The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-04-22
FIRST AUTO is RECALLED
PLANNED AND OPERATED BY
MAJOR JOS. BROWN
Designer For Many Years Was
Soldier and Trader In
South Dakota
rAssociated Press Dispatchl

Joseph Renshaw Brown, for many
years a soldier and trader in what
is now South Dakota, is given the
credit of designing and placing in
operation the grand daddy" of the
modern auto truck or tractor. This
machine he developed in 1859, ana
1860 and gave 1t the name OF steam
wagon.
This machine was really the first
automobile" said Henry Poehler, a
business associate of Major Brown
and member Of the Minnesota leg
islature for several terms, in speak
ing of it many years later at the
dedication of monument in honor
Of its builder, at Henderson, Mime
sofa. His idea was right as time
has proven"
The story Of Major Browns life
steam wagon have been gathered by
the state Historical society and is
being prepared for the next volume
of the South Dakota Historical Col
lections by J. B. Irvine.
From this material, gathered to-
gether from many sources, it Is
learned that Major Brown went to
Minnesota in 1919 as a drummer boy
in the regular troops that established
Fort Smelling. After attaining the
rank of a first sergeant, he was dis.
became q clerk for an Indian trader.
In 1880 he entered the Indian trade
on his own account under the aus
pices of the American Fur company,
whose chief factor in Minnesota was
Henry H. Sibley, first governor of
that state.
Major Brown Born In Maryland
Major Brown was prominent
citizen in the early days of Mime
sofa. He was born in Hartford coun-
ty, Maryland, Jan. 8, 1905. AS a
1910 to 1912 he urged the organiza-
ton of Minnesota territory and adj
vised the present spelling of Mime
sofa. He laid out the first townsite
in Minnesota-at Stillwater-and
built the first frame house there. He
laid out the wagon raod from Fort
Smelling to Lac qui Parle.
The county of Brown and the town
of Browns Valley were named in
his honor. He was editor and owner
Of the Minnesota Daily. from 1852 to
Pioneer Press, ST Paul. He was a
member of the Democratic wing of
the constitutional convention of Min
nestoa in 1857. He built the first
house in Hastings.
Early in 1845, Major Brown es-
tablished an Indian trading post in
what is now South Dakota, at the
foot of the eastern slope of the
Coteau des Prairie, 10 miles west of
the present town of Sisseton in
Roberts county. Early in 1S4e he
now the southeastern corner Of
Marshall : county, near the present
town of Eden.
Lived In Henderson In 1859
About 1859 Major Brown was liv-
ing at Henderson, Mimi, and was
engaged among other things, i'll
freighting from st. Paul to Fort Rid
gely and the Indian agencies along
the Minnesota river.
Seeing the need Of a better and
faster means Of transportation, he
built in JERSEY City, N. j.. late in
1859 and which was sent to Hender-
son by steamboat, arriving there In
1860. 1t was assembled there on
Main street by Charles B. Sdoat and
Beers tombstone and was used for a
time in running about town, in haul
ing freight from the steam boat
landing about mile away to the
stores uptown and for many other
purposes.
It was found that 1t was not geared
steep hill near Henderson so several
changes were made before its as
cent : was ACCOMPLISHED. These
changes improved the machine In
At the dedication of the monument
in memory of Major Brown at
Henderson Henry Poehler recalled
that Gin 1860 we celebrated the
Fourth of July by running this steam
wagon UP and down Main street.
when 1t worked all right. The condi-
against the practical use of the
steam wagon. The sloughs were no,
graded and the creeks were not
bridged. but even under these ad-
verse circumstances the steam wag-
on worked admirably"
In the fall of 1860 a freight wagon
was ATTACHED to the engine and the
forty mile trip to Fort Ridgley start
ed. Many obstacles arose during this
of rain that fall. the roads were soft
80 that the trailing freight wagon
frequently became stuck in the mud.
At times, Mr.. tombstone, the driver,
would be compelled to cut and split
timber and build sort OF corduroy
road across the marshes in order
that the caravan might proceed with
some degree of safety.
When Three Mile creek was reach
ed, only short distance from the
fort, the steam wagon sunk deep in
soft ground and could not be ex-
trfcated 1t began to snow that nieht
and by morning the snow had drift
ed from one to four feet around the
rig and 1t was found necessary to
abandon the outfit for the winter.
Part OF Machinery Stolen
Parts of the machinery were stolen
during the next few months and lat
err the engine and boiler were taken
back to Henderson and used in, a
grist mill. The steam wagon was
never re assembled.
In 1852. Major Brown had another.
but lighter and much improved
machine built. The Nebraska legis-
lature had passed a bill allowing and
authorizing the building of road
for steam wagon freighting and this
second machine was shipped to
Nebraska to be assembled. The
tests were so satisfactory that the
citizens Of Otoe county, by almost
unanimous vote. appropriated s12,-
000>>for the construction of bridges
and Improvement of a road through
that county to the Platte River