Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1871-03-01
Old Times.


l.r from Sam. s. Fitted. Sergeant-at
Ar.ns Of the Assembly, 10 his paper, the
Polk County Press Gam bad been ex
aiming the flies Of the early newspa-
pers Of the ST Croix Valley. which are
preserved IN the roo,u. Of the State HIS.
lnricaI Society He says:
The earliest records mrr found in Vol
ume nf the Hudson North Star tn.
fist number of winch WAS Hsued Nov
29,h. 1854 bv + i,nuni Il Oi>. ed,io'
ami publisher. The first nu nber en-
tans m account of the murder of NJ, ID
E Markl-. ~ surveyor. residing IN Pres
| colt. The facts ARE as iullnws:
Mr.. ID. E. Markle. Surveyor, en-
nl"yed 10y A E. Merton of Prescott, to
survey - tract of land lncnted on tn
north east shore of lax" Prpin. since
known as Bay City. in Pierce Cnnnr,.
was -hm and INSTANTLY killed on the % !
Of Dec. hy Thos. Dexter. Tn. quarrer
originated in u dispute between Morton
AID Dexter, ov. the ownership Of tn
land being surveyed Markle attempted
% survey the Iani He was ordered "ti
by Dexter. who considered him n tres
passer. and who upon his reinsing Il.
o,ev shot him dead in his tracks. tn
bail passing ia at his mouth and out ~,
the back of his neck.
Markle wasa respected citizen Of Pres
c Il, and The affair rrra:ed intense excite
ment there. anh the utmost eff 'rts at
we'll disposed persons ware required L.
prevent the mob from iynching the muir
derer. This is one nf the frs, t,agad->
recorded n. having occurred in Pierre
c, univ. Dexter was subsequently tried
before Judge Fuller, cnDv cled of mut-
der and sentenced to State Prison f.,
life. During the last year of Gov. Ran
daIrs administration. he received a par
don.
From The same paper ws learn thai
the first white settler in the county o!
81 Crnix WAS Capt. John b Page
who Commenced numbering oE Willow
River, I'D the year the year l843 IL
ls45. he permanently locatei Mt Hud
SOU.
IL ls49 Joel Foster. and James and
" alter Mspes commenced Tho first OK
elusive Turning operations in st. Crorx
county. In the spring of 1850. james
Walstnw settled on the prairh', two miles
east of Hudson. They were the pioneer
farmers. AMI have lived to sce the great
ANA wonderful changes wrought around
them. In l849 u portion of the pres
rnt city nf HndA,n was lad cut and
Blu ,na Vista. n, d four frame houses were
erected. In 1850 Gibs"n IL Hrnnin.
purchased 1T op. Peter f. Buchea. what
now constitutes the business part of thu
CIV, and plated it under the name OF
Willow River. In 1852 by an act OF
the BOARD OF Supervisors the name OF
the place was changed I" Hudson. Ia
1850 the pnpulati"n was GAS.
In The Issue Of Dec 9Th. we find n
summary of the sleanhoot business 1T
The wear 1854 Thirty six boats pa>seri
up Like ST Crox, MATING in all one
hundred anH ninety four trips.
In 1853. seventeen b,ats run in IN.
trade. making one hund ed aud thirty
four trips The frs! arrival in 1854
was on the 9Th If April. The last de
parture on the l2,h Of November The
lake renamed open however for three
weeks atterward. In the editinn OF
the Stur of January 10Th. 1855, wr
find = call for grand mass meeting ""i
the citlz.ns of Hudson favorable 10 the
C 'nsIrurtInn uf the s.. Croix " Lake Sn
l,erIur RaI'road, mt iiemlee's hall. The
editor in calling attention Ia the same.
says IA follows: i" Every CIT zen of Huh
s"n every man of business, every
owner of real estate, in the whole conn
TRY AROUND Hudson. EVERY one Of these
who stay away from thus meeting neg
Ircls his own interest! Every ono win.
refuses To take stock in the r"a'l, refuses
To- put money i'm his own pocket. Ia
booking aver the Star. for The year 1855.
:. we find that the iaIiroal excitement ran
high. that speculation ran rioi, AMI that
Corner lots ran up 10 marvellous ti.nr"s
Since .hen properly has at several differ
.nt lures sold at reasonable prices. We
fad al-o TINT a lrigs of Master Masnns
Was organ'ze.l under dispensatinn
! from the grand lodge during this year.
In tho issue of February 9th. we
find notice of the advent Of the frs.
paper published in Pierce coanIy.-the
Prescott Pdraclete. II WAS issued on
the l4,h day nf February, 1855, by
Charles E. Young, editor aud Proprie'
| tor.
During these early times the citizens
of the ST. Crmx Valley resorted TO many
methods of furnishing themselves with
public entertainments. We find that
during the winter of 1855. mock leg
islature was one of the lealing features
With the suterpri.ipg citizens Of la ison.