Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-11-29
P,oNhEM LIFE in N. II. IOWA.
Celebration OF Business Anniversary
Recalls the Early Day
Experiences.

sixty-third anniversary of his bust
ness career In McGregor. On No
vember z, 1848, the day Zachary
Taylor Vas elected PRESIDENT, he ar
rived in McGregor, the only settle
ment at that time Of any impor,-
anee on the west bank of the Mis-
sissiIpi north of Dubuque, and i'm
neGiately set to work putting up a
shack near the river in which he
openeI hardware store and plumb
ing shop. He has been actively en-
gagged in business there ever since.
In the more than three score years
ne has not been absent from his
store more than two or three days
1t one time, nor has he ever failed
to give the people of McGregor and
Clayton county a square deal In his
business relations with them. 1t Is
believed that no other record OF
equal length Of service, equal faith
fulness and integrity can be shown
n the state.
At the time Mr.. Miller began
business his establishment vas the
only one OF the kind in northeastern
Iowa, and he travelled long distances
following bis trade. He made the
frst stove used In northern Iowa.
sashioning It out OF castings he
brought With him from Galena. II
linois- Tho nrst ten dollars he re-
coived was paid him for q camp out
At he made for q party OF California
gold seekers.
Not only as business man but az
public servant as we'll Mr.. Miller
has taken a prominent part in the
history and development Of McGre-
Cor and Clayton county. He was the
first justice of the peace and by his
active conduct Of the Office did much
to quell the lawlessness of the rough
element which came into northeast
ern Iowa In the wake of emigration.
ln'49 he was one OF three men to
establish a school at McGregor, the
first school in Iowa north of the
Turkey river. He also served as first
clerk and assessor. In the
capacity OF clerk he drew up the petit
ton asking for the incorporation OF
McGregor az a town. In the famous
McGregor Bros. fued, the talk Of the
upper river in the flfties, he took a
premier part, acting during the twen-
ty years of litigation and the final
hearing before the supreme court as
chief witness for James McGregor.
At the time Dir. Miller arrived in
the military post at Fort
Atkinson and the road fifty miles In
length from McGregor's Landing to
It had just been completed. The gov
eminent had erected a warehouse at
he landing where supplies for the
tort could be unloaded. The Winnie
Dago Indians we're still roaming at
large In northeastern Iowa, humid
reds of them and Of other tribes |
coming from every direction to sell
'urs to Dousman and Brisbois, trad
srs at Prairie du Chen. Alexander
MeGregor had already built frame
house on the bank at McGregor and
was operating q mule ferry between |
Prairie du Chen and there. This
shack, the government warehouse, |
and one empty log cabin comprised
n the fall of As, when Mr.. Miller
put up his hardware and plumbing
shop. The next year the Indians
we're gathered up and moved west,
gold was discovered in California,
wo steamers which ran through to
Il. Paul were put on the upper river,
mother steamer made regular trips
Town the Wisconsin from Portage,
Ind the tide OF emigration to north
,rn Iowa and Minnesota began In
All of it passed through
dcGregor's Landing, part coming by
way OF Prairie du Chen, part from
5alena up TO the mouth Of Wiecon-
lin and thence by ferry to McGregor
and part by the river steamers.
From here the settlers travelled over
he military road to Fort Atkinson
Ind then north into Minnesota and
vest into Iowa. AZ the foot OF the
street In McGregor stood tavern
With the suggestive sign Eat, drink
and be merry, for tomorrow you go
% Minnesota" Other taverns were
built every two or three miles on
The road west From 1850 until the
was put through in the sew
entities McGregor was the distributing
and shipping point for a territory
reaching hundred and fifty miles
west and north.
Mr.. Miller tells wildly OF the
times in the late summers and falls,
when the farmers hauled In their
wheat and pork, often coming from
30 great distance they were three
days on the journey. War times
aQtI-