USA > Iowa > Howard County > Lime Springs > History of the Welsh in Minnesota, Foreston and Lime Springs, Ia. gathered by the old settlers > Part 5
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A few years prior to this time a number of Welsh farmers in Jackson county, Ohio, had embarked in the iron industry and built a furnace, called Jefferson Furnace. To make iron they found to be easy enough, but to dispose of it when made was not so easy, and they soon had stacks of it on hand. Financial embarrassment was the natural result. Many of them having risked their all in the enterprise, began to be really scared, and determined to sell out their shares at once before the crash came, and move in a colony to some western country. The reading of Rev. Richard Davies' articles first attracted their attention towards Minnesota. Mr. Davies had ministered a short time in Jackson, so they were acquainted with him, but they had been acquainted more recently with Edward Thomas, Sr., whose private letters finally induceed them to send a com- mittee of six to view the country. This committee, consisting of David P. Davis, Richard Morgan, James Morgan, Thomas J. Jones (Cooper), John I. Jones and Evan Williams, came to South Bend on the Sth of October, 1855, and having spent a month spying the land, and having bought a few lots in the village, all save James Morgan returned to Ohio well pleased, and great was the talk through the settlements that winter about the big colony expected from Jackson in the spring.
On Christmas, 1855, occurred the first Christian marriage in the Jindson-Eureka settlement. The contracting parties were Wm. C. Williams and Miss Hannah, daughter of David J. Wil- liams ( Bradford ).
Among other events, which occurred during the year 1855,
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were: the organization of South Bend as a school district, ( No. 3, ) on the fifth of January; the teaching of the first school by Mrs. Joshua Barnard at her own house during the summer ; the build- ing of the first school house in the fall, near where the present residence of David P. Davis stands, in South Bend village; the first "seiet" ( church meeting ) held November 14th ; the erection of a saw mill in the village by D. C. Evans and William R. Price : the establishment of a postoffice with M. Thompson as postmaster ; the building of a bridge over the Blue Earth by the United States government at a cost of $10,000; the laying out of the South Bend and Judson highway on October 2d; and an election held October 9th, at which South Bend cast 22 votes out of the 137 cast in the county. This fall, also, a literary so- ciety was organized at D. C. Evans' house at South Bend, which held weekly meetings regularly through the winter at the new school house. D. C. Evans or Rev. R. Davis usually presided, and Edward Thomas, Sr., had charge of the singing ; and great was the interest taken in these meetings. The principal speak- ers were Evan Evans ( Pant), D. C. Evans, Edward Thomas, Sr. and Edward Thomas, Jr. This society continued in vigor- ous life for a number of years. All the live questions of the day were discussed in it with plenty of Welsh fire, and the peo- ple used to gather in their ox teams to these meetings from the country round for a distance of 5 or 6 miles.
Early in April, 1856, David and Edward Dackins, with their father, settled in Judson. April 19, David Y. Davis returned to the settlement, bringing John Llewellyn, John Phillips and Richard Thomas with him from Pomeroy, O., but none of these made claims except Richard Thomas, who staked out the present David Morris farm in Cambria. He, however, did not tarry long, for on the morrow, going upon his place to work, he spied up in a large tree a rude box, containing the remains of an Indian infant, which so terrified him that he ran all the way to his boarding place in Judson, six miles away, and refusing even to stay over night, made the best speed possible back to Ohio, not again to return for ten years. As for the Indian coffin, a storm even- tually blew it down-the contents disappeared, and, finally the box was taken by Mr. Henry Hughes, to make a window casing for his cabin.
Early in May, John Shields and family arrived from Pome- roy, O., and settled in Cambria. On the 10th of May, 1856, the much talked of colony from Jackson, O., landed at South Bend,
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after a tedious journey of four weeks. There were 121 souls in all, and they came with their baggage in one large boat, which was much too large for the narrow winding stream of the Min- nesota. At St. Paul they had been joined by David E. Evans and David Lloyd and families from Pomeroy, O. Rev. John Williams, also, met them there. and it was expected and planned that he should go with the colony as their minister, but having lost courage he turned back to Illinois. to the great disappoint- ment of the colonists. On their arrival in the village the hos- pitality of South Bend was taxed to the utmost to accommodate so large a number. Some were provided for at a hotel kept by John Griffiths. A few families took possession of the school house, while others were quartered at private houses. On the first Sunday after their arrival, a prayer meeting was held in the open air near Llyn Tegid, in the morning, and a Sabbath school in the afternoon in Evans & Price's mill. Rev. Rich-
ard Davis was to preach in South Bend that day, but it hap- pened that David J. Williams with his pony came after him to preach at John E. Davis' house to the few settlers scattered over the Cottonwood settlement, and this, by the way, was the first sermon and religious service in the present town of Cambria. On the second Sunday our colonists held all their meetings at Evans & Price's mill, and this time Rev. Richard Davis preached to them.
The colony had intended to settle together, but the lands along the timber belts having been mostly taken up, their plans were greatly disconcerted. The great prairie country which to- day is thickly settled was in those days considered uninhabita- ble, and our colonists spent two or three weeks walking the country over, looking in vain for unoccupied claims adjoining the timber.
David E. Evans, who came with the Jackson colony, was an old acquaintance of Thos. Davis, who had settled in Le Sueur county the year previous, coming from the same place in Ohio ; and in company with Lewis P. Jones, he went to pay him a visit. While there they were fully persuaded by Davis that the proper place to locate the colony was in the Big Woods, and so returned to their companions at South Bend saying they had found the promised land. About a dozen families after viewing the place were favorably impressed with it, and, locating claims, moved their families upon them during the last week in May. This settlement, known as the Big Woods or Le Sueur, is about three miles broad and extends about five miles in length
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along the boundary line, east and west, between the towns of Sharon and Cleveland. Among those of the colony, who settled there, were: Edward Morris, Thos. J. Jones, John D. Jones, (saddler ), David E. Evans, David Jones, David and Lewis Hughes, David Lloyd, Wm. E. Jones, Evan T. Jones, David and Evan Morgan and Evan Griffiths. Edward Morris, who had been the Moses of this Jackson exodus, remained in the new settlement, however, only a few weeks, when, hurriedly packing his baggage, he returned with his family post haste to their old home in Oak Hill, O. The cause of his sudden departure, it is said, were the mosquitos, which, though, they belonged not to the sons of Anak, were to the early settler fully as formidable. .
Another portion of the colony located in the Cottonwood neighborhood, among whom were: Rev. David Davis, David P. Davis, David Price, John Walters, Wm. P. Jones, Richard Mor- gan, James Morgan and Thos. Lloyd. This, as well as another fraction of the colony which settled near Minneopa creek, had to purchase claims. The Jackson emigrants were well able to do so, however, as they were for the most part liberally supplied with money from the sale of their farms and property in Ohio. The Jackson families, who selected homes near Minneopa creek, were: Evan Williams, Thos. J. Jones ( cooper ), Isaac Woods, and John I. Jones.
About the 12th of May, J. T. Williams, Esq., landed at South Bend and opened a surveyor's office in the village. About the last of June, Rev. Jenkin Jenkins, David Morris and Thos. Evans ( Creek ), with their families came from Big Rock, Ill., and settled in the Cottonwood neighborhood. Many others came this year, far too numerous to mention. Most of the Welsh im- migrants had been more or less influenced to come to Minnesota by the articles of Rev. R. Davies in the papers and magazines. Perhaps the pictures of the new country drawn by our friend were a little too highly colored, he writing under the inspira- tion of a western boom ; or perhaps the imaginations of the im- migrants were a little too vivid. Be that as it may, the major- ity seem to have expected to find populous cities in the wilder- ness, and churches and school houses growing wild like hazel bushes along the hill sides. Finding themselves greatly mis- taken, however, many were inclined to find fault. Some tilted the pen with Res. Davies in the papers, others by word of mouth only berated the country. People from southern Ohio said the climate was too cold to live in ; while one in particular from northern Canada declared it was too hot, and grumbled be-
.
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cause the grass grew so tall in the valleys, that one could not travel but a short distance in a day. The settlements, neverthe- less, continued to prosper through good report and evil report, and people came rushing in from all sides like a flood.
During the summer of 1855 and '56, most of the settlers managed to have a portion of their land under cultivation. Many of our Welsh pioneers had passed their days in the coal mines, and knew nothing about farming. This was especially true of the Eureka or Judson settlement. Half a dozen of our would-be grangers wouldl join together their ox teams before one breaking plow. A certain one more self-important than the others, because tradition said that his great grand-father had been a farm steward among the hills of Cardiganshire, would act as boss, and to him would be accorded the place of honor be- tween the plow-handles. Two or three of the weightiest indi - viduals would be ranged along the beam to keep the plow in the ground, while two or three others with huge whips drove the oxen. They were usually a jolly crew, and there was much fun, much story-telling, much arguing of theological points, much noise, much quarreling, and, occasionally, a little plowing done.
Many amusing incidents are told of these unsophisticated grangers. One planted his potatoes in a heap in one hill ; an- other seeded his land with cockle in mistake for turnips, and another still, shocked his grain with the butts of the bundles upward, insisting there was no sense in leaving the heads out in the weather.
It did not require much machinery to farm in those days. A scythe for hay and a cradle for grain were the most approved harvesting tools, and these in the hands of our stout collier boys had a most vicious habit of getting among the roots of things, just as a pick or shovel might.
The first crop raised consisted of corn. buckwheat and pota- toes; which at the planting and harvesting required all the vigi- lance of the settler and his family to guard against the gophers and black birds, which then, were a plague in the land. In those days he was a big farmer who raised fifty bushels of grain. Even as late as 1859 the aggregate amount of wheat raised in the three Welsh townships, South Bend. Judson and Butternut Valley, was only 3,724 bushels. In these days a single farmer would not think much of raising that quantity with a good com- plement of oats and corn besides.
During the same year ( 1859), the same three towns pro- duced only 2,755 bushels of oats, 8, 129 bushels of corn, and 5,874
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bushels of potatoes. Twenty years later, (1879), the same towns produced 142,278 bushels of wheat, 111,596 bushels of oats, and 74,719 bushels of corn. Corn meal, often ground in a coffee mill, and made into Johnny cake or hasty pudding, formed the pioneer's staple article of diet for several years. In 1855 and '56, when our pioneers were buying their seed and their stock, the prices were all high. Wheat was $2.00 to $2.50 per bushel, corn, potatoes, and other produce $1.00 per bushel. Cattle were worth $50 to $60 a head, and even a cat could not be had for less than $5.00 dollars. By the time our settlers had something to sell, however, the prices had declined to a mere nominal sum in trade.
April 8, 1856, on petition of Rev. Win. Williams, Robt. Pat- terson, Chester D. Hill, Owen Roberts, and others, a new elec- tion precinct was established, to comprise all the territory west of South Bend precinct to the county line. At the suggestion of Robert Patterson, the new precinct was called "Judson," in honor of the great Baptist missionary of that name. The first officers appointed for the precinct were: Judges of election, Gustavus Jolinson, R. Patterson and David J. Davis ; Justices of the peace, Geo. Gilley and R. Patterson ; Constables, Gus. John- son and David J. Williams ; Road Supervisor, Morris Lewis. Of these D. J. Davis did not serve and Rev. Win. Williams, per- formed the duties of the office in his stead.
The first thing a Frenchman does in a new country is to build a trading post, an American builds a city, a German builds a beer hall, and a Welshman builds a church. So our Welsh pioneers in Minnesota paid their first attention to the founding of churches, leaving to some chance American in their midst to attend to the organization of townships, the establishment of postoffices, the speculating in town sites, the forming of joint stock and agricultural societies, and the hold- ing of political places. There were a few Welshmien, however, who had been so far Americanized as to form an ex- ception to the rule, and, perhaps, just as all acquired tastes are more violent and ungovernable than the natural ones, they may have carried their speculation or political schemes to an ex- treme. Still the mass of our Welshmen, even to this day, take no special interest in anything of a purely economic or political character. The genuine Cymro can not talk two minutes with you about politics, the pedigree of a horse, or the best method of tillage, but he can sit on his heels by the hour, and with beaming countenance, tell the points of a good
Horeb C. M. Church, Cambria, Minn,
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sermon or argue a knotty theological dogma. . In politics he is almost invariably a republican, but seldom cares to reason why, and often could not if he cared ; but he can tell you why he is a Methodist, Congregationalist or Baptist, even to the most sub- tle distinctions.
Though pre-eminently a nation of church builders. there are yet a few other things in which the Welsh take an interest, such as poetry, music and oratory, but these must be of a relig- ious turn- the themes even of an Eisteddrod must bear a serip- tural character. The ancient Briton told his history in Triads. Should the modern Briton imitate his example foremost among his Triads would be these: The three great social organizations of the Welsh-the Church, the Sabbath school, and the Bible so- ciety ; the three great institutions for culture- the Eisteddrod, the literary society, ( (yfarfod Llenyddol, ) and the singing school ; the three pinacles of every Welshman's ambition-the pulpit, the bardic chair and the musician's baton. In the chan- nels of these national traits flowed, naturally, the history of our pioneer Britons in the wilds of Minnesota; and it is in these channels we must follow to find it.
The people from Jackson, O., were almost exclusively Cal- vinistic Methodists, having originally come from near Llangei- tho Cardiganshire, the Mecca of Welsh Methodism, and the home of the immortal Rowlands. The Wisconsin people, also, were nearly all of the same denomination and had emigrated in the first place from Anglesea and North Wales. As these two branches of immigration constituted the main body of the set- tlements in 1856, they determined their religious character, and fixed the doctrines of Daniel Rowlands and John Elias as the leading church doctrines of the Minnesota Welsh.
The Jackson people located in the Cottonwood settlement during the first two weeks in June, and about the second or third Sunday of this month the first religions service in this settle- ment was held at a shanty occupied by Mr. John Shields, but belonging to David Y. Davis, and situated near Rev. Thos. E. Hughes' present residence. On the 2d of July, at the shanty of David P. Davis, Esq., near where now stands the house of Dan- iel P. Davis, was organized. by Rev. Richard Davis, the first Calvanistic Methodist church of Blue Earth county. It was called "Horeb," after a church of that name in Jackson, O., to which many of its people belonged. On the same day, at the same place, and by the same minister was performed the first Christian marriage in this upper settlement, namely, the mar-
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riage of James Morgan to Miss Mary Davis, daughter of D. P. Davis, Esq. By the way, it may be mentioned here with the first marriage and other first things of the Cottonwood neighbor- hood, that the first child born in this settlement was Cath- erine, daughter of D. J. Davis, in the spring of 1857 ; and the first death was a young child of David Price, which, being left alone for a few minutes in the claim shanty, while the parents were busy moving from this to a new cabin, managed to set fire to itself and the shanty, and was so badly injured that it soon died. This sad event occurred about August, 1856.
During the summer of 1856, religious meetings were regu- larly held at D. P. Davis' shanty before mentioned, except two or three times, when they were convened at the shanty of John Shields. During the fail and winter the services were usually held at D. P. Davis' new shanty, which was located near the present John Rees' place, and at John Walter's cabin on the "Little Prairie."
In the spring of 1857 they were held at Evan D. Evans' house on the present Jas. A. Thomas' farin, where they contin- ued until a church was built. In those early days Rev. David Davis preached frequently for this church, and Rev. Richard Davis visited them occasionally in his circuit.
The first religious service in the Big Woods was held at the house of Edward Evans, Sr., on Sunday, the 25th of May, 1856. when a number of the Jackson people were there viewing the land. On the 2d of June, this contingent of the Jackson colony returned to Le Sueur with their families. Two of these, namely. David Lloyd and David E. Evans found shelter in a carpenter shop belonging to one Seth Cadwalader. In this shop were regularly held, thereafter, all the religious services for three or four months. Here on June 22d was preached the first Welsh sermon by Rev. Richard Davis, and here two days later was or- ganized the first Calvinistic Methodist church in Minnesota. Rev. D. Davis preached occasionally for these people in those early days. After about three months the place of worship was changed from Cadwalader's shop to David E. Evans' shanty, where it remained until the building of the log church in the summer of 1857.
At South Bend the Union church still flourished ; but the people along Minneopa creek began to regard themselves as a separate community, and, having been re-inforced by a fraction of the Jackson colony, now thought it time for them to assert their independence, by having an organization of their own.
Built in 1857."
Old Sharon Church, Sharon, Le Sueur County , Minn.
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Built in 1857.
Old Sharon Church, Sharon, Le Sueur County, Minn.
First Welsh Church in the State.
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Accordingly, on the 9th of July, the required six month's notice of their intention to withdraw, was served upon the Union church. About the 1st of September, a meeting of the heads of families of the Calvinistic Methodists was held in the Minneopa neighborhood at which meeting it was decided to have a quar- terly meeting of that denomination on the Sth and 9th of Octo- ber. On the 3d of October the new church was organized by Rev. Richard Davies, at the house of John Jones, ( Macs Mater) and called the "Scion Church of South Bend."
The quarterly meeting was held as determined upon and was the first ever held in Minnesota. The business meeting was held at the house of Eliza Jones, ( MMacs Mater, ) on a claim pre- empted by Wmn. J. Williams. The public services were held in the open air in D. J. Lewis' grove. According to the custom of the Calvinistic Methodist Society, the three churches of "Seion," "Horeb" and "Saron" were united into one conference, and eleven Elders were admitted: from "Seion," five, namely-Evan H. Evans, Evan Evans, ( Pant. , Edward Thomas, Sr., Thos. J. Jones, ( Popples, ) and John I. Jones; from "Horeb," three, namely-David P. Davis, John Walters and John Shields; from "Saron," three, namely-Evan Griffiths, Thos. J. Jones and Edward Evans. In the morning of the second day, short ad- dresses were made on the theme of "Gospel Rites" by several of the brethren. In the afternoon Rev. Richard Davis preached from Rom. i, 16. This service was interrupted by a great prairie fire, which caused all the people to run to their respective homes to save their houses, sheds and grain from the destructive ele- ment, and desperate was the fight that afternoon around many a cabin home.
The evening meeting was held at the house of David J. Lewis, when Rev. Jenkin Jenkins and R. D. Price preached. A thunder storm protracted this service until quite late; thus amid fire and water was this first quarterly meeting in Minnesota consecrated. The old settlers say, that in spite of all adverse circumstances, the meetings were full of interest and blessing, and today they love to tell of those first religious feasts they enjoyed together in the wilderness. It may be noted, also, that none of the three preachers, who took part in the services of this first quarterly meeting of the Calvinistic Methodist church belonged to that denomination, Davies being a Presbyterian, Jenkins a Congregationalist and Price a Wesleyan Methodist.
As there were in this village and vicinity a number of peo- ple of the Wesleyan faith, it seemed desirable to them to sepa-
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rate themselves from the Union church, and, after the example of their Calvinistic brethren, form a society of their own. Ac- cordingly, on October 19th, of this year, a Wesleyan church was organized at Wm. R. Price's house in South Bend village by Rev. R. D. Price, who became its pastor.
The Elders of this church were Hugh Edwards, Sr., and Wm. R. Price, and the services were held for several years in a room, or hall, fitted up by Mr. Price on the second floor of the Evans & Price warehouse.
On the 25th of December, 1856, three Bible Societies were organized ; one in South Bend, at the house of Evan D. Evans ; one in the Cottonwood, at the house of David P. Davis ; and one in the Big Woods, at David E. Evans' house. The first officers of the South Bend society were: President, Rev. R. D. Price: Vice President, John I. Jones: Treasurer, Evan Evans, ( Pant ) : Secretary, Edward Thomas, Sr. Of Cottonwood society: Pres- ident, Rev. D. Davies ; Treasurer, D. P. Davies ; Secretary, Rev. J. Jenkins. Of the Big Woods society: President, Evan Grif- fiths; Treasurer, Thomas J. Jones. The first collections were: Cottonwood, 846.30; South Bend, 851.03 ; Big Woods. $63.30; making a total of $160.63, of which $159.67 was sent as a donation to the New York society, which ack- nowledged the gift by a special letter of thanks and commenda- tion. At first the three societies were united and sent their con- tributions together in one sum : but in 1858 the union plan was abandoned, and ever since each society has been independent. A membership fee of $1.00 was charged during the first two years, which afterward was reduced to fifty cents, and finally all who contributed, without regard to the amount, were considered members.
December 25th, 1863, the Judson and Vicinity Bible Society was formed at the house of Owen Roberts, in the town of Jud- son, and the first officers were: President, Rev. R. W. Jones ; Vice President, Rev. John W. Roberts; Secretaries, R. H. Hughes and Win. R. Jones ; Treasurer, Win. Griffiths.
Regularly every year since their organization, these four societies have held their several annual meetings on Christmas day. The program of these meetings has always been about the same. The election of officers, the hearing of reports, and the business transactions of the societies, take place in the morning, while the afternoon and evening are devoted to the making of speeches and singing. The amount collected in each society during the period of its existence to the year end-
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