USA > Minnesota > Fillmore County > History of Fillmore County, Minnesota (Volume 1) > Part 16
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56
The Southern Minnesota Railroad Company was the name taken by the Root River Valley & Southern Minnesota Railroad, May 23, 1857, the day after the land grant was conferred. On April 3 the railroad had a meeting at La Crescent, and a survey by the chief engineer, H. W. Holley, was ordered to be made at once, to begin at or near St. Peter and to extend thence eastward to La Crosse. The party, accordingly, started to make this sur- vey from Chatfield to St. Peter on April 6, 1857. The survey
Digitized by Google
137
HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY
from St. Peter to La Crescent was completed early in June. About this time the Milwaukee & La Crosse company became interested in the proposed road.
After the Five Million Dollar Loan Bill was passed, the com- pany executed a mortgage, issued bonds and deposited them with the state, receiving therefor $575,000 in state bonds, having at that time graded thirty-seven and one-half miles on its main branch up the Minnesota, and about twenty and one-quarter on its Root river branch. The company defaulted on the payments April 1, 1860, and the governor advertised and sold the prop- erty and conveyed the same to the state. The state conferred the property, etc., on divers occasions to various parties during the years 1861 and 1863, but they failed to comply with the conditions.
March 4, 1864, under the revived title of the Southern Minne- sota Railroad Company, T. B. Stoddard, C. D. Sherwood, Clark W. Thompson, H. W. Holley, Luke Miller, Hiram Walker and their associates reorganized the company and obtained from the legislature the franchises and lands of the old company, upon the condition that ten miles should be completed in one year. But the time elapsed and the ten miles did not materialize, and the next year the legislature gave the company another year, and this time it succeeded in making the trip, and having the requisite ten miles in running condition by December 25, 1866. During the previous winter an effort had been made to secure an addi- tional grant of land from Houston to the western boundary of the state, which was successful, and this aid was secured July 4, 1866. From this time the progress of the road was rapid. As above stated, the road to Houston was opened and running in 1866; to Rushford and Lanesboro in 1868; from Ramsey to Alden in 1869, and from Lanesboro the road was pushed on to Ramsey in 1870; the total distance being 167 miles. It will thus be seen that the road was finally constructed and put in operation by practically the same men who conceived the project in territorial days, and obtained, through their efforts, the donations that made its success possible, and without which it might never have been built. As to the personnel of the early and the later man- agement, Col. T. B. Stoddard, of La Crosse; C. W. Thompson, of Hokah, and his brother, Edward Thompson, of the same place; and Hon. H. W. Holley, the chief engineer, who were on the board of directors, may be mentioned as standing by the company until, in 1870, the first division, from La Crosse to Win- nebago City, was completed. As to the last land grant in 1866, without which the road could not, or would not have been extended west of Houston, perhaps the most credit should be given to Charles D. Sherwood, Dr. Luke Miller, C. G. Wykoff
Digitized by Google
138
HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY
and D. B. Sprague, who joined their fortunes with the enter- prise at the reorganization in 1864.
In relation to the route of the road west of Lanesboro, where it leaves the Root River valley, the inside history would be remarkably rich reading if faithfully portrayed. Chatfield, being on the main stream, had no shadow of doubt as to its going there; Preston, the county seat, confidently expected the road. Either way would have avoided the grade west of Lanesboro.
In 1870 the Southern Minnesota railroad undertook to build a branch from Fountain to Chatfield, and the town of Chatfield voted bonds to the amount of $65,000, provided it was completed to that point by July 4, 1871. Work was commenced and some of the deeper cuts excavated, and it is reported that $70,000 was expended before the project was abandoned, which was done, as is alleged, on account of the great expense.
Soon after the building of the railroad through Fillmore county the road was involved in extensive litigation, and after various troubles the company was reorganized as the Southern Minnesota Railway Company under chapter 50 Laws of 1876, of the State of Minnesota.
The Southern Minnesota Railway Company was organized March 3, 1877. The Southern Minnesota Railway Extension Company was also organized. January 1, 1880, the Southern Minnesota, after receiving a deed from the Extension company, deeded its road from the Mississippi river to Sioux Falls, and the branch from Wells and Mankato, to the Milwaukee & St. Paul Company, the latter issuing bonds and taking possession of the road May 1, 1880.
Reno-Preston Branch. Early in November, 1873, the people of Caledonia, handicapped greatly by lack of railroad facilities, organized a railroad company, called the Caledonia and Missis- sippi, with a view to building a stub from Caledonia to the Mis- sissippi river. The officers were: President, Thomas Abbotts; vice-president, A. D. Sprague; treasurer, Nicholas Koob; secre- tary, N. E. Dorival. This company procured a right of way and did some grading.
Nothing came of this idea, however, until the Chicago, Clin- ton, Dubuque & Minnesota Railroad Company, desiring feeders for its river road, conceived the idea of building a road from the Mississippi westward, through Caledonia. Accordingly this company made an offer to complete the road, iron and equip it, in consideration of certain bonuses to be voted by the citizens of the territory through which the road was to pass.
The old Caledonia & Mississippi was reorganized as the Cale- donia, Mississippi & Western, and surveying and the purchase of a right of way was extended vigorously. No mention had been
Digitized by Google
139
HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY
made of Preston in the plans of the company. The road was to pass south of Preston, and the townships of Canton and Har- mony were each asked to vote a bonus of $12,000. Caledonia voted $25,000. Canton and Harmony, however, refused to vote the bonus asked, and the company turned its attention to Pres- ton, agreeing to make Preston the terminus of the road on con- dition that the citizens of Preston vote a bonus of $25,000 and persuade the citizens of Harmony and Canton to change their opinions. After a bitter fight, the conditions were fulfilled, Pres- ton voting $25,000, Harmony, $12,000, and Canton, $12,000.
The bonuses voted and the right of way secured, it did not take long for the narrow gauge road to be built. The first shovel of dirt was thrown in June, 1879, and on September 7, 1879, the first rail was laid at Reno. The first train reached Caledonia, September 25, 1879. On Christmas day, 1879, the gang was within sight of Preston, but the cold was so intense that work was suspended and it was not until toward evening on December 26, 1879, that the first train reached Preston. This first train, a work train, was in charge of Conductor W. W. Foot and H. G. Velsey, engineer. The first passenger train, in charge of the same engineer and the same conductor, started running regularly January 19, 1880. During the construction of the road Frank Adams was constructing engineer and F. O. Wyatt, superintendent.
In April of that year the officials of the Chicago & North- western went over the line with a view to purchasing it, and continuing the tracks to Chatfield. But the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul heard of this, and at once purchased the road from the eastern stockholders.
From that date until 1901, the line retained its narow gauge tracks, with poor connections at Reno, and with all the freight disadvantages attendant upon the necessity of a transfer at Reno. In 1890 Senator Richard E. Thompson introduced a bill in the Minnesota legislature, authorizing the railroad and ware- house commission to order the gauge broadened. The towns along the line took up the agitation, and the company concluded to comply with the wishes of the people. Work was commenced in the summer of 1901, and the first standard gauge train reached Preston, Monday morning, November 11, 1901, at 5:30 o'clock. The train consisted of engine 1343, a combination mail, baggage and smoking car, a day coach and the superintendent's private car, occupied by several officials. The train crew consisted of W. W. Foote, conductor; Robert Byrens, engineer; J. D. Han- lon, foreman; J. D. Schwartz, express messenger and brakeman, and H. M. Rollins, mail agent.
The actual change from the narrow to the standard gauge
Digitized by Google
140
HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY
was accomplished with little delay. The narrow gauge passenger train brought the mail as usual on Saturday, November 9, and immediately returned to Reno. Monday morning the mail left Preston on time, as usual, on the wide gauge train and the change became an accomplished fact.
Preston-Isinours Branch. In 1870 all the gaps being filled up, the Southern Minnesota was running trains from the Mis- sissippi to Wells. The railroad promoters were interested in Lanesboro, Fountain and Wykoff, and were in hopes that these places would grow in such a manner as to eliminate Preston from among the important villages of the county. Accordingly, the company refused to establish any stations between Lanesboro and Fountain, and those desiring to take the train from Preston had to drive to one or the other of these places. Finally the citizens of Preston organized a freighting association and obtained the permission of the railroad officials, to erect a freight house and station, the expense of building, maintaining and operating same to be borne by the citizens of Preston. The building was at once erected, and W. C. Grant was employed as operator at $45 per month. However, for a time, passenger trains stopped only when flagged. Shortly afterward, in 1871, a postoffice was established there with W. G. Grant as postmaster, and the trains were compelled to stop to leave and receive mail. After a time, when the affairs of the company reached the courts, the court ordered the new company to buy and operate the Isinours station.
When the depot was built, stage and freight lines were estab- lished from Isinours to Preston. The stage line was Preston's only public passenger connection with the outside world until the narrow gauge road was built to Reno, 1879. The narrow gauge still left Preston with nothing but the stage lines and private teams to convey passengers to the north and west. H. R. Wells for many years worked for the opening of a branch from Preston to the main line of the Southern Minnesota. Finally the president of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul consented to receive a delegation of citizens to talk over the matter. This committee, consisting of H. R. Wells, R. E. Thompson, Henry Nupson, George W. Hard, J. W. Hopp, S. A. Langum and A. W. Thompson, met President A. J. Earling, at Chicago, June 6, 1902, and after a long discussion the president promised that sur- veys should be made. Several surveys were made during the summer of 1902, and the company decided to build the road pro- viding the citizens of Preston would secure a right of way, free of charge to the company. This was done, and in the spring of 1903 the citizens turned over to the company, deeds to the right of way the entire distance, the cost being met by an issue of
Digitized by Google
141
HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY
$5,000 bonds, which were authorized at a special village election at Preston, only thirteen voting in the negative. The railroad started work in the spring, but owing to the wet season track laying was not completed until the fall. The civil engineer in charge was C. S. Coe. The first train over the new road left Preston at 12:48, Monday, November 23, 1903, eighteen minutes after scheduled time, thus setting a precedent for tardiness which has been well sustained in the time which has elapsed since then. Wm. Shook was the conductor; Levi Kline, the engi- neer; George Laskey, the fireman and J. E. Ford and Gus Schultz, the brakemen. A number of leading citizens had arranged for an excursion, being met at Isinours by many prominent men of Lanesboro.
The Chicago Great Western Railroad, operating what is known as the Corn Belt route, in 1910 succeeded the Chicago Great Western Railway Company, which operated what was then known as the Maple Leaf route. The latter company was organized in Illinois, January 5, 1892, to effect the reorganiza- tion of the Chicago, St. Paul and Kansas City Railway Company, which was an Iowa corporation and had absorbed the Minnesota & Northwestern. Under an agreement with the Wisconsin, Min- nesota and Pacific Railway Company, this company operated, among other lines, that from Minneapolis and St. Paul to Osage, Iowa, the Wisconsin, Minnesota & Pacific being a reorganization of one of the early Minnesota companies. It was incorporated in Minnesota in April, 1894. The line operates in the extreme west- ern part of Fillmore county, and was originally known as the Winona and Southwestern. It was built in 1890. The line passes through Spring Valley and Bloomfield.
Chatfield & Eyota. This is a branch of the Chicago & North- western, and extends from Eyota on the Elroy & Tracy division. Bonds were voted by the town of Chatfield in 1878 to secure the branch to this place; the work was soon commenced and in the fall of 1878 the trains were running. As this is a short branch, the varied history of the Chicago & Northwestern is beyond the scope of this work.
Digitized by Google
CHAPTER XIII.
MILITARY HISTORY.
Fillmore County at the Outbreak of the Civil War-Raising of the First Company-Other Companies Sent From This County -Roll of Honor-Names of Fillmore County Veterans- Spanish-American War.
When President Abraham Lincoln issued his first call for 75,000 men to maintain the Union, April 16, 1861, Fillmore county was but eight years old as an organized county, and as present constituted had been in existence but six years. It was but thinly populated, having but 13,542 inhabitants, pioneers of a new state that had been admitted to the Union but three years. It was a cruel time to take the men from the field, store, shop and home. They had little on which to depend save the labor of their hands, and their families needed them. But an attack had been made on Fort Sumter, the flag of the Union had been fired upon, and the hearts of these hardy, patriotic men and women were fired.
At this time Alexander Ramsey, governor of Minnesota, chanced to be in Washington, and immediately sought Secretary Cameron, and in writing tendered 1,000 soldiers from Minnesota in defense of the government, which offer was presented to the President and by him accepted. The governor telegraphed these facts to the adjutant general of the state, with orders to make a call for troups. The call, however, did not reach Fillmore county in time for any of her sons to be enlisted in the original muster of the First Regiment.
Several more regiments were tendered for the First Regiment than could be accepted, and those in excess of the number required were advanced to maintain their organization in expectation that a second regiment might be called for. The second call was received by the governor of Minnesota, June 14, 1861, and im- mediately announced to the people of the state. Enlistment for the Second Regiment at once started. The first company to reach Ft. Snelling was Company A from Chatfield, commanded by Capt. J. W. Bishop. The captain, Judson W. Bishop, was afterward promoted to major with special mention. Charles Haven, the first lieutenant, died at Nashville, March 4, 1862. Charles H. Barnes, the second lieutenant, became captain. Levi Ober and Edward
142
Digitized by Google
DR. HENRY JONES
Digitized by
Digitized by Google
143
HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY
L. Kenny also became captains. Francis Hamilton and Abram Kalder became first lieutenants. Archibald McCorkle became second lieutenant.
Company C of the Third Regiment was mustered in October 11, 1861; Company B of the Fifth Regiment was mustered in March 2, 1862; Company K of the Sixth Regiment was mustered in August, 1862; Company E of the Seventh was mustered in August 15, 1862; Company D of the Eighth was mustered in November 17, 1862; Company A of the Second Cavalry was mus- tered in during the late months of 1863.
These were the principal Fillmore county companies, although during the entire war there were many enlistments from this county in other companies.
Company C of the Third Regiment was officered as follows: Captains, John R. Bennett, William H. Mills, Edward Hillman, David Misner, James M. Moran; first lieutenants, Lewis Hardy, William F. Grummons, Andrew J. Borland; second lieutenants, John V. Reaves, Nathaniel C. Parker. David Misner was promoted to major of the First Regiment, Minnesota Heavy Artillery.
Company B of the Fifth Regiment was officered as follows: Captains, William B. Gere, John S. Marsh, Norman Culver, James G. McGrew; first lieutenants, Thomas P. Gere, John F. Bishop. William B. Gere was promoted to major.
Company K of the Sixth Regiment was officered as follows: Captains, William H. Woodward, W. W. Braden; first lieutenant, Henry S. Bassett ; second lieutenant, Charles L. Gale.
Company E of the Seventh was officered as follows: Captains, Josiah F. Marsh, Thomas G. Hall, Maxon L. Potter; first lieu- tenants, Alexander Wight, Hardy Lewis, Aaron H. H. Dayton. Josiah F. Marsh became lieutenant colonel of the Ninth Minnesota Infantry.
Company D of the Eighth was officered as follows: Captains, Samuel McLarty; first lieutenant, Dennis Jacobs; second lieu- tenant, Thomas Harris.
Company A of the Second Cavalry was officered as follows: Captains, John R. Jones, Albert R. Field ; first lieutenant, William L. Briley ; second lieutenant, William T. Stevens. John R. Jones was promoted to major.
In the above list of officers, in case of promotions, the highest office attained in the company is given, although most of the offi- cers mentioned passed through various lower grades before at- taining the positions given above.
When, in 1862, the local recruiting had become dull, at a time when other localities had begun to pay bounties, the county com- missioners, on August 15, passed a resolution to pay a bounty to every person who would enlist in the Union army. And to show
Digitized by Google
144
HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY
the status of the bounty business at that time, and the restrictions under which the board acted, a full copy is presented :
"Resolved, That we will pay a bounty of $50 to all married men or men having families, and $25 to unmarried men who have or may hereafter enlist as volunteers in the United States service under the two calls of the President for 600,000 men; said volun- teers being residents of the county ; said bounty being payable in loan certificates, to be redeemed by issuing bonds of the county, payable in ten years, with interest at 10 per cent annually, as soon as the legislature shall authorize the issuing of said bonds; and that the auditor be and is hereby authorized to issue said certificates in accordance with the above, and that said certificate be signed by the auditor and chairman of this board; provided, that the whole quota of men apportioned to this county under the said calls be raised by volunteers; provided, further, that said certificates shall be sold for cash at their par value. Resolved, That J. W. Crees and W. T. Wilkins be and they are hereby authorized to sell said certificates, and J. B. Fraser is authorized to receive the money and pay the same to volunteers, when they shall be entitled to the same." These resolutions were signed by the board as follows: J. W. Crees, G. A. Hayes, B. F. Holman, Lewis Peterson. B. F. Holman, chairman; Niles Carpenter, county auditor.
January 9, 1863, the resolutions were modified so as to pay each volunteer in county orders, bearing interest at 6 per cent per annum from the date of issue until redeemed, which was fixed at one-third in two years, one-third in three years and the last third in four years. A provision to meet these obligations was made in the form of a special tax to be levied on the property of the county for three successive years. The chairman and auditor were made the committee on bounty claims, and were to be the disbursing agents for the money so appropriated. This, like the other, was made contingent upon the action of the legislature legalizing such a tax. A resolution was also adopted to request the honorable legislature of the state to pass an enabling act. The legislature being in session at the time, the auditor was enjoined to attend to having a certified copy of the resolution sent to St. Paul without unnecessary delay.
Each township, as their quota was ahead or behind the in- exorable demands of the remorseless draft, would take measures to procure enlistments, which, with the $300 commutation, was the only means of averting the drawing.
The complete record of these regiments has many times been published and is beyond the scope of this history. It is sufficient to say that whether in the barracks or in the field, in camp or on long marches, opposing savage Indians in the Northwest, or
Digitized by Google
145
IIISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY
fighting against the Confederates in the South, the Fillmore county soldiers showed their courage, their valor and their manliness.
ROLL OF HONOR.
In this connection has been compiled from the adjutant-gen- eral's report, the names of the soldiers who enlisted from Fill- more county. If any are omitted, it is not intentional, for great care has been exercised in collecting this matter, and none have greater veneration for the brave soldier than the compilers of this volume. As the only possible way to ascertain enlistment of each soldier, is to depend upon the official reports, as pub- lished under authority of the state, any mistakes in spelling names or the omission of them entirely, should be charged to such official reports. Fillmore county was represented in the Union army as follows :
SECOND INFANTRY.
This regiment was organized in July, 1861, and originally commanded by Horatio Van Cleve. Ordered to Louisville, Ky., in October, 1861, and assigned to the Army of the Ohio. It was engaged in the following marches, battles, skirmishes and sieges, viz .: Mill Spring, January 19, 1862; siege of Corinth, in April, 1862, then transferred to the Army of the Tennessee; Bragg's Raid, Perryville, October 8, 1862; skirmishes of the Tullahoma campaign, Chickamauga, September 19 and 20, 1863; Mission Ridge, November 28, 1863. Veteranized in January, 1864, and participated in the battles and skirmishes of the Atlanta campaign, viz. : Resaca, June 14, 15 and 16, 1864; Kennesaw Moun- tain, June 27, 1864; Jonesboro; Sherman's March through Georgia and the Carolinas, and Bentonville, March 19, 1865. The men were mustered out at Louisville, Ky., and discharged at Fort Snelling, Minn., July 11, 1865. This regiment covered itself with laurels at the battle of Mission Ridge, where they were badly cut up in a charge they made on the enemy's works. Few Minnesota regiments, if any, performed more long and laborious marches than the "Bloody Second."
Company A. Judson W. Bishop, captain ; Charles Haven, first lieutenant; Charles H. Barnes, second lieutenant; Levi Ober, sergeant ; Charles Feruster, sergeant; Edward L. Kenny, William Hoffman, James F. Stewart, William A. Bennett, Andrew J. Balsinger, corporals; Baruch Denny, musician; Major D. E. Runnals, musician; John L. Kenny, quartermaster. Privates, Robert Bateman, Samuel R. Barnes, Henry C. Brown, Charles N. Corliss, Norman E. Case, Herman G. Case, John L. Collison, Thomas E. Dalton, George W. Edwards, Charles A. Edwards,
Digitized by Google
146
HISTORY OF FILLMORE COUNTY
Edward A. Everts, Newton Emberry, Samuel Foster, Thomas Finch, John Fettman, John W. Farrington, Benjamin Farrington, Samuel N. Farrell, Ellick H. Gollings, Peter Laughlin, John Luark, Augustus MeNeely, David N. Morse, Daniel W. Mead, Archibald McCorkle, Adam Mann, James McAdams, Lorenzo J. D. Place, Spencer J. Pitcher, George M. Pinneo, Fred H. Russell, Dennis Rose, Jacob Rose, George W. Rockwell, Charles B. Rouse, William Sackett, Robert Smalley, Henry Smalley, John W. Saw- yer, Newton Scott, John H. Shipton, William R. Shipton, George R. Shipton, George S. Spaulding, Andrew J. Wheeler, Alonzo F. Worden, Frank A. West, Joseph W. Marr, Simeon A. Wellman, Ozias M. Work, Daniel C. Wilson, Joseph Wall, Warren P. Andrews, Chester Andrews, John Ayers, Charles B. Allen, Leonard Barrett, Giles A. Baker, David J. Bungamer, John C. Bateman, Charles P. Barnes, Hiram W. Clark, Alexander Car- megil, Gustus Frederick, Milton C. Fay, George G. Farrell, Wil- son C. Garett, Henry Gale, Levi Hamlin, Samuel R. Henry, Fran- cis M. Knight, Charles V. Knox, Abram Kalder, Cadwalader J. Lynch, Samuel B. Moon, Jonathan McEldry, Michael Passmore, Harvey Page, William R. Plonteaux, Charles H. Philips, Richard Rice, Andrew Sall, Walter Withers, William C. Wheeler, Fred Young, Peter Young.
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.