History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 86

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 86

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ALONZO DANIELS is a native of Wayne county, New York, where he was born on the 13th of July, 1832. He removed with his parents to Onondago county, when thirteen years old. In the fall of 1855, he came to Spring Prairie, Walworth county, Wisconsin, and the following spring to Fillmore county, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of his present farm, but did not settle permanently till the spring of 1858. Mrs. Daniels was for-

merly Miss Flavia Merrick, daughter of Rhoderick Merrick, one of the earliest settlers of Spring Prairie. They have four children, Albert H. Rhoderick W., Herbert Alonzo, and Nora S. Mr. Daniels was a mechanic in early life, and followed the business of carpenter for many years. As a farmer he has been very successful; like most of the early settlers he had but little on his arrival here, but now has three farms in the township, aggregating six hundred and eighty acres. He has been prominently identified with the progress and development of the town, has held most of the town offices, been Chairman of the board of Su- pervisors, and Town Clerk three years.

DANIEL DAYTON, one of the prominent old set- tlers of Harmony, who has been as intimately connected with its history as any other citizen, is a native of Bennington county, Vermont, born on the 29th of August, 1800. He went to Canada when a young man, and there married Miss Meri- bah Dunham, who was born in Canada, of Ameri- can parentage. In 1839, they removed to Genesee county, Michigan, where Mr. Dayton filled the office of County Judge, and resided until Novem- ber, 1854, when he removed to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. The following spring they came to Fillmore county, and settled in section six, in this town and soon after opened a hotel in a log build- ing, which was known as the "Ravine," and to which he made a stone addition in 1857. Mrs. Dayton died in 1858, after bearing him seven children, only two of whom are now living. Those deceased are, James, who was accidentally killed when eight years old; Jerusha, afterward Mrs. William B. Allen, who died in 1880; Emily, who married R. S. Blake, died in 1865; Clarissa and Maria. Zara, the oldest living son, was born in Canada in 1832, came here with his parents, and now owns the old homestead. He is a prominent citizen, and has held a number of local offices. His wife was Miss Carrie A. Brown, a native of New York. They have two chilren, Daniel and D. Orra C. Aaron H. H., the other son, was born in Can- ada in 1837. He served in the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, first as private, then as Second and afterward as First Lietenant. He married Ann T. Stork, who died in 1866. His present wife was Rasatee, a sister of his first wife. This union has been blessed with two children, John S. and Emily. Mr. Daniel Dayton, the subject of this sketch, was a member of the State Legislature in 1859

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and 1860, has been Chairman of the board of Su- dervisors and Town Clerk several terms; was the first Justice of the Peace and held the position twenty-five years, besides filling many other town and county offices.

RICHARD DUXBURY was born in Lancaster, Eng- land, in 1833. His father, William Duxbury, came to America in 1848, lived in Massachusetts one year, and then came to Rock county, Wiscon- sin, where he bought a farm, and removed several years later. He had ten children, seven sons and three daughters. All of the boys, at different times, came to Fillmore county. The oldest son, John, and his brother James, came in December, 1853, and settled in the town of Preston. Thomas and his brother-in-law, Thomas Reese, made claims in Preston in the fall of 1855. George came in 1856, made a claim in Preston, but sold soon after to his brother William, who came in the spring of 1858, was married the following spring and settled in that town. George located in Harmony in 1859. Richard came with his brother William, and made a claim on his present farm in June, 1858. John died in January, 1861, and James is now living in Hamilton county, Texas. Edward came to Preston township in 1865. William and George removed to Dakota in the spring of 1882. The father came to this county, but made no set- tlement. He died in Edgerton, Rock county, Wis- consiu. Richard was married in 1859, to M. Mi- randi Barnes, daughter of Moses Barnes who was born in Brookfield, Massachusetts, on the 20th of June, 1803. He moved to Perry county, Ohio, when nineteen years old, where he married Polly Bingham. They were early settlers in Dane county, Wisconsin, where they lived ten years, then removed to Howard county, Iowa, and re- mained six months. He wandered up into Minne- sota, and located at Big Spring, this county, in February, 1854. In April of the same year he built a double log house, keeping a hotel for sev- eral years and doing a good business. He was ap- pointed Postmaster of the Big Spring Post-office in 1856, which was name i after the spring on his farm. He sold his farm here in 1873, and moved with his youngest son, R. D. B., to Lyon county, where he still lives. He has seven children, Alvira T., now Mrs. Samuel R. Ayer; Augustus M .. Al- vah E., Russel D., Mrs. M. M. Duxbury, Sarah L., now Mrs. Nelson Brightman. Mrs. Duxbury was born in Rock county, Wisconsin, and removed

with her parents to Minnesota when eleven years of age. They have nine children; Lorinda J., Francis Adelbert, Lewis Newton, Roseltha, Wil- liam R. C., Lodena P., Phebe Ann, Emma A., and Frank R. They lost one daughter, Emma. Mr. Duxbury enlisted in September, 1864, in Hotch- kiss' Battery, Light Artillery, and served till the close of the war. William Bingham came with Moses Barnes and located in section five. He is a brother of Mrs. Barnes.

THOMAS ERICKSON was born in Norway in 1833. His father, Erick Erickson, was also a native of Norway, born in 1798, and married Julia Oleson. They emigrated to America in 1845, and settled in Racine county, Wisconsin, where they lived nine years, coming to Fillmore county in July, 1854, and locating in section twenty, Harmony town- ship. Mr. Erickson died on the 13th of Septem- ber, 1874, leaving a wife and four children. Erick, the eldest, now lives in Stevens county, Minnesota; Thomas and Rachel reside on the homestead; and Ole is a clergyman in Chippewa county. Thomas, the subject of this sketch, mar- ried Miss Julia Riste, whose father was an early settler in Spring Grove, Houston county, and died in 1876. Mr. and Mrs. Erickson have ten chil- dren, seven sons and three daughters.

PURDY HART, one of the early settlers of this place, was born in Westchester county, New York, on the 16th of August, 1812, which State claimed him as a resident until 1856, when he came to Fillmore county and made a claim of one hundred and sixty acres of his present farm. As illustra- tive of the progress and growth of this section since Mr. Hart came here, it may be stated that his nearest markets were McGregor, Iowa, a distance of seventy miles, and Winona, fifty miles away; five or six days were required to make the trip. Mrs. Hart's maiden name was Phoebe Jane Boice, a daughter of William and Susan Boice. She was born in Putnam county, New York, in 1834. Their children are Sarah, now Mrs. John Stewart; Purdy, Josephine, William, Frank, Susan, Albert, Marvin, and Jennie. Mr. Hart is the only mem- ber of his father's family in this State. He now owns a fine farm of seven hundred acres.

CHARLES R. HILLS was born in 1814, in Alle- gany county, New York, and moved to St. Joseph county, Michigan, in 1837. He married Miss Sarah Backins, a native of Batavia, Genesee county, New York, in 1837. In 1852,Mr. Hills

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went by the overland route to California, driving an ox team the whole distance across the plains. He returned to Michigan in 1855, and came to Fillmore county the same spring, settling on the farm which has since been his home. His wife died in 1878, leaving five children; Homer, Jane, now Mrs. Jay Hosford; Harriet, now Mrs. Arne Arneson; Webster, and Washington.

JAMES HOAG is a son of After Hoag, who was born in Grand Isle, Vermont, in 1810, moved to St. Lawrence county, New York, and afterward to Illinois. He married Miss Harriet Goodrich. They came from Illinois to this township in 1853, and settled on the farm where James now lives. Mr. Hoag was prominent among the early settlers of this place. He died on the 7th of April, 1875. His son Calvin, who died in the army, was the earliest settler of this township, coming in 1852, and locating on the State line. There were four other sons, all of whom served in the army; Charles, the oldest, was a member of the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and died while in service; James was in the First Minnesota Heavy Artillery; Seth in the Eleventh Minnesota In- fantry, and Ephraim, the youngest, was in the Ninth Iowa Cavalry, and died in St. Louis. James was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, in 1838, and now owns and occupies the original homestead. He married Jane Damon, a daughter of Jason Damon, an early settler of the town of Bristol. They have five children; Harriet, James, Alice, Bird, and Lester.

WILLIAM KNOX, one of the earliest settlers of this township, was born in the northern part of Ireland, on the 8th of August, 1811. He married Miss Mary Ann Glass, in 1840. She was born in county Donegal, on the 1st of May, 1820. They emigrated to America in 1848, lived in Pennsyl- vania one year, then to Virginia, near Wheeling, where Mr. Knox was employed on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad and afterward engaged in farm- mg. He came to the territory of Minnesota in 1853, and purchased his farm where he has since lived. Mr. and Mrs. Knox have eight children; Martha, Jane, Sarah E., Mary A., M. E., William L., Robert G., and James.

P. T. LARSON is a native of Norway, born on the 1st of February, 1850, on the farm Oxendal, in the parish of Bakke. His father, Lars Peder- sen, still resides on the old farm. His mother, Walborg, died when he was a year old. He was

soon ofter handed over to the care of a step- mother, Antonette, who became interested in his education and kept him quite steadily at the par- ochial schools until fourteen years old. When eighteen years of age he came to America with his uncle, T. A. Dahl, and located in Dunn county, Wisconsin. Here he was employed at farming during summer and attending school in winter, residing with his uncle. In the fall of 1869, he came to Blue Earth county, Minnesota, where his uncle had previously settled. He followed agricul- tural pursuits there until the fall of 1874, when he went to the Lutheran College at Decorah, Iowa, and took a three years' course. Sickness pre- vented the further continuance of his studies, and in 1878, he came to Fillmore county and taught school two terms. He was then again engaged in farming for a short time. In the spring of 1880, he opened a grocery store in Har- mony, to which he afterward added hardware. He is also Postmaster. His wife, Sophie Lar- son, to whom be was married on the 20th of February, 1878, was born in Norway on the 20th of September, 1853. She was reared in the same place as her husband, and came to America with her family in 1869. They have three children; Walborg Martine, Ludwig, and Martilde.

REV. TOBIAS LARSON was born in 1829, in Norway, where he was educated for a teacher, in which occupation he was engaged two and a half years. In 1851, he came to America ard located in Norway, Racine county, Wisconsin, where be engaged in teaching his native language. He afterward entered the Platteville Academy, Grant county, remained one and a half years, and entered the employ of a merchant at Madison, but soon returned to teaching in Racine county. In 1858, he went to Chicago and taught a parochial school three years. He returned to his native land in 1862, and prepared for the ministry, remained two years and came again to this country, and immediately entered the German Lutheran Con- cordia College at St. Louis, Missouri. He was ordained at Norway Grove, Dane county, Wiscon- sin, in 1865, and soon after settled here as pastor of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church. Mrs. Larson was formerly Miss Gunhilde A. Jacobson, born in Norway, and came with her parents to America in 1846.

T. G. MOORE was born in Chautauqua county, New York in September, 1832. He removed with his

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parents, Nathaniel F. and Mary Moore, to Spring Prairie, Walworth county, Wisconsin, in the spring of 1850. His father died there on the 1st of August, 1852, and his mother soon moved to Milwaukee. They had six children, three sons and three daughters. T. G. is the only one residing in this State. He was married in Walworth county to Rose Merrick. They came to Fillmore county . in April, 1860, and purchased a portion of their

present farm, which now contains over seven hun- dred acres. Mr. Moore is one of the successful farmers of the place, came here poor but by indus- try has amassed quite a fortune. He has been Chairman of the board of Supervisors and Asses- sor, each several times. Mr. and Mrs. Moore have two children; Warren, born in November. 1859, and Elbert O., born in April, 1875. They lost two, a daughter Addie and an infant son.

AUSTIN H. NELSON is a son of Harben Nelson who emigrated to America from Norway in 1842, and settled in Waukesha county, Wisconsin. He re- moved his family to Fillmore county in 1854, and settled in this township, section twenty-four, where he still lives. He has six children, two sons and four daughters. Austin was born in Norway in 1833. He was married to Carrie Olson, who was born in Wisconsin of Norwegian parents, they coming to America in 1841. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have five children, two boys and three girls. Their farm was a part of the original homstead which Mr. H. Nelson took when coming here. Nels H. Nelson, a brother of Austin, was born in Norway in 1840, and resides upon that part of the homestead which his father first settled.

THOMAS RYAN is a native of Ireland, born in Tipperary county on the 1st of August 1829. He moved to Canada in 1843, where he re- sided until 1856, when he came to Fillmore county and made a claim in this township. About a year

later he sold his first purchase and located in seo- tion fourteen, his farm adjoining the village. He married Mary C. Craig, a native of New York. They have had thirteen children, nine of whom are living; Marry E., now Mrs. Terrence MoCabe; Sybil, now Mrs. F. J. Hughes; John L., Cynthia M., William H., Lucinda J., now Mrs. John Da- gan; Thomas E., Emma C., and Eva H. Mr. Ryan enlisted in the Third Minnesota Volunteer Infan- try on the 28th of August, 1864, and served till the close of the war. Mrs. Ryan's parents, John and Elizabeth Craig, moved from Canada to Fill- more county. Mrs. Ryan is the only one of her father's family now living.

EDWIN STORK is a son of William Stork, one of the early and prominent settlers of this town, who was born in Otsego county, New York, on the 27th of February, 1808. He married Angeline Johnson in September, 1835. They moved to Geneva, Walworth county, Wisconsin, in 1837, and re- mained until coming to Fillmore county in 1854. Mr. Stork was one of the best known of the early settlers and perhaps no man was more prominently connected with the early history than he. He now resides at Lime Springs, Iowa. He has had six children five of whom are living; Adeline, now Mrs. H. C. Marsh, living at Lime Springs, Iowa; Edwin, William E., Charles F., Rosolie, wife of Aaron H. H. Dayton; and Ann L., decased. Edwin, the subject of this sketch, was born in Geneva, Wal- worth county, Wisconsin, on the 5th of Novem- ber, 1838. He enlisted in the Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry in 1862, and served about three years, participating in most of the campaigns and battles in which his regiment was engaged. Mrs. Stork was formerly Sarah M. Kimber, daughter of William Kimber, an early settler of Amherst. Mr. and Mrs. Stork have five children; Fred B., Ben- jamin F., Laura M., William H., and Mabel B.

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. BRISTOL TOWNSHIP.

BRISTOL.

CHAPTER LXI.

PHYSICAL FEATURES-EARLY SETTLEMENT -- EARLY EVENTS OF INTEREST-POST-OFFICES-POLITICAL - EDUCATIONAL - RELIGIOUS - GRANGER - BIO- GRAPHICAL.

This English named political subdivision of Fill- more county, was an original government town- ship, and is one of the southern row of towns bordering on Iowa, and is the fourth from Houston county on the east, and the third from the western boundary. It is contiguous to Carimona, Har- mony, York, and Iowa State, on the north, east west, and south, respectively. It is admitted to be one of the best farming. towns in the county. On the margin of the upper Iowa River, which impinges upon the southern part of the town, there is considerable bottom land, and back of this it becomes more broken and hilly. At first along the river, there was a fine growth of timber. Back from the river is Bristol prairie with its rich dark loam. At the west of this prairie is Bristol grove, or "Verpe" grove as the Norwegians call it. The land in the northern and eastern part is somewhat uneven. The south branch of Willow Creek arises from the north center of the town, and flows east and north into the town of Carimona. The middle branch of Root River is another stream with like characteristics. In the northern part of the town there were some fine groves of timber at an early day, but most of it has fallen before the woodman's ax, while new woods are springing up in the vicinity. In the southeastern part, where the first claim was laid, there was at first some fine timber land.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The first claim known to have been made in Bristol was in the fall of 1852, by Samuel Drake, in section thirty-six. In July, 1853, M. C. and L. G. St. John, the first -actual settlers, put in a per-

sonal appearance and bought Mr. Drake's claim, which was timber. M. C. located in section thirty- six, and his brother, L. G., in section thirty-five. These young men were natives of New York, but had been living for eight or nine years in Wiscon- sin, from whence they came here. William A. Nelson, another young man, was along at the same time, and he selected a quarter, in sections thirty- four and thirty-five, which he afterwards sold to Granger & Lewis as a part of Granger village. Mr. Drake was from Iowa, and did not remain. During the same year Mr. D. Crowell, a native of Boston, came up from Illinois, and he staked out a farm in section thirty-two. It is thought that there were no more settlers that year.

During the year 1854, there were quite a num- ber of acquisitions, among them James Spring- steel, a native of the Buckeye State, arrived from Illinois and took his land in section thirty-three.

Torger Tollefson and Ole Flatastal, whose names indicate their nationality, drifted over from Wis- consin and secured farms in sections one and eleven, and they may still be found there.

Thomas Drury and Charles Bellingham, Eng- lishmen, located on sections three and eleven. Mr. Bellingham moved to Lyon county in 1871, and in 1878 Mr. Drury died; with them came two other English families.

Ole Skrabeck and Gunder Jurgenson settled on sections one and twelve.

Knut Halverson Verpe claimed large tracts in sections eighteen and twenty, and lived on a tract in section seventeen until he sold his home in 1870. On the 7th of June, 1878, he died at the residence of H. Halverson at the age of ninety.five years.

Samuel Bowden, from England, who had been living in Wisconsin, secured a homestead in sec- tion one, where he surrendered his life in 1862, and his widow still lives on the place.

The year 1855, brought quite a number. John

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Rice, a Canadian, came here direct from Michigan and planted a homestead in section thirteen, where he still resides.

O. Chase, from Ohio, stopped a short time in sec- tion twenty-five.

N. Boice came from New York State to section twenty-five and remained a few years.

Thomas Armstrong, also from New York, secured a claim in section thirty-four, which, the next year, he disposed of to Jason Damon.

John and R. Sims came from England and pro- cured farms in sections twenty-nine and thirty- two. John still remains.

Edward Burnham, a native of Franklin county, Massachusetts, arrived here on the 9th of June, 1856, and selected land in sections fourteen and twenty-three.

Henry Mark came from Pennsylvania, and his place was in section eleven, but he went to Guth- rie county, Iowa.

Halver Halverson found a stopping place in sec- tion eighteen. In 1857, while attempting to cross the Root River in a boat, he lost his life. His son occupies the old place.

In 1856, a few other settlers arrived. Henry Achatz, a Prussian, found a resting place in section twenty-four, and he is still a above ground there. Orson Thacher, of the Green Mountain State, made a sojourn on section two until 1871, when he moved on to the great hereafter. His son remains on the place. William McGowan, from Scotland, settled on a place in section thirteen, which he yet retains. Isaac Campbell was on section thirty- three, and Widow Myers on section thirty-four.

John Black, a native of Scotland, came in 1857, from Wisconsin, where he had been livng, and found a place that met his requirements in section thirty, where he lived and wrought up to the time of his death, on the 1st of May, 1874. His widow lives on the homestead. James Arnst came with Mr. Black; and from that time the filling-up pro- cess was rapid.

EARLY EVENTS OF LOCAL INTEREST.

Emma and Effie Rice, twin daughters of John and Matilda Rice, were born on the 18th of April, 1856. Effie died in infancy, Emma married M. N. Bradley, and they live in Harmony, as every married couple should.

Charlie Vail, son of John Vail, was born on the 31st of May, 1855. He lives in Bristol. The very

earliest birth must have been Rose, daughter of L. G. and Annie St. John, in September, 1853.

Aaron Ludden and Miss Sarah Nelson were united in marriage in August, 1854, by Elder Bly. They now live in Iowa.

In 1855, by the same Reverend gentlemen, John McQuary and Catharine Nelson were married.

George Drury and Catharine Phfremmer were married in July 1858.

Samuel R. Thacher and Mehitable D. Page, in January, 1859.

POST-OFFICE.

The first Post-office in town was established in 1855, and was named Alxbridge, in honor of Old England, of New England, and various other places where this kind of a "bridge" exists. Daniel Crowell was Postmaster and mail carrier, going to Elliota, twelve miles, once a week. The office was at his house, on section thirty-two. In 1857, it went to Granger.

VAILVILLE POST-OFFICE .-- The establishment of this office was late in the fifties, on the southeast quarter of section fifteen. T. P. Chase was the first to handle the mail key, then Alanson Andrews, who moved the office to his house in section twenty- four. He kept it for about three years when he was superceded by Edwin Teel, who moved the office to his house on the northeast quarter of sec- tion twenty-one, and it was called "Bristol Centre." Sometime in the middle of the sixties it was dis- continued, and the citizens procured their mail matter from the most convenient office for the several parts of the town. In October, 1876, a Post-office for the town was established with Owen R. Morris as Postmaster, and it was opened at his residence on section eight, where it is yet.

POLITICAL.

The organization of the town which, while under a territorial form of government was merely a part of a voting precinct, took place on the 11th of May, 1858, when the first town meeting was held at the house of J. P. Howe. The town officers elected were: Supervisors, M. C. St. John, Chair- man, and George Horton; J. J. Jones was subse- quently appointed to fill the vacancy; Town Clerk, Charles Lewis; Assessor, Charles Roberts; Collec- tor, Daniel Thacher; Constable, L. G. St. John; Justices of the Peace, George Knox and M. C. St. John; Overseer of the Poor, E. Burnham.

The judges at this election were, William E.

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Adams, J. P. Howe, and J. J. Jones. The clerks were David Seeley and H. L. Vosburg.

The first tax levied was $650.

The town officers elected in March, 1882, are: Supervisors, A. R. Mark, Chairman, S. Brightman, and Isaac Davies; Assessor, Vander Bee; Clerk, F. M. Andrews; Justices of the Peace, Knute Ket- tleson and Halver Halverson; Constable, H. O. Serfling.

The town government has always been in good hands and no useless expenditures have been made.

SCHOOLS.

The first school in town was taught in M. C. St. John's house in the winter of 1854. Mr. St. John employed Adeline Stork to conduct the ex- ercises; she had seven pupils and the term was thirteen weeks. The family moved into the kitchen to make room for the educational insti- tution.

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History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 86

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

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