assured. From him I had my first information of the probability of the new proposed Territory of Minnesota. Upon its organization he was one of the representatives from St. Paul in the first session of the Territorial legislature.

Mr. Jackson removed with his family from St. Paul to Mankato in April, 1853, being among the first settlers of that prosperous city, where he died July 31st, 1857.

Did the purposes of this article admit, I might make it consist entirely of a relation of incidents in the life of this pioneer merchant and magistrate. I will, however, only mention one more, as evidence of his tact and ingenuity in solving a dilemma. Sometime during the winter of 1843-44, Governor Dodge of Wisconsin Territory appointed Mr. Jackson justice of the peace. On account of the infrequency of the transmission of the mail during the winter season, a long time elapsed, after his bonds were sent to the Governor, before his commission was received. In the meantime a young man and woman applied to Mr. Jackson to be married. Jackson knew he had been appointed justice of the peace; but he had not received his commission, and requested them to wait a few days. This they were unwilling to do, as they were anxious to be married without any delay. Mr. Jackson at once solved the difficulty by proposing to them to give a bond, that they would come and be legally married after he had received his commission; they at once consented to this arrangement, and the bond was executed and delivered, whereupon Jackson told the youthful couple to go their way and be happy, and when he received his commission they could come again and be legally married.

JACOB W. BASS.

It was in August, 1847, that Jacob W. Bass came to St. Paul. He was born in Baintree, Vermont, in 1815. Soon after his arrival in St. Paul, he leased the building on the corner of Third and Jackson streets, the history of which from that date to the present time is a part of the history of St. Paul, namely, the Merchants' Hotel.

In August, 1846, one Leonard H. Laroche had built a cabin of tamarack logs on a tract of ground he had bought of Henry Belland for $165, the description of which, in his deed, would in these days be questioned by a "title lawyer," but at that time the deed was sufficient to determine and secure the rights

of the parties interested. The tract of land was described as "bounded on the front and back by Henry Jackson's land, and on the sides by McLeod and Desmarais." This location is known to be a part of the land on which the Merchants' Hotel now stands. In the early part of the year 1847, Simeon P. Folsom bought this property from Laroche, and made some improvements on the building and kept it as a tavern till about the 10th day of November in the same year, when he leased the same to Mr. Bass for a hotel at a rental of $10 per month. Additional improvements were made, so that it became in 1848 a good two-story log building, to which was given the name "St. Paul House." It was thereafter conducted by Mr. Bass as a hotel till the spring of 1852, when he retired from it, having for two years kept the postoffice in it. He was appointed postmaster of St. Paul, July 5th, 1849, and held the office till March 18th, 1853, when he was succeeded by William H. Forbes.

From he time when he left the Merchants' Hotel, in the spring of 1852, till his death, Mr. Bass was engaged in active business in St. Paul, and became prominent in every movement and enterprise that pertained to the growth and improvement of the city. He died in the month of May, 1889, and his remains were laid in final rest in Oakland cemetery. Mrs. Bass, his estimable wife, still survives, a joy and blessing to their children, and, as she always has done, gladdens the eyes and hearts of her numerous friends with her presence.

WILLIAM H. FORBES

was born in Montreal, Canada, November 13th, 1815. He came to Mendota in the summer of 1837, and for ten years was clerk for Gen. H. H. Sibley, who at that time had charge of the business of the American Fur Company at that place.

In 1847 Mr. Forbes came to St. Paul, and took charge of the business of that company here under the name of "The St. Paul Outfit;" and from that time he continued his residence here till his death. He was one of the proprietors of the original surveyed plat, now known as "St. Paul proper." Upon the organization of the Territory, he was elected to the legislature from St. Paul as a member of the Territorial Council; and he

was subsequently reëlected, being a member of four successive councils. In 1852, during the third session, he was elected by his associates president of the council.

On March 18th, 1853, Mr. Forbes was appointed postmaster of St. Paul as successor of J. W. Bass. During the same year he became associated with N. W. Kittson and engaged in the Indian and fur trade of the Northwest, and for several years did a very large business, which was terminated in 1862 by the Indian outbreak of that year.

He held prominent positions in the military service of the United States during the campaign against the Sioux Indians and the war of the Rebellion. He was the provost marshal at the military trial of the three hundred Sioux Indians who were condemned to death. He was also a commissary of subsistence in the volunteer service, appointed by President Lincoln with rank of captain; in 1864 he was chief commissary in the District of Northern Missouri; and subsequently he was engaged as chief quartermaster in General Fremont's department. For his valuable services, he was brevetted a major in the volunteer service.

Mr. Forbes at one time was the auditor of Ramsey county, and held other civil offices to which he was well fitted; and performed his duties in whatever position he was placed with ability and fidelity, without ever a word of criticism or suspicion to his discredit.

He died July 20th, 1875, deeply lamented by numerous friends, and his body was entombed in the Catholic cemetery of St. Paul in the presence of many prominent citizens.

JAMES M. BOAL

was a native of Pennsylvania, and came to St. Paul in 1846. He was known by the "Old Settlers" of that day as "McBoal," doubtless from his true name being James McClellan Boal. A prominent street in St. Paul is named from him, McBoal street. He was a conspicuous character in the early days of the territory, a good hearted and genial fellow, a friend to all he knew, generous, being sometimes even liberal to a fault. He was elected in 1849 from St. Paul as a member of the Territorial Council for two years. He was appointed by Governor Ram

sey as Adjutant General of the Territory, and held that position till his successor was appointed in 1853 by Governor GorHe died in 1862, after a long and severe illness, at Mendota, where his remains were buried.

man.

DR. JOHN J. DEWEY

was a native of the state of New York and came to St. Paul July 15th, 1847. He was a graduate of the Albany Medical College, and upon his arrival in St. Paul immediately entered upon his profession, being the first regular practicing physician that located here. Previous to that time the settlers had depended upon the surgeons at Fort Snelling for medical or surgical aid.

Dr. Dewey was elected from St. Paul a member of the House of Representatives of the first Territorial Legislature. In 1848 he became associated with Charles Cavalier (now a resident of Pembina, North Dakota) in business, and they established the first drug store in St. Paul. He died April 1st, 1891, and his remains were buried in Oakland cemetery.

It is not my purpose to limit this article only to the lives of those who were in St. Paul in 1847, but to include some of the more prominent persons of those days who were members of the first Territorial Legislature, which commenced its session September 3rd, 1849, and who were residents of other parts of the Territory in 1847, whose names and lives have become a part of our state history.

The legislature was composed of the Council, having nine members, and the House of Representatives, having eighteen members. All the members of the first Council are dead; and only four are now living who were members of the House of Representatives.

WILLIAM R. MARSHALL

was born October 17th, 1825, in Boone county, Missouri. In September, 1847, he went to St. Anthony Falls (now the east part of Minneapolis), staked out a claim, and cut the logs for a cabin. From the want of a team to haul the logs he was obliged to defer the building of his cabin till the next year. In the spring of 1849 he became permanently located there, and was elected from that district as a member of the House

in the first Territorial Legislature. He died at the age of seventy years January 8th, 1896, at Pasadena, California; and his remains now repose in the beautiful grounds of Oakland cemetery. The record of his life in Minnesota is a part of our Territorial and State history. Whatever may have been his position, as governor of the state, as a member of the legislature, or as a general in the army of the Union, he gave honor to Minnesota, and won the lasting gratitude of her people.

DAVID OLMSTED

was born in Vermont, May 5th, 1822. He was a trader with the Winnebago Indians in 1844 near Fort Atkinson, Iowa, and in 1848 accompanied them on their removal to Long Prairie in this state; and at the same time he opened a trading house in St. Paul. He was elected a member of the Territorial Council in 1849, from the district which included Long Prairie, and was chosen its president. He was also a member of the Council at the second session of the Legislature in 1851.

In 1853 Mr. Olmsted made St. Paul his permanent residence, and in the spring of 1854 was elected the first mayor, under the charter that incorporated the City of St. Paul. In 1855 he received the Democratic nomination for delegate in Congress, but was defeated by Hon. H. M. Rice. For several years his health became impaired; and February 2nd, 1861, he died at the home of his parents in Franklin county, Vermont. He was popular and much esteemed in public life during his residence in Minnesota; and the county of Olmsted, among the most flourishing in our state, will ever be a monument to his mem

ory.

MORTON S. WILKINSON

was born in Skaneateles, Onondaga county, New York, Januuary 22nd, 1819. He was admitted to the practice of law in Syracuse, N. Y.; and came to Stillwater, May 17th, 1847. He was not only the first practicing attorney in Minnesota, but was the first practicing attorney in the entire country northwest of Prairie du Chien. His life in Minnesota has become a part of its history. He was prominent in the councils of our country in both houses of our national Congress, and in the legislatures of Minnesota. In 1849, he was a member of the first Territorial Legislature. In 1858, he was one of the com