USA > Minnesota > Cottonwood County > History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume I > Part 12
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With the passing of years the land within this part of the county has materially improved, and since tiling and ditching have been so successfully carried out, the territory is almost all reclaimed from its former wet state to one of cultivation. The hundreds of prosperous homes observed on every hand are but an index as to what intelligent management and hard toil will do for a country. Lands have risen in value, until today there are few parts of Cottonwood county more sought after by home-seekers than Carson town- ship.
ORGANIZATION.
This civil township was organized by the board of county commission- ers at their meeting in July, 1871, when township 106, range 35, west was declared to be the civil township of Carson.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The records show the following persons to have entered lands, either under the homestead or pre-emption acts in this township:
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William B. Walker claimed a homestead under the act of 1862, for the northwest quarter of section 2, the land was entered at the New Ulm land office, and the date was January 18, 1875; signed by President U. S. Grant.
Joseph McMurtrey claimed land at the New Ulm land office, in the south half of the northwest quarter and the north half of the southwest quarter of section 30. The patent was signed on January 18, 1879, by President Hayes.
Michael O. Keefe homesteaded land in the northeast quarter of section 2; it was entered at the land office at New Ulm and was patented by Presi- dent Hayes; signed on February 10, 1881.
William G. Furman homesteaded land in the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 34 also in the southwest quarter of the north- west quarter of the same section. It was patented by President Hayes on March 13, 1879: it was entered at the land office at New Ulm.
Frederick Carpenter homesteaded the northeast quarter of section 8; it was patented by President Hayes on February 10, 1881 ; it was entered at the land office at New Ulm.
Nathaniel P. Hoag homesteaded land in the southeast quarter of section 12, and the patent was signed by President Hayes, December 30, 1879; the entry was effected at the land office at New Ulm.
Marshal Chase claimed a homestead in the east half of the northeast quarter and in the west half of the northeast quarter of section Io. It was patented by President Hayes and by him signed on January 20, 1881. It was entered in the land office located at New Ulm1.
Charles A. Gardner homesteaded land in the west half of the south- west quarter of section 32; it was patented by President Chester A. Arthur on June 12, 1882. It was secured at the land office located at New Ulm.
Daniel Griffin homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 12, at the land office at New Ulm; his patent was obtained at the hands of President Hayes and signed by him on February 10, 1882.
Klaas Dick homesteaded the east half of the southwest quarter and the northwest of the southwest of section 22, at the land office at Tracy, and received his patent from President Chester A. Arthur, March 10, 1883.
Edwin Maxon at the New Ulm land office entered the south half of the southwest quarter of section 28 and received his patent on same from Presi- dent Hayes, April 9, 1878.
Aaron Schofield homesteaded the north half of the southwest quarter of section 28; it was entered at the land office at New Ulm and was patented by President Chester .\. Arthur, June 20, 1882.
George S. Maxon homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 28 at
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the Tracy land office and had the same patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, February 20, 1882.
Peter Wien homesteaded the east half of the northwest quarter of sec- tion 28, at the land office at Tracy, and had the same patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, February 10, 1883.
Cornelius Hubert claimed the homestead situated in the west half of the northeast quarter of section 26, at the land office and had his patent finally issued to him for the same.
Jacob S. Neal homesteaded the southwest quarter of section 2, at the land office at Tracy, and had his patent granted him by President Chester A. Arthur, March 10, 1883.
Henerich Quiring, at the Tracy land office entered a homestead in the east half of the northwest quarter of section 10; it was patented by Presi- dent Chester A. Arthur, January 15, 1885.
Frank C. Mason homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 24, at the land office at New Ulm, and his patent was issued by President U. S.' Grant, October 1, 1875.
William H. Leighton homesteaded the south half of the southwest quarter of section 34, at the land office at Tracy, and his patent was granted by President Chester A. Arthur. March 10, 1883.
George H. Smyth, at the New Ulm land office entered the southeast quarter of section 32, and his patent was granted by President Hayes, March 20, 1878.
PRE-EMPTION CLAIMS.
Elizabeth Smith entered at the New Ulm land office, lot No. 3 in section 26, and received her patent from President U. S. Grant, May 20. 1874.
Arthur Minnion selected south half of the northeast quarter of section 4, this township, and the same was patented to him by President Hayes, January 10, 1879.
William Minion pre-empted the north half of the southeast quarter of section 4, this township ; his entry was made at New Ulin and his final papers were issued by President Hayes, January 20, 1881.
Edgar Hazen entered the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 10, President U. S. Grant signing the final papers, April 10, 1875.
Robert Minion, at the New Ulm land office, entered the southeast quar- ter of section 4, and had the same patented to him by President Hayes, May 15, 1880.
Peter C. Hiebert, at the Marshall land office, entered land in the north-
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west quarter of the northwest quarter of section 34; the same was finally patented to him by President Benjamin Harrison, February 24, 1893.
Henry E. Fast entered land in the southeast quarter of section 28; it was entered at the land office at Marshall and his final papers were signed by President William McKinley, March 20, 1897.
Thomas J. Warren entered land in the north half of the northeast quarter of setcion 10; the entry was effected at the land office at Tracy and the final papers were signed by President Benjamin Harrison, January 18, 1890.
Oella P. Mason, at the New Ulm land office entered land in the tract known as lot No. 3, in section 24. President U. S. Grant signed the patent on May 15, 1876.
VILLAGE OF DELFT.
Delft is situated in the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 18, township 106, range 35, west, and was platted by the Inter-State Land Company June 18, 1902.
Town plats of the village of Delft were filed in the office of the register of deeds on June 25, 1902, by the Inter-State Land Company, of which O. O. Whited was vice-president. The plat consisted of eleven blocks in the town- ship of Delton. This was the place where the railroad and warehouse com- mission ordered the railroad company to put in a sidetrack, in response to the petition of the farmers, in order that they might put in an elevator. Not so very long after the elevator had been built the village had its first fire, which burned the farmers' elevator, the coal sheds and the railroad company's stockyards. All were rebuilt immediately after. At present the business of the village is chiefly in the hands of Jacob Rupp, who conducts a general store ; John Rupp, who conducts a hardware store ; and the Farmers Elevator Con- pany, who buy and sell grain, have charge of the coal sheds and do a gen- eral implement business.
DALE TOWNSHIP.
Dale is one of the central townships in the county, and comprises all of congressional township 106, range 36, west, hence has thirty-six sections of land within its borders. It is south of Amboy township, west of Carson, north of Great Bend and east of Amo township.
When first discovered there was a beautiful chain of lakes in the central
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COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
eastern portion of this township. These were filled in their season with wild fowls and many fish abounded in their waters. With the settlement of the country, several of these lakes have been drained out and are now utilized for pasture and field purposes by the farmers who own the property. Some of the lakes are still intact and are highly prized by the citizens of the county. The educational interests of the township, as well as the churches, are ail treated in special chapters relating to such subjects.
The population of Dale in 1895 was 367; in 1900 it was 455 and the census reports of the United States enumeration for 1910 showed a population of 483.
ORGANIZATION.
Dale became a separate civil township by act of the county board in March, 1872, from township 106, range 36, west and was to be bounded as follows: "Commencing at the northeast corner of township 106, range 36. thence south to the southeast corner of said township; thence west to the southwest corner of said township; thence north to the northwest corner of said township; thence east to the northeast corner of said township and place of beginning." The first election was held at the house of George W. Purdy. Saturday, March 30, 1872; the judges were: George W. Purdy, Charles White and L. E. Mace, with John A. Harvey, clerk ..
SETTLEMENT.
Perhaps no better way of showing who the pioneer settlers in this township were, can be shown than to give a brief transcript of the original land entries, which is as follows :
Henry C. Cornell homesteaded the southwest quarter of section 2, March 12, 1878, at the New Uhn land office, the patent being signed by President U. S. Grant.
James H. Sharp claimed as a homestead the southeast quarter of sec- tion 14, in this township, March 21, 1878, the patent being signed by Presi- dent Grant, and the entry was made at the New Ulm land office.
James E. Mace claimed as a homestead land in the west half of the southwest quarter and the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 12, at the New Ulm land office ; the patent was signed by President Hayes, April 27. 1878.
Abram L. Miles homesteaded at the New Ulm land office, the north-
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COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
west quarter of section 24. President R. B. Hayes signing the patent, July 12, 1878.
James C. Brown homesteaded the northeast quarter of section 26, July 12, 1878, the same being signed by President Hayes; the entry was made at the New Ulm land office.
S. Alexander homesteaded land located in the west half of the southeast quarter of section 10; it was patented to him on February 20, 1880, and was signed by President Hayes and secured through the land office at New Ulm.
James B. Rhoades homesteaded land in the west half of the southwest quarter of section 32. It was patented on October 20, 1880, and signed by President Hayes, being secured through the New Ulm land office.
Edwin S. Streator claimed land under the homestead act of 1862, in the west half of the southwest quarter of section 34; it was patented to him on November 3, 1876, and signed by President U. S. Grant; it was secured through the land office at Worthington.
Alfred Mosher homesteaded land in the west half of the southwest quarter of section 14; it was patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur and dated June 20, 1882; it was secured through the land office at New Ulm.
David Goss homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 12, at the New Ulm land office. and received his patent from President Chester A. Arthur, June 20, 1882.
John Schnotyen, at the land office at Tracy, entered a homestead in the north half of the northeast quarter and the south half of the northeast quarter of section 6; it was patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, February 10, 1883.
Peter Schmith homestead the southwest quarter of section 6, at the Tracy land office and had the same patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur. May 31, 1884.
William G. Douglass claimed, as his homestead, the north half of the southwest quarter of section 28, the date of patent filing is April 7, 1874, and it bears the signature of President U. S. Grant.
Joel R. Clark claimed, as a homestead, the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 34, the patent being signed by President U. S. Grant, October 22, 1878.
Joseph O. Miles. claimed a homestead in section 24, and his patent was filed on February 18, 1879, signed by President U. S. Grant.
Joseph R. Cornwell, homesteaded at the New Ulm land office, the north- east quarter of section 8, the patent being issued on September 17, 1879, and was signed by President Hayes.
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College land was claimed at the land office at Washington by William Prentiss, the same being the southeast quarter of section 20. The date of filing was March 6, 1875. signed by President U. S. Grant.
Homer L. Jewitt homesteaded land in the south half of the southwest quarter of section 28; it was patented by President Hayes and signed on March 13, 1879: it was entered at the land office at New Ulm.
Daniel F. Rogers homesteaded the southwest quarter of section 34 at the Tracy land office and had the patent to the same issued to him by Presi- dent Chester A. Arthur, May 10, 1883.
Valentine Pfremmer homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 6, at the land office at Tracy and had his patent granted him by President Chester A. Arthur, May 31, 1884.
PRE-EMPTION CLAIMS.
George A. Purdy, at the New Ulm land office, pre-empted the odd lots in section 28, at the land office at New Ulm, and had his papers signed by President U. S. Grant, May 26, 1874.
Peter O. Arvold at the Worthington land office pre-empted the north- west quarter of section 8, the papers being signed by President U. S. Grant, January 6, 1876.
Jacob P. Epp, at the Marshall land office, claimed the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 24; the same was signed by President William McKinley, March 20, 1897.
Aaron G. Laing, at the New Ulm land office, pre-empted the south half of the northwest quarter of section 2, the papers being signed by President Hayes, January 20, 1881.
George P. Jeffers pre-empted the lot known as No. 6 in section 22, at the Tracy land office, the papers being signed by President Benjamin Harrison, January 18, 1890.
Frank C. Bell pre-empted the northwest quarter of section 20, at the New Ulin office, the papers being finally issued by President Hayes.
James H. Wilson pre-empted the part of section 22. known as lot No. 3. at the land office at Marshall, under President Cleveland's administration, and he signed the same June 9, 1894.
Adolph Graumann, at the Marshall land office, entered the west half of the southwest quarter of section 30, the papers being signed finally by Presi- dent Grover Cleveland, November 6, 1893.
Henry E. Wall, at the land office at Marshall, entered the southwest
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quarter of the southwest quarter of section 24. President Grover Cleveland signing his papers on March 12. 1896.
William W. Barlow pre-empted land in the north half of the north- west quarter of section 30, at the Marshall land office, the papers being certi- fied to by President Benjamin Harrison on February 14, 1893.
Lars Anderson entered under the pre-emption act, at the land office at Marshall, the north half of the southeast quarter of section 26. President Grover Cleveland signed the papers on October 22, 1895.
Abram L. Miles entered the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 26, at the New Ulm land office, and had his final papers signed by President Chester A. Arthur, June 1, 1882.
DELTON TOWNSHIP.
Delton is composed of congressional township 107, range 35 west, hence is six miles square and contains thirty-six sections of land. It is bounded on the north by Brown county, on the east by Selma township, on the south by Carson and on the west by Amboy township. Its principal stream is the Little Cottonwood river and its many small branches, all of which are merely prairie runs or creeks, which in dry times have but little water in them, but in rainy seasons are full to overflowing.
What in an early day was but a wild prairie wilderness, without shrub or tree, has now come to be one of the finest farming sections in all this part of the state. The farmers have labored long and hard and have finally reclaimed the low, waste places and kept cultivating, annually the higher, better land until until the scene is now one of real rural beauty, and the contented owners of these lands have come to enjoy a life little dreamed of by the homesteaders of the early seventies. It is, of course, a pure farm- ing section, with no other industry to enrich the resident, but here farming and dairying certainly pay good returns for the labor expended.
The farmers of this part of Cottonwood county are well favored by having market towns on every hand-Jeffers at the west, Delft at the south and Comfrey to the northeast-all being railroad points, where the products of the farm may be exchanged for the smaller necessities of the farm- house.
The population of the township in 1895 was 350; in 1900 it had reached 360, and by the census of 1910 it was placed at 371.
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COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
FIRST TRACTS OF LAND ENTERED.
The records show the following original land entries in Delton town- ship:
At the New Ulm land office James Coy claimed land in the southwest quarter of section 2, the patent being filed on May 13, 1878, by President Hayes.
John C. Gent homesteaded at the New Ulm land office the southwest quarter of section 20, and the filing was made on January 17, 1878, signed by President U. S. Grant.
John W. Bangle homesteaded at the New Ulm land office the southeast quarter of section 12, the date of filing being May 10, 1878, signed by President U. S. Grant.
George M. Mayberry homesteaded land at the New Ulm land office in section 26, of range 31, and also in the east half of the northeast quarter of section 12, township 107, range 35 west. The filing was made on Jan- uary 9, 1878, and bore the signature of President U. S. Grant.
Morgan C. Young claimed land in the west half of the southwest quar- ter of section 14, the filing being dated at New Ulm land office, January 5, 1880, and signed by President Hayes.
Ayres Hall homesteaded land in the cast half of the northeast quarter of section 34 and the west half of the northwest quarter of section 4, in this township. It was patented to him by President U. S. Grant and by him signed on December 1, 1873; it was entered at the land office at New Ulm.
Andrew A. Nickerson homesteaded land in the southeast quarter of section 18. the same being patented by President U. S. Grant and signed by him on February 20, 1877. It was entered at the land office at New Ulm.
Nicholas Burger homesteaded the south half of the northeast quarter of section 22, also the north half of the southeast quarter of that section. It was entered at the land office at New Uhn and was patented by Presi- dent Chester A. Arthur and signed on June 20, 1882.
Smith Cottrel claimed, as his homestead, the south half of the north- east quarter of section 18; it was filed on at the land office at New Ulm, and patented by President Hayes on March 13, 1879.
John R. Baldwin homesteaded the north half of the southwest quarter of section 30 and the west half of the northeast quarter of section 12, town- ship 107, range 35. This was effected at the land. office at New Ulm, and
-
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the patent to same was issued by President Chester A. Arthur, December 1, 1882.
Charles S. Naramore homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 12; it was entered at the land office at New Ulm and finally patented to him by President James A. Garfield, January 20, 1881.
George Lent homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 8; his filing was made at the land office at Tracy, and his final papers were signed by President Chester A. Arthur, March 10, 1883.
Abraham Triesen, at the Tracy land office, entered as a homestead the northeast quarter of section 34; it was patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, May 31, 1884.
George L. Kendall homesteaded the southeast of the northwest; the east half of the southwest and the southwest of the southeast quarter of section 22, at the land office located at New Ulm, and had same patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, June 20, 1882.
John Calkin homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 6, at the land office at Tracy, and on February 10, 1883, it was patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur.
PRE-EMPTION OF CLAIMS.
Lyman Parsons, at the land office at Tracy, entered a pre-emption claim to the northwest quarter of section 2, and had the same patented to him on June 1, 1882, by President Chester A. Arthur.
Titus F. Mills, at the land office at New Ulin, entered land in the east half of the northwest quarter of section 32; President U. S. Grant signed the papers on May 12, 1874.
Albert Gowin entered, at the land office at Marshall, the southeast quarter of section 6, the same being patented by President Harrison on November 15, 1892.
Edson R. Fry, at the Marshall land office, entered the northwest quar- ter of section 14. and the final papers were signed by President Grover Cleveland, June 5, 1894.
Carl Schneider, at the Marshall land office, entered the northeast of the southeast quarter of section 18, and President Grover Cleveland signed the papers June 9, 189-1.
Charles Schneider took land in the north half of the northeast quarter of the above section and had his papers signed by President Cleveland, June 4, 1895.
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John O'Connor entered the northwest quarter of section 26, at the land office at Marshall, President Benjamin Harrison signing the final papers on February 21, 1893.
Ed H. Crumlett, the Tracy land office, entered the southeast quarter of section 4, and his papers were finally signed by Presdient Chester A. Arthur, October 10, 1882.
ORGANIZATION.
Delton township was organied by the county commissioners from con- gressional township 107, range 35 west, on September 17, 1872. The first township meeting was held at the house of J. J. Edwards, September 27, 1872. The judges of such election were appointed as follow: J. J. Ed- wards, Lyman Parsons, George W. Bailey, and the clerk was P. W. Oakley.
GREAT BEND TOWNSHIP.
Great Bend township, which derives its name from the big bend in the Des Moines river within its borders, is situated centrally east and west, on the southern line of Cottonwood county, with Jackson county at the south, Springfield township on the west, Dale township at the north and Lakeside township at the east. It is comprised of congressional township 105, range 36 west. Windom, the county seat of Cottonwood county, is located within this township, of which later account is given.
This township had some of the very earliest settlers in the county, owing to the fact that the river courses through this part of the county. Streams and lakes are always sought out by the pioneer, and this settlement was no exception to the rule.
The population of this township in 1895 was 320. exclusive of the city of Windom, which then had a population of 1,523. In 1900 the township's population was 435, and the United States census returns in 1910 gave it 444, with the city of Windom as having 1,749.
ORGANIZATION.
This township was formed by the county commissioners in 1870, and was the original civil township organized in the county. It was described thus : Commencing at the southwest corner of township 106, range 35, or the northeast corner of township 105, range 35 to the southeast corner of
COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
township 105, range 36, thence west along the line of township 104, town- ship 36, to the southwest corner of township 105, range 36, thence along the east line of township 105. range 37, to the northwest corner of town- ship 105, range 36; from thence east and along the south line of township 106, range 36 and on to the place of beginning.
It was resolved to have the first township meeting held at the house of Charles Chamberlin, August 27, 1870. S. B. Stedman, Paul Hamilton and Hosea Eastgate were appointed judges of election.
EARLY LAND ENTRIES AND SETTLERS.
The record shows the following to have been the land entries in Great Bend township :
William Feehan, at the Jackson land office, filed in the east half of the southwest quarter of section 10, December 30, 1873. the papers being signed by President U. S. Grant.
Mary Feehan filed on the west half of the southwest quarter of section 10, December 30, 1873, and it bears the signature of President U. S. Grant.
Reuben N. Sackett filed on the south half of the northwest quarter of section 6, September 13. 1878, the patent being signed by President U. S. Grant.
George W. Russell filed on January 18, 1878, on the north half of the northwest quarter of section 24, at the Worthington land office, the same being signed by President Rutherford B. Hayes.
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