History of St. Clair:

St. Clair has an interesting as well as an important history.  It was first important as an Indian Reservation and Agency.  Later it gained  prominence as one of the  first settlements  in this part of the state.

Charles Mansefield and A.W. Callen were the first settlers to the area.  in 1854 they settled on the east side of Rice Lake.  In 1855 the settlement became part of the Winnebago Reservation and Agency.  At that time there were a number of government officials and employees settled there.

Among those who were here in 1855 were General J.E. fletcher, Indian Agent; Henry Foster; Joshua Ady; A.L. Foyles; W.J. Cullen, Superintendent of the Indian School; Charles Mix; Asa White; George Culver; Peter Manaige; Newell Houghton and J.L. Alexander.  In 1856, John Johnson came to the Agency as the blacksmith.  In 1861, J.B. Hubell and Lucius Dyer and several other men came to join the settlement.

After May 1863, the Indians were removed an many settlers came.  By September of 1863, there were enough settlers to form a township.  The township was named McClellan in honor of the Union General.  In February 1865, the name of the township was changed from McClellan to McPherson by an act of the State Legislature.   
On August 11, 1865, Aaron Hilton laid out a townsite in Section 8 of McPherson Township, which corresponds with present-day St. Clair.  He named the townsite Hilton.  By 1866 the new village contained a dozen houses, three general stores, two blacksmith shops, three wagon shops, two boot and shoe shops, two saloons, one hotel a mill.  The mill was built by Aaron Hilton in 1864 and had two run of saws with a capacity of 10,00 feet of lumber per day, an attached lath and shingle mill and a capacity of 100 barrels of flour per day.