USA > Minnesota > Cottonwood County > History of Cottonwood and Watonwan counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume I > Part 22
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The pioneer lawyer of the county was doubtless Emory Clark, who came to Windom soon after the county was organized. It may be said of him that he was an excellent man and a good attorney. He died at Worth- ington, Minnesota, April 2, 1884.
Attorney A. D. Perkins was a native of Erie county, New York, where he was born on March 24, 1847. He took a three-year course in the Griffith Business College, at Springfield, New York. He studied law at home and in law offices and finally opened an office in Alma, Buffalo county, Wiscon- sin. His next location was at Madelia. He was not successful there and, in March, 1872, came to Windom. The first office to which he was elected was county attorney in 1872, at the same time being elected to the office of probate judge. In 1897 he was elected a member of the upper house of the state Legislature. serving in that capacity for four years. He was appointed district judge of the thirteenth judicial district of Minnesota in 1885, and was elected to that office in 1886. After he retired from the bench he entered church and Sunday school work, in which he was highly successful.
A. W. Annes, attorney, graduated from Michigan University in 1885. He returned to Windom and became principal of the schools. Later he became the law partner of J. S. Ingalls. He is now the present judge of the probate court of Cottonwood county. Mr. Ingalls removed to other parts a number of years ago. It may be added that Mr. Annes taught
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school at Madelia, Watonwan county, three years: at Morristown, one year, and Windom two years. He graduated in law at Michigan University; he was county attorney of Cottonwood county three terms; mayor of the city and member of the school board. He is a Mason, an Odd Fellow and a Republican.
George N. Laing was born in Ontario, Canada, November 16, 1850. He studied law in the office of Professor Carpenter at Madison, Wisconsin ; graduated from the law school at that place in 1881 and shortly afterward came to Minnesota and located in Windom. He was elected judge of pro- bate in 1882, 1884, 1886 and 1888. In 1887 he was appointed as one of three to revise the probate laws of Minnesota, the revision of which was adopted by the Legislature at the session of 1889.
Judge J. G. Redding, who, until his death, was one of the leading law- yers of Windom, was born at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, in 1849. At seven- teen years of age he became a student of Hamline University, where he pur- stied his studies for three years. He then engaged in teaching school and later studied law for two years, being admitted to the bar in 1871. He came to the village of Windom in 1872. He was elected clerk of the court in 1882 and, on completion of that term, became judge of probate. He was also county attorney and otherwise prominently assisted in the affairs of local government. He died on May 10, 1916.
W. C. Benbow, attorney at law, Windom, was born in Indiana in IS63. He taught school six terms. Graduating at Ann Arbor Law School in 1890, he at once identified himself with this people and was elected county attorney, serving two years. He was editor of the Citizen for two years and engaged in the brick and tile business here.
Wilson Borst, attorney at Windom, was born in New York. He was admitted to the bar in New York in 1880 and in 1881 he located in law practice at Fulda, Minnesota. He was soon afterward appointed attorney for the Chicago, St. Paul & Milwaukee Railroad Company, establishing a large practice. He came to Windom in 1894 and served as city attorney. Politically, he has ever been influential. He has long been known as one of the keenest, best posted lawyers in southern Minnesota and had for many years one side of almost every case tried in the courts of the county. In the supreme court he has also been signally successful. He has one of the finest libraries found in a private home or law office in the state.
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MEMBERS OF THE BAR IN 1916.
The following are the practicing attorneys of Cottonwood county : O. J. Finstad, county attorney, Windom; Wilson Borst, Windom; Paul S. Redding. Windom: N. L. Glover, Windom; A. W. Annes, Windom; J. L. Sammons, Westbrook.
COURT OFFICERS, 1916.
Hon. L. S. Nelson, presiding judge; P. G. Neufeld, clerk; O. J. Fin- stad, county attorney; O. G. Peterson, sheriff ; J. J. Harper, reporter.
CHAPTER XIII.
EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF COTTONWOOD COUNTY.
The pioneer settlers of this county were of the sterling type of Amer- ican and naturalized foreign citizens who believed in education and in the free school system of this country. Hence we find that as soon as there were the required number of scholars in any given part of the county, a school district was organized, a school house erected and a competent teacher employed to instruct the young. While, between the dry weather and the grasshoppers of the seventies, the first settlers were having a hard struggle to gain a livelihood, yet they managed to maintain a school, which their children might attend at least a part of the time. The early school houses were neat, though quite plain, small frame structures, which, in time, were succeeded by more spacious, better planned and more comfortably furnished buildings. Many of the officials of the county and the leading business men and sturdy farmers of Cottonwood county received their early lessons in these pioneer school buildings, away back in the seventies and early eighties. They well recall, and frequently refer to, the dreary winter days. when the thoughts of both teacher and pupil were centered more on the clouds and the drifting, sifting snows of a genuine Minnesota blizzard than on the lessons found in the text books. In many instances schools had to be closed for part of the winter term on account of the deep snows and fearful storms.
But with the advent of better times, and the increase in population and wealth, the various townships in this county provided splendid country and village school houses, in which modern conveniences were to be found, and such a state of affairs has gradually developed until now the present build- ings, their sites and furnishings are as good as the commonwealth affords.
LANDMARK GONE.
The Great Bend school house, built in September, 1871, was destroyed by fire in January, 1916. Although built primarily for a school house, it was always used for religious purposes. It was one of the old landmarks of the county and about the first school house built in the county.
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EARLY SCIIOOL DISTRICTS.
The first public school district formed in this county was district No. 2, organized by the board at the first county seat, Great Bend, November 25, 1870. It was on petition of James Thompson and others, who organ- ized. under direction of the county board, sections 4, 5. 6. 7, 8, 9, 17 and 18, of township 105, range 36 west, into a school district in Great Bend civil township.
School district No. I seems to have been the one organized under the petition of Bernard Caughtin and others, the same being composed of sec- tions 19, 20, 21, 28. 29. 30, 31, 32 and 33, of township 105, range 36 west.
District No. 4 was organized by the county commissioners through a well-signed petition presented by the citizens of Westbrook township, and the territory included in the district was sections 7, 8, 17, 18, 20, 29, 30, 31 and 32, of township 108, range 37 west, and sections II, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 26. 35 and 36. in township 108, range 38, in Westbrook township.
At the same meeting of the board, school district No. 5 was formed in Springfield township, from sections 26, 27, 28, 33, 34 and 35, in town- ship 105, range 37.
District No. 7 was organized at a special meeting of the county com- missioners, February 4. 1871, the same being in Springfield township and composed of sections 1, 2, 3, 12, 13. 14, 10, II and 15, in township 105, range 37 west.
School district No. 8, in Lakeside township, was organized February 25, 1871, of sections from I to 18 inclusive.
Another very early district was that in Mountain Lake township, organ- ized at a special meeting of the county commissioners, May 13, 1871, the territory comprising all of the north half of the township of Mountain Lake.
At a meeting of the commissioners in April. 1871, upon a petition of Daniel D. Bates, a school district was formed from the south half of Moun- tain Lake township.
The same day, on petition of Simeon Greenfield and others, a school district was formed from sections 19, 20, 21, 28. 29. 30. 31, 32 and 33, in Lakeside township.
School district No. II was organized on March 12, 1872, and comprised sections 7, 8, 17, 18, 19 and 20. in township 106, range 35 west, and sec- tions 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20, in township 106, range 36.
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EARLY SCHOOL IN DISTRICT NO. 35.
The following is a description of one of the old school houses of school district No. 35. Midway township: The school house was perhaps the only one of its kind in the county. It was a two-story building of eight rooms, two of which were for school purposes, four for family use and two for sleeping rooms. Scholars living at a distance came on Monday morning and remained until Friday night. Patrons furnished the victuals, which were prepared at the school house. At one time this was the largest school in the county, having over forty pupils enrolled, fifteen of whom stayed during the week. Thus a district school and a boarding school were obtained. with none of the disadvantages of either. Mr. Raildbeck served as the teacher for a number of years.
The German school at Mountain Lake began its existence in Septem- ber, 1898, with Miss Mary Yanka as teacher. At first the school was held in the H. P. Goertz building. There were many people who were unfavor- able to this school because they thought the public schools well supplied the needs of the town and community. However, the school progressed with much success and as an educational factor has played an important part in the community.
EARLY SCHOOL TEACHERS.
Among the teachers in the county in 1873 were the following: Alice C. Flint, Alice L. Fitch, Alice J. Brown, Nettie Mathews, Emma A. Young, Mary C. Nourse, Nellie C. Imus, Edgar A. Holmes, Orrin P. Moore and G. S. Redding.
Among the teachers in 1874, in addition to several of those mentioend in 1873, were the following: Lars O. Flage, Eva Cook, Orrill Wolcott. Nettie Sacket, Mrs. Bell Sheldon, Kittie M. Tingley, Edith M. Taylor, Mary Yale, Melissa Seeley, Maggie Morrison, William A. Peterson, Mary Bates, Mrs. Oella P. Mason, Mary E. Chapel. Mrs. Rilla Redding and Alva B. Swayne.
In 1875 the needs of the schools were growing and several more teachers entered the profession, among whom were: Della Clark, Mattie Under- wood, Lillie J. Smith, Alice R. Jones, Lucy E. Vanbuskirk, Flora L. Oakes, Kittie Tingley, Katie Lamoreau, Belle Graham, Belle Smith, Mrs. Sophie Hayden, Mrs. M. E. Jackson, Clara E. Greenfield, Fannie Herrick, Lann Pat- rick, Maggie McGaughey, Emma B. Chapel, George Libby, Edith C. Allen,
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Minnie Fitch, Naomi Haycraft. Laura Merrill, Abbie Greenfield, Ida I. Hoople and Jessie Underwood.
In these early days of education the school terms were very short, not more than four months and more often two or three. It was no uncommon thing for a teacher to instruct twenty or thirty days and then resign, some- times voluntarily and other times upon request. A rather unique feature in connection with the educational system, if it can be said that one really existed, was the custom of bonding teachers, especially young lady teachers. It has been hinted to the author that this was on account of the many young ladies who were picked out as being suitable to grace the household of some industrious farmer or business man in need of a helpmate.
FIRST SCIIOOL HOUSE IN THE COUNTY.
The first school house in Cottonwood county was erected in 1871 in district No. I, Great Bend township, and its first term of school was taught by Miss Nettie Sackett.
BINGHAM LAKE SCHOOLS.
The school and village history of Bingham Lake began about the same time. The village now owns a four-room school building and, although not modern in every sense, it is perfectly adequate and sanitary. It is provided with excellent fire escapes, so that the building can easily be emptied in thirty seconds. Ten grades are taught by four teachers, with Jesse IIustob as principal. During the past year one hundred and thirty pupils were enrolled.
STORDEN SCHOOLS.
The school history of Storden is not very old, for it was only twelve years ago when the school building on the Kahoi Anderson farin was moved into town in order that a central location might be secured. Since then an addition has become necessary to accommodate the needs of the school. Dur- ing the school year of 1915-1916 ninety-six pupils were enrolled. There is much agitation for a consolidated school, which is certainly commendable and which, if secured, will mean a new building, a high school and a better community interest. The school board is composed of the following: Chair- man, J. C. Hanson ; treasurer, A. H. Anderson ; clerk, S. Anderson.
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SCIIOOL AT JEFFERS.
A school for the village of Jeffers became a reality on March 31, 1902, when, at a special school meeting, eight thousand dollars worth of bonds were voted for the purpose of buying a school site and the erection of a building. This amount was seen to be insufficient, therefore, on the 12th of May. 1902, two thousand dollars more was voted.
The school is enjoying a very steady growth, the enrollment having increased until at the present time the number is one hundred and sixty-seven. Five teachers are employed and two years of high school work are given. The principal for the school year of 1916 and 1917 is Prof. O. E. Olson.
WESTBROOK SCHOOLS.
No records are at hand on the first organization of common school township No. 57, but the early settlers of this vicinity promptly provided for the educational welfare of their children. The little frame school house that stood at the intersection of the cross-roads on the northwest edge of town will be remembered by many as the seat of learning and social betterment of the early years. In 1899 the building was moved to the location where the imposing brick structure now stands. The teachers at this period were Clara M. Jaeger and Anna M. Amundson, both of whom held second-grade certificates and received the munificent sum of thirty dollars per month. On the 4th of August, 1900, a meeting was held for the purpose of voting on an application for a state loan of two thousand dollars for the purpose of erecting a new building. The meeting was presided over by Adolph Peterson, and Henry Peterson acted as clerk. Judging from the number of votes cast, fourteen, all in favor of the resolution, the number of legal voters in Westbrook at that time was not large. A\ two-story frame building was erected, but in less than two years it was found inadequate and it was proposed to build an addition. The more conservative citizens thought it would be better and cheaper in the end to build a modern school building for the future as well as the present, so arrangements were made for renting additional room and plans made for the present commodious structure.
The teachers of the early Westbrook history were Carrie Seely, Mrs. Cone, of Windom, Winnie Isham, Myrtle Stillings, Alice Seely, Mrs. Roberts and Sadie Wheeler. The last to instruct in the old frame building were G. A. Foster, Bertha Byington, Eleanor Reese, and Alice Seely, who taught the first and second grades in the rented cottages.
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The village grew apace and the needs of the school required that it be organized as an independent school district. For that purpose a meeting was held on January 19, 1903, at which C. A. Zieska was chairman and M. A. Johnson, clerk. When the vote was counted, the result showed fifty-two. for the resolution and three against.
On February 2 a board of six members was chosen, which included the following men: J. N. Rivers, J. B. Langum, H. W. Footh, J. J. Christy, J. A. Pearson and M. A. Johnson. Upon these men devolved the burden of erecting the new building and directing the destiny of the school.
Early in 1903 steps were taken toward the actual construction of the new building. The one that was first proposed consisted of an eight-room building and a full basement. These plans were accepted and seventeen thou- sand dollars worth of bonds voted, the vote standing sixty-three to one in favor of the bond issue. As evidence of the district's sound credit, it may be mentioned that the five per cent. bonds were disposed of at a lively scram- ble by Eastern investors to Winona capitalists at a premium of seventy-five dollars for the issue. The building was constructed the same year and now stands as a monument to those who contended so earnestly for higher edu- cation.
At present eight teachers are employed and they have charge of an enrollment of about two hundred and twenty-five. Prof. J. B. Wright is the superintendent, he having served in the capacity for several years, a fact which bespeaks high credit for him, as he has labored honestly and faithfully for the betterment and growth of the school and surely he has been rewarded. However, his success is due in a great measure to the strong support and hearty co-operation of the school board, which at the present time is composed of the following citizens: President, II. W. Footh ; treasurer, J. E. Villa; secretary, W. E. Mead; J. E. Nelson, Rev. O. J. Wolff and Mrs. L. P. Pederson.
The school is one of the few in the state to own a school farm. It was acquired under the old Putnam system, but failed because of the usual reasons. In fact, there is only one in the state that can be said to be a suc- cess and this one is at Cokato. The farm at Westbrook is at present leased to renters and consists of six and three-fourths acres on the northwest side of the town.
The pupils have many of the advantages of the city school, in that agri- culture, domestic science and manual training are offered to those who may desire special courses.
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WINDOM CITY SCHOOLS.
By Hon. C. W. Gillam.
The history of Windom's public school is so closely connected with the progress of Windom itself that it is almost impossible to give one without giving the other.
Windom was located on the present site in the summer of 1871, and the first school was held in the early fall in the upper room of Loop & Wood's lumber office, with Miss Lawton as teacher. This was sort of a select school. but in October and November of that same year Harvey Klock erected a building where the Redding building ( formerly occupied by the Odd Fellows hall ) now stands, the upper floor being used for the Masonic hall. The lower floor was rented by the school officers for a public school, and on Monday, December 18, 1871, the first public school in Windom was opened. with O. Phelps as teacher. Mr. Phelps, I believe, taught through the winter terni of 1872 and the summer term was taught by Miss Clark, who after- wards became Mrs. Loop, daughter of Lyman Clark.
In October. 1872, an eight-mill tax was levied for teacher's wages and an eight-mill tax for rent and fuel. School opened this year on November II. with Miss Imus as teacher, followed a little later in the season by Miss Alice Flint (now Mrs. C. A. Ludden, of Pomono, California), who taught during the spring and summer of 1873 with an enrollment of forty pupils.
Windom had grown so rapidly that our people saw that it would be necessary to provide more room to accommodate our school and, to that end. a meeting was called for March, 1873. to vote on the proposition of bonding our school district for four thousand dollars to build a new school house. The proposition carried, and in May, 1873. the contract was let to Samuel Wilson, father of Scott Wilson, to erect a two-story school building on the ground occupied by the present building ( two lots having been donated for that purpose by the townsite company ). The contract was let for the sum of two thousand nine hundred and ninety-five dollars, and thus was started, forty years ago, Windom's first school building, which was practically com- pleted in December of the same year.
On October 9, 1873, our school officers voted to have eight months school and William Prentiss, who was then county superintendent (now a prominent lawyer in Chicago), was elected to have charge of the school. School opened in the new building on December 3, 1873, and from that time on Windom began to be in the front rank as a school town. With as fine a school building as any town of its size in the state and with a people who
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were determined to make this school the best possible, people began to settle in and around our village to avail themselves of our school privileges as early as the seventies.
Mr. Prentiss was again elected for the year 1875-76 and another depart- ment was added, with Miss Chapel as teacher. Probably no teacher that has ever occupied our school room had a greater influence over the eighty to one hundred pupils then enrolled than did Mr. Prentiss. He was a friend to everyone, a social, lovable man, and under his administration, during those hard, trying grasshopper times, our school prospered. The social life of our town centered around our school. We had a literary society, debating society, spelling school and so forth, participated in by people of the town as well as pupils of the school. Mr. Prentiss left us when the winter term closed in the spring of 1876 and returned to Macomb, Illinois, to study law. Mrs. Jackson, of Bingham Lake, and Miss Redding were elected to teach for the year of 1876-77 and in the fall of 1877 the board. deciding to have three departments for the winter and two for the summer, voted the sum of one thousand dollars for the school expenses, so you see our teachers did not get rich in those days.
In the fall and winter of 1877-78 L. C. Jones, of Bingham Lake, was elected principal, with two assistant teachers, Miss Taylor and Miss Francis Cooke, and the same line of work was adhered to as the previous year. In the fall of 1878 Mr. Ingalls, Miss Della Clark and Miss Bell Smith (now Mrs. T. C. Collins) were elected to teach for the fall and winter term. It seemed that the people had not been taking the interest in the school that they should and Mr. Ingalls opened his school with an appeal to the people to visit the school more often and co-operate with the teachers to improve it and to help make it a success.
In the fall of 1879 L. J. Robinson, of New York, was elected principal and Mr. Moore and Miss Underwood, assistants. Under Mr. Robinson's supervision our school took on new life and did good work. After completing his school year Mr. Robinson joined the ranks of Windom's business men and thereafter took a prominent part in the upbuilding and improvement of our school. In the fall of 1880. at the school meeting held in September, the ladies of the town decided to take a hand in the election of school offi- cers. In speaking of the meeting the Windom Reporter said: "This is the first time the ladies have taken a part in our school meetings and we judge from the interest taken by them that they will hoop 'er up to the ugly sex hereafter." They did a great deal of talking back, showing that the fellows who think the ladies don't know how to vote were very badly in error. They
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behaved well, did not smoke, nor buttonhole, nor treat, nor do anything to corrupt the meeting ( but they elected, if I am not mistaken, Mrs. E. C. Hunt- ington a member of the school board). This, I believe, was the first time the ladies of our town had taken an active part in the business part of our school management.
In the fall and winter of 1880 and 1881 school opened with Mr. Graves as principal and Misses Della Clark and Florence Holmes as teachers in the two departments. There was a total enrollment during the winter term of one hundred and twenty-one and, in connection with the other work, the social literary department of our school was especially active. Debating societies were organized in which the people of our town took an active part with the pupils of our school. Spelling schools were held, dramatic enter- tainments were given and a general co-operation of students, parents and teachers along these lines added much to the success of the school during the term. At the school meeting held in September, 1881, a nine-months school was voted and one thousand one hundred and fifty dollars was levied for school purposes and one hundred and fifty dollars to build a wood shed. School opened on September 19 with A. W. Annes, of Madelia (later a judge of probate), who had just finished a three-year term at Madelia, as principal, and Miss Della Clark and Miss Florence Holmes as teachers of the primary and intermediate departments. Mr. Annes had a very success- ful term and was re-engaged for the year 1882-83 with the same assistants in the other departments.
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