Fifty Years In The Northwest
Springfield 1860
Emerald 1861
Stanton 1870
Cady 1870
Baldwin 1872
Forest 1881
Glenwood 1885
Some changes were also made in the boundaries of the towns. No
progress was made in the erection of county buildings until 1856, when
a contract was made by the commissioners with Ammah Andrews to build a
court house for $14,300 on the ground originally purchased of Moses
Perin. The final cost was $20,045.
ST. CROIX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
An important event to the county was the organization of the St. Croix
Agricultural Society, in 1857. Beautiful grounds were chosen on the
bluffs one-half mile south of the city of Hudson. The annual fairs of
this association, formerly held in rotation at various points in the
county, now limited to the grounds south of the city, have always been
well patronized and successful.
POMONA GRANGE.
The Pomona Grange of St. Croix county holds quarterly meetings at
various points, alternately. There are subordinate granges at Hudson,
Richmond, Hammond, and Warren. There is a co-operative store in the
city of Hudson which is well sustained. These granges are in a
flourishing condition.
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.
At the taking of the last census there were 2,289 farms in St. Croix
county, containing 202,588 acres of improved land, valued at
$7,015,198. The farm implements were then placed at a valuation of
$346,374; live stock, at $810,525; and all soil products at
$1,815,266. The stock numbered 6,272 horses, 319 mules, 442 oxen,
5,624 cows, and 6,149 other cattle.
The average yield of products throughout the county can be fairly
placed at these figures: Wheat, 1,375,000 bushels; oats, 800,000
bushels; rye and barley, 35,000 bushels; corn, 200,000 bushels;
potatoes, 150,000 bushels; hay, 20,000 tons; cheese, 180,000 pounds;
butter, 350,000 pounds.
During the past few years agriculture has steadily increased while
rapid strides have been made in manufactures, so that the totals would
be quite materially enlarged now over those of 1885.
MANUFACTURES.
In manufactures the statisticians have the county down for 112
establishments with a capital of $740,197, utilizing materials to the
amount of $1,105,203, evolving products to the sum of $1,488,192, and
paying $107,469 in wages per annum.
As to manufactures, in round numbers there is produced in the county:
Lumber, 50,000,000 feet; shingles, 18,000,000: laths, 7,000,000;
furniture, $120,000; barrels, 125,000; flour, 160,000 barrels.
ST. CROIX POOR FARM
Is located in the northwest part of Kinnikinic, section 11, on each
side of the Kinnikinic river. It was purchased in 1870 for $1,000, and
the probable present value is $10,000.
FIRST TAX ROLL OF ST. CROIX COUNTY, 1848.
ST. CROIX FALLS.
===========================================================
NAMES. | AMT. PROPERTY. | TOTAL TAX.
----------------------------+----------------+-------------
John McKusick | $1,500.00 | $10.50
Leach & McKean | 5,400.00 | 37.80
Edward Johnson | 1,115.00 | .81
Falls of St. Croix Company | 59,700.00 | 417.90
Dexter & Harrington | 2,585.00 | 18.09
A. W. Russell | 405.00 | 2.83
Edward Worth | 199.00 | 1.39
Peter Lombair | 40.00 | .28
Serno Jonava | 75.00 | .52
J. McLanglin | 2,204.00 | 15.43
Wm. Town | 144.00 | 1.01
J. Cornelison | 75.00 | .52
George De Attley | 50.00 | .35
S. Partridge | 418.00 | 3.37
Dan Foster | 30.00 | .21
A. Livingston & Kelly | 185.00 | 1.29
John Powers | 21.00 | .14
Thos. Foster | 10.00 | .08
George Field | 45.00 | .31
Adam Sebert | 240.00 | 1.68
Weymouth & Brother | 130.00 | .91
S. S. Crowell | 150.00 | 1.05
Lewis Barlow | 103.00 | .72
I. S. Kimball | 30.00 | .21
Philip B. Jewell | 7,235.00 | 50.64
Kent & Mahoney | 3,631.00 | 25.42
H. Crandall | 219.00 | 1.53
Daniel Coite | 85.00 | .57
M. M. Samuels | 375.00 | 2.62
W. H. C. Folsom | 800.00 | 5.60
W. W. Folsom | 210.00 | 1.47
J. Sanders | 207.00 | 1.45
G. W. Brownell | 1,755.00 | 12.28
Richard Arnold | 205.00 | 1.45
Wm. R. Marshall | 15.00 | .10
Dr. Palmer | 10.00 | .07
Joseph Lagroo | 25.00 | .17
J. Bascan | 25.00 | .17
B. Cheever | 1,100.00 | 7.70
H. H. Perkins | 2,000.00 | 14.00
Levi Lagoo | 50.00 | .35
M. Shults | 2,000.00 | 14.00
+----------------+------------
Total | $94,801.00 | $1,642.72
------------------------------------------------------------
WILLOW RIVER.
===========================================================
NAMES. AMT. PROPERTY. TOTAL TAX.
----------------------------+----------------+-------------
James Purinton | $800.00 | $5.60
Wm. R. Anderson | 75.00 | .52
Samuel Clift | 15.00 | .10
Joseph Kelner | 15.00 | .10
P. D. Aldrich | 195.00 | 1.36
Moses Perin | 240.00 | 1.68
Ammah Andrews | 409.00 | 2.86
John B. Page | 1,128.00 | 7.89
Lewis Massey | 185.00 | 1.29
Joseph Lagrew | 190.00 | 1.33
Wm. H. Nobles | 299.00 | 2.10
Lemuel Nobles | 40.00 | .28
Milton E. Nobles | 339.00 | 2.37
John Collier | 125.00 | .87
Philip Aldrich | 361.00 | 2.52
Peter F. Bouchea | 136.00 | .96
A. Smith | 105.00 | .73
McKnight | 149.00 | 1.03
Wm. Steets | 143.00 | .79
Joseph Abear | 38.00 | .24
+----------------+------------
Total | $4,949.00 | $38.71
------------------------------------------------------------
MOUTH OF LAKE ST. CROIX.
==================================================================
NAMES. |AMT. PROPERTY. | TOTAL TAX.
----------------------------+---------------+----------------------
Thomas M. Finch | $176.00 | $1.23
Mrs. Lockwood | 1,181.00 | 8.27
Freeman, Larpenteur & Co | 300.00 | 2.10
Frank Trudell | 50.00 | .35
Louis Barlow | 600.00 | 4.20
Fog & Crownenbald | 2,625.00 | 18.39
I. L. Minox | 183.00 | 1.26
J. R. Rice | 545.00 | 2.81
G. W. McMurphy | 425.00 | 2.97
H. Doe | 340.00 | 2.38
Wm. Kimbrough | 60.00 | .42
W. H. Morse | 135.00 | .61
Wilson Thing | 385.00 | 2.69
W. C. Copley | 50.00 | .35
Willard Thing | 164.00 | 1.15
George Shagor | 1,000.00 | 7.00
George Barron | 180.00 | 1.26
Joseph Monjon | 235.00 | 1.64
Joseph Monjon, Jr. | 60.00 | 42.00
Henry Thaxter | 75.00 | .52
Aaron Cornelison | 325.00 | 2.27
James Cornelison | 265.00 | 1.85
Lewis Harnsberger | 75.00 | .52
----------------------------+---------------+------------------
Totals | $9,434.00 | $68.91
==============================================================
The above roll was published in pamphlet form, certified to by Wm. R.
Anderson, clerk of board of county commissioners, and an order issued
to Moses Perin to collect such taxes, and pay over to the treasurer of
St. Croix county. The amounts were duly collected.
HUDSON CITY.
The first settlement in St. Croix county was made on the present site
of Hudson city in 1838 by Peter Bouchea, Louis Massey, Wm. Steets and
Joseph Lagroo, Frenchmen, who subsisted chiefly by hunting and
fishing, but who also raised garden crops of corn, beans and other
vegetables. These people were contented and jovial, fond of dancing
and social enjoyment. Beyond the mere pleasure of living they seemed
to have but little care and were without enterprise or ambition. More
enterprising and industrious people followed them to the new
settlement, and as the public lands were not open for entry until
1848, settled upon the lands and made some improvements, awaiting
patiently the time when they could acquire a legal title. The original
claimants of the town of Buena Vista in 1848 were Peter Bouchea, Louis
Massey, Wm. Steets, Joseph Lagroo, Joseph Lenavil, ---- Revere, Ammah
Andrews, W. H. and M. V. Nobles, John B. Page, Philip Aldrich, and W.
R. Anderson. These parties, after the survey and prior to the entry of
the land, made an equitable division of their claims. Peter Bouchea
and Louis Massey were then delegated to purchase the lands, which they
did, Bouchea purchasing the southwest quarter of southeast quarter of
section 24, township 29, range 20, and Massey, the northwest quarter
of the southeast quarter of section 24, township 29, range 20. Deeds
were then made to the various claimants according to the original
agreement. The first individual survey of lots was made on Massey's
entry, Harvey Wilson, of Stillwater, being the surveyor. The village
thus platted was at first called Buena Vista, but some confusion
arising as to the title of lots in 1851, the legislature changed the
name of the town and village to Willow River, which, by vote of the
people in 1852, was changed to Hudson. The original proprietors of the
village of Buena Vista were Paschal Aldrich, James Sanders, Moses
Perin, James R. Patten and Joseph Abear. Additions were surveyed in
1849 and 1850 by Gibson, Henning and others. To avoid confusion we
shall discard the earlier names applied to what has since become the
city of Hudson and speak of it solely by its later and better known
name.
In 1840 the locality, as seen from a passing steamer, seemed a
wilderness of orchard oaks and maples, filling the valley of Willow
river, and clothing the slopes of the hills. A closer view might have
revealed an occasional shanty, a cabin of the first French settlers,