USA > Minnesota > Rock County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 15
USA > Minnesota > Pipestone County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 15
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The children of Mr. Preston had a narrow escape on their way home from school, They had become lost in the storm and wandered in- to a cornfield. There they found a wire fence, and, following it, reached home in safety.
Miss Hattie Iladwick, school teacher in a Springwater district, recognized the danger which threatened, and did not dismiss school, but remained in the building all night with her pupils.
George L. Cole had a narrow escape at his farm in Battle Plain township, He was in the storm until dark, endeavoring to get his cattle to shelter and had great difficulty in finding his way to the house after giving up the effort. Forty catle of his herd of seventy per- ished in the blizzard.
111
HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.
Sioux Falls Railway company were at work in Rose Dell and Springwater town- ships, but the line was not definitely lo- cated until the following year. Grading was commenced on the line in the fall of 1887, but the track was not laid until October. 1888. The Willmar & Sioux Falls road, which is now a part of the Great Northern system, passes through Rose Dell township and touches the ex- treme northwest corner of Springwater township. The village of Jasper, on the north line of Rock county, was founded as a result of the construction of this road.
The building of Roek county's court house was also an occurrence of 1888, agi- tation for its construction having been be- gun early in 1887. For years the little shack that had served as a county build- ing had been unsuited for the purpose and an eyesore," but the sentiment of the country precincts had been uniformly against the expenditure of money to rem- edy conditions.
The initiative was taken by residents of the county seat al a meeting held at Kniss Brothers' office February 19, 1887. At that meeting it was decided to draft a bill to be introduced in the legislature asking for authority to issue bonds to an amount of $25,000. For the purpose of drawing up the bill a committee composed of A. M. Crosby, A. Barek and R. B. Hinkly was appointed, and for the purpose of plaeing the matter before the voters a committee composed of J. B. Shawver, W. P. Preston, J. C. Kelley, R. E. More- land and George B. Brace. At onee it be-
"""The county building is full of business these days. Almost every available foot of space is occupied with desks and tables, and with all the county officials crowded into one room and people coming in and going out constantly one can easily imagine what a pleasant place it is to do husiness. The county officials man- age to get along and do their work under the present disadvantages, but the time is not far distant when it will be absolutely impossible to do the county business in the old rookery now used for county offices."-Rock County Herald, January 28, 1887.
came apparent that the people of Rock county would not ratify the proposition to expend so great a sum, and another meeting was held February 21, at which the amount of bonds to be incorporated in the bill was placed at $50,000. Even at the lower figure, opposition developed, which, however, did not extend to fighting the bill in the legislature, and the act was passed.
The failure of the county seat removal scheme the year before still rankled in the breasts of the people of Beaver Creek and vicinity,7 and it became known that bonds to the amount of $50,000 would not be authorized by the voters. Therefore it was decided to again reduce the amount asked. A mass meeting of Rock county citizens, attended by more than 300 tax- payers, was held at Luverne May 7, when the following petition form was adopted without a dissenting vole:
To the Board of County Commissioners of Rock County, Minnesota:
We, the citizens of Rock county, each vil- lage and township therein being represent- ed, assembled in mass convention, do this May 7, 1887, resolve as follows:
First: That we are in favor of building a court house at the county seat of said county at the earliest time possible.
Second: That the structure be built of Rock county granite.
Third : That the expense thereof shall not exceed thirty thousand dollars.
Fourth : That the board of county com- missioners shall take all necessary steps at once to bring the matter to a vote of the people.
The petition, quite liberally signed, was presented to the board of county commis- sioners, and on May 16 that body passed a resolution, calling a special election for
"At a mass meeting held at White's hall, in Beaver Creek, March 5, 1887, the following resolution was adopted:
"WIIEREAS: The benefits accruing to the citizens of Luverne by the building, by the county at large, of such court house and jail. would, in our opinion, be such that they could well afford to stand the larger portion of such expense Incurred thereby, therefore be it
"RESOLVED: That we will use our best ef- forts to secure a vote to bond the county for $20,000, upon the condition that the village of Luverne will donate $20,000 more and build a court house worth $40,000."
112
HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.
June 18 to vote on the question of issning $30,000 bonds for the erection of a court house, jail and sheriff's residence. At the election bonds were voted, the result by precinets being as follows :
PRECINTS
For Bonds
Against Bonds
Battle Plain
7
13
Beaver Creek Township
10
47
Beaver Creek Village ...
15
27
Clinton
22
14
Denver
14
8
Kanaranzi
9
10
Luverne Township.
55
1
Luverne Village
319
0
Magnolia
21
8
Martin
5
61
Mound ..
27
1
Rose Dell
12
15
Springwater
17
19
Vienna
23
1
TOTAL
556
225
The county commissioners took prompt action to carry out the expressed will of the people. On June 24 the bonds were advertised for sale. T. D. Allen was select- ed as the architect, and the plans he submitted were accepled June 12. The contract for the erection of the building, of Luverne granite, was let to A. Tollef- son on a bid of $23,500 on August 11. 1882. P. II. Gillham was appointed su- perintendent of construction August 23. and two days later ground was broken for the new building. The structure was turned over to the county August 4, 1888. and accepted by the commissioners on that date, conditional upon the perfor- mance of certain specified work," and car- ly in October the building was occupied by the county officers. The old court house was sold on a bid of $25, in cash !
BA final settlement was made in the district court in March, 1890. The contractor brought suit for nearly $4000. alleged to be due for extras, changes in plans and delays caused by the county board; the county set up a counter claim of $6000 for alleged defects in the work. The case was dismissed without recovery by either party to the suit.
"Roth Beaver Creek and Valley Springs were lively candidates for stations on the new line
Because of the activity in railroad build- ing and other lines of improvements. con- ditions were fairly prosperous in 1888. Grain was not an average crop, being in- jured by blight. Some fields were badly lodged by heavy rains and difficulty was encountered in harvesting the crop.
Although the growing season of 1889 was dry, conditions were better than the preceding year and a good crop was raised. A large acreage was converted from the prairie state into productive fields, and new homes were established in every town- ship, Springwater being especially fortu- nate in receiving a large settlement of thrifty farmers.
Another railway, the Sioux City & Northern, later merged into the Great Northern system, was built through the southwestern part of Rock county in 1889, and the village of Hills was founded as a result. The company had been organized several years before. had died and been buried several times, and had been res- utrected as often. It had planned sev- eral rontes north from Sioux City, and surveyors in its employ had run lines all over Rock county. The last revival came early in 1889, when the necessary funds were raised to construct a railroad from Sioux City to Palisades (Garretson). South Dakota. Soon it became known that the road would pass through Rock county, but it was some time before the exart course the road would take was learned.º The grading contract was let in July, 1889, and work on the line was commenced at once. The railroad was completed through Rock county before the close of the year.
of road. A bill was passed by the legislature of 1889, authorizing the village of Beaver Creek to issue bonds to aid in the purchase of right- of-way through Beaver Creek township, and on July 22 a committee of Beaver Creek citi- zens, consisting of A. J. Daley, W. T. Berry and 1. H. Burt, went to Sionx City to inter- view the authorities with regard to building the road through their village, Both candidates for the honor were passed by, the railroad pass- ing about equidistant between them.
113
İTİSTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.
The first few years of the decade begin- ning with 1890 constituted one of the most active periods of development in the whole history of Rock county. Good crops were the rule, there was rapid set- tlement, and in all lines of endeavor great progress was made.
During the spring months of 1890 many new settlers arrived. A bountiful harvest was gathered,10 and then came the boom. Rock county real estate was much songht, and landseekers covered all parts of the county, having a tendency to ra- pidly increase the values. In the north- eastern townships, particularly, the new- comers invested, a special train from Orange City, lowa, bringing 12: farmers in one day. An estimate placed the val- ne of building improvements for the year at $175,000.
The federal census of 1890 gave Roek connty a population of 6817, a substantial increase over the former enumerations. By preeinets the population was as follows:
Battle Plain 248
Beaver Creek Township. 633
Beaver Creek Village 232
Clinton 473
Denver 290
Kanaranzi 343
Luverne Township 394
Luverne Village 1466
Magnolia 407
Martin 1010
Mound 325
Rose Dell 307
Springwater 415
Vienna 274
Total 6817
10"Rock county has produced an abundant harvest and furnished thereby still stronger foundation for its proud claim to the distinction of being by nature the richest agricultural county in the west."-Rock County Herald. Angust 2, 1890.
11"The year 1892 will be notable in the history of Luverne and Rock county as one of splendid advancement in material prosperity. No single year in the previous history of either can show a record of greater activity in the way of im- provements. The splendid natural advantages of this favored section have for years been at- tracting the attention of homeseekers in the rast, and Rock county has won extended fame as the richest agricultural county in the north- west. As a result there has been a steady and constantly increasing immigration to this conn- ty, and during the past two years the demand for Rock county land has been unprecedently
The year 1891 was even more progres- sive than 1890. A magnificent crop of small grain was harvested and there was a big increase in the acreage. The demand for land was active and many substantial Illinois and lowa farmers settled in the county during the year. The Rock Conn- ty Herald of November 20, 1891, told of conditions : "During the past two years a marvelous change has been wrought in the county. A large share of the prairie land in the county-practically all in the southern part-has been brought under cultivation. New homes in large numbers have been established, groves have been planted, fences have been built, barns and granaries erected, and where but a short time ago there was nothing but bare prairie are now cultivated fields, well im- proved farms and comfortable homes."
Flood-tide was reached in 1892. Great- er progress was made that year than in any single twelve-month in the previons history of the county.11 The assessed val- uation reached $3,060,897, which was nearly a half million dollars more than that of 1891.
A severe wind and hail storm brought destruction and damage to erops in a narrow strip of country in the southern part of the county on the afternoon of June 20, 1892. The storm brought death to Mrs. Ole Nelson Toppol and serious in- jury to her two year old daughter. The family resided six miles northwest of
active. Well-to-do farmers have sold their high priced farms in eastern states, and have bought better land in this county at prices which have made the change a very profitable and advantageous one. Others with less means have bought farms in this section by making a small first payment, and in many cases have paid for the land from the proceeds of a single crop. .
"The improvements made in the county at large and its several trading points during the past two years, and particularly during the present year, would be a source of wonder to those who might visit the county after an ah- sence of a few years. Everywhere an . appearance of thrift, enterprise and prosperity- the best possible evidence of the fertility of our soil and the value of our farming lands- is apparent."-Rock County Herald, December 25, 1892.
114
HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.
llills. The tempest began its work in Rock county at the village of Manley, where nearly every building was wrecked. From that point the storm passed to the sontheast through portions of Martin, Clinton and Kanaranzi townships.
Prosperous times continned up to the summer of 1893, Then eame the memor- able panie and a few years of hard times. Several firms failed. business was for a time paralyzed, and a period of dull times set in, which was not entirely broken until the late nineties.12 The depression was not so keenly felt in Rock county, however, as it was in many of the less favored por- tions of the country. The panie was pre- ceded by several years of flourishing times. Everybody had prospered and was in a position to weather the financial crash and its resulting period of depression.
Adding to the severity of the times, in 1891 came the first Rock county crop fail- ure since grasshopper days. This was caused by drought. To supply seed grain to those who would be unable to purchase, the legislature appropriated a sum of money. Rock county applicants asked for $2,240.10 worth of seed, and the amount was received the following March. Hard times in the midst of plenty summarized the record for 1895. No previous year was more richly blessed by the generosity of nature, and yet the cry of hard times was more frequently heard than in either of the two preceding years. The harvest was of unusual bounty and under normal conditions would have placed the people of Rock county in comfortable circum- stances, but the prices for grain were hard- ly sufficient to pay for threshing and haul- ing to market.
The several preeinets had population as follows in 1895:
12"There has been a change since the splendid record of 1892 was made, and the conditions this year have not been favorable to the en- couragement of enterprise and improvement. As a matter of fact, the year just closing will go down in history as one of the hardest ever
Battle Plain
430
Beaver Creek Township.
733
Beaver Creek Village. 175
Clinton 594
Denver
505
Kanaranzi
473
Luverne Township
435
Luverne Village
1890
Magnolia
543
Martin
862
Hills
195
Mound
421
Rose Dell
452
Springwater 578
Vienna
311
Total 8,597
An event of the year 1896 was a heavy rain storm and flood on June 6. The storm took the nature of a cloudburst, G.st inches of water falling in one day. Crops were damaged in the low places and all the railroads entering Rock county suf- fered serious damage by washouts.
A destructive hail storm visited portions of Rock county July 29, 1897, and brought big losses to farmers by reason of damage to crops. Great areas of growing fields in Springwater and Beaver Creek townships and smaller areas in Luverne, Clinton and Vienna townships were swept bare by the destructive element. Many fields were so badly damaged that they were abandoned entirely.
In 1898 Rock county furnished a com- pany of soldiers, who took part in the Spanish-American war, serving a little less than ten months within the United States. A few months before the break- ing out of hostilities a militia company at Luverne had been mustered out of the service, and, the adjutant general having refused to consider the request for its re- enlistment, the company organized for the war was purely volunteer, although it contained many former members of the militia.18 The volunteers perfected an or- ganization June 6, 1898. when they cleet- known in the county."-Rock County Herald, December 29, 1893.
13A reserve militia company was mustered in at Enverne by Colonel Joseph Bobletter March 10, 1886, with the following members: W. H.
115
HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.
ed L. S. Nelson, captain ; Frank Fergu- son, first lieutenant ; and William E. Pres- ton, second lieutenant.14
President MeKinley made his second call for volunteers May 25, but owing to the necessity of recruiting the skeleton companies of the former Minnesota regi- ments, the troops waiting to respond were not mustered in at once. Finally, Gover- nor (longh issued the long-awaited orders For the mobilization of the Fifteenth Min- nesota regiment, and on July 6 the Rock county company departed for St. Paul. There was a big demonstration at Luverne when the company took its departure.
The Fifteenth Minnesota regiment. of which the Rock county company became company G, was mustered into the United States service ,July 18. The company and regiment were stationed at Camps Ram- sey and Snelling, near St. Paul, until September 15. During that time the regi- ment went through a fearful typhoid fever epidemic, when many men of company G were ill with the disease, resulting in several deaths in the company and others in the regiment. From Minnesota the regiment went to Camp Meade, near Har- risburg, Pennsylvania, where it was as- signed to the third brigade of the first di- vision of the second army corps. There it remained until November 15, when the regiment was transferred to Camp Mc- Kenzie, near Augusta, Georgia. The regi- ment and company were mustered ou! at that eamp March 22, 1899. Following is the roster of the company at the time of mustering out, with the rank of the
Halbert, captain: P. E. Brown, first lieutenant: J. W. Gerber, second lieutenant; E. S. Warner. S. B. Nelson, A. L. Stoughton, Thomas J. Mc- Dermott, Edgar S. Knowles, George W. Baker, H. W. Helm, W. S. Bronson, O, L. Varney, P. Peteler, John Kelley, Fred E. Henton, S. S. Walters, W. J. Jones, Jens E. Billington. C. O. Hawes, E. K. Rogness, K. K. Rogness.
This company became company F. of the Third regiment, M. N. G., the following year and maintained its organization until it was mustered out in May. 1889, A new company was at once organized and adopted the title "Luverne Guards." The Guards became F com-
soldier at that time and his place of rosi- dence as given in the original muster roll :
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Louis S. Nelson (captain), Luverne.
Frank Ferguson (first lieutenant), Mag- nolia.
George W. Eckles (second lieutenant), St. Paul.
SERGEANTS
William E. Preston (first sergeant), Lu- verne.
George P. Jones (quartermaster ser- geant), Luverne.
Mathias Baldwin, Sherman, South Dakota.
George A. Otis, St. Paul.
Charles J. Becklund, St. Paul.
Charles J. Solberg, Luverne.
CORPORALS
John H. McMillan, Luverne.
Roy Ollson, Magnolia.
George E. Munch, Edgerton.
John W. Mueller, Luverne.
Markus M. Chatfield, Kanaranzi.
Frank Irvine, Luverne.
Frank M. Mckenzie, Redfield, Iowa.
Walter H. Snook, Luverne. Harry D. Ayer, Luverne.
John M. McCormick, Graceville.
John H. May, Keokuk, Iowa.
Emil Reddel, Aitkin.
Dale R. Terrill, Edgerton.
Ovey V. Shippey (musician), Alexandria.
William Niederberger (musician), Mag- nolia.
Patrick Miller (artificer), St. Paul.
Luther J. Bush (wagoner), Kanaranzi.
PRIVATES
Halvor Arneson, Luverne.
Frank E. Barclay, Magnolia.
H. Delos Barnard, Chandler.
Edward H. Bauer, St. Paul.
Nick Bergerson, Luverne.
William W. Birmingham, East Grand
Forks.
Hiram Brewster, Vassar, Michigan.
Chauncey A. Campbell, Pine Island.
Guy C. Chatfield, Kanaranzi.
Carl E. Dahl, Luverne.
pany, of the Third regiment, again May 9, 1891. when forty-three men were mustered in by Lieutenant C. A. Van Duzee. Later the local company became company H, of the Second regiment, and maintained its organization, ex- cepting a short lapse in 1894, until it was finally mustered out of the service in January, 1898.
1Governor Clough reserved the appointment of second lieutenant, and when the troops were mustored in Mr. Preston was made first ser- geant.
116'
HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.
William A. Downs, Alexandria.
John M. Duell, St. Paul.
Joseph P. Dwyer, Graceville.
Henry C. Eiekmann, Alexandria.
George Iveland, Luverne.
George A. Fish, Alexandria.
John A. Gant, Magnolia.
Frank Gould, Des Moines, lowa.
Edward Groot, Rock Elm, Wisconsin.
Frederick J. Hobert, Chicago, Illinois.
Aksel Hofgaard, Edgerton.
Axtel P. Holstein, Minneapolis.
Carl Hoven, Luverne. George W. Humphrey, Nevada, Missouri. Teeter Johnson, Ashcreek.
Joseph E. Jones, Luverne.
Daniel Kelly, St. Paul.
Daniel J. Kelly, St. Paul.
Jeremiah, Kelly, St. Paul.
Carl J. King, Alexandria.
Ingebrit G. Klungness, Beaver Creek. Herman A. Krenger, Cottage Grove.
Edward P. Lampman, Alexandria.
Frank L. Lampman, Alexandria.
Alexander G. Lundquest, Luverne.
Charles J. Lundquest, Luverne.
Thomas McLean, St. Panl. Michael Naylon, Adrian.
Herman Oestreich, Hardwick.
Carl J. Olson, Minneapolis.
Ole M. Oleson, Luverne.
William N. Olson, Willmar.
Christian Peterson, Steel Center.
Anton Peterson, St. Paul.
Nick Peterson, Audubon.
Charles Pickett, Magnolia.
William D. Pickett, Edgerton.
Scott G. Rogers, Luverne.
Olof B. Running, Beaver Creek.
Lee Rutter, Ashcreek.
Eugene E. Scott, Luverne.
Tonguin Senum, Fosston.
George W. Shurr, Kanaranzi.
Bendick P. Shuros, Highlandville, Iowa. Samuel Simpkins, Luverne.
Harry H. Snook, Luverne.
Steve Stephens, Luverne. Louis Sustacek, Havana.
Nick Sward, Nelson Station.
William A. Swenemson, Graceville.
Martin Severson, Highland, Wisconsin.
Henry Smuser, Luverne.
Chris Thorsen, Luverne.
Warner Townsend, Magnolia.
Adolph Tshudden, Edgerton. Albert E. Vance, Winona.
''G company sustained losses as follows: Ser- geant Severt O. Nelson, of Luverne, died Sep- tember 15, 1898; Corporal Ove C. B. Knudtson. of Luverne, died August 27, 1898; Corporal Godfrey Zimmerman, of St. Paul, died Septem- her 21, 1898; Frederick D. Christian, of Kana- ranzi, died October 22, 1898; William H. Din- Hey. of Little Falls, died September 12, 1898; William J. Kenney died August 25, 1898; Wii- iam W. Blaker, of St. Paul, was discharged October 22. 1898, by order of the secretary of war; George Il. Crossman, of Beaver Creek. was transferred to the signal corps January 20. 1899; Ernest Wood, of Walker, was transferred
William J. Welsh, Graceville. Harry N. Willett, Luverne.
Wilmot O. Wilson, Browns Valley.
John B. Wood, Luverne. Guy B. Woodle, Luverne. Joseph E. Zikmund, St. Paul.13
After a few years of hard times follow- ing the panic of 1893, Rock county en- tered upon a prosperous era. During the years 1892 to 1902, inclusive, excellent crops were the rule, and hundreds of new settlers came to share in the bounteous times. Land values jumped several hun- dred per cent. It was a time of unprece- dented prosperity. Said the Rock County Herald Ame 14, 1901: "A half decade of prosperous years, with good crops and good prices, has generously supplied the cument wants of producers and left a surplus that is being employed in improve- ments and development. The expendi- thes now being made elearly indicate a firm confidence in the permaneney of the present pleasing conditions." In 1900 the county had a population of 9668.16
Rock county's last railroad was built in 1900, and as a result the village of Kenneth was founded. The extension of the Burlington road (now the Rock Is- land) from Worthington to Hardwick was begun in the fall of 1899, and in Decem- ber of that year the road was completed to the new town of Wilmont and train service was established. The surveyed line through Rock county was made in October, 1899, and the following March construction was begun westward from Wilmont. The track was completed to Hardwick June 26. 1900. and the event was properly celebrated in the village.
to company ( July 31, 1898; Thomas J. Noonan, of Prior Lake, deserted August 29, 1898; William Williams, of Cleveland, Ohio, deserted July 19. 1898.
"Distributed as follows: Battle Plain, 464; Beaver Creek township, 736; Beaver Creek vil- lage, 186; Clinton, 624; Denver, 441; Hardwick, 259; Jasper village (in Rock county ). 112; Kan- aranzi, 512; Luverne township, 454; Luverne village, 2223; Magnolia township, 363; Magnolia village, 176: Martin (including Hills). 1168; Mound, 449; Rose Dell, 543; Springwater, 580; Vienna, 378.
117
HISTORY OF ROCK COUNTY.
The Rock county jail and sheriff's resi- dence was erceted in 1900. The board of county commissioners accepted the plans of W. E. E. Greene February 1, and on May 4 the contracts for the erection of the building, the cells and heating plant, the total contract price being $15,726, were signed. The building was accepted by the county board December 1, 1900.
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