USA > Minnesota > Freeborn County > History of Freeborn County, Minnesota > Part 21
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1901. January 9, a meeting of the county commissioners was held, over which E. W. Gleason presided as chairman. February 17. Ellick H. Ellickson died at Minneapolis. He was born in Norway and came to this country when but a boy. At different periods during his life here, he held the office of deputy oil inspector and was deputy sheriff for eight years. February 19, Nels Larson died at Clarks Grove. He was a native of Denmark, having been born October 26, 1826. He came to Clarks Grove in 1863. Capt. A. W. White donated his collection of war relics valued at $10,000, also geological specimens and curios, to the public library. August 3, Horatio D. Brown died at Albert Lea. He came to this state from Onondaga county, New York, in 1856. August 16. John Slater died near Albert Lea. He was born in England and came to Freeborn county in 1858 same year. Novem-
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ber 23, Dr. Charles W. Ballard died in Florida. He was born in New York, January 22, 1826, and located in Albert Lea in 1870. During his residence in this city, he served one term as mayor. November 9, Mrs. Helen Gilbert, one of the early set -- tlers of this county, died in Albert Lea.
1902. W. G. Kellar died at Albert Lea. He was born in Grant county, Wisconsin ; came to Albert Lea in 1856, was mayor for one term in Albert Lea. January 28, Gilbert Rundin died at Castlewood, North Dakota. He was a native of Norway, who came to Albert Lea in 1857. March 9, Peter O. Fossum died in Manchester. He was born in Norway in 1815 and came to Manchester in 1856. Frank B. Fobes, one of the pioneers of Albert Lea, ended his life by drowning himself in Fountain Lake. In 1861 he came to Freeborn county and began to work for Hall. He was a private in Co. F, 4th Minnesota Vol. Inf .; became second lieutenant in Co. C, 5th Minnesota Vol. Inf., and later joined an Illinois regiment and served until the end of the war. Then he returned to Albert Lea and engaged in business. He was county treasurer two terms, and held other positions of responsibility and honor. April 24, A. H. Bartlett died at Glen- ville. He was born in New York, and settled in Freeborn county in 1856. He platted the village of Shell Rock city, now Glen- ville ; was admitted to practice law in 1860; sat in the Minnesota legislature 1857-1858; was probate judge of the county, and for a score of years served as justice of the peace. July 5, a furious hurricane swept across the county, doing much damage, destroy- ing crops, and killing several persons. August 30, a number of Freeborn county people were injured in a railroad wreck near Owatonna, caused by a cyclone which blew the train from the track. December 9, Broc Otto Esping died at Albert Lea. He was born in Sweden, and came to Albert Lea in 1877. December 14, Mrs. Loren Blackner died in Albert Lea. She was born in Wisconsin. The Albert Lea Corset Company was established this year.
1903. January 20, the Broadway theater of Albert Lea was opened. March 18, Mr. and Mrs. L. P. Mathiasen celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary at Alden. April 27, Hon. D. F. Morgan died. He was born in Jackson county, Iowa. April 29, Gilbert G. Manning died in Geneva. He was born in Vermont, and came to Freeborn county in the fifties. May 19, Mrs. Heman Blackmer died at Albert Lea. June 7, the cornerstone of the new city hall at Albert Lea was laid. September 6, Francis Hall died in Gig Harbor, Washington. He was born in New York, and came to Freeborn county in 1857, from Ripon, Wis. Decem- ber 23, the new city hall was dedicated.
1904. January 28, Ole Jordahl died in Albert Lea. He was
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a native of Norway, and came to Freeborn county in 1857. Feb- ruary 19, Lieut. Henry R. Loomis died in Bancroft. He was a veteran of the Civil war, and a native of New York, who came to this county in 1856. March 15, August Peterson, a veteran of the Civil war, died in Albert Lea. He was born in Norway and came to Freeborn county in 1858. April 13, the Albert Lea city library was opened to the public for the first time. April 16, a message was received from Washington, D. C., that a new postoffice was to be erected in Albert Lea during this year. June 17, William Lenz died in Nunda. He was one of the early pioneers in this county. June 21, Fred Fink died at Pickerel Lake. He was born in Germany and came to Freeborn county in 1856. July 31, Watson W. Williams, a former editor of the Standard died in Minneapolis. July 29, W. H. English died in Albert Lea. IIe was born in New York and came to this county in the fifties. August 16, William Fenholt, died at Albert Lea. He was a native of Germany, and came to this county in 1858. August 23, George Gardner died at Albert Lea. He was born in New York and was one of the first settlers at Glenville, having come here June 9, 1855. September 25, John Honan died at Twin Lakes. He was a native of Ireland and came to this county in 1857. October 13, Martin O'Connor died. He was born in Vermont, and came to Freeborn county in 1877. October 28, Mrs. Charles Brundin died at Albert Lea. She was a daughter of J. M. Geissler, of Nunda, one of the pioneers of Freeborn county. December 6, Clark H. Dills died at Albert Lea. He was born in New York and came to Freeborn county with his parents in 1858. December 22, F. E. Case, one of the founders of the Case Corset Co., died in Albert Lea. He was born in Connecticut.
1905. January 3, E. W. Gleason was appointed chairman of the county commissioners. January 14, Ole A. Styve died. He was born in Norway and came to Freeborn county in 1858. April 7, Mrs. Selina Stage died in Albert Lea. She was born in Canada and came to Freeborn county in the fifties. April 30, Nels Nelson died at Manchester. He was born in Norway and came to this county in 1856. May 12, Anthony Trow died at Glenville. He was born in New Hampshire and came to Freeborn county in 1857. June 5, George W. Dearmin died at Oakland. He came to Freeborn county in 1858. June 14, the Albert Lea High school alumni was organized with the following officers: Presi- dent, Mary E. Higgins ; vice-president, C. A. Ransom ; secretary, William Walsh; treasurer, Guy Menefee. August 31, the Albert Lea Tile plant started operations. September 12, the City and County Hospital Association was organized. September 26, Michael Cunningham died at Twin Lakes. He was born in Ire-
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. HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY
land and was an early pioneer of this county. October 15, Daniel Hurd died in Albert Lea. He was born in Rochester, N. Y., and came to Freeborn county in 1856. December 27, the Times was purchased from Ray C. Blackner, by William Morin and C. S. Edwards of the Enterprise, and the consolidated paper given the name of the Times-Enterprise. The closing months of this year were characterized by a telephone war.
1906. January 8, Chas. N. Ruble died at Shelbyville, Tenn. Hon. Moses K. Armstrong died in Albert Lea. He was born in Milan, Erie county, Ohio, and came to Minnesota in 1858. Jan- uary 6, Henry Thurston, died at Washington, D. C. He was born in Oxford, Massachusetts, 1833, and came to Freeborn county 1857. May 17, Samuel B. Smith, pioneer, died in Manchester. He was born in Renville, Ohio, and came to Freeborn county in the fifties. June 13, Mrs. M. A. Holcomb died at Zion City, Illinois. She was born in England, February 20, 1828, and came to Freeborn county in 1859. November 11, The First Baptist church at Albert Lea was dedicated. December 19, Mrs. Eliza- beth D. Stacy died in Albert Lea. She came to Freeborn county 1856. March 9, Michael Gardner died in Newry. He was born in Ireland.
1907. January 13, Asa W. White, a veteran of the Civil war, died. He was a native of New York and came here in 1856. January 20, Mrs. Daniel Dwyer died in Minneapolis. She was born in Ireland, and with her husband and two children came to Freeborn county in 1858. January 26, Henry D. Blackmer died in Albert Lea township. He came to Albert Lea with his parents in 1857. January 26, John P. Beighley died at Gordonsville. He was born in Pennsylvania, and came to Freeborn county in the fifties. He was the first mail carrier between Northwood, Iowa and Albert Lea. Jan. 7, Mrs. Ella K. Boen died at Man- chester. She was born in Norway in 1812, and came to Freeborn county in 1857. February 23, Nicholas T. Sandburg, a veteran of the Civil war died. He was born in Norway and settled in Bancroft in 1857. March 10, the Alphabet railroad was put in operation. March 26, W. W. Johnson died at Albert Lea. March 31, Zadock Mallery died in Albert Lea. He was born in New York, served in the Civil war, and came later to Freeborn county. April 4, contract for building the Riceland judicial ditch was awarded to the France Dredging Construction Co May 5, the first services of the Salem English Lutheran church were held. May 2, George B. Chamberlain died at Albert Lea. He was a native of Massachusetts, and came to Freeborn county in 1858. July 6, Joseph Landis died at Glenville. He came to this county about 1858. July 4, a successful Chautauqua opened at Albert Lea. July 17, the Freeborn County Standard moved
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into its new quarters in the Francis Hall building, corner of Broadway and Clark street. August 17, Jens Frandsen died in Albert Lea. He was one of the early pioneers of the county. Aug. 21, Bernard Schad died at Geneva. He came to this county in 1857. August 30, D. G. Parker died at Port Arthur, Texas. He was born at Mount Desert Island, Maine, and he came to Albert Lea in 1858. August 25, Mrs. Agnethe Nelson died at Glenville. She was a native of Norway, and came to Freeborn county in 1858. October 21, Jacob Baker died at Manchester. He was of German birth and came to Freeborn county in 1857. December 24, the Armstrong block was damaged by fire. The total loss estimated at more than $25,000. There were several notable improvements during this year, such as would be a credit to any city of the state. Among these are the College addition, Brundin Bros.' Packing Plant, the enlargement of the American Gas Machine Co., the extension of the Lake Shore Greenhouses, the Heilman Brewing Co. building, the large sum expended for curbing, cross walks and similar permanent street improvements, and not least among these improvements, are the large number of fine new residences erected.
1908. January 22, Mrs. Helen Carter died at Ambrose, North Dakota. She was born in New York state in 1828, and came to Freeborn county 1857. January 21, Hon. J. A. Lovely died at Albert Lea. He came to Freeborn county in the sixties, and served as city attorney. He was born in Burlington, Vermont, 1843. February 10, Mrs. Ellen Thompson died at Albert Lea. She was born in Buckingham, England, 1830, and came to Free- born county in 1857. February 5, Joseph Hermanson died in Bancroft. He was born in Norway, 1824, and came to Freeborn county in the fifties. March 3, Fred Wieser, a pioneer of Free- born county, died in Pickerel Lake. He was born in Germany, 1838, and came to Freeborn county in 1859. March 15, Henry Schneider, one of the earliest settlers of Freeborn county, died at Albert Lea. He was born in Germany, 1826, and came to Freeborn county in 1856. March 14, C. M. Hewitt died at Albert Lea. He was born in New York, and came to Freeborn county in 1859. April 22, George W. Geesey, a pioneer and soldier, died at London. He was born in New York, 1834. November 28, John L. Gibbs, died at Owatonna. He was born in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, 1836. In 1862 he was elected county attor- ney; in 1864 he was elected to the legislature and served six years; in 1896 he was elected lieutenant governor. He came to Freeborn county in 1861. December 30, Tosten Narvesen (Hayden), a soldier, died in Glenville.
1909. January 22, the Cargill Science Hall of the Albert Lea College was dedicated. January 30, Hiram M. Pettit, a soldier
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of the Civil war and a pioneer of Freeborn county, died in Fer- tile, Iowa. He was born in Pennsylvania, and came to Freeborn county in 1863. February 25, Captain Eli K. Pickett, a pioneer of Freeborn county and gallant soldier of the Civil war, died at Albert Lea. He was born in New York, and came to Freeborn county in 1860. April 15, L. Flanagan, a soldier of the Civil war, died at Albert Lea. He was born in Ireland, and came to Freeborn county in 1860. April 15, T. Anderson, a pioneer of Freeborn county, died at Manchester. He was born in Norway, 1823, and came to Freeborn county in 1856. June 4, Charles Seth died at Albert Lea. He was born in Germany. June 25, Mrs. Ellen Fitzgerald, a pioneer of Freeborn county, died in Bath township. She was born in Ireland, 1838, and came to Freeborn county, 1858. June 7, Andreas Severson, a pioneer died in Man- chester. He was born in Norway, 1824. July 28, John M. Geissler died at Albert Lea. He was born in Germany, came to Freeborn county in 1857, and served in the Civil war. August 25, Mr. and Mrs. William Hazelton of Albert Lea, celebrated the fiftieth anni- versary of their marriage. August 25, Thomas Donovan, a pioneer, died in Owatonna. He was born in Ireland, 1831, and came to Freeborn county in the fifties. August 28, Mr. and Mrs. T. R. Morgan of Moscow, celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage. November 5, Even Nelson, a pioneer, died in Albert Lea township. He was born in Norway, and came to Freeborn county in 1858. December 19, Mrs. Emily A. Chamber- lain died at Albert Lea. She was born in New York, 1832, and came to Freeborn county in 1860. This year the present system of illuminating Broadway at Albert Lea was adopted.
1910. June 9, Mr. and Mrs W. H. Tunnell celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in Albert Lea. September 25, Mrs. Harriet Barden, died at Rochester, Minnesota. She was born in Vermont, 1832, came to Freeborn county in the fifties. Octo- ber 29, Gulbrand O. Bagaason, a pioneer of Freeborn county, died at Riceland. He was born in Norway, and came to Freeborn county 1856. Mrs. A. Barlow died in Bancroft. She was born in Germany, and came to Freeborn county at an early day. March 16, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Armstrong celebrated their golden wed- ding anniversary at their home in Hartland. August 24, Mrs. Isadora A. Campbell died in Albert Lea. She was born in Stowe, Vermont, 1849, and came to Freeborn county in 1857.
CHAPTER XVII.
AGRICULTURE.
Advantages of Freeborn County as an Agricultural Region- Farming in the Early Days-Wheat as the Principal Crop -- Gradual Decrease in the Raising of That Cereal-How the Settlers Obtained Their Land-Pests-Introduction of Dairy- ing-Modern Implements and Improvements-Illumination- Registered Farms-Calamities-Agricultural Society.
Freeborn county is one of the southern tier of counties of Minnesota and is about in the middle of the southern border, just across the line from Iowa. It has twenty townships, each six miles square : it extends thirty miles east and west and twenty- four miles north and south, and embraces 720 square miles. It has more than twenty lakes, and about 50,000 acres of choice farming land.
The surface of the county is gently undulating with a few rugged hills and a succession of groves and lakes that make the landscape wonderfully picturesque. The wagon roads are seldom on straight lines. but wind along lakes and through valleys. It occupies some of the highest farming land in the state. and is the watershed between the Minnesota and Mississippi river drainage slopes.
The altitude is about 1.200 feet. The Cobb finds its head waters in the northwestern part of the county and flows north- ward. The Shell Rock and a branch of the Cedar originate here and flow southward to join the Mississippi.
A few hundred feet below the surface the whole county is covered by a layer of limestone which is again covered by glacial drift. The surface soil. two to four feet deep, is a rich mould made by ages of vegetable deposits that have been blackened and enriched by annual fires till the productive energies of the soil seem inexhaustible. The subsoil is a compact clay that prevents leaching. The soil is alike tolerant of extreme moisture and drought, and for fifty-four years of settlement there have been no real failures in crops.
On certain levels artesian wells can be secured at a depth of about 100 feet, and the purest artesian water rises high in the tubular wells that are drilled through the first stratum of lime- stone, 150 to 300 feet below the surface. The timber, though
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T. A. VANDEGRIFT
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY
unevenly distributed, is abundant for domestic uses. There are deposits of peat in different sections of the county, but as yet little use has been made of it. Some use has been made of the clay. There are few natural sources of wealth, however, except the matchless fertility of the soil.
The people represent a large number of nationalities; Ameri- cans, Scandinavians, Germans, English, Irish and Bohemians predominating. One settler came into the county in 1853. A few families came in 1855, and by 1857, the tide of immigration had fairly begun. The population of Freeborn county is 22,435.
Freeborn is acknowledged as being among the best and most prosperous agricultural and stock-raising counties in Minne- sota. Its people are wide awake and keep step with the pro- cession in industry and culture. The first settlers of the county were mostly farmers, and they were, with but few exceptions, poor men, as is the case in the history of every agricultural region. In fact, few had more than enough to barely get settled upon their lands; but they came with that which was in those days equal to it-training in agricultural pursuits, brawny hands that were able and not ashamed to work, and in connection with industrious habits, the energy and determination to win success. The country was new, and there was no alternative but that success must be wrought from the soil, which was their only wealth and their only hope. And, in spite of all the obstacles and inconveniences, notwithstanding the fact that the whole aim of the farming community has changed, success attended their efforts. Nor is the end yet reached, but the county has a mine of wealth yet undeveloped, which as years roll on, will grow more and more valuable as the agricultural population becomes more and more able to utilize it.
Early in the development of this country, wheat was the main product, and for a number of years excellent crops were raised with scarcely a failure. At the present time wheat has given up its former place to other cereals, and farmers find many other avenues in which to devote their time and energy.
The farms of Freeborn county are similar to the farms of any other county, having a rich soil. It has its good farms and its poor farms. Agriculture, like every other trade or profes- sion, has its failures and successes, but perhaps not so many complete failures.
The high altitude gives to Freeborn county an ideal climate. Its mean temperature for summer is 70 degrees, the same as middle Illinois, Ohio and southern Pennsylvania. The extreme heat that is felt in these states is here tempered by the breezes of the ele- vated plateau. Its higher latitude gives two hours more of sun- shine than at Cincinnati. This with an abundance of rainfall,
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26.36 inches annually, on a rich soil, accounts for the rapid and vigoruus growth of crops and their early maturity. There is a uniformity of temperature during the winter season in southern Minnesota, with bright sunshine, dry atmosphere, good sleighing and infrequent thaws that make life a pleasure in this bracing, healthy climate.
The soil is for the most part a deep, rich, warm loam with clay subsoil. Cultivation is easy and "irrigation and dry farming" that one hears so much about to-day, and which is so necessary to secure a crop on much of the new lands that are being opened up in the West, at so great an expense, are not needed here. During the past few years a number of farms have been tiled and with such marked success that within a few years most of the farms will be improved in this respect. The lay of the land is such that almost every farmer gets good drainage without difficulty. Two large factories manufacturing clay tile are located in the county and have a large total output.
Freeborn county has good roads and in several road districts its roads are as fine as a city's streets, thanks to the efficient work of townships good road organizations and to the use of the split-log drag.
The first settlers found here a rich, unbroken virgin soil, a land that had none but nature's care from time immemorial. Century after century, year after year, the grasses grew in all their richness and the prairie flowers bloomed to waste their fragrance on the summer air. No foot trod the unbroken stretches save that of wild beasts or bird, or the red warrior. No plow- share turned the green sod, nor was it torn by the iron tooth of the harrow, from the time an almighty power had unrolled it like a carpet until 1853, when a solitary pioneer settled here, and started raising a few vegetables for the use of his family.
Freeborn county has no state highways of macadam. The roads, which are made of the soil of the county, on the whole are good, and some of them are kept in the best of condition. This county understood road-building in the earliest days, and the greatest volume of business done by the early county commis- sioners and supervisors was in establishing road districts and providing for the maintenance of highways.
There was a time in Freeborn county when, like all new lands, the first consideration was to build good barns for the housing of the fiocks and herds, and the home was the most inconspicuous object in the landscape. As the farmers prospered the log house disappeared and now there are not a half dozen log houses in the entire county. Now the farmer's house vies with the city resi- dence, and has many of the modern conveniences. Where electric light and power cannot be secured, gasoline engines furnish
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power, and a number of farm houses are lighted by their own gas plants. By the use of elevated tanks in the house or barn, or pneu- matic tanks in cellars, farm houses often have all the sanitary conveniences of a house in town. Our farmers recognize the value . of keeping their property in the best of shape. Houses and barns are well painted, lawns are carefully kept and flower gardens show that our people recognize that the things which beautify add a value to life as well as to property.
The first two problems which confronted the early settlers were sustenance and shelter. The wagon in which the settlers came, the dug-out, the sod house, or the log cabin provided shelter. The ground must provide the sustenance. The settlers found here a rolling prairie surfaced with rich soil and with but little timber to be cut, the land being what is generally described as bur-oak openings. To break the sod, a breaking plow drawn by four yoke of oxen was required, the neighbors pooling their interests and helping each other. By this method, about one and a quarter acres of land could be broken a day. In this way, the settlers had a few acres broken, and started raising such food stuffs as were needed for their own tables. The settlers of 1855 and 1856 raised some corn and vegetables. The hopes of crops in 1857 was blasted, and there ensued the hard winter of 1857-58, during which the people existed on little more than cornmeal.
In 1858 and 1859 the crops were better, and in 1860, when Governor Alexander Ramsey issued his Thanksgiving proclama- tion, the soil of Freeborn county had brought forth its increase in abundant measure.
In 1860, however, just at the time of this promising prosperity, the people of Freeborn county were thrown into a state of conster- nation by the announcement that on October 29, 1860, the land in Freeborn county would be offered for sale. This would have resulted in the practical impoverishment of the people of Free- born county. A few had proved up on their claims, paid the necessary $1.25 an acre in cash, or surrendered the proper value of land warrants, and secured clear titles to their lands. But most of the settlers had little money, and the sale would deprive them of their claims, their improvements and their homes. A meeting to consider ways and means was held at Albert Lea, and after much discussion, Col. G. W. Skinner was sent to Wash- ington to see what could be done about the matter. A petition was also addressed to President James Buchanan. Colonel Skinner reported that the land could not be withdrawn from sale, but that land which was not sold could be filed on the day after the sale. Accordingly a committee was appointed to put in an appearance at the sales, and see that no bids were made on land already
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occupied in Freeborn county. No occupied land being sold, the occupants the next day refiled on their own claims. Some, later, purchased their claims at the pre-emption price of $1.25 an acre, while others were secured in the possession of their improvements by the Homestead laws which were subsequently enacted. The Civil war caused a severe setback in the progress of Freeborn county agriculture. At the outbreak of the war, the county was on the road to success and prosperity. Improved land was worth from $5.00 to $10.00 an acre, and more land was being broken each year. The average cultivated field consisted of some twenty or thirty acres, upon which wheat was the principal crop; other vegetables and grains being raised practically for home use only. But the war called the able-bodied men to the front, and the old men, the invalids, and the women and children were left to operate the farms as best they could.
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