USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 23
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"The Incorporators were the same as the lirst board of directors except that I. N. Sal- er's name appeared In place of that of Allen Chaney.
"The peiltion was signed by I. N. Sater,
For several years after the establish- ment of the school there was no publie school building, and it had been con- ducted in rented buildings, part of the time at least in the famous Miller hall. The matter of erceting a building was taken up in 1815, and at a special meet- ing of the elcetors on April 27 it was decided to ereet a school house at a cost of not more than $5,000. Specifications were prepared and bids called for. A. C. Robinson was the only bidder, and he was awarded the contract on August 25, on a bid of $4,888. By a vote of 20 to 5 bonds were voted August 23. Six thousand dollars worth of bonds were authorized, but only five thousand dollars worth were issued. Mr. Robin- son ereeted the hexagonal building, which was in commission for so many years, and during the first week in January, 1826, it was turned over to the school district, the event being accompanied by a publie demonstration. The block of land upon which the school building was erected, and which is still used for school purposes, was donated to the village of Worthington in an early day by the Sioux City & St. Paul Railroad com- pany and was later turned over to the
Daniel Rohrer, C. P. Stough. C. B. Loveless, John W. Smith, Geo. O. Moore, L. F. Mc- laurin, J. A. Town, Daniel Shell, Olis Bige- low, R. D. Barber. Benjamin F. Thurber, J. IL. Johnson, W. S. Stockdale, C. Z. Sutton, C. C. Goodnow, J. Craft and 11. D. Humiston.
189
HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.
school district, quit claim deeds having been given to the school district early in 1882 by both the village and the rail- road company.
Until the fall of 1881 the Worthing- ton schools had been simply graded schools. Application was made in Octo- ber for state aid to the amount of $400, under a legislative act for the encour- agement of higher education, and on November 12 the organization in accord- ance with the regulations of the state high school board was perfected. Since that date an excellent high school has been maintained, from which have been graduated 181 pupils.4 An alumni as- sociation was formed in 1894, which has since held annual meetings.
The old hexagonal school building was in service until 1889. At a school meet- ing held August 20, 1888, it was de- cided, by a vote of 19 to 0, to erect a new school building. That the cost thereof should not be less than $20,000
"The graduates of the Worthington high school are as follows:
1887-Jane Husselton, Alice Durfee.
1888-None.
1889-Dora Parher. Earl P. Free. Julia HY- land. Kate Hovey. Grace E. Smith, Julia Van Luven.
1890-Alma Covey. Laura Bingham, Mary Humiston. Mary Mitchell. George Foster Moore. Blanche H. Ramage, Winnifred Shell, Anna Wright.
1891-Tevi E. Covey. Ferne Bullis, Eva Oaks, Frank R. Pepple. 1892-Jennie Covey. Nellie Stevens. Mar- guerite Wright. 1893-Loren Clark, Lura Moberly. Martha Covey. William Thurber.
1894-Stelle Smith, Carrie Allen. Arthur P. Rose, Isabel Shanks. Warren A. Rose, Mary E. Moffat, Gertrude Oliver.
1895-Mary Dobner. William V. Kennedy. Fred Bedford. Susan H. Chaffer, Charles II. Ager.
1896-Gertie Blair, Sadie Lewis. Susan Gib- son, Jennie M. Beckley, Martin Edgar Barnes, Eureka Sahlbom, Cora Covey. W. B. Stoute- mver. Jennie E. Torrance, Lulu L. Putnam.
1897- Mary I. Damon, Draper Dayton. Mand Forbes. J. Burr Ludlow, Russell B. Moberly. Lee Shell, Robert R. Smith.
1898-Alma Anderson, Irving Bedford, Ilma Cale, George M. Damon. Rosa Dommer, Don Carlos Dow. Jessie Kerr. Leone Mckeever. Louise Riley. 1899-Raymond Peterson. George Hurd. Horace Peterson. George M. Cale. Georgette Dow. Harold S. Tuttle. J. Manning Plotts. Harley Chaffer. Alta Beeson. 1900-Eva Pearle Barnes. Besie Bedford. V. Mabel Bryden, Anna Erlekson, Roy
was caried by a vote of 32 to 4 and was later made unanimous. The board of education was also authorized to issue bonds for not less than the same amount, and preparations for the construction of a suitable building were put under way.
Architect T. D. Allen, of Minneapo- lis, furnished the plans, and the contract for its construction was let to S. Hackett & Son, of South Dakota, December 4, 1888, on a bid of $25,990, not including the healing plant, which cost $3,100. Bonds to the amount of thirty thousand dollars were sold April 3, 1889: the corner stone was laid with ceremonies June 8. and the new building was ac- cepted October 25, 1889. The handsome structure has been in use since. Every available part of the building is in use and the schools are overcrowded. In the summer of 1907 bonds wore voted to build additional school room, but a con- test was started, and it was found that the election was illegally held.
Lewis. Byron E. Smith. Susan A. Stoutemyer. Jen E. Stoutemyer. 1901- Maude Ager, Walter Ager, Jeanette Bliss, Frank Bryden. Nancy Clark, Addie Prever, Edith Cale, Frances Clark, Carrie Day- ton. Alice Firth. Neta Harden, Dwight Har- den. Florence Maxwell. John Mosher. Reuben Oakes, Jet Smallwood, Prue Town.
1902-Edna Goodrich, Eva Miller. Stella Wil- bern, Ella Cloud, John Glasgow. Robert Town. Fred Tripp, Harry Hawley, Elmer Johnson. Ella Wood, Amanda Sundberg. George Wyck- off. Mattie Bryan.
1903-Harris Darling. Alida Loveless. Harry Wilbern. Louis Jones, Pearl Luphrs, Angie
Erie. Clayton Bedford. Amelia Bliss. 1904-Rosa C. Sather, Addie Ely. Nellie I von. Mary Ella Morton, Amy Darling. Stella Anderson, Mae Tupper. Ray Hawley. Jelen Tudlow, Clinton Mann. Luther M. Ramage. Imura Pepple, Herbert Frank, Lillian Webh. Esther Harding.
1905-Beulah Sain. Maggie Ackerman, Flor- once Lyon, Nettie Ely. Nellie Crever. David Tripp, Clarence Pannell, Eva Darling, Stella Gray. Clyde MeConkey, Orval Tepper. Flora Buchan, Lillian Morton. . Fanny Henricks. Clovd Comer. Martha Kindlund
1906 Alida Bedford, Jessie Ager, Rensie De- Boer, Amy Forbes. James Mott. Edward Law- ton. Mabel Kunzeman. Emma Ferguson, Lloyd Patterson.
1907-Vergil Fellows, Harry Gray, Nell Ad- dington. Hazel Pepple. Arlonine Loveless, Florence Lysle. Agnes Rvan, Charles Haggard. Ivan Pettit, Benjamin Hilyard. Emily MeCon- key.
1908 -- Oakley Tripp. Stanley Swanberg. War- ner Hubbard. Jay Voak, Florence Webh. Mabel Niehlas. Myrtle Turner, Anna Asman, Julia Town, Marjorie Shell.
190
HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.
From the little private school of twen- ty students in 1872 the Worthington schools have advanced until today they rank among the best of the state. In the high school are enrolled 112 stu- dents : in the graded schools, conducted by a corps of thirteen teachers, are en- rolled 555 pupils.
WORTHINGTON FIRE DEPART- MENT.
During its history of thirty-seven years Worthington has not had a disas- trous conflagration. On three or four occasions fires have gained some head- way, but have generally been confined to the building in which they originated. The loss at any one fire has never been over a few thousand dollars, and the to- tal losses from the fiery fiend have been as small as any town of the size and "age in the state. In the early days this was due more to luck than because . of any organized fire protection. After the water works system was installed, and the Worthington fire department came into existence, the immunity was due to that efficient body of fire fighters.
Nearly every town and village takes more or less pride in its fire depart- ment, and when writing of them it is customary to search a book of synonyms for high-flown adjectives to properly de- seribe the work of the department and the heroism of the fire fighters. Some- times such encomiums are deserved, and sometimes they are not. It is because of this custom' among newspaper writ- ers to write only pleasing things of lo- cal institutions and men, that frequently sincere praise is taken with a degree of allowance. Let it not be so with regard to the Worthington fire department. - desire to state that, from a personal
knowledge of the work of the depart- ment from the time of its founding, I know it to be an exceptionally capable organization. Thoroughly organized and drilled. it has always been able to con- trol any situation that has confronted it. Scores of times has the department been called upon to fight the "lurid leveler," and on every occasion has it been vic- torious. It has fought fire in a syste matie way, and its work has been equal- led by but few volunteer departments.
At an early day steps were taken to provide fire protection. For several years during its early history Worthington's buildings were constructed entirely of wood. The danger from fire was real- ized. and in June, 1874. the first steps to minimize the danger were taken. The village council provided for the building of three cisterns on the courl house square, two on Tenth street, at the in- tersection with Third and Fourth aven- ues, and one on Ninth street, where il. intersects with Third avenue. The cost of these cisterns was not to be over $36 cach. Each was to be filled with water and kept so. that in case of fire a supply would be always on hand. A bucket brigade was organized, but no cause arising to give it employment, it soon went out of existence.
The council again bestirred itself in December, 1825, when action was taken toward providing means of fighting fire. The business men also look a hand, and employed H. MeMillen to act as night fire patrol. The cisterns, which had been out of use for some time, were filled with water. A fire house, 24x30 feet, was erected on the court house square, in which were kept a few lad- ders and buckets. A wagon, upon which were barrels filled with brine, was for a time kept at the fire house, to be used
191
HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.
in case of fire. Of course the water froze in the winter time, and the town would have been at the mercy of the flames had serious conflagrations started. The futility of the fire fighting appara- tus, as it was in the early days, is shown by the result of the Miller hall fire in 18:8, when no headway could be made in controlling the fire.
With this primative fire fighting ap- paratus the people of Worthington fought their fires for many years. There was no regularly organized company, but the bnekets and ladders were kept on hand, and when a fire broke out they were at the service of those who wished to use them. In the spring of 1889 an effort was made to secure better fire pro- tection. A meeting was called for March 9 to consider ways and means, but no de- finite action was taken, and the village was without adequate protection until 1891.
When the water works system was un- der construction. during the year 1891. preparations were made for providing adequate fire protection. The village council ordered 700 feet of hose, a hose cart and a hook and ladder truck. at an expense of $855. It then asked the citizens to organize a volunteer fire de- partment. and late in August the Worth- ington fire department came into exis- tence with 38 active members5 and the following officers: Jas. Manning. chief : Frank Glasgow, assistant chief: IT. C. Crawford. secretary: C. W. Smith, fore- man hose department: Jas. Mackay. as-
"The charter members were F. G. Martin. .John Mackey. J. C. Durfee. F. J. Straka. E C. Wilson. M. A. Nichols. C. A. Covey. Gen. Shirck. C. W. Smith. Jas. Manning. H. C. Crawford. H. II. Graham, Jas. Ramage. David Anderson. Jas. Mackay. Ernest Perry. A. I .. Johnson. F. L. Humiston. Henry Twitchell. W. E. Madison. M. P. Mann. A. H. Palm, Will Wright. Merle Hurlbert. R. H. Bibby. Will Clippenger. F. H. Day. Rav Humiston. Frank Glasgow. C. Lamh. C. W. Mitchell. W. S. Wehb. John Sahlhom, M. S. Smith. Will Post.
sistant foreman hose department: M. 1. Nichols, foreman hook and ladder de- partment: J. C. Durfee. assistant fore- man hook and ladder department.
Shortly after its organization the Worthington fire department became a member of the Columbian Inter-state Fireman association. an organization comprising departments in parts of Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota. For sex- eral years the Worthington department was represented by a team at the annual tournaments, and distinguished itself by winning more prizes than any other team in the organization.
For many years the department was purely volunteer, and received no aid from the village. Now the members re- ceive nominal fees for attending meet- ings and fighting fires. In the fall of 1906 the department gave $2,000 toward the erection of the handsome city hall and fire station. which is now its home. The total cost of the building was about $7,000. Elegant quarters, with bath and all modern conveniences, have been fit- ted up. and the Worthington fire de- partment now has as fine a home as any volunteer department in the state of Minnesota.
Following have been the principal of- ficers of the department since the or- ganization :
1892-Frank Glasgow, chief; Robert Bihby. assistant: A. H. Palm, secretary ; M. P. Mann, treasurer.
1893-H. C. Crawford, chief : R. H.
Tra S. Mishler. R. P. Free and J. D. Humis- ton.
The following became honorary memhers at the time of organization: Daniel Shell, J. P. Moulton. August Falk and Frank Lewis. The following have been elected honorary members since organization: M. S. Smith. John R. Newton, L. E. Covey, H. C. Crawford. Jas. Manning. Leon Morris, F. R. Durfee, L. L. McCartney. Ray Humiston. Frank Glasgow. W. B. Stoutemyer and J. C. Durfee.
192
HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.
Bibby, assistant : A. H. Palm, secretary ; M. P. Mann, treasurer.
1894-A. H. Palm, chief; Jas. Mac- kay, assistant; Vere Hurlbert, secretary ; C. H. Babcock, treasurer.
1895-A. H. Palm. chief; R. II. Bibby, assistant : Harry S. Hobson, sec- rotary ; Jas. S. Ramage, treasurer.
1896-J. C. Durfee, chief; W. E. Madison, assistant: Harry S. Hobson, secretary : Jas. S. Ramage, treasurer.
189%-R. P. Free. chief: C. H. Bab- cock, assistant; Loren Town, secretary; Jas. S. Ramage, treasurer.
1898-Jas. Mackay, chief; A. L. John- son. assistant : Harry S. Hobson, secre- tary : Jas. S. Ramage, treasurer.
1899-Jas. Mackay, chief; Harry S. Hobson, assistant; Arthur P. Rose, sec- retary ; A. R. Albertus, treasurer.
1900-Jas. Mackay, chief ; Harry S. Hobson, assistant: \. W. Fagerstrom, secretary : A. R. Albertus, treasurer.
1901-Jas. Mackay, chief; Harry S. Hobson, assistant; 1. W. Fagerstrom. secretary ; A. R. Albertus, treasurer.
1902-Jas. Mackay. chief: W. E. Madison, assistant: 1. W. Fagerstrom. scerefary ; A. R. Albertus, treasurer.
1903, 1904 and 1905-Same as in 1902.
1906-W. G. Ramage. chief; W. I. Humiston, assistant ; A. W. Fagerstrom, seerelary; A. R. Albertus, treasurer.
1907-W. G. Ramage, chief; W. T. Hmmiston and T. A. Palmer. assistants; A. W. Fagerstrom, secretary; A. R. Al- bertus. treasurer.
MILITIA COMPANY.
One of the institutions in which the people of Worthington take pride is the
"The non-commissioned officers were ap- pointed January 26, 1906.
militia company-company F, of the Second infantry M. N. G .- commanded by Captain Stelle S. Smith.
"The preliminary steps towards organi- zation were taken in the fall of 1905, when those interested met and took the first steps necessary to bring about the admission of a company to the Minne- sota national guard. The village coun- cil, by resolution of October 13, 1905, bound itself to furnish an armory build- ing. equip, light, heat and maintain the same. The company was quickly re- cruited, and on November 22 Adjutant General Fred B. Wood issued special order No. 60, directing Col. Charles A. Van Duzee, of the Third infantry, to muster in the Worthington company on November 28. The company was mus- tered in as directed with the following commissioned officers : Anion Schaeffer. of Rushmore, captain; Stelle S. Smith, of Worthington, first lieutenant ; Charles B. Ward, of Worthington, second lieu- tenant. It was designated company F, of the Third infantry, of which Col. Van Duzee was the commanding officer.
Following were the enlisted members at the date of muster-in: Oscar B. Blood. first sergeant ; Arthur Albertus. quartermaster sergeant : Ira P. Fox. Eliner H. Bassett, Morrill Ramage, J. D. Matteson, sergeants : Robert Smith. Edward Lawton, W. J. Dodge. Clyde S. Jones, Orville Tupper, J. M. Barron, corporals ; Carl A. Anderson. Charles Ashbaugh, David Bear, Arba S. Bed- ford, Earl Black, Milton J. Black, Guy M. Borst, Bert B. Buck, Elmer Carlson, Charles M. Crandall. George E. Cun- ningham. Fred J. Deuth, Joseph P. Derlin, Vergil Fellows, John F. Glas- gow, Fred O. Green, Charles H. Hag-
WORTHINGTON CITY HALL
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WORTHINGTON CARNEGIE LIBRARY
1
WORTHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL
193
HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.
gard, Albert E. Hayward, Ray Humis- ton, Outhwaite Kumler, Sterling Law- ton, Charles Loveless, Earl McBride, James McGee, Bert Malmquist, Frank M. Manson. James G. Mott, Henry A. Nelson, Fred Wetter, Arthur Nieman, Robert Oberman, Lloyd Patterson, John HI. Peterson, Walter Pfeil, Warren A. Rose, Thomas Rowe, John Seline, Or- val W. Tupper, Henry M. Twitchell, Claude White, Gould Wilson.
At the request of the company, on De- cember 9, 1902, Adjutant General Fred B. Wood transferred the company from the Third regiment to the Second, the company letter remaining the same, and it has since been a company of the Sec- ond regiment.
Captain Anton Schaeffer resigned Jan- mary 31, 1908, and on February 25 an election was held to select a captain and to fill other vacancies. First Lieuten- ant Stelle S. Smith was elected captain ; C. B. Ward, first lieutenant; Oscar F. Blood. second lieutenant. The annual inspections show the company to be among the best in the state service. It attends the camps each year and has an unexcelled rifle team.
BANKS.
In Worthington are three banking in- stitutions, one state and two national banks. These are the State Bank of Worthington. Worthington National Bank and Citizens National Bank.
STATE BANK OF WORTHINGTON.
The oldest bank in Nobles county is the State Bank of Worthington, which was founded as a private bank under the name Bank of Worthington by Elihu Smith and his son, A. M. Smith, in
18:5. The former was president of the bank; the latter cashier. The Smiths sold the bank to Thos. H. Parsons July 16, 1881, at which time C. T. Pope was installed as cashier. Mr. Parsons sold his interest in the institution April 1, 1883, to Geo. D. Dayton, who operated it as a private bank in connection with the Minnesota Loan & Investment com- pany. Mr. Dayton erected the brick block at the corner of Tenth street and Third avenue, which has since been the home of the bank, in 1885.
In 1893 Mr. Dayton incorporated the institution as a state bank, capital stock $50,000, under the old name. In June. 1900, the name was changed from Bank of Worthington to State Bank of Worth- ington. Mr. Dayton disposed of his in- terests in August, 1898, when the pres- ent management took charge. The offi- cers now are Geo. O. Moore, president ; Geo. W. Wilson, vice president : Ned Jones, cashier.
WORTHINGTON NATIONAL BANK.
This institution is better known un- der the name of Nobles County Bank, as it was only during the present year that the reorganization which made it a na- tional bank took place.
The Nobles County Bank was organ- ized as a private bank with a nominal capital of $50,000 by Peter Thompson and Geo. J. Day in 1879, the doors of the bank being opened on the first day of the year 1880. The institution was located in what was then known as the McLaurin building, at the corner of Tenth street and Third avenue, now known as the Thompson building. Mr. Thompson was president and Mr. Dav cashier. The latter had practical charge of the bank from the time of founding
11
19
IHISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.
until July. 1886, when he left to take charge of the First National Bank, then just starting.
After the departure of Mr. Day, Mil- ion P. Mann became the cashier. in which capacity he served many years. The final breakup in the partnership be- tween Messrs. Thompson and Day came February 13, 1888, and thereafter until 1894 Mr. Thompson was the sole owner of the Nobles County Bank. The insti- tution closed its doors during the panic of July. 1893. but was later reorganized. and it paid all liabilities.
Mr. Thompson sold a half interest in the bank to W. M. Evans and E. A. Lynd Nov. 1. 1894. and the following year the other half was purchased by the same parties. Mr. Evans became cashier and manager, and has had charge of the bank ever since. The new man- agement erected the handsome brick block on Tenth street, which has since been the home of the bank, in 1899, and it was occupied for the first time on December 23 of that. year.
A reorganization was effected early in 1908. and the Nobles County Bank be- came the Worthington National Bank. The capital stock is $25,000, all paid in. and is owned by twenty stockholders, all of whom are residents of Worthington or the immediate vicinity. The char- fer was dated Jan. 10, 1908. and the bank under the new name began opera- tions January 15. The first officers and directors were W. M. Evans, president ; Daniel Shell, vice president : A. W. Fag- erstrom, cashier : John A. Boberg. Stelle S. Smith.
CITIZENS NATIONAL BANK.
The establishment of the Citizens Na- tional Bank was conceived in April,
1901, when C. T. Tupper came to Worth- ington and succeeded in interesting J. D. Humiston, Geo. W. Patterson, O. C. Grundsten and W. W. Loveless in the project. Stock was subscribed by these gentlemen and by N. T. Burroughs. of Chicago, and W. A. Sanford, of Chero- kee. Towa, who were president and vice president. respectively, of the First Nat- ional Bank of Cherokee. Application for the charter of the Citizens National Bank, with capital stock of $25,000 ($10,000 paid in). was made, and the treasury department issued the document July 22, 1901.
August 19 the bank opened its doors in a frame building. which was tempor- arily located in Fourth avenue. A lot was purchased at the corner of Tenth street and Fourth avenue, and in Jan- uary, 1902. the present home of the bank. a handsome brick block, was com- pleted. The officers and directors at the time of founding were Geo. W. Patter- son. president : J. D. HTmmiston, vice president : C. T. Tupper, cashier : W. W. Loveless. O. G. Grundsten. Mr.
Loveless disposed of his interests in 1903. and was succeeded on the board by John II. Scott. Mr. Ilumiston sold his stock in 1901. and was succeeded by Frank Glasgow. Mr. Tupper sold in May, 1907. and his place as cashier and director was taken by S. M. Stewart. The bank has returned regular annual dividends since the date of organization.
OTITER BANKS.
For over two years in the late eighties the First National Bank of Worthing- ton had an existence. The bank was op- oned July 1. 1886. with Geo. J. Day in charge. Among the stockholders were Mesers. Mendenhall, of the Diamond
195
HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.
State Iron Works, of Wilmington, Del .; George W. Bush, president of a Wil- mington savings bank ; Capell and Pen- nypacker, capitalists of Wilmington ; and Anton Knoblanek, a banker of Carver, Minn. In September, 1888, two of the principal stockholders appeared in Worthington and closed the institution. The accounts and notes were placed in the hands of Geo. O. Moore. of the Bank of Worthington, for collection, and funds were left with the same gentle- man to pay depositors. The affairs of the institution were soon wound up.
The Farmers and Citizens Bank was a private banking honse managed by Geo. J. Day for a short time during the nineties. It was closed as a result of legal proceedings brought against Mr. Day.
WORTHINGTON DISTRICT FAIR ASSOCIATION.
For nearly thirty years annual fairs have been held at Worthington. for many years under the auspices of the Nobles County Fair association, but in later years under the auspices of the Worth- ington District Fair association, which took the place of the earlier organiza- tion.
So early as 1876 the settlers of Nobles county decided to hold a county fair. Early in the summer of that year the grasshoppers had not put in their annual appearance. and hopes were entertained that they would not. It was then that an agricultural society was formed. and a few determined to put forth efforts to bold a fair that fall. On Monday, July 2.1, 1876, five members of the executive committee of the organization met at the
FA stock joke is to the effect that at this first fair the only exhibits were a bull and a pumpkin; that the bull got loose during the
Worthington hotel to consider plans for proceeding with the preparations. These gentlemen were C. A. Barrows, J. H. Cunningham. J. P. Vail, R. B. Plotts and W. S. Stockdale. They decided to hold the fair at Worthington on Thurs- day. September 2, and Messrs. Barrows, Stockdale and Plotts were named a com- mittee to prepare a premium list. For very good reasons the fair was not held. Soon after the preparations were begun the hoppers swooped down upon the country again, and all thoughts of a fair were given up.
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