The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-12-21
Joseph r.. Brown.

that the JOURNALIST, Ir0m Clme U tino, SnOulu
remind those who are enjoying their labors,
that they were Pioneers.
A representative man among this class is
JOSEPH r. Brown. With scores of others,
under the liberal and expansive influence of
American institutions, he has literally risen
from the ranks. An adventurous youth, he
attached himself to the army, and witnessed
the building of Fort Smelling and although
not then aspiring even to be a" high pri-
vate," the lusty manner in which he blew
the first bugIe-call within the walls of the
Fort, showed that be would make noise in
the world.
When be retired from "private" life,
or rather from the Fort, and sought a
lodge in the vast wilderness, free from all
wars and rumors Of war, he soon convinced
the Aboriginees, by his manner, that he was
no "man of straw" With others who have
chosen the arduous calling of Indian Trader.
his course was often misrepresented, and he
passed through trials innumerable-perils
by land, and perils by water. ...
In 1882, peacefully gliding over the
waters of Lake St. Croix, he was met by
the canoes of Mr.. SCHooLcRAFT's expedition,
returning from Lake Itasca, the members of
which, sans csremonis, destroyed his goods,
and afterwards burned his clearinghouse,
near the site of Saltwater and, to this day,
no apology has been rendered for the out
rage.
The next year be built post at divers
Grove, the site Of Hastings; and, in 1885,
he was at Lake Traverse, where he very
Hospitality entertained the English traveller,
FEArHERsroNHAUaH who has given to Mr..
BROWN quite transatlantic reputation,
by several notices Of him in work pub
lished in London, in 1847.
After the treaty Of 1887, with the fore
sight that has always distinguished him, he
identified himself with the settlement of the
St. Croix valley.
In June, 1888, Mr.. BROWN settled on
Gray Cloud Island, fifteen miles below Saint
Paul. At that time, the whole of Min
nesota, east of the Mississippi to the British
line, was comprised within Crawford county,
Wisconsin-the seat of which was Prairie
du Chen. In 1889, Mr.. BROWN was elected
to the Wisconsin Legislature; and, through
his fundamentally, St. Croix county was
organized, in 1910, and those measures
initiated that led to the organization OF
Minnesota. Removing, in that year, to
Dahkotah, town site of his in the suburbs
of what is now Saltwater, it was made the
county seat.
In 1S49, after the organization of Min
nesota, he became resident of Saint Paul
and with disinterestedness equal to lie
RocHEBURNE's, offered himself, in note
published 10 TIE PIONEER, as an indepen-
dent candidate for the Legislature and al
though not elected, from the fact that his
antecedents we're unknown to the new set
tiers, the first Council recognized his SER
vices by electing him as Chief Clerk.
Since then, he has "acted we'll his part"
in the political drama, and rendered himself
efficient, both in the memorable Council OF
"a, and the Constitutional Convention OF
81. AS Editor of our paper, and of the
Henderson Democrat, he welded the "pen
of a ready writer" with the same facility
that he handled the axe, when a lumberman
on the St. Croix. He has for years been
identified with the Democratic party, and
has received substantial favors from j. BIS
Administration. With great self. control,
quiet, good.humored manner, and the soft,
cat.like step peculiar to those who wear
moccasins, his political opponents call him
"JoE, THE JuaaLER" although they respect
his ability.
AS Agent among the Sioux, be has been
father to many; and though, by change
of administration, he may lose bis head, his
features will be long remembered in the ma
ton. If he has not feathered his nest, he
will be obliged to stand out in the cold dur
ing the next four years-which will require
all the patience of an Egyptian hermit.
Since his residence among the Dahkotas,
the ingenuity and perseverance that made
him the first to raft lumber down the st.
Croix, and drive wagon from St. Croix to
Prairie du Chen, and from Mendoza to
Lac-qui.parle, induced him to obtain
steam carriage for the transportation of
goods; which, on the last GLORIOUS Fourth"
was put in operation at Henderson, and
moved in way to astonish the natives.
As recognition Of his services and abil-
ity, we were pleased to see in the published
proceedings of the Historical Society, that
he had been invited to prepare paper on
the "Early Settlers and Settlements.
While at the Capitol, the other day, we
called at the Historical Society's room, and
saw the following correspondence, which we