USA > Minnesota > Cottonwood County > History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume I > Part 16
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William B. Williams homesteaded land in the southeast quarter of sec- tion 2. It was patented on June 15, 1880, and was signed by President Hayes; it was secured through the land office at Worthington.
Delia R. Norris homestead land in the southwest quarter of section 30. It was patented on June 15, 1879, and signed by President Hayes; the land was granted to the widow of William Norris and was secured at the land office at Worthington.
John W. Cummings homesteaded the northeast quarter of section 8, at the land office at Worthington, and his patent was signed by President Chester A. Arthur, April 5, 1883.
William Kane claimed as his homestead the south half of the north- east quarter of section 30, the entry being made at the Worthington land office and the final patent papers were signed by President Hayes on Decem- ber 15, 1880.
Thomas R. Brown homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 12; it was entered at the land office at Worthington and the patent was furnished and signed by President U. S. Grant, July 5, 1876.
Horatio M. McGaughey homesteaded at the Jackson land office, the north half of the northeast quarter and the west half of the northeast quarter of section 24; it was patented to him by President U. S. Grant, April 15, 1874.
James E. Williams homesteaded the northeast quarter of section 20,
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at the land office at New Ulm: the patent was granted to him by President U. S. Grant and signed on June 13, 1876.
John Surratt homesteaded the east half of the northeast quarter of section 32; it was entered at the land office at Worthington and patented by President Hayes, June 15, 1880.
John H. Reisdorph had patented to him on November 22, 1877, a home- stead instrument signed by President U. S. Grant.
Charles F. Morley homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 30; it was entered at the land office at Worthington and patented to him by President Hayes, December 30, 1879.
Vinzing Fried homesteaded the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 32; it was entered at the land office at Worthington and his patent was signed by President Chester A. Arthur, March 10, 1883.
Orrin Nasson, at the Worthington land office, entered as a homestead the west half of the northeast quarter and the north half of the northeast quarter of section 12; it was patented to him by President U. S. Grant, January 12, 1875.
Zadock Day homesteaded the southeast quarter of section 8, at the land office at Worthington, and had same patented to him by President Grover Cleveland, April 10, 1886.
Josef Neufeld homesteaded the south half of the northeast quarter of section 32. at the land office at Worthington and had the same patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, March 10, 1883.
George H. Aubrey, at the Worthington land office, entered a home- stead in the north half of the southwest quarter of section 28, and had the same patented to him by President Hayes December 30, 1879.
PRE-EMPTION CLAIMS.
Charles I .. Hecox entered as a pre-emption claim at the land office at Jackson, the south half of the northwest quarter and the west half of the northeast quarter of section 34. His patent was granted him by President U. S. Grant, December 15, 1870.
Lewis L. Miner, at the Jackson land office, claimed under the Pre- emption Act of 1820, the north half of the northeast quarter of section 34, the same was patented to him by President U. S. Grant. September 17, 1872.
Jason Foss pre-empted the south half of the northeast quarter of sec- tion 28, at the Worthington land office, the same being patented by President U. S. Grant, November 3, 1876.
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Polly Cone, at the Jackson land office, pre-empted the northeast quarter of section Io, the same being signed by President U. S. Grant, May 20, 1874.
Mary L. Briggs pre-empted the southwest quarter of section 24, at the Jackson land office, the instrument was signed by President U. S. Grant and signed February 1, 1872.
Orrin Nason pre-empted the southwest quarter of section 4, the trans- action was made at the land office at Marshall, and it was under President Grover Cleveland's administration and by him signed April 12, 1893.
SOUTHBROOK TOWNSIJIP.
Southbrook township is the southwestern civil sub-division of Cotton- wood county and comprises congressional township 105, range 38 west. It is bounded on the west by Murray county, on the north by Rose Hill town- ship, on the east by Springfield township and on the south by the county line between Cottonwood and Jackson counties.
Besides two good sized lakes in the southwestern part of this township, the Des Moines river flows from the west out of Murray county, entering this township in section 6 and flows through the southern portion, leaving the township from section 31, entering Springfield township.
This township has neither village nor railroad station, but is settled by a thrifty class of people, who are fast becoming independent. Many of the early homestead and pre-emption claims of the county were selected from parts of this township.
The population in 1895 was 318; in 1900 it was 350, but in 1910 it had decreased, on account of removals, to 303.
ORGANIZATION.
This township was organized by the county commissioners at their meet- ing in July, 1871, as comprising all of congressional township 105, range 38, west.
EARLY SETTLERS.
The records show the following persons to have been among the first to claim lands within this township :
Francis H. Moon, homesteaded the east half of the southwest quarter and the west half of the southeast quarter of section 32, of this township,
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December 7, 1877, the patent being signed by President U. S. Grant; the transaction was at the Jackson land office.
Manley T. White claimed the south half of the southeast quarter of section 26, on March 1, 1878, under President Grant's administration, the papers being issued from the Worthington land office.
Joseph Kane claimed a homestead in the northeast quarter of section 6, at the Jackson land office, the same being signed by President U. S. Grant, September 9, 1878.
Peter Olson homesteaded the southeast quarter of section 20, at the land office at Worthington, and his patent is signed by President Hayes, June 10, 1879.
Ole Rued claimed, as his homestead, at the land office at Worthington, the east half of the southwest quarter and the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 20, also land in the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 20, same township. The patent was signed by President Hayes and dated November 5. 1878.
Lyman W. Oaks claimed as his homestead right land in lots 2 and 3 of section 8; he secured it at the land office at Worthington and the patent was signed by President Hayes, December 13, 1880.
William MePheeters homesteaded land in the northwest quarter of sec- tion 30, at the New Ulm land office; the patent was signed by President U. S. Grant, October 5, 1875.
Thomas A. Jones secured a homestead in the east half of the northeast quarter of section 22, the patent was signed by President Hayes, June 15, 1880; the entry was made at the Worthington land office.
John Crapsey homesteaded, at the Worthington land office, the south- east quarter of the northeast quarter of section 30 and the lot known as No. 2. of the same section, all being within section 30. The date of the patent was November 20, 1880, and the papers were signed by President Hayes.
Norman Freeman homesteaded land in section 32, the entry was made at the land office in Worthington and the patent was signed by President Chester A. Arthur, April 5, 1883.
Josef Lerk homesteaded land in the north half of the northeast quarter and the north half of the northwest quarter of section 18, the date of the patent being April 5. 1883, signed by President Chester A. Arthur; the same was secured through the Worthington land office.
Charles Robbins homesteaded land in the east half of the southeast (12)
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quarter of section 30. this township. It was entered at the land office at Worthington and the patent is signed by President Hayes, December 30, 1880.
Roswell Dunsmore homesteaded land in the south half of the northeast quarter of section 26; it was entered at the land office at Worthington and was patented by President U. S. Grant, March 1, 1876.
John Erickson claimed the southwest quarter of section 34 this town- ship and his patent for his homestead was issued June 5, 1884, and signed by President Chester A. Arthur; the entry was effected at the Worthington land office.
Watkin H. Jones homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 22. his patent being signed by President Chester A. Arthur, June 5, 1884; the entry was made at the land office at Worthington.
Charles W. Aldrich homesteaded land in the west half of the southwest quarter of section 32: it was patented to him by Persident Chester A. Arthur and entered at the Worthington land office and signed on June 5, 1884.
Charles B. Handy. June 5, 1884, had patent issued to him for a home- stead in the lots numbered 3, 4 and 5 of the section 30, the same being issued by President Hayes.
Annie K. Jentjen, at the Worthington land office, had issued to her as a homestead the land contained in the west half of the southwest quarter of section 2. The papers were signed by President Hayes, February 10, 1881.
Stephen Miranowski homesteaded land in the north half of the south- east quarter of section 10, the same being patented by President Hayes and signed on February 10. 1884: it was entered through the land office at Worthington.
James M. King homesteaded the land in northwest quarter of section 12, this township and same was patented to him by President Hayes and signed on June 10, 1879; the entry was made at the land office at Worth- ington.
John Kanc homesteaded the east half of the southwest quarter of sec- tion 6, at the land office at Worthington, the same being patented by Presi- dent Chester A. Arthur, April 10, 1880.
Thomas A. Jones homesteaded the west half of the northeast quarter of section 22, at the land office at Worthington, and had his patent issued by President Hayes, February 10, 1881.
Anton Reidl homesteaded the south half of the northwest quarter of
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section 10. at the land office at Worthington, and had the same patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur. April 10, 1882.
John Mathias entered as a homestead at the land office at Worthington the east half of the southeast quarter of section 2, and the tract was pat- ented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, August 1, 1883.
John Schneider, at the Worthington land office, entered as a homestead the west half of the northeast quarter of section 10, and had the same pat- ented to him by President Chester .\. Arthur, March 10, 1883.
Florian Liepold entered, as a homestead at the land office at Worth- ington. the west half of the southwest quarter of section 12, and it was later patented to him by President Grover Cleveland. April 10. 1886.
PRE-EMPTION CLAIMS.
Henry G. Conrad pre-empted land at the land office at Worthington, described as the south half of the southeast quarter and the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 28, the papers being signed by President Hayes, September 4. 1879.
Bertha M. Johnson pre-empted the land known as lot No. 7 in section 30. The entry was effected at the land office at Worthington and the final papers were executed by President U. S. Grant. May 10, 1875.
Peter Jentzen, at the Worthington land office, entered under the pre- emption act. the northwest quarter of section 14; the final papers were signed by President Hayes. November 1, 1880.
Adam Fabe, at the Marshall land office, entered lot No. 1 in section 8, the papers being signed by President Benjamin Harrison, March 1, 1892.
Andrew J. Streeter, at the Jackson land office, pre-empted the east half of the northwest quarter of section 26, the papers being executed and signed by President U. S. Grant, May 20, 1874.
STORDEN TOWNSIJIP.
Storden is situated in the northwestern part of Cottonwood county, it being the second from the north and the second from the western line of the county, with Highwater at the north, Amboy at the east, Amo at the south and Westbrook township at the west. It comprises all of congressional township 107, range 37, west. The Scandinavian people are the largest
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landowners in this part of the county. The village of Storden is within this township.
Like many parts of the county, Storden originally had many low tracts of land, and small lakes abounded, but they were really little more than prairie swamps or sloughs, which, with the advent of the settlers, soon van- ished by draining, until today the waste land in this township is quite small. The soil is of a rich quality and the grains and grasses grow in great luxuri- ance.
The population of the township in 1895 was 439; in 1900 it was 548 but by the taking of the Federal census in 1910 it was placed at 659.
ORGANIZATION.
This township was set apart as a separate civil township at the meet- ing of the county commissioners in March, 1875, and was first named Norsk, but subsequently changed to Storden. It comprises township 107, range 37, west, and was detached from Westbrook township. The first election was held at the house of Martin Hallan, March 30, 1875.
ORIGINAL SETTLERS.
The county records show the following to have entered land either as homesteaders or pre-emption claimants :
Jorgen Jensen homesteaded land in the lots known as Nos. 1 and 2, of section 21, the same being entered at the land office at New Ulm and patented by President Hayes, February 10, 1881.
Soren Sorenson claimed a homestead in the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 30; it was patented to him by President Hayes, February 10, 1881.
Christian A. Kaihor homesteaded in the north half of the northeast quarter of section 30, the same being entered at the land office at New Ulm; it was patented to him by President Hayes, February 10, 1881.
Halver E. Lohre homesteaded land in the east half of the southeast quarter of section 6; it was patented to him by President James A. Garfield, June 20, 1881.
C. Swenson claimed a homestead in the southeast quarter of the north- cast quarter and the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 4. It was patented by President Hayes, February 10, 1881 ; it was entered at the land office at New Ulm.
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COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
Eston Erikson, claimed his homestead rights under the act of 1862, in the west half of the northeast quarter of section 6. It was entered at the land office at New Ulm and was patented by President Hayes, January 20, 1881.
Nels Gunderson homesteaded the southeast quarter of section 2, at the land office located at Tracy, and had the same patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, March 10, 1883.
Samuel S. Wheeler claimed as a homestead the southwest quarter of section 24 at the land office at Tracy and had the same patented by Presi- dent Chester A. Arthur, February 10, 1883.
John Nelson homesteaded the southwest quarter of section 20, at the land office at Tracy and the same was finally patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, May 31, 1884.
Ole Christopherson homesteaded the north half of the northeast quarter at the land office at Tracy, and the patent was issued to him by President James A. Garfield, June 21, 1881.
Hans Anderson homesteaded the north half of the southeast quarter of section 18, at the land office located at Tracy, and had his patent granted him by President James A. Garfield, June 20, 1881.
Leopold Hansen homesteaded land in the west half of the southwest quarter of section 2, and had the entry made in the land office at New Ulm, while his patent was granted by President Hayes, December 30, 1879.
Julia A. Khurd homesteaded the northeast quarter of section 28, at the land office located at Tracy and her patent was issued and signed by President Chester A. Arthur, January 15, 1885.
Albert N. Jeffers, at the Tracy land office, entered a homestead in the south half of the northeast quarter and the north half of the southeast quar- ter of section 12, and had the same patented to him by President Chester A. Arthur, May 5, 1884.
Christian O. Mikkelson claimed as his homestead the northwest quarter of section 18, at the land office at New Ulm; President Hayes signed his patent on February 10. 1881.
Charles H. Reipke homesteaded the northeast quarter of section 26, the entry being made at the land office at Tracy and the patent was signed by President Grover Cleveland, May 20, 1885.
George Downs homesteaded the southwest quarter of section Io, the entry being effected at the land office at Tracy and his patent was issued by President Chester A. Arthur and by him signed on January 15, 1885.
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Peter M. Paulson homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 34; the patent was issued by President James A. Garfield, June 20, 1881.
PRE-EMPTION CLAIMS.
Charles Dietz, at the New Ulm land office entered the west half of the northwest quarter of section 24, the papers being signed by President Hayes, January 20, 1881.
Rasmus Anderson, at the land office at New Ulm, entered the south- west quarter of the southwest quarter of section 8, this township; luis final papers were signed by President U. S. Grant, April 10, 1875.
Andrew P. Fortstrom, at the land office at Marshall, entered the land described as lot No. 9 in section 20, and had the same patented to him by President Benjamin Harrison, August 24, 1891.
August Pufahl, at the land office at Tracy entered the southwest quar- ter of section 12: the final papers were signed by President Grover Cleveland, January 20, 1886.
VILLAGE OF STORDEN.
Storden was platted by the Inter-state Land Company, July 8, 1903. and is situated in the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 29, township 107, range 37, west. It is on the Curry branch of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha railroad. Among the first historic events of this village were the following:
The auction sale of lots in what is now the village of Storden took place on July 9, 1903. The village is located in the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 29. The village, although quite young, shows great signs of growth and prosperity, new and modern buildings being erected as fast as workmen can put them up.
The first man on the ground to do business was Mr. C. H. Shaner, who conducted a general store, where the confectionery store now stands. Nelson & Redding came next and occupied the store room now used by Mr. . A. H. Anderson.
The first school teacher to teach in the village was Laura Iverson, who taught in the school building moved in from the Kahoi Anderson farm, about three-fourths of a mile north of the town.
Jolin Sorenson built the first residence in the village, the one now occu- pied by the postmaster, James Morris. The house now occupied by Andrew Skoby was built about the same time.
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The first brick building was erected by the Farmers' State Bank in the summer of 1916.
The first concrete building in the village was constructed in the spring of 1916 and is now occupied by Nelson & Christopherson as a garage, the first of its kind.
Among the very first business men and mechanics of the village were : C. H. Shaner, grocer; A. P. Frederickson, hotel; Roy Egger, blacksmith; John Skovley & Son, livery; A. M. Clark & Son, hardware; Henry Peter- son, drayman ; L. Dolliff, humber company; St. Jolin, elevator.
The depot at Storden was erected in 1904. The first business was that of C. H. Shaner ; the first residence was erected by John N. Sorenson.
Jolin Sorenson formerly owned the land now occupied by the village. The town was platted by the Inter-state Land Company, of Minneapolis, to whom Mr. Sorenson gave a one-half interest in the lots.
The plat of Storen is high, dry and sightly and not a finer and more natural business site exists on the Curry branch. The village is surrounded by hardy and industrious farmers, whose land is under a high state of cultivation. The main products of the farms are corn and oats, although an abundance of wheat, rye and barley are marketed each year. Five years ago, land could be procured in the community at sixty dollars per acre, while most of the land is now worth around one hundred and twenty- five dollars per acre.
POSTOFFICE.
The Storden postoffice was established in 1903, with John Sorenson as the first postmaster. He served until December 1, 1905, when James Morris, the present postmaster, was appointed. The large postal receipts, whichi are larger than towns several times its size, bespeak credit for the post- master and the community. For the past year they amounted to four thon- sand five hundred and eighty-seven dollars and twenty-six cents. One rural route serves the rural community.
BUSINESS INTERESTS.
In 1916 the business interests of Storden were in the hands of the following :
Auto garage-Nelson & Christopherson.
Bank-First State, Farmers' State.
Blacksmith-Andrew Jorgenson, Edward Smestad.
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Barber-Roy Smestad.
Creamery-Storden Creamery Association.
Confectionery-John Rongstad.
Dray line-Adolph Olson.
Elevator-Farmers' Elevator, Olaf Lande.
Grocer-Farmers' Coo-perative Store.
General dealers-A. H. Anderson, Storden Co-operative Company.
Hardware dealer-Storden Hardware Company.
Harness dealer-A. H. Nacarinus.
Hotel-Prime Hotel.
Implement dealer-Saleen & Jenson Company.
Lumber dealer-L. P. Dolliff & Company.
Livery-Adolph Olson.
Meat market-John Spiecker.
Newspaper-Storden Times.
Produce dealer-C. H. Shaner.
WESTBROOK TOWNSHIP.
The second township from the county line on the north is Westbrook, which comprises all of congressional township 107, range 38, west. It is bounded on the north by Ann township, on the east by Storden, on the south by Rose Hill township and on the west by Murray county. Westbrook village is within this civil township and is mentioned at length in this chapter. Originally, the township had many lakes and ponds, with several creeks, most of which water-courses have disappeared from the surface of the county as time has changed the conditions; ditches have been cut, til- ing carried on for a number of years and, today, the waste land within the territory is small. The soil is very fertile and produces all the grain and grasses common to this latitude.
The school and churches have ever been prominent factors in the town- ship and those are treated with others of the county in special chapters in this volume.
The population of the township in 1895 was 599: in 1900 it was placed at 688 and in the United States census returns for 1910 it is given as 579.
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ORGANIZATION.
Westbrook township was organized at the meeting of the county board. September 6, 1870. upon the petition of thirty legal voters in township 107. range 30, west, and township 108, ranges 37 and 38, west, they asking that four congressional townships be organized into one civil township and that it be named Westbrook, and the board of county commissioners ordered it done and called the first election for the township to be held at the house of Morton Engebriztson, Saturday, September 17, 1870, with election judges as follow : John Hanson, John Rotte and Hogan Anderson; the clerk was George W. Walker.
PIONEER SETTLEMENT.
The first comers to this township were very largely homesteaders and pre-emption claim men and women, who selected at some one of the Minne- sota land offices such lands as they wanted on which to locate and build homes. Among such land entries the following is a complete list, as shown in the records at the Cottonwood court house :
Nels Engebretson, homesteaded the east half of the northwest quarter of section 12, July 9, 1878, and the patent for the same was signed by President U. S. Grant.
Hernt Johnson homesteaded the north half of the southeast quarter of section 20, at the New Ulm land office, November 7, 1879, and his patent was signed by President R. B. Hayes.
Erick Anderson claimed a homestead in the southeast quarter of sec- tion 18, this township, the same being secured at the land office at Tracy, and the patent is signed by President James A. Garfield. June 20, 1881.
Ole Sorenson homesteaded land in the northeast quarter of section 24. and the patent is dated February 10, 1881, and signed by President R. B. Hayes.
Olof Johnson homesteaded land in the east half of the northeast quar- ter of section 12: also in the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 12. This was entered at the land office at Tracy, and bears date of June 20, 1881, and is signed by President James .A. Garfield.
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