| Summary: | 74 . THE LONG AGO. America." He was also one of our first register of deeds, succeeding 'Genl. , Harrison I think. At the time he held that office and for some time tnereaiter the office contained but one book, -Miscellaneous. Record A, in wmcn was recorded all papers filed for record, including deeds, mortgages, bills ot sale etc Mr. Goodfellow, if I am not mistaken, was the first notary public of our county, which position he held continuously until his death which occured many years ago . In his demise our county and state lost one of its best and most competent men. . . , . , . Lucien Gerojx who died at Leroy last year, was then keeping a hotel in South Pembina, the same building (improved) now being the one m wmcn tne county poor are being boarded and cared for, usually called our poor house, lvir Geroux was then one of the wealthiest of the citizens of Pembina, being a siock raiser, landlord, speculator and contractor. He afterward, m 82 bunt tne Geroux (now Winchester) hotel in Pembina, but the building of the raiiroaa west of that place so much detracted from the business of the p ace tnat nis investment proved unprofitable and with many others of the old fellows ne got left" in what at that time seemed to be a fine business venture. Colonel John Robinson kept a hotel, the "Pioneer House,' situated on tne bank of the river near the steamboat landing. He removed therefrom a coupie of years afterv/ards. ■' , ,, ,„_., Henry McKenna had a little sawmill on the point just below the continence of the Pembina and Red rivers, he also had a residence and little store mere. His family.consisted of a wife and daughter. I remember no others ot tne family. Mr. Norman Kittson, son of the late millionaire, N. W. Kittson, or St. Paul, v/as associated in business with Mr. McKenna. They, at tnat time v/as engaged principally in getting out logsfrom up the Pembina river and sawing them into lumber' which was then sold for almost -Klondyke prices Shortly afterwards the scripping by Chippewa and Hudson Bay scrip and tne occupation of the best timber lands up the Pembina, together with the etiorts of the government officials to prevent the cutting of timber of government lands, so greatly interferred with the business of the mill that it was taken away and Mr. McKenna and family left us. , Mr. McKenna was a half brother of of Geo. Schultz, of Manitoba and a gentleman of fine appearance and apparently of good business ability, althcugn perhaps not very successful.' , , , Across the Pembina directly opposite the McKenna mill was the bonded warehouse in charge of McKenzie, a genuine jankee without much of the element of the frontiersman about him. Mr. McKenzie was in a sense one ot the members of the customs service being phced by the government m charge or the warehouse, erected for the purpose of storing bonded goods in transit from Canada, England or elsewhere through the United States to the British Norm v/est. The business proving less profitable than expected Mr. McKenziequit the business, left the country and the building "went up" after having been the scene of numerous acts of old time interest which we will not attempt to mention here. When Mr McKenzie left us we sadly missed his many pleasant greetings. ' . Joseph Rolette, "Old Joe," was there. The customs office was his place ^ of leisure, having for many years been his place of business as inspector ot . customs. This was the same Joseph Rolette who figured so largely m the , early day politics of the Territory of Minnesota of which the old Territory or J Dakota v/as then a part. The same Joseph Rolette to whom the city of, bt. , - -e- Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited with Multi-Page TIFF Editor.
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