History of the Saint Croix Valley, Volume 2 By Augustus B. Easton, p. 1206-1207

Chengwatana derived its name from the Chippewa words, "chengwa" (pine) and "tana" (city), applied to an Indian village which from time immemorial had been located near the mouth of Cross lake. This locality had long been a rallying point for Indians and traders. Even at so early a date as 1846 it had the appearance of an ancient place of resort. Half-breeds and whites with Indian wives settled here, and in 1852 there were several log houses and a hotel kept by one Ebenezer Ayer. There was also a dam built for sluicing logs. Among the early settlers were Duane Porter, George Goodwin, Herman Trott, John G. Randall and Emil, Gustave and Adolph Munch. Mr. Trott built a residence and the Munch brothers built a store and made other improvements. John G. Randall, in 1856-7-8 manufactured lumber, ran it down the Kanabec and St. Croix rivers to Rush Sheba, Sunrise and Taylors Falls. In 1852 and soon after the building of the government road to Superior, a postoffice was established, the settlement being on the stage line between St. Paul and Superior. In later years several of the old settlers moved away. Mr. Trott and the Munch brothers went to St. Paul; J. G. Randall to Colorado and Louis Ayd to Taylors Falls. In 1856 an effort was made to found a village on the site of the old Indian town of Chengwatana. Judd, Walker & Co., and Daniel A. Robertson surveyed and platted the village of Alhambra, but the old Indian name of Chenwatana super(jeded it. The town of Chengwatana was organized in 1874. The first supervisors were Duane Porter, Resin Denman and Ferdinand Blank.

Louis Ayd was born in Germany in 1840; came to America in 1852 and settled in Chengwatana. He served in the Civil War and after returning from that conflict located in Taylors Falls. He married Rosabella Hoffman, of Hudson, Wis., in 1871.

Duane Porter was born in New York in 1825 and after living in Elinois came to St. Croix Falls in 1844. He was married in 1848 to Mary Laprairie, and in the same year located at Chengwatana. By occupation he was an explorer and lumberman.

Duane Porter and Mary Mun-nee Laprairie -> Malinda Porter and Scott Te-way-yay Goodwin -> Elizabeth "Lizzie" Goodwin and Allan Sheppard -> Alice Sheppard and James Dennis -> James Dennis and Marvel Ohmann -> Sandy Dennis

History of the Saint Croix Valley, Volume 2 By Augustus B. Easton, p. 1206-1207

Chengwatana derived its name from the Chippewa words, "chengwa" (pine) and "tana" (city), applied to an Indian village which from time immemorial had been located near the mouth of Cross lake. This locality had long been a rallying point for Indians and traders. Even at so early a date as 1846 it had the appearance of an ancient place of resort. Half-breeds and whites with Indian wives settled here, and in 1852 there were several log houses and a hotel kept by one Ebenezer Ayer. There was also a dam built for sluicing logs. Among the early settlers were Duane Porter, George Goodwin, Herman Trott, John G. Randall and Emil, Gustave and Adolph Munch. Mr. Trott built a residence and the Munch brothers built a store and made other improvements. John G. Randall, in 1856-7-8 manufactured lumber, ran it down the Kanabec and St. Croix rivers to Rush Sheba, Sunrise and Taylors Falls. In 1852 and soon after the building of the government road to Superior, a postoffice was established, the settlement being on the stage line between St. Paul and Superior. In later years several of the old settlers moved away. Mr. Trott and the Munch brothers went to St. Paul; J. G. Randall to Colorado and Louis Ayd to Taylors Falls. In 1856 an effort was made to found a village on the site of the old Indian town of Chengwatana. Judd, Walker & Co., and Daniel A. Robertson surveyed and platted the village of Alhambra, but the old Indian name of Chenwatana super(jeded it. The town of Chengwatana was organized in 1874. The first supervisors were Duane Porter, Resin Denman and Ferdinand Blank.

Louis Ayd was born in Germany in 1840; came to America in 1852 and settled in Chengwatana. He served in the Civil War and after returning from that conflict located in Taylors Falls. He married Rosabella Hoffman, of Hudson, Wis., in 1871.

Duane Porter was born in New York in 1825 and after living in Elinois came to St. Croix Falls in 1844. He was married in 1848 to Mary Laprairie, and in the same year located at Chengwatana. By occupation he was an explorer and lumberman.

Duane Porter and Mary Mun-nee Laprairie -> Malinda Porter and Scott Te-way-yay Goodwin -> Elizabeth "Lizzie" Goodwin and Allan Sheppard -> Alice Sheppard and James Dennis -> James Dennis and Marvel Ohmann -> Sandy Dennis