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James J. Hill and His Oriental Rugs: A Practical Millionaire Page 15 Winter, 2001 V olum e 35, N um ber 4 Attacked by a Starving Wolf Four Sisters of St. Joseph and Their Mission to St. Paul —Page 4 u .s j Fr .r .exp a s u í l w y s -4 7 &49 PARALLEL'S. g en e ra l r e p ORT — PLATE I. SAINT . PAUL M. T. St. Paul as it looked in 1853, two years after four Sisters of St. Joseph arrived in St. Paul. This colored lithograph was produced as part of a United States government survey of Minnesota Territory. Ramsey County Historical Society collections. RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY Executive Director Priscilla Famham Editor Virginia Brainard Kunz RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Volume 35, Number 4 Winter, 2001 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Howard M. Guthmann Chair CONTENTS James Russell 3 Letters President Marlene Marschall 4 Attacked by a Starving Wolf First Vice President Four Sisters of St. Joseph and Their Mission to St. Paul Ronald J. Zweber Second Vice President Sister Ann Thomasine Sampson, CSJ Richard A. Wilhoit Secretary 15 The Practical Millionaire: Peter K. Butler James J. Hill and His Oriental Rugs Treasurer Lou A nn M atossian W. Andrew Boss, Peter K. Butler, Norbert Conze- mius, Anne Cowie, Charlotte H. Drake, Joanne A. 19 Growing Up in St. Paul Englund, Robert F. Garland, John M. Harens, Rod Hill, Judith Frost Lewis, John M. Lindley, A Child With an ‘Eye Problem’ and Those George A. Mairs, Marlene Marschall, Richard T. Vision Classes in the St. Paul Schools Murphy, Sr., Richard Nicholson, Linda Owen, Marvin J. Pertzik, Glenn Wiessner, Laurie Zenner. John Larson EDITORIAL BOARD 2 6 Book Reviews John M. Lindley, chair; James B. Bell, Thomas H. Boyd, Thomas C. Buckley, Pat Hart, Thomas J. Kelley, Tom Mega, Laurie Murphy, Vicenta Publication of Ramsey County History is supported in part by a gift from Scarlett, G. Richard Slade. Clara M. Claussen and Frieda H. Claussen in memory of Henry H. Cowie, Jr. and by a contribution from the late Reuel D. Harmon HONORARY ADVISORY BOARD Elmer L. Andersen, Olivia I. Dodge, Charlton Dietz, William Finney, William Fallon, Otis A Message from the Editorial Board Godfrey, Jr., Robert S. Hess, D. W. “Don” Larson, George Latimer, Joseph S. Micallef, ur Winter issue presents three diverse articles ranging in time from Minnesota’s Robert Mirick, Marvin J. Pertzik, J. Jerome Territorial period to the tum-of-the-century and on to the 1930s. In our lead article, Plunkett, James Reagan, Rosalie E. Wahl, O Donald D. Wozniak. Sister Ann Thomasine Sampson recounts the story of how four Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet came to St. Paul in 1851 and began their missionary work at this lonely out RAMSEY COUNTY COMMISIONERS post high on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi. Through her access to the details Commissioner Rafael Ortega, chairman found in the records of the Order and other sources, Sister Ann provides a compelling Commissioner Susan Haigh Commissioner Tony Bennett portrait of these four female pioneers, their religious loyalty and faith, and their persis Commissioner James McDonough tence in the face of great hardships. This is the story of the enduring influence of these Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt devoted missionaries on St. Paul in its earliest years. Commissioner Janice Rettman Commissioner Jan Wiessner From the poverty and hardships of the four Sisters of St. Joseph, the issue moves on to the opulence and splendor of the mansion that James J. Hill built on Summit Avenue Paul Kirkwold, manager, Ramsey County between 1887 and 1891. Writer and historian Lou Ann Matossian focuses on the Ori Ramsey County History is published quar ental mgs that Hill purchased to furnish his splendid home. By examining the available terly by the Ramsey County Historical records, Matossian shows that Hill, who could easily have afforded Oriental mgs of any Society, 323 Landmark Center, 75 W. Fifth Street, St. Paul, Minn. 55102 (651-222- cost, bought many medium-quality mgs that impressed visitors but showed that Hill 0701). Printed in U.S.A. Copyright, 2001, was what she calls “the practical millionaire.” The James J. Hill that emerges from her Ramsey County Historical Society. ISSN research is a man who spent only what he needed to on his mgs and avoided any that Number 0485-9758. All rights reserved. No might have qualified as works of art. part of this publication m ay be reprinted In our third article, John Larson’s “Growing Up in St. Paul” tells how he and his or otherwise reproduced without w ritten perm ission from the publisher. The Soci family dealt with the serious eye ailment he had in the 1920s and ’30s. He also recalls ety assumes no responsibility for statements with detail and good humor his experiences as a member of the Vision Class at Webster made by contributors. Fax 651-223-8539; School. Within the St. Paul Public Schools of that time, the Vision Class consisted of e-mail address [email protected].; web site all the students at a particular school who were blind or had other serious vision prob address www.rchs.com lems. Although Larson tells his story matter-of-factly, his account is an understated tribute to the caring and well-qualified teachers who helped him (and by inference other students) succeed in their studies in spite of their medical problems. John M. Lindley, Chair, Editorial Board 2 RAMSEY COUNTY HISTORY Books, Etc A Man’s Reach accept. I did not dwell on problems. Elmer L. Andersen Somehow, I believed there would al Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Elmer L. ways be solutions.” This optimism per Press meates his autobiography. He writes with tenderness and inti 434 pages, index, $32.05 (cloth) ANTOERSTN macy about his marriage. “Eleanor and Reviewed by Charlton Dietz I developed a way of relating to each other that has suited us well for nearly Man’s Reach is more than an auto seventy years. We do not talk about biography of Elmer L. Andersen. It A everything. There ought to be a certain is an American primer on how a boy can mistique about love and marriage. Talk rise from humble circumstances to be ing about everything in great detail di come a successful businessman and a minishes mystery. Not all of life, of art, revered public servant. The book title of music, of anything should be thrown comes from the Robert Browning line, A MAN'SJ out on the table and tom apart and dis “Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed membered. It is too precious. You sense his grasp, or what’s heaven for.” Indeed, music. You sense art. Some parts of life this is the story of a man who has REACH are better just experienced.” stretched his reach long and wide. E D ITED B Y L 0 'K I S T U R D £ V A N T Part n, ‘Taking Charge,” recounts how • Elmer L. Andersen, with editor Lori Elmer, as a thirty-two-year-old salesman, Sturdevant, has produced an exceptional "... a book on love, public service, respon became president of the H. B. Fuller volume which illuminates the philo sibility, accountability, ethical values and Company and embarked upon a business sophy and deeds of the man who was optimism for the future.” career that made Fuller an internationally salesman, industrialist, legislator, gov recognized industrial enterprise and ernor, farmer, publisher, collector, and brought him control of the company. philanthropist. It is about a man who music and books and marriage to When Fuller was going public in 1968, believes that nothing done to advance a Eleanor Anne Johnson. Elmer spoke with pride to a group of good cause can ever be counted as a The book is organized into four potential investors; one of them spoke loss, no matter the outcome; if a goal parts: (1) The Early Years, (2) Taking up: “That’s enough! You have so many has merit, an effort to pursue it is worth Charge, (3) Governor, and (4) Citizen [employee] benefits people won’t want while, if only to show those who come Andersen. These parts are subdivided to buy your stock. They’ll want a job.” later how not to proceed. Equally im into some thirty-seven topics, which The material on his tenure in the portant, it gives an insider’s view of sig makes it easy for the reader to identify Minnesota senate will enthrall students nificant historical events. It is crisply with the subject matter. of Minnesota politics. He writes of his written in the first person and in a style “The Early Years” covers growing up legislative priorities in education, men that makes the author real to the reader. in Muskegon, Michigan, in a family tal health, welfare, and parks. He de This autobiography contains intimate consisting of his mother, two aunts, two scribes in fascinating detail his experi revelations. Elmer (the text refers to older brothers, and a younger sister. It is ences in practicing the art of politics, him as “Elmer”) tells us about his early a Horatio Alger story of hard work, ex the horse-trading, the strategy, personal family life, how his parents separated, cellence in school, religious upbringing, relationships, the patience and compro his early bout with polio, his quest for and overcoming adversity. His mother mise that it takes to advance a legisla education, his acquisition and control died when Elmer was fifteen. He ex tive agenda. Along the way, he became and management of the H. B. Fuller presses his feelings: “Somehow, I ac a maverick conservative (there was no Company, his experiences in politics cepted everything that came our way, party designation at that time), a status and travails as governor, his service as a without anger or depression.

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