History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 87

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 87

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

DISTRICT NO. 59 .- The first schoolhouse was built in the fall of 1856, of logs furnished by the settlers, who brought the material and put up the building on section thirty-five. Mr. W. E. Adams went to Lansing, sixty miles, for the boards, win- dows, and shingles. The first school was kept that winter by S. R. Lewis. In the fall of 1867, it was moved to section thirty-six, where it now stands.

DISTRICT No. 60 .- In 1862, this was organized and the same year the schoolhouse was built, the contract being made with T. Chase to complete it for $300, but he lost money on the job, and the .

district allowed him $25 additional. It was located on section twenty-two. Miss Affie Linder- man was the first teacher. The officers were J. C. Brown, Edwin Teel, and John Linderman. In the fall of 1881, the schoolhouse was burned, but will be rebuilt.

DISTRICT No. 61 .-- This organization was effected about 1860, and the first school was taught in a granery, belonging to George Drury; it was afterwards kept in M. O'Connor's granery in the summer, and in the house in the winter. Maria Flynn was the first teacher. The school- house was built in 1872. The first instructor in the schoolhouse was Oscar Ayers. The first director was M. O'Connor.

DISTRICT NO. 62 .- This was organized in 1860. The first school was in a shanty put up for the purpose near Mr. Joseph Ogg's granery. It was afterwards kept in Mr. N. Ogg's granery, and

afterwards in John Shook's. Then a cabin was bought at at Buffalo Grove for $15, and moved to section five, where the school was kept until 1869, when the new house was built. It is known as the Prairie Queen schoolhouse.

DISTRICT No. 65 .- This was first organized in in 1857 or '58. John Carnegie, John Rice, and John Stahl were the first officers. The same year the men in the district turned out and put up a log house, getting out the shingles by hand. The lumber was sawed at the steam saw-mill at Wan- kokee. Its location was on the land of John Rice, on section thirteen. Ruth Anderson was the teacher; school was continued here until the new house was built on section twenty-four.

DISTRICT NO. 130 .- Miss Mary Buskirk kept school in D. Crowell's house in 1858, and only the Crowell children attended. In 1869, the district was organized, and the first school kept in Nor- man Brace's house, Mrs. Brace being the teacher. This was in section thirty-two; afterwards it was in a log house in section thirty-one. The new schoolhouse was built in 1872, on section thirty- one, at a cost of $650. Miss Georgie L. Tibbales was the first teacher. James Arnot, N. Brace, and John Sims were the officers.

DISTRICT No. 131 .- This was organized in 1861, and the first school taught in the house of Joshua Horton, Alice Andrews being the in- structor. The officers were, Ole Skrabeck, Henry Tarbest, and Joshua Horton. The school boarded around in different houses until the year 1866, when the schoolhouse was constructed on section eleven, where it now stands.

DISTRICT No. 149. - This was formerly a part of No. 59, and was set off in 1861, and the first school kept in a house belonging to Burgess & Grecn- leaf. George Bates was the first teacher. After that the school was kept in the Red Tavern. In 1870, a schoolhouse was constructed in section thirty-three, costing about $700. In 1874, that was demolished and a new one put up in Granger. It is a two story building, cost about $1,200, and is yet unfinished on the inside. Miss Sarah D. Teel taught the first school here.

DISTRICT No. 151 .- School was first taught in this district at the house of G. G. Roberts, in sec- tion eighteen, and afterwards in a log house in section nineteen. The same year, 1868, the dis- trict was organized. In 1870, the schoolhouse was built on section nineteen, at a cost of $500.

Digitized by Google

488

HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY.

Richard D. Jones was the first teacher in the new schoolhouse. H. Halverson has been the clerk from the first. This is the Bristol Grove school- house.

RELIGIOUS.

THE WELCH CALVANISTIC CHURCH .- This was organized late in the sixties by Rev. J. D. Wil- iams, who now resides in Foreston, Iowa, and Rev. Daniel Rowlands, now of Mankato. The Welch residents of this town had attended seavice in York previous to this time, at private houses, and in the log schoolhouse. The above men- tioned clergymen, with Rev. Jahn Evans, preached here at different times. In 1874, the church was constructed on section eighteen, at a cost of about $2.100. Rev. O. R. Morris is the pastor now in charge.

THE GERMAN BAPTIST LUTHERAN CHURCH .- Meetings were first held in 1857, in the house of Joseph Ogg, on section six, and afterwards at the residence of Nathan Ogg, on section seven. Meetings were thus held until the schoolhouse was built, when that was utilized for meetings. In 1872, the church was erected on section five, at a cost of $2,500. John Ogg was the first pastor, and the present one is Joseph Ogg.

GRANGER.

The village of Granger was surveyed in 1857, by C. H. Lewis, and B. Granger, of Boston, who were agents for a firm of capitalists under the name of Burgess & Greenleaf. The plat contained all but eighty acres of section thirty-four, and eighty acres were in section thirty-five. It was divided into 166 lots, 50x100 feet, except those made fractional by the Upper Iowa River, that sweeps up into the village. The streets are from sixty to eighty feet wide, and the alleys twelve feet, and the whole village was laid out in accord- ance with metropolitan ideas.

Granger & Lewis opened a store, and a Post- office was established. The same firm began the erection of a flouring mill of stone, but when nearly completed the west end fell out. Discout- agement settled on the project and there it stood until 1864, when Mr. W. H. Wayman took it in hand, and during the winter got it in operation. The material for the building was taken from a quarry near by. It is two stories high with a basement, is 40x40 feet, and contains four run of stones, three for flour and one for feed. The

power is obtained from the river, which has a fall of eight feet. It is at present owned by O'Far- rell & Wells.

In the fall of 1857, Ed. Slawson opened a hotel and kept it for about four years; then, for a time, there was no public house here, but in 1865, Dr. Lewis Reynolds built the State Line House, and sold it to Mr. H. Slawson, who, in 1870, transfer- red it to Mr. S. Brightman, the present proprie- tor. Dr. Reynolds was the first resident phy- sician.

A distillery was started by Mr. Wyman in 1865, in a building 32x80 feet, but in a few months it was closed by the internal revenue officers. He also started a vinegar factory.

In 1859, Hiram Beebe started a blacksmith shop; in a few years he sold to S. Van Loan, who continued it but a short time.

In 1864, John Finckh started a fire in a shop, and he has kept it aglow ever since.

In 1865, John Hebeg opened a wagon shop, and he has been at work there up to the present time.

Haskins & Halstad introduced a drug store in 1870, but in a year or two it was closed. In 1872, Dr. D. J. Lathrop opened the drug store now managed by Frank Andrews.

In 1874, the Good Templars organized with twenty-eight members, and went on until there was a membership of 218. In 1876, the Good Templars State Convention was held here. The hall, in which the meetings were held, was burned in the fall of 1878, with the property, including a ' fine organ, belonging to the lodge. While the lodge existed there were entertainments, with lite- rary and musical exercises, which were of value to the whole community.

Granger Grange No. 67 was instituted in the spring of 1872, and embraced in its membership some of the best men and women in town. For a time it flourished, but like all sublinary things it passed away. In January, 1878, the final obse- ques were arranged, and now it only lives in the remembrance of its friends. "Requiescat in pace."

In 1871, Henry Hasse, of Preston, built a brew- ery here, a large building with a stone basement near the river, and it is still in operation under the firm name of Henry Hasse & Son, and they are said to make fine amber colored fluid.

RELIGIOUS .- The first religions meetings held in this section were just over the line in a grove on

Digitized by Google

489

BRISTOL TOWNSHIP.

the bank of the Upper Iowa River. Rev. William Miner, a Free Will Baptist, officiated one Sunday, and the next Sunday Rev. Lewis Reynolds, a Methodist minister, preached here, and so they alternated from Sunday to Sunday, the novelty of the thing on this western frontier bringing to- gether larger audiences than are now collected. When the schoolhouse was built, resort was had to that.

A Methodist society was organized in 1859. Rev. Mr. Dyer was the earliest preacher after the society was formed. In 1867, a church was built in Granger. It was quite a good frame building, costing about $1,500, and was afterwards con- verted into a hall, but was burned in 1878. In 1877, this society purchased the Congregationalist church, which is in Iowa. Among the pastors who have been here may be named, Rev. A. R. Fuller, Rev. Nathan B. Randall, Rev. George A. Sheets, Rev. E. A. Terwilliger, Rev. A. D. Stanton, Rev. A. P. Bunce, Rev. J. S. Garvin, and Rev. Jo- seph Hanna, the present preacher, and there may have been others whose names are not recalled.

A Congregational Church was formed about 1867. Their edifice was in the State of Iowa. The first pastor was Rev. Mr. Jones, well known as "Little Jones," on account of his diminutive size. He is now in California. In 1859, meetings were held in Mr. Reave's house, and at the house of T. P. Chase, on sections fourteen and fifteen.

The German Lutheran Society was instituted in 1871. Rev. M. Reeck was the first preacher, and at first held meetings in the schoolhouse. Their church was built in 1878, at a cost of $1,500. Rev. R. Kute is the present pastor. The first trus- tees were Gustavus Krager, Michael Michael, and Henry Williams.

Rev. L. G. St. John set apart some land in sec- tion thirty-five for a cemetery, and it was laid out on the 18th of November, 1856, by Enos F. Gray, of Newburg. Frankie Adams, son of Mr. W. E. and Mrs. C. A. Adams, who died on the 27th of August, 1856, about three years of age, was the first interment.

Another cemetery is in section fifteen, and was laid out in 1857, the land being given by John Rice. Benjamin Winn was the first burial. He was from Ohio. There are several others in town.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

ALANSON ANDREWS, deceased, was the father-in- law of D. W. Seely. He was born in Connecticut

in 1808. When he was quite young his parents moved to Allegany county, New York, thence to Potter county, Pennsylvania. In 1833, he was joined in wedlock with Miss Jerusha Cole. He was a carpenter and cabinet-maker, and worked at his trade until 1857, when he came west to this county. He settled in Bristol, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in section thir- teen. In 1859, he was appointed Postmaster. He sold his interest in Bristol in March, 1862, and bought a farm in Blue Earth county. He im- proved the land, built a house and granary, and made that place his home until his death, which occurred on the 24th of January, 1875. Mr. and Mrs. Andrews were blessed with six children; Lydia A., Ruth, Orrin, Maria J., Alice L., and Frank M. Mrs. Andrews resides in Iowa.

WILLIAM E. ADAMS was born in Luzerne, Warren county, New York, on the 15th of December, 1819. He attended school in his younger days, then worked in his father's saw-mill and on the farm. When he was about fourteen years of age his father died, and three years later he came west to see the country, first to Buffalo, then to Cleve- land, from there to Portsmouth, Ohio, down the river to Cairo, up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, going then to Pike county, Illinois, and in two weeks came again to St. Louis where he re- mained a short time and returned to Pike county. There he assisted in building a saw-mill, where he had worked about a month when Harmon Wells, an old neighbor, came along and induced him to go home. They went to Wheeling, Virginia, by steamboat, on the Illinois, Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, then across the Alleghany Mountains by stage to Baltimore, from there to Phila- delphia and the sea coast by rail, boarded a steamer for Albany, and thence home, by way of Albany and Saratoga Springs. In one and a half years he again started west, re- turned to Pike county, Illinois, by way of Buffalo, Chicago, Peru and Peoria. He visited a friend, was sick all summer, then returned home, taking the same route by which he came. In 1840, he engaged to repair a saw-mill with his uncle at Athol, New York, and remained there one year. In his native village he cast his first vote for presi- dent, for Harrison, in 1844. He then went to Brandon, Vermont, where he married Miss Cordelia A. Jones on the 7th of November. They were at his home one year, then returned to Vermont

Digitized by Google

490

HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY.

where he was engaged in farming and running a saw-mill. In 1854, he came to Jackson county, Iowa, and worked about six months then returned to Vermont. In the spring of 1856, he removed with his family to Iowa near the Minnesota line, and pre-empted land in the latter State, in Bristol, section thirty-five, and in the fall purchased six acres of L. G. St. John, on which was a log house to which he moved. In 1866, he erected a frame house, rented his farm and removed to Granger where he remained five years, then purchased his present house in Florenceville, Iowa. They have had four children; Asher R., who is married and lives in Granger; Mary W., wife of Dr. Haskins, of Boomer; Frankie, who died on the 26th of August, 1856; and Nellie E.

HENRY ACHATZ is a native of Prussia, near Cologne, and was born in 1819. He lived in Cologne two years. He learned the trade of mak- ing tiles for roofing and worked at that until he came to America in 1849. Miss Josephine Fuhr- man became his wife in 1851. She was born in Prussia on the 26th of June, 1823, and lived two miles from her husband's home in that country. Mr. Achatz served in the German army two years. On arriving in America, he went directly to Pitts- burg, remained there but a short time, then went to Illinois. While there he was employed as a mason. On the 1st of May, 1856, he left Illinois and came to Minnesota, made a claim of one hundred and sixty acres of land in this town in section twenty-four. He built a log house, 14x16 feet, which is still standing. He lived in that nearly nineteen years, when he built the frame house in which they live at present. Mr. and Mrs. Achatz have six children; John J., Herman J., William F., Henry J., Charles L., and Frederick F.

JAMES ARNOT was born in Scotland in 1823. He attended school until. twelve years of age, and was at Bathgate Academy two years. He was united in marriage with Miss Ellen Gilchrist in 1845. They had one child. Mrs. Arnot died in Scotland. On the 14th of April, 1849, he lelt his native land and came to America. He remained in Long Island one year, then went up the Hud- son River to Bristol landing. In 1852, he moved to Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, and worked his uncle's farm, which became his own on the death of his uncle two years later. He improved the land and made it his home until 1857, when he came to Minnesota and settled in the town of

Bristol, taking one hundred and sixty acres of land in sections twenty and twenty-nine. About 1867, he sold that and invested in eighty acres of land in Howard county, Iowa. Mr. Arnot was Town Treasurer three years, and Chairman of the board of Supervisors, three years. He has been Treasurer of school district No. 130 ever since its organization.

EDWARD BURNHAM was born in Conway, Frank- lin county, Massachusetts, on the 24th of Feb- ruary, 1826. When he was twenty-one years old he married Miss Huldah M. Call, a native of Jay, Essex county, New York, the ceremony taking place on the 29th of February, 1847. They lived in his native State until the spring of 1856, then removed to Minnesota with his family and took a claim on sections fourteen and twenty-three, in Bristol. They lived in a tent until a log house was completed, and ten years later Mr. Burnham built their present frame house. In September, 1865, he enlisted in a Volunteer Company and went west to meet the Indians as far as South Bend and Winnebago City. Mr. and Mrs. Burnham have one child, Sarah, now Mrs. C. H. Brightman, living in Bristol. In Mr. Burham's younger days he was engaged in making brick, laying stone and farming. At present he turns his attention wholly to farming. He has been a very industrious man all his life, and a strong advocate of temperaance. He is now in comfortable circumstances.

THOMAS DRURY, deceased, was born near Shef- field, England, in 1794. He was a shoemaker by trade. He was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Walker. In 1849, he left England and came to America with his family. They went di- rectly to Wisconsin, rented a farm and lived there five years, then came to Fillmore county, Minne- sota. Took a claim in Bristol, in sectian three, and was one of the first settlers in this part of the township. At that time they were obliged to go to Decorah, thirty miles, for flour. Mr. and Mrs. Drury were blessed with six children; George, Emma, Charles, William, Alfred, and Joseph. Mr. Drury improved his land and built a log house in which he lived until his death, on the 30th of August, 1879, aged eighty-five years. His wife died on the 15th of August, 1878, in her eightieth year. His son, William, was born in England in 1835, and lived with his parents until 1859, when he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah J. Warkman, who is a native of Knox county, Ohio.

Digitized by Google

491

BRISTOL TOWNSHIP.

In 1861, he bought eighty acres of land in sections two and three, and two years later built the frame house where he now lives, In 1865, he bought forty acres of land in Carimona, and twelve years later bought one hundred and twenty acres in section two in the town of Bristol. Mr. and Mrs. William Drury have had six children; Hannah J., Hattie M., Laura M., Thomas W., Norman S., and Rosella M. Alfred, another brother, went to Oregon in 1877, and George followed in 1881. Emma married Joseph Brelsford and lives at Etna; Charles lives near Fountain, and Joseph died at Carimona in 1877.

DYER ELLIS, a native of Vermont, was born on the 9th of May, 1816. In 1845, he married Miss Christann Dawsey, who was born in Ohio. In 1854, he came west to Wisconsin, bought a farm and lived there seven years. In 1859, he went to Denver and Pike's Peak. Two years later he came to Granger, where he first bought six lots and built a house, then bought forty acres of land in section twenty-eight. In February, 1864, he enlisted in the Ninth Minnesota Volunteer In- fantry, Company A, went to Fort Snelling, and in one month was ordered to Missouri, was there until the last of May, then started for Memphis and arrived there the 1st of June. The next day they had a battle at Gunntown, but were defeated and went back to Memphis. He next went to Oxford, Mississippi, then back to Tennessee, and from there to Little Rock, Arkansas, where he was taken sick and carried to the hospital. He came home on a furlough for three months, reported at Fort Snelling, and in August, 1865, received his dis- charge. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis have had seven chil- dren; Alvin, Arlington G., Frederick, Adalyon J., Frank, May, Georgie E. Alvin died in infancy; Frederick, when seven years of age; Frank, at sev- enteen years, and May in her fourteenth year. Arlington G. is now in California, and the daugh- ters are in the James River Valley, Dakota.

JOSHUA A. HORTON dates his birth in Susque- hanna county, Pennsylvania, on the 26th of March, 1825, and is of English parentage. When he was three years old his father died, and soon after he went to live with his uncle in Broom county, New York, whom he served faithfully until twenty-one years of age, then engaged to work in the saw- mill of Chrystopher Eldredge. Joshua resided with him five years and. was united in marriage in 1850, with Miss Laura Platt, daughter of Samuel

and Phebe Platt, of Waterbury, Connecticut. Mr. Horton bought a farm in Vestal, Broome county, New York, lived there ten years, and in 1860, sold out and removed with his wife and four children, two boys and two girls, to Minnesota, and settled in Bristol. He purchased what is known as the Willow Creek farm, on which flowed the famous spring which is the source of Willow Creek. After he was comfortably settled for the winter, he began to look over the privations and disadvantages in which he had placed himself and family. He found the settlers for two miles around without school or school district and, with a few exceptions, antagonistic to an English school. There was no lack of school funds, plenty of scholars, but no schoolhouse. In the winter of 1862, Mr. Horton and Col. Mark assisted in the organization of a district, appointed a school meeting, elected a board of officials, drew the money from the county treasury, and Mr. Horton set aside one room of his house for school purposes. In the winter of 1864, Mrs. Horton obtained a certificate and taught the school. . The next spring they sold the farm and bought on Bristol prairie, where Mr. Horton had the first drilled well, its depth being two hundred and seventy-five feet. It is furnished with a wind- mill and tank. In 1877, his house caught fire and burned with nearly all its contents, but he has erected another, and a better one in its place. They have six children; Olivet, T. J., Hattie, Deline, Libba, and Calvin.

HENRY HAASE was born in the town of Clenzie, Hanover, Germany, on the 23d of November, 1820. When fourteen years of age he commenced to learn the tailor's trade, which he worked at twenty-two years. On the 27th of October, 1854, he was mar- ried to Miss Mary Fick. In 1856, he came to America, landed in New York and went to Roches- ter. One year later he came west to Fillmore county, Minnesota, and located in Carimona, where he pre-empted eighty acres of land. He after- ward bought two quarter sections adjoining, where he lived nine years. He then removed to Preston, bought two dwelling houses and engaged in busi- ness as a merchant tailor. In 1871, he sold bis interest there and came to Granger, where he bought forty-four lots and two houses. He im- mediately built the Brewery of which he is now the proprietor. Mr. and Mrs. Hasse have two children; Reinhart H. and Mary C. Reinhart is in business with his father.

Digitized by Google

492

HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY.

WILLIAM B. HUTCHISON was born in Illinois, in 1842. When six years of age his father died, and three years later his mother married James Springsteel. In 1854, the family removed to Min- nesota, and became pioneers in Fillmore county, settling in Bristol. He lived at home until 1862, meanwhile going to school at Granger. On the 11th of February, 1862, he enlisted in the Fifth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Company B, going from Fort Snelling to Fort Ridgley. The latter part of the summer they went up the river to meet the Indians, who numbered about 1,500. There were forty-eight soldiers and six citizens. About fourteen miles from the Fort they met the Indians, and twenty-five of the forty-eight soldiers were killed. They were then re-inforced by fifty men from Company C, and finally drove the Indians back. In November Mr. Hutchison was sent South and joined Sherman's army at Germantown. He was at the battle of Vicksburg, after that joined Banks on the Red River expedition, and was at the battle of Pleasant Hill. He re enlisted as Veteran at Black River, Mississippi, in 1864, and came home on afurlough. The same year he mar- ried Miss Angeline Crowell. He subsequently joined his company at Memphis, then went to Nashville, and was at the battle in which Hood was repulsed. They followed his army to East- port, Mississippi, then to New Orleans, and from there went to the vicinity of Mobile, and afterward started to Demopolis, but while en route, news came of Lee's surrender and Lincoln's death. They were discharged and mustered out of service in September, 1865, when he returned to Bristol. In 1864, his step-father purchased land for him in sections twenty-eight and thity-three, the same farm on which he lives at present. At one time he was engaged on the railroad in Cottonwood county, and also in lumber and shingle mills. Mr. and Mrs. Hutchison have six children; Amy D., William G., Daniel H., Effie J., Annie Laura, and Arthur E.

HALVER HALVERSON was born in Norway, in 1843, and thirteen years later his parents emi- grated to America, coming directly to Bristol Fillmore county. His father took land in section eighteen, and sowed his first crop in 1857. His wife and son were to harvest the wheat while he went to Rushford to work, but in crossing Root River, two miles above the village, his boat over- turned and he was drowned. His widow married

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 87

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

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