History of Dakota County and the City of Hastings, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 78

Author: J. Fletcher Williams
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages:

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The first birth in the town was that of George, son of Mr. and Mrs. Kleeberger. He was born in April, 1856.

The first marriage was that of Charles Lewis, of Lewiston, and Mary, daughter of Richard Morrill, of Randolph. The ceremony was per- formed at the house of Mr. Morrill, December 31st, 1856, Rev. J. R. Barnes officiating.

ORGANIZATION.

At a meeting of the county board, held April 20th, 1858, the town of Richmond was formed, and so named in honor of John Richmond, the first settler within its limits. It consisted of all in the county of township 112, range 18 west. The meeting for the election of town officers was appointed May 27th, 1858, at the school-house in district No. 29. At a session of the county board, held September 18th, 1858, it was found necessary to change the name of the new town, as there was another Richmond in the state. It was decided to call the town Wheatland. At the next session of the board, held October 30th, 1858, the state authorities sent notice that the name of the town must again be changed, as Wheatland was a town in Rice county. D. B. Hulbert, an admirer of the Virginia statesman, John Randolph, sug- gested that his distinguished surname be given to the town. Randolph was accordingly adopted.

On the 11th day of May, 1858, the legal voters met at the house of D. B. Hulbert, on section 9, for the purpose of duly organizing the town, ac- cording to the provisions of the state legislature enacted in 1857-'8.

D. B. Hulbert was elected moderator, and J. L. Armington, clerk.

The name of the town was voted on, and Rich- mond received a majority of the votes cast. This was all the recorded business.

At the next meeting, May 27th, 1858, D. B. Hulbert, Ara Barton and Richard Morrill, were constituted judges of election, and J. L. Arm- ington, clerk. Town officers were then balloted for, with the following result: Ara Barton, D. B. Hulbert, Richard Morrill, supervisors; J. L. Arm- ington, clerk: Levi C. Hillman and William Velie, justices; Samuel Eddy, assessor; J. S. Sheppard, collector, J. S. Sheppard and H. H. Velie, consta- bles; Charles Curran, overseer of poor; Noah Ken- dall, road-master.

CENSUS AND VALUATION.

The population of the town is one hundred and forty-four. The valuation in 1860, was $30,- 783; in 1870, $57,883; in 1880, $115,130.

The following gentlemen have served as chair- men of the town board of supervisors, and as town clerks, since the first annual meeting.

1859- Ara Barton, chairman; J. L. Armington, clerk. 1860-D. B. Hulbert, chairman; J. L. Armington, clerk. 1861-W. Paxton, chairman; Samuel Eddy, clerk.

At this town meeting held April 2d, 1861, Sam- uel Eddy and H. H. Velie, each received the same number of votes for town clerk, and at the first meeting of the town board, April 13th, Sam- uel Eddy was appointed to that position.

1862-David II. Morrill, chairman; H. H. Velie, clerk. 1863-David H. Morrill, chairman; D. B. Hulbert, clerk. 1864-Charles Curran, chairman; G. II. Brooks, clerk. 1865-G. W. Penniman, chairman; F. D. Barlow, clerk. 1866-G. W. Penniman, chairman; Charles Smith, clerk. 1867 -Charles Smith, chairman; J. W. Hasson, clerk. 1878-Charles Smith, chairman; P. F. Penniman, clerk. 1869-Charles Smith, chairman; Stephen Mallet, clerk. 1870-R. B. Morrill, chairman; J. E. Jenkins, clerk. 1871-D. H. Morrill, chair- man; J. E. Jenkins, clerk. 1872-D. H. Morrill, chairman; J. E. Jenkins. clerk. 1873-Charles Smith, chairman; J. E. Jenkins, clerk. 1874- Eli Ellsworth, chairman; J. E. Jenkins, clerk. 1875-Eli Ellsworth, chairman; J. E. Jenkins, clerk. 1876-Charles Smith, chairman; J. E. Jenkins, clerk. 1877-William H. Foster, chair- man; J. E. Jenkins, clerk. 1878-James H. Ab-

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bott, chairman. J. E. Jenkins, clerk. 1879-Jas. H. Abbott, chairman; J. E. Jenkins, clerk. 1880 -Charles Smith, chairman; J. E. Jenkins, clerk. During this year J. E. Jenkins removed to Hastings, and B. McElrath, was appointed clerk. 1881-Chas. Smith, chairman; B. McElrath, clerk.

SCHOOLS.

In the early spring of 1858, a log school-house was built on the north-east quarter of section 9, being the first school-house built within the limits of this town. The first term of school taught in the town, was in this house, by Miss Annie Clif- ford. The school district, at its organization, was designated as No. 29, and so called until about 1861, when the districts throughout the county were divided into sub-districts, and numbered by the township, and this was then known as No. 1. At the re-numbering of the districts in 1862,it was designated as No. 66, which number it still retains.

This organization embracing the whole of town- ship 112, range 18, in the county, continued until 1867, when some dissatisfaction arose among the inhabitants, and it was thought best to divide it. Thereupon the central portion of the town formed a joint district with the southern part of Hamp- ton, the eastern portion joining the Cannon Falls district in Goodhue county, and the western part forming district 83. They procured of William Smith, of Hampton, the old school-house of dis- trict No. 57, in which the first school in that town was taught, and moved it to the south-west corner of section 34. Miss Amelia Lemen was engaged to teach during the summer of 1857, but the school had been in session only a few weeks, when the house was burned, which was supposed to be the work of an incendiary. A rough board shanty was soon erected, where Miss Lemen fin- ished her term, and during the fall a new school- house was erected on the north-west corner of section 3, where it still stands. That portion of the township 112, range 18, in the county, that had before joined the Cannon Falls district, with the exception of the north-east quarter of section 12, has since returned to this district.

At the division of No. 66, district No. 88 was organized forming a joint district with Sciota,and Stanton, of Goodhue county, to embrace the south half of section 12, with section 13, and the

north half of section 24, in Sciota township, the north half of section 18, Stanton township, and three-fourths of 5, with sections 6, 7 and 8, in Randolph township. A school-house was built in June, 1867, at a cost of $450. Bonds were is- sued for this amount, to bear 10 per cent. inter- est, due in two years, which the members of the district took, paying for them face value. The school-house is located on the south half of the south-west quarter of section 7. The first school taught in the district was in the summer of 1867. Regular sessions have been held in this district during the school terms since its organization.

CHURCHES.

The first public religious service held in this town, was at the house of Richard Morrill, in the spring of 1856, Rev. Charles Curran, a local preacher of the Methodist denomination, officiat- ing. He continued to hold service at the place every Sabbath, until the fall of 1857, at which time the Methodist Episcopal Conference assigned the town to the Cannon Falls' Circuit, and gave the charge to the Rev. Mr. Hitchcock. In the summer of 1858, he organized a class of about twenty-two members at the school-house, in dis- trict No. 29. A Sunday-school was organized in connection with this society, early in 1856, at the house of Mr. Morrill, and sessions were continued in this place until the school-house was built in 1858, where they were afterwards held. The church and school continued to prosper, and in- crease in members and interest until the war broke out, when, for a time, all religious services were discontinued.

A church was organized at Lewiston, Sciota township, by J. R. Barnes, C'ongregationalist, sometime in 1858 or 1859, and continued there until Lewiston became a "thing of the past," when for a while they were without any regular service. In 1870, the members of this church united with a few from Randolph township, and organized a church at the school house, in dis- trict 83, with Rev. Mr. Morrill, of Cannon Falls as their pastor, who continued to have the charge until 1874. After his departure, an appointment was made for this place by the Methodist Episco- pal Conference, and Rev. David Higgins, was as- signed to preach there every two weeks. He was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Tucker, and he by Rev.

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RANDOLPH-BIOGRAPHICAL.

Mr. Bowles, and in 1880, Rev. W. H. Soules took the charge as pastor, holding service in that place at the present time twice per month.

A Sunday-school was organized in connection with this church, in 1870, as a union school. They held regular sessions every Sabbath, until the autumn of 1880, when the prevalence of diph- theria for a while rendered it necessary to discon- tinue the school. However, in the following spring it was revived, and now numbers about thirty scholars.

CEMETERY.

The cemetery is the property of the town, and is under the control of the town board. It is situated in the north-east quarter of section 8, and the north-west quarter of section 9, and con- tains about three acres. The land was donated by D. II. Morrill and J. W. Penniman. The first interment made in this ground, was that of a Miss Reinhardt, of Hampton; the second was Mrs. James Hassan, who died in December, 1857, which was the first death within the limits of this town. This cemetery was for a time enclosed with the farm of Mr. Penniman. In 1877. it was enclosed by a wire fence, and in 1879, was sur- rounded by shade trees. It contains at present about thirty graves.

SAW-MILL.

In 1858 or '59, the Velie brothers came to this township from Sciota, and erected a saw-mill on Chub creek, locating it on the south-east of the north-west quarter of section 9, putting up a frame building, 16x40 feet, with one upright saw. They operated this mill until they entered the army in 1862, when the property went to Mr. Richmond, on whose land it was situated. It was soon after moved to section 7 by D. H. Mor- rill, and used as a barn.

STORE.

The only mercantile business ever carried on within the limits of this township was by Velie Brothers. In some of their trading operations, they came into possession of a stock of goods, consisting mostly of crockery and dry goods. These they moved into a store or shop, erected near the mill, and Randolph boasted of "a store" until this stock of goods was disposed of. '29

CHEESE FACTORY.

A cheese factory was built in 1871 by Eli Ells- worth, and located on his farm in south-east quarter of section 10. It was in operation for five or six years, but not proving a financial suc- cess, was abandoned, and the building now stands, a reminder of what should have been a great addition to the dairy interests of this town, so favorably situated to carry on this branch of industry successfully.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

Dr. J. L. Armington was born at Stillwater, Saratoga county, New York, August 20th, 1818. He removed with his parents to Wayne county in 1881, and five years later removed to Indiana. Graduated at Louisville, Kentucky, in medicine, in 1841, and commenced his practice in Switzer- land county, Indiana. In 1848 he went to De- catur county, where he resided until coming to Dakota county, Minnesota, in 1857. Dr. Arm- ington was instrumental in the organization of the town of Randolph, he being the first town clerk, and held the office four years. Was sur- geon in the army, and for some time in Hatch's Battalion on the frontier, and in 1866 resigned. Returning to civil life, he located at Northfield, Minnesota, where he practiced his profession until 1880; then came to Cannon Falls and is now practicing in that place. He was married in 1841 to Miss E. B. Lee. Charles L. and Alice are their children.

L. L. Ellsworth was born in Farmersville, Cattaraugus county, New York, April 29th, 1846. Came with his parents to Cannon Falls. Minne- sota, in 1855, his father being one of the oldest settlers of the town. He also built what is now known as the Ellsworth house, at Cannon Falls, in 1856. Mr. Ellsworth went to Decorah, Iowa, in 1860, to attend school, returning two years later. Going thence to Chicago, he was, for a short time, in a commission house; then en- tered the employ of J. V. Farwell and Company, remaining with them until 1872. After the Chi- cago fire he traveled for the firm of Frank Broth- ers. During the fall of 1872 he came to his present place, having four hundred and eighty acres, with the best of improvements. He deals quite extensively in live stock, raising, buying and shipping cattle and hogs. Mr. Ellsworth

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was married in 1876 to Miss C. L. Hitching, a native of Maine. Chester H. and Dighten B. are their children.

Michael Ford, a native of Ireland, was born in 1826. Here he grew to manhood, and in 1853, came to America, landing in New York city. He lived in the state two years, then came to Minnesota and located at Hastings. Here he gained bis livelihood as teamster until 1871, re- moving thence to Cannon Falls, following the same line of business. Purchased his present farm, in the town of Randolph, in 1878. Mr. Ford has been twice married, first in Ireland, to Miss O'Neil, who died, leaving one son, Thomas. Married to his present wife, at Hastings, in 1861. She was Miss C. Brennan, and has borne him two children, John M. and Maggie E.

John Hurly was born in Ireland in 1833. At the age of fourteen he went to England, and there resided until 1854, then embarked on the vessel Victoria, for America. He lived in New York city three years, and there worked at brick- laying. Coming thence to Minnesota, he located first in Goodhue county, near Cannon Falls, and in 1873, moved to Randolph township, purchas- ing his farm in 1880. Miss Mary Kilroy, a native of New York, became his wife in 1863, and in 1874, died. Mary, Anna, James, John and Ellen. are his living children.

E. M. McElrath was born at River Falls, Wis- consin, October 12th, 1857. When eight years old he came to Michigan, thence the next year to Minnesota. Locating in Rice county, he made his home there until 1870, then went to Renville county, and four years later to Council Bluffs, Iowa. In 1877, removed to Randolph township, Minnesota, where he has since resided. Miss Anna Delong, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, became his wife in 1879. Mr. McElrath moved to his present location in 1880.

Rosetta M. Morrill is one of the oldest settlers the town of Randolph. She came with her par- ents in December 1854. The first winter they lived in a dug-out and it was five months be- fore she saw a white man or woman. She had four brothers in the civil war; one died the service, another soon after his return. Mrs. Morrill, nee Richmond, was united in marriage with David Morrill. in March. 1858. Eight children have been born to them. Ella, Forrest, Daisy and

Vally are living. Twins were born November 5th, 1861, dying only five days apart. Albert and Royal also have passed away. Mr. Morrill departed this life April 24th, 1874.

William Otte is a native of Germany, . born 1846. He removed to America in 1858, accom- panied by his parents. Proceeding westward from New York, he located first in Hampton township. In 1869 Mr. Otte bought one hundred and sixty acres and has since added to it, having now two hundred and sixty acres. He has made many improvements, having good buildings and a finely cultivated farm. In 1875, was elected to the office of town supervisor, which he has since held. He has been three times married; his present wife, who was Miss Kate Engles, he married in 1876. Martha, Edwin, William and Anna are his children.

RAVENNA.

CHAPTER LX.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION-FIRST SETTLERS-OR- GANIZATION -- SCHOOLS -- STATION-BIOGRAPH- ICAL.

This portion of Dakota county is bounded on the north, by the Mississippi river, on the east and south, by Goodhue county, and on the west, by Marshan and Hastings.

SURFACE.

The whole surface of the town is quite rolling. The eastern portion of the town is characterized by considerable roughness, some of its hills ris- ing to a height of about a hundred feet. This portion lying nearest the Mississippi river, is also timbered. The Vermillion river traverses it in a south-easterly direction, and is connected with the Mississippi river by two sloughs, one of them in Hastings and the other in Ravenna. The latter is known as the Tradell slough. It divides the island formed by the Vermillion slough and the

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Vermillion and Mississippi rivers into two parts known as the Upper and Lower islands.

These islands are about fifteen miles in length, six miles of their extent being in Ravenna. They contain in the town, three thousand four hundred and seventy-five acres of uncultivated land, a part of which is covered with timber, principally elm, bass-wood and soft-maple. During high water, this portion of the town overflows to a depth of from eight to fifteen feet. There are several small lakes in these islands, three in sec- tions 4 and 9, called Mud Hen lakes, one, two, three, and three in the Upper island not named.

A lake some ten or twelve acres in extent is situated on the farm of E. Du Shane. It is called Moshier lake, in honor of the first claimant of the adjoining land.

The western portion of the town is prairie, the soil being sandy in its nature, and rather light. The people here have no water privileges, ex- cept as they dig wells. Owing to the height of the land above the river bed, some of these wells have been excavated to a depth of one hundred and seventy feet.

The surface of the town generally, by reason of its roughness and the great abundance of wa- ter, is much better adapted to stock raising than to the production of grains.

FIRST SETTLERS.

In March, 1852, while what is now Ravenna belonged to the Sioux, it was visited by two brothers, Hugh and Owen Sherry. They were natives of Ireland, and for the past three years had been living at Point Douglas. They were accompanied by M. McDermott.

The whole trio were attracted by the appear- ance of the land which they had come to spy out, and accordingly made claims in sections 6, 31 and 36.

The first house in the town was built on the land now owned by Owen Sherry, in the south- west quarter of section 31, township 115, range 17, it was built of logs, and has since been de- stroyed.

Early in 1853, Joseph Moshier came into the town from Prescott, Wisconsin. He made a claim of 160 acres, in the south-west quarter of section 5, township 114, range 16 west, but after some years removed to Dakota territory, where

he died. But little is known of him, but he is probably the Joseph Moshier, who first came into the country in 1821, and had quite an ac- quaintance with the early traders.

After the ratification, in 1853, of the Indian treaty negotiated in 1852, other settlers came into the town. H. C. Lovejoy was a settler of 1853, and made a claim of 160 acres, in section 8. Mr. Lovejoy came to the town from Wisconsin, and still resides on his original claim.

P. W. Elliott and Thomas Ellis were among the earliest to make claims in the town, after the ratification of the treaty. Mr. Ellis purchased some lumber at Prescott, of which he made a raft, floating it down the river, as near as pos- sible to his chosen place of residence. He then carried it by hand, and fashioned it into a board house, 16x18 feet in dimensions. The roof of this dwelling was constructed of elm bark.

The Indians, in these early days, though friendly were numerous and annoying. On one occasion, a party of them stalked into the house of Owen Sherry, and without uttering a word, proceeded to appropriate twelve or fifteen pounds of pork. They further relieved the family of what bread they had, with the exception of one small piece, which Mr. Sherry concealed.

In 1856, the Sioux held a scalp dance in the town of two weeks' duration. They had been on an expedition against the Wisconsin Chippewas, and had returned with three scalps. One of these is described as a "full-faced" scalp, and as having its luxuriant raven hair, fully two feet in length, adorned with war feathers.

The first birth in the town was that of Felix Sherry, March 4th, 1854. He was the son of Hugh and Mary Sherry, and died February 21st, 1880.

The first marriage occurred the third day of June, 1856. At that date, Owen Sherry and Miss Ellen McKenna were united in wedlock by Rev. Father McMahon. The ceremony was per- formed at the house of Hugh Sherry, on sec- tion 31.

The first death in the town was that of George Hazelton, who died in the fall of 1852.

CIVIL HISTORY.

Ravenna was originally a part of ITastings. Before the towns were formed it was embraced

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in the Ellis precinct, and the first election within the limits of the town was held at the house of Thomas Ellis, in November, 1857, to vote on the adoption of the state constitution.

The next election was the special election of April 15th, 1858, for the purpose of voting on the great railroad bond act, which is still troubling both the officers and the people of the state. Six- teen votes were cast against the act, and but seven in its favor. This election was held at what was known as the "Henry house," situated on section 8.

Since it was thought expedient to separate the government of the rural population from that of the city of Hastings, Ravenna was formed June 5th, 1860. It contained sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17 and 18, in township 114, of range 16 west, and sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, in township 114, of range 17 west, all of township 115, range 16 west, in the county, and sections 25 and 36 in township 115, range 17 west. It was named Ravenna by A. P. Norton, in honor of a town in New York state.

February 29th, 1876, the state legislature, by a special act. took from Ravenna, and gave to Mar- shan, the sections 1, 2, 3. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, now embraced in the limits of the latter town; as a return, taking out of the territory of Marshan, the nine southern sections embraced at present in the limits of Ravenna. This was not in ac- cordance with any wish of the people of Ravenna. The nine sections of land returned to them were inferior in quality to those taken away, beside changing the shape of the town by their situa- tion so as to make it much less convenient.

For some years, as regarded the administra- tion of its affairs, Ravenna was called the model town of the county. There was always money in its treasury, and during the war the town raised $1,800 for soldiers bounties.

At the organization of the town in 1860, the following officers were elected: Thomas Ellis, chairman of town board: William A. Gray and Patrick Murray, associates; H. C. Lovejoy, town clerk.

The following gentlemen have been chairman of the town board since the first town elec- tion, and in the order named: A. P. Giles, Thomas Ellis, H. B. Lovejoy, Thomas Ellis, H.

C. Lovejoy, A. W. Etter, E. Harrison, A. W. Etter, H. C. Lovejoy, present incumbent.

The following is a list of the town clerks in the order which they served: H. C. Lovejoy, J. C. Egbert, J. H. Day, J. C. Egbert, J. H. Day, James Sherry, N. J. Olson, present incumbent. CENSUS AND VALUATION.

The population of the town in 1870, was 285. In 1880, the census was taken with that of Mar- shan. A careful estimate places the population of the town at 285.

The valuation in 1860, was $56,902. In 1870, $72,224. In 1880, $138,285.

SCHOOLS.

In 1856, the educational needs of the town be- gan to be apparent to its inhabitants, as they per- ceived children multiplying in their midst, and no privileges of the kind for them to enjoy. The first step towards the organization of a school district, was the employing of Miss Maggie G. Ellis to teach a three months' school, paying her three dollars per week. They rented for the pur- pose what was then known as the Henry house, on section 8, which was used until 1862.

At a school meeting, held in 1857, a vote was taken to raise the sum of $550 for the pur- pose of building a school-house, to be located on the south-east corner of section 8, on land owned by Thomas Ellis, who was to give two acres for the school ground, if the district would pay the expense of recording the deed. The lat- ter, however, failed in their part of the agree- ment, and the money was not forthcoming. At the same meeting, in 1857, a school district was organized as district No. 26, which number was changed to 28 in 1863. At a meeting held Feb- ruary 11th, 1860, it was voted to raise $150 to build a log school-house to be situated on the site before designated. Votes, however, did not pro- duce the money, and the old Henry house must continue to be used as before. Still, nothing daunted, at the next annual meeting a vote was taken to levy a tax of $300 for the purpose of building a school-house. This vote, however, shared the same fate as the others, and two pub- lic-spirited citizens, H. C. Lovejoy and G. M. Blake, tired of this fruitless voting, built a school- house at a cost of about $300. The district, afterwards, took the building paying them for it.

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History of Dakota County and the City of Hastings, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 78

Author: J. Fletcher Williams Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: J. Fletcher Williams
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages: