An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota, Part 32

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

USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 32

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SCHOOL.

Outside of the large towns Rushmore has the finest school building in Nobles county, and its schools are on a par with the building. Ten grades are main- tained. conducted by a corps of able teachers. There is a large enrollment, many children from the surrounding country being students of the Rushmore school.

One of the first institutions established in Rushmore was a public school. The town was settled by men of culture, and one of their first considerations was a school. There were no nnocenpied build- ings in the town in 1878, and the first school was held in the waiting room of the depot. A. F. Horst, who was the station agent and lumber dealer, added to his duties by becoming the first teach- or. The depot as a school room was soon abandoned, and its place was taken by a little dwelling house. A district having been organized. the first school house of the town was completed in the fall of 1879 at a cost of $1,500.

That building served for many years and was then purchased by a church or- ganization. The demands of a growing population resulted in the construction of the present handsome school edifice, in which the people of Rushmore take great pride.

CHURCHES.

Rushmore is noted for its churches. Four organizations are maintained-

....

RUSHMORE VILLAGE

METHODIST CHURCH

PUBLIC SCHOOLI

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HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran Pres- byterian and German Lutheran. All have church edifices.

Nearly all the first settlers of Rush- more were Methodists, and sleps were carly taken to bring about the estab- lishment of a religious society in the new town. For a time services were held in different buildings in the little village, but in the fall of 1879 a church edifice was erected. Rev. W. E. Means was chosen the first pastor, and the Methodist church of Rushmore has had an existence since that time. Those who were particularly active in founding the first church were S. M. Rushmore, A. F. Horst, E. L. Wemple and A. G. Seney. George I. Seney donated the lot at the head of Main street and furnished the malerial for the building : the congrega- . to Nobles county by the hundreds, many tion donated the work and crected the building.

BIGELOW.

The next Nobles county town we are lo consider is Bigelow. With a popu- lation of 194 (census of 1905) it takes rank as the eighth town in size. It is located on the extreme southern boun- dary line of the county, and the state of lowa adjoins the corporate limits. The townsite is on section 31, Bigelow township. It is a station on the main line of the Omaha railroad, ten miles southwest from Worthington. From portions of Ransom and Bigelow town- ships in Nobles county. and from quite a large territory in northern Osceola county, Iowa, comes the trade which sup- ports the town. Bigelow is a prosperous

looking village and is a good trading point. Nearly all lines of business are represented.

Bigelow was the third Nobles county town to come into existence. Although the location had been selected, the name bestowed, and it had been granted a place on the railroad map so early as the sites of Hersey and Worthington (in 18:1), it was behind its sister towns in receiving inhabitants. The railroad had been constructed only so far as Worthington during 1871, and it was not until the next spring that the rails were laid to the site of Bigelow. 1 little later came evidence of the begin- ning of a town.

During the spring and sunnner of 18:2, when the colonists were flocking settled upon the government and rail- road lands in Ransom and Bigelow town- ships, in close proximity to the future village. Bigelow then looked as large on the map as any other place, and some of those who came expected to find a town there, their knowledge hav- ing been gained solely from a study of the map. But until late in the summer of the year the site was occupied only by a tent. which furnished shelter to a construction crew.19

The first building on the site was erected in 1872 and was the depot build- ing. S. O. Morse, who now lives at Slayton and who has taken quite a prominent part in stale politics, was in- stalled as the first agent. His duties as station agent were not great, and in the late summer he, in partnership with a man named Frothingham, opened a lit- tle grocery store in the depot, establish-

1ºOne of the new arrivals at the little com- munity in Ransom township, whose knowledge of the new country was limited to the infor- mation furnished by his railroad map, declared his intention of going to Bigelow and passing accommodations elsewhere.

the night at a hotel. Ile was within sight of the tent that marked the location, and when a neighbor pointed out the "town" he was greatly surprised and decided to seek

256

HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

ing Bigelow's first business house. Mr. Frothingham did not remain long, but Mr. Morse continued in the business several years. Later he also engaged in the flour and feed business in the new town. So far as I have been able to ascertain this was the only enterprise started in Bigelow in 1872.20

In 1823 the townsite was platted. T. P. Gere surveyed the land for the Sioux City & St. Paul Railroad company, the dedication was made by Elias F. Drake. president of the company. September 21. 18:3, and the plat was filed in the of- five of the register of deeds August 25. The townsite was named in honor of Charles H. Bigelow, who at the present time is the president of the St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance company, of St. Paul. Two new stores wore started in Bigclow the year the site was plat- ted. In April S. D. Tinnes moved to the new station and opened a general merchandise store, and the same season John DeBoos and John Colvin started a hardware store. The partnership ex- isted only a short time, and after the dissolution Mr. DeBoos continned the Imsiness.

James Cowin came to the village in the summer of 1814, and, in partner- ship with S. D. Tinnes, erected a ware- house, 20x10 feet. and engaged in the grain business. He also opened a hun- her yard and sold fuel. A school house -the neatest in the county as the time -- was erected in the summer, and there was an attendance of twenty-four stu- dents that fall. An historical atlas of Minnesota, published in 18:1, had this to say of Bigelow :

This is another railroad station, lying near the state line, ton miles southwest of Worth- ington. It is growing rapidly, and has an

2"Bigclow begins to make a show of busi- negs houses, and like Hersey is destined to a

enterprising class of business men, among whom are hardware. lumber and grain mer- chants, grocers, etc. Bigelow is the center of a fertile region of beautiful rolling prai- rie, and will always have a lively business.

There were a few new enterprises started during the latter part of the grasshopper period. E. S. Mills, who had located in the vicinity of the sta- tion in 1872, started a cheese factory. In March, 1826, James R. Jones moved to Bigelow and engaged in the mercan- tile business in the store building which had previously been occupied by S. D. Tinnes. 1. V. Randall came the same year from Philadelphia and started a blacksmith shop. Times were anything but good during the perilous days of the late seventies and no advance was made during that period. The federal census of 1880 gave the village a popu- lation of only 28.

During the next decade very little oc- curred that is worthy of being recorded. In 1885 a population of between 60 and CO persons was claimed. and we find that the business town then consisted of two general stores, blacksmith shop. ware- house, elevator and possibly one or two other small business enterprises. This was the condition up to 1892. On January 25. of that year, Charles T. Davidson. of Hull. Towa. purchased the Bigelow townsite and began to boom the town. Arrangements were made to. open a bank, found a newspaper and start a hotel. For several years there- after times were lively and Bigelow de- veloped into quite a village.

A population of about 150 was elaimed in 189-1, and that year was one of ad- vancement, despite the hard times. Ten new buildings were erceted during the twelve-month. Again the next year did

fine trade and a prosperous future."-Western Advance, Aug. 31, 1872.

HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

257

Bigelow forge to the front. making many improvements. A new school house, church. hotel, store building and several residences were added, and preparations were made for further additions the next vear.

The growth of Bigelow during the late nineties is shown by the census taken November 16. 1899, when 224 people were listed. Then it was the citizens believed the time had come for incor- poration. and at an election held Feb- ruary 13, 1900, by a vote of 37 to 6, it was decided to assume the responsi- bility of municipal government.21 The election to choose the village's first offi- cers was held March 14, 1900, and the machinery of the village government was started immediately after.

Those who have held elective office under the village government and the years of their election are as follows :

1900-President, W. C. Wyatt: trustees, B. I. Tripp. H. J. Ruprecht. J. A. Fialka: recorder. William Waterman; treasurer. P. C. Prati; justices. R. H. Wieks, C. M. Davis; constables, John Brink. L. A. White.

1901-President, R. H. Wicks: trustees. J. A. Fialka. C. P. Modisett. C. A. Bacon: re- corder. William Waterman; treasurer. P. C. Pratt; justice, Charles Wilson; constable, F. N. Wood.

1902 President. W. C. Wyatt: trustees, S. Wesby. H. J. Ruprecht, D. T. Cain: recorder. J. A. Fialka; treasurer, P. C. Pratt: justices, P. L. Wyatt, E. II. Brown.

1903 -President. J. A. Fialka: trustees, G. W. Foote. S. Wesby. C. F. Modisett ; record- er. E. F. Clower: treasurer, J. E. Salstrom; justice, E. F. Clower.

· 1904-President. J. A. Fialka; trustees, G. W. Foote, S. Wesby, C. F. Modisett: recorder. E. F. Clower; treasurer, J. E. Salstrom; jus- tice, E. F. Clower.

1905-President. J. A. Fialka; trustees, J. P. Mitters, E. II. Brown, S. Wesby; recorder, E. F. Clower: treasurer. J. E. Salstrom.

1906-President. J. A. Fialka: trustees. George Foote, S. Wesby, Owen land; record-

21Those who signed the petititon asking for incorporation were W. C. Wyatt. R. H. Wicks, P. C. Pratt, H. J. Ruprecht, B. I. Tripp, C. F. Modisett, C. W. Hall, J. H. Cass. William Waterman, A. J. Strommer. Frank N. Wood, Herman J. Lester, John Steenback, P. L. Wyatt, J. K. Shaw, Ed. Pederson, J. A.

er, E. F. Clower; treasurer, J. E. Salstrom. 1907-President, J. E. Salstrom; trustees, Charles E. Yates, Nels M. Sorem, W. C. Wvalt; recorder. C. F. Modisett; treasurer, A. E. Yeske.

1908-President, J. E. Salstrom; trustees, H. J. Ruprecht, Charles E. Yates, Nels M. Sorem; recorder, C. F. Modisett; treasurer, A. E. Yeske; assessor, Dick Reynolds; jus- tice, Pat Condon; constable, F. L. Lane.

The first census after the incorpor- ation of Bigelow was taken in 1905, when there were 194 people living in the town. Sixty of these were born in Minnesota, 106 in other parts of the United States. and 28 were born in for- eign climes. Of the foreign born six came from Germany, two from Sweden. ten from Norway, two from Canada, three from Ireland, four from England, and one from Wales.

Bigelow's first church was the Metho- dist, organized early in January, 1874. The following certificate of organization, filed in the office of the register of deeds January 9, 1874, tells of the event:

This is to certify that G. R. Hollenback. Horace Clemens. W. M. Bear, John DeBoos and S. O. Mor-e and their successors in of- fice were constituted a board of trustees to he known under the title and name of the Bigelow Methodist Church. located at Bige- low, county of Nobles, and state of Min- nesota, in accordance with the several stat- utes of said state (Scc. 36) on religious societies and in compliance with the disci- pline of said church, paragraphs 500 to 504. edition of 1872. Done at quarterly con- ference held in the town of Bigelow, in said county and stale, Jannary 4, 1874.

HIARVEY WEBB, Presiding Elder. WILLIAM M. BEAR, Secretary.

Bigelow Camp No. 4431, M. W. A., was instituted December 23, 1896, with the following charter members : Iver Anderson, David C. Bear, John E. Shore, Edgar H. Brown, Charles C. Erwin. Charles Johnson. Lewis John-

Fialka. A. P. Anderson, Monroe Beard, E. B. Forsyth, V. R. Smead. David (. Bear. John Brink, W. Schroeder. J. II. Harrington, C. M. Davis, Edward E. Blakey, F. E. Walker. Wil- liam Yahn, F. H. Millard, C. T. Millard, E. B. Michael, W. W. Runger and B. F. Cong- don.

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HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

son. Fred S. Krempien, F. H. W. Krug- er. Henry W. Shore. Arthur G. W. Lin- ley. Osval E. Madison, John Pfefferle, Martin J. Scott, John R. Scott, Jr., A. porated June 30, 1902.

H. Scott. Martin J. Scott, A. J. Strom- mer. Michael Sorem, Robert H. Wicks, Willis C. Wyatt. The lodge was incor-

CHAPTER XXI.

DUNDEE, LISMORE, KINBRAE, READING, ST. KILIAN, LEOTA, ORG.

DUNDEE.

Many of the towns of Nobles county have their location just within the coun- ty's boundary lines, and as a result the territory from which they draw trade is extended on all four sides beyond the county's confines. But in no case did any town come nearer getting outside the county than did Dundee, which is in the extreme northeastern corner, the boundary lines of Murray and Jackson counties defining the town's corporate limits on two sides. Dundee, located on seetion one, Graham Lakes township, is a station on the Pipestone branch of the Omaha railroad and is eight miles north- west from Heron Lake. From its old time rival, Kinbrae, which is on the Milwaukee road, it is only a mile and a half. The town had a population of 182 in 1905. All lines of business us- nally represented in villages of the size are to be found, including a bank, de- partment store, hardware store, hotel, lumber yard. elevators, meat market, blacksmith shop, livery barn, saloons, barber shop, etc.

"To the original plat have been added the following additions: School-Surveyed for F. D. Lindquist and 11. A. Scherlie; dedicated September 5. 1898. I.indquist's Subdivision-Surveyed for F. D. Lindquist, B. N. Bodelson and H. A. Scherlie; dedicated June 14, 1898; filed June 20, 1898.

It was during the summer of 1879 that the land upon which Dundee was afterwards built was selected as a site for a town. The Sioux City & St. Paul Railroad company was then building what was at the time known as the IIeron Lake & Black Hills railroad, and its first station out from the eastern terminus was located on that part of the road which ran through the north- eastern corner of Nobles county. War- ren was the name first applied to the station, given in honor of the immortal Joseph Warren, who fell at the battle of Bunker Hill. Early in August the rail- road company began the erection of a depot, and on the thirteenth of that month surveyors laid out the town.

While the town was surveyed in 1879 the earliest plat of record in the office of the register of deeds is dated 1891. It was surveyed by B. W. Woolsteneroft for F. D. Lindquist and H. A. Scherlie, was dedicated July 31, 1891, and filed August 3.1

Great rivalry existed between the Sioux City & St. Paul and the Southern Min- nesota railroads at the time of the build-

Johnson's Subdivision-Surveyed September 21. 1898, for John Johnson; dedicated Oct. 22, 189%; filed Oct. 25. 1898.

Park-Surveyed Oct. 23 and 24. 1899, for H. A. Scherlie; dedicated Sept. 12, 1900; filed Dec. 31, 1904.

259

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IHISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

ing of their respective lines, as has been in common with all the towns of Nobles related in a previous chapter, and cach county, took a new lease of life. corporation determined to build the bet- By the first of the year 1898 the town had made such progress that incorpora- tion was deemed advisable. 1 census laken December 23, 1892, gave the vil- lage a population of 187. The citizens of Dundee then petitioned for the in- corporation of 1,244 acres of land,4 and on January 4, 1898, the board of county commissioners granted the petition and named February 15 as the date for hold- ing a special election to vote on the question. W. A. Fields, G. B. Miller and P. H. Randall were named inspec- lors. By a vote of 35 to 2 the electors decided to incorporate, and on March 8 another special election, presided over by C. W. Aldrich and P. H. Randall as judges and C. P. Swanson as clerk, was held, when the first village officers were chosen. The council met for the first time March 11, 1898. ter town in northeastern Nobles county, the Southern Minnesota founding Airlie ( Kinbrae) and the Sioux City & St. Paul the station of Warren.2 The depot at the latter place was completed about the first of September, and the company at once began the erection of a cottage. which was completed a little later.3 G. Foils moved to the station and became the first agent. A postoffice was estab- lished about the first of November, of which Mr. Foils became the postmaster. The office was named Dundee, after the city in Scotland, and thereafter the place was known by that name. Preparations were made for the establishment of a few lines of business. The station agent became a lumber dealer, and a store building was erected, which was ex- pected soon to be occupied.

In the spring of 1880 F. D. Lindquist and H. A. Scherlie opened a store. Only a few other business houses were es- tablished in the little town in the early days, and its growth for many years was very slow. Until the arrival of the pros- perous times of the middle nineties Dun- dee was only a little trading point, rep- resented by a very few lines of business. Then came the revival of business all over the country and the appreciation of Nobles county land values, and Dundee.

2"Warren will no doubt be a rival of Air- He. as they are but one and one-third miles from each other, but with the advantage of xeenery, etc .. Airlie will certainly outstrip her In the race. Hope they will both pros- ner."-B. W. Woolstencroft in Worthington Advance. Aug. 21. 1879.

"""The railroad company has just completed a better depot and cottage at this point than there is on the main line between St. Paul and Sioux City"-Correspondent to Worthing- ton Advance, Nov. 6, 1879.

"The petitloners were F. D. Lindquist, J. II. Johnson, John B. Moore, George B. Miller,

The results of the several village elec- tions since incorporation are as follows:

1898-President. F. D. Lindquist; trustees, A. R. Schmidt. R. F. Laythe. E. F. Fricke; recorder. C. P. Swanson: treasurer, B. N. Bodelson: justices. J. H. Johnson, G. B. Mil. ler; constables, P. U. Randall, E. II. Sam- mons.

1899 President, F. D. Lindquist; trustees, E. F. Fricke, A. R. Schmidt, Sigman Rupp; rerorder, C. P. Swanson; treasurer, B. N. Bodelson; justice. P. B. Herman: constable, E. J. Sangreen.

1900-President, G. B. Miller; trustees, E. S. Jumble, A. K. Schmidt. R. O. Morrison; recorder, P. B. Herman: treasurer. B. N.

Charles Trumbull, W. S. Miller, O .. E. Ran- dall. J. D. Brawand. W. P. Jones. C. W. Aldrich, E. N. Scherlie. B. N. Bodelson, J. F. Burris. H. V. Gallagher. W. H. Lindquist. W. W. Kano. F. A. Ross. A. R. Schmidt. Henry D. Johns. S. Rupp. Swan Erickson, E. 11. Sammons. W. G. Clark. R. F. Laythe. Gottlieb Wahl, O. A. Nesset. W. R. Fields. M. J. Estey, C. 1. Bork. C. S. Fuller, J. Wahl. C. P. Swanson, R. H. Sammons, A. Berglund, II. C. Moshka. E. S. Humble. Elias Swenson, A. P. Smithburg. L. D. Randall. P. 11. Randall, C. A. Gallagher, C. M. Thomas, J. W. Schield, Fred W. Leistico and Oscar Hawkins.

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HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

Bodelson; assessor, W. J. Drake; justice, G. B. Miller; constable, W. P. Jones.

1901-President, G. B. Miller; trustees, J. 11. Johnson, Theodore Hawkins, J. H. Kane; recorder, P. B. llerman; treasurer, F. D. Lindquist; assessor, W. J. Drake; justice, P. B. herman; constable, II. A. Crosby.

1902-President, V. I. Miller; trustees, R. O. Morrison, Theodore Hawkins, A. R. Schmidt; recorder, Charles Hamstreet; treas- urer. J. H. Johnson; assessor, W. P. Jones; justices, Charles flamstreet, O. E. Randall; constable, W. P. Jones.

1903 President, B. N. Bodelson; trustees, F. A. Pasco, A. R. Schmidt, S. H. Brown; recorder, E. S. Ilumble; treasurer, J. J1. Johnson; assessor, Andrew Reuse; justices, C. M. Atwood, James McDonald; constables, W. l'. Jones, Il. A. Crosby.

1904-President, B. N. Bodelson; trustees, A. R. Schmidt, Haken Johnson, Martin Leutehman; reeorder, C. M. Atwood; treas- urer, J. H. Johnson; assessor, Andrew Reuse; justice, N. A. Dexter; constables, Andrew Reuse, W. N. Johnson.

1905-President, William Guthier; trustees, Theodore Hawkins, Il. A. Crosby, F. J. Knott; recorder, C. M. Atwood; treasurer, J. 11. Johnson; justice, E. H. Sammons; constable, Andrew Reuse.

1906-President, F. D. Lindquist; trustees, A. R. Schmidt, O. H. Johnson, S. IT. Nelson; recorder, C. M. Atwood; treasurer, J. H. Johnson; justice, Elmer Johnson; constable, (. H. Johnson.

1907-President, F. D. Lindquist; trustees, S. H. Nelson. A. R. Schmidt, Ole Johnson; recorder, C. M. Atwood; treasurer, J. II. Johnson; justice, Elmer Johnson; constable, (). II. Johnson.

1908-President, F. D. Lindquist; trustees, A. R. Schmidt, Ole Johnson, George Torkel- son; recorder, C. M. Atwood; treasurer, J. H. Johnson; assessor, T. B. Maguire; jus- tices, C. S. Jones, M. A. Arens; constable, A. Torkelson.

There were prosperous years following the beginning of municipal life, and in 1900 the federal census showed a popu- lation of 217, giving Dundee sixth place among Nobles county towns. Then fol- lowed the period when many of the pre- cinets showed a decrease in population, and in 1905 the census figure was 182. One hundred four of these were born in Minnesota, 36 in other parts of the United States, and 42 in foreign conn- tries. Of the foreign born Germany fur- nished 8; Sweden, 18; Norway, 3; Ire- land, 1; Denmark, 2; England, 2; Scot-

land, 2; Austria, 4; other countries, 2.

Dundee maintains one of the best schools to be found in the smaller vil- lages of the county, presided over by Prof. C. S. Jones. The town supports several church organizations, all of which are in a prosperous condition.

LISMORE.

Of Nobles county's eleven incorporated villages Lismore is the youngest. It is a town of 181 inhabitants, located on the Rock Island railroad and on section one, of Lismore township. Portions of Leota, Willmont, Larkin and Lismore townships comprise its trade territory, which, in my judgment, is the finest and most prosperous part of Nobles county, ex- cepting that surrounding the village of Ellsworth. The village itself is pros- perous and enjoys an excellent trade. It is built mostly of wood, but the build- ings are all permanent and substantial structures.

Lismore was founded as a direct re- sult of the building of the Burlington railroad, now operated as the Rock Is- land, through northwestern Nobles coun- ty, and came into existence during the summer of 1900. The road had been constructed a part of the distance it now covers during the fall and winter of 1899 and the towns of Reading and Wil- mont, on the same railroad, had been founded. The work of laying the track was again taken up in the spring of 1900, and the road reached the site of the present town of. Lismore at three o'clock on Saturday afternoon, June 9. homediately thereafter was commenced the building of the town.

The story of the selection of the site of Lismore is an interesting one. To Emil Graf and Charles Rieckoff, more

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HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.

than any others, belong the credit for the existence of the town. When Thomas Brown, the Burlington right-of-way man, was in the vicinity purchasing lands for the road's right-of-way and locating his townsites he stopped one night at the farm home of Emil Graf, situated some two or three miles northeast of the fu- ture town of Lismore. The settlers of the vicinity, who for so many years had been such a long ways from market, were anxious to have a town builded nearby. So they inquired from Mr. Brown the company's intentions relative to the location of townsites on the new road. That official stated that his in- structions were to locate only one town between Wilmont and the junction of the road. Such a decision meant that the proposed town would be built some three miles further west.

But the surveyors, who were then in the field, were having trouble running their lines and getting the grade they wanted. By making a detour to the south it was found that a good grade could be secured, although the mileage would be increased. This course was finally selected, and the lengthening of the road made possible the location of two townsites. Mr. Brown decided that one site could be selected in the viein- ity, and Messrs. Graf and Rieckoff sug- gested the southwest quarter of section 1, Lismore township, as a site. Mr. Brown agreed to locate the town there if the land could be bought for $30 per acre, and he, accompanied by the two

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An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota, Part 32

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