Fifty Years In The Northwest

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:

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

WILLOW RIVER

MOUTH OF LAKE ST. CROIX

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.