New Ulm review., 1922-09-06
new ULM PLANNED
BY WORKINGMEN l NC
ALFRED BEINHORN OF WINONA
TELLS OF FOUNDING OF
NEW ULMs :
FIRST ORGANIZATION MADE
IN CHICAGO MEETING !!
IN AUGUST 1858.

1t may be of interest to the readers
of the Neev Ukm Reuiesv to learn
something of the early history Of the
founding of New Ulm. Through the
kindness of Alfred Beinhorn of Wlnona
whose father was one of the leaders
of the Colonization Society which was
organized under the name OF Chicago
Land Verein" in August 1853, we are
in position to give the following in
formation.
The society was originally started
with six members in which Friedrich
Beinhorn took leading part. Thlr-
teen others soon Joined this organlza-
ton and the first meeting was held in
the residence of William Each on
West Randolph street who was
teacher by profession. At that time
an organization was perfected with
the following officers: President, tr.
Beinhorn; Secretary FIR: Metzke,
Treasurer J. Schwarz. The main OBJ
ject of the society was to provide bet
ter and more pleasant homes for the
working man than was possible Tor
him to obtain in the larger cities OF
the country. The idea took favor
and the membership grew rapidly and
by the end of November, sixty men,
bers had enrolled. The monthly dues
were fixed at ten cents.
Michigan Site Unsatisfactory.
On the 18TH day of February, 1854,
this newly organized society gave a
dance at the Market house on the
North side from which they cleared
the sum of 5000. 1t was then decid-
ed to appoint an agent to look up a
location for colony and his first re-
port was on a site that he had lo4
Gated in the State Of Michigan and
which afterwards proved to be too
sandy. A committe was then sent
to Minnesota. They reported having
found favorable site near where LIE
Sueur is now located. Twenty men
were sent there for the purpose OF
making permanent location. When
they arrived on the site it was not to
their liking and they went up the
Minnesota river to Travers-de-Sioux
and from there to the trading post OF
Joseph La Framboise in the immediate
vicinity of Fort Ridgely. Mr.. La
Framboise told them that a good
place to locate was where the Cotton
wood river flowed into the Minnesota
river and it was this point that the
advance party of the first settlers
headed for and later on arrived at.
They were we'll pleased with the site
and sent for the other members OF the
party that had remained behind. 1t
was too late in the season to erect
houses and for that reason they went
on eleven miles and took possession
of a deserted Indian camp in what
is now the town of Milford. They
built one log house that fall. They
soon found themselves short OF sup
plies and the only means of transpor
tation they had was one cart and fou1
oxen. They appealed to La Fran
boise for help and later made trips tt
Fort Ridgely for supplies. 3 "S%.
Threatened by Indians.
Shortly after, u. S. surveyor Hay
den arrived and measured out sectio,
lines. The Indians returned abou
that time from the Redwood Agency
where they had gone for their annui
ties which were being paid to then
by the government. When they fount
the whites in possession of their vii
lage they became greatly excited an,
threatened to kill them. They wer
appeased by La Framboise but never
theless the Indians went to the For
and made complaint to the Comman
der. They pitched tents near thei
former village. In the meantim
smallpox broke out amongst them
They called it. the dispensation of tn
Great Spirit and leaving their dea
tied to trees they hurriedly, packe
and left and never returned. On tn
18th, of, February, 1855, the only 10
house burned down. The rest of tn
winter was spent in the deserted tt
pees amid much suffering. On tn
1st of March, the settlers separated
some to engage in the pursuit
farming and others to work for tn
government at $25 month.
On the 10Th of May, 1855, twent
more members of the Chicago Ian
Verein arrived from Chicago. Wit
them was surveyor by the name 4
Volk, who laid out the present tow
site of New Ulm. Because man
members of the settlers came fro
Wuertemberg they called the he
settlement New Ulm after the name