USA > Minnesota > Cottonwood County > History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume I > Part 17
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Ole Anderson homesteaded land in the west half of the southeast quar- ter of section ro, and it was secured at the land office at New Ulm and the patent is signed by President Hayes, February 10, 1881.
Syver Nielson homesteaded land in the west half of the northwest
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quarter of section 12, the patent being signed by President James A. Gar- field, June 20, 1881 ; the entry was effected at the Tracy land office.
Jacob Hansen homesteaded land in the west half of the northwest quarter of section 10: it was entered at the land office at New Ulm and was pat- ented by President Hayes, January 20, 1881.
Forjus T. Einertson homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 2, at the Tracy land office, and the same was patented by President Grover Cleveland, August 5. 1884.
Bernt Johnson homesteaded the south half of the northeast quarter of section 20, at the land office located at Tracy ; his patent was granted by President Chester A. Arthur, February 10, 1883.
Edward Erickson homesteaded the west half of the northwest quarter of section 8. at the land office at Tracy, the same being patented by Presi- dent Chester A. Arthur, January 15, 1885.
Peter G. Lundman homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 18, at the land office at Tracy, the patent being granted by President Chester A. Arthur, May 15, 1884.
PRE-EMPTION CLAIMS.
Albert Olson pre-empted, at the St. Peter land office, the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section I, this township, President U. S. Grant signing the papers. April 1, 1872.
Jacob A. Anderson, at the land office at New Ulm. pre-empted the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 2, President U. S. Grant signing the papers, May 20, 1874.
Ole Andreas Pederson, at the land office at New Ulm, entered the east half of the southeast quarter of section 8, the papers being signed by Presi- dent Hayes, May 24, 1879.
Olf Jonsson, at the land office at New Uhn, entered land in the north- west quarter of the northeast quarter of section 12, President U. S. Grant signing the papers. May 20. 1874.
John Christenson entered the south half of the northeast quarter of section 2, the papers being signed by President Hayes, November 10, 1877.
Nels Engebretson entered land in the southwest quarter of section 12, at the New Ulm land office and his papers were certified by President Hayes, January 20, 1881.
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COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
THE VILLAGE OF WESTBROOK.
Westbrook was platted June 8, 1900, by the Inter-State Land Com- pany, in section 29. township 107, range 38 west.
Westbrook township contained the first settlers of the county, one authority stating that the first settler after the Indian massacre of 1862 was Joseph F. Bean and next, George B. Walker, followed by other families settling in Westbrook township. Thus it was that when the Currie branch of Omaha railroad was built through here in 1900, it tapped a magnificent farming region, well settled, rich and productive, the trade of which for many years was far from market. On IIth of July, 1900. the sale of lots was held for the now prosperous town of Westbrook, the buyers wading around in an oats field, which yieldled forty bushels per acre, looking for corner stakes. This was the beginning of Westbrook. Previous to this time there had been an effort made to have the town started on what is now known as the west side, and for a while there was a restaurant, store and several "blind pigs." The present site of the town was the result of a disagreement between the townsite company and Adolph Peterson.
At the lot sale the highest price paid was six hundred dollars for the corner lot. now occupied by the First National Bank. The first people on the ground to do business was the L. P. Dolliff Lumber Company, with G. F. Streates as manager, and the Laird-Norton yards, with H. E. Daffer as manager. Sivert Norum had moved a shed from Storden in which he started a boarding house for the workmen, until he got up the building known as the Commercial Hotel, later occupied by the saloon of John Stitz. This was the first building in town and in addition to keeping board- ers, Mr. Norum also sold the first groceries of the town in one room and was also the first postmaster. At that time, before the railroad was built, he carried the mail three times a week from Storden.
The next building was that of J. E. Nelson, the harness man, and about this time the town got busy and was a veritable beehive of all kinds of mechanics.
Schippel & Malschke started their large two-story brick block, twenty- five by one hundred feet, and the State Bank, later the First National, rushed to completion the finest two-story brick and stone building in the town, at a cost of five thousand five hundred and eighty dollars. This bank was organized. December 1. 1900, with an authorized capital of two hundred thousand dollars, twenty-five thousand of which was paid up. The first
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officers were: President, J. W. Benson, of Heron lake; vice-president, B. N. Bodelson, of Dundee: cashier, J. O. Pearson, of Heron lake. Farmers and business men took an active interest in the bank and very soon it was among the strongest in the county.
St. John Brothers were the first in the field with a first-class store building, forty-six by seventy-two feet, with a storage house thirty by forty feet, all of which was opened for business on September 30. The post- office was moved into this building, January 7, 1901, and M. A. Johnson was appointed postmaster, Mr. Norum having resigned.
Wild & Spaulding built a large two-story frame building, together with a large warehouse for buggies and farm machinery. Other improvements made during the fall of 1900 were the Erickson two-story building, the Theo. Miller building, later occupied by J. E. Villa ; the Dick Needhaus city meat market building, John Holland's saloon, Dorster & Fritsche's two- story implement house, later owned by Peterson & Norum; Silliman Brothers' big store and hall building, J. J. Hubin's furniture store and residence, the building occupied by O'Neill & McCormick's saloon and the building occu- pied by Rehnelt's pool hall. The city drug store and building was moved here from Dundee by E. F. Fricke.
The Kane-Slice Implement Company was the first to engage in the implement business. They constructed a large two-story warehouse, twenty- four by sixty feet, just west of the First National Bank.
Peter Anderson conducted the first livery in the barn to the rear of the hotel. Very soon afterwards Frank G. Myres put in the Westbrook livery and early on the ground with a well equipped blacksmith shop was John Bendixen.
Brown & Roberts had the barber shop, Getty & Green conducted a real estate office, W. G. Owens, attorney, and Dr. C. P. Nelson were the pro- fessional men.
At this time Dolliff & Company and Laird-Norton Company erected mammoth lumber sheds which were necessary in order to keep a sufficient supply of lumber on hands for the numerous buildings that were being con- structed. Four large and first-class elevators were put up to meet the demands of the farmers, they being the ones of the St. John Brothers, Hub- bard & Palmer, Renke Brothers and K. Krueger.
Evidently anticipating the rush of business the railroad company put in commodious yards and sidings connecting with the elevator and stock- yards, dug a deep well and installed a large water tank and just west of
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town opened a gravel pit from which they ballasted the line from Currie to Bingham Lake.
Schueller & Welter, of Morgan, bought the Commercial Hotel, which was conducted by Frank Scheffert until April, 1902, after which time the town was several months without a hotel.
The west side continued to make show for business and J. D. Bevier and family had a restaurant and boarding house, a small general store and blacksmith shop. There was also a full fledged "reading room" besides several "restaurants." The county attorney closed the last named places and business on the west side declined until nothing is left except some of the buildings and the Krueger elevator. The west side is now one of the fine resident districts of the town and no longer is there any feeling of separation or distinction from the rest of the town.
Two large ice houses were built, one operated by Chris Hanson for the Westbrook Ice Company and one by Peterson & Carlson.
Up to May, 1901, some sixteen or eighteen residences had been built. B. E. Low was the first to move to town to live as a retired farmer, he coming from his farm near Lake Eliza. Johnson Brothers built and occu- pied the first good residence, later the property of Walter Larson. The homes of J. A. Pearson, Chris Hanson, George Spooner, S. Norum, P. D. Peterson, J. J. Christy. I. C. Freeman, Frank Meyers, W. F. Wenholz, B. E. Low. K. Krueger and Gustav Grams were among the principal residence improvements of the fall and winter of 1900.
INCORPORATION, ETC.
Previous to March, 1901, the village had no officers, and every man was a law unto himself, but at this time incorporation was made, an election held and the first set of officers chosen. They were as follow: Mayor, M. A. Johnson ; councilmen, August Wild. W. H. Wenholz, G. A. Schippel; recorder, G. F. Streater; treasurer, J. A. Pearson ; justices of peace, George Spooner and D. Needham; constable, D. J. Green ; assessor, S. B. Stockwell; I. C. Freeman, marshal; attorney, W. D. Owen. The work of the first council for the good of the town will ever stand as a monument to their business sagacity and wise administration. At this time three saloons were licensed, at one thousand dollars each.
About May I, P. H. Rupp built a shoe store, F. H. Fricke also put up a small shoe store. Among other improvements was the completion of
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Doctor Nelson's corner drug store at a cost of two thousand dollars; Schip- pel's two-story brick block, adjoining the First National Bank, in the fall, at a cost of three thousand dollars; Sampson's restaurant, twenty by thirty- six feet, at a cost of five hundred dollars. D. H. Flynn bought and finished the two-story frame building started by John Kaeding. The Sentinel built a home, twenty by forty-eight feet, at a cost of nine hundred dollars. Lin- schied's two-story building, used as a photograph gallery, constituted the business improvements of the year. The Standard Brewing Company put up a large cold storage house the same year.
In 1902 the Commercial Club was formed and as a result of their hustle the town secured a splendid one hundred barrel flour-mill, costing sixteen thousand dollars. Land for the mill was secured between Hubbard & Palmer's and Krueger's elevators and the first active work was begun on May 8, by Bert Milligan, who started the mill. Mr. Gress. of the Sleepy Eve Milling Company, was at the head of the new enterprise. The mill was later destroyed by fire, and never rebuilt.
The following is a record of the tons of freight and car-load lots received and forwarded from January 1, 1902, to May 1, 1902. When these figures are compared with those of the same period of time today, it may be seen how great has been the growth of trade.
Freight forwarded. Car loads.
Total tonnage, merchandise, 5.981,125 pounds. 160
Live stock 45
Total
.205
Freiglit received. Car loads.
Total tonnage. merchandise, 4,861,033 pounds. II5
A glance at the village will show that it has been quite active in the way of improvements. In 1902 the town installed a complete water-works system, at a cost of seven thousand dollars. The water is furnished by a well sixty-three feet deep, resting in lake sand. At one time a test was made to ascertain the strength of the well. Water was pumped out at the rate of forty-five gallons per minute, with the result that the water in the well was lowered only twelve feet, after which it was impossible to lower the supply. Water is pumped into a tank holding thirty-five thousand gal- lons and thereby the town is furnished with an abundance of water by means of strong pressure.
COTTONWOOD AND WATONWIN COUNTIES, MINN.
In January. 1915, an electric plant was put in at a cost of eight thou- sand dollars. The plant runs from about dusk in the evening until mid- night. In the way of fire protection, they have an organized fire company of twenty-six men and an ample supply of fire equipment, such as hose, ladders, etc. The town has five miles of cement walks and each year more are added. The order in the town must be pretty good, because no marshal or policeman is on the pay roll and the "lock up" has a deserted appearance.
The presidents that have served the village are herein given in their order of service: M. A. Johnson, C. A. Zieske, D. H. Flynn, I. D. Annis, V. T. Miller. R. C. Soll, O. C. Anderson, J. E. Villa and W. F. Mead.
The present officers are inclusive of the following: President, W. E. Mead: trustees, M. J. Breen, Reinhold Ewy and A. L. N. Christianson ; recorder. Jos Budish.
POSTOFFICE.
The Westbrook postoffice was established at about the same time the town was incorporated. Mr. Sivert Norum being appointed the first post- master. Other men who have served in the same capacity are Andrew Lorson, M. A. Johnson, Clark W. Seely and John L. Sammons. The receipts for this office are the largest in the county, with the exception of Windom. Three rural routes distribute mail through the rural districts from this office. The receipts for the last fiscal year. exclusive of the money department, amounted to three thousand three hundred and sixty dollars.
WESTBROOK STREET FAIR.
On October 1, 1901, a meeting was held in Ancient Order of United Workmen hall for the purpose of organizing a street fair association. Will- iam G. Owens was made the temporary chairman. The meeting proceeded to elect officers and the following were chosen: President, William G. Owens; vice-president, M. A. Johnson; secretary, W. B. Leo; treasurer, J. A. Pearson ; executive committee, J. E. Villa, Ed. Loomis and J. J. Christy. Six hundred dollars were offered in premiums. The first fair was a success, as were those which followed. It was estimated that five thousand people attended and enjoyed the features usually found at a county fair. such as the baby show, wild west, merry-go-round, vaudeville, etc.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY FOR 1916.
The business interests of Westbrook in July, 1916, were in charge of the following :
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COTTONWOOD AND WATONWAN COUNTIES, MINN.
Auto garage-Pederson & Ludwickson, E. Paetznick, Grant Ross. Attorney-John L. Sammons.
Banks-First National, Citizens State.
Barber-Edward Dietchman.
Blacksmith-E. A. Paetznick, James Sorenson.
Clothing-Cohrs & Ewy.
Dray line-John Simning.
Drugs-Walter E. Mead.
Dentist-F. M. Miller.
Elevator -- John J. Christy, Farmers Elevator Company, C. Krueger, F. Romke.
Furniture-Hans J. Christianson.
General dealer-George Woodward, Westbrook Co-operative Company.
Grocer-G. A. Scheppel.
Hotel-The Westbrook.
Harness-J. E. Nelson.
Hardware-Footh Brothers, Bengton & Sons.
Ice dealer-John Simning.
Implement dealer-Westbrook Implement Company, R. Ewy.
Jeweler-Theo. J. Arneson.
Lumber dealer-Botsford Lumber Company, L. P. Dolliff & Company. Livery-John E. Anderson.
Milliner-Anastacia Travel.
Meat market-Falk Brothers.
Motion picture show-The Dixie.
Newspaper-The Sentinel.
Physician-H. A. Schmidt.
Produce dealer-Hansford Produce Company.
Photograph gallery-T. F. Leavitt.
Restaurant-T. P. Anderson.
Real estate-R. L. Eckert Land Company.
Stock dealer-Westbrook Stock Buyers Association, Charles Pasmore. Veterinary-E. R. Tillisch.
Telephone-Windom Mutual and Northwestern.
Westbrook, although in its infancy, impresses a stranger as being the most city-like village in the county. It has wide and well-improved streets. which are clean and unusually well lighted with electric lights. It is one of the very few towns of its size in southern Minnesota that owns its own
HIGH SCHOOL, WESTBROOK.
f
.
MAIN STREET, WESTBROOK.
FARM SCENE NEAR WESTBROOK.
DOUBLE LAKES DRIVE NEAR WESTBROOK.
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power and water plant. It can boast of a newspaper that has a wide circu- lation, a model of its kind and one which does credit to the town and the community.
Westbrook is a town of beautiful homes and well-kept lawns ; a place especially well suited and inviting to the homeseeker, because there is found almost any religious denomination one may seek and a school system that would do credit to a town many times its size.
In the western part of town is a park that the town board bought of Whited, the townsite man, a short time after the town was laid out, for the nominal sum of one thousand dollars. The park is not merely a square lot with a few trees scattered here and there, but, instead, one sees trees of various species, symetrically placed and of a uniform size. The park is well supplied with inviting seats and chairs and is thoroughly lighted with electric lights. Westbrook's first annual chautauqua, held July 9 to 14, 1916, was held in the park, which made an ideal location. Up to this time there were many people in the village and vicinity who did not realize what a fine place for such a gathering the town has. The chautauqua was a success in every detail.
It has been stated upon good authority that Westbrook has as much business as the other towns on the Currie branch combined, which, if true, we predict that in the next decade she will be second to none in the county as a business center. At the time the townsite was laid out, it was con- sidered the best on the Currie branch, as it was surrounded by a magnificent territory of rich farming lands, which had been settled for many years by thrifty and progressive farmers, many of whom were homesteaders twenty-five to thirty years ago. The location of Westbrook is an admir- able one from a business standpoint, speaking geographically. It is on the west side of Cottonwood county, a little over a mile from the Murray county line and is about the center of the county on a north and south line, twenty-eight miles from Windom and has a wide trade territory in every direction.
As an index of the growth and improvements in the town from July II, 1900, to May 1, 1901, one need notice only the assessed valuations. The assessed value of building improvements was forty-four thousand dol- lars. On May 1, the personal property valuation was seventy-four thousand five hundred and twenty-two dollars. These values did not include real estate.
(13) .
CHAPTER VII.
AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS OF COTTONWOOD COUNTY.
Agriculture in all ages of the world's history has been man's chief industry and substantial support. There is only a comparatively small per- centage of the earth's surface on which good crops can be produced. The grains and grasses and fruits and vegetables can only be found growing in limited portions of the globe, and the man who lives in a crop belt and owns a farm, be it small or large, is the most independent being on earth. When all other industries fail, he still is called upon to provide food for the earth's population. There are certain localities where the great harvests of wheat, corn and other bread-stuff products can be seen in their annual beauty and wealth. This section of the United States is confined largely to the great Mississippi and Missouri valleys. Hence, he who is fortunate enough to have his farm located in any one of the central western states, in- cluding Minnesota, is indeed fortunate. Among the counties where corn, wheat, oats, grasses, fruits and vegetables grow in abundance, and a crop failure is seldom recorded, we find Cottonwood classed among the foremost.
The manner of farming and the class of products have changed materially in the last third of a century. Then it was wheat and oats and flax almost entirely ; now the successful farmer is a believer in and grower of corn and the feeding of stock and butter-making. Not alone have the crops changed, but the machinery with which all farm work is now done is vastly different from that employed when Cottonwood county was organ- ized forty-six years ago. True, they had harvesters and mowers, but not such as we use today. We had to wait years for a successful self-binder ; first, the Walter A. Wood wire binder ; then the real "binder," the Appleby. invented by a Minnesota man, came into universal use. The harvesting period has been shortened. The hay-making machinery is another innova- tion of the farm. The old "bull" rakes with wooden teeth are 110 more known. This generation never operated one.
The hay-rakes, the hay-forks and all stacking machinery are built on a different plan than those our fathers used. We can put up twenty times as much hay in a given time as they could. The corn-planter, cultivator, walk-
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ing and riding plows, and disks and a hundred and one machines, including the thresher and the corn harvesters, have all come into use long since the homesteader plodded over this county, content to use what machinery his time afforded. He worked longer days and rode in nothing like an auto- mobile, yet to him we owe the present prosperity of Cottonwood county. He remained here through all sorts of adversities, until the sun of better days began to light up the former gloom.
A day's drive through any one of the townships of this county will present to the tourist a scene at once charming and one which is ever a feast to the eye of one who has an eye for beauty and an appreciation of the great agricultural interests of southern Minnesota. Here one sees the well-tilled farms, the tame grasses, the fattening stock, the well-built, well-painted farm houses, and the surrounding barns and shedding, with silos towering up to show what modern agriculture really has accomplished. With the farm, the stock, the dairy, the poultry, the fruit orchard and excellent garden, no one can question the statement that these people are a favored people.
POULTRY SHOW.
Windom' first annual poultry show took place in December, 1907, and was one of the best and biggest this part of the state ever saw. Birds were brought from many parts of Minnesota and Iowa, and a great interest was manifested. It was organized with the intention of making it a permanent institution and of doing lasting good to the county and community.
. EARLY AND PRESENT STOCK FARMS.
Among the first great horse-breeding farms of Cottonwood county was that established in the spring of 1892 by Charles Thompson. It was known as the "Riverside Stock Farm," and is situated just opposite Win- dom, across the Des Moines river and comes down to the water's edge. Here more than one hundred thousand dollars was expended for stock and building, including a twelve-thousand-dollar imported stallion. Both the barns and residence were constructed on modern plans. The grounds were laid out by landscape gardeners and the lawn was viewed by hundreds, who pronounced it among the finest in Minnesota. Mr. Thompson built a fine race track, a half-mile in length, the whole being enclosed by a high tight board fence, so that neither animals nor drivers could in any possible manner be injured. A large pasture was fenced in with boards, the enclosure hav-
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ing about three hundred acres within it. This pasture has the Des Moines river running through it for at least a distance of one mile, and it was skirted with sufficient timber to insure shelter and shade from the sun's hot rays. It was divided into large paddocks where the brood mares were safely kept on the finest growth of blue grass. In his barns and pastures there were kept some of the most valuable and handsome horses to be found in the United States, some of which were closely related to "Nancy Hanks," which animal in 1892 broke all records for speed in trotting races in this country. The superintendent in 1892-3 was W. D. Wright and the fore- man was James Hanton, together with trained horsemen from the Kentucky horse farms.
After the death of Mr. Thompson, the enterprise went down and gradually the place was subdivided and allowed to go out of the horse breeding business and is now used for general farming purposes, but not particularly devoted to blooded horses. Mr. Thompson was a mute and the son of a wealthy land-owner of St. Paul; both father and son are now de- ceased, and the vast landed estate includes the largest farm land acreage in Minnesota by any one family. It is cared for now by Mr. Kendall, for- merly of Windom.
In the nineties, the following appeared in the local newspaper :
"One of the wide-awake progressive stock men of the county is John Paulson, who is the owner and proprietor of the "Three Lake Stock Farm." He makes a specialty of Shorthorn cattle, Poland China hogs and Shrop- shire sheep. He has quite a reputation as a breeder of thoroughbred stock and his blooded animals are found throughout the state of Minnesota."
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