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- Wabasha Herald - Newspaper Article, dated Monday, January 24, 1876
EARLY DAYS IN MINNESOTA
David Cratte, our worthy Marshal, has of late been overhauling papers in the possession of his father, Oliver Cratte who is now in poor health and whose great age (81 years) forbids the hope that he will long survive. Marshall Cratte has kindly allowed us to examine the papers and to select for publication such as we thought would be of interest to our readers and we give and installment in this issue:
The first marriage contract of Mr. Oliver Cratte and Miss Sarah Graham, executed Oct 4, 1831 at what is known now as Mendota, but which was then St. Peter in the Territory of Iowa. There were no ministers or magistrates in that part of the country and that time, but this marriage was as legal as if solemnized by Bishop or Judge. Among the witnesses are some names well known among old residence of Minnesota. The first, then a young Lieutenant in the United States Army, stationed at Fort Snelling, was of an old Virginia family and rose to the high rank and we believe was a General in the Confederation service. Joseph R. Brown, J.B. Farribault, Alexander Farribault and Alex Bailey, there among the early magnates of Minnesota, though all died comparatively poor. The bride was a daughter of Duncan Graham, a Scottish officer of high standing in the service of Lord Selkirk, the founder of the settlement in what is known as Manitoba, and was later a trusted and confidential agent of the American Fur Company. Another daughter became the wife of Joseph Buisson Sr., and is still living enjoying a hale old age surrounded by her large family, among whom are our well known and respected citizens, Captains Henry, Joseph and Cyprian Buisson. Capt. Graham made his home here for years and was at one time acting Postmaster, but declined to accept the formal appointment for the reason give in the letter published below. The Longer document is a letter from Lord Selkirk to Capt. Graham and will be found interesting.
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Our FULLER Ancestors
