254 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



stop the leak; but it could not be done. The waters g-ot within 

 about four feet of the top, when it gave away, and I narrowly es- 

 caped going with it. I remained with the company and the next 

 year helped build a lock dain in its place, which is eleven hundred 

 feet across, twenty-nine feet high, floods up stream two and one-half 

 miles and furnishes the power for the now large manufacturing city 

 of Holyoke. 



In the spring of 1851,.I decided to go to Minnesota territory to get 

 some land for a home. I had a rough time staging it to Galena, and 

 there met people from St Paul. They told sad stories about St. Paul. 

 I said to thein I am going to see St. Paul for myself. I lauded there 

 on the 27th, I think, of April, 1851, and took board with Uncle Lot 

 Moflfett. I had a good trunk of clothing and a chest of tools, and af- 

 ter visiting St. Anthon}'- Falls, White Bear Lake and Stillwater, I got 

 work with Mr. Prentiss, who was building a store for Mr. Spicer 

 near the corner of Cedar and 3d streets. I finally jobbed around as 

 best I could until I took a claim on the Fort Snelling reservation, in 

 the timber and brush. I built a small house, dug a well and com- 

 menced to clear the land and finally got me a yoke of oxen, two 

 cows, a plow and wagon and coinmenced farming in that small 

 way. 



After the reservation was reduced and iny land bid in at the pub- 

 lic sale, I was much encouraged about having me a home which I 

 had come so far into the wilderness to obtain. In 1853, December 

 20th, I married Miss Sarah Pratt. She died May 5th, 1851, and on 

 October 23d, 1855, I married Miss Mary E. Lawson, of Danville, Mo. 

 I was married both times by Rev. J. G. Rheildafer. We raised a 

 family of seven children, all Miunesotans, viz: Mrs. Eliza A. Hurd, 

 Auburn, Washington; Wm. H. and Walter E. Brimhall, Ramsey, 

 county, Minn.; Dr. John B. Brimhall, St. Paul, Minn.; Charles 

 L., San Diego, Cal.; Mrs. Gertrude M. Fosdick, Pinole, Cal„ and 

 Silas J. Brimhall, at Pomona College, Cal. 



I helped form the first district in Reserve town, superintended the 

 building of the present Webster school house, corner of Randolph 

 and Snelling avenue, and was school clerk for fifteen years. I was 

 also a town supervisor, and was justice of the peace for two j'ears. 

 During- the Rebellion I was a recruiting officer and paid my quota 

 every call made for recruits, and at the last call furnished a substi- 

 tute rather than leave my wife and three children. I hauled gov- 

 ernment supplies to the forts during the war and took a load of 

 soldiers to La Crosse and a load of supplies back. I also belonged 

 to the state militia and held a commission as 2d lieutenant from 

 Gov. Alex Ramsey. 



Finding the soil so productive, I soon began the growing of small 

 fruits and vegetables for market, after which I planted five acres to 

 standard apples, such as Fameuse, Perry Russett, P]uinbCider,Sax- 

 ton. Gray Pippin and Alexander. They produced such bountiful 

 crops that I was induced to plant out, later on, twenty acres more. I 

 was a member of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society' while 

 living in the stat^?. I ain a life member of the State Agricultural 

 Society and was a large exhibitor at its fairs while living there. I 

 have grown both fruit and vegetables that would be a credit to any 



