| Summary: | MERCER COUNTY (Taken from The Hazen Star, June 17, 1937) Majestic Mercer was indeed correctly named when we consider that from a historical standpoint, we date back to 1738 as the earliest recorded date when the Indian villages on the Knife river were visited by De la Verendrye, who was escorted by Assiniboine Indians from the Turtle mountains to these villages. Later in 1745 his sons visited these same villages (N. Dak. Historical Society). Undoubtedly, numerous French voyagers visited these villages during the interval between 1745 and 1802. Missouri Historical Society records Chas. Le Raye visited the Indian villages, at the mouth of the Knife river, exploring this stream some twenty miles to Spring Creek, thence west across the Little Missouri to the Yellowstone river. The visit of Lewis and Clark in 1804 and 1805 and the finding of Sakakawea at the villages on the Knife river is a well known fact which can not be disputed. Alexander Henry's Journal records that traders and explorers from Pembina mountains visited at the Indian villages here in 1806. Manuel Lisa an Indian agent for the upper Missouri country had a fur trading post on the south side of the Missouri river where later the post office of Expansion was established. In 1811, John Bradbury, an English botanist, mentions these Indian villages and posts in Mercer county in his book, "Travels in the Interior of America." Also recorded by the Missouri Historical Society, 1832, and in 1833 Maximilian, Prince of Wied, visited this territory. In 1885 Henry H. Boiler, an American traveler and writer, spent some time among the Indians here. In enumerating the white men who were actual residents, it is hard to know who were the first. Charbonneau, the husband of Sakakawea, lived at the Stanton village prior to Lewis and Clark's visit in 1804. Post traders and wood choppers lived here and the earliest recorded as homesteaders are Peter C. Causey, an ex-soldier and scout, 1878; Ed Councilman and Joseph Dietrich, 1881. These men took squatters right homestead until this tract of land was thrown open for homesteads in the spring of 1882. Bob McGahan, Steve Card and Councilman came down the Missouri from Fort Benton and stopped at Causey's trading post and wood yards and traveled up the Knife and chose their location for homesteads. Joe Beaubein and Bill Miller located west of Expansion trading furs and wood to the boats that traveled the Missouri. The Mannhaven Mercantile business was organized and became co-partners with S. P. Baker, owner of a fleet of steam and gasoline stern wheel boats navigating between Bismarck, Washburn and Fort Benton, Mont. Mannhaven became a shipping point by river of grain down stream and received merchandise for the store by boat upstream. As business grew and flourished more partners joined and incorporated in what was called "The Slope Mercantile Co." This establishment grew into a monstrous business, drawing on a large territory—Mercer, Oliver and part of Dunn county. They handled practically everything from a needle to a threshing machine. The Captains of the boats or pilots were Grant Marsh, Blund, and later the Leach Bros. The 47 STATE LIBRARY COMMISSION BISMARCK, N. OAK. . Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited with Multi-Page TIFF Editor.
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