New Ulm review., 1913-10-08
Rigors Of Early
Settlers r called
Fifty Nine Years Ago es,
terday First Pioneers
Arrived Here.
Brief History Of Settlement
/ of New Ulm as Told
by Peter Mack.

by Peter Mack.
There are only three survivors of
that brave, band of pioneers who
reached the present site of New Ulm
SO years ago, yesterday, October 7tb.
The survivors are Peter Mack who
resides In Milford near the outskirts
lot the city on the original homestead
be fled on shortly after his arrival,
and Mrs. Hermann and Mrs. Hemsch,
both of st. Paul. Mr.. Mack was In
The city Monday and toa Review
reporter be told briefly about their
trip from the confines of civilization
70 this glorious wilderness. tho home
Of tho Indian aud the bison.
1Altho the story has been repeated
frequently II is barely possible that
some have not heard it and to those
Who are familiar with it, It will bear
repetition. When the movement to
found : German colony had pro-
gressed, 90 far, that site Was TO be
selected and the advance guard was 70
60 forward and preempt the land,
Peter Mack and some. of the party
lived in De Kalb County in the State
lot Illinois and the others who made
up the vanguard we're in Chicago.
As soon % they received word they
packed up their belongings and pro.
ceeded to Elgin, Ill. where they we're to
meet and did meet the Chicago contin-
gent. From this point they proceeded
to Galena by rail and disembsrked at
the end OF the railroad line which fell
some miles short OF reaching Galena.
A German farmer took pity on them,
kept them over night and brought
them to Galens the next morning
where the most Of them took out their
first citizen papers.
At Galens they staid about 4 or 5
days and the most of them embarked
on steamer for St. Paul while Mar
tin Walser and Meinrad Wall started
overland with wagon and horses and
Zettel, Casimir Hermann and Drechs-
ler with OK teams. At ST. Paul they
all met again, the last ones to arrive
being, of course, the ones with the OK
teams. After several days. rest at St.
Paul the ones with the overland trans
portation started off again headed for
LIE Sueur and the others embarked In
that good ship "Jeanette Roberts"
which landed them safely at the place
which had been selected by August
Kiesling and other Chicagoites for the
German colony. They
found F. Julius Sr. in charge of the
affairs there. After careful exami-
q alton of the site they decided without
much discussion that the place did not
suit and it did not require great deal
of persuasion 10 prevail upon Mr..
julius to quit the place and join their
party. -.'r.
From LeSueur they travelled to Ira
verse des Sioux and from here they
started north, on the Nicollet County |
side of the Minnesota River and in |
due time reached Swan Lake. Here
they ran across Norwegian who told
them to 20 to LsFramboise who
would be able to help them pick out q
good site for a town or to 60 on to
Fl. Ridgely. It was then and there
decided to have the bulk of the party
return to Traverse and send out q
small party as path6nders. Christian
Ludwig Meyer, Frank Massopust,
Atbanas Henle and Alois Palmer
for this duty and were
selected and the others retraced their
steps to Traverse.
After an absence OF several days
The .pathtinders returned and the
march was again taken up and ended
when they reached the abandoned
houses of the Indians in the northern
part of Milford near what is generally
known as Vajen's creek, where they
put up for the winter. LaFramboise
aotified the Indians that the whites
should not be disturbed and they we're
not molested. Peter Mack and his
brother put up their own shack that
same fall near his present PREMISE
aud lived there during the first winter.
Il is claimed that October 7th, 1854
vas an ideal fall day and that the
beautiful weather continued for several