The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1876-07-14
Historical "reminiscences OF Duluth

Marvin at the Fourth of July cele-
bration held on Minnesota Point.
As it contains many facts interest
ing TO our Superior readers, we
publish it entire. 1t IS we'll worth
perusal:
In this Centennial year of the nations
birth, 1t seems appropriate and wise for the
people to gather together in their various To-
calities throughout the land, and take re-
trosl ectlve view of the past-to stop for a
few hours at least on this glorious anniver-
sary, and look back on the wonders which
have been wrought, and seeing the innum-
cradle blessings which the benefcent hand of
our creator has showered down upon Us, take
courage for the future, and in avoiding the
errors OF the past, fully trust in that glorious
future which Is certainly before us as a ma
ton. 1t is true that we on this frontier post
OF civilization have no revolutionary annals
to con over, no hard fought and bloody
fights to show, but we have what is better. =
victories over stubborn nature TO exhibit a
development of material progress. TO relate.
which though diVe>ted of the "pomD and
glorious circumstance of war" is no less be-
efcent in It's results to the future millions
who shall come after US.
In accordance therefore, with the procla,
NATION of the president of the United States,
and in response to the duty assigned me bv
my fellow citizens, have in the short time
allowed me, jotted down a few Of the eadine.
incidents, personal "reminiscences and statis-
tics of the early history of St. Louis County,
and of the City Of Duluth.
The treaty with the Chippewa Indians of
September 30th, 1854, which was ratified in
February, 1855, added to the United States
the whole OF the territory living north of
Lake Superior, and then belonging 10 said
Indians, with exception of certain reserva-
tons then made. Previous to this time,
there were no white occupants of this coun-
try with the exception of employees of the
Government, connection with the l. dians
IS tn ders, farmers, DlaChsluithS &C., but no
sooner was the treaty ratified than ''squat-
ters began to occupy those tracts which ap-
peared to them the most advantageous for
speculation, either tUI town-sites, mineral
claims, or some other supposed advantage
they possessed; but | think it may ne safely
asserted that CT four or FIVE hundred pre-
emptions made within the first Year or twJ
after the United States Land Office was
opened, there were not Gozen carried out
IL The true meaning and intent Of the law,
by actual occupancy for the purpose Of cult
vation, but were simply held for speculation,
and not one in ten were ever sHtored under
the pre- emptioa made We in these latter
days tbirI We have seer. Ise>uislC q an wiflt.
but those Of US who do not remember the
times of -l85J-I856 and until the
Er, I o-h, =,
tion of the lunacy of those years--meu
seemed utterly bereft Of their reason when
this disease OF speculation got possession Of
them, and 1t was ouiy when actual starvation
stared them in the face that their sens s
returned to them; and am sorry, my
friends, to be obliged TO add that with too
many of us recurrence of The disease was
not prevented by the first attack st. Louis
county was, need not say, named after the
river which runs along its border 1t was
detached from Itasca county aud its present
name given to it by an act OF the Territorial
Legislature, March lsr, 1915, under the pro
visions of which act Gov German appointed
Z. r. Barrett as Register Of Deeds.
The first deed went Oh record June Ist,
1856 and was from Rion H. Bacon to T. T.
Ely, conveying property in Oneota.
Amongst the curJSities of the earliest record
I fud the following, which I give as a speci-
men Of the way business was done in tie ab-
senee of money il those days:
LARs LsNEoor Note On Contract
t. Filed in the lieg strr Deeds
II. FLEURy AND Office, Jan. 18Th, 1859
ADALIDE HIS WIFE. II m
For value received promise to pay and
deliver to Norris Fleury and Adaiide Du Fo
FleurY, his wife, of St. Louis county Mime
sofa, the following articles of provisions and
necessaries, 70 wit: bbls good family flour,
l biol mess pork, Dbl fish, 20 pounds butter,
2 hams, pounds coffee, pounds of tea, 10
pounds sugar, l. pounds dried apples, u
pounds Plug tobacco, y pounds candles, II
pounds hard soap, 25 bushels potatoes,
bushels peas, l bushel beans, gallons molas-
ses, pound pepper, | bag table salt, %
cords good fine wood and SD worth of cloth
ing, each and every year as hereafter named,
to be paid i'll quarter yearly ins,alments dur
ing the natural lives Of the sad Morris and
Adalide Du Fo Fluery, each and every year,
commencing from and after this date. 1t is
agreed also that when either OF the above
named persons shall die, then and thereafter
one half the quantity of the above named ar
ticles is all that shall be required or paid, ex-
cept the hrcwood and canGles which are not
to be lessened Also | am to furnish them
with comfortable dwelling house either on
the farm which have this day bought, or in
the town of Superior or Superior City, as
may elect, and while the said Morris is in
health he is to cut his own wood. but when
he shall he sick, or in case the sad Adalide
shall survive the said Morris then in that
case am to cut the wood fitted for the stove
and in addition to the above on a:d after
years from this date each and every year as
above, / am to pay and deliver one barrel OF
mess beef.
Dated Superior, Wis, this 10th day of
August, 1859. LARS LENRooT,
But these records do not conhne themselves
to mere property transfers, but branch off
occasionally TO other dry details as the fol-
lowing entry IN Book "a Of Deeds will
show:
Dec. %, lS6S-Culver & Badger in the
''office making out Alex. Paups abstract
Wind blowing from the North East like
"D-n-Snowjngl like thunder and cold
''as MISUNDERSTANDING good for Christ
"mas and \ wv Years Haven't had d drink
fer four days-Zhs gear Of hard times"
In Book "B" Of same date, las records re
spite from his labOrs as follows:
"Disagreeable day-Had setting at hra 2
with Sam, QlInn, ana JeIf,-Mul from Bea
"ver Bay--AJ work on old Paurabstract.'
This appears 10 be in the hand writing OF
one who will be remembered by few here