There

are many good farms in this town. There are a few small lakes in the

eastern part. Eureka was set off from St. Croix Falls, and organized

Dec. 16, 1877. The first supervisors were Lucius A. Harper, Jens

Welling and William Booth. The first settlers were L. A. Harper, John

C. Beede, Henry Cole and others. There are three post offices in the

town,--Harper, Cushing and North Valley. At the mouth of Wolf creek,

in the extreme northwestern section of this town, J. R. Brown had a

trading house in the '30s, and Louis Roberts in the '40s. At this

place Alex. Livingston, another trader, was killed by Indians in 1849.

Livingston had built him a comfortable home, which he made a stopping

place for the weary traveler, whom he fed on wild rice, maple sugar,

venison, bear meat, muskrats, wild fowl and flour bread, all decently

prepared by his Indian wife. Mr. Livingston was killed by an Indian in

1849.

In 1855 Carma P. Garlick surveyed a quarter section here and laid it

off into town lots, and had lithograph maps published, calling the

prospective village Sebatanna, an Indian town signifying "Water

Village."

CHARLES NEVERS settled here about 1860, and has now a fine farm and

good buildings.

FARMINGTON.

Farmington was organized as a town in 1858. It contains forty-two

sections of land, in township 32, ranges 18 and 19, with some

fractions of sections on the St. Croix. It is a rich agricultural

town, well diversified with prairie and timber land. Its western

portion, along the St. Croix, has the picturesque bluffs common to

that river, with some unusually beautiful cascades and hillside

springs, of which the most notable are the well known mineral spring

and the springs at the lime kiln. The mineral spring is situated on

the St. Croix river, at the base of the bluff, and about one mile and

a half below Osceola Mills. A beautiful hotel was built in 1876 on the

cliff above, at a cost of about $20,000, which became quite a popular

place of resort until 1885, when it was burned. It has not been

rebuilt. The property was improved by Currant & Stevens, but afterward

sold.

The following analysis shows the chemical constituents of a gallon of

the water of the spring:

GRAINS.

Chloride of sodium .053

Sulphate of soda .524

Bicarbonate of soda .799

Bicarbonate of lime 11.193

Bicarbonate of magnesia 7.248

Iron and alumina .492

Silica .265

Organic matter a trace

-------

Total 20,565

South Farmington Corners has a prosperous cheese factory, owned and

operated by Koch Brothers, erected in 1883, turning out in 1884

sixteen tons of cheese and in 1885 over twenty tons. South Farmington

has a Catholic church building.

The first crops in Farmington were raised by Wm. Kent on a farm near

Osceola in 1846, and the same year Harmon Crandall and Richard Arnold

improved land and raised crops not far from the present village of

Farmington. Here, owing to the sandy nature of the soil, well digging

proved rather perilous to the two farmers. Mr. Arnold attempted to dig

a well in a depression, a sinkhole, in the prairie. As he dug deeper

the sides of the well caved in, almost burying him. He managed by his

own utmost exertions and those of his friend Crandall to escape, but

left his boots deeply imbedded in prairie soil.

In 1887 the Soo Railroad Company bridged the St. Croix, at the cedar

bend at the south point of the leaning cedars, and extended their

grade along the base of the precipice overlooking the river above, and

commanding an extensive view of bold, picturesque and beautiful

scenery.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

HARMON CRANDALL.--The Crandall family were the first to settle in

Osceola Prairie, in the town of Farmington. Mr. Crandall moved to his

farm in 1846, and lived there many years; sold out and removed to

Hudson, where, in later life, he became blind. He had three sons born

in Farmington. In 1882 he moved to Shell Lake, Washburn county, where

he died, Aug. 8, 1886. Mrs. Crandall died May 11, 1888.

SAMUEL WALL.--Mr. Wall was born in 1824, in Shropshire, England; went

as a British soldier to the West Indies in 1840; two years later came

to New York City; one year later to St. Louis; in 1844 to St. Paul and

in 1846 to the St. Croix valley, where he made a permanent home at the

lime kiln, which he bought of William Willim. He was married to Anna

Maria Moore in 1857. They had been educated as Episcopalians, but are

now Catholics and have educated their children in that faith in the

schools at St. Paul. Mr. Wall served five years in the British army

for thirteen pence a day, but West India rum was cheap, only ten pence

per gallon, and this, Mr. Wall pathetically remarked, "was an

unfortunate element for the lime-kiln man." After twenty-six years of

struggle Mr. Wall came out victorious and now strongly advises all

young men to "touch not, taste not, handle not," anything that can

intoxicate. The writer trusts he may stand firm.

WILLIAM RAMSEY was born in Ireland in 1814, and came to America with

his parents in his youth, first settling in Nova Scotia. In 1834 he

came to Washington county, Maine. In 1839 he was married to Sarah

Stevens, at Crawford, Maine. In 1849 he went to California. In 1850 he

returned, and located on his farm in Farmington, Polk county, where he

still resides, an efficient citizen, who has borne his full part in

the organization of town and county, and filled various offices.

HIRAM W. NASON.--Mr. Nason was born in Waterville, Maine, in 1792.

When of age he settled in Crawford, Maine. In 1852 he was married. He

came to Polk county, and settled in Farmington in 1853. Mr. Nason died

in 1859. Mrs. Nason died some years later. They were members of the

Baptist church. Their children are Joel F., Levi, Merrill, Crocker,

Albert, James, Maria, wife of Thos. Ford, of Farmington, and Frances,

wife of Moses Peaselee, of Farmington. Mr. Ford died in 1880. He was a

well to do farmer. Mr. Peaselee, also a farmer, has served as sheriff

of Polk county.

JOEL F. NASON.--Mr. Nason was born Aug. 31, 1828, in Washington

county, Maine. He was married to Bertha Hanscomb, of Crawford, Maine,

in July, 1851. Their children are Everett, Fred, Louisa, wife of

Albert Thompson, and Bertha. Mrs. Nason died in 1862. Mr. Nason was

married to Mary Ann Godfrey, of Osceola, in 1867. Mrs. Nason died

February, 1885. He was married to Miss Fanny Field, of St. Croix

Falls, in 1887. Mr. Nason settled in Farmington in 1852. He engaged in

lumbering many years, and was called by his fellow citizens to fill

several important offices. He served eight years as county clerk. He

was appointed receiver of the United States land office at St. Croix

Falls in 1871, which office he resigned in 1884, when he was elected

state senator.

JOHN MCADAMS was born in Tennessee in 1808. He was employed for many

years on the Louisville (Ky.) canal. He was married to Eliza Robinson

in 1840. Mrs. McAdams died in 1844, leaving one son, Melville, born

1842, who came with his father to the St. Croix valley in 1849. He

first located at Osceola, but in 1854 removed to Farmington, where he

died in 1883. Mr. McAdams was a mineralogist of some ability.

CHARLES TEA was born in Pennsylvania in 1817; came into the St. Croix

valley in 1849; was married in 1850 to Mary McAdams, sister of John

McAdams, and in the same year settled on a farm in Farmington. In 1880

he removed to Southern Iowa.

GARFIELD.

Garfield includes thirty sections of range 17, and six sections of

range 18, township 33. It is well watered and has many small lakes,

while Sucker lake, a lake of considerable size, is about equally

divided between its own territory and that of Lincoln. Garfield was

organized in 1886. The first supervisors were Abraham Sylvester, James

T. Montgomery and Martin Hanson. In 1887 the Minneapolis, Soo &

Atlantic railway built through the town from west to southeast and

established one station, Deronda, in the southeast corner of the town.

The post office of El Salem is in Garfield.

GEORGETOWN.

Georgetown comprises township 35, ranges 15 and 16. This town is

abundantly supplied with water by Apple river and its tributaries, and

numerous lakes, some of them of considerable size. The largest are

Bone, Blake, Powder and Pipe. The timber is hardwood and pine

intermingled. Immense quantities of pine have been taken from this

town, and still much remains. Wild meadows are plentiful. Georgetown

was set off from Milltown and organized Nov. 15, 1879. The first

supervisors were David H. Smith, Elisha E. Drake and August Larbell.

George P. Anderson was the first settler (1873), and his christian

name was affixed to the town. The first school was taught in 1874 by

John Burns. A post office was established in 1881 at Bunyan, G. P.

Anderson, postmaster. The first sermon was preached by Rev. C. D.

Scott, a Methodist. The first birth was that of Lucy Anderson; the

first marriage that of Henry King to Etta Clark. The first death was

that of August Larbell.

TWO MEN MURDERED.

Oliver Grover and Harry Knight, two prominent lumbermen of Stillwater,

on July 2, 1864, were exploring for timber and hay on Pipe lake,

section 10, in Georgetown. Not returning to their camp, two miles

distant, the watchman at the camp, after waiting two days, went to St.

Croix Falls and gave the alarm. Many parties went in pursuit of the

lost men. Some traces of their presence were discovered on the shore

of this lake, but the search was finally abandoned. After some months

the Indians confessed that two of their young men shot the two men,

disemboweled them, burned the entrails and sunk the bodies in the

lake. Their bodies were never found. We append the following newspaper

clipping:

"FINALE.--The friends of the two Indians that shot Grover and Knight,

last Tuesday delivered to P. B. Lacy, of St. Croix Falls, the

valuables that were taken from the bodies of the murdered men. They

consisted of $113 in gold, $282.05 in greenbacks, $160 in silver, one

silver watch, one wallet and one pocket knife. This is probably the

closing act of the bloody tragedy which cost two innocent men their

lives at the hands of Indians steeped in liquor, and who, fearing the

vengeance of the white man, committed suicide."

The two murderers had confessed the crime and shot themselves.

GEORGE P. ANDERSON.--Mr. Anderson was born in Fulvana county,

Virginia, 1825; was educated in the common schools; lived in Ohio

eighteen and in Indiana fifteen years, and came to Balsam Lake in

1866. Few men have been more active in the opening up of a new

settlement. Mr. Anderson has been several times elected to office in

the new county, and was a principal actor in the establishment of the

Polk County Agricultural Society in 1886. He has a family of fifteen

children living.

LAKETOWN.

Laketown includes township 36, range 18. It is named from the lakes

that dot almost every section in the town. Trade lake, with its

tributary from Butternut lake, are the principal streams. The town was

set off from Sterling and organized April 6, 1875. The first

supervisors were L. Bell; S. P. Heard and N. Fornell. The town was

settled largely by Swedes, Norwegians, Danes and Alabamians. The

latter settled in the northwestern part of the town. In 1869 Caleb

Cushing bought the agricultural college lands in the town to the

amount of 7,200 acres. The first school house was built in 1870, in

section 8. P. Tierney taught the first school. Lindsey McKee was the

first settler. He was also the first to sell out and leave. Daniel

Swensbarger, a German, bought him out, and a number of his countrymen

settled near him. Jacob Swensbarger started a store. N. Grondund built

the first blacksmith shop. Peter Olsen built the first saw mill, at

the foot of Long lake, in 1875. The first marriage was that of L.

McKee and Mary Addington, by L. Bell, Esq.

LINCOLN.

Lincoln includes township 33, range 16, and the eastern tier of

sections of township 33, range 17. It is abundantly watered by Apple

river and its tributaries, and has numerous lakes of which Sucker

lake is the largest. The soil is well adapted to the culture of wheat.

There are many fine farms in this township. The surface, originally

covered with timber, is undulating. The town was organized in 1860,

being set off from Osceola. The first town meeting was held April,

1861. A. A. Heald, M. C. Lane and John Hurness were the first

supervisors. The post town is at Lincoln Centre. The Polk county poor

farm is pleasantly situated on a lake in Lincoln, and has been well

managed for a series of years by Capt. Wilkie.

AMERY village is located on Apple river, at the crossing of the "Soo

Line" railway. It has two saw mills and a stave factory. The

Minneapolis, Soo & Atlantic railway passes through Lincoln from

southwest to east, and has a station at Apple River crossing, named

Amery, in honor of William Amery, one of Polk county's best citizens.

WM. WILSON was born in 1828, at Armagh county, Ireland. At four years

of age he came to America with his parents, who located at Canada

West, where he learned the baker's trade. In 1849 he came to Osceola

and followed lumbering eight years. He was married at Osceola to Leah

Moody and located on his homestead in Lincoln in 1870. He has three

sons. Mr. Wilson has been a useful citizen and has done his full share

of pioneer work.

LORAINE.

Loraine includes townships 36 and 37, range 15. It is a heavily

timbered district, with hardwood and pine interspersed. The surface is

undulating and the soil is much of it good. It is well watered by

South Clam creek and tributaries, and has a multitude of small lakes.

There are some fine farms in the northern part of the township.

Loraine was organized Nov. 14, 1872. The first town meeting was held

April, 1873. The first supervisors were, Frank J. Williams, George

Phelps and John Klinch. Wm. Gallespie built the first hotel and opened

it in 1873. The first school was taught by Georgia Lacy. The first

marriage was that of James Lago and Almeda Johnson. The first white

child was George Phillips; the first death that of a child of J. L.

Ellis.

The first settler was C. Loraine Ruggles. He was somewhat eccentric.

He published a book embodying his own adventures during the Rebellion,

which he called "The Great American Spy." The town was named after

him. N. B. Bull and Chas. Anderson were the next settlers.

WM. WALLACE GALLESPIE was born in Louisville, Kentucky; lived in his

youth in Illinois and came to Marine Mills in 1844. In 1851 he married

Cecilia M. Ring, widow of Charles Turner, of Taylor's Falls. In 1878

he moved to his homestead in Loraine, where he has a good farm and

hotel. He has two sons and one daughter.

LUCK.

Luck includes township 36, ranges 16 and 17. It is a good agricultural

region and contains already many valuable farms. The eastern half of

the town was originally a rich pine wood region. Much of the timber is

yet standing. The town is well watered by Upper Trade and Straight

rivers and has many beautiful lakes, the principal of which are

Butternut and North. Luck was organized as a town Nov. 9, 1869. The

first supervisors were Wm. H. Foster, M. C. Pederson and J. J. Bille.

The first settlers were Wm. W. Gallespie, W. H. Foster and D. F. Smith

(1857). The first marriage was that of W. H. Foster, and his oldest

child was the first white child born in Luck. Wm. Gallespie raised the

first crops. D. F. Smith built the first saw mill. W. H. Foster was

first postmaster. At present there are two post offices, one at the

village of Luck, the other at West Denmark. Laura Jones taught the

first school in Luck. The town has been settled chiefly by Danes,

mostly direct from Denmark. A Danish high school was established in

1884, K. Noregaad, principal, at which different languages are taught.

The building cost $3,000. It is beautifully located on Butternut lake.

The Lutherans have three flourishing church organizations in this

town.

WILLIAM H. FOSTER was born in Bangor, Maine, in 1828; came to St.

Croix valley in 1844; settled in Luck in 1857 and engaged in farming

and lumbering. He served in the army during the Rebellion, and was

postmaster at Luck for eighteen years. His father, Daniel Foster, came

with him to the St. Croix valley in 1844 and died in 1876. His native

place was New Hampshire.

MILLTOWN.

Milltown includes township 35, range 17. It is a good agricultural and

stock growing town. It is watered by the small streams flowing into

Balsam, Half Moon and other lakes. The timber is mostly hardwood.

There is pine in the eastern part. The Patterson post office is

located in section 7, Milltown in section 36. Milltown was set off

from St. Croix Falls Dec. 20, 1869. The first town meeting was held

Jan. 8, 1870. The first supervisors were John Lynch, M. Fitzgerald,

Sr., and John Hurley. The Roman Catholic church was organized here in

1864. Their new house of worship was built in 1870. The first settlers

were James and John Rogers. The first school (1865) was taught by

Maggie Crawford. The first school house was built in 1866. A grange

was organized in 1884. The town has now a good brick school house and

a saw and flour mill.

PATRICK LILLIS was born in Ireland in 1807. He came to Polk county in

1856, and, with his amiable wife and enterprising sons, made a claim

on what was afterward styled Milltown, an inappropriate name, but

given by Mr. Lillis himself, as he humorously remarked, "because there

was not a stream large enough for a mill site in the town," and

Milltown it remains to this day. Mr. Lillis prospered and made himself

a good home. He died Feb. 26, 1886. Mrs. Lillis died December, 1885.

They left six sons. John C. is in Greene county, Texas, Simon C. is in

Southern California, and Richard is in Memphis, Tennessee. Henry, the

youngest, aged twenty-nine years, has for the past six years been a

resident of Tacoma, Washington Territory. The residence of Martin and

James is not known.

OSCEOLA.

Osceola contains all of township 33, range 18, except the eastern tier

of sections, and ten whole sections and some fractions of range 19,

made somewhat irregular by the St. Croix river boundary, and the

obtrusion of three sections of Farmington in the southwestern part. It

is a rich agricultural town, consisting chiefly of prairie, the whole

forming a tableland, terminating westward on the precipitous bluffs of

the St. Croix. It has a good steamboat landing and two good water

powers, Osceola and Close's creeks. These are both fine trout brooks.

The bluffs overlooking the St. Croix are bold and high, and, for a

great part, precipitous. Most conspicuous of these bluffs is the

promontory known as Eagle Point, situated just below the Osceola

landing. An escarpment of limestone, about two hundred feet above the

river, projects over its base, not much unlike the celebrated table

rock at Niagara Falls. A tall and solitary pine tree stands upon the

extreme verge of this rock, the whole forming a conspicuous landmark,

visible to a distance of several miles down the river. The cascade on

Osceola creek, a few rods above its mouth, has scarcely a rival

amongst the waterfalls of the West. It has sometimes been called the

Minnehaha of Wisconsin, but while it resembles somewhat in the lower

part of its descent that celebrated cascade, the scenery around it is

much wilder, perpendicular rocks towering over it to a great height,

while the upper part of the fall is over an inclined plain, broken

into steps. It is a favorite haunt for artists and photographers.

There are several minor waterfalls of great beauty in the vicinity.

The trap rock formation crops out in the eastern and northern parts of

the town, rich in specimens of copper and silver. Silver is also found

in ledges at East Lake.

The first land claim in the town, made May 14, 1844, by Milton V.

Nobles and Lucius N. S. Parker, included the cascade and the present

site of the village. The claim was made with the intention of building

a saw mill at the outlet of Osceola creek. The mill company, organized

in 1841, consisted of M. V. and W. H. Nobles, Wm. Kent, Wm. O. Mahony

and Harvey Walker. Mr. Nobles sold his interest and removed to Willow

River; Wm. Parker removed to St. Anthony. The mill commenced cutting

timber in 1845. It was run at first with a small flutter wheel, which

was replaced by a an overshot wheel, 30 feet; that by another, 45

feet, and that by one 50 feet in diameter. In 1845 the company built a

two story boarding house, also a shop and office, near the mill. After

the completion of the mill Walker withdrew from the firm and Anson

Northrup was for a short time a member. Kent & Mahony for a number of

years operated the mill, selling lumber in Galena and St. Louis.

Mahony left for California in 1852. Around this mill, as a nucleus,

the settlement of Osceola and the village were built up. The mill,

with its immense water wheel, for so many years a conspicuous object

on the river, has long since disappeared.

Osceola has had many enterprising business men engaged in

merchandising and manufacturing. The first flouring mill was built by

Kent Brothers in 1853, just above the cascade. This mill changed

owners several times, and was burned in 1880. It was rebuilt by

Lovejoy & Sutton in 1883. Its present capacity is one hundred barrels

per day. The second flouring mill was built by Dresser & Wilson in

1867. It is situated on the same stream, a few rods above the first.

It has also changed owners several times. Its capacity is fifty

barrels per day. The first merchants were Wyckoff and Stevenson, in

1856. These have been succeeded by Rice, Webb, Clark Brothers,

Armstrong & Co., Talboys & Staples, Dresser & Wilson, Lacy & Johnson,

W. A. Talboys, Gridley & Co., Heald & Thing, Dresser Brothers, and

others. Dr. Gray was the first practicing physician. After him, at

different periods, came Drs. Hilton, Brooks, Gaskill, Garlick,

Marshall, Searles, Cornbacker and Clark. The first deed recorded of

Osceola property was a quitclaim from Wm. H. Nobles to Anson Northrup,

consideration $3,250, in 1847. The first lawyer settled here was I. P.

Freeland. His successors were Button, Dowling, Dyke, McDill, and

others. The first sermon preached in Osceola was by Rev. Lemuel

Nobles, a Methodist minister, in 1851. There are two church

organizations; each has respectable church buildings. The first

Baptist preacher was Rev. S. T. Catlin, in 1854. The Baptists built

the first church in the county in Osceola, 1856. The first log house

in the town was built by Richard Arnold in the locality of the famous

Drake Troutmere springs. This house was built in 1848. Mr. Arnold

raised the first crops in the town of Osceola. The first school house

was built in 1852. A high school building was erected in 1868. W. A.

Talboys taught the first public school in 1852. Until 1861 the schools

were under the town system. In 1875 a free high school was

established. The first post office was established in 1854, and W. C.

Guild was postmaster for twenty years. The first town election was

held April 5, 1853, when the following supervisors were elected: Wm.

Ramsey, chairman; Nelson McCarty and W. C. Guild. At this meeting the

town voted a tax of thirty dollars for school and fifty dollars for

town expenses. The first Sunday-school was organized by W. A. Talboys

in 1852.

The first marriage, that of John Buckley to Elizabeth Godfrey, was in

1853. The first white child born was John Francis, in 1847. The first

death was that of Leroy Hubble, by accident, in 1845.

CHANGE OF NAME.

The name of the town was originally Leroy, in honor of Mr. Hubble

above mentioned. It is to be regretted that this name was not

retained, inasmuch as Osceola, though the name of one of the most

celebrated Indians in American history, is shared by a post town in

the eastern part of the State. It was therefore necessary to call this

post town Osceola Mills, a distinction that correspondents and

postmasters are not always careful to note. Osceola village remained

unorganized until Aug. 10, 1887. The first officers were: President,

H. B. Dyke; trustees, W. C. Reilly, R. S. Sutton, G. W. De Long, H. E.

Cornbacker, Paul Filzen, S. C. Benjamin; clerk, S. Rowcliff;

treasurer, C. W. Staples; supervisor, G. D. McDill; justice of the

peace, George Wilson; police justice, T. Post. The village has a

splendid situation upon the bluffs overlooking the river, and

communicates with points on the river by boat, and with overland

points by the Minneapolis, Soo & Atlantic railway, completed to this

place Aug. 21, 1887. There is also a branch road from Dresser's

station to St. Croix Falls. The village was visited by destructive

fires at various times. Most prominent of these was the burning of the

Freeland Hotel in 1857, the Western Hotel in 1878, and the first

flouring mill in 1880.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

DANIEL MEARS.--Mr. Mears was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1819. His

first wife, Emeline Mendon, died in 1850, leaving three sons, Charles,

David, and Daniel. In 1852 he was married to Susan Thompson. They have

one daughter, Lulu, now Mrs. Wheeler, of Stillwater. Mr. Mears came

West in 1848, and sold goods one year at Taylor's Place (since

Taylor's Falls). In 1849 he removed his store to St. Croix Falls,

where he continued merchandising and lumbering until 1852, when he

went to Willow River as agent in building the first saw mill in what

is now Hudson. In 1860 he made himself a permanent home on a farm near

Osceola. He served as state senator from the Twenty-eighth district in

1858-59, and as state timber agent in 1874-75. As an officer Mr. Mears

acquitted himself well. In politics he is a Democrat, and while in the

senate took an active part in debates. The oldest son, Charles, is

editor and proprietor of the _Polk County Press_. The three sons are

married.

NELSON MCCARTY.--Mr. McCarty was born July 4, 1819, in Pike county,

Pennsylvania; in 1834 was married to Mary McKune, and came to St.

Croix valley in 1846, where he engaged in piloting and lumbering. In

1847 he made him a farm on Osceola prairie. He died in 1856. His

brother Philip came to Osceola in 1850, and settled on Osceola

prairie.

WILLIAM O. MAHONY, a native of Ireland, born about 1810, came to

America while he was yet a minor, and to St. Croix Falls in 1843. He

had learned the trade of a baker, but in 1844 became one of the

proprietors of the saw mill at Osceola, and sold his interest in 1860.

He was a man of original and eccentric mind. He went to California in

1862, and died there in 1866.

RICHARD ARNOLD is of Illinois birth. He came to Osceola in 1845, and

moved to his farm near the village in 1848. In 1852 he removed to

Taylor's Falls and built the Cascade House. In 1855 he was the first

farmer in the town of Amador, Chisago county. In 1859 he left the

valley for Pike's Peak, Colorado.

WM. KENT SR., was born in Scotland sometime in 1790. He was married in

Scotland, and, with his wife and two eldest children, came to America

in 1823. He seems to have lived awhile in New Brunswick, probably till

1829 or 30, when he removed to Eddington, Maine, whence he removed to

the West and made his home at Osceola in 1852, where he and his wife

died at an advanced age, honored by all who knew them. His family of

six sons and five daughters all grew to mature age, and, except

Andrew, who located in Farmington, had homes in Osceola The daughters

are Anna, wife of Curtis Guild; Agnes (deceased), wife of I. W.

Freeland; Jane, wife of Jerry Mudget; Mary (deceased), wife of Chapin

Kimball; and Eva, wife of Henry C. Goodwin.

ROBERT KENT, oldest son of Wm. Kent, Sr., was born in Scotland in

1819; came to Galena, Illinois, in 1840, and to Osceola in 1848, where

he has filled many responsible public positions. His first wife, to

whom he was married in Galena in 1841, died in 1847, leaving four

children. In 1859 Mr. Kent was married to Susan Babb, of Osceola.

ANDREW KENT was born in Scotland in 1821. He was married in New

Brunswick in 1838, but his wife died soon after. He came to Osceola in

1852 and was married to Esther Hill, of Osceola, in 1855. Mr. Kent

followed lumbering for many years but finally settled on a beautiful

farm in Farmington, where he still resides, an industrious, thrifty

farmer.

WILLIAM KENT, JR., was born in New Brunswick in 1824; came to Galena

in 1843 and to St. Croix Falls in 1844. He was one of the original

owners and builders of the first mill at Osceola. From time to time he

purchased the interests of other partners until he became sole owner

of mill and town site. In 1853 he sold the mill to B. H. Campbell, of

Galena. Mr. Kent engaged in steamboating for many years and was a

popular commander. He built the Nellie Kent, the Helen Mar and Maggie

Reany. Of late years he has been engaged in mercantile pursuits. He

was married to Nellie Kidder in 1855. They have no children. Mr. Kent

is an influential member of the masonic order, and has filled many

positions of public trust.

JAMES KENT was born in Frederickton, New Brunswick, in 1826; came to

Wisconsin in 1850; and was married to Mary Jane Wilson at Osceola in

1858. In 1874 he removed to Ashland, Wisconsin, where he died in 1878,

leaving a wife and five children.

THOMAS KENT was born in Richmond, New Brunswick, in 1828. He came to

Osceola in 1849 and was married in 1856 to Achsah Hale. He was a

practical lumberman and a very active man. He was accidentally killed

in 1847, while breaking a jam of logs in Clam river. He left a wife

and one child.

JOHN KENT was born in Eddington, Maine, in 1831. He came to Wisconsin

with his parents in 1852. He was married to Jennie Kidder in 1866. He

was a house carpenter. Lived in Duluth some years but returned and

settled in Osceola.

SAMUEL CLOSE in 1845 made a land claim for a mill at the falls of

Close creek. Shortly after he abandoned the claim and left the

country, leaving his name to the creek and slough.

EBENEZER AYRES came from Maine to the St. Croix valley in 1850, and

settled on a farm in Osceola, where he made his home during the

remainder of his active life. During his last years he became very

feeble and partially insane, and his friends placed him in the asylum

at Madison, where he died, Aug. 20, 1876. His wife, familiarly known

in later years as "Mother Ayres," and greatly esteemed for her

excellence of character, died two years later. They reared a family of

four sons and seven daughters. The sons Charles, Seth and Andrew are

farmers on typo for Osceola prairie. Warren, a fourth son, died in

Iowa. The daughters were married--Elizabeth to Ambrose Sevey, Ruth to

Walter Carrier, Mary (deceased) to Frank S. Eddy, Sarah to E. R. St.

Clair, and to a second husband, H. H. Newberry, all of Taylor's Falls;

Abigail to Wm. E. Doe, and to a second husband, the distinguished

phrenologist, O. S. Fowler, of New York; Almena to ---- Clough, of

Osceola prairie, and, after his decease, to Wallace, of Osceola; and

Emma to Charles P. Fenlason, of Pipestone, Minnesota.

CARMI P. GARLICK was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, in 1818; was

married in 1842 to Elizabeth Thompson, of Ohio, and come to Amador,

Chisago county, Minnesota, in 1854, where he built a saw mill. Not

succeeding as he had expected, he betook himself to farming and to the

practice of medicine while in Amador. In 1858 he removed to Osceola,

where he practiced medicine until he entered the United States service

as surgeon during the war of the Rebellion. He died at Milwaukee, Jan.

12, 1864, while in the United States service. He was educated in

Columbus (Ohio) Medical College. He left a wife, one son (Louis), and

one daughter, wife of Henry Jones, of Osceola.

JOHN S. GODFREY was born in Sackville, Halifax county, Nova Scotia,

Dec. 18, 1809; was married to Sarah Wright, in Stonnich, Nova Scotia,

in 1832; came to Easton, Wisconsin, in 1849, to Taylor's Falls in

1851, and to their beautiful homestead in Osceola in 1852, where he

still lives, respected and honored by all his neighbors as an honest,

worthy and industrious man. He has sometimes engaged in lumbering, but

his chief success has been as a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey are

members of the Baptist church. They have four sons and five daughters.

Of his sons, George died in 1872. Of his daughters, Mary Ann, wife of

Joel F. Nason, died in 1885. John, the youngest son, was married to

Mamie Maxwell, and died January, 1888. The daughters are

married--Elizabeth to John Buckley, Charlotte to S. B. Dresser, Eunice

to George Clark, and Sarah to Joseph A. Brown. The two oldest sons are

married--James to M. Fenlason, Arthur to Mary J. Daniel.

WILLIAM A. TALBOYS was born in Bristol, England; was married to Mary

Rowcliff, in London, in 1845; came to America in 1845, and to Osceola

in 1851, where for some years he clerked for Kent Brothers. He taught

the first school in Osceola and served four years as county treasurer.

He has held many positions of trust. For many years he has been

engaged in lumbering and merchandising. In 1874 he built an elevator

for handling wheat. Mr. Talboys and his wife are members of the

Methodist church. They have three children living. The oldest, W. E.,

is editor of the Grantsburg _Sentinel_, Burnett county. Frederic C. is

in St. Paul. Adelaide E. was married to Benj. Knapp, captain of the

steamboat Cleon. Her husband died in 1887.

CHARLES H. STAPLES.--Mr. Staples was born in Portsmouth, New

Hampshire, in 1824. In 1848 he came to Bunker Hill, Illinois, and in

the same year was married to Hannah Garland. He was engaged seven

years in the milling business, and in 1856 came to Osceola, where he

engaged in lumbering, selling goods and medicines. He has filled

several county offices. Of their four children, Charles W. was married

to May Foster, of Osceola, in 1878, Eva is married to H. B. Dyke, and

Frank to Ella Fiske.

J. W. PEAKE was born Dec. 2, 1822, in Schoharie county, New York. At

the age of twenty-one he settled near La Salle, Illinois, and kept a

hotel. He came to Osceola in 1854, and settled on a farm. On July 15,

1862, he enlisted in the Tenth Wisconsin Battery, and served till the

close of the war. He served several years as town supervisor and

assessor. He died at his home, March 13, 1886.

GEORGE WILSON was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, in 1836.

His privileges for education were good. He taught school in

Pennsylvania; came to Osceola in 1857; followed clerking and teaching

school; was nine years in flouring mill and merchandising; was two

years register of deeds, and has filled minor offices. He was married

to Emma R. Fiske in 1854, at Osceola. They have two sons and two

daughters, one the wife of Capt. George Knapp.

SAMUEL B. DRESSER.--Mr. Dresser was born in Buxton, Maine, in 1832.

During his youth he lived with his parents, chiefly at Bangor, where

he received the rudiments of a good education in the common schools,

and in Kent Seminary at Readfield. He came to Taylor's Falls in 1851,

and followed lumbering and merchandising until 1862, when he settled

on his farm homestead on Osceola prairie. Mr. Dresser was a member of

the Twenty-third Wisconsin assembly. He was married to Charlotte M.

Godfrey, June 23, 1859. They have one daughter, Helen A., and six

sons, Elma T., William A., Lester B., Wyman H., Mark S., and Frank E.

FREDERIC A. DRESSER, brother of Samuel B., was born at Moscow, Maine,

Nov. 2, 1841, came to Taylor's Falls, Minnesota, in 1858, and remained

some years, when he removed to Osceola. He served three years during

the Civil War in the Thirtieth Wisconsin Infantry, and left the

service with the rank of quartermaster. After the war he was married

to Mary E. Thoms, of Biddeford, Maine. During his subsequent residence

in Osceola he engaged in mercantile pursuits, served as county

treasurer four years and as register of deeds five years, which office

he held at the time of his death which occurred Oct. 23, 1886.

OSCAR A. CLARK came to Taylor's Falls in 1881, settled on a farm in

Osceola in 1852, and brought hither his parents from Vermont, both of

whom have since died. Oscar was a surveyor. He engaged also in the

lumbering and commercial business. He was of the firm of Clark

Brothers. He enlisted in a Wisconsin regiment during the Rebellion,

and served till mustered out, but never returned to his home, and as

nothing has since been heard from him, his friends have concluded that

he must have been murdered after his discharge, possibly on the way

home. Cornelius, a brother, lives at the Clark homestead; George, a

brother, married a daughter, of John S. Godfrey. He died in 1873. The

widow was subsequently married to Cornelius. Leman, a brother, settled

on a farm in Osceola, and died in 1879, leaving a large family.

Andrew, another brother, of the firm of Clark Brothers, died in

Osceola.

OSCAR F. KNAPP.--Capt. Knapp has been conspicuous as a steamboat

maker, owner and captain for the last thirty years. He was born in

Clinton county, New York, in 1831. At the age of fifteen years he came

West and located in Delavan, Wisconsin. In 1852 he removed to Osceola,

Wisconsin, where he engaged in lumbering for about four years. In 1856

he was married to Miss Angeline Hayes, of Osceola. In the same year he

engaged in the business of steamboating, with which he has been since

identified more or less. His first steamboat was the H. S. Allen,

which, in company with E. B. Strong, he bought of H. S. Allen, of

Chippewa Falls, in 1856, for $5,000. In 1862 he built the Enterprise,

a small but serviceable boat of light draft and fair speed. In 1864

Capt. Knapp built the Viola, owned by a stock company. In 1866 he

built the G. B. Knapp, in 1879 the Jennie Hayes, and ran these two

boats fourteen years. In 1877 he entered the employment of the United

States government, improving the navigation of the St. Croix river, in

which work he is still engaged. His two sons, Ben and George,

succeeded him in the steamboat business. Ben, the oldest son, was born

in Osceola in 1857; George, the second son, in 1859. These two boys

spent their childhood and youth on the river, and have grown up to be

expert pilots and captains, and inherit their father's popularity as

river men. Ben was married to Addie Talboys, June, 1880; George to

Claribel Wilson, in 1883. Capt. Knapp has two other children, Viola,

now Mrs. Arthur Johnson, and Guy, still a minor. Mrs. Angeline Knapp

died at her home in Osceola, March 6, 1883, respected and lamented by

all who knew her. Capt. Ben Knapp died Oct. 5, 1887, leaving a wife

and two children.

MRS. ELISABETH B. HAYES.--Mrs. Hayes was born in 1811, in Dundee,

Yates county, New York. In 1854 she removed with her husband to

Missouri. After his death, in the fall of the same year, she came with

her children to Osceola, where she built the Osceola House, which she

kept a number of years. The daughters were Angeline B. (Mrs. O. F.

Knapp), Mrs. Hubbell and Mrs. Milroy, of New York, and Mrs. Truman

Foster, widow, since the wife of Capt. C. G. Bradley. Her sons were

George, Frank and David. Capt. George Hayes followed piloting and

steamboating, excepting during the Rebellion, when he served as a

soldier in the Fourth Wisconsin Volunteers. In the latter part of the

war he served as a scout for Gen. Canby. At the present time he has

the appointment of steamboat inspector, with office in St. Paul. David

has been prominent as a steamboat captain. He now resides in Iowa.

CYRUS G. BRADLEY was born in Kaskaskia, Illinois, in 1825. In 1845 he

came to the lead mines in Wisconsin and to Osceola in 1848. He was

married in 1846 to the widow of Truman Foster, of Osceola. Mr. Bradley

engaged in lumbering, became a river pilot, running rafts to St.

Louis, with stems and blades, called oars and sweeps, before steamboat

towing was in vogue. When steamboats became useful in running rafts,

he built two steamers especially for raft towing. He had much to do in

introducing the steamboat towing business. Mr. Bradley moved to his

farm near Osceola in 1874, where he still resides.

W. HALE.--Judge Hale's early life was spent on a farm. He commenced

lumbering in 1822, and followed that business and piloting on the Ohio

and Alleghany rivers until 1851, when he came to Osceola prairie and

opened a farm. Mr. Hale was the first county judge of Polk county, and

held the position eight years. He has also served as county

superintendent of schools. He was born in Harmony, Susquehanna county,

Pennsylvania, in 1802; was married to Nancy McKeene, of Orange county,

New York, in 1826. They have four sons, John, Isaac, Silas F., and

Reuben W., and three daughters, Esther (Mrs. Treadwell), Malvina (Mrs.

Merrick), and Achsah (Mrs. Thomas Kent).

EDGAR C. TREADWELL was born March 29, 1832, in Susquehanna county,

Pennsylvania. He came with a team from Pennsylvania to Osceola in

1846, where he engaged in lumbering and piloting until 1863, when he

enlisted in Company D, Second Wisconsin Cavalry. He was wounded at

Yazoo river. He returned to Osceola in 1865 and was married to Esther

Hale in 1866. Mr. Treadwell was the first sheriff of Polk county, and

has filled other places of trust. Since the war he has resided on his

farm.

ST. CROIX FALLS.

Extended mention has already been made of the village of St. Croix

Falls in the general history of the first settlement of the county.

The town includes township 34, range 18, and two partial sections of

range 19. It was organized in 1854, but unfortunately no records of

its organization can be obtained. The surface is agreeably diversified

by hill and plain, and is supplied with many species of timber,

including maple, elm, and several varieties of oak. The St. Croix

river forms its western boundary, and presents here some of its

wildest and most beautiful scenery, including the trap rock ledges of

the Dalles.

ST. CROIX FALLS VILLAGE.

The buildings of the Falls company formed the nucleus of a village

which took the name of the Falls. Its history has been given somewhat

at length in the history of the settlement, and in "Reminiscences." It

is situated on the east bank of the river, between the upper and lower

falls. It contains one first class flouring mill, owned by James

Thompson, one wagon and plow factory, owned by Comer Brothers, one

agricultural warehouse, two livery stables (Harvey & Co., and Lillis

& Co.), two excellent hotels (J. W. Mullen, and C. C. Fiske), one

United States land office, one church building (Presbyterian), costing

about $2,500, one graded school building, costing $6,000, one town

hall and several commodious stores and dwellings. The village was

platted in 1857, by Marion T. Chandler. The post office was

established in 1844. Harvey Wilson was the first postmaster. The

Minneapolis, Soo & Atlantic Railway Company have a branch road

extending to this place from Dresser's station, a distance of three

miles. The village was incorporated Feb. 21, 1888, with the following

board of officers: President, J. H. McCourt; trustees, John Comer,

Jacob Berger, George Thompson, Charles Amery, Barney O'Neal, Sidney

Wall; clerk, Thomas Peck; treasurer, A. Hoagland; assessor, P. B.

Jewell; supervisor, S. W. Blanding; constable, Hoover Christopher;

justice of the peace, W. B. Bull; police justice, Thomas Peck. St.

Croix village has suffered from fires. The heaviest losses were

without insurance. The flouring mill was burned April 30, 1863; loss,

$8,000. The company's hotel was burned May, 1880; loss, $3,000.

Fiske's hotel was burned Sept. 16, 1885; loss, $6,000.

WEST SWEDEN.

West Sweden embraces township 37, range 17. This is almost exclusively

a hardwood timbered district, with some pine in the north. The soil is

rich and well watered with Spirit creek and Upper Wood river. The

surface is undulating. The north part has numerous lakes and meadows.

There is an upheaval of trap rock in section 2 and copper specimens

abound. The principal settlers are Swedes. The town was organized Nov.

10, 1875. The first supervisors were N. C. Johnson, A. Larson and A.

Dolberg.

STERLING.

The town of Sterling is composed of township 36, ranges 19 and 20. The

east part is heavy hardwood timber land, with rich soil suitable for

wheat; the west portion is very sandy and covered with a few

scattering oaks and black pines. The whole town is well supplied with

hay meadows, which afford great advantages to the stock raiser. The

first actual settlers were Samuel Deneen and William Trimmer, who came

in the fall of 1855. The year following William Lowell, from

Stillwater, entered three hundred and twenty acres in sections 14 and

15, range 19, and made extensive improvements. Daniel F. Smith took up

the same amount of land in section 9, same town and range, and made

improvements. The first white child born was the son of James Cragin,

August, 1858. The first white couple married was John Berry and Emily

Stout, in 1859. The first death was that of Mrs. Dunlap, sister of

William Trimmer, in 1859.

The town was organized in 1855. The first town meeting was held at the

residence of William Lowell, and Samuel Deneen was the first chairman

of the town. The town was called Moscow, which name was changed one

year after to that of Sterling. It was the largest town in the county

then. It was organized into two school districts, but District No. 1

not being able to build a good school house, an old log shanty was

fixed up for school purposes, and in this Miss Fanny Trimmer taught

the first school. The first saw and grist mill was built by Dr.

Deneen. Olaf Strandburg established the first blacksmith shop and with

it a gun shop. In 1849 Charles F. Rowley built a "stopping place," so

called in those days, on the banks of Wolf creek, at the old crossing,

half a mile west of Deneen's, and cultivated a few acres of land. This

house was burned one night by a lot of teamsters in a drunken orgie.

DR. SAMUEL DENEEN, the first white settler in Sterling, was born Dec.

27, 1801, in Youngstown, Ohio. He was married in 1825 to Margaret

Conly. He studied medicine in Michigan, and came to Wisconsin in 1854,

and to Sterling in 1855. Dr. Deneen practiced his profession, made him

a farm, built a saw and grist mill on Wolf creek, established a post

office and took an active part in the interests of the new settlement.

He and his wife still live on the homestead which they have held for

the past thirty years. Mrs. Deneen was born in 1800.

WILLIAM W. TRIMMER came to Sterling in 1855 and made a home, building

and occupying what was for many years known as "Trimmer's Hotel." Mr.

Trimmer died in St. Croix Falls in 1874.

ARNOLD DENSMORE was born in Nova Scotia, in 1822; was married to

Matilda Wallace in 1845, and came to Sterling in 1867, where he died,

Jan. 20, 1886, much respected as a neighbor, citizen and Christian.

CHAPTER VI.

ST. CROIX COUNTY.

Jan. 9, 1840, the Wisconsin legislature created a new county out of

Crawford county, including territory west of the Chippewa river,

extending northward to the British possessions, and named it St.

Croix. By the same act, a day was designated for an election, at which

a county seat was to be chosen and county officers elected. "Mouth of

St. Croix," now Prescott, and Caw-caw-baw-kang, now St. Croix Falls,

were designated as voting places. Two places only were voted for,

"Mouth of St. Croix," and Dakotah, Brown's claim, now Schulenberg's

addition to Stillwater. Dakotah was chosen by a vote of forty-five to

thirteen. The returns were made to Prairie du Chien, county seat of

Crawford county, and certificates issued to the county officers

elected by C. J. Leonard, clerk of Crawford county. The legislature

had at the time of creating the new county made it a probate district,

Philip Aldrich being appointed judge.

The history of the county until 1848 has been given elsewhere, as

connected with the early history of Stillwater.

The admission of Wisconsin Territory as a state in 1848 divided the

county, giving it the St. Croix river and state line as its western

boundary. The Wisconsin portion of the old county was consequently

left without a county seat, while the portion west of the St. Croix

had a county seat, but was without state or territorial jurisdiction.

Congress, however, declared Wisconsin territorial laws to be still in

force in the excluded territory, and they so remained until the

organization of Minnesota Territory. Soon after the admission of

Wisconsin, that part of St. Croix county within its limits was

reorganized for county and judicial purposes, and a new county seat

chosen, located in section 24, township 29, range 19, at the mouth of

Willow river. This county seat was at first called Buena Vista. On

Sept. 9, 1848, the county commissioners, under the law creating the

county, held their first meeting at the county seat, in the house of

Philip Aldrich. The commissioners present were Ammah Andrews,

chairman; W. H. Morse, and W. R. Anderson, clerk. Philip Aldrich was

appointed treasurer. Four voting precincts were established, Mouth of

St. Croix, Willow River or Buena Vista, Osceola, and Falls of St.

Croix. These early commissioners performed duties of the most varied

character incident to the government of a new county. There was as yet

no county seal, and they were required to draw with the pen upon legal

documents a scroll representing a seal, and to use other forms,

appliances and devices without legal precedent.

At the second meeting of the county commissioners Osceola was

represented by Harmon Crandall, he having been absent at the first

meeting of the board. Moses Perin was appointed collector. License for

selling intoxicating liquors was fixed at twenty dollars per annum.

The rate of taxation was fixed at seven mills on the dollar. The first

state election in the county was held at Buena Vista, Nov. 7, 1848.

One hundred and fifteen votes were the whole number cast in the

county. The following officers were elected: Senator, James Fisher, of

Crawford county; representative, Joseph Bowron, Buena Vista; county

commissioners, Wm. H. Morse, Ammah Andrews, Harmon Crandall, Buena

Vista; county clerk, W. Richardson, Buena Vista; register of deeds, W.

R. Anderson, Buena Vista; judge of probate court, Alvah D. Heaton,

Osceola; county treasurer, Philip Aldrich, Buena Vista; coroner, Wm.

O. Mahony, Osceola; surveyor, Alex. S. Youle, St. Croix Falls.

At the commissioners' meeting, Feb. 28, 1849, the county was divided

into the following towns: St. Croix Falls, Buena Vista, and Elisabeth.

At an election held Sept. 3, 1849, Hamlet H. Perkins received

forty-nine votes for judge, and Joel Foster forty-one. Mr. Perkins was

drowned at St. Croix Falls soon after, and the governor appointed Mr.

Foster to fill the vacancy. Judge Foster held his first court at Buena

Vista. Daniel Noble Johnson was appointed prosecuting attorney in

1849. James Hughes was appointed in 1850. The first district court was

held in August, 1850.

At a special meeting of the commissioners in 1849, James Hughes and J.

M. Bailey were appointed a building committee to make estimates for

the erection of a courthouse and jail. At the special meeting of the

commissioners, Jan. 15, 1851, the town of Kinnikinic was organized.

They had also under consideration the erection of county buildings,

and appointed Ammah Andrews to erect the same. Otis Hoyt, for

non-attendance at this meeting of the board, was fined fifty dollars,

but the fine was subsequently remitted. The legislature of 1851

changed the name of the town of Buena Vista to Willow River, also of

the town of Elisabeth to Prescott. At a subsequent meeting the

contract with Ammah Andrews to erect public buildings was rescinded,

and Daniel Mears was made special agent to build a jail, and three

hundred and fifty dollars was appropriated for that purpose. The town

of Rush River was organized Nov. 13, 1851. At the request of

petitioners, the town of Leroy (now Osceola) was organized Nov. 9,

1852. A day was fixed in 1852 to vote on the change of name, Willow

River to Hudson. The name Hudson was adopted by a two-thirds majority.

The legislature of 1853 created from the territory of St. Croix county

the counties of Polk, St. Croix and Pierce, Polk being located on the

north, Pierce on the south, and St. Croix occupying the central

portion of the original St. Croix county, and retaining the county

seat.

St. Croix county, as at present constituted, lies on the east bank of

the river and Lake St. Croix, forming, but for slight irregularities

on the western line, a parallelogram. It includes townships 28 to 31,

and ranges 15 to 19, with fractions of range 20 on the west. The

surface varies from gently undulating to hilly. The bluffs along the

lake are not precipitous, as on the Upper St. Croix, but are even and

continuous, with gently rounded slopes. From the river, eastward, the

country is broken and somewhat hilly; the central portions are rolling

prairies on which are fine farms, and the eastern portions are level

and originally heavily timbered. The eastern tier of townships is

covered by a heavy growth of timber known as the Big Woods. The timber

is composed of basswood, maple, butternut, several species of oak, and

a sprinkling of white pine. The soil is a rich clayey loam and well

adapted for grass, grain and root crops. Good building and limestone

crop out in places. The county is well drained by the St. Croix and

its tributaries, Apple, Willow and Kinnikinic on the west and Rush

river on the east. Of these tributaries Apple river is the largest. It

rises in Polk county, where it is supplied by numerous lakes, enters

St. Croix county and passes diagonally across the northwest corner and

empties into the St. Croix river a few miles above Stillwater. Willow

river rises in Cylon township and empties into St. Croix lake, just

above Hudson. This river passes through a deep gorge in the limestone

rock, a few miles above its mouth, falling in its passage over several

ledges of rock, producing falls famed far and near for their wildness

and grandeur. Kinnikinic river in the south part of the county is

famed also for the beauty of its scenery and for its waterfalls. It

passes into Pierce county and then, uniting with its southern branch,

flows into Lake St. Croix. Rush river rises in Eau Galle, and turns

and flows thence to Lake Pepin. These streams have unfailing supplies

from springs and small lakes. There is a remarkable formation in the

Kinnikinic valley about seven miles above River Falls, called the

Monument. It is a ledge of pure white sandstone rock, nearly circular,

and rising to a height of sixty feet. It stands on a natural elevation

far above the level of the valley and so forms a very conspicuous and

curious object. The base is forty or fifty feet wide, and the summit

is a turret-shaped mass of rock about fifteen feet wide and as many

high. The part upon which the turret rests is dome-shaped, its sides

worn by the rains into deep furrows. Years ago a tree grew upon the

summit. The soft sandstone is being gradually worn away by the winds

and rains.

HOW THE SCHOOL LANDS WERE SELECTED.

Philip Aldrich was appointed commissioner in 1848 to locate the state

school lands in St. Croix county, at that time including Polk and

Pierce counties. It is said that Dr. Aldrich would climb to the

summits of the highest mounds, and, casting his eyes east, west, north

or south, would proclaim such and such numbers or sections as school

lands. Where all were so arable and fertile there was no use in

discriminating. At the division of the county in 1853 the part

designated as St. Croix county was subdivided into three towns, Buena

Vista or Hudson, Willow River and Kinnikinic or Troy. As the

population increased these towns were divided and subdivided until

they numbered twenty-three. We append their names and dates of

organization. Where more than one name is given the last is the

present name:

Buena Vista, Willow River, Hudson 1849

Malone, Troy 1851

Rush River 1851

Pleasant Valley 1851

Somerset 1856

Hammond 1856

Star Prairie 1856

Dayton, Malone, Kinnikinic 1857

Cold Spring, Richmond 1857

Erin Prairie 1858

Brookville, Eau Galle 1858

St. Joseph 1858

Cylon 1859

Warren 1860

Springfield 1860

Emerald 1861

Stanton 1870

Cady 1870

Baldwin 1872

Forest 1881

Glenwood 1885

Some changes were also made in the boundaries of the towns. No

progress was made in the erection of county buildings until 1856, when

a contract was made by the commissioners with Ammah Andrews to build a

court house for $14,300 on the ground originally purchased of Moses

Perin. The final cost was $20,045.

ST. CROIX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

An important event to the county was the organization of the St. Croix

Agricultural Society, in 1857. Beautiful grounds were chosen on the

bluffs one-half mile south of the city of Hudson. The annual fairs of

this association, formerly held in rotation at various points in the

county, now limited to the grounds south of the city, have always been

well patronized and successful.

POMONA GRANGE.

The Pomona Grange of St. Croix county holds quarterly meetings at

various points, alternately. There are subordinate granges at Hudson,

Richmond, Hammond, and Warren. There is a co-operative store in the

city of Hudson which is well sustained. These granges are in a

flourishing condition.

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

At the taking of the last census there were 2,289 farms in St. Croix

county, containing 202,588 acres of improved land, valued at

$7,015,198. The farm implements were then placed at a valuation of

$346,374; live stock, at $810,525; and all soil products at

$1,815,266. The stock numbered 6,272 horses, 319 mules, 442 oxen,

5,624 cows, and 6,149 other cattle.

The average yield of products throughout the county can be fairly

placed at these figures: Wheat, 1,375,000 bushels; oats, 800,000

bushels; rye and barley, 35,000 bushels; corn, 200,000 bushels;

potatoes, 150,000 bushels; hay, 20,000 tons; cheese, 180,000 pounds;

butter, 350,000 pounds.

During the past few years agriculture has steadily increased while

rapid strides have been made in manufactures, so that the totals would

be quite materially enlarged now over those of 1885.

MANUFACTURES.

In manufactures the statisticians have the county down for 112

establishments with a capital of $740,197, utilizing materials to the

amount of $1,105,203, evolving products to the sum of $1,488,192, and

paying $107,469 in wages per annum.

As to manufactures, in round numbers there is produced in the county:

Lumber, 50,000,000 feet; shingles, 18,000,000: laths, 7,000,000;

furniture, $120,000; barrels, 125,000; flour, 160,000 barrels.

ST. CROIX POOR FARM

Is located in the northwest part of Kinnikinic, section 11, on each

side of the Kinnikinic river. It was purchased in 1870 for $1,000, and

the probable present value is $10,000.

FIRST TAX ROLL OF ST. CROIX COUNTY, 1848.

ST. CROIX FALLS.

===========================================================

NAMES. | AMT. PROPERTY. | TOTAL TAX.

----------------------------+----------------+-------------

John McKusick | $1,500.00 | $10.50

Leach & McKean | 5,400.00 | 37.80

Edward Johnson | 1,115.00 | .81

Falls of St. Croix Company | 59,700.00 | 417.90

Dexter & Harrington | 2,585.00 | 18.09

A. W. Russell | 405.00 | 2.83

Edward Worth | 199.00 | 1.39

Peter Lombair | 40.00 | .28

Serno Jonava | 75.00 | .52

J. McLanglin | 2,204.00 | 15.43

Wm. Town | 144.00 | 1.01

J. Cornelison | 75.00 | .52

George De Attley | 50.00 | .35

S. Partridge | 418.00 | 3.37

Dan Foster | 30.00 | .21

A. Livingston & Kelly | 185.00 | 1.29

John Powers | 21.00 | .14

Thos. Foster | 10.00 | .08

George Field | 45.00 | .31

Adam Sebert | 240.00 | 1.68

Weymouth & Brother | 130.00 | .91

S. S. Crowell | 150.00 | 1.05

Lewis Barlow | 103.00 | .72

I. S. Kimball | 30.00 | .21

Philip B. Jewell | 7,235.00 | 50.64

Kent & Mahoney | 3,631.00 | 25.42

H. Crandall | 219.00 | 1.53

Daniel Coite | 85.00 | .57

M. M. Samuels | 375.00 | 2.62

W. H. C. Folsom | 800.00 | 5.60

W. W. Folsom | 210.00 | 1.47

J. Sanders | 207.00 | 1.45

G. W. Brownell | 1,755.00 | 12.28

Richard Arnold | 205.00 | 1.45

Wm. R. Marshall | 15.00 | .10

Dr. Palmer | 10.00 | .07

Joseph Lagroo | 25.00 | .17

J. Bascan | 25.00 | .17

B. Cheever | 1,100.00 | 7.70

H. H. Perkins | 2,000.00 | 14.00

Levi Lagoo | 50.00 | .35

M. Shults | 2,000.00 | 14.00

+----------------+------------

Total | $94,801.00 | $1,642.72

------------------------------------------------------------

WILLOW RIVER.

===========================================================

NAMES. AMT. PROPERTY. TOTAL TAX.

----------------------------+----------------+-------------

James Purinton | $800.00 | $5.60

Wm. R. Anderson | 75.00 | .52

Samuel Clift | 15.00 | .10

Joseph Kelner | 15.00 | .10

P. D. Aldrich | 195.00 | 1.36

Moses Perin | 240.00 | 1.68

Ammah Andrews | 409.00 | 2.86

John B. Page | 1,128.00 | 7.89

Lewis Massey | 185.00 | 1.29

Joseph Lagrew | 190.00 | 1.33

Wm. H. Nobles | 299.00 | 2.10

Lemuel Nobles | 40.00 | .28

Milton E. Nobles | 339.00 | 2.37

John Collier | 125.00 | .87

Philip Aldrich | 361.00 | 2.52

Peter F. Bouchea | 136.00 | .96

A. Smith | 105.00 | .73

McKnight | 149.00 | 1.03

Wm. Steets | 143.00 | .79

Joseph Abear | 38.00 | .24

+----------------+------------

Total | $4,949.00 | $38.71

------------------------------------------------------------

MOUTH OF LAKE ST. CROIX.

==================================================================

NAMES. |AMT. PROPERTY. | TOTAL TAX.

----------------------------+---------------+----------------------

Thomas M. Finch | $176.00 | $1.23

Mrs. Lockwood | 1,181.00 | 8.27

Freeman, Larpenteur & Co | 300.00 | 2.10

Frank Trudell | 50.00 | .35

Louis Barlow | 600.00 | 4.20

Fog & Crownenbald | 2,625.00 | 18.39

I. L. Minox | 183.00 | 1.26

J. R. Rice | 545.00 | 2.81

G. W. McMurphy | 425.00 | 2.97

H. Doe | 340.00 | 2.38

Wm. Kimbrough | 60.00 | .42

W. H. Morse | 135.00 | .61

Wilson Thing | 385.00 | 2.69

W. C. Copley | 50.00 | .35

Willard Thing | 164.00 | 1.15

George Shagor | 1,000.00 | 7.00

George Barron | 180.00 | 1.26

Joseph Monjon | 235.00 | 1.64

Joseph Monjon, Jr. | 60.00 | 42.00

Henry Thaxter | 75.00 | .52

Aaron Cornelison | 325.00 | 2.27

James Cornelison | 265.00 | 1.85

Lewis Harnsberger | 75.00 | .52

----------------------------+---------------+------------------

Totals | $9,434.00 | $68.91

==============================================================

The above roll was published in pamphlet form, certified to by Wm. R.

Anderson, clerk of board of county commissioners, and an order issued

to Moses Perin to collect such taxes, and pay over to the treasurer of

St. Croix county. The amounts were duly collected.

HUDSON CITY.

The first settlement in St. Croix county was made on the present site

of Hudson city in 1838 by Peter Bouchea, Louis Massey, Wm. Steets and

Joseph Lagroo, Frenchmen, who subsisted chiefly by hunting and

fishing, but who also raised garden crops of corn, beans and other

vegetables. These people were contented and jovial, fond of dancing

and social enjoyment. Beyond the mere pleasure of living they seemed

to have but little care and were without enterprise or ambition. More

enterprising and industrious people followed them to the new

settlement, and as the public lands were not open for entry until

1848, settled upon the lands and made some improvements, awaiting

patiently the time when they could acquire a legal title. The original

claimants of the town of Buena Vista in 1848 were Peter Bouchea, Louis

Massey, Wm. Steets, Joseph Lagroo, Joseph Lenavil, ---- Revere, Ammah

Andrews, W. H. and M. V. Nobles, John B. Page, Philip Aldrich, and W.

R. Anderson. These parties, after the survey and prior to the entry of

the land, made an equitable division of their claims. Peter Bouchea

and Louis Massey were then delegated to purchase the lands, which they

did, Bouchea purchasing the southwest quarter of southeast quarter of

section 24, township 29, range 20, and Massey, the northwest quarter

of the southeast quarter of section 24, township 29, range 20. Deeds

were then made to the various claimants according to the original

agreement. The first individual survey of lots was made on Massey's

entry, Harvey Wilson, of Stillwater, being the surveyor. The village

thus platted was at first called Buena Vista, but some confusion

arising as to the title of lots in 1851, the legislature changed the

name of the town and village to Willow River, which, by vote of the

people in 1852, was changed to Hudson. The original proprietors of the

village of Buena Vista were Paschal Aldrich, James Sanders, Moses

Perin, James R. Patten and Joseph Abear. Additions were surveyed in

1849 and 1850 by Gibson, Henning and others. To avoid confusion we

shall discard the earlier names applied to what has since become the

city of Hudson and speak of it solely by its later and better known

name.

In 1840 the locality, as seen from a passing steamer, seemed a

wilderness of orchard oaks and maples, filling the valley of Willow

river, and clothing the slopes of the hills. A closer view might have

revealed an occasional shanty, a cabin of the first French settlers,

with small gardens, the whole inclosed by high picket fences as a

protection against strolling Indians. Seven years later loggers were

at work on Willow river under Capt. J. B. Page. The same year a couple

of frame houses appeared in the oak openings. The first was built by

W. H. Nobles, which is still standing and is occupied by Mrs. Col.

James Hughes. The second was built by Ammah Andrews and is now

occupied by Horace Champlin. In 1848 James Purinton commenced a saw

mill and dam at the mouth of Willow river, which were not, completed

until 1850. In 1848 Wm. H. Nobles started a ferry over the lake. James

Purinton opened a store and Moses Perin built a hotel and boarding

house, which stood opposite Champlin's present livery stable. In 1849

Miss Richards, from Prairie du Chien, taught the first school. Mrs. A.

M. Richardson, the wife of the Methodist minister, the second. A

school house was not built until 1855. John G. Putman built the

Buckeye House, corner of First and Buckeye streets. Horace Barlow

built a residence. Mr. Stone also put up a store building. The first

attorneys, Daniel Noble Johnson and Col. James Hughes, commenced

practice in Hudson in 1849. The first public building stood on the lot

now occupied by the Methodist church. It burned down in the spring of

1851, and an account of the fire, as published at that time, stated

that the "court house, Methodist, Baptist, Congregational and

Episcopal churches, together with the high school buildings, were all

consumed." It is but fair to say that there were no regular church

organizations at this time, but occasional services by local and

transient ministers. Rev. Lemuel Nobles, a Methodist minister,

preached the first sermon in 1847. The first society organization was

that of the Baptists, Rev. S. T. Catlin, pastor, in 1852. In the same

year Rev. A. M. Richardson was regularly appointed as pastor of the

Methodist Episcopal church. In 1855 the First Presbyterian church was

organized under the pastorate of Rev. Chas. Thayer, and Rev. Wilcoxson

became the first rector of the Episcopal church. In 1856 Rev. Father

McGee took charge of the Catholic church. In 1857 Rev. C. H. Marshall

was called to the pastorate of the Congregational church. A Norwegian

Lutheran church was organized in 1876. All of these church

organizations have good church buildings, and the Catholic church has

a flourishing school connected with it. School interests were not

neglected by the early settlers. A good school house was built in 1855

and graded. The first deed recorded covering Hudson property was by

Louis Massey and Frances, his wife, to Wm. H. Nobles; warranty;

consideration, $67.18; situate in east half of southwest quarter of

section 24, township 29, range 20.

CITY GOVERNMENT.

Hudson was incorporated as a city in 1857, and the first municipal

election was held in April of that year. The city was divided into

three wards. A. D. Gay was the first mayor. The following were the

first aldermen: First ward, James B. Gray, Milton V. Nobles, J. M.

Fulton; Second ward, Alfred Day, R. A. Gridley, Chas. E. Dexter; Third

ward, Chas. Thayer, N. P. Lester, N. Perry. The remaining city

officers were: City clerk, O. Bell; city attorney, Cyrus L. Hall;

surveyor, Michael Lynch. At the first meeting of the city council,

after the appointment of committees on by-laws, bond sales, salaries,

etc., license for selling intoxicating liquors was fixed at fifty

dollars per annum for hotel keepers, two hundred dollars for wholesale

dealers, with various grades for retail saloons. The first license

issued was to John Cyphers, for keeping saloon and billiard hall.

MAYORS OF HUDSON CITY.

1. A. D. Gray,

2. Alfred Day,

3. Silas Staples,

4. John Comstock,

5. S. N. Clough,

6. A. D. Richardson,

7. C. R. Coon,

8. H. L. Humphrey,

9. J. H. Brown,

10. Simon Hunt,

11. Lemuel North,

12. C. H. Lewis,

13. H. A. Wilson,

14. A. J. Goss,

15. P. Q. Boyden,

16. D. C. Fulton,

17. M. A. Fulton,

18. Samuel Hyslop,

19. Sam. C. Johnson, M. D.

20. Wm. H. Phipps.

CITY SCHOOLS.

Graded schools were established in 1859. They have ever maintained an

excellent reputation. In 1860 Charlotte Mann was chosen principal, and

taught the eight ensuing years. A new school building was completed in

1887 at a cost of $25,000. This building is devoted to high school

purposes. The schools of the city are graded. There are eleven

departments and twelve teachers. Each ward of the city has a separate

building. The school fund amounts to about $5,000 per annum. The

schools are under the control of six commissioners.

A MILITARY INSTITUTE

Was organized at River Falls by Prof. J. R. Hinckley, and shortly

afterward removed to Hudson, and a building worth $7,000 erected for

its accommodation. In 1880 it was purchased by the Catholics, and it

is now known as St. Marys Academy.

MILLS AND MANUFACTORIES.

The first saw mill, as already noted, was completed in 1850. It was

known as Purinton's saw mill. Other saw mills were built, but

destroyed by fire. We have no record of ownership and losses, but

estimate the aggregate of the latter as near $100,000. The Willow

River mills, built in 1867, consist of two flouring mills, with a

capacity of four hundred barrels per day. Connected with these are a

large elevator and cooper shop. The present proprietors are Cooper,

Clark & Co. The invested capital is $150,000. The Hudson Lumber

Company, in 1883, built a saw mill, below the steamboat landing. This

mill has a capacity of 18,000,000 feet per annum, and has a planing

mill attached. It is complete in all its departments, manufacturing

all classes of lumber, from timber to mouldings. The capital stock

amounts to $100,000. The officers are H. A. Taylor, president; C. R.

Coon, vice president; M. Herrick, secretary; F. D. Harding, treasurer;

S. W. Pierce, superintendent. The Hudson Foundry and Machine Shop was

established in 1870. The North Hudson Foundry and Car Shops are doing

a fine business. The Hudson Carriage Works were established in 1885,

and the Hudson Furniture Manufactory in 1883. The amount invested in

this enterprise is $180,000, and it furnishes employment to one

hundred men. C. R. Coon is president of the company. There are two

breweries--Moctreman's, established in 1857, and Yoerg's in 1870.

BANKS.

The St. Croix Valley Bank was organized in 1855. It was a bank of

issue, payable at Gordon, Wisconsin. It closed in 1857. The Hudson

City Bank, organized Sept. 10, 1856, went into operation under the

general law of Wisconsin, capital stock $25,000, secured by Michigan

and Missouri state stocks. J. O. Henning was president and M. S.

Gibson, cashier. It soon closed. The Farmers and Mechanics Bank, a

state bank, went into operation in 1857 and closed the following

year. The Hudson First National Bank was organized in 1863, with a

capital of $50,000. The first officers were John Comstock, president;

Alfred J. Goss, cashier. The officers in 1888 are John Comstock,

president; A. E. Jefferson, cashier. The surplus fund is $53,000. The

directors are H. A. Taylor, H. L. Humphrey, John C. Spooner, A. L.

Clark, F. D. Harding, A. T. Goss, and W. H. Crowe. The Hudson Savings

Bank was organized in 1870, with a capital stock of $50,000. Alfred

Goss, president; A. J. Goss, cashier. Alfred Goss died in 187--, but

the bank is in successful operation, the son still retaining his

father's name as head of the firm.

THE OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES HOSPITAL.

[Illustration: OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES HOSPITAL.]

The beautiful private hospital which takes the name of America's

popular poet, Oliver Wendell Holmes, was opened June 7, 1887. The

credit of this hospital scheme is entirely due to Dr. Irving D.

Wiltrout, of Hudson, who for some years has been assiduously at work

maturing the plans. The owners are Dr. Wiltrout and the Johnston

Brothers, of Boardman. The site is upon a beautiful wooded slope of

Willow river, about a mile from its mouth, overlooking Lake Mallalieu,

an expanse of the river, and a broad sweep of the St. Croix with its

undulating banks, commanding the most delightful and extensive views.

The building is lighted by the Mather self regulating, incandescent

system of electricity. The dynamo, engine and boilers are located in a

fireproof brick structure, some distance from the building proper,

communicating with the hospital by an underground passageway. The

hospital is under the direction of the following board: President, A.

J. Goss; first vice president, John Comstock; second vice president,

John E. Glover; secretary, Thomas Hughes; treasurer, Rev. M. Benson.

WATER WORKS.

The Hudson water works, supplied from Lake St. Croix, are situated

upon Liberty Hill, in the rear of the southern part of the city. They

are owned by W. S. Evans. The hill is two hundred and seventeen feet

above the lake, and commands a magnificent view of the surrounding

country. The summit is easily accessible. The city is also well

supplied with water from artesian wells, which were sunk to a depth of

five hundred feet, and afford a flow of two hundred gallons per

minute.

HOTELS.

The principal hotels are the Chapin House, first built in 1867, but

twice destroyed by fire. The last structure was erected in 1879, by H.

A. Taylor. The Tracy House was built in 1867, the Seely House in 1873,

the Commercial Hotel in 1875, and the Central House in 1876.

THE GREAT FIRE.

May 19, 1866, Hudson city was visited with a destructive

conflagration. Sixty-four business houses and twenty-five residences

were destroyed. It was probably the result of accident or

carelessness. It commenced in the rear of H. A. Taylor's furniture

rooms and printing office, and spread with such rapidity that it was

with the greatest difficulty that merchants and others were able to

save their valuable papers. The wind blew a gale and the flames spread

and caught in every direction. The fire occurred fortunately in the

daytime or it might have been attended with a frightful loss of life.

As it was, there were many narrow escapes. The total losses from this

fire were $325,000, on which there was but $75,000 insurance. A

destructive fire occurred in 1872, destroying the Chapin Hall House,

valued at $50,000, and other property to the value of $35,000, on

which there was but $15,000 insurance. During the same year another

fire occurred, destroying 30,000 bushels of wheat and the furniture of

the Chapin Hall House, which had been saved from the previous fire.

The loss was estimated at $60,000 with $16,355 insurance.

SOCIAL AND BENEVOLENT ORGANIZATIONS.

St. Croix Lodge, A. F. and A. M., founded 1855; Colfax Lodge, No. 85,

I. O. O. F., founded 1856; Hudson City Lodge, No. 486, I. O. G. T.,

founded 1867; Ladies' Library Association, founded 1868; St. Croix R.

A. Chapter, founded 1874; Y. M. C. A., founded 1875; Nash Lodge, I. O.

G. T., founded 1877; Temple of Honor, founded 1877; St. Croix

Commandery, founded 1879; St. Croix Lodge, A. O. U. W., founded 1880;

Equitable Union, founded 1880. In addition to the foregoing there is a

volunteer fire company, a boat club, an old settlers' club, a bible

society, a building and loan association, and a cemetery association.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

LOUIS MASSEY came of a long-lived French-Canadian family. His father

lived to the age of one hundred and seven and his mother to one

hundred and five and he himself lived to the age of ninety-nine years.

He was born in Canada, near Montreal, in 1788. In 1805 he left home to

enter the service of the British fur traders at Detroit. In his

eventful life he had many adventures and passed through many perils.

He was once arrested with his employer by the American authorities and

once made prisoner by the Indians. In 1812 he entered the employ of

the notorious Col. Dickson, and, while with him, made a trip from

Detroit by way of Mackinaw, Green Bay, Fox and Wisconsin rivers to

Prairie du Chien in a birch canoe. He made two trips in mackinaw boats

from Prairie du Chien to New Orleans and return. In one trip he was

four months making his way from New Orleans to St. Louis. He made one

voyage in a birch canoe from Montreal via Ottawa river, Georgian bay,

Lake Huron, St. Marie's river and Lake Superior to Fond du Lac, at the

mouth of St. Louis river, via Sandy lake and the Mississippi river to

Lake Winnibagoshish, and another from Fond du Lac to Brule river,

across to St. Croix river, thence to the Mississippi, and by way of

St. Peter's river to Lake Traverse by canoe. In 1818 he entered the

service of the American Fur Company, and lived at Fond du Lac, the

headquarters of the company, for ten years. There he was married to a

sister of Peter Bouchea. In 1828 he settled on the reservation near

Fort Snelling, where he was held in such estimation that, on the

expulsion of the settlers, the officers of the Fort assisted him in

his removal to Willow River, whither he came in 1838 with Peter

Bouchea. Wm. Steets and Joseph Lagroo soon followed them. These four

were the first settlers in Hudson. Mr. Massey lived at his old home

with a son-in-law, Richard Picard, until his death, Oct. 14, 1887. His

only child living is Mrs. Picard.

PETER BOUCHEA was born at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, about 1815. He

spent his early life in the neighborhood of Lake Superior, was married

to a daughter of ---- Bruce, and came to the mouth of Willow river in

1838. Mr. Bouchea had been educated for the Catholic priesthood. He

was a truthful, intelligent, reliable man and filled some positions of

responsibility. He had many stirring adventures and was once wounded

by Indians and cared for by Gov. Cass, of Michigan, at Detroit and

Fort Gratiot. He died in 1875, at Fort Edward, on the north shore of

Lake Superior.

WILLIAM STREETS came to Willow River in 1838, a refugee from the Fort

Snelling reservation. He was frozen to death in the winter of 1851.

CAPT. JOHN B. PAGE came from Piscataquis county, Maine, to the St.

Croix valley in 1844, and engaged for awhile in cutting pine logs on

Willow river. While rafting on the Mississippi he met, and after a

brief courtship married, a woman who returned with him to his home on

Willow river and who survives him. Mrs. Page had some reputation as a

(Thomsonian) physician. They made their home in Hudson in 1847. Their

daughter Abigail was the first white child of American descent born in

Hudson. Abigail married George Bailey, and their sons, George W. and

David, were for a long time residents of Hudson, and have but lately

deceased. Mr. Page died Feb. 11, 1865.

DR. PHILIP ALDRICH, although not a permanent settler till 1847, was an

occasional or transient visitor, and had made a land claim in section

24. He took a deep interest in the affairs of the pioneer settlement,

and at his house many of the public gatherings, political and social,

were held. He was the first postmaster, and, in the exigencies of the

service, sometimes carried the mail on foot. While a resident of St.

Croix Falls in 1844, he was appointed probate judge. In 1848 he was

appointed treasurer of the county of St. Croix, and at the election in

November of the same year, elected to that office. Dr. Aldrich was

born in New York in 1792, and died at his home in Hudson, March 16,

1858.

THE NOBLES FAMILY settled in Hudson in 1847. Rev. Lemuel Nobles, the

father, was a Methodist local minister, and in 1847 preached the first

sermon at the mouth of Willow river. He came originally from New York,

lived a few years in the valley and removed to Michigan, where he

died. His children were William H., Milton V., John, Mrs. Battles and

Mrs. Morton S. Wilkinson, deceased. Wm. H. became a resident of

Minnesota and a noted man. His biography is given elsewhere.

MILTON V. NOBLES was born in New York in 1818; removed to Michigan;

was married to Matilda Edwards, Sept. 2, 1846, in Stillwater, and came

to Hudson in 1847, where he followed lumbering until 1860, when he

returned to New York and located at Elmira, where he resided until his

death. While at Elmira he became an inventor and took out several

valuable patents. His fortunes varied, and as is frequently the case

with inventors, at one time he was wretchedly poor. In the midst of

his galling poverty he sold one of his patents for a beautiful

homestead in Elmira. Mrs. Nobles had not been informed of the

transaction, but with her husband had visited the occupants of the

homestead. Mrs. Nobles could not but contrast this pleasant home with

her own poverty stricken surroundings, and in inviting her

entertainers to return the call, told them plainly that she lived in a

very humble home, and feared she could not make a visit pleasant to

them. At this point the host stepped forward, and, by a preconcerted

arrangement, presented her a deed to the mansion and grounds--a joyful

surprise.

JOHN NOBLES, the youngest son, returned to Michigan and New York,

where he became a Methodist minister. Some time subsequently he

removed to Colorado, where he died.

JAMES PURINTON was born in 1797, in Tamworth, New Hampshire. He was

married to Mary Mann, in Sandwich, New Hampshire. He afterward removed

to Maine. He came to St. Croix Falls in 1842, and leased the St. Croix

mills, and some time after became part owner. This venture not being

successful, he removed to Willow River in 1847, where he built a large

dam across the river, and with others erected a saw mill on the point

of land between the lake and river. This venture was not successful

and the mill property passed into other hands. Mr. Purinton was an

experienced lumberman and an active, energetic man. The north side of

Willow River, in which he was so much interested, became afterward

quite valuable on account of the centralization of shops, depots and

business of the West Wisconsin and North Wisconsin railroads. Mr.

Purinton died in Hudson in 1849, leaving two married daughters--Mrs.

----Graves and Mrs. James McPhail.

AMMAH ANDREWS was born in Herkimer county, New York, in 1801, and

passed his early life in that place. In 1829 he was married to Laura

Andrews, and in the same year moved to Michigan. He came to Hudson in

1847. Mr. Andrews was a carpenter and took some important building

contracts. He was one of the first commissioners of St. Croix county

under the state government, and also one of the first school

directors. He has been an active and influential member of the

Methodist Episcopal church the greater part of his life. He has three

sons, now living in Nebraska, and one daughter, the wife of F. D.

Harding, of Hudson, Wisconsin. Mr. Andrews died Jan. 5, 1888.

JAMES WALSTOW.--Mr. Walstow was born in Nottingham, England, in 1815;

was married there, and came to Hudson in 1849. He removed to Nebraska

in 1863.

JAMES SANDERS was born in Devonshire, England, in 1818; came to

America in 1841, and lived for years in New York. In 1844 he married

Mary Walstow, removed to St. Croix Falls in 1845 and to Hudson in

1850, where he opened and improved the first farm in the present St.

Croix county. Mrs. Sanders died in 1873. She left two sons, William

and Walstow. Mr. Sanders removed to Osceola in 1880.

J. W. STONE was born in Connecticut in 1800. He came to Hudson in 1849

and opened the first store the same year. He died in 1860.

JOSEPH BOWRON was born Aug. 1, 1809, in Essex county, New York. His

parents were from Newcastle on the Tyne, England. His mother was a

member of the Society of Friends. She died when Joseph was five years

old, and he was reared by his aunt until nineteen years of age, when

he engaged in business for himself in Lower Canada. Some time

afterward he removed to the United States and obtained work on the

Illinois canal. He next removed to St. Louis, and from thence, in

1841, to St. Croix Falls, where he acted as clerk, scaler of logs and

mill superintendent. He was a member of the first state legislature of

Wisconsin, in 1848. W. R. Marshall had received the certificate of

election, but Mr. Bowron successfully contested the election. Mr.

Bowron removed in 1848 to Hudson, where he attended to general

collections, and served as justice of the peace. In 1849 Mr. Bowron

was married to Celia Partridge, of Columbia county, Wisconsin, who

died three years later. In 1854 he was married to Rosanna Partridge,

who died in 1863. Mr. Bowron died April 10, 1868, leaving two

children, who now reside in Kansas.

MOSES PERIN was born in 1815; came to St. Croix Falls in 1847 and to

Hudson in 1849. He was the first collector of St. Croix county. In

1853 he built a warehouse and saw mill at Lakeland, Minnesota. The

warehouse was burned, and the saw mill removed. In 1847 Mr. Perin

removed to San Diego, California.

JOHN O. HENNING was born at Bellefonte, Centre county, Pennsylvania,

in 1819. His great grandfather was the first settler in that county.

In 1825 his father removed to Ithaca, New York, and there the youthful

Henning received his education at the academy. During the excitement

of the Jackson administration he became an ardent Democrat, and, that

he might enter more fully into the political strife of the day,

learned the printer's trade and devoted himself more or less to

newspaper work. He visited the Mississippi valley in 1838, remained

some time at St. Louis, Missouri, Springfield, Illinois, Burlington,

Iowa, and some other places. In 1846 he established the _Journal_ at

Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and in 1849 removed to Hudson, Wisconsin,

where he still resides. He served eight years as register of the

United States land office at that place. He represented St. Croix

county in the assembly of the Fourth Wisconsin legislature and has

held many other positions of trust. Mr. Henning was married, Jan. 29,

1840, to Fidelia Bennet. Mrs. Henning died June 27, 1886, aged

sixty-six years.

MOSES S. GIBSON was born in 1816, in Livingston county, New York. He

received the rudiments of a common school education. He was engaged in

mercantile pursuits a large portion of his life. He settled at

Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in 1844, but afterward moved to Fond du Lac. He

represented Fond du Lac county in the constitutional convention in

1847. He was appointed receiver of the United States land office at

Hudson in 1849. In 1856 he was married to Carrie F. Gilman. During the

Rebellion he acted as paymaster, United States army, and was assigned

to the department of Missouri, with headquarters at St. Louis. In 1878

he was appointed assistant in the sixth auditor's office, Washington,

District of Columbia. Mr. Gibson has led a busy and useful life and

has acquitted himself well in the various positions of responsibility

to which he has been called.

COL. JAMES HUGHES.--Col. Hughes was born in Prince Edwards county,

Virginia, Oct. 12, 1805. He received a classical education at

Hampdon-Sydney College, Virginia, studied law, and was admitted to

practice in Virginia. He came to Ohio in 1835, and was elected to the

legislature in 1838 and 1839. He was married in 1839 to Elisabeth

Mather, in Jackson county. He remained in Ohio until 1849, publishing

successively the _Jackson Standard_ and the _Meigs County Telegraph_,

both Whig papers. In 1849 he came to St. Paul and brought with him the

first printing press and outfit in that city, and established the

_Minnesota Chronicle,_ which subsequently united with the _Register_.

The first number bears the date June 1, 1849. In November of the same

year he sold his interest in the _Chronicle and Register_ and removed

to Hudson, where he established the _St. Croix Banner_, the first

paper printed and issued in the St. Croix valley. Mrs. Hughes was

associated with him in its management. They subsequently published the

Hudson _Republican_. Mr. Hughes died at Hudson in 1873, leaving a

widow and eleven children, seven sons and four daughters. Of the sons,

Eleazer is a farmer in St. Croix county; Geo. R. is engaged in the

real estate business in St. Paul; Edward P. is a lawyer in Anoka;

James S., a surveyor; Chas. V. is manager of the Western Telegraph

Company; and Lucius A. is a telegraph operator in St. Paul.

DANIEL ANDERSON was born in 1806, in New York; received a common

school education, and removed with his parents to Macoupin county,

Illinois, in 1820; was married in 1831 to Eliza Hoxsey; lived in

Dubuque in 1847 and 1848, and moved to Hudson in 1849, where he

followed merchandising until 1876. He was county treasurer in 1877 and

part of the year following. He died July 1, 1878: Mrs. Anderson died

in September of the same year, leaving a daughter, Medora, wife of

Alfred Day, of Hudson, and one son, Jarret, now a resident in Montana.

ALFRED DAY was born in 1824, in Vermont, and came to Hudson in 1849,

where he engaged in the real estate, farming and livery business. Mr.

Day was married in Hudson, to a daughter of Daniel Anderson. He died

in St. Paul, Nov. 18, 1880, leaving a widow, three sons and two

daughters.

DR. OTIS HOYT.--Dr. Hoyt was born in Sandwich, New Hampshire, Dec. 3,

1812. His parents were George and Mary Hoyt. Both grandfathers were

soldiers in the war of the Revolution. He received a common school

education; prepared for college in the academy at Fryburg, Maine;

graduated at Dartmouth in 1833, and from Jefferson Medical College, at

Philadelphia, in 1836. He practiced his profession at Mason, New

Hampshire, and Framingham, Massachusetts, until 1846, when he entered

the service as surgeon in the United States army during the Mexican

War. In 1849 he came to St. Croix Falls, and practiced medicine. In

1852 he removed to Hudson. The same year he was elected to the Fifth

Wisconsin legislature, as assemblyman. In 1862 he entered the United

States service as surgeon of the Thirtieth Wisconsin Volunteer

Infantry, but was on detached service most of the time. For awhile he

had charge of the hospital at Camp Randall, Madison, Wisconsin. He was

examining surgeon of 11,000 recruits, and was medical director at

Bowling Green and Louisville, Kentucky. He was eminent in his

profession, yet public spirited, and engaged at times, successfully,

in real estate and railroad enterprises. As a physician, it is said,

to his credit, that he was impartial to the last degree, and as prompt

and punctilious in visiting the log cabin of the poor man as the

parlor of a state or government official. He was married in 1837 to

Mary King. Two children were born to them, Charles and Mary (Mrs. H.

A. Wilson, deceased). Mrs. Hoyt died at Framingham. In 1843 Dr. Hoyt

was married to Eliza B. King, sister of his first wife. Their

children are Ella Frances, married to Dr. Chas. F. King, Hudson;

Annie, married to Dr. Eppley, of New Richmond; Hattie, married to

----Wyard, Crookston, Minnesota; Ida, a teacher at Stillwater, and

Lizzie, married to Rev. W. R. Reynolds, of Hudson. Dr. Hoyt died at

his home in Hudson, Nov. 12, 1885. Mrs. Hoyt died Oct. 1, 1886, in

Boston, Massachusetts. Her remains were brought to Hudson for burial.

S. S. N. FULLER.--Mr. Fuller was born in Attleboro, Massachusetts, in

1814. He removed to Harford, Pennsylvania, with his parents when six

years of age. He was educated at Harford. He studied law and was

admitted to practice at Montrose. He practiced at Great Bend,

Pennsylvania. He came to Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, in 1844, where

he was seven years district attorney. He came to Hudson in 1857,

removed to Iowa in 1865 and died at Logan, Harrison county, Iowa, in

1851. He was married to Clarissa A. Day in 1841, who with one son and

four daughters, all married and resident in Iowa, survives him. He was

district judge some years for the St. Croix Valley district.

MILES H. VAN METER was born in Kentucky in 1810. He received a common

school education and learned the trade of a builder. He was married to

Mary P. Litsey, in Kentucky, in 1830, moved to Illinois in 1836 and to

Hudson in 1850. He has six sons and two daughters. Abe C. is editor of

the _St. Croix Republican_ at New Richmond. Two of his sons are in

Illinois, three in Dakota. Mrs. Van Meter died in 1875.

PHILIP B. JEWELL was born in Hopkinton, New Hampshire, Oct. 25, 1816;

was raised on a farm; obtained a common school education; in 1841 was

married to Hannah J. Fuller, and in 1847 came to St. Croix Falls,

where he lived until 1851, when he removed to Hudson. He engaged in

lumbering and piloting on the St. Croix. At the beginning of the late

war he enlisted in the Twelfth Wisconsin Infantry and served during

the war. In 1874 he was appointed inspector of logs and lumber of the

Fourth district. Mrs. Jewell died in 1875. He married, as his second

wife, Ellen Restiaux.

JOHN TOBIN.--Mr. Tobin was born in Ireland in 1818. His father died in

1830, and he came with an uncle to this country. He settled at Marine

in 1842, and in 1853 came to St. Joseph's township, where he resided

until his death, Jan. 22, 1880. He was married in Illinois in 1848 and

his widow still lives at the old homestead. Of twelve children seven

are now living.

HORACE A. TAYLOR, son of Rev. Adolphus Taylor, of Norfolk, New York,

was born in 1837. His father died in 1842. At the age of ten years

Horace was earning his living on a farm. At thirteen he came to River

Falls. Some time after he returned East and spent four years on a

farm. Returning to Wisconsin he established a stage line between

Prescott and Hudson. In 1857, with his brother Lute A., he established

the River Falls _Journal_, and, in 1860, purchased the Hudson

_Chronicle_ and changed its name to the Hudson _Times_. Four years

later the _Times_ and the _North Star_ were consolidated under the

title of the _Star and Times_. Mr. Taylor is a man of energy and

enterprise and has engaged in real estate transactions on a large

scale. He is a man of quick perceptions and of ready wit and has been

honored with some important public positions. He was for some time

state agent of railroad lands. He was appointed consul to Marseilles

by President Garfield in 1881, but resigned the position in 1884. In

1860 he was married to Lizzie Madden, of Chicago.

JEREMIAH WHALEY was born in 1818, in Castile, New York. His father

dying he aided in caring for his widowed mother. He was married in

Pike county, New York, in 1839, and came to Hudson in 1851, where he

engaged in the mercantile and real estate business and acted as

postmaster. Mr. Whaley died in Hudson in 1884, leaving a widow, two

sons in Michigan, one in Pipestone, Minnesota, and four daughters.

SIMON HUNT was born in Camden, Maine, in 1826. He lived at home until

seventeen years old; acquired a common school and academic education;

served an apprenticeship of five years at boot and shoe making in

Georgetown, Massachusetts, and came to Hudson in 1851. He was married

to Jane C. Arcy in Maine in 1854. Mr. Hunt has served as mayor of

Hudson and was for several years superintendent of schools. Mrs. Hunt

died in 1880.

JOHN S. MOFFATT was born in Tompkins county, New York, in 1814. He

received a common school and academic education. In 1844 he was

married to Nancy Bennett. He removed to Hudson in 1854, and was in the

land office several years. He is a lawyer by profession; has served

thirteen years as police justice, and eight years as county judge.

JAMES H. CHILDS was born in Montear county, Pennsylvania, in 1825;

came to Wisconsin in 1848; settled in Hudson in 1849, and engaged in

the real estate and lumbering business. He was married to Elisabeth

McCartney, in Hudson, 1860.

WILLIAM DWELLEY was born in Foxcroft, Maine, in 1816; came to the St.

Croix valley in 1850, and settled in Hudson in 1854. Mr. Dwelley was

an explorer, scaler of logs, and surveyor. He died April 8, 1885.

JAMES M. FULTON--The ancestors of Mr. Fulton came from Scotland and

settled in New York about 1770. His father served in the army during

the war of 1812 and died while in the service. James M. Fulton with

his family came to Hudson in 1854, where he died, March 30, 1858, aged

about forty-six. Mrs. Fulton still lives in Hudson.

MARCUS A. FULTON, oldest son of James M. Fulton, was born in Bethel,

Sullivan county, New York, in 1826. He came with his parents to Hudson

in 1854, and engaged with his brother in the mercantile and real

estate business. He was elected to the state senate in 1866 and 1867.

In 1878 he was elected mayor of Hudson. He has also served on the

board of education, and as alderman. He was married in 1863 to Augusta

Ainsley, who died in 1876. In 1877 he was married to Adelia Frances

Ainsley.

DAVID C. FULTON, second son of James M. Fulton, was born in New York,

February, 1838. He came to Hudson with his parents, and, after

completing a common school and academic education, engaged in

mercantile and real estate business. Mr. Fulton has been elected to

various important positions. He was mayor of Hudson one term,

supervisor of St. Croix county three years, member of the board of

education, alderman, and member of the state assembly (1873). He

served three years during the Civil War as captain in the Thirtieth

Wisconsin Infantry, and was promoted to position of major. Since the

war, he served six years as one of the board of managers of the

National Home for Disabled Soldiers, and is now serving, by

appointment of President Cleveland, as United States marshal for

Western Wisconsin. Mr. Fulton was married in 1866 to Minnie Champlin.

N. S. HOLDEN was born in 1822; was one of the early settlers of the

St. Croix valley, and for many years a citizen of Hudson. He followed

surveying and scaling. He died suddenly, July 4, 1882. He left a

widow, two sons and four daughters.

WILLIAM H. SEMMES was born in Alexandria, Virginia. He came to Hudson

in 1851, and practiced law, as a partner of Judge McMillan, in

Stillwater. He was a young man of great promise, but died early and

much lamented, Sept. 13, 1854.

STERLING JONES was born in Steuben county, New York, in 1812. He

removed to Indiana in 1833, and in 1835 was married to Elisabeth

Sines. They removed to Beloit, Wisconsin, in 1847, and to Hudson in

1850. Mr. Jones died in 1874. Mrs. Jones, five sons and two daughters

are still living. Edwin B. married a daughter of Rev. W. T. Boutwell.

Jerome B. married a daughter of Rev. Wm. Egbert, of Hammond, and

resides in Hudson. He has been sheriff and treasurer of St. Croix

county and has held town and city offices. The remaining sons, George

R., Henry B. and Harvey J., and the daughters, Eunice M. and Sarah E.,

are married and reside in Hudson.

D. R. BAILEY was born April 27, 1833, in Vermont. He attended Oberlin

College, Ohio, and graduated in law at Albany Law School, in 1859. He

was collector of customs at Highgate, Vermont, from 1860 to 1864. He

practiced law at St. Albans, Vermont, ten years, and was state

representative in 1866 and 1867. He was a delegate to the Republican

National convention in 1878, and a member of the Vermont senate from

1870 to 1872. He made his residence in St. Croix county in 1877, where

he resided till 1883, when he removed to Sioux Falls, Dakota. While in

St. Croix county he engaged in farming, lumbering and manufacturing.