Fifty Years In The Northwest

James W. Mullen was born in Nova Scotia in 1830. He came to Davenport, Iowa, in 1843. He commenced life on a steamboat at the age of fourteen years. He was employed on the steamer Boreas, plying between St. Louis and Keokuk, and followed river life most of the time until 1878. In 1885 he built the Vincent House, St. Croix. Taylor's Falls has been his home at different times since his marriage in 1854. He was married to Margaret Riley, of Davenport, Iowa. Their children are William, Edward and Elsa.

David Caneday was born in Vermont in 1830, and settled in Taylor's Falls in 1853. Mr. Caneday has devoted much of his time to prospecting as a mineralogist. During the years 1861-62 he edited the St. Croix Monitor, and from 1881-84 the St. Croix Dalles. In 1862 he enlisted in Company C., Seventh Minnesota Infantry, and served till the close of the war. His record as a soldier was good. After the battle of Tupelo he volunteered to remain with the wounded, of whom there were about sixty, in the hands of the enemy. Two of these wounded were comrades and friends in Company C., Andrew J. Colby and John S. Swenson. The former died. Mr. Caneday remained at great personal risk, and saw the inside of several prisons before being exchanged. After his return Mr. Caneday engaged in mining and prospecting, except such time as he edited the St. Croix Dalles. He is now mining on Kettle river, in Pine county, Minnesota, and in Burnett county, Wisconsin. He was married in 1865 to Laura, daughter of Judge N. M. Humphrey.

George B. Folsom was born in St. Johns, New Brunswick, April 9, 1815. He was married to Deborah Sawyer, October, 1842, and came to Taylor's Falls in 1853, where he engaged in lumbering. In 1855 he removed to Rush Seba, locating in section 14. He was the first settler in the town and raised the first crops; built the first log and the first frame house, and was prominent in advancing the educational and other interests of the town. He was appointed postmaster in 1856, and held the office fourteen years. He held the office of county commissioner ten years. In 1875 he was appointed receiver of the land office at Taylor's Falls, which office he held for ten years, since which time he has resided in the village.

Aaron M. Chase was born in Machias, Maine, April 7, 1813. He received a home and common school education. In the fall of 1848 he came to St. Anthony and engaged in lumbering. He and Sumner Farnham ran the first logs down the Mississippi from Rabbit river to Fort Ripley and St. Anthony, in 1849. In the spring of 1849, in company with Pat Morin, he built a tow boat, clearing for that purpose a tow path on the eastern side of the river a distance of eighty miles. He carried freight for the American Fur Company, but the introduction of steamboats put an end to this enterprise. In the fall of 1849 he went to St. Louis and remained there till August, 1850, when he returned North, locating at the outlet of Balsam lake, Polk county, Wisconsin, where he built a saw mill. He built a dam and mill, bringing the materials together without other team than himself and five men. After completing the mill he engaged for some years in lumbering. He located at Taylor's Falls in 1853. In 1869 he supervised the building of a series of dams on streams tributary to the Upper St. Croix, the water collected by them to be used at low stages to float logs to the St. Croix and down that stream to Stillwater. These dams are operated under a charter from the state of Wisconsin, and have proved a great benefit to the lumbermen. Mr. Chase is president of the company. He is a man of strong, clear mind, deliberate in action, positive in his opinions and pointed in his expressions, and withal a kind hearted, generous and true man. Mr. Chase is unmarried.

Peter Abear was born in Canada East in 1830; came to Stillwater in 1850, but subsequently removed to Taylor's Falls where, in 1855, he was married to Kitty Wickland, who died in 1860, leaving a son, Franklin E., merchant at Anoka. Mr. Abear married again. His second wife died in 1868, leaving a daughter, Mary. Mr. Abear married a third wife, who died in 1874, leaving no children. Mr. Abear is a machinist but has given much of his attention to farming.

Levi W. Folsom was born in Tamworth, Carroll county, New Hampshire, Sept. 25, 1821. He was fitted for college at Gilmanton, entered Penn College at Gettsyburg, Pennsylvania, and graduated in 1848. Returning to New England, he studied law at Cornish, Maine, with Caleb R. Ayer, and was admitted to practice in the county of Carroll, New Hampshire. He came to Taylor's Falls in 1854, and was admitted to practice in the supreme court of Minnesota, and practiced law for a period of fifteen years, when he engaged in real estate and other business. He is a pleasant and agreeable speaker, stands high in the masonic fraternity, is an ardent and uncompromising Democrat, a positive man with strong home and social feelings. He has been vice president of the Taylor's Falls branch of the St. Paul & Duluth railroad since its organization. He was married in 1859 to Abbie Shaw, in St. Paul.

Eddington Knowles was born in Kentucky in 1821; came to St. Croix Falls in 1844, and followed lumbering. He was married to Ann Carroll at Taylor's Falls in 1854, and made his residence at Taylor's Falls. He enlisted for service during the Rebellion in the Third Minnesota Volunteers, but was discharged for disability before the close of the war. He died at Hayward, Wisconsin, in 1883, leaving a widow and three children. His oldest daughter is the wife of Douglas Greely, of Stillwater. His body was brought to the Taylor's Falls cemetery for interment.

Dr. Lucius B. Smith. – Dr. Smith was the first regular physician in Taylor's Falls, having located here in 1854. He was born in Berlin, Erie county, Ohio, in the year 1824. He was married in 1849, and after some years' practice of medicine in his native town he came West and located in Taylor's Falls, where he resided until 1862, when he was appointed surgeon of the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, in which regiment were many of his friends and associates. He performed well his duties in that position, but was killed on the day preceding the battle of Tupelo, the division to which he belonged having been ambuscaded by Forrest's troops. His remains were carried to the field of Tupelo and there buried, but have since been removed to Kahbakong cemetery, at Taylor's Falls. Dr. Smith was a tall man, of fine presence, with the air of an officer, for which reason, doubtless, some sharpshooter singled him out for destruction. Dr. Smith left a widow, one son, Charles, and one daughter, Mary, the wife of J. W. Passmore. His widow was married to E. D. Whiting. Both are deceased.

William Comer was born in Cheshire county, England, in 1812; was married to Elisabeth Davis; came to America in 1846 and located in St. Louis, where he remained until 1852, when he removed to Pike county, Illinois. In 1854 he removed to St. Croix Falls and in 1855 to Taylor's Falls, where he has since resided. He has been treasurer of Chisago county two terms, and four years register of the United States land office. For a number of years he has held the position of town and bridge treasurer. He and his two sons, George and William, are engaged in the mercantile business. His daughter, Eleanor, is the wife of Benj. Thaxter, of Minneapolis.

Dr. Erastus D. Whiting. – The Whiting family, consisting of three brothers, Erastus D., Selah and Charles B., came to Taylor's Falls in 1855, and for many years were prominent merchants and business men in the village. Erastus D. Whiting was born in Vernon Centre, Massachusetts, in 1811. He was educated in the common schools and at Westfield Academy. At the age of sixteen he commenced reading medicine and graduated at the Ohio Medical College in 1832. He practiced three years in Ashtabula, Ohio, and twenty years in Pike county, Illinois. When he came to Taylor's Falls he retired from practice and engaged in the mercantile and lumbering business until 1867. During this time he served in two sessions of the Minnesota legislature as representative, 1860-61. In 1869 he visited Europe. He died in Taylor's Falls in 1880. He was twice married; first in 1837, to Emily Bradley, who died in 1866; and second in – , to Mrs. Smith (widow of Dr. L. B. Smith), who died in 1872.

Selah Whiting was born in Connecticut; came West to Pike county, Illinois, in 1836, and to Taylor's Falls in 1855. He engaged in the mercantile business. His wife died in 1867. He died in 1868.

Charles B. Whiting was born in Litchfield county, Connecticut; came to Pike county, Illinois, in 1836, and to Taylor's Falls in 1855. He was associated with his brothers in the mercantile business. He was register of the land office four years and served as United States marshal during the war. His first wife died in Taylor's Falls. He was married to Flavilla Blanding in 18 – . Mr. Whiting died in 1873.

Frederic Tang was born in Prussia in 1819. He learned the trade of house carpenter and served in the Prussian Army one year. He was married in Germany, in 1850; came to America in 1852 and to Taylor's Falls in 1856. He served three years in Company C, Seventh Minnesota, during the Rebellion. One son, Frederic, resides at Taylor's Falls, engaged in lumbering. His oldest daughter, Pena, is the wife of Ernest Leske, of Taylor's Falls. His second daughter, Bertha, is the wife of David Bowsher, of Dakota. Mr. Tang died in November, 1887.

Ward W. Folsom was born in 1822, in Tamworth, New Hampshire; was married to Matilda Stedman in 1844; came to Taylor's Falls in 1856, where he kept a boarding house for several years. He died at his home, Sept. 28, 1884. His eldest son, Charles W., was editor of the Taylor's Falls Reporter for several years. He was married to Luella Gray in 1865. He died in 1872. Edward H., his second son, for some years has edited the Taylor's Falls Journal. He started and conducted for some years the Stillwater Lumberman. He was married to Susie Way, in September, 1868.

George W. Seymour was born in Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, in 1828, and came to Taylor's Falls in 1857, where he has since resided, following the occupation of druggist, but occasionally holding a town office. Mr. Seymour held the positions of postmaster and justice of the peace for several years, and has been secretary of the Taylor's Falls & Lake Superior railroad since its organization. Mr. Seymour is an active member of the masonic fraternity, an ardent Democrat and thoroughly trustworthy and reliable as a man and friend. He is unmarried.

James A. Woolley, a native of England, came to Taylor's Falls in 1857. He was an engineer and in my employ as engineer and foreman in the pinery for fourteen years, during which period our association was quite intimate, and I learned to know him and esteem him as a true friend, and faithful to all his obligations as a man. He was a true Christian and died in full hope of immortality. He promised, when he knew himself to be dying, to return to earth and revisit me if possible, but so far has not returned. He died in 1874. His family removed to Dakota. His oldest son, John Alley, was killed in Washington Territory by a premature explosion of a blast in a mine, by which nineteen others were killed at the same time. Alida married William McKenzie and resides at Grand Forks, Dakota. Frank W. F., the youngest son, also lives in Dakota.

Patrick Carroll, was of Irish birth. His wife is a sister of Patrick Fox. He is about ninety years of age. They have had two sons, Joseph and one drowned, and three daughters, one the wife of E. Knowles, deceased, the other two becoming respectively the first and second wife of John O'Brien. Mr. O'Brien has two daughters, Minnie and Lizzie, and three sons, William, Joseph and Daniel.

Joseph Carroll was born at Davenport, Iowa, in 1840; came to St. Croix when a boy, early in the 50's, and worked for his uncle, Patrick Fox, in the pinery; was married to Mary Cotter at Davenport, Iowa, in 1858. He resided at Taylor's Falls until 1861, when he enlisted in a Kansas regiment. He was severely wounded at Springfield, Missouri. He was subsequently transferred to a heavy artillery company of colored troops from Tennessee, and commissioned a lieutenant. He was at Fort Pillow during the massacre, was taken prisoner and confined at Andersonville eighteen months. After his dismissal he went to Memphis and was employed in the police service until 1867, when he and his wife died of yellow fever, leaving two daughters, one the wife of Edward St. John, of Marine, the other of Geo. W. Booth, of Taylor's Falls.

Rev. E. E. Edwards was born in Delaware, Ohio, Jan. 26, 1831; was educated at Indiana Asbury University, and has been employed most of his life in educational work, serving as president of Whitewater College, Indiana, professor of Latin in Hamline University, professor of natural sciences at St. Charles and McKendre colleges, and president of the Colorado State Agricultural College. Mr. Edwards came to Taylor's Falls in the winter of 1860, and remained two years as pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, and teacher in the Chisago Seminary. During the last year of the war he was chaplain of the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. In the winter of 1885 he again became pastor of the Taylor's Falls Methodist Episcopal church. He was married in 1854 to Alice L. Eddy, of Cincinnati, Ohio. His family consists of four sons and one daughter.

Stephen J. Merrill was born in Schoharie county, New York, in 1827; came to the St. Croix valley in 1848, and to Taylor's Falls in 1861. He was married to Caroline Nelson in 1861. They have six sons and one daughter. He has a beautiful and well improved homestead within the town limits, adjoining the cemetery.

Noah Marcus Humphrey was born in 1809, at Goshen, Smithfield Connecticut. He removed to Ohio in 1833, served in the Ohio legislature in 1852 and 1853, and was for six years judge of probate court in Summit county. He was married twice, the second time to Mrs. Young, in 1840. His first wife left two children, Mark, for some time a resident of Taylor's Falls, now deceased, and Laura, wife of David Caneday. Judge Humphrey has been justice of the peace in Taylor's Falls for twenty years, and postmaster for as many more. He was judge of probate court for ten years, and has recently been re-elected to that position.

Royal C. Gray was born in Bakersfield, Vermont, October, 1832. He spent his early life in Vermont and Massachusetts. He came West in 1850, and located in Kanabec county, where he farmed and kept a public house at Greely station, on Kanabec river, until 1860, when he returned to Massachusetts. In 1864 he returned to the St. Croix valley and located in Taylor's Falls, where he still resides. He has been employed by the St. Paul & Duluth Railroad Company for ten years as surveyor and explorer, and holds some valuable pine lands. In 1861 Mr. Gray was married to Ann Eliza Johnson, in Massachusetts. They have one son, Orin.

John Philip Owens. – William Owens, the father of John Philip, came to America from North Wales, and served as a soldier in the war of 1812. John Philip was born Jan. 6, 1818. His father died seven years later, and the son was brought up on a farm by a stepfather. He received an academic education at Cincinnati, Ohio. At the age of seventeen he commenced learning the printer's trade, served as an apprentice four years, and graduated on his twenty-first birthday. Having some means inherited from his father, he commenced a newspaper enterprise at Cincinnati, invested and lost all his money. For several years he was engaged as a reporter and assistant editor on various papers in Cincinnati, Louisville, Vicksburg and New Orleans. In 1849 he formed a business partnership with Nat. McLean, of Cincinnati, to establish a paper at St. Paul. He arrived at St. Paul May 27th of that year. The first number of the Minnesota Register was printed in Cincinnati and brought to St. Paul for distribution in July. In October the paper was united with the Minnesota Chronicle, and so published until July, 1850, when it was discontinued. In 1851 Mr. Owens and G. W. Moore started the Weekly Minnesotian, adding in 1854 a daily and tri-weekly edition. The Minnesotian was ably edited, and was Republican in politics. Owing to poor health, Mr. Owens sold his interest in the Minnesotian. In 1862 he was appointed quartermaster of the Ninth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. This regiment did service in the State during the Sioux War, but in 1864 was ordered South and attached to the Sixteenth Army Corps. Mr. Owens served as regimental and brigade quartermaster until the close of the war. In April, 1868, he was appointed register of the United States land office, which position he held until his death, Sept. 11, 1884. He was first Grand Master of the I. O. O. F. in Minnesota; He left at his death an unpublished manuscript, "The Political History of the State of Minnesota." His first wife was Helen McAllister, whom he married in Ohio in 1848. She left an only daughter, Mary Helen. Mr. Owens' second wife was Frances M. Hobbs, whom he married Oct. 26, 1853, in New York City.

Andrew Clendenning was born in 1798, in the north of Ireland. He was a Protestant, united with the Methodist church when a young man and proved ever after a consistent Christian, strong in his religious convictions and a faithful worker. He crossed the ocean in 1835, locating first at New Brunswick. In 1855 he came to Michigan, in 1859 to St. Croix Falls, in 1870 to Taylor's Falls, where he resided until his death, in 1875. He left three sons in Taylor's Falls, Andrew, James and George, and one son in Oregon. One son, Joseph, died in the service of his adopted country, having enlisted in Company C, Seventh Minnesota. One daughter, the wife of Thomas Thompson, of St. Croix Falls, died in 1886.

Smith Ellison was born in Marine, Madison county, Illinois, March 15, 1823. He came to Marine Mills in 1844. For two years he was in the employ of Judd, Walker & Co. The next three years he spent at Osceola, Wisconsin. In 1849 he engaged in logging and continued in that business for many years. In 1856 he settled on and improved a farm in Sunrise. In 1868 he removed to Taylor's Falls and formed a partnership with L. K. Stannard in the mercantile and lumbering business. Mr. Ellison was a representative in the eighth legislature, and served as county commissioner eight years. In late years he has been interested in a saw, planing and flour mill at Stillwater. He is a stockholder and director in the First National Bank at Stillwater and owns large tracts of pine lands. He has applied himself closely to business, is energetic, cautious and thoroughly reliable. Mr. Ellison is unmarried.

WYOMING

Includes township 33, range 21. The eastern half is well timbered, the west has oak openings. Sunrise river flows in a northerly direction through the township, and with its tributaries and numerous lakes supplies it abundantly with water. There are some wild meadows and tamarack swamps. Green lake, in the eastern part of the township, is a picturesque sheet of water, five miles in length by one and a half broad, with sloping timbered shores and cedar points projecting into the lake, in one place forming a natural roadway nearly across, which is connected with the mainland opposite by a bridge.

A colony from Eastern Pennsylvania settled the western part of the township in 1855. The colony was composed of L. O. Tombler, Dr. John W. Comfort, E. K. Benton, and some others, in all ten families. The eastern part had been previously settled by Swedes. The township was organized in 1858. The supervisors were J. W. Comfort, L. O. Tombler and Fred Tepel. A post office was established at Wyoming with J. Engle as postmaster. The Catholics and Methodists erected churches in 1864. The St. Paul & Duluth railroad was completed in 1868, and in 1879 the branch road to Taylor's Falls. The township was settled rapidly after the completion of the railroad. At the junction of the two roads there is a good depot, two stores and a fine hotel, the latter kept by L. O. Tombler.