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NORTHERN AITKIN
COUNTY: IT’S FIRST CENTURY
Hardy pioneers, these people could be called, who first found their way into the
north woods, or as first noted the “Big Woods.” In the late 1800s the stands of
tall pines were called “the pineries.” Most in demand were the tall
pines—White, Norway, and Jack Pine.The first demands for lumber came from the U.S. Army that was setting up barracks, storehouses, officer’s quarters, and forts. The first saw mill of record in the State of Minnesota was set up at Taylors Falls by Joseph R. Brown in the year 1830. He would saw all he had a capacity for and float lumber down the St. Croix River. In 1848 Franklin Steele built a mill at the falls of St. Anthony using waterpower. He needed plenty of logs to supply the demand. He hired Indians along the St. Croix and paid them 50 cents a log for all they could cut of a given size. These were floated down the St. Croix to the mill. After land had been surveyed and mapped out, it was the job of the timber cruisers to record where the stands of pine, oak, spruce, and others were. It was also their job to check if there were creeks, rivers, lakes or other bodies of water close enough so that the timber could be transported economically to the mills and markets. The only way was by water. A cruiser’s job wasn’t an easy one. He had to find his way on foot or possibly horseback, face whatever the elements had to offer, sleep under the clouds or stars, and live off the land wherever possible. His job was to report to the lumber interests where they could locate their camps. Men sent oxen, supplies, equipment, etc. by rail and by boat up the Mississippi as far as they could, and then, in the summer, they had to literally cut their way to their various holdings and build cook shacks, bunk houses, barns, blacksmith shops and warehouses. Hay was cut from nearby meadows to feed the animals. These camps had to be ready by late October when the “Pinery” boys came along to do their jobs. These were the swampers, cutters, toppers, teamsters, cooks, and bosses. Before the 1870s all trees and logs were cut with an axe, but about that time the two-man crosscut saw came into universal use. The crosscut crew was made up of two sawers and an undercutter, the man who had the job of undercutting the tree in the proper place so it would fall where they wanted it felled. First the timber next to a stream or body of water would be cut and skidded onto the banks, ready for the drivers to take them down to their destination. When they had cleaned up along the river banks, whatever was cut farther back was loaded on sleds and hauled to the banks. When spring came and the snow melted, the lumberjacks left for possibly one big celebration or to return to their families. It was now time for the spring drive, when another crew took over. These were the Drivers or what were called “River Pigs.” Here again, it took rough and tough men to stand the rigors of the season, the dunkings in the cold icy water, working in soaking wet clothes until they dried on their bodies, or until they got another dunking. It took about thirty men on a good drive, which amounted to three crews. First there was the “Driving Crew.” It was their job to keep the logs from hanging up in shallow water and getting caught on the banks at the front of the drive. They would keep the logs in the deepest water and see that they moved. Next was the “Jam Crew.” Their job was to keep the logs moving and keep them from jamming up. When a jam occurred and logs piled up, they were to find the “key log” and remove it. This wasn’t an easy task. Sometimes before the key log or logs could be freed, there was a huge pile-up. When the key log was loosened, things broke loose with a roar, sending logs rocketing down the river, taking everything with them, sometimes including the driver or river pig. It was extremely dangerous work and many lost their lives when things broke loose. The Rear Crew had a more monotonous job, which was picking up strays caught on the banks in brush or rubbish. While we are still on the subject of log drives, there are records of several log jams in the state. One such, that reached mammoth proportions, was on the St. Croix River at Angle Rock two miles above the falls. It took two weeks to dislodge this mass that was backed up for miles. It took over 200 men, half a hundred horses, two “Steam Jennies,” and two steamers before it finally came crashing loose with a deafening roar. This happened in 1886. People from the Twin Cities made the trip by horse and buggy, by horseback or any way to get there to see this, the “greatest log jam on record.” Is it any wonder it was said that any driver had to be some sort of superman to survive? Their tools of the trade were a pike pole and spiked shoes, and how dependent they were on them! It was on these jams that the driver had to leap from log to log, always in mortal fear of the whole jam suddenly coming loose and, with a roar, taking everything in its path, which at times included the driver. The “wannigan” floated behind, as did the rafts that the crew used. The wannigan was the storehouse for equipment, and was the cook shack. These were long tiresome weary days. It took from 40 to 75 days to cover the 340 miles from Grand Rapids to the Twin Cities via the Mississippi. Most of the River Pigs were illiterate, rough, heavy-drinking men, so when most were paid, they indulged until they were broke. But some were farmers. When their job was done, they took their pay and went home to their families to plant their crops, and make much needed improvements on their farms and homes. To these go the credit of building up the communities. Down these drives came more and more logs every year, as high as 300 million feet a year. Mills were improved to process more and more logs. In the 1870s, seventeen big-log lumber mills were in operation in the Twin Cities and many more were scattered about the State. This was the picture when the Pioneers homesteaded and started moving into Aitkin County and surrounding communities. The first came before the year 1900. Sometime before this the big lumber companies had carried on large-scale logging operations. Of those pioneers who came, very few were lumberjacks. They were people of the soil, wanting a piece of land, to be independent, to raise their families, and be a part of a community. As more of the land was logged off, most of the logging was done by these farmers, especially after the railroad came through. They cut and delivered the logs to railroad sidings, loaded them on cars or piled them in the yards until they could be shipped. A book called the Atlas of Minnesota, issued in 1874, was kindly loaned to us by Ralph Randal of LeMay Township. It has the following statistics: Aitkin County was settled in the year 1853 by Henry M. Aitkin, and named in honor of this early settler. At that date, Aitkin County was in the wilds of the far Northwest. The northern part of the county is a dense forest of white pine, while the southern portion is heavily timbered with hard maple, butternut, oak, ash, and basswood; there is also considerable meadowland in the south portion of the county, doted here and there with beautiful lakes. There is but a small portion of the county under cultivation. The county was established in the year 1857, on the 23rd day of May. The first election was held on the 30th day of June 1871 at the County Seat of Aitkin, by the Board of County Commissioners, whose names were N. Tibbetts, William Hallstram, and William Wade. The first marriage in the county was that of W.W. Allen. The first child born was M. E. Cowell. [This is according to this Atlas and may be controversial.] The following are the names of streams running through the county: Mississippi, Little Willow, Mud, Big Willow, Rice and Sissibegama. [For some reason Moose River and White Elk were not mentioned.] The Northern Pacific Railroad runs through the county east and west, and is the great auxiliary for the development of this and all other counties on its line. The county is not without waterpower, there being one fine one on Mud River, owned by Mr.Tibbetts. Principal points of trade are Aitkin, Big Willow, Sandy Lake, Grand Rapids and Pokegama Falls. [Possibly the reason for these points being named was its accessibility by water, and lack of roads to other places.] Mr. N. Tibbetts is present postmaster of Aitkin. According to the census the county had been established for 115 years on May 23rd, 1972. That is just to the day that these lines are being assembled, May 23. 1972. Maybe we should call this another milestone or more appropriately a coincidence. How history is being made. Some very interesting notes are found in the 1870 census where it is recorded that Aitkin County had a population of 178. It lists 18 whites and 160 Indians. There is no mention of just where they all lived or were located. Also in this census, the Agricultural parts of it are: Number of farms – 2. This same year the productions were listed as follows: Indian Corn 38 bushels Beans and Peas 8 bushels Irish Potatoes 440 bushels Maple Sugar 880 pounds Cash value of all farms, (total of two, remember) including buildings, $500.00. Value of all livestock $330.00, which included: Number of horses – 3; Milk cows – 1; other cattle – 2. All valued at $330. Possibly the last two listed were a couple of heifers, which at 1972 prices would be valued at the price of the whole lot—$330. Just think of this, all of you machinery-minded buffs or farmers, the value of the machinery on the two farms was $25.00. Just what this included, of course, was not noted, but please note that today this would probably give each of these two farmers a good two-bited axe, with a Coke thrown in on a hot day. Just think, Ralph Randal, about the part you have played in building up that herd of yours to over 70 head from that lone first milk cow back there in 1870. The first cow in Aitkin County. Production must not have been bad as it’s noted there were only six acres of improved land that produced (we quote 1870 census) eight bushels of beans and peas, 440 bushels of potatoes, and 38 bushels of Indian corn. The 880 pounds of maple sugar cannot be noted as coming from improved land, but probably included maple growths or stands all the way south to what we know as Onamia now. Eight hundred and eighty pounds would cover a lot of flap jacks. Now hang onto your bonnets, hats and the buggy seat. Nels and Beecher are ‘rarin’ again and there’s no stopping now. Here are more statistics. As of this year, 1972, according to what has been a reasonably reliable source, it’s been 100 years since Joshua Tibbetts homesteaded the piece of land that bounds the Swatara Road at its north line and Highway 169 as the east line. The “Corner Store” being part of this same original homestead. This ranch was a stopping place for travelers for years and it had quite a good sized building. It was located on the bank of the Big Willow and for years about the only way to get to the ranch was to ford it. A bridge and grade were built there some time after the turn of the century; we are not sure of the actual date. It seems the building was destroyed by fire some time in the thirties. So hats off to Joshua Tibbetts and to the community of Hay Point, in commemorating the first hundred years of its existence. Finally this book is available for purchase. If you would like a copy for yourself please click on the link below to purchase from Lulu. The cost is $15 plus freight. |
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