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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-03-12 PACKET 09.B.Volume 39, Issue 4 HISTORICAL WHISPERINGS - Y } = — — Washington County Historical Society Washington County, Minnesota January 2013 A Wounded Color Bearer at Antietam Sam Bloomer Reports on His Civil War Experiences This article is based in part on In Their Own Words: The Civil War As Seen by Washington County Soldiers, by Robert Goodman and Peter DeCarlo, with some information from articles written by Washington County Historical Society Executive Director Brent Peterson. The journals Samuel Bloomer kept during his Federal service are in the Samuel Bloomer papers at the Minnesota Historical Society. Bloomer also kept a scrapbook after the war which is in the Stillwater Public Library. In 1861 Samuel Bloomer was a 25- year -old carpenter living in Stillwa- ter, Minnesota. That spring —on April 29, 1861 —he became a soldier. He was mustered in as a corporal in Company B, First Minnesota Volunteer Regiment and by mid -June he was on his way to Maryland to fight for the Union. A Swiss Immigrant Enlists Sam had been born in Switzer- land November 30, 183 5. He came to the United States in 1846 with his grandparents, uncle, and several cous- ins. The family settled in St. Louis, be- fore moving to Stillwater, where 13- year -old Samuel took a job living and In i is Issue ... w follow the career of a Civil War i soldier] ra rn the story of Justice Rosa- lie Wahl, first woman on the Minnesota Supreme Curt, and even find a ghost ' town —plus organization news: Executive Director's Report _ p.2 WCHS Annual Meeting p. 3 ''.. Museum - Events- Report p.4 Justice Rosalie Wahl P. 8 Ghost Town of Garen p.10 Calendar of Events p.11 working on the Henry Jackman farm in Stillwater Township. Sam became a member of the "Wide Awakes," a political group sup- porting Lincoln in the 1860 election. He was also a member of the Stillwater city militia, the Stillwater Guards. When the call for volunteers to fight the seceding southerners went out, the Guards signed up a company which became Company B of the First Minnesota Volunteer In- fantry Regiment. Twenty -sixth to sign his name to the roster was Samuel Bloomer. Sam kept a diary during the war, from which the selections below are taken. The men of the 1st Minnesota ea- gerly anticipated their journey to Wash- ington, but to their dismay Company B was ordered to relieve the frontier garri- son at Fort Ridgely on the Minnesota River. On May 28, 1861, the Stillwater boys set out for the fort. Duty on the Indian frontier promised no martial glo- ry and looked to be a lot of drilling. On June 6 Sam wrote in his diary: Lieutenant [Minor T.] Thomas had charge of us and he put us through the movements that we needed most; the P if marchings by platoons and the wheel - ings. Had dress parade at sundown, after which our Captain [Bromley] put us through in "double quick" and be- fore long had us in confusion through his excitement, for in a few minutes he cooled down a little then we did very well. For nearly a month the men idled away their time and lamented that they were not to be used as they had ex- pected. Finally, Company B was or- dered to Washington, DC. They left Fort Ridgely June 19, 1861, on the steamboat City Belle, traveled to Prairie du Chien, Wis. by steamer and east by BLOOMER Continued on page 6 This tintype shows Samuel Bloomer in his Sergeant's stripes about 1862. Photo Minnesota Historical Society. Board& Staff From the Executive Director Washington County Well, we are all here and since the Mayans were a bit off on when things were Historical Society going to end we might as well continue and move forward. collections, contact The Washington County Historical Society had another successful year in 2012. Board More than a thousand students went through our museums along with other tour - David Lindsey ._ President groups. The outreach for the WCHS has been expanded from just a paper newsletter - ° Scott Foss Vice President to our facebook page, twitter account and a free e- newsletter that has hundreds of phone 631439 -5956 people on the mailing list. Joe Otte Recording Secretary The WCHS Board and staff continue to focus on our new Washington County Tom Simonet Treasurer Heritage Center. Although there have been some setbacks from local foundation re- Myron Anderson Director quests, more than a dozen communities have dedicated funds towards the project. It Mark Balay Director truly is a community project that has many people excited about the future of the Holly Fitzenberger Director Historical Society. We still need that elusive dollar, but with a great membership and John Kaul Director a community that supports the preservation of our history —I am hopeful that the ' funds will find there way into the accounts of the WCHS: ene McComb Director B ecky The WCHS has completed several projects this year that have been important to Beck Purg Director the organization. First, we have produced a two -disk CD of Hanle Sampson's Herit- Scott Schell Director age Series tapes. Hanle was the owner of the Stillwater Radio Station from the 1960s to the 1980s and did a program that aired every Sunday at 12:15 PM —his Heritage Staff Series. These CDs were produced with the help of the DeLonais Foundation and the Brent Peterson Executive Director Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation. We then completed the post - production of the documentary of MN first female Supreme Court Justice, Rosalie Wahl of Lake Sean Pallas Warden's Huse Manager Elmo. This film was produced with the help of a Legacy Grant from the Minnesota Historical Society. David Sandager H_ ay Lake Museum Manager Th last meet isn't as visible as the others. Through another project gh grant of the DeLonais Foundation WCHS was able to hire an archivist to organize the records of Chairs the Stillwater Business and Professional Women's Club. These records span from Robert Goodman � the 1920s to the 2010s and hold a eat deal of local history in the collection. great rS' Endowment Fund Chair To be a successful Historical Society we need you, the membership, to step lip Nancy Goodman and give of your time and to make sure your membership is current. Continue to Newsletter Editor give what you can of your time and money so that the future of the Historical Socie- ty is secure and that the people of the past will be not forgotten and their stories will i s Historical Wl rterly live on through our organization. published quarterly by y the Washington County Historical Have a Happy New Year! Brent T. Peterson, Society, PO Box 167, _ WCHS Executive Director Stillwater, MN55082 -0167. rg News.. P Organization hone: Phone: 651-439-5956. . For information about stories Stay in the Know! and newsletter articles, contact editor@wchsmn.org You can visit the WCHS website <www.wchsmn.org> for the latest WCHS news f For information about events and and event updates, get access to WCHS collections indexes, check out new items in the collections, contact WCHS store, and even download a membership renewal form. k information @wchsmn.org, Also, make sure you sign up to receive our e- newsletter! It's filled with news, sto- To book a museum tour contact ries and historic pictures and is delivered to your e -mail box twice a m9ntfi. Visit spallas.wchs @gmaiLcom or <www.wchsmn.org/ publications /email> to sign up today! phone 631439 -5956 Did you know WCHS is on Facebook? Check us out at <www.facebook.com/ pag- es/ Stillwater- MN/Washington- County- Historical- Society/74780748563 >. "Like" our page to learn about latest happenings and see a new photo every week. 2 HISTORICAL WHISPERINGS WCHS Annual Meeting Set for March 21, 2013 Join WCHS at the Water Street In in downtown Stillwater on Thursday, March 21, 2013 for the Society's 78th Annual Meeting. The event will start with a social hour at 5:30 PM, followed by dinner at 6:30. The annual meeting will start at 7:30, with election of new board members for 2013, and will be followed by the program.. Presenter for this event will be Judge Jack Tunheim, who will speak about the Kennedy assassination and his work with the commission. Tun - heim served as chairman of the Assas- sination Records Review Board which oversaw collection of records relating to the assassination. He is now a U.S. district court judge for Minnesota. The cost of the dinner and program is $20 for WCHS members and $25 for non - members. Reservations are re- quired, but you may pay at the door. Make reservations by phone 651 -439- 5956 or email: <brent.peterson@ wchsmn.org> Make a Difference! Become a WCHS Board Member The Washington County Historical Society is seeking people with a passion for history who are interested in serving on the Washington County Historical Society Board of Directors. The obliga- tions of the board include establishing policy, fundraising, and monitoring finances as well as maintaining and updating short- and long -term plans. Board terms are three years. WCHS operates two interpretive museums and collects, preserves, and documents the history of Washington County and state of Minnesota. Four board members will be elect- ed at the annual meeting on March 21. For more information and an applica- tion, phone 651- 439 -5956 or email <infomration @wchsmn.org>. Learn to Research Your Family Tree Online! The Washington County Historical Society and the Stillwater Public Library are sponsoring a class in using Ancestry Library Edition online on Saturday, April 13, 2013 at 10:30 a.m, in the Computer Lab at the Library. Learn how to conduct genealogical research online. The instructor is Sherri Marier, retired Washington County Library librarian and genealogy consultant. If time allows, additional genealogy resources, tips, and pointers will be highlighted. To register, call the Library Information Center at 651 -275 -4338, ext. 111. Class size is limited. Basic familiarity with computers and family history searching is nec- essary. Each participant will share a computer station with one other user to explore the database "hands on." Clowning Around? Brent Peterson and Ronald McDonald Check Out New Stillwater Restaurant. When McDonald's decided to build a new store in the Stillwater area, they asked WCHS for historical pictures to decorate it. Executive Director Brent Peterson furnished the history, and McDonald's generously made a donation to the organization. The older McDonald's in Oak Park Heights will reopen in February or March and again be using photos from the collec- tions of the Society. It is a way to bring these restaurants to the community in which they serve — remembering the people that came before is an important thing to the owners of these local McDonaldsl! WCHS Artifacts In Minnesota Historical Society Exhibit A new exhibit that will explore Minnesota's role in the Civil War will open at the Minnesota History Center in the spring of 2013. The exhibit draws on objects and manuscripts from the MHS collections and from other historical societies. WCHS is loaning Sam Bloomer's army hat and the bottle of wine, in its cherrywood case, used by the Last Man's Club, formed by survivors of the Stillwater Company. Sam Bloomer (see feature story on page 1) was a member of Company B, First Minnesota. Twenty-five years after the war, veterans from Co. B decided to hold reunions on the anniversary of Bull Run, July 21. One of the group donated a large bottle of wine to be drunk by the "last man." The last toast was drunk by the last survivor, Charles Lockwood, in 1935. The wine, two glasses and a poem, "The Last Survivor," written by one of the veterans, ended up in WCHS collections. Online Giving Is Easy Through GiveMN.org You can make donations to the Washington County Historical Society online any time through this giving website for Minnesota nonprofits, To donate or update your membership visit our website <www.wchsmn.org> and click on GiveMN.org, or go directly to our G veMN pager <http: / /givem n. razoo.com /story/W ashington- County- Historical - Society -7> JANUARY 2013 3 Museum Events Report Looking Ahead from the Warden's House By Sean Pallas Warden's House Site Manager For some reason, I thought things would slow down once the touring season was over; but it turned out that I couldn't have been more wrong! Between hectic rummage sales, spectacular film sneak peeks, and toe - tapping concerts these past months have been crazy at the Washington County Historical Society! I just want to say thank you to everyone who attended! The annual Holiday Event at the Warden's House was also a stunning success. The museum, decorated in its Christ- mas best, came alive with the sound of live holiday music per- formed by local musicians. Washington County citizens rubbed elbows with local authors and the featured guest of the afternoon, Eloise Sampson, watched countless copies of "Hank Sampson's Heritage" CDs head home to take their place under Christmas trees (see page 10). Looking ahead, the Warden's House Open House will fall on April 28 this year and will kick off the 2013 touring season! I hope everyone had happy holidays and here's to a fantastic new year! If you'd like to schedule a tour of the Warden's House — yes, even in the winter — please contact me, Contact Sean at 651- 439 -5956 or email spallas.wchs@gtnail.com Become a WCHS Volunteer! Are you interested in local history? Do you enjoy planning events, giving tours, doing repair or yard work, organizing collections? You can do any and all of these things as a volunteer for WCHS —the possibilities are endless! If you would like more information about volunteering opportunities, please contact Sean Pallas at 651 -439 -5956 or email <spallas.wchs @gmail.com >. WCHS has a year of won- derful and fun events planned that you can be a part of! Remember — the Warden's House Museum welcomes group tours at any time of the year. If you have a school or home - schooled group, church group, Boy or Girl Scout troop, or any other group that would like to visit the Warden's House this winter, please contact Sean at 651- 439 -5956 or email <spallas.wchs @gmail.com >. Recap from the Hay Lake Museum By David Sandager Hay Lake Museum Site Manager Greetings from the Hay Lake School! At the outset of this New Year we would like to look back on the great year of 2012 and thank all of you who visited our site this past year! Without your contributions and interest we would not be able to main- tain our wonderful sites across Washington County. This upcoming year is going to be an exciting one at the Hay Lake Site. We are already at work setting up what will be our 6th Annual Beer Tasting Event on June 22, which will also feature a vintage base ball game, and are hoping that you will join us for our first Hay Lake 5K Run and Walk earlier in the Spring (more details to follow). Our museum and site will be open for the season on Sat- urday May 4, and we will have the same hours of 1 to 4 PM on Saturday and Sunday in May, September and October. Over the summer months of June, July and August we will be open 1 to 4 PM on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. For any questions regarding the site, tours or general in- formation please give us a call at 651- 433 -4014 (voicemait)! We at the Washington County Historical Society are excited for this next year, and hope that you will all be able to join us at the Hay Lake School and Johannes Erickson Log House Museum in 20131 Contact David at 651 -433 -4014 or email david. sandager @gmail. com Pre -1920 Joseph Wolf Bock Beer Bottle This is an unopened bottle of Bock Beer "brewed and bottled by Joseph Wolf Company, Stillwater, Minn." The label depicts a bleating goat and elves enjoying frothy mugs of beer. The bottle holds 12 fluid ounces and contains 4%% alcohol. Martin Wolf started the Stillwater brewery in 1869. Two years later his brother Joseph took a share in the brewery. The Joseph Wolf Company became the largest of the three breweries in Stillwater and by 1879 it was the largest in Min- nesota outside of the Twin Cities. The brew- ery closed when prohi- bition passed in 1820. 4 HISTORICAL WHISPERINGS. WCHS Again Celebrates Winter with Ice Cream Social The fifth annual ice cream social was held in Stillwater's North Lowell Park on Saturday, January 19. Hundreds of folks showed up to enjoy ice cream and chili, provided by Leo's Grill and Malt Shop, and warm up with hot coffee donated by the River Moon Cafe. A bonfire also helped take the chill off. The event, held for the past five years, is a recreation of the Ice Cream So- cials held back in the 1950s. The first social was the brainchild of Stillwater businessman Gib Larson of Snowland Foods in 1950, and was held at the St. Croix Boomsite. Later events were moved to Stillwater. Pictures taken then show people having so much fun, even in sub- freezing temperatures, the WCHS decided in 2008 to celebrate winter in the same way. The Stillwater Convention and Visitor's Bureau also helps sponsor the event and all proceeds and donations benefit the Washington County Historical Society. At right, a recently donated photo shows James Huss (center) and Susan Nelson, both three years old, and a snowy friend receiving ice cream cones from Oscar Flotten during the 1951 event, held in Stillwater Hank Sampson was a member of the Washing- ton County Historical Society Board of Direc- tors for ten years, serv- ing as Vice - president for nine of them. He was known as the "Voice of the St. Croix Valley" for his hav- ing been associated with the local radio station for nearly 30 years. During his time at the station, Hank created segments about local his- tory that he narrated every Sunday afternoon. This "Heritage Series" became a popular part of the sta- tion's schedule, but after the last one aired in 1982, they seemed to have disappeared —until they were donated to the Washington County Historical Society by his family after Sampson's death in 2008. These reel -to -reel tapes were trans- ferred digitally with the financial help of the Hubbard Broad- casting Foundation and the DeLonais Foundation, along with several individual donations. Hank's historic tales are now available to the public. The WCHS has produced a 2 -disk CD featuring 17 episodes. The Heritage Series CD set costs $20 (including Minnesota sales tax) and can be purchased at the Historical Society or by mail from WCHS, Box 167, Stillwater, MN 55082. Make checks payable to WCHS. (Right) Eloise Sampson, cen- ter, and family members were qr featured guests at the Decem- ber 15 book signing at the Warden's House. At the event the new Hank Sampson CD set was offered and dozens of people came to talk about Hank and his 30 year radio ` `- career. Other authors present were Nancy and Bob Goodman, Brent Peterson and David Fabrio. (Above) Guests enjoyed free refreshments and the sounds of the season provided by music teacher Mary Taylor Allen and her string instrument students and a String Quartet from Stillwater Area High School. JANUARY 2013 5 Sampson CD Offered at Book Signing Hear Hank Sampson, "The Voice of the St. Croix Valley, " Once Again! BLOOMER Continuedfrompagel train through Chicago. Few of the men had any idea what kind of a war they were soon to be in. June 25, 1861. At M p.m. we arrived in Washington, a drowsy, stupid, hungry and used up lot. We were marched to the As- sembly Rooms where our company and three others were quarteredfor the night. I for one as soon as ranks were broken and not waitingfor anything to eat laid down on the floor and went to sleep with- out blanket, overcoat or anything else, having had no rest to speak ofsince we left Fort Ridgely and all that we had to eat during our travel was crackers and none too much of that. They were soon in the thick of the fighting. Sam was slightly wounded at the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 186 1. Then the Regiment went into winter quar- ters at Camp Stone, Maryland. December 17 [1861]. This morning1 had the buckshot taken out ofmy head, it hav- ing been in since the battle of Bull Run, and began to trouble me considerable. It was rather a tough operation. War on the Virginia Peninsula In April 1862 the first large -scale operation of the war got under way. For months the First Minnesota slogged up and down the Virginia peninsula advancing on Richmond. After the battle at Fair Oaks, Sam was detailed to serve as a color guard. At Savage's Station, on June 29, Corporal Sam Bloom- er became a hero. Being nearby when the regimental color bearer fell dead, Sam rushed to the colors and carried them forward. Sam later stated that "saving the colors" during the Battle of Savage's Station was his proudest moment of the war. He was promoted to color sergeant after the battle. He carried the flag in several engagements in the Peninsula Cani- paign, but by the end of August the regiment had retreated back to Newport News. Monday [August] 25th. Were roused out quite early and got our "breakfast" which wasn't the best in the world. We laid around loose in the mud a while longer then marched down to the wharfand laid around a while there. Then ... got on board of the Mississippi, a large steam propeller which was anchored there on which eight regiments were put... which made it dreadful crowded. Three days later they were landed at Alexandria, where they were told to be ready for a march. Sam became ill, and so "The Gallant Color Sergeant" During his service, Sam Bloomer was promoted to color sergeant. Each regi- ment had a color company, charged with carrying and protecting the regimental flag, or colors. The flag was a visible rally- ing point for the regiment In battle. It was carried Into battle by an unarmed ser- geant — the "color sergeant'— and guarded by six or eight corporals —the "color guard." It was a great honor to be chosen to carry the colors, and also very dangerous because the enemy took pains to shoot down or capture the colors. missed the battle at Manassas Junction, also known as second Bull Run. Saturday [August] 30th. Early this morning a long train ofnearly 40 cars went out towards Manassas Junction after wounded.... About 3 o'clock we sick fellows were ordered to the hospital and had to be carried on stretchers. We were taken to the Fairfax Seminary Hos- pital and all but two put in the convales- cent camp where there were more, as near as 1 could judge 2000. When supper was ready, what should it be but dry bread and coffee without sugar. The other men in hospital with Sam were casualties from the battle at Bull Run. On September 3, 1862, Sam was judged well enough to rejoin his regi- ment. The First Minnesota was in the vanguard pursuing the rebels through the Blue Ridge mountains. Monday, Sept 151h. We were up long be- fore day this morning and expecting eve - Drawing by Thomas Nast for Harper's ry minute to hear our batteries open on Weekly, Sep. 20, 1862. the secesh. But the rebels took advantage of night and skedaddled, and our cavalry & fying artillery after them run them through Boonsboro tak- ing 40 cavalry horses & about 200 prisoners. The Bloodiest Day of the War At 7:20 a.m. on September 17, General McClellan sent the II Corps forward. Company B was part of the front line of the second assault, on the right of the line. The men waded through the creek and came up its bank, then entered a thin wood, Sam Bloomer in the lead carrying the colors. Wednesday Sept 17th. We were up very early then got our cof- fee & about 7 oclock we fell in line, forded Antietam Creek, marched about 1 mile, formed in line of battle & advanced through fields, woods & aver fences & over the field where the Battle commenced early in the morning & which field was covered with dead & wounded of both sides. At last we halted at the edge of a cornfield by a rail fence but still we were in the woods. Had not been at the fence more than 15 minutes before a most terrific fire was poured into the left of our brigade from the rear & front & which fire came quickly down the line to the right where we were. The firing was very lightfor a time but I knew I had to go to the rear for I was shot in my leg just below the knee. I hadjust got behind a large tree when the whole line was ordered to fall back, which they did leaving me behind. The advance of the secesh soon made their appearance & passed by me but did not go a great ways further but formed their picket line about 40 rods in front of me & shortly their 6 HISTORICAL WHISPERINGS line came up & formed just where our line had stood, which left me about 40 rods in front of their line. A wounded prison- er, I was left on the field all day & the shot & shells ofboth armies playing in or about there all day cutting off limbs of trees & tearing up the ground all around me & which made it a very dangerous place. But as luck would have it, I got through safe. By that fence my pardner Oscar Common was killed & one of Co A, likewise some were wounded & all the while the battle was raging terribly on our left. Secesh were quite gentlemanly toward me, but they took from me my sword which was apresent to me from our Lieut Muller, likewise two revolvers for which I did not care so much. Sept 18th. During the night I slept considerable & was woke at day break by a noise at my head & found a Secesh pulling at my canteen stopper which he wished to take. Laid on the same spot all day & my pardners dead body lay in my sight all the time. About 6PM4 Secesh came with a stretcher & tookrne up to a barn where there were about 100 more of our men & there took our names intending to perrol [parole] us in the morning. Sept. 19th. I for one slept but little last night for pain. During the night the Secesh skedaddled offfor pards [parts] unknown to us by the barn to be taken care of by our men who soon made their appearance. The first man of our regiment saw was [David] Coflin of Co I, then Capt [John] Pell came to give me some breakfast, & soon my dear Cousin [Adam Marty of Co. B] came to see me. About noon I was put in an ambulance. & taken to Hoffman barn Hospital & laid in the yard on the ground where I lay all night with most dreadful pain. There were in around this barn some S or 600 wounded soldiers. Sept. 20th. This day will long be remem- bered by me, for about 8 o'clockAM the doctors put me up on the table & amputated my right leg above my knee. And from then the suffering commenced in earnest. The battlefield amputation was some- what botched, but Sam survived. Sam wrote little in his journal for the next month. With- in a month he was up on crutches, and by December 12, 1862, having been pro- nounced well enough by the doctors at Smoketown Hospital, Sam Bloomer was discharged for disability and went home to Stillwater, minus one leg. The St. Paul Pioneer newspaper reported on the arrival of the gallant color bearer. Friends and family were there to meet him when he got off a steamer at Stillwater. He was taken in by the Jackman family, who indulged his every whim. The town cele- brated him, and though he had one leg it seems the girls began to croon over him. As Sam told and retold his story it ac- quired a lot more detail—an appearance by Stonewall Jackson himself, the Confederates piling lumber about him to stop the bullets, and being befriended by several "secesh." A story that circulated later had Sam saving the colors by tearing them off the staff and stuffing them into his shirt. However, he himself later wrote that when wounded at the battle of Antietam he passed the Colors to Corporal Ellet P. Perkins, then crawled into the woods. Perkins later became Color Sergeant. Life After the War At the end of December Sam wrote to his cousin, Adam Marty, that he was doing better and was able to wear his new cork leg. That next year he applied for a position in the Veter- ans' Reserve Corps the "Invalid Corps" —and on August 25, 1863, despite the loss of a leg, Sam Bloomer was given a commission as a lieutenant in the Corps. In early September he arrived at his new post in Evansville, Indiana across the Ohio River from Kentucky. Ex- governor, now Senator, Alexander Ramsey, among oth- ers, pulled strings to get Sam Bloomer reassigned to Minneso- ta, but it was not to be. Bloomer spent nearly another year in the Invalid Corps, being reassigned to Fort Knox, Maine, where he served through December 1865. He was mustered out on September 19, 1866. Bloomer married his first wife, Matilda J. Bums on Dec. 6, 1863, in Evansville, Indiana, divorcing her in 1878 after four children. He became a US citizen on Nov. 18, 1881 and the following year married Ellen (Nellie) Pressnell in Stillwater. Nellie and Sam moved to Mahtomedi where they operated Camp Lincoln, a tourist facility on White Bear Lake. A Color Bearer Once Again On June 14, 1905, Sam Bloomer once again carried the colors for the First Minnesota regiment, this time, from the old Minnesota Capitol building to the new one on Constitution Avenue in St. Paul. The flags still remain in the Capitol's rotunda for all Minnesotans to see. Bloomer was very active in the Grand Army of the Republic, or G.A.R. He worked hard at creat- ing a monument on the Washington County Court- house lawn that would remind people of those from the area who fought in the Civil War. Even though his health was failing, Bloomer was chosen as the person to turn the first shovelful of sod from the site of the monument. When the monument was unveiled on April 27, 1917, it was Bloomer who did the unveiling. On October 4, 1917, one of Washington Coun- ty's bravest soldiers died at his home in Mahtomedi. He had served his community, his county and his nation without fail. .JANUARY 2013 7 Sam Bloomer in later life. Pho- to taken at Bloomer's tourist camp in 1914, courtesy of Tracey Asplund She Who Would Giants Fight — Justice Rosalie Wahl Lake Elmo Resident First Woman to Serve on the Minnesota Supreme Court By Emily Haddad The Woman Lake Elmo, Minnesota, Spring 2008 She walks into a room filled with books, photographs, prints of paintings, found objects. She's a short, rather di- minutive, woman, her white hair, wavy, falling to her shoulders. She walks slowly, lowers herself carefully onto the sofa, beating her 84 years as best she can. When she smiles, the frailty falls away— there's spirited intelligence, but mostly there's warmth and love and life in her face. She recites a few lines of a poem she wrote when she was a young girl. It's a poem about Birch Creek, the small stream in southeastern Kansas, not too far from the old stone farmhouse where she lived alone with her grandma during the Depression: There —in the bend of the river Where green cutlassed corn Caresses the Wind I found morning glories In guileless array Enslaving the militant corn. A few minutes later, in answer to my question, she begins to sing an ancient Methodist hymn by John Banyan: "He Who Would Valiant Be." Her worn soprano voice soft- ly rolls around the notes and words of the hymn. Her voice hardens, her eyes glint when she sings this line: "No foes shall stay our might; though we with giants fight," This was the hymn she sang over 30 years before, on the night of November 6, 1978 —as reported by the Minne- apolis Star —when she won her hard- fought judicial elec- tion victory over Robert Mattson, Sr. She has fought more giants during her life than any- one I have ever known. She is Justice Rosalie Wahl first woman on the Minnesota Supreme Court. The Inspiration I first heard Rosalie Wahl speak in February 2003, when I had been working as a corporate lawyer for 26 years, raising and supporting a family. I graduated from law school in 1977, the same year Rosalie was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court. I experienced discrimination in my field in the 1980s because of my gender, but it was never as pervasive or blatant as during earlier decades. I greatly admire the women of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s who preceded me in the field of law and who helped pave the way. In her 2003 speech, Rosalie spoke to us about being a citizen in dark times. It was a month before the beginning of the Iraq War. She talked to us about her experiences during World War II, and how she and a small group of women worked to desegregate the women's housing at the University of Kansas. Her speech was extremely inspiring —a call for public action to work for positive change in our society. Four months after I heard her speak, I quit my job as a corporate attorney and went back to school to become a filmmaker. There were many reasons. One of them was the inspiration I had received from a strong, wonderful woman on that day in February 2003. 8 HISTORICAL WHISPERINGS Emily Haddad meets with Justice Rosalie Wahl at her home in Lake Elmo while working on the documentary about the Justice. "Girl from Birch Creek" Nearly ten years later my film partner, John Kaul, and I have completed the feature - length documentary, "Girl from Birch Creek." The film tells the story of how Rosalie Wahl became who she is: a fighter for justice, for racial and gender equality; a poet and singer and writer; an inspiration for many people. It also tells the story of the Minnesota women's movement which made Rosalie's appointment to the Minnesota Supreme Court possible. A grant from Min- nesota Legacy Funds (through WCHS and the Minnesota Historical Society) has allowed us to finish the documen- tary with the highest production values, including using Nina Totenberg as the narrator of the film. The Story Rosalie Erwin was born in Kansas in 1924. She lost her mother three years later. She and her little brother, Billie, were sent to live with maternal grandparents, Harry and Effie Patterson, on their farm in the small community of Birch Creek, Kansas, In 1932, when she was seven years old, Rosalie witnessed the death of her grandfather and Billie in a horrible train accident on the farm. After the accident Rosalie and her grandmother moved to a small homestead nearby and subsisted off the land for the rest of the Depression. During World War H Rosalie attended the University of Kansas, majoring in journalism. She was engaged to a young man who joined the Army Air Corps. When he was killed in an airplane training crash, his death turned Rosalie in a new direction, and to a life of social activism. Lawrence, Kansas, where the University of Kansas is located, was still very much a segregated town in 1944. Rosalie, along with four white girls and five girls of color made a decision to integrate student housing on the cam- pus. The ten girls moved in together at Henley House, a YWCA facility that housed university students. They en- countered opposition from the community, but they perse- vered. Soon after that, the university desegregated its stu- dent housing. In 1949, after her marriage to a World War H veteran, Ross Wahl, Rosalie moved to Minnesota. Several years lat- er the Wahl family settled in Lake Elmo. During the 1950s Rosalie raised four children, became involved in local school issues, and worked to establish a county library sys- tem. The Lake Ehno library is named after her. In 1962, at the age of 38, Rosalie entered law school. She says: "I was tired of sitting outside of doors and have the people inside, mainly men, make all the decisions. Law was one way to get inside those doors." In the 1960s many law firms would not hire women and there were very few legal positions available to women once they graduated from law school. Rosalie managed to obtain a job with the state public defender's office. For several years she worked on criminal appeals to the Minne- sota Supreme Court, and also started a clinical law program for students at William Mitchell College of Law. During the 1970s the women's movement took off all across the country. In Minnesota, courageous feminists worked for women's equality and pushed to have a woman appointed to the state supreme court. Their actions led Governor Perpich to promise to appoint a woman to the court. After much specula- tion in the newspapers and among the legal community, Perpich selected Rosalie Wahl for the position. It was an exciting, historic moment for Minnesota women. In 1978, six months after she was appointed to the court, three men (two judges and a former state auditor) challenged Justice Wahl for her seat on the court. Rosalie traveled Justice Wahl on the Minnesota Supreme Court bench in 1977. around the state, talking to groups about her views on justice and her service on the court. On election night she won re- election to the court by a substantial margin, and in her next 16 years on the court, never faced a second challenge. Justice Wahl chaired judicial committees on Gender Bias and Racial Bias in Minnesota's courts; and she spoke to audiences around the state and country, talking about equality in the justice system and inspiring people to work for their dreams, no matter what their gender or race or economic status. Rosalie always followed her sense of justice, and her philosophy that every person, no matter how poor or disad- vantaged, was entitled to equal access to the justice system. When she retired in 1994, former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Amdahl wrote her a letter which said: "You have kept the faith. Those who have little else, often not even hope, now have a champion, with a laving heart andiron will to advance their interests. You opened a door to fairness, equality, human rights and humanity that will never totally close again. " Photos in this article courtesy of the author. See more about Emily Haddad and "Girl from Birch Creek' on p.10. JANUARY 2013 9 More About "Girl From Birch Creek" "Girl from Birch Creek" is a feature length documentary about Justice Rosalie Wahl It was produced by Lightshed Productions, a film produc- tion company formed by Emily Had- dad and John Kaul a decade ago. WCHS served as fiscal agent to apply for and administer a Minnesota Legacy grant to cover production costs for this film about one of our county's most in- fluential citizens. Emily Haddad (co- producer, writer, director, and Stillwater resident) re- ceived both screenwriting and film- making degrees with honors from Min- neapolis Community and Technical College in 2005 and has been making films ever since. Her short films and documentaries have been official se- lections in several film festivals. John Kaul is a native Minnesotan and currently a director on the board of the WCHS. He has led a double life for the last 40 years: by day, a practitioner of the art of what is possible in the world of politics at the Minnesota State Capitol and, in his free time, a reactor to the "neural itch" of his crea- tive impulses including his lifelong love of photography. Says John: "Great words move people's emotions and so does great music. Mix that with beautiful imagery in motion and the impact is exponen- tial. That's what I love about film- making." "Girl from Birch Creek" had a sneak preview showing on November 14, 2012, at the Marcus Theater in Oakdale. It is currently being submit- led to film festivals and will be shown at various events around the Twin Cit- ies in the next few months. Readers should check the film's website and blog to learn about future showings: <www.girlfrombirchcreek.com >.. Girl B r" uc C;reek Thy Lj& �a?2saq.erlam�orxwsG� wa61 Ghost Towns of Washington County The Hamlet of Garen Once Thrived in Forest Lake Township In the early 1900s, the farming community of Garen could be found on Highway 61 south of Forest Lake in the vicinity of 190th Street. According to Elsie Vogel, Forest Lake historian and au- thor of Reflections of Forest Lake 1893 -1993, Garen came into existence when a spark from a train lit a grass fire in the neigh- borhood and the peat bog began to smolder. This fire caused much distress for the cattle farmers in the area, who sued the railroad. In settlement, the Northern Pacific agreed to build a switch line with cattle pens along it so the fanners could load their cattle in to box cars for shipment to St. Paul's stockyards. The railroad moved in a box car to serve as the station, which they decided to name after Frank Garen, one of the farmers affected by the fire. Garen School in section 32 east of the tracks opened in 1893 and by 1898 had an enrollment of 34 students. The school had five grades: A, B, C, D and E. After 1934 the chil- dren were bused to Forest Lake. The abandoned schoolhouse was used by Richard and hying Harris to start the Toni Home Permanent Company. The Toni Co., founded in 1941, later moved to St. Paul where it became the leader in home perma- nent wave products. Garen School, District 72, served the farming neighborhood from 1893 through 1934. Typical of the time, the school had an outside pump and "conveniences. " The school also doubled as the community center. It burned in 1951. In addition to the cattle loading facilities, Garen also had the C. I. Olson store, a small grocery and variety store west of the railroad tracks. This was a popular place for neighbors to meet and exchange news. When motoring picked up, during the 1930s and '40s, the Half Way Inn, built by Grace and Clarence Siebert, became a popular stopping place. At one time this roadside tavern was called the Happy Landing. Today there is no building left or any other sign of this once -busy community. 10 HISTORICAL WHISPERINGS Membership Report Dues Have Risen The costs of paper, printing and mailing have all gone up, and so have WCHS Membership Dues as of January 1, 2013. Individual annual memberships are now $25 with a student or senior membership at $15; family annual mem- berships are $35, patron annual memberships $75, sustaining annual memberships $250, and life memberships $1000. Organization and business memberships remain at $100 annually. This brings the Society dues into closer alignment with other historical societies in the state Membership entitles you to a subscription to Historical Whisperings, free admission to the society's museums, use of the research facilities at no charge, and a discount on books, souvenirs and other items in the WCHS store. We thank those of you who sent in donations with your annual memberships and the many of you who responded to our annual appeal. Your generosity keeps WCHS museums and programs in operation. Please send any queries about your membership to: WCHS Memberships, PO Box 167, Stillwater, MN 55082 or email < information@ wchsmn.com >. New Sustaining Members Mark & Gloria Desch * Priscilla Farnham * Fletcher & Susan Wendell New and Renewing Patron Members Bruce & Arline Beutel * Kathy Buckholtz * Carol Brotzler * Bob Crabtree * Brooke Elhnan * Kathy Friberg * Don Gettinger * Richard Gustafson * Don & Marlyce Lee * Bryan & Barb Olson * Paul & Peggy Quinn * Anne & Ed Simonet * Jim & Mary Smith * Mary Spencer * James Thomme * Robert C. Vogel * Kathy Widen New and Renewing Annual Members Roland Buchman * Keith Clark * John & Patricia Czikalla * Tom Degree * Richard Direnberger * Margaret Doerr Robert Downs * Tom Dwight * Barb Enslin * Family Search International * Scott & Diana Foss * Mike & Bonnie Frain * Sam Fudenberg * Judy Hansen * Dave & Peggy Hayden * Richard Hodsdon * Irene Holm * Edith Hophan * Cynthia Hubnke * Joel Juen * Barbara & Michael Kelly * Larry Kennedy * Beverly Kraemer * Marcia Kremer * Liberty * Allen Co. Public Library * Barb Medinger * Fred Neher * Kathleen Nolan * Evangeline Nolde * Patricia O'Gorman * Rog & Darlene Peterson * Sharon Sawyer Mary Schmidt * Susan Sorenson * Jan Sloven * Tom Thueson * Richard Twedten * Lynn Wilson * Kelly Wolf * Dave & Diane Wright Thank you all! WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORY Calendar of Events Please contact the sponsoring organization for updated information about events: South Washington Heritage Society (SWHS) 651- 459 -1082; Washington County Historical Society (WCHS) 651- 439 -5956, Denmark Township Historical Society (DTHS) 651 -436 -7639; Gammelgdrden 651- 433 -5053; Afton Historical Society 651- 459 -3500; Historic Courthouse 651- 275 -7075; Arcola Mills 651- 439 -1652. January 19 Saturday —WCHS Ice Cream Social in Lowell Park, Stillwater; noon-4 PM. February 9 Saturday —SWHS program "Stories of Old Fort Snelling" presented by John Waldo; St. Paul Park City Hall, 10 AM. March 9 Saturday —SWHS program "The Healy- Macintosh Hope Glen Farm" presented by John Dennis, St. Paul Park City Hall, 10 AM. March 18 through October 11— Exhibit of Washington County High School Athletics (with WCHS) at Historic Court- house, Stillwater. March 21 Thursday —WCHS Annual Meeting, Water Street Inn, Stillwater. Social hour 5:30 PM, dinner 6:30 PM. Speaker is Jack Tunheim. Reservations required. April 7 Sunday — "History in Your Backyard," free program noon -3 PM, Washington County Historic Courthouse Visit with representatives from various county historic sites and organizations. April 15 through October 11 —Free guided tours of Historic Courthouse, Stillwater; M -Th at 10 AM, noon, and 2 PM. Fri & Sat. at 10:45 AM. April 16 Tuesday —DTHS presentation on 1942 military plane crash in Denmark Township; St. Mary's Church Guild Hall, 8435 St. Croix Tr. S., 7 PM. April 28 Sunday--Open House at the Warden's House Muse- um, Stillwater, noon -4 PM. Refreshments, self - guided tours, and opening of new exhibits. May 2 Thursday — Warden's House Museum in Stillwater open for the season. Call for times and group reservations. May 4 Saturday —Hay Lake School Museum Complex in Scandia opens for the season. May 19 Sunday —St. Croix Baseball Club vs. Afton Red Socks, at Pettit Park, Lake St. Croix Beach, 2 PM. Join us for the first game of the season! JANUARY 2013 11 DATED MATERIAL W MINGON (OUNN *THIM W11TV Box 167 Stillwater, MN 55082 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Contact Us Mail or Email, or for information about the Washington County Historical Society, contact us at 651- 439 -5956 or email information @wchsmn.org To receive this newsletter by U.S. i On the web at www.wchsmn.org i MEMBERSHIP APPPLICATION or RENEWAL j I Washington County Historical Society I I I Name t t Address City, State, Zip Phone, email: Indicate preferred type of membership: Annual Individual ($25) _Annual Senior Citizen/Student ($15) _Annual Family ($35) t Annual Patron ($75) 1 Annual Sustaining ($125) _Life ($1,000) I Additional donations are welcome and needed. Volunteer help is also needed (check here or call). Non - Profit Organization U. S. Postage PAID Permit No. 224 Stillwater, MN 55082 Cottage Grove HPC City Office 7516 S. 80th St. Cottage Grove, MN 55016 tl, {'1''I li'`• I "lilt " Our Mission The Washington County Historical Society collects, preserves, and disseminates the history of Washington County and the State of Minnesota. I I I I I I t I I I t WCHS programs include book publication, speakers and workshops, historical reenactments, vintage base ball, school programs, exhibits, print and electronic newsletters, historical markers, and a history website (www.wchsmn.org) with links to other history organizations. Our goal is to provide an oppor- tunity for all county citizens to learn about and enjoy our area's history and to build a sense of community heritage. The Washington County Historical Society is uniquely situated to document early Minnesota history and to tell the story of immigrants from the eastern United States and Europe who settled the region in the mid- nineteenth century. The county's geographic connections to the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers place the county at the t liont of settlement and the estab- lishment of the territory and state. Detach and mail to: WCHS Memberships PO Box 167, Stillwater MN 55082 1 1V(embe.rship includes subscription to Historical Whisperings For this reason we have chosen our motto, Gateway to Minnesota History