The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-05-14

y
ago Minnesota became a state. In the
annual meeting of the Minnesota Ter
rltorial Pioneers association, held yes
terday in the old capitol building, the
fifty years of war and peace, of Joy
and sorrow, of meetings and partings
seemed to the seventy-fve old friends,
who took part, but a little while.
Recognitions and glad hand greetings
were the order of the day when the
four score old-timers came together.
"Hulloa, kid"
Good morning, young man."
Those were the favorite exchanges
of the morning which was devoted
largely to the renewal of "auld ac-
quaintance."
why, | remember to have taken
this young man on my knee at school,"
said Judge d. A. ]. Baker as he threw
mis- arm affectionately around the
shoulders of Mark L. Wildes, Mankato,
vice president of the association. Mr..
Wildes is just turned eighty-one years
of age and the judge, who was his
schoolmaster at Bath, Me-, when he was
only sixteen years old, is now eighty
eight. So the two old chums, once mas
ter and scholar, wandered off by them
selves to talk of early days and early
struggles.
That was the way most of the old
boys spent the morning. In groups
they discussed the events of the year
that has gone.
Such remarks as these could be
heard everywhere:
Gust handful left now
81 know of many VINO were here
last year who will be unavoidably abb
sent this year"
"The winter has been hard-the ranks
are thinned"
What the Old Timers Said.
E. l.. Larpenteur was one of the old
est settlers in the group. He was born
May l6, 1923, and came to settle in
Minnesota in. the spring of 1885, He
looks strong enough to attend several
annual meetings of the association yet.
William Thompson had the first tax
receipt ever issued in Steele county to
tell of. He also related how he planted
forty acres of corn on the present town
site of Owatonna.
Mark l.. Wildes. Mankato, vice pres
ident of the association, took the chair
on account of the absence of r. A.
Plummer, president, who is now in the
state of Washington.
Professor W. W. Folwel. of the state
university, told of the school life in
the early days. He congratulated the
men of the present day on the pros
perity of the school system He re-
marked upon the great interest and
enthusiasm that had been shown BY
the early settlers when the establish
ment of state university at Mime
apolis was under considerations "a
81 believe that in the future we
shall have $250,OOO,O0O in the general
school fund of the state" said Pro-
fessor FOlwell
Memorial For the Departed.
A solemn memorial service was held
for those who have died during the
past year. Thew included the follow
ing: Edward Thompson, VINO presided
at the first republican convention held
in Minnesota, at Caledonia, S54; R. H.
Hasty; S. s. Farnum, who came to St.
Anthony in lS4S, and Henry P. Up
ham. of the First National bank, st.
Paul; John D. Ludden, l845; Selma
Deallev Colby, lS47; Lorenzo Hoyt,
1913; Captain Peter Berkey, 1853; Cap
tain John Taper, 1874; O. NJ Laramy,
1857: Charles Bassett, 1854; William
Strathern, 1853; Mrs. D. H. Wright,
daughter of the late Colonel Cyrus
Aldrage; Gordon G. Lommis. 1850; V.
B. Parks, 1853; Moses Palinsky, Jewish
resident Duluth, 1854; Mrs. Nina A.
Grant, 1857; Edwin Gribble, 1857;
Oliver Dalrvmple, 1856; Mrs. D. P. Del
amater, 1857 John w. Hutchinson, last
of the family of singing brothers, 1855;
Caleb Brewer, 1852; Captain Frank j.
Mead, 1857; Robert Nelson Britton,
1855; Mrs. Nancy j. Ross, 1856; NJ. v.
B. Scribner, 1856; Hon. William H.
Kelley, John w. Nelson, 1855; William
Leip, 1854, and Isaac Lincoln, 1856.
The report of the secretary, G. n.
Hazard, showed that the association
owns $4,000 worth of property, includ-
ing the fire-proof art gallery and the
log cabin on the state fair grounds.
Levi Southworth, Shakopee, spoke to
the Association of Minnesota Valley
Pioneers, and of the early days in that
district
A new flag decorated the old capt.
tol in honor of the meeting of the
association.
]. E. Simms, Albert Lea, is the au.
thor of song which was sung at the
meeting to the air of "There Is One
Vacant Chair"
The Partial Rollcall.
Among the territorial pioneers were
William Pitt Murray, st.
Paul, lS49; E. L. Larpenteur, st. Paul,
1899; J. S. Hough. st. Paul. 1850, who
with Charles Dingley and Bob Stevens
hauled the first load of brick for the
old territorial capitol in 1853; General
William lie Due, Hastings, 1850; Judge
D. A. j. Baker, Minneapolis, ls49;
Charles Rye, Minneapolis, 1853. Will
lam Thompson, Owatonna, 1856; George
E. Fertig, st, Paul, 1856; F. McNamara,