The Mankato free press., 1902-06-30
THE FIRST THREE.
p. K. Johnson, w. w. Paddock and
Evans Goodrich.
Begin their Early Career in rlankato
Fifty Years Ago.

Fifty years AS time is measured
by the lives of men it is long while.
Measured by the standard of NOV
ing events it is but bri, f period.
And yet the changes wrought are
great. Many of the men who came
to Mankato during the first years of
its settlement have passed to their
eternal rest, but two of those who
came here fifty years ago today and
spent the night on Sibley Mound are
still alive and in the enjoyment of
good health. P. K. Johnson, whose
picture we here present as young
man, was taken in st. Paul in 1851
a year previous to his advent into a
wilderness where now stands the
thriving and beautiful city of Manka-
to, and further along in the article we
present his photo taken fifty years
later, when he is an old but hearty
man. Mr.. johnson lives with his son
in Brainerd.
To Mr.. Thomas Hughes, whose in
formation on the early history of
Mankato qualities him to write in
telligently and interestingly of the
past we are indebted for the follow
ing sketch:
The cession to the whites by the
Sioux Indians in 1851 of their vast and
rich domains west of the Mississippi
river created, especially at st. Paul,
an eager desire for it's immediate pos
session. During the fall and winter
of that year the whole population of
the metropolis seemed to be in a
feverish excitement to plant townsites
in the great fertile valley of the Min
nesota.
Prominent among the business men
of st. Paul there was one Henry Jack
sop, who had maintained general
store there for some years and had
traded considerably with the Indians.
He, with his brother-in-law, P. K.
Johnson and mutual friend named
Daniel Williams being also infected
with the townsite fever, concluded tc
plant city at the mouth of the Blue
Earth river. They we're led to select this
spot both because of its geographical
position at the great bend of the Min
nesota, and because in the summer OF
1850, while on an excursion upon the
steamer Yankee, they had seen the
country and been captivated by its
beauty. Accordingly on January 31st,
1859, these three, with one Johr
James and another man who had beer
hired as choppers started on theil
journey. Jackson and Johnson rode
ahead in their cutter while the res
of the party and the provisions were
conveyed by q Frenchman, named
Louis De Moreau in his sleigh attach
ed to two horses. Just as they were
leaving Jackson s store VIM. W. Pad
dock concluded to join the company
simply to see the country.
The first night they spent will
Hugh Quinn, who lived in an Indial
lodge with his squaw wife on th'
river bottom just above Ft. Smelling
The second night they passed will
Thos. Holmes at his new cabin which
he had just built at Shakopee. Th'
third night they reached the trading
post of Louis Robert near Belle Plain
then in charge of his brother, Nelson
Here jackson was taken suddenly il
and returned in the cutter with on'
of the men in the morning to st
Paul. The rest of the party pushe'
ahead and camped the fourth night ol
the present site of LIE Sueur, where
during the evening, they were visite'
by Messrs. Cathcart and Christie an
their men, all armed, who learning
that the destination of our friend
was the mouth of the Blue Earth sool
retired. johnson and his follower
simply thought their friends had beel
out hunting and the real object of tn
visit did not occur to them until mex
morning they found the ground abou
them covered with lot stakes and tn
logs of a small cabin hurriedly pile
, together. The fifth day they reache
Traverse Des Sioux and put up for tn
night at the cabin of Louis Provencelle