Fifty Years In The Northwest by William H. C. Folsom

Tuver Walmarson, the eldest son, inherits the industry and frugality of both parents. By hard work and close attention to business the family has prospered abundantly. ANDROS ANDERSON came also from Sweden in 1853 and settled in the east half of the northeast quarter of section 34. Mr. Anderson moved to Taylor's Falls in 1859 and died there in 1873. He left but one child, the wife of Daniel Fredine, of Shafer. Mr. Anderson was a born humorist and fond of practical jokes. On one occasion his ready wit was exercised at the expense of a man to whom he had mortgaged his farm. Deeming the house in which he lived his own, in the absence of the mortgagee he removed it to Taylor's Falls. The mortgagee, E. W. Holman, told him that he had stolen the house and must replace it. Anderson told Holman to take the house and replace it himself, but if he took his (Anderson's) family along with it he would have him sent to the penitentiary. Mr. Holman did not see his way clear and the house was not disturbed. ERIC BYLAND, another of the Swedish colony, settled in the west half of the southeast quarter of section 23. In 1860 he sold out and moved further west. The farm he left is now owned by John Nelson and is one of the finest farms in Chisago county. JACOB PETERSON was born in 1847 and came with his parents to Chisago county in 1854. They located on a beautiful spot in Franconia, on the shore of a small lake, where they made a farm and where Jacob passed his boyhood and youth. In 1881 he commenced business at Shafer station as a merchant and dealer in wood. He was the first postmaster at Shafer. He was married in 1881 to Mary Heline. AMBROSE C. SEAVEY was born in Machias, Maine, in 1824; was married to Elizabeth Ayers, in Crawford, Maine, in 1846, and came to St. Croix Falls in 1848. In 1852 he removed to Taylor's Falls, and opened the first blacksmith shop. He was absent two years in Colorado, and when he returned settled on a farm in the town of Shafer. He has a family of four sons and six daughters. SUNRISE. The town of Sunrise includes the two eastern tiers of sections of township 36, range 21, one whole and eight fractional sections of township 36, range 20, and all of township 35, range 20, except the two eastern tiers of sections. It is well watered by the St. Croix and Sunrise rivers and their tributaries. The latter river rises in Washington county, having for its principal source Forest lake, and flows through the town in a northerly direction into the St. Croix. It has three considerable tributaries from the west known as North, Middle and South branches. St. Croix river has, as tributary, Goose creek, which flows through the northern part of the town. The soil varies from a rich sandy loam to a sandy soil. The town contains many fine farms. The old government road from Point Douglas to Superior passes through the town. Sunrise was incorporated as a town Oct. 26, 1858; Isaac A. Parmenter, David Lovejoy and A. C. Mattison, supervisors. A post office was established in 1856; George S. Frost, postmaster. The first marriage was that of Robert Nessell and Kate Torbert, by J. D. Wilcox, Esq. The first child born was Joshua Taylor Gallaspie. The first death was of an unknown man who died from the kick of a horse. Wm. Holmes, the first settler, located on Sunrise prairie in 1853, and raised crops on fifteen acres that year. John A. Brown and Patten W. Davis cultivated thirty-five acres the same year on Sunrise prairie. Messrs. Brown, Davis and Ingalls made a wagon road from Sunrise to St. Paul in 1853. John A. Brown, in the same year, built a hotel and opened a store. The hotel was built of logs, the store was a frame, the first erected in Sunrise. In 1855 he built a saw mill. His hotel was burned in 1856. These buildings were the nucleus of Sunrise village. SUNRISE VILLAGE Was platted July, 1857, in the north half of the northeast quarter of section 8, and the west half of the southwest quarter and the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 4, and the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 9, all of township 3, range 20. The proprietors were John A. Brown, J. S. Caldwell and C. L. Willis; surveyor, W. F. Duffy. It contains a first class roller flour mill, a saw mill, both owned by Caspar Spivac, two stores, a school house and several shops and dwellings. In 1857 a colony from Western New York settled in and around Sunrise village. The Wilcoxes, Wilkes, Collins, Gwynne, Smith, and others were of this colony. The village has suffered greatly from fires. The buildings lost at various times were one flouring mill, valued at $10,000, four hotels and several private dwellings. The flouring mill was the property of Mrs. J. G. Mold. Two lives were lost at the burning of the mill. In the fall of 1862, immediately after the Sioux outbreak, and while considerable apprehension was felt as to the attitude of the Chippewas toward the white settlers, a company of volunteers under Capt. Anderson was stationed at Sunrise. This company built temporary quarters of logs, and were very comfortably fixed during the winter. They had presumably a very good time, but repelled no savage foes. KOST VILLAGE Is located in the west half of section 32, township 35, range 20. It has a first class roller flouring mill, owned by Ferdinand A. Kost, erected in 1883 at a cost of $13,000, and a saw mill, also owned by F. A. Kost, erected the same year. It has two stores, a number of shops and dwellings and a post office, established in 1884, of which F. A. Kost is postmaster. CHIPPEWA Was platted March, 1856, by Benj. Dinsmore, surveyor, in the northwest quarter of section 2, and the west half of the northeast quarter of section 2, township 36, range 21. The proprietors were James Starkey, Charles S. Patteys, Michael E. Ames, Isaac Van Etten, and Moses Sherburne. It makes a fair farm. DRONTHEIM Was platted in 1856, in the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter and the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 1, township 36, range 20; C. C. P. Myer, proprietor. It is still a brush and swamp plat. NASHUA Was platted July, 1857, H. H. Newbury, surveyor, on lots 6 and 7 of section 33, and lot 5 in section 34, township 34, range 20. Proprietors, N. F. Taylor, W. H. C. Folsom, L. K. Stannard and N. C. D. Taylor. It has made two fair farms. WASHINGTON Was platted August, 1856, W. F. Duffy, surveyor, in the south half of section 35, township 35, range 21. Proprietors, James Y. Caldwell and L. C. Kinney. On this site the Starkey Indian battle was fought. JOHN A. BROWN.--Mr. Brown, a native of Pennsylvania, came to Sunrise in 1853, and was for awhile quite prominent, building a store, hotel and other buildings. In 1855 he was married to Emeline Hartwell. He prospered in business, but owing to some domestic difficulties, in 1857 left suddenly for parts unknown. His property was sacrificed to meet obligations, and his wife left helpless. Mrs. Brown died in Minneapolis in 1880. PATTEN W. DAVIS was a native of Virginia. He came to Stillwater in 1848, and soon after removed to Osceola Mills, where he lived two years. In 1853 he removed to Sunrise, and was associated in business for two years with John A. Brown. He has held the positions of postmaster, town clerk, treasurer, county commissioner, supervisor, and assessor. In 1876 he married a Virginia lady, and returned to his native state. JAMES F. HARVEY was born in 1820, in Penobscot county, Maine. He came West in 1847 and settled at Marine Mills. In 1854 he removed to Sunrise and located in the northeast quarter of section 14, township 36, range 21, at what was known as Goose Creek crossing. His first wife, whom he had married in Maine, died shortly after their arrival at Sunrise, leaving one daughter, Maria, wife of Leonard Clark, of Stillwater. Mr. Harvey was married in 1856 to widow Patience Knight, the mother of Mrs. Floyd S. Bates, Albert S. and Frank E., of Taylor's Falls, and Ella Medora Harvey, wife of J. A. Shores, of Minneapolis. Mr. Harvey died at his home in 1864. Mrs. Harvey died at Taylor's Falls in 1871. FLOYD S. BATES, originally from Maine, has been since 1854 a prominent lumberman on the St. Croix, living first at Sunrise, and in later years at Taylor's Falls. He owns an extensive farm in Cass county, Dakota. Of his three brothers, E. Hines resides in Taylor's Falls, and J. Herrick and Charles in Dakota Territory. ISAAC H. WARNER was born in New York in 1830, was married in 1852 and came to Sunrise in 1854, where he followed farming and selling goods. He has served as postmaster, justice of the peace and held other positions. He has three children. His eldest, a daughter, wife of Samuel McClure, a lumberman of Sunrise, died February, 1885. Mr. Warner removed to Dakota in 1883. CHARLES F. LOWE was born in 1815 in Concord, New Hampshire, received a collegiate education and came to Sunrise in 1855. He interested himself in real estate but devoted about one-half of his time to travel, of which he was passionately fond. He made one trip around the globe, writing back interesting letters descriptive of what he had seen. He made his last annual tour in 1873, and, while sailing in a small boat in some of the waters of Florida, the boat was struck by a squall, capsized and Mr. Lowe was drowned. Mr. Lowe was a member of the Minnesota constitutional convention. WELLS FARR came from New York State to Sunrise prairie in 1854, where he has since lived in a comfortable home, a successful farmer. He has a family of four sons and two daughters. His oldest daughter is the wife of Ephraim C. Ingalls. His second daughter is the wife of Frank Dawson, of Lent. Mr. Farr died in March, 1888. JOHN G. MOLD came to Sunrise in 1854, where he engaged in milling, hotel keeping and mercantile business. He was the proprietor of the Sunrise City mills, since burned. He died in 1873, aged fifty years, leaving a widow, two sons and two daughters. GEORGE L. BLOOD, during his early life, was a seafaring man, spending many years upon the ocean, and visiting during this time many foreign ports, keeping a daily record of his journeyings. Mr. Blood had learned the trade of house joiner, but coming to Sunrise in 1854, attempted farming, at which he was not successful. In 1864 he removed to Taylor's Falls, where he died in 1869. His life was an exemplary one, and his death that of a Christian. His family returned to their old home in Connecticut. His two sons reside in St. Paul. JOEL G. RYDER came from New York to the St. Croix and settled in the town of Sunrise, near the village, about the year 1855. He was energetic and able, and was called to fill many town and county offices. He was a representative in the fifteenth state legislature. In 1860 he was married to Lizzie Perkins. JOHN DEAN was born in 18--; was married to Mary Draper in 1860; came to Minnesota in 18--; served some time as river pilot, and settled on his farm near Sunrise City in 1860. Mr. Dean represented his district in the house of the twenty-first and twenty-second legislatures. TAYLOR'S FALLS. The village of Taylor's Falls was platted in 1851, a survey of lots having been made at that time by Theodore S. Parker, of Stillwater. Additions were made from time to time as the increasing population demanded. A year before the survey a frame building was erected on what was subsequently the northwest corner of River and First streets. In 1851 and 1852 some streets were opened, but with considerable difficulty, on account of the trap rock, which to be removed required blasting. Bowlders that could not be removed were buried. The work of cutting a street to the upper steamboat landing was specially difficult. There were no roads to the village, and the only means of travel was by steamboat, bateaux, or birch bark canoes, until the government road was opened sometime in 1856. A post office was established in March, 1851, and a weekly mail was ordered from Stillwater. Prior to this time a semi-monthly mail had been carried between the points named. Of the office established in 1851, N. C. D. Taylor was first postmaster. The office was in W. H. C. Folsom's store, Folsom acting as deputy postmaster. The successors of Mr. Taylor have been, Porter E. Walker, Edward P. Wyman, Thomas Holmes, Oscar Roos, George W. Seymour, and N. M. Humphrey; not a long list for thirty-five years. The location of the office was changed with each successive incumbent. The mail carrier in 1851 was the Hon. Warren Bristol, since then four times a representative and senator from Goodhue county in the state legislature, and United States judge in Arizona. The mail service has passed through all the gradations from a semi-monthly to a semi-daily mail. The mail has been carried in canoes or bateaux, on foot, on horseback, on steamboat and rail car. It is now carried by rail. Of the Baker & Taylor mill an account has been given elsewhere. The next mill, a grist mill, was built by N. C. D. Taylor, W. H. C. Folsom and the Day brothers, in 1852. It was several years later remodeled and changed into a carding mill, and is now the property of Jonas Gray. Kingman Brothers built a saw mill in 1857, with a capacity of 12,000 feet per day. Several parties succeeded to the ownership and control of the mill, but, after doing good service for many years, it was abandoned. Clark Brothers built a lumber and stave mill in 1868. After ten years this mill was removed. The first merchant was Daniel Mears, who sold goods as early as 1848. W. H. C. Folsom opened a store in 1850; Taylor & Fox in 1852. The Chisago House was built by Thomson & Smith in 1852, on the corner of Bench and First streets. In 1870 the name was changed to Dalles House. It has changed landlords many times, the last being Henry Kattenberg. The Cascade House was built in 1853, on the corner of Walnut and Bench streets, by Richard Arnold. It is no longer used. The Falls House was built in 1870, on Bench street near Walnut, by Erastus Guard, and converted into a hotel in 1880, with Henry Kattenberg as proprietor, by whom it was conducted as a temperance house. It is now in charge of Eugene Fitzgerald. The first physician was Lucius B. Smith. Susan Thomson taught the first school. The first marriage was that of Charles D. Turney and Cecilia Ring, Ansel Smith, justice of the peace, tying the knot. Wm. Colby was the first white child born in the village. The first death was that of a three-year-old daughter of Ansel Smith, in 1852. Rev. W. T. Boutwell preached the first sermon, in 1851. In 1852 three young Episcopal ministers, Revs. Breck, Myrick and Wilcoxson, alternated in holding services, but did not organize a society. Rev. Julius S. Webber, Baptist, preached occasionally in 1852 and 1853; Rev. W. Miner, Congregationalist, in 1856 and 1857 became the first resident minister. In April, 1859, Rev. Silas Bolles, a Methodist, organized a society, the first in the village. In June, 1859, Rev. A. M. Torbet organized a Baptist society and served as pastor four years. The society built a church in 1861 at a cost of $3,000. In 1860 the Swedish Evangelical Lutherans built a church on the corner of Mulberry and Government streets, at a cost of $1,500. Rev. C. A. Cedarstam was pastor in 1871-72-73, Rev. ---- Tornell the three succeeding years, and three other pastors have served since. In 1866 Rev. John G. Hall organized a Presbyterian society, and built a church in 1868, on the corner of River and Chisago streets, at a cost of $1,500. Mr. Hall served as pastor four years. The Roman Catholics erected a church on the corner of Walnut and Centre streets in 1873, at a cost of $1,000. They have as yet no settled priest or parish school. The St. Croix Bridge Company was organized in 1854. The incorporators were W. H. C. Folsom, Patrick Fox, Joshua L. Taylor, W. S. Hungerford, Wm. Kent, Nelson McCarty, John Dobney, W. F. Colby, Orange Walker, Fred W. Lammers, and N. C. D. Taylor. The bridge was built in 1856; W. S. Sewall, St. Paul, was the engineer. The capital stock amounted to $4,925, and was divided into 197 shares at $25 each. The bridge was rebuilt in 1870, on the same plan, and in 1884 was replaced by an iron bridge, at a cost of $6,253. The bridge has a span of 150 feet and is a light and graceful structure. It was the first bridge that spanned the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers. The Chisago County Bank was organized in 1858, under the state banking law; capital stock, $25,000; Levi W. Folsom, president; S. C. Gould, cashier. It was closed in 1859. The Taylor's Falls Copper Mining Company was organized Dec. 15, 1874; W. H. C. Folsom, president; George W. Seymour, secretary; L. W. Folsom, treasurer; D. A. Caneday, mining agent. The operations of this company extended to sinking a shaft to a depth of one hundred and thirty feet. The Kahbakong Cemetery Association was organized in 1853. The first board of officers were W. H. C. Folsom, president; Joshua L. Taylor, secretary. The cemetery is located a mile and a half from the village and contains fifteen acres of ground beautifully located. Zion Lodge, No. 55, A. F. &. A. M., was organized March 3, 1866. Sherman Post, No. 6, G. A. R., was organized in July, 1882, Caspar Hauser, commander. Taylor's Falls Library Association was organized Oct. 8, 1871, E. D. Whiting, president; J. A. McGowan, secretary. Within two years the library numbered 1,000 volumes and since that time the number has been increased to 1,500. In 1858 the village of Taylor's Falls was regularly incorporated with the following board of officers: Trustees, Patrick Fox, president; W. H. C. Folsom, E. D. Whiting, L. W. Folsom; recorder, H. H. Newbury; treasurer, Wm. Comer. AN INDIAN DANCE. The last Indian dance in Taylor's Falls was given by a party of Chippewas in 1856. They had come down the St. Croix in birch canoes with furs and cranberries to exchange with Samuels in St. Croix village for "scootawabo," or whisky. They remained about a week, drinking and carousing in their peculiar style. One Sabbath, and when, for a wonder, they were quite sober, they visited Taylor's Falls and gave a series of grotesque and laughable dances in the street, opposite Folsom's store, after which they called for presents as tokens of friendship and appreciation, kindly and gravely shook hands and recrossed the river. "Thus departed Hiawatha."