The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-06-30

ed each day before night, chained my
oxen to a tree, built rousing fire,
spread my buffalo robes and blankets
near it, placed my axe and shot gun
handy, and laid down on the ground
and slept soundly until morning.
1 staid one night at Mafitt's hotel
in st. Paul, and the next morning,
Friday, the 25th, got my trunk at
Burbank's express Office, took on
about half a ton of provisions for
Minard Mills, and in company with
Noah Armstrong and another man,
both of whom had OK teams and lum-
Der wagons loaded with supplies for
| the winter, started back to Mankato
by way of Fort Smelling and the Min
nesota valley. On that day the
weather turned cold and the ground
froze, making it hard for oxen. we
staid all night with Mr.. Burns, a.
"Black Dogs Village five miles
above Mendoza.
After much trouble and some mis-
haps, we all arrived at the top OF tn
"big hill'', above the present railroa
station at East Henderson at tw
O'Clock on Tuesday, the goth. Had
heen alone | should not have dare
!; try to take my team and wagon dow
the long steep Indian trail that wer
over the point of the "hog back int
! the river valley, but my companion
knew how to do it; so we took tt
wagons one at time, chained, locke'
{ and rough locked all Of the wheel
and one man drove the oxen while Il
others held the wheels of the wagon
( keep it from Slowing around, and
{ dark we were all safely at the foot
the hill, where we slept all nigh
( with a big fire in front of us. VIII
I reached Mankato, on December Ii
! the ground was just whitened wi
+ snow.
{ Five or six log houses had be
! built after l came to Mankato, a
\ the following is list of those W
( passed the winter of 1S53-54 hel
: Those with families were, Jas. Hanr
\ Henry jackson, Parsons K. Johnsc
( Peter Frenzel, Clements Kron, O.
! w. Lay, Edwin Howe, Joseph Fl
X mont, Jas. Rablin, - Red6eld, m
Z ard Mills, Geo. Maxfeid, Thomas
I Warren, Hoxie Rathburn, Geo. '
\ Brunt, Philip Krommell, Lewis Wi
Z low, Jacob Guenther and Jose
! Guenther; also the following n
X without families: Evans Goodri
{ Henry Goodrich, Hiram Fuller, Pc
+ Frantz, Robert Wardlaw, Doc
i Adams, Doctor Heath, Lawyer e
er land, John E. Harrison, Marshal &c
of stock, John Layton, VIM. Wor
ar BILLY Bowlegs), Basil Moreland, q
wv q. Marsh, John S. Hinckley, @.
n Abbott, James McMurtrie, Ephrs
II, Cole, John Trennheiser, Josiah Kee
tn Geo. W. Cummings, French j
Christian Borse, Mike Sailer, - Ka
en- man, - Tallmadge, John Wells
NJ several others who had not arri
lly at Mankato at this time.
ne Most of the settlers who came
off this section in 1868 arrived too lat
est raise crops, except very few We
tables. During the summer and
nd they bought their salt pork. flour
If other supplies from the little ste'
nd boat "Clarion, Captain Culberts
,ta which run on the Minnesota river
q ing the entire season, and from
,ds same source procured supplies for
ara winter. After I came in October,
IN settlers were very busy preparing
IA winter, banking their houses
be making things snug and warm.
,lso In these early days some droll tn
IF occurred. Robert Wardlaw acct
md Billy Bowlegs of stealing his