USA > Minnesota > Fillmore County > History of Fillmore County, Minnesota (Volume 1) > Part 52
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MR. AND MRS. CHARLES GRALING
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Evergreen Farm, owned by William J. Meighen. These brothers, with W. H. Strong, James Gilbert, David, Holton, Hiram Johnson and others, started the village, and in 1855 H. C. Butler started the "Carimona Pioneer," edited by Ezra W. Trask. In 1855 W. H. Strong built the Carimona House, but the exact date when the tavern was opened is not known. But the first date shown in the tavern register is December 15, 1855. The first name is II. C. Butler, Carimona. Others were: Orrin Thurber, Chatfield; J. M. Laclow, St. Paul; Alexander Holton, W. H. Strong, David Holton, William Holton, Carimona; Winnebago Jack, also known as Whisky Jack, is also on the page.
December 15, 1855, appear the names of I. N. Cummins, W. T. Wilkins, Spring Valley; H. L. Taylor, Chatfield; James Jackson, Elliota, I. Marshall, Richland Prairie. December 23, 1855, appear the names of S. B. Ervine, Decorah, Iowa; Ezra R. Trask, Cari- mona ; A. D. Knight, Preston; J. B. Thayer, Spring Valley ; W. J. Howell, Richland Prairie; A. P. Day, George L. Day, J. B. Onstine, Abe. Kolder, George Kolder, W. C. Pickett, John Healey, Sam Gilbert, S. B. Murrell and in fact practically all the prominent men of the country were registered in the hotel about this time. December 27, 1855, appear the names of Clark W. Thompson, Hokah; M. T. Thompson, Brownsville; W. F. Dunbar, Caledonia.
During the first part of January, 1856, J. C. Burbank, H. C. Burbank and W. H. Morse, all of the Northwestern Express, were guests at the tavern. January 6, 1856, Judge George M. Gere was a guest. January 23, 1856, were registered Daniel D. Merrill, of Boston, Mass., afterward head of the D. D. Merrill Company, printers and publishers of St. Paul; Enos F. Gray, Richland Prairie; C. A. Hitchcock, Elliota; John Leuark, Chatfield. Feb- ruary 28, 1856, came Captain Sully, U. S. A., "the man who built Ft. Sully"; Captain Todd, of St. Paul, from whom Todd county was named; Milo White, Chatfield.
From March, 1855, to April, 1856, the county seat was at Carimona. On Friday, March 14, 1856, while the county seat contest was on, there appear on the register the names of Colum- bus French, J. V. Robinson, R. L. Nichols, J. W. Sleepier, Isaac Day, William B. Gere, Henry L. Edwards, Chatfield; A. J. Tillot- son, Preston; Timothy M. Chapman, Spring Valley ; L. L. Brigham, Elliota. A day or two later, on the next page, was registered the now long forgotten name of Joe W. Brockett, and someone has written after his name, "gone lectioneering." History says that the election held April 7, 1856, to decide the county seat contest between Forestville, Preston and Carimona was decided in favor of Preston, and the "lectioneering" of Joe Brockett was useless.
March 18, 1856, a guest was J. F. Marsh, of Elliota, later cap- tain in Company E, Seventh Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and
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still later colonel of the Ninth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. April 23 appear the names of C. A. Gilmon, Sauk Center, and Isaac S. Cole and S. Cole, of Chatfield. April 8, 1856, appear the names of H. S. H. Hayes, Elkhorn Prairie; Hans Valder, Newburg; Leon Le Fevre, Forestville; John Kaercher, Preston; John R. Jones, Chatfield; W. B. Gere, John Luark, Isaac Day and H. Goodrich. April 20, 1856, a guest was Thomas McAllister, of Elliota. April 24, 1856, David Oldstead, of Winona, was regis- tered. May 5, 1856, E. T. Nelson, North Adams, Mass., arrived. He lived in Carimona a while, afterward became a well-known farmer near Preston, and subsequently moved to California. May 16, 1856, came Edward Burnham from Conway, Mass., a well-known pioneer who lived in Bristol township for many years. June 4, 1856, came William L. Easton, of Lowville, Lewis county, New York, a relative of J. C. Easton, of Chatfield.
June 30, 1856, appears the name of William Pitt Murray, who afterward became a prominent citizen of St. Paul. He and David Olmsted owned an addition to the town called Olmsted & Munger's addition. On the same day appear the names of H. R. Wells, Reuben Wells and A. W. Gray.
Frequently through the book are the names of John T. Drum- mond, Almon Rice, H. W. Titus, Thomas Clifford, Edwin Pickett, and others, and at a later date, near the close, we find the names of Almon King, H. C. Cooper, a merchant who stopped here several times, G. B. O. Bassett, John Palmer, Michael Mulroy, Joseph B. Taylor, George W. Tate, I. W. Lucas, editor of the "Transcript," and many others.
About this book one can find many clustering stories, and to dig them out and con them over shows the many grim tragedies of pioneer life, as well as the humorous and brighter side.
There was a very elaborate Fourth of July celebration planned in the old tavern in 1856, and the celebration was the talk of the county for many years. Samuel Hull, a territorial representa- tive in the legislature, was the grand marshal.
Early Days in Granger. William B. Hutchison, an early settler, has contributed the following in regard to the early history of Granger :
In the summer of 1857 B. Granger and C. H. Lewis came to the present site of Granger in the interest of Burgess & Green- leaf, a Boston firm, and purchased the whole of section thirty- four, Bristol township, the original pre-emptors of the section being Jason Damon, Jr., William A. Nelson, Leonard Helsaple, James Springsteel, and the two above named gentlemen, Charles HI. Lewis and Brownell Granger. After fixing upon their loca- tion Granger and Lewis returned to Boston. They returned in the spring of 1858, erected a building and put in a store. At
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the same time they erected the first dwelling. Granger had brought his wife with him, Lewis was a bachelor. At this time Daniel Crowell was postmaster at an office known as the Uxbridge postoffice. It was located two and a half miles west of Granger, and supplied the surrounding district. In 1858 it was discon- tinued into Granger. At about this time section thirty-four was laid into town lots. Granger and Lewis put up the walls of a mill during 1859 and 1860. Before it was completed they left, and their place was filled by T. B. Starett, who put in the ma- chinery and started the mill in operation. The mill was fifty feet square and had four run of stone. Starett soon left, and the property was sold to William H. Wayman, who converted it into a distilling, rectifying and vinegar plant, and started into the manufacture of high wines. After two or three months the government officials confiscated the goods and demolished the building. A brewery was then built by Henry Hassey. His son, Reinhardt, operated it a number of years, but later killed himself. A. G. Serfling, another relative, then took hold and conducted it until he too got into trouble with the government. Then the Elridge Creamery Company rented the building as a creamery. Later it was vacated. The first school was built in 1856. It was a log house on property of William Nelson, near the state line. It was used until about 1863 or 1864 and then a school was estab- lished in the "Red Tavern," just over the section line, in section thirty-three, on property of James Springsteel. It was used per- haps four years, when it was torn down and a school erected at Granger. The building, which was forty feet square and two stories high, is still used for the Granger graded schools. The "Red Tavern" was erected in the late fifties by Edward Slaw- son. It had a store and postoffice in connection. During the Civil War, Slawson started out for Pike's Peak to hunt gold. He was never afterward heard of. His brother, Henry, took charge of the property and managed it a number of years. Granger is practically the same sized village as it was during the war. James Springsteel was at one time a merchant there, and after the war Slawson & Halstad put in a store.
A Vigilance Committee. In the early history of the county the pioneers suffered severely from the depredations of thieves. This was tolerated from 1856, when it commenced, up to 1858, when the ordinary and traditional forms of law having utterly failed to protect the people, it was determined to reassert the right of self-government by organizing for mutual protection and practically setting aside the authorities to whom had been dele- gated the duty of conserving the public welfare. The necessity of prompt action becoming imperative, a few determined per- sons met in Hamilton at the residence of W. W. Beers and pro-
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ceded to organize by the adoption of rules and solemn pledges to act under the laws if possible, but at all events to rid the community of the thieves and robbers. There was some hesita- tion in view of the seriousness of the undertaking, but Dr. William H. Dean took the pen and affixed his signature to the articles of agreement, and he was followed by W. W. Beers, Chas. D. Sherwood, C. Davis and H. J. Beers. Once started the mem- bership rapidly increased, spreading all over the county. The gang upon which the war of extermination was to be waged was equally well organized, with ramifications extending into other counties and into Iowa. Ostensibly honest farmers were con- nected with the stealing operations, and afforded facilities for concealing stolen property and protecting the thieves, and even to retaliate upon those who sought to recover property or to punish the plunderers. The gang had been stealing from William Canfield and he filed complaints against the perpetrators, but one morning he was called out by some of the ruffians and shame- fully beaten and maltreated. The committee took up the matter and the men were arrested and cautiously fined a small amount. The assurance of this gang became intolerable, a farmer going into town and leaving his horse hitched in front of a store was not certain of finding him on coming out, and pursuit would carry the party into Iowa to be lost as to further traces of the property or criminals. There were some exciting adventures participated in by these vigilants. On one occasion Mr. Beers rode down into Iowa on a reconnoisance and took dinner at a house which was evidently a rendezvous of the gang, and discovered a saddle and & wagon that had been stolen from his neighborhood. He returned by a circuitous route, and the next night twenty-five armed men went down there, surrounded the house, and suc- ceeded in capturing two of the desperadoes, Wells and Hartwell, and another by the name of Spike escaped. He was wanted in a murder case. After a severe contest Hartwell was sent to state prison, but Wells was discharged. About this time the committee received information that one of the outlaws was in the house of a certain justice of the peace in the town of Jordan, and the place was promptly raided, and the criminal found in bed. He was promptly taken into the woods, confessed what he knew, and was released. Wells was again taken in Iowa and brought up to Pleasant Grove. Thomas Lake, who was after- wards treasurer of Mower county, fatted a calf, and invited his friends to a veal dinner, but the night before it was to have been slaughtered it was stolen, it is not unlikely, by one of his expected guests. It was not safe to leave cattle out at night, but by vigorous measures, like those related, the country was finally rid of this species of organized stealing.
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Reminiscences of "Old Pedagogue." Thomas Duxbury came to Fillmore county in 1866 at the age of eight years, and as he grew to manhood became a prominent factor in the life of Pres- ton township. For many years he has contributed to the press under the name of "Old Pedagogue," and his articles are always read with the deepest interest. He has the following to say in regard to the early days in Preston township :
Schools were early established in all parts of Preston town- ship, for no sooner had these hardy, progressive pioneers pro- vided rude shelter for themselves than they immediately began building school houses and organizing schools in which to edu- cate their children. The first of these schools to be established was at Preston, Scotland and Partridge Creek, districts 45, 46 and 47, respectively, all established near the same time, 1858 or 1859. Other schools of later date but still of early days were the Stone School in the southwest part of the town, Livingood School (now High Grove), toward the northeast part, and the Perkins' School, on Camp creek (later moved west to Windy ridge). These schools naturally formed the social centers of the township as they were, when the writer appeared on the scene and as they exist practically unto this day, convenient subdivisions of the township for all purposes.
The early settlers were principally English, Scotch, German and Norwegian, with a sprinkling of Americans from New York, Ohio and New England, and occasionally a son of the Emerald Isle.
Among those who helped to make early history in this town- ship who made an impress on the community and left a lasting impression on the minds of men in general and the writer in particular were the following: Preston village and vicinity- Conkey Bros., D. B. Coleman, A. Howell, Thomas Hall, J. P. Tib- betts, Jeremiah O'Brien, Thos. Quinn, Jacob Kramer, Rev. D. L. Kiehl, Attorneys Colburn and Wells, Drs. Redmond and Ross, and Samuel Shook, Walter Engle and Michael Martzolf. Par- tridge creek-Seven Duxbury brothers, four Mills brothers, Peter Button, John Kress, Ole Simonson, Amos Rose, Thos. Wilson, Ole Wilson, Chas. Schultz, Henry Rode, Oliver Williams, Purdy Hart, William Semper, Abraham Jaycox and Nelson Steele. Stone school-William Boice, C. Omacht and the Page family. Camp creek-E. O. Wilson, A. Moebs, Eli Perkins, George Wright, A. D. Knight, William Ginder, the Long brothers and the Hahn brothers. Scotland-Rev. A. J. Stead, Hutton brothers, Robert Henderson, Daniel Salisbury, Robert McCallum, Henry Milne, Duncan Stuart, S. S. Dunn, Peter Mckay, William Elder, C. P. Lunde, Berge Olson, Ben Bendickson, Patrick Wrenn, the Tollefsons, Petersons, Cathcarts and Vickermans. High Grove-
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John Livingood, D. M. Little, John Olson, the Nelsons and Larsons. John Travis was a noted character in the Scotland vicinity.
In the latter sixties and early seventies Scotland, then known as Hendersonville, became the acknowledged social center of rural Preston. A new school house and church were built, a post- office established, a store and blacksmith shop started, and a grange of the Patrons of Husbandry, and a literary society organ- ized. "Scotland's booming, something doing" was ever the cry in those days. But the grange went the way of all such organi- zations in the middle West, the literary society died a natural death after nine years of existence and the postoffice was given up in the early eighties, being practically put out of commission when Harmony was established.
High Grove also had its high tide with its literary society and later the Farmers' Alliance, but it never reached the promi- nence of Hendersonville.
As a high-class school the one on Patridge creek called Yale College yielded the palm to none.
Hutton, a flag station midway between Preston and Harmony, was established as a postoffice in July, 1892, and was discontinued as such when rural free delivery went into effect some dozen years later. The project was originally promoted by a co-opera- tive company, but was gradually turned over to private enter- prise in the person of J. H. Duxbury, who still continues to do business.
Partridge Creek cemetery was established as such at a very early date, the latter fifties. The land was donated by John Duxbury and Oliver Williams, and it is a singular coincidence that these two men were the first persons to be buried therein, both in 1861.
An attempt to separate the village of Preston from the coun- try part of the township was made by the country people in the latter sixties, but failed to carry by two votes, and the two remained together for township purposes until the spring of 1911, when a separation was obtained at the instance of the villagers.
A few further facts that come to mind of minor importance but still worthy of mere mention are as follows: The first Fourth of July celebration the writer had the pleasure of attending in the township was held in the latter sixties on what is known as "IIog's Back," in the Scotland neighborhood. It was just after the Civil War and patriotism and the military spirit still ran high. Preston and Scotland people combined to make it a success. The features that impressed us most were a company of farmer boys recruited and drilled in military maneuvers by Capt. William Vickerman, a real war captain and veteran, and free
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J. N. GRALING
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lemonade for everybody, made of lemons, pure water and sugar, mixed by Tom Hall, a good mixer of drinks, and paid for by the patriotic promoters.
Windy ridge, in the western part of the township, sloping toward Camp and Willow creeks; and Pumpkin ridge, in the eastern part, sloping to Bachelor and Partridge creeks, were so named from the winds that sweep with fearful force over the elevated, exposed surface of the former and from the great crops of pumpkins that were raised in early days on the latter. High grove was named from the tall timber in that vicinity, the tallest and most notable of which was Little's grove. The two principal streams were named Partridge and Camp creek, the former from the great number of partridges found there and the latter from the fact that travelers passing through this section usually camped on that stream.
The waters of the sand spring where John Vail built his house, now the source of supply for the city waterworks of Preston, won fame and favor in an early day from thirsty souls for their purity and palatability and later the distinction of the purest water in the state as proved by chemical analysis.
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Salisbury, of the Scotland neighborhood, made a record for longevity rarely equaled in modern times, both attaining to an age considerably beyond the century mark.
Mrs. Robert Henderson, also of Scotland, while laying no claim to being a rifleshot or huntress, was of the stuff that pio- neers are made of and had an eye, a hand and a taste for the game, as she proved by shooting, killing and dressing with her own hands a deer that came into their clearing one day during her husband's absence.
John Livingood was a big man from any point of view. So- cially he was big enough to give his name to the school in his district, and physically broad enough to march in front of a double column of Preston men training for prospective military service, and be out of line on both sides at the same time.
Amos Rose was another big man, physically and otherwise, who left more than an ordinary impression upon people of his time and also upon the sands of time, as a farmer, stonemason, veterinarian and dentist.
There are many others among those already mentioned in a general way who are worthy of and deserving of more particular notice, but space forbids such mention of all, and we will close with only two more, feeling that we would be recreant to a duty did we fail to pay at least a slight passing tribute to Revs. David L. Kiehle, of Preston, and Allan J. Stead, of Scotland, who, in their chosen field of labor as preacher and teacher, by precept and example, in the opinion of the writer wielded a more potent
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influence for good in religious, social and educational matters than any other two men who ever resided within the boundaries of Preston township. Rev. Kiehle still lives in far off Oregon; Rev. Stead went to his reward a few years ago, but both they and their works still live in the memory of the people and will continue to do so as long as time shall endure.
The writer has obtained much of his information for this article from Samuel Duxbury, Sr., who settled on Partridge creek in March, 1854.
"Yale College." Our school, district 47, known as the Dux- bury School, the Mills School, the Dutton School and the Part- ridge Creek School, but better known as "Yale College," is one of the oldest as well as one of the best institutions of learning of its kind in this part of the state.
The exact time of its establishment I cannot give you, as I have not the data at my command, but it was about the year 1858 or 1859. The land for the school house site was donated by John Duxbury, one of the first settlers in this neighborhood, an uncle of the writer hereof, a man whom I never saw, but of whom I have heard much and never anything but good; a man with a fair, common education that he had picked up for him- self while working in the cotton factories and occasionally attend- ing night school in old England. He was deeply interested in the cause of popular education, his interest seemingly having been intensified by his own lack of opportunities. He died at the early age of forty-one years and his remains lie at rest in the Partridge Creek cemetery just east of Hutton. To his son, Samuel Duxbury, of Canton, Minn., I am indebted for what information I have in regard to the history of our school for the first eight years of its existence.
The first schoolhouse in this district was built of logs, both material and labor for its construction being donated by resi- dents of the district. It stood a few feet to the eastward of where the schoolhouse now stands. The supervising architect was Otis Priest, a man who took great interest in educational matters and always remained loyal to this district, as is attested by the fact that the land which he then owned still forms a part of this district, although it joins the school site of district thirty- seven. The log house in which Otis Priest lived still stands on the farm of Peter Hutton. The log house in which John Dux- bury lived and died also stands on the farm of Peter Hutton, about a quarter of a mile due east of the schoolhouse. Their good work still lives, though both have been dead many years.
The first school in this district was taught by a man by the name of Crouch, a shoemaker by trade, and a man of but limited education. The next teacher was a man by the name of Chandler
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and he was followed by another named Kennedy. The winter term of 1865 and 1866 was taught by Ann Stork, who shortly afterwards became Mrs. A. H. Dayton. The summer term of 1866 was begun by Jennie Stowe, and here is where my first personal experience with the school began. At the end of the first month she married and the term was finished by Nettie Prescott. The school gradually dwindled in numbers, until there was nothing left of it but the teacher and myself and I enjoyed the novel and pleasant experience of having the company of a very nice schoolma'am all to myself for a whole week. Much to my regret, the school board failed to secure her services for the winter term and A. T. Hudson succeeded her. He was a farmer of very ordinary scholastic attainments, but with a good, strong right arm with which he was able to accomplish much good for the school as a disciplinarian. The next summer term was taught by Harriet Barnes, who shortly afterward became Mrs. Nels Brightman, of Granger. This was the last summer term of school I attended, although I continued to attend the winter term regu- larly up to the time I became twenty-one years of age. The next winter term was taught by Louis Schiveitzer, a young man of very ordinary scholarship, but an accomplished penman, who succeeded in doing much good, particularly in that branch. The next two terms, summer and winter, were taught by Joseph Adams, and I distinctly remember him as the only teacher I ever knew that run a school without a timepiece of any kind. He guessed his time and invariably cut our recesses and noons too short, and made our hours of study too long, causing him to become somewhat unpopular, of course.
It was at this time that so much interest was developed in the subject of spelling throughout the schools of the country. We spent much of our time studying and practicing in this branch and became quite expert performers and won the championship of the county.
It was during the next six or eight years, under the man- agement of Jesse C. Johnson, of Spring Valley, and his imme- diate successors, that this school reached its highest point of excellence. It was at this time that it earned its title of "Yale College," and was conceded to be equal to any institution of learning in the county, not excepting the graded schools of Preston, Lanesboro and Spring Valley.
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