USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > Perham > Historical album and centennial book, Perham, Minnesota, 1871-1971 > Part 2
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In 1869 R. L. Frazee had built a sawmill near the present Frazee. Mr. Joseph Sartell, father of the Sartell brothers, lumbermen at Sartell, Minn., built the mill along the river and lumber was hauled to Perham. The Curo Hotel was supplied with building material from this mill before Clark's mill was completed. As time went on the great logging business north of Perham with its hundreds of men and hundreds of oxen getting out the logs for lum- ber for buildings expanded for the prairies were choked with covered wagons along the old Red River trail of which one branch passed near Perham; farmers with their dust covered oxen and wagons looking for home- steads.
The government had given every odd section of land as a grant to the railroad. Every even section was home- stead land. By paying 14 dollars as filing fee to the govern- ment as cost of surveying you were entitled to a deed from the government by living on and cultivating this land for a period of five years.
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About 1876 the Pelton family arrived in Perham, Al- bert, Ernest, Laforest, Willis, Tellie. Albert became a heavy logging contractor and over the 30 million feet of logs in to Ft. Garry. I will explain later. About that time the writer bought 80 acres of land adjoining the little cemetery a mile east of Perham, built a house, and lately as I drove past the place I saw most of the trees I set out over 50 years ago still living. About 1873 Andrew McCrea arrived in Perham as general superintendent of Clark and McClure's big business. His old house now stands near the old brewery.
In the spring after the logging season hundreds of oxen could be seen feeding on the big wild prairie. Then they would be taken below and put into the great caravan with covered wagons headed for the great West with sup- plies for as far as Glendive and the Black Hills and Fort Garry. I have in my possession now old contracts from the government to Clark and McClure of St. Cloud for the delivering of different kinds of feed and meat; one is to deliver 8500 bushels of corn to Ft. Abacromby, N.D., at 92¢.
We would take the anchor out in a boat, dump it in the lake, then wind the logs up to it and repeat the same process until we were across.
We left Squaw Point on Pine Lake at Perham one night with a boom of logs. A storm came up and it snowed and rained. We dragged our logs and anchor across the lake where the hotel and cottages are now near Perham. We nearly froze. There was no dry wood. We went up the bank. A lot of Indians were buried in trees and on poles but the wind had blown the cover off the coffins and the porcupines had taken all but a long braid of hair. So we cut them down and cooked tea. The braids of hair smelt.
One winter we were in camp about thirty miles from Perham. Mr. Clark and Mr. McClure sent about forty men by team as far as the Toad River. There on the river bend was a flour mill owned by Kemper Bros., and Drah- mann of Perham. Henry Kemper had a beautiful daughter, who now lives in St. Cloud, the wife of Frank Jung. Mr. Kemper had the first store in Perham. That winter the timber wolves were so numerous we were afraid to leave camp, at least I was. They were the size of police dogs. A bunch of them got after my brother one night when he was coming back to camp late. One started to howl, an- other would answer and soon he saw them coming up the lake in different directions. The camp was about half a mile and he out ran them. We could not leave the camp very early for the forest was dense and the trees were tall. In some places we could not see before the sun came up. By this time we were skidding logs or dragging them together and rolling them on skids so the skids could take them in big lots. We had six ox teams. In fact, we had no horses. We would work as long as we could see and then had three miles to walk to camp. Three men composed the skidding crew. A large wolf used to follow us every night. Roy Jewel of St. Cloud was with me. One night when we came to a beaver dam where the road was cut through we hid on each side of it and the wolf came along. We threw our axes at him from each side but he dodged them and stood there and showed his teeth. I knew that you should never take your eyes away from his eyes so there we were, a couple of darn ignorant "Maineties," with no way to protect ourselves. We backed up, both of us, and he got suspicious. Then we beat it to where the oxen were but he followed us to camp.
Compliments of
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Perham, Minn. 56573
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THE RAILROAD COMES THROUGH
In the fall of 1871 the railroad was built through Per- ham. It was on Sept. 30, 1871 that the first iron horse, a construction train, came to Perham. A story of pioneer doctoring is told about Dr. Dimmler, the first doctor in Otter Tail County. Dimmler was just out of school. A man working on the construction crew had his finger smashed by an iron rail. Dimmler was called to amputate the crushed member. He was so nervous that he almost took off the wrong finger and was stopped just in time by a man holding the arm of the injured worker. Dr. Dimmler later went to St. Cloud and became a well known physi- cian.
Work Train at Perham, Sept., 1902
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Otter Tail in 1910
Section Crew of 1920
Section Gang about 1917
PE
Y
Depot, Perham, Minn.
N.P. Depot in Perham in 1949
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PERHAM, MINN. 56573
N.P. CREW STAKES OUT PERHAM SIGN IN 1871
No fanfare of trumpets nor ceremonies of any nature marked the birth of Perham in the spring of 1871, 100 years ago this year. In 1870 homesteaders in this section were cheered by the appearance of a railway survey crew who ran three lines through this locality, one cutting across a north corner of the Mohr farm, another of the present line of track and a third passed through Otter Tail. In 1871 the graders made their appearance working the middle line and in the fall of the year the steel crew followed laying track. That was all the settlers knew about the railroad plans.
Peter Mohr, whose father, Fred, homesteaded the farm north of Perham, related that in the spring of 1871 he saw several men driving a stake and putting up a sign
not far from the corner of the farm. When the men left he and a brother went down to see what was on the sign.
It contained but a single word, "Perham." That was the name slected by the townsite company for the town that was to displace the untamed prairie. It was the name of the first president of the Northern Pacific.
As a shipping point the newly created town began to gather the venturesome traders and merchants during the summer and fall who followed the frontier and the meager communal life grew and shaped itself - and as it grew - active real estate speculators began adding additions to the original town site. Settlers flocking in to homestead the land in this locality soon created a lively market and laid the foundation for its healthy growth.
Steve Butler Arrives from England for N.P.
Steve Butler has presented the following very inter- esting sketch of his life to the Otter Tail County Historical Society, in connection with the coming reunion to be held at Perham June 28, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railway in this county.
I left Cripplestyle, Englind, July 16, 1872. My oldest brother took me to Salisbury, where I took the train to Liverpool. I was seventeen years old and this was my first train ride. I stayed there overnight and took the steamer Hibernian, the next morning.
Eight days later, we landed at Quebec, Canada. There, I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking we had gotten to America. Upon inquiry there, I learned that we had three days on the train and six days on the water before reach- ing Duluth, the place where my ticket was purchased to, Minnesota being well advertised in England.
The next day, I hired out to a man, who was hiring men for the Northern Pacific Railway. He sent me to Per- ham to work on a work train. When we reached Perham, there was only one house in sight towards Pine Lake, old man Mohr's house. The train stopped on the prairie. The conductor came to the caboose and said "Get off, this is Perham." I said, "I want to go to Perham," thinking that he had made a mistake. He said "This is Perham," and
Railroad Crew: L. to R .: Jack Kaminski, Fred Hass, Frank Schwintek, Pete Krayriekrock, F. W. Schwintek, Jack Tryscholty, Pete Sbliskie, John Gratzek, Leo Januszewski and Oscar Waldie.
kicked off my trunk. Three of us got off there, Mose and Henry Manston and myself. They were in the middle of the prairie and no town in sight. I said, "Let's walk back to the river, I saw." On our way we met a man and asked him how far it was to the river. He said "Nichtverste." I was disappointed as I thought that they spoke the English language in America, and here, the first man I met, could not understand. We turned back towards Perham and pretty soon Martin Shea came along with his work train and picked us up. He took us down to Neganomie Switch, now Richdale.
Henry Kemper was just moving up to the site where Perham was to be, from Rush Lake settlement, prepatory to starting a general store. He lived in a tent for a while.
At Richdale, we went to work the next day for Martin for $2.50 per day. We paid $4.50 a week for board and slept in the boarding house cars. We shoveled sand out of the cut by the river, one mile east of Perham.
Then Martin Shea was ordered up in the woods near Detroit Lakes to haul cord wood, which was used in the engines in those days. The railroad was built up as far as Oak Lake that fall. Being a light, small boy, I could hardly handle the heavy cord wood, up into the cars; so one day Martin said, "Here, lad, you go up to the boarding car and help the cook. Bring in the water, wood, etc." I said "What about my pay?" He said, "Never mind about the pay, you will get just the same." I helped the cook about two months. We lived well and fed 40 men.
In the fall of 1871 all work stopped on the railroad, on account of the failure of Jay Cook of New York, so we were called in to Brainerd for the winter. Mrs. Finley, the boarding house boss, told the four of us, we could stay in the cars, until she went out on the road again, as she had plenty to eat. We stole wood, in order to keep warm, from the railroad company, and stayed there until towards spring, expecting to be called out any day. There were hundreds of men out of work at Brainerd that winter. Towards spring, I had a row with Mrs. Finley and went up town to a hotel and asked for work. The hotel man said that he had nothing, but I could sweep out and fill up the lamps and wood box for my night's lodging, and I did so well that he kept me for a month.
When Andrew McCrea came to the hotel, looking for a boy, to be cookee in the Clark and McClure sawmills
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LAKE REGION MUTUAL INSURANCE CO. New York Mills, Minn.
Originally Organized as the German Mutual Fire Ins. Co. in July 1895
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DR. GEORGE F. KUPFERSCHMID Optometrist 128 E. MAIN ST. PERHAM, MINNESOTA 56573
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at Perham, I spoke up and said that I would go. So I hired out to McCrea, their manager, at $40.00 per month. An- drew McCrea moved his family up from St. Cloud. I met his daughter, Amanda, who became my wife. There being no church in Perham, yet a minister from Detroit officiat- ed at our wedding, the first one in Perham. McCrea's wife was the first death, so he gave Perham the land for the cemetery.
Kemper & Drahmann had a general store there. Louis Struett (father of Miss Anna Struett, who still lives at Per- ham), soon came and started a clothing store. Martin Schoenberger (father of Ben Schoenberger, who runs the furniture store at Perham) ran the hotel, where Martin Shea's now stands. The only churches were at Rush Lake. Old Dr. Richardson was the first doctor. His son, Al, be- came popular as a caller at the dances all over that sec- tion on account of his voice. He was also noted for the length of his red whiskers, which he folded carefully in his shirt bosom. Later, he was a representative in the legislature. Lewis Schroeder had a farm north of Perham.
The fall that we worked for Martin Shea, he took all' the men to Detroit and told us all to vote for Horace Greeley, the Democratic candidate for president, which we did. This was the only time that I ever voted the Demo- cratic ticket, as I soon became interested in politics and chose the Republican Party.
Capt. Wellman of Hobart, Aaron Scribner of Maine, John G. Nelson of Parkers Prairie and myself used to carry all the credentials to Fergus Falls from the east side of the county and usually controlled the convention.
I was elected county treasurer while living at Perham and served 16 years. I moved to Fergus Falls in 1892 where I still reside.
PERHAM STATION DOES WELL IN 1884
Bulletin file of August 7, 1884 - We have always claimed that this railroad station was doing a big busi- ness and today prevailed upon Agent Darling to give us figures as to the business done, which is as follows: Freight received, 345,925 pounds;
freight forwarded, 334,835 pounds; total, 708,769 pounds. Total office receipts for the office for the month of July, including freight, ex- penses, telegraph, etc., amounts to $5,307.35. The above figures will compare favorably with most of the towns along the line.
A MADAVEI
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MACHINERY BUGGIESWAGON
OFFICE
Robert Weickert Meat Market
SCEDIT.
Bill Lange in his Saloon, located where the Pine's Gift Shop is now, corner of Main Street and First Avenue. Taken about 1916.
Herman Krueger and his Standard Oil Truck
THEY
A. Marckel Farm Machinery Building
MANKATO AGLIME & ROCK CO. CRUSHED ROCK ৳ AGRICULTURAL LIME
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CONGRATULATIONS "They say the first 100 years are the hardest." We are Happy to be a Part of Your Centennial. "IT PAYS TO KEEP CLEAN"
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CHURCHES
CiumA
HISTORY OF CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH Written by Pastor Ed. Nieman
The first service was held Sept. 27, 1959, with approx- imately 110 persons present. The congregation was organ- ized on Jan. 24, 1960. The church building and parsonage were dedicated on Sept. 22, 1960, with about 100 members. The first president of the congregation was Sherman Mandt.
Sunday School was first held on Oct. 4, 1959. Present membership of the congregation is made up of 64 families with a total of 245 baptized members. Leon Beyer is cur- rently president.
Rev. Arthur M. Vorhes was first pastor and served until 1965. Rev. Philip T. Peterson served in 1966, Rev. Gary E. Gilthvedt served from 1967 to 1970. Since then Rev. Edward L. Nieman serves as pastor.
METHODIST CHURCH
In 1882 the sanctuary and nave portion of the present building was built on land donated by A. A. White of St. Paul, agent for the Puget Sound Land Company. Instru- mental in the building were Russell Brothers, Steve But- ler, Sam Caughey, F. N. Chardburn, Andrew McCrea, and C. H. Tuesley.
In 1939-40 an annex including a basement room equipped for Sunday School and a furnace were added. An educational building was added in the 1960's.
The local pastor also serves Dent and Richville con- gregations.
ZIO LUTHERAN CHURCH, PERHAM MINH.
HISTORY OF ZION REFORM CHURCH
In the fall of 1890, a group of men and women living in and near Perham, organized Sion's church. The congre- gation first met in what was known as Lange's school- house. Rev. S. Spahr was the first pastor and organizer of the congregation. Later the church met for worship in a church building which stood on the site of the Martin Schmidt home. On July 30, 1893, in a special meeting, the congregation decided to build a church of its own. The building committee was: G. Kukowske, A. Beckman, C. Lange, C. Kehde, F. Rischow, N. Jahn, and E. Keerbs. In 1902 a parsonage was erected. Mrs. Timm and Mrs. S. Alberts made a liberal donation so the bell was installed in 1913. English services were first conducted in 1922 by Rev. J. Mau.
The name has now been changed to Church of Christ.
The late Bernice Jahn served as church organist and director of music for many years.
ST. LAWRENCE CHURCH
In 1865 Rev. Fr. Joseph Albrecht arrived from Ohio with a band of devoted followers to establish a colony in a new land. Of course, one of the first buildings was the church which burned in 1879. The old church bell, cast in Germany, and buried after the fire, was uncovered in the church cemetery in 1937. A new church was erected and still serves the ancesters of the first settlers of this com- munity. The tall pines surrounding the church are a monu- ment to the past, just as the St. Lawrence Church is a mon- ument to the Rev. Albrecht and his faithful followers.
St. Lawrence Church - 1902
Henry Kemper reported in his history of Perham the popularity of Rev. Fr. Albrecht, the first pioneer clergy- man of this county. He says: "The Reverend always ex- tended a friendly and helping hand to the newscomers, es- pecially the poor. They never left his presence without the necessities of life. He would travel across the prairies for miles although he was 70 years of age to show them lands and help their location. He died at the age of 84 years, on the 5th day of March, 1884. His remains were afterwards removed to Scio, Ohio.
St. Joseph Church
ST. JOSEPH'S, PERHAM
In the year 1867, two pioneers, Michael Schmitz and Florian Fehr arrived to find suitable farm land for them- selves and friends and located near Marion Lake. The next year, Balz Fuchs, George Seifert, Martin Fieldler, Joseph Zimmermann and George Feider arrived and were followed shortly by Adam Gerber, George Alstadt, Blaze and William Hassler and their families. Their religious
needs were in charges of Missionaries until 1871 when plans were laid to build a church. It was a log structure. In 1882 a new church was erected. The artistic altars were donations to the parish, it is said, in memory of Father Schaut's mother, were blessed in 1898. Other additions were made later.
The first child baptized in the St. Joseph Church was the late George Alstadt, father of Frank and Ambrose Al- stadt.
The marriage of Rosanne Gerber, daughter of Alois Gerber, and Philip Estrem of Minneapolis on Aug. 7, 1965, was the last wedding in the church.
The last funeral in the church was that of Lawrence J. (Larry) Delaney, Jr., on Sept. 28, 1965.
Since the fire that destroyed the church in 1965, the parish has been divided between Perham, Rush Lake, and Dent.
St. Stanislaus Church
ST. STANISLAUS PARISH IN PERHAM
From 1870 to 1878 a number of Polish families settled in and around the town of Perham. In 1876 a mission for the Polish was held and resulted in the founding of the St. Stanislaus Society under the leadership of John Karsnia. The first church was erected under the supervision of Fa- ther Joseph Buh. In 1918 they added their own school.
The present church was erected in 1922, and the school was torn down in the 1940's.
ST. HENRY'S PARISH
In 1873 permission was received to start a mission and erect a church in Perham. The church was erected in 1875. The first child baptized was John Charles Gorman on Aug. 23, 1876. The first marriage was that of John Mur- phy and Lena Roach of Lake Park; The first death was that of Benjamin Kemper in August, 1876. Henry Kemper and John Drahmann were the first trustees.
In 1905-06 the present church was built. A Spanish tile roof was constructed in 1931.
St. Henry's Church
St. John's Lutheran Church of Corliss
ST. JOHN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH OF CORLISS
As early as 1888, Rev. A. Kretzschmar preached to a nucleus of eight Lutheran families in their log hut on week days. They included August Mischke, August Libitz, George Shelske, Karl Forerstner, Michael Utz, Jeremiah Krueger, Karl Wanderi and William Papenfus.
Mr. Al Richardson and his wife were former teachers, and when the need came for a more suitable place of wor- ship, they helped the small group obtain permission to build a public schoolhouse of logs near Bear Lake, in which they were privileged to conduct worship services. There is no record as to how long the small group used this schoolhouse, for their services, but it recalled, how- ever, that one of the present members, Mrs. Albert Huwe, Sr., was baptized in the log schoolhouse.
About the year 1891, they organized and chose the name St. John's Ev. Lutheran Church. The first recorded fact is that on Dec. 27, 1891, the already organized con- gregation held a meeting and gratefully accepted a tract of land from Mr. Friedrich Fresonke for a church and cemetery. At this meeting it was decided not to build a log church, but instead one of sawed boards and timbers. Each family was to furnish boards, shingles, laths or beams. The building was completed on July 15, 1892 and dedicated to the glory of God.
The present church was built in 1929.
St. Paul's
ST. PAUL'S LUTHERAN CHURCH - 78 YEARS OLD
The small Lutheran congregation of the village that was served by Rev. H. Kretzschmar from the Trinity Lutheran church about three miles north of Perham and a small congregation of Lutherans holding services in the Lange school house about 3 and one-half miles west of Perham, united to be known as the St. Paul's Lutheran Congregation. In a special meeting on Oct. 15, 1893, it was decided to build a church. The building committee consist- ed of L. H. D. Schmidt, John Bauck, William Senske, Carl Schmidt and Chas. Notnagel.
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