River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-03-09
HISTORICAL INCIDENTS OF MlRTEI.

EDs. JouRSA:-As some Of our sis
ter towns are being written up this
winter, perhaps few words from
this town may be of interest to your
readers. | have been at some little
pains to interview most of those who
claim to be the pioneers here, and In
these few lines shall base my state
ments upon the verdict of their men,
cries to some extent. To say that
Martel is the most desirable spot on
earth, or one possessed of more in
ducements to settlers than can be
found in thousands Of other places,
would be quite careless use of the
truth; but we can fairly claim most of
the advantages to be found in any Sec
ton of Pierce county, and we may say
any where in the st. Croix Valley.
The greater portion Of the town is
within the limits of the forest, per
haps we may safely say three-fourths
of the territory,-leaving the north
western portion to pass for prairie, a.
though there is some light timber
scattered over even that section. Rush
River enters the township somewhere
in section two, and crossing sections
2, IL, IA and "a, passes thence into
Gilman. In the southwest we find
the source of the eastern branch of
the Trimbelle, though it is Of no val
ue to the settlers unless to afford wa
ter.
OF those who settled and organized
the town, but few remain. Some have
removed to other parts, and some have
been summoned to their last long rest.
We learn that in the fall Of lS49, a
Frenchman by the name of Jock came
here and reared small cabin, where
he could find shelter from the wintry
blasts. He came, not to hew down the
sturdy oak and cultivate the soil, but
to capture the denizens of the forest,
then so numerous. Mr.. Jock was a
man of average proportions, but he
seemed to have been born for the
chase, and we are told that in after
years, when the tillers of the soil had
come to rear themselves homes and
cultivate the soil, they would frequent.
ly come to the old hunter for meat,
and if at any time they found him
''just out, he would say ''call again
in three or four hours. and be accom-
modated, and he was always supplied
next time. He brought all his bread
stuff and groceries from Hudson, and
sometimes from Saltwater, generally
going and coming the same day; and
when other men took IS pounds, he
took IS, frequently saying that he
wanted to hunt next day. In 1850
Jock was Joined by three other men,
Joseph Martel, John Dee, and Louis
La Foe; all like himself Frenchmen
and after game. The same fall Hans
Iyersen came here with party of his
Norwegian brethren from the south
| art of the state, seeking for place
where they might locate colony; but
as the region was not surveyed, and
the land not in market, they could not
locate here then. The place seemed
to have possessed some desirable fea-
lures, however, and leaving Mr.. Iyer-
sen to watch their interests, they
again departed for little time, as
they thought, but as it afterwards
proved, forever. Mr.. |. moved his
family here in the fall of 81 and so
in reality may be counted the first real
settler. He is said to have brought
two cows, for which he cut and made
hay on the meadow now owned by
Svenung Halyorsen, and when it was
needed for use, he brought home
back-load each day for Lis cows. This
would seem to be rather expensive as
a means of transportation but it was
the means in those days. Roman Kay
also made claim in 81 where he now
resides.
These parties were joined in 1852 by
the families of Hans stumble, Peter
Allison and Matthias Staten; and ear.
IL in SO by Cool VAIL, Peter Andersen
and MAIDS Presterud. Then came UNI
Gle Peter Nelson with his blacksmith
shop, which soon made for him hosts
of friends. Peter also entertained
quite a liking for the speckled beau.
ties of Rush River, many of which
found a hiding place in the little has.
ket he carried Uncle Amos Bone.
steel arrived in SO. Mrs. B. very soon
became famous for knowledge Of med
icine, and to-day not a few of those
who will ere long read these lines are
indebted for their lives TO the depart.
ed Aunt Lucy. Mr.. Bonesteel has
served the town faithfully for many
years, and now he lives with his only
child, Mrs. Roman Kay, and thinks
over the many and varied incidents Of
his career from being hero in 1912,
to being justice OF the peace in the
town OF Martel.