Here is the last part few paragraphs on the topic of Indians in the Eau Claire Co. area, along with the first men who helped settle Eau Claire, from the book, "Sawdust City" by Lois Barland. The last time that Indians were reported in Eau Claire was in 1889 when several Winnebagoes entered three homes in the third ward and left only after being given food by the frightened housewives. Chief Four Cloud and two braves, Walk-Upon the Neck and Get-Up-Sit-Down were in the city, heavily armed and with ear-bobs and rings in the nose. They were camping at Porterville. It was the magnificent pine forest of the Chippewa Valley which attracted most of the first permanent settlers to this region. In the early 30's of the last century (1800's), lumbering operations were begun in a small way at Chippewa Falls. At Menomonie some operations had been carried on even earlier. No further attempt was made to settle in this locality until the summer of 1845 when Stephen S. McCann from Spring Creek, a tributary of the Menomonie River, near Menomonie, and Jeremiah C. Thomas entered into partnership and erected a claim shanty near the site of what was afterward the Eau Claire Lumber Company's watermill on the Eau Claire River. Stephen S. McCann also built a cabin near the confluence of the Eau Claire and the Chippewa which he designated as a warehouse, and another on the site of what was subsequently the American House (E. C. & Farwell Streets). These structures were erected for the purpose of establishing the right of the settler to an uncertain amount of government land. McCann transformed the last named cabin into a home for his family and moved into it. In the fall of 1845 the first preliminary step was taken to construct a dam and improve the "Lower Dell" of the Chippewa, a short distance north of its confluence with the Eau Claire. The winter of 1846-47 was long remembered by the few residents of the embryo village. Owing to the intensely cold weather, scarcely any snow fell, and the rivers were frozen down to their beds. The spring was quite as remarkable for a lack of rain, especially during the months of April and May. The evening of June 5 was, however, visited by one of the most terrible thunder storms on record in the Valley. The rain came down in torrents until nearly noon the next day accompanied by wind, vivid lightning, and heavy peals of thunder. The Chippewa rose twelve feet and was covered with logs, driftwood and the debris of piers and booms from the Falls. By noon every log, pier and boom on the Eau Claire was swept away by the fast swelling flood. The new double sawmill that had just been erected and ready to open was swept away almost bodily. The results and labors and savings of years were gone forever and the firm of McCann, Randall & Thomas was bankrupt. J. C. Thomas went back to Blue Mills and S. S. McCann engaged in farming on Eagle Prairie above the Falls and died in 1880. George and Simon Randall entered into partnership with Philo Stone and H. Cady. They rebuilt the mill on the Eau Claire in the winter of 1847-48. Philo Stone and his brother Roswell came on the river in 1838 as hunters. This valley, being the Indian no man's land, contained a great deal of game. Philo was said to be a quarrelsome man, a champion among the light weights whenever a fight was possible. He had a squaw who became a remarkably good housekeeper. At this time there was no way of getting to Eau Claire except by water and the nearest Post Office was Prairie du Chien. In 1848 the State legislature authorized the building of a road from Prairie du Chien to Hudson via Sparta, Black River Falls and Eau Claire. The road was energetically laid out and became passable during the winter of 1849-50 and was extensively used. Tom Randall called the road from Galena "an intricate and forbidding route," about 1850. In 1851 a mail route over the Hudson road was ordered by Congress and the Post Office at Clear Water (Eau Claire) was the first in the entire Chippewa Valley, affording mail facilities for all of the settlements on the river. The land before this time was not surveyed and not on the market. In 1850 most of the land was opened up and placed on the market and an era of land speculation commenced. The Rev. Thomas Barland was the first man to open a farm in Eau Claire county. He came to Eau Claire in 1852 and bought land on the present highway 53 just south of the intersection with 12 and 93, bringing his family of 8 children in 1854. Another boy, George, was born on the farm in 1856. His first neighbors were Dave Wyman and E. W. Robbins. Of the 100 people who lived in Eau Claire in 1855, most were mill hands. At this time raftmen had to walk back after poling the rafts of lumber down the river. It was a tedious and footsore journey. A steam boat was tried but it was a sad failure. It drew too much water. Finally a stage line was started from North Pepin to Eau Claire, the fare being three dollars. New settlers were steadily arriving, among them were J. J. Gage, James Reed and Capt. Dix. They purchased the lower mill site, and built a dam and mill where the Eau Claire Lumber Company's flouring mill afterward stood (North side of Eau Claire River at Dewey). The lumbering business continued to increase gradually. +++++++++++++ We will be reading more about the first men and their families who came and settled in the Eau Claire area. Stay tuned! -- Nance mailto:nsampson@spacestar.net