USA > Minnesota > Jackson County > An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota > Part 45
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
the most disappointed men you ever saw showed up. Menzo Ashley was captain of the squad. "You blamed little fool," he said, "don't you know any better than to be galloping around the country these nights, when the robbers are expected every moment ?" His old shot gun was loaded to the muzzle with buckshot, and he declared he had a "bead" on me, though I never could figure it out, judg- ing from his position under the bridge. The crowd advised me to ford the river below the mill, but to be cautions, as an- other party guarded that point.
Jim Palmer. the veteran surveyor, who had fought Indians in the war of Inde- pendence, was in command. Al Strong, Bromaghim, Hunter, Chamberlin, Major Bailey and perhaps a dozen others, whose names I have forgotten, were members of this company. I gave them my name, and they allowed me to cross. I supposed I had passed all the guards and now breathed easier. When I reached the hill- top I chirped to "Billy," whose mettle I had often tested in moonlight horse races with Marshall Dunn and the Logue boys, and he was speeding along at a brisk canter at the crossroads on the Thomas farm, when a sharp "Halt ! Halt !" greet- ed my ears.
I stopped very suddenly. half frighten- ed out of my wits, believing I must have encountered the robbers. I was much re- lieved when the unmistakable voice of Au- ditor King demanded my name. When I recovered my breath I told them. Then you should have heard them laugh, as sev- eral tried to explain why they had re- treated to the corn field when they suspec- ted the approach of a lone bandit. I be- lieve King, Cowing, Ben Ashley and San- don were about the only ones to stand their ground and level their guns, await- ing the order of their commander to shoot.
Mose Strong was the captain of this
"brigade," and after finding that it was only a badly frightened farmer boy they had captured, he emerged from the depths of the corn field, remarking, "Well, boys, all I told you about helping Grant liek the rebels at Gettysburg, and of pulling the throttle of the first gun fired on Sump- ter was true, but when I heard this horse galloping down the road I made up my mind I owed a duty to my family and the creamery business, and that the saf- est place for me was in the middle of the corn field."
Mose delivered himself of this explana- tion in his characteristic humor, and any- one who has ever heard him make a speech can appreciate his style of delivery and imagine how he tickled the crowd. Tuttle had actually gone so far into the corn field, in his frantie efforts to conceal him- self, as to get lost. and it took him some time to get his bearings. It appears C. B. had amused the watchers all evening by relating stories of his hairbreadth es- capes and encounters in his four years of army service. When he found his way out of the corn field, the boys naturally guyed him about brave guerilla hunting exploits in Texas. He said : "Oh, you fellows may laugh, but if you had been through my experience with sharpshooters in Missouri you wouldn't want to rub up against Cole Younger, either." Well, it cost Tuttle the cigars to suppress the story. The sher- iff didn't find his way out of the tall corn until daylight.
However. I don't believe the bandits could ever have passed the guarded points alive, for the frontier Minnesotans were crack shots, and it only took the sniff of a little burned powder to nerve them to the greatest bravery, as was proven a few days later, when the most reckless desper- adoes ever known were captured in an open fight.
324
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
RAFTING THE DES MOINES.
Heavy rains in the spring of 1823 made the wagon roads of Jackson county almost impassable, and, as all goods had to be "freighted" into the village of Jackson, much annoyance and inconven- ience was caused. Alexander Fiddes and Major HI. S. Bailey had long been await- ing the arrival of lumber with which to erect their business houses, and they con- ceived the idea of rafting the lumber down the Des Moines river from the rail- road at Windom. The river had risen to a great height in May, and during that month the first cargo ever landed at Jack- son arrived. The contraet for bringing the lumber down was let to JJ. Dupuis and James Hubbs, who went to Windom, made their raft and loaded the lumber, and ar- rived with it in safety May 24.
Thereafter during that spring and summer rafting became popular, and many loads were brought down the river to Jackson.
SNOW BOATS.
The difficulties of travel on account of the deep snow during the never-to-be-for- gotten winter of 1880-81 led to the in- vention of a unique craft to sail the snow- covered prairies, known as snow boats. A boat of this kind was built with three koets, each about the size of a Norwegian snow shoe-seven feet long and six inches wide. The middle keel was fastened in front, but was not made fast behind, and so served as a rude rudder. The passen- gers sat on a platform attached to the other keels. A sail about eight fert square was made fast to a mast, and this com- pleted the details of the vessel.
Boats of this kind could attain a speed of eight or ten miles an hour under fa- vorable circumstances, one trip from Lake- field to Jackson having been made in one hour and ten minutes. As the steering
apparatus was primitive, the boats were driven along in about the direction the wind decreed ; the navigators could not "bout-ship" or bear up against the wind to any considerable extent. When they had a definite course laid out they often had to "land" and haul their vessel back to its proper course. Such craft sailed un- impeded over corn fields, fences, hay racks and occasionally over houses and stables, so deep was the snow. The pioneers some- times referred to their country as the "prairie ocean." and after it had been navigated by sailing vessels the name was quite appropriate.
As the railroads were blockaded nearly all winter and the train crews tied up at different out-of-the-way stations. the rail- road men took this means of conveyance to reach their homes. In some parts of southwestern Minnesota they were put in- to service to bring in provisions and fuel to the snow-bound communities.
IN GRASSHOPPER DAYS.
If one had the time and inclination to gather the data, a volume of this size could be filled from cover to cover with stories of the grasshopper days in Jackson coun- ty. The early seventies constituted a pa- thetic era in our county, the details of which will never be known to those who did not reside here during those perilous times. Some living outside the stricken area who were asked to aid those who were at the point of starvation pretended not to believe the stories of the sufferings of the people of the grasshopper belt ..
To enlighten himself as to the true conditions, Governor John S. Pillsbury. during the winter of 1876-22. personally and incognito visited many parts of south- western Minnesota, and as a result of his investigations, provisions, fuel and cloth- ing were shipped direct to many who otherwise would have suffered severety.
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
Of the governor's visit to Jackson county D. W. Edwards, then of Heron Lake, wrote as follows in January, 1877:
"Quite a large quantity of relief goods, mostly provisions, have been shipped to this station during the last week for par- ties near here who were in needy circum- stances. They were all from the gover- nor, who has been around among the peo- ple looking after the needy ones. The dis- tribution of this relief is conducted on a very different plan from that pursued in any previous year. There are no goods sent out promiscuously to be quarreled over or to encourage or assist any who are unworthy or can in any possible way help themselves. Our governor first goes over the ground himself and ascertains the true condition of those to whom this relief is sent. This week he got off the train here and went on one of his trips into the coun- try, where he is passing around among the sufferers as any traveler unknown to them, searching out in his quiet way those re- ported to be in the most destitute circum- stances, and where he finds such a family he books them for provisions enough to carry them through the winter. And all this is done in so quiet and unassuming a way that the recipient does not know whom to thank for his kind offices until he is gone.
"The poor farmer opens his door to the stranger and sets before him his scanty fare. He finds himself drawn out until he frankly tells this kind-hearted stranger his condition, and, with tears in his eyes, admits that he knows not from whence the next sack of flour is to come to keep starvation from his door, little dreaming that he is telling his sad tale to Governor Pillsbury. That poor widow, who one week ago with a sad heart broke sparingly, loaf by loaf, among her five hungry babes, looking ahead with a name- less fear as she prayed 'give us this day our
daily bread,' now has 'bread and to spare;' her prayer has been heard; that kind- hearted stranger knocked at her door -- and now, linked with her petition and thanksgiving, is a prayer for God's bles- sings npon him who sought out and fed the hungry. These kind deeds are simply the noble acts of a noble man who has the welfare of his fellowmen at heart. In all his intercourse with the people not one word is said to encourage the asking for assistance, not one word that might break down that independent, self-reliant spir- it which is the prop and stay of all fron- tiersmen and without which we would be little (if any) better than the lazy red man."
SWEARING OFF. (Jackson Republic, December 30, 1882.)
We append the following list of men, citizens of Jackson who are total abstain- ers from the "filthy weed." The list com- prises thirty-two persons, nearly all of whom at some time in their lives have been addicted to the habit, and who are a good example to those who "want to quit but can't."
T. J. Knox,
George R. Moore,
Andrew E. Olson,
Rev. George Merritt,
John K. Brown,
A. C. Whitman,
Rev. J. K. Alexander,
Major H. S. Bailey,
W. S. Kimball,
H. White,
J. A. Willson.
W. D. Smith,
B. W. Ashley,
George C. Hill,
F. W. Lindsley,
George W. Arentsen,
W. A. Pepper,
C. A. Campbell,
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
R. J. Henderson,
J. B. Babcock,
Levi Davis,
John Cowing. Sr., F. C. Abbott,
J. G. Day, Ole Anderson, J. Gould,
HI. H. Hughes. II. S. Schlott,
MI. L. Ashley,
F. L. Driggs, Nathaniel Frost,
O. A. Sathe.
(Jackson Republic, January 13, 1883.)
Our reporter has discovered a couple of backsliders among those it published as non-tobacco users. They abandoned the weed for about three weeks, but the visions of fragrant cigars and sweet quids were too much for human nature. It is no "fool" trick to quit tobacco-don't for- get it.
RACE FOR A FARM.
An amusing incident of pioneers days was an unseemly scramble for a fine quar- ter section of land in Wisconsin township, about two miles cast of Jackson, which occurred in November. 1820. At the time there were whole townships open to settle- ment in the western and northern parts of the county, but the people of the south- eastern portion would consider nothing so far from the center of population. The race for the farm in question was started from the report circulated in Jackson that the claim had been abandoned and conse- quently was open to preemption or home- stead entry.
The report flew like wildfire, and in no time there was a general stampede for the coveted property. A foot race. horse back race, buggy race and stage coach race was held, resulting in a large dim- inution of the population of Jackson.
Stakes were driven ; holes were dug; elaim shanties were put under way; wives and children were hurried off to take posses- sion : parties of a speculative turn of mind were there in the dead hours of the night, hoping to turn an honest penny; law- vers, merchants, mechanies, all were there, and for a time were full-fledged citizens of the enchanting town of Wisconsin.
But the dreams of real estate posses- sions were doomed to be brief. All of a sudden it was discovered that the better half of the former claimant still tarried in the humble cabin, in actual possession of the premises. Being of Irish extrac- tion and witty withal, the young deserted wife made considerable sport for the little throng of impromptu squatters. One of the prominent citizens of Jackson dis- covered a few bones partially buried. and fearing foul play, inquired how they hap- pened to be there.
"Och. sure." said she. "I brought two sets with me whin I came, thinking surely I might be afther nading them whin I got these worn ont."
The gentleman from Jackson had no further "bones to pick" after this reply. The holder of the claim appeared delight- ed to see the ladies who called to pre- empt, and of one she requested that she "be afther callin' again." There was less calling in the future, however, and the Irish lady continued in possession of the elaim.
THE WRONG DOSE. (By A. B. Allen.)3
Now we want to tell a story of Dr. Kel- lam. of Heron Lake. The doctor is jus- tice of the peace, and his income is about equally divided between physicist and mar- rying. So when he is sent for in a hurry, day or night. he grabs both valises, one loaded with medicines, the other with the
3Published in the Jackson Republic, Novem- ber 9, 189).
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
statutes of Minnesota and marriage certifi- species of big game. The last to disap- cates.
Last week about eight o'clock he receiv- ed a message from Brewster to come at onee, the location being given as four miles south from town. The doctor harnessed his flyers and lit ont, and when he arrived at the house it was nearly twelve o'clock. A young lady was sitting there, and, the doctor having a political canvass on hand, was in a mighty hurry, for he was billed to speak at Brownsburg the next night and wanted to rest. So, rushing up to the young lady, he felt her pulse. It was two hundred to the minute; her face was finshed and her eyes betrayed symptoms that were alarming. The genial doctor shook his head and said the case was ser- ious. Then he asked her to run ont her tongue. She thought it mighty strange but let a lot of it out.
"Black the whole length," said Kellam, "and it looks like cholera."
She had been eating grapes, but she supposed Dr. Kellam knew his business and kept quiet. The doctor put his head down to listen to her heart beat, but the beats came so fast he could not count them. Then came the sentence :
"Put mustard on your feet and take this powder every two hours."
Just then a big good-looking fellow came in and said :
"Now, hurry up, Doe, and marry us, for we want to catch the two-forty train to Sioux City."
Say, you could have knocked the doc- tor down with a straw. And the girl felt so relieved. She never had been married before and supposed the physical exami- nation was a preliminary to the ceremony ; but you don't fool Kellam again on fever.
GAME IN EARLY DAYS.
In the days before white men came, Jackson county was the home of several
pear were the deer, which remained in some number until twenty-five or thirty years ago. These were occasionally bag- ged by the early settlers and frequently seen. Concerning the deer in the county during the seventies and early eighties, I quote a few items from the files of the Jackson Republic :
Heron Lake Correspondent, June 24, 1876: Several wild deer have been seen near here recently. Knud Thompson saw three about a mile east of town the other evening. They ran down toward the lake and are probably lurking around among the tall rushes and timber belts along the lake.
D. W. Edwards, Heron Lake Correspondent, May 5, 1877: Martin Johnson, a small boy living on the east side of the lake, was out with his dog one evening last week after the cows when they came upon those deer that have been around that locality for some time. The dog (a small shepherd dog) flew at them and injured the hind legs of one so badly that the boy succeeded in tying its fore legs with his whip lash, thus securing his game until he could go for help to dispatch it.
Heron Lake Correspondent, September 13, 1879: The people of this community express their indignation regarding the practice of chasing the few deer seen in the vicinity, and many express their determination to shoot the first dog seen in pursuit of a deer.
February 5, 1SS1: Mr. T. E. Mather, of this place, while rusticating in the country about midway between Jackson and Spirit Lake, saw two of the finest deer ever seen in this section. Mr. Mather says they have been fre- quently seen near the same place and along the Des Moines timber. Here is a chance for some of our "crack shots" to display their skill.
February 19, 1881: Jackson county bids fair to become a hunters' paradise, in addi- tion to the many other paradisaical features she already boasts of. Big game in the shape of numerous herds of deer are frequently seen roaming over our prairies, and every year seems to increase their number. It has been supposed that these handsome animals wan- dered during the fall down into the Des Moines valley from the big woods in the northern part of the state, but there are good reasons for believing that they are "old residents of the county," and that this is their breeding place. It is said that they have their summer haunts in the vast arca of rushes and wild rice which surround Heron lake, in the north part of the county. and residents of that vi- einity inform us that they are occasionally scen thereabouts, although the habits of the animal are usually to seerete itself and re- main within its haunts during the summer or breeding season. During the winter they are
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
driven from the brakes about the lake by the drifting snow and are thus found wandering on the prairies. Nearly fifty have been killed about lleron lake this winter, and they were seen in large numbers after the October snow storm, which goes to prove the theory that their summer haunts are about Heron lake.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
Illustrative of the times, there are found in the files of the Jackson Repub- lie many interesting items. Under existing conditons the events recorded could not possibly have happened. In many respects the residents of Jackson county of thirty and forty years ago lived in a different world; any one of the little items quoted below was not considered extraordinary al The time, but they would be if published in the same paper today. "The world do move."
A Breech-Loading Gun (January 20, 1872)- We were recently shown a very fine double- barreled, breech-loading shot gun recently pur- chased in Chicago by Mr. H. Anderson, of this place. The gun is loaded with a cartridge, and dispenses with the ordinary percussion cap, being discharged by a sort of needle aet- ing upon a stationary cap in the cartridge. The gun ean be loaded and discharged in a very short space of time and will make sad havoc among the chickens next summer.
Caught a Beaver (October 10, 1874)-Last Saturday Mr. Cady and his partner found in one of their traps on the river above Skinner's mill a large beaver which would weigh about seventy pounds. These animals are getting scarce in these parts, though indications prove that they were once more numerous. The tail and foot of this beaver can be seen at 'Squire Mason's otfiee.
Tax-Paying Not the Fashion (January 16, 1875)-Treasurer Knudson and his deputy, Milton Mason, Esq., have been on their tramps to the different towns during the week, carry- ing around the tax duplicates and permitting people to see how much taxes are wanted. Of course no one is expected to pay any taxes when there isn't a cent of money in the county.
Geese Visit Hleron Lake (June 26, 1875, Her- on Lake Correspondent) -A flock of right young wild geese, about half grown. marched into town Monday morning in single file and in as fine order as a body of regulars on dress parade. They were probably attracted here by the rustic appearance of our sidewalks (they are enough to make a goose laugh).
Attacked by a Panther (May 27, 1876)- One day last week a lad about thirteen or fourteen years old, a brother of Gust Thomp- son, of this town, was riding through the tim- ber near Skinner's mill. A ferocious animal, supposed to be a panther, sprung from a tree lo the horse he was riding, evidently intend- ing lo make the lad his prey. He missed his aim, however, and the boy having a shot gun with him, shot the animal in the mouth. This cheeked him for a time and the boy made his eseape. It then attacked a colt belonging to Mr. Thompson, injuring it seriously, but not killing it. Tuesday night it made a raid on Menzo Ashley's setting turkey and destroyed it. The next day it (or what was supposed to be it) was seen by Mr. Holmes and others a few miles this side of Windom. We under- stand that a party are hunting the creature, and it is hoped they will speedily capture it. How it found its way into these parts is a query.
IJay Twister (September 30, 1876, D. W. Ed- wards, of Heron Lake, correspondent )-Mr. Albert D. Foster, of Yankton, D. T., was in town Tuesday with a sample machine for twisting hay and straw into compact rolls for fuel. The machine is a perfect sueeess and is just what any farmer needs who finds it nec- essary to burn hay, as it makes the rolls in any length required and does it up neat and compaet, making hay fuel as clean, as far as litter is concerned, as wood. The machine is durable and simple in its construction. Chil- dren can prepare the fuel as well as anyone, and it retails at the moderate price of $10. We are prepared to take orders for them and will give time for one- half if desired.
Wolves in Enterprise (December 8, 1877)- Out in the town of Enterprise prairie wolves are getting to be a source of annoyance. They have killed turkeys for Thomas Clipperton and sheep for Darwin Lester. One attacked Mir. Lester's boy recently and tore his eloth. ing, but otherwise no serious damage was done. We notice wolf hunts are quite com- mon in some localities, and if their incursions this way are becoming common it will be well to inaugurate the sport here.
Railway Reduces Fare (advertisement Jan- wary 5, 1878)-Another Reduction in Fare! The St. Paul & Sioux City and the Sioux City & St. Paul railroads will celebrate the coming of the new year by a general reduction of local ticket fares from FIVE CENTS to FOUR CENTS per mile on all divisions of their roads, to take effect January 1, ISTS.
First Telegram to Jackson (December 21. 1878)-The lightning machine is here, too, and in working order. The following was the first telegram to come over the wires:
"Fairmont. Minn .. December 19, 1878-To George C. Chamberiin, Jackson. Give us a good square electrie shake .- Frank Day."
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
A "Live" Wolf (Mareli 20, 1879)-A live wolf followed Jareb Palmer and C. H. Greer a good portion of the way to their homes in Sioux Valley the other day. He trotted along by their wagon, under the wagon and beside the wagon, ate erackers and was apparently happy, and all beeause they didn't happen to have a gun along.
Don't Spit on the Floor (May 24, 1879)- Good for the ladies who have scrubbed and eleaned and rendered the inside of the church more attractive and healthful. Woe be to the vandal who now squirts tobacco juice on the elean floor.
Rumors of the Telephone (December 13, 1879)-Why doesn't some telephone company come out along the line and supply towns those convenient little maelines? They would
readily find a market in Jackson for one or two.
Fight With a Wolf (January 3, 1880, Heron Lake correspondent)-Mr. Svennes, while walking to town one night last week, had his attention attracted by a sudden jerk at his clothing, and, turning quickly around, found himself confronted by a large timber wolf. Mr. Svennes, who was totally unarmed, at- tempted to frighten the brute off by striking at him with his scarf, but the wolf seized the scarf and tore it from his hand. Next he brought one of his No. twelves to bear with sneh force that the wolf beeame discouraged and gave up the attack. Our hero then baek- ed into town and concluded to buy a double- barreled shot gun, a revolver and two dozen steel traps before going home.
20
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TIDEN FOUNDA TIME
CAPTAIN JARER PALMER
Oldest Settler of Jackson County and a Survivor of the Springfield Massacre.
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
CAPTAIN JAREB PALMER, (1856).1 To Captain Jareb Palmer, of Lakefield, belongs the honor of being the oldest settler of Jack- son county now living in the county. It was only a few months after the first white man established a home here fifty-three years ago that Jareb Palmer came and took part in the stirring events that marked the efforts of a little band of pioneers to establish a settle- ment along the Des Moines river near the spot where the village of Jackson now stands. In the annals of frontier settlement and Indian warfare there are few instances of intense suffering and thrilling events as characterized the attempts of the little band of men, wom- en and children to obtain a foothold in the Indian country along the upper Des Moines river, and Jareb Pahner was one of the prin- cipal actors in these events. When the In- dians swooped down on the settlement in the early spring of 1857 and enacted the terrible butchery of the Springfield massaere-Minne- sota's first Indian massacre-it was Jareb l'al- mer who rallied the terror stricken settlers and directed the fighting that prevented the total annihilation of the settlement as was the case at Spirit Lake-and it was Jareb Palmer who led the refugees to safety after the massacre.
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