LEWIS STOWE:

An Inventory of His Family Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society

Manuscripts Collection

OVERVIEW


	Creator:	Stowe, Lewis, 1828-1911, creator.
	Title:	Lewis Stowe and family papers.
	Dates:	1819-1954 (bulk 1819-1911).
	Abstract:	Diaries, deeds, and other papers of this farmer in Le Sueur County (Minn.) who was also an Indian agent on the White Earth Reservation (1874-1878).
	Quantity:	1.25 cubic feet (3 boxes, including 39 volumes).
	Location:	See Detailed Description section for shelf location.

Stowe was born (August 4, 1828) in Halifax, Vermont, the son of David and Elizabeth (Crosier) Stowe. He worked as a farm hand in his youth and then as a carpenter in Vermont and in North Adams, Massachusetts. He came to Waterville, Minnesota (June 26, 1856) and secured a homestead claim of 160 acres, erected a log house, and built the first hotel in Waterville, which he operated for one year (1857). Returning to his claim in 1858, he farmed the land, raising cattle, horses, and sheep, and making butter. He also served in the Minnesota Legislature (1873), as Indian agent at the White Earth Indian Reservation (1874-1878) and as assessor and supervisor of Waterville Township. Stowe was also active in the Protestant Episopal Church.

On May 11, 1850, he married Hannah A. Babcock of Readsboro, Vermont. They were the parents of eight children. Hannah Stowe died September 8, 1900, and Lewis on September 3, 1911.

See the first folder in box 1 for more genealogical and biographical information.

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SCOPE AND CONTENTS

The collection contains a folder of genealogical and biographical information on Lewis Stowe and his family (1900-1954); seven folders (undated and 1819-1908) of correspondence, receipts, bills, promissory notes, deeds, and related papers; a folder of business and calling cards (1875-1897); two account books (1849-1859); and thirty-five volumes of Lewis Stowe diaries (1873-1908.)

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ARRANGEMENT

These records are divided into the following five sections:


		Genealogical and Biographical Files
		Correspondence and Miscellaneous Papers
		Account Books
		Diaries
		Waterville House

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Lewis Stowe and Family Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 4589; 17,522

Processing Information:

Processed by: Kathryn A. Johnson, August 1998

Catalog ID number: 990017327590104294

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL FILES

Location

Box

P2309

Biographical and genealogical information, undated and 1900-1934

Stowe family materials (1856-1954) consist of an undated unsigned genealogical chart (incomplete) of the Lewis and Hannah (Babcock) Stowe family, accompanied by a more complete typed chart prepared by the cataloguer; obituaries (photocopied) of Lewis Stowe, Waterville Advance, September 6, 1911, and his wife Hannah, September 8, 1900 from an unnamed newspaper; biographical memoranda by Stowe copied from his account book (1856-1859) and diaries (1903 and 1906), and a list prepared by the cataloger of extracts from the diaries containing biographical information on the family; Stowe biographies from Minnesota Biographies and from the Memorial Record of Southwestern Minnesota (1897, including his portrait), and from the Minnesota Legislative Manual (1873); two letters (1937, 1938) from Walter H. Stowe (Brunswick, N.J.) to Grace Lee Nute, Minnesota Historical Society, with information on the Stowe family, and a letter (1954) from Lucile M. Kane, Minnesota Historical Society, to Walter Stowe, containing information on Lewis Stowe's birth and death date.

The folder also contains application forms for membership in the Society of Colonial Wars issued to Walter H. Stowe in 1935 (photocopies). The eight-page document traces several different lines of descent.

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CORRESPONDENCE AND MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS

Location

Box

P2309

Undated and 1819-1849.

There is no correspondence in this folder; materials consist mainly of promissory notes, receipts, and deeds. An undated item of interest is an essay, "On a Summer's Morning," by Julia A. Houghton.

Items dated 1819-1846 relate to David and Elizabeth Stowe, parents of Lewis, and include promissory notes, receipts, deeds, and similar documents created while the family was in Halifax and Readsboro, Vermont.

In the 1840s, documents relate to Lewis Stowe, and include promissory notes and a number of deeds (1849) to Lewis for land in Readsboro. One item of interest is a deed (January 9, 1849) from Diofonus Sawyer to Lewis, giving him a half interest in a Readsboro sawmill.

1850-1868.

Includes more receipts and promissory notes relating to Lewis Stowe, deeds, and some correspondence. Among them are an agreement (1850) between Lewis and George Stowe to cut 3,000 spruce logs on George's property; another with Ansel Howard, Jr. (September 17, 1852) allowing Lewis to cut 5,000 boards for the Howard's Mill in Readsboro; and deeds (July 18, 1851; September 5, 1853; March 8, 1856) between Lewis and Elizabeth Stowe and Charles Babcock for lands in Readsboro. Two letters of interest are from Lewis' cousin, George Riddell, Canisteo, New York (July 4, 1857), and from his brother David (March 28, 1858), Readsboro, which indicate their interest in coming to Minnesota.

1870-1879.

Receipts and bills continue in this folder, along with materials relating to Stowe's career as Indian agent including household accounts (1877), list of checks issued by the agency (1878), newspaper clippings (1874) describing the sale of White Earth pinelands without Indian approval, and protests of the Mille Lacs Band for non-receipt of annuities.

Items of interest include a letter (undated, 1870s) from his brother David describing his trip from Waterville to Readsboro; time sheets (September 22-October 21, 1873) for work done by Stowe on churches in Kasson and Morristown, Minnesota; a handwritten patent (December 31, 1873) for a new type of beehive ("Queen Nursery Beehives") for Edson Gerry to Stowe; a letter (September 19, 1874) to his son Herbert on his enrollment at Shattuck School; draft of Stowe's letter (1875) to Bishop Whipple on a complaint against an employee of the agency; a newspaper clipping (1875) with information on Catholic priest Gonzague's attempt to remove Stowe as agent; and a letter (March 4, 1878) from three Indian women, including Mrs. J. J. Emmegahbowh, thanking him for his friendship with them.

1881-1889.

The most interesting items in these folders are five postcards (April 12-June 10, 1882) and eleven letters (April 12-November 7, 1882) from Alvah Stowe to his father while he worked on a survey line for the Canadian Pacific Railway, describing his trip from Breckenridge, Minnesota to Fort Calgary and other areas in Alberta and British Columbia. The cards and letters describe in detail travel adventures across the Northern plains, floods on the Missouri River and in Dakota Territory; elk, antelope, buffalo, and other wildlife; flowers and cactus; an incident involving snags on the Missouri River; his arrival in Fort Calgary (May 28) describing the fort and surrounding area; his visit to a ranch; his arrival at Kicking Horse, British Columbia and the Bow River; difficulties in running the survey line; camp life; the weather; his pay; Salmon runs on the Columbia River; and other incidents on the survey.

Letters dated February 1 and March 7, 1883 from Fred Tamblyn to Alvah's parents tell of his illness with heart trouble. Other items relating to Alvah (January 6 and December 9, 1881) are letters of recommendation for him from Campbell and Burbank, St. Paul and from the foreman of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad; and an account (1889) with Martell and Johnson, Druggists, Rush City, Minnesota. See also a letter from Walter H. Stowe to Grace Lee Nute, January 3, 1938, in the biographical and genealogical folder for more information on Alvah.

The rest of the items in the folders include the usual receipts, accounts, and promissory notes.

1890-1899.

Most of the items consist of receipts; promissory notes and accounts with Stowe; and newspaper clippings (1891) on Indian appropriations, the tariff (1894), wheat prices (1894), the gold standard (1896), and the Spanish American War and Philippine campaign (1899).

Items of interest include a letter (July 31, 1894) from J. A. Gilfillan, White Earth Agency, on the delivery of furniture there; a card (June 7, 1899) from an event honoring Bishop Whipple; an account (May 7, 1897) from St. Andrew's Parish, Waterville, with the diocesan treasurer; and a letter (June 11, 1898) from George Stowe to his parents from Camp Thompas, in which he describes camp life. Stowe was a first sergeant in Company K, Twelfth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry.

1900-1908.

Receipts, accounts, and promissory notes continue in this folder. Items of interest are a newspaper clipping (February 6, 1900) describing a fire in Rush City which destroyed much of the business district, with Alvah Stowe's damages listed at $500; a bill (October 1900) from St. Paul druggist Noyes Brothers Cutler, for goods ordered by W. F. Anderson, Rush City, which may refer to Alvah; a bill (November 2, 1902) from the Ladies Cemetery Association, Waterville, for care of the property; an agreement (April 10, 1906) whereby Lewis Stowe deeds to George and Irene Stowe land in Township 109, Range 23 (Waterville Township, LeSueur County); a letter (July 22, 1906) from Lewis Stowe, Readsboro, Vermont, to his granddaughter Blanche, describing his trip from Waterville, via Grand Rapids and Detroit, to Readsboro, telling of changes in the town since his last visit there, meetings with friends and relatives, and his attendance at the Baptist Church; and an agreement (1907) with W. S. C. Grover to build an addition to the Waterville Episcopal church.

Business and calling cards and similar items, undated and 1875-1908.

Many of these items were removed from the back pocket of the diaries. In addition to cards are a Northern Pacific Railroad pass, a tag from the Bridgeman and Russell Creamery (Duluth), and a weekly offering envelope from St. Andrew's Church (Waterville).

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ACCOUNT BOOKS

Location

Box

P2309

Account books, 1849-1859. 2 volumes.

The volumes (numbered 1 and 2) are small pocket-sized volumes, kept part in pencil and fading in part. The early entries (1849-1856) were kept by Stowe before his arrival in Minnesota. There is information on the purchase of household goods and food; on his lumber business; accounts with individuals; expense list of his trip to Minnesota; the construction of a public house in Waterloo (which may be Waterville (1856); and weather records (January 1858-October 1859). The entries are difficult to decipher and are not in chronological order.

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DIARIES

The diaries are complete for the years 1873 through 1908 and contain terse notations on his daily activities. Some of the diaries (1873-1875, 1877, 1878) are in pencil and are difficult to read. In general, the diaries contain daily records of temperature and weather; deaths of friends and neighbors; family events; wood cutting; planting and harvesting crops; monthly records of butter-making; construction of houses and buildings by Stowe; trips to Minneapolis and other cities; and related matters of daily life. At the end of each diary are memoranda and monthly cash accounts. These records are fairly detailed. At the end of some diaries are brief notations of events for the following year.

Location

Box

P2309

Diaries, 1873-1881. 11 volumes.

1873, volume 3. Brief notations on his activities in the legislature, including a visit to Stillwater state prison (February), construction of a building in Fairbault, and churches in Kasson and Morristown. In the correspondence files there is a work record sheet for Stowe's construction of the churches (September 22-October 25).

1874, volume 4. Entries (June 27-August 26) contain notations on his work as Indian agent at White Earth, with information on inventorying reservation land, Indian councils, trips through Indian country to Pembina, and the proposed removal of Indians from White Earth.

1875, volume 5. More entries on Indian affairs, describing attempts at lawmaking by Indians on the reservation (January 26); his trip to Washington, D.C. to meet with the Commissioner of Indian Affairs (February-March); and payments made to the Mississippi Band (November 8).

1876, volume 6. Visits to White Earth and surrounding area; purchase of food and flour for the reservation; instructing Indians how to sow wheat (May 2 and 4); visit of a group of Dakota Indians from the Sisseton Agency (June 3); a settlement of $5,000 for the Pembina Indians (November 20-21); and a recipe for hair restoration.

1877, volume 7. Visit of Bishop Whipple to White Earth (July 14-26); payment of annuities to the Ottertail Indians (November 27-30); and his trips to various parts of the reservation.

1878, volume 8. The last entry relating to his work as Indian agent (March 8). The rest of the diary relates to farm work and contains the first mentions of his sons Herbert, Andrew, and Alvah. Stowe also mentions his trip to Faribault for the general convention of the Episcopal Church (June 12). Similar entries appear in most of the subsequent dairies.

1879, volume 9. Includes a record of having his picture taken (January 3).

1881, volume 11. Describes plans for building a stable (probably for horses.)

Location

Box

P2309

Diaries, 1882-1908. 24 volumes.

1882, volume 12. An account of a trip (September 4-December 14) with Joseph A. Gilfillan to Indian country, starting in St. Cloud and then to Melrose, Browerville, Clarissa, Detroit Lakes, Long Prairie, Verndale, and Wadena.

1884, volume 14. Mentions Alvah's arrival home from the Canadian Pacific Railroad survey (July 6); another trip to the White Earth Indian Reservation and surrounding country (October 7-20), with information on Bishop Whipple's confirmation of four Indians at Leech Lake; and his travels by canoe in the Leech Lake area. Note: the rest of the entry for October 11 will be found in the memoranda section.

1885, volume 15. The diary contains the first entries on his butter-making enterprise, mentions of which will continue in all the diaries until 1906 (volume 36). A complete list of butter produced during the year is found in the memoranda section.

1888, volume 18. Another trip to White Earth (October 1-19), describing the construction of the Rice River school. The memoranda section for October 11-December 14 contains a complete record of his hours worked there.

1891, volume 21. Entries for August 3-October 28 describe his work on the construction of St. Columba Church, White Earth, and its consecration by Bishop Whipple. The memoranda section contains a record of time worked on the church and daily wages.

1892, volume 22. A note on the appearance of the Andrews Family Opera Company in Waterville (June 21), and the thirty-fourth anniversary of St. Andrew's Church (November 30).

1894, volume 24. Stowe's election as manager of the Waterville creamery (March 10), and a mention of the Hinckley fire (September 1).

1896, volume 26. Records his trip to Waterville to have his picture taken (November 24). See the biographical folder for the sketch of Stowe in Memorial Records of Southwestern Minnesota; the picture was probably taken for this publication.

1898, volume 28. Brief mention of the Spanish-American War (May 8), and George Stowe's arrival home on furlough (September 3).

1901, volume 31. Death of Bishop Whipple and Stowe's attendance at the funeral (September 20.)

1906, volume 36. His visit to Readsboro, Vermont and Leyden, Massachusetts (August 2-14). See also the letter of July 22, 1906 in the correspondence file for information on the visit.

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WATERVILLE HOUSE

Location

Box

P2309

Hotel Register and miscellaneous financial records, 1854-1872. volume 3.

The first 22 pages contain the register of individuals staying at the Waterville House. The first few sheets are badly faded. Most of the residents were from such surrounding areas as St. Peter, Traverse des Sioux, New Ulm, Mankato, Rochester, Northfield, Faribault, Owatonna, and St. Paul. The first ten pages are unnumbered; the rest of the entries are on numbered pages 11-22. The inclusive dates of the register are January 29-December 31, 1857.

The rest of the volume contains miscellaneous records, which are described briefly below:

Meteorological records, January 1, 1857-March 31, 1865, pp. 25-75.

Breakdown of weather by date, 1858-1862, p. 44.

Record of the days he and his son worked for John Babison, March 23-28, 1868; record of land bought by John Babcock in Township 110, Range 23 (Kilkenny Township, LeSueur County); and other transactions with Babcock (April 14-November 9, 1868), p. 118.

Cash book, January 17-July 24, 1868, p. 119.

Cost of constructing a book case, April 18-June 23, 1868, pp. 120-121.

Account with David Hills, May 20-June 30, 1868, p. 122.

Account with J. A. [Bulles?], May 21-December 30, 1868, p. 123.

Account with W. [Bull?], June 15-August 22, 1868, p. 124.

Cash book, March 20-October 23, 1868, p. 125.

Expenses, January 16-December 26, 1869, pp. 139-148.

Money received, November 29, 1869-November 17, 1879, pp. 149-150.

Detailed expenses for the year, January 14-December 26, 1870.

Money received, November 17-December 31, 1870, p. 156.

Expenses, January 3-June 30, 1871.

Money received, January 21-December 24, 1871, p. 161.

Expenses, January 30-August 17, 1871, p. 162.

Money received, January 4-December 17, 1872, pp. 163-164.

Chart of amount of crops sold to individuals: wheat, corn, oats, potatoes, barley, hay, beans, sorghum, and timothy, 1861-1862, pp. 174-179.

Crops grown in 1861, p. 181.

Diary, January 13-February 20, 1870.

One line for each date. Mother died on February 4, p. 387.

Account for St. Andrew's Parish, November 1, 1871-September 12, 1872, p. 415.

Account for St. Andrew's Parish, June 8-December 31, 1870, p. 416.

Expenses, St. Andrew's Parish, June 8, 1870 and April 27, 1871, pp. 417-418.

Church accounts, January 2-November 18, 1871, pp. 421-422.

Number of males and females in Waterville, June 1, 1865, p. 482.

Township and range numbers for Winona, Wabasha, Houston, Fillmore, and Olmsted counties, p. 483.

Agreement between [Savin?] Phillbrick and the Waterville School District for Phillbrick to teach for twelve weeks at $8.50 per week, December 17, 1866, p. 484.

Recipe for a paint mixture, p. 485.

Birth and death dates of David and Sarah (Green) Stowe, p. 487.

Ledger accounts, Lewis Stowe with various individuals, 1854, 1858, 1869, pp. 456-488, 451-457.

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CATALOG HEADINGS

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. Le Sueur County.; Building. Minnesota.; Butter trade. Minnesota. Le Sueur County.; Carpenters. Minnesota. Le Sueur County.; Church buildings. Minnesota.; Episcopalians. Minnesota. Le Sueur County.; Farmers. Minnesota. Le Sueur County.; Finance, Personal. Minnesota. Le Sueur County.; Hotels. Minnesota. Le Sueur County.; Indian agents. Minnesota.; Indian reservations. Minnesota.; Meteorology. Minnesota. Le Sueur County.; Meteorology -- Observations.; Ojibwa Indians -- Government relations.; Railroads. Canada.; Railroads -- Surveying.; Religion.; Sawmills. Minnesota.; Sawmills. Vermont.

Places:: British Columbia -- Description and travel.; Canada -- Description and travel.; Canada, Western.; Columbia River.; Le Sueur County (Minn.).; Minnesota -- Description and travel.; Missouri River.; Vermont -- Description and travel.; Waterville (Minn.).; White Earth Indian Reservation (Minn.).

Persons:: Babcock family.; Gilfillan, J. A. (Joseph Alexander), 1838-1913.; Stone family.; Stowe, Alvah James, 1861-1927.; Stowe family.; Towers family.; Whipple, Henry Benjamin, 1822-1901.

Organizations:: Canadian Pacific Railway Company.; Episcopal Church. Diocese of Minnesota.; Minnesota. Legislature. House of Representatives.; St. Andrew's Church (Waterville, Minn.).; Waterville House (Waterville, Minn.).

Types of Documents:: Deeds.; Diaries.; Genealogies.; Hotel registers.

Occupations:: Legislators. Minnesota. Le Sueur County.

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