,
The Minnesota Territory
Exploration and the international fUT trade hrought the first while man lo what is now the State of Minnesota. In 1680 Father Louis Hennepin stood at the only major cataract in the Mississippi River and named it for St. Anthony of Padua. In a true sense St. Anthony Falls became the cradle ofMinnesota history with the establishment of Fort Sn('llinl: and the cities orst. Paul and Minneapolis. At various times Minnesota was under the nags of France, England and Spain. With the Louisiana Purchase, it became part of the territories of Louisiana and Indiana. Atone time or another Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and what are now the states ofNorth and South Dakota were all partor the Minnesota Territory.
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Sl. Anthony Falls as it probably looked in Father Hennepin's time. - Tn the Mortling of its Glory -
. The Minn.esota T~rri~ory was form.cd on March 3, 1849 and became a state on May 11, 1858. ThiS was a ul1l~ue penod In the postal hlstoryofour nation because ofthe emergenceofthe envelope and the adheSIVe postage stamp. Thus we have an interesting and colorful combination of folded letters and envelopes with or without postage stamps as well as the late usage of the territorial postmarks on patnotlc covers of the Civil War , The Minnesota Territory
$41ftt! ~74w '7 6tHttlu~1y lid;;
ST. PAUL This fold!'d It'llcr hears the Type I handstamp dated .January 1:3, 1850 which ('omes in hoth red and black. It originated at "Long Prairie Dec. 28, 49~, and it was carried to St. Patll hy a MI'. Lowry and placed in III(' Post Oflice. Ill' was on his way to Washil1~tnn wilh thr{'{' Indian chiefs. Th(' writpl' is Maria thl' sistf'1' of I!enry Oscar lIolighton, the [ounrl('roftIH' Houghton Mimin Publishing Company, and to whom the letter is addressed. To quote Maria in part: "We arc now two hundred miles above Red Wing rapidly approaching a.... you S(,l' Ih(' QU('f'IlS dominIOns (Canada) - 'I'll(' Indians at lied Wing were atl away 011 their winter hunt (thus no Indians to teach) _ We are now among the Winnebagoes and enga~ed in the same school _ til(' Winnebago('s are much in advance of the Sioux and other tribes - You \villl1nd our location on lhe map as far norlh as 40 north lalitllCk on Long !'raid£' I~i\'('r TII{' Indians dl'<:lare tIle cou n try is IHlLiI ing but a large lake and that is thecause of the bad roads~. Then on January I, 18S0 she adds MHappy New Year to you _ a beautiful day of eighteen I1fty h,L'l dawlll'd upon us" and then closes with MO ur Post Oniee address is St. Palll, Minl'snla 1\'l"y- It is one hundred fifty miles ft fr"1ll Long I'rairie •
I--~------The Minnesota Territory 5
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, '''I j J_ ,c fi 7' -~~---' ~---~ ':':'/II/I'a'lL )/i, SAINT PAUL Q:lVl'r shemll hears the 1Y"I>c I( handslamp and is rated 5 cents collect. The writer is George Fuller, U.s. Army Engineer, who has just arrived at Fort Snelling to take part in a survey ofthe fort and the military reserve. 1853. The Minnesota Temtory 5 [!"" \ J .~ • • ~~ ;ftf1l- t71/Vyt:u Itt ~_ ,l__ j:/~ , ft. £tlJ..,i ( !It ;IM<.L I h f:n:./;;,J SAINT PAUL. Cover originated at Dayton, Ohio to Martin McLeod in St. Paul, M.T. Here it was forwarded to Lac qui Parle 5 cents collect. This postmarkcomes in black, red, green and dark blue. (See all 4 in this exhibit.) McLeod was a pioneer fur trader with the Indians representing the American Fur Company. He came to the Minnesota country in 1836 and was in charge oftrading posts successively at St. Croix, Traverse des Sioux, Big Stone Lake, Lac qui Parle and Yellow Medicine. l------~ The Minnesota Territory • • SAINT I'AUL Tilt' lwo "0\"'1"'. on 1111.. pa~t' ht'ar Ihl' Typl' II handsLamp which ('Ollll'S in hlaek, I"t-'d and J.(l'ccn, Il also comes \\llh or witluHll til(' (I.S. 1'01111 :I with sIal's, This linle paid handslamp is known only in black 01" red, J ------The Mlnnuota Territory 1r:Jkv!u (j~ ytJjAA....; /<70 :k.,7J1t 3d at;- ~~ ~ TEN CEN'f 1847 USED FROM THE MINNESOTA TERRITORY. After 140 years the first cover bearing an 1847 stamp from the Minnesota Territory has been found. Post Office records shown that on February 4, 1851 the postmaster at Saint Paul received and signed for 200 five cent and 900 ten cent. stamps of the 1847 issue. Eight days later J.Ridgway Jenks posted the above cover bearing a ten cent 1847 stamp. It is tied by the type II postmark of SAINT PAUL MIN.TER. FEB 12. There is no year date but the time frame makes it 1851. The 1847 issue was declared in valid on JUly 1,1851. 'l'his is als.o the earliest Known use of an adheSlve postage stamp from the Minnesota Territory. *****wwwwwwwww*w****w*********wwwwww Jenks was the brother of Governor Ramsey's wife.He operated a drug store in partnership "lith Dr. David Day. See follOldng page for cover bearing the corner card of DAY & JENKS. Also note top cover above bearing the cornercard of JENKS & OGDEN to whom the cover is in care of. A local usage by BLOOD'S PENNY POST PhilaD JAN 171859 . • The Mlnnesola Terrilory , , , &~ :7': / vlt, 1, jv !(}6 "1crti 3d. ./f. 1LYh--tt:Ldrf~~ hi. SAtta' rAUL. The two covers on this page are from the Rame c,:)rrespol1ence as the"lO¢ 1847"cover on opposite page. Cover ABOVE bears a 3¢ orange brow~(3cott DIO).canceled by a red PAID. and the Type II postmark struck in red. ~o ye~r date but probably 1851. Cover BELOW bears a corner card of DAY & JENKS. It is prepaid with the 3e sta~p of the 1857 issue and and tied by the Type III postmark - SAINT PAUL Hin.I.~IG 7 1860. ( I -- -=:- - - - - .. . The Minne.·mta TerritorII If { I I • it • THe: ONLY KNOWN 1847 COVER ADDRESSED TO THE MINNESOTA TERRITORY The cover shown above originated at "GOSHEN N.Y. JUL 6" 1849 and is the earliest known use of a adhesive postage stamp INTO the Minnesota Territory. No usage of the 1847 stamps FROM Minnesota are known although 200 five cent and 900 ten cent stamps were receive from Washington by the St.Paul postmaster on February 4,1851. For many years a rumor has persisted that there is a 5 cent used on cover from St.Paul, but it has never surfaced - only that someone told someone that they had been told that there was one. The day may come when such a cover with a five cent or a ten cent stamp will show up. It is possible~ Alexander Wilkin, to whom the cover is addressed, came to St.Paul, following his service as a captain in the Mexican war, in 1849. At various times he was engaged in a law practice and at one time was the U.S.Marshall for Minnesota. In '851 to 1853 he was secretary of the territory and in 1855 he went to the Crimea 'to study the Crimenn war. In 1861 he organized the first company of the First Minnesota regiment and in 1862 he became the colonel of the Ninth Minnesota in the Civil War. Wilkin was killed in the battle of Tupelo,Mississippi on July 14,1854. Wilkin county was named for Alexander Wilkin. The Minnesota Terdtory ST. It ALJL, I \;..I..-.;.~<;,. \. ~~ Ill..1..10.10."'"~,, \.., ) _ '(tu-~ I" ."""' I ij.5 I ~'-;caf 9""';""J." AI' 1: U;;:). ({~~~nti.u,,» LJit' ccllcd;<-Il una luek4.nti.Q\. tr a 5£;t.l6.1~f: {t;,,- I ,I . .~ CITY OF SAINT PAUL. , •• '. ,r'' /--....;1 OL..?~ /,~--I " 7...&1 /(' ~.,...£...~ .t~ %~< {.,(;...---z Co c//- <, {r.:;..(...... THEAl'olliHY DEP.\.R'I'.HENT, 0I:,"1:1l.1£ LJ."O OI'I'tel:• •lllloU7t11,1818. IN plII'snanee of the til'st section of the act of Con gl'ess, cntitled ".\.n act to create an additional land dis tl'ict in the TEURITOUY OF )VISCOXSIX, and flll' other put' poses," allpl'oved MaI'ch :J, 1847, I do hCl'eby declal'e and make k'lOnn, that the land office fOl' the di. trict cre "F,U"LS ated hy• ,.;aid act is established at the OJ', 'T, CROIX RIVER," in said Ter. itory ; the sitc this day designated \.1\'• the PRESIDENT of the United States. Given nndel' my hallll at the City of lV: shington this se,'cnth day of ; pl'il, • nno Domini one thousand eight hundred and fOI,ty-eight. B,,' order of the Pre:--itlent : Illl HAUl) )1. You:-.-n, C{}l1Imi"ionu of 1M Geru'ral J.Alfld Olfic~. The Minnesota Territory IDS \Vhen Minnesota became a slate on May II, ~858 ~~'~)s~"tl'rallt'fed the It'ITllonal ("anet'] by {'ull.ingoul the 1 and Il':~VJlI~ tilt" M III lltolllllp sla[plllllld. Sl'(' ('uv('r 1It'IllW, The Minnesota 'Territory t:!L ... ~ /I ... t.:- .U•.Y, J.;.! .r CLEAR WATER This Post Office was established on January 11, 1856 in Wright County. The name '/;; 'I- 1J P(I was changed to one word CLEARWATER - on De cember I, 1895. ',/;;111 II~ ,I ({oln A (. 1111 }t ....~ • COTIAGE GROVE This Post Office was established on December 19, 1849 in Washing ton County. The cover shown bears the official frank of its , first Postmaster P.P. Furber. J t------The Minnesota Territory (,." 1,,'/ ", " I' //7.1 : ':X'-' jill 2; I\ .1 A". '£;;12 ~h~ ~£/ A<;,~~~ CENTRAL POINT Post Office was established on October 22, 1855 in Goodhue County. It was discontinued August 7, 1860. . , , J ------~------The Minnesota Territory , /.- ~7Ja£t Cltt- (/;JIH4Lt 0/1' Lan<>-! .fc~~ • ~ (J,-r//&j. c .--> 77 ------, ZUMBROTA Tlw I'l,.>;t ()!1ir(' was t'slahlislwd nn .llltH' lfi, IH:i7 in Gnnclhup County. It n'Cl'ivPl! its nalllP from the Zumhro Hin'r on whit:h it is lot:ah'tJ. The Sioux nallle for this rtvpr was Wazi Oju. Sec Wasioja in this pxhibit. • I The Minnesota Territory r , • CLAREMONT The Post Office was established on January 24 1856 in Dodge County. Named for Claremont, N.H., whence several of its settlers came including George Hitchcock' its first Postmaster. ' Some of the early Post masters used Minnesota or abbreviations thereof and left out the word "territory". ;:'-.... ~...... , --~...\ /., I.' ... -:'" . • • ~l, • '" ( • / • '. ---_._------• The Minnp,wta T,rrritorJ/ MINNEISKA Post Office established as Mount Vernon on October 22, 1852 in Waba..ha County. The name was changed In MINNEISKA on Mardi !l, \ Hr.fi. NEWBURG The Post Office was established on July 19, 1855 in Fillmore County. In 1859 the spelling was changed to NEWBURGH and then changed back to NEWBURG in 1895. It was dis('ontinuC'd nn .lull£' :10, 1002. Tlwrt' IS IlH y.'ar dalt' 011 lilt' ("OVCI', hut it ('uuhl very well hC' ll'rritorial usa~(' ~ , ,~ ~/, --("/ t" / ,,~ I", ./ , I ~,, , ~) >- ," I' ;/ d'/ \,.; ~ /' ~ ~ C~, ~~~ ;;:;/;.c FC < ~ l:' ~ "= ~ " . ,. « ("'" J ~ ..::t " • The Minnesota Territory SILVER CREEK Post Office was established on Janu~ry 30, 1856 in Wl'i~ht COUllty. It was discontinued on December 23, 1863. Named for the creek that runs through the village. , I..J, I , ". ~ /1' , / ". - , .f( . , , .; ! , • .... .I ..... f , , The ~linnesota Territory .I If•. ,It "". 1'4', • J~ '''y <. , I ,. r ... ,.... /' .. • .... .,( ...... • ~.Ae' • A.•• H / ./. / .I U •• L,·,. ,v. .. v .. / ,V···· ,.. .. ;, ~ ... J./ /. • /... • /.. . . / .. /.. .. , ~I " I LI j I/. , /'//.....:.; " ,/~ l'1"//';'I' ~ • Ct ",(,t .,,; ./' ~. ,. /..,~L.. ~"r. ,.&. 111.. d / ...... " /u-~"- .~ ~,I.. /; / ../.. I.d • A .. , ..or • ~,~:.. ~ ,I c .. / /1: / .. /.. /L.a .;.. " -r. H L •• 6 d ...._ WILTON 111(' I'llst Office wa., ("Sl;'lbli..hecl Ull .Iune 4, 1&56 in Steele County. On February 27, 1857 it became part of the newly formed Waseca County. It was discontinued on July 27, 1881. Alexander T. St('warl., to whom the )clter is addressed, was one urN('w )'urk's ridwsl InI'n"hanL'i. During hi:-; lift'lll'gavcvast amounts of money to charily. Prople from all walks of life wrote to him for help. mn!1t>y, loans, and whatever cl'ic he mi~ht have. lie responded lu many :llllllhi'i It'ller is the pica uf a MillllL'Sula pioneer for such 11('1, •. I' "'0'" I (~ ... ~/Lu c:,.~/" /tL "...... ;(.1_4. ,1.../01 ,~ p-~ ~ ~ f.1""'ll~''J <'11_( ~.' "'" .. ... (A.-. .. ,,"'lO1:-<- The Minnesota Ten'itory fJ..-?- _ d-,.c...... ')'"./ PINE ISLAND Post Office was established on September 12, /,,1' 1856 in Goodhue County_ It was called Wa-zee-wee-ta by the .-:..":; /- ./;f,/ Indians and was a favorite wintering spot where they were prnlccL("l! from L1lC' winds and storms by the taIl pines. I PRESTON The Post Office was established on March I, 1856 and is the Seat of Fillmore County. It was settled in 1853 by John Kaercher and named after his millwright, Luther Preston. Preston was also the fIrst Postmaster. The Minnesota Territory );PhI A4'1~ J~~~ /J~~ ( E/?~ tf.,,-z~./~_~~#, MARINE MILlS Post Office was established on April 25, 1848 in St. Croix County, WISConsin Territory. On October 27, 1849 it became part of the newly formed Washington County. The name was changed to MARINE ON SAINT CROIX on March 22, 1917 and it is presently in operation. About 1838 the Manne Lumber Company of Marinc, III. bc.:an lumber (J[X'rallons on the St. Croix Riv('r -thus th(' name MAHINI'; MILLS. I The Minnesota Territory - ~p() AI{!7{' tff~~~d MARINE MILLS Post office was established on April 25, 1848 in St Croix County, Wisconsin Territory. On October 27, 1849 it became part ofthe newly formed Washington County. The name was changed to Marine on Saint Croix on March 22, 1917 and it is presently in operation. About 1838 the Marine lumber Company of Marine, Ill. began lumber operations on the St Croix River - thus the name Marine Mills. . OWATONNA The post office was established on Auaust 16, 1855 and Is the Seat of Steele County. The name is derived from the Sioux word meaning "Straight River". The Minnesota Territory ) ( STILLWATER The Post Office was established on January 14, lR4fl in Sf. C:roix C:ounty, Wi~('on.<;in Tt'rril.ory. 111eo on Decem h('I" lR, IHGO it !wcarn(' tl1(' SPat of W,L<;hinglon County in the nt'wly or~aniz('d Territory of Minnesota. The cover shown above was used on July 29, 1848, just 61 days afl('r Wisconsin lK'came a state and about seven months before Mir.nesota became a territory. Stillwater was located OIl t.Iw ~t. Croix IlivI'1' and was an important lumh::r and steam hoat {'{'nl('r. Nol(' postmark which n'ads: "Stillwalf'r Wi-'ll .July ~~r. - .. "''"- 'Y \.. W-j ;:: APR -;, (Jl 27 :u A1:~'. The Minnesota Territory I ). L I' II " ( /1, ;, fJf.. I( IIrl /1. J II. at}/{ tl: ~r- t;/, I /(/ /e /rU,{ ;; lIu (~Ar ~\C ~ ~I/ /c-(L) l'd' l(lJ /, (f,.Lk /nt,l'c r- (fl( (;,75/Jl ri./or!' r ft., (i "f ,l/, ",/,fr' k "'" "- jut « /, " ,t""( /'1{0 ; ,~~< {{ Ie< Lrt 7if;; .J/'lu1.tt (;~ /rr",c~ Cl< 7'fr" /I'{})' ,,/~ /ctu, ( !7t //t It 1c j,{;{ INt> "",( ,,7 oLd, ",,{ /.(;,( he ..",,-"11 )'1 {(/;'l fLl'''l l jL;l kfclYh /"Il r /ad / ' III r r'/ra U iii ( ftc ,fl/ It'l< (/ . fu/<,. 7I..?< 4' /k t -/,{ ,,- . J'-" ( r) A., '1 ~I l"''';'' ... rI." t U, 1 tI I( L '/yJ'L tltJ') J ~ 1'177 •...,. k ,( ;,. 'Un tUll.:t / /, {l <./ / 7' ,( Tc- t "" A.f. 1 It / L~7""'-li/ /{.J ..tlJi"( 0-1./ t/CJd d .. «eo I 'I h / .I, • l' L /crt «'{ /",[".{. ,{{ liM- 1"'.£<9 ke/, //,,<1' r l:.,...._.. /, {;n /" f'-a r/ ,/ 1'/1 illd rC}ITL)l~ ,I.. L' J z., 1<- ('C{Nrl k C..,{{ IZJ ./ The Minnesota Territory .._~ ...... C...... OA -....". -, <.~.. S"'; """''''£50'''' '.-- .•.. ".,.,;>:" r.'l/Iu,,, (,II/nuI.V 1(1//$ Ol,'urlr • • _ ?",,,,,,m • r,,,""'UTAH...,,,., \ ...•.. H -'-'..... '. • ,.,51 lll~t·~ ..... t ... '. , _.11 ..... SI ""ul Of'MA' 0 .. MIII1Itfl~11SL..;:>"'.,.--' ""T[ .. -, WISCONS'N '1m iI/I· "", --_ - .,, . . • • IOWA ...... -.. j i ""'~ ..' (111(('90. - • • I OM (/1110 • /, '\Ili1ll • ..,....'-t"',. ". «./rs • --M .' ~ ST:'LLWATER The maps shown above locate Stillwater as weU as the St.. Croix, Min.lcsota and Mississippi rivers. The cover shown was used on September 16, 1852. The Minnesota Territory LE SUEUR Post office was established on August 4, 1852 in Dakota County. When Le Sueur County was formed on March 5,1853 itbecame the County Seat of that county. Itwas named for a French fur trader and explorer, Pierre Charles le Sueur. 'L , /2 ~ ~ , ~ ,{/ , , • ~ r ,#> ~' , ....;vW'1.,>; ,. t:: APR ~ (;,.,/ f.ft 10 :0 " " "0 A '\13 , .' l V U " M.'\'· .( ... ('t,. ; ( , I \ ~ TW~NTY FOUR ceNT RATE TO GREAT BRITAIN STILLWATER The post office was established on January 14, 1846in whatwas then St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory. On December 18, 1850 it became the Seat of Washington County in the newly organized Territory of Minnesota. Stillwater is located in the beautiful valley of the St Croix River and was an important lumber and steamboat center. - 77,c Minncsota 7"crrltory • WABASHAW During the territorial days the name was spelled Wabashaw but sometime before 1875 the Post Office changed the spelling to WABASHA as it is today. The Post Office was established on December 15, 1842 in what was then the Iowa Territory. It wa.'l discontinued on .July 27,1844 and then on March 9, 1848 it was re-established as Nelsons LandIng in what had become the Wis<'on.'lin Territory. On .January 22, IRfiO lilt' name W,L'l c11angt'd back to WABASHAW in the newly formed Minnesota Territory and it became the Seat of Waha..ha County, Its name comes from a hereditary line of Sioux chiefs who bore the name Wapashaw which was corrupl.Nt to Wahashaw and finally to WARASHA. 11u' ('ovpr shown nhovp wm; 11."«'/1 on May n, 1HI'" whl'll Wahn...hnw wn." only a trading l)llst and Indian vill'lgl'. '1'111' ('OV1'r IwlllW W;L"i lIs('d on ,Iulyll, IHfi7 and both covers have the spelling as WAIiASlIAW. Grf /f4~Z ry/ ./~t. jN// r:) The Minnesota 'Territory • 7/~~~ q;h~ &7/-& drr~ ROCHESTER The Post Office was established on March 9, 1855 and is the Seat of Olmsted County. It was named for the city of Rochester, New York and is the home of the world famnus Mayo ('Iinic. , • A 7 ~~~ /e/?/~C t/ F£.' , The Minnesota Territory (1,0 ttLcLL L " (liLt' "I J ~ A /;/c . ROCHESTER M.T. MAR 17,1858. Cover bears the Type II postmark. J:#.c::.- c"a '''' &. £= /It-H-= ./f; F7~cL/ /,~ Little Canada Minn Kay 21.Post Office was established in Ramsey County on April 17,1852 and discontinued on April 10,1876. There is no year date so it mayor ma] not be territorial use. (Xo. 8.) ;}P·l)~il @~~a~;l ~h!Jlnlrtl!Jll(ru1il" CO''fIUCT OmCE, /7 ,/ r>U/'~ l..:!/rr : ?/hl ../1l;"JtJll((4o';" eyollflr! ;{au ,.}(,1l1U/ t)," Ij~ II({JIN 0/ 0j[",1 t!f)t'c,. )t1r10;T{' Mil,,! %~~p(J . ,;, Iii, 0f'",tJlty rj k tt7ld ~I ~~U;ZV , ;, v/.Ut}-~~7 Oll(! '!1'u;t!u! ~ .~,IMa,;lo'·' f,Y aA<- a . - PORT OFFICE DEPARnIEKT, Official Business. , " • ,. Postnwsf€1' atL--r'. The Minnesota Territory I.' 1'f) I 1") • .Q;;-\ B J1 U , "'<:;' 0 CT l' ~ 9 -] • M'\. - • Type I '\1 FARIBAULT During the territorial period the Postmaster used two handstamp cancels as represented by the cuvers on this page. The one above is Type I, the 011(' !lPlnw is Type lIa which is the same as Type II without the dat.f' in Ow ('pllt.l'r. \. "B "'! V /;""1: t::l; t" ,/. -< "i I ~ ,I~ M:r· ' ... 'II• Type n. " ~fi ( .~~.,,/. 7' \ B-1 -Q;- c: C (' ~ NOV t'"' ~ '\. ~ C, '? 5 L N.T. Type II The Minnesota Territory MINNEAPOLIS M.T. Post Office established in Hennepin, County on January 7, 1854.Both covers bear the Type II postmark and are prepaid with the stamps of the 1851 issue. No year dates ,butlikely territorial usage. The Afinnesota Territory 8t·I'E..'~'~ BUI)< III&TIILLS ST "'''ll1J~\_ JlI':rI' ..\NL I[ 11'1'1 Illna. ( • , b_ • .0:r-::• " ./ /r I, ~./ / ------7----'- - _ _ / - / MINNEAPOLIS The Scat or Hennepin County was rounded in 1849 by CoL John H. Stevens. The Post Office was established on January 7, 1854. The name was compounded rrom Minnehaha and the Greek word "polis" meanin~ city. The Minnesota Tenitory I .. J. MINNEAPOLIS Two covers addressed to the Minnesota Territory. Origin of the cover shown above is not clear, but on arrival at the Minneapolis Post Office itwas canceled and forwarded to Northwood, Minnesota "fwd 3". • 'I'U'W or ."'n,"". f. or,onn 'T ~'O'Ho!n·• • 1,,!,(.'9'rA r Ph 1 / vitt/Ii t2-c/; c-f~ ~?l tUl<-dn: '/.17(2.7 /(;/if'l.- , <- tJ hu i~ 7--v~ J'-"">u~ d.. rt- -'It 1'/1 I {l.hl'{ e.--~..e Vt ... evc-cJ.- I?t>/z.<~ .h.. (~. d~ /, ';<., /" fl.;,lt i .dO-I ~ /~ ~ ~n /t:u &..-< The Minnesota Territory I ( ( /. I I 1// ( ( « ( //~h {' I{ ( {' I{ . I , /,-, ( I, ( , It I. / (, ~ (', 1',- I / / ( / I • I I I I~ ./ ( ( It • .1 #' t' <'I /, / ( / • ~(~ / / I l' ' .. f'" ( ( ~ / ('{ r, i' , • / (I /,. .t I 0 <.{ /( I /"e , I /)I/- I t'i / " / I, ., Ii, -- .. < ~ ( 0 ( , I, t I f r " 'f 1" " '. ~E ;; ? / ,.'\i· I ~. I I r ~o -t. I.E SUEUR The Post Office was established on August 4, 1852 while in Dakota County. Then with the formation ofLe Sueur County in 185.1, it hecame theCountySeatuntil it wa.. succeeded by Lc Sueur Center in U:l7(i. The letter shown wa.<; written on board til(' Steamer EQUATOR on May 17, 1857 by the clerk of the boat. They were on their way up the Minnesota !liver: ~We arc now started on a trip 10 th.. lJpp..r Indian A"WfH'y ('a]]('11 RN! Wood. It is owr fOlll' hundn'd miles hy river and noL quite two hundred milClli from St. Paul by land - we have Eighty Soldiers on board and their supplies and the balance ofour load is Indian Goods - there are a few ladies on Koing up for a plt'a.o;urc trip - Wt' shall dn all in our !XIW('r til piCiL"i(' tll(-'m" STEAMER EQUATOR A sidc-wh<-ocler uftil tons.lluilt at Beaver, Pa. in 1853 for the Upper Mississippi, St. Croix alld Minnesota HiveI' trade. It was wrecked in a great storm on Lake St. Croix in April of 1858. (; I I, f , //u C. (. Ii t L( Ii ( .. /~ / '/ r ~ f. " ,. <~ /it, t '// / "if ,,~ ~~ ( -d < I, , (1, r , ( u f /(4 ~ r /." <" ( /f ( I, t:.~ <- I ,-, H 6- f ....) (4/( /' I 1< " The Minnesota Territory ,.-;...... ~ >..-;) "¥'-'J ~u-V- ,.Lu/~ T' U7~' -<' ~ ~ ) L:-7~b" "",,-,- - ~ .... ,,2.--/ L..e.:.", i- FARIBAULT Post Omce was established on June 29, 1853 and is the Seat of Rice County. It is named for Alexander Faribault, one of the early fur traders with the Indians. --~..."..-.•. .--_...-~------ The Minnesota Territory I , « ) , I CONCORD,H.T. Post Office was established on August 8,1856 and discontinued August 31,1906.No yeardate on the tlm covers shown. Loacted in Dodge County. FR[~/ The Minnesota Territory I , f.S r PALESTINE MIN SEP 9.The P.O. "as established 'v ..< in Hennepin County on July 18,181855.The name s Sf' ~ ~ F P -z. was changed to OSSEO on September 18,1856, as o DEC Q... 1.9 fI7 it is today.Although the name changed, the • 8 • style and size of the two postmarks shown are ~. !V1!~.-- very much the same! Dates of usage 1R56/1857. s S· 0])].' &/• 8... '/ ;J II/II r/Ir'll/" l cf"fr' II 9/1 (...//1 lr /. . / .f. rC .{ ,