money earned with the needle by the ladies of this society made a payment on the bill of lumber for this public building, which was finally completed and occupied in August, 1848. It stood on the north side of West Third street, about 100 feet westerly from St. Peter street, opposite to the site of the building now occupied by the West Publishing Company.

In 1849 three separate schools were established in St. Paul, one of which was under the care of Miss Bishop. Our minds can scarcely comprehend the change and growth of our public schools, contrasting the present with the beginning fifty years ago. Miss Bishop was born in Vergennes, Vermont, January 1st, 1817; and died in St. Paul, August 8th, 1883. To the time of her death, she was ever active and energetic in educational and Christian work.

In commencing this review, it was my intention to notice briefly those of my associate officers, appointed by the President of the United States during the first four years of our Territorial existence, who are now numbered among the departed; but I forbear with only the mention of their names:

Charles K. Smith, Secretary of the Territory from June 1, 1849, to October 23, 1851.

Alexander Wilkin, Secretary of the Territory from October 23, 1851, to May 15, 1853.

Aaron Goodrich, Chief Justice, from June 1, 1849, to November 13, 1851.

Jerome Fuller, Chief Justice, from November 13, 1851, to December 16, 1852.

Henry Z. Hayner, Chief Justice, from December 16, 1852, to April 7, 1853.

David Cooper, Associate Justice, from June 1, 1849, to April 7, 1853.

Bradley B. Meeker, Associate Justice, from June 1, 1849, to April 7, 1853.

Alexander M. Mitchell, United States Marshal, from April, 1849, to June, 1851.

Henry L. Tilden, United States Marshal, from June, 1851, to the date of his death, January 19th, 1852, when he was succeeded by Joseph W. Furber, of whom I have spoken.

OTHER OLD SETTLERS STILL LIVING.

I cannot conclude these reminiscences of the past without a brief notice of the living.

Here sits with us to-day our genial friend Simeon P. Folsom, who came to St. Paul in July, 1847. If he was only dead, I could mention many good things of him, and how he gave cheer and comfort to the pioneer souls of 1847 and 1848. As he still lives, there yet remains to him the opportunity to add to his record a name that future generations will be proud to emulate.

It would be unpardonable, if I failed to mention the name of our ever entertaining associate, William P. Murray, whose ingenuity to make a good story from nothing is unsurpassed by any "Old Settler." He can spin longer yarns, and tell you more of those things and matters of which he has knowledge, as well as of others which he knows nothing about, than any other mortal. It was by "the skin of his teeth" that he became an "Old Settler." If the lingering days of December, 1849, had been made shorter, he would have been left in the snowbanks between the Black and Chippewa rivers of Wisconsin, when the sunlight of January 1st, 1850, broke forth. May his life be prolonged to give cheer, joy, and happiness to all "Old Settlers" for many days to come, as he has done in days gone by.

And there is still with us our ancient friend of the St. Croix valley, John D. Ludden, who claims the year 1845 as the date of his birthright to the name of "Old Settler." His life in Minnesota is a summary of good deeds and wise counsel in every movement for the development and prosperity of Minnesota. He gives to-day the same candid, cautious, and deliberate consideration to every measure that has for its purpose the welfare of the state and its citizens, as in the days of the Territory, when he represented the interests of the St. Croix valley in many sessions of its Legislature.

I regret that Captain Russell Blakeley is not with us to-day. Business matters require his presence in an eastern state. His life for more than fifty years has been identified with projects and enterprises sufficient to make a volume of pioneer history. Even now in his age of more than fourscore years he exhibits that same foresight in the development of future possibilities

of our city as in former years. For twenty years after the organization of the Territory, he was instrumental in bringing thousands upon thousands of the early citizens into our state. Steamboats, Concord coaches, mud wagons, and other vehicles, were the instruments employed by him for that purpose. As long as life is spared to him, he can be relied upon as a prudent and sagacious counsellor in every undertaking and measure that will promote the prosperity of our city and state.

There is also with us to-day another "Old Settler" who never fails to join us in our annual gathering; I refer to our genial and efficient secretary, August L. Larpenteur, who has been a resident of St. Paul since September 15th, 1843. From that date for more than forty years he was engaged in mercantile business in this city. He is the only person now living who as merchant and trader did business in St. Paul prior to the organization of the Territory. He built the first frame dwelling house in St. Paul, in 1847, which became known in after years as the "Wild Hunter" saloon on Jackson street.

From the beginning, Mr. Larpenteur was active and prominent in settling and arranging the title to the lots in the origiinal "Town of St. Paul." In 1847 St. Paul was unsurveyed government land. The original survey, by the United States government, of the town lines, was made in October, 1847; and in the following month of November the subdivisions were made. The original platting of St. Paul was made during the autumn of 1847, by Messrs. Ira B. Brunson and Benjamin W. Brunson, of Prairie du Chien; and the ownership of the various lots was amicably arranged and allotted among the claimants. At the government sale of the public lands at St. Croix Falls in August, 1848, it was mutually agreed among the claimants that Mr. H. H. Sibley of Mendota should make the purchase; and subsequently Mr. Larpenteur was selected as one of the three trustees to determine the just claims and rights of the claimants to the various lots in the town. Mr. Larpenteur was ever faithful to the trusts imposed upon him, and was endeared to the early settlers of St. Paul by his generosity and good fellowship toward them. Under the charter organization of the "Town of St. Paul," in 1849, Mr. Larpenteur was elected one of the trustees, and for several years thereafter he held

official positions, either in St. Paul or Ramsey county. For several years past he has not been engaged in any active business, and now in his advanced age lives surrounded with the comforts of a home, located in the western part of our city, where he has lived for more than forty years in the enjoyment of the affections of a beloved wife and children.

What shall I say, aye, what can I say more than has been said for the last forty-eight years, of our venerable associate, Governor Alexander Ramsey, who proclaimed existence and life in the framework of Minnesota under the inspiration and sign manual of President Zachary Taylor and Secretary Daniel Webster? Associates, look upon him as he sits with us today! Twenty years ago he made a pre-emption claim upon the last banquet plate of the Old Settlers' annual gathering, and he stands ready to-day to make good that claim against any of us. Who shall venture to contest it?

As for your humble servant, he yields to none in high esteem and sincere respect for the "Old Settlers," and in hearty greetings to our Associates of the St. Croix valley. He still retains the youthful feelings of 1848, when he first trod upon the soil of this state, and to-day heartily joins with you all in commemorating the nativity of Minnesota.

Thanks are due to our esteemed associate, George L. Becker, who has this day furnished each of us a memento in which are enrolled the names of our charter members, numbering 102, which number has been reduced by the fell destroyer until now only twenty-one of those original members remain living.

As I sat in my library reading yesterday evening my wife brought to me a framed photograph taken ten years ago to-day, June 1st, 1887, from the steps of the capitol building. That photograph presents forty-five "Old Settlers" in a group. I looked upon those familiar faces with pleasure as well as in sorrow. Of that number twenty-two do not and cannot meet with us to-day, as they are gathered in other realms, from whence they cannot return; yet I feel that they are with us to-day in memory dear. Thus fall the sere and yellow leaves.

EARLY TRADE AND TRADERS IN ST. PAUL.*

BY CHARLES D. ELFELT.

In 1840, Bishop Loras of Prairie du Chien, being desirous of developing the truths of Christianity, sent the Rev. Lucian Galtier as a missionary to St. Peter and Fort Snelling, situated on opposite sides of the mouth of the St. Peter river, then so called. He found a number of Catholic families located at a point about six miles below the fort, some of whom had been driven off the Military Reserve, which extended then, according to military authority, down to what is now known as the "Seven Corners." He at once called the good people together and in a very short time a log chapel was erected and dedicated to their patron, Saint Paul, and hence the name was given to the settlement, and from that day attention was drawn to its locality. Subsequently, when the territorial organization took place, the name was permanently adopted.

These good people were principally old French voyageurs; some of them had been in the employ of the Hudson Bay Company; and others of them were employed by the American Fur Company, and by the sutler at Fort Snelling, who did more or less trading with the Indians. Whatever they required had to be obtained either from the American Fur Company's store at St. Peter, now known as Mendota, or from the sutler at Fort Snelling, there being no store in their midst, unless you would so call a few barrels of whisky and sundry parcels of shot, powder, and tobacco, laid away in Peter Parrant's cellar and in some of the other settlers' cellars for the purpose of trading for a few furs from the Indians.

Read at the monthly meeting of the Executive Council, December 13, 1897. Mr. Elfelt died April 28, 1899.