Hennepin County

Commanding Officers of Fort Snelling, 1819-1858

An 1833 sketch of Fort Snelling

This document provides a detailed list of commanding officers who served at Fort Snelling between 1819 and 1858. Fort Snelling, established in 1819 near the strategic confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers, near St. Paul, Minnesota, was key to early U.S. western expansion. Originally called Fort St. Anthony, the fort was renamed in 1824 and played significant roles in military and cultural operations throughout its active years, influencing the development of the surrounding area, including modern-day St. Paul. The list includes various captains, lieutenants, and colonels who commanded the fort, marking significant shifts and developments in its history until the troops were withdrawn in 1858.

Biography of Thomas Barlow Walker of Minneapolis Minnesota

Red River Valley title page vol 2

Thomas Barlow Walker, born on February 1, 1840, in Xenia, Ohio, was a significant philanthropist and pioneer in Minneapolis. The son of Platt Bayliss and Anstis Barlow Walker, he overcame early hardships following his father’s death in 1849. Walker initially sold grindstones and later undertook surveying and timber ventures. In 1863, he married Harriet G. Hulet and moved to Minneapolis, where he invested in pine lands and established successful lumber mills. Walker’s business ventures and charitable contributions, along with his wife’s philanthropy, notably impacted Minneapolis’s development. They had eight children and were deeply involved in various community and national causes.

Biography of Dr. Frederick Noah Ripley

Shakopee Minnesota

Dr. Ripley arrived at Shakopee, Scott county, Minnesota, in September 1853, and resided at that place, boarding at the “Warren House” during the years 1853-4. He came from New York city, where he was educated, and where he left a mother and an intended wife. In 1855, he first made … Read more