Peering at the Past: Sugar Never Showed Up, Treasurer Ran Away

Part two of a series

In 1861, the Houston County treasurer disappeared, and “the air was heavy with rumors. The fact that there was a defaulting treasurer spread over the county on the wings of the wind… the deficiency in the accounts of the late treasurer was found to be $3,890.00.” There were about 30 bondsmen, so the loss, if evenly divided, was not devastating for any.

This event was one of many included in a 48-page booklet prepared for the three-day Houston County diamond anniversary (75 years) homecoming celebration in 1929. That Historical Booklet Committee surely researched far more extensive county histories published in 1882 and 1919.

The Mississippi River was for a long time the only “highway” into the area. “Most of the old settlers of the county at least remember the names of the boats that brought them up from Galena or other points down the river.” The first vessel that came up the river above the Rock Island rapids was the 118-foot long “Virginia,” which made an experimental voyage to Fort Snelling in 1823. Following that first trip, one or two boats made annual voyages up the river to supply the fort and the traders. By 1844, 20 years later, there were 41 arrivals “and this limited number, in a little more than a dozen years, had expanded to over a thousand, so rapidly did the commerce of the upper river increase.”

In 1852, the closest railroad connection to the east was the one from Chicago to Rockford in north central Illinois. Then travelers could take a stagecoach on to the river at Galena. By 1858, three rail lines had reached the Mississippi at La Crosse, Prairie du Chien and Dunleith. That created an even greater demand for transportation on and up and down the river.

In 1854-55, the “Wild Kate” was the first ferry boat connecting Houston County to Wisconsin. The name appropriately described the lack of a regular schedule. Most of the traffic moved from east to west, so the ferry would dock on the

Wisconsin side until a customer would arrive. With two horses working “tread-mill fashion,” the ferry would “pull for the shore” on the Minnesota side.

By 1855, the steam ferry “Honey Eye” offered competition. “It was a dangerously dilapidated antiquarian affair and it is recorded, whether truthfully or not we cannot say, that while crossing the river sometimes they had to tie up on an island, let the steam go down, take off the safety valve, and with buckets fill the boiler, then get up steam again and finish the trip.” More dependable transportation came two years later (1857) with the “McRoberts.” Competition also meant a reduction in cost. When the “General Pope” was put into service, the passenger fare of $1.50 was reduced to 50 cents each way. Freight rates were also reduced with a farmer transporting 500 bushels of wheat, saving $25.

At one time, it was thought that manufacturing sugar and syrup from the amber sugar cane would be an economic boon not only in Houston County but to all of Minnesota. “That prophecy that every neighborhood would have its sugar mill was not verified.” Wheat was the mainstay of the early economy with more than 1,500,000 bushels produced in Houston County in one single season. The 1929 booklet states, that in the most recent three decades, farmers found it more profitable to diversify with corn, oats, barley alfalfa and clover as well as wheat.

Along Houston County creeks, there were many mills of different kinds – 24 flour mills in 1877, taking advantage of abundant water power, but the 1929 booklet noted these mills had disappeared because economic conditions had changed.

The first Houston County government was a board of commissioners, and “a session of this body was dignified by the name of court.” The first commissioners court convened in Brownsville (Caledonia had not yet become the permanent county seat.) on May 26, 1854, with the first business being the arrangement of the county into five voting precincts – Brownsville, Pine Creek, Root River, Spring Grove and Caledonia.

Brownsville was Houston County’s first incorporated village in 1858, followed by Caledonia in 1870, Hokah 1871, Houston 1874, Spring Grove 1889 and La Crescent 1903. Caledonia, in 1910, had a population of 1,372, Houston 700, Spring Grove 620, Hokah 400, La Crescent 372 and Brownsville had a population of 361.

During territorial days and the early years of Minnesota statehood, minor legal disputes were most often settled in townships by a justice of the peace, an appointed or elected magistrate. Some records survive. Most documents were well written, but some displayed “literary struggles,” such as this marriage document (with original spelling).

“Memorandum maid this 11th of may, 1857, by and between John Schwinden and Catherine Berket has agreed to get married by the undersigned Justice of the Peace, and that said John Schwinden is 21 years of age, and also Catherine Berket is over eighteen years old and said parties has agreed to get married in the presence of the undersigned Witness, and boath parties has declared that neither of them was never married before.”

in 1856, a trial at the private home of constable Dennis Mahal was interrupted by a group of serenading men. Mahal went outside and announced (with original spelling): “Gintlemen; I bid ye’s disperse, and not be afther disturbin’ the honorable court, for the Hon. Mr. Bugbee, Esquire, is afther spaking; now if ye’s don’t disperse and quit, I’ll be afther making ye, for I am a limb of the law and so I am.”

Justice of the Peace Patrick Fitzpatrick, while swearing in a witness was quoted (original spelling): “Mr. Witness, shtand up, hold up yer fisht; duz yez solemnly shwear in the prissence of Samuel McPhail, Esquire, and myself Patrick Fitzpatrick, Esquire, living three miles south of Caledonia and ownen 200 acres of land, that yez ‘ill till the truth, the whole truth, and nothing like the truth. So there yez hev it!”