USA > Minnesota > Meeker County > Album of history and biography of Meeker County, Minnesota > Part 62
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The pioneer settler in this town was Dr. V. P. Kennedy, now a resident of the conn- ty seat, who came here in June, 1856, and took the land formerly claimed by Dr. F. N. Ripley. He made his residence here for a number of years previous to his removal to Litchfield.
The others who made settlements in what is now Ellsworth, during the year 1856, were-Thaddeus R. Webb, James Barrett, Dr. Russell Whiteman, and possibly one or two others.
Like all who pioneer the way for advanc- ing emigration, these hardy men and their families were called upon to endure many privations, such as is incident to life upon the frontier. Their nearest market was St. Paul, a hundred miles distant, by the rude road of the period, and the smallness of their crops gave them but little to purchase with when they reached that city.
In 1858, there came to this subdivision of the county, the following named, who found homes here-James Fallon, John M. Mous- ley, Alfred Mousley, John Hurley. W. HI.
Greenleaf. Dana E. King, and a man by the name of Hook.
In 1859 and 1860, there were but few to seek homes in what is now Ellsworth town- ship, the financial panie of 1857 having for a time put a stop to all, or nearly all, immi- gration. Among the few who did dare to come west in those years and locate here, were the following named : George MeGowen, Ira Pratt, Sr., Ira Pratt, Jr., Silas Pratt and Mr. Mathews.
The Indian outbreak of the fall of 1862. depopulated this town, along with the balance of the county. For a little while thereafter, there were but few within its limits, but it has gradually filled up, how- ever, until now it has a respectably large population of sturdy farmers.
The first birth in Ellsworth occurred in 1857, and was that of a child born to Dr. Russell Whiteman.
The second births and first deaths in the village, were those of Frankie and Fred, the twin babies of Ilon. W. H. Greenleaf, whose birth and death occurred in 1860.
The next time that the angel of death came to this locality, was in 1862, when Mr. Hal- stead died.
The first school-house, was the one erected in 1859, and in which Lydia Angier taught the first session.
Ellsworth township was for years a por- tion of the town of Greenleaf, but on the 1st of September, 1868, it was organized as a separate civil township, under its present name. At the first election therein, most of the residents took an active part. The pres- ent officers are as follows - Supervisors : Rudolph Krussow (chairman), Jonathan Me- Stotts and D. Barret ; assessor, Ira Gleason ; clerk. N. Y. Taylor: treasurer, Rudolph Leverence; justices, John Vogelpohl and L. L. Sisson ; constables, D. F. Smith and Wm. Christoph.
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MEEKER COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
GREENLEAF VILLAGE.
The village of Greenleaf was laid out and platted by Dana E. King, in 1859, and the plat filed for record on the 3d of September of that year. Shortly after this W. H. Greenleaf, A. C. Smith and Bennett M. Brink acquired an interest in the town site by purchase. The village plat was situated upon the southwest quarter of the south west quarter, the southwest quarter of the south- east quarter, and lots 5 and 6, of section 30, and contained a mill site and water-power.
Previous to the laying out of the town, in the fall of 1858, William II. Greenleaf and Dana E. King came here, and the former, finding a mill site, went back to Wisconsin, and, purchasing the machinery for a saw- mill, returned the same fall with Bennett M. Brink, and the two in company erected the saw-mill and improved the water-power. Around this mill sprang up the little settle- ment which bore the name of Greenleaf. after the founder of the leading industry of the place. Dana E. King returned in 1859, and laid out the town as above mentioned, having preempted the land. In 1859 Jud- son A. Brink came to the embryo village. and here made his residence until 1864, when he returned to New York State, from which he had come, where he died of consumption at a later date. Greenleaf and Brink oper- ated the mill from December, 1858, until the spring of 1862, when Judson A. Brink pur- chased the interest of Mr. Greenleaf, and the two brothers ran the mill in partnership until 1864. Steam was then put in and its owners continued its operation until three years .later, when they removed the machinery some few miles into the woods. It was after- ward removed to the village of Dassel.
In 1862, on closing out his interest in the mill, W. H. Greenleaf put up a store build- ing, and opened a stock of hardware and groceries. This was the first attempt toward
mercantile life in the village, and was, like everything else in the county, interrupted by the dreadful Indian outbreak of the autumn of 1862. In March, 1864, Mr. Greenleaf returned here and put in a stock of general merchandise. A short time after this he took into partnership C. B. Jordan, but, two months afterward, sokl out to his partner. The latter gentleman ran the store for some years, but subsequently disposed of it to John Rank, who ran it for some time.
One year after selling out, W. H. Green- leaf erected the second store building, and in it opened with another stock of the same gen- eral character. This establishment he sold out to L. S. Weymouth, who carried on the business until 1884.
Anderson opened the third store here in 1868. and ran it for one year. These were all the mercantile establishments of the place. Miss Sophia C. Pratt, the present postmistress of the village, is also the present merchant, and carries an extensive stock of general merchandise.
A flouring mill was erected in the sum- mer of 1862, by Dana E. King and Judson A, Brink, but its construction and equipment having been interrupted by the Indian troubles. it was not in running order until 1864. This manufacturing institution, which was a large and well-constructed building. with three run of stone, was shortly after sold to Norman Pixley and Albert Delong, who ran it in partnership until 1873. Mr. Pixley then sold out to his eopartner, who admitted to the firm J. R. MeDonald, and under this management the mill remained for a time. Finally, as the investment did not pay, it was sold to Mr. Leiser, who tore it down and removed it bodily to Traverse county, this State, about the year 1879.
The United States Land Office, which had formerly been located at Forest City, was re- moved to Greenleaf in 1866, at which time Dr. Fletcher was the receiver, and B. F.
.
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Baker the register. This office remained in the village until in December, 1869, when the growing importance of the railroad town of Litchfield, the new county seat, attracted nearly everything else in the county, and the office was moved to that place.
A seminary was started in the village in 1867, with Rev. W. C. Harding as principal and Miss Todd as assistant. On account of the sparsely settled condition of the country at that time, this institution of learning, which was ably conducted, could not be made a success, and only existed for some two years, when it was abandoned for want of sufficient support.
The first school was taught in the village in 1859, by Miss Lydia Angier. This was the first district school in the town of Ells- worth, and was held in a school house that was built the same year.
The first and only hotel of which the place could boast was opened by C. W. Butter-
field in 1865, he buying the residence of Dana E. King for that purpose. He has kept it ever since, enlarging the original build- ing as the necessities of the occasion required, and is still the landlord.
The first religious services were held at the residence of W. II. Greenleaf, in the upper story of the saw-mill, in the fall of 1859, on which occasion Rev. J. C. Whitney, a Pres- byterian clergyman, officiated. A chureli edifice was built in 1868, by the Presbyterian congregation, in which the Rev. W. C. Hard- ing, now deceased, was the first pastor.
The Methodists had also a religious organ- ization, and held regular services, but never put up any church edifice.
The first blacksmith shop was put up and operated by Henry Keach, in 1861. He re- mained here until about 1870, and then removed to Nebraska. James MeCuc is the present blacksmith of the village, and does a flourishing business.
LI.T.G.HFIELD.
CHAPTER XXV.
HISTORY OF THE VILLAGE OF LITCHFIELD.
RIOR to the advent of the iron horse in this part of Meeker coun- ty, there was nothing upon the site of the now prosperous vil- lage of Litchfield, ex- cept a wheat field and pasture lands. It entirely owes its ex- istence to that happy event, the coming of the railroad, which reached here in the summer of 1869. the track-laying as far as this place having been com- pleted, and the first train, a con- struction, running in August 13th of that year. The town site was laid out and platted by the St. Panl & Pacific Railroad Company and George B. Waller, on the east half of section 11, Litch- field township. This was surveyed, platted and filed for record. July 16. 1869.
Litchfield is beautifully located on portions of sections 11, 12 and 14, and reaches north from the shores of lovely Lake Ripley for
more than a mile and a half, whilst its great- est breath is about a mile. To the original town plat there have been added Weisel's addition in 1869, the second addition in 1873, Butler's addition in 1873, Crosby's addition in 1874, the third railroad addition in 1875, Hansen's addition in 1879, Angier's addition and Greenleaf's addition in 1887, and Rodange & Johnson's addition in 1888. The entire city is well laid out with wide streets and avennes, and the site is dotted all over with hand some residences, many of them surrounded with elegant and well-kept grounds. The business portion of the city presents a substantial and thrifty appearance, owing to the large number of fine brick stores, offices, hotels, etc., all of which are in fine taste. The stores are well filled with well-selected merchandise of a char- acter above that usually found in cities of the size of Litchfield, and are doing a splendid business. The pride the citizens take in their home can be readily seen in the appearance of the place, in the many noble edifices, and their beautiful park.
The town drew its name from E. D. Litchfield, an English capitalist and stock- holder in the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad, liv- ing in London, and whose wife made such lib-
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MEEKER COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
eral donations to the Episcopal Church Soci- ety, as is detailed elsewhere.
Litchfield is connected with the outer world by the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Mani- toba Railroad, which passes diagonally north west and southeast through the town plat. This, which is one of the best roads in the State, affords ample facilities for marketing the products of this part of Minnesota.
At the regular election held November 2, 1869, the question of the removal of the county seat from Forest City to Litchfield was submitted to the qualified electors of the county, and by a majority of 89, in a total vote of 927, it was decided in the affirmative, and the latter city became the seat of justice of Meeker county. The court-house, of which a description is given in another place, adorns the north part of the town, and is really a very handsome and complete edifice. The location of the seat of justice at Litchfield and the presence of the railroad have both been important fac- tors in the rapid growth of the place, and have established it upon a firm basis.
George B. Waller, who had previously purchased the northeast quarter of section 11, in this township, came to this locality in the late summer of 1869, and settled, know- ing that a town would be established near by. When the railroad had been graded through this county, he deeded to the rail- road company an undivided half in his quarter of section of land to be laid out into town lots, reserving a lot of some ten acres in the northwest corner of the tract for his home. As soon as the road was con- structed to this point, and trains were run- ning, he shipped from Minneapolis the mate- rial with which to construct a house, which had already been framed and gotten ready to put together, in the previous winter. In November, of the same year, he brought his family to the incipient village.
About the same time that Mr. Waller was
building his residence, J. M. Miller hauled the lumber for a house from Clearwater, and erected a dwelling. Shortly after this Truls Nelson put up another building in which to live, near where the town hall is now loca- ted. These were the first three buildings. the nucleus around which has sprang up this thriving and growing town.
B. F. Pixley put up the next house, and others soon followed. Mrs. C. O. Porter was the first lady to take up her residence here, and Mrs. Pixley the second, the former dating her arrival from the 26th of August, 1869, and the latter, one day later.
The first store was erected by Heard & Ward, a firm composed of S. A. Heard and C. D. Ward, who opened what is known as a general merchandise stock, in the embryo city, in the fall of 1869. The building which they occupied is the one that is used as a harness shop by Hugh Dowling, but origin- ally stood on the site now occupied by the handsome brick store of D. E. Branham. Heard & Ward continued in business to- gether until 1872, when Mr. Heard purchased the interest of his partner, and carried it on until 1880, at which date he, too, sold out to Branham & Hickcox.
II. B. Johnson's store building was the next to be erected, and was soon followed by that of Joseph James.
In November of this year, C. II. Strobeck, who had decided to locate in the place, erected a store building on the site of the present Kronsbrick building, which he occu- pied in part, and part of which he rented.
The first man to do turner's work in the village. was M. A. Brown, who put up a little shop on the site of the brick building now occupied by Birch & Nelson, where he carried on the business.
The pioneer hardware store was that of Vanderhorck & King, who commenced in that line in the fall of 1869. The firm of King & Whyborn, who succeeded them,
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disposed of the stock and good will to Z. B. Fifield in 1877, in whose hands it proved a losing investment.
W. S. Brill entered into business in the drug line about the same time in the building put up by C. H. Strobeck, and continued in trade here until 1882, when, selling out to Revell Bros .. he removed to St. Paul, where he now lives.
The first man to sell lumber in the new town was Joseph James, but he did not estab- lish a yard ; the first to enter into that line regularly was John Esbjornsson and C. Pe- terson, who, together, opened a lumber yard in the summer of 1869, when there was scareely a building 'on the town site. They quit this business the following winter.
E. A. Campbell moved to Litchfield in the fall of 1869, with a stock of general mer- chandise, from Forest City. About a year later Jesse V. Branham, Jr., became a mem- ber of the firm and they carried on the busi- ness for some time under the firm name of Campbell & Branham.
C. L. Angell, another pioneer of the village. came here in the fall of 1869. and commenced the establishment of the photographie art gallery that he still carries on.
Chase & Dunn came into the incipient city during the same fall, and opened a livery stable, which they ran for some time.
Rapidly, as if by the stroke of a magician's wand, a busy town sprang up with a mirac- ulous growth, and where once the ground gave back only the sound of the footfalls of grazing cattle, came the busy hum of com- merce, and the noise of the saw, plane and hammer, as building after building rose into view.
Among those who settled in the village in 1869. not mentioned above, were the follow- ing: William H. Greenleaf, J. P. Scarp. James Tinkham. J. H. Bacon, N. A. Viren, Hamlet Stevens, E. A. Campbell, C. II. Stro- beek. Dr. Geo. B. Weisel. O. B. Espin, W.
11. Dart, Walfreid Erickson, Smith D. King, David Miller, Mr. Runnion. Charles and Solomon Ahnquist, L. W. Perkins, Hans Mattson, Charles O. Porter, P. Crosby, Isaac Crosby. Julius Crosby, S. Y. Gordon, John Mitchell, J. D. Chapman. A. R. Potter, J. C. Braden, J. M. Waldron, C. B. Howell, Henry ITill, John Blackwell, Jesse V. Branham. Jr., Jesse V. Branham, Sr., II. B. Johnson and Andrew and B. P. Nelson.
In 1870 there came to the new village quite a number, among whom were-George II. Chapman. V. II. Harris, George Lyon, Lewis Larson, Channeey Butler. M. J. Flynn, W. W. Rollin. Wm. M. Campbell. Dr. F. E. Bissell. Henry Chase, R. W. Dunn. J. Q. A. Braden. John Patten. W. D. Stanton, Louis Ekbom, D. E. Potter, A. C. Smith and others.
Others who made settlements in the new village early in 1871, 1872 and 1873 are easily named. Among the most prominent and best remembered are Frank E. Dagget, W. D. Joubert. F. V. DeCoster, N. W. Hawkin- son, Col. Jacob M. Howard. Daniel Flynn, S. A. Scarp. A. C. Johnson, Morris Nenman, Robert Gordon. W. S. Knappen, S. W. Gla- zier, Joseph Cameron, A. T. Koerner. M. T. Hayford, John Whyborn, S. P. Chipman, E. M. Eastman, Peter Berens, Joseph Leaser, W. S. Adams, James Hooser, S. W. Leavitt, R. S. Hershey. E. F. Roberts, J. B. llatch, Joseph Mills, N. Anderson and many others. From this time on the settlement was rapid, and the village soon grew to be one of the commercial centers of this portion of the State.
Late in August, 1869, the Litchfield House was built and opened, and was, therefore, tl:e first hotel in the city, as well as one of first structures on the town site.
The pioneer religious services in the vil- lage were held in a small school-house, then in course of construction, but, as yet, with- out doors or windows, on the 15th of August,
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MEEKER COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
1869, at which the Rev. D. B. Jackson, a Presbyterian clergyman in charge of the church at Kingston, this county, officiated. A Sabbath-school was organized September 19th of the same year, by Rev. Mr. Hail, a divine of the Congregational denomination, and was the pioneer of several others. The first church edifice was not finished until 1871, and was the house of the Presbyteri- ans, which was commenced in the fall of 1870. The first donation party was held by the people connected with the Methodist Church, on an evening in December, 1869, at the house of Rev. J. S. Fassig, their min- ister. Gifts of $52 in cash and a great amount of other articles were left with the worthy recipient of their kindness.
Hans Mattson, the present Secretary of State, came to Litchfield in 1869, and estab- lished the railway company's land-office in the small building on the corner opposite the Howard House. Ilere he remained ser- eral years.
The first death in the community occurred in the year 1871, and was that of the little son of M. D. Bowen. About the same time a Swedish settler, while passing to his home west of the city, fell from the trestle bridge of the railroad near the western limits of the village, and broke his neck. Old resi- dents are undecided as to which of these preceded the other, but as the former is the death of a resident of the village it is given prominence.
The pioneer physician of Litchfield was Dr. George W. Weisel, who came to this place from Forest City in the fall of 1869. He remained here in practice, according to the regular or allopathic school, for some years, but is now living in Williamsport, Lycoming county, Pa. The second was Dr. F. E. Bissell, still a resident of the village. The third physician was a Dr. Bell. a follower of the homeopathie school. but who did not long remain in the place.
The pioneer bank was established in 1875, by Harrington & Lyon, who called it the Bank of Litchfield. They continued to run it for a short time, when it passed into the hands of Chauncey Butler, who continued its operations until Deeember 27, 1877, when it collapsed.
The pioneer attorney of Litchfield was Charles H. Strobeck, who first came here in October, 1869. Newton H. Chittenden was the next to locate, and was followed. the same year, by Frank Belfoy. In 1870, Henry Hill, Charles B. Howell and A. C. Smith joined the resident members of the bar.
When Frank Belfoy eame here in 1869, he bronght from Forest City the press and material of the Meeker County News, the pioneer paper of the county, which became an important factor in the upbuilding and development of the young village.
Among the business concerns of an early day were the following named, with such history as woukl be of interest as conld be gleaned from those most interested and best posted. These are the firms that have ceased to exist: those that still survive, or that are still operated by their successors, are treated of further on.
B. O. Esping came here in 1870 or 1871. opened the first jewelry store, and fol- lowed that business for several years. He is now engaged in the hotel business in South- ern Minnesota.
Joseph Mills opened a jewelry establish- ment in 1872. and continued its operation until about 1877, when he died.
W. H. Dart came to the village with a stock of goods from Forest City, in 1869. but was succeeded by W. D. Stanton in 1870, who ran the business until 1874, when he sold out on account of ill health.
William H. Greenleaf opened a store for the sale of general merchandise in 1870, but the next fall sold it to B. L. Perry, who ran
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MEEKER COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
it to the early part of 1871, when he in turn disposed of it to F. V. DeCoster.
Rankin & Greenleaf were for some time engaged in the sale of hardware. They were succeeded by S. W. Rankin, who ran it until 1887, when he sokl out.
The pioneers in the sale of agricultural im- plements were James Tinkham and Scarp & Anderson. The latter established the busi- ness in 1872, and it passed through many changes of firm until the death of John Scarp, by drowning, in a week on the Baltic Sea in 1SS2.
Jacob Koerner was the pioneer butcher of the place, opening a meat market in about 1870. Harris & Gordon were in this same line for two years, dating from some time in 1872.
The first furniture was that of D. E. Potter, who commeneed business in 1871. He finally removed from the village.
Mark Baldwin opened a harness shop in 1871, which he ran until 1877, and then closed out and emigrated to California, where he now lives.
A. W. Swenson, in 1877. started in the general merchandise line. continued in busi- ness two years, and then removed to Alex- andria. this State.
C. M. Tileston's dry goods store was estab- lished in 1878, and ran until 1881, when he closed out and went to Minneapolis.
G. M. Babeoek & Co. opened a hardware store in 1875, and continued in that line of trade for two years before closing out.
W. W. Page opened a book and notion store in the building where the postoffice is now located, in 1872, which ran for about a vear.
J. W. Billings' confectionery store com- meneed operations in 1875, and continued about two years.
Conrad Juul came to Litchfield with a stock of goods in 1878, and ran for some time, when he failed. Ile built the first brick
store building in the town, the one where Tharalson Bros. are now doing business.
Among the gentlemen who have been con- neeted with the bar of Meekercounty, resident at Litehfiekl, not mentioned before, or not here at present, were : E. A. Campbell, S. A. Plumley, F. P. Olney, L. C. Spooner and Mr Julian.
LITCHFIELD IN 1888.
In order to have a just comprehension of the development and progress of the city, it is absolutely necessary to give a picture of the present business, religious, social and educational institutions of the city, with their histories : and they are herewith ap- pended.
The general merchandise firm of Cairn- eross & Palm, originated in 1871 with the Nelson Bros. Several changes have been made in the name and style, several parties having operated it, among whom were Cairneross & Brother, who commenced in 1878. In 1881. Alexander Cairneross pur- chased the interest of his brother, Stewart, and ran the business until January 1, 1885, when. John Palm having aequired an inter- est, the present firm was formed.
The business house of Tharalson & Bro., dealers in general merchandise, was initiated July 1, 1878, by A. Tharalson, where the harness-making shop is now. N. Tharalson was general manager at that time. They remained in that building until October, 1881, when they purchased the store where they are now located, and moved in the same fall. February 23. 1887. N. Tharalson was admitted to a full partnership, and the firm name changed to its present form.
The stand of Nelson. Johnson & Larson originated in 1880, by the formation of a firm under the above name, composed of B. P. Nelson. A. C. Johnson and Lewis Larson. They at once commenced the ereetion of their fine brick store .building, which was put up at an expense of some $10,000, and
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MEEKER COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
in December, 1880, therein opened a stock of dry goods, etc., and are to-day among the heaviest dealers in that line.
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