Fifty Years In The Northwest: With An Introduction And Appendix Containing Reminiscences, Incidents And NotesFolsom, William H. C. (William Henry Carman)
History
Fifty Years In The Northwest: With An Introduction And Appendix Containing Reminiscences, Incidents And Notes
Folsom, William H. C. (William Henry Carman)
Minnesota -- History; Wisconsin -- History
The judge was twice married, his first wife having died at Waukesha,
leaving him an only son, Henry H. Barron, who was with him at the time
of his death. His second marriage was to Ellen K. Kellogg, at Pepin,
in 1860. For some time she has made her home with her mother in
California, on account of ill health. At the time of his death, which
occurred at St. Croix Falls, Jan. 22, 1882, he was judge of the
Eleventh Judicial circuit. His remains were buried at Waukesha.
GEORGE W. BROWNELL.--Mr. Brownell, though not among the earliest of
the pioneers of St. Croix valley, yet deserves special mention on
account of his scientific attainments, his high character as a man,
and the fact that he was an influential member, from the St. Croix
district, of the Wisconsin territorial constitutional convention, he
having been elected over Bowron on the question of establishing the
new state line east of the St. Croix.
Mr. Brownell was born in Onondago, New York, and when a youth lived in
Syracuse, where he learned the trade of a carriage maker. He was a
resident of Galena, Illinois, over thirty years, where he engaged in
mining and geological pursuits. He spent two years in the lead mines
of Wisconsin. He was connected with the Galena _Gazette_ some years.
In 1846 he visited the Superior copper mining region for a Boston
company. He formed the acquaintance of Caleb Cushing, Rufus Choate,
Horace Rantoul, and others, and located for them mineral permits at
St. Croix Falls and Kettle river, and became, this year, a resident of
St. Croix Falls. In 1847 he was married to Mrs. Duncan, of Galena. He
was elected this year to the constitutional convention. In 1851 he
returned to Galena and engaged in the grain trade and cotton planting
near Vicksburg, Mississippi, in which he was not successful. In 1865
he visited Colorado and made investments there. When on a trip to
Colorado, in 1866, the stage was attacked by Indians. Brownell and
another passenger alighted to resist the attack. He was armed with a
rifle, and, if properly supported, would probably have been saved; but
most of the passengers remained in the stage. The driver, getting
scared, whipped his horses and drove rapidly away, leaving Brownell
and companion, who were overpowered and killed. Their bodies were
recovered, shockingly mutilated. His remains were forwarded to Galena
for burial. Mr. Brownell had a scientific mind, and passed much of
his life in scientific studies and practical experiments. He attained
a good knowledge of geology, mineralogy and chemistry. The foresight
of Mr. Brownell on the Wisconsin boundary, and in other public
matters, has been, in time, generally recognized. He was a good
neighbor and kind friend.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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