USA > Minnesota > Cottonwood County > History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume I > Part 11
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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
VILLAGE OF JEFFERS.
Jeffers is situated in section 20, township 107, range 36, west, and was platted by the Inter-State Land Company, September 19, 1899. In so far as the early history of Jeffers is concerned, there is not a great deal to be said. The site that is now occupied by the village was homesteaded by George Jeffers and Wesley Stoddard over forty years ago. When the Currie branch of the Omaha railroad was surveyed through the county, Mr. Whited. representing a townsite company, saw great possibilities in locating a village at this place. So the beautiful farms or parts of, belong- ing to the men mentioned above, were transformed into town lots and sold at auction. The village sprung up like a mushroom over night and soon there were mechanics and tradesmen of all kinds on the ground.
Among the first on the ground to put up houses and open up for busi- ness were Mr. Loomis and A. A. Faust; Mr. Faust's building was where the co-operative store now stands. J. J. Duroe put up a building and started a bank in the lumber yard. In the spring of 1900 Cowan & Castledine built a business house on the site of the restaurant and Louie Dustin started a
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drug store the same spring. L. P. Dolliff and Company installed their lumber yard in the spring of 1899, as did the Hayes-Lucas Lumber Com- pany. The Peary elevator was also put up in 1899. The early professional men were Dr. W. N. Theissen and Attorney E. M. Duroe.
Jeffers has experienced two fires, each of which was rather serious. The more destructive one occurred in May, 1911, destroying four large buildings and cansing an unusually heavy loss. The first fire happened in August, 1902, starting in the hotel which was consumed as were the build- ings owned by A. A. Faust and Nels Anderson. The total loss was about twenty-one thousand dollars.
The first postoffice in Amboy township was known as the Red Rock postoffice and was located on the farm of D. M. Fairbairn, who was also the postmaster. After Jeffers became a village the Red Rock office was dis- continued and the postoffice took on the name of the village. The first post- master appointed to the Jeffers office was A. A. Faust. He died before his term expired and J. O. Querna was chosen to fill out the unexpired term. Miss Ida Faust, the daughter of A. A. Faust, received the next appoint- ment and as Mrs. Ida Mertens succeeded herself. The present postmaster is Mr. J. H. Tofflemire. Through attention to business and with the help of appreciative patrons, he has brought the receipts of the office up to the point where it will soon graduate to the third class. The postal receipts for the last fiscal year amounted to two thousand one hundred and eleven dollars and seventy-four cents, exclusive of money orders. The money orders for June, 1916, amounted to one thousand and six dollars and ninety- six cents. A rural route, with Bert A. Crist, was established on October 15. 1904; he is still serving in that capacity.
MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
Jeffers became an incorporated village on September 28, 1899. The first election placed in office the following men. President, L. P. Dustin ; recorder, Lewis E. Streater: trustees, C. G. Fredricson, A. W. Binger, A. A. Faust. The present officers include the following: President, William A. Potter; trustees, E. F. Schmotzer, H. C. Schoper and J. M. Jackson; treasurer, C. O. Castledine; clerk, Charles Grabert; justice, E. D. Helder. The following is a list of all the presidents who have served to date: L. G. Dustin, A. A. Faust (pro tem), H. H. Potter, L. A. Duroe, W. Gleason, S. M. Pratt, M. C. Vold, E. J. Viall, A. W. Mertens and W. A. Potter.
At present the village is lighted with gas lanterns, but there is a move-
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ment on foot to install an electric system. The village is also badly in need of water-works, as now they have no ample means of fire protection except chemical engines. With these things added, the village would be as modern as any in the county. The village has about three miles of cement walks and building more all the time. The present indebtedness is about one thou- sand five hundred dollars.
Jeffers, the hub of Cottonwood county, is a beautiful, hustling little town of six hundred population, located on the Currie branch of the Omaha railroad, one hundred and fifty miles from the Twin Cities and sixteen miles from Windom, the county seat. It is one of the busiest trading centers in the state, according to size. It is located in the heart of the beautiful, roll- ing plains of southern Minnesota. Its business people are up-to-date, pro- gressive, courteous and accommodating. The farmers of the community are up to the times in their farming methods, and rank high in the citizenship of the community. Five years ago. good land could be procured in this community at sixty dollars per acre, while most land is now worth around one hundred and twenty-five dollars per acre. Jeffers has a modern system of schools, fine churches and strong secret societies, all of which will be treated in their respective chapters.
CREAMERY.
Jeffers is supplied with a prosperous and enterprising creamery under the management of H. E. Nimtz. It is regarded as the most important enterprise of the town and it is doubted if any one business concern turns over as much money to the farmers as the creamery. The creamery has about one hundred and forty patrons, with an average monthly output of three thousand pounds of butter-fat per month. They supply the local mar- ket with butter and ship the remainder to the markets in Chicago and New York.
COMMERCIAL FACTORS IN 1916.
In 1916 the business interests of Jeffers were represented by the fol- lowing :
Auto garage-Iverson & Harrison.
Banks-State Bank, Farmers State Bank. Barber -- Charles Grabert.
Blacksmiths -. Krame MI. Michiel, George J. Koess. Creamery-H. E. Nimtz.
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Confectionery-L. J. Bastian.
Druggist-F. J. Armantrout.
Elevator-Benson Grain Company. Farmers Co-operative Elevator Company.
General dealers-Jeffers Co-operative Company. Thorne & Dustin. Malachi Vold.
Harness dealer-John M. Jackson.
Hotel-The Jeffers, The Leader.
Hardware dealer-I .. A. Duroe. Ice dealer-Charles Burmeister & Son.
Jeweler-F. J. Armantrout.
Livery-David E. Noble.
Lumber dealer-L. P. Dolliff and Company, Haynes-Lucas Lumber Company.
Milliner-Olga B. Grenwatz.
Meat market-H. C. Schoper.
Moving picture show-M. B. Fish.
Newspaper-The Reviewe, E. F. Schmotzer, proprietor.
Physician-George P. Panzer.
Produce dealer-City Produce Market.
Restaurant-W. A. Sargent. L. J. Bastian.
Real estate dealer-The Jeffers Land Company. W. H. Dhabolt. Shoemaker-Edward D. Helder.
Undertaker-Peter Aune.
AMO TOWNSHIP.
Amo township comprises all of congressional township 106, range 37, west. It is situated south of Storden township, west of Dale, north of Springfield and east of Rose Hill township. Its thirty-six sections contain some of the finest land in southern Minnesota. It is settled by an indus- trious class of citizens, mostly of foreign birth, who have made a prairie wilderness blossom like the rose. The principal lake within the township is Lake Augusta. With the passing of years much of the former swampy land has been transformed into beautiful pastures. The schools and churches of the township are mentioned at length in other chapters of this volume.
The population in 1895 was 296; in 1900 it was 385. and according to the census taken by the United States in 1910, the township contained a population of 395.
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There are no towns or villages within this township and it is purely an agricultural and dairy section, where the people vie one with another in making substantial improvements and beautifying their places. Many of the old homesteads of the county were located in Amo and have long years since come to be valuable farms. The hundreds of artificial groves seen here and there over this township, lend a charm once seen never to be for- gotten. It was the wisdom and foresight of the pioneer band of settlers, which caused to be planted out the cottonwood, the elm, the ash, the willow and the maple trees, which today weave in the winds with their branches extending far and wide, as so many living, growing monuments to those hardy pioneers who set them out. These groves have for years provided fire-wood for the farmer and made an excellent wind-break in winter time, as well as a cooling retreat in the hot summer months.
ORGANIZATION.
Amo was formed as a civil township of Cottonwood county in February, 1873, at a special meeting of the board of county commissioners. It was effected through a petition signed by the legal voters of township 108, ranges 37 and 38, asking that they be set off as a separate civil township, to be known as Amo, the territory formerly being included in Westbrook town- ship. The first election was held March 4, 1873, at the school house in district No. 4. in township 108, range 37, west.
The record shows that it was first named "Georgetown," but soon changed. It is believed that W. H. Benbow named it "Amo," which in Latin means "I love."
FIRST SETTLERS AND LAND ENTRIES.
The books of the register of deeds at the court house at Windom, show the following facts concerning the original land entries, homesteads and pre- emptions, in Amo township:
Jemima Benbow obtained a homestead in the west half of the north- west quarter of section 34; it was filed at the land office at Tracy and finally patented by President Chester A. Arthur, February 10, 1883.
John Wilford, an early pioneer in Minnesota, had patented to him a homestead in the west half of the southwest quarter of section 26, from the Worthington land office and it bore the signature of President U. S. Grant.
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William G. Shafer homesteaded the southeast quarter of section 26, at the Jackson land office, the papers being signed by President Grant.
Gilman S. Redding patented at the Worthington land office, February 22, 1879, the east half of the northeast quarter of section 25, the same bears the name of President Rutherford B. Hayes.
Presbury W. Moore homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 34, Nay 11, 1879, under the signature of President Rutherford B. Hayes.
James A. Moore claimed the northwest quarter of section 26, at the Worthington land office, April 15, 1879, signed by President U. S. Grant.
Elias N. Peterson homesteaded the southeast quarter of section 12, on December 18. 1879, at the Worthington land office, the same being signed by President Grant.
David Pratt claimed, as a homestead, the north half of the southeast quarter of section 8, township 106, range 37, west. The date was October 14, 1879, and the patent was signed by President Hayes.
Hiram S. Ellis homesteaded the east half of the southeast quarter of section 10, and the same was patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur; the entry was effected at the land office at New Ulm, and the date of patent was June 20, 1882.
Francis T. Seely homesteaded the south half of the northeast quarter of section 32; it was filed at the land office at Tracy and patented March I, 1883, with the signature of President Chester A. Arthur attached.
Alonzo K. Peck claimed as his homestead the west half of the north- west quarter of section 24 and the west half of the southwest quarter of the same section. The patent was signed by President U. S. Grant September 5, 1874.
Philip Zorn homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 18; it was filed at the land office in Tracy and was patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, March 10, 1883.
Martin Bales homesteaded the southeast quarter of section 26; it was originally filed at the land office at Tracy and patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur March 10, 1883.
William W. Barlow homesteaded the northeast quarter of section 26; his filing was made at the land office at New Ulm, while his patent was issued by President Chester A. Arthur, April 10, 1882.
Leslie Anderson claimed as his homestead right the northeast quarter of section 20. His filing was made at the land office at New Ulm, and his patent was signed by President Hayes, March 13, 1879.
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Warren Hunt homesteaded the west half of the southwest quarter and north half of the southwest quarter of section 32; it was filed at the land office located at New Ulm and was patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, February 13, 1882.
Orrin Silliman homesteaded the east half of the southwest quarter of section 14: also the north half of the southwest quarter of same section ; he made his filing at the land office at Tracy and received his patent from President Chester A. Arthur, March 3. 1884.
William H. Bigalow homesteaded the northeast quarter of section 30, making his filing at the land office at New Ulm, receiving his final patent from President Chester A. Arthur, January 2, 1882.
Lewis L. Bigalow homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 30; his filing was made at the land office at Tracy and his patent was obtained from President Chester A. Arthur, February 10, 1883.
Daniel C. Ashley homesteaded the northeast quarter of section 14, mak- ing his filing on same at the land office at New Uhn and receiving his patent from the hands of President Chester A. Arthur, June 20, 1882.
Ransom Bigalow claimed as. his homestead right the southeast quarter of section 30, and received his patent from President Chester A. Arthur, March 10, 1883. The entry was made at the land office at Tracy.
Orrin Polk Moore, at the Tracy land office entered a homestead situated in the east half of the southwest quarter and the south half of the north- west quarter of section 28, and had the same patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, May 24, 1884.
David Pratt at the land office located at Tracy entered the south half of the southwest quarter of section 8, and had the same finally patented to him by President James A. Garfield, June 20, 1881.
John C. Sprague, at the New Ulm land office, entered as his homestead the southwest of the northwest quarter of section 6, and the same was pat- ented to him by President Hayes, February 20, 1880.
John F. Tabbert homesteaded the north half of the northeast quarter of section 6, the same was patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, January 15, 1885.
Ebenezer Rice homesteaded the southwest quarter of section 8, at the land office located at Tracy and had the same patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, March 10, 1883.
Elbert D. Cole homesteaded the southwest quarter of section 4, at the land office then located at Tracy, and the same was later patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, October 1, 1883.
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Peder C. Jensen homesteaded at Tracy, the south half of the northeast quarter of section 28, the same being patented to him by President Grover C. Cleveland, May 20, 1885.
O. Scott Mead, at the land office at Tracy, entered the northwest quarter of seetion 34, and had it patented by President Chester A. Arthur, March IO. 1883.
George Chapman at the New Ulm land office entered as a homestead the east half of the northeast quarter of section 26, and had it patented June 20, 1882, by President Chester A. Arthur.
PRE-EMPTION CLAIMS.
Orrin P. Moore at the New Ulm land office, entered a tract of land described as the west half of the southeast quarter of section 28; the final papers were issued to him by President Hayes, who signed the same, Janu- ary 10, 1879.
John W. Rice pre-empted land in this township in the northwest quarter of section 1; the final papers were signed by President Benjamin Harrison, January 5, 1892.
James E. Reynolds entered land in the New Ulm land office, described as the south half of the southeast quarter and the south half of the south- west quarter of section 22, the same being finally patented to him by Presi- dent Hayes who signed the instrument, January 10, 1879.
John Robertson, at the land office at Marshall, entered the southeast quarter of section 8, the final papers were signed by President Roosevelt December 12, 1901.
ANN TOWNSHIP.
.Ann civil township is the extreme northwestern township in Cotton- wood county : it is six miles square, comprising congressional township 108, range 38 west. It is bounded on the north by Redwood county, on the east by Highwater township, this county, on the south by Westbrook township and on the west by Murray county.
It was originally a pure prairie country, but through the foresight and unrelenting toil of the settlers who first made settlement here. groves of elin, maple, cottonwood and other varieties of forest and shade trees were early planted out, and now they wave in all their growing beauty, affording a
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COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
beautiful cooling shade in mid-summer and in winter are appreciated by both man and beast for the wind-break they afford. These groves, here and there over the township, give it a look resembling a forest land, when in faet not a native tree was found growing by the first comers, but all have been planted as seed. seedlings or cuttings shipped in from abroad. Many of these trees now measure sixteen inches in diameter and tower up thirty and forty feet.
This township, as well as most all of the northern tier of townships, is settled largely by foreigners, who have made a fine agricultural section out of what in the seventies was but a prairie wilderness. The various census enumerations for this township show the following: In 1895 it had a population of 402; in 1900 there was 500 and according to the United States census returns in 1910, there was a population of 433.
ORGANIZATION.
Ann township was organized by the board of county commissioners at one of their regular meetings during the year 1876, as it does not appear of record in January, 1876, but does appear in the list of townships January 1, 1877.
EARLY LAND ENTRIES.
The records of the county show the following to have made homestead or other land entries, at some one of the various land offices in this state, and these men and women constituted the first settlers of Ann township :
Engbert E. Heggerston, at the New Ulm land office, entered as his homestead claim the northeast quarter of section 18; he received his patent from President James A. Garfield. June 20, 1881.
Peder Pederson claimed as a homestead right the cast half of the north- east quarter of section 8; it was filed at the land office at Tracy and was finally patented by President Chester A. Arthur, August 1, 1883.
Nels Knudson Dalen homesteaded the east half of the southwest quarter of section 14; it was filed at the land office at New Ulm and patented hy President Hayes, September 10, 1880.
Rasmus Hanson homesteaded the north half of the southeast quarter of section 22 of this township; the filing was at the land office at Tracy, and the patent was secured from President Chester A. Arthur, October 5, 1881.
John J. Alfson homesteaded the cast half of the southeast quarter of
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section 14: he filed at the land office at Tracy and secured his patent from President James A. Garfield, June 20, 1881.
Kesta K. Helgerson, at the New Ulm land office filed on the west half of the southwest quarter of section 14, and as a homestead it was patented to him by President Hayes. September 10, 1880.
John J. Alfson homesteaded the west half of the southeast quarter of section 14, the same being filed at the land office at Tracy and his final papers were signed by President Chester A. Arthur, October 1, 1883.
Johannes Petersen homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 8; it was filed at the land office at New Ulm and patented by President Hayes, February 6, 1881.
Ole O. Knudson homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 24. the entry being made at the land office at Tracy and the patent was issued by President Chester A. Arthur, July 5. 1885.
Ole Larson claimed a homestead from the land office at New Ulm, the same being the west half of the northwest quarter of section 6; it was pat- ented to him by President James A. Garfield, May 3, 1881.
Ole John Anderson homesteaded the east half of the northeast quarter of section 12; it was filed on at the land office at New Ulm and patented by President Chester A. Arthur, June 20, 1882.
Hans Ola Olsen, at the New Ulm land office, entered as a homestead the southwest quarter of section 6, and had it patented to him by President Hayes, February 10, 1881.
John T. Ilolly claimed, as a homestead right, the northeast quarter of section 20, September 18, 1879, the patent issued by President Hayes, and the entry effected at the land office at New Ulm.
Mervin Waight homesteaded the southeast quarter of section 4, at the New Ulm office. December 7, 1878, the patent being signed by President Hayes.
Kittle Sanderson homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 14, the date of his patent being January 5. 1875, and is signed by President U. S. Grant, the entry being made at the land office at New Ulm.
Thomas Halvorson homesteaded the west half of the southwest quarter of section 12. the date of the patent being January 20, 1881, and was signed by President Hayes, the papers coming through the land office at New Ulm.
Rasmus Hanson homesteaded at the Tracy land office, the south half of the southeast quarter of section 2, the patent being signed May 3, 18SI, by President James A. Garfield.
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John M. Hanson homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 26, at the New Ulm land office, the patent being signed by President Chester A. Arthur, March 15, 1882.
Hogan Anderson homesteaded the west half of the southeast quarter of section 24, the patent being signed by President Hayes, March 20, 1878.
Andrew O. Anderson homesteaded the southwest quarter of section 24; it was filed at the land office at New Ulm and patented by President Hayes, February 10, 1881.
Hans A. Nelson homesteaded the northeast quarter of section 26; his filing was made through the land office at New Ulm and he received his patent from President Chester A. Arthur, signed on November 1, 1881.
Thomas Hansen claimed, as his homestead right, the south half of the southeast quarter of section 2: his filing was made at the land office located then at New Ulm. His patent was received from President Hayes, January 20, 1881.
Thomas Pool homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 24; it was filed at the land office at New Ulm and patented by President Chester A. Arthur, June 25, 1882.
Apollos S. Yale homesteaded the northeast quarter of section 30; it was entered at the land office at New Ulin and patented by President Chester A. Arthur, June 20, 1882.
Gilbert Oleson homesteaded the north half of the southwest quarter of section 10, at the land office at Tracy and had the same patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, August 1, 1883.
T. B. Steen homesteaded the east half of the northeast quarter of sec- tion 6, at the land office at New Ulm, and the same was patented to him by President Hayes, December 30, 1879.
PRE-EMPTION CLAIMS.
Gilbert A. Olson, at the New Ulm land office, had issued to him a pre- emption claim for the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 10, President U. S. Grant issuing the papers on May 20, 1874.
Ole Jolin Anderson, at the land office at New Ulm, pre-empted the west half of the northeast quarter of section 28, the same being certified by President Hayes, June 24, 1878.
Ole Olson, at the Tracy land office, entered the south half of the south- west quarter of section 18, this township, and his papers were signed by Presi- dent Chester A. Arthur, April 20, 1883.
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Ingebret I. Toker, at the land office at New Ulm. pre-empted land in the west half of the northeast quarter of section 28, and the papers were signed by President Hayes, January 20, 1881.
Iver Nielson Moen, at the land office at New Ulm, pre-empted land in the west half of the southwest quarter of section 28, the papers being certi- fied by President Hayes, January 20, 1881.
CARSON TOWNSHIP.
Carson is one of the southeastern townships in Cottonwood county, and comprises all of congressional township 106, range 35, west, hence is six miles square. The chapter on geology in this volume treats of the soil, lakes and streams of this township. There were originally numerous ponds and prairie lakes, but for the most part these have been drained and their former beds are cultivated or used as pasture lands, the soil being very rich and deep-almost inexhaustible. Delft is a small hamlet in this township, a sta- tion point on the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad, which runs through the southwestern part of the township, en route from Jeffers to Bingham lake.
The population of Carson township in 1895 was 655; in 1900 it was 623 and the United States census in 1910 gave it as having 672.
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