Pages 325-335 From the book
"History of Wabasha County" Published in 1884
Concerning Wabasha and Winona Counties in Minnesota
During the season of 1852 there were two post-offices created in this county by the post-office department, although there was but one in regular operation until about the beginning of the following year. The first was at Minnesota City, with Robert Pike, Jr., as postmaster. The other at Wabasha prairie, with George G. Barber as postmaster.
During the season of 1852 there were two post-offices created in this county by the post-office department, although there was but one in regular operation until about the beginning of the following year. The first was at Minnesota City, with Robert Pike, Jr., as postmaster. The other at Wabasha prairie, with George G. Barber as postmaster.
The office at Minnesota City was established with the proviso that the mails should be transported, free of charge to the department, to and from the nearest post-office on the Mississippi. The mails were made up and received in regular form at this office, but no regular carrier employed. The special mail-bag provided, was usually carried by some of the colonists who chanced to go to La Crosse, the nearest post-office on the river, or it was taken to Wabasha prairie and sent down by the boats. On certain days, about every week, the mail-bag was brought up from La Crosse by the boats and left a Wabasha prairie, where some one from the colony awaited its arrival. Prior to this all mail matter belonging to the members of the association was usually carried and looked after by the settlers of the colony.
It was usual for the postmaster at La Crosse to deliver to some well known settler all of the mail matter of the settlement to which he belonged. Where parties were well known, their letters were sometimes sent to them by the clerks of the boats, to be left at their nearest landing-place. In this way Nathan Brown received letters at his landing. Bunnell took charge of all mail matter for Bunnell's landing, and in the early part of the season all letters for settlers on Wabasha prairie were left in the care of Johnson.
During the summer and early part of the winter the Rev. Edward Ely made frequent visits between Wabasha prairie and La Crosse. A portion of the time his family was living at the latter place. When he brought his family to Johnson's landing, he for awhile occupied Johnson's claim shanty on claim No. 4. His frequent trips between the two places were made the means by which the settlers on Wabasha prairie received and sent away their letters.
Mr. Ely always made it a duty to bring up all mail matter belonging to this locality, and was accustomed to carry it about with him until distributed to the settlers, who usually flocked around him as soon as his arrival was known. This was readily ascertained, for it was the usual custom for everybody to visit the landing on the arrival of a steamboat from below. All letters sent by the boats were then left in his care for delivery. It was from this matter of accommodation, and from his custom of carrying all letters about his person, the traditional story originated, that "in the early days of the settlement of this county the post-office was in Elder Ely's hat."
The second post-office in the county was on Wabasha prairie. It was called Montezuma; the postmaster was George G. Barber. The first movement toward making application for this office originated with the Wabasha Protection Club. Mention has already been made that a majority of the members of this organization were residents of La Crosse, who held claims on this side of the river, many of them never residents of the territory. The laws of the club allowed its members to hold claims for six months without making a residence on them, and with but nominal improvements. The members were pledged to aid each other in retaining possession during that time. This law conflicted with the United States and Territorial claim laws, and led to frequent differences among the early settlers.
At one of the meetings of the club the necessity of a post-office was discussed and action taken in favor of making application to the post-office department. A blank petition was signed, but the drawing up of the necessary papers and forwarding the same was referred to Andrew Cole, a lawyer in La Crosse and a member of the club. It was then supposed, and generally understood, that the secretary, Abner S. Goddard, would be recommended in the petition for postmaster, and that the name of the post-office would be Wabasha prairie.
When the papers were drawn up, the attorney, with the approval of some of the members of the club, inserted Montezuma as the name of the post-office, and recommended George G. Barber as postmaster. Mr. Barber was a resident of La Crosse. He had made a claim in Gilmore valley early in the spring, but never improved it. The blank petition filled out at La Crosse was forwarded to the post-office department andthe appointment duly made. Mr. Barber received his commission about the middle of June, gave the required bonds and took the oath of office. He came up to make his arrangements for supplying the settlers of Wabasha prairie with their mail and offered the position of deputy-postmaster to Mr. Goddard, who indignantly refused to accept the position. Mr. Barbar returned to La Crosse without being able to secure a deputy. The settlers on Wabasha prairie declined the honor, ~ the only instance in the history of this county where official position has been generally declined.
No improvements were made in postal facilities; "the elder" continued to carry the "mail in his hat." About the 20th of July Byron Viets moved up from La Crosse and accepted the position of deputy-postmaster from Mr. Barber.
Mr. Viets did not open the office regularly. The mails were made up and distributed as before, at La Crosse. The only additional advantage afforded was that the mail was carried by the boats in a canvas bag without a lock. By request of Mr. Viets, the older distributed the contents of the bag left in his charge as he had previously done.
The settlers were dissatisfied with the appointment of a non-residents as postmaster, who lived thirty miles away. The name of Montezuma was equally objectionable, although Johnson had adopted it as the name of the town-site, then just plotted by John Ball on Wabasha prairie.
A public meeting was called to consider the matter and the question lively discussed. All united in a petition to the post-office department for the appointment of Abner S. Goddard as postmaster in place of George G. Barber, a resident of another state. Nearly all petitioned to have the name of the office changed from Montezuma to Winona. In discussing this change several names were proposed; Winona, Wabasha, Wabasha City, Prairie and Ozelle. The name of Winona was adopted by a majority of one when the vote was taken.
It is now uncertain who first suggested the name of Winona. It has been said that it was proposed by Captain Smith. Some are equally positive that it was suggested by Dr. Balcombe. Others say it was Dr. Childs. Dr. Childs was noted for his peculiarity of giving names to localities, and to all animals in his possession. Gilmore valley was called by him "Winona valley," about the time the name of Winona was selected as the name of the post-office.
Letters in the hands of Mrs. Calista Balcombe, Mr. Howard and Ed. Hamilton, then the proprietors of No. 5, the Hamilton claim urged upon Captain Smith, the propriety of calling the new town plot Wabasha. This Captain Smith consented to do, provided he could induce Alexis Bailey to have the name of the post-office at Wabasha changed, but Bailey would not consent. They then proposed to call it Wabasha City, and adopted the name themselves for use in their correspondence. Dr. Balcombe was always anxious to have a Dakota name given to the town. Neither Captain Smith nor the proprietors of claim No. 5 were present when the name of Winona was adopted. The post-office department promptly changed the name of the post-office to Winona and appointed Mr. Goddard postmaster. When his commission arrived he was lying on his bed of sickness, from which he never recovered. He died before he was able to qualify for the position. The post-office was without a legal postmaster. The boats, however, carried the mails between La Crosse and the prairie, where they were taken care of by the volunteer postmaster. Elder Ely obtained possession of the keys and acted in that capacity with out taking the oath of office required from those who handle the United States mail. No mails were made up or officially received at this office. This duty was performed at La Crosse. The elder was simply acting in the same capacity of messenger that he had been previously doing, except instead of carrying the letters "in his hat" he was accommodated with a mail bag. The faithfulness shown by Mr. Ely in his attention to this self-imposed duty was satisfactory to the settlers. Among the traditional anecdotes of the early days is one showing the zeal of the elder in the performance of his duties. He received the mail bag from the boat and also delivered it with the letters to be posted at La Crosse. It was his custom to preach here on Sundays when not engaged at La Crosse, where he had regular appointments, alternating with Elder Hamilton ~ one preaching on one Sunday and the other on the next. While holding forth eloquently to an attentive congregation in his own shanty, on one of his days to speak to the people, the settlers were suddenly and unexpectedly startled by the whistle of a steamboat approaching the landing. The elder brought his sermon to a close very abruptly, with the remark, "There's a boat from below," and hastened to the levee to receive the expected mail. The elder denies having any recollection of this occurrence. Those who are familiar with his eccentricities believe it. George W. Clark says it is true, for he was one of his audience ~ that the elder stopped short in one of the best sermons he ever heard him attempt to deliver, and left his astonished congregation to ponder on the finale of the discourse if completed, or to follow him to the levee and see if there was any one on the boat that they knew, and inquire for long expected letters when the elder had secured the United States mail bag.
To remedy all difficulties arising from the irregularities of mail facilities, a meeting of the settlers was called to take the matter under consideration and recommend a candidate to fill the vacancy of postmaster. The Rev. Edward Ely was selected for the position by an unanimous vote, and a petition, signed by all on the prairie, forwarded to the department in Washington.
At this meeting an effort was made to again change the name of the post-office ~ to call it Wabasha City ~ but the matter was settled by a vote, and one majority for Winona.
Elder Ely duly received his commission and became the lawful postmaster at Winona, on Wabasha prairie, where he had had the distribution of letters that came by mail about nine months unofficially. The first regular mail made up by him after receiving his appointment was on the 8th day of January, 1853. The office was in his residence on the corner of Center and Second streets, where now the "Ely block" stands. Mr. Ely held this position until early in the spring of 1855, when he was superseded by J. W. Downer, and the post-office removed to the "Downer building" which stood about midway between Market and Walnut streets, on the north side of Front street.
This change was a political movement. When the United States land-office was established at Winona and the little settlement at Johnson's landing began to assume some importance it was considered advisable that the postmaster should be one in sympathy with the party in power. The administration was democratic, and as the elder was of different political faith the services of the pioneer postmaster were no longer required.
The first marriage on Wabasha prairie, now the city of Winona, and the first marriage within the present boundaries of this county, was that of S. K. Thompson and Mrs. Sutherland, on the 9th of November, 1852. The marriage ceremony was performed by the Rev. Edward Ely at his own house, where the parties were stopping temporarily while waiting for a down boat to take them to La Crosse.
S. K. Thompson was among the first arrivals here in the spring . Without locating himself on a claim he had remained on Wabasha prairie during the season and made his home with John Evans. He was about forty-five years old, a man of good general intelligence and of dignified personal appearance. Mrs. Sutherland was a widow about forty years of age. She came here with her brother, O. S. Holbrook, and kept house for him until her marriage, after which Thompson and Holbrook lived together for awhile on Holbrook's claim, which he had discovered lying south of and adjoining the McDermott claim, until Thompson made a claim back of the lake and moved on it.
The claim, back of the lake, made by George Wallace early in the spring of 1852, had laid during this season with but little, if anything, to show that it was claimed. Its exposed situation was a temptation for some one without a claim to watch. The Rev. Mr. Ely had not, as yet, taken a claim. On the 2d of December, 1852, he, with his axe on his shoulder, crossed the lake on the ice and jumped Wallace's claim. He took possession by chopping down some trees and blazing others, on which he conspicuously displayed his name.
Mr. Wallace was a nephew of Thompson's wife, the late Widow Sutherland. Considering the Wallace claim to be a family possession which should be guarded, Thompson jumped it from Mr. Ely on January 15, 1853, while the elder was at La Crosse holding a series of revival meetings for which he had been employed. The elder was too much engaged in his professional labors to devote his time and attention to the protection of his rights, and Thompson established himself on the claim by building a cabin on it, which he occupied with his wife. Mr. Thompson afterward bought the claim of George Wallace and built a comfortable frame house, a story and a half building, in which he lived for ten or twelve years, or while he remained in this part of the country. The house is yet standing, and forms part of the present farmhouse of Mr. John Zenk.
S. K. Thompson was a gentlemanly appearing man in dress and manners, and always seemed to have control of funds to engage in business. He held official positions, ~ was county commissioner, and for several years was justice of the peace. In his younger days he had been a merchant in Ohio. For about ten years before settling in this county he had been engaged in speculative investments along the upper Mississippi. He was for awhile in business as a merchant at Winona.
It has been already related that when Elijah Silsbee sold his claim in 1854, he, with Charles S. Hamilton, started a store on the corner of Front and Center streets. About January 1, 1855, they dissolved partnership, Mr. Silsbee retaining the stock of goods. Soon after this S. K. Thompson bought the goods and carried on the business for about one year. In the fall of 1855 he purchased quite a large stock of general merchandise, groceries, etc. During the winter he sold out to Burr Deuel and Luke Blair. The incidents of this sale are noted to show something of the manner of doing business at that date. When Mr. Thompson sold out to Deuel & Blair he gave possession at once, and was to receive the first payment as soon as the inventory was taken, and the balance in notes of the firm. The inventory was taken by Thompson and Holbrook. Before the inventory was completed enough was realized from sales to make the first payment. The notes for the balance at six and twelve months were paid before due, the firm buying their own paper through an agent, A. P. Foster, at a liberal discount of 3 per cent per month. A portion of the Silsbee stock had been damaged by the sinking of the barge in which it was brought up the river in 1854. To get rid of all of the unsalable goods, auction sales were held, at which "Uncle Luke" was himself the auctioneer and a popular salesman. It was a current report that D. & B. made about $3,000 clear in this transaction before the opening of navigation in the spring, when they renewed their stock.
Two or three years before Mr. Thompson left this part of the country the community was somewhat startled to learn that he had two wives, a married daughter and a very affectionate adopted daughter living with him in his house across the lake back of Winona. Some inquisitive ones, whose sensibilities were shocked by the revelations, attempted to have the affair investigated by the grand jury, to whom complaint was made, but the harmony of the happy family prevented a full expose of the scandal. After remaining here about a year the wife with the married daughter moved to Nebraska. Thompson followed in a year or two after with wife No. 2 and the adopted daughter. It is rumored that Thompson and wife No. 2 died from the effects of poison in Nebraska.
The stores started by Mr. Robertson at Minnesota City, and Mr. Denman at Wabasha prairie, were closed out early in the fall. To procured their supplies for the winter, the settlers sent orders to Galena by the boats; some combined and bought their groceries and provisions at wholesale prices through Mr. Denman as agent. Mr. Johnson went down to Galena and purchased goods for the settlers on the prairie. These supplies were brought up by the Nominee on her last trip and left at La Crosse on November 15. Captain Smith was afraid to venture farther up the river against the ice that had begun to form in the river. A severe snowstorm occurred on November 11, followed by intense cold, the thermometer indicating several degrees below zero.
Mr. Burley says that he went down to La Crosse with Mr. Denman, and was there when the Nominee turned back down the river. They came up with Johnson the next day on foot, on the west side of the river; the snow was about six inches deep. They stayed all night at Brown's. The news that their supplies were stopped at La Crosse was not very cheering to the settlers, for the most of them had but a limited amount on hand, and the prospect was that they would be unable to procure more until the ice formed sufficient to enable them to travel on the river. The weather moderated, the snow melted away and the river cleared of ice. It was then expected that the steamboats would again come up and bring their freight, but no boats ventured on another trip.
On December 9 a party of five men from the Rolling Stone, with half-a-dozen from Wabasha prairie, went down to La Crosse for the supplies left by the Nominee, expecting to bring them up on one of the Black River boats. Among this party were D. Q. Burley, S. E. Cotton, Wm. T. Luark, J. S. Denman and Charles Bannan, of Minnesota City; from the prairie were E. H. Johnson, A. B. Smith, John C. Laird, George W. Clark, Wm. H. Stevens and Peter Gorr. The weather became intensely cold and ice formed in the river, making the trip a laborious one. They reached Brown's the first day from La Crosse, and stopped all night. The following day they landed their freight on the lower end of the prairie late in the evening. The boat was at once unloaded and started back to La Crosse under the pilotage of A. B. Smith and an assistant. Elder Ely also took passage down. They landed at Brown's and stayed until daylight, then they safely reached La Crosse without accident, although the channel was filled with floating ice.
The settlers who remained in the colony and made their homes in Minnesota City during the winter of 1852-3 had comfortable cabins, in which they passed the winter. Some of these cabins were of logs, others were of boards. No cases of suffering from insufficient food or clothing were known in the settlement. Their principal employment was providing firewood for present use and laying in a supply for the ensuing year.
After the sloughs were frozen over they engaged in chopping on the islands, cutting and banking steamboat-wood, getting out logs, timber, posts and rails for use in claim improvements. Their social enjoyments were quiet visits exchanged with each other and occasional meetings of the association.
Among the incidents of the winter was the loss of the horses of S. M. Burns. On Christmas day he with his wife left their home on the bank of the river at what was afterward called Mr. Vernon, for the purpose of visiting the settlement at Minnesota City. He started down on the ice with his horses and sleigh. While on Haddock slough his hoses broke through the ice and were drowned. Burns and his wife narrowly escaped the same fate. This team was the one Burns brought with him when he came to Minnesota. There was but one other team of horses in the north part of the county, that belonging to O. M. Lord, of Minnesota City.
Mr. Burns and his wife spent the day with their friends in the colony. In the evening Mr. Lord took them up to their home with his horses and sleigh, over the trail along the bluffs. He came near losing his own team while on this neighborly trip. In crossing the run in the mouth of Deering's valley he missed the trail and drove below, where the banks were higher and drifted with snow. The horses attempted to jump across, but fell head first into the little stream and were unable to rise. The long sleigh-tongue, which projected two or three feet in front of the horses, was driven into the bank and held them fast. Their bodies formed a dam and the water was soon pouring over their backs. Mr. Lord never traveled without his ax; he was a natural pioneer and prompt to act in cases of emergency. Although it was dark he comprehended the difficulty, and with two or three blows with his ax severed the sleigh-tongue in the rear of the horses and set them at liberty, but not until they were nearly drowned. The tongue was soon repaired with cord brought along in the sleigh, and Mr. Lord made the trip without other accident. His team occupied Burns' stable until the next morning.
The following is a list of members of the Farm and Village Association who settled in the colony at Rolling Stone in 1852 with their families, and who in 1883 are yet residents of that locality: O. M. Lord and wife, James Wright and wife, Egbert Chapman and wife, Mrs. H. B. Waterman, Mrs. Pike (widow of Robert Pike, Jr.,) and her daughter Emma, now Mrs. Frank D. Stewart, Robert Thorp and wife, E. B. Drew, S. E. Cotton and wife, Lawrence Dilworth and wife, Charles Bannon, S. D. Putnam and wife, William Sweet, D. Q. Burley and H. Jones. H. B. Waterman resides in the State of New York. Rufus Waterman is living in the city of Winona.
The settlers on Wabasha prairie, like others along the river, in the winter of 1852-3 engaged in cutting steamboat-wood, logs, timber, etc., on the island opposite. Among their social enjoyments was a general gathering and Christmas dinner held at the Viets House, then occupied by Edwin Hamilton. At the Christmas gathering held on the prairie twelve months before, Ed. Hamilton was the chief cook and general manager of the bachelor dinner. At this second affair he was general manager, but Mrs. Goddard had charge of the cooking departments, although it is stated that Ed. Hamilton provided a roast coon of his own preparation for the table. This dinner was got up by a general contribution of material from those interested. Each family provided a part; even the furniture and dishes were furnished for the occasion. It is said by one who enjoyed it that the dinner was a good one. About half of the settlers on the prairie attended this gathering. Charles Bannon and S. E. Cotton with their wives were present from Rolling Stone.
The following is a list of the settlers living on Wabasha prairie at that date: Rev. H. S. Hamilton, wife and two sons, Charles S. and Eugene; Rev. Edward Ely, wife and two children, "Charlie" and "Nellie"; De. George F. Childs and wife; Mrs. Goddard and son Charles; George M. Gere, wife and a large family; Wm. B. Gere, Edwin Gere, Mary Gere, Henry C. Gere, wife and a large family; Angelia Gere, Helen Gere, John Evans and wife, Abigal (sic) Evans, Royal B. Evans, John Emerson, wife and children; S. K. Thompson and wife, E. H. Johnson, Ed. Hamilton, George W. Clark, Scott Clark, John C. Laird, Wm. H. Stevens, O. S. Holbrook, Frank Curtiss, Rufus Emerson, A. B. Smith, Allen Gilmore, Caleb Nash, Jabez McDermott, (unnamed) Roberts and Elijah Silsbee.
Of the settlers living on Wabasha prairie at the close of the year 1852 the following are yet living in the county of Winona in 1883: Mrs. Goddard, now known as Mrs. Catharine Smith, Elder Ely and wife, Wm. H. Stevens, John C. Laird, Royal B. Evans and George W. Clark.
Without the aid of an official census, it was estimated by M. Wheeler Sargent "that the population within the present boundaries of Winona county on the 12st day of January, 1853, was about 350, of whom a majority were or had been members of the Western Farm and Village Association.
