Fifty Years In The Northwest
once made prisoner by the Indians. In 1812 he entered the employ of
the notorious Col. Dickson, and, while with him, made a trip from
Detroit by way of Mackinaw, Green Bay, Fox and Wisconsin rivers to
Prairie du Chien in a birch canoe. He made two trips in mackinaw boats
from Prairie du Chien to New Orleans and return. In one trip he was
four months making his way from New Orleans to St. Louis. He made one
voyage in a birch canoe from Montreal via Ottawa river, Georgian bay,
Lake Huron, St. Marie's river and Lake Superior to Fond du Lac, at the
mouth of St. Louis river, via Sandy lake and the Mississippi river to
Lake Winnibagoshish, and another from Fond du Lac to Brule river,
across to St. Croix river, thence to the Mississippi, and by way of
St. Peter's river to Lake Traverse by canoe. In 1818 he entered the
service of the American Fur Company, and lived at Fond du Lac, the
headquarters of the company, for ten years. There he was married to a
sister of Peter Bouchea. In 1828 he settled on the reservation near
Fort Snelling, where he was held in such estimation that, on the
expulsion of the settlers, the officers of the Fort assisted him in
his removal to Willow River, whither he came in 1838 with Peter
Bouchea. Wm. Steets and Joseph Lagroo soon followed them. These four
were the first settlers in Hudson. Mr. Massey lived at his old home
with a son-in-law, Richard Picard, until his death, Oct. 14, 1887. His
only child living is Mrs. Picard.
PETER BOUCHEA was born at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, about 1815. He
spent his early life in the neighborhood of Lake Superior, was married
to a daughter of ---- Bruce, and came to the mouth of Willow river in
1838. Mr. Bouchea had been educated for the Catholic priesthood. He
was a truthful, intelligent, reliable man and filled some positions of
responsibility. He had many stirring adventures and was once wounded
by Indians and cared for by Gov. Cass, of Michigan, at Detroit and
Fort Gratiot. He died in 1875, at Fort Edward, on the north shore of
Lake Superior.
WILLIAM STREETS came to Willow River in 1838, a refugee from the Fort
Snelling reservation. He was frozen to death in the winter of 1851.
CAPT. JOHN B. PAGE came from Piscataquis county, Maine, to the St.
Croix valley in 1844, and engaged for awhile in cutting pine logs on
Willow river. While rafting on the Mississippi he met, and after a
brief courtship married, a woman who returned with him to his home on
Willow river and who survives him. Mrs. Page had some reputation as a
(Thomsonian) physician. They made their home in Hudson in 1847. Their
daughter Abigail was the first white child of American descent born in
Hudson. Abigail married George Bailey, and their sons, George W. and
David, were for a long time residents of Hudson, and have but lately
deceased. Mr. Page died Feb. 11, 1865.
DR. PHILIP ALDRICH, although not a permanent settler till 1847, was an
occasional or transient visitor, and had made a land claim in section
24. He took a deep interest in the affairs of the pioneer settlement,
and at his house many of the public gatherings, political and social,
were held. He was the first postmaster, and, in the exigencies of the
service, sometimes carried the mail on foot. While a resident of St.
Croix Falls in 1844, he was appointed probate judge. In 1848 he was
appointed treasurer of the county of St. Croix, and at the election in
November of the same year, elected to that office. Dr. Aldrich was
born in New York in 1792, and died at his home in Hudson, March 16,
1858.
THE NOBLES FAMILY settled in Hudson in 1847. Rev. Lemuel Nobles, the
father, was a Methodist local minister, and in 1847 preached the first
sermon at the mouth of Willow river. He came originally from New York,
lived a few years in the valley and removed to Michigan, where he
died. His children were William H., Milton V., John, Mrs. Battles and
Mrs. Morton S. Wilkinson, deceased. Wm. H. became a resident of
Minnesota and a noted man. His biography is given elsewhere.
MILTON V. NOBLES was born in New York in 1818; removed to Michigan;
was married to Matilda Edwards, Sept. 2, 1846, in Stillwater, and came
to Hudson in 1847, where he followed lumbering until 1860, when he
returned to New York and located at Elmira, where he resided until his
death. While at Elmira he became an inventor and took out several
valuable patents. His fortunes varied, and as is frequently the case
with inventors, at one time he was wretchedly poor. In the midst of
his galling poverty he sold one of his patents for a beautiful
homestead in Elmira. Mrs. Nobles had not been informed of the
transaction, but with her husband had visited the occupants of the
homestead. Mrs. Nobles could not but contrast this pleasant home with
her own poverty stricken surroundings, and in inviting her
entertainers to return the call, told them plainly that she lived in a
very humble home, and feared she could not make a visit pleasant to
them. At this point the host stepped forward, and, by a preconcerted
arrangement, presented her a deed to the mansion and grounds--a joyful
surprise.
JOHN NOBLES, the youngest son, returned to Michigan and New York,
where he became a Methodist minister. Some time subsequently he
removed to Colorado, where he died.
JAMES PURINTON was born in 1797, in Tamworth, New Hampshire. He was
married to Mary Mann, in Sandwich, New Hampshire. He afterward removed
to Maine. He came to St. Croix Falls in 1842, and leased the St. Croix
mills, and some time after became part owner. This venture not being
successful, he removed to Willow River in 1847, where he built a large
dam across the river, and with others erected a saw mill on the point
of land between the lake and river. This venture was not successful
and the mill property passed into other hands. Mr. Purinton was an
experienced lumberman and an active, energetic man. The north side of
Willow River, in which he was so much interested, became afterward
quite valuable on account of the centralization of shops, depots and
business of the West Wisconsin and North Wisconsin railroads. Mr.
Purinton died in Hudson in 1849, leaving two married daughters--Mrs.
----Graves and Mrs. James McPhail.
AMMAH ANDREWS was born in Herkimer county, New York, in 1801, and
passed his early life in that place. In 1829 he was married to Laura
Andrews, and in the same year moved to Michigan. He came to Hudson in
1847. Mr. Andrews was a carpenter and took some important building
contracts. He was one of the first commissioners of St. Croix county
under the state government, and also one of the first school
directors. He has been an active and influential member of the
Methodist Episcopal church the greater part of his life. He has three
sons, now living in Nebraska, and one daughter, the wife of F. D.
Harding, of Hudson, Wisconsin. Mr. Andrews died Jan. 5, 1888.
JAMES WALSTOW.--Mr. Walstow was born in Nottingham, England, in 1815;
was married there, and came to Hudson in 1849. He removed to Nebraska
in 1863.
JAMES SANDERS was born in Devonshire, England, in 1818; came to
America in 1841, and lived for years in New York. In 1844 he married
Mary Walstow, removed to St. Croix Falls in 1845 and to Hudson in
1850, where he opened and improved the first farm in the present St.
Croix county. Mrs. Sanders died in 1873. She left two sons, William
and Walstow. Mr. Sanders removed to Osceola in 1880.
J. W. STONE was born in Connecticut in 1800. He came to Hudson in 1849
and opened the first store the same year. He died in 1860.
JOSEPH BOWRON was born Aug. 1, 1809, in Essex county, New York. His
parents were from Newcastle on the Tyne, England. His mother was a
member of the Society of Friends. She died when Joseph was five years
old, and he was reared by his aunt until nineteen years of age, when
he engaged in business for himself in Lower Canada. Some time
afterward he removed to the United States and obtained work on the
Illinois canal. He next removed to St. Louis, and from thence, in
1841, to St. Croix Falls, where he acted as clerk, scaler of logs and
mill superintendent. He was a member of the first state legislature of
Wisconsin, in 1848. W. R. Marshall had received the certificate of
election, but Mr. Bowron successfully contested the election. Mr.
Bowron removed in 1848 to Hudson, where he attended to general
collections, and served as justice of the peace. In 1849 Mr. Bowron
was married to Celia Partridge, of Columbia county, Wisconsin, who
died three years later. In 1854 he was married to Rosanna Partridge,
who died in 1863. Mr. Bowron died April 10, 1868, leaving two
children, who now reside in Kansas.
MOSES PERIN was born in 1815; came to St. Croix Falls in 1847 and to
Hudson in 1849. He was the first collector of St. Croix county. In
1853 he built a warehouse and saw mill at Lakeland, Minnesota. The
warehouse was burned, and the saw mill removed. In 1847 Mr. Perin
removed to San Diego, California.
JOHN O. HENNING was born at Bellefonte, Centre county, Pennsylvania,
in 1819. His great grandfather was the first settler in that county.
In 1825 his father removed to Ithaca, New York, and there the youthful
Henning received his education at the academy. During the excitement
of the Jackson administration he became an ardent Democrat, and, that
he might enter more fully into the political strife of the day,
learned the printer's trade and devoted himself more or less to
newspaper work. He visited the Mississippi valley in 1838, remained
some time at St. Louis, Missouri, Springfield, Illinois, Burlington,
Iowa, and some other places. In 1846 he established the _Journal_ at
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and in 1849 removed to Hudson, Wisconsin,
where he still resides. He served eight years as register of the
United States land office at that place. He represented St. Croix
county in the assembly of the Fourth Wisconsin legislature and has
held many other positions of trust. Mr. Henning was married, Jan. 29,
1840, to Fidelia Bennet. Mrs. Henning died June 27, 1886, aged
sixty-six years.
MOSES S. GIBSON was born in 1816, in Livingston county, New York. He
received the rudiments of a common school education. He was engaged in
mercantile pursuits a large portion of his life. He settled at
Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in 1844, but afterward moved to Fond du Lac. He
represented Fond du Lac county in the constitutional convention in
1847. He was appointed receiver of the United States land office at
Hudson in 1849. In 1856 he was married to Carrie F. Gilman. During the
Rebellion he acted as paymaster, United States army, and was assigned
to the department of Missouri, with headquarters at St. Louis. In 1878
he was appointed assistant in the sixth auditor's office, Washington,
District of Columbia. Mr. Gibson has led a busy and useful life and
has acquitted himself well in the various positions of responsibility
to which he has been called.
COL. JAMES HUGHES.--Col. Hughes was born in Prince Edwards county,
Virginia, Oct. 12, 1805. He received a classical education at
Hampdon-Sydney College, Virginia, studied law, and was admitted to
practice in Virginia. He came to Ohio in 1835, and was elected to the
legislature in 1838 and 1839. He was married in 1839 to Elisabeth
Mather, in Jackson county. He remained in Ohio until 1849, publishing
successively the _Jackson Standard_ and the _Meigs County Telegraph_,
both Whig papers. In 1849 he came to St. Paul and brought with him the
first printing press and outfit in that city, and established the
_Minnesota Chronicle,_ which subsequently united with the _Register_.
The first number bears the date June 1, 1849. In November of the same
year he sold his interest in the _Chronicle and Register_ and removed
to Hudson, where he established the _St. Croix Banner_, the first