The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1906-06-27
FORTY YEARS AGO.
Excerpts Taken from St. Paul Papers of
Forty Years Ago.

"A I1lSIOIlCdl hcllC We nave ndU
placed in our hands by David Guerin,
the original of a paper or instru-
ment, which is the oldest legal paper
relating to land in the city of St.
Paul. For antiquarian purposes it
is even more valuable than Carver's
famous deed, as the original of that
paper is said not to be in existence
now. The instrument we speak Of
may perhaps be called a mortgage.
1t is as follows:
''St. Peters, 18th November 1888.
On the first day of May next /
promise to pay to Guillaume Beau
mettee, ninety dollars for value
received, without defalcation. This
is signed by Pierre Parrant and wit
messed by H. H. Sibley and A. M.
Anderson. Then follows the details
Of the mortgage, which are as fol-
lows: Know all men by these
presents that l.. Pierre Parrant, re-
siding near the entry of the Saint
Peters river and Wisconsin Terri
tory, do hereby make over, transfer
and quit-claim to Guillaume Beau
mette, of St. Peters, all my right,
title and interest in and to all that
tract or portion of land which I, the
said Parrant, now reside upon and
occupy at the cave, so-called, about
four miles below Fort Snelling."
Added to this is the provision that
upon payment of the $50 this trans
| fer will not go into effect.
This document is in the handwrit-
ing of Gen. Sibley, who was at the
time agent of the fur company at
st. Peters, now called Mendoza, and
was also a Justice of the peace.
Pierre Parrant was the first white
man who pitched his tent on the
present site of St. Paul. He had
but one eye. This closely resembled
a pigs optic. AS he was a retailer
Of liquor it became the custom at
the fort and St. Peters to say, Let's
go down to Pigs Eyes" The name
fastened itself on the region around
his cabin, and the settlement was
thus known for years.
Parrant never redeemed the mort
gage and Beaumette became the
owner of the title to the land. He
had in the meantime, however, sold
the mortgage to his brother-in-
law, Vetal Guerin, but after the
note became due and Parrant had
vacated the premises some one else
took up the claim, and Guerin's $50
investment brought him nothing.
Mr.. Guerin and Mr.. Beaumette are
still living here-the latter in poor
health. Parrant went away about
1910, and was long ago reported
dead.
Henry Hale has just erected three
stone stores on jackson street, op-
posite the Merchants hotel, which
are already occupied at high prices,
so great is the demand for stores on
that street. John ]. Shaw, the en-
terprising owner of the Merchants
hotel, yesterday commenced the
erection of two stone stores at the
corner of Jackson and Fourth streets.
They have already been leased at
good rentals.
James ]. Hill, Esq, our genial,
popular and handsome friend, who
owns and runs "Hill's Warehouse,
one of the greatest institutions on
the levee, or anywhere else, arrived
home Thursday after an absence of
ten days. Jim says he was in Chi
cago. Come, now, ]. j., amt that
trying to pull wool rather strong?
You know you were in Canada,
bravely fighting to aid your brother
Finnegans Ii. e. Fenians). If you
wasn't, what made you try to dis
guise yourself by cutting off your
mustache? You had better town
up at once. Head Center Kelley
has told US all about it, you see.
Pioneer.
After number of lively skirmish-
es with varying results, the Fenian
raid on Canada has been officially