The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1856-03-27

who DsseovsseA The source 81 the ME-
sissipDl 1-Aneshsr nat for M. SeAoes
craft
We extrae4 from the annals Of the Minnes"-
ia Historical Society, now 10 course Of publ
cation IN the oilice Of the PIosxrs And DEMO
Graf. the following letter from AiLAS MoRni'
sox, Esq, Of Grow Wing, Benton county Ten
closing letter from his brother WILLIAM 70
Hon. ALgsASpyn RAssyY, President 81 the
Society.
WuIIAu MORRISON, who claims In the let
,er 10 his brother 10 be the first white man
that discovered the source Of the great Missis-
sippi river" is probably the o'dest Of the early
Indian traders now living, except FAaiBArLr.
Mr.. Mosxrsox has been resident Of Canada
for many years. lie is about sevelty-six Year,
Of age. and was engaged in the business Of ira
ding with the Indians in this Territory from
1907 10 1926. ALLAN MoHmsoy, who com
inunicatss the letter OF his brother to the His
toricsl Society, is well known citizen Of our
Territory--hAs been q member OF the Iegisla-
tive Assembly, and is. himself, one Of the old.
eat Of the Indian traders.
The correspondence shows that both ALLAN
and WILLIAM MoRaIsos were ut ltasca Lake
which Mr. SoHooLcRArr claims 10 be the
source Of the Mississippi, long before that gen
tleman visited tho North West.
CHOW Viva. Bssros Cousr,. NJ. +.
18th February. 1856,
Hox. ALKxAspEn RAxsKr, 81. Psul
Dear SIR :---Inclosed you will fpd who tn,
first discovera Of the source Of the Mississippi
H. wEL,Ax MosRisos, my brother. came to
this country In 1907, and Jeff 10 1926. lie h
now @venty-hve years Of age. and WAS the frs
American citizen who extended the first lin,
Of trading posts from Old Grand Portage u
4 Lake Of the Woods was then agent ior the OLE
American Far Company. II New York. and /
well known IL the West, by NIL the oldest pio
neers | am astonished that Mr.. SoHooI.cRAr,
should claim hat honor, for could with 'atet.
claim Il bsiors MN inyissif; Tor saw iiasd'
Lake before t,at gentleman or Mr.. NIcoLLr1
ever thought Of coming to this part Of th'
country You will much oblige me by pre-
senting the within information to the Histori
cal Society Of Minnesota, To which will add
hereafter, some information relative 10 the frs
traders. their progress, etc.
remain your. most respectfully,
ALLAN MoRRisos.
ALLAN MoRiIsos, Esq:
Dear Brot,er-In answering your favor o
the 10th July. | will pass several incidents tina
presume yon are well informed Of, and Civ
you the time aud circumstances that led me 4
be the first white man that discovered III
source Of the great Mississippi river. ! lei
Grand Portage. on the north shore of LAX
Superior now the boundary line between III
United States and the British Possessions, i
the year 1902. and landed at Lecch Lake i
September or October, the same year win
tered on one OF the streams Of the Grow Wing
near its source. Our Indians were Pillagcrs
!, In 800 and 1904. | vent and winttred at Ric
Lake passed by Red Cedar Lake, now cal
, od Cas- Lake, followed Up the Mississippi ;
Gross lake. and then up the Mississippi agai
IN Elk lake. now ca,~A itasca Lake. the sourc
III" 'AA aver Mississ;r.. a. s'.3.sa.sss'' s
this aide, made portage to get to Rice river
which Is called the Portage OF the Heights O
Land, or the dividing ridge that separates tn
waters Of the Mississippi, and those that empt
into the Red river Of the North; thence +
IIuGsonIs bay the portage is short.
discovered no traces OF any white man be
fore me when visited ltasca Lake, in 1904
Aud il the late General Pike did not lay
down ~ such, when he came to Leech Lake. i
Is because he did not happen to meet me.
was at an outpost that winter. The late Gen
eral Pike laid down Cas- lake on his map, q
the head OF the Mississippi river. In lsll-l2
! went the same route, 10 winter on Rice river
near the plains. There overlook a gentleman
with an outfit from Mackinac, by the name o
Otesse, with whom | parted only at Fond dt
Lac, he taking the southern route TO Mackinac
and the northern 10 headquarters, which ha,
been changed from Grand Portage TO For
William. This will explain 10 you that Wis
it'd ltasca Lake. then called Elk Lake, in SO,
H. and In lsll-l2. and FIVE small streams tina
empty into the lake. that arc short, and sooI
lose themselves 10 the swamps.
by way Of explanation why the late Genera
Pike. then Captain Pike, in 1908. who ha.
orders to stem the Mississippi 10 it, source, an,
was stopped by the ice little below Swal