The Charms Revisited

One of the Charms' singles...

I recently ran across a source for old music that had available a single for the Minnesota Rock Hall of Fame inductees and Humboldt natives, The Charms...take a listen below...

Weather Early Observations II

The precipitation climate of 1807-8 was quite different, however, with more frequent occurrence of snow and rain during November through March. Snowfall totals were at least 10 and 20 inches, respectively, for the months of November and December, considerably higher than the modern averages taken from Hallock - 5.4 inches for November and 5.1 inches for December - and Pembina - 5.3 inches for November and 5.4 inches for December. In this context the Red River probably flowed at a higher level during Henry's time there, lacking as it did the agricultural drainage and reservoirs or holding ponds that characterize the valley today.

Some of Henry's remarks and climate summaries from 1807-8 are worth noting:

Following early September warmth, with temperatures as high as 89F, Monday the seventh brought a frost to the valley that ended the growing season for cucumbers and melons. These temperatures helped trigger a change in leaf color on most of the trees. Thunderstorms, with large hail and strong winds, occurred at mid-month, followed by 2 inches of snowfall near where Two Rivers joins the Red River of the North, just west of present-day Hallock, a number of hard freezes, with temperatures dipping into the twenties, were noted in the second half of the month.

Corn and potatoes were harvested the first few days of October. A luminescent star with a long tail was noted in the western sky; this feature (perhaps a comet) lasted until mid-November. Numerous prairie fires occurred during the month, some producing enough smoke to drastically reduce visibility. Fires were a common occurrence on the prairie landscape throughout the nineteenth century: the dry native grasses provided excellent fuels easily ignited by cloud-to-ground lightning strikes.

November brought frequent snows and cold. Snowfall occurred on 15 days, probably totaling more than 10 inches for the month. The Red River was frozen over by the twelfth and could accommodate foot and sled traffic by mid-month as the temperature fell to -1F on November 14.

Very cold temperatures and abundant snow continued in December. The month's snowfall total exceeded 20 inches. Temperatures fell below zero degrees Fahrenheit on seven days, reaching a low of -17F on the seventeenth. In fact, on four days the temperature never rose above zero. Combined with very strong winds, these low temperatures produced some dangerous wind-chill values, but of course this was long before the concept of "wind chill" had ever been proposed. Nevertheless, one could infer that layered clothing under a buffalo robe was the rule.

January's cold temperatures produced halos around the sun and moon on several occasions. Fifteen days registered below-zero temperatures. Unlike the late-twentieth-century climate of the Red River valley, which showed a high frequency of January thaws, there was no thaw period - or even a single day above freezing - in January 1808. There were 11 days with snowfall, and a good deal of blowing and drifting.

February 2 (Groundhog Day) brought the first thaw, as the temperature reached an afternoon nigh of 36F. But this relative warmth was only a tease, as the rest of the month brought 15 more days of below-zero temperatures, some with presumably dangerous wind-chill conditions due to high winds. February ended on a warming trend, reaching a high of 42F on the twenty-eighth and melting quite a bit of snow cover.

Early March saw the warm spell continue, with three consecutive days in the forties. Henry observed migrating swans the first week of the month, followed by buzzards. By March 13, water began to flow over the top of the ice in the Red River. Six inches of fresh snow was noted at mid-month, then alternating freeze-thaw periods. Four nights recorded below-zero readings, the coldest, -7F, coming on the morning of the twelfth. The month's high temperature, 52F, was recorded on the twenty-sixth.

April 2 brought a snowstorm, but it was followed by a pronounced thawing period. Several days saw temperatures in the forties and fifties, and on the eighth the ice broke up on the Red River and started to flow north. Henry observed abundant migrating waterfowl, often resting along the river's banks. He caught the season's first fish on April 7. With the prolonged warm spell and absence of significant precipitation, the ice break-up occurred in relatively short order. The daytime temperature hit 65F on the twelfth, and the river level began to drop two days later, falling 2 feet in a 24-hour period. The last week of April, Henry and his men enjoyed great success as they fished for sturgeon. April 27-29 saw summer like temperatures - highs in the mid-to-upper eighties (89F on the twenty-ninth) - and a substantial rainstorm ended the month.

May brought wide swings in temperature and even a snowstorm on the third, the last of the season. Alternating high-low temperatures and very strong winds indicated numerous cold fronts passing through. Temperatures ranged from 28F on the fourth to 86F on the eighteenth. Sturgeon fishing remained very good: Henry noted taking up to one hundred fish per day out of the Red River.

Henry's climate records for 1807-8 end on June 1, a sultry day with a high of 92F and a low of only 70F. From his journal entries and daily weather observations - one of the few such documents of the region prior to the establishment of Fort Snelling in 1819 - we have a picture of the harshness, beauty, and serenity of the Red River Valley's landscape and climate.

From Minnesota Weather Almanac, by Mark W. Seeley (Published by Minnesota Historical Society © 2006)

Profile: Putnam Burton Peabody

Six months ago I posted a photograph of of a man whose identity I didn't know, asking readers to comment if they thought they knew who he was. Today, I got my first response...

I think the photo of the man in a buggy outside the Episcopal church in St. Vincent is the Rev. Putnum B. Peabody, the minister there until about 1904. (I was surprised to see nothing about him on your St. Vincent web pages since he was such an important figure in its pre-1900 history.) I can't, of course, be certain it is him since the image of him in the photo is so small, but attached is a set of comparison images -- three of Peabody plus a vignette from your image. I note especially the shape of the head, the mustache, the nose, the expression, and in particular the ears all resemble Peabody. That being said, I actually cannot tell if the man in the buggy has a beard... I have no genealogical or traditional connection to St. Vincent; only an intense provincial appreciation of all things Minnesota. I have explored the Pembina Trail from St. Paul to the Canadian border, driven across Roseau and Kittson counties in search of birds and history, and camped in the woods throughout the northern counties. David Thompson would be my mentor. The Reverend Putnam Burton Peabody was a minister in St. Vincent and Hallock before leaving Minnesota about 1903. Peabody (1856–1937) was an ornithologist, Knight Templar, photographer, military captain, Episcopalian minister, Ancient Free and Accepted Mason, author, composer, oologist, nidiologist, and naturalist. He was also one of the pioneer ornithologists of Minnesota. He was a well-known authority on the Yellow Rail and he found the state’s only nesting records of White-faced Ibis. Throughout his life, he published numerous papers on the birds he observed in the places he visited. His notes appeared in The Auk, The Condor, The Oologist, Bird-Lore, The Ornithologist and Oologist, The Nidiologist, The Wilson Bulletin, The Journal of Field Ornithology, and The Warbler, among others. Though born in Wisconsin, Peabody’s spent his first 45 years in Minnesota where he studied birds, their nests, and their eggs. He lived in the towns of Faribault, Owatonna, Wilder, St. Vincent, and Hallock. He also frequented Heron Lake, the Roseau Bog, Mille Lacs, and other well known birding locations where he collected extensively. On 7 July 1890, Peabody married Anna Fulton Graham. They had three children, Lloyd Graham, born 12 April 1891, died 14 April 1891; Donald Francis, born 3 July 1892, died in 1899; and Vivian May, born 5 June 1896. In 1903, the family of three left Minnesota for Wyoming, but they eventually settled in Kansas in 1905. Peabody is an under-appreciated, forgotten pioneer of unusual significance in Minnesota's avifaunal history.

NOTE: The individual who contacted me wishes to remain anonymous...

1874 Minnesota Atlas

"...In 1873 salesmen covered Minnesota like locusts, hawking a landmark publication: the first illustrated atlas of any state. These salesmen were not only looking for subscriptions to the forthcoming book but also appealing to their client’s vanity. They pushed subscribers to immortalize themselves by paying extra to have everything included in the book, from their portraits and biographies (at 2 1/2 cents per word), to images of their cows, to prosperous farms and businesses. While the salesmen were doing their work, a crew of surveyors were scouring the U. S. Land Offices consulting the work done out in the field and drawing their own maps. [Alfred T.] Andreas had chosen Minnesota for his bold experiment and departure from other map publications because we were prosperous, in spite of our youth, and Minnesota was cartographic virgin territory."

From Minnesota State Historical Society's Collections Up Close blog, 150 Best Minnesota Books

You can see the atlas online here...

Profile: Randolph Probstfield

Randolph Probstfield (seen here with his wife Catherine) emigrated from Germany to Minnesota and became one of the earliest settlers in the Red River Valley, at the Georgetown fur station (HBC). His experiements in agriculture helped determine what could best be grown in the Valley.

Along the banks of the Red River, a woman gives birth to her third child. As her husband helps to deliver the baby, her two older children huddle at the side of the tent, trying to stay warm. The muddy waters flow by, and just days later, the group heads out again. They battle the cold, the wind and the river, only stopping when they reach the plot of land that they can call their own. “The crossing of the river that night is one that I shall never forget,” said Randolph Probstfield, an early settler to the area. “The sufferings, the anxiety, the terrors and the disappointment to me were all events most deeply impressed upon my mind.”

In his diaries, Probstfield talks of buying a ticket for the stage to Pembina, but when he went to board, it was too full and couldn't...overbooking, even in those days!

He also talked about men being robbed at Pembina by someone named 'Lennon'; later, upon arriving at Georgetown, teamsters arrived from Fort Garry. He put them up for the night and provided them with breakfast. He did a lot of business at Pembina and seemed to be coming and going between his post at Georgetown and Pembina by riverboat and stage both.

From 1874 journal...

NOTE: An interesting bit of trivia. Probstfield writes above he has agreed to testify in court for Marshall Burdick. U.S. Marshall James H. Burdick was the man who brought in James McCall, the man who shot and killed Wild Bill Hickock at Deadwood while playing poker. McCall was eventually hanged for it.

MN @ 150: Pembina Trail Walk Nears Finish

Click photo to go to the Pembina Trails blog for full, current updates...

Seifferts: "Ocian in view! O! the joy."

From the Seiffert family today comes the long-awaited news...

That subject line is a quote from William Clark's field notes when he first saw the Pacific Ocean (the spelling is his) and I thought it might be as good a line as any for Matt and David. Shortly before noon today they reached York Factory, and immediately sent us a Spot Messenger signal, followed by another one about a hundred meters away a few minutes later, followed by another (this one) a few minutes later from inside the grounds of the fort. Matthew explained to me later that this was as close as they could come to shouting their exultation to us. They have done it. Over two thousand miles and God only knows how many paddle strokes, and they have made it from St. Peter to Hudson Bay (actually, the bay is still a half-dozen miles from York Factory, but I think we can allow them this much - they could see it easily from there...)

With their usual impeccable timing, they happened to arrive on a special day at the site (which is now part of the Canadian park system). There was some sort of heritage festival going on, so there were more people there than usual. Some others had also canoed in, but when people learned that Matt and David had come all the way from Minnesota, they were accorded minor celebrity status. They told me that they had indeed taken some photos there, so we should soon get to see what they saw there. They were at York Factory only about an hour and a half, since the plane took them out about 1:00. They called me from Gillam, where they will spend the entire day tomorrow before catching the Winnipeg-bound train from Churchill at about 4:00 Friday morning. They should be getting into the station at Winnipeg about 1:00 in the afternoon on Saturday. Matthew asked me to pass on an invitation to all his new Canadian friends (you know who you are) that if you happen to be in or near Winnipeg at that time, we'll be hanging around The Forks area (which is right by the train station) from about 1:30 to 2:00. He and David would love to see you again and we'd love to meet you.

The guys sounded great on the phone (they would have sounded great to me no matter what) but they are, not surprisingly, quite tired. They took turns standing watch last night for polar bears (they never saw any) - the only night they have done so - and between that and the sleeplessness of the excitement, they did not get too much sleep. I am guessing that tonight they will make up for some of that...

Seiffert Brothers: 55 Miles in One Day!

Wow...55 miles in one day! See where they are, and read about what this means...

I don't know if the guys are that eager for fresh food, that tired of being on the river in the rain, or just enjoying a strong current, but by my measurements, they ate up about 55 miles today. If they go that far again on Tuesday, they will be on the doorstep of York Factory. I'm not sure if they plan to make it there tomorrow or not. They were supposed to give us a special signal when they thought they'd be there the next day and we haven't received that yet, but we know by now that even signals relayed from a satellite can get delayed. They can probably almost just drift the rest of the way if they are so inclined; the river is probably moving fairly swiftly here. They have dropped from about 90 meters above sea level yesterday to about 25 today (for those of you not conversant with metric, that's a bit over 200 feet). The river is obviously growing, with some additions from other streams. Right now they are at the confluence of the Hayes (which has been their highway) and God's River, which is the one that Sevareid and his friend took back in 1930.

The river definitely looks bigger now. I measured it on my computer at about a quarter mile across here. It will get a bit narrower in spots yet, but it will also be wider at the end, a half mile or more, which will almost certainly make it the biggest river of their whole trip. Speaking (or writing) of big, they have totaled up some big miles by now. Even if you ignore all the twists and turns (which I'm sure they would love to have done on the Red) they are now about 800 miles in a straight line north of where we are in St. Anthony (which is almost exactly halfway between the equator and north pole) and even farther north of where they started in St. Peter. If they were to go that far north again, they would be well north of the Arctic Circle. If they were to go that far in a straight line west, east, or south of here, they would be in Yellowstone Park, central New York, or northern Louisiana, respectively. If they were to unkink all the miles that they have traveled and go that far in a straight line, I think they would be in an ocean any way they went.

I imagine that they will be glad to unkink their bodies after more than two thousand miles of sitting. I can't imagine how they will feel when they see the bay in front of them. I'm not sure if Matt and David can imagine it yet themselves, but in a day or two they won't have to - they will know just how it feels. I hope they can describe it for us...

Seiffert Update: York Factory or Bust

The Seiffert brothers, Matt and David, are making fast times as they rapidly descend towards Hudson Bay. Last night came this latest update from their family, based on GPS data sent to them daily...

If my measurements are correct, Matt and David made 34 or more miles today, a bit faster than in the previous few days. That could be from motivation to reach the end, but I also suspect that they are benefiting from the fact that the river is definitely descending. It looks like they are 40 or more meters closer to sea level. If they maintain this pace, they could be at York Factory by Thursday or Friday. As far as I can tell, they have been in a sort of canyon for quite a few miles now - the land appears to rise about 40 to 50 meters on either side of them, where they are currently camped on the south bank of the river (there are no islands to speak of where they are right now). I think that it will flatten out a bit before they reach the end of the river. When that happens, we will be scrambling a bit at this end. Their return journey will involve a plane, a train, and our automobile. One result of that will be that these updates will be interrupted for a few days while we are traveling. We will let you know before we go that they have finished, and we will have some more info for you when we get back (I hope that the guys can add some stuff of their own by that time...)

MN @ 150: Pembina Trail Update III

I have discovered a blog that shows great updates of Orlin Ostby's trip.

I'm telling you, I think that Pum is more popular than Orlin. And why not - what a handsome fellow he is! Steven Reynolds writes:

In 2003, Orlin purchased a team of young Holstein steers, broken to drive, from a 10-year-old New Hampshire 4-Her named Thomas Philbrick, who had begun training “Pum” and “Kin” as a team as young as eight days old...Over the past five years, Pum and Kin grew in size and experience, becoming celebrities in community events and parades across northwest Minnesota and the Red River Valley region. Pum, chosen for the Pembina walk because of his sweet disposition and cool head, weighs 2360 pounds and is six feet tall at the shoulder. He can easily pull the two-wheel, early-1900s Ontario cart Orlin has modified for the trip...

Seiffert Update: Norway House

An update from their parents, it looks like the boys are making great time...

It took them three tries, but Matt and David finally got through to us on the phone. They didn't call later last night because the people whose back yard they are camping in were gone at work, and they couldn't get to a phone. They decided to camp there rather than get a motel room for a couple of reasons. One is that lodging is not cheap in Norway House, and they are demonstrating a frugal streak that I find hopeful. The other is a matter of security - they figured that it would be less likely for anything to go missing if they stayed with it. It also helps that they were less than 100 yards from a police station and in the back yard of a Mountie.

I learned that their food packages and maps got there OK. They said that as soon as they walked in the door of the post office the clerk (postmaster?) was already going to get their packages. I had sent the postmaster a letter to alert him to the fact that these two tall, lean young men (one over two meters) would be showing up soon, and that must have been an adequate description. As has been the case before, they had more food than they needed, so they gave away some of it (including about twenty of their precious candy bars). Matthew told their host, "I know it's sort of like a cat leaving a mouse on your doorstep, but we can't take it with us and want to give you something." (The guys had also offered to take their hosts out for dinner, but that offer was declined.)

They were able to fill in a lot of the gaps in my knowledge, and either confirm or refute some of my speculation. I'll share some of that in subsequent notes, since I don't expect to have too much new info coming in for a couple of weeks. One thing they cleared up is why they stopped short of the town yesterday. It wasn't so that they could have an easy morning and early arrival (although it sort of worked out that way) but because they had some first-hand experience of why Playgreen Lake has the name it does. According to Sevareid's book, that name derives from "Plague-of-a-lake," a name given to it because all the islands and channels make it easy to get lost. At one point, Matt and David weren't even sure if they were still on their map, and wound up back-tracking a ways, to find that they had been about where they had wanted to be. Matthew commented to me that if they could have had a GPS device for only one day of the trip (remember that their Spot Messenger tells us where they are, but doesn't tell them) that would have been the day to have it. To add insult to injury, David's glasses are now somewhere at the bottom of Playgreen Lake (he still has contacts sufficient to last the rest of the trip). He considered diving for them, but his brother dissuaded him, which even David agrees now was the better choice.

They are off on the last long leg of their adventure in the morning, and estimate that they will get to York Factory about August 10-13. It looks like they will start this part in rain, but they are used to that, and are more than glad to get off the big lake, where even a gentle wind has enough room to build up big waves. Matthew pointed out that once they get over a particular portage in a day or two, the rest of the way is simply going downhill. I admire his confidence, but I certainly plan to keep on praying.

By the way, I found this fascinating website chronicling another trip up to Hudson Bay in 2005 - well worth a visit and a read...

MN @ 150: Walking the Trail Update

Isn't that a great header? That's from Orlin Ostby's website, chronicling his walk on the Pembina/Red River Trail with his ox Pum, which he's doing right now! If you go to his website, you can glean some updates between the guestbook and the journal. Originally they intended to update the journal daily but their satellite phone isn't cooperating. Technology strikes again!

Here's a photo taken by Steve Reynolds, who has a few more posted that aren't on Orlin's website, including a few taken when they were in and just leaving Pembina...

Dakota Datebook: Civil War & Us

From Dakota Datebook comes this bit of trivia about a 'first' in our area...

On this date in 1914 the Jamestown Sun announced the death or Nelson E. Nelson, the recipient of the first homestead for what is now North Dakota. Born in 1833, Nelson immigrated from Norway in 1849 and grew up in Wisconsin. He began working as a clerk in land offices in Wisconsin and Minnesota. On May 17, 1861, at age 28, he enlisted in the Minnesota First Regiment and saw action at Bull Run, the Shenandoah Valley Campaign and the Battle of Antietam Creek which was the bloodiest single day in the Civil War; 23,000 men were killed or wounded on both sides. His regiment lost one hundred and forty one men.

Returning to Minnesota, Nelson E. Nelson first became a judge of the probate and then register of deeds for Sibley County. In 1869 he accepted a job as deputy collector of customs at Pembina, Dakota Territory and St. Vincent, Minnesota. When the land became available for homesteading near Pembina, Nelson , along with a number of other individuals, filed for a homestead in Section 8 of Township 163, Range 51 on December 19, 1870. He then obtained the first patent for Homestead in what is now North Dakota and his Patent was #1. Officially his patent is listed on page 29 of Land Office Tract Book #85, which shows it as #_ and he may have initially shared the patent number with Joseph Rolette, Senior. Rolette actually filed on June 15, 1868 but due to difficulties with land office recordings and rules, his final patent number was given as #1152. Among Nelson’s neighbors were Charles Cavalier who obtained the second patent and Margaret Renville, whose patent #5, made her the first woman in Dakota Territory to obtain a patent.

Nelson E. Nelson served one term in the Territorial Legislature in 1883 taking the House seat formerly occupied by his son-in-law, Judson LaMoure. Nelson was one of the leaders in removing the territorial capitol from Yankton to Bismarck. Later in life he moved to California to live with his daughter whose husband, Alex Montague, had served with the San Diego Customs Office for more than forty years.

Individuals such as William Morehead, Charles Cavalier or Judson LaMoure are more recognizable names in the history of Pembina and had lived in Pembina long before Mr. Nelson. It was the timing of his filing and the fact that he actually obtained a final proof on the application for a homestead, instead of using script or commuting the application to a cash sale, that made Nelson’s patent the first official homestead in what is now North Dakota.

When searching around the web I also found this entry about a Civil War veteran who lived for a time in St. Vincent, after several years post-war travails. As in wars before and since, it leaves permanent marks on people that can never be removed.

Sieffert Brothers Update

The Seiffert brothers have been to Pembina, but are currently a few miles south of Pembina taking a brief break to visit friends in the area.

Some other friends have kindly created a website about their adventure, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in following their story. Very nicely done!

Minnesota @ 150: Hitting the Trail

Today Orlin and his team begin an amazing journey, recreating the annual trip from the border area to St. Paul on the old Red River Trail. From what I understand, they will be starting out from Pembina this morning.

Good luck to you all, and may the trail be kind, and the people you meet be welcoming. We'll be watching for you along the way...

Two More to Hudson Bay

There are two more young men tackling the journey from Minnesota to Hudson Bay. It's just a coincidence, we're told, that their trip happened around the same time as the other did. Both trips - whether meant to or not - are fitting in this, the Sequicentennial of Minnesota.

Their names are Matthew and David Seiffert. They started out from St. Peter, MN on June 2nd. They should be reaching Pembina tomorrow.

I contacted one of the reporters that have covered the story so far, and was put in touch with their parents who have an email list they put out updates on daily. Yesterday, they had this to share; it sounds to say the least, challenging:

When we talked with Matthew early in the day (he called this morning since he couldn't reach us last night) he said that they were wet, tired, "mad at the world," and doing great. Not only did they have to endure a day of rain and showers, but they had a stiff wind in their faces (at least on average, given the way that river twists) all day. Both guys commented that they had to pay attention to which way to set out when they stopped along the shore; it wasn't always obvious which way the current was going. However, they prevailed and tonight are safely in a friend's house in Drayton, ND (the friend will be back tomorrow; don't worry - they didn't have to break in, but the story isn't worth telling here). Their next stop should be in Pembina, after which they will be in Canada.

They have been continuing their round-the-clock strategy for now. To keep both of them from getting their feet excessively muddy when they stopped for a meal, only Matthew got out to do the cooking, which ultimately meant that David spent about 33 straight hours in the canoe. That raised a biological question in my mnd, but we decided that some details we don't have to know. They were glad to hear that the forecast looks better for the next few days, and other than being physically tired, sound like they are still in good spirits. We pray that the wind, if not at their backs, at least won't coninue in their faces.

Tonight's update:

These are from David's friend Kevin in Gand Forks. He noted that he had about ten minutes' notice of their arrival (and no prior knowledge of their expedition) but it seems that he enjoyed the visit.

As of Sunday night, the plan is for them to be on their way to Pembina, where they hope to rest a day. We'll let you know more when we hear from them.

MN @ 150: Pembina Trail - UPDATE

This year, events are taking place all over the state to celebrate Minnesota's 150 years of statehood. Few, if any, sesquicentennial events span the state north to south like the Sesquicentennial Stroll-planned for this summer-will.

Orlin Ostby of Gatzke has actually been planning the stroll along the Pembina Trail - one of the main historic oxcart trail routes from St. Paul to Winnipeg, Manitoba - for 50 years. With his wife, Mandy, some of his children, a cousin from Norway and a few others in tow, Ostby will set out by foot July 1 from St. Vincent, near the Canadian border, and trek down to St. Paul. A sturdy pair of oxen from New Hampshire, pulling an ox cart, will tag along as well.

Followup: John N. Chase

I was contacted a few days ago by a resident from up near home, who commented on this recent posting. He explained he was researching John N. Chase, and wondered if I had further information on him. I had to sadly report that what was in the posting was all I had been able to find. But thanks to this reader, I found out much more...

Although he was serving in the Minnesota legislature a few years earlier from St. Vincent, by the time the war began he was living down near St. Paul in his capacity as a legislator. That was why it was listed that he volunteered from St. Anthony. He was inducted on October 22, 1861, and discharged on May 4, 1864.

The brief overview of his war record given here shows a man who distinguished himself in his all too brief life. Born in Connecticut, dying in New Orleans, he was one of many settlers who passed through St. Vincent and made their mark.

NOTE: John N. Chase's 1862 tactical manual was recently purchased by a Civil War artifacts collector who lives in a town just south of Pembina; he kindly sent me the photographs below, which show pages where Chase wrote his name and rank at that time...

Minnesota Statehood: Pembina's Role (Part I)

In that flourishing era in Minnesota's history between territorial status and statehood, Pembina played a leading role. Though separated from the southern part of the territory by a vast stretch of grassland, the little settlement was always of significance, for it was the natural gateway for all traffic between Rupert's Land and the United States. Through it passed countless travellers: British army officers en route to Fort Garry, Sisters of Charity going to Red River, American scientists seeking such things as a favourable site to observe an eclipse, explorers on their way to the Arctic, a host of English gentlemen bound for sport and adventure, and always the itinerant traders of St. Paul and the Red River Settlement. Pembina was a busy place; and since it was the gateway to the British Northwest, might not its proprietors also hold the "key" to the whole region?

During Minnesota's territorial days there was a keen interest in the commerce and lands of the Hudson's Bay Company and much of it revolved around the trading post and half-breed colony at Pembina. The trader, of course, was Kittson, but the moving spirit behind the colony itself was Father Belcourt, who had returned to the Northwest in 1848 in order to establish a chain of missionary stations below the 49th parallel. He planned to continue his efforts to transform the semi-nomadic, buffalo-hunting Métis into settled, agrarian folk. He hoped to attract them from both sides of the line to his missions and eventually to convert missions and Métis into colonies.

Belcourt selected Pembina as the centre of his missionary complex, a site that in 1849 was neither crowded nor charming. According to his tally, Pembina had a population of about 1,000; but if his census was not exaggerated, it was certainly misleading. In the eyes of one detached observer, Pembina did not even possess "...a collecion of huts, with the appearance of a village...," merely a few rustic dwellings scattered whimsically along the river banks, and the lodges and shanties of Pembina's floating population, the half-breeds and the Indians. With the exception of Kittson, his handful of assistants, and Belcourt, these nomads made up the colony's entire population. With the cluster of log huts at the forks, Kittson had the most prepossessing Demesne. Belcourt resided farther upstream in a comfortable two-storey house, flanked by a crude chapel and several outbuildings. To the south of these solitary evidences of civilization, there was nothing for hundreds of miles - "No houses, no cattle, no sheep, all wild as nature made it." (Speech given by Charles Cavilier, 10 Dec 1891, to a gathering of old settlers at Grand Forks. Cavilier was describing his impressions of Pembina when he first arrived there as its customs collector in 1851, Cavilier Papers...)

Despite Pembina's unpromising appearance, Father Belcourt predicted a great future for it. All that was needed to make it flourish was Washington's "Green thumb"; and, to secure the support of the federal government, the priest composed a most alluring prospectus. In it he claimed that since Pembina was the ancestral home of the Métis it would inevitably entice them away from Rupert's Land, charms: rich and arable land; a gateway to the buffalo grounds; salt springs, wood lots , and probably coal and iron too; thick grasslands ideal for cattle ranching; and a mild and salubrious climate. If the United States would only re-draw the 49th parallel to make it "incontestably American," keep out the British and their whisky, open up and sell the land, establish governmental institutions, and provide military protection, then Pembina's destiny would undoubtedly he assured. "Before three years shall have elapsed," the priest concluded, "if the Government of the United States...will extend its protecting hand to us, more than four thousand souls will soon embrace and enjoy the sweets of liberty..."

In his pursuit of federal aid, Belcourt was supported by many prominent Minnesotans. They favoured his design because it seemingly served so may of their territory's geopolitical interests. One of them suggested that, in the event of conflict with Britain, Belcourt's half-breeds "would form an invaluable defence to that exposed frontier..." Should war occur - asserted another - "a force would ever be found ready and sufficiently strong to carry the stars and stripes to York Factory and supplant the cross of St. George between the 49th parrallel and Hudson's [sic] Bay." And a third asked whether, without war's excuse, the people of Pembina "and the region they live in, [did not] present a case similar to that of Oregon Territory, in which the free gift of a quarter section of land to each person would be a judicious policy...?" These were heady speculations and the three men who made them (Henry H. Sibley, Henry M. Rice, and Alexander Ramsey) were destined to lead Minnesota through her territorial days, into statehood, and far beyond.

From: MINNESOTA and the Manifest Destiny of the CANADIAN NORTHWEST, by Alvin C. Gluek, Jr.

First State Legislature: Joseph Rolette, Jr.

He was of French ancestry.

During his service in the Territorial Council of 1857 a bill passed that would move the capitol of Minnesota from St. Paul to St. Peter. Joe Rolette, the chair of the Enrolled Bills Committee at the time, took the bill after it had passed both bodies and went into hiding with it. His efforts prevented the change from occurring.

He died in Pembina, Dakota Territory.

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth: 10/23/1820
Date of Death (if known or applicable): 05/16/1871
Birth Place: Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin
Birth County: Birth Country: United States
Other Names: Joe
Gender: Male Religion:
City of Residence (when first elected): Saint Vincent
Occupation (when first elected): Fur Trader, American Fur Company

EDUCATION
New York Schools; At Least Elementary School

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Territorial Democratic Constitutional Convention 7th Council District, Minnesota Territory Elected 07/13/1857 to 08/29/1857
Legislative Session: 1st (1857-1859)
Body: Senate Elected: 10/13/1857 Term of Office: 12/2/1857 to 12/6/1859
District: 22 Residence: Saint Vincent
Counties Represented: Cass, Pembina (defunct), Todd
Occupation: Fur Trader, American Fur Company
Party: Democratic
Committees: Enrollment, Harbors, Towns and Counties (Chair)
Session Notes: He was sworn in on December 7, 1857 and subscribed to the oath of office on December 8, 1857. An 1858-59 session was not held due to the protracted session of 1857-58. (Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1872, p. 66) Thus, even though the first session was adjourned on August 12, 1858; the term end date for it is listed as the day before the second legislative session's start date.

[From the First Minnesota Legislature Collection]