The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-03-09
Local Affairs.

Local Affairs.
Photographs OF Prominent members OF
the sssovereigns."
We propose giving brief sketches of the
lives aud characters Of the officers and mem.
bers Of the House Of " Sovereigns." We
will begin with
THE FIREMAN.
JONATHAN DoozENBURY is native of
Weathersfeld in the State of Connecticut.
Had he been born in New York, he would
have been native Of that State. But cir
cumstances beyond his control, placed that
out of his power. He has often, in CONVEX.
sation with his friends, lamented that he
was not consulted upon that point by his
parents, and that he had no choice in the
matter until it was too late to change. He
was weaned at the age of eleven months,
three weeks, four days and forty minutes.
At the age of seven years he had gone
through with the mumps, chicken pox,
measles and whoopiug cough, and was
ready for the scarlet fever. At the age Of
eleven years, while attending school at the
red school house in his district, be had the
misfortune to contract disease which deli.
cacy torbids us to mention, but which pro.
cured him from his school mates the sou.
briquet of Old Scratch by which name
he is still sometimes playfuIly addressed by
his intimate friends. A vigorous constitu-
ton however, aided by the usual remedies,
carried him through this disorder, and he
soon came out on the other side.
In his boyhood he displayed many of the
traits for which he has since become famous.
His heroism early manifested itself in his
licking lame boy who attended school with
him, because be sel6shly refused to give up
to our hero his only apple. His forbearance
ann magnanimity were strikingly manifested
in his readiness to forgive boy digger
than he was) who had insulted him. At
the age of twelve years he took lessons in
violin playing and it may not be amiss to
state that here he first acquired that habit,
so often useful to him since, as legislator,
Of drawing the long bow"
Upon arriving at the age of twenty one
his townesmen manifested sense of bis worth
by electing him unanimously to the Office of
hog.reeve. Then he was soon chosen pound
keeper, and was subsequently several times
talked of for the Office of Supervisor. Manv
competent judges were of the opinion, that
had he remained in his native town. and
accumulated large property, he might ulti-
mately have become member of the legis.
lature. But be had seen the letter written
by the boy out west to his father at home,
saying dad come out here almighty mean
men get Office here" From that time his
ardent soul knew no rest, until his face was
turned to the setting sun. Educated to no
particular profession but early trained to
live by his wits, he felt presentiment with
in him, that it was his destiny to go in
company with that Star of Empire" which
Westward takes its way" He was pro-
vided by his fathers generosity with a
spawned mare, a rickety wagon, and a
stock of tin.ware for which he gave his note.
The note has since been sued, and the action
successfully defended by the aid of the STAT
ute of limitations. With this stock he tray.
elled in succession through " York State"
"Ohi-er," "India-ny," aEllenoys" and ewes
conse," until he arrived in Mi-nesoty in the
fall Of 1858. Here he manifested his usual
snrewdness. Finding the proprietor of a
valuable claim about to 90 East for his
family, he lived with him to keep possession
of his claim for him, until he should return,
receiving large portion of his pay in ad-
vance. As soon as his employer had left,
he dumped" the claim, and when the former
returned with bis family to 60 upon his
claim, our hero laughed in his face, and
asked him where were the witnesses of the
bargain. The result was that our hero held
the claim, on which popqlous town was
soon built up, and the original claimant with
his family having expended their whole
means upon that claim and in gettiong here,
were consigned to the poverty which they
SO richly merited by their carelessness in rot
having witnesses.
In the spring of 1856, Mr.. D. led to the
hymenial altar Miss Charity Trotter. by
his wife he has two children" If he has
any by any other source, the fact is un-
known to his biographer. In proof of the
high estimation in which Mr.. D. is held by
the House as an officer, it is only necessary
to say that all concede that he will undoubt-
eddy be reelected fireman at the next session,
should be get votes enough. And it is even
thought by those best acquainted with the
members, that many of them will have
occasion for his services in another world.
In politics be may be said to be neutral.
He has often stated that be had "nary q
politlck," but bis action was entirely on the
'Doozenbury" platforn-.severy time"
In his personal appearance Mr.. d. is re-
markably progressing. In height he is
either six-teettwo or two feet-six, we forget
which. His nose is very near the centre of
his face. Above it is his forehead, below
which, and separated therefrom by his
eyebrows, are his eyes. He has one ear
upon each side of bis head. His hair is of
deep yellow color which fact is supposed
to be attributable to the immense quantity
Of mOlasSes candy which he ate while q hov