Fifty Years In The Northwest by William H. C. Folsom
14. By industry and perseverance they have become independent, and own
2444 words | Chapter 82
fine farms, with blooded stock, improved agricultural implements, and
all the appliances for successful farming. Robert married in 1857, and
has three sons and three daughters. William married Laura Rabold, in
1860, and has three sons and four daughters. William has been chairman
of the county board of supervisors several years.
WILLIAM MARTIN was born in Vermont, in 1800. In 1846 he moved to
Janesville, Wisconsin, and in 1851 to Hudson, where he engaged in
farming. He was an exemplary christian man, and a member of the
Baptist church. His son, Geo. W. Martin, succeeds him on the farm. He
died in 1885.
PASCHAL ALDRICH was born in the state of New York, in 1820; came to
Illinois with his parents in 1826; was married in Illinois, to Martha
Harnsberger, in 1841, and came to Marine in the same year. He
returned, for a short time, to Illinois, and again moved to the valley
of the St. Croix, settling at Hudson in 1846, where he died in 1860,
leaving three sons and five daughters.
KINNIKINIC
Originally included nine towns of townships 27 and 28, from St. Croix
lake east. By the setting off of Pierce county from St. Croix, the
towns in township 27 were stricken off, and the territory has since
been reduced until comprised in township 28, range 18. It is a wealthy
agricultural township. Its surface is agreeably diversified with
undulating prairies and high hills. The Kinnikinic, a beautiful and
clear winding stream, drains it from the northeast. The famous
Monument Rock, an outlying sandstone formation, is in the centre of
this township. From the summit a magnificent view may be obtained of
this fine farming region. The farmers have fine dwellings and barns,
and the town has numerous school houses; one church is located on
section 15. The history of the town, as far as we were able to obtain
it, may be found in the biographies of the Mapes brothers.
DUNCAN MCGREGOR was born in Perth, Scotland, in 1821. His educational
advantages were limited. He emigrated to Canada while yet a youth,
served seven years in the British Army, and was one year in Canada
during the Papineau Rebellion. He was married to Jane Morse, in
Canada, Jan. 31, 1848, and in 1849 removed to the United States and
settled at River Falls, where he still lives on the homestead which he
pre-empted. Mrs. McGregor was the first resident white woman, and Mr.
McGregor the second person who settled at the Falls.
His mother, an aged lady living with him at the Falls, at one time
found the house surrounded by over a hundred Sioux Indians, who
commenced plundering the garden of everything eatable. Mrs. McGregor
bravely confronted and drove them away. The only crops in the valley
at the time were those of Messrs. Foster and McGregor.
Mr. McGregor learned in early life the trade of a mason. While a
resident of River Falls he followed farming except during a few years
in which he kept a hardware store. He was three years county
commissioner of St. Croix county. He has three children living,
Roderick, Malcolm and Neville.
W. B. AND JAS. A. MAPES, brothers, from Elmira, New York, landed at
Willow River Sept. 7, 1849. They proceeded at once with an ox team and
cart, on which last was placed all their worldly goods, to the valley
of the Kinnikinic. Having selected a claim and erected a temporary
shanty, William B. returned by river as far as Galena, for a breaking
team, wagon and plow, and other farm furniture and provisions, while
James remained to make hay. After the brother's return, a substantial
winter cabin was built. The ensuing spring they broke ground and
raised a fair crop, consisting of 80 bushels of oats, 200 of
buckwheat, 100 of corn and 100 of potatoes. The winter of their
arrival, Duncan McGregor came to the settlement and spent the winter
with Judge Foster. In the fall of 1850 came Ira Parks and family, and
settled on lands adjoining the Mapes farm. This family and others were
entertained by the Mapes brothers, with genuine frontier hospitality.
Among the families coming in at this time were those of Dr. Whipple,
Mrs. Sprague, Lorenzo Daggett, and the widow of Josephus Medley, of
Stillwater. This year came also the Pomeroy brothers, Luke and Frank,
from New York State, and J. G. Crowns, James Penn, and William Tozer,
from Illinois. During 1851 several families settled in the valley,
among them James Chinnoch and Elisha Walden, from Ohio; Alanson Day
and John Scott, from Pennsylvania; the brothers W. L. and J. E.
Perrin, single men, from New York State, and Mrs. Lynch, from
Illinois. Previous to the settlement of these families there were no
young ladies in the town. The arrival of fifteen young ladies, mostly
marriageable, produced a flutter of excitement among the lonesome
bachelors of the colony, and the services of Rev. S. T. Catlin were
soon called into requisition. The first couple married was James A.
Mapes and Eunice E. Walden, in 1852. The next year W. B. Mapes and
Catherine Scott were married. In 1852 J. W. Mapes, a younger brother,
joined the colony. In 1857 G. W. Mapes located a Mexican War land
warrant on adjoining laud. W. B., J. A. and C. W. Mapes had also
Mexican War land warrants.
In 1860 J. W. Mapes sold his farm and returned to New York, enlisted
in the One Hundred and First Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served
through the Peninsular Campaign under McClellan, and afterward in
North Carolina, where he was captured at Plymouth, April 23, 1864, and
taken to Andersonville, where he died, June 30, 1864. W. B. Mapes sold
his farm to Chas. Davies and removed to Macon county, Mississippi, in
1866, at which place he died in 1877. His widow and five children
still reside there. C. W. Mapes sold his farm to G. I. Ap Roberts, and
kept store for awhile in the village, and in 1879 removed to Sussex
county, Virginia, where he still resides. He has four children living.
Jas. A. Mapes still resides on the old homestead. Mr. Mapes was
honored with an election to the office of treasurer for St. Croix
county in 1883 and 1884.
PLEASANT VALLEY.
Pleasant Valley includes the west half of township 28, range 17. It is
drained by the headwaters of the Kinnikinic. The first settlement was
made Sept. 19, 1856. Among the first settlers were Sheldon Gray, Asa
Gray, S. W. Mattison, and Allen Webster. The town was organized March
30, 1857, with Peleg Burdick as chairman of supervisors. The first
school was taught in 1857, by Miss Mary Munson. A post office was
established in 1866 with Peter Hawkins as postmaster.
RICHMOND.
Richmond is a rich agricultural township, consisting chiefly of
undulating prairie land. It is included in township 30, range 18.
Willow river flows diagonally through it from northeast to southwest.
The following persons settled within the present limits of the town
prior to 1855: Eben Quinby, Lewis Oaks, James Taylor, Harvey Law,
Norman Hooper, J. J. Smith, A. S. Kinnie, W. R. Anderson, Francis
Kelly, Clinton Boardman, S. L. Beebe, the Beal brothers, E. P. Jacobs
and E. W. Darnley.
The town of Richmond was organized in 1857, with the following
officers: Supervisors, Robert Philbrick, chairman; C. A. Boardman and
Harvey Law; clerk, W. M. Densmore; assessor, W. R. Anderson;
treasurer, G. W. Law. The first post office was established at the
house of Joel Bartlett, who served as postmaster. This post office was
known as the Richmond post office. It was a small affair. The first
mail, brought on a mule's back from Maiden Rock, contained but one
letter. The first quarter's commission amounted to but one dollar and
fifty-nine cents. The post office case contained but four boxes, five
by six inches in size. This case is preserved at the _Republican_
office, as an interesting relic. Small as was the office, and meagre
as were the receipts, the postmaster was able to employ a deputy, F.
W. Bartlett. By way of agreeable contrast we give the commission for
the first quarter of 1886 as $674.89.
BOARDMAN VILLAGE
Is located on the east bank of Willow river and near the western
boundary of Richmond. It is a flourishing village. Its public
buildings are a Methodist church and a large school house. Boardman
has a good flour mill. Everything in the village bespeaks enterprise
and thrift.
GRIDLEY VILLAGE
Was platted by Gridley & Day in 1857, and, together with Fremont
village, platted by Henry Russell, was incorporated in the village of
NEW RICHMOND
in 1878. The first officers of the new village were: President, F. W.
Bartlett; trustees, B. C. B. Foster, Wellington Pierce, Thos. Porter,
Peter Schore, S. M. Bixby, Geo. C. Hough.
NEW RICHMOND CITY
Was incorporated in 1884. It includes the northwest quarter of section
2 and the northeast quarter of section 3 of township 30, range 18, and
the south half of section 36, township 31, range 18. This latter half
section originally belonged to Star Prairie, but is now attached to
New Richmond. The first election was held April 8, 1884, at which the
following officers were elected: President, Ward S. Williams;
aldermen, First ward, F. W. Bartlett, Geo. A. Gault, Th. Gaskell;
Second ward, A. L. Greaton, A. H. Stevens, J. C. Sabine; Third ward,
John Halversen, D. H. Dodge, H. F. Fall; treasurer, L. Taft; clerk, W.
F. McNally; assessor, D. A. Kennedy.
The city is beautifully located on a level prairie. The streets are
from eighty to one hundred feet wide and bordered with maple, elm and
boxwood trees. The city lots and grounds attached to the residences
are beautifully adorned with shrubbery and flowers and are without
fences. The commons and unoccupied spaces in the city are covered
with a luxuriant growth of white and red clover, filling the air with
its pleasant odor, and suggesting the title of "Clover City." It has
many fine business buildings and tasteful residences. It is in the
midst of a fine farming country, on the banks of a beautiful stream,
Willow river, and two railroads, the North Wisconsin and Wisconsin
Central, furnish abundant means of communication with the outer world.
It has one steam saw mill with a capacity of 60,000 feet per day, and
a water power flour mill with a capacity of one hundred barrels per
day.
The Bank of New Richmond was organized in 1878, with a paid up capital
of $35,000. In 1885 the bank did a business of about $8,000,000. The
bank had a surplus in 1886 of $9,000. It has an extensive agency in
flour, wheat and other agricultural products, also in lumber and real
estate. The officers are: President, F. W. Bartlett; vice president,
Mathias Frisk; cashier, John W. McCoy. The annual business of the city
amounts to $12,000,000.
The city has a high school, established in 1884, with six departments.
The building cost $12,000. The Baptists, Catholics,
Congregationalists, Episcopalians, and Methodists have church
buildings.
There are several fraternities here, including the Masonic, the Odd
Fellows, Good Templars, Women's Christian Temperance Union and
Catholic Knights of St. John. There are also a hook and ladder company
and a library association. There are two cemeteries, one belonging to
the masonic order.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
BENJAMIN B. C. FOSTER was born in New Portland, Maine, in 1816. When
seventeen years of age he bought his time of his father and commenced
life for himself. He lived eight years in Atkinson, Maine, where he
taught school and engaged in farming. In 1842 he was married to
Charlotte S. Gilman. In 1852 he went to California where he remained
three years. He came to New Richmond in 1855 and built a saw mill and
dam, and a board shanty in which he lived with his wife and two
children. Around the mill has since grown up the beautiful city of New
Richmond. The first school taught in New Richmond was taught at the
house of Mr. Foster by Amanda Dayton. In his house was organized the
first Sunday-school, the first sermon was preached in it and the first
school meeting was held there.
ROBERT PHILBRICK was born in Old Town, Maine, in 1814. He learned the
trade of a millwright, and in 1847 moved to North Hudson. He was
married in 1851 to Frances Cook. They stood on a raft, afloat in the
St. Croix river, just below the Falls, while Ansel Smith, of Taylor's
Falls, performed the ceremony. Mr. Philbrick removed to New Richmond
and built a frame house in 1855. The house is still standing. One
daughter of Mr. Philbrick is the wife of D. L. Nye. Amaziah, a son by
his first wife, is a stonemason. Alice M., daughter by his first wife,
is married to John McGregor. Mr. Philbrick died prior to 1865.
LINDEN COOMBS came to New Richmond in 1855, built the first hotel in
1856, and some years later moved away.
EBEN QUINBY was born in Lisbon, New Hampshire, in 1809, and came to
New Richmond in 1849, where he has since continuously been engaged in
farming. In 1865 he was married to Mrs. Philbrick, widow of Robert
Philbrick.
LEWIS OAKS was born in Sangerville, Maine, in 1826; came West in 1846
and to New Richmond in 1854. He is a farmer.
HENRY RUSSELL was born in Vermont in 1801. His ancestors took part in
the Revolution. He was married in Vermont, lived seventeen years in
New York, came to Hudson in 1853, and to New Richmond in 1857, where
he bought the pre-emption made by Robert Philbrick, and had it
surveyed and platted as the village of Fremont. He died in 1878. Mrs.
Russell survives him and is now (1886) eighty-five years of age. Their
sons Alexander and Austin are prominent citizens of New Richmond.
JOSEPH D. JOHNSON was born in Huron county, Ohio, May 12, 1829. From
eight years of age he was thrown upon his own resources. The greater
part of his youth was spent in Michigan. In 1848 he removed to
Winnebago, Illinois, where he married Marcella L. Russell. He settled
at New Richmond in 1853. One son, Ezra O., is editor of the
_Northwestern News_, at Hayward, Wisconsin, and one daughter is
married to Frank F. Bigelow.
JOEL BARTLETT was born in Hebron, Maine, in 1804. He received an
academic education and became a teacher. He was principal of a high
school in Bath, Maine, before he was twenty-one years of age. In 1825
he went to Harmony, Maine, where he was engaged in lumbering until
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