The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-10-21
GEN. Il. L. SIBLEY.

DEN. Il. Il. SIbltI.
A Brief Sketch of the Carecr Of one Of Min
nesosa's Prominent Citizens.
The toIioTng sketch 2, Gen i sblsy
ams, secretary OF the State Historical Society," AS il
Il YEA i be claimed that
Democratic nominee for {ongrsss in 1884, but was pre-
Of the present canvass it is Of inre est does
ucn esriy history OF the state in which Gen. Sibley
pore prominent part:J
Every new community, and, to great ex-
tent. every new State, receives from its first
pioneers and prominent organizers, the i'm
press which decides much Of its future tone
and spilit Hence, the value of having so.
cietY in every new State started in the right
direction by men who can mold the "plastic
elements" for good. Minnesota was pecu-
liarly fortunate in having for its leading pio-
neers. men OF broad views, liberal culture
and elevated character, and the effect of their
influence is plainly traceable in the future
successful course of our State, and the good
name it bears abroad as commonwealth,
where education and religion are universal,
and law and vrder are respected. How
much Of this We owe to the men who, with
no selfish ends, but, actuated only by devo.
ton to principle and the public welfare, and
an unfaltering trust IN the triumph of rights
laid the foundation of our State, created its
institutions, framed it's first laws, executed
its first Offices, and gave the first bent to its
usages-we can now scarcely estimate. Pos
terity must indeed point to their names with
gratitude and honor, far exceeding even that
evinced by those OF the present generation,
because to these the events Tin some of which
they may have participated), are too recent
and perhaps too much colored with the pas.
sions OF prejudices that are inseparable from
our human organizations, to place an impair
tial estimate on motives, and actions, and re-
suits. By such rule as the above, the name
which heads this sketch, is one that must al
ways occupy foremost place 10 the history
of our State. 81 H.. ...f
Henry Fl. sibley was born in Detroit, Mich
igan, February 20, 1911. His father, Judge
Solomon Sibley, native OF Massachusetts
was one OF the most prominent pioneers OF
the Northwest, settling in Ohio..in 1875, and
in Michigan in 1897, from which he was
member of the first Legislature of the "North-
west territory in 1893; a delegate to Con-
gressin 1920; Judge of the supreme court
from 1924 to 1896; United States district at
torney, etc. He died in 1916, universally Ia
mented. Judge Sibley married at Marietta,
Ohio, in 1902 Miss Sarah w. sproat, daughter
OF Colonel Ebenezer Sproat, q distinguished
officer Of the revolution, and grand daughter
of Commodore Abraham Whipple, Of the rev.
dictionary navy. Her parents and grand
parents were NIL pioneers in Ohio, so that the
subject of this sketch was, by ancestral influ.
ence, predisposed to such life of pioneer ad-
venture as he was destined to lead. Mrs
sibley died at Detroit, January %, 1861. Mrs
Ellet, in her work, "Pioneer woman OF the
West" remarks that she was q woman OF
unusual personal beauty, and rare mental
accomplishments. ...
: Fl. Fl. Sibley received an academical educa.
ton when young, and subsequently enjoyed
two years. private tuition in the classics, from
Rev. R. r. Cadle, one of the pioneers of edu-
cation in the Northwest. His father had
wished him to adopt his own profession, but
after studying law some time, he became con
WINGED that his natural inclination woulo
lead him to more active and stirring life. His
father sensibly told him to pursue his own in
clinations in this respect-"a decision" said a
writer, referring to the fact, "that gave to Min
nesota her honored pioneer-,ne whose his
tory is so interviewer with her own that to
write the one is almost tpso fax 70 to record the
other"
About the age OF seventeen, young Sibley
went to Ssult Ste. Marie, and was engaged
there in mercantile operations for about a
year. In 1929, he went to Mackinac, and en-.
tered the service OF the American Fur CEN.
Dany as clerk. He remained at that post tive
years. In 1884, Mr.. Sibley, then % years of
age, was admitted as partner in the American
Fur company, OF which Ramsey Crooks, ia
Their OF Colonel William Crooks, of this city,
was president, the late f. L. Dousman and
Joseph Holette, Senior, of Prairie du Chen,
were also partners, and was to have charge of
the trade above Lake Pepin, as far as the Brit
lsh line, with head quarters at Mendoza, then
called "st. Peters," Gen. sibley himself says
this step was largely owing to H. L. Dous-
mans solicitation, and to the glowing &C.
counts he gave of Minnesota as land of game,
perhaps knowing Gen. SIS foniness for field
sports.
MIR. Slbley arrived at Mendoza, November 2,
1884, having rode on h rseback from Prairie
du Chen, distance of nearly 800 miles, there
being but one human habitation on the Way.
Then, in all the region now known as Mime
sofa, there was, excepting the garrison at Fort
Smelling, only handful of white men, most
y fur-traders and Canadian voyaguers. What
mighty changes these forty one years have
witnessed. Gen. Sibley is now the oldest Iiv
ing settler, save one, in our population of COO.
OOO people and it has been his fortune to
lake more active and prominent part in the
history OF that period, than any other living
man.
On May 9, 1868 he was united in marriage
70 Miss Sarah J. Steele, at Fort Smell
ing. He had previously, in 1886, erected, ct
MENDOZA, the first private dwelling built OF
stone in Minnesota, which is still standing!
Mrs. Sibley died May 81, 1SG9--being truly
one OF the pioneer women of our State, and 8
LADY OF rare virtues and accomplishments.
mr.. Sibley was probably the first civil officer
IN what is now Minnesota, having been ap-
pointed Justice of the peace in 1888, by Gov.
John Chambers, of Iowa, which then embraced