e Indians were frequent visitors
at our house on one errand or another, generally, however to get
something to eat. The first time they came, my father was absent, and my
mother, never having seen any Indians before, was very much frightened.
Not being able to understand what they wanted, she imagined with a
mother's solicitude, that they wanted the baby, and being actually too
terrified to stand any longer, she took the baby and went into her room
and laid down upon the bed. After a while, either from intuition, or
from the motions the Indians made, it occurred to her to give them
something to eat, which was what they wanted and they then went
peaceably away. The rest of the children, like myself, did not appear to
be at all frightened, but instead, were very much entertained by the
novel sight of the Indians in their gay blankets and feathered head
dress. After that they were frequent visitors but always peaceable ones,
never committing any misdemeanor.

One of the earliest diversions I can remember was going up University
hill to the old Cheever tower and climbing to the top, in accordance to
the mandate at the bottom, to "Pay your Dime and Climb," to get the
magnificent view of the surrounding country, which included that of the
great falls in their pristine glory. I can remember too, like all the
others here who were children at that time, the stupendous roar of the
falls, which was constantly in our ears especially if we were awake at
night, when every other noise was stilled.

In the fall of that first year, I entered school, which was an academy
in a building on University Avenue opposite the present East High
School. This school was the nucleus of the State University and was
presided over by Mr. E. W. Merrill, who was afterward a Congregational
minister and home missionary.

After two or three years we moved into the home of the Rev. Mr. Seth
Barnes above Central Avenue, and between Main and Second streets. Here
my father cultivated a fine garden which included, besides corn, beans
and other usual vegetables, some fine sweet potatoes, which were quite a
novelty in the town at that time.

Mr. Irving A. Dunsmoor--1853.

In 1852 on account of poor health, my father resolved to come to
Minnesota and become a farmer, and in the fall of that year, he set out
with his family, consisting of my mother, myself and my three brothers.

We arrived at Galena, Ill., only to find that the last boat of the
season had