The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-02
STURDY PIONEER
OF ST. PAUL.

Despite the tales of pioneer wildness
and wickedness, it cannot be denied that
the men who pushed their way into the
nhospitable wilderneSseS of the West and
4 overcoming well nigh insurmountabe OBJ
stacles Of nature. planted a new empire
IN the virgin world, were on the whole a
sturdy and dominating race of men 1t
was no tribe of freebooters who thus
combated fierce and unyieiGing condi-
tons of nature and built their bone and
blood and spirit into a foundation for
manknd's growing structure of civil
cation.
The earliest settlers Of St Paul were
Canadian French, travellers from the far
North. and a hardy, brave bold class of
men. They have left their impress in
delibly upon the city. and their records
are in the traditions of the past. Though
forgotten now, their name and fame the
work they did abides and grows.
One Of the French pioneers deserves
to be long remembered by this populace.
His name is Vital Guerin, and there are
yet living some old settlers who cherish
the memory Of the hardy voyageur who
cast his fortunes with the young city in
1872
Vital Guerin was born in st. Renli, Can,
In 1872, and was the son of Louis GueTin,
distinguished voyageur, and the boy
followed in his fathers Footsteps When
but a Youngster he enlisted in the service
of the American Fur company. serving
tifEee years under the famous Gabriel
Franchere. On May 5, 1892 Guerin. in
company with lS4 men. taking With them
-four barges of goods, left Montreal for.
the Upper Mississippi country and made
the entire trip to Mendoza by water,
through the Great Lakes Green Bay.
the Fox and Wisconsin rivers and up
the Mississippi river to Mendoza. where
they reached the company's post late il
the year.
Young Guerin worked at Mendoza and
at Traverse de Sioux for five years fol-
lowing. Ia 1899 he squatted upon the
claim previously made by a soldier NAM
ed Hays. who had been killed, and for
whose murder Hays partner, 4 man
named Phelau. was held Upon this spot
s. Guerin built n picturesque cabin of oak
and elm from the woods surrounding
The cabin stood on the spot now oc-
cupied by lngersell's block. and was
there as late as 1860 After Phelan had
been discharged for the alleged murder
of Hays he put in a claim TO the prop
eIty. and caused Guerin much trouble.
When finally the title was quoted Guerin
generously save away half of the prop
erty to his friend Pierre Gervas, then
in sore straits. who built a cabin on the
corner of Third and St. Peter streets.
On the I'd of January. 1871. Guerin was
married to Adele Perry by Father Gaul-
tier, and it was a great event in the lit
tie pioneer village. Danny Cherrier said
he fiddled all night until he fell eX
hausted. The domestic outfit Of the young
couple was decidedly limited. They ate
their meals from the big chest which
contained all their earthly possessions.
Guerin inciosed the land between St.
Peter and Cedar and Bench and Sixth
streets, aud plOughed it up with oxen
and raised great crops, aided in all his
work by his young wife.
He was Offered 81, eco for his property.
which he refused and for which he was
called foolish. Put he alone. among
those settlers. seemed to prophetically
SEE ahead Qnl dreamed Of a golden future
aF.d a great city So he hung to his
property. IN 7249 the rise in property
values made Guerin comparatively rich
man. But wealth could not spoil this
simple, uupsteE tatiOus man. Guerin al
ways said his fortune came to him as
result of the Use in property value and
through no sFTeW dness of his own. He
was distinguished by his generosity and
public spirit He was especially bene-
feent to his poor cOuntrymen, and sym
paihlzed with all misfortune In his
prosperous days he aided every public
enterprise.
Donated Court House Site.
In 1547 he gave away property worth