USA > Minnesota > Cottonwood County > History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume I > Part 20
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FIRST PHYSICIAN.
It is believed that the first physician to practice in Cottonwood county was Dr. Allen Smith, who located here on October 10, 1871. After a few years of successful practice here. he returned to Ohio, from which state he had emigrated, and there died.
Dr. John II. Tilford was at one time one of the leading and most successful physicians and surgeons in Windom. He was born in Jefferson county, Indiana, November 28, 1841. At eighteen he went to the North- western Christian College, in Indianapolis, and attended there for some
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years. He then engaged in the study of medicine in Indianapolis with Doctors Jamison and Funkhouser, with whom he continued for three years. In 1862 he was commissioned as assistant surgeon of the Seventy-ninth Indiana Infantry. He served in that capacity for three years and was mustered out in 1865. In 1865-66 he attended a course of lectures at Belle- vue Medical College, in New York City, and in 1878 attended Butler Medical College. He practiced in Indianapolis for one year and then moved to another part of Indiana, where he remained for nine years. In 1879 he came to Windom, where he was eminently successful. He died September 18, 1899.
PAST AND PRESENT PHYSICIANS.
The subjoined have registered in Minnesota and Cottonwood county as medical doctors, under some one of the numerous state laws concerning such matters :
J. H. Tilford, graduate of the Indianapolis Medical College, 1873, registered in Cottonwood county in 1883. He died in Windom in 1899.
Joseph B. Noble, Rush Medical College, Chicago, 1886; came to this county the same year. After practicing here two or three years he re- moved to the Iron Range, Minnesota, and there resumed his practice.
LeRoy Brown, University of Michigan, 1885, came here a year later, subsequently moved to St. Paul, Minnesota.
Noah Diomontenberg. St. Paul Medical College, 1886; located in Cot- tonwood county the same year.
Charles Wilber Ray, Bennett Eclectic Medical College, Illinois, located here in 1887 and later died in California.
Thomas A. Beach registered in Minnesota in 1887 and here in 1893. He was a homeopathic doctor.
J. K. Moen registered in Minnesota in 1887 and here in 1893. He was here many years, but is now practicing in Minnesota.
F. R. Weiser registered under the act of 1887 and here in Windom in 1894; he still practices and is considered a leader in his profession. Hle graduated at Jefferson Medical College, Pennsylvania, in 1891.
J. F. Scott, under act of 1887, and in this county registered in 1899; he is now in Yakima, Washington. He was a graduate of McGill Univer- sity.
Theodore Beck. registered in Minnesota under the act of 1887 and here in 1896: later he moved to Ohio.
William T. DeCoster, under act of 1887, and here in 1897; he came to
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Minnesota about 1896. He has gained reputation as a surgeon and divides his time between Windom and several nearby villages and cities.
C. P. Nelson, under act of 1887, came here in 1901, moved to West- brook and is now practicing in Minneapolis.
William N. Theissen, under act of 1887, came here in 1901, moved to Jeffers and now practices at Le Sueur, Minnesota.
William D. Beadie, under act of 1887, came here in 1902, but is now practicing in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was a graduate of McGill Univer- sity, Canada.
MI. J. Johnson, under act of 1895, came to this county in 1902, now located in Minneapolis.
Victor I. Miller, under act of 1887, came here in 1906, finally removed to Mankato, where he is still practicing medicine.
William D. Rea, under act of 1887, came to this county in 1907; prac- ticed at Mountain Lake, this county, but is now deceased.
Joseph A. Dudley, Windom, under act of 1887, came here in 1909, a graduate of Rush Medical College, Chicago.
P. H. Bennion, registered in Minnesota in 1902, here in 1903, is now practicing medicine in St. Paul, Minnesota.
William F. Coon, of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, came to Minnesota in 1903 and to this county a year later.
Ludwig L. Sogge, registered in the state in 1905, here at Windom in 1906: still practicing here ; he is a graduate of Minnesota University, medi- cal department.
Il. W. Coulter, under act of 1905, came to this county in 1910 and moved to Mountain Lake, this county.
W. Edwin Patterson, under act of 1905, here in 1911 ; moved to Lake Shetck, Minnesota.
Charles Daniel Richmond, of North Dakota, under act of 1905; that year came to Minnesota and in 1911 to Jeffers, this county, and is still here.
Jolin W. Kurz, of Wright county, Minnesota, registered here in 1912.
Linus Ira Aldrich, Sioux county, Iowa, under act of 1905, in Minne- sota, came to Cottonwood county in 1913. Hle practiced at Jeffers.
William Albert Piper, under act of 1905, came from Milwaukee, 1914, and now practices at Mountain Lake, this county.
George Ulrich Panzer, under act of 1905, came here in July, 1911, and practiced at Storden and Jeffers.
Henry Albert Schmidt, under act of 1895, came here in 1915; admitted to state in 1909; practiced at Westbrook.
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In 1905 the record shows that the county commissioners appointed the following physicians as county doctors: Dr. C. P. Nelson, Doctor Miller, Doctor Rea, Doctor Weiser and Doctor Harmon, at Jeffers, a number of years located there and there died. Also, Doctor Noen and Doctor Meridith of Windom. The last named was of the homeopathic school of medicine.
It is said that prior to 1887, and soon after the pioneer, Doctor Smith located, came in Doctor Sacket, who homesteaded land in Great Bend town- ship and practiced locally, but never was known as a regular practitioner of this county, outside his own farm neighborhood.
The next to practice in the county were two doctors named Brown, who, however, were in no way related by kinship.
Dr. Charles A. Greene, a physician of large experience and very well read in the science of medicine, was born in Rhode Island, but went to Buffalo, New York, to obtain a knowledge of medicine, having taken a thorough course at the Buffalo University. From Buffalo the doctor went to his native state and practiced two years and then moved to eastern Minne- sota, practiced three years, coming to Windom in 1878. He died in Windom about 1911, a highly-respected citizen.
Doctors Breck and Graham located in the Cone block in 1901, formed a partnership in 1900 and carried on a large practice for some time. Doctor Breck was from Ohio; graduated from Wooster and Cleveland Medical schools; he was of the osteopathy school. Doctor Graham was of Pennsyl- vania, a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, 1870; also from Hahnemann Homeopathic School, Chicago; he was a member of sev- eral medical societies.
Dr. J. F. Scott, of Montreal, Canada, graduated at McGill University, 1899: came direct to Windom and was a member of the American Medical Association.
SILAS D. ALLEN.
Silas D. Allen was born in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, December II, 1826. He taught school and studied medicine at Ann Arbor, Michigan. He married Lucy A. Allen, also of Bradford county. Deciding to go to California and try his fortune as a gold miner, he left home May 29, 1854, and took boat at New York, sailing by way of Panama and up the Pacific coast to San Francisco. He remained in California until November 14. 1855, and was reasonably well paid for the hardships and experiences he passed through.
In 1856 lie settled in northeast Iowa, near Lansing, and farmed and
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practiced medicine for a number of years, later moving to Carroll county, Missouri, where he stayed with his family until 1874, when he moved to Cottonwood county, Minnesota, and settled on a farm about a mile from Windom, on the Valley road. There he farmed and practiced medicine for a number of years, living in a log house until 1880, when he erected a good frame house, which still stands.
He loved farming and especially stock raising. Calls for his profes- sional services were numerous, and he never failed to respond day or night, generally going horseback, which was the most practical and quickest way in those days. He was a skillful physician and his services as counsel were much sought for by other doceors in serious cases, they having full confi- dence in his skill and advice. The Doctor was a very conscientious man, of strong convictions, broad-minded and would not tolerate hypocrisy or graft of any nature. He was a great reader, having a splendid library of the best works, and in his later years devoted much of his time to his favorite authors. In 1901 he sold his farm and retired from active life, moving to Windom. The following year his wife died and he lived alone to a large extent until January, 1907, when he was stricken with an illness which lasted until his death, March 4, 1907.
The Doctor, by his generous and sympathetic disposition, made a great number of friends, and is remembered by many as one who never seemed to think of his professional services except as a means of helping suffering humanity. Ilis account books showed thousands of dollars for services, which he never endcavored to collect.
CHAPTER N.
NEWSPAPERS OF COTTONWOOD COUNTY. A
THE WINDOM REPORTER.
The Windom Reporter at the city of Windom was established in Sep- tember, 1873, by E. C. Huntington, who continued its publication until March, 1908, when he sold to Warren Brothers Company. In December, 1902, the old I'indom Free-Press was consolidated with the Reporter. The Reporter is a Republican paper ; eight-page, six-column in form and size, and has a yearly subscription rate of one dollar and fifty cents. In the summer of 1916 the owners constructed a new brick building for a perma- nent office home. The paper is all home-print and is run from a press pro- pelled by electric motors. It circulates mostly in Cottonwood and Jackson counties. Its job department is complete in all appointments. The office has among its appliances, a cylinder press, three jobbers, paper cutter, stapler, type-setting machine, etc. The local columns are filled with local reading matter each issue and its editorials are strong and comprehensive.
THE COTTONWOOD COUNTY CITIZEN.
The Cottonwood County Citiseu, published at Windom, was estab- lished in 1882 by C. F. Warren, as a farmer's paper, and subsequently sold to a co-operative company, and at different times was owned by A. M. Morrison, of Mankato, W. C. Benbow, C. F. Warren & Sons, and later by Churchill & Dunicliff, which firm was succeeded by L. C. Churchill. The Citisen is a Republican organ of no uncertain sound. It circulates in Cot- tonwood and Jackson counties mostly. Its subscription rate per year is one dollar and fifty cents; in form and size it is a six-column, eight-page paper, all home print. The owner of the paper owns a building, but owing to a long-term lease the paper is published in a leased building. The office equip- ment includes linotype, cylinder press, all sizes of jobbers, perforators, staplers, paper cutting machine, punches, and a large assortment of type. These various machines are all propelled by electric motors. As a news-
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paper and up-to-date job office, there are few, if any excelling it in towns of much larger size than Windom. The County Citizen is welcome at the firesides of many homes in the surrounding country, is clean and full of read- able news of the community.
THIE WESTBROOK SENTINEL.
The Westbrook Sentinel was established on May 8, 1901, by O. M. Quigley and was subsequently owned and conducted by Hoagland Brothers; R. S. Peterson is the present owner. It is published weekly and has a sub- seription rate of one dollar and fifty cents per year. In form and size it is eight pages of seven columns each. It circulates in Cottonwood and sur- rounding country. Politically, it is an independent journal, seeking the best good for all the people at all times in all things. The equipment of the office in which the Sentinel is printed is up-to-date and includes a Prouty cylinder newspaper press-two pages of seven columns ; a Standard jobber, ten by fifteen inches; a Chandler & Price, eight-by-twelve jobber; paper cutter ; a good assortment and full supply of latest styles of type. A gaso- line engine runs the machinery in the printing office. The paper is part home and part patent print. It works for the interests of Westbrook and Cottonwood county and is a believer in home enterprise and home trade.
THIE JEFFERS REVIEW.
The Review, at the village of Jeffers, was established by Harry Max- field in March, 19oo. It was sold in 1901 to .\. E. Karst and he in 1907 sold to M. B. Fish, who in October, 1913, sold to E. F. Selimnotzer. It is now run from a power press propelled by a gasoline engine, and is published each week, at a subscription rate of one dollar and twenty-five cents per year. It circulates in the county of Cottonwood and the village of Jeffers. being a favorite in the homes of the surrounding farmers. It is a six- columnin, quarto sheet and in polities is independent. The building in which the office is now situated is the property of the Modern Brotherhood of America lodge. Four pages are home print and four are "patent" print of choice selection. The equipment of the office includes a Simplex Diamond cylinder press, paper cutter, gas engine and a good assortment of both news and job type.
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MOUNTAIN LAKE NEWSPAPERS.
At present there are two newspapers published at the village of Moun- tain Lake -- The View, in English and the Unser Besucher, printed in the German language. They are now both owned and edited by W. J. Toews. The Mountain Lake View was established in 1894 by D. C. Benjamin, and was owned and conducted in turn as follows: E. E. Lane, I. I. Bargen, W. J. Toews. It is a six-column, eight-page publication ; is printed on a Drum cylinder press, and the office is well equipped with a standard linotype machine, a folder and much type material. The plant is just at this time (August, 1916) changing from gasoline to electric motor power. It is a Republican organ. From twelve to fifteen columns of home print are run each issue. The rate per year is one dollar and twenty-five cents. Two men are employed in the publication of the paper. Excellent job work is executed on a twelve-by-eighteen Chandler & Price jobber.
The Unser Besucher at Mountain Lake, was founded in 1901 by I. I. Bargen, who conducted it until he sold to its present owner, W. J. Toews. It is a six-column, four-page paper, printed in the German language. It has the same rate as The Viewe and is run from the same presses. In poli- tics it is Republican.
For a number of years there was a monthly paper issued here, known as the "Evangelisations-Bote," also two weekly papers.
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CHAPTER XI.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS OF THE COUNTY.
While the early settlers were largely made up of returned Civil War soldiers and immigrants from lands beyond the seas, yet they did not forget their religious vows and early training in their native state or country, for it is found that in every community in the county, as soon as there were a sufficient number of any one religious faith to organize a church, it was done, though sometimes there were but a few charter members in such societies. Private houses were used for many of the first religious services. Later, school houses were used for nicetings and usually all denominations of the Protestant faith would hold union meetings. Eventually, each of the regular denominations found ways to raise money and build neat churches, in villages and rural districts, and since then have maintained regular services. In fact, the minister was about as early as any of the settlers, and in some instances he, too, was a "homesteader." While he tilled his land, he also married people, christened the infants and buried the dead of the pioneer community.
It was the sentiment and every-day exemplary life of the church-going people of Cottonwood county that founded her institutions on a religious basis, and this, coupled with the school system of the county. has made it a community where law and order and a high degree of intelligence are found today-nearly half a century after the first white settlers came here to make homes for themselves.
Now nearly all of the evangelical Protestant and Catholic churches common in this country, are found in Cottonwood county. There are but few, if any, villages in Minnesota where there are more churches for the number of inhabitants than there are in Windom, the seat of justice.
Possibly there may be a few small churches within the county which have not furnished the historian with proper data, but nearly all of the churches in the county are represented in this chapter, by a brief but reliable account of their organization, present strength, etc.
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METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.
The first religious service in the village of Windom was conducted by the Rev. J. E. Fitch in the summer of 1871, in the unfinished hardware store which stood on the present site of the First National Bank. Rev. Peter Baker, local preacher, living at Jackson, was the first on this circuit and had a preaching appointment at Big Bend before the village of Windom was started. In September, 1871, a union Sunday school was organized and in December the first quarterly meeting of the church was held. A class meeting had been organized and had met at the home of Mr. Laird. Rev- erend Baker was in charge of the congregation until September, 1872, when J. W. Lewis was sent here. He came to the village on a sled, as the rail- road was snowbound, and preached his first sermon at Swan Lake in a private house. On December 8 he preached at Big Bend.
The only place of worship at this time was a small private school house pre-empted by the Presbyterian and Baptist congregations. In order to avoid all conflicts, it was decided not to use the school house, so the min- ister rented a hall over Hutton's store. A stove and some fuel were secured, also lumber for seats, and the first quarterly meeting was held on December 15, 1872.
In 1873, twenty-seven members and five probationers composed the congregation at Windom; twenty members and eleven probationers at Big Bend and ten members at Swan Lake, a total of sixty-five members and sixteen probationers in the county.
During the summer and fall of 1873, lots were secured and a few subscriptions and donations received through Bishops Ames and Merrill from parties in Baltimore, amounting to two hundred and fifty dollars. Lumber was bought and stacked on the lots and all work suspended for the winter. The frame work was put up in 1874 and in the fall of 1875 the house was enclosed and plastered by the Rev. Lewis.
ANOTIIER ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST CHURCH.
The oldest class-book of the Methodist people in Cottonwood county contains the following names, and dates from July, 1871: D. W. Work- ing, class-leader, A. J. Gessell, M. R. Gessell, Martha Gessell, R. N. Sackett, J. A. Sackett, L. I. Sackett, S. Chapman, Cyrus Finch, Martha Finch, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Thompson, E. L. Working, William Peterson, William Teed.
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Later that same year. the following names were added: G. A. Purdy, B. C. Purdy, Mary Purdy, Lavern Purdy Clark, G. A. Chapman, Allen Gardner, Lovina Estgste, D. E. Teed, D. B. Jones and wife. Other very early mem- bers were: Mr. and Mrs. James Greenfield, Mr. and Mrs. A. Laird, Mr. and Mrs. A. Holmes, Mrs. Belle Smith ( now Mrs. George Le Tourneaux), Eben Morton, Mrs. Lorinda Greenfield and Mrs. Abigail C. Gillam.
The First Methodist Episcopal Church of Windom was organized in the autumn of 1871. by Rev. Peter Baker. The first quarterly conference was held in December, 1871. The total membership in May, 1916, was about five hundred. The first church building, a frame structure, costing about two thousand and fifty dollars, was dedicated on January 30, 1876. The present edifice and parsonage were erected in 1901, of brick veneer. and cost about seventeen thousand dollars, but it would cost much more to build the same today. It was dedicated on April 27, 1902. Bishop John W. Hamilton delivering the dedicatory sermon. A large and flourishing Sun- day school is connected with the other church and society work.
The following have served as faithful pastors of the church at Windom : Revs. Peter Baker, 1871-72; J. W. Lewis, November, 1872, to March, 1874; J. E. Fitch, March, 1874. to September, 1875; J. W. Lewis, September, 1875, to September, 1876; E. O. Stoddard, September, 1876, to 1877; T. H. Kinsman, 1877-78; Nelson Sutton, 1878-79; E. J. Foster, 1879 to July, 1880; W. E. King, July, 1880, to September, 1882; Levi Gleason, Septem- ber, 1882-83: William Copp, 1883-84; B. Y. Coffin, 1884-87; F. A. Arnold, 1887-88; A. J. Williams, 1888-91 ; G. S. Perry, 1891-92; E. Vaughn, 1892- 93; J. H. Buttleman, 1893-96; W. C. Sage, 1896-98; J. A. Sutton, 1898- 1000; Charles H. Stevenson, 1900, to January, 1902; supplied by President Cooper and others from January, 1902. to June, 1902; S. Arthur Cook, from lune, 1902, to October, 1907; B. C. Gillis, from October, 1907, to the present time.
AT BINGHAM LAKE.
The First Methodist Episcopal church of Bingham Lake was organized in 1900 by Rev. G. II. Way, a presiding elder, and the first pastor, Rev. H. 11. Wallace. The charter members were J. W. Cogley and wife, G. J. John- son, Bertha Johnson, N. J. Langley, Susann Cogley, Jessie L. McGladray. The first church building-a brick and frame-cost at first fifteen hundred dollars, and later a frame addition cost seven hundred dollars. The pastors who have served here have been as follow: Rev. H. H. Wallace, 1900; William Young, 1901 ; S. A. Smith, 1903; P. G. Wager, 1904; S. S. Smith,
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1905; H. H. Hawley, 1906: S. J. Wallace, 1907; B. Campbell, 1908; A. A. Rowshausen. 1909; J. R. Stephen, 1910; L. G. Davis, 1911 ; Rev. Mckibben, 1913; W. E. Thompson, 1914-15; W. W. Smith, the present pastor. The present membership of this church is sixty-three. There had been church services held here before the organization of this church, by traveling min- isters of both the Methodist and Presbyterian faith.
AT JEFFERS.
The Methodist Episcopal church at Jeffers was organized by Rev. J. J. Lutz in 1900 and now has a membership of fifty-five. The pastors in order have been as follow: Revs. J. J. Lutz, A. B. Blades, B. T. Russell, J. P. Rawson, F. O. Krause, W. H. Stone. G. W. Root, Teho S. Mondale and F. P. Hannaman, the present pastor. The corner-stone of the church edifice was laid in August, 1900, and dedicated on February 10, 1901, by Bishop Joyce. It is a frame building, costing twenty-two hundred dollars.
While this is not a large congregation, it well represents Methodism in the section in which it is located. Those of this belief, though not affiliated with the church as members, attend services here and the faith of this denom- ination is kept alive in and surrounding the village. Methodists are pioneers in all new countries and it was so in this county. The Sabbath school and other societies of the church are here in active operation and doing much good in the community.
AT MOUNTAIN LAKE.
The Methodist church of Mountain Lake began its existence as an organization in 1893. It was not until 1897, however, that the church building was constructed. Mr. Goss, although not a member of the church, seemed to think that there should be a Methodist church in the community and it was largely his efforts and financial aid that made possible the exist- ence of the church. At the present time there are very few members and no regular pastor is employed. Sunday school is the only service conducted in the church and this is under the direction of John P. Rempel, the superin- tendent. Among the pastors who served the congregation was H. H. Wallace.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHIES.
The First Presbyterian church of Windom was organized, October 15, 1871, by a committee of the Mankato presbytery, appointed for the purpose, consisting of Rev. David C. Lyon, synodical missionary of the state, and Revs. Aaron H. Kerr and Edward Savage. The eight charter members
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were as follow: Isaac M. Moss, Mrs. Amanda C. Moss, Mrs. Deborah Pierce, Mrs. Jenneth Smith, Mrs. DeLoss Smith; Mrs. Margaret A. Savage, Abram Frisbie and Melinda Gray. The present membership of this church is one hundred and thirty-two.
During the early years in the history of this church all services were held in the school house. Later, the Methodist Episcopal church was used, alternating services with the Methodist people, but on Sunday, July 12, 1885, the Presbyterians dedicated their new church home, a modest frame structure, built at a cost of a little less than two thousand dollars. This building still stands on the corner of Third avenue and Eleventh street, but is altogether too small for the present congregation and Bible school. Plans are now maturing for the erection of a new, modern building on the old site. John A. Brown hauled the first stone for this church foundation and many donated material and work.
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