History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 68

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 68

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LARS JENSEN was born in Norway on the 28th of February, 1818. He was married in his native place on the 25th of October, 1850, to Miss Sarine Olson Bernstad. They came to America in 1856, and settled in Iowa, where they remained until coming to this township in 1859. He purchased a farm in section twenty-five, and has since made it his home. Mr. and Mrs. Jensen have seven children, the sons are, John, who teaches school here, Ole, and Severt, the two latter residing in Montana.

OLAUS L. JAHR is a son of Lars H. Jahr, who was born in Norway, on the 12th of July, 1814. When twenty-two years old he enlisted in the army and served seven years in a cavalry regiment. He was married in 1837, to Miss Ingar Olson. On the 8th of January, 1840, Olaus was born. The family came to America in 1852, and located in

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Dane county, Wisconsin,and in 1856, moved to this township. They returned to Dane county after about two weeks, but in 1857, came to this town again and purchased a farm in section fourteen, which is still their home. Olaus enlisted in the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry in August, 1864, and served till September, 1865, partici- pating in the battles of Nashville and Mobile, and siege of Spanish Fort. Miss Martha L. Humble became the wife of Mr. Jahr in 1867. Before en- tering the army he was elected Town Treasurer, served two years, then a member of the board of Supervisors until enlisting, and has held the latter office six successive terms since his return. His wife, now deceased, was born on the 26th of August, 1848, and died on the 9th of No- vember, 1874. Their son, John Adolph, was born on the 13th of August, 1870, and died on the 1st of October of the same year.

KNUD N. MELVE was born in Norway on the 1st of December, 1831. In 1850, he came to America with his parents and settled in Dane county, Wis- consin. In the spring of 1854, he moved with his father and brother-in-law to . Winneshiek county, Iowa, and soon after to this township where they all located claims. Mr. Melve was married to Miss Margaret Haldorson in 1869. The result of the union is six children. Mr. Melve's father resides with him and is now eighty five years old. Our subject has filled the office of Justice of the Peace for several years.

REV. KRISTIAN MAGELSSEN was born in Norway in 1839, and came to America in 1864. Studied Theology in Concordia Lutheran Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri. Was ordained and began his ministerial work in New York City, afterwards in Columbia county, Wisconsin. Since 1869 he has re- sided in Fillmore county, Minnesota, during which time he has officiated as resident minister of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran congregations of Highland Prairie and Elstad.

MARTIN A. MALAND was born in Racine county, Wisconsin, on the 23d of August, 1846. His father, Austin G. Maland, was a native of Norway, born on the 2d of September, 1812. He emigrat- ed to America, arriving in Racine county, Wiscon- sin, on the 6th of September, 1842, and moved to Harmony, Fillmore county in 1857, where he died on the 2d of March, 1878. Martin was mar- ried in 1873 to Miss Susan Dumrud, the event taking place on the 8th of April. They resided

at his home one year, then moved to Norway township where he had previously bought a farm. He sold his first purchase, and in 1875, located in sections twenty-nine and thirty where he owns three hundred and twenty acres of fine farming land. Mr. Maland received a good business edu- cation and, although young, has filled many offices of trust and responsibility; he is now County Commissioner. Mrs. Maland's father, Lars O. Dumrud, was among the first to emigrate from Norway to this section of the country, coming in 1838, and first settled in Racine county, Wisconsin.

SIMON THOMPSON, deceased, was born in Nor- way in 1830, and came to America in 1852. In October of the following year he was married to Miss Julia Holverson. Four children were born to this union, Thomas, the eldest, is dead; Halver is employed as clerk in a store at Rushford; Anna resides in Chippewa county, and Caroline is married to Thomas Larson, who carries on the homestead. Mr. Thompson lived in Iowa one year, then came to this place and located in sec- tion eighteen. He died on the 23d of August, 1881, aged fifty-one years six months and fifteen days, mourned by a large circle of friends.

OLE K. J. WOLD is a son of Ole J. Wold who was born in Norway, and when eight years old en- gaged as a sailor and followed the sea until his marriage, in 1853, with Miss Olava Johnson Steens- gaard. Her father, Johan Larson, was born in Norway, and came to Wisconsin in 1853, and to this place in 1855, where he died on the 30th of July, 1878, and his wife followed the next year. Mr. and Mrs. Wold came to America soon after their marriage and located in Chicago, where he found employment on the vessels of Lake Michi- gan until moving to Looking Glass Prairie, which is situated on the dividing line between Iowa and Minnesota. While there Ole, the subject of this sketch, was born on the 17th of February, 1855. When he was about nine weeks old they came to this place. When he was twenty-four years of age he married Miss Caroline Stockland, and moved to their present farm in section thirty-one. They have one child, Carl Oscar, aged two years. Mrs. Wold's father, K. K. Stockland, was born in Norway and emigrated to Wisconsin, from which place he came here in 1854. He served in the Seventh Minnesota Infantry, but is now deceased. His widow has since been married to Thomas O. Koprud, who came here with his father in 1861,

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and settled on section twelve where he still lives. He was born on the 3d of May, 1839, about six miles from Christiania. He had a family of four children, two of whom, Charles and Caroline, re-

sided with him until their marriage, both of which took place on the same day. Charles moved to Dakota and the subject of this sketch has since carried on the farm.

HOLT.

CHAPTER LIII.

DESCRIPTIVE -- EARLY SETTLEMENT-POLITICAL OR- GANIZATION - SCHOOLS-MILLS - WHALAN VIL- LAGE -- MANUFACTURING-CHURCHES-HIGHLAND VILLAGE-BIOGRAPHICAL.

The township bearing this name is the second from the northern and eastern boundaries of Fill- more county, having as intervening towns, Aren- dahl on the north and Norway on the east, while Amherst is on the south, and Carrolton on the west.

The principal stream is the Root River, which enters the town in section eight, having previously visited section eighteen, meanders into the edge of section five, and returning, goes down to section sixteen, then north through section nine and across the southeast corner of section four into section three, where it becomingly works toward the east to swing around and flow northwest and leave the town in section two. The river is quite faithfully followed by the Southern Minnesota railroad, which confines itself to the north bank.

There is a branch of this river, of considerable pretensions during a rainy time; it comes from the middle of the eastern part of the town, and running northwest, finally reaches the main river in the northern part of the township. Another creek from the southern part flows north and empties into the river in section rine.

This is a good farming town, and is well settled.

The village of Whalan is in sections eight, nine, and sixteen, and is laid out in the form of a Greek cross.

Highland is another village in the southeast part of the township, on sections thirty-five and thirty-six.

Lanesboro also impinges upon the town, and sections six and seven of the original survey is

thrown into the town of Carrolton, thus curtailing this town of so many acres.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The first colonization in this township was in the spring of 1854, just before the opening of the land office in Brownsville, where entries of land had to be made. As near as can be learned, at the above mentioned time Mr. M. Onstine, who was then too young to make a claim himself, with his father, Michael, came and drove their stakes in section twenty-five. They had located originally in Amherst, the year before, coming from Ohio and remaining a certain time in Wisconsin, being natives, however, of Pennsylvania. The old gen- tleman passed on to the great majority on the 27th of January, 1859.

An early comer, in July, 1855, was John John- son Rodeback, who secured a location on sections fourteen and twenty-three. He was born in Nor- way on the 14th of April, 1827, and came to Du Page county, Illinois, in 1849, and two years later to La Salle county, where he bought one hundred acres of land, which he disposed of in 1854, and the next year, with ox teams, started for Minne- sota with his brother-in-law, John Ellefson, and arriving in Holt, located a claim as above men- tioned. For two years they remained together, and then divided their interests. He has since bought in section one where he still lives, a son living on the original claim. John Ellefson was born in Norway in June, 1824, and was an early settler in La Salle county, Illinois. He came, as already related, and secured lands in sections twenty-three and twenty-four where he still re- sides. Both of them are men of standing among their countrymen, and have held several offices, which they have honorably filled.

Among the early pioneers was Gilbert Holt, who settled in section thirty, and his name was after-

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wards engrafted upon the town. Early in the sev- enties be transferred himself to Dakota, where he now resides.

Mr. G. J. Onstine secured a claim in section twenty-five.

Niles Carpenter and John Russell made claims in section twenty-five about 1854. Mr. Russell has just sold his original claim and gone to Dakota. Mr. Carpenter remained about four years, when he was elected County Auditor, and removed to Preston and afterwards to Rushford, where he now resides. Mr. G. J. Onstine lived on the old place for sixteen years, when he removed to Rushford, and is now proprietor of the North- western Hotel.

During the summer of 1856, emigrants swarmed into town, and a large part of it was settled; some of them will be here mentioned.

Norman A. Graves came in upon the scene in the fall, but now he ranks as one of the oldest pioneers in the southeast part of the town. His earthly existence was inaugurated on the 15th of May, 1819. His parents subsequently removed to Ohio. He early learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked most of the time until coming west. He bought 160 acres of school land in sec- tion thirty-six, where he may be still found. Mr. Graves has been an influential man in town, and secured the organization of the school district, and the establishment of the Highland Post-office, of which he was the first Postmaster. He was the first Justice of the Peace there when the State was organized, and retained the position for several years; was County Commissioner for one year, and Superintendent of Schools while this was a sep- arate office for each town.

John Anderson arrived in June, 1856, and sur- rounded a claim in sections twenty-six and thirty- five. He came from Norway via Wisconsin, where he had sojourned nearly ten years.

Martin S. Anderson found his way here and secured tracts of land in sections twenty-three and twenty-six. He has been a leading man, a public officer and a soldier, and will be more fully men- tioned.

Knud Olson put in a personal appearance in the summer of 1856, and placed his sign manual in section twenty-three.

David Whaalahan, a characteristic son of the "Evergreen Isle," was born in county Cork, and came to Dunkirk and worked on the railroad

until coming here. His wife was Ellen McCarty. They had five children. His wife died on the 12th of July, 1881. In 1856, he wended his way up the Root River to section nine and resolutely sur- rounded a claim with $5 in his pocket, and went to work for himself and for his neighbors, and made every blow count. As showing what work will accomplish, he had at one time 1,800 acres of land, and when the railroad came he was offered $7,000 in cash for one eighty, which was rejected. John, his son, lives north of the mill in Whalan. He has been one of the leading men of the town, and is most highly respected.

Con. Desmond secured a large tract of land in section three near the river, in the spring of 1856. He was a single man, and put up a rude hut with a straw roof, put in five acres of corn, and secured a bountiful yield, and in the fall built a more comfortable residence, using some of the bark from the deserted Indian village. In about three years he secured a partner of his joys and sorrows, in the person of Miss Bridget Leary, of Caledonia. He was a native of Cork, coming to America in 1849, and here from Missouri, as above related.

Holver Kittleson was an early comer, and secured 160 acres in section one. He lived there alone till married in 1859, and started on the unknown journey on the 15th of September, 1866. He left a son, Kittle Kittleson.

Ole Mikkleson. In the fall of 1855, this hardy pioneer secured 160 acres in section one, where he still lives, having reared a fine family of child- ren.

Osman Johnson came from Rock county, Wis- consin, in 1858, and took a farm in section twenty- two. He did honorable service during the war, in the Nineteenth Wisconsin Regiment. Was in Libby prison and Andersonville. He returned, and still lives on his place.

Patrick Gribbin. This energetic son of Erin was born on St. Patrick's day, 1817, came to New York in 1832, and to Brownsville, Houston county, in 1856, and thence to Sheldon, near the head of Badger Creek, but sold out about a year after and came on to Holt, locating on sections twenty-eight and twenty-nine, where Tim Lynch now lives. In 1868, this was sold, and in company with his brother, Peter, secured the site for the mill which they put up in section twenty-one.

EARLY BIRTH .-- The first white child reported to be born in town was Thomas Johnson, on the

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29th of March, 1856, & son of John Johnson Rodeback. The first child of American parentage was Charles O. Graves, son of N. A Graves. This native Minnesotian is now Chairman of the board of Supervisors of his native town. The first Repre- sentative to the Legislature was George J. Ons- tine, now keeping a hotel at Rushford.

POLITICAL ORGANIZATION.

At first the present towns of Holt and Norway were organized together as one town and called Douglas. Whether the bluffs and ridges sug- gested to some Scotch resident the Grampian Hills, or the distinguished native American of African descent of that name, or what is more likely, the enthusiastic Stephen A. Douglas, who about that time was fighting for squatter sovereignty, was intended to be honored, it perhaps matters little at this day, particularly, as when the town was divided this name was cancelled, or rather, to be more exact, the division of the town was made in 1860, and the town of Norway created from the eastern half, a regular government township of thirty-six sections.

When the new town was set off, of course, in .equity, it would be liable for its share of the pub- lic indebtedness, so in March, 1861, a settlement wae secured and Norway paid over to the mother town her share of the liabilities, which was $2.69.

The west side of the town, in what is now Holt, was quite well settled with English speaking peo- ple, who dominated in town affairs, as the east part, which now constitutes the town of Norway, was peopled by Scandinavians.

The organization of the town of Douglas dates from the 11th of May, 1858, the time arranged by the Legislature of the new State for town organ- izations. The name of Douglas drops out of sight in 1862, which was the probable result of a law of the State forbidding that more than one town should bear the same name, as there is in this case a Douglas in Dakota county.

The officers of the first town meeting were: Chairman, G. J. Onstine; Moderator, M. Onstine, Clerk, Niles Carpenter.

The officers elected were: Supervisors, G. J. Onstine, Chairman, Patrick Gribbin, and Simon Thompson; Clerk, Niles Carpenter; Collector, John Russell; Overseers of Highways and Bridges, John Peace, N. A. Graves, and Andrew S. Byholt; Over- seer of the Poor, H. M. Onstine; Constables, John

Russell and Ellert Ellerston. The Judges of Election were G. J. Onstine and John Russell.

The administration of town affairs from that time to this, has been of a commendable charac- ter.

The officers of the town elected on the 14th of March, 1882, are as follows: Supervisors, Charles O. Graves, Chairman, Olaf O. Lee, and Andrew Larson; Town Clerk, A. Backman; Treasurer, John Streeter; Assessor, M. S. Anderson; Justices of the Peace, M. F. Terwilliger and Michael Lynch; Constable, Mons Anderson.

SCHOOLS.

At first the town was divided into four school districts, each representing a quarter of the terri- tory. In 1871, a new district was formed, and ac- cording to the county rule it became No. 167, which represented the whole number of schools in the county at that date. This new district was. taken in part from No. 32 and partly from No. 33, and was located in the south part of the town.

DISTRICT No. 32 .- The location of the school house is on section twenty-five. The district em- braces the southeast corner of the town and was the first organized. In the winter of 1857, Mr. N. A. Graves carried the petition for the establish- meut of the district to Preston on snow shoes. The following spring a log house was put up by vol- untary subscriptions of material and work. At the first school about forty pupils got together in the 18x20 building. The first to wield the rod of authority being Helen Chambers. About ten years afterwards a frame building was constructed and still remains.

DISTRICT No. 72 .- This is the Whalan Village School, and was commenced soon after the mill was put in operation, in a shanty just east of Dyer's store, Miss Julia O'Brien was the earliest instructor. In 1870, the present building was erected, it is a frame structure, 28x38 feet, with a cupola and bell, patent seats, globes, maps and other modern paraphernalia, to assist in mental development. The cost of the building was $1,200. The first teacher here was Miss P. Reppey. There are about fifty scholars in attendance now.

DISTRICT No. 34 .- The school thus designated embraces the north east corner of the town. Late in the sixties this district was created, and Miss Delia Adams undertook to teach mental archery in the house of Holver Kittleson. Ater a while a log house, 14x18 feet, was built, mostly by sub-

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scription. Mr. D. Adams was one of the first trus- teeb.

DISTRICT No. 167 .- As already stated this dis- triet was ushered into existence in 1871. The school house was of logs and was sided over. Anton Cleaver was the architect and builder. The first teacher was John Quinn.

DISTRICT No. 33 .- The location of the school- house is on section twenty-nine, and it accomo- dates the pupils in the southwest part of the town. The first building was a subscription one of logs. In 1877, a good frame building with a cupola, modern seats, and educational appliances was supplied. The dimensions of the building are 20x30 feet, with a front hall 10x10 feet. The cost was $800.

GRIBBIN'S MILL.

In 1868, this mill was constructed; it is located in section twenty-one and is of stone, forty feet square, and is driven by water which turns a tur- bine wheel. The mill contained two run of stones and worked through about eighty bushels a day, It had bolting apparatus and made excellent flour. This mill was struck by the western fever in 1880, and the old machinery was taken out and con- signed to Moody county, Dakota. It was built by Peter & Patrick Gribbin who were equal part- ners. In 1869, Patrick gave his share to his son James, and the mill was thus run until 1880, when James sold to his partner Peter. After the ma- chinery was removed Patrick bought the land and re naining property. Peter Gribbin followed the machinery west.

AMBER CANE.

This interest began to receive attention in quite an extensive way in 1879, when G. W. Shattuck sent for some seed, and dividing with his neighbors planted a number of acres and produced 1,200 gallons of syrup. The Shattuck Brothers bought & "Great Western mill" and a "Cook evaporator," and the second year produced about 1,600 gallons of good syrup. In 1881, a larger mill was pro- cnred and an evaporating pan sixteen feet long, and 2,000 gallons were made. There are one or two other mills in town.

WHALAN VILLAGE.

The village is for the most part in section nine, although, being in the form of a Greek cross, one of the arms extends west into section eight and one south into section sixteen. The land where the

village is located was originally owned by Mr. John Whaalahan, as he spelled his name, and still does, but usage dropped the redundant a's and an h, and it became Whalan. The land was pre- sented to the railroad company on condition of having a station here, and that, of the village lots, Mr. Whaahalan should have every twentieth.

The first house was built the season that the railroad reached this point, in 1868, by J. D. Cam- eron. Its location was opposite where Dyer's store now is, and was kept as a hotel for a year or so, then as a warehouse for grain, but is now fitted up and used as a tenement.

The same season a store was opened by Carr & Smith. In the course of a year or two Smith sold out to Carr, and in 1871, he sold to Mr. A. Ward, who kept it until his death in the spring of 1879, and the establishment is now managed by his wife.

During that season the hotel was erected by Canfield & Crowl, the former being a brother of the present proprietor. After one or two changes of proprietorship it fell into the hands of Nelson Canfield, the present owner.

Whalan is a village corporation, coming into existence in March, 1876.

The first officers were: President, John Rns- sell; Clerk, Andrew Backman; Treasurer, Page Downing; Council, G. H. Dyer, Andrew Hanson, and George Downing.

The present officers are: President, G. H. Dyer; Clerk, A. Backman; Treasurer, D. F. Jones; Council, N. Canfield, C. Nelson, and John Streeter.

MANUFACTURING.

THE STONE MILL .- This is located about a half mile east of the village, on section sixteen, and was built by J. F. & H. Walker in the spring of 1868, the site of the mill being donated by Mr. D. Whaalahan, Sr. It is of stone, and 30x40 feet; it has a basement and one and one-half stories, and was completed in the fall of 1868. It contained a single run of stones, with separators, bolts, etc. In the fall of 1870, it was burned, leaving the walls, however, in good condition

Mr. J. F. Walker had, the year before, sold his interest to his brother, who had in turn sold to Mr. Guthwright, who had made only a partial payment, and when it was burned his interest re- verted to Mr. Walker. The mill was again roofed in, and two years later it was sold to the present owner and former partner, J. F. Walker, who fin-

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ished repairing the mill, put in two run of stones, with rolls, Eureka smutter, corn sheller, and other improvements, giving it the ability to deliver fifty bushels a day. The power is from a fall of twenty- eight feet, which realizes thirty horse-power, de- livered by a Lafelle turbine wheel.

WHATAN MILLS .- This mill was put up in 1870, by Onstine, Jones & Co. It is two and a half stories with a basement. Two years later it was sold to Williams, Fall & Co., and it is now owned and operated by Williams, Cargill & Fall, and superintended by William F. Nelson, who was at one time a part owner. In 1881, the great milling revolution overtook this mill, and it was trans- formed into a first-class roller mill, on the Hun- garian plan, capable of producing 150 barrels of flour a day. It has eleven sets of rolls and two run of stones, with corresponding machinery, ap- pliances, and fixtures to secure the best results known to the present science and art of milling.

Mr. Williams is one of the earliest millers in the' State, and the other partners are thoroughly prac- tical, each in his own department. The power is from the Root River, that very Prince of water- power streams, and there is sufficient right here, to run a second mill of like capacity.

BLACKSMITHING .-- The first son of Vulcan to manipulate the glowing iron was Louis Anderson who erected his forge opposite the harness shop. After hammering away for three years, he sold to Cornelious Nelson who razed the institution to the ground, and built a residence which he still occu- pies.

Soon after the first shop was started another ·building was put up and a second fire kindled by Olson & Russell. In 1876, this was purchased by Andrew Hanson who kept the fire burning, and the anvil ringing for three years on that side of the street, when it got over on the other side where it still is, welded to the interests of the village.

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History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 68

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

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