Fifty Years In The Northwest
advancing the interests of his State. He was chosen a presidential
elector in 1868, and again in 1872, and served as state senator during
the sessions of 1874, 1875 and 1876, and was at one time president
_pro tem_. of the senate. In 1876 he was elected judge of the Eleventh
Judicial circuit. During his service as judge he was highly gratified
that so few appeals were taken from his decisions, and that his
decisions were seldom reversed in higher courts. He had also held the
offices of postmaster, county attorney, county judge, and county
superintendent of schools.
Although formerly a Democrat, at the outbreak of the Rebellion he
became a Republican. Of late years he was a pronounced stalwart.
Throughout his life he never received any profit, pecuniarily, from
the prominent positions in which he was placed, his only endeavor
seeming to be to advance the interests, influence, worth and ability
of the younger men with whom he was associated, and hundreds who
to-day hold positions of prominence and responsibility, owe their
success and advancement to his teachings and advice. Of a disposition
kind, courteous and generous, he was possessed of a remarkably
retentive memory, which, with his intimate associations with leading
men, and familiarity with public life, legislative and judicial,
afforded a fund of personal sketches, anecdotes and biographies, at
once entertaining, amusing and instructive.
The judge was twice married, his first wife having died at Waukesha,
leaving him an only son, Henry H. Barron, who was with him at the time
of his death. His second marriage was to Ellen K. Kellogg, at Pepin,
in 1860. For some time she has made her home with her mother in
California, on account of ill health. At the time of his death, which
occurred at St. Croix Falls, Jan. 22, 1882, he was judge of the
Eleventh Judicial circuit. His remains were buried at Waukesha.
GEORGE W. BROWNELL.--Mr. Brownell, though not among the earliest of
the pioneers of St. Croix valley, yet deserves special mention on
account of his scientific attainments, his high character as a man,
and the fact that he was an influential member, from the St. Croix
district, of the Wisconsin territorial constitutional convention, he
having been elected over Bowron on the question of establishing the
new state line east of the St. Croix.
Mr. Brownell was born in Onondago, New York, and when a youth lived in
Syracuse, where he learned the trade of a carriage maker. He was a
resident of Galena, Illinois, over thirty years, where he engaged in
mining and geological pursuits. He spent two years in the lead mines
of Wisconsin. He was connected with the Galena _Gazette_ some years.
In 1846 he visited the Superior copper mining region for a Boston
company. He formed the acquaintance of Caleb Cushing, Rufus Choate,
Horace Rantoul, and others, and located for them mineral permits at
St. Croix Falls and Kettle river, and became, this year, a resident of
St. Croix Falls. In 1847 he was married to Mrs. Duncan, of Galena. He
was elected this year to the constitutional convention. In 1851 he
returned to Galena and engaged in the grain trade and cotton planting
near Vicksburg, Mississippi, in which he was not successful. In 1865
he visited Colorado and made investments there. When on a trip to
Colorado, in 1866, the stage was attacked by Indians. Brownell and
another passenger alighted to resist the attack. He was armed with a
rifle, and, if properly supported, would probably have been saved; but
most of the passengers remained in the stage. The driver, getting
scared, whipped his horses and drove rapidly away, leaving Brownell
and companion, who were overpowered and killed. Their bodies were
recovered, shockingly mutilated. His remains were forwarded to Galena
for burial. Mr. Brownell had a scientific mind, and passed much of
his life in scientific studies and practical experiments. He attained
a good knowledge of geology, mineralogy and chemistry. The foresight
of Mr. Brownell on the Wisconsin boundary, and in other public
matters, has been, in time, generally recognized. He was a good
neighbor and kind friend.
COL. ROBERT C. MURPHY.--Col. Murphy, a man of fine address and
admirable social qualities, made his home at St. Croix Falls in
1860-61 and 62, during which time he was in charge of the Cushing
interest and property, which position he left to accept the colonelcy
of the Eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. His military career was
not fortunate and its abrupt termination was a sad disappointment to
himself and friends. An article in the Milwaukee _Weekly Telegraph_,
from the pen of one who knew Col. Murphy well, thus sums up some of
the salient points in his character and career. We make a few
extracts:
"Col. Murphy was educated and accomplished. He had been instructed in
the Patridge Military School, and was possessed of some experience in
Indian fights on the plains with Burnside, bearing scars of that
experience, and a recommendation of skill and courage from Gen.
Burnside to Gov. Randall. His great intuitiveness, his ready manner,
his cultivation of mind, gained for him the respect and charity of his
superiors, and brought him the respect and confidence of his regiment.
His father, a native of Ireland, was a successful practicing lawyer
and politician in Ohio, without much education; a man of strong
natural talent and integrity. Upon his son he showered all his
earnings, in the form of that which the father lacked the most--books,
schooling and polish. Judge Murphy (the father) was the bearer of
important dispatches to Texas from the Tyler and Polk administrations
in connection with the annexation of that republic to this country,
and is referred to in Benton's 'Thirty Years' as Tyler's 'midnight
messenger.' Young Murphy was appointed by President Pierce American
consul in China, while Gen. Caleb Cushing was minister to that
country, and he discharged important consular and judicial duties
there with credit to himself and his government. Upon his return Gen.
Cushing selected him to take charge of the Cushing interest and
property at St. Croix Falls, in this State. From there he went 'to the
front,' and his military career was cut short by his failure at Iuka
and Holly Springs. Gen. Grant dismissed him in brief, terse words, but
was willing afterward that he should be heard by a board of army
officers detailed for that purpose. Stanton was inexorable and
refused."
After his dismissal from the army he removed to Washington and
accepted a clerkship in the post office department where he still
remains. It is due to him to say that his own version of his military
troubles is ingenious and plausible, and would, if sustained, quite
exonerate him from the charges that have pressed so heavily upon him.
EDWARD WORTH.--Mr. Worth came to St. Croix Falls from New York State
in 1842, where he continued to reside the remainder of his life,
experiencing the vicissitudes of pioneer life to their fullest extent.
He died in 1863, leaving a widow, an only son (Henry) and two
daughters, Myra, wife of W. T. Vincent, and Sarah, wife of John
Blanding.
MRS. MARY C. WORTH.--Mrs. Worth was born Oct. 14, 1812, was married to
Edward Worth, Dec. 24, 1835, and came to St. Croix Falls in 1842,
where she lived till Jan. 12, 1886, when she peacefully passed away.
She was a woman of rare mental ability, untiring industry and skill in
managing her household affairs, and unquestioned courage, as many
incidents in her St. Croix experience will evidence. She was a member
of the Episcopal church and went to her grave with the respect and
admiration of all who knew her.
MAURICE MORDECAI SAMUELS, better known as Capt. Samuels, was born in
London, of Jewish parentage. It is not known exactly when he came to
this country. I first met him in 1844, at Prairie du Chien, at which
time he was a traveling peddler. In 1846 I found him in the Chippewa
country, living with an Indian woman and trading with the Indians at
the mouth of Sunrise river. In 1847 he established a ball alley and
trading post at St. Croix Falls, where he lived until 1861, when he
raised a company (the St. Croix Rifles) for the United States service,
received a commission and served till the close of the war. After the
war he became a citizen of New Orleans, and in 1880 changed his
residence to Winfield, Kansas. While in St. Croix he reared a family
of half-breed children. He was a shrewd man and an inveterate dealer
in Indian whisky. Capt. Samuels was sent as a government agent to the
Chippewas of St. Croix valley and the southern shore of Lake
Superior, in 1862, to ascertain and report their sentiment in regard
to the Sioux war. It may be said of Capt. Samuels that, however
unprincipled he may have been, he was no dissembler, but outspoken in
his sentiments, however repellant they may have been to the moral
sense of the community. He died at Winfield, Kansas, in 1884.
JOSEPH B. CHURCHILL was born in New York in 1820; was married in New
York to Eliza Turnbull, and came to St. Croix Falls in 1854. He has
filled various offices creditably, and has the respect and confidence
of his acquaintances. His oldest daughter is the wife of Phineas G.
Lacy, of Hudson. His second daughter is the wife of Joseph Rogers. He
has one son living.
JOHN MCLEAN.--Mr. McLean was born 1819, in Vermont; was married in
1844 to Sarah Turnbull and settled on his farm near St. Croix Falls in
1850. Through untiring industry and honorable dealing he has secured a
sufficiency for life, a handsome farm and good buildings. A large
family has grown up around him, and have settled in the county.
GILMAN JEWELL came from New Hampshire; was married in New Hampshire
and came to the West in 1847. He settled on a farm near St. Croix
Falls. He died in 1869. Mrs. Jewell died January, 1888. One son,
Philip, resides on the homestead. Ezra, another son, resides at the
Falls. The other members of the family have moved elsewhere.
ELISHA CREECH was born in West Virginia, 1831. He came to St. Croix
Falls in 1849, and was married to Mary M. Seeds in 1863. They have
four children. Mr. Creech has been engaged much of his life in
lumbering. Through industry and temperate habits he has made a good
farm and a pleasant home.
JAMES W. MCGLOTHLIN was born in Kentucky; came to St. Croix Falls in
1846, and engaged successfully in sawing lumber at the St. Croix mill
in 1846 and 1847, but in 1848 rented the mill, being sustained by
Waples & Co., of Dubuque, Iowa, but by reason of bad management, he
failed and left the valley in 1849. He afterward went to California,
where he met a tragic fate, having been murdered by his teamster.
ANDREW L. TUTTLE.--Mr. Tuttle came to St. Croix Falls in 1849, and was
engaged many years as a lumberman and as keeper of a boardinghouse. He
settled on his farm at Big Rock in 1856, where he made himself a
comfortable home. He went to Montana in 1865, and died there in 1873.
Mrs. Tuttle still resides at the homestead, an amiable woman, who has
acted well her part in life. One of her daughters is married to Wm. M.
Blanding. One son, Eli, died in 1883, another son, Henry, died in
Montana. Perly, John and Warren are settled near the homestead.
JOHN WEYMOUTH was born at Clinton, Maine, in 1815, and came to St.
Croix Falls in 1846, where he followed lumbering and made himself a
beautiful home on the high hill overlooking the two villages of St.
Croix Falls and Taylor's Falls. By frugality and industry Mr. Weymouth
has accumulated a competence. He was married in St. Croix Falls in
1850, to Mary McHugh. One son, John, is married to Miss Ramsey, of
Osceola, and a daughter, Mary J., is married to Samuel Harvey, of St.
Croix Falls.
B. W. REYNOLDS, a tall, thin, stoop-shouldered man of eccentric