USA > Minnesota > Waseca County > Child's history of Waseca County, Minnesota : from its first settlement in 1854 to the close of the year 1904, a record of fifty years : the story of the pioneers > Part 47
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
Eight cows were found with the life crushed out, and two others so badly injured that they soon after died. Four out of nine horses in the barn were found dead. The house was not injured. Three trees close to the house were twisted off near the ground. The gasoline en- gine-house between the house and barn was untouched. Just north of the harn, east of the house, and west of a cottonwood grove, was a shed,
545
CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
which was untouched. The cottonwood grove just east of the shed, was badly injured. Adam Bishman, Jr., died of internal injuries, having been caught between timbers which pressed upon the lower part of his chest and back. When taken out by the rescuers, he was able to talk, but circulation could not be restored and death resulted. He was born in Otisco, and reared on the farm where his young life was crushed out. He was a bright, well-educated young man, being a graduate of one of the departments of the State University. He was the pride and reliance of his aged parents, having assumed the heavy burdens of carrying on the large farm. Miss Elizabeth had been a home girl all her life, never having enjoyed very good health. But she had always been a kind and faithful daughter and a great comfort, especially to her aged mother.
Words cannot express the sympathy of the whole community for the aged parents and for all of the bereaved family.
OTHER DESTRUCTION.
"The whole county bears evidence of the destructive force of the storm. We cannot name all the losses, but we give the greater ones as they have been given to us.
"St. Joseph's church, on South Prairie, was so shaken by the wind that the plastering was badly injured. Mr. George Matthews, of the same vicinity, had a span of horses frightened by the storm into a wire fence, and they were so injured that recovery is hardly expected. Tim and James Sullivan, of Janesville, who own one of the largest, if not the largest barn in the county, the same being 40x100 feet, write that the barn was moved on its foundations about six inches at one end and three inches at the other-the foundation walls being badly injured. Martin Vaughan, in Alton, found the cupola of his barn blown off and the roof injured. Joseph Adams, of Freedom, reports a severe loss- barn and other buildings torn down and a span of horses killed. Mike McGannon, of Byron, had the chimney on his house blown off and other slight damages done. T. J. Adams' big double corn crib was dashed against his house with such force as to break in his roof. Henry Linnihan, of Byron, says his house is badly racked and injured by the storm. Daniel Linnihan, Sr., had glass broken in his house and a chimney demolish- ed. In the village of Otisco and vicinity the following are reported: J. L. Hanson, store front blown in; Otto Bauman, store front badly damaged; Frank Taylor, blacksmith shop blown down and demolished; Hoover's warehouse moved from its foundation; Everett, Aughenbaugh & Co.'s warehouse moved from foundation; and R. Jacoby and W. H. Stearns' corn houses were overturned.
The Janesville Argus reports that a barn at the west end of town was lifted off its foundation and literally torn to pieces. One side was carried a block or more and landed in the forks of a hig cottonwood tree in front of Mr. Wentland's residence. The timbers were scatter- ed over a wide area. J. D. Underwood had the roof of his barn taken 20
546
CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
off and his buggies tangled up in bad shape. The horses were caught and were extricated from the ruins with difficulty. The roof was taken up and carried quite a distance. The greatest damage was done about four miles northwest of this place at the home of J. H. Jewison where a large barn, erected three years ago, was leveled to the ground. Re- ports from an eye witness are to the effect that from appearances the barn was moved off its foundation and then collapsed in turning over. Three cows were killed outright and two others injured. Strange as it may seem, the horses, three in number, were not killed. They were pressed into a space about three feet high. After considerable labor they were gotten out and at present they appear to be all right. Mr. Jewison lost his hog house and corn crib, but his residence remained without injury.
The Herald also learns that Wilton suffered. Herman Weckwerth, of Wilton, county commissioner, was one of the heaviest losers by the storm. He had two large barns and some smaller buildings totally wrecked. His loss cannot be less than $2,000. Diedrich Freeman, of Woodville, had his barn moved off its foundation. The barn on the Rieck place, east of the McDougall farm, was turned off its foundation and badly damaged. Gustof Krueger, the farm tenant, found one of the horses in the barn with one leg so broken and mangled that the animal had to be killed. Several windmills in Woodville, among them Emil Sahler's, were torn down. Albert Domy's horse barn was torn away, leaving his horses exposed to the storm, but not in- jured. Alfred Wood, no doubt, was the heaviest loser in Wood- ville. It is reported that the cyclone first turned his barn around and then tore it to pieces, scattering the lumber and timbers in every direction. Pierce Hacket, of Blooming Grove, reports damage to his house, barn, and granary. Some of his smaller buildings were swept away entirely. Charles Brush, of the same town, on the Steele county line, section 25, had his barn torn down and a fine span of horses killed.
Ten days later, July 15, the county was again visited. The Herald said :
Tuesday was a very comfortable, pleasant, refreshing day and very few persons indeed suspected a destructive storm that night. Even the weather bureau of Tuesday gave no intimation of the storm that was to sweep from the land of Manitoba across North Dakota and Minne- sota like a demon that night. The storm or a kindred storm was heard of about 8 o'clock Tuesday evening in North Dakota and soon after Borup, in Clay county, Minnesota, was reported wiped out. The storm reached St. Paul about 12:40, and a little after 2 o'clock a. m., a storm struck Waseca with great fierceness. Coming from the northeast, it swept the whole city. Every yard was visited, and every lot owner had his favorite tree broken and crushed by the merciless wind. The buildings, fences, and sheds on the fair grounds were badly wrecked. "Floral hall" was crushed. The judges' stand was unroofed and car-
547
CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
ried southwest across the racetrack. The hay that was being made on the premises was scattered to all the winds of heaven. One cupola of the high school building was torn off, and the fine shade trees were badly demoralized on the northeast. Large trees in all parts of the city were broken down, and the leaves and branches covered all the land. Several farmers from Blooming Grove report general destruction to wind mills, and the same reports come from Woodville and Otisco. It would be an endless task to report the destruction of fruit and shade trees In this county. Most of the fruit is torn from the trees and the crop is almost a total loss. P. J. Kelly's barn was turned one-quarter around. From facing the south, it was turned about so as to face the east. The plate glass in the side window of the front of Thomas Barden's brick building, on the corner of Lake avenue and Second street, was broken out by the force of the wind, but no other damage resulted. A small patch of slate roofing was taken from the court house tower by the wind. A portion of the roof was taken off the C. &. N .- W. round house, and a large number of trees in the vicinity were broken down. Ward's large barn on his farm, west of town, was moved slight- ly on its foundation.
ANOTHER DEATH-DEALING TORNADO, AUGUST 30.
In the terrible tornado of August 30, 1902, four persons lost their lives, and thirty-one were more or less seriously injured. Among the killed were Delmar Peterson ,aged five years, of Wa- seca; and among the wounded were Mrs. Charles Peterson, Mrs. John Keegan, News Agent Frank Madden, and young John Keegan, all of Waseca. The Herald of Sept. 5, gave the follow- ing account of the terrible affair:
"One of the strangest and most heart-rending accidents in the his- tory of this section of country, resulting in the death of a number of persons and the wounding of many others, occurred last Saturday after- noon, about 6 o'clock, some two miles east of Meriden on the C. &. N .- W. rallway. The train was due at Waseca at 5:50, but was a little late. It was made up of an engine, a baggage car, and two coaches, and left Owatonna for the west soon after 5 o'clock, with nearly sixty pas- sengers on board. The storm, which had been raging for some time, had attracted general attention, but no alarm was felt. The train was in charge of Conductor W. H. Kinzie and Engineer J. K. Mitchell of Wa- seca, and was filled mainly with residents of the little towns and cities through which the road runs.
"Suddenly there arose In front of the train, and slightly to one side, a huge black cloud, driven forward at racehorse speed by a wind that seemed to have sprung up in an instant. Everyone on the train noted with alarm that this cloud was headed directly toward the cars and the conductor was asked to try to outrun the tornado. Engineer Mitchell
548
CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
had also noted the dangerous looking cloud, and had made up his mind that safety lay in getting ahead of it. He threw open the throttle. Faster and faster ran the train, and faster and faster sped the sullen cloud that menaced the terror-stricken passengers. In an instant the air grew so dark that to see the length of a car was impossible. Call- ing to the brakeman, the conductor instructed him to light the lamps in the car, in an endeavor to reassure the passengers, who were in a panic. The brakeman responded. Jumping on one of the seats he opened one of the lamps, struck a match and applied if to the wick just as the tornado struck the train, which was running at a high rate of speed over a slight embankment, two miles from Meriden. With a crash and a jar the train came almost to a standstill, but only for an instant. The weight of the engine proved too much for the cyclone, which leaped over the ponderous machine and attacked the baggage car and the coaches with their human freight.
The baggage car was lifted bodily from the track, the coupling wrenched apart, and the car piled in a heap against the fence at the edge of the right of way, nearly twenty feet distant. The two passenger coaches followed an instant later. They were picked up, high in the air, and then slammed down on the wreckage of the baggage car, bottom side up, with a force that broke all the windows and smashed some of the seats into fragments. From the mass of wreckage at the side of the track arose the screams of mangled and bruised men and women, hemmed in by debris of all kinds, and groping in the dark for an exit from the overturned cars. By herculean effort the train men released several of the male passengers, armed them with axes, and then the real work of rescue was begun. Huge holes were cut in the overturned cars, and through these holes the half-unconscious persons were dragged, many of them fearfully mangled and torn by the cruel splinters that filled the cars. Suddenly the work of the rescuers was halted by a cry. coming from the debris at one end of the car: 'My baby! My baby!' The voice of a woman arose ahove the groans of the wounded. There was a rush for that end of the car, where lay Mrs. Charles Peterson, reaching out in the dark for her five-year-old son. She failed to find him, and perhaps it was just as well that she did. His delicate body had been shockingly mangled by the crashing timbers, and the mother might not have recognized in the torn and bleeding form the child that had, a few moments before, been nestling at her side. The little fellow was dead, with the head severed from the body. Ten feet away was the body of a woman, cut almost in two by a timber that had struck her as the car turned over. Tenderly these two bodies were laid on the grass at the side of the track and covered with a piece of cloth, and then the work of searching the wreckage went on. In the second car were found three persons who had been so badly injured that they were at first thought to be dead. These persons were Miss Eva Richard- son, A. C. McConnell and an unidentified woman. Miss Richardson died later.
549
CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
"By this time the number of searchers had been materially increased and a systematic attack was made on the wreckage. Rain was falling and the injured, as well as the uninjured, were drenched to the skin in short order. Owing to the fact that an oil tank carried by the train had broken and the oil had been scattered around in the neighborhood of the wreck it was not considered prudent to make a fire. As soon as the injured had been drawn from the wreckage, Engineer Mitchell ran to Meriden and telegraphed the news of the disaster to Waseca. Two special relief trains were hastily made up, equipped with doctors and supplies and rushed to the scene of the wreck. By the time these trains arrived the injured and the dead had been taken to a farm house a mile away, where they could receive better attention than could be given them at the track side. Every room of the modest little farm house was filled with the injured persons; and all over the floors, made comfortable with quilts and blankets, were the victims of the wind's fury. When the special trains arrived at the place where the train had been wrecked the doctors were taken to the farm house, where they dressed the injuries of the wounded. Then conveyances were se- cured, and all of the persons, including the dead and the fatally injured, were taken to the trains and brought to Waseca. The injured persons were taken to the various hotels, where they were placed in the best rooms to be had, and every effort was made to make them comfortable.
Persons who had been on the train and had escaped injury were generous in their praise of the various members of the train crew, who had done so much to avert a panic. By their rapid work and their calmness they had quieted the excited men and women who were struggling to free themselves and who in their madness, were trampling on the unfortunates unable to aid themselves.
The path of the cyclone was from the southwest to the northeast. In the vicinity of the accident, farm buildings and windmills were razed to the ground, trees uprooted, and stacks blown over or carried son, New Ulm; Elizabeth Miller, of St. Peter, and Almira Bickford, of for rods across the fields.
The killed were Delmar Peterson, aged five, Waseca; Ethel Richard- son, New Ulm; Elizabeth Miller, of St. Peter, and Almira Bickford, of Albert Lea. The last named lingered until Saturday evening, when death relieved her suffering."
A TERRIBLE EXPLOSION.
Local paper: There was a frightful explosion Friday evening, Oct. 10, ahout 6 o'clock, at the restaurant and residence of Mr. Gus Schild- knecht, in this city. The noise of the explosion was heard half a mile away. The south front window in the lower story of the restaurant was shattered and some of the pieces blown across the street. The front windows in the second story were blown out and shattered, and the basement was set on fire. Two young men, Hugh McDougall and Gus Schildknecht, Jr., who were in the basement, were severely burned
550
CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
about the face and hands. Miss Schildknecht, who was sitting at the supper table near the trap door leading into the basement, was knock- ed over by the door as it was thrown open by the force of the explosion. The building was lighted by gas generated from gasoline in a tank in the ground outside the building and convoyel into the basement and building through pipes. Evidently there was a leakage somewhere in the piping, for when Gus Schildknecht, Jr., accompanied by young Hugh McDongall, lighted a candle at the foot of the stairs, in the basement, the explosion was terrific.
Both young men were thrown down, but at once sprang to their feet and rushed up stairs, both being considerably burned. McDougall suffered more injury than Schildknecht, his face and hands being se- verely burned. Schildknecht's left hand is in a sling, and he is not able to do much with his right. McDougall is confined to his room."
Both young men soon recovered, but it was a close call for them.
THE DEATH ROLL OF 1902.
Mr. James Jones, better known as "Joker" Jones, passed peacefully away Friday morning, Jan. 24, 1902. Mr. Jones was born in Kells, county of Meath, Ireland, about 1810. In 1848, he was married to Miss Mary Devlin who preceded him to the grave by ten years. They left Ireland in 1849 and landed at New York. They first moved to Albany, N. Y., where they made their home until 1853, when they came as far west as Chicago. There he was employed on the waterworks system for three years. In the spring of 1856, in company with Richard Croke, John Otis, and their families, he came to Minne- sota, arriving at Okaman about the middle of May. Here he purchased eighty acres of land, in section 8, Iosco, on which he lived until the time of his death. He was a hard working man and also one of the most genial of men, always ready with a joke to make every one feel happy. Even during the days of corn coffee and "Johnny cake," he made the light of joy to shine in desolate places. Shortly after the death of his wife, he fell from a horse and broke one of his legs, which left him a cripple the rest of his life. His eyesight commenced to fail him about five years prior to his death and continued to fail until he be- came totally blind. With all these afflictions, however, he was the same jolly old soul to the last. His health was poor during the closing year of his life, and he required the constant care of his devoted daughter. Two daughters are all the relatives that
551
CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
survive him-Mrs. Charles Monson, of Iosco, and Mrs. Anderson, of Colorado.
Gottlieb Krassin, Sr., died at the residence of his daughter, Alrs. Theodore Pommerenning, of Otisco, Saturday, March 8, 1902, of bladder difficulty and old age. He was born in Prussia, May 18, 1818. He was married in that country and came to America with his family about 1851, and first resided near Prince- ton, Wisconsin. They remained there until 1856, when they came to Waseca county, arriving in the town of St. Mary, August 5 of that year. He reared a large family of children, six of whom survive him; namely, Gustof, Gottlieb, and John A. Krassin, Mrs. Henry Meyers, of Waseca, and Mrs. Chas. Rudolph and Mrs. Theo- dore Pommerenning, of Otisco. One brother and one sister also survived him.
Mr. Samuel Knutson, one of the pioneers of the county, died May 11, 1902, at the age of seventy-six years. Mr. Knutson was born in Norway, and came to this country while yet a youngish man. He came to this county in 1857, settling in Woodville. He shortly afterwards removed to Blooming Grove, and settled on the north shore of Knutson Lake, named in his honor. He left a large number of relatives to mourn his departure, but they may well feel consoled in the fact that he lived the life of the righteous to a fair old age.
Ar. Thomas Bowers, one of the very early settlers of Wilton, whose home was on the southeast shore of Silver Lake, quietly and peacefully passed to the Great Beyond, Thursday, May 22, 1902, surrounded by relatives and friends. Mr. Bowers was born in Scotland, of Irish parentage, in 1822. He came to America in 1847, and first lived in New York, where some of his relatives still reside. He afterwards made his home in Dubuque, Iowa, and from there he came to this county about the year 1856. He located at Silver Lake where he has since resided. He leaves surviving him two sons and a daughter-one son, Thomas, Jr., having died about a year before the death of his father.
After long, weary months of great physical pain, Mr. John George Fell, of Waseca, quietly passed away to that unexplored region "from whose bourne no traveler returns." For months he suffered from cancer of the lip and face which finally killed him. Mr. Fell was born August 24, 1827, at Fautsbach, Wurtem-
552
CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
berg, Germany, and was in his seventy-fifth year at his death. He came to America in 1857, and settled in the town of Iosco, in 1858. In 1860, he married Miss Friedericke Schulz. Eight chil- dren were born to them, one of whom died young. Four sons, three daughters, and his wife survive to mourn his loss. At the time of his death he had nineteen grandchildren. He eneounter- ed all the hardships, toils, and privations of pioneer life without a murmur, and was always ready to assist those deserving aid. He accumulated a competency and left his family well provided for.
Mrs. G. Buchler, wife of ex-Mayor Buchler, of Waseca. after an illness of two and a half months, died Sunday, June 15, 1902, of a complication of ailments. She was born in Hessen, Ger- many, in 1841, and came to America when twelve years of age. She married Mr. Buchler, May 10, 1862, in Sheboygan county, Wisconsin. The family came to Waseca in October, 1869, and she resided here continuously from that time to the time of her death. She leaves surviving with her husband three daughters and two sons.
Mrs. L. W. Concannon, of Byron, died suddenly of heart disease about 10 o'clock Tuesday morning, Sept. 9, 1902. Her husband came to this country from Ireland in 1851, and settled in Illinois. They were married in 1856, and came to Minnesota in 1877. They moved to section 19 in Byron where they have since lived, hav- ing a very pleasant home. She was the mother of eight chil- dren, and enjoyed the respect of all her neighbors.
Mrs. C. J. Bluhm, of Waseca, died suddenly and unexpectedly Sunday night, Sept. 20, 1902. Deceased retired Sunday night apparently in good health. Nothing unusual occurred until about fifteen minutes before 1 o'clock. when Mr. Bluhm awoke to find his wife breathing heavily. He spoke to her but received no answer. He then shook her gently. thinking she had night- mare, but still received no response. He then turned on the light and found that she was dying. He called the children, but she recognized no one and expired at once. Mrs. Anna K. Hitmeyer Bluhm was born near Milwaukee, Wis .. February 28. 1861. She came to Minnesota with her parents in 1875, and married Mr. Bluhmn November 8, 1878. They at first lived on a farm in Vivian, but afterwards moved to Minnesota Lake where Mr. Bluhm en-
553
CHILD'S HISTORY OF WASECA COUNTY.
gaged in selling general merchandise for five years. The family then moved to Waseca where they have since resided. Mrs. Bluhm was the mother of thirteen children, ten of whom survived her.
Mr. Florian Hollander, one of the early settlers in the old vil- lage of Wilton, died of old age about 11 o'clock, Tuesday night, Oet. 28, 1902. He was a harness maker by trade, and carried on that business in Wilton until the people of the village deserted the place, when he engaged in farming. He was about eighty years of age at the time of his death. One of his granddaughters cared for him during the last years of his life.
Mrs. Frank Erfurth passed to rest Oct. 25, 1902. She was the seeond daughter of the late Robert MeDougall, one of the 1855 pioneers of this eounty, and was about thirty-four years of age. She left surviving to mourn her departure, her husband, a daugh- ter, and two sons. She was the first one of a family of nine rug- ged children to be ealled hence by the Angel of Death.
On the 8th of Nov. 1902, Benny Simons, son of Mr. and Mrs. B. Simons, of Waseca, was drowned in Riee Lake. Benny, a Court- ney boy, and Mrs. Miller's boy got into an old boat and pushed out into the lake. The boat was leaky and soon commeneed to take in water. The boys, no doubt, became frightened, for Benny and Courtney both jumped out of the boat. Benny went beyond the reach of the boat, while Courtney hung to the side of it and finally erawled baek into it. Benny came to the surface once or twiee, but soon sank in the water and soft mud, drowned. Messrs. Willeox and Foster who were in a boat on the lake, some distance away, heard the eries of the boys and hastened to their relief. They soon resened the Courtney and the Miller boy, and at once proceeded to search for the body of the drowned lad, which they found after some little delay. His death was a sad blow to his parents.
Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 16, 1902, shortly after three o'clock, the wires flashed the announcement of the almost instantaneous death at Owatonna, of Engineer George Woskie, of Waseea. The dispateh announced that a freight was standing on the Milwaukee track, near the crossing, as Engineer Woskie pulled in, and just as his engine reached the crossing, the Milwaukee train suddenly backed into his eab, killing him almost instantly. His head was
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.