USA > Minnesota > Brown County > History of Brown County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions (Volume 1) > Part 21
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fiscal year amounting to nine thousand eight hundred and ninety-one dollars. The amount of deposits in the postal savings department is one thousand dollars.
DYCKMAN FREE LIBRARY.
The city has a splendid free library, the gift of the late Frank H. Dyckman, who established the first bank in Sleepy Eye. It was founded on the same plan as the An- drew Carnegie libraries-the donor gave the building, pro- vided the people would annually tax themselves for the books and maintenance of the property. The building was dedicated in May, 1901. It cost, with the five lots, ten thousand dollars. It now contains three thousand vol- umes and is well patronized. Miss Lydia Sasse is the present librarian.
MONUMENT TO CHIEF SLEEPY EYE.
The flour milling company of the city erected a fine monument in honor to chief Sleepy Eye, whose bones are buried beneath the monument. He was a friend of the white race. The brand of "Sleepy Eye Flour" is known from coast to coast.
WOMAN'S CLUBS.
Sleepy Eye has numerous woman's clubs, including the following: The Woman's Club and the Qui Vive Club. The former is the older of the two and was organized in 1888, with seventeen members. Mrs. W. W. Smith was
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SLEEPY EYE LAKE Nº 79 COPYRIGHT 1908 BY FRANK SCORIE
F 5 s
THE MILL THAT MADE SLEEPY EYE FAMOUS
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IN ST SLEEPY EYE MINN
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STATE BANK OF SLEEPY EYE
STATE BANK
VIEWS IN SLEEPY EYE.
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the first president and is now the only charter member liv- ing who belongs to the club. The membership is limited to twenty. During its history there have been more than seventy-five ladies enter and depart from its circle. The club holds membership in the district, state and general federation. Meetings are held at the public library every other Friday. The present officers are: Mrs. E. P. James, president; Mrs. W. W. Smith, vice-president; Mrs. W. R. Hodges, secretary; Mrs. Julius Hansen, treasurer.
The Qui Vive Club was organized in 1905 and has six- teen members, the number not being limited. Their motto is "Forward till you see the highest." The club is of a literary order. They also meet at the library building. The officers in the spring of 1916 were: Mrs. F. Riedl, president; Mrs. Morris Christensen, vice-president; Mrs. Frank Meyer, corresponding secretary; Mrs. J. A. Fialka, financial secretary; Mrs. George Cutting, treasurer.
THE MILLING INDUSTRY.
Until recently the flouring-mills of Sleepy Eye have been rated about second or third in the way of flour pro- duction of any in the great flour state of Minnesota. By all odds the flour industry has done more for the city than any other and possibly all other industries combined. These mills have paid out millions of dollars annually for wheat and have shipped far and near their choice brands of family flour. There are two of these gigantic milling plants at Sleepy Eye, one having a capacity of a thousand barrels daily, while the larger concern can easily turn out
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into the freight cars at the mill's doorways five thousand barrels every twenty-four hours. These mills were estab- lished about 1882 and have run successfully ever since until recently, through some unfortunate circumstances they have been closed down. But ere long it is believed that their doors will again open for business, under a new organization and management of affairs.
LAKE HANSKA TOWNSHIP.
On the southern border of Brown county and the sec- ond from the eastern line is Lake Hanska township, which comprises congressional township 108, range 31 west. It was named for the lake of that name, more than one-half of which is in this township. Watonwan county is at the south, Linden township at the east, Sigel township at the north and Albin is west from this township. Its popula- tion has been at various dates as follows: In 1890 it was seven hundred and forty-two; in 1900 it had reached nine hundred and forty-two, but had fallen off by 1910 to six hundred and ninety-two.
Besides Lake Hanska here are also found Lake Oms- rud and Broome lake.
The first township meeting was held on June 21, 1870, at the house of A. W. Peterson. The officers then and there elected were as follow: Christian Ahlness, chair- man, G. Christenson and Ole Thordson, supervisors; A. W. Peterson, clerk; C. Ahlness, assessor and justice of the peace; G. Thordson, treasurer; O. C. and C. H. Grore, constables; T. Torgrimson, pound-master.
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No schools were taught here until after the Indian outbreak in 1862.
The first settlers in this township were probably Pat- rick and Edward Casey, and J. F. Devine, who located as early as 1857. A month later came in T. O. Ormstrud and sons, Ole Guttorm, Iver and T. Torgrimson. Those of a much later date who settled in this township, and yet early enough to be known as pioneers were: Andrew M. Ander- son, Jacob Bakke, Nils Olson, Paul Olson, Knudt C. Olstaad, Thore O. Roan, T. E. Shelley, Ole Stone, Ole Synsteby and Tore Tundewold, all of Norway.
During the Indian War this township suffered no loss of property. A stockade was built at the end of Lake Hanska and for a time occupied by a squad of soldiers.
VILLAGE OF HANSKA.
Hanska is situated in Lake Hanska township, in the northeast corner of section 24. It is a station on the Minneapolis & St. Louis railway, between New Ulm and St. James. In 1910 it had a population of three hundred and ten.
Hanska was incorporated as a village in May, 1901, and its first officers were as follow: Fred C. Chambard, president; J. E. Johnson, recorder; Edward Carlson, N. J. Ouren, E. E. Nelson, trustees; G. W. Chambard and Dr. D. F. Woods, justices of the peace; Carl Peterson, con- stable; G. P. Severtson, treasurer.
This village obtains its lighting from electric current supplied by the Madelia Electric Light Company, from the
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Rapidan dam power house. There is a volunteer fire com- pany in the village made up of thirty members. There is no regular waterworks system in Hanska, but street cis- terns are used in case of fires.
The following have served as presidents since the vil- lage was incorporated: F. G. Chambard, Ole Synstby, Nels J. Ouren, Fred Christianson, Alfred B. Ouren and M. B. Erickson. In the spring of 1916 the village officers were: President, M. B. Erickson; recorder, Theo. Torg- imson; trustees, Christian Hanson, John A. Johnson, Iver E. Haugen; treasurer, Henry Anderson; constables, Bert Lind, H. C. Bradford; justices of the peace, P. J. Blion; assessor, Hans Jlen.
December 3, 1904, will long be remembered in the vil- lage of Hanska, for on that day a sweeping fire destroyed much of the village, including the main business portion. The heaviest losses were sustained by Messrs. Nelson, Grothe, Kjorlaug & Company, J. H. Haemze, the latter owning the printing plant of the Herald office. The total loss in the village was about twenty-five thousand dollars.
COMMERCIAL INTERESTS IN 1916.
In the month of May, 1916, the business interests of Hanska were in the hands of the following men: Auto- garage and dealers-Alex. C. Eckle, Hanska Auto Com- pany; banks, Security and State Banks; barber-Theo. Greenholz; blacksmiths-Andrew Johnson; creameries- Hanska and Linden, and the Linden and Cottonwood; drugs, John A. Ringnell; elevators-New Ulm Roller Mill
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Company and the Eagle Milling Company; furniture- Ever E. Nelson; general stores-Hanska-Linden Store Company, Erickson Brothers, S. Hanson Company; har- ness-Peter O. Haughdohl, Fred C. Jenson; hardware- Peter J. Blein, Hanska Hardware and Implement Com- pany; hall-The Liberal Union; jeweler-Fred Joramo; lumber-S. Hage Lumber Company (Hilmer Flagstad, agent), Lampert Lumber Company; livery-Benjamin Kjelshus; meat market-Midtbruget & Hangen; news- paper-The Hanska Herald; photographer-Andrew P. Lien; restaurants-George W. Chambard, Wayne Nagel; telephones State Long Distance and Hanska Rural Tele- phone Company ; veterinary-Arthur Hanson, D. V. S.
The town hall, known as Liberal Union Hall, is a brick structure one story in height, erected by public subscrip- tion, both from the village and country. In this is held all public meetings and the library is also here under the charge of Reverend Norman. It was built in 1914-15.
POSTOFFICE.
Hanska postoffice was established in June, 1890. The amount of postal business transacted during the last fiscal year was one thousand eight hundred and forty-two dol- lars and fifty-three cents. There are now three rural delivery routes extending out from Hanska. The amount in the postal savings department was only ten dollars at the last accounting. During postmaster Carlson's ad- ministration there was a small robbery in this postoffice.
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LEAVENWORTH TOWNSHIP.
Leavenworth township is in range 33 west and con- gressional township 109, and is six miles square. It is situated south of Prairieville township, west of Stark, north of Mulligan and east of Burnstown townships. It was established on June 28, 1858, by the county board of commissioners, and at the time contained all that portion of the county outside the Indian reservation west of Lake Hanska. From time to time new towns have been organ- ized from its original territory until it finally assumed its present size.
In the fall of 1858 the first election held in this part of the county was held at the house of Dr. J. B. Calkins. There were but seven white men present, one of them a minor and there was one Indian present, yet there were forty votes returned from the precinct. The township was legally organized on April 16, 1859, at pioneer Maffett's house. The officers there and then elected were as fol- low: Luther Whiton, chairman; Isaac Bandy and Seth Henshaw, supervisors; George Charnock, clerk; Peter Kelly, assessor; G. W. Maffett and C. F. Putnam, con- stables; Peter Kelly and George Charnock were elected pound-masters, and the pounds were located at J. B. Calkin's claim shanty and at Luther Whiton's smoke- house. At this election there were thirty-two votes cast. From 1863 to 1866 the township had no organization, as all had fled on account of the Indian outbreak. An assessor, however, had been appointed by the commissioners to assess the property of the township from year to year.
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SETTLEMENT.
In October, 1857, a company of speculators and town- site schemers laid out the village of Leavenworth, covering a half section of land on the west side of the Big Cotton- wood river. They put up a log cabin and left Dr. J. B. Calkins to hold the claim down for them. He remained about two years and left for all time and the "townsite of Leavenworth" was no more, save in the memory of a few pioneers.
During the same autumn-1857-came into this town- ship, W. B. Carroll and G. W. Maffett, members of a gov- ernment surveying party who were laying out a govern- ment road. They made claims the next spring. Carroll married Mary D. Loomis, in 1860, and was the first to marry in the township. He was killed by the Sioux Indians during the 1862 outbreak. Other settlers, of various and later dates, who came in and bore well their part in the development of this township were: J. B. Altermatt, from Switzerland; George W. Brown, of New York; George B. Ebilsiser, from Indiana ; Benard Frey, a German; George W. Harrington, of York state; Frederick W. Hormann, a German; Charles A. Hughes, of New York City; Edward Larson, of Norway; Joseph Ott, born in Chicago; John M. Sanderson, a Canadian; Peter Schlitz, of Luxemberg; J. J. Schumacher, a German.
FIRST EVENTS.
Among the earliest events in the township were these : First birth was Matilda, daughter of John Schneider and wife, born in the winter of 1857-58.
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The first death was that of Mr. Buck, who was killed by a fall from his wagon.
The first preaching was in the winter of 1859-60, by a minister of the United Brethren faith, who chanced to be visiting in the township.
The Catholics organized and built a church, under the leadership of Father Alexander Berghold, in 1868.
The first school was taught by Mrs. Wylie, in 1866.
The first mill was the one built by John Jackson and J. G. Davison, about as soon as the township was settled. Later it was owned by Peter Schields, who in 1872 con- verted it into a two-run of stone milling plant, with a capacity of twenty-five barrels a day.
Leavenworth postoffice was established in 1858, with Doctor Calkins as postmaster; during the Indian War it was abandoned, but re-established in the township of Stark, but still later it was moved to Leavenworth town- ship and was kept by postmaster J. B. Altermatt. It has long since been discontinued and mail is received by rural delivery from the Sleepy Eye postoffice. Lake Altermatt, the largest sheet of water in the township, in sections 31 and 32, was named for J. B. Altermatt, just mentioned.
The population of Leavenworth township in 1910 was five hundred and forty-six.
The Northwestern railway line just touches the cor- ner of section 6 of this township. The people who reside in this township usually trade at either Sleepy Eye or Cob- den.
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LINDEN TOWNSHIP.
This is the extreme southeastern corner sub-division of Brown county, and comprises congressional township 108, range 30 west. It is bounded by Blue Earth county on the east, by Watonwan county on the south, Lake Hanska township on the west and Cottonwood on the north. It has several lakes of considerable importance and size. Among such may be mentioned Dane lake in the north- east part of the township; a part of Lake Emerson along the south line and Linden lake in the central west portion.
The Minneapolis & St. Louis railroad runs through the northwest corner of the township, but its nearest sta- tion is at the village of Hanska, just over the township line.
The township has had a population of late years as follows: In 1890 it had seven hundred and sixty-two; in 1900 it was seven hundred and fifty-three, and in 1910 it was reported to be six hundred and ninety-one.
At one time this embraced all the present territory of Lake Hanska township. The township was set apart for organization on June 28, 1858, but it failed to perfect its organization until 1859. The first meeting was held at the house of John Armstrong and he was elected chairman and justice of the peace; Andrew Levig was elected as- sessor; Peter Levig, clerk; Peter Thormodson, collector. Upon the death of Mr. Armstrong the township records were all lost, hence the remainder of early day transactions cannot here be given.
The first settlement was effected here in 1856 by John Armstrong, Peter Thormodson, G. Paulson, Thore Oleson,
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Andrew Levig and Jens Harbo. At the time of the Indian outbreak, Mr. Armstrong sent his family away, but re- mained with his brothers on his farm. In September, fol- lowing the outbreak, he was shot with an arrow while his brother was absent.
P. H. Dahl, a Norwegian, settled in 1866; C. Halvor- son, of Norway, came in 1869; H. Halvorson, of Norway, settled here in 1868; Lewis N. Halvorson, born in Wiscon- sin, came here in 1869; K. H. Helling, a Norwegian, set- tled here after his discharge from the army. Another pioneer was John R. Johnson, of Norway.
MILFORD TOWNSHIP.
Milford was among the first townships to transact business in the county. It was made a civil organization in 1858, and derived its name from the mill built at the fording place over the Minnesota river. The earlier records of the town have been lost-due partly to the con- fusion at the time of the Indian outbreak; more than fifty were massacred within this township in 1862. It was in this township that Brown county had its first settlement. The first white settler either in this township or Brown county was Edward McCole, who came in from Nicollet county in 1853; his cabin was burned and his claim was "jumped" by Anton Kaus. This land later formed a part of the Col. William Pfaender farm. The next settlers were the first lot of German colonists from Chicago, in the fall of 1854; an account of their wanderings and final set- tlement is presented in another chapter. The early his- tory of New Ulm and Milford township are almost one and
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the same story. Among those hardy pioneers are easily recalled the names of Ludwig Meyer, Anton and Athanasius Henle, Peter Mack and David Haeberle.
This township is bounded on the north by the Minne- sota river, on the west by Home township, on the south by Sigel township. It was adjoining the Indian reservation, and suffered great loss during the Indian outbreak in the summer of 1862, when more persons were killed than in any other part of Brown county. The population of Mil- ford in 1910 was four hundred and eighty. The first post- office in the county was established here, with Anton Kaus as postmaster; but in 1857 it was removed to New Ulm. Milford postoffice, proper, was established in 1860, with Anton Henle as postmaster; he held it many years. In 1857 he opened a country hotel, or inn, which he conducted until about 1880. The first death was Martin Wiedemann, of consumption, in February, 1855. The first birth in the township was in the spring of 1855, a daughter born to Benedict Drexler and wife. The earliest religious services were those conducted by Father Winninger in 1856. The first school was taught at the house of Anton Henle in the spring of 1857.
Milford is among the wealthy townships in the county, and has a history interwoven with that of the city of New Ulm. Many of the older farmers have retired in the city and make the best of citizens and believe in improvement, whether in country or city.
VILLAGE OF ESSIG.
Essig is the only hamlet within the township. It is situated in the western part of the township in section 19.
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It is a station on the Chicago & Northwestern railway, and has schools, churches and limited commercial interests, and is a great convenience to the surrounding country. The population is about one hundred. The postal busi- ness in the last fiscal year was only three hundred and thirty-eight dollars. There are two Indian monuments- one within two and another in three miles of Essig, erected by the community, commemorating the Indian War of 1862. The public school is a half mile out of the village. The German Lutheran people have a society here and now hold services every other Sunday.
The business interests of Essig in May, 1916, are: A general merchandise store by W. C. Heiman, who is also psotmaster; the Eagle Roller Mills, by Herman Elbrecht; a grain elevator with Herman Schroeder as manager ; pro- duce and stock buyer, Herman Schroeder; hardware store by Andrew Wagner; the bank with Emil Hage, president; the Essig Creamery Company; lumber by the Lampert Lumber Company, William Merto, manager; coal, Her- man Schroeder; implements, J. J. Kemkes.
MULLIGAN TOWNSHIP.
Mulligan township is located in congressional town- ship 108, range 33. It is on the southern border of Brown county, the third township from the western line of the county. It has no towns or villages, neither a railroad, but is valuable as an agricultural section. At its north is Leavenworth township, at the east is Albin, on the south the county line and on the west is Bashaw township. The population at various times has been as follows: In 1890
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it had three hundred and ninety-three; in 1900 it was five hundred and seven, and in 1910 it was four hundred and eighty.
The great cyclone in 1881, that so nearly destroyed New Ulm, visited this township, too, and destroyed the houses of Andrew Zwashka and Philip Kauffenberg; the wife and children of the latter were badly injured, and the other family escaped by going into their cellar in time.
Mulligan township was organized at the town meeting on April 26, 1871. At that time the following were elected to hold the various township offices: John Torey, Patrick Stack and Nicholas Schmidt, supervisors; A. E. West, clerk; E. J. Collins, assessor ; J. P. Savage, treasurer; Pat- rick Stack and A. E. West, justices of the peace; Nicholas Laux, overseer of highways; John Williams and J. P. Sav- age, constables. The election was at the house of Patrick Stack.
The first settlement here was made in 1865, by J. P. Savage, John and Thomas Kelly. Others who came in and aided in developing this section of the county were: Chauncy Beal, of Pennsylvania; Monroe Cordill, from Indiana; Peter Enhlond, a native of Sweden; John Frasch, of Germany; Thomas Gibbons, of Canada; Byron Green, from New York state; Paul Jauss, of Germany; John P. Savage, of Ireland, and John Smith, of Germany.
The first school was taught in 1877.
NORTH STAR TOWNSHIP.
North Star township is on the west line of Brown county in township 109, range 35 west. It is bounded in
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the north and west by Redwood county, on the east by Burnstown township, and on the south by Statley town- ship. It is six miles square, is a prairie township of won- derful fertility and is well improved with a thrifty and highly intelligent class of citizens of mixed nationality, but now thoroughly Americanized.
The population of this township since 1890 has been at the three enumeration periods as follows: In 1890 it had three hundred and sixty-six; in 1900 it had five hun- dred and twenty-four, and in 1910 it was placed at five hundred and two.
It has two railroad lines, both of the Chicago & North- western system, traversing its territory, yet has no station within its borders. Springfield is just over the township line to the east and is really the trading and market place most frequented by the people living within North Star township.
This township was set apart and organized into a civil sub-division of Brown county, January 9, 1873, and the first election was held at the house of Henry Hewett, who was elected chairman of the board of supervisors.
The first to locate here with the intention of becoming permanent settlers were: C. C. Davis, the first settler, who came in 1858 and remained only one year; John Mc- Cowan, who located in section 24, in May, 1870; Henry Hewett and John Young came the same year and com- menced improvements on claims they had taken. Others who were early in the township were Ambrose Persons, of Jones county, Iowa; Matthew Ryan, from Ireland; there were many came in and soon the wild land was all taken up by actual settlers.
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PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP.
This township is in congressional township 110, range 33 west. It is situated south of Eden, west of Home, north of Leavenworth and is on the western line of the county. This township is crossed by the main line, as well as the Redwood Falls branch of the Chicago & Northwestern rail- way, the two forming a junction in section 36. This is a prairie township and has many fine farms. Its villages are Cobden and Evan. The population of the township in 1890 was seven hundred and thirty; in 1900 it was about fifty more, but in 1910 had fallen off to five hundred and sixty- nine. It once belonged to Leavenworth township, but many years ago was made a separate township.
While it was not entirely embraced within the Indian reservation, no settlers found their way into its borders until 1866-after the Indian and Civil Wars had ended. During that year came Rev. Andrew Johnson and Nels Alexandersen, who claimed a part of section 1. They were members of a party of Danes, most of whom settled in Eden township. Mr. Johnson was a Baptist preacher, and held services soon after his arrival. Ann, a daughter of his, was born in the fall of 1867, the first in the township. The first marriage in the township was that uniting James Johnson and Anna Knudson, in November, 1869.
The pioneer school was taught by Miss M. L. Lang in the summer of 1871.
In 1881 the Danish Lutherans were holding services once each month in a house of worship owned by them in section 16.
The township held its first meeting at the house of Ras-
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mus Nelson, on section 15, in March, 1870. The first offi- cers elected to attend to the township's business were as fol- low: G. N. Dayton, chairman; Gustav Plath and Julius Krueger, supervisors; J. F. Barton, clerk; C. H. Christen- son, assessor; John Liddell, treasurer; C. H. Christensen and J. F. Barton, justices of the peace; H. J. Knudson and Edwin Ricker, constables.
Among settlers who have not already been named may be recalled these: Oliver Cole, a Vermonter; Lars Fred- erickson, a Dane; Fred Kissner, a German; Louis Lamp, a Dane; Alexander McBain, a Canadian; Alexander McIl- reavie, Sr., a Scotchman, and his nine children, and Daniel Stage, a native of Prussia.
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