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BY
Carl Roosd)
In accordance with a request in the first issue of the paper,
I will give an extract from my memoirs from the early period of
pioneer life in Vasa, although I know that the editor of the paper
as the founder of the settlement is well acquainted with it, but
it may not be without interest to get the viewpoint and ideas of
someone else.
in the last days of September, 1853, a party of seven
immigrants was formed in St. Paul for the purpose of making an
expedition in search of a proper place for a Swedish settlement, a
matter which was aspecially urged by Hans Mattson.
We went to Red Wing, where we were received with great
hospitality by James McGinnis, who during the following days
furnished the party with horses and a wagon and as guide
accompanied the party into the wilderness. The party chose the
present township of Vasa as its future habitation.
The members of the party then returned to St. Paul to get
their belongings and to procure necessary tools, as there was
only one house in Red Wing at that time, of which a part still
makes up the Metropolitan Hotel. A shanty for merchandise
was owned by Bevan9, where there wa9 little ehe than old trash
to be found; and a log house that was occupied by Dr. Sweeney.
On October 4th four of the party came back and on the
next day, the 5th of October, they went out on the prairie to
select the land; and on the banks of Belle Creek they put up
their tents in a grove of trees. It was already so cold that during
the night the water froze a quarter of an inch thick. Custaf
Kempe and one Jon from Carlskoga began to cut feed for a
yoke of oxen that had been purchased, while Mattson and Roos
were busy selecting and staking out land for themselves, as well
as for those who were expected to come.
On October 9th we moved to a valley in the vicinity of the
present town of Belle Creek. Here Jon left U9 and returned to
(1) Minnesota Stats Tidning, February 1, 1877.
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