Grand Army of the Republic reunion opens at Detroit..... ..Aug. 4, 1891 Railroad accident at Battle Creek; twenty-six persons killed....Oct. 20, 1893 Ex-United States Senator T. W. Ferry dies at Grand Haven... .Oct. 14, 1896 State tax commissioner established. 1899 McKinley statue at Muskegon unveiled MINNESOTA ...1794 Minnesota, one of the northern frontier Northwestern Fur Company builds a States of the Union, containing Lake stockade at Sandy Lake.... Itasca, the source of the Mississippi River, is bounded north by Manitoba and Ontario, of the Dominion of Canada; east by Lake Superior and Wisconsin, south by Iowa, and west by North Dakota and South Dakota. It is limited in latitude from 43° 30′ to 49° N., and in longitude from 89° 29′ to 97° 15′ W. Area, 84,287 square miles, in eighty counties. Population, 1890, 1,301,826; 1900, 1,751,394. Capital, St. Paul. Daniel Greysolon du Luth, a native of Lyons, builds a trading-post at the entrance of Pigeon River, on north shore of Lake Superior (whence the name Duluth) 1678 Father Louis Hennepin ascends the Mississippi from the mouth of the Illinois, passes through Lake Pepin, and reaches the falls, which he names St. Anthony October, 1680 Heirs of Carver's American wife dispose of their interest in an alleged grant of land in Minnesota to Carver (made by the Naudowessies Indians, May 1, 1767) to Edward Houghton, of Vermont, in consideration of £50,000... ...1794 Indiana Territory created, including part of present State of Minnesota.. May, 1800 Territory of Upper Louisiana formed, including a large portion of Minnesota March 20, 1804 Minnesota east of the Mississippi a part of Michigan Territory.... ....1805 Lieut. Z. M. Pike, ordered by General Wilkinson to visit Minnesota and expel the British traders, arrives at the site of Fort Snelling, and in council with the Dakota Indians obtains a grant of land for the use of the United States 9 miles square on both sides of the river Sept. 23, 1805 Sieur du Luth, with four Frenchmen Rev. Samuel Peters alleges, in a petition and an Indian, in two canoes, from his to Congress, that he has purchased from trading-post reaches a lake whose outlet the Carver American heirs their right to enters the Mississippi, and on the river he meets Father Hennepin...... ..1680 Nicholas Perrot erects a fort on Lake Pepin, and takes possession of the Minnesota country in the name of the King of France.. ..May 8, 1689 Le Seur builds a trading-post on an island in the Mississippi, just above Lake Pepin ...1695 Sieur le Seur, on a search for mines in Minnesota, builds Fort l'Huillier on the St. Pierre, now the Minnesota the grant made in 1767................. Part of Minnesota east of the Mississippi becomes a part of Michigan Territory 1819 Barracks erected at Mendota and occupied by a garrison which came from Green Bay, Wis., by the Wisconsin River..1819 Corner-stone of Fort Snelling laid; first called Fort St. Anthony.. Sept. 20, 1820 Three Mackinaw boats laden with seed wheat, oats, and pease, leave Prairie du Chien, April 15, 1820, for the Scotch settlement at Pembina, where the crops were destroyed by grasshoppers the previous year. Proceeding entirely by water, except a portage from Big Stone Lake to Lake Traverse, 11⁄2 miles, they arrive at .June 3, 1820 October, 1700 Jonathan Carver, the first British explorer of Minnesota, arrives at Mackinaw from Massachusetts, August, 1766; Green Bay, Wis., Sept. 18; at Prairie du Chien, Oct. 10; Falls of St. Anthony, Nov. 17; and ascends the Minnesota River to the stream which now bears his name....1766 Pembina.... Governor Cass, of Michigan, with an exploring party from Detroit under sanction of the United States government, reaching the Mississippi by Sandy Lake, ascends to Cass Lake.......July 21, 1820 General Leavenworth reports to the commissioners of the land office that the Indians do not recognize grant to Carver in 1767 ..1821 First mill in Minnesota, erected under the supervision of the officers of Fort Snelling on the site of Minneapolis..1822 Committee on public lands report to the Senate on Rev. Samuel Peters's claim to the Carver grant of 1767; the original deed not being produced, and for other reasons, it is resolved that the petition be not granted.... ..Jan. 23, 1823 First steamboat to navigate the Mississippi from St. Louis to the Minnesota River, the Virginia, reaches Fort Snelling. River, is included in Iowa, set off in 1838 from Wisconsin, which was set off from Michigan in 1836...... ...1838 By order of Secretary of War, troops from Fort Snelling expel Swiss squatters on the military reservation east of the Mississippi, between St. Paul and the fort May 6, 1840 A log-chapel, erected by Father Lucian Galtier and dedicated to St. Paul (whence the name of the city)...... Nov. 1, 1841 Settlement begun at Stillwater by four proprietors, who erect a saw-mill Oct. 10, 1843 Capt. J. Allen, with a detachment of dragoons, ascends the Des Moines River and crosses to the St. Peter (Minnesota) and Big Sioux rivers.... ....1844 First meeting in Minnesota on the subject of claiming territorial privileges for that part of Wisconsin Territory not in....May, 1823 cluded in State constitution adopted March 13, 1848, is held in Jackson's store, St. Paul.. .July 12, 1848 Convention at Stillwater to consider territorial government.....Aug. 26, 1848 H. H. Sibley, of St. Peter, elected delegate to Congress from Wisconsin Territory not included in the State...Oct. 30, 1848 An expedition fitted out by government, in charge of Maj. S. H. Long, discovers that Pembina, the fort of the Hudson Bay Company on Red River, is within the United States. Long erects an oak post on the line, raises the United States flag, and proclaims the territory a part of the United States.. ...Aug. 5, 1823 A colony of Swiss from the Red River settlement establish themselves near Fort Snelling ....1827 Henry R. Schoolcraft, with an expedition for exploring the Mississippi, Crow Wing, and St. Croix rivers, reaches the Mississippi by Lake Superior and Sandy Lake, and reaches the source of the west fork in Itasca Lake.. July 13, 1832 Rev. W. T. Boutwell establishes at Leech Lake the first mission among the Indians in Minnesota west of the Mississippi October, 1833 Jean N. Nicollet leaves Fort Snelling to explore the sources of the rivulets that feed Itasca Lake..........July 26, 1836 Governor Dodge, of Wisconsin Territory, meets the Ojibways at Fort Snelling, and they cede to the United States the pine forests of the valley of the St. Croix and its tributaries..... ......July 29, 1837 Deputation of Dakotas conclude treaty with the United States at Washington, ceding all lands east of the Mississippi...... ...September, 1837 Minnesota, west of the Mississippi Extract from the diary of Harriet E. Bishop, first school-teacher in St. Paul: "J. R. Clewett came into Mr. Irwine's house and said, 'My! how this town is growing! I counted the smoke of eighteen chimneys this morning'" winter of 1848 Congress establishes the territorial government of Minnesota; bounded on south by Iowa and Missouri River, west by the Missouri and White Earth rivers, north by the British possessions, and east by Wisconsin, with St. Paul as capital March 3, 1849 Alexander Ramsey, of Harrisburg, Pa., appointed governor of Minnesota Territory, organizes the government at St. Paul June 1, 1849 First legislature, consisting of nine councillors and eighteen representatives, meets at the Central House in St. Paul Sept. 3, 1849 a Act passed to send the Washington Monument Association a slab of red pipe. stone from the Minnesota quarry....1849 St. Paul incorporated as a town November, 1849 November, 1860 First regiment of Minnesota volunteers leaves Fort Snelling for Washington June 22, 1861 Minnesota Historical Society organized providing that no tax or provision for in by law... .Nov. 15, 1849 terest or principal of bonds shall be in Congress appropriates $20,000 for a force until ratified by the people territorial prison.. ....1851 Treaty at Traverse des Sioux, on Minnesota River, the Sioux cede lands in Iowa and in Minnesota east of the Red River of the North, Lake Traverse, and the Sioux River.. ..July 23, 1851 Dog-train with explorers, under Dr. Rae, after search for Sir John Franklin, arrives at St. Paul from the north Feb. 14, 1852 Prohibitory liquor law passed; ratified by the people April 5, but declared void by Supreme Court. .1852 College of St. Paul, chartered as the Baldwin School, dedicated..Dec. 29, 1853 City of St. Paul incorporated March 4, 1854 Convention held at St. Anthony, and the Republican party of Minnesota formed March 29, 1854 Duluth founded.. .1856 Bill to remove the government to St. Peter passes the House, but the council is dissolved without acting on the bill 1857 Inkpadootah, a Dakota Indian, at the head of a band, massacres a settlement of whites at Springfield, capturing a number of women and children......March, 1857 Congress grants to Minnesota six alternate sections of land per mile to aid in the construction of railroads....March, 1857 Constitutional convention assembles at St. Paul, July 14, 1857. Republicans and Democrats organize separately, prepare drafts, but unite and submit one constitution to the people (ratified 36,240 to 700), St. Paul the capital. . Aug. 29, 1857 State issues $2,275,000 in bonds, out of $5,000,000 authorized by an amendment to the constitution, article ix., section 10, called Minnesota State railroad bonds, the credit of the State being pledged for interest and principal. . . . . . . April 15, 1858 Minnesota admitted into the Union May 11, 1858 State normal school at Winona opened Sioux Indians, under Little Crow, massacre the whites at Yellow Medicine agency, Aug. 18, 1862; at New Ulm, in Brown county, Aug. 21; attack New Ulm and are repulsed, Aug. 23; besiege Fort Ridgely for nine days; attack Cedar City, McLeod county, Sept. 3; State troops under Col. H. H. Sibley march against them, Aug. 26; United States troops under Major-General Pope are despatched to the seat of war, and after a sharp battle at Wood Lake the Indians are defeated, and 500 are taken prisoners, 300 of whom are sentenced to be hung. .Sept. 22, 1862 Ninety-one captive white women and children surrendered by the Indians to Colonel Sibley near the Chippewa River Sept. 26, 1862 Thirty-eight of the 300 Indians sentenced are executed.. ...Dec. 26, 1862 Little Crow killed by a settler in the neighborhood of Hutchinson, McLeod county.... .....July 3, 1863 Minnesota school for the deaf opened at Faribault ...1863 Professor Eames, State geologist, reports rich silver-bearing quartz near Vermilion Lake, in the northeast part of the State 1865 State insane hospital at St. Peter opened. .Dec. 6, 1866 State reform school at St. Paul opened 1866 City of Minneapolis incorporated.. 1867 Amendment to article vii., section 1 of the constitution, striking out the word "white," ratified by the people November, 1868 State university created by law, 1851; Congress grants it 46,000 acres of land, 1857, and same year the first building erected at St. Anthony; chartered 1868, opened ....1869 Bill to remove seat of government from St. Paul to a place in Kandiyohi county passes both Houses, but is vetoed....1869 Convention at St. Paul organizes a State temperance society.....Oct. 6, 1869 Construction of the Northern Pacific Supreme Court decides that the amendment to article ix. of the State constitution, ratified in 1860, is invalid, as impairing the obligation of contracts; the legislature provides for the settlement of State railroad bonds at 50 cents on the dollar ..1881 Railroad commenced at the Dalles of the Act passes legislature establishing a Treasury.. Secretary of the .1872 State normal school located by law at Moorhead .1885 .1872 State public school for dependent children at Owatonna founded..... ...1885 State insane hospital located at Fergus Falls..... .1886 .1873 Act passed to create a fund for an inebriate asylum at Rochester, by tax upon saloon-keepers State Treasurer William Seeger im- Acts passed: For a State reformatory peached by the House of Representatives, at St. Cloud; a municipal government for Feb. 26; pleads guilty, May 22, "without Duluth; a high-license law where local any corrupt or wilful intent," and is re- option does not prohibit, and to abolish moved from office... ...1873 the State board of immigration, created in Amendment to the constitution rat- 1878 .1887 ified by popular vote, permitting wom- Soldiers' home opened at Minnehaha en to vote for school-officers or on school Falls ... ....November, 1887 questions, and to be eligible to any State normal school at Moorhead openoffice pertaining to schools .Aug. 29, 1888 William Windom again Secretary of Treasury .March, 1889 Secret (Australian) ballot law, established in cities of over 10,000 inhabitants, by act..... ....1889 State reformatory at St. Cloud opened September, 1889 Memorial Day (May 30) made a legal holiday ..1889 Nearly 100 lives lost by a tornado on Lake Pepin....... Nov. 2, 1875 Amendment adopted providing for biennial instead of annual sessions of the legislature.... November, 1877 Act passed, creating a public examiner to superintend the books and financial accounts of public educational, charitable, penal, and reformatory institutions of the State ..1878 Minnesota Amber-cane Growers' Association organized at Minneapolis.....1878 State insane asylum at Rochester, provided for by act of legislature in 1878, opened..... . Jan. 1, 1879 Minnesota school for the feeble-minded opened at Faribault..... .....1879 Act of legislature creating farmers' board of trade, to assume supervision over the agricultural interests of the State; one member appointed by the judge of each judicial district... ..1879 Alexander Ramsey appointed United ed State insane hospital opened..... ...July 13, 1890 at Fergus Falls ..July 29, 1890 William Windom, Secretary of Treasury, dies suddenly after responding to a toast at a banquet given by the New York board of trade at Delmonico's, evening of Jan. 29, 1891 Gen. H. H. Sibley, first governor of Minnesota, dies in St. Paul, aged eighty Feb. 18, 1891 Whaleback steamer Charles W. Wetmore leaves Duluth with a cargo of grain for Liverpool..... . June 11, 1891 Washburn-Crosby Company, of Minneapolis, sends out 175 cars containing 22,000 barrels of flour, consigned to the Russian relief committee of Philadelphia March 23, 1892 Republican National Convention asMarch 1, 1881 sembles at Minneapolis......June 7, 1892 State capitol destroyed by fire Fire in Minneapolis; loss, $2,000,000 Aug. 13, 1893 Forest fires destroy towns of Hinckley and Sandstone, causing the death of 417 people; 2,200 homeless and destitute; property loss about $1,000,000 Sept. 1, 1894 Red Lake Indian reservation diminished to about a quarter part of its former area; the remainder opened for settlement May 15, 1896 Minnesota supplied four regiments for the Spanish war, being the first State to respond to the President's call. May 7, 1898 Corner-stone of new capitol laid July 27, 1898 Semi-centennial of the Territory and State celebrated............June 1, 1899 Population of Minnesota, at the national census, 1,751,394; of its five leading cities: Minneapolis, 202,718; St. Paul, 163,065; Duluth, 52,969; Winona, 19,714, and Stillwater, 12,318..... ....1900 Senator Cushman K. Davis dies Nov. 27, 1900 MISSISSIPPI Mississippi, one of the Gulf States of the United States, is bounded north by Tennessee. The Tennessee River touches the State in the extreme northeast corner. On the west the Mississippi River separates it from Arkansas and Louisiana above lat. 31° N., which divides the State from Louisiana on the south, 110 miles east from the Mississippi River to the Pearl. That portion of the State east of the Pearl River extends south to the Gulf of Mexico, affording a coast-line of about 80 miles. Alabama forms the entire eastern boundary. It is limited in latitude between 30° 13' and 35° N., and in longitude between 88° 7' and 91° 41′ W. Area, 46,340 square miles, in seventy-five counties; population, 1890, 1,289,600; 1900, 1,551,270. Capital, Jackson. La Salle descends the Mississippi to its mouth ...1682 Lemoine d'Iberville plants a colony on the bay of Biloxi.... .....May, 1699 Iberville, Bienville, and Chevalier de Tonti ascend the Mississippi to the present site of Natchez.. February, 1700 Fort Rosalie, at Natchez, erected by Bienville, governor of Louisiana, and completed... ...Aug. 3, 1716 Mississippi Company chartered with exclusive privilege of the commerce of Louisiana and New France, and obligated to introduce within twenty-five years 6,000 white persons and 3,000 negro slaves Aug. 17, 1717 Mississippi Company grants land for settlements on the Yazoo, at Natchez, on the bay of St. Louis, and on Pascagoula Pay ....1718 Three hundred settlers locate at Natchez 1720 Fernando De Soto, on his expedition, enters the present State of Mississippi near the junction of the Tombigbee ' and Black Warrior rivers; crosses the Three hundred emigrants, destined for Pearl in Leake county, and reaches the Indian village of Chickasaw the lands of Madame de Chaumonot, arrive at Pascagoula......Jan. 3, 1721 Seat of government of Louisiana removed from Biloxi to New Orleans..1723 December, 1540 Indians attack and burn Chickasaw, which De Soto had fortified and occupied Chopart, commander of Fort Rosalie, deas winter quarters.... .February, 1541 mands that Great Sun, head of the De Soto reaches the Mississippi, which Natchez tribe of Indians, should vacate he crosses, probably within 30 miles of White Apple village, about 6 miles from Helena, in boats built for the purpose the fort, and surrender it to the French; April, 1541 a conspiracy of Indians and the massacre Mississippi included in the proprietary of the garrison follow...... Nov. 29, 1729 charter of Carolina.. ...1663 Destruction of the Natchez by the Louis Joliet and Père Jacques Mar- French and Choctaws quette descend the Mississippi as far as lat. 33°.. Jan. 28-Feb. 8, 1730 .1673 Mississippi Company surrenders its |