An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota, Part 12

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Worthington, Minn. : Northern History
Number of Pages: 738

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The people who composed the colony wore principally German and Irish Catholies from Minnesota. Wisconsin, Michigan and other central states. Be- fore the close of September several of the colonists arrived and contracted for land. and by October 5 Father Knauf had issued permits for the purchase of 1.780 acres of land. Before the year was over this had been largely increased. The Worthington Advance of Oct. 4. said : "The influx of people into this section of country reminds us of the first year of our settlement here. The hotels are full nearly every night." Only a few of these arrivals located per- manently that winter. They came, se- cured their permits. and then returned to their former homes to make prepara- tions for moving on in the early spring. To the Adrian colony. to northwestern Nobles county. to eastern Nobles coun- tv. to the Sioux Falls country. to all parts of Minnesota, the settlers flocked in the spring of 1878. It was be- lieved that the grasshopper days were

"The two last named had not then been named or organized.

630:50

100

HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

past. and once more the new country was the goal for thousands of immi- grants. They came by railroad and in the primitive prairie schooner. During one day in April 32 heavily loaded cov- cred wagons reached Worthington. The new settlers thus arriving had their families with them, and were ready to commence operations on their farms. Of the rush to the once more promised land Mr. T. MeCleary in March wrote to the Mankato Review :

I came to Luverne on Friday, March 1. All the way from Mankato the ears were crowded with people bound for the west. Many of them were young men seeking land at Worthington. The hotel was full, four of us sleeping in one room. The great ery seems to be for land, land. and the crowds are pushing to Sioux Falls and vicinity. One cannot have much idea of the magnitude of this prairie country without a trip over it. What a population it can support, and how it invites the starving multitude that hang about the cities. to come and make themselves independent.

The grasshopper days were not yet over. Late in the season they appeared in small numbers and did some little damage in parts of the county, but the destruction they wrought was as noth- ing compared with that of the early days. A partial erop failure also re- sulted from natural causes, and after harvest. times were not so prosperons as they had promised io be in the spring.

One more township was organized that voar. In the fall a majority of the legal voters of that township which later became Willmont signed a petition asking for organization and suggesting a name for the same. The name sug- rested was not satisfactory to some of the settlers. and a petition of remon- strance, signed by 18 voters, was pre- sented. asking that the county commis- sioners do not name the town as sug-

#1For the naming of the village of Wilmont and the change in the spelling of the original

rested, but that they select the name. One faction wanted the township named Willumet, the other Lamont. When the commissioners, on November 22. pro- vided for the organization. they named the township Willmont.17 a combina- tion of parts of the names suggested by the two factions. The first town meet- ing was held at the residence of Wil- liam Moody Dec. 12, 1878.

Two new railroads touched Nobles county in 1829, both passing through the extreme northeastern corner. One of these was the Southern Minnesota (now the Milwaukee). the proposed exten- sion of which caused so much stir in 1826. The line of the road was defi- nitely located in the spring, and con- tracts for its construction were imme- diately let. The Sioux City & St. Paul road again resented the proposed en- croachment on what it considered its own territory. To head off the Southern Minnesota that road hurridly made a survey for a branch line from Heron Lake to Pipestone, paralleling the sur- ver of the other road.

Then began a lively race in construc- tion. Side by side the construction crews of the two roads worked. At times violence was narrowly averted ho- tween the workmen. so bitter had he- come the strife between the two com- panies. It was admitted that it was a out-throat policy to continue the work of building the parallel roads. but neither would give in. Late in May a conference was held at St. Paul between representatives of the Milwaukee and Sioux City & St. Paul interests. when an attempt was made to come to an un- derstanding and to reconcile differences. The conference served only to make matters worse, and the work of con- word see chapter 19.

101

HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

struction on both roads was rushed to ure was defeated that year largely be- completion.

Not only did they run their roads side by side; they laid out their towns almost within a stone's throw of each other. Two of these were in Nobles county, about a mile apart, Airlie (Kin- brae) was laid out on the Southern Minnesota; Warren (Dundee) was built on the Pipestone branch of the Sioux City & St. Paul.

The grasshoppers reappeared in the summer of 1879 and ate their last No- bles county grain. They were not pres- ent in great numbers, but they re- mained several weeks. A few farmers lost whole fields. but the destruction was not general. The only crop damaged to any considerable extent was wheat. and the hoppers were generous enough to divide that with the farmers. About the middle of July they departed, never to appear again. The great grasshopper scourge was a thing of the past.

The townships of Afton (Bloom) and Leota were organized in the spring of this last grasshopper year, both com- ing into existence at the same time.

An abortive attempt had been made to organize township 104-41 (Bloom) during the summer of 1878. The meas-

l"""l'o the Honorable County Commissioners of Nobles County:

"We, the undersigned, do offer a remon- strance against the action of a certain meet - ing held at the residence of Peter Bloom, on the southwest quarter of section 22 in this town, on the 31st day of May, said meet- ing being called for the purpose of naming said town and signing petition to your hon- orable body for permission to organize.

"Charge 1st. That there were no notices posted in the town giving due notice of the meeting.

"Charge 2nd. That deceptive language was used at said meeting to induce certain per- sons to sign petition who had already signed one.

"And as there is the town of Center in Murray county we are opposed to the name of North Center as a name for the town.

"[Signed] G. Larchinger, Daniel Larchin- ger, Thos. J. Lynch, William Sanger. Paul

cause of the inability of the settlers to agree upon a name. From the spring of 1818 until the township was organ- ized the following year, petitions and re- monstrances were poured in upon the county commissioners, urging the selec- tion of one name or protesting against the bestowal of some other. A meeting was held at the residence of Peter Bloom, May 31, 1818, when a peti- tion was drawn up and signed, asking the county commissioners to grant town- ship government and name it North Cen- ter. This at once brought forth a pro- test from those residents who were not in favor of the name, and on June 3 they presented a remonstrance to the county board.15 The commissioners, evidently concluding that they would wait until harmony should be restored, took no ac- tions on the petitions.

The contest for the choosing of the name resulted in the formation of two factions, one favorable to the name North Center, the other to Hamberg. Early in the year 1819 the "Hamber- gers" became active and circulated a petition. This was followed on Jan- uary 30 by a remonstrance from the "North Centers.""" The opposition came to the front with another petition March

Sanger, Jacob Sanger, Ernest Sanger, Stephen Naylor, Lemuel Eby, Aaron Eby."'

I""To the Honorable Board of Commissioners of the County of Nobles and State of Min- nesota:

"We, the undersigned, citizens of the town- ship 104, range 41, in the county and state above named, would respectfully remonstrate with your honorable body to a certain peti- tion that is said to be presented to you, re- questing that you name the said town Ham- berg, and for the purpose of convincing you of the wishes of the people, we. a majority of the actual residents of said township, do respectfully pray that you will name said township North Center.

^Dated January 30, 1879.

"Signed: Geo. B. Fellows, Guy C. Fellows, S. C. Chrestenson, Charles Chrestenson, Levi II. Baxter, Byron Gage, V. Krier, John Krier, Sr., Nicholas Bertrand, John Krier, Jr., J. O. Bathen, Thomas Murrey, Peter Krier."

102

HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

15, demanding the selection of Hamberg .. Three days later a compromise was reached, aff joming in a peution asking that the township be named Alton. Ins was signed by Geo. B. Cale, Geo. B. Felfows, Peter Krier, John Arier, Sr., Valentine Arier, S. C. Christenson, Jonn Krier, Casper Bloom, John Bloom l'eter Bloom, Lemuel Eby, Geo. Gage, Stephen Naylor, John II. Hall and G. C. Fellows. The commissioners took fa- vorable action the same day, named the township Afton, and selected April 5 as the date, and the home of Caspar Bloom as the place, for holding the first town meeting.

The new township was destined to have trouble in the matter of a name. March 31 State Auditor O. P. Whit- comb wrote to the Nobles county olli- cials, stating that Afton was inad- missable because of the fact that a township in Washington county had been so named several years before. This put the selection of the name up to the commissioners, who on April 8 named the township Bloom, in honor of Peter Bloom and family.21 The com- missioners had troubles of their own in making the selection. As the Blooms were the first settlers it was decided that the township should be named in their honor, and the names Bloomberg, Bloom- ville, etc. were suggested. County Au- ditor James Walker advocated the drop- ping of the "bergs." "villes," etc., and suggested the name Bloom. The com- missioners accepted the hint. Fred Bloom. who was a relative of the Blooms of the new township, but who was him-

2"To the Honorable County Commissioners of Nobles County, in the State of Minnesota: "We, the undersigned legal voters, bring de- sirous of organizing said town, petition your honorable body for permission to do so, and that it be known as the town of Hamberg. bring bounded as follows.

"Signed: Caspar Bloom, Thomas JJ. Lynch, Horace G. Norman, Aaron S. Iby, Gro. W.

auf a resident of Seward, was a mehi- our of the county board at the tune.

the petition for ine organization of Leota townsmp, was hieu reoruary 11 and was signed by r. A. Stevens, IL. A. Holbrook, Edward Gray, J. L. Bellows, miram W. Fordney, John Lay, C. 1'. Vargason, Warren Clark, August Joseph Kmips, James Hackett, G. Knips, N. L. Bellows, T. II. Fay, A. J. Rice, Il. J. Barber. The township was created March ts, and the commissioners named Aprit 5 as the date for holding the hrst town meeting. It was held at the home of Gerhard Knips. The name was sug- gested by W. G. Barnard, one of the townships earliest settlers. It is the only township, village or physical fea- ture in Nobles county named in honor of an Indian. Leota was an Indian maiden who figured in a story of Indian adventure.

There was a general feeling of dull- ness in the eastern part of the county during 1819, caused by the partial crop failure. In the central and western portions events were taking place that bode well for the future, and quiet but steady progress was made in those por- tions during the season. A basis was laid for a large influx of sturdy set- tlers.

In the central part of the county Messrs. J. N. Seney and S. M. Rushmore had the year before founded the village of Rushmore at Miller station. In the summer of 1829 they broke out several thousand acres of prairie land and in- duced quite a number of settlers from New York and other castern states to

Vale, William E. Norman, Peter Bloom, Lem- url Eby, Peter Krier, Casper Bloom, carpen- ter: J. O. Bathen, John Krier, Jr., John Bloom, Stephen Naylor.

"Petition filed March 15. 1879."

"Peter Bloom and three sons. Casper, Peter, Jr., and Jubn, located on section 22 in 1874, and Were the first settlers in the township.

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HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

locate in the vicinity. They cut up the railroad lands there into small farms and sold them to settlers of limited means.

In the vicinity of Adrian the progress was more marked. Bishop Ireland, the head of the Adrian colony, visited the cast and was successful in forming a stock company, the object of which was to purchase the railroad lands in the west end. The company purchased out- right all the lands still owned by the railroad in Grand Prairie, Little Rock, Leota and the still unorganized Lis-

more townships. Instead of inviting settlers to come onto these land in their raw state the colony managers decided to improve them. On each of fifty quarter sections thirty acres of break- ing was done and preparations were made for erecting fifty farm houses on the lands. This was not done until the following spring, however. This ac- tivity made times lively in the Adrian country. The fact that at least fifty families were expected to arrive in the spring tended to create an optimis- tic feeling regarding the future.

CHAPTER VII.

ERA OF PROSPERITY-1880-1893.

Henceforth the story of Nobles coun- ty is one of advancement. The dark and gloomy days are past. No longer do the grasshoppers threaten the very existence of the settlement; no longer is it found necessary to solicit aid for the relief of the inhabitants. The days of adver- sity have become a memory.

Beginning with the year 1880 came the reconstruction period. People began anew the work of progress that had been interrupted when the first army of grasshoppers came and placed a mort- gage on the country in the summer of 1843. In some ways the people were in better condition than they had been be- fore the scourge. Those who had taken government land now had title to their homes-and land began to have a value. Some had escaped with small loss dur- ing the three preceding years, and were already in position to begin the forward march. But others found it necessary to free themselves from debt before the effect of the prosperous times became apparent.

Of vast importance during these days of reconstruction was the work of the colony under Bishop Ireland. Hun- dreds of settlers were brought into the county and located upon the lands in the western part. which otherwise might have remained unsettled for several

1Population of adjacent counties according to the 1880 census: Cottonwood, 5,554; Jack-

years. In February, 1880, the colony company let the contract to John Tim- mons, of Adrian, for the erection of 39 houses on the farm lands owned by the company. The cost of the houses was about $200 each. During March and April 50 families arrived from New York and other eastern states and be- came permanent settlers. The houses constructed were not enough to supply the demand, and several more were put up by the new arrivals.

Nobles county harvested a good, though not a large, crop in 1880. Wheat and oats were not an extraordinary crop, but, taking the county as a whole, aver- aged pretty well. Corn and flax were unusually good. Here and there the crop of some one farmer was a com- parative failure, and some who had fair crops were not permitted to enjoy the fruits of their harvest because of the debts contracted during grasshopper days. But in the main crops were good, and the fact that hoppers did not put in an appearance led to a cheerful feel- ing.

The federal census showed a popula- tion of 4,435, a gain of 3.700 per cent in ten years.1 This population was di- vided among the different precincts as follows :

son, 1.795; Murray, 3,609: Pipestone, 2,093;

Rock, 3,669.

105

106

INSTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

Bigelow

215

Bloom

Dewald

210

Elk

176

Lakes 300

Grand Prairie

301

199

Indian Lake

200

Lorain

159

Leota

Little Rock

320

Olney

165

Ransom

226

Sunnuit Lake

Willmont

111

Worthingion Township

182

Worthington Village

63G

Westside

339

103-42 dankin)

103-43 (Lismore)

119

Total

4,135

Township 103 of range 43 received a large setilement of Irish Catholics. due to the activities of the Bishop Ireland colony, and the summer of 1880 that township was organized. It was named Lismore, after a village of that name in county Waterford, Ireland, the name be- ing suggested by Father Knauf. The petition for organization was liled July 12, and was signed by Geo. A. Beireis, Gustave Frick, Alex Roach, Conrad Beireis, James Orkney. Charles Lord, M. S. Boyle, R. O'Day, W. J. Heaney, Joseph Hangle, John Travis, Charles A. Blake, Thomas Mclean, Allen Pieason, Austin Nash, William Landes, William 11. Welch, John H. Sands, William Welch, A. A. Boyce, S. W. Swamnan, Henry Carlson, Albert A. Thompson and Peter Havican. The township was creat- ed by the county commissioners July 21, and the first town meeting was held at the house of Moses Hurd on August 9. One of the dates from which time is reckoned in Nobles county is the winter of 1880-81 -- the time of the long, severe winter. There have been worse storms than any that occurred that winter, but never was There a winter to compare

with this one in duration, continued se- verity, depth of snow and damage to property. From the middle of October till late in April it was winter nearly every minute of the time.

Friday, October 15, in the afternoon, a heavy rain set in. The downpour continued until evening, when a strong. chilling wind came down from the north, turning the rain into a line snow. 1 severe blizzard now took the place of the rain, and it lasted three days and three nights. It was the first and only bliz- zard ever experienced in the country in October. The county fair, which was being held at the time, had to be aball- doned. The railroads were blockaded, and there were no trains or mail until Tuesday, the 19th. When the storm sub- sided great drifts of snow filled the roads and other places, which did not disappear until the following May.

Following this storm came a few weeks of nice weather. On Friday, No- vember 19, a cold snap set in, the mer- cury getting down to 19 degrees below zero on the night of the 20th. Another blizzard came up December 3, which blockaded trains from the cast until the 5th. Monday, December 21, came a se- vere cold spell, the thermometer regis- fering 30 degrees below zero. The fol- lowing day it was 31 below, and an- other blizzard was raging. All trains were stopped until the 301h.

Thereafter the winter was an extreme- ly severe one. Blizzard followed bliz- zard. The railroads were blockaded for works at a time. Fuel and food were nearly exhausted. People burned hay and grain, and went without lights. In some places there was suffering from lack of food. Roads remained unbroken all winter, and the farmers obtained their supplies from the villages by means

»(ward

281

107

HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

of landsleds. Snow sail boats came into cept strip between St. James and Win- requisition, being employed to bring in dom. supplies and for sport.2

Following is the story of the winter from Jan. 1, 1881, until the breakup in the spring, given in chronological or- der :3

Jan. 4. Rain.

Jan. 7. Freight train breaks through Bigelow bridge, ditching cars and kill- ing some cattle.

Jan. 21. Snow storm. Road blocked until 23rd.

Jan. 26. Blizzard. Trains again stopped.

Feb. 1. Railroads again blockaded.

Feb. 3. Longest snow storm of the winter sets in from the southeast. Con- tinues four days. Fifteen days' block- ade begins.

Feb. 11. Another blizzard. Contin- ues two days.

Feb. 16. First train from the east for fifteen days arrives at Worthington.

Feb. 18. Blizzard. Last eastern train arrives.

Feb. 22. Snow storm.

March 4. Blizzard all day. Worth- ington schools close for lack of fuel.

March 5. Fair weather begins, last- ing five days. Main line road opens ex-

2.Hiram Allen arrived on Tuesday from Fulda, having made the trip in about an hour and a half on a snow boat. The structure is a simple one, having merely a pair of snow shoes for runners, with crosspieces, a board to sit on and a light mast to support the sail. Mr. A. tells us that he has made a half dozen trips, one of eighteen miles to Luverne in an hour and a half. Also that a few days ago a party of six left Fulda for Fairmont on one of these snow sail boats. They left Fulda ahout five o'clock in the evening and reached Fairmont at nine the next morning, a distance of seventy miles.

"Messrs. Loveless and Day are now having one made of considerable size, and if the snow lasts a few weeks longer, men will be sailing over the prairies at the rate of seven knots an hour as easily as they can sail on our lakes."-Worthington Advance. March 24, 1881.

3Compiled largely from newspaper accounts.

March 11. Terrifie blizzard, continu- ing two days. All roads blockaded worse than ever.

March 24. Fuel famine at Adrian. People burning screenings, tailings, hay, straw, oats. corn, rags and anything that will burn.

March 30. Main line road shoveled out and train arrives from the east- first in nearly six weeks. West end and branch roads still blockaded.+

April 5. First train arrives from Sioux City. Carries letters dated Feb. 21. Road open three days.5

.April 8. Snowed again. Traffic stop- pod. Train from St. Paul tied up at Windom. Train from Sioux City gets as far as Sibley.

April 11. More snow.

April 12. North wind drifts snow, making complete blockade. The block- ade has now been in force ten weeks. with only five trains from the east.

April 13. Thermometer registers zero.

April 16. First train in from the cast.

April 12. Main line opened. First freight train for 11 weeks reaches Worthington and delivers 50,000 pounds

"""The east end of the main line was cleared on Tuesday [March 29], and yesterday [March 30] a train left here for St. Paul. A train also lott St. Paul and reached here last evening. Yesterday the road was clear on the west end from Bigelow west, and the forces doubled on the big cut this side, and today a train is ex- pected from Sioux City. The branch is open- ing up rapidly and will probably be open to Luverne today or tomorrow and to Sioux Falls by Saturday. The long blockade is over . It lacked just two days of being six weeks since we had a train from the east."-Worth- ington Advance. March 31. 1881.

5"Our old friend Boreas sticks closer than a brother. We did hope that the Advance would miss it in predicting that we would not have regular trains before the middle of April. but it looks as though we could extend the time somewhat and still be correct."-Worth- ington Advance. April 7. 1881.

108

HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

of freight. Several freight trains pass during the day. That night first train to pass over the Sioux Falls branch for nine weeks makes its way from Worth- ington to Luverne.

April 26. Worthington schools re- open.

For four days there was fairly regular service on the railroads. Then came the floods, caused by the melting snow, and on April 20 traffic was again suspended. For ten days not a train ran over the line of the Sioux City & St. Paul, and not until May 2 was regular service es- tablished.

Talk of the construction of another railroad into Nobles county was begun in 1881, and the road was built the next year. In May it was given out that the Burlington system was planning to build a branch line north into Minnesota. The first intimation the people of Nobles county had of this was when a pre- liminary survey was made to Worthing- ton in May.

This was followed in September by the appearance of agents of the road, who submitted a proposition to the resi- dents of eastern Nobles county. They asked that $15,000 and a free righi of way be pledged, in which case the road would be built to Worthington during 1882 and the depot located within a half mile of the business center of the village. The proposition was accepted. The amount was pledged, the agreement being signed by nearly all the business and monied men of the county seat town.

The railroad officials were not prompt in beginning the work. and there was nmich speculation as to whether or not the road would be built. In June, 1882,

"Jn Worthington village the vote was 145 to 2: in Worthington township 21 votes were cast, all in favor of the bonus; Lorain town- ship was solid for the bonus; and In Bige- low it had two majority.

the matter was definitely decided. Bur- lington officials came to Worthingion and submitted a new proposition. They stated that the road would be construet- ed at once providing the people would vote a bonus of $21,300. Again did the people of eastern Nobles county agree to the terms. The bonus to be voted was divided among the several interested townships as follows: Worthington township. $5.500; Worthington village, $6,300; Indian Lake, $3,000; Bigelow, $2,000; Elk, $2,000; Lorain, $2,500. The elections were held on different days in June. and the bonus was voted."

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An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota, Part 12

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970 Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Worthington, Minn. : Northern History Number of Pages: 738

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Worthington, Minn. : Northern History
Number of Pages: 738