Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-11-23


Pembina's place in the development
of the northwest-a place so distinc
tive and so interesting as to be ap
preached by no other city of this sec
ton. 1t is around the city of Penn
bina that all early Red river valley
history revolved. and the removal at
this time of the seat of government
from the city brings back to mind
many of the important features con-
nected with great work that has been
done In and about that place.
1t is to the city of Pembina that
Minnesota owes the fact that the
state capital is now In St. Paul, as a
delegate from Pembina to the Mime
sofa legislature, Joe Rolette. was the
man who in 1867 saved the removal
OF the capitol to st. Peter. even after
both branches of the assembly had
passed a bill providing for such re.
moval
Pembina.. in the early days, was a
part OF the state of Minnesota. North
western Minnesota and the Red river
valley constituted the Pembina legis-
lative district, and although the pop
/ llatlon was at that time scant. it Is
presumed that the district was en-
titled to legislative representation.
The first two sessions of the assembly
appear to have passed without any
delegate from Pembina, but in 1852,
when the third territorial legislative
assembly was about to convene, dele
gates to both the council and house
were named. being Norman W. Kit
son and Anton Gingras.
In 1854 there were 1928 oytes cast
; in the entire Pembina district, every
one of which was cast in Pembina
city, and at that time Joe Rolette,
Gingras and Kittson were elected. the
two former to the house. For several
years thereafter Rolette was sent to
the house. and as some historian has
said: Joe was a trader without =.
method and with little idea of the
value OF money. and if the whole
truth were to be told it would an
pear that the opposition traders sent
MIN to the legislature in order to take
him away from the business and leave
the trade open for them, without his
>'''l'> 'I'i'i, as Hc was tutlTclV 100
sharp for them"
Rolette's Work.
1t was during the session of 1867
that Rolette saved the capitol of Min
nesota to ST. Paul. A bill providing
for its removal to St. Peter had been
introduced by w. u. Lowry, mem.
Der of the council from ST. Cloud. and
had passed the council February 10
and the house February IS, 1857. 1t
only needed the signature of Governor
German. who had been appointed by
President Ramsey to become law. Ro-
lette was chairman of the commit
tee that had the matter in charge,
and the session being within five days
OF the time of its close, when he had
received the bill on February q, he
made way with it by absenting him
self from the session, and, with the
connivance of friends who were nos
tile to the project. he secluded him
self in his room at a hotel called the
Fuller house. Tradition states that
these friends If Joe got him ,n1oxicat-
ed and detained him at his MOTEL in
that manner. Those interested IN hav-
Ing the bill become law made siren.
uous efforts to have Joe found, but
without avail. Unable to report a true
bill for the governors signature. :he
legislature ended and the project of
removing the capital fell by he way.
side.
Rolette was a noted fur trader of
his time. He was born in 1920. his
father, Quebeck. also being a far
trader In early life young Roletto
was sent to New York to be educated
under the supervision of Ramsey
Crooks. president of the American
Fur company. On his return to the
west he entered the service of his
father in the fur trade In 1912 the
elder Rolette died. and Joe Rnlette
then went to Pembina to take care Of
the fur business. From that time ne
made his home in that city.
First County Seat.
Pembina was the first county seat
in North Dakota, being made a coun-
ty seat in 1867 when the North Da-
kota territorial assembly created a
county called Pembina out of the
eastern portion of the present state
of North Dakota. Previous to that !
four counties had been created by the
assembly. but none of those had been
When the 1867 act was
passed. the territorial governor nam. ;
ed Charles Cavileer, Joseph ltolette
and Charles Grant as county COM
and they made Pembina
The county seat. Cavalier. the city
hat was last week successful in
from Pembina the county
seat honors. was named after Charles !
Cavileer.
In addition to being the first coun- j
ty seat, Pembina holds many other |!
honors of similar nature 1t was at |
Pembina that the first white man !
trod North Dakota sod. No record of |
his name has been kept, but it was
in 1880 when French trader locat.
ed there, remaining there forty-three
years, being mentioned by Prof. Keat-
ing, the chronicler of the Major Long
expedition.
Colony Took Refuge.
Pembina was once made the place
where members of the Selkirk colony