Luman H. Tenney Diary 1865-1866, Extracts from letters 1860-1880

• Language: English
• Subjects: Bear Island; Fuller; St. Louis; Tenney; Theodore
• Online Access: http://cdm16921.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/ndsu-histor/id/573

30 Vermont, Mass, Delaware, Utah, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Wisconsin and Minnesota had one or more representatives. After the hand car and gravel train we took stage at Kettle River and rode five miles to Mrs. Murphy's, getting there at 10:30 P.M. where we got supper and laid down for the night. The other stage tipped over getting through. On again in the morning. Dinner at Moose Lake - clean and no hairs visible as at Mrs. M's. Supper at Twin Lakes - good enough for kings - steak, ham and eggs, potatoes, corn bread and butter, coffee, tea and frosted cake, with white table cloth and napkins! Here one stage load remained over night while we went on 22 miles to Superior arriving at 5 P.M. this day. I got very sleepy and cold; feared I caught cold but feel all right tonight. At 8 A.M. boat seven miles across St. Louis Bay to Duluth, in which I have much faith. Things look solid and promising. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are being lavishly spent. Lots are now selling on Superior St. for $100 per foot. Population 1500. Every one who remains is full of enthusiasm. I think I have fastened the boat for million feet at $2.50 per m. This is as well as I expected. A man wants to trade real estate for boat. If I could make a right smart trade we could then afford the elegant new dress which is now your due. A nice Episcopal church here, Presbyterian nearly done and Methodist commencing. May God bless you richly, Fannie, and make the years of the future (and may they be very many) much happier and fuller of all rich experiences and glorious life than the years numbered. I decide about boat Monday, when if all is right, shall telegraph to boat to come. I shall leave,I think, on Tuesday morning stage. Hope to be home Saturday evening. St. Paul, Minn. May 6th, 1870. I arrived here this evening from Duluth via Kettle River. I only wish I were with you. I came as far as Kettle River with three companions on foot. Would have had quite a passable time had it not been for rain which we were obliged to pass through. One of the party I was with was an engineer with acquaintances at convenient distances along the line of Superior R.R., now building, so we found fair stopping-places. I liked it much better than staging. Both are hard enough. I cannot get off till tomorrow morning at 8 when I shall go to Northfield, I suppose, and wait over Sunday for Mary. I am uneasy to be fairly homeward bound. I presume now I shall reach Chicago Tuesday eve. and Oberlin Thursday morning. My plans were successful in getting the freight for the boat and I like the prospect for future work. Note:- After Luman returned to Oberlin plans were made for a summers trip to Duluth by water, baby Theodore (who was about three months old) and I to accompany Luman; Bernard ( who was two years) to remain here with the family, which consisted of father, mother, Eddie, Charlie and Arthur, with the colored girl Matilda, Mother urging this arrangement. In early June we started. At Bayfield, Wisconsin, we stopped several weeks, boarding at a hotel. Luman found a squaw to come each day to relieve me of the care of the baby (I was not strong, weighed only 99 Ibs. and baby wieghed over 18). Luman was away much of the time looking up lands on Bear Island and other of the Apostle Islands, in company with a Mr. McNair, son-in-law of Mr. Sargeant of Duluth. After reaching Duluth we spent a little time at his home, a fine house on Minnesota Point, afterwards finding a boarding place at the home of Major Seip. In August the R.R. from St. Paul to Duluth was completed and was the occasion of a big celebration.