(Learn more about the Emily Bierman scrapbook here.)
The volume I personally refer to as the third in the series is labeled “Notable Events.” The wide variety of subject matter inside reflects the vagueness of that title. The glue that holds it all together is Northfield, pre-1939.
That’s not to say there isn’t some great stuff inside:
- An obituary of Adelbert Ames, the last surviving Civil War general, who had Northfield ties
- An 1888 invitation to the Masonic Ball at the town’s opera house
- Original photographs from William Howard Taft’s campaign visit in 1908
- Several items about the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), clearly a big interest of Mrs. Bierman’s
- A handful of obituaries
- The 50th anniversary edition of the Northfield News
And then there is one of my favorite things in all the scrapbooks.
Be sure to take a look at this local enlistment roll from the Civil War — the sheet of paper is pretty long, so it is continued on the next two pages. Local historians are fairly certain that it is a copy of the original document, but it is a remarkably well-done copy.
Take a minute to read through the call to arms from the governor’s office:
Whereas, the Government of the United States, in the due enforcement of the laws, has, for several months past, been resisted by armed organizations of citizens in several of the Southern States, who, precipitating the country into revolution, have seized upon and confiscated the property of the nation to the amount of many millions of dollars; have taken possession of its forts and arsenals; have fired upon its flag, and at last, consummating their treason, have, under circumstances of peculiar indignity and humiliation, assaulted and captured a Federal Fort, occupied by Federal troops. And whereas, all these outrages, it is evident, are to be followed by an attempt to seize upon the National Capital and the offices and archives of the Government.
Doesn’t that get you fired up?
What follows these preambles are the signatures of several dozen local men who volunteered to fight for the Union. Can you imagine signing your name to a document like this? A little bit of research has shown us that several of these men died in combat, some at places like Antietam and Bull Run; probably most were wounded at some point; some served closer to home in the U.S.-Dakota War.
Many of those listed served with the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Company G. Learn more about them at FirstMinnesota.net and through the Rice County Veterans.