The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-05-31
IN THE DAYS OF So
"Chad' Drops Into a Reminiscent
flood and Writes a Thrilling
Story for the Union.
The First Congregational Church of
Princeton and the Pursuit of
Marauding Redskins.

indebted for the following remin-
iscences of Princeton fifty years ago:
ION the 10Th of last month";" said
"Chad,n Twas Princeton's fftieth
birthday-a day which we neglected
to celebrate. The other night, while
in a reflective frame Of mind and mus
ing over the days that have long since
passed away, I thought of, among
many other things, the first school
house that was built in Princeton and
compared it with the splendid struc-
lures which we have now. This
school house was built fifty years ago
next fall. It still stands and is now
occupied by William Martin. At
about the same time that this school
house was erected I built a house
near where George Young. now re-
sides and lived in it two winters.
Going back to the school house, I can
tell you we had some great and glori-
Gus times in that old building. Our
debating club and our lyceum were
amazing and amusing organizations.
At least they appear that way when
my minds eye compares them with the
high school clubs of today. And our
orators. They were the crudest bunch
of mossheads possible to imagine. AS
to the high school building we have in
Princeton today, I do not suppose
there were any in the United States at
that time which would compare with
it. Even Boston, the cultured city of
the east, possessed no school structure
which would approach it in magnif-
cence
1.-The Congregational church of
Princeton will shortly celebrate it's
fftieth anniversary. I attended the
first service in the first church of that
denomination that was built here, and
T would be pleased to hear from any
other person who was present upon
that occasion. I think it was in
June: 1856, when the Rev. Twitchell
came here at the solicitation of
Samuel Ross, the resident townsite
proprietor, and held services in a
14x16-fOot log house which was To-
Gated near where the Hunt house-re-
Gently destroyed by fire stood. This
was the first Congregational church.
All that could possibly attend the first
service did so. I at that time was
running a hotel for Mr.. Ross, and
while I went to church, my wife and
the two daughters Of Mr.. Ross re-
NAMED at home. Work which was
necessary to be accomplished pre-
vented them from accompanying me.
During my absence from the hotel
about thirty canoes loaded with In
dians came down the river and raided
the settlers. They killed a COW in
Dexter Payne's dooryard and took it
with them. When they reached the
hotel they tried to get into the grub
pile and my wife dubbed them away.
They then smashed things in the bar
room, and shot my dog, which OBJ
jected to their proceedings. When I
arrived home things looked pretty
much dilapidated. By that time the
Indians had moved down the river
and cleaned out few settlers on
their way, and these settlers were ar
irving in town with their tales of woe.
Then it was that fifteen of us gathered
together and pursued the Indians on
the shores of the river. We discov-
cred that not a single house had es-
capped their raids, and in one instance
an Indian had held a knife to a
wOman's throat while the rest gath
cred up all the edibles upon the prem
ises. We came up with the 'varmints'
about two miles this side of Spencer
Brook. At this time there were only
seven in our party, the rest having re-
turned. The red rascals, when we
first observed them, we're on the oppo-
site side OF the river shooting pigeons
The land upon our side of the river
was low while the Indians occupied
an elevated position upon high sand
bank. When they saw US they imme-
diately shot off their pigeon charges
and loaded with bullets. There were
about fifty or sixty of the redskins
and but seven of US, but it would not
do to show fear. We looked about
for means to cross the river and
finally found three logs. These we
dashed together with willows. AT first
Damon, Baker and myself crossed and
Baker returned for the rest. Then
Damon and commenced climbing the
bank, pulling ourselves up by the
brush. The bank at this place was
twenty or thirty feet high and the In
dians stood above waiting for US. We
climbed abreast of each other and I