Anson Northrup. – This gentleman, whose name was borne by the first steamboat ever launched on the Red River of the North, and who brought the first drove of cattle through from Illinois to St. Croix Falls, deserves a conspicuous place in the annals of the Northwest. He was born in Conewango, Cataraugus county, New York, Jan. 4, 1817. His education was limited, but he was a man of more than ordinary native ability and energy. He lived in Ohio some years, and came West in 1838. In 1839 he drove the first herd of cattle through a wilderness country from the Wisconsin river to the St. Croix. In 1841 he removed his family from Ohio to St. Croix Falls. He came by way of St. Louis, from that point embarking on the steamer Indian Queen for the Falls. The steamer was three weeks making the trip. Above Prairie du Chien crew and passengers were obliged to cut wood to run the boat. Mr. Northrup had married Betsey Edwards, daughter of widow Edwards, one of the pioneers of Stillwater. Charles H., their eldest son, was the first white child born at St. Croix Falls. In the spring of 1844 he moved to Stillwater, where he built and kept the first hotel in that place. From 1847 to 1848 he was part owner of the Osceola saw mill along with Mahony and Kent. In 1849 he removed to St. Paul, and built the American Hotel on Third street, east from Seven Corners. In 1851 he removed to St. Anthony Falls and built there the St. Charles Hotel. In 1853 he removed to Minneapolis, and built the Bushnell House, the first brick building in the city. Subsequently he became a resident at Long Prairie, Swan River and Duluth. Although Mr. Northrup's genius tended chiefly in the direction of hotel building, his abilites in other directions were beyond question. With equal facility he turned his hand to lumbering, steamboating and statesmanship. His great steamboat enterprise was the attempted transfer of the steamer North Star by water from the Mississippi to the Red River of the North. The boat was one hundred feet long by twenty wide, and of light draught. Starting from St. Cloud in the spring of 1859 he performed the wonderful feat of ascending the Mississippi as far as Pokegama Falls, hoping to ascend further, and during a high stage of water to float the boat over the height of land into some of the tributaries of the Red river. The water was not sufficiently high. The winter following he took the boat to pieces, and removed it by land to Red river, opposite the mouth of the Cheyenne, where it was reconstructed and launched, taken to Fort Garry and afterward sold to Mr. Burbank. This boat, its name being changed to Anson Northrup, was the first steamboat on the waters of Red river.
Mr. Northrup's political career commenced and closed with the first Minnesota legislature, 1857-58, he representing the counties of Morrison, Crow Wing and Mille Lacs in the senate.
During the Rebellion he served as wagon master. He lived in Texas three years, returned to St. Paul, where he lived in 1874-75-76, and now lives in Bismarck, Dakota.
Robert Kennedy. – Mr. Kennedy, in 1839, located at Holmes' Landing, now Fountain City, on the banks of the Mississippi, above Winona. In 1844 he removed to Dakotah, where he kept a hotel in the old tamarack court house, built by Joseph R. Brown. In 1846 he kept a hotel in the Northrup House, Stillwater; in 1848 he kept the American Hotel, Shakopee. Subsequently he returned to St. Paul and kept a boarding house, and for three years the hotel known as "Moffett's Castle." Afterward he kept the Snelling House, and last the Bernard House. From 1853 to 1856 he was collector of customs for the port of St. Paul, and during that time the fees amounted to the enormous sum of forty six dollars and forty-two cents. Mr. Kennedy spent about thirty years as a landlord, in which capacity he was very popular.
Harvey Wilson. – Mr. Wilson was born in Corinth, Saratoga county, New York, December, 1815. He resided in his native county twenty-five years, then removed to St. Louis, where, for three years, he engaged in surveying. He came to St. Croix Falls in 1843 and to Stillwater in 1847. He acted as J. R. Brown's deputy clerk of court, June term, 1847. He was appointed clerk of the first Minnesota territorial term of court, Aug. 13, 1849, in which office he continued until his death, Nov. 3, 1876. Mr. Wilson was married in 1851 to widow Mary Stanchfield.
Andrew Jackson Short. – Mr. Short was born in St. Clair county, Illinois, in 1818. He came thence to the St. Croix valley and located at Marine in 1843, and commenced running rafts with W. B. Dibble. In 1857 and 1858 he gathered logs as agent in Lake St. Croix, rafted and run them below, but lost heavily and was in fact financially wrecked. He afterward engaged in the logging and hardware business in Stillwater. In 1868 he built the famous Dudley mills at Point Douglas, at a cost of $35,000. Mr. Short made Stillwater his home until 1862, when he removed to Hastings. Much credit is due him for what he has accomplished. When he came to the St. Croix valley he could neither read nor write, but by energy, industry and native force of character, notwithstanding a few reverses, he has done far more than many other men in his position could have done. As a man he is genial and social.
James D. McComb. – Mr. McComb was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, Feb. 13, 1827, came to Stillwater June 10, 1846, and engaged in mercantile business with John H. Brewster three years, when he entered the firm of Anderson, McComb & Co., Robert Simpson being the third member. They did an extensive business for years. They built the large stone store on the corner of Main and Myrtle streets. Mr. McComb in 1860 became clerk in the surveyor general's office, which position he held ten years. He was surveyor general of logs and lumber four years, his accurate knowledge of the various marks used admirably fitting him for the position. He served as deputy sheriff in 1846 under James Fisher, of Prairie du Chien, and in 1847 under W. H. C. Folsom, of Stillwater. Mr. McComb has passed all the degrees in Odd Fellowship. He was married to Eliza T. McKusick in Stillwater, March 4, 1851. Mrs. McComb died in Stillwater Sept. 17, 1885.
William Rutherford. – Mr. Rutherford was born in 1823, in Stanton county, New York, and came to Stillwater in 1844. He married Christina J. Holcombe, at Jackson, Mississippi, in 1849. In 1848 he removed to his farm near Stillwater, where he has since lived. He has been quite successful as a farmer. Mr. Rutherford died March 15, 1888. His name will be remembered with honor.
Albion Masterson. – Mr. Masterman has also prospered as a farmer. He was born in Franklin county, Maine, in 1823; received a common school education; was married to Eliza Middleton in 1848; came to Stillwater in 1844, and in 1850 removed thence to his farm, where he died, Aug. 8, 1886. Mr. Masterman's life has been an industrious and exemplary one.
Joseph N. Masterman. – Mr. Masterman came to Stillwater, September, 1848. He engaged in lumbering and scaling continuously. He was born in Franklin county, Maine, in 1814, and spent his youth at home, but his education was somewhat limited. At the age of sixteen years he moved to Schoodic, lived there fourteen years, when he married Alice M. Prescott, and four years later came to Stillwater. His two sons, Wellington and Joseph P., reside in Stillwater. Wellington is auditor of Washington county.
Mahlon Black. – Mr. Black is of Scotch descent. His grandfather was a naval officer during the war of the Revolution, and a soldier in the war of 1812. Mahlon Black was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, Oct. 4, 1820. He spent his youth on his father's farm, and received a common school and academic education. When seventeen years of age he began the study of medicine in Cincinnati Medical College, but did not complete the course. In 1842 he came to Menomonie Mills, Wisconsin, and engaged in lumbering until 1846. In 1847 he was connected with government surveys, and the same year located in Stillwater. He was a representative in the first, third, and last territorial legislature, also a member of the extra session in 1857. He was mayor of Stillwater in 1860-61. In 1862 he enlisted in a company of sharpshooters, which was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. He was promoted to be captain, and provost marshal in the second division of the Second Army Corps, and one of Gen. Gibbon's staff officers. He was in fifty-four battles and skirmishes, in some of which over 100,000 men were engaged on each side. He was wounded four times, once severely, by a bayonet thrust received in a charge at the battle of Petersburgh. He served until the close of the war, and received a special and honorable discharge from his commander, Gen. Smyth, on the face of which are recorded the names of the battles in which he participated. In 1867 he removed from Stillwater to Minneapolis, where he has held the positions of land examiner and auditor of Hennepin county. He has the distinction of being the first Odd Fellow initiated in Minnesota. Sept. 21, 1850, he was married to Jane M. Stough, of Pennsylvania.
Morton