History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 104

Author: Edward D. Neill
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
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USA > Minnesota > Fillmore County > History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota > Part 104

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C. F. SCHATZ was born in 1859, in Dodge county, Wisconsin, where he received his education and re- sided until the age of sixteen years. He then came to this place with his parents, and was em- ployed at various occupations until 1881, when he opened his present restaurant, and is doing a good business. In 1881, he was joined in marriage with Miss Minnie Johnkee. The union has been blessed with one child.

W. H. SMITH was born in Potsdam. St. Law- rence county, New York, on the 9th of May, 1834. He was reared on a farm, and removed with his parents to Dane county, Wisconsin, in 1847. While there he learned the blacksmith trade, and in 1858, returned to his native State, coming to Minnesota in 1862. He was married in New York, in 1859, to Miss Janette Manley. Mr. Smith was engaged at his trade in Chatfield until the fall of 1875, when he came to the village of Fillmore and opened his present blacksmith shop. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had eight children, seven of whom are living; Martin E., George H., Kitty L., Jennie M., Belle S., Serena, and Linn L. Mr.

Smith's parents are both natives of New York, and now reside in this place.

SIMEON THOENT is a native of Switzerland, born in 1851. There he received his education and learned the trade of a wagon-maker. He came to America in 1871, was engaged at his trade in La Crosse, Wisconsin, one year, then in Buffalo, Min- nesota, until June, 1879, when he came to Wykoff and continuedl in the business until the spring of 1882, when he opened a billiard hall.

CUTLER THOMPSON is a native of New York, born in 1830. He was reared on a farm, and came to Minnesota in 1855, settling at Chatfield. He operated a saw-mill there for Judd Crissey until the spring of 1861, when he bought his present place in Fillmore, formerly known as the Pond & Lee place, on sections four and five. There was a saw-mill on this place, and Mr. Thompson has operated it and cultivated the small farm attached to the property, and also runs a feed mill. He was married in Chatfield, in 1858, to Miss Loderna Clark, who was born in Vermont in 1840. They have had six children, five of whom are living; Anne, William C., Celia S., Sarah C., and Hattie G. He has always taken an active part in town affairs and educational interests.

FRED. WENDORF was born in Germany in 1843, and learned the blacksmith trade in his native country. He emigrated to America in 1869, and located in Granville, Milwaukee county, Wisconsin, where he was engaged at his trade a few years. In 1871, he was joined in marriage with Miss Sophia Erdman, the ceremony taking place in Jefferson county, Wisconsin. They came to Wy- koff in 1872, and Mr. Wendorf worked at his trade until 1878, then engaged in the sale of agricul- tural implements, wagons, buggies, etc. His wife died in February, 1881, leaving four children; John, Matilda, Otto, and Amanda. The maiden name of his present wife was Mary Dettloff. Mr. Wendorf has been a member of the Village Coun- cil of Wykoff, and is now Justice of the Peace.

SAMUEL WALKER is a native of Ireland, born in Armagh county in 1819. He came to America in 1842, locating in Philadelphia, where he worked at his trade, that of cabinet-maker. He was mar- ried there in 1844, to Miss Elizabeth McCalon, who has since died. His second wife was Agnes, a sister of the first. She was a native of Ireland, and died the 14th of December, 1880, in this place. Mr. Walker is the father of three children, two

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having died when young; those living are H. T., now a farmer in this county; W. J., living with his father; and J. J., born in Dubuque, Iowa, and also lives at home. Mr. Walker brought his fam- ily to Iowa in 1856, and to Fillmore village in December, 1862, and has since devoted his time to the manufacture of furniture. In 1866, he moved to Spring Valley, continuing in the latter business, under the firm name of Weisbec': & Walker, until purchasing a farm in this township, in section fif- teen, which has since been his home. He has been a member of the board of Supervisors one term.

MICHAEL WEBER, a native of Prussia, was born in 1838, and brought up in a village. He emi- grated with his brother, Nicholas, to America in 1851; came directly to Minnesota, but was en-

gaged at the blacksmith trade in different States until 1869, when he was married to Miss Addie Short, and lived in Carimona township a few years, then came to Fillmore village and was employed at his trade. He afterward owned a blacksmith shop in Wykoff one year, then moved to Spring Valley, and a year later returned to the village of Fillmore, where he has since resided and con- ducted a blacksmith shop. Mr. Walker served in the army, enlisting in the spring of 1863, in the First Minnesota Cavalry. He served till the close of the war, receiving an honorable discharge, and was mustered out at Fort Snelling. His wife was born in New York in 1851. They have had five children, three of whom are living; Lillie, Flora, and Rosa.

FOUNTAIN.

CHAPTER LXIX.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION -- EARLY SETTLEMENT -- SCHOOLS-RELIGIOUS ---- INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES -- FOUNTAIN VILLAGE-BIOGRAPHICAL.

The town with this gushing name is the north- west of the four center townships in Fillmore county. It is hemmed in by Chatfield, Carrolton, Carimona, and Fillmore, on the north, east, south, and west respectively. It has the Southern Minnesota rail- road running through in a not very direct line east and west. The regular government thirty-six sections make up its territorial area.

Watson Creek is the largest river, and this runs across the southern part of the town. and has numerous branches joining it from the right and left. Winslow Creek rises in section seven and runs out of town in a northeasterly course. Big Spring, the third or fourth with this name, rises in section three, and sends a good sized rivulet into the last mentioned creek in section four.

The west half of the town may be called a roll- ing prairie, and was, when first entered upon by white settlers, covered quite fully with brush which has disappeared as the cultivation of the soil has been carried on. The soil is of a light clavey character and very productive. There was . at first but little timber, but now some fine groves :

are growing, although in the southwest corner there were some oak openings.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The first settlers in this town arrived in 1853. Abram Kalder was the first to report in person, and he took the northwest quarter of section thirty, near a beautiful spring called afterwards "Kalder's Spring." He is a native of New York, remained a few years and removed to Preston, where he has been a leading citizen ever since. George Kalder was also owner of land in section thirty, but he died in Michigan soon after the war.

Hosmer H. Winslow, a native of Vermont, came here from Illinois in 1854, and his land was in section five. He died in 1874. Enoch Winslow took his farm in section four, but removed to Kansas in 1878.

Henry Winslow located in section five, but re- moved to Olmsted county in 1859, and afterwards to Kansas. These men were brothers, and came about the same time.

S. T. Bagley, of New York, came from Wis- consin and went on to section five. In 1865, he went to Mower county.

Edward Stevens, of the "Emerald Isle," came

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by the way of Wisconsin; and located in section fifteeen.

Nicholas Wallrod, of New York, had stopped awhile in Illinois, and he secured a farm in section thirty, where he still lives. Abraham Finch, also of New York, came here and settled on section nineteen. These last six came in the summer of 1854.

Some of the arrivals of 1855 are mentioned in the following paragraphs.

James Scott, a native of Indiana, who came from Iowa and bought a place in section four, where his widow still lives, he having died in 1875.

J. W. Hagerty, of Pennsylvania, from Illinois, got here in May and procured a farm in section eight, which he is still cultivating.

J. L. Bolles was here the year before, and selected land which he occupied this year and is still there.

George Kenney had land in section seven, from whence he left this world the next year.

Thomas Shipton had a place in section seven- teen, but he now lives in Lyons county.

William Stevens, from Ireland, came here from New York after tarrying a while in Illinois and Wisconsin. He now lives in section sixteen.

James and Martin Mulroy located their farms in section nine, where they still live.

Robert Splainer came from Massachusetts, and in about ten years returned there.

William Maus, of Indiana, came in October and took a claim in section thirty-one, where he may still be found.

In 1856, there were quite a number of new comers, and a dozen or so will be mentioned.

Walter Staplin, of New York State, arrived here in June, and he first held a claim in section seven- teen, but his residence now is in section seven.

Peter McCurdle, of the "Evergreen Isle," owns a farm in section eighteen which he secured at that time.

Joseph Means had a place in section twenty- eight. His residence is in Preston at the present writing.

Martin Newcomb, of Ireland, came here from Illinois and bought a farm in section nine, and there he yet lives.

Gibson Essington, of Ohio, came here from Indiana, aud his land was in section thirty-one. Whitney Jewell, of New York, came from Jeffer-

son county, Wisconsin, and got a place in section thirty-one, where he remained about eighteen months and sold out and moved to Pine Island.

Valentine Woodburn, of Pennsylvania, came and secured a home in section nineteen. In 1861, he enlisted in the Third Minnesota Regiment, Company C, and was killed at the battle of Mur- freesboro, on the 4th of October, 1863.

William H. Shipton came here from Pennsyl- vania, and he may still be found in section twenty- nine.

James Earley, from the "Old Dominion," came from Ohio, where he had been living, and planted himself in section nineteen, where he still thrives.

Another among the earliest settlers was J. T. Mulvihill, who came at an early day and located in the northeastern part of the town, where he yet remains.

P. J. O'Shaughnessy came about the same time and pre-empted a claim adjoining Mulvihill's, where he lives yet.

Patrick Mangan was among the first to put in an appearance, and located on section ten. He afterwards sold out his claim there and secured another on section twenty-four, where he still lives.

D. D. Farrell and father arrived in 1855, and pre-empted a claim upon section three.

EARLY EVENTS.

Susan C., daughter of Gibson and Sarah A. Essington, was born on the 15th of November, 1857. She married Cassius Wilson, and now lives in Grant County, Dakota.

Euphemia, daughter of William and Sarah Nor- man, was born in February, 1857.

John Hagerty and Malvina Winslow were mar- ried on the 7th of November, 1855.

James Watson and Sarah A. Maus were united in marriage on the 7th of December, 1856.

Caroline, daughter of Henry and Louise Wins- low, died in January, 1855, at the age of fifteen years.

Avery Kinney, who arrived in town three days before, received his final summons in April, 1855.

POLITICAL.

As with other subdivisions of the county, this town was organized in 1858, the first town meeting being held at the house of Edward Cummings on the 11th of May. The judges of the first election were, Thomas Watson, J. L. Bolles, and Hiram

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Johnson; Clerks, J. W. Hagerty and Martin Mul- roy. The following were declared elected by the judges, and all served, to-wit: Supervisors, Thom- as Watson, Chairman, H. T. Trumbull, and James Healy; Clerk, Hiram Johnson; Collector, S. F. Stilson; Assessor, P. McCabe; Overseer of the Poor, Jacob Hostetler; Constables, James Watson and R. W. Staplin.

The board then proceeded t > dispose of such business as should come before them, dividing the township into four road districts and appointing road masters. They also passed a resolution to the effect that the next meeting of the board would be held at the residence of James Healy.

On the 29th of August, 1864, a special town meeting was held for the purpose of raising a bounty for volunteers to fill the town quota, and after some discussion, a bounty of $300 was voted to every man who should volunteer and serve, under the President's call for 500,000 men.

The officers for 1882, are as follows: Supervis- ors, E. G. Bolles, Chairman, Alonzo Barber, and John Johnson; Treasurer, M. G. Kelley ; Clerk, A. W. Powers; Assessor, Patrick Mangan; Justice of the Peace, E. F. Mehrhood; Constable, William Herniman.

EDUCATIONAL.

DISTRICT NO. 75 .-- An organization of this dis- trict was eflected in 1856, and a schoolhouse put up the second year, on H. H. Winslow's land, in section eight, which served until 1868, when the house now standing was erected. Miss Jane Kinney was the first teacher in the old house, while Thomas Fitch inaugurated the new one.

DISTRICT No 76 .- In 1861, this district was or- ganized and a building bough' of Jerry O'Brien for $100, which was on section twenty, but moved to section sixteen in 1866, and that was used up to 1880, when the new schoolhouse was constructed and the old one serves as a woodshed. This build- ing cost $300. Miss Lucretia Bilger was the first teacher in this district, and Miss Annie in the new building.

DISTRICT NO. 77 .- In 1857, the district was formed, and a house built of logs furnished by the settlers who arranged a "bee" and put them to- gether. John Utley started the first school and at the end of the third week Henry Lockwood took charge and finished the term. This served the district up to 1872, when the house was burned, and then the new house was built on the old site

in section twenty, and the school business started by Miss Lizzie J. Sharpe.

DISTROT No. 80 .- This was organized in 1860, and a log house got up that summer. In the win- ter a school was taught by Mrs. J. S. Hanley. This building was 22x26 feet, erected by volunteer work and material, except windows and furniture, and it answered until the new house was built in 1878, at a cost of about $700, on the old lot in sec- tion seven. Miss Blanch Cartlich had the honor of being the first instructor in the new house.

DISTRICT No. 161 .- Was set off in 1868, and two terms of school were taught in the house of James A. Scott, Miss Ida Barber presiding over the exercises. In 1870, the schoolhouse was erected on section four at an expense of $260, and this still serves as a school building for the district.

DISTRICT No. 74 .- This is the district embracing the village of Fountain and surrounding territory. The district was organized about 1857, and a school was taught that year in a private house. Later in the same year a log house was erected in section fifteen, south of town, which served as a schoolhouse until 1873, having been moved several times. In 1873, the present neat house was erected at a cost of about $800, in the village, and has since been greatly improved, the size being 48x64 feet, and the district employs two teachers. The first teacher was Miss Carrie Wall. The pres- ent officers are: Director, D. D. Farrell; Treasurer, P. J. O'Shaughnessy; Clerk, A. C. Case.

DISTRICT No. 78 .- This district was organized in 1857, and a log schoolhouse was rolled together by subscription without tax, in the summer of that year. The first school was taught immediately after the completion of the schoolhouse, by Abra- ham Sheldon. The house now in use by the dis- trict is located in the northeastern corner of section thirty-three.

DISTRICT No. 79 .- Was organized at an early day, and a log schoolhouse erected by subscrip- tion. The first school was taught by Mra. Gates in the log house. The present house belonging to the district is situated in the central part of sec- tion twenty-five, and Miss Alice Redmon is the teacher.

RELIGIOUS.

PROTESTANT METHODIST .-- Rev. George J. Steph- enson, in 1855, preached in the house of Hosmer H. Winslow, in section five, and afterwards in

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Theodore Trumbull's residence, in the same sec- tion. In 1856, Rev. Stephen Jones, from Chat- field preached at Mr. Trumbull's, and the next summer organized a society, and meetings were held in several places in the neighborhood, and afterwards in the schoolhouse No. 75. He con- tinued preaching here until 1877, except one year when Rev. Caleb Austin officiated. Since 1878, the meetings have been discontinued. Elder Stephen Jones and Rev. Alonzo Hitchcock preached in the schoolhouse in district No. 80, soon after it was built.

Elder Jones was a man of whom more than a passing notice should be given. He was an apos- tolic kind of a preacher, who was always ready to minister to any flock, when there was a prospect of doing good, and this he did without hope of fee or reward. He was the father of John R. Jones, of Chatfield, and was highly respected over a wide range of territory, a more extended notice of him appears on page 534 of this work.

SPIRITUALISTS .- This denomination has held meetings in Watson's Creek schoolhouse, and at the house of Chester Clark. Miss Ella Arnold, Alonzo Barber and others were the speakers.

ROMAN CATHOLIC .- The first mass was said at the residence of James Mulroy in July, 1856, by Rev. Father Kinsley, and afterwards services were held in various houses until the church was built.

UNITED BRETHREN .- This denomination organ- ized a society at the schoolhouse in district No. 77, in 1879. Robert Shipton was the class leader, and there were eleven members. Meetings are held fortnightly. They now meet in the vil- lage of Wykoff.

At an early day several denominations held ser- vices in the schoolhouse in district No. 77; among them Elder Jones, Rev. Mr. Terwilliger, Rev. Mr. Kieble, Rev. Mr. Armstrong, and Rev. Mr. Wilson.

Elder Jones preached in the grove north of Big Spring early in 1857, and he was followed by Elder Hitchcock.

CRYSTAL FOUNT TEMPLE.

A literary society bearing; this name was organ- ized at the Winslow schoolhouse in 1875, with the help of Mrs. Stowe, of Preston, and there were thirty-two charter members including the juveniles, which was increased to fifty. A fine library was secured by subscription, and kept at the school- house. There were public exercises of a literary character, and prizes for composition and decla-

mation. The last meeting was held on the 19th of April, 1879. It was a valuable institution while it lasted.

POST-OFFICE.

A Post-office was established in the last half of the sixties. A petition for an office was circulated by G. Essington, which was favorably considered, and J. V. Sharpe received the commission. The office was opened at his house and kept until he moved away in 1871, then Chester Clark took it. T. Wallrod is the present incumbent of the office, and it is located on section thirty, where it has been from the beginning. At first the mail came on the route between Leroy and Chatfield. It is now taken down from Wykoff once a week.

MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.

The manufacturing interests of the town are confined to local work, and until 1880, there were none in the town.

MARBLE WORKS .- This institution was estab- lished in May, 1882, by C. S. Powers, and is located on Second street, in the village of Foun- tain. The works are run in metropolitan style and turn out neat and tasty work, the proprietor being an experienced artist.

SORGHUM MILES .- The Winslow brothers estab- lished an amber cane mill in 1880, and succeeded in boiling down 2,000 gallons of syrup the first year and 3,000 the next. This is an important manufacturing establishment.

A sorghum mill was also established in 1880 by O. H. Case, who ran it for one season and sold the establisment to Barber & Sandford who still oper- ate it. The mill is one mile and a half north of Fountain.

The Watson Sorghum mill was established about the same time as the others, by James Watson, on Watson Creek, and is now run by him. It has the reputation of being an excellent mill.

The Kemple Sorghum mill is located about three miles and a half south of Fountain. It was estab- lished in 1881, by Charles Kemple, who still runs it.

FOUNTAIN VILLAGE.

This village is the only one in Fountain town- ship, and takes its name from the town in which it is located. It is on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad, and is quite a central point for farmers as a grain market. There is one objec-

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tion to the location of the town, in the fact that it is impossible to reach water by well digging, there being not a well in the village, and water is ob- tained from the Big Springs in the eastern part of section four, about one mile from the village. A project is now on foot to have a supply of water carried from these springs in pipes, by hydraulic pressure.

EARLY SETTLEMENT .- The land upon which the village of Fountain now stands was first taken by a company of speculators, who held it for a few months. The first actual settler upon the land was Patrick Mangan, who arrived early in the fifties and commenced improvements, building a log hut ou section ten, south of the present site of the village.

When the Southern Minnesota Railroad Com- pany began pushing their line into Fillmore county, a townsite company was formed between H. W. Holley, D. J. Cameron, and Mr. Wykoff, and the interest in the land was purchased of Pat- rick Mangan. This was in 1870, and when the railroad passed through the place in November, the village was platted and recorded by the above mentioned firm. The name of the village was de- rived from the same source as that of the town- the Fountain spring in section four.

The first building erected for business purposes was put up in the summer of 1869, when the rail- road grading commenced, by John Dahl, who came from Lanesboro, and put in a stock of what was termed "forty-rod poison" by the men who were obliged to use it. The building is now 8 part of Mr. Kelley's store.

The Arkle brothers were the first to go into general merchandise trade. They put up a build- ing shortly after Dahl's was completed, and placed a stock of general merchandise upon the shelves. They afterwards failed, and A. Benson is now run- ning a saloon in the building erected by them.

D. Wilson arrived shortly after and put up a restaurant, which he afterwards ran as a tavern. Patrick Ferris put up and is still running a hotel in the village. In 1872, a fire destroyed the greater portion of the business part of the town, but it has been rebuilt and the traces of the catas- trophe obliterated.

J. P. Tibbetts put in the first drug store, and it is running yet.

D. D. Farrell shipped in lumber on the first freight train, and put up a hotel opposite the Case

House; but only run it as a hotel for one or two weeks. Mr. Farrell afterwards erected five build- ings in Fountain.

A statement of what the village now has would read somewhat like this: Four general merchan- dise stores, one tea store, five saloons, one drug store, three blacksmith shops, one boot and shoe store, two hotels, one furniture store, marble works, newspaper, harness shop, one hardware store, a wagon shop, and the residences.

POLITICAL .- The village of Fountain was incor- porated by an act of the Legislature passed in 1876, and Patrick Ferris and D. D. Farrell were appointed judges of the first election. The first village meeting was held upon the 14th of April, 1876, and the following officers elected: Council, A. Ferguson, President, J. W. Reedy, H. Thomp- son, and A. Benson; Treasurer, W. R. Ellsworth; Recorder, A. W. Powers; Marshal, D. D. Driscoll; Justice of the Peace, O. H. Case.

At the meeting in the spring of 1882, the follow- ing officers were elected: Council, A. C. Case, President, M. G. Kelly, Daniel Culhane, and Wil- liam Welch; Recorder, W. C. Garratt; Treasurer, R. C. Bellus; Marshal, William A. Herniman; Justice of the Peace, A. W. Powers. Meetings of the councill are now held at the Recorder's office.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

JACOB ANNIS was born in Washington county, Indiana, in 1828, where he grew to manhood on a farm and received a common school education. In May, 1854, he removed to Minnesota and loca- ted in Fountain, in sections twenty-seven and thirty-four, where he still resides, having one hun- dred and twenty-three acres of land. He was married in St. Joseph county, Indiana, to Miss Margaret Jane Watson, who was born in 1827. They have nine children; James, Nancy, Hattie, Lydia, Sarah, Adaline, William, Elmira, and Harvey.

J. W. ARNOLD was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, in 1823, and grew to manhood there. He was reared on a farm and received a common school education. He was married in 1851, to Misa Marriet M. Hyde, a native of the above State, born in 1827. In the spring of 1858, he removed to Eyota, Olmsted county, Minnesota, where he engaged in farming until the fall of 1862, when he came to this county and located in Fountain township, on section twenty-six, where he still re- sides. He is the father of six children, five of

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History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 104

Author: Edward D. Neill Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: Edward D. Neill
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: