The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-06-14

and each had taken claim and built
cabin; that they had selected claim
for me and urged me to come at once
or my claim would be jumped. l re-
solved to go to the home of the Sioux
Indian, and on the 25th day of April,
1856 came from Chicago on the steam
boat, landing at Mankato. l didn't
do as Columbus had done. but quietly
went to my brothers cabin on the
Watonwan river, where l spent two
winters His cabin was one story
structure, built of logs, hazel brush
and covered with sod. The cabin was
substantial and was all right except
when it rained From the appearance
of the cabin it was clearly evi dent
that no architect had been employ ed
in its construction. The sod on top
made the roof sag so that our heads
frequently touched the knots in the
logs overhead, which occasionally
produced scene of falling stars. My
brother and l. carried on the farm.
That year we plowed 20 acres OF land
and raised crop Our live stock was
yoke of oxen. The prairie grass we
had cut for the oxen that season was
burned and we had to feed corn stalks.
All the settlers along the Blue Earth
river and Watonwan river patched it.
Provisions were at premium and
were shipped in from neighboring
points. Our menu consisted of
corn, potatoes and pancakes for break
fast potatoes, pancakes and corn for
dinner; and corn, pancakes and pota-
toes for supper. You can see that we
had change for every meal. AS
substitute for pancakes we OCCASIONALLY
had mixture of -four, celery, salt
and water, which was better food for
hungry bachelors. In June. 1856 the
ladies of Lake Crystal invited the
bachelors along the rive to celebrate
the Fourth of July and requested them
to bring along their baskets. What
to take in our baskets we did not
know. suggested bread. My br other
could make sweet cake and we de-
cided to take this. This sweet cake he
made just like bread except that he
put in molasses. With our sweet cake,
we started for Lake Crystal early on
the morning of the Fourth to join the
settlers in celebrating the national
holiday. We did not want to take our
sweet cake to the celebration to be
downed by others, so concealed it in
the grass near Lake Crystal. If we could
not get enough to eat at the picnic
grounds this sweet cake would be
resorted to, as was done. The picnic
grounds were on the north side of
Lake Crystal at the home of Mr..
Webb's. There was no declaration of
independence read, we felt that we
were monarchs of all we surveyed.
The tables were covered with white
table cloths, china dishes, beautiful
cakes glistening with frosting, cream
and pure butter The day was pleas
antly spent and in the evening we
went to dance at Riley Roberts
which lasted all night, and returned to
| our cabins in the morning happy
and patriotic band.
Sin July, 1856 young man drove
to Garden City with one horse, pitch
ed his tent and hung out sign, offer
ing for sale groceries, dry goods, etc.
He stayed two weeks This was the
first store on the town plat of Garden
City. Sioux Indians were plenty in
the early days and made nightly raids
on our corn. This cereal was then
worth dollar bushel. "
The speaker related his experience
with an Indian who came to the cabin
one night when he was alone. His
previous resolution to fight if the In
dian insisted on taking his corn was
withdrawn when the red man held a
knife before his breast. In the winter
of SO and 81 the snow was heavy, the
roads all blocked and provisions were
hauled from st. Paul. A company of
soldiers were organized at Wabasha
and the Indians were driven out that
winter Garden City was first named
| Fremont, but was later changed bake
to Garden City. The word Gre
mont" was said by some to mean
''small potatoes, " which was provoca-
ton for changing to the original
name. This the speaker declared was
long before the incorporation of Gar
den City, which created laughter.
In December, 1857, Mr.. Barney
moved to Mankato and his experiences
from that point, he said would form
the second chapter in his pioneer life.
Friends of Long Ago" was nicely
rendered by Miss Washburn, after
which Mrs. 81. G. Howard of Lake
Crystal read a paper reciting her ex-
periences during the early COS. The
paper was we'll prepared and told of
her various trips to and from the differ
ent towns during the exciting times
I, of those days of which SO much has
been recorded and personally witnessed
by few of the remaining pioneers in
this county. The "reminiscences were
greatly appreciated
W. L. Nolan of Minneapolis was
next on the program. Mr.. Nolan said
he was not an old settler, but he came
, to Minnesota as soon as he could per-
suade his parents to come, which was
accom- MI Shod r-hon he was thraa roa,.s.