USA > Minnesota > Fillmore County > History of Fillmore County, Minnesota (Volume 1) > Part 25
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Political. The town government was organized May 11, 1858, at which time the following officers were elected : Supervisors, W. T. Wilkins (chairman), T. M. Chapman and T. B. Johnson; town clerk, E. McMurtrie; assessor, S. Phillips; collector, A. B. Allen; overseer of the poor, W. A. Potter; constables, A. P. Allen and S. P. Dean; justices of the peace, W. Allen and E. Wilkins; overseer of highways, C. A. Cady.
During the war the town levied several taxes to pay bounties for soldiers to fill the quota. The amounts paid were from $300 to $400 to each.
FORMER VILLAGES.
Limetown or Lime City is the name of a locality in the center of section four, which is so called on account of the lime burned here. A sawmill was put in, probably as early as 1854, and was on the northeast quarter of the section, on Bear Creek, from which it procured its power. It was commenced by Frank Tebot, who constructed a dam across the river and secured a head of twelve feet. He soon sold to Mr. Frazer, and in 1855 the dam went out. It was bought by Mr. Young, who replaced the structure, but that also was carried down stream. In 1857 Mr. Scoville put up a steam sawmill on the west side of the creek, with a circular saw that could rip out 3,000 feet of lumber in a day. It was sold to Mr. Morrison and finally moved to the Min- nesota valley. In 1860, or thereabouts, T. J. Murphy put up a steam sawmill across the creek, with a circular saw and a forty- five-horsepower 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' sawmill 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 loca- tion was on Deer creek and it was operated by water, had a cir- cular saw, and could deliver 2,500 feet of lumber in a day. A
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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 dis- abled 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 burning 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 out to L. G. Odell, who built a "draw kiln" and went into the business quite extensively.
Liberty. A city of this name sprung up in the mind of Henry Kibler, who had a farm in section twenty-four, and it was so far materialized as to be platted and recorded. The enthusiastic pro- prietor had a few goods for sale in his house, and this was the nearest 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 village with the above appellation. Its location was most admirable, on the southeastern part of sec- tion nine, on Deer Creek. The proprietor and projector was Dr. W. P. Belden, a young man of means and energy, who com- menced 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 platted, but never recorded. Quite a number of families were attracted to the spot, a black- smith shop, a shoe shop and a store were started, and everything seemed to conduce toward the success of the undertaking. But various untoward circumstances and the rivalry of neighboring villages that were candidates for public favor and patronage were too powerful to be overcome and so this project was abandoned. The dam was washed out in 1858. It is said that Dr. Belden lost $3,000 in this venture.
Deer Creek Postoffice was ushered into existence in 1856, with W. S. Hill as postmaster, and the mail was opened at his house on section seventeen. The name "Arcade" was at first sent in by Mr. Hill to the postoffice authorities, but that was rejected and Deer Creek substituted. In about four years it was discon- tinued.
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CHAPTER XIX.
HARMONY VILLAGE AND TOWNSHIP.
Location and Advantages of the Village-Early Stores-Harmony in 1882-Harmony in 1890-Municipal History-Harmony Township-First Settlers and Early Events-Organization- Postoffices-Big Springs-Greenfield Village.
Harmony is located in one of the best farming communities in Fillmore county, with a large trade territory on all sides. Corn, stock and small grain are the principal products raised here. Fine roads lead to the village from all directions, and with its good stores and markets Harmony is one of the important trading points in southern Minnesota.
Harmony is one of the principal villages on the line of the Reno-Preston division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul. It is well laid out, with a hustling, well-kept business center, and many fine residence streets. Its healthful situation, its moral and progressive spirit, its fraternities, its fine waterworks and complete telephone service, its village park, its excellent churches and its well equipped schools, all make it a most desirable place in which to live, and its first-class trading facilities make it the shipping and purchasing point of a thriving country district for miles around.
Among the features of Harmony life may be mentioned three churches, a newspaper, two hotels, a city and town hall com- bined, a fine new hall erected by the Woodmen, two banks, a roller mill, lumber yard, three elevators, stock-shipping facilities, a good postoffice, one department store and three general stores which are also important enough to deserve the name of depart- ment stores, a drug store, two hardware stores, many farm imple- ment and farm machinery establishments, a photograph gallery, several liveries, a marble shop, four restaurants, several grocery, clothing and furniture establishments, and the usual other busi- ness activities found in a place of this size.
The Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company, of Harmony, was organized December 2, 1882, with the following officers and directors: President, A. Daniels; secretary, Tollef Sanderson; treasurer, Tallak Brokken; Berg Olson, Henry Dean, G. A. Maland, Edward Burnham and John McCallum. The company
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grew rapidly and attained much favor. During the first fifteen years of its existence the average assessment per year was but 70 cents a year on each $1,000 insurance. The present condition of the company is shown from the report rendered December 31, 1911: Policies in force December 31, 1910, 922, amount, $2,343,- 930; policies issued during the year 1911, 171, amount, $483,380; total, 1,093, amount, $2,827,210; deduct policies expired and ceased to be in force during year, 169, amount, $373,540; policies in force at the end of the year (December 31, 1911), 924, amount, $2,453,670; loss claims presented during the year 1911, 49; loss claims paid in full and adjusted, 43, amount, $3,579.83; grand total in force December 31, 1911, $2,453,670. The present officers are: President, H. E. Benson; secretary, Thad. T. Brokken; treasurer, Tollef Sanderson; Alex Mckay, S. F. Miner, Owen Hughes, B. H. Benson, Carl Lawstuen.
Early History. The original owners of the land on which Harmony is located were Edwin Ellis, Rev. T. Larson, who had a charge near the village, and Thomas Ryan. The railroad came through in 1879, and the village was started at once.
The first merchant in Harmony was F. M. Trogstad, who erected a building in the fall of 1879 and kept a line of general merchandise. Later William Bollman went into partnership with Trogstad. Still later Bollman became sole owner and put in a stock of drugs.
The second store was erected by P. T. Larson in the winter of 1879-80. He kept a line of hardware. In 1892 the firm became Larson & Fradd, Oluf Fradd being the partner. Thus the firm remained until 1902, when Geo. Carnege, a land dealer, purchased it, and in turn sold to Hallesy & Flatestole. Later it went into the hands of Applen Brothers, who are the present owners.
The third store was erected in 1880 by Halvor Bruflodt, as a meat market. It was not used for this purpose and was soon sold to P. T. Larson.
Tallak Brokken soon followed in 1880 by moving his store from near the church south of the village to the present site of Harmony. He owned this store until his death in 1910.
In the spring of 1881 Thomas Thompson started a general store. It remained as such until 1884, when J. A. Lund was taken into the firm, and it became Thompson & Lund. In 1892 it became Lund & Rothe, and continued as such until 1901, when J. A. Lund became sole owner as at present.
A photographer named Thompson came to the village in 1880 and remained about five months.
J. L. Urheim came in the spring of 1882 and opened a drug store. He erected a new store about 1886 and soon after dis- posed of the business to Mr. Larson and the building to Mr.
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Sanderson. Larson soon afterward died and K. S. Olson took his stock. Sanderson sold to Mr. Brightman, who started a hard- ware store in 1893. In 1900 Sanderson again bought the store. but soon sold to E. F. Kidder, the present owner.
Ole and Gullick Maland started a hardware store in 1886 on the present site of the postoffice. In connection with the store there was an implement department in charge of Henry Nupson. Soon afterward he became sheriff of Fillmore county. The Maland Brothers sold to Gray & Williams (Andres and Martin), and after passing through several hands the store was discontinued.
T. F. Hallisy and M. McCarty started a general store in 1890. It remained as such until 1902, when Mr. Hallisy sold his interest to Mr. McCarty and started a hardware store. The hardware store was purchased by Applen Brothers in 1911, and Mr. Hallisy is at present conducting a grocery store and restaurant.
Hans Hanson and S. B. Johnson started a general store in 1890. The partnership lasted about four years, when Mr. Hanson sold to Mr. Johnson. Mr. Hanson then became a member of the firm of Hanson & Nuland. Three years later, upon the death of one of the partners, the firm became Hanson & Larson. Later Mr. Hanson became sole owner and still conducts the business. Mr. Johnson conducted his store for about two years and then sold out to O. N. Thundale, devoting all his time to the lumber business, which he had previously established. Later he went into the clothing business, which he still conducts.
The first hotel was erected by Charles Thompson, who sold to J. B. Pulver, whose son is still the hotelkeeper in the village.
Harmony in 1882. As soon as the railroad station was located in Harmony and the stores began to open the village became a trading center, and gradually houses for residences were erected. In 1882 the village had a number of residences, two general stores, one hardware and a grocery store, a postoffice, a wagon shop, a shoe shop, a blacksmith shop, a lumber yard and two elevators with a capacity of 12,000 bushels each.
Harmony in 1890. According to T. F. Hallisy, the following business firms were operating in Harmony in 1890: Hallisy & McCarty (T. F. and M.), general store; Fred M. Trogstad, gen- eral store; Hanson & Johnson (Hans and S. B.), general store; Thundale & Hanson (O. N. and Hans), general store; Ben Larson, drug store; Oluf Fradd, blacksmith ; P. T. Larson, hardware.
Municipal History. October 14, 1895, the county commis- sioners authorized the people of Harmony village to incorporate and named as inspectors of election Tollef Sanderson, A. G. Gray and J. A. Lund. The first annual election was held March
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10, 1896, with John Jacobson and Thomas Ryan as judges of election.
1896-President, Samuel Aaberg; trustees, Tollef Sanderson, George McKittrick, Eugene Barnes; treasurer, Samuel Johnson; recorder, R. R. Barnes; justices, Albert G. Johnson, T. J. John- son ; constables, Emmett Ryan, Ole G. Johnson. This year a lot was purchased and the lock-up erected. A few street lights were also installed. L. A. Barnes was appointed fire warden.
1897-President, Tollef Sanderson; trustees, T. F. Hallisy, A. G. Gray, O. N. Thundale; treasurer, S. B. Johnson; recorder, R. R. Barnes; justice, Samuel Aaberg; constable, J. E. Linder- man. April 28, 1897, they decided to put a sixty-foot tower over the village pump.
1898-President, Thomas Ryan ; trustees, P. T. Larson, Samuel Aaberg, Fritz Achatz; treasurer, S. B. Johnson; recorder, R. R. Barnes; justice, A. G. Johnson ; constable, A. Harstad.
1899-President, O. N. Thundale; trustees, T. Sanderson, James Linderman, Ole Fradd; treasurer, S. B. Johnson; recorder, J. F. Jones; justice, R. W. Daniels; constable, F. Linderman.
1900-President, E. W. Pust; trustees, T. F. Hallisy, Charles Anderson, T. E. Wrenn; treasurer, P. A. McKay; recorder, Ed- ward F. Kidder; justice, A. G. Johnson; constables, M. J. Ryan, F. J. Linderman.
At a special election held October 16, 1900, it was voted to erect a system of waterworks to be owned by the city. At a special election held December 20, 1900, bonds to the amount of $7,000 were voted for waterworks.
1901-President, John A. Lund; trustees, T. A. Sorenson, Tollef Sanderson, O. N. Thundale; treasurer, P. A. Mckay; re- corder, Ole Larson; justice, E. B. Hartwell; constables, C. B. Hellickson, F. J. Linderman.
1902-President, O. N. Thundale; trustees, T. F. Hallisy, E. W. Pust, A. E. Barnes; treasurer, P. A. McKay; recorder, Ole Lar- son ; justice, A. G. Johnson ; constable, T. E. Wrenn. In June and July the well was drilled for the village waterworks.
1903-President, T. F. Hallisy ; trustees, R. W. Daniels, Will- iam Bollman, E. W. Pust; treasurer, P. A. McKay; recorder, H. C. Horsrud; justice, L. O. Haugen ; constable, F. J. Linderman.
1904-President, L. O. Haugen; trustees, M. McCarty; J. S. Jacobson, William Bollman; treasurer, P. A. MeKay; recorder, H. C. Horsrud; justice, A. G. Johnson; constable, T. E. Wrenn. 1905-President, A. G. Johnson; trustees, M. McCarty, R. W. Daniels, James S. Jacobson; treasurer, P. A. Mckay; recorder, H. C. Horsrud; constable, Samuel Dahl.
1906-President, O. R. Perkins; trustees, Nels N. Nelson ; K. D.
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Olson, H. Daniels; treasurer, C. B. Hellickson; recorder, P. M. Oistad; justice, A. G. Johnson ; constable, C. D. McCarty.
1907-President, O. R. Perkins; trustees, H. A. Daniels, M. C. Willford, H. E. Hanson; treasurer, C. B. Hellickson; recorder, L. O. Haugen; justice, Owen Harstad; constable, O. J. Wolstad.
1908-President, H. A. Daniels; trustees, T. F. Hallisy, Iver Halvorson, H. F. Jones; treasurer, C. B. Hellickson; recorder, C. Selvig; justices, William Bollman, E. F. Kidder; constables, C. D. McCarty, F. P. Mark. At the spring election the people of the village voted to reincorporate.
1909-President, H. A. Daniels; trustees, T. F. Hallisy, Iver Halvorson, H. F. Jones; treasurer, C. B. Hellickson; recorder, C. Selvig; justice, M. McCarty ; constable, F. P. Mark.
1910-President, H. C. Horsrud; trustees, R. L. Riceland, K. D. Olson, T. F. Ruddy; treasurer, C. B. Hellickson; recorder, Joel Wolsted; justices, E. F. Kidder, P. B. Ramer; constable, F. P. Mark.
1911-President, H. C. Horsrud; trustees, R. Riceland, J. E. Linderman, T. F. Ruddy; treasurer, C. B. Hellickson; recorder, J. Wolsted; justice, E. F. Kidder; constables, J. E. Linderman, F. Linderman.
1912-President, H. A. Daniels; trustees, T. O. Applen, P. M. Oistad, William McGee; treasurer, R. W. Daniels; recorder, Joel Wolsted; constables, F. P. Mark, N. Nelson; justices, A. G. John- son, E. F. Kidder. The matter of street lights is now being agitated, and for this purpose a trustee-at-large was elected in the person of O. N. Thundale. Owing to the fact that Mr. Daniels is interested in the mill from which the power will be derived he refused to serve as mayor, and H. C. Horsrud holds over. P. M. Oistad refused to serve as trustee and C. B. Hellick- son was appointed.
The people in the village still vote on township affairs. Vil- lage affairs are voted on at the power house, and township affairs in the town hall.
HARMONY TOWNSHIP.
Harmony is on the southern tier of towns in Fillmore county, the third from Houston county, the town of Bristol is on the west, Preston on the north, and Canton on the east. The Iowa river runs through section thirty-one, and two branches from the same river start near the center of the town to run southeast into it. The territory of the township has the regular thirty-six sections of a government town. About one-third of the town, the central and southern part, is composed of prairie. There were originally but three bodies of timber in the whole township, on section ten about 100 acres, on sections thirty-three and thirty-four 250 acres, and on section thirty about 100 acres. The soil may be called a
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clayey loam, is quite uniform throughout the town. There are three quite extensive ravines in the northern part, laying north and south, and through each flows a stream of greater or less magnitude, having their origin in springs, of which there are quite a number, the most important and well known being Big Spring, which at an early day attracted much attention. It comes up in the northwest part of the township and produces what is known as Camp creek. Camp creek derives its name from the fact that the large number of immigrants and other travelers who came by this route making a stopping place along the stream. The other rivulets receive various names, such as Partridge creek and Dayton creek, and in this part of the town they flow directly or indirectly into Root river.
First Settlers. The pioneer resident of the town was Calvin Hoag, who secured a place in section thirty-four in the fall of 1852. He entered the Union army during the Civil war and lost his life in the defense of his country. He was the only settler that year.
In 1853, there were but few comers, but among them was William Knox, who located on section twenty-five. After Hoag, the father of Calvin, settled on section thirty-four. He died on April 7, 1875. Alexander Cathcart also came the same year and took land in section twenty-five, but he afterwards moved to Ohio.
In 1854, quite a large number flocked in, and a list of them, as far as possible, will be given: Moses Barnes, William Stork, William Bingham, George Chandler, William Chandler, Torger Drenson, Erick Erickson and five sons, H. Nelson and two sons, Austin and N. H .; John Ellis, John Williams; Ole Qvamen, Andrew Oleson, Tallak Brokken, Arne E. Kirkelie, S. E. Kirkelie, Nels Knudson and son, Nels H. Knudson, Henry Evenson and Loren Evenson.
The next year, 1855, those who came were Halmar Kirkelie, Tor Kirkelie, Ole W. Dahle, Gulmand Egelson, Knud Peterson, Thomas Halverson, Halver Johnson and Halver Berg.
Land Office Records. The first titles to land in Harmony township were issued by the government in 1854. Those who obtained land that year were as follows, the date of the issuance of the warrant being given first, then the name of the owner and then the section in which the land was largely located : August 15, John S. Green, 35; August 25, John Blake, 35; September 8, Augustus Chandler, 5; September 8, William Stork, 10; Sep- tember 15, Ole Erickson, 24; September 15, Herbion Nelson, 24; September 15, Johnson Wilson, 23.
Those who obtained land in 1855 were as follows: March 2, Eber Hubbard, 7; March 1, William Kennedy, 3-10; May 22,
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Bottom Row -- Ole T., Thaddeus T., John T.
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John Ellis, 23; May 22, Swen Johnson, 23; June 15, Swend Erickson, 9; July 7, William Bingham, 5-6; August 30, William Bursell, 25; September 4, Augustus M. Barnes, 8-9; October 12, John Cathcart, 25; November 1, After Hoag, 34; November 7, Andrew J. Drake, 31.
Early Settlers. German Johnson gives the names of the fol- lowing prominent settlers of the early days, most of whom were here when he arrived in 1856: Eric Ericson, H. Nelson, John Ellis, John Wilson, Arne Arneson, S. Nune, Knud Peterson, Hal- vor Ostenson, Tosten Ellis (Qvamen), Arne Kirkelie, Swen Kirke- lie, Tallak Brokken, Nels Berg, Osten Maland, T. Harstad, John Johnson (Kasen), Eben Kirkelie, Christian Olson, Austen (Osten) Morem, H. Morgan, Nels Morgan, Gunder Brokken, John Johnson (Krosso).
William Willford gives the following list of early settlers on Greenfield Prairie still living in 1906: 1853-James Hoag and William Knox, Sr .; 1854-Tallak Brokken, A. H. Nelson, N. H. Nelson, Edwin Stork, J. B. Pulver, Hans Johnson, John Jacobson, Ole Ellis, Ed Ellis; 1855-George McMaster, Sr., Homer Hill, Knud Peterson; 1856 German Johnson, Alonzo Daniels, John Manuel, John S. Norton, Jr., Henry Achatz, John Jacobson and W. H. Norton.
Reminiscences. The following letter from one of the early and prominent citizens is given entire, as it contains an interesting account of those early days: "Lime Springs, Ia., April 20, 1882. Gentlemen : I was born February 27, 1808, in the county of Otsego, New York, and learned and carried on the hatter's trade in Cooperstown till the business failed. On June 1, 1837, with my wife and child, we landed in Racine, Wis., and settled in the north part of the town of Geneva, Walworth county, where we suffered untold hardships in common with the settlers of that region. Our first purchase of provisions for a winter's supply was lost in Geneva lake, leaving us destitute to fight our way to keep soul and body together. Of the many things I did in that new country nothing affords me greater satisfaction than the remembrance of my action on the great moral questions that agitated the community in which I lived at that time. I called a meeting at my house and organized the only anti-slavery society ever existing in those parts and strenuously advocated the cause, and it finally became very popular in the town, the county and the state. My wife was Angeline Johnson. We were married in Cooperstown, N. Y., September 7, 1835. As to our children, Adaline was born in Cooperstown, Edwin, William Ellis, Ann Louisa, Charles Franklin and Rosalie Gertrude in Wisconsin. Feeling that my work in Wisconsin was done we all removed, in the latter part of June, 1854, to Harmony township, Fillmore
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county, and on August 10 pre-empted a quarter of section ten. We found at that time but few settlers in town. I recollect Moses Barnes was in possession of a claim on which is the famous Big Spring, and Erick Erickson, Mr. Nelson and After Hoag with their families were in town. I am not certain, but think Hoag was the first settler in the south part. Knud Peterson was the first settler and proprietor of Greenfield, which was once quite a little village, but finally entirely disappeared. In the develop- ment of the town it was my lot to enact a very prominent part in the laying out of roads and attending to other things incident to a new settlement, having been chairman of the board of super- visors for many years, and assessor and justice of the peace each for one term. The Indians were quite numerous when we first arrived in Minnesota, and they conceived a great admiration for our bright colored bed quilts and for our improved rifle, which in the hands of our boys, William and Edwin, did great execution among the deer, and we had plenty of venison and deerskins. At first Democracy was rampant in the town, county and terri- tory, and in my efforts to free the town from this rule I was ably assisted by After Hoag, Daniel Dayton and many others by organizing the anti-slavery sentiment in town in opposition to it, and after a hard struggle we succeeded and I can say without boasting that I became quite conspicuous as a leader in the struggle. In the summer of 1854 I passed through where the county seat now is, the flourishing village of Preston, and noth- ing was then there to mark the site of a village except a single log cabin, which, solitary and alone, stood amid the invisible pos- sibilities around it. William Stork."
Political. The town was organized on May 11, 1858, when the original townships in the county held their first town meet- ings. It was held at the "Greenfield" schoolhouse. The judges of election were Moses Barnes, John H. Addison, and William Walter. The whole number of votes cast was eighty-one. The following officers were elected: Supervisors, Francis J. Craig (chairman), James E. McMillan and Thomas Elliott; town clerk, O. S. Erickson; assessor, After Hoag; collector, Austin Nelson; justices of the peace, William Benson and William Knox; con- stables, Thomas Ryan and Thomas Halverson.
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