John Rollins (March 23, 1806–May 7, 1883) was an American lumberman, steamboat operator, and politician who served in the Minnesota Territorial Council from 1849 until 1852 and again for the 1856 session.

Biography

Rollins was born in New Sharon, Maine, on March 23, 1806. He was one of the first pioneers of

Saint Anthony Falls Saint Anthony Falls, or the Falls of Saint Anthony ( dak, italics=no, Owámniyomni, ) located at the northeastern edge of downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the only natural major waterfall on the Mississippi River. Throughout the mid-to-late 1 ...

, now a part of

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

, first arriving in 1848. He was active in the

lumber industry The wood industry or timber industry (sometimes lumber industry -- when referring mainly to sawed boards) is the industry concerned with forestry, logging, timber trade, and the production of primary forest products and wood products (e.g. furnitu ...

and operated a

steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. Steamboats sometimes use the ship prefix, prefix designation SS, S.S. or S/S ...

around the falls. Rollins was elected a member of the Minnesota Territorial Council when the

Minnesota Territory The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Minnesota and wester ...

was created. Rollins attended the first

Minnesota Democratic Party The Minnesota Democratic Party was a political party in Minnesota that existed from the formation of Minnesota Territory in 1849 until 1944, when the party merged with the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party to form the modern Minnesota Democratic-Far ...

convention on October 20, 1849. He served during the first two sessions. Following his first stint in the Territorial Council, Rollins was involved in the construction of Minnesota roads, including one from Saint Anthony Falls to Taylors Falls. This road involved a stretch of the

Point Douglas to Superior Military Road Point Douglas to Superior Military Road, also known as Point Douglas to St. Louis River Military Road was a road that ran between Point Douglas, located at the outlet of the Lower St. Croix Lake near Hastings, Minnesota, first to the falls of the ...

through the current

Wild River State Park Wild River State Park is a state park of Minnesota, United States, curving along of the St. Croix River (Wisconsin-Minnesota), St. Croix River. This long, narrow park is shaped somewhat like a sideways 'S', with development largely concentrated ...

. Rollins was elected to serve in the Territorial Council again but could not complete his second term, resigning on January 6, 1857. William W. Wales succeeded him. Rollins died in Minneapolis on May 7, 1883.

References

External links

Biography
at

Minnesota Legislature The Minnesota Legislature is the bicameral legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota consisting of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Senators are elected from 67 single-member districts. In order to account for decennia ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rollins, John 1806 births 1883 deaths Members of the Minnesota Territorial Legislature People from New Sharon, Maine People from Minneapolis