GEORGE WASHINGTON CLARK:

Clark was born in Copenhagen, New York (June 10, 1827) the son of Orrin and Rebecca White Templeton Clark. The family, originally from Massachusetts, settled in New York state. Clark emigrated to Wabashaw Prairie (now Winona), Minnesota, arriving there on November 13, 1851, and settling on a claim where he lived the remainder of his life. He raised sheep, hay, and apples, planting one of the first apple trees in Minnesota. He was a member of the Minnesota Horticultural Society. He married Jennie Lockwood (Feb. 11, 1857), and died in Winona (Aug. 3, 1897). More biographical information will be found in the folder.

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The reminiscences consist of a series of ten separate sections, each with its own page numbering sequence.

Sections one and two contain information on Clark's family; their service in the Revolutionary War and War of 1812; his early schooling and work in New York; his trip from New York to Minnesota (1851), traveling by steamer and railroad to Detroit, Milwaukee, and LaCrosse, with details on his farm work in Wisconsin; the wilderness areas; Indians in the region; and his arrival in Wabashaw Prairie. Section two contains details on the methods of clearing land; Clark's claim and that of his brother Scott; and disputes among settlers over the claims and settlement procedures.

Sections three and four relate to the Wabashaw Protection Club, formed on March 2, 1852 by the settlers in the region, which set up procedures for making land claims and protecting those claims against intruders. There are details on the many disputes between members and nonmembers.

The remaining sections consist of a number of accounts of Clark's experiences, including trips to LaCrosse and other places in 1851 (sections 5, 6, and 9); the visit of Alexander Ramsey (section 7) in July, 1852 to study the outbreak of an unnamed epidemic in the community; and an account of Clark's trip to LaCrosse (March 1853, section 8) detailing a heavy rainstorm and difficulties in traveling. Section ten is a one-page description of his meeting with Tomaham, a Dakota chief, with information on his attire and the medal he received from Missouri Governor William Clark in 1816.

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. George Washington Clark Reminiscences. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession Number: 2434; 17,607

Processing Information:

Processed by: Kathryn A. Johnson, June 1997

Catalog ID number: 990017341690104294

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Agriculture -- Minnesota -- Winona County.

Dakota Indians -- Minnesota -- Winona County.

Epidemics -- Winona County.

Frontier and pioneer life -- Minnesota -- Winona County.

Land claim associations.

Land settlement -- Minnesota -- Winona County.

Log cabins -- Minnesota -- Winona County.

Pioneers -- Minnesota -- Winona County.

Rivers -- Minnesota.

Rivers -- Wisconsin.

Weather.

Places:

La Crosse (Wis.).

Mississippi River.

New York (State) -- Description and travel.

Wabashaw Prairie (Minn.).

Winona (Minn.).

Winona County (Minn.).

Wisconsin -- Description and travel.

Persons:

Ramsey, Alexander, 1815-1903.

Tomaha, ca. 1760-1860.

Organization:

Wabasha Protective Club (Wabasha, Minn.).

Type of Documentation:

Reminiscences -- Minnesota -- Winona County.

Photographs.

Occupation:

Farmers -- Minnesota -- Winona County.

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