USA > Minnesota > Freeborn County > History of Freeborn County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota, and outline history of the state of Minnesota > Part 79
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DISTRICT No 44 .- The first school in this dis- triet was taught in 1865, at the residence of Swan Anson, by Miss Altha Young, with eighteen juv- eniles on the benches. This was about, or shortly after the district effected an organization. School was held in private houses after this until 1873, when a building was decid- ed upon and the schoolhouse now in nse was constructed, at a cost of about $125, in which Miss Mary Buchanan first called school to order, with an average attendance of twenty - two. The location of the schoolhouse is the cen- ter of section sixteen.
DISTRICT No. 48 .- The first school in this edu- cational loeality was taught by Mrs. W. H. Moore with an attendance of thirty scholars. In 1873, a good and substantial school structure was erected, at a cost of $800, being well furnished and well kept. The present attendance of the school is about forty pupils. The district embraces the territory in the southwestern part of the town, with the schoolhouse in the northwestern part of section thirty-two.
DISTRICT No. 65 .- It is claimed that the first school taught in this township was in this district,
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FREEMAN TOWNSHIP.
although at that time it was unorganized. Thi first school was taught in Charles Grims' house, in the winter of 1862, by Mr. Charles Grim, with an attendance of fifteen pupils. This district effected an organization and continued holding school in private residences until 1870, when a school house 16x20 was erected in the north- eastern part of section twenty-three, which is still in use. The first school in this district was taught by Miss Jemima Blighton, with an attend- ance of twenty pupils; the average attendance has now increased to thirty.
DISTRICT No. 66 .- This district embraces the territory in the northwestern part of Freeman with a schoolhouse located in section six, which was erected in 1867, at a cost of $150. The first school therein was taught by Miss S. Carter, with an attendance of fifteen pupils. The average attendance has gradually increased, and is now about twenty-four.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
OLE A. BERGDOL was born in Norway, and when twenty years old he emigrated to Americi with his parents, his father dying with lung fever while on the ocean. The remainder of the family located in Dane county, Wisconsin, and after five years experience in farming in that place cam( here and purchased his present farm of two hun- dred and forty acres, most of which is now unde: cultivation. In 1872 he went to Northwood, Iowa. and purchased two hundred and twenty acres o land, and remained there two years. He wa married in 1872 to Miss Betsy Johnson, and they have one child, a daughter, aged eight year. Mr. Bergdol's mother was killed by a stroke o' lightning, at the age of sixty-nine years. She i buried in the Norwegian Evangelical Luthera! cemetery at this place.
WILLIAM FREEMAN was born in Northamptom, England, on the 1st of August, 1832. At the age of thirteen years he was obliged to depend upon his own resources, and for some time he lived with Henry Follett, brother of Sir John Follett. of London. In 1852 he came to America, engaged in farming four years near Rutland, Vermont. and then came to Illinois, thence, in a short time, to Minnesota. He located on his present farm, lirs. living in a tent, but soon after erected his house. which has been improved, and now has the third roof. His farm contains one hundred and sixty acres and is well improved, having a grove of oal.
timber and a very fine orchard. It is centrally located, convenient to two churches, and altogether is a very desirable home.
ROBERT FREEMAN was born in Northampton, England, on the 18th of March, 1841, and when when fourteen years old came to America and engaged in farming near Castleton, Rutland county, Vermont. In 1857 he came west to Illinois, located in Kaneville, Kane county, where he remained one year, and came to Minnesota, pre- empting his present land in sections eleven and four, Freeman township. In 1862 he returned to Illinois, where he remained twelve years, and in 1874 married Miss Louisa Nelson, coming again to his farm in this place the following year. They have three children, John P., Edua B., and Alice, an infant. Mr. Freeman is a member of the Town and School boards.
OLE K. FLASKERUD was born near Christiania, Norway, on the 29th of August, 1843. In 1866, he came to America, and after spending some time in Calmar, Iowa, removed to this county, locating near Twin Lakes, in Nunda, and purchased forty acres of land, on which he made some improve- ments. In 1868, he went to Otter Tail county, purchased land near Fergus Falls, but in 1875, came to this place and bought a quarter of section twenty-seven. He was married to Miss Mary Jacobson, who has borne him four children, two of whom are dead. Those living are, Karl Johan and Anna. Mr. Flaskerud has been Town Treas- urer three successive years, and has also held other local offices. His father and mother died in Norway, being quite aged.
ERIK K. FLASKERUD was born on the 20th of July, 1841, near Christiania, Norway, and received a good education, learning the shoemaker's trade in his native country. In 1869, he was married to Miss Caroline Stromsod, of Norway, and the same year they emigrated to America, remained for awhile in Iowa, and then came to this State, locating on his present farmi of one hundred and sixty acres in this township, section twenty-one. His parents die:l in the old country at an advanced age. Mr. Flaskerud has always taken an interest in church, school, and town affairs, having been Clerk of his school district ten successive years, assessor three years, and Town Treasurer three years. His children are; Christian, Theodore, Olive, Auna, Inger Mary, and Edward.
CHARLES GRIM is a Prussian, born near Gorhtz
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.
in the province of Saxony, on the 22d of Febru- ary, 1824, and grew to manhood in his native country. In 1854, he came to America, and for two years was engaged in a sugar factory in Memphis, Tennessee; removed to Davenport, Iowa, and thenee to Minnesota, locating on sec- tion one in Nunda township. Ile soon sold his claim ther?, however, and for three years worked on neighboring farms, then purchased two hun- dred and forty acres of land in this township, section twenty-four. In 1859, he married Miss Catharine Beighley, of Pennsylvania, and they have had six children, four of whom are living; Ada M., Rosa S., Georgiana B., and George W. Mr. Grim's mother died in Prussia in 1860, aged seventy-two years, and his father, Gottlieb Grim, was in the war of 1812, and continued in service nearly twenty years. He was at one time taken prisoner with five others, and after several days of fasting, they finally made their escape, some one from the outside making an opening in the cellar in which they were confined. After nine days wandering, their only food being sour sorrel, they all died but Mr. Grim, who recovered from his exposure, but only lived a few years, then found an early grave, which is kept green in memory by his son Charles.
GEORGE HYATT was born in Cayuga county, New York, on the 5th of July, 1832, and at an early age removed with his parents to Oswego county, near Hannibal Centre, where he received his education and grew to manhood. Jn 1855, he removed to Yankee Settlement, Jowa, engage.l at the carpenter and joiner trade, and in 1857, came to Shell Rock, Minnesota. He soon after pre- empted land in this township, in section thirteen, and now has a farm of two hundred and eighty acres under a high state of cultivation, with a finely finished house, commodious granaries. barns, etc., and gives his attention to farming and stock raising. He was married in 1863, to Miss Ione Bartlett, and they have six children; Annette, Sherman, Willett L., Frank C., and Edgar and Edna. who are twins.
ALEXANDER JOHNSON was born on the 23d of April, 1823, near Arendahl, Norway, and remained in his native country until thirty five years ohl. lle came to America, and for some time found employment in the pineries in Michigan and later engagel in fishing on Lake Michigan. In 1862, he removed to Minnesota and staked out a claim,
but soon sold and bought a farm in Freeman, ser- tion thirty-one, where he still resides. He married Miss Mary Mickleson in 1868, and they have two children: Julius, and Louisa.
ANDREW J. LANG was born in 1834, in Canada, in Dalhousie, province of Ontario, and received a good education. When twenty-two years old, he came to Shell Roek, this county, and purchased his farm of two hundred acres in section twenty- four. He and his brother Robert have lived to- gether for many years in single blessedness. They were the first to own and operate a threshing ma- chine in this place, that being their employment for fifteen summers. They wore out three ma- chines of the J. 1. Case make. Their father, mother, and sister have all passed away, and are buried in the Greene cemetery. The sister's name was Jeannette and she died on the 10th of June, 1881. Andrew and Robert, the last of the family, have, through their superior and careful business management, acquired wealth and the sincere respect of all who know them.
OLE O. OPDAHL is a native of Norway and dates his birth on the 25th of July. 1844. He attended school until the age of sixteen years, when he learned the blacksmith trade, and contin- ned his studies at an evening school for two years. In 1869, he emigrated to America, located in Os- sian, Iowa, where he was employed at his trade six years, and was married in 1871, to Miss Rachel Christiansen. He went to Forest City, and for two vears dealt in agricultural implements, coming to Minnesota in 1875, and purchased his present farm of three hundred and twenty acres, and has con- uncted it since, also engaging at his trade. He has been Clerk of the board of School trustees most of the time since his residence here, and also a member of the board of Supervisors and after- ward Chairman of the same, still holding the latter office. lle has had four children' three of whom are living; G. O., Thorston E., and Eliza A. His mother is still living, sixty-seven years of age. His father was drowned, the vessel being wrecked in a trip from Christiania to his home.
WIFFING WADSWORTH was born at Stoke Doyel, Northamptonshire, England, on the 10th of Sep- tember, 1830, and grew to manhood in that coun- try, receiving such an education as the common schools afforded. In 1854, he came to America, and for some time engaged in farming in Ver mont, coming to this State in 1856, and pre-empt-
449
GENEVA TOWNSHIP.
ed a claim. He soou sold that and purchased two hundred acres of school land in section six- teen, where he now resides. In 1858, he married Miss Sarah Freeman, and they had six children ; Elizabeth A., Joseph L., Ada J., Agnes, George R., and Mary. In 1864, Mr. Wadsworth enlisted
in the army and served till the fall of 1865, when he received an honorable discharge. He has always taken a deep interest in public affairs, and has been kept constantly in office, being Town Clerk at present.
GENEVA.
CHAPTER LXI.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION -EARLY SETTLEMENT- HONORED DEAD - POLITICAL - STATISTICAL -
MANUFACTURING-GENEVA VILLAGE-RELIGIOUS -SCHOOLS- BIOGRAPHICAL.
This is on the northern tier of towns in the county, the second from Mower county on the east, Newry lying between. Steele county is on the north, Bath on the west, and Riceland on the south. Like all the other towns in the county, the integrity of the original government survey has been maintained. Most of the sections from twenty-five to thirty-six is what may be called slough land, and is covered by college and rail- road scrip. The remainder is rolling prairie, with a black sandy loam, which, on some of the ridges is mixed with clay and is very productive, as there is seldom a failure of erops from any canse. Nearly all the timber in town, when first entered for settlement, was on sections seventeen and thirty -six.
Geneva Lake is the only one in town. It is in the western part, and occupies parts of six sec- tions. It has an irregular outline, with an area of perhaps three sections, and is three miles long and a little over a mile wide in its widest part. A small stream finds its way into it from the north, while an exit is obtained toward the east that is deflected to the south as it leaves the town from section thirty-six to join Turtle River. This river, was formerly noted for the abundance of fish it con- tained, and it is still au eligible point for the dis-
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ciples of Sir Isaak Walton. The water pond, in their season are still found. There are no streams in the northeast part of the town, but good water is obtained at no great depth.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Milton Morey is said to be the first settler in town. He took a claim in 1855, built a cabin and did some hreaking that fall. About Christ- mas his dwelling was unfortunately burned, and as he could not then put up another, he took his family in an ox team and turned his face towards civilization and spent the winter in or near where Austin now is, returning in the spring and put- ting in some crops. After a time he went to Dakota and now lives near Yankton. There were several settlers in 1856, and to write the truth as though it were fiction, an the 20th of April, on one of those days so characteristic of spring time in Minnesota, there might have been seen a solitary traveler, moving along the Indian trail between Austin and some point beyond this. From his ap- pearance he was a pilgrim in quest of some shrine where he might kneel and pay homage to the home he expected to find, after he had created it. This stranger was looking for Mr. Morey's resi- dence, which he had a confused idea was some- where near the trail he was following. This man was Elmer Eggleston, and in one hand he carried a grip sack and in the other an umbrella. He was a native of Ohio but had come from Galena, and soon found Mr. Morey, who of course gave him the best the house afforded, and two days
29
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.
later assisted the young adventurer to stake out a farm in section eight which he opened up and cultivated nutil 1863, when he sold out, but still lives on the same section. In Angust following, the father reported in person and surmounted some of Uncle Sam's acres in the same section, where he wrought until gathered in by the grim reaper.
In May Robert P. Farr, a native of Missouri, came and placed his sign mannal on a spot of land in section fourteen, and he has been bustling around there ever since. Along with him came .Joseph W. Burdick, a native of New York, who selected his place in section ten, and there he es- tablished a home in which he dwelt until he ex- changed worlds on the 24th of April 1877.
Henry King, who was born in Canada, took np his residence in section twenty-three, but he now lives on the town site.
E. C. Stacy, who had been through here in 1854, secured a place in section seven. He was one of the first three County Commissioners ap- pointed by the Governor of the territory. He now resides in Albert Lea.
Isaac Lyon, from Illinois, took a claim in sec- tion eight which he soon disposed of to Jones & Robson. He afterwards lived in Steele county, and since that in Warren, Illinois.
Samuel Woodworth came here from the Badger State and planted his boundary stakes in seetion twenty-six. and there he remained until 1866, when he again set his face toward the setting sun, and sometime in 1881, he left his bones moulder- ing in Dakota soil.
Nathan Hunt got his real estate in sections fif- teen and sixteen, went into the army, on his return marched west and halted in Faribault county, where he settled permanently.
Walter Drake, from the Nutmeg State, procured his slice of Minnesota territory in section thirty, and in 1866 he too sailed in command of a prairie schooner, and found a haven in Faribault county.
John Reed, from Kent county, England, sur- rounded a piece of free soil in section twenty-two, which he improved and cultivated. In February. 1862, he enlisted in the Union army and went to Fort Snelling, but in one short month he was mustered out, and went to join the legion of whom it is said :
'On fame's eternal camping ground Their sileut tents are spread,
And glory guards with solem around. The bivouac of the dead,'
His widow and daughter are residents of the town site.
Thomas Cashman, of the Ever Green Isle, came from Iowa, and cast his lot on section thirteen, und there he may still be found.
Alexander Schutt, a native of the province of Quebec, Canada, came here from Ontario, and his choice was in sections eleven and twelve. He is now in section sixteen.
Burdette and Charles, sons of Eliab Eggles- ton, were early settlers, but both died young.
John Hines was here a short time, but pushed on to Dakota.
O. G. Goodnature, of Canada, arrived in June, and transplanted himself in section fourteen; he still remains a resident of the town.
Late this year, two particularly enterprising men from New York State, with their minds filled with town sites, arrived and secured a beautiful spot, located a town, and soon made it one of the most populous and thriving, in their minds, in the whole Northwest. Mr. Jones still survives, but Mr. Robson, who was Sheriff of the county and a highly respected citizen, when the war broke out joined the army and lost his life.
Hans Eustrom, a native of Sweden, came here from Boston and located in section four. He is now in Kittson county holding the position of Auditor.
Those already mentioned were settlers of 1856. A large settlement came in 1857, but only a few of their names could be obtained, among them the following :
Bernhard Schad, an enterprising German from Red Wing, arrived and at once went into the blacksmith and wagon business, which he still carries on.
John Heath, Sr., took a claim in section seven. but afterwards removed to Albert Lea, where he now lives.
Charles Henion, from New York State, came here from Wisconsin and secured a foothold in section four, which he still holds.
Some of the arrivals of 1858 were:
George Osborne, a native of Ohio, who spent a winter here and afterwards lived in Steele county. In about two years he returned to Geneva. Was in the army, and afterwards for a time Postmas- ter. He is now dead.
Thomas Hines, of Vermont, settled in section sixteen, He removed to Faribault county in 1864,
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GENEVA TOWNSHIP.
and lived there until 1872, when his movements in this world were terminated. His family returned here to reside in section fourteen.
Robert Hill, a native of the Key Stone State, pre-empted a place in section ten, and afterwards lived with his son-in-law. Robert P. Farr, until in 1865 the portals of the other world opened before him.
EARLY BIRTHS .- Anna Geneva, daughter of Bernhard and Anna Schad, was born on the 8th of September, 1857. Arriving at womanhood she married James Harvey Robson on the 16th of Feb- ruary, 1881. They live in Owatonna. He was the son of James A. and Martha Robson, and was ushered into this world in February, 1858.
Ralph Freeborn Drake was born in August, 1856.
Irvin E. Burdick, son of Joseph W. Burdick, was born on the 10th of September. 1856.
THE FIRST DEATHS .- Seymour E., son of Eliah and Esther Eggleston, was removed to the spir- itual world on the 24th of December, 1857, in his 14th year,
The wife of W. S. Bacon was overtaken by the angel of immortality in the winter of 1857-58.
Burdette E., son of Eliab and Esther Eggles- ton, received a summons that could not be disregarded, on the 28th of November, 1857, in his 22d year.
THE HONORED DEAD.
HARVEY PARTRIDGE was born in Canaan, Litch- field county. Connecticut, on the 16th of July. 1786, and in 1834, removed to Genesee county, New York, in 1846 to Rock county, Wisconsin, and in 1864 came to Geneva. About a year before his death he went fo Albert Lea to live with his son, Sidney Partridge. For fifty years he was a Methodist. In 1812, he took the blue lodge degrees in Masonry, and the scarlet degrees in 1813. On the 7th of August, 1875, he was admit- ted to the "Supreme Lodge above, where the Grand Master of the Universe presides." He was buried with Masonic honors.
DANIEL KINNEAR was born in Schuylkill coun- ty, Pennsylvania. He moved to Iowa in 1841 and remained until 1864 when he removed to Free- born county. He was a Methodist, and his life here was abruptly terminated by a second stroke of paralysis on the 29th of March, 1876, at the age of 75 years. His wife, one son, and five daugli- ters were present at the funeral.
HIRAM R. JONES, one of the oldest persons in the county, died in Geneva where he was much respected, and was mourned by a large number of people with whom he has been associated for many years.
ELIAB EGGLESTON .- At Whitehall, New York, in 1808, the subject of this sketch was born. When quite young he went to Ohio, afterwards to Illinois, and finally to Minnesota, settling in Geneva, where he arrived in the year 1856. He furnished three sons for the war of 1861, only one of whom survived. Mr. Eggleston left his son, Elmer. and his wife with whom he had so- journeyed for forty seven years. On the 10th of June, 1880, he quietly breathed his last.
POST-OFFICE.
In 1856, E. C. Stacy made an application through Hon. Henry M. Rice, the delegate in Congress, for a Post-office, which was secured with E. C. Stacy as Postmaster, and they had a weekly mail, to be procurred at the expense of the town, from Austin. Dorr K. Stacy, who was then a mere lad, used to go over the twenty-two miles for it. The oflice was put in the store after that was opened, and still continues its good work.
POLITICAL.
The first town meeting was on that noted 11th of May, 1858, when the new constitution went into effect. The Supervisors were: E. C. Stacy, Chairman, W. S. Bacon, and John Brannan; Clerk, Hans Eustrom. The earliest records are lost so there are no particulars as to what was done, or of the names even of the other officers.
At the annual town meeting held in Chamber- lain's Hall on the 14th of March, 1882, the follow - lowing officers were elected: Supervisors, Michael Quinn, Chairman, B. H. Conklin, and J. M. Saw- yer; Clerk, A. J. Chamberlain; Treasurer, Bern- hard Schad; Assessor, M. J. Fenton; Justice of the Peace, W. H. Twiford; Constable, Octave (foodnature.
Honesty and economy have characterized the management of town affairs from the first.
STATISTICAL.
THE YEAR 1881 .- The area included in this report takes in the whole town; as follows:
Wheat-2,885 acres, yielding 36,813 bushels. Oats-799 acres, yielding 25,640 bushels. Corn- 879 acres, yielding 28,515 bushels.
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.
Barley-144 acres, yielding 3,020 bushels. Rye-2 aeres, yielding 35 bushels.
Buckwheat -214 acres. yielding 440 bushels. Potatoes-33918 acres, yielding 4,914 bushels. Beans 11g acres, yielding 10 bushels.
Sugar cane-216 acres, yielding 142 gallons. Cultivated hay-59 aeres, yielding 113 tons.
Total acreage cultivated in 1881-477.
Wild hay-42,184 tons.
Timothy seed-11 bushels.
Apples-number of trees growing, 830; number bearing, 330, yielding 134 bushels.
Grapes-7 vines, yielding 6 pounds.
Sheep-255 sheared, yielding 133 pounds of wool.
Dairy-255 cows, yielding 29,250 pounds of butter and 130 pounds of cheese.
Hives of bees-10, yielding 125 pounds of honey.
THE YEAR 1882 .- Wheat, 2,530 acres; oats, 944; corn, 1,311; barley, 271; buckwheat, 8; pota- toes, 5512 ; beans, 634 ; sugar cane, 5; cultivated hay, 60; other produce, 12 acre; total acreage cui- tivated in 1882, 6,376 14.
Apple trees-growing, 781; bearing, 367; grape vines bearing, 3.
Milch cows-234.
Sheep-45, yielding 174 pounds of wool. Whole number of farms cultivated in 1882, 54. Forest trees planted and growing, 128 acres. POPULATION .- The census of 1870 gave Geneva a population of 378. The last census, taken in 1880, reports 454 for this town; showing an in- crease of 76.
MANUFACTURING.
In 1858, a Mr. Deacon Brant started the manu- facture of shingles on section eight. The estab- lishment was a marvel in its way, and displayed a genius that should have been handsomely reward- ed, for it was the missing link between hand labor and machinery. The blocks were eut the proper length by a eross-cut saw, and they were then boiled to soften them and then were slashed up into shingles by a knife attached to a lever worked by a man and a woman power, the latter being his wife.
SAW-MILL .- In the fall of 1856, Bacon & Eg- gleston put up a saw-mill on section thirty-six. and kept it vibrating until the summer of 1857, when it was transferred to section seventeen, where Bacon run it for two years, having, in 1858,
| added a grist-mill, which did good business. In 1859, this mill was carried off by the western fever, which was epidemic at that time and has been ever sinee.
PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.
A Grange was instituted on the 7th of July, 1872, with W. H. Twiford as Master, and Hans Eustrom Sr. and fifteen other charter members, which afterward swelled up to fifty or more. Weekly meetings were held in the Robson Ilouse hall. The members went into the fraternal part of the order in a whole-souled way, having a monthly banquet, followed by musie and dancing. But in 1877, the banquet halls were deserted, and the life of the institution tled to seek companionship with those who had gone before.
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