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HISTORY OF ANOKA COUNTY

and the Towns of Champlin and Dayton

in Hennepin County Minnesota

By Albert M. Goodrich

Minneapolis

Hennepin Publishing Col. 1905

Transcribed by MaryAlice Schwanke

(All text in red are remarks made by the transcriber, not part of the publication)

PREFACE.

In the preparation of this volume information has been supplied from so many sources that to specify a few would seem to be invidious. Old settlers who are still resident and many who are now dead or who have removed elsewhere, have given many hours of their time to going over the facts within their knowledge. Files of old newspapers of St. Paul, St. Anthony and Minneapolis, as well as those of Anoka, have been consulted with considerable care, and have been invaluable in ﬁxing dates. Thanks are due to the librarian and assistants of the Minnesota Historical Society and of the Minneapolis Public Library for their uniform courtesy in furnishing necessary books and newspaper ﬁles. Valuable information has been supplied by Capt. S. P. Folsom, of St. Paul, and by Daniel Stanchﬁeld, C. D. Dorr, Colonel Francis Peteler, and the late Colonel John H. Stevens, of Minneapolis. Thanks are also due to Mrs. George H. Wyman and Mrs. I. A. Caswell for the articles contributed by them on the Philolectian Society and the Public Library, respectively. The task of collecting biographical sketches has proven to be one involving an immense amount of labor. No doubt many names have been omitted which are quite as worthy of mention as those which have been included, but this has been due in large part to the neglect in supplying us with the necessary information on the part of those to whom blanks were sent. Nevertheless, the sketches here given are believed to be fairly representative of the people of the county, past and present. Those who have aided the enterprise by subscription will have the sat isfaction of knowing that their assistance has made possible the preservation in permanent form of the early annals, as well as the early pictures, before they should have been wholly lost or destroyed.

CONTENTS.

Chapter I, Prehistoric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The First White Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter II, Carver and Pike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Battle of Rum River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter III, The First House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter IV, Traders and Prospectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The First Colony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Permanent Settlement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter V, Naming the Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The First Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Another Indian Battle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter VI, Prosperity in "Fifty-five" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A Period of Speculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter VII, The Panic of "Fifty-seven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ginseng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter VIII, The Last Indian Battles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Political . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A Tilt with King Alcohol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Beginning of the Civil War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Eighth Regiment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter IX, Returning Prosperity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Farming in Anoka County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reclaiming Marsh Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter X, City of Anoka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Philolectian Society, by Mrs. George H. Wyman . . . . . . . . The Anoka Public Library, by Mrs. I. A. Caswell . . . . . . . . . . . Town Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Champlin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dayton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter XI, Biographical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1
3
13
19
23
37
43
45
51
57
62
65
68
75
79
87
93
94
97
101
105
107
110
113
118
120
141
146
155
170
175
177

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Anoka in 1869 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anoka in 1879 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anoka Street Fair, 1904 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Baptist Church, Anoka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Catholic Church, Anoka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Catholic Church, Centreville . . . . . . . . . . . .
Colonial Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Company A, Eighth Regiment . . . . . . . . . . .
Congregational Church, Anoka . . . . . . . . . .
Cooper, James H., Residence of, Bethel . . . . Dr. Kline's Sanatorium, Anoka . . . . . . . . . .
Father Hennepin's Picture of a Buffalo . . . . . First Church in Anoka County . . . . . . . . . . .
First Stores East of Rum River . . . . . . . . . .
Goodrich, George H., Residence of . . . . . . . .
Immigrants at Anoka, 1868 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Irving School, Anoka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lake George . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lincoln Mill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
McLean, T. G., Residence of . . . . . . . . . . . .
Main Street from First to Second Avenue, 1863 . Same in 1868 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Same During Street Fair, 1904 . . . . . . . . . . .
Methodist Episcopal Church, Anoka . . . . . . .
Old Catholic Church, Anoka . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Old Flour Mill, Anoka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Old Hay Market, Anoka, 1872 . . . . . . . . . . .
Public Library, Anoka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Red River Carts at Anoka, 1870 . . . . . . . . . "Shuler Building" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
St. Francis Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
St. Stephen's Church, Anoka. . . . . . . . . . .
Washburn Saw Mill, Anoka . . . . . . . . . . . .
Westward Ho! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

147
148
131
135
136
168
142
104
134
160
138
7
127
129
143
130
117
156
126
145
129
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127
104
154
151
41
58
166
136
125
130

PORTRAITS.

Aldrich, Dr. A. G. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aldrich, Dr. Flora L. S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bean, John R. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Belanger, Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blanchard, Frederick A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bond, Dr. S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Branch, George W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Branch, Mrs. George W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bruns, Louis H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cady, Captain John S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carlson, Dr. H. H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Caswell, Arthur A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chase, Roe G. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chase, Wilbur F. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Clark, Josiah F. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cutter, Ammi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cutter, Oscar L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Davis, Mrs. Judson (Georgia Taylor) . . . . . . .
Eastman, Alvah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Edgarton, Charles J. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Elwell, James T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Engel, J. C. H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Folsom, Frank L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Folsom, Simeon P. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fridley, Hon. A. M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Foster, Mrs. Geo. A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Frost, Abigail (Mrs. C. L. Norton) . . . . . . . . . .
Frost, James C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Geddes, T. T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Giddings, Dr. A. W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Goiflon, Rev. Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Goodrich, George H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Goodrich, George D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Goodrich, Rev. Moses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Goss, John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Green, Charles E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Groat, Hannibal G. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hagaman, Dr. G. K. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hale, Major W. D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hall, Reuel L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hart, Frank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harthorn, I. A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Johnson, C. L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Johnson, Henry C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Johnson, Charles H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Kline, Dr. F. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loehl, Henry C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lowell, Richard M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . McCann, James . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
McCauley, George A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . McGlauflin, John S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
McGlauflin, Eugene O. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
McLean, T. G. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
McLaughlin, Daniel W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Miller, Robert H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Miller, Mrs. Robert H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Miller, O. S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miller, Mrs. O. S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Milliman, Samuel C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Molander, Alfred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Morton, Thurman W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nelson, Charles A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Nelson, P. J. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Norris, Alfred E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Norton, Mrs. C. L. (Abigail Frost) . . . . . . . . .
Olson, N. P. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Page, Charles H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Paine, Mrs. S. S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pease, Granville S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Peet, Ed L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Peteler, Colonel Francis . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Porter, Robert B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Porter, Clarence B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Putnam, George W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ridge, Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robbins, Silas C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seelye, Henry E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shumway, Fernando . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shumway, John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shumway, Mrs. John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Steadman, Dr. Guy B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sterling, Henry W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stockwell, Sylvanus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stockwell, S. A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Swanson, C. J. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Taylor, Horace W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Taylor, Georgia (Mrs. Judson Davis) . . . . . . .
Taylor, Matthew F. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ticknor, H. L. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Varney, Angus W. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Veidt, Henry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Washburn, Hon. W. D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wyman, George H. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Yost, Yost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

181
183
74
27
187
188
74
44
190
102
193
195
196
198
118
85
122
77
208
209
111
211
214
33
163
44
77
59
220
61
169
223
225
115
226
228
77
232
179
108
234
236
241
242
243
140
250
171
124
253
67
255
261
74
173
173
173
173
77
260
264
266
267
269
77
271
273
44
274
276
99
57
279
106
286
63
291
77
44
44
296
298
74
301
165
74
77
49
70
77
307
178
314
162

SOME FIRST THINGS.

1. First explorer - Louis Hennepin, 1680.
2. First mention of Rum river - By Jonathan Carver, who visited it in 1766.
3. First white residents - ]oseph Belanger and associates, 1844.
4. First house - A trading post built by Joseph Belanger and associates for William Aitkin, 1844.
5. First road - The Red River trail, crossing Rum river at the Upper Ford.
6. First potato crop - Raised by Capt. S. P. Folsom, 1848.
7. First corn crop - Raised by William Noot near King’s island, 1848.
8. First breaking for permanent cultivation - Six acres in front of I. W. Patch’s house in the town of Ramsey. Broken by Cornelius Pitman, 1850.
9. First ferry across Rum river, 1851.
10. First ferry across the Mississippi river - At Rice creek about 1854.
11. First ferry across the Mississippi at Anoka - Launched Sept. 11, 1855.
12. First bridge across Rum river - Built by Orin W. Rice, 1853.
13. First bridge across the Mississippi - Built by Horace Horton, 1884.
14. First sermon - Preached at the funeral of Mrs. Penuel Shumway, Jr., in July, 1851.
15. First resident clergyman - Rev. Royal Twitchell, who held services in the old trading post where he lived in 1852.
16. First religious organization - A Methodist class organized December I0, 1854.
17. First church - Built by the Congregational Society in 1857. It stood on the present site of St. Stephen’s church.
18. First school - Taught by Miss Julia V\/oodman in the “Old” Company Boarding House, winter 1853-4.
19. First school house - The “Third Avenue School House,” built just south of the present Library Building, fall of 1855.
20. First dam on Rum river - Begun about August 1, 1853.
21. The ﬁrst saw mill - Began running in August, 1854. The power was supplied by the Anoka dam. The same year Charles Peltier built a saw mill in Centreville.
22. First ﬂour mill - Begun about June 1, 1854; completed in January, 1855; burned Feb. 24, 1855.
23. First store - That of Edward P. Shaw, built in the spring of 1854. Mr. Shaw sold goods to some extent, however, at his father's house in the fall of 1853.
24. First advertisement of a business concern That of Edward P. Shaw’s store, printed in the St. Anthony Express, June 17, 1854.
25. First singing school - Taught by Josiah F. Clark in the winter of 1855-6.
26. First Cornet Band - Organized in 1861. Included in the membership were James Miller, W. W. Waterman, Harvey F. Blodgett, J. F. Clark, C. H. Houston, L. H. Hubbard, Elias Pratt, N. W. Curial and W. J. Miller.
27. First Library Association - Organized about May, 1859.
28. First newspaper - Anoka Republican, published by A. C. and E. A. Squire. The ﬁrst issue appeared August 25, 1860.
29. First white child born in the county - Fernando Shumway, born March 22, 1851. Died March 25, 1900.
30. First postofﬁce - Established at Itaska in May, 1852.
31. First postofﬁce at Anoka - Established in the winter of 1853.
32. First wedding - Harvey Richards and Laura Nichols, in the winter of 1855-6.

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HISTORY OF ANOKA COUNTY

and the Towns of Champlin and Dayton

in Hennepin County Minnesota