An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota, Part 20

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Jackson, Minn. : Northern History
Number of Pages: 720

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The mass meeting at Jackson was held December 29. T. J. Knox was chairman

145

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

and Alexander Fiddes was secretary. A central committee was appointed. com- posed of the following named gentlemen : W. S. Kimball. M. A. Strong. E. L. Brownell. G. B. Franklin and George C. Chamberlin, of Jackson: J. T. Smith. of Heron Lake: H. JJ. Phelps. of Round Lake: Ole E. Olson. of Belmont. The committee was instructed to correspond with parties in St. Paul and elsewhere with regard to obtaining relief for those i want and to ascertain how much seed wheat was needed for the next season.

The committees at once entered upon their duties. They canvassed the county east and south of Heron Lake, where there was the greatest suffering, and reported finding 86 persons in need of aid. The authorities in St. Paul were notified and asked to send supplies at once. The arti- cles asked for were mostly clothing for women and children. Three articles of food were found necessary-flour, pork and beans. About the middle of January the first consignment of supplies was re- ceived and distributed by the committee at Heron Lake. Part of the relief was in cash, the balance in clothing. On the 21st. ot January the Jackson committee receiv- ed 19 sacks of flour and three boxes of clothing sent by the citizens of Stillwa- ter. The supplies were distributed the next day.

Petitions were poured into the legisla- ture from all the strieken counties, ask- ing for appropriations. Realizing the grav- ity of the situation, the legislature, late in January. appropriated $5,000 for re- lief in the frontier counties, and in Feb- ruary appropriated $25,000 to be expend- ed for seed grain to be furnished to those unable to procure seed. Of the cash ap- propriation. $540 was Jackson county's share. John Weir and J. T. Smith were named as the parties who should eonduet the distribution in the northern and west-

ern portions of the county, and Alexander Fiddes and J. W. Hunter who should make the distribution in the southern and eastern portions. Each committee receiv- ed $270.

General H. H. Sibley, the head of the state relief work. reported on July 9, 18:4, that he had turned over to Jackson county committees the sum of $1,00; for the relief of settlers up to that time. The dates, amounts and parties to whom he had sent the money were as follows :6

Dec. 24, 1873: Heron Lake committee,

J. T. Smith, secretary .. $107

Jan. 2, 1874: Heron Lake committee

J. T. Smith, secretary .. 150

Jan. 10. 1874: lleron Lake committee, J. T. Smith, secretary .. 100

Jan. 27. 1874: Heron Lake committee. G. H. Carr, secretary pro tem. 100

Jan. 30, 1874, JIeron Lako committee, G. H. Carr. secretary pro tem. 150

Apr. 16. 1874: lleron Lake committee, J. Weir, treasurer 50

Apr. 16, 1874: lleron Lake committee. .J. Weir, treasurer. 100

Jume 24, 1874: Ileron Lake committee,

J. Weir, treasurer. 50

Jan. 30, 1874: Ole Tollefson, postmas-

ter. Belmont 50

Apr. 16, 1874: Major II. S. Bailey, Jack- son 100

June 27. 1874: Major II. S. Bailey, Jack- SON 50

Total $1,007

The Heron Lake committee, composed of J. W. Benson, chairman : J. T. Smith. secretary ; John Weir, treasurer; and J. P. Prescott. reported the division of its share of this amount as follows: Two hundred dollars were spent for garden seeds, flour and corn meal and distribut- ed to 533 different persons : $606.89 was distributed in cash. Major Bailey spent the $150 sent to him for flour and pork. In July he reported the distribution of these articles to the value of $111.07 and that he had on hand $38.93.

In the latter part of March, 1824, the seed wheat distribution was made. Jack- son county's share was 3,500 bushels, and

6Letter I. H. Sibley, July 9, 1874.

146

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

there were so many applicants that the township was given in Heron Lake town- average to each person was only seven ship. and one-half bushels, and many had to The following were early day residents of West Heron Lake township who soeur- rt land from the government in that pre- cinct : go without .? Part of the wheat was dis- tributed by the committee at Heron Lake and part by Major I. S. Bailey and Hans Knudson at Windom.

During the harrowing times in the winter of 18;3-51. when hundreds of Jackson county citizens were living on charity, the last three townships of the county began township government.

During the fore part of the winter resi- dents of township 103, range 31. peti- tioned the county commissioners, asking that they be detached from Heron Lake township and granted a government of their own. The petition was granted Jan- mary 6. 1824, and the new township was named West Heron Lake, its geographical location suggesting the name. In the lat- ter part of the same month the township was organized with the following ( par- tial) list of officers: Robert Johnson. chairman : John Christie, clerk : Johannes Tollefson, treasurer: Evan Pederson, jus- fire of the peace: Nils Olson, constable.

Owing to the fact that Heron lake divided the township into two parts. those living in the northeast corner-to the rast of the lake-were not so closely associat- ed with the people of the rest of the town- ship as they were with those of Heron Lake township, and they petitioned. carly in February. 18;1. to be attached to the latter township. No action was taken at that time. but in April, 18:5. another petition was presented to the county board. asking for the same legislation. On June 21 the desired action was taken, and the northeast corner of West Heron Lake

1872. Charles Fischer (12), John Robson (24): 1873. Robert Johnson (22) ; 1571. Iler- man Peter (2). George H. Carr (6). Romaine Sheire (0). Charles C. Langworthy (10), William Wiley (2): 1875. William H. Ashley (2). Thomas (. Dixon (22); 1876. Newton F. West (2), Clans Larson (St. Christopher B. Hubert (12-32). Andrew 1 .. Jackson (Is). David F. Cleveland (34) : 1877, 1-aar Christy (1). Chris- ten Jakson (8): 1878, John Christy (18). Sever Sever-mn (20). Johan 1. Hauge (30). Severt A. L. Hange (30): 1879, Heury B. John. son (6). Martin B. Johnson (6) : 1880. Carl G. Peter (2), Ope O. Spleen (S). Ole Hansmm (IS). Even Peterson (20), Andrew C. Serum (28): 1881, George Schneidler (2). George Johnson (1234): 1885. Nils Olsen (1). Iver Haarelson (18): 1886, Tollef Michaelon (S). Halvor Hendrickson (21): 1888. Kari Tollefson (S).

Rost township came into existence Feb- ruary 3. 1821. I was named in honor of Frederick Rost, who was one of the early day settlers of the precinct, locating there in 1869.º The names of some of the early homesteaders of Rost township, as shown by the patents to land granted, were as follows :

1872, Charles Smith (02). Francis G. Ray mond (20): 1876. Charles Rost 120, William Kromroy (31). Charles Boss (34): 1877. Wil liam Rust (0). Herman Rost (22). Frederick Rost (26). Helmut Rust (28). Albert Rust (28). Henry Wexner (30): 1878, Julius Droger Ii1. Frederick Selmiltz (12). Ludwing Weyner (30). Wilhelm Radke (32): 1879. James B. Rabbitt (6). Franz Meister (200): Isso. Frederick Mit tlestadt risi. Lonise Ladtke (20), Loni-a Mil- brath (32): ISSI, Richard Sucker (2): 1883. August Webber (2): 1881. Ludwig Lveneburg (10), Wilhelmine Kmopp dor: 1855, George lleiser (S): 185%. Fonlinand Milbrath (IS) : ISSO. Amalave .S. Anderson CH.

Sjonx Valley was the last Jackson coun- ty township to begin township govern- ment. In accordance with the prayer of petitioners, the commissioners created the

"These are busy days in Heron Lake The re- lief committee, Messrs. Benson. Welr and Smith. have received over 3.000 bushels of wheat to be distributed In Jackson county, and the pen- ple are coming In in great numbers after It. The amount cach will receive will be quite small, there being so many applicants."-Heron Lake Correspondent, March 25. 1×71

"The official proceedings of the board of county commissioners show that the township was created as "Rust." In fact, that was the accepted spelling of the pame for several years Later, without any official procedure. the correct spelling was adopted. The name of the family was also often spelled "Rust."

THE ANDREW MONSON CABIN One of the Oldest Log Cabins in Jackson County.

PIONEERS

The Engraving is Reproduced from a Tintype Taken During Grasshopper Times. The Men shown are (Back Row, Standing, from Left to Right) Wallace Bailey, L. F. Ashley, Menzo L. Ashley, Than Hall, Jr., Joseph E. Thomas, Jr., John Tagley, A. D. King, L. P. Cook, Thad Rucker, M. S. Barney, O. F. Alexander, B. W. Ashley; (Lower Row, Sitting), Clark Baldwin, C. H. Sandon, J. F. Ashley, A. C. Wood (Between Rows), William V. King, J. J. Smith, Henry Blakey, Than Hall and Ira G. Walden.

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ACTOR, LENOX AND TUSEN FOUNDATION

147

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

township February 27, 1814, naming it Sioux Valley after the river which flows through it. The early day homesteaders who received title to their lands from the government were:

1873. Levi M. Bridell (10), Washington Shaf- fer (12), John Spencer (26) ; 1874, lehabod Dyer (10-12), Jareb Palmer (10) ; Kerney C. Lowell (32): 1875, Edwin E. Myrick (24), Abednego Davis (26) : 1876, Levi H. Stratton (34) : 1877, Reuben Tivey (14), Charles H. Greer (14), Nel- son Willcox (24), William Barnett (31) ; 1878, lomm Butterfield (2), Julins Dreger (6), Charles E. Reiter (S), Ezra A. Hopkins (18), Carlos M. Hardy (20); 1879, Martin Reiter (8): 1880, George A. Johnson (32) ; 1881, Gustaf Nystrom (31); 1883. Frank Benoit (2), George O. Bord- well (4), Carl Lidberg (28). Anna Moberg (31). Abraham MeCulla (34) : 1884, Francis M. Hor- ton (12): 1885, Detlef Hollmer (10), Helge Torson (30), Bengt Staaff (30): 1888, Eliza- betl: L. Stone (4), Fred Mead (28).

If there had been a belief that the grass- hopper scourge was to be only a temporary blight on the prospects of Jackson coun- ty. it was rudely dispelled. The visita- tion of 18:3 was as nothing compared with what followed. The story of the years to follow is one of heartrending mis- ery. From Manitoba to Texas the grass- hoppers brought desolation and suffering in 1814, the visitation being general along the whole frontier. Especially destrue- tive were they in southwestern Minnesota and in Kansas and Nebraska.

In Jackson county the eggs which had been deposited by the visiting hordes in 1813 began to hatel during the first days of May.9 While the pests had been con- sidered numevous the year before, there were now more than ten times as many. The appetites of the youngsters were good. but no great damage was done until the

"The process of hatching was interesting. In each nest, a half inch or inore below the sur- face of the ground, were from twenty to fifty eggs. When the sun warmed the ground suf- ficiently to hatch the eggs, the pithy covering of the nest popped off and a squirming mass of little yellow hoppers poured out. Each was en- cased in a sort of shell or skin, which it im- mediately began to pull off. Then, after taking a moment's view of the world. each little hop- per hopped awav in search of something to eat. At birth they were about a quarter of an inch long and had no wings, but these de- veloped rapidly.

last days of May. Said the Jackson Re- publie on May 30:

It was not until this week that the devasta- tion by this scourge commenced in earnest, but in the few days they have been harvesting the crops, they have put in full time and done clean work. Whole field> in many places have been stripped of the growing grain and in others large spots have been scooped out. Not satisfied with eating the green leaves, they eat right down in the ground to the roots.

It was at this stage of the proceedings that many people left the county. In many instances those who had not secured title to their farms deserted them, never more to return. Many who had title sold for what they could get or mortgaged their farms if they conld locate an east- erner unsophisticated enough to loan money on such security. These, too, left the county. The greater number of the able bodied men who decided to stay sought work in the eastern part of the state to earn enough money to carry them and their families through the winter. The local paper on June 6 said: "Settlers are turning back to the older counties to get work to support their families, and the ruling question is, 'Are you going east to get work?'" The general land office made a ruling that homesteaders in the grasshopper infested counties might de- sert their claims for certain lengths of time to earn a livelihood withont taking the chance of losing the claim.

During the latter part of June the dam- age was great. and in the parts of the county most numerously infested little was left growing but the wild prairie grass. The wings of the young hoppers became fully developed on June 19, and three days later they began their flight out of the country. For several days, from ten o'clock in the morning until three in the afternoon, the air was filled with the winged immigrants, all traveling in a northeasterly direction. It was hoped that they would go and leave the little

148

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

that had escaped, but it was not to be. The Jackson Republie, which had always before spoken encouragement, on July 1 gave up hope for any crop and said :

All gone! Not the grasshoppers, as was hoped, but the cats, corn and potatoes that had been left until this werk. The changing wind- have brought back all the grasshopper -. with myriads of reinforcements, and they have mowed down about everything before them. Now that all - hope for a crop is gone. the only prayer of the people is that they may be taken away before they commence depositing their eggs, which will no doubt be not long

The destroying agents remained in Jackson county until the middle of July. and then all took their departure. They did not deposit eggs in the county, al- though they did in many other parts of Minnesota. Before their departure the county became literally alive with them. So thick was the air with the flying pests that at times the sun was partially ob- soured. They appeared to the people he- low like a vast cloud, sweeping sometimes in one direction. sometimes in another- always going with the wind. At even- ing. when they came down near the earth. the noise they made was like a roaring wind. After gorging themselves with the crops, the hoppers became stupid and piled up in the fields and along the roads. often to a depth of one or two feet. Horses could hardly be driven through them. Stories have been told of railway trains becoming blockaded by the pests so as lo be unable to move until the inseels were shoveled from the track. Concerning the losses the Republic, in the latter part of July, said :

The actual loss from the scourge in this year's erop will aggregate more than $200,000,1 while the loss arising from abandoned farms, removal of settlers with their personal prop- erty. and the stagnation given to farming pmr-

"According to the report of the commissioner uf statistles, the loss of the several crops in twenty-right counties of Minnesota in 1874 Was follows: Wheat. 2.646,802 bushels; oats. 1.416,733 bushels; corn, 738.115 bushels; barley. 58.962 bushels: potatoes, 221,451 bushels; fax sird. 52,833 bushels.

suite for years to come can only be represent- ed by millions of dollars. Taking Jackson county in whole wheat will probably not average two bushels per acre, of one-eighth of a crop: oat- will not be much better. while barley is an entire failure: corn may be half a crop and potatoes about the same.

This second succesive crop failure was a terrible blow. A great many who had not been hard pressed by the conditions in 1523 were now reduced to the common level: their savings had been spent and they had no income. Those who were not compelled to live on charity were com- pelled to practice the most rigid economy. Hay furnished the fuel : potatoes. pump- kins and squashes-a few vegetables left by the hoppers-supplied the bulk of the food. Meat was not on the bill of fare er- cept for those who could use a gun and bag the prairie chickens and ducks that were in great abundance. The people bore their trials more cheerfully than might have been expected and made preparations to try their luck again the next year. In plowing for their next year's crop. the farmers nearly ruined their horses, being without the necessary grain to feed them.

As has been started, money and supplies for relief were sent to Jackson county dur- ing the whole winter of 1823-21 and into the spring months. In addition to those items mentioned. on January 1. 18:1. the county commissioners received from Governor Davis 190 sack of flour and ten bariel- of pork. which were distrib- uted at once.

Realizing the gravity of the situation. in the midst of the devastation of 18;1. Governor Cushman K. Davis issued a stir- ring appeal, stating the conditions and the need of large contributions to prevent many of the residents of the state from perishing. His appeal was addressed to the Grange organizations and was as fol- loss :

149

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

State of Minnesota. Executive Department, St. Paul. July 1. 1874.

To the Granges: I am compelled to ask the cooperation of each grange of your powerful organization in relieving the destitution of our fellow citizens in southwestern counties. That region has been traversed by trustworthy men, sent out by me for that purpose, and they report unanimously a destitution which has no parallel in our history as a state. The time for silence as to the condition of affairs has passed by, and the time for prompt and liberal action by. all who are willing to do as they would be done by has arrived.

The counties of Martin, Murray. Jackson. Cottonwood, portions of Nobles and Waton- wan, and possibly to some extent in other com- munities, have been swept by grasshoppers of all crops as completely as by fire.

Women and children are suffering for food. The implements and stocks of the settlers are under mortgages given to tide over the priva- tions of last year.

I have told these people that their fellow citizens. whom a kind Providence has blessed with abundance, will stand by them in this, their dire extremity.

Contributions in money are most desirable. Provisions and clothing scarce less so. Send contributions to General H. Il. Sibley. St. Paul, Minnesota. C. K. DAVIS, Governor.

The board of county commissioners took charge of the relief funds in 1874. A distribution of cash was made in July. Also 19,610 pounds of flour and 1,935 pounds of pork were apportioned by the commissioners to the needy in every pre- cinct in the county. The distribution averaged six pounds of flour and ten ounces of pork to each needy person, which certainly could not have gone far toward meeting the demand." Those two

11The supplies were divided among the sev- eral townships as follows: Flour

Pork

Petersburg

1,008

105

Middletown

816

Minneota

648

Hunter

660

Des Moines

2,800

187

Wisconsin

900

Belmont

1,202

128

Enterprise

978

100

Kimball

750

Christiania

1,374

143

Heron Lake

660

Delafield

1,374

143

Rost

560

West Heron Lake

714

Weimer

1,314

137

LaCrosse

732

Alba

756

Ewington

978

102

Round Lake

960

100

Total

19,610

1,935

had departed to work in the harvest fields in the castern part of the state returned in Angust. The conditions in their homes led many to take their families and de- part for more congenial surroundings. Some secured work during the fall and winter and remained away from Jackson county until the next spring.

On the last day of September the com- missioners received. $300 from General Il. Il. Sibley. This was invested in supplies, which were distributed among the needy. The same was done with $500 received on December 12. Eighteen barrels and twen- ty-nine sacks of flour were received De- cember 21, and the commissioners turned that over to those in the most destitute circumstances. Clothing and other relief supplies were frequently received during the winter from private parties-supplies which meant much to suffering settlers. The United States government, in a small way, assisted in the care of the unfortunate people of the grasshopper dev- astated counties by the distribution of army rations and clothing. Lieutenant J. F. Huston was in the county April 30 and May 1, dealing out provisions, boots and overcoats to the most needy.

In all, Jackson county received $2,- 812.82 as its share of the state appropria- tion, all of which was distributed by the board of county commissioners.12 The legislature granted an extension of time for the payment of taxes in some of the counties, and, of course, Jackson was among the number. Times not improv- ing, the extension was of little benefit. People who had not money to buy food and clothing could not pay taxes.13

12The total amount of state funds distributed as a result of the 1874 appropriation was $15 .- 751.56. divided among the devastated counties as follows: Pinewood, $200; Martin, $1.363.87; Rock. $1,400; Cottonwood. $3,237.02; Watonwan, $1.808.83; Jackson, $2,817.82; Murray, $1.902.82; Nobles, $1,952.82; Brown. $300; Others, $768.38.

"The act was passed March 1, 1875, and pro- vided for the extension of time of payment of personal property taxes to November 1 in the

Lbs.

Sioux Valley

426

150

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

The question naturally arises: Why did seed a large part of the prepared land." the people of Jackson county stay in a The seed grain furnished by the state was a Godsend. Said the Jackson Republic on May 15. 18;5: "That the grasshopper plague for the last two years in this vicin- ity ha- sapped the life blood out of the hard working farmers of the county is ad- mitted. we think. on all hands; that a good portion of the people could not have remained to cultivate their farms without aid from abroad is also generally con- coded."

A severe blizzard visited Jackson county on March 15 and 16, 18;5, and added an- other victim to those who have perished by winter storms. The unfortunate man was Heinrich Tubbike. an insane man who lived in Heron Lake township. He had been pronounced insane by the pro- bate court, and his removal to the asylum had been delayed on account of the bliz- zard. Mr. Tubbike escaped from the mem- bers of his family of the 16th after a hard fight and wandered off on the prairie. He perished in the storm, and his body was found the next day about three miles from the house.

That there had been a marvelous in- crease in the population of Jackson county during the two or three years of the de- cade before the grasshoppers came is shown by the census returns of 18;5.

"The number of aeres sown to erop in Ist. according to the figures obtained by the various township assessors, was 21.410, divided among the townships as follows:

Belmont

1,69%

Christiania

1 :: 1

3.1}

Des Moines

Enterprise

Ewington

3×0

Heron Lake

1,170

Hunter

Kimball

INCrosse

1.52ª

Middletown

1.11%

Round Lake

Rost

403

Sioux Valley

1.366

West Heron Lako

-59

Wisconsin

75.8

Total

.21,710

country in which the grasshoppers wrought such damage? It i- doubtful if many would have remained could they have looked ahead and foreseen what they still had to go through. for this was not the end of the -courge by any means. But the majority did stay with their claims. and they weathered the storms of adver- sity. Hope was abundant that each year's visitation would he the last. The fertility of the soil had been demonstrated. and it was known that once the country was free from the pests. it would become one of the riche-t spots in the west. The settlers had invested all their accumulations of former years in improvements, and to desert the country meant that they must go as paupers. Many were literally too poor to pay transportation charges out of the country.

Notwithstanding the terrible experi- ences of the two preceding years. the farmers determined to put in a crop in 1815. The ground had been prepared. but the farmers were without serd grain and without the means to purchase it. The legislature came to their rescue with an appropriation of $:5,000, the act pro- viding- for the distribution of seed grain to that amount, with certain provisions for its repayment. A state board of com- missioners was appointed to conduct the distribution, and a local board was named in each of the stricken counties to assist in the work. The money market was tight, and the state was not able to procure the money to purchase more than $50,000 worth of grain. With the grain received from the state and that which was in the country, there was enough to

counties of Martin. Jackson. Nobles, Rock, Murray, Cottonwood. Watonwan, Renville. Lyon and parts of Blue Earth. Faribault and Brown. In order to secure the extension it was neces- sary for the residents to give proof that they were unable to pay their taxes bertuse of loss of erop in Ist frem grasshoppers or hall.

Minneola

Petersburg

605

659

151

HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

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An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota, Part 20

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970 Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Jackson, Minn. : Northern History Number of Pages: 720

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Jackson, Minn. : Northern History
Number of Pages: 720