A. Bennett (Personal Recollections MN Book)PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS
or
MINNESOTA AND ITS PEOPLE,
AND
EARLY HISTORY OF ANNEAPOLIS,
I BY
0. JOHN H. STEVENS.
WITH BIOGRAPHICAL MEMORANDA AND LETTERS
TO COL. JOHN H. STEVENS, SELECTED
BY MARSHALL ROBINSON.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.
1890.
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COPYRIGHTED 1-90
BY
MARSFI.,LLL ROBI\�nN.
SFi1BUNE
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BINDEA�+•
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THE LIPIZARY
UNIVERSITY OF CALII.ORNU
SANTA BARBARA
w INTRODUCTORY.
I essay to write something of my personal recollections and
present knowledge of Minnesota and its people. Living alone,
as to white men, on the west bank of the Falls of St. Anthony,
I preempted a part of the present site of Minneapolis. I have
witnessed wonderful transformations. With such aid as I can
command, I commence the relation I have long contemplated,
as one of love and legacy to such patient and charitable readers
as I may have. A multitude of loved ones have ,,one before,
but many remain. In spirit they are equally present and in
view. Heroes of the past, brave men of the present, many of
them were, and are. Blessed is their memory, and their presence.
O.
OF 2%1INNESO A AND ITS PEOPLE. 215
secretaries of the convention. The following delegates froin
the agricultural counties of Ramsey, Benton, and Hennepin
tool: their seats as members of the conventioii : Ramsey, J.
11'. Selby, C. L. Willis, A. Peinlett, John R. Irvine, George
Richard, Charles Symonds, James H. Brown, C,eo. A. Camp,
Truman M. Smith, George Hezlc�„, C. H. Parker, and Win. L.
Allies; Penton comity, 5. B. Olmstead, C. C. Crane, R. M.
Richardson, and Win. H. Kelly; Hennepin county, A. N.
Hoyt, N. E,. Stoddard, A. E. Ames, Edward Murphy, John H.
Stevens, E. Casa William Chambers, alld Isaac Brown. On
motion of Dr. dines, the following gentlemen from counties
outside the call were admitted as delegates to the; convention
Washington county, A. Stevens, Geo. AW. Campbell, AW. H.
Morse, A. Wan A-orhes, William Holcombe, AW. R. Prown,
R. Watson, John A. ford, and John E. Mower. Dakota
county, A. G. Cliatfield, S. AW. Cook, Thomas Foster, and A.
R. french. Nicollet county, Benjamin 'Thompson, and Geo.
H. McLeod. Scott county, AWm. H. Nobles, and Daniel
Apgar, Pembina, Norman AW. Kittsoll. Chisago county,
N. C. D. Taylor. On motion of E. Murphy, of Hennepin, a
committee of three was appointed to draft a constitution and
by-laws for the government of the society. E. Murphy, A.
E. Ames, and \W. R. L'rown were appointed said committee.
After the committee had reported a constitution and by-laws
for the government of the society, the following officers were
elected for the year 1854: President, Governor IW. A. Gor-
man ; rice -presidents, J. AW. Selby, Ramsey county ; R. DI.
Richardson, Penton county- ; S. M. Cook, Dakota county;
John H. Stevens, Hennepin county ; Robert Watson, Wash-
ington county ; and Wm. H. Nobles, Scott comity; secretary,
Dr. A. E. Aisles, Hennepin county ; treasurer, C. A. Parker,
Ramsey comity ; executive committee, P. F. Hoyt of Ramsey,
AW. R. Prows of AWashington, N. E. Stoddard of Hennepin,
Captain J. P. S. Todd of Cass, and Win. S. Allison of Dakota.
The new society was addressed by Governor Gorman,
Judge A. G. Chatfield, A. Stevens, G. 1W. Campbell, J. `W.
Selby, Rev. P. F. Hoyt, Dr. A. E. Ames, S. '.Ni. Cook, Dr.
Thomas roster, Win. L. Ames, and Wm” H. Nobles. The
executive committee was directed to take steps, if practicable,
to hold a territorial fair at some convenient place the ensuing