Stearns County’s Old Settlers Associations This week, as we close out our sesquicentennial celebration, we look further at the early Old Settlers organizations in Stearns County. The level of activity for the Old Settlers associations, and their criteria for membership, varied greatly through the years, according to Mitchell’s History of Stearns County. Early standards made eligible only those men “who had lived in the state prior to 1860 and were at the time residents of Stearns County.” Such criteria would, of course, soon decimate the association’s membership. In 1896, “The constitution was amended by striking out the word ‘male,’ and inserting in its place the word ‘person,’ thus making the women pioneers equally eligible.” In 1898 they cast a wider loop by changing the name: The Old Settlers’ Association of Stearns and Adjoining Counties extended participation to residents of Wright, Sherburne, Benton, Morrison, Todd, Kanidyohi and Meeker counties. Early records show that among the active members were many of Maine Prairie and Fair Haven’s “who’s who,” such as E.H. Atwood, Martin Greely, Dr. Solomon F. Brown, Benjamin H. Winslow, H.P. Bennett, Samuel Young, O.B. Boobar, and James B. and Richard Vandevort. Maine Prairie residents were presenters at early annual meetings: E.H. Atwood lectured on the “Indian Massacre of 1862,” Mrs. Addie J. Stickney on “Pioneer Maine Prairie,” and Mary F. Street on “Pioneer Daughters.” Mitchell also records the “necrology” of the early stalwarts. A standing “obituary committee,” reported and led tribute at each annual meeting to those who had passed on during the year. Receiving recognition were many of those same early Maine Prairie leaders. Special treasures preserved by Mitchell include a few of the “sharings” that made up much of the association’s annual celebrations. We could only wish that every speech had been video recorded for our benefit. Instead, we have mostly a list of fascinating titles: “An Early Settler Looking for a Wife,” “The Old Settler as a Fighter and a Man,” “The Origin of Our Old Neighbors, the Indians,” “The Old Settlers as a Moral Factor,” “Hotel Accommodations and Transportation Facilities in 1860,” and “The poorest man who ever immigrated into this part of the Louisiana Purchase.” (This story described, St. Cloud resident and association member John Hurrle, who had come to the area with only the clothes on his back. Then, because he had no money to pay the ferryman to take him across the Mississippi at St. Augusta, he tied his clothes in a bundle, put the bundle on his head, and swam the river. But in the attempt he lost the bundle in the strong current, so arrived stark naked, without a single possession.) No doubt Mitchell’s sparse collection was due to the availability of manuscripts or notes at the time his history went to press. Still, they provide a few brief, enjoyable glimpse of what the pioneers themselves felt was significant about their early experiences, especially as it contrasted with the experiences of the younger “modern” generations (of 1900) who followed them to this new state. My favorite among the reminiscences that have survived is one by Captain J.E. West, entitled “Where the Pioneers Slept.” Mitchell describes Josiah Elam West in this manner: The history of his life is almost the history of St. Cloud, as he came here within a few months after the town had its beginning and it continued to be his home until his removal by death. There was no hour when he was not loyal to its interests or when his best efforts were not given to its growth and development. There was no prominent undertaking during all these years with which he was not identified or in which he did not take a leading part. West’s crowning effort was with the damming of the Mississippi to generate electricity for the city of St. Cloud. He was known as an enthusiastic Old Settler and an ardent patriot. In his early 20s, West had arrived in Minnesota in 1855, and was in his 70s as he gave this speech. His rhetorical technique for a perspective on pioneer life was by describing how the early settlers slept. The word pictures he painted flowed from his own memories: “In our reminiscences as to where we slept, it is easier to remember the delightful sleeping-places of the pioneer days than it is to recollect the nights we spent in misery and grief.” Then he recounts memories from nights in large and comfortable staterooms of “the great floating palaces that steamed up the river from Galena to St. Paul,” to the “bed-ticks filled with prairie grass in cold houses in the village of St. Anthony,” to the upper bunks in great lumber camps. He describes sleeping “during our first harvest … in the fields on bundles of grain,” to days and nights of terror “watching and sleeping by turns” as settlers “escaped the scalping knife of the barbarous and blood-thirsty Indians.” For your enjoyment, an extended portion of Captain West’s address of 1906 will be printed in the two upcoming columns. The full text and other Old Settlers Association records from the 1890s and early 1900s are in William Mitchell’s History of Stearns County (1915). ********** On Tuesday, Feb. 27, a “Living History” evening features Bruce and Anita Nelson. Together their goals are to educate the public and themselves about a specific time in history. The Nelsons do that by re-enacting out the Civil War period of the 1860s as you’ve never seen in Kimball before. By traveling to battlefields and going into schools speaking to students, they attempt to accurately represent military and civilians of that time period. Join us at 7 p.m. for this special evening. Besides a brief necessary business meeting, refreshments, fellowship and this great program are planned. Put it on the calendar – Feb. 27, 7 p.m., Kimball City Hall. Free and open to the public. ********** Thank you for your membership in The Kimball Area Historical Society. Is your membership current? Participation through membership is a real opportunity to strengthen our Historical Society. ********* Keepsake historical souvenirs are available at the State Bank of Kimball or at the Feb. 27 meeting. Cookbooks can be found at Knaus Sausage House or at the Kimball bank. To submit column stories and/or photos, to secure membership renewals or gift memberships, for general information or research help, and to make a donation to the Kimball City Hall Restoration Project, you can reach the Kimball Area Historical Society at Box 100, Kimball, Minn. 55353 or call (320) 398-5743, (320) 398-5250 or (800) 252-2521, if out of our area. Remember contributions are tax deductible, as we are a Non Profit 501c3 organization. And keep watching this column for coming events and great stories. ********** “Pilgrims, pioneers and settlers.” “Profound faith – uncommon courage.”
