Trip from Owatonna, Steele County,
to English Grove, Douglas County,
Minnesota
Owatonna, Minn, Apr. 29, 1878
from "Douglas County: Album of the Ages"
©19XX
pg. 545-547
We, Old Pioneers of Steele County, Minn. have formed a new
immigrant train for greener pastures in the west. This train
consists of Squire W. Brees & family, Solomon E. Brees & family.
Also 2 of the children of their siseter, Mrs. Alvina Case. 18
people in all. Squire's outfit consisted of two wagons, 1 with
house 6 x 16 ft. made of thin lumber. This was the Family Home.
The other wagon was loaded with Farm tools. Wagons drawn with 1
yoke of Oxen each. The wagon of Solomon E. Brees was covered with
muslin, 2 thicknesses, size 6 x 12. Load with family. Weight
2200 lbs. drawn by a Span of Mules. Wt. 2400#. Amelia Case Russell
& Husband "Will" had a new wagon drawn by a span of 5 yr. old
horses. The wagon of Frank Case had on a hay rack loaded with Farm
Machinery, drawn by 2 yoke of oxen. There was also 5 cows to drive
along following the wagons.
Monday morning, Apr. 29, 1878, started out at 9:30. Arrived at
Clinton Falls at Noon. Took dinner, then followed along the Strait
River & arrived at Walcott in the evening having traveled 15 miles.
We camped for the night Built fire & hung the camp kettle. Cooked
supper & made coffee, then went to bed but did not sleep very well
as the mules were tied to the back end of the wagon & kept eating
all night, also something came crashing thru the brush & the dogs
set up a howl. I jumped out, ran down thru the brush as hard as I
could go thinking it was 1 of the mules. Not being able to overtake
it I came back and found both mules hitched to the wagon. It rained
hard. All kept dry. Some slept, some didn't, it wasn't the Home Bed.
It was strange. Tuesday, Apr. 30th, arose with the Lark. Had
breakfast & left camp at 8, traveled along the river. Occasionally
thru woods and prairie for 10 miles. Stopped & took Dinner, then
moved on & arrived at our camping place at 9 P.M. 1½ miles north
of Northfield. This is a beautiful place. Is noted for the Great
Bank Robbery. It's a handsome little town. The Northfield Academy
is a splendid structure on a rise of groung west of the city. We
have traveled 21½ miles today. The cattle's feet are very sore.
We will have to slacken our pace. Wednesday, May 1st, set up the
stove, baked biscuit, cooked potatoes, made coffee & enjoyed our
breakfast after a wonderful night's rest. We greased our wagons,
got some feed for the teams & left camp at 9 A.M. and crawled along
at a snail's pace about 4 miles & stopped for Dinner then traveled
on our way thru splendid country, timber, prairie, water, traveled
about 5 mi. & camped for the night by an empty house & barn. Put
the teams in & led as though we were at Home. The Farm wasn't
fenced & there was about 100 acres of splendid wheat. One of
Squire's oxen is sick & terrible foot sore. We all slept sound.
Thursday, May 2nd arose to find the Ox very sick & would not eat.
We sat up the stove fried meat, cooked potatoes, baked biscuit &c.
Had breakfast, left camp at 8 A.M. & passed thru Farmington, a nice
little town & surrounded by splendid prairie country, then thru Rose
Mound & left the beautiful prairie country. Passed on thru the woods
1½ miles & bought our hay from an Irish woman & way she charged
was a caution. She said an armful ought to be worth fifty cents,
for she hauled it ten miles. Then we moved along about 1 mile &
camped for the night. It was a terrible cold night but all slept
well & warm. Our teams felt need of a barn. The wood sheltered
them some. Plenty of stone here & plenty of Whortleberry Brush.
Everybody feeling fine & enjoying the trip.
Friday May 3rd. Left camp at 8 A.M. & traveled over hills & stone,
thru the woods & down hills so steep that the teams & wagons stood
up endwise. Arrived at the Minnesota River at noon drove in among
the big trees on the river bluffs. Built a fire & took dinner then
drove on the Ferry & crossed the Minnesota River to Fort Snelling,
and in going up the hill all right. Went on thru sand about 6 to 8
inches deep for about 1 mile. The Fort is situated on a point of
rocks between he Minnesota & Mississippi Rivers on solid white
sandstone, "as white as flour''. Is built of stone & bricks &
painted white. The sandstone is covered in every place which can
be reached with pictures of many descriptions carved in the rock.
The Fort commands the Rivers & country for a number of miles. While
in camp last evening we saw a large fire in the direction of
Minneapolis. Heard this morning the Washburn Mills blew up and
burned. The explosion was caused by gas from flour. 16 men were
buried in the ruins. We arrived at Minneahaha Falls this afternoon.
All went down to see them. They are splendid. A sheet of water about
30 ft wide about 100 ft high falling over table rock, with a space
behind the fall about 25 ft wide which is dry except fine spray
from the falling water. We all went around under the Falls. We got
some hay from a Big Farmer & he told us to go on about ½ mile &
camp in his grove & we would find plenty of wood in piles. So we
moved on & camped for the night. After a terrible cold days travel
facing the wind. The groves a splendid one, of young popple & oak
with large opening of about ½ acre with green grass, smooth as a
lawn. All land around here is held at $5.00 per acre.
Saturday, May 4th. Got up this morning & found it raining & snowing.
The owner of the property "Mr Steele", came in the grove in his
carriage & told us to go over to a stack of tame hay there was in
the field & get hay for our teams & cattle free of charge. So we
borrowed a wagon, hitched up the mules & got a load, enough to last
today & Sunday. We pitched a tent & set up the stove, washed & baked
& got wood for Sunday. Today I am 39. Will probably always remember
this Birthday. We find the Ox is better.
Sunday, May 5th. Arose this morning & found a heavy frost on the
ground. The neighbors gave us an invitation to come up to Sunday
School. So we got ready & went. They had a splendid Sunday School.
Then in the p.m. some of the neighbors came over & called on us.
Everything went of very pleasantly.
Monday, May 6th Got all the hay we wanted & tied on our loads &
left camp at 8 a.m. & arrived at Minneapolis about 10 a.m. Visited
the ruins of the Flour Mills. The Washburn Mill was built of stone,
the walls were 6 ft. thick at the bottom & l8 inches at the top. It
was blown down close to the ground. Thousands of bushels of wheat
are still smoking while we are looking on. In this heap of ruins
there is still 8 men under them. Stone, iron, timber, bolts, rods
etc. are piled up, & scattered in every direction 4 ft. deep in the
street. In evey direction we see buildings racked, windows blown
out, heavy walls cracked & in bad shape. We passed on thru the
city, which is a beautiful one & crossed the Mississippi to the
East side, about 2 miles & took Dinner. Then on to Coon Creek &
camped for the night. We have come 16 miles today. Principally
Oak openings from Mpls to where we are camped. Rich farmers &
cheap land.
Tuesday, May 7th. Left camp at 7 a.m. thru sand. Passed a good
many fields of Rye 20 inches high. Spring Wheat all along the road,
5 to 6 inches high. Just passed 2 snakes up in a Bur Oak tree "dead"
they were the size of a fork handle & 6 ft long. The farms along
here are splendid & the farmers are rich & have fine buildings.
We are now passing thru where there has been a hurricane, trees
torn out by the roots & twisted in all shapes. The roof of a house
sailed over a piece of timber & part of it lays here near the road
40 rods from where it started. Its a general destruction of
everything. We went to a house for some sour milk. She gave me
14 qts cream & all to make biscuits with. She was clever I'll
tell you. Then we travel on thru splendid country & camped at
Elk River, where there has been another gentle breeze which brake
down & tore up the trees. We set up the stove & baked biscuits, &
Squire caught a fish about 3#, We had supper & retired for the
night.
Wednesday, May 8th. We all slept good, got up feeling like a lot
of larks. Left camp at 7 a.m. got out about 2 miles & team came
along & got scared at Squire's wagon & tried to run away. The men
jumped out & got the horses by the head. The horses tipped the
carriage over & horse got his leg between the tongue & brace &
scratched the hair off so bad it looked red We helped them get
straightened up. No one hurt. We got flour & feed at Elk River
Mills & Will caught 2 very nice fish. We passed thru Oak openings
& prairie with wind blowing a gale. Dirt & sand flying in clouds.
Arrived at Big Lake at noon. Took dinner. The lake is a beautiful
one, one mile wide, 2 miles long, has sloping gravel banks about 5
rods wide. It's surrounded by timber, the road and railroad pass
along the south shore. The wind is terrible & the surf is rolling
and the foam flying ''like bundles of wool" about 5 rods. There is
13 miles of prairie just ahead so we shall stay here till morning.
Thursday, May 9th. Wind high & cold. Left camp at 6:30 thru sand 8
inches deep until we passed the lake, then came out on Broad Prairie
about 8 miles wide, timber on both sides, the Mississippi on the
left, the road in the centre. It is not settled here, can be bought
for $2.50 per acre. R.R. on the right. A splendid chance for people
with small capital. About 10 a.m. we passed a Frenchman's farm. He
was putting in 500 acres of corn. Splendid prairie as far ahead as
we can see. Harry is walking 5 to 6 mi. a day, says he is going to
walk to Sauk Centre. Just now at 11 a.m. we are just 59 miles north
west of St. Paul and 16 miles from St. Cloud. Arrived at Whites
Tavern at noon. 14 miles this a.m. Took dinner & looked at some of
the fattest steers ever saw, 1500# each & sold yesterday at 4½ cts
per pound. Raising corn & cattle is the principle business here.
Started out at 1 p.m. traveled all the afternoon on the vast praire
except a small belt of young timber & now at 5 p.m. we are in sight
of St. Cloud. Went in camp at 6, two miles from the city.
Friday, May 10th. Left camp at 6 a.m. Went up opposite the city &
bade Frank, Amelia & Will, goodbye, then Squire & I walked over to
the city. We took dinner here, then went on to Sauk Rapids, crossed
the river on the Ferry & the river was so full of logs running down
that it was close work to get across then went on to St. Joe, 7
miles. Went out 1 mile and camped for the night. This is a German
Catholic village & is all Catholic for 40 miles ahead 7 timber 80
miles ahead with some prairie. A splendid country.
Sat., May 11th. Drizzley this morning. Ice in the water pail. Took
breakfast. Went on, found timber on 1 side, prairie on the other &
splendid wheat fields. Arrived at Cold Spring at noon. Took Dinner
& then a game of ball "2 old cat", then went on about 2 miles came
to a flat rock 100ft long, 15 ft wide, 2 to 3 ft high, also a large
flock of Blackbirds with yellow heads, the first I ever saw. Passed
thru New Richmond or Richland & crossed the Sauk River & out on the
prairie again. Went 4 miles & camped for the night. The leaves on
the trees was killed by the frost last night.
Sunday, May 12th. Arose & found ice in the pail again. We stayed
until about noon, then moved on again, that we may reach a mill
before our feed is all gone. We arrived at St. Martens about 3 p.m.
A small village on an elevation of land from which we can see 20
miles to the right & left & ahead, all prairie. Settled by German
Catholic, their crosses can be seen in every direction. After
leaving St. Martens we came to a beautIful little watercourse
wending its way thru the praine, 18 to 30 inches wide & 2 to 5 ft
deep. Camped by another little stream just like the other only a
little larger & a yankee living close by, the first we have seen
for 50 miles & splendid land for sale at $5.00 per acre, & all
yankees for many miles. This man gave us 1 doz. eggs & a pale of
milk right from the cow. We have been feeding hay for the last 2
days, 6 inches long, called Grasshopper Hay. This is everything
they raised last year & many of the farmers went 40 miles to cut
hay to winter their stock.
Monday, May l3th. Arose this morning after a good nights rest &
found frost on the ground. Left camp at 7 a.m. & passed on thru a
splendid prairie country, thousands of acres of good land for sale
and thousands of splendid wheat. Took dinner on the Sauk River,
11 miles from our last camp. 5mi. west of Melrose. Moved on thru
timber & prairie 6 miles to Sauk Centre and camped on a little
creek for the night ½ mile west of Sauk Centre.
Tuesday, May 14th. This morning Squire & I walked back to Sauk
Centre, got some bread, flour & feed. Returned to camp & took
dinner, then moved on 3 miles & parted with Squires family. They
went 4 miles north of West Union on Little Sauk River. Then we
proceeded on alone & arrived at Robert Thomas "Farm'' in the
evening ''within 1½ miles of our future Home''. Retired for the
night. We have passed thousands of acres of sprendid land for
sale at $5.00 per acre, also thousands of acres of splendid wheat
this p.m.
Wednesday, May 15th. Arose this morning and went over to the Farm,
and drove up to Beniamin Roberts close to our Farm. He showed me
the corners & wanted us to move in with them until we got a house
built. My with thought we better live in the Prairie Schooner, so
we drove out on the Farm & unloaded.
Thursday, May 16th. Cold & foggy. Mr. Roberts came down & said
there was no use talking. We was not going to stay there. So we
loaded up and went up to his house. We have a room by ourselves
& they have one. Everything has passed off smoothly, not a jar
between us. He also gave us a large part of his garden to plant.
We planted 9 acres of corn on breaking, also potatoes & beans & 2½
acres of Buckwheat. Have built 100 rods of fence & dug 40 rods of
ditch. We have 16 acres broke. I took a job of buildIng some new
road, got $24.00 in 7½ days. My team worked 2 days. I did the rest
by hand, also built a house & moved in, also made 8 tons of hay.
Later took the family up to Mr. Roberts & I started for Melrose to
get my freight which was shipped from New York State. Got within 6
miles & camped, got up in the morning & went to harness the mules &
began to feel very strange. Got so weak I could not stand. I leaned
against the wagon. I saw the Stage going by & hailed them. He wanted
to know what I wanted. I tried to tell him but he drove on. I slid
down between the wheel & box. I couldn't see or hear, but knew where
I was & thought I was about to die, also thought what will Jen &
the children do out there alone & I might lie there all day & no
one come near me for it is a common thing to see teams hitched to
the side of wagons all along the road in the woods. I lay there
perhaps 20 minutes when I began to hear the birds & wind in the
trees. I opened my eyes & could see. I got up with difficulty & my
strength returned. I hitched up & drove about 20 rods & found 2 men
getting breakfast on a sheet iron stove. I got warm as I was cold &
wet. I sweat so while I was sick my clothes were wet from head to
foot. Then went on to Melrose. Got warm again & got the freight.
All in good shape except book rack of organ, I drove back to Sauk
Centre & got dinner then home, driving 30 miles that day. In about
4 weeks from that time wanted to go again & get the seeder & Bob
Sleds but Jen wouldn't let me go alone. So we put the cover on the
wagon & all got in & went down within 5 miles of Melrose & camped
under a Big Bur Oak & it rained terrible hard. But all kept dry.
In the morning went down to get our freight. Bought some flour,
meat & feed for the mules & started home. But first as we were going
into Sauk Center it commenced raining & it just poured down so the
water was 4 inches deep on the level, but we kept dry. We arrived
at home before dark. We went over the Squire's when we had been here
2 weeks. Found them on the bank of a beautful little lake in the
woods. A splendid place only 3 miles in the woods. We stayed all
night with them & then returned home. Some time later we drove down
after 6 p.m., 12 miles. Arrived there late, after losing our way &
then getting back & finding it again in the woods, dark as pitch,
running over logs. We found his fence & unhitched and tied the team
to the fence & fed them, and made our bed in the wagon with brush
over the top & shawl over that, with bedclothes over us & slept
till daylight as sound as pigs in clover. At daylight hitched up &
drove down & called Squire and you would have laughed to see him
stare. We found them all well with 10 acres broke.
E-mail: dwagner2@isd.net
©2002 DJW
Last Modified:
March 23, 2002