USA > Minnesota > Freeborn County > History of Freeborn County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota, and outline history of the state of Minnesota > Part 62
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THE YEAR 1862.
An anti cattle and horse thief society was or- ganized early in 1862, with the following officers: President, Joshua Dunbar; Vice-President, J. M. Drake; Secretary, William Morin; Treasurer, A. Armstrong: Finance Committee, George S. Ruble, | E. P. Skinner, and James F. Jones; Vigilance Committee, E. C. Stacy, A. B. Webber, John B. Brownsill, and L. T. Scott.
In 1862, Hannibal Bickford, who was a soldier in the army, lay sick in a hospital in St. Louis, and his death daily expected. His wife started for that city intending to bring back his remains, bnt on reaching his hospital she found him actu- ally recovering, and as soon as he was considered able to travel, the two started for home on the steamer Denmark, and while she was laying at the wharf their attention was called to a little girl who was in a pitiable condition. An investiga- tion showed that the father of the little girl was a union soldier, and having taken siek his wife went to his relief with the little girl. She too sickened and both died, and an old tarmagant of an annt had her in charge to carry home. and she had shamefully abused the little waif. The in- dignation of the Captain and all on board was aroused, and they resolved to rescue the mother- less little one from her heartless relative. The woman was willing to be relieved of what she con- sidered a burdensome charge, so she was turned over to Mr. and Mrs Bickford. the Captain bestow- ing the name of Denmark Bickford upon her. She was adopted and came home with them to this coun- try, and grew up to be a fine young woman, and a few years ago was married to Henry White, now living at Jackson, Heron Lake. Since the mar- riage an advertisement appeared in the "Inter Ocean" of Chicago, relating the occurrence at St.
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY
Lonis and seeking to find the lost one. Of course there was back pay, pension, and perhaps other money due. Less romantic incidents than this have furnished the ground work for many a thrill- ing story.
THỂ YEAR 1864.
In February a dam was built at Shell Rock by Ruble and Tanner.
The directors of the Southern Minnesota rail- road for this year were: E. B. Stoddard, C. D). Sherwood, Inke Miller, H. W. Holley, D. B. Spragne, and William Morin.
In April the contract for making the brick for the Court House was let to H. M. Manley at $6 per thousand.
THE YEAR 1866.
On the 14th of February Mrs Charles Anderson, living in the town of Bancroft, went out to the barn to milk in a blinding snow storm, and not- withstanding the house and barn were in an en- closure which she had to climb over, she lost her way and was found the next morning two miles away from home, stark and cold in the icy embrace of death.
This year a daily mail was ordered through from LaCrosse to Winnebago City. J. C. Bur- bank & Co. were contractors, The service com- menced on the 1st of July.
During the summer there was an average of twenty wagons a day passing through Albert Lea with emigrants.
In the summer of this year there was talk of or- ganizing an agricultural society.
Wheat in July was selling in Milwaukee for $2.0412 per bushel.
On the 10th of July the hotel barn in Albert Lea was burned.
F. Hall started his flouring mill in August, with a single run of stones operated by water un- der a head of eighteen and one half feet.
In November two persons were drowned in Nunda; Willard Parshall and Thomas J. Stock- dale.
On the 15th of December a cemetery associa- tion was formed in Albert Lea: Luther Parker was Chairman, and S. S. Luther, H. D. Brown, and D. G. Parker, were trustees.
THE YEAR 1867.
By a general order promulgated on the 1st of
March. the merchants of Albert Lea adopted the cash system.
The school fund for the county this year was $646.64.
At the cemetery meeting in April. E. C. Stacy was Chairman: H. D. Brown. Secretary; the Trustees appointed were William Morin, S. S. Luther, and S. Eaton. It was resolved to ask the town to subseribe $500.
During this year there were a large number of railroad projects bronght out, with Albert Lea as a focal point.
In May the Albert Lea Musical and Theatrical Association was organized. President and Gen- eral Manager, F. B. Fobes: Vice-President, P. W. Dickinson; Secretary, S. S. Edwards: Treas- urer, A. W. St. John; Musical Director, D. G. Parker. On the 18th of June the Association gave its initial entertainment, " Box & Cox; mar- ried and settled."
The 4th of July was celebrated with more than usual display. A basket pie-nie with a barbe- ened ox as an auxiliary was thrown in. Thirteen guns were fired at sunrise and thirty-eight at noon. The procession made a grand display. Thirty-eight beautiful girls represented the States of the Union, and the various societies marched with martial music to Thomas' Point. Rev. S. G. Lowry was the President of the day. The decla- ration of independence was read by H. D. Brown. The orator of the day was Hon. A. Armstrong. In the evening there was a grand ball at W. J. Martin's, and a performance at the Court House, which included "Slasher & Crasher," and several tableaux representing the " Gipscy Camp," and "Pocahontas saving the life of Capt. Smith."
Mr. Stage, on the 6th of August, lost a tin and hardware shop in Albert Lea by fire, entailing a loss of $1500.
On the 8th of September, Hon. William F. Stearns, of Chicago, who was stopping at Albert Lea to transact some business, was seized with hallucinations that parties were on his track to torture him, and he committed snieide. He was an attorney, and a man highly respected.
At Twin Lakes, on the 21st of September. Peter Peterson fell from a stack of hay, so injuring him that he died within four hours.
THE YEAR 1868.
In January, Mr. A. B. Davis, an early pioneer
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EVENTS OF INTEREST.
in the staging business, bought an interest in the Anstin & Winnebago City line.
Some time in the month of January, James Buchanan, of Shell Rock, shuffled off this mor- tal coil through the medium of fifty cents worth of morphine. He was about forty-five years of age and had been in Arizona.
In August, Nathaniel Stacy, father of Judge Stacy, died. He had been a Mason for more than sixty years, and was buried with funeral rites, in accordance with the land-marks of that ancient order.
Samuel Wedge, who was 66 years of age, paid the debt of mortality on the 19th of September.
This season Albert Lea became a money order office.
In the fall of this year, Clark W. Thompson, of the Southern Minnesota railroad, proposed to have the towns issue bouds to assist in building the line.
THE YEAR 1869.
Early in 1869, the patrons of husbandry came into notice in Freeborn county.
In April the hopes of the people were carried up several degrees by the statement that the rail- road eugineers were between Anstin and Albert Lea.
During April bonds were issued to the amount of $12,500 to assist in building a schoolhouse in Albert Lea.
The engineers reached Albert Lea on the 17th of April.
In April Albert Lea was honored by the ap- poimtment of A. Armstrong as United States Marshal for Minnesota.
In the spring of 1869, pigeons were so plenti- ful in the region of Albert Lea, that like clouds they darkened the sun.
In the town of Bath on the 7th of May, a Dane by the name of Christen Rassmnson, disappoint- ed in love, and climbing into the branches of a tree, tied a cord around his neck and the other end to a limb, with a razor cut his throat in a ghastly manner, and jumped from his perch, to leave his sanguinary looking corpse to horrify the first person who happened near.
The tide of emigration in May was at its flood. Prairie schooners by the score were floating along through town, and day after day their white can-
vass might be seen surrounded by herds of cattle, as they wended their way toward the setting sun. which presaged a rising orb to all their hopes.
The surveyors of the railroad, during May, had their headquarters at Albert Lea.
The contractors between Austin and Albert Lea were Allen & Stewart.
The flag, which it will be remembered was pre- sented to Company F. of the Fourth Regiment, and carried through nine battles ( which were in- scribed on it at a cost of $25) was kept by Ser- geant Enoch Croy for several years, and then placed in the hands of the County Treasurer.
The construction of the new schoolhouse in Al- bert Lea was commenced in August.
On the 22d and 23d of September a regular county fair was held.
In September Col. Albert M. Lea suggested a grand trunk railroad from Galveston, Texas, to St. Paul, Minnesota, saying that the traffic between the North and South should be larger than be- tween the East and West.
The Southern Minnesota railroad reached Al- bert Lea on Saturday, the 16th of October, and on Monday business began.
In the summer of this year a new brass band was organized.
In November there were two confidence men around through this section. who represented that they were engaged in an extensive manufacture of an article that required old feathers, and that they would exchange new ones for old, paying thirty cents a pound difference between the two; and as they had teams would take them away at once, paying the difference, and that the new ones would be sent in about two weeks. A great many thrifty housewives emptied their feather beds, and put up with the inconvenience of sleeping on straw for a week or two until the new feathers came. The result was, of course, they never saw the new feathers, but bad sold their old ones for thirty cents a pound.
THE YEAR 1870.
Wheat in January was selling at from 43 to 46 cents a bushel.
In the summer Mr. Ernst erected a building and started a boarding school in Alden.
A violent tornado swept over the county on the 14th of July; houses were unroofed and much other damage done.
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.
During the month of July a petretied duck was found near Pickerel Lake.
A hook and ladder company was organized on the 22d of November, at the Court House. Col. S. Eaton was called to the chair and Capt. A. W. White was appointed secretary. A committee was appointed to draft By-Laws.
A great railroad exenrsion took place on the 17th of October to celebrate the completion of the through line to LaCrosse. The train was in holi- day trim and had a refreshment ear where the liquid samples predominated over the solid com- forts. At every station the number kept augment- ing, until they crossed the river from LaCreseent to LaCrosse, and at Pomeroy's Hall they were welcomed in a speech by the Mayor, which was responded to by Hon. M. S. Wilkinson. The next day they were entertained at the Opera House, and the company returned after an enjoyable trip.
In the spring of this year a special act was passed enlarging the powers of the officers of Albert Lea in relation to the village, giving anthority as to ordinances and licenses.
At the celebration of the Independence of the United States at Albert Lea there were 5,000 people present. The oration was by Rev. R. B. Abbott.
THE YEAR 1871.
A town meeting was held at Albert Lea on the 1th of January. and $1,500 voted in aid of the St. Lonis railroad. Shell Rock voted $1,500, and Hartland voted 810,000.
On the 7th of January the Orophilian Lyceum was organized. Miss Minnie Ernst read an essay on the occasion.
A cheese factory was started in Albert Lea in March.
On the 23rd of February there was a great freshet in Southern Minnesota.
Andrew Larson, a Swede, bung himself in the town of Hayward on the 14th of March at the house of Andrew Sanderson. He was an erratic and insane individuat.
On the 12th of April the citizens of Albert Lea had a meeting and resolved to secure six Babcock fire extinguishers.
In April the citizens of Albert Lea contributed to pay for the instruments for the cornet band.
The railroad bond question was submitted to a
vote of the people ; and this county was almost solid against it, the whole number of votes cast being 760; for the payment, 80-against the pay- ment 680. Hayward. Alden Riceland, Bancroft Manchester, and Hartland had no votes for the payment, while Carlston and Newry had one each.
The Albert Lea cheese factory with its appoint- ments eost 86,000, and it was completed in June. William Peck was the foreman of the establish- ment, which had a six horse-power engine.
In October an elk was seen near the residence of Dr. Blackmer, and was shot at with a bird charge by the Doctor's son. He ran across the railroad track, going south ; quite a cavalcade was soon in pursuit, and he was followed as far as the Shell Rock and beyond that he was "lost to sight but to memory deer," to the many weary pilgrims who sadly retraced their steps. It was probably a mournful satisfaction to afterward learn that the royal game was killed in Cresco, Iowa.
When Chiego was burned, in October, the citi- zeus of Albert Lea had relief meetings and sent what they could.
THE YEAR 1872.
.James Fitzgerald, a resident of the town of Bath, 50 years of age, was frozen to death on the Ist of February. He was away with a team, and it is supposed had an attack of asthma, and did not survive the cold, which was intense ; he was found a few miles from home.
Gardiner Cottrell, an old settler of Shell Rock, died in May.
Martin Sheehan, an old settler who located in Bath in 1857, quietly passed away on the 7th of of August. He had lived an unobtrusive life.
On the second of November, Mr. L. G. Pierce, of Alden, with his wife and four children were struck by the engine of a passing train, while on a wagon loaded with goods, and singularly enough none of them were seriously injured.
In November Hon. Charles Mellrath was appointed receiver of the Southern Minnesota railroad.
Here is a model return on a writ issued in this connty. "This euss is a dead beat ; after harvest he will have something; then hand me the writ and I will give him a clatter."
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EVENTS OF INTEREST.
THE YEAR 1873.
In October there was quite an extensive conspir- acy to obtain money by selling land not their own, by parties from Cleveland, Ohio. £ They had obtained descriptions of land owned by Cleveland men, and then came out here with forged deeds, and having had them recorded, proceeded to sell the lots ; but as they were on the point of leaving, they were detected and their plans frustrated. Considerable trouble was caused hy the affair which will be related elsewhere.
THE YEAR 1874.
Early in 1874 there was quite a spirited contro- versy as to the name, Albert Lea. Varions sug- gestions were made pro and con. The objection to the name being because it was unusual and unlike the name of any other place in the wide world, which ought to strike the majority of peo- ple as being a most admirable reason why it should be retained.
In February a young man was frozen to death, near Albert Lea, when intoxicated, and a coroner's jury declared that the saloon-keeper who sold him the liquor was responsible.
The Albert Lea Temperance Alliance was organ- ized in February. Fifty-eight persons joined the Society. The first officers were: President, Gil- bert Gulbrandson; Vice President, Capt. A. W. White; Treasurer, H. O. Hankness; Secretary, August Peterson.
In March Mr. A. A. Munn, a leading citizen of Freehorn, died.
A library and reading room was organized on the 27th of March at the office of Ballard & Hibbs. Dr. Ballard presided at the first meeting.
There was quite a gale swept across the county on the 25th of July; in Bath, Manchester, and Freeborn it was particularly fierce, unroofing houses, destroying crops, and doing thousands of dollars worth of damage.
Grange Hall in Shell Rock was dedicated on the 6th of November. Among the concomitants of the occasion were a supper and a dance with 62 couples in attendance.
Albert Lea Seminary was opened for pupils on the 9th of December by Miss S. A. Thayer of Bos- ton, a graduate of Mount Holyoke Seminary.
THE YEAR 1875.
At the March meeting in Albert Lea the No- License party carried their point by fifty majority.
The spring term of the Albert Lea Seminary was under the charge of Miss Jennette Curtis, of Michigan.
The Congregationalist church bell, weighing 616 pounds, was swung up about the 1st of November, and waked the slumbering echoes of the village with its joyous ringing.
THE YEAR 1876.
Joseph Schorbeck, 14 years of age, was killed by a runaway accident early in January. His body was dragged three miles and mangled be- yond all recognition.
In Freeman, Mr. Lea Hughes secured a through ticket to the land of the hereafter, by a shot through a vital part. This was in the winter of this year.
In the year 1874 and 1875 the opponents of license had carried the day at the polls, but in 1876 the order was reversed and the license party were triumphant.
John H. Smith, a venerable man of 86 years, and father-in-law of Mr. T. Walcott, on the 7th of June, while fishing at Albert Lea, near the rail- road, became bewildered and stepped in front of an engine and was instantly killed. He was a pensioner of the war of 1812.
At Freeborn, in the early summer of this year, "Dora" a little daughter of Mr. Shoen, six years of age, was lost, and after eleven hours search by the whole neighborhood, was found near midnight on the prairie near a grove, fast asleep, and re- stored to her distracted parents.
The Centennial Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence by the United States of America was celebrated in Albert Lea in a way and man- ner befitting the occasion, which was one of re- joicing that the experiment of self government had been in every way so successful, that ten solid decades had passed away since the American peo- ple had declared "that they were and by right ought to be free and Independent," and that from a few millions, they were nearly half a hundred millions, occupying, instead of a small strip of country along the Atlantic coast, the wide ex- panse from ocean to ocean, from the Bay of Fundy to San Diego, and from Vancouver's Island to the Florida Reefs. The citizens of Albert Lea and the surrounding country, were fully alive to the spirit of the occasion, and the dis- play was quite equal to that in Philadelphia, con-
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.
sidering the size of the two places. Nothing like it had ever happened here nor will oceur again until some remarkable occasion shall call for a duplication of the pageant. There were soldiers on parade keeping time to martial musie. Beanti- ful young ladies representing the States; General Washington and his family represented in the long procession, enthusiasm everywhere, flags. fire-crackers, fire arms, fire works, and in a few words an exaggerated fourth of July.
The procession was made up as follows :
1. Soldiers of the late war.
2. Thirty-nine girls representing the States.
3. General and Lady Washington, son and daughter.
4. President of the day, orator and reader.
5. City and County Officers in carriages.
6. Band.
7. Citizens on foot. 8. Citizens in carriages.
The Hon. Lea Barton was orator of the day.
Various amusements. boat racing and other sports were indulged in and a good example set for the next Centennial when it shall roll around.
Freeborn and Geneva also appropriately eele- brated the Centennial 4th.
The grasahoppers appeared in the county in August.
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In September the grasshopper plague had proved so disastrous in other places that serions fears were entertained that they would actually depopulate the county, and on the 10th of this month, in accordance with suitable notice, a con- vention was held, and the speeches that were made reminded one of the dark days of the rebellion, when reinforcements were wanted to fight the common enemies of the country. The meeting was at the Court House, all parts of the county being represented. Hon. J. L. Gibbs was called to the chair, and Isaac Botsford was named for Secretary. A committee on resolutions was ap- pointed as follows: A. M. Johnson, Wm. Morin, J. T. Hall, Dr. Ballard, and E. C. Stacy. Mr. J. T. Hall addressed the meeting, and declared that he was not to be destroyed by grasshoppers; that, although the ground was peppered with grass- hopper eggs, he proposed next year to put in a full crop and use all the means that should come to his knowledge to exterminate these unwelcome pests. A. M. Burnham had two hundred aeres under the plow,and as his soil was sandy, it was said to be the
particular breeding ground for these lively in - sects. A part of his land had been rented to a man who had had experience wieh the " hopper " plague, and his opinion was that the eggs there were spoiled. Mr. S. Smith, of Manchester, had been through all hardships. the privation and toil of pioneer life, and he had faith to believe that providence would help those who helped them- selves. William Morin said that he had 1,100 aeres under enltivation; most of it was leased to other parties, but he proposed to break up 125 acres of it himself, just for fun, and to keep his hand in. David Calvin had a panacea for the grasshopper plagne in the form of large doses of fowls; he had several scores of turkeys and hens, and they worked for nothing and found them- selves, and kept his place elear. Mr. Fern, of Hayward, had experience with the pestiferous locusts in Kansas, and he had learned that a wet season was bad for them and good for the farm- ers. for in such a case most of them would decay. Judge Stacy said that those who were residents of Freeborn county came here to stay, and they proposed to stay, for people who had lived on Johnny-cake and snekers for several years were not to be driven off by such a miserable, insignificant jerky insect as a grasshopper. J. H. Parker had thirty-five acres of new breaking, which he found was completely tilled with eggs, and he proposed to cover the knolls and sandy places with hay, and as soon as they hatehed out in the spring, make it hot for the little beasts by firing the whole business. Mr. Dominick came to Minnesota to follow the occupation of farming, and he pro- posed to go on, hoppers or no hoppers. Hanni- bal Bickford served notice that he would shoot every dog found on his premises, and tifty others shouted " me too!" He preferred chickens to hop- pers. Mr. Tilton had experienced a four years siege with the "varmints," but these were of a smaller variety. Among other things, burning prairie grass in the spring instead of the fall was recommended.
The resolutions were submitted, and they stated that it was a deplorable faet that there were grass- hoppers in our midst, but not enough to discour- age the farmers. That we came to stay and have a prior right to the soil. That a stop should be made to killing birds. The following committee was appointed to arrange concert of action: Dr. A. C. Wedge, Dr. C. W. Ballard, E. C. Stacy, 1. Botsford. The meeting was large and enthusias-
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EVENTS OF INTEREST.
tic, with a predominating spirit of "carthaginum est dulenda." The meeting adjourned to the last day of the county fair, which would be on the 12th of October.
In November the murder and attempted rob- bery at Northfield excited considerable interest in the chase and capture of the bandits, and what assistance could be given was rendered.
Early in October two well dressed gentlemen stopped at Martin's Hotel, and while here, after some days, a lady claiming to be the wife of one of the men, and a boy fourteen years of age, came, and remaining a few days, they left. About this time Mr. D. W. Goodrich learn- ed that his trunk had been broken and robbed of $13,000 in notes, bonds, and mortgages. Sns- picion at once rested on this party, and they were followed, identified, and arrested at Wells, and lodged in jail here. The property being found, they gave their names as Frank Clifford, William E. Wilson, Mrs. Clifford, and a son by a former husband. In December they were brought up for trial. Wilson was put on the defense as there was the least evidence against him, and he was acquitted. It was then proposed to put him on the stand, where he proved that he was really the guilty man and that the others knew nothing about it. The others were also acquitted. The man Wilson was then re-arrested and afterwards the other, and the next July they were convicted and sent up for five years.
THE YEAR 1877.
At the March meeting in Albert Lea the "No License" vote came out ahead with sixty-five ma- jority. The contest was spirited and active, and settled a great question for twelve months.
A severe snow storm raged for several days near the last of April, and the prediction was universal that it was a distressing time for the infantile "hoppers" who were just warming into life, and who came to an untimely end by the million.
Much ingenuity was displayed in the invention of engines of death for the unwelcome insects. Large numbers of devices were arranged, ditches dug, and various measures adopted. In the town of Alden alone a careful estimate placed the number of bushels caught at one thousand.
A woman mysteriously disappeared in Carlston in June; her name was Martha Sweet, and some- time afterwards her remains were found, she hay-
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