The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-05-10
GOPHER PIONEERS
WILL CELEBRATE
STATE'SBIR t
Fifty Seventh Anniversary of Mime
sofas Admission Into the Union
Will Be Observed in St. Paul.
TO HONOR FORMER GOVERNOR
Early Days to Be Recalled Weather
Will Decide Whether Many First
Residents Will Attend.

Residents Will Attend.
Tales of the days when Minnesota s
only connection with the east was the
Mississippi river steamboat and the
only means of moving in other direc-
lions was the "prairie schooner" or
the equally picturesque Red River
carts, will be retold Tuesday when
the Minnesota Territorial Pioneers
association meets at the old capitol
at st. Paul to celebrate the 57th an
niversary of the admission of Min
nesota into the union.
The state was admitted four years
before the funny little St. Paul &
Pacific railway operated it's single
engine back and forth between st.
Paul and St. Anthony and nearly 10
years before the state had direct
railway connection with Chicago.
State was q Wilderness.
In 1858 what is now Minnesota
was vast wilderness except for the
fringe of settlements and trading
posts and steamboat landings along
the Mississippi and it's principal
tributaries, the Minnesota and the St.
Croix. There were no roads into the
interior, only trails, and these were
not easy for the inexperienced to fol-
low.
The settlers were on friendly terms
with their Indian neighbors, the
great Dakota or Sioux bands west of
the Mississippi and the equally big
tribe from the Algonquin family who
call themselves Ojibways, but are
called Chippewas by the whites.
Have Much to Tell.
The pioneers will have much to re-
late. John A. Stees, the acting
president, knows all about the early
history of St. Paul; George H. Haz-
zard has the story of the St. Croix
valley at his tongues end.
1t is not safe to predict just who
will be at the reunion for the wealth
er conditions invariably determine
this problem, but a fine mild day will
bring out the real old ones. The
rules of the association provide that
anyone who was in the state in 1853
is eligible to membership and the
organization has many members who
are under go years of age. These
youngsters" naturally will be out
in force.
To Have Double Celebration
On the same day Minnesota was
born, Samuel Rinnah Van SAINT was
celebrating at Rock Island, ILL.,, his
14th birthday. He had not then
heard of Minnesota and much less
dreamed that he would be governor
of a state. He will be II years of
age Tuesday and being territorial
pioneer will join his friends in a
double celebration on that day.
Mr.. Van SAINT did not actually To-
cate in Minnesota until 1888 when
he moved from LIE Claire, Iowa, to
Winona, to look after his steamboat
and lumber interests. But, he had
been up and down the river as man
and boy for more than Is years be-
fore that time and has been welcomed
by the pioneers as one of themselves.
If all goes we'll, Andrew G. Dunn,
who has practised law at Winnebago
since 1854, will be present. He is
still engaged in his profession and
though now past 80 years, announces
that his shingle will continue to
swing for 20 more years.
Some Real Old Ones.
Marie Carl Bolles, Saltwater, also
has promised to attend. This woman
has lived in Minneapolis since 1841,
just as long as Eli Pettijohn, and two
years longer than A. l.. Larpenteur,
the famous pioneer of St.. Paul.
There is much speculation as to
whether all the five surviving mem
bers of the Minnesota Old Settlers
association will attend the reunion
Edward w. Durant, who spent the
winter with his son in Charleston
s. c., has written to Secretary Haz.
ard that he will be present at the re.
union. That A. L. Larpenteur will
come is foreordained. Besides these
there are but three living member:
of the old organization, which at ont
time had several hundred members
These are Eli Pettijohn and Calel
D. Dorr of Minneapolis and Joh1
Dobney, Taylors Falls. If the wealth
er is favorable that day both Dorr ant
Pettijohn are likely to come to tn
gathering. The society lost foul
members during the last year.
Calvert Williams, formerly resi-
1on& 80 Doro;1ii 1o%or <ro;o~ ~ Tn