Fifty Years In The Northwest
is likewise semicircular, the convexity being toward the river and
lake. The crest of the terrace is worn down by the rains into ravines,
leaving rounded points, or promontories, on the summit of which the
ancient mound builders have left traces of their peculiar art. The
first settlement of Prescott was made by Philander Prescott, Col.
Thompson, Dr. Emerson, and Capt. Scott, the three last named being
army officers at Fort Snelling. Mr. Prescott, acting as agent for the
others, made the claim in 1836, remaining three years to hold it, when
it was left in the care of Joseph Mosier until 1851.
In 1837 seven acres were broken and fenced, constituting the entire
landed improvements within the present bounds of Pierce county. In
1849 one hundred and fifty acres were improved. Geo. Schaser and H.
Doe were the first resident farmers. From 1838 to 1849 a trading post
for Indian supplies was kept by persons holding the claim. W. S.
Lockwood opened a store in 1842, and other improvements were made. As
the army officers were called to other fields of labor, Mr. Prescott
soon found himself in sole possession of the original claim, he
purchasing their interests, and in 1849, when the lands had been
surveyed by the government, he entered sixty-one acres. In 1853 Dr. O.
T. Maxon and W. J. Copp purchased a greater part of the town site and
surveyed and platted it as the city of Prescott. A charter was
obtained in 1857. A post office had been established here in 1840,
called the "Mouth of St. Croix," but it was removed across the lake
and named Point Douglas. The post office was re-established at
Prescott in 1852. Dr. O. T. Maxon was first postmaster. The number of
persons who came that year to Prescott is estimated at about one
hundred and fifty.[D] Mr. Schaser platted an addition to the city of
sixty-one acres in 1855. When the city received its charter the
following officers were elected: Mayor, J. R. Freeman; aldermen, First
ward, N. S. Dunbar, Thomas Dickerson and Seth Ticknor; Second ward,
Hilton Doe, George W. Oakley, N. A. Miller; president of the council,
Seth Ticknor; justices of the peace, I. T. Foster, O. Edwards; city
attorney, P. V. Wise; city surveyor, Wm. Howes; superintendent of
schools, Thomas Dickerson.
Wm. Schaser built the first frame house, and Mrs. Wm. Schaser was the
first white woman. Their daughter Eliza was the first white child born
in the new settlement. The first marriage was that of G. W. McMurphy
to a daughter of Mr. Rice, April 24, 1848. The first death was that of
W. S. Lockwood, in 1847.
When the county of Pierce was organized Prescott was designated as the
county seat, and so remained until 1862, when, by popular election,
Ellsworth was chosen.
In 1856 Messrs. Silverthorn & Dudley started a saw mill, which they
operated until 1861, when Mr. Dudley purchased his partner's interest,
and erected a flouring and saw mill.
A wagon and carriage manufactory was established by F. Menicke, in
1862, the Prescott brewery in 1866, by N. P. Husting, and the Prescott
machine shops in 1876, by H. B. Failing. The City Bank of Prescott was
organized in 1858, Charles Miller, president; W. P. Westfall, cashier;
capital stock, $50,000. It closed in 1862. The National Bank was
established in 1877, by W. S. Miller. The first school in Pierce
county was taught by a missionary named Denton, at Prescott, in 1843.
In 1851 Miss Oliver taught a private school. In 1853 the first
district school was established. The school board were: Directors, M.
Craig, George W. McMurphy; treasurer, N. S. Dunbar; clerk, Dr. O. T.
Maxon; teacher, Miss Matthews. The first school house was built in
1854. A building for a graded school was erected in 1859. A high
school building was erected in 1847, at a cost of $20,000.
The first religious society was that of the Methodists, organized in
1853, under the labors of Rev. Norris Hobart. Their first building
was erected in 1856. Its dimensions were 20 × 32 feet, ground plan. In
1868 they erected a building 40 × 70 feet, ground plan, at a cost of
$4,000.
In 1854 the Baptist church was organized by Rev. E. W. Cressy.
In 1854 the Congregationalists organized, with Rev. P. Hall as pastor,
and in 1855 built a brick church, 40 × 50 feet, ground plan.
In 1855 the Presbyterians organized, and in 1866 built a church.
The Lutheran church was organized in 1865, by Rev. C. Thayer.
Under the preaching of Rev. M. Guild the Episcopal church was
organized in 1872. Previous to this date Revs. Breck, Wilcoxson and
Peabody had labored from time to time. The Catholic church was
organized by Rev. Father Vervais in 1860. In 1868 a church edifice was
built.
The following social and benevolent orders have organizations in
Prescott:
Northwestern Lodge, A. F. and A. M organized 1856
Prescott Lodge, I. O. O. F " 1868
Lodge No. 319, I. O. G. T " 1876
Prescott Juvenile Temple, No. 108 " 1877
Prescott Temple of Honor " 1878
Converse Post, G. A. R. " 1884
Pierce County Agricultural Society, O. T. Maxon, president " 1859
The Agricultural Society has fair grounds just east of the city, well
arranged, with a half mile race track, and buildings in good
condition. Fairs are held annually. Pine Glen cemetery is situated on
the bluff half a mile below the city. It was established in 1856.
Nature has done much for the site. The view of the Mississippi valley
is unobstructed for a distance of from twelve to twenty miles on the
south, and to the bend of the river bluffs above Hastings. The grounds
are handsomely laid out and adorned with shrubbery.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.
Prescott has suffered severely from fires. The following is a partial
list of losses:
Lowry & Co., saw mill loss $3,500
Todd & Horton's mill " 2,000
Stevens, Lechner & Co. (1854) " 3,000
Fire on Main street (1871) loss $22,000
Fire on Main street (1872) " 12,000
Fire on Main street (1874) " 12,000
Redman, Cross & Co., flour mills (1877) " 40,000
The latter was insured for $20,000. Total loss, nearly $75,000.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
PHILANDER PRESCOTT was born in 1801, at Phelpstown, Ontario county,
New York. Late in the year 1819 he came to Fort Snelling and remained
there, or in the vicinity, the greater part of his life. From his
constant association with the Indians, especially with the Sioux, he
learned to speak their language. He was also related to them by his
marriage with a Sioux woman. This fact, added to his influence among
them, and being a man not only of a high character for integrity, but
well educated and intelligent, he was able to render the officers of
the Fort much service. He made a translation into the Sioux dialect of
a number of English and French hymns for the use of the mission
schools near Prescott. He gave his children an English education. In
1835, while acting as Indian interpreter, he came to the present site
of Prescott, and in conjunction with several officers of the Fort, he
acting as their agent, laid claim to considerable territory, and made
some improvements in the shape of log buildings. When the army
officers were sent to other posts, Mr. Prescott purchased their
interests and held the claim. In 1849, after the government survey, he
pre-empted sixty-one acres and laid out what he called the city of
Prescott. He resided here and at the Fort alternately until his death,
which occurred in 1862. He had been sent by the government on a peace
mission to the Indians in rebellion, met them at a point near Mankato,
and was cruelly assassinated by those to whom he had ever proven a
true friend, and whom he had every reason to suppose friendly to him.
GEORGE SCHASER is a native of Austria, and came to the mouth of the
St. Croix in 1841. In 1842 he returned to St. Louis and married
Christine Bucher. Mrs. Schaser was the first white woman resident in
Prescott. Mr. Schaser built the first frame house in the settlement,
in 1844. This house was regarded for many years as the finest house
between Prairie du Chien and St. Paul. In 1855 Mr. Schaser surveyed an
addition to Prescott on land he had pre-empted in 1849. In 1858 he
built the brick hotel known as the St. Nicholas. Mr. Schaser died May
3, 1884, leaving a widow, three sons and one daughter. His sons are
Henry, Edward and George A. His daughter Emma was married to Capt.
John E. Ball (deceased 1881). An older daughter, Eliza, the first
child born in Pierce county, was married to E. W. Haviland, and died
in 1880, near New Orleans.
WILLIAM S. LOCKWOOD, a native of New York State, came to Prairie du
Chien in 1833, and to Prescott in 1842. The year following his family
followed. Mr. Lockwood died in 1847. His widow, Georgiana Barton, was
married to Orange B. Walker, of Marine Mills, and died at Marine, Oct.
9, 1885.
JAMES MONROE BAILEY was born in 1824, in Sullivan county, New York,
where his youthful days were passed. He came to Prescott in 1849,
where he has since been engaged in farming, mercantile and real estate
business. He was married in 1856, in Prescott, to Nettie Crippin. They
have one son, Victor, and two daughters, Myrtle, wife of E. L.
Meacham, of Prescott, and Jessamine. Mr. Bailey has a very pleasant
home in Prescott. He has filled various offices, among them that of
treasurer and clerk of St. Croix county, prior to the organization of
Pierce.
ADOLPH WERKMAN was born in Germany in 1826; came to America in 1847,
and to Prescott in 1848. He was married at Prescott in 1856.
JOSEPH MANESE (alias Joseph Abear) was of French extraction and a
native of Lower Canada. While yet a youth he came into the Lake
Superior region, where he was employed most of his time in hunting and
trapping by the fur companies. His history, if written in full, would
abound in stirring incidents and adventures. He was a man of unusual
strength and activity, and in disposition light hearted, vivacious and
gay even to hilarity. He died in Prescott in 1884.
HILTON DOE was a native of New York State, and came to Red Wing, as
Indian farmer, about 1840. He settled in Prescott in 1844, in sections
9 and 10, pre-emptions subsequently surveyed into town lots. Mr. Doe
married Miss Daily, in Illinois, in 1844. Mrs. Doe died in 1860, Mr.
Doe in 1884.
LUTE A. TAYLOR, a young man of decided talent, a good classical
scholar, a brilliant writer and humorist, came to River Falls in 1856,
and in 1857, with his brother Horace, established the River Falls
_Journal_, which they continued to publish jointly for three years,
when Horace removed to Hudson and established the _Times_. Lute A.
removed to Prescott, taking with him the material of the _Journal_
office, and established the Prescott _Journal_, which he edited and
published until 1869, when he removed to La Crosse and published the
La Crosse _Leader_ until his death, which occurred in 1872.
Mr. Taylor was a correspondent of various papers and an entertaining
lecturer. As a conversationalist and wit, he was without a rival. A
slight impediment in his speech, if anything, added to the humorous
effect of his pithy sayings. He is well remembered in the valley of
the St. Croix. A volume containing his biography and some
characteristic sketches has been published since his death.
JOHN HUITT, a Canadian, came to Prescott in 1847, and erected the
first blacksmith shop in the village. He was married in Prescott to a
daughter of Joseph Mosier, and subsequently pre-empted a quarter
section of land on Prescott prairie. He built a saw and planing mill