The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-12-22

was assembled quite a large band of
red men, while from house which
faced the landing foated out the old
familiar strain, Praise God from whom
all Blessings flow. And here let me
say, we have been told of so many first
sermons in this place.
A few years ago, while Margaret
Hanna still lived, she showed me mar
ginal note in her bible written on the
day we landed here. 1t said Rev N.
Hobet of Red Wing, preached here
today, and it was opposite the text
taken. In a letter received last Satur
day from Rev. Chauncy Hobart of Red
Wing, he says: "My brother Norris
preached the first sermon ever preached
in Mankato, he going there on the first,
or nearly the first boat that spring. and
within week or so I went up above
Mankato few miles on the same boat
and preached the first sermon west of
Mankato." Rev. Norris Hobart was
the presiding elder who died here few
years ago, and his aged wife and two
daughters, Mrs. Gregg and Mrs.
Phelps, reside here now, The first ser.
mon west of here have no doubt was
preached in the city of South Bend, as
he says the same boat, which was the
Clarion, and Capt Humbertson of that
boat was the founder of South Bend
and usually went there on each trip.
Our goods were put out on the bank,
where with only a tarpaulin thrown
over them they remained until shelter
was built for them from lumber
brought on the same boat. We didn't
need any police men in those days.
We were conducted to our hotel by
George w. Cummings. The hotel was
in McKinty town and was kept by
Edwin Howe. 1t was log house with
loose boards laid down for floors and
the same for roof. Every one slept on
the floor and furnished their own bed.
ding. Board one dollar day, children
as well as grown people.
In few days (three or FOUR Mr..
Hanna had small room built adjoin-
ing his house, into which my father
moved his goods temporarily.
The stock consisted of dry goods
groceries, guns and ammunition, in fact
a little of everything That was Man
katos first store.
| Afterwards Miss Sarah Hanna opened
a school there, so it was also the frs
school room.
Mr.. Hanna had span of horses, Mrs
Jackson had saddle horse she called
Jessie, VIM. Wood had a breaking
team of four yoke of oxen. These wer,
all the teams here the first summer
Mr.. Wood was the one who was killed
in the spring of Sc at Spirit Lake by
In-ka- pa do-tah and his band.
We had almost no fresh fruit o.
vegetables, but one day James Nc
Murtrie found some goose berries. The
mosquitoes were so thick he had to pu
netting over his hat and tie it dowr
over his coat collar, and put on thicl
gloves, and tie his sleeves down ovel
those. Thus equipped he gathered {
pail full of those goose berries anC
from them Jane Comstock made some
pies. My, but didn't those pies taste
good. In all the long years since, NJ
pie has quite come up to those wild
goose berry pies.
All disputes or differences were US
ually settled by going to Uncle Jimmy
Hanna. Every one felt that he would
do just what was right Both Mr.. and
Mrs. Hanna would share the las
crumb with neighbor or grant any
favor that lay in their power.
We did not lack for legal advice, fol
a fine young lawyer, Mr.. Holland
came in July and with him came &
friend of the medical fraternity. DR.
Adams. These were Mankato's frs
lawyer and first doctor.
Nor if sick did we lack for care, fol
we had in Mrs. Rathburn, now Mrs
Cole, as good nurse as you can fine
today.
Indians were here in plenty
and in early summer seemed tx
have nothing to do but to fashion theil
pipes or an occasional flute. One day
my father. seeing their slow process O.
drilling out their pipe bowls, took ont
of the blocks of soft stone and placing
it in wise, then using first a small ano
then larger bit, he soon had the bow
the desired size It was a bad prece
dent, for he soon had his hands full
When the Indians went on their buff
falo hunt that fall they left very few
first class warriors, just enough of the
older men to keep the camps in game
For quite little time there were al
most no Indians. They were scattered
at the lakes, where the squaws were
caring for their little fields of corn and
tying up the wild rice, which is the
first step of that harvest.
But one day we were startled by the
strangest of sounds. 1t could be liken'
ed to nothing but herd of buffalo
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