An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota, Part 42

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Luverne, Minn. : Northern History Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 924

USA > Minnesota > Rock County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 42
USA > Minnesota > Pipestone County > An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota > Part 42

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

William R. Gardner, Marshall.

Charles A. Goodridge, Mankato.

George L. Gravem, Minneapolis.

George G. Gregry, Geneva, New York. .

Herman P. Hansen, Hastings.

Zenas A. Hazard, Hastings.

Ole flimle, Montevideo.

Theodore C. Israelson, Montevideo.

Norman Johnson, St. Paul.

Joseph J. Kapfer, St. Cloud.

Joseph Kerkove, Pipestone.

Frank F. King, Boyd. Thomas Lewis, Wheaton.

Knute Loundberg, Minneapolis.

Isaac K. Maki, New York Mills. Charles A. Martin, Brandon, Manitoba. George Miller, St. Paul.

Thomas McCarty, Marshall.

Francis A. Neher, Atkinson, Nebraska.

Maurice J. O'Brine, Cherokee, Jowa. Oscar Olson, Airlie.

Pearl E. Oxley, Center Point, Iowa.

Charles Peterson, New York Mills. George Price, Colorado.

William W. Quanetance, Slayton.

Louis G. Rask, Caledonia.

Harry W. Ricketts, Slayton.

Jay I. Ricketts, Slayton. George F. Riddell, Minneapolis.

John Salm, Slayton. Joseph Schick, Glenwood.

Frederick Savard, Eau Claire, Wisconsin. George Shelton, Minneapolis.

Carl J. Smith, West Sweden, Wisconsin. Harry P. Smith, St. Cloud.

""Losses were sustained by M company as follows: Ilans l'. Pederson, of Minneapolis, died September 19. 1898; Christ Neslund, of Miune- apolis, died September 28, 1898; Sergeant Fred- erick C. O. Smith, of Pipestone, died October 18. 1898; Lester D. Lord. of Minneapolis, doserted November 29, 1898; Julius Mark. of New York Mills, was discharged for disability November 11, 1898; William A. Steward, of Minneapolis, was discharged by order of the secretary of war October 1, 1898. that he might accept a commission: Corporal Ole Sathre, llenry II. Lit- tle, Gout II. Bacon, Charley Johnson, Martin

Henry Smith, Fort Snelling. William M. Smith, Edgerton. James Stapleton, Trosky.

August Steindorf, St. Cloud.

John A. Stietzel, Kerkhoven.

James L. Stone, Ely. Joseph H. Theirs, Jr., St. Cloud. Leonard S. Thomson, Lake Wilson.

Charles W. Tibbs, Minneapolis.

Henry Votel, St. Paul.

Charles F. Williams, Pipestone. Frank O. Williamson, Mankato.

Emanuel Wittrup, Minneapolis.

Gustav M. Ziemann, Chandler. Theodor O. Ziemann, Lake Wilson.12

The lean years of the hard times period following the panie of 1893 continued un- til 1898. Then abundant crops, aided by better conditions in the country at large. brought a change in the status. The Pipestone County Star of January 6, 1899, told of the year's progress: "The year 1898 has certainly been a very pros- perons one for Pipestone and Pipestone county. The crop of the year in this see- tion was generally very good, and taken in consideration with the general improve- ment of conditions throughont the coun- try. the ery of hard times has scarcely been heard this year. Money to loan has been abundant and labor of all kinds has been in active demand. Upon every hand throughout the county substantial improve- ments made through the year can be seen ; here a new house. there a new granary or barn, here a new church, there a new school house. and so on. All our lumber dealers report greatly increased sales of all kinds of building material, and this is certainly a strong indication of the im- provements which have been made. The bountiful harvest and increased prices have cleared. many of our farmers from

Rinde, Albert Hammon and Donald A. Cou- sens were discharged hy order of the score- tary of war: Musician William F. Itlis, of Chas- ka, was transferred to the signal corps Janu- ary 20, 1899; Olaus A. Opsahl, Andreas K. Steen and Charles A. Strong. Jr., were transferred to the regimental band July 30, 1898; Carl F. Anderson, of Minneapolis, was transferred to the hospital corps. United States army. Feb- ruary 7. 1899: Theodore E. Grahn, of Minneapo- lis, was transferred to E company February 9, 1899.

299

HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.

debt and have placed others in very com- fortable circumstances."

The year 1899 was another prosperous one and one in which there was great de- mand for land. The agent of Close Bros. & Co. sold over 9000 acres of that firm's land-the last of the company's once enor- mous holdings. On October 27 the school lands were put on sale by the state andi- for, and every piece was sold. The popu- lation of the county in 1900 was 9264, an increase of over eighty per cent in ten years.13

From the date of organization until early in the year 1902 Pipestone county was without a court house. It will be remembered that at the second meeting of the board of county commissioners, Feb- ruary 20. 1879, the county authorities accepted from D. E. Sweet two blocks of land for court house purposes, which were, however, not destined to be used for such purposes for over twenty years.14 The land was broken and shade trees were set out, and later the property was leased.

Decidedly primitive were the accommo- dations afforded the county officers for the transaction of business in the early days. For two years the county auditor's office was a 10x12 feet shack, and the other of- ficers conducted the business at their ro- spective homes. The Pipestone County Star on September 19, 1829, thus bewailed the lack of a court house :

What kind of a way is it for a county like Pipestone to have its books and papers all over the village? The recorder [regis- ter of deeds] has the record books at his house; the county attorney, ditto; the treas- urer, the same; and the auditor, well, he would have to keep a team to bring his books and papers from his house in the morning and take them home in the even- ing, and as a consequence they are left in the little shanty called an office, where they

13By precincts the population in 1900 was as follows: Aetna, 32]: Altona. 432; Burke, 357; Eden. 600; Edgerton, 450; Elmer, 374; Fountain Prairie, 411: Grange, 316; Gray, 363; Holland, 255: Jasper (in Pipestone county), 447; Osborne, 445: Pipestone. 2536; Rock, 312: Ruthton. 323: Sweet, 415; Trosky. 215; Troy, 481; Woodstock. 211.

are apt to be destroyed most any night. We should have a place for our officers, where the records can be kept in safety.

In the spring of 1881 the rooms over C. H. Bennett's pioneer frame building were rented, and there a part of the county officials had their offices for three years. On May 26, 1883, a petition was presented to the county board, signed by C. C. Good- now and others, asking the county law- making body to build a court house out of the public funds. The official rec- ord of the resultant action was as follows: "Prayers of the petitioners rejected for the following reasons, that there are no funds in the treasury for that purpose." In June, 1884, the upper story of Com- merce block was rented for county pur- poses, and for many years the auditor. treasurer, register of deeds, superintendent of schools, sheriff, clerk of court, judge of probate and attorney had offices in that building. while the court was held in a little back room, far from suitable but the best to be had.

For many years before a court house was actually built the question was agitaled. In 1885 a bill passed the legislature, giv- ing the commissioners of Pipestone coun- ty authority to submit the question of issuing $10,000 bonds for county buildings. but no further action was taken. During the panie stricken days, in the spring of 1894, the matter of a court house became a live issue. In May a petition bearing many signatures, of which nearly 250 were those of farmers, was presented to the commissioners, asking that body to call a special election on the question of is- sning $40.000 bonds for the erection of a court house and jail. On the fifteenth of that month the board took favorable

14Owing to a technicality in the original trans- fer there was a cloud on the title to the block until 1888, when it was removed by decree of Judge Perkins, of the district court.

300

HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.

action and named Tuesday, June 26, elec- tion day.

The election was not held. Within a short time another petition. numerously signed, asked that the board withdraw the call for the election, and to decide the mat- ter a special meeting of the county board was called for June 23. The friends of the measure, in the meantime, were not idle. Inne . 19 another petition was circulated, asking that the county board do not with- draw the call, but that the call have this amendment: "All work on said building must be done by residents of Pipestone county." At the meeting the recall was decided on, and the matter was not brought to a vote. Times were extremely hard, and public sentiment was undoubt- edly against the bond issue.15

In February. 1896, the offices of an- ditor. treasurer, register of deeds and sheriff were established in the newly con- structed county builling built of red pipe- stone building stone, being moved from the Commerce block. These offices were main- tained in the jail until the court house was erected several years later. The ar- rangement was not entirely satisfactory.16

For several years prior to the work of building the court house, funds for the purpose were raised by direct taxation, and the board which convened in Jannary. 1899, decided to take the initial step. They examined the court houses in several of the neighboring counties and had plans drawn. but nothing further was accom- plished until carly the following year. On January 3, 1900, the contract for the foundation of the building was let to Hadwick & MeKnight on a bid of $8567. The contract for the erection of the super- structure was let November 27. 1900. to

15"Petition of citizens filed, asking the board of county commissioners to bond the county for $40,000 or $50.000 and loan same to the citi- zens of the county. On motion said petition was laid on the table." -- Commissioners' Jour- nal. June 23, 1891.

16"For a jail, our jail building is the finest in

C. Il. Peltier on a bid of $45,175, and work was resumed the next spring.

The county authorities had undertaken the work without the necessary funds to complete and furnish the building, which was constructed of Pipestone red building stone, and for the purpose of raising the money they called a special election for September 12. 1901, to vote on the ques- tion of issuing bonds to the amount of $20,000. The work of the county board" was indersed at the polls, the several pre- cinets voting as follows :

PRECINCT

For Bonds

Against Bonds

Aetna

Altona

Burke

Eden

Elmer

Edgerton

Fountain Prairie ..

Grange

Gray

Holland

Jasper

Osborne

Pipestone

275

Rock

Ruthton

Sweet

Trosky

Troy

Woodstock

TOTAL

499

206

The court house was completed during the winter of 1901-02 and was occupied for the first time by the county officers in Jannary, 1902.

Prosperous tines continued until 1903. That year was one of disaster, brought by a destructive hail storm and excessive rainfall. In May came a heavy rainfall, and a hail. wind and rain storm early in July brought considerable damage in Eden

this part of the state, but for a court house it is not a success."-Pipestone County Star. June 0. 1899.

17The commissioners under whose supervision the court house was erected were Nelson Minet. 1 .. R. Ober, William Doms, J. P. Rolen and J. C. Jonas.

301

HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.

and Sweet townships. But the disaster of the year was the hail storm of July 20, which almost completely laid waste the grain fields in the east two-thirds of the county. The Pipestone Review estimated the loss in the county at $200,000, and estimates generally placed the loss at from one-third to one-half of the total acreage. The storm passed from the north central portion of the county in a southeasterly direction, the villages of Holland, Wood- stock, Trosky and Edgerton being in its path. At Pipestone, which was on the ex- treme western edge of the storm, there was a heavy fall of hail and damage was done, but not nearly so severe as farther east: at Woodstock hail fell to a depth of six inches, at Edgerton the hailstones had to be shoveled from the sidewalks to make them passable, windows were broken and trees denuded of their leaves. The Pipe- stone County Star told of the damage:

"Throughout the whole area, the mag- nificent erop of barley, which was just ready for harvest, was beaten down and threshed out npon the ground in a manner which will render it worthless. Oats and wheat also suffered terribly. but in a few

15"While the hail did very little damage near Ruthton, the farmers are not in the best of spirits on account of the rainy weather that has prevailed for some time. In many instances it will be impossible to save the crops. In some cases it is impossible to get into the fields with the binders, and the grain in the shock will be greatly damaged by water. There is an immense amount of straw, and grain is, as a rule, well filled, but most people are predicting

places will be partially saved. Corn is stripped and the yield will be sadly di- minished. In some places the corn looks like an absolute failure. . . It is generally coneeded that the county as a whole will have a half crop. The despair immediately following yesterday's storin was, of course, greater because of the unusually fine prospects which had ex- isted up to this time."

The damage did not extend west of Pipestone, and the extreme northeastern corner of the county escaped serious dam- age. During the entire season the coun- try was drenched with rains. All the low places were flooded, and in many instances it was impossible to harvest the crop.18

There was abnormal rainfall during the two or three succeeding years, but the damage therefrom was not general in the county. The county had a population of 9662 when the state census of 1905 was taken.19 During the last half dozen years before the publication of this volume, times have been prosperous, although there has been no increase in population, the census of 1910 giving a population of 9553. $

that if one-half of the grain is saved we will do well."-Ruthton Gazette. August, 1903.

19By precincts as follows: Aetna, 340; Altona. 416; Burke, 370; Eden, 613; Edgerton, 380; Elmer, 389; Fountain Prairie, 370; Grange, 314; Gray, 417; llolland, 221; Jasper (in Pipestone county ), 520; Osborne, 440; Pipestone, 2885; Rock, 300; Ruthton, 323; Sweet, 411; Trosky, 206; Troy, 467; Woodstock, 280.

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, IFNOX AND TILD N FOUNDATIONS.

CHAPTER XXIII.

POLITICAL-1874-1911.

T HE people of Pipestone county take great interest in matters po- litieal, and they come by the trait honestly. For it is recorded that away back in the days before the county was organized, when there were only two set- tlers and one visitor in the county, not one of whom had been in Minnesota long enough to establish residence, the first political convention was held.

This was in June, 1874. At the time Daniel E. Sweet and his family and John Lowry were living in a little house where the city of Pipestone now stands, and when Dr. W. J. Taylor came to the place for the first time and decided to become a resident at some future time, the political history of Pipestone county began. The three men decided to resolve themselves into a convention to choose a lelegate to attend the republican congres- sional convention which was to be held at Owatonna in the latter part of the month. Mr. Lowry was chairman, Mr. Sweet seere- tary, and Dr. Taylor "the convention." The doctor intended to leave soon for his home in Wisconsin and he was unan- imously selected as the delegate. He went to Luverne, where he was joined by Philo Hawes, the delegate from Rock county, and the two proceeded by team to Worth- ington, then the nearest railroad point,

and thenee by rail to Owatonna, where the Pipestone county delegate participated in the deliberations of the convention. A little later in the same year Mr. Sweet attended as a delegate the republiean leg- islative convention which nominated A. M. Crosby for the lower house.

In the summer of 1875 Dr. Taylor re- turned to the Pipestone country, aceom- panied by two other prospective settlers, and in the month of June the next eon- vention was held to seleet a delegate to the republican state convention. The conven- tion was attended by the entire voting strength of the county, as follows: Dan- iel E. Sweet, John Lowry. Dr. W. J. Taylor, H. D. Sanford and Fred Rogers. Dr. Taylor was chosen as the delegate and attended the convention, which was held at St. Paul, while on his way home to Wisconsin.

When the state convention was organ- ized the matter of seating the Pipestone county delegate occupied the attention of the convention. One of the delegates pro- tested vigorously against the doctor be- ing allowed a seat, stating that Pipestone eounty was inhabited by nothing but In- dians and that a delegate from that unor- ganized territory most certainly was not entitled to a seat. Dr. Taylor addressed the convention, stating that it was true

303

304

HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.

that there were only a few voters in Pipe- stone county, but that they were desirous of bringing abont a settlement and that some day, in the not far distant future. these same republicans who now desired to keep him from taking his seat in the convention would be flocking down to Pipestone county looking for delegates favorable to them or to their friends. Up- on the conclusion of this brief address, which seemed to strike the delegates as a good one, there were cries of "Admit him!" "Seat him!" etc., and Dr. Taylor participated in the proceedings of the convention.

During the early period of the county's history the settlers were not many, but they were determined to bring about the settlement of the country around the fa- mons Pipestone quarries and lost no opportunity to let the world know that there was such a place as Pipestone coun- ty. Therefore they availed themselves of every opportunity to bring attention to their settlement and they considered po- litical conventions desirable places in which to let their lights shine. More in the nature of an advertisement than for political purposes they regularly sent delegates to conventions. In 1876 Daniel E. Sweet was chosen a delegate to, and attended, the republican congressional con- vention at Owatonna. part of his ex- penses being paid by C. H. Bennett.

By the summer of 1867 about a dozen voters had become permanent residents of Pipestone county and many others had taken elaims with the intention of return- ing the next year. It was during this year that the first election was held in the county, an election brought about through

1The names on the list were as follows: Charles Anderson, John C. Ashley, C. H. Bennett. .. M. Bull. Orson Bennett, J. G. Bennett, William Brown, W. D. Broekman, G. A. Brockman, C. L. Chaffee. Daniel Devore. S. K. Ellsworth, Wil- liam, G. Goddard. A. O. Gray, T. Ganfield, Wil- lis J. IJampton, Willis Harsh, George Ilill, Wil- liam T. Jones, John Johnson, Reuben L. Lyman,

a proclamation by Governor John S. Pills- bury.

Provision had been made for holding a special election in Minnesota on June 12 to vote on an amendment to the con- stitution which provided that the state's swamp lands should be applied on the payment of certain railroad bonds. Pipe- stone county being then unorganized and not attached to any election distriet, the settlers, desiring to effect some kind of a local organization and to participate in the election, petitioned Governor Pills- bury to declare Pipestone county an election district for the purpose of voting at the special election. The gover- nor issued the desired proclamation on May 5 and named Daniel E. Sweet, J. G. Bennett and Charles H. Bennett judges of the election.

Of course the proclamation provided on- ly for voting on the amendment, but by straining a point, the judges, on May 22, 18CC. issued a call for the election, in which it was also provided that there should be chosen the following named offi- cers: "Three supervisors, one of whom shall be designated as chairman ; one town clerk. one treasurer, one assessor, two jus- tices of the peace, two constables. one over- ser of highways."

On the same day that the call for the lo- cal election was issued the judges pre- pared a registration list containing the names of forty voters,1 made up from names of actual voters in the county and those of persons who were known to have claims in the county and who would prob- ably be considered eligible to vote were they present. The election was held at the office of Charles II. Bennett and

John Lowry. Fred Leonard. Simon Meredith, Michael Meaber, Henry Mitchell, J. K. Maxfield, Eugeno Mitchell, Jahn Nelson, Fred Rogers, Adelbert G. Sisson, Daniel E. Sweet, H. D. San- ford, George Stanley. W. J. Taylor, James P. Taylor, Asa Van Allstine, Prescott S. Wood- bury, Henry O. Whitehead, J. C. Welliver.

305

HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.

twelve votes were cast? in a litle cigar box, still in the possession of Charles H. Bennett. Two votes were -against the proposed amendment ; the others were for it. The following township officers were elected for the district comprising the whole of Pipestone county and were the county's first officials: Supervisors, Dan- iel E. Sweet, Duncan Stuart and A. O. Gray : clerk, Daniel E. Sweet ; treasurer, W. J. Taylor ; assessor, John Stuart ; jus- tice of the peace, Charles Il. Bennett : constable. A. O. Gray. On the day of the election a caneus of republican voters was held, of which Charles H. Bennett was chairman and Daniel E. Sweet secretary. The first county central committee was chosen, consisting of J. G. Bennett, J. M. Bull and Daniel E. Sweet.

Pipestone county, in 1848, was again represented in the republican congression- al convention, which was held at Albert Lea July 10. The county convention to choose the delegate was held in the street in front of the Pipestone postoffce at six o'clock in the evening. Job Whitehead presided and Charles H. Bennett was sec- retary. J. H. Nichols was selected as the delegate but he was represented in the convention by J. E. Craig, of Rock county, to whom he gave his proxy. Charles H. Bennett, Daniel E. Sweet and S. L. Bai- ley were chosen a county central commit- tee. On September 17, 1848, another con- vention was held, at which Daniel E. Sweet was elected a delegate to the sen- atorial convention.

As has been told in the general history chapters of this volume, so great had been the increase in population during the vear 1878 that the people decided it was time to bring about the organization of the county. Although they knew that leg-

"The voters were Daniel E. Sweet. A. O. Gray, Duncan Stuart, W. J. Taylor, Charles H. Ben- nett. John Lowry, J. G. Bennett, William Jones, Adelbert Sisson, H. D. Sanford, Asa Van All- stine and John Stuart.

islative action would be necessary. they decided to select county officers at the general election in November, 1878, and then ask the legislature to declare the county organized and to legalize the elec- tion. Accordingly a convention was called to meet at the office of Sweet & Nichols, in Pipestone City. on October 27. It was called by J. Il. Nichols, who was at the time chairman of the republican coun- ty central committee, and was participated in by members of both parties. When the convention met an adjournment was taken to Clark & Walter's store. Dr. E. M. Carr was made chairman of the con- vention and Charles H. Bennett secre- tary. The following named persons were selected by the convention as its nominees for county and township offices :3 Riley French, anditor : Rouben Clark, treasurer ; Samuel Stanton, sheriff: E. M. Carr, reg- ister of deeds: George Waite, judge of probate : Charles II. Bennett, county at- torney ; Daniel E. Sweet, surveyor : G. W. Morrill, coroner : J. H. Nichols, clerk of court ; George D. Green, court commis- sioner: Mrs. F. V. Whitehead, superin- tendent of schools; W. B. Brown, S. L. Bailey and E. L. Rork, county commission- ers : E. D. Day and Daniel E. Sweet, jus- tices of the peace : W. M. Bixby and F. L. Rork, constables.

There were no other candidates in the field and at the election held a few days later the convention nominees were elected. On the question of county organization one hundred votes were polled, of which sixty-six were in favor and thirty-four were opposed to organizing. The bill le- galizing this election and declaring Pipe- stone county organized passed the legisla- ture January 22, 1849, and on February 19 the machinery of county government

"As stated in the official proceedings of the convention.

306

HISTORY OF PIPESTONE COUNTY.

was set in motion when the board of coun- ty commissioners met for the first time at the office of Sweet & Nichols. Most of the other officers qualified at once and Pipestone county was at last a county in fact as well as in name.

Not all the officers elected in Novem- ber, 1878, qualified. however, and in their places others were appointed by the board of county commissioners. A perusal of the records gives us the following list of men who served Pipestone county in an official capacity during the year 1829:

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

An illustrated history of the counties of Rock and Pipestone, Minnesota, Part 42

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970 Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Luverne, Minn. : Northern History Publishing Company Number of Pages: 924

Author: Rose, Arthur P., 1875-1970
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Luverne, Minn. : Northern History Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 924