The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-12-19

present time would fill big book, and
only a passing reference to the found
ing and growth OF the village can be
given here. The village of Princeton
was laid out and plated by Hon.
Samuel Ross, James w. Gillian,
Dorilius Morrison, John S. Prince and
Richard Chute, and the plat was re-
corded on the 10Th of April, 1856 at
the Office of the register Of deeds in
Benton county. The plat consisted Of
320 acres. The village was organized
by special act of the legislature in
March, 1877, and E. G.. Gle, H. B.
Cowles, G.. H. Rines, B. F. Whitney,
and Chas. Keith were designated a
commission to carry out the articles of
incorporation. The first village elec-
ton was held the same month, at
which the following officers were
elected: c.. H. Rines, president; F.
NJ. Campbell, I. S. Mudgett, and T. H.
Galley. trustees: S. l.. Staples, re-
corder: D. H. Murray, treasurer, Chas.
Keith and S. M. Justice, justices of
the peace: VIM. Martin, constable.
The town was named in honor of John
S. Prince, one of it's founders.
The first shanty built within the
limits of Princeton was in 1919 and oc-
cupied by a mulatto known by the
name of "Banjo Bill' who kept a
''stopping place." This shanty stood
near the old elm tree on the river
bank, and the tree still stands to-day
as cherished land mark. The river
has been gradually undermining it and
unless some measures are taken soon
to preserve the tree the venerable elm
will like all the other landmarks pass
and first real place of entertainment
was kept by Chas. Whitcomb and Mr..
DuntOn in 1854. and the place after
wards passed into the hands of Mr..
Damon, who had laid out part of his
claim on the south of the village plat
as an addition to the new town. The
next year Mr.. Damon and Allen
farmed the land within the limits of
Princeton, which was the first land
ever cultivated in the county. In 1856
Samuel Ross completed his hotel
which was then known as the Prince
ton House, and afterwards built the
North Star hotel 1t was about this
time that Thomas Goulding opened
the American house which was the
frstclass hotel Of the town for many
years, and the Commercial hotel of to-
day stands on the site of the old Amer
lean. Louis Young who is now with
the Commercial hotel, is said to be all
that is left of the old American house,
which piece by piece was pulled down
and made way for the present hotel.
The first frame building in Princeton
was the Oxnord store which was oc
cupied by H. B. Cowles & Co. as a
stOrehOuse for many years. 1t was
about this time that Princeton began
to assume the proportions of a bust
ness place. and among the merchants
of those days were H. B. Cowles, B.
f. Whitney and John Rines. The
early pioneers of Princeton we're made
of the right kind of material to carve
out future for themselves and the
little town, and they endured many
hardships and privations that the peo-
pie of Princeton to-day would think
pretty tough living. There was little
money and very few luxuries of life.
The civil war came on and at this
time there were not 800 people in the
place. There we're plenty of loyal
citizens and Princeton sent to the
southern battlefelds a lot of good
fighters and friends of the union. The
records of the G.. A. R. post to-day
show chapters of sacrifice in this cause.
Then there we're the Indians who it
was feared would massacre the inhab-
itants and the early inhabitants organ
lied and erected a stockade. Several
companies of Infantry and cavalry
were sent at different times to guard
the town, but the Chippewas remained
friendly and did not modest the people.
After the war when people settled
down to peaceful pursuits again the
town began to grow slowly. 1t was
the distributing point and depot for all
the numbering and logging supplies for
the busy camps up the Rum and it's
tributaries. The nearest nOint tn a
railroad was Elk River from which
place everything was hauled and
stored here, and Elk River was the out
skirts of civilization for some time,
Princeton was favored with a COM
handing position for trade in the pio-
neer logging days as it is to-day for