USA > Minnesota > Polk County > Compendium of history and biography of Polk County, Minnesota > Part 13
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Nature has endowed Polk County not only with agricultural and commercial possibilities, but also with attraetion in her physical beauty. In driving through the country, one enjoys both the free sweep of the rolling prairies, and the frequent groves and many beauty-spots discovered in the woods along the pieturesque river banks. Down in the' southeastern part of the county is situated an attractive group of lakes. Most of them are a little remote from the com-
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
mon highway, and are songht ont mostly by lovers of Joseph Sanvé, Joseph Laframboise, Rémi Fortier, Tel good fishing in the summer and sportsmen out for wild ducks in the fall.
The largest of the group, however, Maple Lake, so named from the many maple trees growing about its shores, is only two miles from the town of Mentor, and has beeome a noted summer resort for this sec- tion of the country. Maple Lake is about seven miles long and varies in width from one and one-half miles at the "big end" to one-third of a mile at the other end, Maple Bay. It is a picturesque, homelike lake, with its wooded banks and gracefully eurving shores. It has good fishing and bathing, and being the only lake of its attraetion and location near to that section of Minnesota to the west and north of it, has beeome a favorite spot in summer for that part of the country, even for many in Grand Forks and other towns in northern North Dakota. The great majority of the cottages, numbering from 75 to 100, are found along the northwestern shore, and some of them have been built as long ago as twenty-five or thirty years. There are two principal hotels : Bulin's Hotel, familiar to the countryside for many years; and the Lakeside IIotel, which was put up a few years ago, and which is also a popular spot with cottagers and transients in the summer time.
This attempt of the writer to give Polk County its true "setting" in the history of the Red River Val- ley of the North is made in the hope that it will meet with the approval of the old settlers who have, with the true pioneer spirit, aided in redeeming the Valley from its wild nature and the tramp of the not-too- mueh-civilized American Indian.
HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC PARISH OF ST. PETER, GENTILLY, MINN.
BY REV. E. THEILLON.
Gentilly is an inland town, situated seven miles east of Crookston, and was settled by French Canadians about 1878. Prominent among the first settlers were Joseph Beaudette, Edouard Lanetot, Chas. Rejimbal,
Arel, Ces Cervais, Basille Dufault, J. B. Dufault, Joseph Martel, Frs. Pinsonnault and Labonté, and others. A majority of these are now dead.
Rev. Father Champagne, during the years 1878- 1879, and 1880, occasionally attended Gentilly from Red Lake Falls, offering up the IIoly Sacrifice of the Mass in the little frame distriet school house of the village. The first resident priest was Rev. A. Boneli- ard, who was appointed pastor of the parish in June, 1881, by the Right Reverend Rupert Seidem- busch, D. D., then Viear Apostolie of Northern Minne- sota. The first presbytery and the first church were erected by Father Bouchard at a cost of $1,200; they were simple frame structures of modest dimensious, suitable, however, for the condition of the settlement, which comprised some 63 families.
The faithful services of Father Bouchard termin- ated in 1884, when he was sueeeeded by Rev. C. V. Gamaehe, who, during four years of pastorate, built an addition to the elmreh for the accommodation of the increasing population and purchased the present cemetery in close proximity to the church. Father Gamache worked successfully in promoting the best interests of the parish, both spiritually and materi- ally.
In November, 1888, Rev. E. Theillon, the present pastor, assumed charge of the parish, having been promoted by Bishop Seidembusch from Terrebonne, Minn. At his advent into the parish, Father Theillon found the population, chiefly farmers, somewhat dis- couraged because of the partial failure of erops eansed by their farming methods; but knowing that the material progress would promote, in no small measure, the spiritual advancement of the members of the congregation, who were already leaving in large numbers, he advised and exhorted them to adopt diversified farming and was mainly instru- mental in laying the foundation of the now famous elreese factory of Gentilly, which has been and is to- day the main source of the present remarkable pros- perity of Gentilly. The Gentilly cheese has fre- quently taken the first premium in inter-State and
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
intra-State contests and is known, on the market, as the "First Premium" cheese throughout the country. Amid this new prosperity the Gentilly par- ish has, under the able supervision of Father Theil- lon, built the present large presbytery, known as "the White House of Gentilly," and ereeted during the past year (1915) the beautiful brick church of gothic architecture, with artistic stained glass win- dows and furnishings, to the value of $35,000, prac- tically free from all indebtedness. This indicates the good financial condition of the Gentilly people, due mainly to their loyalty to their old pastor and church. It is well known that the spiritual condition of the parish has far exceeded its material progress.
THE MARAIS COMMUNITY, ITS EARLY PERMANENT SETTLEMENT, ITS PROGRESS, AND ITS PRESENT CONDITION.
One of the very best districts in northwestern Minnesota is what is known as the Marais Community. It is one of the oldest settled districts in Polk County and its local history is most interesting. It has been well described in an address by Peter Allan Cum- ming, a son of one of the first settlers of the Com- munity, before the Civics Club of the University of North Dakota and printed in the Grand Forks IIerald of February 27, 1916. In part Mr. Cumming says :
"In the year 1871 two middle aged Scotchmen, William Fleming and Robert Coulter, accompanied by T. L. MeVeety, migrated to Northern Minnesota in search of government land. While camping one night upon the banks of the Red Lake river, seven miles from the present city of Grand Forks, they dis- enssed the possibilities of the district in which they were stopping. After examining the soil in the morn- ing and taking into consideration the possibilities of a nearby town and the prospects of good transporta- tion, they decided to settle there. These gentlemen formed the nucleus of the present Marais Community. For a few years they were the only settlers. During this time they underwent many hardships, for they were forced to draw all their provisions with oxen
from St. Cloud. Soon the Hudson's Bay Company es- tablished a post at the present eity of Grand Forks, and thus eliminated many hardships. As a conse- quenee of this, settlers streamed into the Northwest, and the real development of the country began.
FIRST PERMANENT SETTLERS.
Perhaps there were temporary settlers on the Marais a hundred years ago, for the trappers and fur hunters were here at that time, but we are not certain that this is true; we are only certain that if white men lived here in "the long ago," they did not remain long and their oceupation was unim- portant. Just across the river on the North Dakota side is the English Coulee, called by the early French- men in this quarter "La Coulée Anglais." Reliable aceounts of the olden time say that this coulee was so named because, more than a hundred years ago, an English family, that of a trader or an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company, were murdered at this point, where the family were living. The names of these martyrs of civilization have not been preserved.
The first permanent latter day settlers of the dis- triet, who have reclaimed it from wilderness aud made it to "bloom and blossom as the rose," may be, in part at least, named here, according to so high an authority as Mr. James Cumming, who has long lived here. The very first were Wm. Fleming and Robert Coulter, who settled in what is now the Marais Com- munity in 1871. These are the "two middle-aged Seotchmen" previously referred to. Fleming was born in Glasgow; Conlter was a Scotch-Canadian, but his father was a native of Glasgow. Later in 1871 eame T. L. McVcety and David Nisbet, two other Caledonians. In 1872 came James MeRae and Archie MeRae; in 1875, James Nisbet ; in 1876, Rob- ert Nisbet and Joseph Robertson ; in 1877, James Rob- ertson, David Morrow, James McDonald, Donald Mc- Donald, and Duncan Bain; in 1878, J. A. Hannah ; in 1879, James Shanks. All these men were either Scotchmen themselves or the descendants of Seotch- men.
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
One of the first districts to become quiekly settled was the present Marais community. It was not long until it commeneed to organize. For many years this organization was crude, but since that time until the present day, development has been going on. This paper will not attempt to traee the developments, but rather will deal with this community in its present developed condition, although in a few instances a comparison will be made with conditions as they ex- isted ten years ago.
This community, consisting of twenty-eight square miles, is situated in the west eentral part of Polk County, in the State of Minnesota. Its western boundary may be irregularly drawn about one mile east of East Grand Forks; the southern boundary is formed by the Red Lake River; while the northern and eastern boundaries are but imaginary lines a few miles north and east from the banks of the Marais. Meandering through this community and dividing it nearly in two is the Marais. This is an intermittent stream which is believed to have been onee a river bed. This, together with the Red Lake River, pro- vided ample opportunities for proper drainage. The natural lay of the land, however, because of its gen- eral levelness did not give sufficient drainage, but the building of eounty ditehes a few years ago along each highway running east and west and leading into either the Marais or the Red Lake River, completed a sufficient drainage. This situation, which gives the inhabitants easy aeeess to the marketing towns of Crookston and Grand Forks, and which permitted the easy completion of an efficient drainage system, has been a great asset to the community.
In 1915 the approximate value of improved land in this community was $26 an acre ; to-day the aver- age value is about $85 per aere. This great inerease in land is partly due to the complete drainage sys- tem ; partly to the improved conditions established by better building, and partly to the adoption of more scientifie methods of farming, whereby the yield per aere has been greatly increased. The inerease in the valuation of buildings is in part due to the in- crease in eost of lumber, but nevertheless, many new
buildings have been ereeted, which bears testimony to the prosperity of the community. The increase in the value of live stoek is in part due to the rise of the market price, but it is also due to an inerease in the number of stock as a consequence of a realization of the value of live stoek. In the ease of live stock, when eonsidering eattle, the inerease was from six to twelve head for each farm.
Perhaps a part of this thrift may be accounted for when we learn of the people who compose this eom- munity. Of the two hundred and eighty-nine inhab- itants, six are Norwegians, twelve Germans, twenty- two Irish and two hundred and forty-nine Seoteh. The village of Mallory boasts of eleven inhabitants. It also boasts of the only bachelors in the community -two earpenters.
In this village also is situated the most important sehool. There are four schools in the community having a combined enrollment of sixty-eight pupils. The Mallory School, established in 1879, derives its importanee chiefly by being the instigator in leading the schools of the community with the East Grand Forks school system.
THE CHURCHES.
But the greatest institutions within this community are the churches. Of these there are two, one a Meth- odist ehureh situated at Mallory, the other a Presby- terian church, situated on the banks of the Marais. The Methodist ehnreh was organized in 1885. It has but few members in the church, but they have man- aged to always help support a minister. Their strong- hold is in the Sunday school, in which they have fifty-one enrolled. Almost all this ehureh's activities come through the young people's organization known as the Epworth League. # * The chief ehureh, however, is the Presbyterian. The activities of this church are felt far and wide. At the last meeting of the Presbytery it was shown that the Marais Church bested all of the other churches of Adams Presbytery in contributing to the various boards of both foreign
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
and home missionaries. Of course a part of this comes through the Woman's Missionary Society.
The church was organized in 1885, and the original members were Mrs. Wm. Fleming, Mrs. Tena Lee, Christopher Conlter, Mrs. Elizabeth Coulter, S. S. Davidson, Mrs. S. S. Davidson, John Bryson, Mrs. Isabelle Bryson, Mrs. R. Bryson, John Hannah, Mrs. Janet Hannah, Mrs. Barbara MeDonald, Margaret Lee Coulter, Mrs. Margaret Durtell, Mrs. Elizabeth Cumming, Mrs. Annie Robertson, Mrs. Agnes Stew- art, James McVecty, Mrs. Janet MeVeety, Donald McDonald and wife, Charles McDonald, Robert Nis- bet, and Stephen Sprague. The elder was Donald MeDonald. The deacons were J. A. Ilannah and S. S. Davidson. The trustees were Robert Nisbet, John Bryson, Christopher Coulter, also treasurer; Charles McDonald and Stephen Sprague. The present mem- bership is 75. At first services were held iu private houses, and after 1878 in the school house.
SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS.
Besides the schools and churches there are several organizations. The first which we might mention is the Mallory Burns Club. This club was organized in 1900, and James Nisbet was the first President. On the 25th of January of each year, this club gives a banquet, entertainment and dance in commemoration of Robert Burns. Because it is one of the strongest of its kind in the northwest, Scotchmen come from far and near. Gifted players on the bagpipe, old- time Scotch dancers and singers, coupled with the talents of the younger generation, never fail in giving a splendid entertainment. The 25th of January is always remembered for months afterwards.
A recently organized club is the Boys' Corn Club. With the East Grand Forks High School Agricultural Department at the head, all the boys under eighteen years of age throughout the community are leagued together to foster the growth of corn. Prizes are offered by varions concerns, such as the First Na- tional Bank of East Grand Forks for the largest
yield per aere and for the highest grade of corn. * : # *
For purely economie benefits are the Equity League and Farmers' Insurance Company. When this or- ganization was first organized, it was an attempt to co-operate the farmers. Although the farmers have failed in co-operating for selling, nevertheless, they have co-operated for buying, and thus have derived many benefits from the organization. The insurance company likewise has aided the farmers in sav- ing. * *
But the most valuable organization socially, edu- cationally and financially, is the Farmers' Club. This club was organized about two years ago, and has proven a great success. Here the farmers and their families meet once a month, and enjoy a real sociable time. A part of each program is always given over to entertainment
This distriet, like the rest of the Red River Valley, was blessed by nature at the close of the glacial period by the deposition of a rich deep alluvial loam upon a yellow elay subsoil. At one time, this district was covered with trees, which have been ehopped down. These trees left the soil rich in organie mat- ter. No better soil for agricultural purposes can be found anywhere. Besides this gift of a wonderful soil, the district was blessed by having two railroads eross its territory. These railroads establish spurs at almost every mile, thus giving great advantages for transportation. Three lines of farmers' telephones intersect the country, connecting them with the eities of Grand Forks and Crookston. Two rural free de- liveries leave the mail daily at almost every door. With the establishment of these facilities this district was brought into closer contact with the rest of the world. The consequence was a great upheaval in the methods of farming; a change of attitude toward higher learning, and a great change in crops.
Well settled in a valuable, thickly populated eom- munity, surrounded by the best environment which schools, churches, and other organizations can offer, and allowed ample opportunities for industrial ex-
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
pansion, each individual of this community holds a feeling of gratitude towards the rest of the com- munity. This community has made great progress in the past, and today has a high stage of develop-
ment, but that development has by no means been completed. The citizens realize that the future holds much for them, and it is almost certain that they will keep paee with all progress and prosperity.
L
CLAIM SHANTY OF ROBERT HOUSTON, ERECTED IN SPRING OF 1872, THE FIRST BUILDING BUILT IN CROOKSTON
CROOKSTON'S WATER POWER IN EARLY DAYS OF HIGH WATER
CROOKSTON'S FIRST FLOUR MILL-SINCE DESTROYED BY FIRE
CHAPTER IX. CROOKSTON AND ITS INSTITUTIONS.
BY JAMES A. CATHCART, SECRETARY OF THE COMMERCIAL CLUB.
HISTORICAL SKETCH-CITY BUILDINGS AND OTHER PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS-THE COMMERCIAL CLUB-THE BANKS -MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES-THE CITY SCHOOLS-OTHER SCHOOLS-LODGES AND OTHER CIVIC ORGANIZA- TIONS-THE NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION-HOSPITALS, ETC.
Crookston, Minnesota, known as the Queen City of the Red River Valley, is the County Seat of Polk County and the largest and most important city in northwestern Minnesota. In size, Crookston ranks fourteenthi in the state, its population (from 1915 city directory), being about 8,500. Early history shows the township of Crookston was organized March 28, 1876. The town was incorporated in 1879 by a spe- cial law signed by Governor John S. Pillsbury. The name Crookston was given to both the town and town- ship in honor of Colonel William Crooks, of St. Paul, who was chief engineer in locating the first railroad in this section. This road was then known as the St. Paul & Pacific Railway, and during the year 1872 was constructed from Glyndon through Crookston to the Snake River, where is now the city of Warren, Minnesota.
Later the St. Paul & Pacific Railway was put in the hands of receivers, and for a number of years railroad construction work was at a standstill. In the fall of the year 1875 part of the rails north of Crooks- ton were taken up and used to turn the line to Fisher's Landing, a distance of eleven miles west of Crooks- ton. No other railroad extension work was attempted in this section until the year 1877, when the St. Paul & Pacific Railway, still in the hands of receivers, again took up the construction work of connecting certain portions of the road left unbuilt after the financial
crisis of 1873. In 1878 the line from Crookston to Warren was reconstructed and the road extended to the Canadian boundary. During the following year, the road was also extended from Fisher's Landing to Grand Forks, North Dakota. In subsequent years the St. Paul & Pacific Railway was purchased by Mr. J. J. Hill and his associates, who rapidly increased the line by purchase and construction, building up what is now known as the Great Northern Railway System. Crookston is a Great Northern Railway Di- vision point, having the main lines to St. Paul, Winni- peg, and Duluth, connecting lines to the Pacific Coast, and branches to Fargo, Warroad, and St. Vincent.
The Northern Pacific Railway was constructed from the south to Crookston and from Winnipeg to Grand Forks in the year 1889. It was not until 1890, how- ever, that, by the construction of the road from Crookston to Grand Forks, a through line was pro- vided from St. Paul to Winnipeg via Crookston. The year's delay in connecting the line was occasioned by right-of-way and crossing controversies between the Great Northern and Northern Pacific Railways.
From the above facts, Crookston's importance as a railroad center is quite evident, her transportation facilities including eight lines reaching directly to St. Paul and Minneapolis, to Duluth, to Winnipeg, to Fargo, to the Lake of the Woods country and across the State of North Dakota to the Pacific Coast.
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
THIE CITY'S BUILDINGS AND OTHER PUBLIC
IMPROVEMENTS.
Crookston takes just pride in its civic improve- ments. Its streets are clean and probably the best lighted of any city in the northwestern part of the State. It has thoroughly modern water and sewer systems, an efficient police department, a paid fire department, with modern equipment, a large and beautiful municipal park, and a children's play ground. The city engineer's report for 1915 shows the following improvements to December 31st :-
Miles.
Westrumite Paving 2.00
Street Asphalt Paving. .7
Macadam Paving .7
Gravel Paving 6.7
Sewerage 11.2
Cement Walks 23.7
Water Mains 13.0
No. of Hydrants. 98.0
Telephone Lines-Polo
9.5
Underground 2.05
Eleetrie Line (C. W. W. P. & L. Co.) 17.0
No. Are Lights. 56
Blocks of White Way. 10
Gas Mains
8.0
The city's public buildings are modern and up-to- date, among the most important of which are the fol- lowing :
City Hall $ 30,000.00
Polk County Court House. 75,000.00
U. S. Post Office ... 90,000.00
Armory (Seats 1,500) . 40,000.00
Grand Theatre (Seats 850) 30,000.00
Library (4,600 Volumes) 17,500.00
150,000.00 High School
The United States Land Office for the Crookston district, covering the territory of the Minnesota Red River Valley, is located here, offices being provided in the United States Postoffice Building.
The city has a Charter form of government with power vested in its executive officer, the mayor, and members of the city Council consisting of Aldermen, elected one from each of the various wards of the city and one Alderman-at-Large. At the County Election in the spring of 1915 Polk County was voted "Dry" and from November 27, 1915, Crookston has been without saloons.
THE COMMERCIAL CLUB.
For its population, Crookston has one of the strong- est and most active commercial organizations in the northwest. The membership numbers over 400 indi- viduals with a sufficient number of shares subscribed to provide an annual income of over ten thousand dol- lars ($10,000). A secretary is paid to devote all his time to looking after the Club's interests. Large and well-equipped club rooms are provided. The Club maintains the well-known Citizens Band of Crook- ston, one of the best municipal, musical organizations in the state.
Crookston is a well built city with many handsome brick and stone business blocks and a beautiful resi- dential section. The splendid hotel and other facili- ties makes the city an excellent meeting place for conventions.
BANKS.
The city has five banks representing a capital stock of Two Hundred and Eighty Thousand Dollars ($280,000). The deposits in these banks, on Decem- ber 1, 1915, aggregated the sum of Three Million, Eight Hundred and Eighty Five Thousand Dollars ($3,885,000). The banks are as follows:
Name Capital Stock
Crookston State Bank $40,000
First National Bank. 75,000
Merchants National Bank 75,000
Polk County State Bank. 40,000
Scandia American Bank 50,000
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
Crookston is rapidly assuming importance as a manufacturing center. Manufactured goods, to the amount of about five million dollars ($5,000,000.00), are put out annually and hundreds of men are given steady employment in the varions plants. Among the most important of Crookston's manufacturing industries is that of the Crookston Milling Company, whose plant is vahied at one hundred thousand dol- lars ($100,000.00), and who have just completed a new 75,000 bushel capacity elevator at a cost of twenty-five
SOUTH BROADWAY, POST OFFICE IN FOREGROUND.
البدم
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٢٠٠
A CORNER OF THE RAILROAD YARDS. CROOKSTON IS SERVED BY BOTH THE G. N. AND N. P. RYS.
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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY OF POLK COUNTY
thousand dollars ($25,000.00). This plant is being run at capacity (500 barrels per day ) the year around and employs twenty-five men. The value of the Crookston Milling Company's products aggregates one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) annually. The Bridgeman-Russell Company manufacture at its local plant over one million pounds of butter each year. Among the other manufacturing industries of the city are numbered bakers, two; blank book manufacturers and binders, one; bottlers, two; box and tank manu- faeturer, one; brewery, one; brick and tile, two; cereal, one ; cigar manufacturers, four; foundries, ma- chinists, and boiler makers, three; ice cream and con- feetion manufactures, five ; machinery manufacturers, two; marble and granite works, two; printers, four; sash and door manufacturers, two; sign and motor ear enameling works, one; silo manufacturer, one; tannery, one; tent and awning, one ; upholsterers' tow, one; wagons and sleighs, two. The city also has two substantial wholesale grocery houses and three grain elevators.
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