The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1925-11-01

The year 1848, the year that the great
state of Wisconsin was admitted to the Union
seventy-seven years ago, should forever be re-
membered as red letter year in the annals OF
River Falls. For in the fall of that year, the
first white settler-Judge Joel Foster-set foot
on the shores of the Kinnckinnic, and
entered the first claim staked out in this i'm
mediate section of country. Here, then, set
forth in the pages of history with cameo clear
ness, were the definite beginnings of the Riv
er Falls and Kinnickinnic Valley community.
After generations of fighting over posses
sion of this land, the Sioux and Chippewa In
dams finally had withdrawn west off, aflis-
sissippi River under the terms CT Ge SccAfy
signed at Fort Smelling in 1887. Then came
the government surveyors, methodically max
ing the first survey of the ST. Croix Valley
country. This government survey was COM
pleted in the year 1848, and the news came
from Washington that this fine country would
be opened to settlement at the beginning of
1849.
Surveyors Wanted Land
1t is fact of record that certain members
of the government surveying party which sub
divided this section of country were so i'm
pressed with the beauty and desirability of the
vicinity that they planned to resign their gov
eminent positions and enter claims covering
the Falls of the Kinnckinnic.
Fate, however, which has way of dealing
life's cards in unexpected manner to uneXpect-
ed players, took hand in the game at this
juncture, diverting Joel Foster, at st. Louis,
Missouri, from a projected trip to San An
tonia, Texas, and sending him hastily north to
become the pioneer of all pioneers in the Kin
nickinnic Valley.
Eli Lewis, a nephew of Joel Fosters hap
pened to return to ST. Louis from a steamboat
trip up the Mississippi and st. Croix rivers
during the summer Of 1848 His description
of the beauties and healthfulness of the st.
Croix country was such that Joel Foster de-
cided to postpone his San Antonio trip and in
vestigate on the ground the reports brought
down the river by young Eli Lewis.
Led Adventurous Career
Joel Foster at this time was "a years old
and had led an adventurous life. He was
Connecticut Yankee, born in 1914 on farm
near Meriden, on the old Boston post road from
New York to Boston, half way between New
Haven and Hartford, Connecticut In 1880. at
the age of sixteen years, he had set forth in
a covered wagon with his brother George, and
brother-in-law named Lewis, for the then
western wlds of Illinois
With two teams and wagons, they made
the thousand mile drive from Connecticut to
East ST. Louis, Illinois, going out part of the
way over the famous old National Road lead
inc from Baltimore to st. Louis. From 1891
to 1916, Mr.. Foster successfully attended
school, operated store, took up government
claim near East st. Louis, Illinois, operated
the steam ferry across the Mississippi River
at Alton, Illinois, and saw mills at East St.
Louis and Edwardsvie, Illinois. In 1916. he
enlisted in the End Illinois Volunteers for sery-
ice in the Mexican War, and spent a wear in
old Mexico, seeing active service at the battle
of Buena Vista and in other engagements
under General Zachary Taylor. He returned
a End lieutenant, having been promoted for
gallantry in action. Following the Mexican
War, Mr.. Foster returned to st. Louis and
then went back to Connecticut for visit At
his old home.