Fifty Years In The Northwest

CHAPTER XVI.
STEARNS, ANOKA AND SHERBURNE COUNTIES

STEARNS COUNTY

Stearns county derived its name from Hon. Charles T. Stearns, a prominent citizen of St. Cloud, a representative of the precinct of St. Anthony Falls in the fifth and sixth territorial councils.

It is bounded on the north by Todd and Morrison counties, on the east by Benton, Sherburne and Wright counties, the Mississippi forming the dividing line against Benton and Sherburne, and Clearwater against Wright county, on the south by Kandiyohi and Mecker, and on the west by Pope county. It contains an area equal to thirty-six townships. It is a fine agricultural county and is well watered by the tributaries of the Mississippi, the principal of which is Sauk river. It has also an abundance of small lakes. Its oldest settlement and principal city is St. Cloud, and among its most flourishing villages are Sauk Centre, Fair Haven, Clearwater, Melrose, St. Joseph, Albany, Paynesville, Richmond, and Cold Springs.

The county was organized in 1855, under the legislative act of that year. Gov. Willis A. Gorman appointed the following commissioners: David T. Wood, John Ferschniller and John L. Wilson. They held their first meeting at the house of John L. Wilson, April 9, 1855. J. L. Wilson acted as chairman. The board appointed the following county officers: Charles Ketchum, clerk; Robert B. Blake, treasurer; L. B. Hammond, sheriff; N. N. Smith, judge of probate; R. B. Blake, surveyor; and John Harry Weltshimer, assessor. The board established three precincts, viz.: St. Augusta, St. Cloud and Tamarack. The judges of election for St. Augusta were John M. Feble, John G. Lodenbeck and Anton Emholt; for St. Cloud, Joseph Demil, L. B. Hammond and Battise Arsenan; for Tamarack, Henry Foster, Louis Amel and John Smith. License was granted to Joseph P. Wilson, George F. Brott, L. B. Hammond, and O. Carter to run a ferry across the Mississippi river. April 30, 1855, Farmington precinct was established. John M. Lindeman, Jacob C. Staples and D. T. Wood were judges of election. July 5, 1855, the first rate of taxation was fixed for the county at one per cent.

The first license to sell spirituous liquors was granted to Anton Edelbrock. The first order issued was to pay for county books, $31.86, to John L. Wilson. Ordered that Washington avenue and St. Augusta street be adopted as county roads. Aug. 27, 1855, it was ordered that Chippewa Agency precinct (now in Crow Wing county) be and remain as it was when a part of Benton county, and J. D. Crittenden, Truman Warren and D. B. Herriman were appointed judges of election. It was ordered that Long Prairie precinct (now in Todd county) remain as it was when a part of Benton county, and Anson Northrup, Lewis Stone and Harman Becker were appointed judges of election. On Jan. 6, 1856, a new board of commissioners qualified, consisting of Anton Edelbrock, chairman, Reuben M. Richardson, and M. J. Orth. H. C. Waite was appointed prosecuting attorney. The county was organized for judicial purposes in 1855, and the counties of Crow Wing and Todd were attached. The first term of court was held June 25, 1855; Hon. Moses Sherburne, presiding, Taylor Dudley, clerk, and Joseph Edelbrock, sheriff. The writer is indebted to the efficient clerk of court of 1887, A. L. Cramb, for collecting data, as the old records are quite unintelligible.

Judge E. O. Hamlin held the first term of court under the state organization. At the session of the commissioners in July, 1856, the first bonds of the county were ordered for building a court house, amounting to $7,000, at twelve per cent interest for eight years. The bonds were offered in New York City by an agent. These bonds were lost, and only two of them were recovered. At the session of the commissioners for August, the donation of John L. Wilson of four blocks of ground, containing eight acres, for court house purposes, was accepted. Three-fourths of the ground was sold by the county, and the funds received from the sale, together with $6,000 in bonds issued in 1857, and other bonds issued later, were used in erecting the court house.

ST. CLOUD

The eastern side of the Mississippi river was the first settled. As early as 1848 David Gilman had located at a point now called Watab. During the ensuing year, Jeremiah Russell, Philip Beaupre and James Beatty were keeping trading posts at Sauk Rapids. In 1849 J. Q. A. and W. H. Wood, brothers, located there. In 1854 the Rapids had become quite a point with its Indian trading posts, its stores and its United States land office. Among the early residents were many subsequently identified with the interests of St. Cloud. In the spring of 1854 John L. Wilson crossed the river at the point now known as the upper landing, then covered with a dense growth of trees and underbrush. On the adjoining prairie, a Norwegian, Ole Burgerson by name, had staked out a claim and put up a shanty. Mr. Wilson purchased his interest and in June of the same year erected a frame dwelling (still standing) near the railroad bridge. Nicholas Lake put up a blacksmith shop near by. During this year James Hitchins put up a small log dwelling for Gen. S. B. Lowry, who platted the township of Acadia, now Lowry's addition to St. Cloud. A post office was established here through his influence. The same year Brott & Co. laid out St. Cloud city. The earliest claimants of the town site, owning claims fronting on the river, were S. B. Lowry, Ole Burgerson, Martin Woolley, and Michael Zoms. John L. Wilson having purchased the claim of Ole Burgerson, platted the village of St. Cloud, and this was the first recorded of any of the St. Cloud plats. The village of St. Cloud made but little progress until 1856, when a hotel known as the Stearns House, now used in connection with the normal school, was built, a ferry established and other improvements made. A notable incident connected with this ferry is the fact that the Rev. Abbot Alexius Edelbrock, now president of St. John's University, then a lad of thirteen years of age, was ferryman, he being the son of the proprietor of the ferry. The craft was swung back and forth like a pendulum, by the current acting against its keel, being fastened by a long rope some distance up the river. It was not therefore beyond the ability of so youthful a ferryman to manage. The post office, established first at Acadia, became the St. Cloud post office and Joseph Edelbrock was appointed postmaster. He was reappointed by President Cleveland to the same position in 1886. The first newspaper in St. Cloud was the Visitor, established in 1857, by the gifted and somewhat erratic journalist and reformer, Jane Grey Swisshelm. This paper had but a brief and troubled career – the advanced views and dictatorial style of its publisher and editor proving somewhat distasteful to the community at large. Mrs. Swisshelm, who had already won a national reputation, went to Washington, became a contributor to the New York Tribune, and had thereafter a somewhat variable, and upon the whole brilliant, career as a lecturer, editor and reformer. She was amongst the strongest, though not the most radical, of the advocates of woman's rights. She was not a woman suffragist, but directed her efforts chiefly toward establishing the legal identity of married women. She was also very pronounced in her anti-slavery views.

The first records of the organization of St. Cloud as a village have been lost. It was reorganized by legislative enactment in 1862, and the following were the first officers: Mayor, Judge L. A. Evans; councilmen, H. C. Burbank, John W. Tenvoorde, Joseph Broker and Barney Overbeck; clerk, A. B. Curry.

St. Cloud was organized as a city in 1868, under the following officers: Mayor, Judge E. O. Hamlin; aldermen, L. A. Evans, president; Peter Smith, Thomas Smith, T. C. Alden, Leander Gorton, T. R. Bennett, O. Tenny, C. Bridgman, Andrew Fritz, L. R. Roberts, Lewis Clarke, H. C. Burbank; clerk, N. F. Barnes. The city government has been judiciously managed. The United States land office, established first at Sauk Rapids in 1853, was removed to St. Cloud in May, 1858. The first receiver was W. H. Wood. His successors have been S. B. Hayes, C. A. Gilman, W. B. Mitchell, H. G. Burbank, Ole Peterson, and C. F. McDonald, the present incumbent. The first register was George W. Sweet. His successors have been W. A. Caruthers, T. C. McClure, H. C. Waite, H. L. Gordon, J. A. Brower, and D. H. Freeman.

The city has paid for various improvements as follows: City water works on the Holly system, $25,000; city bridge over the Mississippi, 500 feet in length, $12,000; to the Manitoba railroad in real estate and bonds, $100,000; in cash, $27,000; gas works, $10,000. The fire department is well equipped. An electric light plant has been established. Considerable money and work have been expended in dredging Lake George, a beautiful lake about fifty-five acres in extent, lying in the heart of the city, and surrounding it with parks. Street cars have been introduced and altogether the city has made most commendable advancement in all those things that pertain to beauty and comfort.

Not less rapid and substantial are its advances in commerce and manufactures. Before the completion of the railway it had regular communication by water with all river points, and since its facilities for transportation have made it the peer of any inland city of its size in the State. The railroads of St. Cloud are the Manitoba with its various branches and the Northern Pacific, the latter passing through East St. Cloud. Among the improvements of which its citizens are justly proud we may mention the St. Cloud dam, constructed in 1886, at a cost of $200,000. The city gave $100,000 for this improvement. The dam has for its foundation the underlying granite of this section. It is intended as a permanent structure and must conduce largely to the growth and prosperity of the city. The dam has 10 feet head of water and furnishes 1,500 horse power. A flour mill with a capacity of 300 barrels per day is run by the water power. The Phœnix Iron Works, established at a cost of $175,000, give employment to 100 men. Bridgman's steam saw mill has a capacity of about 40,000 feet of lumber per day.

St. Cloud is backed by a rich agricultural and timbered district. In the vicinity are valuable quarries of jasper, and of gray and red granite. Two granite polishing works, operated by steam, are located near the city. These quarries stretch away to the northeast, through the counties of Benton, Morrison, Mille Lacs and Kanabec. They give employment to 1,000 men. The Manitoba Railroad Company has purchased recently about 400 acres of land, on which to build extensive shops and stock yards, calculated to give employment, when completed, to 1,000 men. The principal hotels are the Grand Central and the West House.

The first bank in St. Cloud was established by Waite & McClure in 1859. This bank, a private institution, was the beginning of the banking system in St. Cloud. It is now operated by N. P. Clarke. The First National Bank was organized as a private bank in 1867, with a capital stock of $25,000; James A. Bell, president; Joseph G. Smith, cashier. It was reorganized as a state bank in 1879, with a capital stock of $50,000. In 1886 it was reorganized as a national bank. The first board of officers have served continuously to date. The business of the bank amounts to over $300,000. The German American National Bank was organized in 1883; Chas. A. Hull, president; Edgar Hull, cashier; capital stock $50,000. The business (in 1886) amounts to $250,000. The present board of officers are: F. E. Searle, president; John Cooper, vice president; F. M. Morgan, cashier.

St. Cloud has many fine buildings. The court house cost $40,000, and four school buildings an aggregate of $75,000. The bishop's cathedral cost $40,000, and the Catholic church $30,000. The Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Congregationalists, and Lutherans have organizations and good church buildings. The normal school buildings located here cost $100,000. St. Cloud University is a flourishing institution. St. John's University, although located in the adjoining town of St. Joseph, has been identified more or less with the interests of St. Cloud, and deserves mention in its history. It was originally located two miles south of St. Cloud, but was subsequently removed to a point northwest, a mile distant from the thriving village of Collegeville.

The university owes its existence to the zeal, energy and self devotion of the Benedictine Fathers, a colony of whom came to America in 1846. This colony settled first in Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, but in 1856, at the invitation of Bishop Cretin, came to Minnesota, where, the year following, they commenced their educational work on the banks of the Mississippi near St. Cloud. The school was commenced as a seminary, but in 1869 the state legislature granted authority to confer degrees, and in 1883 formally changed the name from St. John's Seminary to St. John's University. The buildings are ample and commodious, and located pleasantly on the banks of a beautiful lake. The faculty consists of Rt. Rev. Alexius Edelbrock and twenty-two professors. In 1885 St. Benedict's Hospital was erected at a cost of about $15,000. It is under the supervision of the Benedictine Nuns. The state reformatory was located at East St. Cloud in 1887.

LA SAUK,

Formerly St. Joe, adjoining St. Cloud on the north, had a saw and flour mill erected in 1855. These mills were burned in 1886, and rebuilt in 1887. Amongst the early settlers were J. H. Lineman in 1854, J. A. Upham and George Rieder in 1855.

Peter Schaeler, a farmer, a native of Germany, came to America in 1850, and to St. Joseph in 1856. John, his only son, retains the old homestead, and was in 1883 engaged in the insurance business in St. Cloud.

John L. Wilson was born in Columbia, Washington county, Maine, in 1820. He came to Minnesota in 1851, locating at St. Anthony, but in the following year removed to Sauk Rapids and in 1854 to St. Cloud. The first deed on record in Stearns county was from John L. Wilson to L. C. Kenna, and bears date of 1855. In 1855 he was married to Harriet N. Corbett. They have three children living.

Charles T. Stearns, from whom the county took its name, has been for many years a resident of Louisiana, and is a wealthy planter.

Henry G. Fillmore, a nephew of President Fillmore, was born in the state of New York in the '20s, and came to Watab in 1848. He has lived in St. Cloud many years.

Nathaniel Getchell was born in Washington county, Maine, in 1828. He came to St. Anthony in 1852, and to Stearns county in 1855.

James Keough came from Ireland to America in 1850, and directly to Watab. He settled in St. Cloud in 1854, was married in 1855, and has a large family.

Loren W. Collins was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, Aug. 22, 1839. He received a common school education; came to Hastings, Minnesota, some time prior to the Rebellion, studied law with Smith & Crosby and was admitted to practice, but in August, 1862, entered the service of his country in Company F, Seventh Minnesota Volunteers, of which company he was commissioned second lieutenant, and a year later first lieutenant. He was discharged with his regiment at the close of the war, and returned to his law practice. In 1866 he removed to St. Cloud and practiced law. He served as county attorney a number of years; was a member of the Minnesota house of representatives in 1881-83; was appointed judge of the Seventh Judicial district April 8, 1883, and elected to that office in 1884. Nov. 12, 1887, he was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Berry, an appointment that gives general satisfaction, Judge Collins having won an enviable reputation as a jurist and as a man.

Henry C. Waite was born in Albany county, New York, in 1830; graduated at Union College, Schenectady, New York; was admitted to practice law in 1852, and the same year came to Iowa. A year later he removed to Wisconsin, and located at Madison, where he practiced law two years. In May, 1855, he came to St. Cloud, where he has since continuously resided. The first ten years of his residence in St. Cloud he devoted to the practice of his profession, after which he devoted his time to farming and milling.

Mr. Waite was a member of the constitutional convention in 1857. He also served several terms in the senate and house. During President Lincoln's administration he served as register of the land office. He was married to Maria D. Clark in 1860. He has two sons.

Gen. S. B. Lowry was the son of the devoted and zealous missionary, Rev. David Lowry, who labored among the Winnebagoes in Northern Iowa in the '30s and '40s. He located first at Brockway, ten miles above St. Cloud, and established a trading post, but in 1853 removed to St. Cloud, where he surveyed and platted the village of Acadia, afterward known as "Lowry's addition." He made St. Cloud his home until his death, which occurred in 1861.

Anthony Edelbrock was the first resident of St. Cloud. His oldest son was the first child born there. This son died in infancy. His second son became the abbot of St. John's University. Mr. Edelbrock is now a resident of Missouri.

Joseph Edelbrock was born in Westphalia, Prussia, in 1826. He learned the trade of a carpenter, came to America in 1847, and lived in Chicago until 1855, when he came to St. Cloud and engaged in mercantile pursuits. He is the oldest merchant continuously in business in the city. He served as sheriff two years and as register of deeds four years. He was married in Chicago in 1852, and has six children living. A daughter, the second child born in St. Cloud, is the wife of Peter E. Kaiser.

John Rengel, made a claim here in 1855. He has been and still is a prosperous citizen. He has a family of ten children.

Louis A. Evans was born near Philadelphia, Nov. 2, 1822. His forefathers came to America with William Penn and bought of him a township of land, on which still reside many of his descendants. His father served as a soldier in the war of 1812. Louis was educated at the graded schools in Philadelphia; was apprenticed to a piano maker, and worked at his trade at Cincinnati, Ohio, Clinton, Mississippi, and New Orleans until 1856, when he came to St. Cloud, where he still resides. During his residence he has served as postmaster, judge of probate, clerk of the district court, editor of the St. Cloud Times, mayor of St. Cloud, and president of the council and member of the house and senate of the state legislature. He was married to Elisabeth W. Libby in 1871.

Ambrose Freeman. – We have no datum as to when Mr. Freeman came to St. Cloud, but it was probably prior to 1860. He was a stonemason, and while working on a cellar wall heard the report of the Sioux uprising and massacre (in 1862), and, dropping his tools, hurried off to satisfy himself as to the truth of the reports, called a meeting of citizens, and organized a company of twenty-five volunteers to assist in caring for the wounded and burying the dead. On his return he was commissioned captain of the Northern Rangers and marched with his command to the relief of Forest City and Fort Abercrombie. He was with Gen. Sibley's command in 1863, and while riding over the prairie was shot with an arrow by an Indian, and expired instantly.

Nathan F. Barnes has lived a somewhat eventful life. He was born at Portland, Maine, June 26, 1817; received an academic education; served as a midshipman in the navy from 1834 to 1839, visiting many parts of the globe. In 1840 he commenced the study of law, was admitted to practice in 1843 and practiced awhile at Conway, New Hampshire, where in 1844 he was married. In 1850 he was appointed mail agent on the Isthmus route to California, served six years, and then located in California. Two years later, in 1858, he removed to Alexandria, Minnesota. During the Sioux massacre he and Andreas Darling were the only persons remaining in the neighborhood who escaped being killed. In 1865 he came to St. Cloud, where he has been an active and prominent citizen. He served many years as city clerk and city justice and was elected to the house of the state legislature in 1875. He was influential in securing the location of the normal school in St. Cloud. One son, Percival S., died in the Saulsbury prison during the Civil War. He has one son and one daughter living.

Nehemiah P. Clark was born in Worcester county, Massachusetts, April 8, 1836. In his youth he attended school in Kentucky and at seventeen years of age was clerking in a store at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. In 1856 he came to St. Cloud and engaged actively in business, selling goods, farming, staging, lumbering, and dealing in pine lands. He has a farm in Le Sauk of 2,000 acres, a creamery, a cheese factory, and one of the largest and best herds of cattle, horses, hogs and sheep in the State. For office and official honors he has no taste. He served, however, as president of the State Agricultural Society in 1886.

Oscar E. Garrison was born at Fort Ann, New York, in 1825, and was early thrown upon his own resources. He came to Minnesota in 1850, and built the first house on the shores of Lake Minnetonka where Wayzata is now located. In 1850 he surveyed and platted the village of Wayzata. In 1860 he came to St. Cloud. He made a land claim in Polk county in 1862 and narrowly escaped being murdered by the Sioux at their uprising. His house and property were destroyed. While hiding with his wife and four-year-old son, Indians passed within twenty feet of him. After a perilous night journey, during which he came almost within touching distance of sleeping Indians, he arrived safely at Sauk Centre.

The Gilman Family. – The Gilman family of which Charles A. is a descendant came to America from Hingham, England, with the Folsoms, in 1638, and are the founders of the town of Hingham, Massachusetts. The Gilmans were renowned for their loyalty to the colonies, and later to the state and national government.

Charles A. Gilman was born in Gilmanton, New Hampshire, Feb. 9, 1833. His youth was spent at home, where he received a common school and academic education, the latter at Gilmanton Academy. He taught school during the winters. In 1855 he came to Sauk Rapids, Benton county, where he engaged in farming and real estate business; he also filled the offices of auditor and register of deeds. In 1861 he removed to St. Cloud, having been appointed register of the United States land office for that place. He served seven years as register and receiver. He studied law, and was admitted to practice in 1876. Mr. Gilman has lived a busy life, and besides his real estate, law, surveying and exploring business, he has taken a conspicuous position in the politics of his State, having served as state senator in the years 1868-69, and as representative from 1875 to 1879. In 1878-79 he served as speaker of the house. From 1881 to 1884 he was lieutenant governor of the State. He was elected to the legislature several times as a Republican, when the district was strongly Democratic, a high compliment to his ability and integrity. He was married to Hester Cronk, at Sauk Rapids, Jan. 1, 1857. They have six children living. He has lived at St. Cloud since 1861, where he has a delightful home.

Of St. Cloud citizens not elsewhere mentioned in this work, and who have been prominent in advancing its interests, are Charles Bridgman, Henry G. Mitchell and son, C. F. McDonald, Lewis Clark, Alonzo F. Cramb, C. F. Davis, Levi S. Geer, Josiah G. Hayward, David L. Kiehle, A. Montgomery, Overbeck brothers, John H. Owen, and John Cooper. St. Cloud has furnished three able jurists for the supreme bench in this district, E. O. Hamlin, J. M. McKelvy and L. W. Collins.