St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-14
BIZ T. NJ. EEwsoN.
Article XIII.
J. W. sELBY.

induced him to come to Minnesota, anu ne
settled in st. Paul in 1S49.
HIS PURCHASES.
He purchased ten acres on st. Anthony
hill, running from College avenue back up
on 10 the hill, for 5000, or ten dollars per
acre, and this he put under cul-
tivation, raising potatoes and garden
vegetables. James K. Humphrey, Esq,
loaned him the money to make this purchase
and before he had fully closed the trade, he
was offered 81 900 for his bargain, but be
erected small house upon the ground and
kept the property until he sold all his land
below Summit avenue preserving that above)
for a sum Of money sufficient to enable him
to erect his brick homestead, where the Kilt
son mansion now stands, well known to old
settlers. In 1850 be bought forty acres lying
back and west of his original purchase, for
which be paid $50 per acre. This land was
then covered with trees and underbrush,
which he cleared and cultivated. The same
property is worth now 900 per acre, or
in the aggregate 100000. At the time he
made his first purchase there were only one
OF two houses above Seven corners, while
now it has some of the handsomest dwellings
in the city.
OFFICES HELD.
He was member of the Legislature in
1852, city assessor, member of the board OF
county commissioners, and leading elder
in the first Presbyterian church.
AS AMAN.
Mr. Selby was q man of medium size and
rather slender; had sharp features
clean cut nose, and reminded
one of New England Yankee.
He was very industrious, economical and
thrifty. He obtained quite living from his
garden, and that with the sale of part of bis
land, made him at the time he died, COM
fortably well off. He was a conscientious,
liberal minded, heightened gentleman, and
was universally respected by the community.
He died of a tumor in the stomach, on the
18th Of April, 1855, aged 43 years, and very
few men have left behind them better rec
ord or a better name than that of j. W.
Selby.
MRS. sELBY.
Mrs. Selby may very justly be classed
among the old settlers, and one who did her
share towards moulding public sentiment
We remember her as a bright, jovial, pleas
ant woman, always cheerful and scattering
sunshine in her path. She toiled with her
husband to accumulate their property, and
after his death visited Europe, and then mar
ried her old lover, now Senator Conger from
Michigan.
THAT coFFEEi
In early days the writer advocated the
principles of temperance strongly, and on
the incoming of the New Year he
suggested that the ladies present moth
ing to their gentleman friends stronger
than coffee, so Mrs. Selby, in the goodness
of her heart, sat a special table for our bene-
fit, in which coffee was to be the leading fea-
ture, but, unfortunately, we we're prevented
from making our New Year call, and during
all these long years we have been regretting
the loss Of that delicious coffee which was
intended as a com pliment to our temperance
principles. The reader can appreciate this
point when he comes to know that intoxIcat-
ing liquors was the universal rule, not the
exception. She was in favor of every good
movement to benefit the public, and although
now resident of another state yet she
makes her yearly pilgrimages to this in order
to live over again her young married life.
LOUIS DEAIULEs.
Mr.. Demules was born in Canada in 1882:
married a sister of Vetal Guerin; came TO
ST. Paul in 1852; was clerk for Louis NJ.
Olivier for two years; was also a clerk and
agent for Louis Robert from 1860 to 1862; in
1868 opened grocery store corner Waba-
shaw and Seventh streets; was in business up
to 1874; was a candidate for treasurer of the
nit
twice; was elected alderman and school in
spector; was the first president of the Union
Franchise society; was first president
of St. John the Baptist society:
held various offices in these
two orders; was also promoter of these socie-
ties which formed the Parish of St. Louis
French; held the Office of U. s Gauger six
years, and is now Deputy Collector of Gus
toms.
DEFENDING FORT RIDGELY.
Four days before the outbreak of the Sioux
Indians in 1862, Mr.. Demules raised a com
papy of forty-ive men, to enlist in the Fed
eral army, and while on his way to St. Paul
he heard of the outbreak and his men and
Others organized into strong body at St.
Peter, and marched to the defense of the
Fort. and in making that defense three of his
men were killed and three were wounded.
After the fort had been saved, all the men
enlisted in the Mounted Rangers to serve in
the State, and Demules returned to take
charge of Capt. Roberts business, including
four stores.
HIS REAL EsTATE-THE OLD STORY.
He purchased twenty-five acres in st. Paul,
in 1852, costing 81, 800 worth now $780,
OOO; 100 feet on Seventh street, costing 81
800; worth now $50, 900; ten acres near the
Manitoba Round house, for which he paid
81, 100; worth S55, 900; a lot near the
Union Depot on Fourth street; cost
$500; worth $40. 600; two lots on Norris
street. cost 81, 600; worth $4,000; ten acres
on Lambert's island, near Vadnais lake. for
$3.50; worth 81, 900, and lots of property in
other places, all of which has greatly ad-
Vanced in value, and among it were three
lots where the German Catholic church now
stands, which cost him 5000; worth SIS, 900:
sold them for 700, and $500 of the pur-
chase money went towards the education of
his children, of whom he has had five, and
OF these one son has been a member Of the
Legislature.
A GOOD CITIZEN.
Mr.. Demules has ALWAYS been stirring.
active citizen, never falling to advance the
interests of St Paul. He is not tall, nor fat,
and yet possesses a physical organization
which is capable of great endurance. He
has high head, almost completely bald, re-
sembling somewhat ''the top-knotr worn by
the late Horace Greeley. He is only a rem
nant left of that gallant band of Frenchmen
who were the early pioneers of
our city, and to whose memo
ries we turn with the kindest regard, for in
our investigations of history we find thot