The Grange advance., 1873-12-17
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HASTINGS,
RECOLLECTIONs OF AN OLD SETTLER
PRIOR TO 1856.

LIN
PRIOR TO 1856.
When I landed in Hastings in So,
there were but two buildings standing
where now stands the City of Hastings;
one an old log building formerly occupied
by H. G. Bailey as an Indian trading
post. but at that time occupied by Pap
FELTON, as a hotel known as the Buck
Horn, and the good grub Mother Eel
ton would get up with the assistance of
Dennla and Rachel, her daughters, is
worth mention. H. G. Bailey occupied
new store on the Levee where he did
a good trade with the Indians, as there
was about five thousand of them en-
camped there at that time. On Christ
mas day of SO crossed the Mississippi
river in canoe at Point Douglas. In
the spring of "a I sowed 80 acres of
wheat which yielded 30 bushels to the
acre. The old pioneer thresher, E. D.
Stone, threshed for: me with two
horse thresher, and he is good thresh-
er; if you don't believe it, you ask one
Vandivere, that jumped Eds claim; he
knows how it is himself Ed. is still
on the thresh with two twelve horse
steam machines.
Who ever thought that the hedepeu-
dent would ever claim to be the pioneer
paper Of Dakota County. The old Da-
kota Journal was the first paper ever
printed in the County, owned by, H. G..
Bailey and edited by J. G. Dow: of
New Hampshire. He was the first
District Attorney of Dakota County,
appointed by Pierce, then President,
and sent here to take charge Of this
County. I know, for I have taken ev.
cry paper that ever was printed in this
town, and more than that I have paid
for them all, and owe no printers bill.
And as J. G. Dow gave me free set
out, when I was spliced, would be
apt to remember our first paper. My
friend of '55 speaks of the bowling
wolves, so can /. I have got up many
a night to drive the wolves from nv
pig pen, within a stones throw of the
levee where we used to all gather when
we heard a boat whistle. H. G.. Bailey
used to do the draying with yoke Of
cattle, and hitched to the crotch of one
of those bur oaks '55 speaks OF: Il
was hewed out very nice for. that pur
pose, aud OLD Bruna was the drayman
He is now a boarder with Mrs. Brady
at the county's expense. I hope tht
present draymen will meet with bette,
success. In the spring of 81 the pro
prietors Of the town site of the nov
city Of Hastings built a hotel wher,
now stands the Merchants bank, whicl
was leased to David Barker, and ru1
by "Chip," then came Charley Smit1
with stock Of Yankee notions; the,
came Charles White with whiskey
He built the building occupied by A
Day as shop. Then came Mr.. Pa,
ish from Red Wing, and started stor
which was run by Mr.. Knight of tn
I same place. About the Vermilio
Falls, the first settler there was a M,
Vanrenslaer, who first claimed; the
!. they fell into the hands Of Jesse Ran
sey of St. Paul, who built house o
, the claim which was burned down b
prairie fire. Then Harrison Graha,
saw a chance to make strike an
, squatted, and took VIC. LeDuc in par
ner and built girls: mill with the Al
: sistauce Of Thos. Howe, who says
furnished the stones for the mill, {
rather the money to buy them. NJ
Howes made: q bis claim. joining tt
$ $ mill claim in '53, and has lived ther
e ever since, and is now the Oldest res
: !: dent now in the city of Hastings. H
is also the first blacksmith that run
/, forge in the town of Hastings, and
8 hard work and an eve to hnsihess h