Fort Snelling Minnesota Genealogy

Biography of J. P. Comeford

J.P. COMEFORD. – The original owner and builder of the pretty village of Marysville is a native of Ireland, and was born in 1833. While he was a child, his parents emigrated to Canada, and in 1849 came to the United States, going directly to Wisconsin. They resided first at Milwaukee, and then at Fond du Lac, and seven years later removed still farther west to Minnesota. Here he grew up on a farm, driving cattle and learning all the ins and outs of agriculture. In 1861, when the war broke out, he went to St. Louis and joined an … Read more

Fort Snelling, Minnesota History, 1825-85

Situated at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers just outside of St. Paul, Minnesota, Fort Snelling was one of the first white settlements in the region. This manuscript is a collection of reminiscences of life at the fort, written by a daughter of an army officer. Coming to the area with the first group of soldiers, Charlotte Van Cleve describes the early years of the fort, including her own rudimentary schooling, encounters with local Indians, and the rigors of frontier life. Additionally, she recounts her courtship and marriage to a prominent army officer and their trips to St. Louis, Cincinnati, Kentucky, and Nashville. For those wishing to better understand life in a frontier fortification, this narrative can provide detailed information.

Fort Snelling, Minnesota

Established in 1819, Fort Snelling is located at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers, near St. Paul, Minnesota. Originally a remote U.S. western outpost, the fort lies in a naturally beautiful area close to the Falls of Minnehaha and Bridal Veil Falls, attracting many visitors annually. It occupies a strategic position at the rivers’ junction, atop a 300-feet high bluff. The site, chosen initially by Lieutenant Z.M. Pike in 1805 following negotiations with the Sioux, didn’t commence construction until 1820 under Colonel Snelling’s oversight, completing in 1822. Initially named Fort St. Anthony, it was renamed Fort Snelling in 1824. Evolving from log huts to modern barracks, the fort served as a military and cultural hub, notably during the Civil War and the 1862 Sioux outbreak, helping shape the surrounding regions, including what later became St. Paul.