History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 89

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 89

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CEMETERIES.

THE CARIMONA CEMETERY ASSOCIATION Was organized in the spring of 1856, and is on land presented by Mr. H. C. Butler. The first burial was the year previous, on the 6th of September, that of Richard R. Marple, aged twenty-eight years. The location is on section nine, south of the east end of the village of Carimona.

CATHOLIC CEMETERY .- This is adjoining the church and includes three acres presented by D. C. Maloney. The first burial was that of Thomas MeGrath, who was seventy years of age, and died in 1875.

WAUKOKEE CEMETERY .- In 1856, the cemetery was surveyed on land presented for the purpose by Mr. S. Benson and Mr. William D. Hurlburt, in section twenty-four, and it contains one and one- fourth acres. The first burial was an infant child of Mr. and Mrs. E. Zebough. In 1872, the citizens fenced the ground, and to-day there are seventy-five graves, to mark so many last resting places.

CARIMONA VILLAGE.

The location of this village is on the south branch of the Root River, on the southern line of section four. It was first indicated as a village in 1853, but was not platted until the following spring. Edwin and William C. Pickett were the proprietors. Carimona being one of the four cen- ter towns of the county, it was judged that if a village could be created there, that it would be an object for the county to establish it as a county seat, and the idea was reinforced by the subse- quent action of the voters.

In the summer of 1854, William H. Strong built a two-story frame building, the lower part he used as a dry goods and grocery store, and the upper part for a residence. In 1855, he built a two and one-half story hotel, and occupied it as such for a year or so, until he built the brick building, the second story of which was intended for county purposes.

In 1854 or '55, William Fairbanks opened a blacksmith shop which had been built by E. & J. Pickett.

In 1856, Gilbert & Pickett started & hardware and tinsmith shop. A shoe shop was opened in 1857, by William Taft. D. Holton built a wheel- right shop in 1858, and it was occupied by Mr. Chamberlain.

Some time in 1857, William Holton opened a sample room in Mr. Tafts building, and differ- ent parties engaged in the business up to the year 1864, when it was closed out to be opened no more as the citizens declare.

A printing office was started in 1856, but it did not remain long.

When the county seat was established at this place the people seemed to have had too much assurance that it was all right. That there could possibly be a reversion never seems to have entered their thoughts, or that it was necessary for them to do anything to retain the county seat, and the result was that when the question again went before the people, Preston, which had located its village as near the geographical center of the county as possible, carried off the prize, and Cari- mona, which up to that moment had been so promising, could promise no more.

In the spring of 1854, E. & J. Pickett built a saw-mill 20x60 feet, and set it in operation. It run in an intermittent way until 1874, when it was demolished by Mr. H. Spies, it being the only one in town after 1863.

FLOURING MILL .- In the spring of 1854, Will- iam C. Pickett and Hiram Johnson commenced building a flouring mill, but soon sold to Mr. Morris, who completed the work, making a mill 20x40 feet, and two stories, with two run of stones, delivering about twenty barrels of flour a day, besides considerable custom work. The building is still standing, and is a frame one with a stone foundation. It is located on the river, and has a fall of eleven feet with a never failing supply of water. The mill was purchased by Mr. H. Spies on the 25th of January, 1869, and in 1874 an addition was put on, 22x20 feet, and a warehouse 20x30 feet, another run of stones was also added, and the capacity increased to thirty barrels a day.

In the spring of 1882, the establishment was struck by the milling revolution. It was thor- onghly overhauled and remodeled, and fitted with three run of stones, three sets of double rolls, two sets of single rolls, and the other appliances to manufacture sixty barrels of high grade flour per day, making a first class merchant mill, man- aged by H. Spies & Son.

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CARIMONA TOWNSHIP.

VILLAGE SCHOOLHOUSE .- - In 1857, a stone school- house was put up, 16x20 feet, which served up to 1868, when the building now standing was erected of brick with a stone foundation. It has a tower 10x12 feet, of brick, with a bell, the cost being about $1,200. The ground floor will seat sixty scholars. A school had been taught as early as 1855, in a building belonging to Brackett & Pick- ett, by Rev. T. P. Ropes with fifteen children. It was afterwards tanght by Miss M. J. Shaft in the Converse building. Miss Ada McIntire is the pres- ent teacher.

POST-OFFICE .- In 1854 a Post-office was estab- lished in the village with William C. Pickett as Postmaster, and he was succeeded by the following gentlemen: William H. Strong, E. T. Nelson, J. M. Howe, A. King, and William K. Read, the present occupant of the office.

EARLY PREACHING .-- In the spring of 1854, Rev. Thomas Hackney, a Methodist minister from In- diana, preached in the residence of Edwin Pickett, and during that summer Rev. J. L. Dyer held ser- vices in the dwelling of David Pickett.

In the spring of 1856, Rev. Mr. T. P. Ropes got together a Baptist Society of fifteen members, holding meetings at first in private houses and in the schoolhouse after that.

In 1858, Rev. Mr. Burbank organized a Con- gregational Church with twelve members, which uses the schoolhouse as a place of worship.

The village of Carimona as it now exists is made up of the eleven dwellings, one schoolhouse, one dry goods and grocery store, one notion store with the Postoffice, a wagon and repair shop, two blacksmith shops, one shoemaker's shop, one merchant flouring mill, and nine unoccupied build- ings.

It is a fine location for a village, and if the rail- road with its terminus at Preston should be ex- tended over the intervening four miles, Carimona would be warmed into a vigorous life and pros- perity.

WAUKOKEE VILLAGE.

This is a locality rather than a village, as it was never platted or recorded. It is on section twenty- five in the Willow Creek valley, and the land was at first pre-empted by Daniel Hulburt and others. The name was derived from an Indian chief, who used to have a fishing and hunting camp at this place.

opened a small grocey store, and in 1857 there were seven houses in the village, and a Post-office was established, with Mr. West as Postmaster, but he was soon succeeded by Mr. Wilbur. In 1868, the office was discontinued, and about that time Mr. B. Larkins opened a dry goods store, which was soon transferred to Joseph Colburn, but the business did not continue for a great length of time. As early as 1855, Mr. M. Kingsbury organ- ized a Sunday-school in the house of Sylvester Benson.

On the 7th of October, 1855, Rev. John L. Dyer preached the first sermon, as is supposed, in the Willow Creek valley. His well remembered text was, "I Am hath sent me unto you."

On the 27th of January, 1856, Mr. Dyer organ- ized a Methodist Episcopal society with six mem- bers. Services were held from time to time in the schoolhouse, and since then this has been a kind of missionary field where various shades of belief have been expounded. The school in this place is district No. 73, and is mentioned in connection with the other schools in town. An account of the cemetery also appears with the others. The village now exists only as a recollection.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

SAMUEL R. AYER, one of the pioneers of this place, is a native of Canada East, born on the 28th of April, 1817. He came to Beloit, Wisconsin, in August, 1839, and to his present place on the 4th of July, 1854. He staked out a claim and built a log house which served him as a residence until July, 1876, when he moved into his present large and comfortable stone residence. Mr. Ayer was married in Dane county, Wisconsin, on the 1st of January, 1843, to Alvira F. Barnes. They have had eleven children, seven of whom are living, six boys and one girl.

WILLIAM O. KLEIMENHAGEN, & native of Ger- many, was born in Prussia on the 19th of Febru- ary, 1855. He emigrated to America in 1873, with his parents, who came directly to this place and bought a farm in section fourteen. In 1878, William purchased the land of his father and has since devoted his time to its cultivation, his parents living with him.

WILLIAM A. MILLER is a native of Vermont, his birth dating the 8th of October, 1829. He came with his parents to Wisconsin in 1850, but three years later went to Indiana and remained till the

Milton West built the first house, in 1853, and fall of 1856. While there he was joined in mar-

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HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY.

riage with Miss Emily L. Hurlbut. She died on the 19th of December of the following year, leaving one daughter. Mr. Miller returned to Wisconsin in the fall of 1856, and in 1858, came to this place, purchasing land in section thirteen. Miss Jennie Whitford became his wife on the 28th of September, 1858. She has borne him five children, four of whom are living. He owns a farm of four hundred and fifty acres, which is well cultivated and has good buildings.

WILLIAM MEIGHEN, one of the early settlers here, was born in Green county, Pennsylvinia, on the 5th of December, 1816. His native State claimed him as a resident until 1843, when he "went West." He remained one year near Bur- lington, Iowa, theuce to the lead mines in north- ern Illinois, and in the spring of 1849, journeyed over the plains to California. He returned to Galena, Illinois, in 1852, and in February, 1855, came to Minnesota, stopping at what is now known as the village of Forestville, taking land in the vicinity. On the 27th of December, 1868, he was married to Miss Catherine Foster, and in June, 1871, removed to the farm on which he now re- sides. He has a family of five children, one boy and four girls; William James, aged eleven years; Jane Elizabeth, nine years; Mary Cassandra, seven years; Susannah, four years, and Martha, three months.

ELi T. NELSON was born on the 16th of July, 1833, in Berkshire county, Massachusetts. He came to this place in 1856, and immediately pre- empted his present farm, but lived in the village of Carimona engaged at the carpenter trade for several years. While there he married Miss Louisa C. Sheldon, the event taking place on the. 13th of March, 1860. They have three children, all living at home. Mr. Nelson brought his family to the farm in 1866, and has since devoted his time to its cultivation.

JACOB RIEHL was born in Upper Canada on the 8th of December, 1851. He was married in his native place to Miss Christina Ackest on the 22d of April, 1877. They came to this county in 1879, located in the town of Fountain and resided there until the fall of 1880, when they purchased their present farm. They have three children, two girls and one boy. Mr. Riehl met with a serious accident on the 3d of last March, his horse running away threw him from the vehicle and broke his right arm and leg, and a bone in the left leg, which has confined him to his bed since.

JEROME UTLEY, a native of New York, was born in Tioga county on the 4th of May, 1835. Four years later the family removed to Pennsylvania, in the spring of 1856, to Kentucky, and thence to Minnesota. He staked out a claim in section one, Carimona, and built a slab shanty, 10x12 feet. On the 17th of January, 1859, he married Miss Lydia E. Day, a native of Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, who has borne him eight children, five of whom are living. On the 23d of Novem- ber, 1864, Mr. Utley enlisted in the Second Min- nesota Volunteers. He was elected County Com- missioner in the fall of 1876, and still holds the same office. He has a well cultivated farm with a good house, outbuildings, etc., and devotes his time to stock raising and fruit growing.

JAMES WEIR was born in a seaport town in Sligo county, Ireland, in the year 1829. He came to America in 1851, locating first in New York, but soon after moved to Pennsylvania, where he was engaged in a brick,yard. While there he married Miss Annie Gallagher, the ceremony taking place on the 22d of March, 1852. In 1865, they came to this county, settling; in Fountain township, and remained until 1870, when they re- moved to this place and purchased their present farm. Mr. and Mrs. Weir have had twelve chil -. dren, ten of whom are living, six sons and four daughters.

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JORDAN TOWNSHIP.

JORDAN.

CHAPTER XIII.

TYPOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION -EARLY SETTLEMENT -EARLY EVENTS OF INTEREST -- POLITICAL --- POST-OFFICES - MILLS-RELIGIOUS -SCHOOLS- JORDAN VILLAGE-BIOGRAPHICAL.

The township with this name is on the northern tier of towns in Fillmore county, the second from the western boundary. Its neighbors are Olm- sted county on the north, Chatfield on the east, Fillmore on the south, and Sumner on the west. The middle branch of the Root River enters the town in section thirty-four, and runs diagonally to leave it from section twenty-four. Lost Creek runs across the northern part.

In the soil there is quite a variety. The west- ern part is a rolling prairie with a rich clay soil on a limestone foundation. The larger part of the north- east quarter is timber land, owned by a number of non-residents and so it is cut up in many small lots of five acres, with some more and some less. In the early history of the county this was the "Woods" where people came, sometimes thirty miles for supplies, and it was no uncommon thing to see one hundred teams a day on this errand.

In addition to the rivers already mentioned, there is Jordan Creek, with three branches con- verging from the south and west, to form a confer- ence with the Root River before it leaves the town. Bear Creek also sweeps around into section thirty- one, to drop a water-power which would be very valuable if ntilized. Lost Creek has several branches coming from near the town of Sumner. In low stages of water this creek loses itself in the ground, and it is supposed that in its cavern- ous journey it finally reaches the Root River. There is a large spring on section seven that starts Ferguson's Creek and joins its fate in section eight with Lost Creek. It will thus be seen that Jordan is a well watered township. There was consider- able rock maple along these creeks when the town

was first settled, and sugar was made to some ex- tent and is still. The soil is inclined to be black loam and is everywhere productive. This is es- pecially so in the Root River valley.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The occupation of this town was commenced in 1853. John and Joseph Maine came in the spring of that year from New England. John found a place that suited him in section thirty-two, and cultivated it for five years when he dropped down into Iowa. Joseph secured some land in section twenty-eight and thirty-three, but soon sold out and started for pastures new.

Thomas Mawer, an Englishman, came from Michigan and secured a home in section twenty, and lived there for ten years when he was called to occupy his eternal home. Mathew Mawer, a brother of Thomas, took a claim in section thirty- three, but went to California, and in 1859, met the grim archer who is waiting for us all.

George W. Hare, from New York State, and who had made a transient stay in Illinois, arrived in November and planted himself in section thirty- one, and there he has been living ever since.

Thomas Tabor, a native of England, came from Canada, and his farm was in section thirty-two; he sold that however, and went to Fillmore and is now in Pembina, Dakota. This list embraces most of those who were here in 1853.

In 1854, George Mawer and his son, from Eng- land originally, and later from Michigan, came in August and pre-empted places in sections twenty- nine and thirty, where the old gentleman died in 1875, but the son remains on section thirty.

B. Winans came from his native home in Ohio and surrounded a farm in section five, and he still stands guard over it.

F. P. Bowers, a son of the Keystone State, who had halted to recruit in Illinois, found his way 80 far west of the Mississippi and captured one hun-

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HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY.

dred and sixty acres in the northwest of section seven, and his flag is still there.

In 1855, John Tabor came from Canada and set- tled in section nineteen, where he has remained permanently unto this day.

A. Finley, of Indiana, made a temporary so- journ on section seven, but a spirit of unrest car- ried him to California, where, to use the local lan- guage, he "passed in his checks."

William Finley came from Indiana and bought a place in section six and remained until 1875, when he removed to Iowa.

A. Palmer, a native of the Empire State, who had stopped awhile in Indiana, purchased a claim of Thomas Maine, in section thirty-three but has since sold out.

The year 1855 was an epidemical one in the im- migration business in Jordan. Little regard was paid to the song so fashionable at that time that "Jordan am a hard road to travel," for the way they poured in, it seemed the easiest thing in the world .-

Jacob Oakey, a New Yorker, from Illinois, put up his claim shanty in section eighteen and his home is still there.

Joseph Marshall, a son of the "Ever Green Isle," who had wandered away from home as far as Wisconsin, secured a claim on land in section nineteen, and still retains it.

T. C. Linton, of Kentucky, had a place in sec- tion nineteen, but took the Oregon fever in 1873, which carried him out there.

Isaac Green, of the Empire State, came from Iowa and located in section twenty, but he paid the debt of mortality in 1873. His widow lives in Chatfield.

G. Doty, also a native of New York, came here from Wisconsin in May, and his farm was in sec- tion nineteen. In 1874, he went to Benton county, Iowa.

S. Wilson, of Canada, bought a claim of John Maine in section thirty-two. The Oregon fever carried him off in 1874.

W. P. Odell, of Pennsylvania, who came by the way of Illinois, took the southeast quarter of sec- tion twenty-eight, and that is still his home.

A. Finley, jr., was on section six, and also went to Oregon.

Thomas Brooks had a place in section five, but is now in Meeker county.

William Carpenter, of New York State, came

here from Carimona, where he had been two years; on section twenty-four he secured a place and is there yet.

Edwin Pettis, a native of New York, came here from Delaware county, Iowa, in the fall of 1855, and bought land in sections thirty-four and thirty- five, and his residence is still on the latter section.

Peter Loughrey, of Pennsylvania, located in sec- tion twenty-six.

Charles W. Tabor came in February of this year, and secured a place in section nineteen.

David Greiner had a place in section thirty-one, but he died in 1866. Other comers this year were, John D. Biggs, G. W. Biggs, Ned Tindall, William Cordell, Daniel M. Collum, and Richard Malone, with several others.

In 1856, John Murphy, of Tennessee, settled in section thirteen where he may still be found.

E. Pettis in section thirty-five, where he still lives.

Henry McConville, a native of Ireland, came from Wisconsin in the spring, and procured a farm in section thirty-five, where his widow yet lives. He was frozen to death the first winter after his arrival on his way home from Chatfield.

In 1857, William J. Greiner, of Pennsylvania, and a few others settled here.

In 1858, C. Farrington and two sons, E. V. and G. M., natives of New York, came from Wiscon- sin and bought some land in section twenty-six, where the old gentleman now lives, while G. M. Farrington lives on section thirty-six, and E. V. Farrington, Judge of Probate, temporarily residing in Preston.

EARLY EVENTS OF INTEREST.

A. Mr. Keck and two daughters died in Novem- ber, 1855, and were buried the same week in the Jordan cemetery. These must have been the first deaths in the township after the arrival of white settlers.

Thomas Mann and Miss Elizabeth Finley were united in marriage in March, 1855.

John Tabor and Miss Ann Mawer were married in August, 1855.

William Clark and Miss Susanna McCollum con- tracted wedlock in August, 1855.

Mathew Mawer and Miss Nancy Finley were married in January, 1856.

Mathew Tabor, son of James and Annie Tabor, was born on the 4th of March, 1855.

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JORDAN TOWNSHIP.

Ira Hare, son of G. W. and Amanda Hare, was born on the 24th of March, 1855.

POLITICAL.

On the 11th of May, with the other towns of the State then ready for an independent existence, the town of Jordan started on its travels with the following officers in charge: Supervisors, J. M. Gil- lis, Chairman, John D. Biggs, and John Murphy; Clerk, John Mawer; Assessor, Jacob Oakey; Jus- tices of the Peace, George W. Biggs, and J. M. Gillis; Constables, C. B. Beverstock and Ned Tin- dall; Collector, G. W. Biggs; Overseer of the Poor, William Cordell.

At this first meeting the judges of election were, Jacob Oakey, Dan McCallum, and James Tabor; Clerks of election, J. M. Gillis and C. M. Tindall.

For about twenty years town meetings were held in schoolhouses, but in 1877, a Town Hall was con- structed on section seventeen. It is a neat and commodious building of stone that cost $1,000.

The name of the town is derived from Jordan Creek, which was given this remarkable original designation by John Maine, one of the first settlers in town. The neighborhood of the stream is known as Jordan Valley, and who knows but that some day it may be a place for pious pilgrimages.

At the annual election on the 14th of March, 1882, the officers of the town were as follows: Su- pervisors, A. Balcom, Chairman, P. Loughrey, and William Baker; Clerk, C. S. Wooster; Treasurer, M. Robbins; Assessor, C. Hanley; Constable, G. Hare.

Since the origanization of the town there have been no startling developments in relation to the affairs of public administration; everything has moved along in the even tenor of its way with con- servatism as a predominating tendency.

Jordan is most emphatically a rural township, as there is to-day no church, no store, no Post- office, no mill, or even a blacksmith shop. The Dearest approach to an industrial enterprise is the brickyard of Mr. N. A. Carson, who also occasion- ally burus a kiln. To obtain what a village furnishes, the people go to Chatfield or Fillmore.

POST-OFFICES.

JORDAN .- This was established as early as 1854, with Asher Palmer in charge, and the office was at his house on the southwest quarter of section twenty-eight. In about one year the office went to the store of J. M. Gillis. In 1856, it was

removed to the town of Fillmore. Another office was established a few years afterwards on section sixteen, and Mr. I. Day was Postmaster. It was at first called Bear Creek. Afterwards the name was changed to "Iday" in honor of its first Post- master. Mr. Saunders was the last one to handle the mails, in 1863.

MILLS.

Weston Mosher built a saw-mill on section thirty-one in 1858. It was an old fashioned sash saw, with a vertical reciprocating motion, and kept on making a limited amount of sawdust until 1872, when its vibrations were discontinued. It was operated by power derived from the Brook Kedron.

John Murphy bought a saw-mill. a portable steam affair, and set it up on his land in section thirteen, where he run it for a number of years, and then sold to Kincaid & Doud, who trans- ferred the establishment to Chatfield.

THE GREINER SAW-MILL. - David Greiner built a saw-mill on Bear Creek, on section thirty- one, in 1856. This was an "up and down" saw, worked by eleven feet fall of water. This saw kept up its reciprocating motion up to 1878, when the dam washed ont, and it is now idle.

The same year this was put up a grist mill was constructed. It was a single run mill and turned out feed or flour, the latter of a very nice quality. Since 1875, this has not run, but the stones are in the Tunnell mill in summer.

RELIGIOUS.

It is probable that the first religious services in town were in the house of .James Tabor, on sec- tion thirty-two, in 1855, by Rev. J. Oakey. Elder Stephen Jones had meetings in Mr. P. Loughrey's house in 1857, and afterwards in the schoolhouse. He belonged to the Protestant Methodist branch of the church militant. Rev. C. Kellogg and Rev. Nahum Tainter also held meetings at an early day, in the house of Mr. E. Pettis, they being Metho- dist Episcopal preachers.

Religious meetings were held in schoolhouse No. 99, as early as 1855, Elder Phelps, Jacob Oakey, and others officiated at irregular intervals until the building was burned. Since the new house was built, services have been held occasion- ally. Elder Hopkins, a Baptist from Chatfield, was the last to preach in 1881.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL .-- In 1879, this denomi-

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HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY.

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History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 89

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

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