Fifty Years In The Northwest
Manitoba office building 200,000
Omaha office building 160,000
Union Depot 150,000
German American Bank 250,000
Germania Bank 200,000
First National Bank 100,000
Watson block 300,000
Hale block 150,000
McMurrin block 150,000
Willius block 150,000
Gilfillan block 125,000
Drake block 100,000
Drake block 100,000
Union block 100,000
Albion block 100,000
Gotzian block 100,000
Wilder block 100,000
Mayhall block 100,000
DeCoster & Clark block 100,000
Sherman block 100,000
Astoria block 100,000
Steele block 100,000
Shuter block 100,000
Dawson block 100,000
J.J. Hill's residence 350,000
Kittson's residence 150,000
Wilder's residence 150,000
Stickney's residence 125,000
Griggs' residence 125,000
Merriam's residence 125,000
Opera House 100,000
United States Army headquarters 100,000
Lindeke Flour mill 100,000
Elevator A 100,000
Elevator B 100,000
Bohn Manufacturing Company 120,000
MAYORS OF ST. PAUL.
1854. David Olmsted.
1855. Alex. Ramsey.
1856. George L. Becker.
1857. J. B. Brisbin.
1858. N. W. Kittson.
1859. D. A. Robertson.
1872. Dr. J. H. Stewart.
1873. Dr. J. H. Stewart.
1874. Dr. J. H. Stewart.
1875. J. T. Maxfield.
1876. J. T. Maxfield.
1877. J. T. Maxfield.
1860. John S. Prince.
1862. John S. Prince.
1863. J. E. Warren.
1864. Dr. J. H. Stewart.
1865. J. S. Prince.
1866. J. S. Prince.
1867. George L. Otis.
1868. Dr. J. H. Stewart.
1869. J. T. Maxfield.
1870. William Lee.
1871. William Lee.
1878. William Dawson.
1879. William Dawson.
1880. William Dawson.
1881. Edmund Rice.
1882. Edmund Rice.
1883. Edmund Rice.
1884. C. D. O'Brien.
1885. Edmund Rice.
1886. Edmund Rice.
1887. Robert A. Smith.
1888. Robert A. Smith.
MISCELLANEOUS STATISTICS.
Number of churches 105
Value of school property $1,500,000
Value of stockyards, West St. Paul 1,000,000
Value of products manufactured 40,000,000
Amount of lumber sales 5,318,000
Capital of thirteen banks 8,498,000
Aggregate post office business 4,289,102
Bonded indebtedness 4,168,725
Annual valuation of city property 100,000,000
WEST ST. PAUL.
The flourishing suburb of West St. Paul is rapidly approaching
metropolitan dimensions. The original settlement took place almost
simultaneously with that of St. Paul, but its growth until late years
has not been rapid. It was originally within the limits of Dakota
county, but that portion included in its plat has been annexed to
Ramsey county, and West St. Paul has become a part of St. Paul and has
been placed under the municipal government of that city. The city is
connected with St. Paul by two free bridges for carriages and
pedestrians and by several railroad bridges.
TOWNS OF RAMSEY COUNTY.
After the state organization in 1858, Ramsey county was subdivided
into the following towns: Little Canada, McLean, Mounds View, Reserve,
Rose, St. Paul, and White Bear. From year to year the city of St. Paul
has made encroachments upon the towns adjacent--Little Canada, McLean,
Reserve, and Rose--until they have been in part or wholly absorbed. Of
the remaining towns we shall refer only to White Bear, which, owing
to the beauty of its lake scenery and its attractiveness as a place of
popular resort, deserves special mention.
WHITE BEAR.
White Bear, the northeastern township of Ramsey county, contains
thirty-six sections. Its surface is agreeably diversified with lakes.
About six sections in all are occupied by these lakes, of which there
are several large and beautiful ones, among which may be mentioned
White Bear, Bald Eagle, Pleasant, Lambert's, Vadnais, Birch, Goose,
Otter, etc. The surface is undulating, and in no place actually hilly,
while there is much level and very desirable land. Extensive meadows
border some of the lakes, and are found in most of the intervales
watered by running streams. These produce enormous crops of hay.
Portions of these marshy localities are thickly grown with tamaracks,
which were invaluable to the early settler, furnishing him with a
supply of logs and poles for his improvements. The timber consists
principally of red, white and black oak, sugar maple, tamarack,
poplar, elm, elder, and ash.
The township derives its name from White Bear lake. This lake was so
named, it is asserted, by the Dakota Indians, a tradition existing
amongst them that a grizzly bear once made its appearance on the
island, with which one of their bravest hunters engaged in mortal
conflict, each slaying the other. The Indians called this a grizzly,
polar or white bear, and named an adjacent locality "Mah-to-me-di" or
(M'de), _i. e._, Mahto, gray polar bear, and M'de, lake. It is not
probable, however, that a polar bear ever reached this spot, and a
visit from a grizzly is nearly as improbable. Indian legends are very
frequently made to order by those who succeed them as owners of the
soil.
Not much is known of White Bear prior to 1851. No human habitations,
save those of Indians, were to be seen. There were no roads to this
region, and none nearer than Little Canada. The lake itself seems to
have been little known to white men.
J. Fletcher Williams, in a sketch contributed to the _Pioneer_, and to
which we are indebted for many of our statements, says that Hugh I.
Vance, a typo employed in the _Pioneer_ office at that time, was
probably about the first settler of White Bear; that in the spring of
1851 he wended his way to this region in search of a claim, selected
a piece of land on Bald Eagle lake, erected a cabin, resided here with
his family several years, and was probably the first man to drive a
plowshare in this locality. Mr. Vance joined the Union Army in 1861,
and with his two sons was killed in Missouri the year following. In
the spring of 1851 V. B. Barnum selected a tract on the south shore of
White Bear lake, and hired Geo. O. Nichols to run out the lines. Mr.
Barnum entered one hundred and seventy-five acres. On this land he
built a cabin near the present Leip House, which burned down in 1857.
Jas. B. Clewett, one of the pioneers of St. Paul as early as 1840,
drove his stakes at White Bear in the spring of 1851. He afterward
built a house on the island, where he yet resides, a mile north of the
lake. Soon after Wm. Freeborn and B. F. Hoyt entered a tract of land
in sections 13 and 14. Isaac Banta built a cabin on it, near the point
by the island, resided there three or four years, and moved to Forest
Lake. This land was afterward bought by the Murray family. Thomas
Milner came in about the same time. Daniel Getty came and located on
the east side of the lake at a later day, becoming a resident of the
village proper, of which he is now postmaster, superintendent of the
Sunday-school, elder in the church, school trustee, etc.
Mr. Barnum opened a hotel, which he kept till 1856, and then sold out
to John M. Lamb. In 1855 James F. Murray, his three sons and O. R.
Stratton settled at White Bear. W. W. Webber, John Aubery, Joseph
Freeman, Ross Wilkinson, Frank Perfect, Fred Whittaker, George
Starbuck, Duncan Ross, Charlie A. Morgan, and others came here in
1857. The early settlers were much disturbed by roving bands of
Chippewa and Sioux Indians. White Bear being debatable ground, and
sometimes a battlefield between hostile parties. The Sioux claimed the
right, under the treaty of 1851, to hunt, fish and gather berries and
rice in that region. In the fall of 1855 a party of Sioux from Kaposia
went by the lake on a hunting expedition. Near Oneka lake, a few miles
above, they fell in with some Chippewas, one of whom they killed and
scalped, but had two of their own number mortally wounded. Returning,
they camped on Goose lake, just about where St. John's church was
first built, and had a scalp dance, lasting two days and nights. It
was from time immemorial a grand battle field for them. Hardly a foot
of the soil around the lake but what has been ensanguined with the
blood of the hereditary foes. Many are the tales told of their
encounters. "Spirit Island" seems to have been the hardest fought
spot, and to this day it is honeycombed with the remains of rifle
pits, redoubts and earth works made by the contending parties, while
innumerable bodies of the slain have enriched its soil. It is a
perfect Golgotha--an island cemetery. If but a fraction of these
savage combats and sieges were truly narrated, no romance could equal
it in thrilling interest. These fierce combats continued as late as
1855.
Miss Mary Stiles, daughter of William Stiles, was the first white
child born at White Bear. Miss Mary E. Barnum was married to Richard
McLagan--being the first wedding which occurred at White Bear. 'Squire
Jacob J. Noah, justice of the peace of St. Paul, tied the knot.
The first death was that of Clara Murray, aged four years, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Murray, in July, 1856. J. G. Riheldaffer preached
at the funeral service at Mr. Murray's house the first sermon in the
settlement.
A lay Methodist named Hoffman held services on the Sabbath several
times at Barnum's hotel.
A Baptist clergyman from Diamond Bluff, Wisconsin, named Messer, also
occasionally held services in the early days, at the school house, a
log house built in 1857.
The Episcopal church of St. John in the Wilderness was built in 1861
and consecrated in August of the same year. It was located at the
lower end of the lake, but in 1874 was moved to its present site on
Clarke avenue.
The Presbyterian church was organized May 28, 1864, with eight
members, two of whom were elected ruling elders, James F. Murray and
Daniel Getty. The corner stone of the present church edifice was laid
Nov. 8, 1871, and the foundation laid in the following spring. The
church was completed in 1872.
A Catholic church was built in 1879, on a block between First and
Second streets and Bald Eagle avenue, in which services are held every
two weeks.
The post office of White Bear was established in November, 1859, and
J. C. Murray appointed postmaster.
The township of White Bear was organized May 11, 1858, with the
following officers: Clerk, G. Schnabel; supervisor, J. F. Murray;
assessor, V. B. Barnum; justices of the peace, J. R. Clewett and Alex.
Pepin.
The village is easy of access, and abundantly supplied with railroad
facilities. The St. Paul & Duluth Railroad Company has built a double
track to St. Paul. This company built a road to Stillwater known as