History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 62

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

USA > Minnesota > Fillmore County > History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota > Part 62

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HYPOTHETICAL CITY.

During the early days of colonizing the Root River valley, when there was a steady oncoming tide of people, mostly from the East, the mania for surveying and platting cities was epidemic all along this frontier, and so a city was projected on sections twenty-five and twenty-six, on the banks of the Root River. It was laid out in the most charming way, and given the rich and original name of Wassonia, a compound of an Indian sylla- ble and its ante-penultinates of English origin. The charts that were issued to secure the sale of lots were in a high style of art, the streets and squares, avenues and parks, boulevards and public grounds, were magnificently portrayed. Mills, schoolhouses, churches, and hotels were located at eligible points. A steamboat landing was repre- sented, with a steamer at the wharf, and the con- comitants of metropolitan life and splendor were exhibited. Of course the lots were sold to eastern men and the title duly conveyed, but they have long since been sold for taxes.

POLITICAL.

This town started on its career as an independ- ent organization on the 1st of April, 1860. The meeting was at the residence of Isaac Jackson. Rushford, at first, was included in the organization, and Lars Thompson in this part of territory, was the first Chairman of the Supervisors. The name of the town was given by Mr. Jackson in honor of a Norway locality.

At the first meeting there were twenty-seven votes cast. Lewis Peterson was clerk of the elec- tion, and Lars Thompson, Nels Gullickson, and Knud Thorwaldson were the Judges. Lars Thomp- son, Even Olson, and Halver Olson were elected

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Supervisors; Lewis Peterson was the first Clerk. D. McConochie, Superintendent of schools; Isaac Jackson and Duncan McConochie, Justices of the Peace; Nels Gullickson and Andrew O. Olne- stad, Constables; Knud Thorwaldson, Assessor, and Christian Johnson, Treasurer.

The better class of men have filled the town offices from time to time, and its affairs have been well managed.

PRESENT OFFICERS. - Supervisors, Alexander Ferguson, Chairman, M. O. Olnestad, and P. S. Wangsnes; Clerk, N. K. Boyum; Assessor, John Benston; Treasurer, Jacob Jackson; Justices of the Peace, N. K. Boyum and D. Currie; Constables, P. P. Highum and John Iverson.

SCHOOLS.

The first school in town was in the Norsk lan- guage, and was taught by A. E. Boyum, in pri- vate houses in the winter of 1857 and '58. The first school in English was taught in District No. 36, as is claimed.

DISTRICT No. 35 .- The earliest school taught in this district was in a log church by Miss Christina Thompson, since married to A. Anderson. In 1867, the present frame building was put up. The room is furnished with a set of maps, globes, and other apparatus, and there is school kept for five or six months in a year.

DISTRICT No. 164 .- In 1872, the stone school- house was built at a cost of $500. It is 17x23 feet, and has the regular educational parapher- nalia. Mr. Robert W. Butler was the first to de- mand of the assembled scholars "attention," and to break in the new schoolhouse.

DISTRICT No. 36 .- This district was early or- ganized, and in 1862, & log edifice, 18x22, was rolled up and served the purpose until 1873, when the present structure was erected, which is 20x34 feet, and painted white. It has a set of globes, geographical and physiological maps, and charts. For several years this school has had a teacher with a first grade certificate, and the higher branches are taught.

DISTRICT No. 166 .- In this district, teaching began in the Norwegian language in 1864. The ferule was handled as an emblem of authority by Andrew O. Olnestad. In 1871, the schoolhouse was built, L. O. Olnestad being the teacher at that time. The school is supplied with modern apparatus.

CHURCHES.

EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CONGREGATION OF ARENDAHL-HAUGES SYNOD .- The first remem- bered religious exercises in the interest of this faith was by a missionary in the fall of 1856, at the residence of Ole Peterson. During that same autumn, Arne E. Boyum came here and preached a number of times as a lay preacher at various houses in the vicinity. In May, 1858, the Hauges Synod was requested to have him or- dained as the pastor of a church to be organized. In 1860, a log building, 18x34, was erected, which served until 1863, when a frame building was put up 30x40 feet, and since that it has been extended eighteen feet.

The society was not legally incorporated until the 29th of September, 1863. The earliest trus- tees were: Peter Nelson, Hans Hanson, and Albert Anderson; Clerk, Albert Anderson; Treasurer, Lars Thompson. There are about 200 communi- cants. In the summer the Sunday school is kept, with a good attendance.

LUTHERAN .- In 1857, Rev. N. E. Jensen held religious services in the house of Charles Ander- son. In 1858, the North Prairie Lutheran So- ciety was organized at the residence of Isaac Jack- son. The first trustees had Knud Thorwaldson as Chairman. The Clerk and Treasurer was Isaac Jackson. Rev. N. E. Jensen served as pastor up to the year 1869, when the Rev. M. Magnus took charge, remaining until 1876, when Rev. J. Krohn came and entered upon his duties, and still re- mains.

The church is 30x40 feet, and cost $2,500. It was constructed in 1863. About the year 1874, a tower was built from the ground, and it contains a bell weighing about 1,000 pounds, and is sur- mounted by a spire. The same year that the church was built, a lot was secured just south of it, containing ten acres, and upon this a parsonage was built at a cost, including lot, of about $3,000. Afterwards thirty-three acres more land was bought of John Currie for the use of the pastor. This was adjoining the church lot which had been donated by Mr. Currie.

CEMETERY .- In connection with the church, which has a two-acre lot, is the cemetery. Mr. I. Jackson had previously offered a lot to the society, in section four, and as the presumption was that it would be accepted, Mr. Toluf Anderson having died, was buried there, but subsequently removed

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HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY.

from that lonesome lot to where he would have more neighbors.

BLACKSMITHING.

Some time in the seventies a blacksmith shop was started near Jackson's store by Mr. Osmand G. Vedle, and it afterwards passed into the hands of Mr. J. Jackson, but is now only in operation in an intermittent way. About 1880, another shop was built near the center of section ten by L. Lar- son.

MANUFACTURING.

All the manufacturing in town is of a domestic character. Mr. Svend Thompson once had a feed mill turned by horse-power. The stones were six- teen inches in diameter, and after operating it about one year he constructed a windmill with arms fifteen feet long, overspread with canvass. Unfortunately for this poor miller he had no de- vice for keeping it to the wind in an automatical way, but had to climb up to adjust it by means of a lever, and a like journey had to be taken to either start or stop this erratic engine. In at- tempting to stop the affair one windy day, he was knocked off, as is presumed, as he was found at the base of the mill with his skull crushed. The mill- stones were sold to Lars Myre, who run them for a time, but they were finally transferred to a mill at Peterson.

POST-OFFICE.

The Post-office in town was established in March, 1861. Isaac Jacobson was the Postmaster, and the office was opened at his house on section ten. In 1872, it was removed to the store kept by J. Jackson, and Mr. N. W. Jager was ap- pointed Postmaster. In March, 1874, Mr. Jager sold his interest in the store to his partner, Mr. Jackson, who became Postmaster, and still retains the office.

STORE.

The first store in Arendahl was opened by John Jackson, brother of the present proprietor, in 1865 at his father's residence. He kept a small stock of goods but had considerable patronage. In about one year the store was closed out. J. Jackson began merchandising with a small stock of goods, about $600 worth, near his present store. In 1871, he took N. W. Jager as a partner, and they bought out R. K. Rolefson who had just opened a stock of goods near the Lutheran church. The building

was then moved to its present position on section nine. In March, 1874, Mr. Jager sold his interest to Jackson, who sold to his father, Isaac Jackson, some time during the year. In 1881, J. Jackson again secured possession and he is still the pro- prietor. He keeps a general stock of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, ready-made clothing, fancy goods and notions, with cigars, tobacco, patent medicines, etc., and receives a liberal pat- ronage.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

ANDREW ELLINGSON BOTHUM, deceased, was born on the 4th of March, 1834, in Norway. He came to America with his brother when nineteen years old and settled in Wisconsin, where he mar- ried Miss Betsey Truson in 1856. In 1860, be came to Minnesota and bought a farm in section thirty-one, Arendahl township, where he resided until his death, which occurred the 9th of Decem- ber, 1881. He left a family of nine children; Elling E., Randi, Andrew, Mons, Erick, Caroline, Theodore, Albert, Edward M., and Bertha M. Two died in infancy. Elling E. was born in Wis- consin on the 14th of February, 1857. He came with his parents to this township and has since made it his home.

REV. ARNE E. BOYUM is a native of Norway, born the 7th of April, 1833; is a son of & poor farmer, but succeeded in obtaining a common school education. He left home at the age of sixteen years, working for farmers until 1853, when he emigrated to America and came directly to Dane county, Wisconsin. He was engaged a few months in farming, but spent the first winter in Marquette county, where he taught a Norsk school and began as a lay-preacher, also contin- uing his studies. In the spring of 1856, he was engaged by the Lutheran conference as a home missionary, his field including northern Iowa and southern Minnesota. He took a claim in Rush- ford in 1857, and the following year his parents joined him. On the 10th of June, 1858, Mr. Boyum was ordained, and the same year received a call to preach in the Lutheran church of this place, and also in Fayette county, Iowa. He re- tained the latter charge about four years, having organized one church in Iowa, one in Peterson, this county, and the one at Rushford. In 1859, he married Miss Anna Iverson, the ceremony tak- ing place on the 25th of July. Mr. Boyum has been president of the Hauges Synod of the Luth-

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eran denomination since 1876. This synod includes ninety-eight societies, forty church edifices, twenty-four ministers, and over 6,000 members. Mr. and Mrs. Boyum have a family of ten children.

OLE E. BOYUM was born in Norway on the 10th of February, 1846. He came with his parents to Dane county, Wisconsin, when ten years old, and to Rushford in 1857. In 1862, the three brothers, Arne, Sevath, and Ole purchased a tract of land in Arendahl township. Ole was united in marriage with Miss Anna Johnson in 1866, and resided in section fifteen until 1870, when he bought a farm of Halvor Johnson, in section eleven. Mr. Boyum is one of the leading and most influential men of the place; represented this district in the State Legislature in 1876, and has held nearly all the local offices, and served one term as County Commissioner. He is also a mem- ber and officer in the Lutheran church. His brother, S. E. Boyum, resided in section fourteen in this place until 1879, when he moved to Rush- ford and engaged in a general mercantile store. In 1881, he sold out and went to Traill county. Dakota, where he owns a farm and hardware store,

JOHN BENSTON, a native of Norway, was born on the 12th of August, 1820. He emigrated to America in 1849, arriving in Waukesha, Wiscon- sin, in July, but soon after removed to Marquette county, where he was among the first settlers. The Indians were quite numerous in that section at the time, but were friendly. Mr. Benston was joined in matrimony with Miss Ingar Nelson, of Norway, on the 10th of March, 1855. The union has been blessed with nine children, five of whom are living. They came to this township in the spring of 1865, purchased a farm upon which they lived ten years, then moved to their present home in section thirty-three. Since coming here Mr. Benston has filled the office of Supervisor two years, being Chairman a portion of the time, and for the past ten years has been Assessor.

HANS MARKUSEN BERGE was born in Norway in November, 1830. He came to America in 1855, landing in New York on the 4th of July, and pro- ceeded thence to Madison, Wisconsin, where he remained two years. In February, 1857, he mar- ried Miss Botilda Anderson. They moved to this place in 1860, and bought a farm in section twenty-one where they still live, having since added to their first purchase. Mr. Berge was the

first school clerk in this district, and the first school was held at his house. He has also filled the office of Supervisor. His children are Markus H., Andrew H., and Mary H. His brother, Ole, came to this place a year later than himself, and located in section twenty-one, but died in August, 1878.

JOHN CURRIE, deceased, was born in Upper Can- ada on the 2d of March, 1831. When young he learned the miller's trade of his father, and in 1854, came to Minnesota. He selected a claim in Fremont, Winona county, for his father who came the following year. John then pre-empted land in Arendahl township in sections eight and eigh- teen upon which he made improvements. He re- sided with his father in Fremont, where he was the first Town Clerk and first Justice of the Peace, until coming here in 1862. In the latter year he was married to Miss Esther Erwin, the cere- mony taking place the 29th of May. They came directly to his farm and erected a frame building in which they lived one year, and which is now used for a granary. Mr. Currie was one of the leading men of this place, assisting in all matters of public interest, and held nearly all the local offices; was a member and officer of the Presby- terian Church for seven years. He visited Sparta, Wisconsin, in search of health, and two days after returning (on the 8th of October, 1872, ) died, leaving a wife and five children, the oldest a boy of ten years. Mrs. Currie has, since her husband's death, carried on the farm, and is endeavoring to give her children a good education.

DANIEL CURRIE is a native of Upper Canada, born the 10th of April, 1847. At the age of nine years he came with his parents to Winona county, locating in Fremont. His parents both died when Daniel was in his eighteenth year, and he carried on the homestead for two years. Then came to this township and purchased two hundred and forty acres, upon which he now lives. In 1870, he married Miss Christia Randall, daughter of James A. Randall, one of the first settlers in Fre- mont, Winona county. Mr. Currie held the office of Justice of the Peace and Town Clerk five years in succession; then resigned, and was elected to the State Legislature. After the expiration of his term he was elected Justice of the Peace, which office he now holds. He is extensively en- gaged in stock raising, having choice herds of Berkshire and Poland China hogs, Cotswold sheep, and Short Horn cattle.

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OLE ELLINGSON is a native of Norway, born the 9th of January, 1814. He resided with his par- ents on a farm until coming to America in 1847. Before leaving he was married to Miss Anna Mal- land, the ceremony dating the 16th of June, 1836. They first located in Boone county, Illinois, and in 1866, came to Pilot Mound and purchased a farm. Three years later they moved to this township and purchased a farm in sections thirty-two and thirty- three. Of eight children, the result of his mar- riage, five are living, and two still at home. Three daughters are married and live in Pilot Mound.

JOHN C. FERGUSON was born in Upper Canada on the 14th of October, 1833. He came to Minne- sota in the spring of 1856, locating in Fremont, Winona county. The following year he purchased a farm in this township, and lived with his brother- in-law until the arrival of his parent in 1862. In October, 1872, he was united in marriage with Miss Isabella Scott, of Canada. She died on the 10th of January, 1878, leaving two children, a boy and a girl. Mr. Ferguson filled the office of As- Bessor several terms in an early day.

PETER P. HIGHUM is a son of P. Peterson, and was born in Norway on the 18th of November, 1849. He came to America with his father in 1855. They located in Columbia county, Wiscon- sin, and in 1860, the family came to Arendahl township and settled on a farm in sections nine and ten, where the parents now live. Peter pur- chased land in section twelve in 1873. He was married in 1876, to Miss Anna Anderson, who has borne him four children. Mr. Highum is at pres- ent filling the office of Constable.

JACOB JACKSON, a native of Norway, was born on the 10th of August, 1839. When he was but five years old he came with his parents to Dane county, Wisconsin, and a few years later moved to a farm near Madison. In 1856, the family came to this place and purchased land in sections nine and ten. Jacob was married in 1860, to Miss Susan Amundson. He bought a portion of his father's farm and makes it his home. In 1867, he opened a stock of dry goods at his residence, and soon after erected his present store, in which the Post-office is located, he being Postmaster. For the past three years he has held the office of Town Treasurer.

THORE KNUDSON JUTLAND was born in Nor- way on the 15th of December, 1812. He was married at the age of nineteen years to Miss

Bertha M. Johnson. They came to America in 1855, located near Decorah, Iowa, where his wife died. In October of the following year he moved to this township, and during the first winter suf- fered many hardships, being obliged to carry his wood on his back, grind corn in a coffee mill, etc. After coming here he married Miss Betsey John- son, who died in 1865. The maiden name of his present wife was Julia Anderson, whom he married in August, 1866. She came to Illinois with her parents in 1861, and to Fillmore county iu 1866. Mr. Jutland has a family of four children, Owen, Knud, Bertha S., and Caroline.

REV. JENS KROHN, a native of Norway, was born on the 30th of July, 1834. He came to America in 1861, and entered the Concordia Col- lege in St. Louis, from which he graduated in 1863. He received a call from a Lutheran church in Chicago, where he remained a number of years. Since 1876, he has been pastor of the church in this place.

LARS KNUDSON was born in Norway, on the 11th of April, 1844. He came to America when he was twenty-one years old, and located in this township where he has since lived. On the 20th of January, 1869, he was married to Mrs. Betsey Johnson, who has borne him three children.

TOLOF OLSON, a native of Norway, was born on the 12th of December, 1830. He came to America in 1853, and located in Wisconsin, but a few months later removed to Winneshiek county, Iowa, where his father still lives. In 1860, Mr. Olson was married to Miss Betsey Mikkelsen. They moved to Fillmore county the following year, locating in Norway, where they remained until 1878, then came to their present farm. Their children are Julia, Olaus, Betsey, Helena, Caroline, Otenus, Torlef, Holver, and Ole.

TORBIN OMUNDSON was born in Norway on the 3d of January, 1831. He was married in 1859, to Miss Helga Hanson. The union has been blessed with three children. They came to America in 1865, and directly to Minnesota, locating in Aren- dahl township.

EVEN OLSON REISHUS, one of the pioneers of this county, and the second settler in Rushford, is a native of Norway, born in April, 1822. He was reared to agricultural pursuits, and also learned the blacksmith trade, coming to America in 1848. After living in Dane county, Wisconsin, a few years, he settled in Rushford in 1854, and re-

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mained two years. While there he married Miss Anna Anderson. They came to this township in 1856, and purchased land, but lived with Mrs. Olson's father, who was the first settler in the place. Mr. Olson was one of the first Supervisors and helped to organize the town. He has a family of eleven children.

LARS THOMPSON, who is among the pioneers of this town, dates his birth in Norway on the 25th of March, 1834. He came to America with his purents in 1846, and lived a few years in Racine and Winnebago counties, Wisconsin. In 1855, he came to Arendahl township with a party of emi- grants who located farms, Mr. Thompson's being in section fourteen. He was joined in matrimony on the 13th of November, 1859, with Miss Betsey Anderson, the fruits of which union are eight children living and one deceased. Mr. Thompson was one of the first Supervisors, and has since beld different offices of trust. He was drafted during the rebellion, but excused by reason of a feeble constitution.

SVEND THOMPSON-HUSTOFT, deceased, who was among the first to locate in the township, was a native of Norway, his birth dating the 16th of June, 1808. He learned the blacksmith trade when young, and in 1846, emigrated to America and first settled in Racine county, Wisconsin. Two years later he moved to Winnebago county and resided until the fall of 1855, when he came to Arendahl and located a farm in section thir- teen, bringing his family the following summer. In 1864, he made a visit to his native Norway, and returned about a year later accompanied by his two brothers, Knud and Torbjorn, and a sister, the latter of whom died in 1866. Mr. Thompson was fatally injured on the 14th of September, 1877, by falling from a wind-mill; his death oc-

curred twenty hours after the accident. His widow resides with her son Andrew.

ANDREW THOMPSON was born in Winnebago county, Wisconsin, on the 18th of January, 1849. He came with his parents to this place in 1856, and has since made it his home. Miss Mary Olson became his wife on the 18th of March, 1872. They have four children. In 1870, the old home- stead was divided between him and his brother Frederick, Andrew taking that portion where the old dwelling was.

FREDERICK EDMUND THOMPSON is also a native of Winnebago county, Wisconsin, born the 23d of March, 1851. He was married after coming to this place to Miss Helga H. Nayes, the ceremony taking place on the 2d of March, 1876. Her father, John K. Nayes, was one of the first settlers in Winnebago county, Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have three children; Alma Tobine, Anna Christina, and Flora Helen.

PETER SURSON WANGSNES is a native of Nor- way, born in November, 1829. He emigrated to America in 1844; located in Rock county, Wiscon- sin, and four years later moved to Dane county. While there he married Miss Anna Munson. They came to this township in 1866, and bought land in section eleven. Mr. Wangsnes was engaged in general mercantile business in Rush- ford a few years, but has since devoted his time to agricultural pursuits. He is a member of the Board of Supervisors. Mr. and Mrs. Wangsnes have eight children; Sure is married and lives in Rushford; Solver married R. Rolfson, who is now preparing for the ministry in the Lutheran Col- lege at Madison, Wisconsin, and John is married to Marie Reishus, and engaged in business in Rashford.

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HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY.

PILOT MOUND.

CHAPTER L.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION - PILOT MOUND - EARLY SETTLEMENT - MANUFACTURING - POLITICAL - SCHOOLS - RELIGIOUS - MERCANTILE - - PEKIN --- POST-OFFICE -- FRATERNAL ORDERS -- BIOGRAPH- ICAL.

The township bearing this name is next to the northern boundary of the county, and the third from the eastern line. Its immediate surroundings are Winona county on the north, Arendahl on the east, Carrolton on the south and Chatfield on the west. The town contains 22,995.57 acres, and is well settled with people of various nationalities, but they are honest, industrious, and intelligent from whatever part of the world they came.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.

Pilot Mound is made up of ravines and ridges. In the northern part there is prairie land with dark rich loam, further south the ridges are more nar- row and the soil is of a lighter clay, but is very productive. When first settled there was consider- able fine timber in the township, but wheat, barley, corn, and oats have taken the place of most of the grubs. A little more than two-thirds of the land is under cultivation at the present time.

There is plenty of water in the town, not how- ever evenly distributed. It may be said to be well watered, but not with well water. The north, or larger branch of the Root River goes through the lower part of the town in a tortuous course, work- ing toward the east, and its course will be briefly described. It first crosses the western line of the town into section seven, and flows south and west into section eighteen and back into Chatfield, returning into town in section nineteen, thence through section twenty it swings round into sec- tion twenty-nine and then into twenty-eight, then dips into thirty-three, and back into twenty-eight and twenty-seven, and there forms a loop involving sections twenty-seven, twenty-two, twenty-three,

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History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 62

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

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