Fifty Years In The Northwest
sheriff; J. R. Brown, county clerk and clerk of court, and Philander
Prescott, assessor.
The first recorded deed of property in Stillwater was from Walter R.
Vail to Rufus S. King, transferring for a consideration of $1,550 a
tract bounded east by Lake St. Croix and south and north by lands
owned by Churchill and Nelson.
Three election precincts had been established in this portion of
Crawford county prior to the organization of St. Croix county:
Caw-caw-baw-kank, embracing the county adjacent to St. Croix Falls;
Dakotah, the county at the head of Lake St. Croix, and Chan-wak-an the
Gray Cloud settlement, on the Mississippi.
On July 5, 1841, the commissioners held a meeting and established
voting precincts as follows:
_Gray Cloud_--Judges of election, Hazen Mooers, David Howe, Joseph
Haskell.
_Mouth of St. Croix Lake_--Judges of election, P. Prescott, Oscar P.
Burris, John Burke.
_Marine Mills_--Judges of election, Asa Parker, Samuel Burkelo, T.
Harrington.
_Falls of St. Croix_--Judges of election, Joseph W. Furber, Joshua L.
Taylor, Jesse Taylor.
_Pokegama_--Judges of election, Jeremiah Russell, E. Myers, E. L. Ely.
Feb. 2, 1844, St. Paul and Stillwater were made election precincts by
the Wisconsin legislature, and Stillwater was made the county seat.
The constituted authorities were not successful in making out
assessments and collecting county revenues. The first estimate of
expenditures for the county was for 1842, and amounted to $482. This
included the estimate for holding one term of court. Up to the time of
changing the county seat to Stillwater much dissatisfaction existed as
to the manner in which the county finances had been managed, and there
was a general revolt, a refusal to pay taxes. In consequence, the
county building at Dakotah remained unfinished and was finally
abandoned by the county authorities. J. R. Brown lost on his contract
on account of this failure and abandonment. The first successful
collection of taxes in St. Croix county, considered legal, was in
1845. Capt. Wm. Holcombe acted during this period as clerk of the
commissioners, and register of deeds. In 1846 he deputized W. H. C.
Folsom as deputy clerk and register of deeds, and transmitted the
records from St. Croix Falls to Stillwater.
[A]
EARLY HISTORY OF STILLWATER.
In the spring of 1843 Jacob Fisher made a claim on unsurveyed lands at
the head of Lake St. Croix, immediately south of Dakotah, spotting and
blazing the trees to mark the limits of his claim. Mr. Fisher thought
it a good site for a saw mill, and made an offer to Elias McKean and
Calvin F. Leach of the entire claim on condition that they would build
a mill. McKusick and Greely were looking for a mill site; Mr. Fisher
referred them to McKean and Leach. It was agreed that the four should
take the claim and erect the mill. Greely improved and held the
claim, while McKusick went to St. Louis and procured mill irons and
supplies. McKean and Leach operated in the pinery. By April 1, 1844,
the mill was finished and in operation. This was the first frame
building erected in Stillwater. It stood on the lake shore, east of
Main street, lot 8, block 18. The second frame building was McKusick's
boarding house, west of Main street, on block 18. John Allen's family
was the first to locate in Stillwater. Mr. Allen came in the spring of
1844, and subsequently removed to California. The second family was
that of Anson Northrup coming soon after. Mr. Northrup built a public
house on the west side of Main street, just north of Nelson's alley.
Soon afterward came widow Edwards and family from Ohio, relatives of
the Northrups; Mrs. Northrup being a daughter of widow Edwards.
Socrates Nelson came about this time and built the first store in
Stillwater. His family joined him soon afterward. The first marriage
was that of Jesse Taylor and Abbie Edwards, J. W. Furber, Esq.,
officiating justice. The second marriage was that of William Cove to
Nancy Edwards in May, 1845. The first white child born was Willie
Taylor, son of Jesse Taylor, in 1845. A daughter, Maud Maria, was born
to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Carli in Dakotah (Schulenburg's addition to
Stillwater), in 1843.
Stillwater derives its name from its appropriate location on the banks
of the still waters of Lake St. Croix. A post office was established
in 1845, and Elam Greely was appointed postmaster. The first business
partnership was that of the saw mill company, already noted. We give
here in full the articles of agreement as the first written and the
oldest on record in Washington county. This document is important not
only as fixing a date for the origin or founding of Stillwater, but as
an important event, as it thus early laid the foundation of the future
prosperity of the city, and indicated the direction in which its
energies should be chiefly turned:
[_Copy of Agreement._]
This agreement, made and entered into this twenty-sixth day of
October, Anno Domini eighteen hundred and forty-three, by the
following named individuals, viz.: John McKusick, Elias McKean, Elam
Greely, and Calvin F. Leach, for the purpose of building a saw mill
near the head of Lake St. Croix, Wisconsin Territory, and for carrying
on the lumbering business in all its various branches.
_Article first_--It is understood by this agreement, that the
heretofore named individuals form themselves into a company to
continue and exist by the name of the Stillwater Lumber Company.
_Article second_--It is agreed to by the heretofore named individuals,
that the whole amount of property owned and business done by the
aforesaid company shall be included in fifteen shares, and to be
divided and owned by each individual of the aforesaid company as
follows, viz.: John McKusick, five-fifteenths; Elias McKean,
three-fifteenths; Elam Greely, four-fifteenths; and Calvin F. Leach,
three-fifteenths.
_Article third_--It is furthermore understood, that each proprietor of
the aforesaid company shall pay his proportion of all the expenses
arising from all the business done or transacted by the aforesaid
company, and to continue the same ratio, so long a time as said
company shall exist and continue to do business under the present
form, and likewise any gain or loss, arising or accruing from any or
all of the business done by the aforesaid company, shall be shared or
sustained by each proprietor of the aforesaid company, in the same
ratio as above named, in proportion to each above named proprietor's
share of stock owned in the aforesaid company.
_Article fourth_--It is furthermore agreed to, that the whole amount
of money or property that each or either of the proprietors of the
aforesaid company shall invest, advance, or pay for the benefit or use
of the aforesaid company, the same amount shall be credited to the
separate credit of the proprietor or either of the proprietors of the
aforesaid company making such investments, on the books of accounts
kept by the aforesaid company.
_Article fifth_--It is furthermore understood, that for the amount of
money or property that any one of the proprietors of the aforesaid
company shall invest, advance, or pay for the benefit or use of the
aforesaid company, more than his proportional share of the whole
amount of money or property invested by the aforesaid company, the
same amount of money, with interest, shall be paid or refunded back to
said proprietor by the aforesaid company, out of the first proceeds
arising from the business done by the company aforesaid.
_Article sixth_--It is furthermore understood, that in case any one of
the aforesaid proprietors should at any time hereafter be disposed to
sell, transfer or dispose of his share of stock owned in the aforesaid
company, he shall first pay to said company all the liabilities or
indebtedness of said share of stock, and then give said company the
preference of purchasing and owning said share of stock, at the same
rates by which said proprietor may have an opportunity to sell said
shares of stock.
_Article seventh_--It is furthermore understood that the proprietors
of the aforesaid company, individually, shall have no right, or power,
to sign any obligation or due bill, make any contract, or transact any
business of importance in the name of, or binding on, the aforesaid
company, except some one proprietor of the aforesaid company should
hereafter be fully authorized by the aforesaid company to act and
transact business as agent for the aforesaid company.
In testimony whereof, we hereunto set our hands and seals this
twenty-sixth day of October, Anno Domini eighteen hundred and
forty-three.
JOHN MCKUSICK,
ELAM GREELY,
ELIAS MCKEAN,
C. F. LEACH.
Attest: C. SIMONDS.
This agreement and dates are taken from the original book of records
in the possession of John McKusick.
After this agreement was signed, until Mr. McKusick became the sole
owner, the business was conducted by mutual agreement, there being no
constituted agent, except in case of an emergency.
The mill boarding house, a two story building, erected in 1845, was
burned in 1846, and immediately rebuilt. In 1846 J. H. Brewster built
a small store. McKusick's store was built the same year, on the
southwest corner of Main and Myrtle streets. Some smaller buildings
were erected this year.
In 1845 a verbal agreement was made with regard to land claims, by
which Brown's claim was recognized as extending along the lake shore
north of Battle Hollow, where the Minnesota state prison now stands.
South of Battle Hollow, along the lake shore to Nelson, extending
three-fourths of a mile west, was the claim of the mill company,
originally held by Fisher. South of Nelson's alley, one-half mile down
the lake, three-fourths of a mile west, was S. Nelson's claim. When
the government survey was made these claims and lines were amicably
adjusted and confirmed. A congressional law was in existence making
provisions for villages and cities built on unsurveyed lands, that
such lands should be equitably divided and surveyed into lots, and the
actual settler or occupant should be protected in his rights.
In May, 1846, a desire was expressed by citizens of St. Paul and
Stillwater for the opening of new roads between these cities. The
traveled road up to that time was by Haskell's and Bissell's Mounds.
Louis Roberts and the writer examined a route by White Bear lake. A
road was established south of this route in June.
In July I started up the St. Croix river with Joseph Brewster, in a
batteau, to put up hay for Elam Greely on Kanabec river. We poled our
batteau with outfit and camped where now stands the village of
Franconia. The next morning early we entered the picturesque Dalles of
the St. Croix, then cordelled our boat over Baker's falls, and landed
at the village of St. Croix Falls. This village, the first American
settlement on the St. Croix, had one large mill with six saws. The
water power was utilized by means of a permanent dam with massive
piers. A warehouse was perched in a romantic situation amidst the
cliffs of the Dalles and furnished with a tramway or wooden railway
extending to the summit of the cliffs, for the transportation of
goods. A boarding house dubbed the "Barlow House," another the "Soap
Grease Exchange," and a few small tenement houses, constituted the
village. The leading business men were James Purinton, Wm. Holcombe,
Joseph Bowron and Lewis Barlow. We spent half a day in making a
portage around the St. Croix falls. The wind being fair, on the third
day we sailed as far as Sunrise island. At Wolf creek we passed an
Indian trading post. In front of Sunrise island and on the west side
of the St. Croix river, a little below the mouth of Sunrise river,
stood the trading post of Maurice M. Samuels, long known as one of the