River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-04-27
HISTORICAL INCIDENTS OF DIAMOND BLUFF.

About the close of the French revo
lution of '93, French nobleman had
born to him deformed female child.
A man of eccentric character, he sup
posititiously exchanged it for another
the father of the child so taken being
also nobleman, and a political enemy
of our hero. Unable to escape detec.
ton, he finally fled to America, max.
ing his first stand at Quebec. Soon
feeling insecure here, he made his way
via the Straits of Mackinaw to a point
on the shore of Lake Michigan near
the present site of Chicago lie had
failed, however, by all his tortuous
wanderings, to elude the efforts of q
father In search of lost child. His
hiding-plaee was finally discovered,
and the unfortunate child. now bud.
ding into womanhood, taken back to
her friends in France. The fictitious
father escaped and made his way up
the Mississippi River. and located near
the present village of Diamond Bluff.
He lived for many years, and died, as
Indian tradition has it. The region
in which he lived was named ''Old
Mans Prairie" in honor of his mem.
DRY.
This bit of romance comes to us
through the old French Catholic mis-
sionaries to the Indians in the Upper
Mississippi Valley. 1t seems that the
nobleman was possessed Of certain
valuable real estate in France at the
time of his departure, the m onuments
Of title of which he took with him.
This led persons interested in his es-
tate to make search for him, naturally
making use of the shrewd and tireless
Catholic missionaries. They traced
him to Diamond Bluff, but never got
clue to his papers.
The town takes its name from the
main bluff within its limits, which
was called by the old French voyageurs,
Monte Diamant, or IN English Dia
mond Bluff, from its peculiar shape.
In the fall Of lS43 Jack" Paine To-
Gated here, being the first settler, an
Englishman by birth, directly from
st. Louis here, and now living in La
Crosse. He brought a family, opened
a farm, but made boating a business.
The next settler was Allen B. Wilson,
who came in the spring of 1850. He
was from saltwater here and died at
the battle of South Mountain. He was
in the wood business before going
into the army, and was withal, quite a
politician as well as patriot At the
same time John Day from Hazelgreen
located here. He removed to Red
Wing, and is now City Marshal of that
place. His was the first white child
born in the place. Mary Caroline,
March 5, 1852. The first death was
that of Mr.. Crypiers, July, 1852. He
was veteran of 1912, and originally
from the state of Maine. The first
sermon preached here was by Rev.
Joseph w. Hancock, a Presbyterian,
located at Red Wing as missionary to
the Indians, sometime in 1850. The
settler next following Mr.. Day, was
Charles F. Hoyt, from H., here. He
came in the summer of 1858. Next
came Squire Quimby, really the patri-
arch of the town, Oct. ?, 1854. Mr.
Quimby came from H., here, having
lived there but short time, but was
formerly from New Hampshire. I'm
Gle Enoch' came here, as his friends
thought, hopelessly sick with pulmon-
airy consumption; but under the life
giving effects of our pure, bracing,
northwestern Wisconsin atmosphere,
in due time recovered his health, and
now crowds "two hundred, giving
promise of entertaining his friends
for many years yet with his genial, 10
vial company, TO say nothing Of the
generous "bed and board" always found
at his hospitable home. November
10th following, came George Harps-
ter, John Curry, and Martin L. Whedle.
Dec. 10, 1854 Rev. Richard Johnson,
the first Methodist minister, preached
here, services being held in the cabin
of Mr.. Quimby. lie held forth on ev.
cry Wednesday evening during the
year, and received therefor $3.50 in
cash. besides some sundries.
fro BE- CONTINUED