Fifty Years In The Northwest
with small gardens, the whole inclosed by high picket fences as a
protection against strolling Indians. Seven years later loggers were
at work on Willow river under Capt. J. B. Page. The same year a couple
of frame houses appeared in the oak openings. The first was built by
W. H. Nobles, which is still standing and is occupied by Mrs. Col.
James Hughes. The second was built by Ammah Andrews and is now
occupied by Horace Champlin. In 1848 James Purinton commenced a saw
mill and dam at the mouth of Willow river, which were not, completed
until 1850. In 1848 Wm. H. Nobles started a ferry over the lake. James
Purinton opened a store and Moses Perin built a hotel and boarding
house, which stood opposite Champlin's present livery stable. In 1849
Miss Richards, from Prairie du Chien, taught the first school. Mrs. A.
M. Richardson, the wife of the Methodist minister, the second. A
school house was not built until 1855. John G. Putman built the
Buckeye House, corner of First and Buckeye streets. Horace Barlow
built a residence. Mr. Stone also put up a store building. The first
attorneys, Daniel Noble Johnson and Col. James Hughes, commenced
practice in Hudson in 1849. The first public building stood on the lot
now occupied by the Methodist church. It burned down in the spring of
1851, and an account of the fire, as published at that time, stated
that the "court house, Methodist, Baptist, Congregational and
Episcopal churches, together with the high school buildings, were all
consumed." It is but fair to say that there were no regular church
organizations at this time, but occasional services by local and
transient ministers. Rev. Lemuel Nobles, a Methodist minister,
preached the first sermon in 1847. The first society organization was
that of the Baptists, Rev. S. T. Catlin, pastor, in 1852. In the same
year Rev. A. M. Richardson was regularly appointed as pastor of the
Methodist Episcopal church. In 1855 the First Presbyterian church was
organized under the pastorate of Rev. Chas. Thayer, and Rev. Wilcoxson
became the first rector of the Episcopal church. In 1856 Rev. Father
McGee took charge of the Catholic church. In 1857 Rev. C. H. Marshall
was called to the pastorate of the Congregational church. A Norwegian
Lutheran church was organized in 1876. All of these church
organizations have good church buildings, and the Catholic church has
a flourishing school connected with it. School interests were not
neglected by the early settlers. A good school house was built in 1855
and graded. The first deed recorded covering Hudson property was by
Louis Massey and Frances, his wife, to Wm. H. Nobles; warranty;
consideration, $67.18; situate in east half of southwest quarter of
section 24, township 29, range 20.
CITY GOVERNMENT.
Hudson was incorporated as a city in 1857, and the first municipal
election was held in April of that year. The city was divided into
three wards. A. D. Gay was the first mayor. The following were the
first aldermen: First ward, James B. Gray, Milton V. Nobles, J. M.
Fulton; Second ward, Alfred Day, R. A. Gridley, Chas. E. Dexter; Third
ward, Chas. Thayer, N. P. Lester, N. Perry. The remaining city
officers were: City clerk, O. Bell; city attorney, Cyrus L. Hall;
surveyor, Michael Lynch. At the first meeting of the city council,
after the appointment of committees on by-laws, bond sales, salaries,
etc., license for selling intoxicating liquors was fixed at fifty
dollars per annum for hotel keepers, two hundred dollars for wholesale
dealers, with various grades for retail saloons. The first license
issued was to John Cyphers, for keeping saloon and billiard hall.
MAYORS OF HUDSON CITY.
1. A. D. Gray,
2. Alfred Day,
3. Silas Staples,
4. John Comstock,
5. S. N. Clough,
6. A. D. Richardson,
7. C. R. Coon,
8. H. L. Humphrey,
9. J. H. Brown,
10. Simon Hunt,
11. Lemuel North,
12. C. H. Lewis,
13. H. A. Wilson,
14. A. J. Goss,
15. P. Q. Boyden,
16. D. C. Fulton,
17. M. A. Fulton,
18. Samuel Hyslop,
19. Sam. C. Johnson, M. D.
20. Wm. H. Phipps.
CITY SCHOOLS.
Graded schools were established in 1859. They have ever maintained an
excellent reputation. In 1860 Charlotte Mann was chosen principal, and
taught the eight ensuing years. A new school building was completed in
1887 at a cost of $25,000. This building is devoted to high school
purposes. The schools of the city are graded. There are eleven
departments and twelve teachers. Each ward of the city has a separate
building. The school fund amounts to about $5,000 per annum. The
schools are under the control of six commissioners.
A MILITARY INSTITUTE
Was organized at River Falls by Prof. J. R. Hinckley, and shortly
afterward removed to Hudson, and a building worth $7,000 erected for
its accommodation. In 1880 it was purchased by the Catholics, and it
is now known as St. Marys Academy.
MILLS AND MANUFACTORIES.
The first saw mill, as already noted, was completed in 1850. It was
known as Purinton's saw mill. Other saw mills were built, but
destroyed by fire. We have no record of ownership and losses, but
estimate the aggregate of the latter as near $100,000. The Willow
River mills, built in 1867, consist of two flouring mills, with a
capacity of four hundred barrels per day. Connected with these are a
large elevator and cooper shop. The present proprietors are Cooper,
Clark & Co. The invested capital is $150,000. The Hudson Lumber
Company, in 1883, built a saw mill, below the steamboat landing. This
mill has a capacity of 18,000,000 feet per annum, and has a planing
mill attached. It is complete in all its departments, manufacturing
all classes of lumber, from timber to mouldings. The capital stock
amounts to $100,000. The officers are H. A. Taylor, president; C. R.
Coon, vice president; M. Herrick, secretary; F. D. Harding, treasurer;
S. W. Pierce, superintendent. The Hudson Foundry and Machine Shop was
established in 1870. The North Hudson Foundry and Car Shops are doing
a fine business. The Hudson Carriage Works were established in 1885,
and the Hudson Furniture Manufactory in 1883. The amount invested in
this enterprise is $180,000, and it furnishes employment to one
hundred men. C. R. Coon is president of the company. There are two
breweries--Moctreman's, established in 1857, and Yoerg's in 1870.
BANKS.
The St. Croix Valley Bank was organized in 1855. It was a bank of
issue, payable at Gordon, Wisconsin. It closed in 1857. The Hudson
City Bank, organized Sept. 10, 1856, went into operation under the
general law of Wisconsin, capital stock $25,000, secured by Michigan
and Missouri state stocks. J. O. Henning was president and M. S.
Gibson, cashier. It soon closed. The Farmers and Mechanics Bank, a
state bank, went into operation in 1857 and closed the following
year. The Hudson First National Bank was organized in 1863, with a
capital of $50,000. The first officers were John Comstock, president;
Alfred J. Goss, cashier. The officers in 1888 are John Comstock,
president; A. E. Jefferson, cashier. The surplus fund is $53,000. The
directors are H. A. Taylor, H. L. Humphrey, John C. Spooner, A. L.
Clark, F. D. Harding, A. T. Goss, and W. H. Crowe. The Hudson Savings
Bank was organized in 1870, with a capital stock of $50,000. Alfred
Goss, president; A. J. Goss, cashier. Alfred Goss died in 187--, but
the bank is in successful operation, the son still retaining his
father's name as head of the firm.
THE OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES HOSPITAL.
The beautiful private hospital which takes the name of America's
popular poet, Oliver Wendell Holmes, was opened June 7, 1887. The
credit of this hospital scheme is entirely due to Dr. Irving D.
Wiltrout, of Hudson, who for some years has been assiduously at work
maturing the plans. The owners are Dr. Wiltrout and the Johnston
Brothers, of Boardman. The site is upon a beautiful wooded slope of
Willow river, about a mile from its mouth, overlooking Lake Mallalieu,
an expanse of the river, and a broad sweep of the St. Croix with its
undulating banks, commanding the most delightful and extensive views.
The building is lighted by the Mather self regulating, incandescent
system of electricity. The dynamo, engine and boilers are located in a
fireproof brick structure, some distance from the building proper,
communicating with the hospital by an underground passageway. The
hospital is under the direction of the following board: President, A.
J. Goss; first vice president, John Comstock; second vice president,
John E. Glover; secretary, Thomas Hughes; treasurer, Rev. M. Benson.
WATER WORKS.
The Hudson water works, supplied from Lake St. Croix, are situated
upon Liberty Hill, in the rear of the southern part of the city. They
are owned by W. S. Evans. The hill is two hundred and seventeen feet
above the lake, and commands a magnificent view of the surrounding
country. The summit is easily accessible. The city is also well
supplied with water from artesian wells, which were sunk to a depth of
five hundred feet, and afford a flow of two hundred gallons per
minute.
HOTELS.
The principal hotels are the Chapin House, first built in 1867, but
twice destroyed by fire. The last structure was erected in 1879, by H.
A. Taylor. The Tracy House was built in 1867, the Seely House in 1873,
the Commercial Hotel in 1875, and the Central House in 1876.
THE GREAT FIRE.
May 19, 1866, Hudson city was visited with a destructive
conflagration. Sixty-four business houses and twenty-five residences
were destroyed. It was probably the result of accident or
carelessness. It commenced in the rear of H. A. Taylor's furniture
rooms and printing office, and spread with such rapidity that it was
with the greatest difficulty that merchants and others were able to
save their valuable papers. The wind blew a gale and the flames spread
and caught in every direction. The fire occurred fortunately in the
daytime or it might have been attended with a frightful loss of life.
As it was, there were many narrow escapes. The total losses from this
fire were $325,000, on which there was but $75,000 insurance. A
destructive fire occurred in 1872, destroying the Chapin Hall House,
valued at $50,000, and other property to the value of $35,000, on
which there was but $15,000 insurance. During the same year another
fire occurred, destroying 30,000 bushels of wheat and the furniture of
the Chapin Hall House, which had been saved from the previous fire.
The loss was estimated at $60,000 with $16,355 insurance.
SOCIAL AND BENEVOLENT ORGANIZATIONS.
St. Croix Lodge, A. F. and A. M., founded 1855; Colfax Lodge, No. 85,
I. O. O. F., founded 1856; Hudson City Lodge, No. 486, I. O. G. T.,
founded 1867; Ladies' Library Association, founded 1868; St. Croix R.
A. Chapter, founded 1874; Y. M. C. A., founded 1875; Nash Lodge, I. O.
G. T., founded 1877; Temple of Honor, founded 1877; St. Croix
Commandery, founded 1879; St. Croix Lodge, A. O. U. W., founded 1880;
Equitable Union, founded 1880. In addition to the foregoing there is a
volunteer fire company, a boat club, an old settlers' club, a bible
society, a building and loan association, and a cemetery association.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
LOUIS MASSEY came of a long-lived French-Canadian family. His father
lived to the age of one hundred and seven and his mother to one
hundred and five and he himself lived to the age of ninety-nine years.
He was born in Canada, near Montreal, in 1788. In 1805 he left home to
enter the service of the British fur traders at Detroit. In his
eventful life he had many adventures and passed through many perils.
He was once arrested with his employer by the American authorities and