The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-02-01
ANNUAL MEETING.
sHoa 9d 81 bsiOF fHElpo me- sdt ,sT9Eaq
MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

i'' aN N b3lSOF fHE ma sll ,hI9tAq
MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
y The annual meeting OF the Historical
Society, notwithstanding fire occurred at
the appointed hour, was well attended
On the pulpit platform, besides the speak
ere, were the President OF the Society Gov
ernor RAMSEY, the Vice Presidents, and of
the honorary members the Ri. Rev. THoM-
AS GRACE, D. D., Bishop Of this Diocese.
The President, after remarking that the
Society was the oldest literary organization
in Minnesota, stated that the Secretary
would read the annual report: 7e'sb
sui 'ti-,tGf y dNldl .I.t- a dl lg
The eleventh anniversary of the society
finds broader field of labor than could have
been anticipated at SO early period in the
history of the State. 5oitoa Iol ib7 -
30 During the last year it was, however, i'm
possible to add much to the library OF, the
museum of the society. owing to the want
of space in its present apartment, and the
lack of means.
The Legislature Of 1856, appropriated the
sum of five hundred dollars annually, for
the publication of the annual volume of the
society, postage, freight. binding of papers,
etc., but during the revulsions Of 1858 and
1859, it was deemed expedent to make no
attempt to publish the annual collections of
the society, and the appropriation for those
two years has been waived. ana ~
Last summer the society came into pos
session of the valuable and interesting jour-
ral of skiff voyage from Prairie du Chen
to the Falls Of St. Anthony, by Major
Stephen 81. Long, written nearly half q
century ago, and full of incidents worthy of
perusal. As the document was the first
written describing the condition Of the Up.
per Mississippi after the late war with
Great Britain, it is well worthy of preserva-
ton, and its publication appropriately be-
loDged to our society. 7,--.
1t was therefore determined to print it
ss the volume of our collections for 1860,
and employ aportion of the appropriation
of that year to which we are entitled to
defray the expense of publication.
By the kindness of the Librarian of the
Parliament Library at Quebec, the society
has received copies of early correspondence
with the French Government which sheds
light on the fourth and last stockade erect
ed by the French in Minnesota. 9isloo7oorj
An abstract of the fact is presented, as
the collections for 1861 will not be printed
till toward the close of the year. GA. ~
THE LAST FRENCH sToCKADE IN MINNESOTA.
In previous publications Of the Society,
q brief sketch has been given of Fort Per-
rot at Wabashaw, established in l683.84 !;
Fort LIE Sueur, on prairie island, ten
miles below Hastings, near the west bank
of the river, built in 1895; and Fort
LHuillier, near Mankato, built in TOO.
With the aid of the manuscripts from Que
bee, we are enabled to give sketch of Fort
Pepin, opposite Maiden Rock.
Soon after TOO, all the early French
establishments had been destroyed by hos
tile Sioux. But as early as 1923, sugges-
lions were made for the renewal of inter-
course with the Sioux, and the establish
ment of a military and mission station in
their vicinity. BT 49, Yq l.r ,B ~
81 Space forbids us to publish this sketch,
and we therefore collate the facts, not hith.
erto published 10 the Annals of Minnesota
in relation to Fort Pepin. Ia 1923 De Ia
Chase, the Superior of the Jesuits of Can
ada, informed the Government that Father
Guymoneau and another brother would 70
among the Sioux, in the spring. Various
delays however, prevented the carrying out
of the project for several years. ',5-o3 ~
In the spring of l727," continues the
report, two Jesuits accompanied BY
number Of Frenchmen to guard them from
hostile tribes and to aid them in erecting an
establishment, left Quebec for the land of
the Dakotahs. At the head of the detach-
ment was brave and prudent officer, De
Ia Perriere Boucher, being the same man
who has an unenviable notoriety as the
leader Of the brutal savages who sacked
Haverhill, Massachusetts, some years before,
and exultingly killed the meek minister Of
the town, scalped his wife, and dashed out
his infants brains against the rocks. ..,.
Opposite the bold bluff, several hundred
feet In height-the last two hundred of which
is q perpendicular limestone escarpment-
known to travellers as the rock from which,
the Dakota legend saith, Winona dashed
herself to death, rather than marry him
whom she could not love, is sandy promon-
tory jutting into Lake Pepin. The vicini.
ty of the south shore of this point was
selected by La Perriere Boucher as the site
Of tie last post erected by the order of the
French government in Minnesota
in The Jesuit Fathers, like modern Protes.
tant missionaries, desired to contribute some
thing TO the stock of knowledge, and wrote
to Canada for the instruments. ~ 44sI
l51 Beauharnois, the Governor oil, the Colony,
in q communication to the French govern
ment, under date of April seth, 1927, states
that the Reverend Fathers among the Sioux
desire q case of mathematical instruments,
an universal astronomic dial, graduated
demi-circle, spirit level, a chain with
stakes, and telescope Of elk or seven feet
tube: b.. al3 assn .se.Ias 3!i 10 igf5soqgi
I'm The fort appears at first to have been
located, and to have been exposed to high
water. In dispatches sent to Paris in l729,
by the. Canadian government, there occurs
the following statement: 'e-di .d5g.4 ~
ri "They agree that the fort the French built
Al = - r r L