USA > Minnesota > Freeborn County > History of Freeborn County, Minnesota > Part 39
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Clarks Grove has a one-story frame school building, erected in 1901, when district 131 was organized. The first officers of the district were: Ole Larson, director; Nels M. Christenson, treas- urer; Charles Peterson, clerk. The present officers are: L. P. Hanson, director ; Theodore Jorgenson, clerk; Ole Larson, treas- urer.
Clarks Grove Lumber, Fuel & Stock Company. This company conducts a lumber yard at Clarks Grove and was organized in 1902. The first officers were : President, J. P. Larson ; secretary, L. P. Lawson; manager and treasurer, Theodore Jorgenson ;
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directors, J. C. Johnson, J. W. Peterson, Ole Larson and Julius Larson. The present officers are: President, J. P. Larson; sec- retary, L. P. Lawson ; manager and treasurer, Theodore Jorgen- son ; directors, Ole Larson, Paul Hanson, J. W. Peterson, A. C. Thompson and Hans Eid.
Clarks Grove Hardware & Implement Company. This company was organized in 1910 and purchased the Peterson Brothers store. The original officers are still serving as follows: President, J. P. Larson; vice-president, O. C. Johnson; secretary, J. Sorenson ; manager and treasurer, A. C. Thompson; directors, Peter Chris- tianson, James Fitzgerald and Ole Larson.
The Clarks Grove Mercantile Company was organized in June, 1891. The first officers were: President, J. W. Peterson; secre- tary, John Nelson; treasurer, H. E. Nelson; manager, John Nel- son ; directors, J. P. Larson, E. C. Johnson and P. Hanson. The incorporation was renewed in June, 1911. The present officers are: President, J. P. Larson; manager and treasurer, Adolph Johnson ; secretary, Andrew Hanson ; directors, J. C. Johnson, Ole Larson and C. Madson. This company conducts a prosperous gen- eral store in Clarks Grove village, the postoffice also being kept in its establishment.
Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Association of Bath. This was organized at a meeting held at the Danish Baptist church on the first of January, 1878. On the fourteenth of the same month it was incorporated under the state law, and seven directors were elected, as follows: H. P. Jensen, N. P. Peterson, John Hender- son, Peter Johnson, J. P. Larson, C. F. Peterson and C. Nelson. They met and elected officers of the association as follows: Presi- dent, H. P. Jensen ; secretary, N. P. Peterson; treasurer, C. F. Peterson. The company renewed its charter March 30, 1909. The present officers are : President, J. P. Larson; secretary, N. M. Jenson ; treasurer, J. W. Peterson ; directors, Erick Barglund, M. J. Paulson, Christ Nelson, A. N. Jenson and N. L. Larson.
EMMONS VILLAGE.
The village of Emmons is located in the southeast corner of section 32 and the southwest corner of section 33 in Nunda town- ship, adjoining the Iowa state line. It has a church, a farmers' telephone service, a school, a bank and a newspaper. Among the interests of the place may be mentioned : General stores, Emmons Mercantile Company, Olson, Olson & Knutson, Thornby & Olson; blacksmith shops, S. Knutson, Abe Hegland, Isaac Moe ; hardware stores, F. L. Marpe, Martin Nelson ; restaurants, E. A. Anderson, A. J. Egland ; millinery store, Clara Kelly ; harness, hardware and farm implement store, Knudson & Olien; shoes and repairing, John R. Langeland ; stock dealer, H. H. Emmons ; drugs, Southern
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Minnesota Drug Company (George W. Marpe, manager and pro- prietor) ; barber shop and pool hall, A. Rasmusson ; meat market, Singlestad Bros .; mill, Emmons Roller Mills Stock Company ; ele- vator, Western Elevator Company, of Winona; furniture and undertaking store, Gunder & Henry Clemmetson; Emmons Auto Company, Olson & Oppedahl, owners; physician, J. A. Schultz ; lumber, Farmers' Lumber Company (William Torry, manager) ; stock broker, L. H. Emmons; dray line, Iversen & Bergerson.
H. G. Emmons came to section 32, Nunda township, in 1856, and in 1864 the old State Line postoffice was established at his farm. In 1880 his sons started a store on the present site of the village. When it was found that the railroad was not to stop at that point the store was moved a mile south to Norman, in Iowa. In 1886 the store was moved back to the present site of Emmons. The same store still continues, being conducted by the Emmons Mercantile Company. This was the beginning of the village of Emmons. In 1886, soon after the store was moved back from Norman, an elevator was put up, and shortly afterward A. N. Flaten opened a general mercantile and hardware store.
The village of Emmons was incorporated March 14. 1899. At the first election the following officers were elected: President. G. H. Emmons ; trustees, Gilbert Iverson, L. H. Emmons and Ed. Emerson; recorder, S. B. Thornby; treasurer, O. H. Knudson; justices, O. N. Olson and C. A. Olien; constables, Andrew Ring- ham and A. Guthier. The first council meeting was held March 28, 1899. The presidents of the village have been: G. H. Em- mons, N. H. Rasmusson, S. B. Thornby, L. H. Emmons, O. H. Knudson, F. E. Yost and C. N. Olson. The present officers are : President, C. N. Olson ; trustees, Gunder Clemmetson, Sever Sin- glestad and T. N. Olson; recorder, A. H. Rasmusson; treasurer, N. H. Rasmusson; justices, T. K. Troe and E. A. Anderson ; con- stables, Henry Becker and Nicholas Nelson. The streets of the village are lighted with gasoline lights. The original city hall was built in 1899, and an addition put on in 1901. The building is a frame structure, one story high. The original part is used as a council chamber and for entertainments of various sorts. In the new part is the engine, the well, and other fire fighting apparatus. This apparatus is looked after and used by a local fire company. The water works for fire protection, and the village drainage sewer were installed in 1901.
It was only after the most strenuous efforts that the people of Emmons succeeded in securing a railroad station at this point. When the M. & St. L. was built through Nunda township in 1879, it seemed probable that a station would be established near the present site of Emmons. But the people of Norway township, Winnebago county, Iowa, voted a five per cent tax to aid in the
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construction of the road, and the company agreed in return to open and maintain a station within one mile of the northeast corner of Winnebago county. Accordingly a station was built about a mile south of the site of Emmons. But it became appar- ent with the passing of the years that a station was needed at Emmons. The village grew in importance, and its freight and passenger business was large. Norman was in an inconvenient location, viewed from the standpoint of the citizens of Emmons, and the passenger service was not of the best. A petition signed by a large number of citizens of the village of Emmons was presented to the Railroad and Warehouse Commission to require the Minneapolis & St. Louis to erect and maintain a station in the village. The commissioners fixed a time and place for the hearing of the respective parties, and after the hearing the commissioners made an order requiring the railroad to maintain a station in the village. The matter was taken to the district court of Freeborn county and the court sustained the order made by the commision and ordered a preëmptory writ of mandamus as requested by the people of the village. The railroad carried the matter to the Supreme Court, on an alleged error, but was again defeated. August 3, 1904, the attorneys for the parties concerned signed an agreement, wherein it was arranged that the station should be established just over the line in Iowa, thus giving the people of Emmons a station which to all intent and purposes was in the village, and at the same time fulfilling the old agreement to main- tain a station in Norman township. The station was erected that . fall.
The Emmons Milling Co. was incorporated September 22, 1908, by Gilbert Iverson, Nels H. Rasmussen, Carl N. Olson, Ole H. Knutson, Theo. N. Olson, W. L. Menge, Aug. Mattick, Henry C. Becker and H. Albert Daw. The present officers are: Gilbert Iverson, president ; vice president and manager, T. N. Olson ; sec- retary and treasurer, Nels H. Rasmussen ; directors, Gilbert Iver- son, T. N. Olson, H. Rasmussen, H. C. Becker, C. H. Olson and O. H. Knudson. The mill was started by E. Emerson. He sold to T. N. Olson and Gilbert Iverson, in 1906, and two years later the company was incorporated. The company makes a specialty of the "Snowflake" flour.
District 44 has a four-room schoolhouse in the village of Em- mons, the present trustees being H. Clemmetson, treasurer ; O. H. Knudson, director; Peter Tviete, clerk.
The Emmons Mercantile Co. had its real beginning when George H. Emmons and L. H. Emmons put up the first store in the village of Emmons. The present company was formally incor- porated January 21, 1910, George H. Emmons, Carl G. Emmons and Andrew O. Dahlen being the incorporators. George H.
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Emmons is the present president and Carl G. Emmons the present. secretary and treasurer.
FREEBORN VILLAGE.
Freeborn village is a pleasantly located hamlet with a bank, two churches, a creamery, a four-roomed schoolhouse, two general stores, a blacksmith shop, a livery, an elevator, a hotel, a barber shop, a meat market, a town hall, erected in 1902, and a Modern Woodmen of America hall. It also has three fraternities, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Modern Brotherhood of Amer- ica, and the Royal Neighbors of America. A fine new bank build- ing now in the progress of erection will be an architectural orna- ment to the village. The general stores are conducted by Gil- more & Purdie and Boland & Brooks. The elevator is owned by the Huntting Elevator Co. The hotel is conducted by Bert D. Jones, while the livery stable is conducted by John A. Strever.
The people of Freeborn village are justly proud of their fine school. A four-roomed building in 1908 replaced the edifice erected in 1876, and a semi-graded school is maintained here. The board consists of George P. Lattin, John Purdie and Isaac Stensrud.
The officers of the cemetery are: President, I. H. Seath ; treasurer, F. M. Snyder; secretary, O. S. Gilmore; actuary, George P. Lattin.
The site of the village of Freeborn was taken as a town site in 1857 by Edward S. Dunn and George F. Rickard. Dunn built a cabin on the town site, while Rickard put up a claim shanty over the line in Carlston. That same year L. T. Scott erected a hotel on the lake shore, and here opened the postoffice. The first re- ligious services in the village were held at this hotel by an itin- erate preacher who chanced to stop at the hotel, and was offered free accommodations if he would stay over Sunday and preach. The same year Clark & West opened a store on the site now occu- pied by the residence of Rev. Wilbur Fisk. In 1859 David South- wick opened a store in Scott's hotel. This was the beginning of the village of Freeborn.
In 1882 Freeborn village had two general stores kept by M. A. Southwick and O. S. Gillmore; a blacksmith shop by D. A. Scoville; a wagon repair shop by J. H. Clarke; a broom factory by L. T. Scott; and a shoemaking shop by A. Andrews.
GLENVILLE VILLAGE.
Glenville is the name applied to a village in sections 6 and 7, Shell Rock township, combining the old village of Shell Rock, and a locality known as Woodside, which was surveyed in 1878
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by H. C. Lacy on land owned by George Hyatt. The village is incorporated, and has four churches, a creamery, a school, a tele- phone system, a fine city hall, two banks, a fire company, a news- paper and the usual business houses and residences. Among the activities of the village may be mentioned : Four general stores. D. J. Roberts, Frank Flusek, E. H. Moore and Charles Jarsa ; two elevators, G. A. Swan (James P. Olson, manager), and the Western Elevator Co. (E. P. Howe, manager) ; two blacksmith shops, Charles Gillard and Theodore Knuteson; furniture and undertaking, O. D. Koontz ; confectionery, D. R. Louden ; two meat markets, A. Negord and Fred Morrison; boots and shoes, Joseph Kuchera ; harnesses, Nicholas Franke; implement shop, Walter Knutson; restaurant, Joseph Siverling; restaurant and bakery, William Baldwin; drugs, Glenville Drug Co. (Dr. J. P. Freeman, manager) ; pool hall and barber shop, George Mariner; barber shop, V. H. Erickson ; rooms, Charles Eckert; variety store, J. A. Bly; hardware store and lumber yard, Jay Bartlett. The churches are: Methodist Episcopal, Free Methodist, United Brethren and Norwegian Methodist. The Norwegian Lutherans have a congregation and hold services in the United Brethren church.
The village of Glenville was incorporated in 1898. The first council meeting was held June 15, 1898, the first officers being : President, H. N. Thurston; trustees, J. W. Nelson, L. Joppa and Walter Knutson; recorder, James J. Egland; treasurer, E. H. Moore; justices, Moses Lemons and A. H. Bartlett ; constables, George Bailey and H. C. Cottrell. The present officers of the village are : President, Walter Knutson; trustees, William Young, Charles Gillard and Theodore Knuteson; recorder, E. P. Howe; treasure _. E. H. Moore; justices, J. A. Bly and Geo. Mc- Grath ; constable, E. R. Sweet.
The village hall is a two-story frame building, having a hall for council chambers and entertainment purposes, and suitable room for the fire apparatus, which is looked after by a well trained volunteer fire company. The streets of the village are lighted by gas.
The settlement of the locality surrounding the village has been treated at length in another place ; so it will be unnecessary to refer to it here. In July, 1856, A. H. Bartlett came through this region in search for a village site and a suitable place for the construction of a mill. He was pleased with the locations of both St. Nicholas and Northwood; but money would not induce the proprietors of these prospective places to quit claim to their interests. In following the river Mr. Bartlett came to the site of Shell Rock, and commenced laying plans for the establishment of the village. John Smith and Frederick Cutler each donated
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twenty acres to the project, and Mr. Bartlett at once proceeded to survey and record eighty acres in lots and blocks as the village of Shell Rock. He next commenced the erection of a water saw- mill on the banks of the river, with a building 20x80, frame, equipping it with a 56-inch buzz saw. The water power did not succeed as anticipated, so a steam power of thirty horse was placed in it and the mill for two years continued piling up saw- dust, when the timber became exhausted and the property was sold to William Morin and moved to Albert Lea, from where it has since continued its journey toward the setting sun.
Just before the saw-mill was completed, and while Mr. Bart- lett was in the east procuring machinery, E. P. Skinner laid out a town under the caption of Shell Rock, a short distance north of Mr. Bartlett's proposed site, in the town of Hayward.
This promised to be quite a formidable rival to the present village, as a postoffice and store were established there; but on Mr. Bartlett's return negotiations were entered into which were finally completed, by which E. P. Skinner got one-fourth interest in Bartlett's site, and the postoffice, store and goods were removed to the latter place. At that time the store was run by R. A. Cor- nish, who was also made postmaster. This store was continued for a number of years. George Whitman next put in a stock of goods and kept a store for about one year, when he went out of business. A. H. Bartlett then bought the building and Victor Gill- rup conducted a store there several years.
But little was done toward the development of the town until the railroad was built through in 1877, when the progress really took root. W. H. Peck came with the railroad, and opened a provision store which he continued for three or four years. H. G. Koontz also came about the same time, and opened the business called the "Variety Store." L. B. Woodruff opened a general merchandise store. P. F. Brown opened the first hardware store, and sold to W. H. Peck, who in turn, in 1881, turned it over to Greengo & Landis. John Haugh started a harness shop. In the spring of 1878, C. T. Knapp opened a meat market.
The first hotel was erected in 1856, by James Luff, and con- sisted of logs and clay. In this Mr. Luff entertained travelers. When the railroad was constructed, E. P. Kelly remodeled it, and it is now run by H. T. Chase. In 1877, Dr. H. H. Wilcox opened a drug store. A hotel was erected the same year by William Beatty. A. H. Bartlett was the first and only lawyer of Shell Rock. It is interesting to note that in August, 1857, the first bridge in the county was put across the Shell Rock river at the present site of Glenville.
The Glenville schoolhouse is a four-room, two-story structure, erected in 1899, at which time the committee consisted of Ole M.
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Nelson, director; E. S. Hostetter, clerk; and A. C. Trow, treas- urer. The present board consists of: E. H. Moore, director; E. P. Howe, clerk ; and Jay Bartlett, treasurer.
The Acorn Brick and Tile Co., recently established, bids fair to be one of the important industries of the county.
The Glenville Firemen's Relief Association was organized October 5, 1908. The first officers were: President, Oscar Lang ; vice president, Robert Walker; secretary, E. P. Howe ; treasurer, W. S. McConnell ; trustees, O. C. Hanson, Theodore Knuteson and George McGrath. The present officers are: President, A. G. Morgan ; vice president, N. C. Siverling; secretary, E. P. Howe ; treasurer, Oscar Lang ; trustees, T. Knuteson and George McGrath.
GENEVA VILLAGE.
In spite of the fact that Geneva has missed the advantages of a railroad, it is nevertheless a flourishing hamlet, and a desirable place of residence. It has a beautiful situation on Lake Geneva in Geneva township, and contains a creamery, a school, several churches, three stores and some excellent residences. John T. Robson and Svend Svendson keep a general store, William C. Gruetzmacher keeps a hardware store; Henry G. Gay sells gro- ceries and novelties; C. B. Wheeler keeps the Geneva House ; Hans C. Hanson sells meats, and Frank E. Schad conducts the blacksmith shop. The names of Jones, Stacy, Gibbs and Robson, which are well known in the county, were for many years con- nected with Geneva village.
The village of Geneva was platted in the winter of 1856-57 by James F. Jones and James Robson, on section 8, and contained about 400 acres. In the spring of 1857, Jones and Robson started business and put up a store and hotel. They soon, however, dis- solved partnership. Mr. Jones later formed a partnership with C. H. McIntire ; but they afterwards sold out to Cabot & Lester, who continued the business but a short time, when they went to Martin county with their goods. Messrs. Lohyed and Matison put up a store and placed a stock of goods in it. They soon sold out and it changed hands several times ; finally it was purchased by Charles Kittleson, later state treasurer, and was burned while he owned it. George and Warren Osborne began merchandising in 1865, and continued one year, when George secured his broth- er's interest, conducted it alone one year and then turned over his stock to Charles Kittleson. The only store in town in 1882 was kept by Archibald Chamberlain, and was first opened by Dwight Brooks in 1880. In 1857 Bernhard Schad and George Drommer- hausen started a blacksmith and wagon shop. Wagons and plows, custom work and general repairing were their specialties. In about a year Schad became sole proprietor.
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The hotel which had been built was leased to Isaac Lyons, who opened it in 1858, and managed it for a year or two and then sold to O. A. Jones, of Fillmore county. His father, H. R. Jones, kept it one winter and then his son, James F. Jones, bought and . moved into it. In 1857, a saloon was opened.
GORDONSVILLE VILLAGE.
The starting of Gordonsville, as a village, was coincident with the coming of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern in 1877, although a postoffice of the same name had been established near by many years before. J. W. Abbott erected the first build- ing and put in a small stock of merchandise. The postoffice was also opened in the same building with J. W. Abbott as post- master. In the same year John Fallon started a blacksmith shop. A railroad station was also erected. This station stood until 1910, when it was destroyed by fire, a new structure now occupying the same site. In 1882, Herman Frost erected a one-story building and opened a store, consolidating Abbott's stock with his own. He also became postmaster. Two warehouses were also erected.
The village of Gordonsville is located in the northeast corner of section 32, Shell Rock township, on land originally owned by S. P. and Jacob Beighley. It is on the line of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, the Iowa Central also using the same tracks. The village has a church, a school, a creamery, a bank, a local telephone exchange, the usual business houses and several resi- dences. Among the activities of the village may be mentioned : Three general stores, Neem Nelson, D. L. Klove and E. K. Fod- ness ; restaurants, Edw. Flatt, S. M. Beighley ; blacksmithing and woodworking, Fred Pierce; lumber, fuel, tile and cement, Gor- donsville Lumber Co .; elevator, Thompson & Heiney (W. D. Lamb, agent), dray line, E. J. Carter; stock buyer, William Buchanan.
The Gordonsville school is a frame structure of one room. The present board consists of P. Nelson, clerk ; F. A. Pierce, treas- urer; A. Flatt, secretary.
There are three fraternities in Gordonsville, the Modern Wood- men of America, the Royal Neighbors of America, and the Mys- tic Toilers.
HARTLAND VILLAGE.
Hartland is an incorporated village in Hartland township, being one of the largest villages in the county. It has the usual business houses and improvements, and is a most desirable place of residence.
Early Settlement .- The land upon which the village of Hart- land stands was originally farm land belonging to Torger Samuel-
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son. When the railroad was built through here in 1877 A. F. Johnson bought twenty acres of the land west of the railroad and platted it into town lots. At the same time Wm. Morin, of Albert Lea, platted part of his farm east of the track and for a time there was a merry town site fight. Buildings sprung up on both sides, but an agreement was finally reached and Mr. Morin bought land west of the Johnson site and platted it and the business cen- tered on the west side. The first building in the village was moved from Manchester township by A. J. Anderson, now of Bentonville, Ark., who conducted a boarding house for several months and then sold it to Matt Madson. Shortly afterward, Grinager & Hovland erected a one-story building 20x80 and started a general merchandise store. It was in October the same year that Scar- seth & Lee opened a $4,000 stock of goods, two years later Oluf Lee taking over the business and continuing it successfully for many years. Mr. Lee committed suicide in Minneapolis four years ago. Other businesses and buildings followed, E. S. Dunn moving a building from Freeborn and opening a small stock of drugs. He sold to Hovland & Nelson, who later disposed of the business to Dr. M. Torkelson, father of Mrs. M. L. Head and Mrs. Oscar Thykeson, of Manchester. Hoff & Seim moved a building and stock of goods from the Louis Knutson farm east of town. Later this store was conducted by Siem & Hufland. Ed Wicks managed a lumber yard here in 1877 for W. P. Sargeant, of Albert Lea. Ole Fossum opened the first hardware store in 1878. Later Chris. Christopherson erected the building now occupied by Sam Samuelson and started another hardware business, buying out the Fossum stock and added it to his own. In 1878 the hotel, now the American House, was built and conducted by Henry Cran- dall. Oluf Rushfeldt started a harness shop the same year. The. changes since the starting of the village have been too numerous to trace accurately, but the foregoing gives the facts regarding the very earliest events of the village as near as can be obtained.
The Hartland postoffice was removed from the Louis Knutson farm, about which had centered business, school and church affairs, in 1877, J. C. Hoff being postmaster at that time. Ole A. Siem was the next postmaster and has been followed in succession by Oluf Hovland, Dr. M. Torkelson, Margaret Torkelson, R. M. Gardner, Dr. M. L. Head, and H. M. Wulff.
Incorporation .- As an incorporated village Hartland has been in existence since 1893. After the articles of incorporation had been filed the first meeting of trustees took place Thursday eve- ning, September 28, 1893. Those who responded to the roll call on that occasion were: Oluf Lee, president; I. E. Sorlie, re- corder; J. O. Kvenvold, J. C. Sybilrud, E. H. Stensrud. Other village officers chosen at the first election were: S. S. Tviet, jus-
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