230 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG 



boats and had excellent taste in finishing them so they 

 all looked like June brides. 



He gave a lot of time to public affairs, showing a 

 great interest in his home city and his state; was active 

 in politics and got the title of Colonel in recognition of 

 his party service. 



He was an influential member of the Masonic and 

 K. of P. lodges and also of the Old Settlers Association 

 of the Saint Croix Valley. They had one boat built on 

 the Ohio river, called first "A. T. Jenks," later the "Ed 

 Durant, Jr." She had the same power but was not as 

 good a boat in any way as those they built in their own 

 yard. 



He was a genial, jolly, courteous gentleman of the 

 old school. I knew him best when he was up in the 

 eighties, ripe and mellow with age, full of fun and in- 

 terested in everything. 



He left us December 9, 1918, after a long and pleas- 

 ant voyage. 



CAPTAIN JOSEPH BUISSON 



Joseph Buisson was born in Wabasha, Minnesota, 

 February 17, 1846. His father, a French trader from 

 Canada, was one of the founders of the town beautifully 

 located on Wabasha prairie and named after a noted 

 Sioux chief whose people made their home at the 

 mouth of the Zumbrota river. 



Joseph took more to school and books than his broth- 

 ers who were fonder of outdoor sports and hunting, 

 and as he grew up developed a great fondness for read- 

 ing, especially works on history and biography, and 

 was a well-informed man. 



He belonged to several fraternal orga izations in- 

 cluding Masonry in which he was a clos«. tudent and 



