An illustrated history of Lyon County, Minnesota, Part 34

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Marshall, Minn. : Northern History Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 726

USA > Minnesota > Lyon County > An illustrated history of Lyon County, Minnesota > Part 34

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20Others who taught the Garvin school sinee 1897 have been- N. S. Peterson, Arthur O. Dillon, Glenola Collins, Elizabeth Carlysle, Hannah Johnson, Etta A. Lueas, Myrtle Ladd, S. S. Swanson, H. R. Painter, Mrs. H. R. Painter, Rose Osborn, Ida Amundson, Clara Welty, C. II. Webb, Edith M. Engstrom, Leona Blanchard and Della Cook.

21The pastors who have occupied the pulpit of the Congregational church have been as follows: Edward Thomas, 1891-95; John L. Martin, 1895-96; R. P. Upton, 1896-98; A. E. Wood, 1898-00; C. A. Ruddock, 1900-02; W. A. Taylor, 1902; supplied during 1902-03; George Battey, 1903-04; F. Wright, 1905-06; D. R. C. Jenkins, 1907-09; Robert E. Roberts, 1909-11 : William P .. McClane, 1911-12.

22In the same charge with the Garvin church is Bethel Congregational Church of Custer township. It was organized January 20, 1875, through the efforts

$4000. The membership is seventy- eight, comprising twenty families. 1 Sunday School with seventy-five mem- bers is maintained in connection. 22

Garvin Camp No. 3599, Modern Wood- men of America, was organized April 5, 1898.23 The lodge has had an active life and now has sixty-two members. The principal officers are A. A. Persons, E. M. Jones, E. M. Strunk, C. R. Ilolden and John Holden, Jr.

The Woodmen auxiliary, Charity Lodge No. 2048, Royal Neighbors of America, was organized March 20,1900.24 There are now forty-three members in good standing.

The banking history of Garvin dates back to May 27, 1905, when the Lyon County Bank, private, was established by G. A. Tate, J. H. Rice and N. H. Olson. Mr. Tate was president and F. D. Pinckney cashier. In April, 1907, the farmers of the vicinity purchased the stock and organized the Farmers State Bank, with a capital stock of $10,000. The new officers were N. S. Peterson, president; T. P. Lien, vice president; and F. D. Pinckney, cashier.

The Farmers State Bank absorbed of Rev. E. II. Alden. The first members of the church were Richard Hughes, Ann Hughes, Thomas Harris, Hannah Harris, Mary Williams, Katherine Thomas, Mary Jane Griffith, Edward Glynn, Ann Glynn, Marguerite Hughes and Ruth Price. Thomas Harris and Richard Hughes were the first deacons and Edward Glynn, James Morgan and William H. Hughes the first trustees.

The church building on the southwest quarter of section 12 was built in 1876 and until 1895 the charge was an independent one. The pastors during those years were Revs. Philip Pergrine, Francis, Wrigley, James Davis, Edward Thomas, John K. Martin and Rufus P. Upton. Since 1895 the pastors of the Garvin and Bethel churches have been the same. Bethel church has forty-one members at the present time.

23The charter members of Garvin Camp were A. J. Anderson, C. S. Anderson, A. G. Bumford, B. O. Dalthorp, Edward P. Evans, H. L. Green, Reuben L. Harris, Carl R. Holden, R. T. Hughes, Evan M. Jones, John P. Jones, Thomas T. Jones, William W. Jones, George E. Lindsley, John S. Owens, Owen R. Owens, H. L. Shand, James A. W. Shand. A. J. Swenson, Clinton Willford and C. M. Willford.

24Charter members of Charity Lodge were Maggie J. Jones, Anna Coyle, Mary A. Jones, Margaret Hughes, Hannah A. Hughes, Olive A. Thomas, Louisa Carlburn, Nellie Caruren, Annie P. Jones, Annie D. Jones, Mary A. Weed, Annie Shand, Sarah Harris, Sephorah Owens, Mary Underwood, Anna E. Owens, Alice Hughes, Mary J. Hughes, Eleanor Jones, Mary F. Jones, Alice Jones, Edith Owens and Lena Anderson.

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HISTORY OF LYON COUNTY.

the Garvin State Bank on July 3, 1909. The latter was organized in 1907 with the following officers: J. R. Fitch, president; C. S. Orwoll, vice president ; and H. L. Shand, cashier. The present officers of the Farmers State Bank are N. S. Peterson, president ; G. Peterson, vice president; and F. D. Pinckney, cashier. Under the management of Mr. Pinckney the bank has had a prosperous life.

One of the institutions of Garvin is the creamery, which was built by the farmers of the vicinity and put in operation in June, 1899. The Garvin Creamery Company manufactures 200,- 000 pounds of butter per year and dis- tributes about $60,000 per year among the farmers of the vicinity. P. O. Anderson is the buttermaker and has had charge of the creamery for the past eight years. The officers of the com- pany are as follows: Thomas D. Phil- lips, president; W. W. Jones, secretary; E. M. Jones, treasurer; Ellsworth Evans, J. J. Thomas, E. J. Davis and D. D. Jones, directors.

AMIRET.

A compact. neat appearing little village is Amiret, twelve miles south- east of Marshall on the Northwestern railroad. It is on the northeast quarter of section 19. Amiret township. Here are grouped a number of stores, shops and elevators, enterprises that go to make up a trading point for the con- venience of the surrounding farming population.

Amiret has borne different names at

25The Coburg postoffice was discontinued late in 1875, Mr. Coburn having served until that time. It was re-established in the spring of 1878 with James Mitchell, Jr., as postmaster, but the office during his administration was in charge of David Bell. Soon after its re-establishment the name was changed to Amiret. Mr. Bell later received the appointment. He was succeeded in July, 1879, by C, A. Wheeloek, who served until October, ISSO. D. S. Hart, the depot agent, kept the office a month or two and late in

different periods of its history and it is one of the oldest villages of Lyon county. Nearby the first townsite in the county was laid out in 1857 and named Saratoga, and later when the railroad was built and a station was es- tablished in the vicinity it also was named Saratoga-the first name borne by Amiret.

The plans of the railroad company regarding the location of a station in the vicinity of the future village of Amiret were rather indefinite. A side- track for the unloading of supplies was laid in 1872, when the railroad was being constructed, on the S. S. Truax farm. the northwest quarter of section 32, about a mile and a half from the present village. There seems to have been the promise that a station would be located farther north, for in the late summer of 1872 William Coburn erected a store building there and engaged in business. Within a very short time he moved the building to Saratoga Station (section 32). In July. 1872, a postoffice, named Coburg in honor of the pioneer store- keeper, was established with Mr. Coburn as postmaster. 25

The present and final location of Saratoga Station was selected in the fall of 1874. The townsite, also named Saratoga and situated on the northeast quarter of section 19, was surveyed for the railroad company on October 7, 1874, by John B. Berry, and the certifi- cate of dedication was made April 26, 1875. Eight blocks were laid out, divided by Front, Church, Main, Second and First Streets. 26 .

J. H. Williams established the second

November, 1880, the office was put in charge of Frank Watson. J. W. Kelley was the next postmaster and held the office until July, ISS5. T. H. Webb was postmaster from 1887 to April, 1897, and F. W. Webb from that time until 1911. David Morgan is the present postmaster.

26Outlots 1, 2 and 3 were platted by the railroad company September 1, 1911.

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HISTORY OF LYON COUNTY.

store, his residence answering the pur- pose of a business house, and competed with the pioneer business man. Mr. Coburn conducted the store and post- office at the old station on section 32 until June, 1875; then the neighbors assisted in moving the store building to the Saratoga townsite, where it remained until destroyed by fire in December, 1907.27 A depot was erected and Sara- toga, or Coburg, as the place was more commonly called, began to take on the appearance of a village.

The grasshopper plague brought a stop to advancement; in fact, was re- sponsible for the depopulation of Coburg. Mr. Coburn closed his store and moved away, the postoffice was discontinued, and a few empty buildings only marked the site. Coburg was without inhabi- tants at the beginning of the year 1876.28

With the departure of the grasshop- pers the deserted village once more became the scene of activities. In the spring of 1878 the Coburg postoffice was re-established and David Bell, who at the same time opened a general store in the Coburn building, had charge of the office. During the summer of the same year Van Dusen & Company erected an elevator and a dwelling house. The residence was occupied by L. N. Lawshe, who had charge of the grain business.

A shoe shop was established, a Congre- gational church and Sunday School were organized, and a school was conducted by L. F. Robinson.

Prior to February, 1879, the post- office bore the name Coburg and the station Saratoga. Confusion in the mail service resulted because of the dual appellation and the name of the post- office was at that time changed to Amiret, and soon after the railroad company changed the name of the sta- tion to correspond. Amiret was named in honor of the wife of M. L. Sykes, at that time vice president of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company.29

Several improvements were made in AAmiret in 1879. David Bell sold his store in May to H. D. Kelly, who con- ducted the business only a short time. C. A. Wheelock became depot agent and opened a second general store in July, which he conducted until October, 1880. William Blair and E. Warn each estab- lished hotels, G. L. Lowe opened a blacksmith shop, a school house was erected, and L. N. Lawshe continued to buy grain.

In 1880 C. T. Trow engaged in the lumber business, a Mr. Smith for a few months operated a general store, D. S. Hart became station agent and sold a few goods as a side line, and in the fall A. C. Chittenden, of Marshall, opened a

27The Prairie Schooner of July 2, 1875, said: "The town of Coburg has been changed to a point a mile this side of the old station. Coburn Brothers and others have moved up there and a town has been laid out with good prospeets of future growth."

It is said that this old building of Mr. Coburn was the first frame building, excepting the engineers' building at Marshall, erected on the line of the road west from Sleepy Eye. It was used for store purposes respectively by William Coburn, David Bell, H. D. Kelly, D. Y. Davis, A. C. Chittenden, J. W. Kelley, John Currie, Thomas Webb, Purvis & Griffith and Mr. Hamilton. While the last named was the owner it was destroyed by fire.

28"Coburg is twelve miles east of Marshall. It has a depot, no business, but lots of good land."-Marshall News, January 1, 1876.

29The history of the naming of Amiret was given as follows in the Marshall News-Messenger of August 9, 1907, the information having been secured in an interview with James Mitchell:

". . . In the dilemma of the handful of citizens,

young Jim Mitchell came to the front and insisted that the place should have a new name that should include both the station and the postoffice. He came to Marshall and laid his troubles before Gene Wilcox, who was then station agent and supposed to stand in with the railroad magnates. Gene asked for twenty- four hours' delay and meanwhile worked the wires between Marshall and railroad headquarters at Winona, eulogizing the beauties and prospects of Amiret and descanting on the renown that would befall the for- tunate individual who should name the embryo municipality.

"After due discussion among the magnates, it was determined that one M. L, Sykes, a vice president of the Chicago & Northwestern road, and also holding a similar office in the Winona & St. Peter branch, should have the honor, which was fitting, as he had already bought a farm near the station to be named. With true gallantry the railroad man thought of his wife, whose name was Amiretta, and through Wilcox at first hand, and Mitchell at second hand, the village was christened Amiret, a name which it has sine? held."

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IIISTORY OF LYON COUNTY.

branch general store, which was placed in charge of Frank Watson. That store was operated for several years.

The progress of Amiret was not rapid. for we find that in the spring of 1882 there were in the village only one store. an elevator. lumber yard, hotel and boarding house. During the next few years there were more backward steps. A. C. Chittenden withdrew from the field and a store was established by J. W. Kelley, who in the spring of 1885 was reported to be the only inhabitant of Amiret. 3º And in July he moved to Balaton and left the village without an inhabitant.

There was a revival in the spring of 1886. Webb Brothers opened a general store, two other stores were established, and a blacksmith shop was again op- erated in the village. Never again was Amiret to be called a "one man town." In 1892 the business interests consisted of two stores, two grain warehouses, two machinery dealers, a lumber yard and a blacksmith and wagon shop.

Slow growth has followed and Amiret now consists of a number of prosperous business houses, housed in substantial buildings. Twice have fires brought losses to the village. In December, 1907, the old Coburn store building was destroyed. On November 3, 1908, the store of Webb & Peterson was burned, bringing a loss of many thousands of dollars. The Tracy Fire Department was called and saved the village from destruction.

The Amiret State Bank was estab-

30"The executive, judiciary, clerk, postmaster and all is centered in one man, J. W. Kelley. That man runs the village of Amiret entirely and absolutely. Whether he would run the village were there anything of the village besides his store is a question upon which the writer interviewed no one. There is no one to interview besides Mr. Kelley and he couldn't say, for should another man move in he might except to Mr. Kelley's administration and establish a con- spiraey. Mr. Kelley knows this and rather than be confronted by any such possibility he throws out no inducements to people to come there, in the way of flaming posters, circulars and Dakota falsehoods."- Marshall News-Messenger, March 27, 1885.

lished with a capital stock of $10,000 on October 1, 1910, by a number of business men and farmers of Amiret and vicinity and is housed in a building erected for the purpose. The officers and directors are as follows: President, Lester J. Fitch; vice president, R. A. Mitchell; cashier, F. T. Shaeffer; Solomon Greeley and C. S. Rowell.

GREEN VALLEY.

Five miles northeast of Marshall, on the line of the Great Northern railroad and on the northeast quarter of section 10, Fairview township, is the little village of Green Valley. There is one general store, an implement warehouse, lumber yard, three elevators, black- smith shop, a church and school.

Green Valley came into existence when the Willmar & Sioux Falls railroad was built in 18SS. The site and name of the station were announced in May of that year, although it was known the fall before that a station would be located in the vicinity.31 The track was laid to the site on Saturday, August 18, 18SS, and the sidetrack was laid the next day and a platform built. The Northwestern Elevator Company erected an elevator at the same time, which was the first building on the site.

There were no other improvements in Green Valley during the year of its founding. In February, 1889, the post- office was established and conducted at the home of G. M. Robinson, who lived nearby. Mr. Robinson served as post- master until February, 1890.32 Not 31. . . The next station coming toward Marshall is somewhat in doubt, but will probably be near G. M. Robinson's, in Fairview, or in the southwest corner of Vallers, making it from five to six miles from Marshall and Cottonwood lake. Of course, it will not be a prominent station, but important as a shipping point and will have a first-class elevator."-Marshall News- Messenger, November 11, 1887.

32Others who have been postmasters of Green Valley have been E. P. Duffy, Isaac Clendenning, H. W. Throop, O. S. Walters, Elijah Loomis, J. B. Truax, John Sharratt, John S. Gee and P. F. Ziesmer. Mr. Sharratt is the present postmaster, having served on his last term since October 12, 1905.

AMIRET SCENES

Street Scene

METROUST GLUNCH

لله

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IHISTORY OF LYON COUNTY.

until the summer and fall of 1889 were C. W. Christensen, manager Inter-State pany and Walter Parks Elevator Com- pany. there any additions to the village. In elevator; Northwestern Elevator Com- August Spurgeon Odell located there and took the management of the eleva- tor, boarding at the home of G. M. Robinson. Before the middle of No- vember he had purchased 21,000 bushels of wheat. The same fall the railroad station was opened, in charge of Frank Angier, but was closed the first of the following year. A little box-car struc- ture was hauled to the site and answered the purposes of a depot.

E. P. Duffy erected a building in the fall of 1889 and in January, 1890, opened the village's first mercantile establish- ment. About the same time H. W. Throop moved a dwelling house to the village from Vallers township. The Inter-State Grain Company put up a warehouse in August, 1890, and Charles Ahlbeck became the grain buyer for the firm. The same season a blacksmith shop was established by Jay B. Truax. In 1892 Spurgeon Odell erected a dwelling house.

The growth of Green Valley has not been great. Among the enterprises es- tablished after the start had been made were a store by J. S. Gee, who also put up a residence; an implement business by Gee & Ziesmer in 1899, lumber yard by the H. W. Ross company, and a blacksmith shop by Mr. Frazier.

Those engaged in business at Green Valley at the present time are as follows: John Sharratt. general store and post- office; L. E. Boudreau, machinery and vehicles; W. H. Lane, manager of the H. W. Ross lumber yard; L. A. Knapp, blacksmith: M. J. Barrett, station agent ;

33 Among the first members of the church were Mrs. D. P. Andrews, H. N. Robinson, Mrs. W. C. Robinson, Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Throop, Mr. and Mrs. John Sharratt, Mr. and Mrs. John S. Gee, Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Ziesmer, Mrs. Thomas Lindsay, Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Grant and W. A. Forbes.

34The charter members of Green Valley C'amp were F. H. Deland, Fred Gee, Ernest Ziesmer, Burt Gec, W. A. Grant, James F. Knox, F. E. Markell, George

A Presbyterian church is maintained in Green Valley, although it has never had a resident pastor and has only a few members. It was organized in 1898 through the efforts of John S. Leas, Sunday School organizer, of Cotton- wood.33 A church home was built the same year and was dedicated January 23, 1899, by Rev. R. N. Adams, of Minneapolis. The cost of the church was $1600 and it was dedicated with an indebtedness of only $82.

Green Valley Camp No. 4981, Modern Woodmen of America, was organized September 1, 1897.34 The lodge is still active and has fifty-eight members at the present time.

DUDLEY.

Dudley is a townsite and elevator site on the branch of the Northwestern railroad built in 1901. It is on the northwest quarter of section 17, Clifton township, and is the youngest of all Lyon county sites.

When the roadbed was being graded in the summer of 1901 it was rumored that one of the stations would be in Clifton township, 35 and in November the railroad authorities announced that such a station would be established and that its name would be Dudley. A townsite of four blocks was surveyed by F. R. Cline and platted December 20, 1901, by the Western Town Lot Com- pany, of which M. Hughitt was presi- J. Reichert, H. M. Reichert, Joseph A. Reichert, H. N. Robinson, John Sharratt, William Sharratt, H. C. Stankey and H. W. Throop.

35"It is possible that there will be no station in Lyon county. If another station or a siding is put in between Westline and Marshall, it will doubt- less be on section 17 or IS, Clifton."-Marshall News- Messenger, August 16, 1901.

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HISTORY OF LYON COUNTY.

dent. The lots in the several plats along the new line of road were sold at public auction by the town lot company in April, 1902. A few were sold at Dudley at an average price of $100.

Train service on the new road was established August 13. 1902, and two grain firms erected elevators to handle the season's crop. In the spring of 1903 the voters of Clifton township decided to build a town hall at the station and it was announced that the Hayes-Lucas Lumber Company would put in a lumber yard. Mrs. J. W. Castle conducted a store there three years. A village did not materialize at Dudley. The railroad station was closed March 3, 1904, and the grain business is the only one conducted there. A postoffice was maintained for a time.

BURCHARD.

Burchard is a grain buying point and siding on the Dakota Central division of the Chicago & Northwestern railroad, not far from the crossing of the Great Northern railroad. It is on the south- west quarter of section 11. Shelburne township, and is about six miles west from Balaton.

Soon after the railroad was con- structed in 1879 an elevator was built and the place became known as Red- wood Station. Excepting the elevator. there was no improvement at the station for several years. A townsite of two blocks was platted by the railroad com- pany September 15, 1885, and soon thereafter came the beginning of a little village at Redwood Station.

During the winter of 1885-86 a hotel building was erected and opened by William Shafer and a general store was

36William Shafer later became postmaster, and later still M. S. Fawcett. Owen M. Owens was also post- master for a time. The office was discontinued in 1911.

established by P. C. McCann. A peti- tion for a postoffice was circulated early in 1886, and after the department had rejected the names Redwood and Shel- burne, it was established in April with the name Burchard. It was named in honor of H. M. Burchard. the railroad land agent of Marshall, and P. C. McCann was the postmaster. 36 The station was named Shelburne in April, 1886, but was later changed to Burchard to correspond with the postoffice. M. S. Fawcett in 1891 took charge of the Burchard hotel and conducted it for some time. A dwelling was put up by R. A. Bigham, who took charge of the elevator, and in 1SS9 a school house was located on the town plat. There was little call for a village at Burchard and now the only business conducted is the buying and shipping of grain during the fall seasons.

HECKMAN.

Heckman is a siding on the North- western railroad at Lake Marshall, five miles southeast of Marshall. An eleva- tor of the Western Elevator Company is conducted by J. F. Brantner and a postoffice is in charge of Mrs. Brantner.

So early as 1876 the site was selected for a future station, 37 but no improve- ments marked the site until twelve years later. In June, 18SS, a sidetrack was laid and the place appeared on the rail- road folders as Heckman. At the same time a warehouse was erected, which was managed by W. F. Bryant. Grain was purchased and coal sold at the warehouse. J. F. Brantner became agent of the grain company in 1901 and the Heckman postoffice was established the same year.

37"A stake has been stuck at Lake Marshall by the railroad magnates for a station some time in the future."-Marshall News, May 12, 1876.

231

HISTORY OF LYON COUNTY.

CAMDEN.

Camden, on the Redwood river a short distance above Lynd, was once a place of considerable importance in Lyon county, having a large gristmill and several business enterprises; now several families reside in the valley that was formerly Camden, but for many years there have been no business es- tablishments.

In 1868 James Cummins and Jacob Rouse built a sawmill at the site of Camden, which they operated a few years. In the fall of 1874 George Smith, . W. T. Ellis and Jacob Rouse, under the firm name of Smith, Ellis & Rouse, con- verted the sawmill into a gristmill. platted the Camden townsite, secured the establishment of a postoffice in December, 38 and were responsible for the founding of a flourishing little vil- lage. I can best give the early history of Camden by quoting from the Prairie Schooner of December 24, 1874. which said:

The outside world has just begun to hear mention of the town of Camden in Lyon county. It will probably hear more of it before the next transit of Venus. It is located on the Redwood river, two and one-half miles above Lynd, on land owned by Smith, Ellis & Rouse. It is snugly tucked away between two ranges of hills which afford a safe retreat from the winds of winter and furnish beautiful and refreshing scenery during the other portions of the year.

About eight acres have been platted, upon which have been built quite a number of houses, all with one exception since last August. Smith & Ellis have a store building, 20x40 feet with 20-foot posts. The lower part has a large and select stock of goods, sold by Smith & Ellis, and the upper story is occupied as a hotel kept by W. T. Ellis and family. W. M. Van Buren is employed by Mr. Ellis to make boots and shoes to order, and he is said to be an excellent workman. Ellis has built about 150 feet of stable for the accommodation of teams. A frame school house, 24x36 feet, is nearly com- pleted and will be furnished with patent seats. School will be taught this winter by C. L. Van Fleet. On the east side of the river John Keyes has a blacksmith shop. In addition to these buildings and the gristmill are three residences of Keyes, Rouse, Tupper and Van Fleet. Other

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An illustrated history of Lyon County, Minnesota, Part 34

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970 Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Marshall, Minn. : Northern History Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 726

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Marshall, Minn. : Northern History Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 726