BIOGRAPHIC NOTES OF OLD SETTLERS.*

BY HON. HENRY L. MOSS.

Mr. President and fellow members of the Old Settlers' Association: It gives me pleasure to greet you once more, on the annual recurrence of the day when Minnesota became known to the world as an organized government, under the laws of the Federal Union.

The chairman of your Executive Committee, from the day that he assumed to exercise executive authority over the new Territory of Minnesota forty-eight years ago, has at all times been active in keeping alive the memories of the days of our beginning, and the developments of the new territory and future state. He has requested me to present on this anniversary of our association a review of the events which preceded the organization of the territory, and of the men who were active in perfecting it.

While there has been much written and published concerning the early days of our history as a state and territory, and the men who were active and participated in its organization, a further record thereof might seem unnecessary and cumulative; yet it will never be considered, I think, out of place for the "Old Settlers" of Minnesota, on the occasion of their annual gathering, to have their memories revived and refreshed of those who were once our associates and companions in the adventures of our early history and the struggles of a pioneer life, some of whom still remain with us, while the greater number are enrolled among the departed.

What then can be more appropriate, on this occasion of our annual meeting, than to mingle in memory with those who

*A paper read before the Old Settlers' Association of Minnesota, at its annual meeting, June 1, 1897; also read at the monthly meeting of the Executive Council of the Minnesota Historical Society, December 13, 1897.

were the charter members of our organization? and also with the members of the Territorial Legislature, who first exercised authority to enact laws to govern Minnesota? It is especially suitable thus to celebrate this semi-centennial of 1847, as our existence had its foundation in the events of that year.

I therefore assume this A. D. 1897 as the fiftieth anniversary of the "Old Settlers;" for several among our number were prominent and active in 1847 in the incipient movements of laying the foundations of the future Minnesota. The events of that year are so intimately associated with the culminating period of 1849, the year of our Territorial birth, and with the men who became the charter members of the Old Settlers' Association, that the purposes of this paper would be incomplete, did it not refer to those who were prominent in 1847. Think of the contrast between then and now! The developments and changes of fifty years!

In 1847, the location of St. Paul was unsold government land, a rough broken country, comprising tamarack swamp, sand hills, rocky ravines, and quagmires and sloughs that were the abode of muskrats and other aquatic animals. A portion of about ninety acres was that part of the present city area lying between Seventh street and the Mississippi river and extending from the "Seven Corners" to Sibley street. This tract was occupied by squatters who had a law unto them. selves, which recognized the rights and claims of the settlers to be as sacred and effective as under a patent from the United States government.

HENRY JACKSON.

Of the persons prominent in those days I will first mention Henry Jackson. He was born in Abington, Virginia, February 1st, 1811. He arrived in St. Paul on the night of June 9th, 1842, with his wife, and found shelter in a cabin occupied by one Abraham Perry. Within a few days he rented a small cabin of Pierre Parrant, who had been the founder and proprietor of that more ancient settlement known as "Pig's Eye," of which Saint Paul was the western suburb. Jackson's rented cabin was on the levee near the foot of the present Jackson street, where he remained till he built log cabin for himself

on the point of the bluff in the rear of the present St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance building. In the new cabin he opened a stock of goods suitable for the Indian trade and also "kept tavern."

Henry Jackson was a remarkable man, shrewd, active, jolly, and ever equal to any emergency. He was, in his day, legislator, postmaster, justice of the peace, merchant, and hotel keeper. On April 7th, 1846, the postoffice of St. Paul was estabblished, and on the same day Mr. Jackson was appointed postmaster.

Only three postoffices had been previously established within the limits of the present state of Minnesota. The office at Fort Snelling was established January 22nd, 1834, and the first postmaster was Samuel C. Stambaugh. The business done at this office was limited chiefly to the military post and the Indian agency. The second postoffice, established July 8th, 1840, was known as Lake St. Croix, and was discontinued December 11th of the same year, the receipts having amounted to only $23.53. It was, however, reëstablished December 23rd, 1841, and is now known as Point Douglas, in Washington county. The third office was established January 14th, 1846, at Stillwater, and Elam Greeley was appointed the postmaster. Its first year's receipts amounted to $101.93. For the year 1896 its receipts were $14,054.70.

The next or fourth postoffice was established at St. Paul, April 7th, 1846, as before stated. The receipts for the year 1846 amounted to $14.70; and the receipts from the same office for the year 1896 amounted to $433,706.99. These figures illustrate the growth of this city in the past fifty years.

I first became acquainted with Henry Jackson in 1847, when he was a member of the Legislature of Wisconsin Territory. The district represented by him was composed of the counties of Crawford, Chippewa, St. Croix, and La Pointe, which together embraced the entire country northwest of the Wisconsin river, extending to lake Superior and the British possessions. In both the territorial legislature and the convention to form the constitution of the state of Wisconsin, Mr. Jackson took an active part for securing the St. Croix lake and river as the western boundary of the proposed state of Wisconsin. Thereby he foresaw that a new Territory would be