The folklore regarding the settlement of Elk River and
Sherburne County carries with it an image of industrious farmers taming the
land and creating a home for their families.
Yet, at least one early resident of Sherburne County arrived to invest in
community development, sell his investment and leave for more opportunity. Ard Godfrey was not a farmer, nor a settler
in Sherburne County. He arrived in the
area as an investor and quickly left after his investments returned a
profit. An overview of his life might
help explain a new interpretation into the settlement or Elk River and
Sherburne County.
Early in the 1850’s, probably 1851, Ard Godfrey and
James Jameson arrived in Sherburne County, at the convergence of the Elk and
Mississippi Rivers. An experienced millwright
from Maine, Godfrey recognized the particular course of the Elk River offered a
potential mill site. Godfrey set about obtaining the land and building a mill. His efforts marked the creation of Elk River
as an industrial site and settlement.
Godfrey, born in 1813, grew up in Maine and following his father, he
worked in the mills and gained some experience in the industry. Although he married in 1838, he resisted
settling in a community and wandered the United States seeking business
opportunities. Ard Godfrey left Maine,
landing in Savannah, Georgia and then later, reversed course and traveled to St.
Anthony Falls (later known as Minneapolis).
With each excursion, he left his wife to raise children. He arrived in St. Anthony Falls in 1848, liquidated
all of his assets around the country to build a family home in what became
Minneapolis. Three years later, Godfrey left
his family to explore the Elk River for opportunity.
Godfrey and Jameson purchased land from Silas Lane on
the mouth of the Elk River. Lane, in 1851,
was reportedly the only farmer in the area, although several trading posts had
been established along the Elk and Mississippi rivers. After the transfer of ownership, Godfrey
began construction of a dam on the Elk River with plans for a mill.
For at least the next four years, Godfrey worked to
improve his property in Elk River. He
built a small sawmill, and later added a grist mill to his industrial
plant. He also built a store, and a
bridge across the Elk River to provide easy access to his operation. He also owned a farm, north of his mill
operation.
In spite of his hard work, Godfrey felt the urge to
wander and seek his fortune elsewhere.
By 1855, he owned a fully operational mill on the river. He helped plat the community of Orono, later
known as Upper Town when it merged with the community of Elk River. Yet, he sold it all. By 1862, Godfrey left the mill town of Orono, apparently seeking investments in the Montana gold fields, exploring the potential
for quartz mills to process the gold ore.
His work to develop mills in Montana proved less than
profitable. After his wandering, Godfrey
returned to Minneapolis. He continued to
work in the mills around the community.
He remained in the city, where he died in 1894.
After seeking his fortune throughout the country, Ard
Godfrey finally settled in Minneapolis.
Years of seeking his fortune led him through Sherburne County and
elsewhere through the United States. His
investment in Elk River set the stage for a strong industrial base in the
community. Although he does not typify the
image of Sherburne County settlers, his few years in the area significantly
impacted the economy and the character of the community.
