History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 98

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 98

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ister from Spring Valley usually supplies here. In 1860, a Sunday school was started and it is still kept at work.

WESLEYAN METHODIST SOCIETY .- In the year 1879, Rev. Robert Hardy held services in this town and organized a society in July, in Willard Allen's Hall, where services are still held. To commence, the society had twenty-four members, and now there are sixty. A church edifice is in contemplation.

THE OPERA HOUSE.

In 1875, this building was commenced by E.W. Allard. It is 44x80 feet, three stories in height, and a basement. The upper story is the hall which is fitted up with a stage, the cost was $10,- 000. The basement and first story are for business purposes and the second story for offices.

SPRING VALLEY VILLAGE SCHOOLS.

The earliest school within the present district limits was in the winter of 1854-55, in a log cabin on the east half of the southeast of section twenty-seven, in old Spring Valley. It was taught by Miss Julietta Ann Kingsley, now Mrs. J. M. Smith. The following winter timber was got out to build a frame building near the old shanty. This was 20x30 feet, and school was taught here until provision was made for it in the new town. The old building still exists on the farm of John Kleckler, where it is used as a stable and granary. The first school in the present platted village was taught by Stephen Ives in 1855; it was kept in a house where Allard's Opera block now stands. The next term was presided over by W. L. Kel- logg. The same old building may be found near the depot.

The Spring Valley School District No. 112 was reorganized, as an independent school district on the 29th of April, 1871, and it was made up of what was before designated as No. 32, in the county system. The first officers of the old dis- pensation were appointed at a meeting held on the 6th of September, 1857, as follows: Chairman, C. Wilkins; Clerk, J. M. Strong; Trustees, T. A. Warner, W. Lloyd, and P. S. Degroodt. On the 14th of November, 1868, it was resolved to build the schoolhouse that now stands overlooking the village, and it was soon constructed at a cost of about $10,000, eight thousand of which was pro- cured by bonds. The present Board of Educa- tion consists of : Mrs. A. R. Burleson, President;

M. E. Molstad, Clerk; J. E. Whitman, Treasurer; A. P. Flower, G. G. Wilder, J. Q. Farmer, W. L. Kellogg, J. E. Whitman, and Mrs. C. C. Stoddard, Trustees.

The Superintendent is Prof. A. D. Gaines. Teachers, Miss Hellen B. Nash, Miss Ella Crippen, Miss Cora G. Burleson, Miss Mary McGillvray, and Hattie Griswold.

MANUFACTURING.

PERKINS' SAW AND FEED MILL .- This is a water-power mill, situated on the land of H. W. Perkins, on the northeast of the northwest quarter of section twenty-five, on the bank of Spring Creek. This mill was commenced by Henry Kib- ler, one of the pioneers, in 1856, and finished the following winter. It had at first a home-made flutter wheel, and a perpendicular saw, but Mr. Kibler did not make an eminent success of the en- terprise, and after a time it was sold to M. Daniels and Levi Shepard. It was owned by different parties, among them H. Rosman, who put in a run of stones for making flour, and a set of wool cards. In 1869, H. W. Perkins bought the property, by whom it was modified and improved. In 1875, it was still further changed, and a feed mill put in with a single run of stones. The saw-mill is 16x40 feet, and the feed mill attached is 20x20 feet, and they are operated by separate wheels.

EMPIRE MILL .- This concern is located on sec- tion seventeen, on the bank of Deer Creek. It is owned by Pryts & Esty, and operated by A. Pryts, one of the proprietors. Five acres were purchased from William S. Hill in the northeast quarter of section seventeen, and a mill built to use the nine feet fall found available at this point. It is a frame building of two stories, with a stone base- ment, and has three run of stones. It makes a straight grade of flour, and does a good custom business.

SORGHUM MILL .-- This establishment is owned by G. W. Farmer, is on his farm in section twenty-seven, and was built in 1879. It is a frame building, 20x40 feet, with an evaporating room 18x36 feet, and an engine room 16x20 feet. It has a ten horse-power steam engine, with a twenty-five horse-power boiler. The process of manufacturing syrup from the juice is partly by an open fire, and partly by steam. The cost of the concern was about $2,500. It has from the first been operated by Mr. Farmer, who makes six or seven thousand gallons cach year, and improve-

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ments are being made to manufacture refined syrup.

PODUNK STEAM SAW-MILL .- On section twenty- three this mill was built in 1856, and was a large mill for those days, built by Lloyd, Mulvery & Ives, and did a large amount of work. It run here for several years, and then was moved to section thir- teen. Those connected with the mill made quite a little settlement in the woods, which soon took the name of "Podunk," and that has continued to de- signate this locality ever since, although the mill has been taken away, and the settlement has van- ished, while timber now occupies the spot, where the farmers obtain their fuel. Mr. T. Gould was the man who bought and moved the mill to its present location.

FATE'S CARDING MILL .- In 1870, a carding mill was put up on John Fate's farm, in section twenty-seven, 22x27 feet, one and one-half stories in height. A dam of two-inch plank was placed across the creek, and five or six feet fall was real- ized. The water wheel was a most primitive affair, with a vertical shaft, and the water chased the floats around ( which were placed at the bot- tom) producing a good and sufficient power. A carding machine was put in, and it was operated for about three years by Martin Fate, but finally abandoned, as it was not remunerative.

WEISBECK'S SAW-MILL AND FURNITURE FACTORY. -This establishment was built in 1863, by A. Defor, and is located on one of the most pictur- esque spots in this section of the county, near the base of that remarkable specimen of nature's bandi- work known as "Hogsback," on the banks of Deer Creek, in section eleven. . The saw-mill is 16x30 feet, with a sash saw driven by a reaction wheel under an eight foot fall, which could be improved if necessrry to eighteen feet, but the power, as it is, is reliable. A few years after being built it was purchased by George Weisheck, who added a fur- niture factory to the saw-mill, 20x30 feet, with a residence in the second story, and the manufacture of bedsteads and tables was entered upon as a specialty. For a year or two the mills have not ran regularly.

STEVENS' MILL .-- In the fall of 1856, Otho Ste- vens and his father put up a grist and saw-mill in Spring Valley village. It had a single run of stones, and an upright saw, and it was run for sev- eral years by steam power, when opposition by water power mills made the profits uncomfortably

small, so the sawing and grinding ceased, and the building has since been used for other purposes. It is now in a dilapidated condition. Harris & Rossman started a steam grist-mill here in 1878, but in a few years it was closed, and the machinery removed. .:

WHITMAN & BROWN MANUFACTURING COMPANY. -This institution is the pet and the pride of the citizens, as it is the only one of the kind of any importance in the county. It was started in 1866, by Whitman & McElroy, who simply made wooden pumps, employed a hired engine, and worked in a rented building-the "old grist-mill." They had to start with a capital of abont $1,800. At the end of three months Mr. Whitman bought out his partner. During the first year about $1,500 worth of work was turned off. In 1868, Mr. E. M. Brown bought a half interest in the concern, and they immediately commenced the manufacture of fanning mills, and in the fall of that year erected a building and put in a steam engine to supply the place of the horse-power which of late they bad been using. They put in planers and other ma- chinery for manufacturing doors, sash, blinds, milk safes, and other like articles. The business seems to have prospered, for in 1874, a mill of their own was built, 40x60 feet, with a brick addi- tion, 15x40 feet, and machinery added, so that now there is $15,000 invested in the buildings and con- tents. The engine is a fifteen horse-power. In 1880, a change was made in the business, and now school furniture, screen doors, handsleds, and bag-holders are the specialties, together with job work as it is offered. The value of such a manu- factory in the midst of a farming community can hardly be overestimated.

BROOM FACTORY .- This industrial enterprise was inaugurated in 1876, by G. W. Whitney, in a small building in the village opposite the bank. In a few months it was moved to the old mill, and a year later to his place in the south part of the village. Mr. S. O. Murdough was a partner in the business for about two years. Since that time Mr. Whitney has managed it alone, and turns out from six to eight hundred dozen brooms a year, for which sale is found in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota.

SPRING VALLEY BROOM FACTORY .- This was started in 1881, by Prosser, Farnsworth & Co. It was operated about one year and suspended, but expects to resume.

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VALLEY CREAMERY .- This is a modern enter- prise which is exciting interest in a widely extend- ing circle, and must prove of great value to the whole community. Its location is a half mile west of the village, near the railroad, it is in a building 22x40 feet, and was constructed in the spring of 1881. It has an upright steam engine of six horse-power. The capacity of the establishment is 3,000 pounds a day, and three men are em- ployed for inside work. It is under the supervision of O. P. Walker. the Superintendent being B. H. Holmes. Eleven teams are at present employed in gathering cream in the summer and seven in the winter. Its product has taken a high rank as creamery butter, and commands the highest market price in the East where it is shipped as fast as manufactured. The establishment is owned by a joint stock company, with shares at $50 each. As the production of cream increases the capacity will be augmented to meet the require- ments.

HARD SCRABBLE FLOURING MILL .- This is situ- ated on Deer Creek, and is operated by water from that stream. The building is 33x75 feet, and was built in 1868, by Mr. M. S. Cummings, at a cost of $9,000. It has three run of buhr stones with a capacity of turning out twenty barrels of flour a day, and is exclusively a custom mill. The first mill here was a saw-mill, which was moved from Spring Valley by Fifield, Wilkins and Crane, the owners, and Mr. Crane remarked that they would have a "hard scrabble" to get it across the river, and so this phrase was caught up and became the name of the place. This was as early as 1857, and was a steam mill. It did good work and a large amount, although the building had no architectural pretensions, and as hard times came on, the mill was allowed to run down. But while it was still running. Otho Stevens, now of Spring Valley, moved his saw-mill there and set it in operation. This was a larger mill, run by steam, with a perpendicular saw, and its vibrations were kept up while there was lumber offered for its cutting, until 1870, when it was burned.

THE OLD MILL .- This is one of the ancient land- marks of Spring Valley-if anything twenty-five years old can be called ancient. It was a saw and grist-mill, and the saw was started on its ripping career in 1857, before the building was roofed over. The next year the stones got to revolving. Simeon and Otho Stevens were the proprietors,

and the mills run on until 1862, when the saw- mill went to "Hard Scrabble." In 1863, the mill was disposed of to I. N. Cummings, at administra- tor's sale. Mr. Cummings sold it to N. Smith, and for a time it was occupied as a boarding house for railroad laborers. It was subsequently used as a hat factory, and for wool carding, as a blacksmith shop, with a fanning mill manufactory up stairs; then it was used as a cheese factory, and all this time the upper story was used as a church, for town meetings, concerts, shows, as a Masonic hall, and as a general utilitarian building. Since 1874, when the blacksmith shop vacated, it has been oc- cupied in an intermittent way by various parties. In 1859, it was used as headquarters for the Vigilantes, and here they brought their "sus- pects," to extort confessions. The old mill has been the scene of births, marriages, deaths, acci- dents, and crimes, and could its grim old walls speak, they could "a tale unfold." Chandler Par- son now owns the mill.

GRANGE ELEVATOR. - This was put up by a joint stock company organized under the general cor- poration laws of the State. The President of the company was J. N. Graling, the Secretary was W, H. Albro, and Treasurer, J. A. Stout. The com- pany was composed of farmers who were members of the Grange. The Elevator is an upright one, 36x40 feet, with a storage capacity of 24,000 bush- els. It has an engine house attached, with a four horse-power engine. The cost was $5,100. It was leased to J. W. Graling and is now managed by Graling Brothers, who buy all kinds of grain.

OTHER ELEVATORS .- There are in Spring Val- ley five elevators: The Grange Elevator, Mc George's, Hyd .. & Hodges, Cargill Brothers, and T. J. Thayer's.

It will be perceived that in the sketch of Spring Valley, no very successful effort has been made to keep the village distinct from the town, or to di- vorce the town from the village. Their history goes along puri passec, and the interests of all citi- zens of the town are identical, whether they live within or without the village limits. These re- marks apply with equal force to other towns and villages.

LIME CITY.

This is the name of a locality in the center of section four, which is so called on account of the lime burned burned here. A saw-mill was put in, wheih must have been as early as 1854, and was

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on the northeast quarter of the section, on Bear Creek, from which it procured its power. It was commenced by Frank Tebot, who costructed a dam across the river and secured a head of twelve feet; but he soon sold to Mr. Frazer, and in 1855, the dam accepted an earnest invitation to go out, and then it was bought by Mr. Young, who re- placed the absent structure, but that also retired down stream, and no rebuilding was ever done. Since that time, decay has mark d the old mill for its own. In 1857, Mr. Scoville put up a steam saw-mill on the west side of the creek, with a cir- cular saw that could rip ont 3,000 feet of lum. ber in a day. It was sold to Mr. Morrison aud finally moved to the Minnesota Valley. In 1860 or thereabouts, T. J. Murray put up a steam saw- mill across the creek, with a circular saw and a forty-five horse-power engine that could saw 6,000 feet of lumber a day. This was purchased in 1869, by L. G. Odell, who run it for several years and sold the property to Charles Gordon. The boiler was sold and transferred to the stone mill in Sumner.

Olds' saw-mill was built in 1868, by N. Olds & Son. It has a story and a half with a basement' is 20x41 feet, and a wing 12x41 feet. Its location was on Deer Creek and it was operated by water, had a circular saw, and could deliver 2,500 feet of lumber in a day. A three foot dam secured a fall of twelve feet. In the upper story was machinery for manufacturing wagons and sleds, and for repairing. In 1881, the water wheel became permanently disabled, and a portable steam engine was brought into requisition. This was about a half mile.below the site of "Beldena."

During the war T. J. Murray commenced burn- ing lime here, and did a good business, employing in this work. and in the mill, quite a force of men, and in 1868, he sold ont to L. G. Odell, who built a "draw kiln, and went into the business quite ex- tensively. He still carries it on in connection with his farm. Of late the product of his kiln is shipped west from Spring Valley station. During the running of the mills quite a community was gathered here in a dozen houses or so, but the place should now be described by a modern Gold- smith. Some brick have also been made here.

BURIED CITIES.

LIBERTY .- A city of this name, which has been so largely appropriated in America ever since the

first pole was planted in the early struggle for in- dependence, to bear at its masthead the emblem of the free, sprung up in the mind of Henry Kib- ler, who had a farm in section twenty-four, and it was so far materialized as to be platted and re- corded. The enthusiastic proprietor had a few goods for sale in his house, and this was the near- est approach to its becoming a city that it ever made.

BELDENA .- One of the early enterprises of the town of Spring Valley was the inception of a vil- lage with the above appellation. Its location was most admirable, on the southeastern part of sec- tion nine, on Deer Creek. The proprietor and pro- jector was Dr. W. P. Belden, a young man of means and energy, who commenced with business- like methods to make improvements. A dam was thrown across the river to secure a water-power, and the village was regularly surveyed and plat- ted, but never recorded. Quite a number of fami- lies were attracted to the spot, a blacksmith shop, a shoe shop, and a store were started, and everything seemed to conduce toward the success of the undertaking. But various un- toward circumstances, and the rivalry of neigh- boring villages that were candidates for pub- lic favor and patronage, were too powerful to be overcome, and so this project, which, according to the best human calculations, had all the elements of success, finally succumbed to the inevitable, and became obsolete. Thus "Beldena," which had been laid out with such fond hopes and high expectations, almost laid out its projector and patron, who expended about $3,000 in endeav- oring to realize his urban anticipations, although there was no sudden giving up the ghost, for it was not until 1858, when the dam, which had made a pond that was quite a resort for fishing purposes, went out, and the place was finally declared mori- bund.

Of course, while the enterprise was still alive, the uncertainty of where the railroad would go, and the expectation that it would pass through the place, coupled with the advantages of the route, kept alive the flickering hopes of those who were interested in its prosperity.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

E. G. H. ADAMS, a native of Milford, Massachu- setts, was born on the 2d of September, 1851. When three years of age he moved with his par- ents to Vermont, resided with them until the age

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of twelve, then went to live with an uncle on a farm. He learned the printer's trade at Montpe- lier, Vermont, and was engaged at the same four years. His health failing, on account of the close confinement, he gave up his trade and entered the employ of the C. & P. Rivers and Massawippi Valley railroad. Here he spent six years of his life, working up to the position of locomotive en- gineer, which he left for a situation in the general offices of the same company. In 1874, he ac- cepted a position in a drug store in Williamstown, Massachusetts, remaining there but one year. While there he was married to Emmeretta A. Fyler, the event taking place on the 15th of July, 1875. They came to Spring Valley, Minnesota, the same year, and Mr. Adams opened a fancy goods store. The following spring he added a job printing office, and in 1880, added another press and put in steam power. About this time he changed the store from fancy goods to stationery, and is now doing a good business in both lines, his patrons residing all over Minnesota, Dakota, and Northern Iowa.

H. J. ANDERSEN, a dealer in lumber, and one of the best architects in this part of the State, was born in Denmark on the 30th of April, 1854. His father was a Forester, and H. J. was but fourteen years old when he commenced to learn the builder's trade with a master-builder, by working at the various branches of masonry during the summer, and stone-cutting in the winter; also attended drawing school on Sunday and in the evenings. He landed in America on the 4th of March, 1872, worked five months on a farm in Indiana, then went to Chicago, and thence to Lake Supe- rior, where he constructed railroads and built iron furnaces. On the 1st of December, 1873, he came to Freeborn county, Minnesota, where he attended school in the winters, and worked at his trade in Freeborn, Fillmore, Olmsted, and Dodge coun- ties until August, 1875, when he located in Spring Valley. He erected a small shop and did stone- cutting, using his spare time in acquiring more knowledge in architecture, and in 1876, began a general contracting business. He had the con- tract for the brick M. E. Church at Spring Val- ley. He has been quite successful, and started his present lumber yard in 1879, which he carries on in connection with his other business. Mr. An- dersen was united in marriage with Miss Mary K. Cummings, a daughter of I. N. Cummings. She is

said to have been the first white child born in Fill- more county.

W. W. BOUTECOU was born in Troy, New York, on the 19th of June, 1845. He was brought up in the city, and since a child has been engaged in the manufacture or sale of lumber. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company G, of the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth New York Volunteer Infantry, serving three years. He then located on a farm in New Jersey, where he was married on the 23d of December, 1868, to Miss Florence C. Neale. In 1870, they came to Minnesota, and Mr. Boutecou entered the employ of Cameron & Rossiter, con- tractors on the Southern Minnesota railroad, taking charge of their supply store in this place. He afterward engaged with C. L. Colburn, carrying on their lumber business in Lanesboro until the spring of 1871, when he came to this place, con- tinning in the same business. Mr. and Mrs. Bou- tecou have had four children, three of whom are living.

ELBRIDGE M. BROWN was born in Geauga county, Ohio, on the 25th of August, 1841. When he was quite young his parents moved to Spar- tansburgh, Pennsylvania. His father was a mer- chant, and Elbridge was engaged in that occupa- tion. In 1863, he entered the Commercial College at Poughkeepsie, New York, but his health failing he came west the same year, located in Spring Valley and worked on his father's farm. . On the 11th of September, 1866, Miss Carrie N. Whitman became his wife. They had one child who died. In 1877, Mr. Brown purchased a halt interest in the manufacturing establishment of Whitman & Brown, and has since devoted his whole time to the business. He was chosen Village Councilman in 1880.

JAMES BROXHELM, one of the early settlers of this place, was born in Lincolnshire, England, in November, 1801. When young he was engaged as a shepherd boy. He was married in 1825, to Miss Elizabeth Loblie, and afterward resided on a farm. They have had eight children, six of whom are living. Mr. Broxhelm came with his family to America in 1851, and remained in New York until coming to Spring Valley in 1856. He now owns a farm of two hundred and twenty-six acres, well improved.

ALDIS BARTLETT was born in Vermont on the 1st of March, 1829. When he was sixteen years old he moved with his parents to New York, where

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he was engaged in the lumber business and after- ward run a barge from Albany to New York City. In 1854, he came west to Fillmore county and took a claim in Forestville township, but soon returned to New York. On the 21st of January, 1857, Miss Mary Chisholm became his wife. He returned to this county in 1865, and opened a store in Fill- more village, but a year later sold and located on a farm. In 1869, Mr. Bartlett was elected County Auditor, held the office four years, and during the time lived in Preston. He has since resided on his farm, which is entirely within the village lim- its and in a fine state of cultivation, with good buildings. He is at present Assessor, and has held a number of other local offices. Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett have four children, Clarence, Edwin, Cora, and Earlin.

LAWRENCE BAR, a native of Germany, was born in Bavaria, on the 18th of May, 1838. He came to America with his parents when five years old, and was reared on a farm in Tioga county, New York. The family came to this county in 1856, locating in Forestville township, where they were among the first settlers. Lawrence remained at home until 1861, when he enlisted in the Third Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Company C, and after a service of nine months was discharged on account of ill health. He returned to his home, and in 1868, began teaching school, but two years after entered a store and clerked for five years. He was joined in matrimony on the 27th of June, 1878, with Mrs. Harriet (Wilkins) Parsons, daughter of Cordello Wilkins, one of the original townsite owners of Spring Valley. Mr. Bar re- sides in the village, but owns six hundred acres of land in the county, and is extensively engaged in farming. He is the father of one child. His father was born in Germany, on the 20th of Feb- ruary, 1794, and is now living in Spring Valley.

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History of Fillmore County, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 98

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

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