St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-23
BY T. NJ. NEwsoS.
Article XII.
WILLIAM MOOT.

n the wear 1S53,-the territory was tueh
Democratic-none were more enthusiastic,
Dr. more warmly devoted to their party, than
William Moot and "Little Jack Morgan"
The latter wei! known 10y the old settlers, as
the Ohio Democratic politician. Moot and
Jack we're inseparable They agreed on
party issues: never faltered in their devo-
ton to the memory Of Andrew Jack
son. and socially were hale fell
lows well met. Poor Jackl How ofteh
he tried 10 convince us that we were wrong
in our devotion to the cause OF the siave,and
how often he regretted that one he SO es-
teemed, should be misled by fanatical Ideas
Unfortunately he did not live to see the re-
suits OF the great rebellion, but died in early
life, fully impressed with the belief that the
Democratic party was the only pure and great
and grand party which could save this coun-
try from destruction. Jack came TO ST. Paul
sometime in 1852 or 1858, and OF whom we
shall have more to say. Mr.. Moot we lost
sight of for years, and supposed he was dead,
when mere accident found him alive and
wei. living at a serene old age in the town
OF Big Lake, Sherburne county, Minnesota.
WHEN AND WHERE BORN.
He was bern in Wesel on the Rhine, Prus-
STA, in the year 1911; removed to Missouri in
1874; engaged in farming; married Nancy
Merchant IN lS45; came to st. Paul In 1S47;
remained here a short time, when he made
claim one mile above the mouth OF Rum
river. including the big island, but was
driven off when the Winnebagoes were re-
moved TO Blue Earth county, they having a
high old spree over his scoota-wa-boo, which
they found, and which event Mr.. Moot thus
describes:
wHooPING IT UPl
He had two barrels of whisky at this time,
which he had sold to the Indian traders, and
had it hid, according to instructions, in a
corn crib, but the Indians found it out, and
then there was a lively tussel. They took
every pot and pan he had, and even emptied
his powder keg and filed that with whisky,
and removed these vessels TO where they
camped that night, which was about three
quarters of a mile from Noot's house. Him
self and wife and little son then went TO Mr..
Folsom's, at the mouth of Rum river, but
there was no sleep. The Indians were very
liberal with their whisky, and fortunately
they were very good natured, so Moot and his
family escaped with their lives.
Mr.. Moot then bought a claim near st.
Paul, sold it, and took another claim on the
Fort Smelling reservation, in Reserve town
ship He served two terms in the territorial
house of representatives, and translated the
first message of Gov Ramsey into German;
voted for Abe Lincoln, but after the death of
that good man he went back to his old love,
the Democratic party. He enlisted in the
Second Minnesota regiment and served his
adopted country, and though not rich, he has
been blessed with eleven children, and re-
-. l.. l.. IL
past twenty years. One son is dead, three
others and one daughter are married, and
this Veritable Moot, to our memory of thirty
one years ago. still lives at the advanced age
Of scventy-three, dreaming over again the
pleasant times he had with little Jack Nor
gan and the good, old Democratic party of
over quarter of century ago, having been
a resident of Minnesota for about thirty-seVen
years.
REV j. G. RIHELDAFFER.
Mr. Riheldaffer was born in Pennsylvania,
of German descent on the part of his father
and Irish on the part of his mother, in 1915;
was educated at West Alexandria Washing
ton College. in the Princeton Theological
Seminary; graduated in lS4S; became the
pastor of the First Presbyterian church at
Fort Wayne, indiana; came to st. Paul in
1851; organized and built the Central Pres
byterian church, near the capitol and was
minister of this church thirteen years. In
1853 he opened the first and then only
Protestant female seminary in the state, and
his school located on the corner of
Summit avenue and st. Peter street. He
continued this seminary for ten years when,
in 1868, he was appointed superintendent of
the State Reform school, which position he
still holds. Previous to this he was mem
Der of the Board and also for seven wears
Regent of the State University He is also
trustee of the Albert Lea college, which is
really only an off-shoot of his old seminary,
which had, on an average, of over sixty
pupils and thirty boarders.
REAL ESTATE
He owned three lots on the corner of Sum-
nit avenue and St. Peter street, $50 by 1s6.
upon which his school buildings stood, and
which cost him originally $1,000; worth now
$50, 200; he also owned eleven lots in the
immediate neighborhood of the last named
property, for which he paid SO, 900; could not
be bought now for less than 500, 600: a lot
on Fifth street. nearly opposite the Custom
House, costing him $3.50. is now worth S25.-
coo; another lot near Hope church, which
cost him 5000, worth IS, 900; three lots close
to Saltwater street, valued at SIS, O0O cost
him S125. OF course had Mr. Riheldaffer
held on to his lots until the present day. he
would have been very rich man, but like
many others, he didn't.
MARRIED AND A FAMILY.
He has been married twice, first in 1S4S.
and second in 1851, the last time to Miss
Catharine Ogden; has family of four chill
dren, one son and three daughters. The son
is married
AS SUPERINTENDENT.
No man in the state of Minnesota is better
fitted for the position of SUPERINTENDENT of
the reform school, than Mr.. Rheldaffer. He
has built the school up to its present flourish
ing condition, which is the finest of any in
stitution in the state, and nobody could ask
for better man. Surrounded bv l2s bows
aud fourteen girls, everything moves along
like clock-work, and the expenses are kept
down to consistent grade of economy.
The state owns sixty-three acres. which
originally cost Sl7 900; worth now Sl26. 900:
S15,0O0 have been expended in improve
ments, making the institution-land and
5uildings-valued at $20i, O0O- the state
gaining profit on the land alone, of
500, 900.
MR. RlHELDAFFER PERSONALLY
We remember Mr.. Riheldaffer about thirty
years ago, as tall, well proportioped gen
tleman, with black hair and black whiskers /;
moderate in his speech but decisive in opin-
ion, as mis- biblical discussion with Rev. E. D.
Aeill in the colum us OF the old Daily Times.
July attest He has grown stouter now. and
his hair and whiskers are gray, although his