Winona County, Minnesota

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: THE ASSOCIATION AT ROLLING STONE

Pages 247-264
From the book
"History of Wabasha County"
Published in 1884
Concerning Wabasha and Winona Counties in Minnesota

This chapter was transcribed by Greg Lafavor
and proofed by Kitty Lafavor

The Western Farm and Village Association, as organized in the city of New York in 1851, was transferred to Rolling Stone in 1852 under the same officers and with the same laws governing its members The mode of doing business adopted and practiced in the east was continued in the west.

The first regular meeting of the association held in the colony at Rolling Stone was on May 6. The officers present were Wm. Haddock, president; Thos. K. Allen, recording secretary; and a majority of the board of directors, Augustus A. Gilbert, James Wright, Charles Bannon, John Hughs and D. Robertson.

At this meeting fifty-two responded to their names when the roll of members was called. Some of these were young unmarried men, but a majority of the members present were men with families.

At a general meeting of the colonists on Sunday, May 9, the name of Minnesota City was given to the village of the colony. The name was unanimously adopted by a viva-voce vote. Prior to this the locality was only known as Rolling Stone, and afterward it was the most familiar name to the early settlers.

At this same meeting, May 9, a Congregational minister from La Crosse, by the name of Reynolds, preached the first sermon ever delivered in Minnesota City. Elder Reynolds was a missionary sent out by the Home Mission Board of the denomination to which he belonged.

Business meetings of the association were called to consider matters relating to the common interests. At one of these meetings, about the first, Robert Pike, Jr., was elected surveyor for the colony, to establish the lines of claims designated as farms, which were to be assigned to the choice of the members of the association according to numbers drawn for that purpose. E. B. Drew and C. R. Coryell were Pike's assistants in these surveys, which were made under the general supervision of the president, Mr. Haddock.

At a meeting held on May 19 the question of making application for the establishment of a post-office was considered and a choice for postmaster made by ballot. Robert Pike, Jr., received a majority of votes. A petition in proper form was drawn up and signed, soliciting the establishment of a post-office at Minnesota City and recommending Robert Pike, Jr., as a proper appointment for postmaster. This petition was forwarded to the Post-office department at Washington. In due time Mr. Pike received his commission and the office was established, but with the proviso and on condition that the mails. should be transported to and from the nearest post-office on the river free of charge to the Post-office department The nearest post-office was then at La Crosse. The mail was dependent on chance opportunities or private enterprise. Even such postal facilities were considered of advantage to the settlement.

The family of Mr. Pike, consisting of his wife and two children and two of his sisters (afterward Mrs. H. Jones and Mrs. D. Kennedy), came on about the last of June. While on their passage up the river the post-office keys were handed to Mrs. Pike at La Crosse by Brooks and Hancock, two members of the association there on a visit, to be delivered to her husband on her arrival at Minnesota City. This was the first knowledge Mrs. Pike had of the matter.

On May 20 a census of the colony was taken, when it was ascertained that there were ninety male members of the association on the grounds and about 400 women and children.

The first death in the colony was on May 25, that of David Densmore, a man about sixty years of age. He was from the State of Maine. He had no family with him. Mr. Densmore was buried in the grounds selected for a cemetery, a little above the forks of the Rolling Stone creek, near Minnesota City.

The first bridge built in the county was across the Rolling Stone near where James Wright now lives in Minnesota City. Long logs, used as stringers, were laid over the stream from one bank to the other. Across these stringers logs were laid instead of plank. The colonists all united in this public improvement.

The next morning after this bridge was completed the settlers found that their engineering was not practicable in this structure. The long stringers of green timber, without central support, had given way and broken down from weight of the green logs by which they were covered. The middle of the bridge was resting in the center of the stream, the logs retained in their position across the stringers. Although not available as a wagon bridge, it was used during the season as a crossing-place by persons on foot.

The first bridge that was of any practicable use was one built by the colonists across the Rolling Stone just below the forks of that stream, above Minnesota City. The location is now covered by the mill-pond. This was called the "herd bridge" by the settlers. The cattle belonging in the colony were placed under the charge of a herdsman, who had the general management of them during the grazing season. Robert Pike, Jr., was the first appointed and acted in that capacity for that season. A fence was built. running from the bluff on the south side to the stream, and the cattle were allowed to range above it in the south valley. The "herd bridge" was designed and built, under the direction of Mr. Pike, to serve as a crossing-place for the stock under his charge. It was, however, used as a wagon bridge for two or three years after a road was opened up through the south valley.

During that season the wagon trail leading to Wabasha prairie was on the south side of the stream, next to the bluffs, and the only practical fording-place of the stream was where Elsworth's mill now stands. Late in the fall, or early in winter, the settlers opened a road along down the table, on the north side of the stream, about where it now is, and built a bridge near the angle where the creek leaves the bluff and flows north, about a mile below the present village of Minnesota City. This was the first public bridge in common use in the county. It was maintained for three or four years until the present road between Minnesota and Winona was opened and another bridge was built about fifty rods below, in the same locality where the present bridge stands.

The first store for the sale of merchandise to the settlers in the colony was opened about June 1 of this season by a Mr. Robertson. He closed out his establishment and left the colony early in the fall.

The first school opened in the county was a select school, started in Minnesota City in the early part of this season. The first district school in the county was established here later in the season. The district was organized under the general law of the territory and comprised the whole colony. Miss Houk was the teacher. Schools have been uniformly maintained in that locality from that time to the present.

The first blacksmith-shop started in this county by the early settlers was in the colony at Minnesota City. James and John Prosser, father and son, opened a shop and commenced business early in the season. Josiah Keene also started a shop. The Prossers left the colony in the fall. O. M. Lord bought their shop, tools and stock, and also that of Keene, and carried on the business for a year or two afterward. This was the only blacksmith-shop in the county until the spring of 1854, when a shop was opened at Winona, previous to which the settlers on Wabasha prairie were dependent on Minnesota City, or they were compelled to go to La Crosse for their blacksmith work. Sometime jobs of blacksmithing were ordered by the boats from Galena.

The first horseshoeing done in the county was by O. M. Lord. In the fall of 1852 he shod a pair of horses for Hon. Wm.. H. Steven, of the city of Winona. The shoes were brought up from La Crosse. In the spring of 1853 he shod fourteen horses for Wm. Ashley Jones, a government surveyor.

From 1849 to 1853 the county of Winona was a part of Wabasha county. By act of the First Territorial Legislature, October 27, 1849, "all that portion of said territory lying east of a line running due south from a point on the Mississippi river known as Medicine Bottles Village, at Pine Bend, to the Iowa line, was erected into a county to be known by the name of Wabasha."

The extent of territory included in the boundaries of Wabasha county by that act was what is now a part of the county of Dakota and the present counties of Goodhue, Wabasha, Olmsted, Dodge, Mower, Fillmore, Houston and Winona.

Wabasha county was first created for the special purpose of affording certain political privileges to the settlers within its boundaries, nearly all of whom were half-breed Sioux, living on the "half breed Tract," who were recognized as bona fide citizens. The other parts of the county were then in possession of the Sioux.

It was made part of a council district, but was declared to be a representative district, entitled to elect one representative to the territorial legislature.

The first representative from Wabasha county was James Wells. He was also a member of the second and fourth territorial legislatures in 1851 and in 1853. In the third legislature, the session of 1852, Wabasha county was represented by Fordyce S. Richards, another trader, living at Reed's landing.

The fourth territorial legislature in 1853 (March 4) divided Wabasha county and created Fillmore county from the southern portion along the Mississippi, which included the present county of Winona. The same council and representative districts were, however, continued until 1855, when a new apportionment was made by the legislature.

At the election held in the fall of 1853, Hon. O. M. Lord, of Minnesota City, was elected, from Fillmore, representative of this district to the fifth territorial legislature, which held its session in 1854. At this session Winona county was created, February 23, 1854.

When Wabasha county was created in 1849 it was "declared to be organized only for the appointment of justices of the peace, constables and such other judicial and ministerial officers as might be specially provided for." It was attached to Washington county for judicial purposes and was entitled to any number of justices not exceeding six, and to the same number of constables, who were to receive their appointment from the governor and to hold their office for two years, unless sooner removed.

The first justice of the peace appointed by Gov. Ramsey in accordance with this act creating Wabasha county, was Thomas K. Allen, the recording secretary of the association at Minnesota City. Mr. Allen was compelled to go to the capital of the territory-to St. Paul, in order to qualify-to take the oath of other required. There was no one nearer who was empowered to administer it to him. At a general meeting of the members of the association living in the colony at Minnesota City, held July 12, 1852, an election precinct was organized and the following officers elected by ballot: Thomas K. Allen, justice of the peace; Josiah Keen, constable; James Wright, assessor; and Augustus A. Gilbert, notary public.

These proceedings were without proper authority, and only designed to represent an expression of the wishes of the people in the colony. The governor was duly notified of this action of the settlers and the appointment of the officers selected formally recommended and solicited.

Gov. Ramsey confirmed the election by making the appointment accordingly. Mr. Allen took the oath of office on July 28, 1852. By vote of the association, O. M. Lord, John Iams and Hiram Campbell were elected road commissioners for the colony or precinct.

The first sermon delivered to the settlers in Rolling Stone was by the Rev. Mr. Reynolds, a missionary of the Congregational church. He kept up regular appointments and preached during the summer at Minnesota City and at Wabasha prairie. His audiences were representatives of all denominations, Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, etc. A general Sabbath-school was started in the early part of this season. The members of the association held to the religious faith or belief they had professed before joining the colony. If there was any change it was exhibited in a general feeling of toleration. The Protestants and Catholics shared with each other in their comforts and privations, and in their joys and sorrows, without question of religious opinions. All grades of liberalism, spiritualism, and other "isms" had advocates.

The first church organized in this county was by the Baptist members of the association. This was the first Protestant church organization in southern Minnesota. The appropriate ceremonies were held on July 11, 1852. The pastor of this church was the Rev. T. R. Cressey, a missionary appointed by the American Baptist Home Missionary Society at a salary of $600 per annum. He made Minnesota City his headquarters, but preached in other localities.

After remaining in this vicinity for two or three months, Mr. Cressey had a call to locate himself in charge of the Baptist church in St. Paul. As the failing condition of the colony in the latter part of the season offered less inducements to remain, he left this county and located himself in the capital of the territory.

Another Baptist preacher, Rev. Henderson Cressey, a brother of T. R. Cressey, preached to the settlers at Minnesota City and on Wabasha prairie for about two years afterward, but did not reside in this vicinity. He held a claim for awhile on the upper prairie.

There was such a general immigration of preachers among the early settlers that about every settlement was represented by one or more of some denomination. It is now difficult to ascertain the names of many of them who for a time held claims in this county. The most of them apparently preferred the blouse of the settler to the garb of their profession.

The Rev. William Sweet occasionally preached, but made no regular appointments. The Rev. Mr. Henderson, a member of the association, living at Minnesota City, was, or had been, a Methodist preacher. It was said that he gave the settlers a most enthusiastic, patriotic sermon on Sunday, July 4, 1852. From many peculiarities of belief or opinions expressed in public, his influence among the Methodists, of which denomination there was quite a number, was not sufficient to induce them to acknowledge him as a leader or combine in a church organization. Mr. Henderson, with others holding different "isms," made an unsuccessful effort to create a society called "The Universal Church."

It is difficult to ascertain the exact date of the arrival of very many of the early settlers who, as members of the association, located in this county. The greatest number and largest bodies of them arrived in May, but they continued to come during June and until about the middle of July, after which but few if any of the immigrant in this part of the territory were members of that organization

Among those who located in the colony in Rolling Stone whose arrival has not been specially mentioned were the following. The most of those came in May. The list might be largely extended by adding the names of those who remained so short a time that with propriety they should be classed as a part of the transient population of the colony. Prominent among the more permanent settlers were Wm. T. Luark, John Iams, S. D. Putnam, S. A. Houk, O. H. Houk, George Foster, Egbert Chapman, Harvey Stradling, P. D. Follett, Samuel Hancock, John Cook and V. G. Wedon. The last is but the nom de plum of Robert Pike, Jr.

The time set by the association for drawing numbers for the choice of farming land was May 15. The drawing took place at that date, although the survey was not completed; neither was there full representation of members present. The selections of claims were afterward made as fast as the reports of the surveyor were received, which were almost daily. All of the available farming land in each of the valleys of the Rolling Stone were surveyed and assigned to the colonists. Some made choice of lands and made claims which they retained and still occupy as farms, but the most of the selections made by the numbers drawn were abandoned. The selections first made were not in all cases satisfactory, and exchanges were effected without disturbing the harmony of the settlement.

By special action of the association before they left New York, exemptions were given certain members who were unable to move in the spring, by which their rights and privileges were protected by proxy. These exemptions were, however, but temporary arrangements. The limit of this extension of time was fixed to expire on July 15, at which date a general meeting of the association was to be held for the purpose of determining which village lots and farming lands had been forfeited.

The following extract from the diary of Mr. E. B. Drew notes this general gathering: "Thursday, July 15, 1852. The Western Farm and Village Association all met at Mr. Lord's new house to transact important business pertaining to individual interests in city lots and farms. Some interesting times. The population is now over three hundred." "July 16. Today O. M. Lord arrived with his family, bringing with him a horse-team and a cow."

Mr. Lord's new house, mentioned by Mr. Drew, was located on the same table, but about a hundred rods above where O. M. Lord now lives in Minnesota City. The "interesting times" was the scramble for forfeited village lots and farms. The horse-team brought by Mr. Lord was the first span of horses brought into the colony.

The village lots of the colony, which embraced over 1,000 acres, covered the land from below the farm now owned by Robert Duncan to the bluffs near the farm of D. Q. Burley and up the valley above the fork of the stream, including the Waterman farm. The bottom lands and a part of the Denman farm were plotted as suburban lots.

The most of the improvements on village lots were from where James Kennedy now lives to about half mile above where Troost's mill stood. It was here that a large number of the settlers who wintered in the colony made their homes. Although all had claims, but few occupied them until the following spring.

Some members of the association made claims outside the jurisdiction assumed for the colony. In June Mr. D. Hollyer made a claim in what is now the town of Utica, which he abandoned in the fall when he left the territory. Dr. J. W. Bentley took possession and moved on it in the spring following. It was afterward known as "Bentley's." Dr. Bentley was not a member of the association, although he came to Minnesota City in the fall of 1852 and lived there during the winter with H. B. Waterman, a relative. While living at Minnesota City Mrs. Bentley increased the population of the colony by the addition of a daughter to her family. This was the first white child born in Rolling Stone. The first male child born in Minnesota City was the eldest son of Mrs. H. B. Waterman January 5, 1854. This child was the first born in the colony whose parents were members of the association. George B. Waterman died in 1881.

S. E. Cotton made a claim near Hollyer's a little east from where the Utica railroad station now stands. He had ten acres of breaking done on it by Charles Bannon. Mr. Burley was in the employ of Mr. Bannon and drove the team for this job. This was the first breaking done back of the bluffs-the first breaking done within the boundaries of the county back from the Mississippi, except in the valley of the Rolling Stone.

Robert Taylor made a claim on what is now the village of Stockton, on the east side of the valley. D. Q. Burley made a claim adjoining Robert Taylor's on the west. Mr. Taylor abandoned his location the following year, when Mr. Burley absorbed it by moving his claim to the center of the valley. Mr. Burley traded this claim for a house and lot in Minnesota City to S. A. Houk, who in 1854, sold it to J. B. Stockton, the original proprietor of the village of Stockton. Mr. Burley then made a claim of the farm on which he now lives. His family did not come here until the spring of 1854.

Above Stockton, on the south fork of the Rolling Stone, Mr. Hunt made a claim. He was a proxy or substitute in the employ of a wealthy member living in New York city, who furnished him with two yoke of oxen and all necessary supplies. Mr. Hunt did some breaking and put up about fifty ton of hay. This hay was cut with scythes by Mr. Burley and Mr. Thorp, who helped put it in the stacks. They camped on what is now the L. D. Smith farm while at this job, but made their homes in Minnesota City.

Mr. Hunt went back to New York in the fall and left the cattle and claim in charge of Mr. Burley. A few days after he left the fifty ton of hay were burned by a fire which swept through the valley. Mr. Burley wintered the stock in Minnesota City. The following spring the oxen were taken up the river by a Mr. Bertram to another association colony in the vicinity of Lake Minnetonka. The claim made by Mr. Hunt was abandoned.

Egbert Chapman made a claim on Sweet's prairie and built a cabin, in which he lived with his family through the winter. He is yet a resident of the county, living in Minnesota City. His son, Edgar Chapman, is now living in Dakota Territory.

Harvey Stradling also selected a location on Sweet's prairie near Chapman's. He was then a young man. In June, 1853, he married Anna Chapman, a daughter of Egbert Chapman. The Rev. William Sweet officiated at this marriage ceremony. This was the first wedding among the colonists.

Mr. Stradling afterward located in the valley above Minnesota City. He died there many years ago. His widow (now Mrs. John Nicklin) is living in Dakota Territory.

In July, 1852, John Cook made a claim in the White Water valley about a mile above White Water Falls. He built a comfortable log house and lived here during the winter and for several years after. His brother, David Cook, also made a claim in this vicinity, which he occupied the following year.

S. D. Putnam selected his claim about a mile below Stockton and built a comfortable log house the following spring near where he now resides. This was on the farm owned and occupied by J. J. Mattison for about twenty years, Mr. Putnam occupied the log house about four years. It was a favorite stopping-place for excursionists, travelers, explorers and claim-hunters, and had the reputation of being the best "hotel" in the county. Mr. Putnam is a prosperous farmer, and quietly enjoys his comfortable home.

O. H. Houk made a claim next below Putnam's, which he held for a year or two. He built a log house on it. The location was long known as the Evans place.

Charles Bannon chose a location about a mile below Putnam's, and is yet living on the claim selected by him as a member of the association in 1852. He did not occupy or make any improvements on it until the following spring. During this time he looked with longing eyes on another claim in the valley about a mile below. The claim which disturbed his contentment had been chosen by a member of the association for Miss Amidon on a number drawn by or for her. She was not a resident in the colony, and no improvements had been made to indicate that it was occupied.

Mr. Bannon, supposing that the claim had been abandoned, went on to it and took possession by cutting house-logs enough to build a comfortable log house, which he drew together preparatory to calling his friends to his house-raising.

A night or two before the contemplated "raising" was to have taken place, the friends of Miss Amidon, or Miss Amidon's claim, got together and cut each of the house-logs in two, and notified Mr. Bannon not to jump the claim of an unprotected female.

This was the first clash among "the faithful members," and to prevent a serious collision, which apparently threatened, the friends of the parties induced Mr. Bannon to abandon the idea of making a change of location and settle on his own claim. All parties united and moved the crippled house-logs up to his original choice of location by number, and there constructed an octagon log house for him as a compromise of the difficulty.

Having no desire to encourage contention, Mr. Bannon acquiesced in the movement, although satisfied in his own mind that he had a just right to the claim and could have held it without wronging any person. Suffice it to say of this matter that Miss Amidon never made her appearance in the valley. The disputed claim was afterward disposed of by the friend or agent of that lady to Henry W. Driver. Mr. Driver pre-empted it as a homestead, and after living on it for five or six years sold his farm and moved to Winona, where he resided for a year or two and then went south.

Mr. Bannon moved on his claim in the spring of 1853, and has occupied it as a farm for over thirty years. He has been a successful farmer. His comfortable buildings, fine stock and well cultivated fields represent that as a member of the Western Farm and Village Association he found that "home in the west" for which he abandoned his business as a car-man in New York city and helped to form a colony in the Territory of Minnesota.

Lawrence Dilworth made choice of his claim in accordance with his number drawn as a member of the association, and selected the one next below and adjoining that of Mr. Bannon's. He moved on his claim in the spring of 1853, and has lived there from that time to the present. His good buildings and the well-tilled fields of his fine farm indicate the prosperous farmer, and demonstrate that he too secured the farm for which be came to Rolling Stone. Mr. Dilworth and family were of the party that landed at the colony from the wood-boat on the evening of May 2. They were Catholics. Religious faith was not a test of friendship in the Rolling Stone colony. The high respect entertained by the early settlers for Mr. and Mrs. Dilworth has never been dimmed by the years that have passed since their pioneer days as colonists The writer hopes for pardon if trespassing on their private affairs, but a remarkable peculiarity in manner of doing business is worthy of mention as an uncommon incident in pioneer life. It is said by one familiar with his affairs that Mr. Dilworth has not during the past thirty years allowed an account to be opened against him. He has paid cash down for whatever he has bought or gone without articles required.

On a farm about a mile below Mr. Dilworth there is now living another member of the association, who, like his neighbors above, remained in the colony, and has secured the home in his old age for which he left New England and came west more than thirty years ago. This farm is now owned and occupied by S. E. Cotton. When the members of the association made choice of farms by their numbers, this locality was chosen by John Iams, and purchased from him by E. B. Drew. This was the first claim sale in the colony. Mr. Drew as assistant surveyor had taken a liking to the place, and when be learned that it had been selected by Mr. Iams he offered him $10 for his number, or right to it. The offer was accepted and the claim given up to Mr. Drew, who held it and entered it at the United States land office when the land was surveyed. It was held by Mr. Drew until 1857, when he sold it to Mr. Cotton.

When Mr. Cotton first landed at Rolling Stone he built a log house on his village lot previously selected, and made it his home. After the collapse of the association he retained his location, and when the land was surveyed by government he made a claim of eighty acres and preempted the village lots as a homestead. He told it in 1857 and moved to his present home. His claim in Minnesota City is now the farm of James Kennedy.

Between the "Drew claim" (where Mr. Cotton now lives) and Minnesota City a claim was made by Hezakiah Jones, who occupied the locality for several years, and then sold the homestead he there preempted. Mr. Jones is yet a resident of Minnesota City. He is the oldest settler in that part of the county north of the city of Winona. He came here on April 14, 1852, as one of the "pioneer squad" (the only one now living), and was one of the first members of the association to locate in Rolling Stone. Mr. Jones. has not been as fortunate us some who came later in the season.

North from the "Drew claim" and west from the present village of Minnesota City were the claims of T. K. Allen and A. A. Gilbert. These claim were parts of the grounds of the original village site. They held claims in the valley above, but when the survey of public lands was made they located themselves here, and each preempted a quarter section of the land surveyed for the village of the colony. Neither of these men are now residents of the county. Both were successful in acquiring the homes in the west for which they helped to organize the association in New York city in 1851. The first grist mill in the county was started by Allen and Gilbert, one of Burr's horsepower mills, in 1853.

Mr. Allen was the recording secretary for the first meeting of the association in New York city, until its last meeting in Minnesota city. He is now a clergyman of the Episcopal church, living in Alexandria, Douglass county, Minnesota.

Mr. Gilbert lived for several years in the city of Winona His present residence is unknown.

The farm now owned and occupied by Mr. E. B. Drew was held by Mr. Drew as a claim, but it was the choice of W. H. Coryell on his number drawn as a member of the association. It was on this claim that E. B. Drew, C. R. Coryell and W. H. Coryell made their camp when they first came to Rolling Stone. This was their homestead, where they lived and made their first beginning in farming operations in the Territory of Minnesota. By mutual agreement they worked together and held property in common.

When these men first came here it was not their design to settle in the valley. From the description given by Mr. Lord of the country lying west they expected to locate themselves on prairie farms back from the Mississippi. They selected this location to keep up their connection with the association and as their headquarters until they found claims that were more satisfactory.

They explored the country west and made selections of locations in what is now known as the town of Saratoga, in the western part of the county, is the vicinity of what has since been called the Blair settlement. With their teams and big wagon they spent about a week in prospecting and marking their claim with the customary marks and a small pile of logs for each location, but never made any further improvements, their interests in the valley engaging their attention until their prairie claims were taken by others.

Mr. Drew broke about twenty-five acres on the farm where he now lives, in the spring of 1852, and planted some corn and cultivated a garden. In the fall he sowed a small patch of wheat by way of experiment. The following year, 1853, he harvested the first crop of wheat ever raised by the settlers in southern Minnesota. From one sack of seed wheat, about two bushels, sown on about two acres of breaking, he secured seventy bushels of superior winter wheat, which he threshed and cleaned by hand-labor.

The following extract is copied from "The Democrat," published at St. Paul, August 3, 1853:

O. M. Lord, Esq., of Filmore county, a delegate to the late democratic convention, has deposited in this office a sample of winter wheat of the red chaff bearded variety, raised on the farm of Messrs. Drew and Coryell, in the Rolling Stone valley, which we regard as the finest specimen of this grain that we have ever seen. Messrs. D. & C. have harvested several acres of this wheat, and good judges estimate that it will yield at the rate of forty bushels to the acre. This is the first winter wheat ever sown in that vicinity, but Mr. Lord informs us that a large quantity will be put in the ground this fall. There is little doubt that wheat is to become one of the great staple productions of Minnesota, and that flour of the best quality will soon form the most important item in the lists of our exports. Up with your mills, gentlemen. In 1853 Mr. Drew increased his cultivation by another field of breaking, and raised a large crop of corn. In the fall he sowed about eight acres of winter wheat In the spring of 1863 he sowed a sack of spring wheat, and harvested about fifty bushels. About thirty bushels of this he sold to Sanborn & Drew, in the spring of 1854. This was the first load of wheat ever sold in the city of Winona, or in southern Minnesota. In the season of 1854 Mr. Drew harvested, from the eight acres sowed to winter wheat the fall before, about two hundred and fifty bushels. Some of this he sold to the settlers for seed, reserving enough for his own seed, and about eighty bushels which was ground into flour. The first wheat raised in southern Minnesota that was made into flour was a part of this crop During the winter W. R. Stewart and Albion Drew took two loads of this wheat, of forty bushels each, to a mill in La Crosse valley, about sixty miles distant, where they waited until their grist was ground, when they returned home with their flour. They were about a week making the trip, the teams going on the ice to La Crosse and thence up the La Crosse valley. The loads were much lighter on their return, for one fourth of the wheat was taken as toll. The wheat was of No. 1 grade and the flour proved to be of superior quality, fully equal to the best now made by improved mills and more modern processes. Mr. Drew increased the size of his farm, extended his breaking and cultivation and increased his acreage of wheat, but at the same time growing large crops of other kinds of farm produce without making a specialty of any particular branch of his business. He has given his attention to the cultivation of fruit, and engaged considerably in stock raising, horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. Although he has extensive ranges of fine pasturage on his large farm, he abandoned sheep farming, on account of the extreme care necessary to protect his flocks from the wolves that infested the vicinity. Mr. Drew has been a prosperous farmer. He has given his personal attention to all of his farming operations and has made it a practical business occupation. He has held official positions in the town of Rolling Stone, in which he resides; has served as county commissioner and was a member of the state legislature in 1875, and also in 1876. C. R. Coryell remained with Mr. Drew for about a year, and then went back east to live. W. H. Coryell staid with him about two years, when he married and settled on a claim on the upper part of Wabash prairie, where W. L. Burr now resides. After a residence here of about a year he left the territory. Robert Thorp is living on the farm chosen for him on his number drawn. It adjoins that of Mr. Drew. Mr. Thorp's family lived in Minnesota City about two years before they moved to their present location. To hold the claim and prevent others from jumping it while Mr. Thorp was absent working at his trade as a blacksmith, he built a small shanty, which Mrs. Thorp sometimes occupied temporarily. Mr. Thorp is now occupying his comfortable stone cottage and broad acres of cultivated fields, for which he abandoned his blacksmith shop in New York city. He has held the office of treasurer of the town of Rolling Stone, in which he lives, for the past fifteen years. Although Mr. Thorp brought to the colony a large supply of material, stock and tools, he never opened a shop in Minnesota City. He left his family there in a comfortable hewed log house about 14x16, and went down to Galena, where he worked a part of the years 1852 and 1853. When he moved on his farm he built a small shop in which he sometimes does blacksmithing for himself or to accommodate a neighbor. End of Chapter BACK NEXT HOME Graphics by Graphics by