USA > Minnesota > Fillmore County > History of Fillmore County, Minnesota (Volume 1) > Part 26
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Postoffices. The first postoffice was called Peterson, and Knud Peterson was the postmaster. The name was afterwards called Windom, in honor of Senator Windom, but has been called Har- mony since about 1872. There have been two other postoffices in town, Big Springs, in the northwest part, and Wilton Centre, in section one. But they have been discontinued and Harmony is the only one remaining.
Big Springs. James P. Tibbetts came from Bangor, Me., to
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Preston in 1855 and pre-empted a quarter section of land in the town of Harmony, about a mile from Big Spring. As a specula- tion he had the land platted on paper and recorded as "Big Springs," dividing the entire 160 acres into lots, with blocks for business purposes, blocks for residences, for public institutions, for churches and for parks, with a river flowing from the Big Spring, which was the center of the place, and to be the center of attraction. It was taken to Chicago and lithographed in colors. He was then ready for business and went East and succeeded in selling most, if not all, the farm in this way, obtaining from $25 for a residence lot to $150 for a corner business lot. Several years later, when the taxes had become past delinquent, Mr. Tibbetts bought up the tax titles and the property was again sold, this time as a farm.
The Big Spring. This noted spring was in the claim of Moses Barnes, made in 1853. It was here that the first hotel was built, in 1853, by Mr. Barnes, and being on the stage line he did a thriving business for several years, particularly in the winter, when the navigation of the Mississippi was suspended, as this was on the St. Paul and Dubuque line. The second tavern in town was opened by Daniel Dayton, in section six, in 1855. At first he put up a log building, in the autumn of that year, and it was known as the Ravine House. The next year he constructed a stone addition, and it was continued as a hotel until about 1865.
Greenfield Village. This village, now extinct, was located about three-quarters of a mile south of the present village of Harmony and about sixty rods east of the Norwegian church. Of early days in Greenfield, William Willford has said :
When I crossed the Mississippi river in 1854 there were no railroads in this locality. It was the old covered wagon or prairie schooners that were pouring into Minnesota with hundreds of families seeking a new home. At that time there was but one village platted in the county and all locations were designated by grove or prairie. I soon learned the location of Washington and Franklin Prairie in Winneshiek county, Iowa, and Looking Glass Prairie in towns 100 and 101, ranges eight and nine, Green- field prairie in town 101, ranges nine and ten, Richland prairie in towns 101 and 102, range eight, Highland prairie in towns 102 and 103, ranges eight and nine, Buffalo Grove in town 102, range eleven and Pleasant Grove in town 105, range thirteen. In December, 1854, Elliota and Carimona, which were on the Brink & Walker stage route from Dubuque to St. Paul, were platted, and in the year 1855 the population of Fillmore county had so increased by the incoming emigrants that six more towns were platted in order given, viz., Fillmore, Jordan, Forestville, Preston, Big Spring and Newburg.
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On May 16, 1856, T. P. Ropes located this "Goshen" of Fill- more county, in longitude 92° west from Greenwich and about 43º 20" north latitude. On hearing of the success of Ropes locating this center of attraction I began to consult my map and became satisfied that Greenfield must certainly be on the Brink & Walker stage route and about midway between Dubuque and St. Paul, believing, that if located at this point as described, it would be very essential to the happiness and prosperity of the early settlers of Fillmore county. This Brink & Walker stage route via Ossian, Decorah and Burr Oak, Ia., entered Fillmore county in town one hundred one, range nine, and ran diagonally across the county from the southeast to the northwest, the stages stopping at stations Greenfield, Carimona and Fillmore in Fill- more county and Pleasant Grove in Olmstead county, Minnesota, in 1856 and 1857. This thread that bound together in the "fif- ties" Dubuque and St. Paul is, save to the historian and those who live along the route, an unknown chapter to the present generation, yet the flavor of romance, the memories of almost forgotten glories, of a noble, ambitious mission, successfully accomplished clings to every hoary monument of that ancient highway. Over this route came the sturdy and fearless hunter and trapper, followed timidly and falteringly by the homemaker, until at last the tide of emigration taking courage, poured in a deluge over this route to the land of promise.
To supply the trade demands and that of the growing popu- lation of Minnesota in the early days, long trains of freighting wagons in the summer and freighting sleighs in winter were a familiar spectacle, and the caravan of huge freighters, each car- rying from two thousand to four thousand pounds. This great freight traffic created a class of men of its own, strong and daring, and had need to be, as fur coats and overshoes were unknown in those days of frontier life in the winter time, and they had to substitute blankets for fur coats, and wear cowhide boots minus the overshoes when the thermometers registered 30° and 35° below zero. In the winter time the bulk of the freight handled by the freighters was oats, corn and dressed pork that was col- lected along the route between Decorah and Dubuque, Ia., by the local dealers. J. B. Pulver handled the ribbons in 1856 and 1857 from Ossian, Ia., to Pleasant Grove, Minn. The caravans of freight wagons and sleighs, and the four-horse stage coaches were picturesque features of the old life that history will not repeat. Later I learned that Ropes had platted this town of Greenfield (which had at that time the prospects of a great future) and had made its location more explicit, and designating it on section fourteen, town 101, range ten, west of the fifth principal meri- dian, and Knud Peterson and J. S. Norton, Sr., as proprietors.
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Its growth and the business done in this town (especially "moonshine") during the last half of 1859 was said to have been marvelous. In the winter of 1856 and 1857 Nature cov- ered this town with a blanket of snow the thickness of about forty-two inches. Shortly after this blanket was spread "Old Sol" with his illimitable heated rays warmed up the outer surface of this great blanket, which was followed by zero temperature that congealed it, thereby forming a crust on the outer surface of this blanket strong enough to hold up one hundred and fifty pounds to the square foot. This period of time whenever referred to by the old settlers is called "the winter of the crust." Many of the early settlers who were not in the habit of hunting often pursued deer and caught them on the crust for the sake of informing their friends in the East by letter that they had killed a deer. This was the winter that the deer were mercilessly anni- hilated in Fillmore county by the settlers and hunters traveling on snowshoes and killing them with clubs and axes. It was impossible for teams to haul loads until the roads were made passable by the use of shovels and none were opened only the main thoroughfares. Many of the settlers hauled their fuel the entire winter on hand sleds. When trips were made across the country off the main roads they were made on Norwegian "skis," which was the only possible locomotion that could be used during that winter. On August 3, 1857, E. D. Hawkins platted the expansion, which was also on section fourteen, town one hundred and one, range ten, and for aught I know covered the entire section, and Arne Arneson and Knud Peterson as proprietors of the addition.
In 1856 Knud Peterson built a store. According to German Johnson, an early settler, this store was also used as a tavern and as a place for distributing mail
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CHAPTER XX. LANESBORO AND CARROLTON TOWNSHIP.
Lanesboro-Location and Advantages-Early History-The First Hotel - Lanesboro in 1879 - Municipal History - Carrolton Township - Early Settlement - Land Office Records - Early Events-Political-Clear Grit-Isinours.
Lanesboro is a substantial village on the Root river and the southern Minnesota division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul. It is one of the most picturesque of southern Minnesota villages, with pretty expanses of water and towering bluffs which give it a characteristic individuality. The village is possessed of many desirable features as a place of residence, being especially healthful and well situated. It has four churches, a good school, waterworks, good fire protection, electric lights, a newspaper, two banks, two hotels, a good park, several fraternities, good telephone and telegraph service, well-kept streets, a creamery, a canning factory, an elevator, a roller mill, several general stores, a lumber yard, and the usual number of stores, restau- rants and other business houses. There are also a number of grain and stock buyers, and several professional men.
One of the many desirable features of Lanesboro is its natural park, which can be surpassed by none in the state. Nature has been most lavish in furnishing it with all the features to make it beautiful and interesting. It is centrally located between Brook- lyn and the business part of the town, contains several acres, and was donated by the Lanesboro Company some time in the seventies.
Lanesboro was laid out, platted and recorded in the spring of 1868 by the Lanesboro Company. There are two opinions as to the true source of the village name. Many claim that the town was named after the old New England town, Lanesborough, from whence a number of the early settlers came, while others insist that the town was named in honor of F. A. Lane, one of the prin- cipal stockholders in the Lanesboro Townsite Company.
Early Settlement. The story of the earliest settlement on sec- tions 24 and 13, where the town of Lanesboro is now located, is a most interesting one.
The first log cabin was erected in 1856 by John Scanlan, Sr.,
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JOHN SCANLAN, SR.
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assisted by his sons, Michael, Daniel, John, Cornelius and Thomas, of whom Michael and Thomas still survive. This cabin had a thatched roof, and was in striking contrast to the beautiful dwell- ings of today.
Thomas Barrett erected a log cabin on section 24 in 1857, and lived thereon until the Lanesboro Company purchased his land.
The next shack was erected in 1858 by John Mclaughlin on section 13, the location being in what is now called the "Mill Reservation." Mclaughlin sold his land to C. Johnson and brother, and it was later sold to the Lanesboro Company.
The next shack was erected in 1858 by Con. Scanlan in that part of the town now called Brooklyn. He sold to Ed. Enright, who in turn, sold his land to the Lanesboro Company.
Lanesboro Townsite Company. In the summer of 1868, a joint stock company was formed in New York, with a capital of about $62,500, the object being to build up the town of Lanesboro, and to be known under the above caption. The capital of the com- pany was divided into twenty-five shares of $2,500 each, and the following were the stockholders of the company: C. W. Thomp- son, 5 shares; Eliza Thompson, 1 share; Wm. Windom, 1 share; H. W. Holley, 1 share; C. G. Wyckoff, 1 share; F. A. Lane, 3 shares; Thomas Bard, 1 share; Townsend Bros., 3 shares; H. C. Kingsley, 4 shares; A. P. Man, 4 shares; L. Meyers, 1 share.
Shortly after the organization of the company, the members were assessed an additional $500 per share, making the paid up capital of the company $75,000. The company at once com- menced operations by sending their agent to the spot to pur- chase 500 acres of land. Land was purchased of M. Scanlan, Con. Scanlan, Ed. Enright, Thos. Barrett and Ed. and C. Johnson.
It was in July, 1868, that the company commenced the erec- tion of the stone hotel, making the excavation for a foundation in the middle of a field of wheat, and paid $50 damage to Mr. Johnson, who owned the crop. While the hotel was in process of erection, the company completed a newspaper and company office, and a barn near the river. While the office was being built, an enterprising editor, J. Lute Christie, published his paper under the trees. The first lumber ever brought into Lanesboro was drawn by an ox team from Rushford, early in the fall of 1868. Tom Densmore brought the first load and continued haul- ing until he had brought in enough to build the company's board- ing shanty, which was the second building on the ground, and the first frame structure. This shanty was built by the townsite company for a place of shelter for the men at work on other buildings, and was run as a hotel or boarding ranch, by an aged negro. From this fact it soon received, and was always known as "Nigger Shanty."
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In the meantime business houses and dwellings had com- menced springing up, and the town, late in the fall of 1868, could be considered fairly started. The first business house in town was built by W. H. Roberts in the fall of 1868, upon the corner of what is now known as block 17. He moved in a $25,000 stock of goods the same fall, when, it may be said, there was hardly an ox path leading to the place. In commencing the foundation of his building, Mr. Roberts cut down the trees, just making room for his store, with a path leading to it. This store was known for years as the New York store, and Mr. Roberts' family lived in the upper story of the building. Immediately following, Greer & Greer put up a store building on the same block west of Rob- erts' building. This was occupied by them with a stock of gen- eral merchandise. Dan. O'Brien built a store adjoining Roberts' New York store, and moved the first stock of hardware in town into it. Scanlan & Abbott soon followed, and had a large stock of hardware on the shelves, almost as soon as O'Brien. This they ran for a number of years, but it afterward passed into the hands of Johnson & Christopherson.
The first hotel in town, not considering "Nigger Shanty" worthy of that important caption, was the Grant Hotel, which was opened in the fall of 1868. The hotel was discontinued some years ago. Shortly after, the Cottage House, American Hotel, and others were built. The large stone hotel was completed and opened in July, 1870. On the opening day of this hotel, a free public dinner was given by the Lanesboro company, which is said to have cost $2,000. Messrs. Chase & White were the first land- lords. The cost of the building and furniture was about $42,000.
The first car load of wheat shipped from Lanesboro, was shipped by O. G. Nash, to Chicago. The railroad company exhibited generosity by shipping the load free of charge. The first agent of the Lanesboro company was George Ellis. In 1872, B. A. Man succeeded him, and held the position for about six years. J. C. Easton was agent for a short time, and was followed by many others.
The First Hotel. The old Lanesboro hotel was one of the stepping stones to the prosperity of Lanesboro. A history of the county, published in 1880, in speaking of the old hotel, now destroyed, said :
"It was fortunate that the founders of Lanesboro were men of intelligence and enterprise; men who, after viewing the natural advantages of the locality, saw how, by utilizing the water power, wealth could be accumulated, real estate be advanced, and a vil- lage spring up among the bleak cliffs and upon the rocky bot- toms that skirt the shores of the favorite stream of the Indians, Root river. True, the numerous farms that lay within a radius
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of six or seven miles of the present village were under cultivation, but their products had to be transported to the Mississippi by the slow propulsion of horse power. It was a grand epoch in the history of this locality when the iron horse woke the silence of the surrounding heights with the echoes of its shrill whistle. It gave the car of progress such a forward movement that certain success and measurable prosperity could be predicted for the young and growing town. Among the material agencies which experience has found essential to the healthy prosperity of a town, are the schoolhouse, church, newspaper, and a first-class hotel. At an early period in the history of Lanesboro, all of these de- sirable institutions were permanently established. No longer ago than 1868, a traveler coming within the present incorpo- rated limits would have seen no signs of a village. Two resi- dences, occupied by Denny Gallighen and Mr. Leahy, were the only buildings in sight. But they were soon supplanted by more imposing edifices. Under the potent direction of Clark W. Thompson, F. A. Lane, A. P. Man, H. C. Kingsley, and P. M. Meyers, members of the Lanesboro company, a number of sub- stantial buildings were soon erected, among which was the Lanesboro hotel, the best constructed hotel in southern Minne- sota. This building, four stories high, 84x89, was erected and elegantly furnished with all the modern improvements in the summer of 1869, at a cost of $52,000. Its first occupants were Messrs. C. L. Chase and H. H. White, who satisfactorily catered to the public from 1870 to 1873. J. H. Preston was then land- lord until June, 1876, when he was succeeded by John Hobart, who subsequently vacated the hotel to be succeeded by its first landlord, C. L. Chase. Mr. Chase, with that enterprise and full understanding of what kind of a building and just what kind of hotel furnishing would be necessary in order to enable him to keep a first-class hotel, immediately on taking possession of the premises, inaugurated a series of improvements, which placed the hotel in a condition superior to any like establishment in south- ern Minnesota. Later it passed through various hands and was finally destroyed."
Lanesboro in 1879. A birdseye view of Lanesboro published in 1879, shows that the village was then in a thriving condition. The view shows a school; the Lanesboro mill and Carrolton mill; three churches, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal; five hotels, Lanesboro Hotel, Valley House, Winona House, American House, Devey Hotel; warehouse; a park; fair grounds; four general stores, S. A. Nelson, W. H. Roberts, Hobart & Gates, Greer & Greer; two hardware stores, D. O'Brien and Johnson & Christopherson; saddlery and harness, M. V. Bean;
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implement store, Nepstead brothers; the Root River Bank, con- ducted by J. C. Easton; eight saloons and many residences.
Municipal History. Lanesboro was incorporated as a village by the Minnesota legislature in the spring of 1869. The first election was held at Densmore's hall, April 17, 1869. The judges of election were Robert Smalley and L. N. Butler. The clerk of election was C. C. Doss. The meeting was called to order by Luke Miller. The first president was Luke Miller. The other officers were: Trustees, W. H. Roberts, Charles J. Johnson, Ole Iverson; recorder, S. B. Goudy; constable, Nelse Benson (refused to qualify) ; justice of the peace, W. L. Sherman.
1870-President, Luke Miller; trustees, S. B. Goudy, W. H. Roberts, C. J. Johnson; recorder, Arthur Flynn; justice, C. W. Nash; constable, George Babcock.
1871-President, Luke Miller; trustees, C. K. Orton, M. V. Bean, C. C. Abbott; recorder, Arthur Flynn; justice, C. C. Doss; constable, George Babcock.
1872-President, Luke Miller; trustees, C. J. Johnson, A. G. Nash, George W. Douglass; recorder, J. C. Nelson; justice, C. C. Doss; constable, George Babcock.
1873-President, Luke Miller; trustees, R. R. Greer, D. O. Bruce, George W. Douglass; recorder, H. Christopherson; treas- urer, J. C. Nelson; justice, C. C. Doss; constable, B. A. Mann.
1874-President, W. H. Roberts; trustees, M. Scanlan, E. Kember, George Lilliberg; recorder, S. A. Nelson; treasurer, Charles Johnson; justices, S. B. Gundey, N. Brooks; constables, George Babcock, Thomas Evans.
1875-President, W. H. Roberts; trustees, Robert Greer, P. A. Berg, George Lilliberg; recorder, A. G. Nash; treasurer, George W. Lawyer; justices, B. A. Man, J. R. Jones; constables, George Babcock, L. L. Miller, Jr.
1876-President, Luke Miller; trustees, W. S. Potter, L. Nash, D. O'Brien; recorder, Frank Freemire; treasurer, S. A. Nelson; two justices, John Hobart, J. R. Jones; constables, James Cum- mings, J. G. Koller.
1877-President, S. Gilbert; trustees, D. O'Brien, Patrick Ma- lony, M. V. Bean ; recorder, Frank Freemire; treasurer, S. A. Nel- son; justices, J. R. Jones, Charles Lambert; constables, George Babcock, S. Nordby.
1878-President, R. R. Greer; council, M. Scanlan, D. W. Hall, O. Langlie, O. G. Wall, O. Knudson; clerk, H. Shelberg ; treasurer, M. V. Bean; justices, J. R. Jones, B. A. Mann; marshal, F. Freemire.
1879-President, O. G. Wall; council, George W. Douglass, F. Erickson, L. Knudson, Emil Nelson, J. H. Travis; clerk, H. C.
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Schelberg; treasurer, C. O. Krogstad; marshal, Edward Smith; justice, J. G. French.
1880-President, G. P. Babcock; council, Thomas Thompson, Edward Johnson, R. R. Greer, H. J. Cook, Emil Nelson ; recorder, H. C. Schelberg; treasurer, C. O. Krogstad; marshal, Ed- ward Smith.
1881-President, B. A. Mann; council, Emil Nelson, O. V. Capron, O. Langlie, M. V. Bean, H. C. Schelberg; recorder, P. A. Melgard; treasurer, C. O. Krogstad; justices, J. G. French, J. R. Jones; marshal, Edward Smith.
1882-President, R. R. Greer; council, S. A. Nelson, M. V. Bean, O. Langlie, O. V. Capron, John Kvittum; clerk, Jacob Wahl; treasurer, C. O. Krogstad; justices, Clement Engle; mar- shals, Edward Smith, E. Kimber.
1883-President, M. V. Bean; council, Thomas Thompson, E. W. Ruth, O. G. Wall, C. Schanesberg, H. J. Clauson; recorder, H. C. Schelberg; treasurer, Ole Langlie. This year the voters defeated a proposition to bond the village to the amount of $4,000 for the purpose of building a public hall and jail.
1884-President, James Thompson; council, Thomas Thomp- son, M. Scanlan, Thomas Thorp, H. J. Clauson, C. O. Krogstad; clerk, H. C. Schelberg; treasurer, O. G. Wall; justice, W. W. Sackett; marshal, Barney Harmon. July 28, 1884, the council decided to buy a lot for the fire department, the price to be not more than $600.00. A contract was awarded to excavate a reservoir. September 22 contract was let for piping the princi- pal streets for the waterworks system.
1885-President, Charles Johnson; council, Thomas Thomp- son, C. O. Krogstad, M. Scanlan, Hans J. Clauson, A. G. Chapman; clerk, H. C. Schelberg; treasurer, H. Christopherson; justices, J. R. Jones, Jacob Wahl; marshal, C. P. Richardson.
1886-President, Charles Johnson; council, W. S. Henry, O. V. Capron, E. W. Ruth, Hans Jacobson, John Solberg; clerk, H. C. Schelberg; treasurer, H. Christopherson; marshal, William Conerty.
1887-President, Thomas Rafferty; council, W. S. Henry, J, Solberg, Hans Jacobson, E. W. Ruth, O. V. Capron; clerk, H. C. Schelberg; treasurer, C. O. Krogstad; justices, Ole Langlie, Charles Conaty, marshal, John Kinsella.
1888-President, M. V. Bean; council, R. R. Greer, S. Gilbert, H. J. Clauson, Charles Johnson, John Beck; clerk, H. C. Schel- berg; treasurer, C. O. Krogstad; marshal, C. Engle.
1889-President, S. A. Nelson; council, D. Galligan, C. H. Schansberg, Edward Johnson, O. V. Capron, H. J. Clauson, H. C. Schelberg; treasurer, C. O. Krogstad; justices, Charles Conaty, J. T. French ; marshal, C. Engle.
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1890-President, C. H. Schansberg; council, Thomas Thomp- son, R. R. Greer, H. E. Glassoe, Jacob Wahl, H. Christopherson; clerk, H. C. Schelberg; treasurer, O. G. Wall; marshal, Ole A. Wilberg.
1891-President, C. H. Schansberg; council, R. R. Greer, Thomas Thompson, O. V. Capron, H. E. Glassoe, C. A. Ward; clerk, Jacob Wahl; treasurer, M. V. Bean; justices, Ole Allen, J. G. French; marshal, W. S. Henry.
1892-President, C. H. Schansberg; council, Thomas Thomp- son, H. E. Glassoe, Edward Johnson, R. R. Greer, C. A. Ward; clerk, Jacob Wahl; treasurer, C. O. Krogstad; marshal, Syver Swenson.
1893-President, Edward Johnson; council, C. A. Ward, Thomas Thompson, C. O. Hubbell, H. E. Glassoe, D. J. Mahoney ; clerk, Jacob Wahl; treasurer, John Solberg; justices, William Sackett, Ole Allen; marshal, James Galligan.
1894-President, Edward Johnson; council, S. P. Sanders, C. 0. Hubbell, O. V. Capron, Thomas Thompson, H. E. Glassoe ; clerk, Jacob Wahl; treasurer, John Solberg; marshal, James Galligan.
1895-President, Edward Johnson; council, O. V. Capron, R. R. Greer, M. Galligan, C. O. Hubbell, S. P. Sanders; clerk, O. M. Habberstad; treasurer, John Solberg; justices, Ole Allen, William Sackett; marshal, James Galligan.
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