USA > Minnesota > Meeker County > A random historical sketch of Meeker County, Minnesota : from its first settlement to July 4th, 1876 > Part 6
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The plea of NOT GUILTY was interposed, and the legal evidence to prove the necessary fact could not easily be obtained, and was left in doubt, and the court, after taking the case under advise- ment, finally ruled that the right of females to "wear the pants" had been recognized from the time of Justinian, and that the doctrine was too well settled to be upset in the case at bar, and Mrs. Slater was therefore discharged.
This denoument had the effect to discredit her in the settlement, subjecting her to insult from the vicious on every hand. She became de- ranged pending the proceedings, and, as it were, an outcast in society-an object of commiseration and sympathy, and soon thereafter a public charge.
On recovering from the mental shock, she expressed a willingness to return to her family and friends, but had no means save her rifle, and nobody in the settlement able to purchase that.
Mrs. Slater was finally sent home at the expense of Meeker county, under the direction of Capt. A. D. Pierce, then of Manannah.
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HISTORY OF MEEKER COUNTY.
Soon thereafter Capt. Pierce received a letter from Mrs. Slater's parents, thanking him and the county most heartily for their kindness in returning her to her friends.
In 1859 she again appeared on her old stamping ground, "the basket," and still in male attire We conclude this novel romance in the language of the New York Times:
She at times would recount her experiences in the forest, and asserted that in the eight years she had killed 150 deer, eleven bears, numerous wild- cats and foxes, besides trapping hundreds of mink and other fur bearing animals. She had hand-to hand contests with both wounded deer and bear, as ugly seams and scars upon her body amply tes- tified. For two or three years after her return she led a mendicant sort of life through the valley, and finally entered the poor-house at Delhi, to which she had sent her child several years previously, This child, however, had some time before been taken out of the institution by a farmer of Da- mascus township, Wayne county, Pennsylvania, named David Fortman, and given a home at his house.
In the spring of 1865 a young woman was let off' an Erie railway passenger train at Basket station, or Long Eddy. She could not pay her fare any
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HISTORY OF MEEKER COUNTY.
further, and said she had no particular point to which she was going. She gave her name as Mrs. Wilson, and said she had been deserted by her husband at Jersey City, where she had been living for some months. He was an employe of the Erie railway company, and had eloped with the daugh- ter of the lady with which they boarded. Mrs. Wilson said that she was the daughter of highly respectable parents, named Perry of Lynn, Mass, and that she had run away from home with, and married James Wilson,her parents having opposed the match. The station agent and others at Bas- ket station kindly offered to make up a purse for the unfortunate woman, and send her back to her parents, but she declined the offer, saying she was ashamed to meet them, and did not wish them to know of her whereabouts. She was in feeble health, and fearing that she might become a bur- den on strangers, she went to Delhi, and entered the poor-house.
Lucy Ann Slater was still an inmate of the almshouse, and a singular attachment had sprang up between her and the new comer, Mrs. Wilson, probally owing to the similarity of cause which had forced them to become paupers. The follow- ing year both of them left the county house, and nothing was heard of either of them for two years.
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HISTORY OF MEEKER COUNTY.
In the summer of 1868 a party of fishermen discov- erd two strange persons living in a cave in Barrett township, Monroe county, Pa. They were a man and woman. Soon thereafter there appeared in one of the villages a tall, gaunt man, carrying a rifle and leading a half-grown bear cub by a string tied about his neck. The man was bare-headed and his clothing was torn and dirty. Accompany- ing him was a woman about twenty-five years old, shabbily dressed, but giving evidence of more in- telligence than the man, who called himself Rev. Joseph Lobdell, and said that the woman was his wife. As they walked about, the man delivered noisy and meaningless "sermons," declaring that he was a prophet of the new dispensation, and that the bear had been sent him by the Lord to guard him in the wilderness. For two years these vagrants wandered about that portion of the coun- try, living in caves, and subsisting on roots, berries, and game killed by the man. At last they were arrested and lodged in jail at Stroudsberg, where they were kept several weeks. While in jail the discovery was made that they were both women.
Subsequently the authorities learned that they belonged to Delaware county, N. Y., and thither they were sent. This pretended man and wife were Lucy Ann Slater and Mrs. Wilson, who
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HISTORY OF MEEKER COUNTY.
had been leading this vagabond life for four years.
In the meantime Mary Ann Slater, the daugh- ter of Lucy Ann, who had been taken from the Delhi almshouse in 1859 or 1860, had found an ex- cellent home, and had grown up to be an intelli- gent and attractive young woman. A young man named Stone lived near by with his widowed moth- er, whom he supported. He loved Mary Ann. and being a worthy and promising youth, the fos- ter father of the girl saw no reason to oppose a match between her and the widow's son. The widow, however, was so strongly set against her son marrying the young lady that the whole neigh- borhood wondered. A number of young men in the neighborhood were jealous of Stone, and one dark night they waylaid Mary Ann. The outrage drove her almost insane, but Stone's affection was undiminished. He still pressed his claim for her hand. At length when their marriage seemed certain, Mrs. Stone revealed a state of affairs which fully accounted for her opposition. She told her son that she was not a widow, and that Henry Slater was his father as well as the father of Mary Ann.
Lucy Ann Slater and Mrs. Wilson again left the Delhi poor house, and have ever since been living
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HISTORY OF MEEKER COUNTY.
in caves and cabins in the woods. The former is at times entirely deranged. All last winter they lived in a cave ten miles from Honesdale, but they divided their time between Monroe county and this. Lucy Ann wandered into this village the other day, and out of common decency she was arrested, and was placed in jail where we found her at the commencement of this chapter.
CHAPTER XI.
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DR. FREDERICK NOAH RIPLEY.
Dr. Ripley arrived at Shakopee, Scott county, Minn., in September 1853, and resided at that place, boarding at the "Warren House" during the years 1853-4.
He came from New York city, where he was educated, and where he left a mother and an inten- ded wife.
In 1855, he first made his appearance in the small village of Minneapolis-a slightly built man, of refined and gentlemanly appearance; possessing copious stores of useful and instructive informa- tion; richly endowed with all the natural gifts of an enlarged mind and liberal understanding; full
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of high hopes and vigorous promise, who in his early manhood had left the land of his birth to seek that of his adoption in the far west.
He had been induced to take this step by a col- lege class-mate. at that time a practicing young lawyer in Minneapolis-the late Hon. D. M. Han- son.
Dr Ripley was a young and talented physician but recently graduated from a celebrated medical institution in the east, and was looking through the west for the purpose of selecting a home, where he could devote his entire time to the practice of his profession.
About this time that portion of our Territory now comprising Meeker and McLeod counties had just been explored by a few eitizens of Minne- apolis, and considerable excitement existed in the village, in regard to the favorable reports made by the pioneers in relation to their visit west of the Big-woods.
The doctor was strongly recommended to make a visit to the new-discovered region, to look up a claim and select a home, and in doing so made up his mind to settle-expecting to locate cither at Forest City or on Cedar Lake, in the county of Meeker.
Arrangements were made to have the supplies
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necessary for the ensuing winters use, stored at Forest City, at the same time the Dr. with one John McClelland now Register of Deeds in Beck- er county, were to remain on the claim at Cedar Lake, where they had established their camp for the winter.
Ripley and McClelland left camp for Forest City, for supplies on the first day of March 1856- a distance of 18 miles.
It was a delightful morning-the sun shone brightly and the snow was melting fast till 9, A. M. when a gentle breeze from the north-west started up-in a short time clouds began to appear and by 12 M. a full-grown BLIZZARD was upon them.
They traveled as near a north-west course as they could calculate, until dark when they stopped in a small popple grove; gathering a pile of dry sticks, with which they started a fire, they camped for the night-imagination will tell how they spent the night, without food or blankets, and the thermometer down to 20 below zero and the wind blowing a hurricane, their only occupation was to hunt wood and keep up the fire till morn - ing when they again started out, as was supposed in a direct course for Forest City and traveled until about 9 o'clock A. M. through snow from one to three feet deep striking Crow River, but whether
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above or below Forest City they could not tell, and after a search for several hours both up and down stream the Doctor became discouraged and both started to go back whence they came-this was about two P. M .- by this time the storm had abated and the sun came out just before night.
About dark they accidently came to the place where they had camped the night before, but to their great disappointment the fire had gone out and their few remaining matches were found to be wet, they had no fire and as they started out without food, in anticipation of getting through to Forest City the same night, hunger and cold told on them terribly. The Dr. was badly chilled-both walked the grove for some time but concluded to strike out for camp as it was quite as easy to walk on the prairie as in the timber.
Ripley showed signs of fatigue and quite fre- quently wanted to stop and rest-McClelland in. sisted it would not do to stop as he would freeze and McClelland was already aware that his own feet were partially frozen.
Ripley was evidently freezing as at every step he seemed to get weaker and less able to pro- ceed and finally fell down in the snow-McClel- land helped him up and led him on for some dis- tance, until Ripley said "Mc. go ahead and if the
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teams have come into camp-have them come out after me.
McClelland very reluctantly left Ripley and made as rapid steps for camp as possible, knowing full well that he was taking a last farewell of the good man on earth.
McClelland left Ripley about half a mile from what is now called Lake Ripley.
The Dr. seems to have wandered back to the grove, where his remains were found in the . April following by Mr. William S. Chapman (now of California. )
McClelland left Ripley about 8 o'clock A. M. of the third day out and seven miles from camp. McClelland had a hard days work and got into camp about sun down with his feet badly frozen, where he lay nineteen days! before the ex- pected team arrived. Dr. Ripley was thirty-two years old.
When McClelland was discovered in camp, he was in a dreadful state of prostration, was imme- diately removed to Shakopee and both legs ampu- tated above the knee.
Dr. Ripley was of pleasing address and gentle- manly manners, below the medium height, light hair, blue eyes and talented-and had he lived could not fail to have made a valuable citizen.
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HISTORY OF MEEKER COUNTY.
He belonged to the Masonic order-was an hon- or to the craft and was beloved by all who knew him.
His remains have not been, but should be re- moved to the cemetery at an early day.
Previous to Dr. Ripley's pitching his tent west of the woods in Meeker county, he had pre-empted the East half of the South-west quarter and South west quarter of the South-west quarter of section 30 and and Lots 7 and 8 of section 31-116-22- This pre-emption bears date October IS, 1855- the public sale taking place October 24th. 1855. ·
CHAPTER XII
CHURCH HISTORY-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The first Presbyterian Church and society or- ganized in the county was at Forest City by Rev. J. C. Whitney, who came to Forest City in the spring of 1858 and organized a Presbyterian so- ciety Sept. 25th, 1859 and styled "The trustees of the Westminister Presbyterian society of Forest City."
The first trustees were I. C. Delmater, Richard Pool, A. C. Smith, J. W. Griswold and A. W. Angier.
The only one of these men now remaining in the county is A. C. Smith.
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In connection with this organization Rev. J. C. Whitney labored until the fall of 1862.
Lots for a church edifice were donated by the Town Company, and timber hauled on to the ground.
Subsequently, in the fall of 1862 these timbers were used in building the stockade for defence from the Indians.
The next organization was at Greenleaf in Sep- tember or October 1866-Rev. J. C. Harding was located there as a missionary, November 1866, and preached his first sermon Nov. 25th, 1866.
Society organized Feb. 17th 1866, in connection with the St. Paul Presbytery.
The first Trustees were Henry Hill. Wm. H. Greenleaf, James Gilpatrick, Dana E. King and John Curry-name and style "The first Presbyter- ian Church of Greenleaf." Trustees elected Nov. 4th, 186S.
In July 1866, Dana E. King presented the so- ciety with lot 12, A. C. Smith with lot II, and Judson A. Brink with lots 9 and 10 on being paid $25.00.
This gave the society four lots on which a house was erected costing between $1.500 and $2.000- of this $300 was furnished by the "church erection board."
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HISTORY OF MEEKER COUNTY.
Rev. Mr. Harding labored here till IS70.
In 1868 Rev'nds D. B. Jackson, W. C. Harding and J. H. Hunter were appointed by the St. Paul Presbytery, in session at St. Cloud in April of that year, to organize a church at Kingston.
Church organized May 28th, 1868-name and style of, "The first Presbyterian church of Kings- ton."
The Society never become a corporate body and did not erect any house of worship.
Rev. Mr. Jackson labored here until the spring of IS71.
The next and last Presbyterian church organ- ized in the county'to this date ( 1876) is at Litchfield.
This town was located in 1869 by the St. Paul & Pacific Rail Road Company-on the line of its road and near the geographical center of the county.
Rev. D. B. Jackson, preached the first sermon August 15th, 1869 in an unfinished 7 x9 school house without either doors or windows.
The Church at Litchfield was organized Jan. 2nd. 1870, by a committee from St. Paul "Presby- tery" consisting of Rev'nds D. C. Lyon, J. W. Farris and D. B. Jackson.
Church and Society organized under the statute March 10th, 1870 -- name and style, " First Presby-
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terian Church and Society of Litchfield." The following were the original members of this church, viz:
Mr. Achille N. Grenier, Mrs. Eusebia N. Gren- ier, Miss Rachel Amelia Grenier, Miss Isabella Grenier, Mr. Henry Hill, Mrs. Mary L. Hill, Mr. Henry Wilson. Mrs. Martha Gordon and D. B. Jackson.
Of the above, at this writing (1876) A. N. Grenier, died in St. Paul-Mrs. Grenier is now re- ·siding in Paris, France-Miss Amelia married to Mr. Mathron, and resides in Marseilles, France.
Isabella is the wife of Dr. Geo. W. Weisel and resides at Grand Rapids Michigan, Henry Hill is residing in the Black Hills (so called) while Mrs. Hill resides at Granite Falls, Yellow Medic County Minnesota-Henry Wilson died in Miss- ouri, and Rev. D. B. Jackson resides in Black Riv- er Falls Wis.
All gone but one! Such are the changes of six years. What may it be during the next century ?
July 25th, 1870 the St. Paul and Pacific Rail Road Company deeded the lots on which the edifice now stands, and the present building was erected during the years 1870-71-whole cost over $4.000,-of this sum one thousand was donoted by a lady in the East; five hundred by the
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HISTORY OF MEEKER COUNTY.
church erection board $500 procured through the efforts of D. B. Jackson and two thousand by citi- zen subscriptions.
The bell for the church was obtained during 1872-the money being raised by an excursion to St. Paul. The party came near destruction, as the train was partially thrown from the track, and one coach badly demoralized:
An instrument of music was on the rear coach and most of the party were in that coach and thus providentially saved from what would other- wise have been a sad disaster.
The sofa was furnished as a present from James Campbell Esq. of Hartford Conn.
The names of the different clergymen officiating in this church to this time are Rev. D. B. Jackson, W. C. Harding, Prescot Fay, A. J. Buel, and John S. Sherrill.
Total present membership of the church 71, something over one-half still reside in the county.
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Rev. T. G. Crump commenced holding Epis- copal services in the Masonic Hall in Litchfield in July 1870.
At the time of the morning service on Sunday the 5th, and 12th, days, of March IS71 notice was publicly given for a meeting of the male mem-
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HISTORY OF MEEKER COUNTY.
bers of the Protestant Episcopal Church and con- gregation to be held in the Masonic Hall in Litch- field Saturday evening the 18th day of March A. D. 1871.
Rev. T. G. Crump presided at such meeting and D. E. Potter was chosen secretary.
A permanent organization was had, the foow ing persons were elected church wardens and vestry men.
J. C. Braden Sr. Warden, C. H. Strobeck Jr Warden.
Vestry-D. E. Potter, G. H. Chapman, H. G. Rising, J. M. Mitchell, B. O. Esping, W. S.º Brill and J. M. Waldron
Rev. T. G. Crump, Rector.
Four of the seven first vestrymen are now gone from the county.
Present Wardens and Vestry, James C. Braden, Chas. H. Strobeck, Wardens.
N. A. Viren, S. H. Wood, P. Ekstrom, F. E Bissel, W. S. Brill. S. A. Plumley, Vestry.
H. Stevens, Treas. J. H. Morris Sec.
The lots on which the Rectory now stands were the gift of Herman Trott Esq. Land Commission- er, and other parties connected with the St. Paul & Pacific Rail Road Company.
The lots on which the church edifice and parish
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school house stand were the gift of J. C. Braden.
Mrs Ellen Auchmuty of New York gave $4000. toward the erection of the church edifice and Mrs. E. D. Litchfield of London England gave $2.000.
No other Episcopal church organization has ev- er been perfected in the county.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Rev. John Robson preached the first sermon in Forest City, November 1856, (see page 34 of this book.)
Mr. Robson continued to preach in Forest City during the winter of 1856-7 and through the sum- mer of 1857. In May 1857, Wm. Walker, organ- ized a sunday school, Wait H. Dart Superinten- dent.
Rev. Thomas Harwood was the first preacher on the Forest City circuit, in 1857. Rev. S. F. Sterritt, of Monticello, Presiding Elder.
First Quarterly Meeting held at Kingston, Oc- tober 10th, 1857.
Official members present, Rev. S. F. Sterritt, P. E. Thomas Harwood, P. E. and E. H. Whitney, L. E. and B. Lyford. Stewards, E. H. Whitney, John Robson W. H. Dart, R. M. Eastman, and B. Ly- ford.
J. W. Griswold Recording Steward.
Second Quarterly Meeting held at the house of
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HISTORY OF MEEKER COUNTY.
John Robson in Forest City Jan. 25th 1858.
Rev. C. C. Kidder supplied the Forest City cir- cuit in I858.
September 4th, of this year a legal organization was had, and a board of Trustees appointed con- sisting of Messrs John W. Griswold, John Rob- son, Wait H. Dart, E. H. Whitney and Rufus M. Eastman.
To be known and styled as a "Board of Trustees to hold in trust certain church property located in the Town of Forest City, county of Meeker and State of Minnesota."
Said organization was made a matter of record, in the Registry of Deeds in said county in Book B. of mortgages page 326.
1861-2 Rev. S. Chubbuck occupied the Forest City curcuit.
Mr. Chubbuck was at Forest City at the time of the Indian outbreak and while his connection with conference forbade his uniting with our 'irregular" volunteer guards-he nevertheless shouldered the musket and did as good service as any man in Meeker County, until the meeting of conference when duty required him to leave. In the hours of danger Mr. Chubbuck was one of the coolest calmest men we had-showing no fear in the discharge of duty-brave but not rash, a man
.
:
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of few words, he was a model of a christian gen- tleman.
August 4th, 1862 a new Board of Trustees was appointed consisting of Messrs John W. Griswold, Wait H. Dart, E. 11. Whitney, Henry Keech and Allen Green.
In 1863 Rev. F. Berlin preached at Forest City occasionally.
In ISof Rev. Levi Gleason performed si- flar service.
In consequence of the Indian War, there was very little done by this church for two or three years and no reports of interest made.
Under date of 1894-5 the Methodist Episcopal record contains the following entry :
"Conference year 1864-5 Rev. M. S. Harriman walked the Clearwater circuit when it was large enough to kill a horse."
No records for 1865 except that the Clearwater circuit was divided and the Forest City circuit re-established.
In 1806 Rev. Jesse Smith and J. W. Stuntz supplied the circuit.
186;, Mr. Stuntz continued at Forest City.
ISOS, Rev. Mr. Fasig occupied the ground.
186o, Rev. Thadeus J. Woodworth was appoint- od to the Forest City circuit, then composed of
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HISTORY OF MEEKER COUNTY.
Forest City, Kingston, Silver Creek and Pleasant Lake. Quarterly meeting at Kingston Nov. 22nd.
1870, Mr. Woodworth continued in charge, Rev. Charles Griswold Presiding Elder. We find the following entry in the church record: "voted to re- release J. W. Griswold; from, and appoint Judge Smith to the Board of Trustees of the Forest City church property -- a board of Trustees was ap- pointed to hold church property in Litchfield- Rev. Charles Griswold, lost the report.
The first Quarterly Meeting held at Litchfield, was Nov. 28th, 1869.
In 1870, the name of the circuit was changed to "Litchfield" and Rev. Mr. Fasig was left in charge.
1871-2 no records.
1873, Rev. Isaac H. Riddick was located at Litchfield, also for the years 1874-5.
1876, Rev. Samuel Wood was appointed to this station but soon resigned in consequence of bad health.
Present membership of the Methodist Episco- pal church 62.
The church edifice at Litchfield cost $3.000 of which $500, was donated by the Remington's of Ilion, New York, and the lots donated by Smith D. King. The house was erected in 1873 under the supervision of Rev. Mr. Copp.
HISTORY OF MEEKER COUNTY.
CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
This church was organized in 1871 with a mem- bership of 38 persons, by Elder L. Y. Bailey.
Trustees-Chauncy Butler, G. B. Lyon, V. H. Harris.
Membership in 1876, about 40.
Present officers Chauncy Butler, S. W. Leavett, V. H. Harris.
The names of the clergymen officiating in this church, Rev. L. Y. Bailey, F. Grant, John Ains- worth and J. McReynolds.
Sunday school numbers 50 children.
This church owns two lots of ground and has a church edifice costing $1.000 -- no del t.
Mr. Ovid Butler of Indianapolis Ind. contribu- ted $1.000 toward the erection of the house.
SWEDISH METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF LITCHFIELD.
was organized April 14th, 1874.
Trustees-Jonas Peterson, Lewis Johnson, Peter Hanson, Peter Palm and Lewis Swanson.
O. Gunderson Presiding Elder, Swedish District Minnesota.
Lewis Johnson, Secretary.
The church edifice for this church was built in 1874, and cost about $2.000-paid for by the con- gregation
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HISTORY OF MEEKER COUNTY.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Was organized at Forest City, in the spring of 1866 by Rev. Father Minolf of St. Cloud.
The first sermon was preached in the spring of IS58 at the house of John Flynn by Rev. Father Whitcomb of St. Cloud-the second by the same person at the house of John Dougherty in the Town of Harvey.
A church edifice was erected in 1866, at Forest City, costing $3.000-individuals of all denomi- nations generously contributed to its erection-size 40 by 60 feet.
The lumber for this building was hauled over 40 miles by teams from Gilman's mills, beyond St. Cloud, by the members of the church.
Trustees in charge of the erection of the church : Patrick Casey, John Dougherty, Sen. Daniel Dougherty and M. J. Flynn. The society orgin- ally embraced about fifty' families. Rev. Father John Byrnes officiated in this church from 1867 to 1870-Rev. Father Arthur Hurley, from 1870 10 1873-Rev. Father Cahill from 1873 to 1875 and Rev. Father McDermott since.
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