Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-25
RED RIVER VALLEY

Meeting of the Cld Settiefs ON the rrohtier'
A GLOBE reporter encountered an old ses-
tier of the Red River country. yesterday,
who favored him with an account of an old
settlers meeting of recent date in that re-
gion.
On the 4th Of the present month an Old
Settlers society wss organized IN the lied
river country, and the inaugural meeting
held at Grand Forks, D. L.
The meeting was interesting In reminis-
cenoes, and was attended with the
hilarity of ball, banquet, and such like
amusements.
The president is r. M. Probtsfeld, of
Moorhead; vice president, j. X. Harris, of,
McCauleyville: secretary, George b. Win
ship, of Grand Forks, all of whom are old
settlers of a score or more years IN the he'd
River valley. To some extent, having ex-
hausted the genuine article, the other offices
were filled by old settlers of decade or so,
and consisted of Asa Sergeant. of Caledonia,
and n. E. Nelson, of Pembina. vice pres'-
dents; Frank Vets, J. S. Eshelman and NJ.
L.. Mccormack, of Grand Forks, as excca-
tive committee. The occasion was memora-
BILE from several letters received and read,
which make it of local significance. Hon.
II. NJ. Rice responded to an invitation to be
present, the following being an extract:
I should very much like to see the old set
tiers of the present day. for nearly all l be-
came acquainted with between thirty and forty
wears ago have crossed the ever-howlng stream
Theirs was a rough life among wild people,
far from the confines of civilization The
present old settlers are the real founders OF
civilization in the Red River valley. trust
a., lev foundation deem and broad
that future generations cannot 60 astray.
Mr.. Norman w. Kittson contributed the
following:
l greatly regret that have to decline your
kindness as my health is such that have to
seek warmer climate for the remainder of the
winter, and expect to leave here for the south
in the course of three or four days. Believe
me. gentlemen, that / shall always retain
warm interest in the welfare and prosperity OF
the Red River valley, the field of my labors for
many years.
Gen. II. H. Sibley had kind word for the
Old Settlers in the following communica-
tlon.
lam gratifed to perceive that the custom of
annual meetings of the pioneers in different
parts of the State and in Dakota Territory Is
becoming quite general. To me these assem-
blages of the people who were the hrst to brave
the dangers and hardships of the wilderness,
ar OF eXCeeQlDS luleIests L uasO a Ia oPOe
in nv heart for all these "Old Settlers" God
bless them.
Mr.. James j. Hill, manager of the st.
Paul & Manitoba, t. 9 genius of the new era
in the Red River Valley, gave his good wishes
in the following words:
While have never made homestead" a
''tree claim or ''pre-emptlon" IN the valley,
still hope am entitled to prove up good
and valid claim of fellowship among the plo-
neers of the valley; and that 1 may in the
future, as in the past. be able to do something
that will draw from the Old Settlers cum
tinuance of the kindly sentiments expressed
towards me in your invitation.
The letter most Astounding in recollections
of early DAYS was that of Charles Cavileer,
which is given herewith:
As the oldest settler of northern Dakota in
the Red River valley.I duly appreciate your de-
sire to have me present at the organizatio of
the Old Settlers association on the 4th prox,
in your hourishing city.
In the month of August. 1851, N. W. Kilt
son, Rev G.. A. Belcourt, the late James Nc
Kay, Willard Cody and myself left the train
of carts at White Bear lake, and started on
horseback, on the east side of Red river, for
Pembina. We SWAN Otter Tail river at our
old crossing and then struck for the sand hills
on the old road to Crow Wing. The streams
were all full, and we had to swim all of them.
On the 18th day of August, 1851, we struck
Lake Northwest, in st. Vincent. There
wo picked our flints for fusllade
before reaching the river at Pembina.
When near the river we fred volley to give
notice of the arrival Of a party, in accordance
with the custom of the half-breeds and indians
On reaching the banks of the river We saw 10
Rolette with his uncles and his aunts his
cousins and his "nishtows," with group of
half-breeds and Indians, and armed with
Northwest trading guns, preparing to give US a
salute. 10 gave the word to fire and the old
flint locks gave us loud welcome, while the
crowd gave the Indian whoop, 10 waving his
hat and joining in with the wheoping. They
soon had us across the river when we ''shook"
with 10 and was introduced by him
to the molly crowd, shaking with the hes and
kissing the shes. We all quartered with Mr.
Kittson, who was then living here. and our vo-
racious appetites did ample Justice to Mrs.
Kittson's supper of buffalo meat, fish and other
lu1uries of the country. l came here as first
collector of the customs for the district of
Minnesota. Late in the fall Mr.. KittsOn and
Rolette went Off leaving me the only English
speaking inhabtant, and for conversation
had to go the Hudson Bay company's post at
North Pembina. Still, not undo rstanding
the French or Indian, l passed pleas
rival of mills had grand feast of news all
IN heap. In the summer of 1853 1 was re-
lieved of the collectorship by Phil Beaupre, of
st. Cloud, Mimi. who brought with him r.
G. Burdick clerk and inspector. From
thence out We were jolly boys together and had
some high old times. In a year or b. after II.
8. Donaldson came in with Rolette. and the
year following W. Il. Moorhead. Rolette has
gone to the happy hunting grounds; Donald
son ia a prosperous merchant in Winnipeg, and
Moorhead and myself are here, fair specimens
of frontier men.
Andsnow comes the organization of the Old
Settlers association to be organized at Grand
Forks, where You are putting on city airs.
Think of it then and now. Then bowling
wilderness, the haunt of the buffalo and elk,
and the winter home of the half breeds and In
dams, who hunted with dog trains, and with
nets caught the bony gold eyes and the
monster sturgeon, and now Grand Forks is
rapidly growing city!
Judge W. G. Woodruff, of Grand Forks,
and United States Consul j. w. Taylor, of
Winnipeg, delivered addresses. Judge Wood
ruff related the remarkable progress of the
Red River valley country. Ten years ago
it numbered two settlers, and to-day it has
population of $4,000. He saw in the near
future as the State of Pembina. the country
Astounding in population of 100000 peo-
pls, giving to the world as result of their
labors, a marvellous crop of wheat from yesr
to year, for which the valley was world-cele-
brated already. Altogether the meeting was