USA > Minnesota > Freeborn County > History of Freeborn County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota, and outline history of the state of Minnesota > Part 81
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JOHN W. WALASKI, one of the early settlers of
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.
this place, was born at Castle Garden in New York, on the 5th of Jannary, 1834. His father was a Polander and a captain in the Regular Army, being among the ninety-six banished from that country at the fall of the empire. Those banished came to America and took the oath of allegiance to the United States, and were cared for by the Government, each family given one hundred and sixty acres of land in Jo Daviess county, Illinois. Mr. Walaski's parents settled there and remained until the breaking out of the Black Hawk War when they removed to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. His father joined the army and went to Florida, where he took part in the Seminole War, leaving his famiy at Fort Clark,
near St Louis. After a service of four years he returned to Illinois and settled on Government land in Clay County where they resided until 1857, then came to Minnesota to seek a home. The father and son both took land in this county and in 1862, came to Geneva, where the former died on the 30th of November in the same year. His widow died on the 14th of November, 1870, aged fifty-six years. In 1862, John went with a volunteer company, furnished his own horse and equipments, and went west to guard the frontier until relieved by government troops. He was married in 1865, to Miss Amy Baker, and they have one child, Edna G.
HAYWARD.
CHAPTER LXII.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION-EARLY SETTLEMENT-POL- ITICAL-EVENTS OF INTEREST -- STATISTICS -- SCHOOLS-BIOGRAPHICAL.
This township is the southeast of the six in- terior towns of the county, and the towns in contact with it are, Riceland on the north ; Oakland on the east; Shell Rock on the south; and Albert Lea on the west. It is six miles square, like all the other towns in the county.
An arm of Lake Albert Lea, three miles long and a third of a mile wide, lays near the western boundary, in a north and south direction. A stream called Peter Lund Creek enters the lake in section seven, made up of two branches arising back in the town.
The land may be described as prairie, with oak openings and meadow land interspersed, the prai- rie predominating; the timber being found mostly in the western part of its territory, in the region of the lake. In the northern part of this region may be found, with the oak, some poplar timber,
while southward the wood is red oak and a small growth of poplar. The heaviest timber is in sec- tion thirty-one, which is divided into wood lots of five, ten, or twenty acres. The prairie is rolling, and some of it inclined to be low. The north- east part of the township, particularly in sections eleven, twelve, thirteen, and fourteen, has not yet been reclaimed, and is still owned by the State 'and railroad. A scheme is however contemplated by which the whole tract is to be drained and improved.
The soil, as a rule, is a black loam, productive of all crops in this latitude. The subsoil is clay and gravel. The Sonthern Minnesota railroad runs through the town from east to west, entering it on seetion one and leaving it from seetion seven.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
The town was named in honor of David Hay- ward, an early settler, who came from Postville, Iowa, in the summer of 1856, and selected a place in section six, claiming a quarter section, and
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HAYWARD TOWNSIIIP.
there he lived until 1858, when he returned to Iowa. His taxes becoming delinquent the place was sold, and it is now owned in part by Charles E. Fisher.
The first two settlers were two Norskmen, Peter Lund and E. Gilbrandson, who came in company from Iowa county, Wisconsin. They left their families in Houston county, and came through to this place and secured claims on sections eight and seventeen, and on the 20th of June, 1856, they went back and brought their families. At first they lived in a tent arranged by poles and wagon covers; in this they lived until fall, when they dug a hole in the ground, and sodding it over existed in that for a year.
The very first breaking done in the town was by a young man named Olson Andrews, on sec- tion thirty-two. This was in the summer of 1856.
James Andrews also broke some land on section thirty-two. He lived in the town of Sbell Rock before he brought his family.
The next comers were the Pennsylvania Ger- mans, two of whom located in Albert Lea and one here.
William Newcomb, in the fall of 1856, drifted on to section seven with his family and a team of horses, and put up a log house, which he staid in until 1874, when he sold to John Murphy, and took himselt to Council Bluffs, Iowa.
In section eight the first settlement was made by Norwegians.
Section two was settled by Americans.
The southeast corner of the township was first settled by Americans, but is now inhabited by Bohemians.
Lysander R. Luce came to this town in April, 1858, and surrounded a claim on sections seven and eight. He was from Clayton county, Iowa, and pulled through this roadless region with an ox team. He constructed a timher residence, which was all the fashion on the frontier, and here he lived and wrought until on the 16th of June 1882, he drifted across that mystic river of which we talk so much and know so little. He was a native of New York State,
They lived there until 1855, and had five chil- dren. At this time he caught the western fever, which was then epidemic in New England, and brought his family to Clayton county, Iowa, and remained two years. Then removed to Albert Lea and staid one year when he went to Hayward. His release from the body was by a lingering method which he bore with great fortitude, and was on the 16th of June, 1882.
POLITICAL.
The first town meeting in response to a legal notice was beld on the first Tuesday in April, 1859, at the house of S. H. Ludlow. According to the records there were two moderators, S. H. Ludlow and I. W. Devereux. The officers of the election were H. M. Luce and Charles Bush. On motion the meeting adjourned to meet at the house of Charles Bush, where the following officers were elected : Supervisors, J. W. Devereux, Chairman, Peter Lund, and H. L. Dow; Clerk, Charles Bush; Treasurer, Peter Lund; Assessor, A. T. Butts; Justice of the Peace, Charles Bush; Con- stable, H. L. Dow.
The whole number of votes cast at this election was nine, and there was no charge of ballot-box stuffing.
A tax of fifty dollars was levied for town ex- penses. It was voted that the next town meeting be at the house of A. T. Butts, on section seven- teen.
Since that time the town has run on in the even tenor of its way, and the expenses of the govern- ment have been gradually increasing until it has now got up to the sum ef $125, the amount raised for 1882, and yet no motion has been made to have a committee of investigation to see what has become of their money. It is evident that this is a poor town for rings.
At the election held on the 27th of March, 1882, the following officers were elected: Supervisors, H. C. Nelson, Chairman, Ole Anderson, and Peter O. Stensven; Clerk, R. Campbell; Treasurer, Peter Lund; Assessor, E. W. Knatvold.
The whole number of votes cast at this election was eighty, although the number of registered voters is 190. So that less than one-half turned ont. The established polling place is the Howard schoolhouse, in District No. 34.
LYSANDER RAYMOND LUCE, SEN., deceased, This Freeborn county pioneer entered upon the enjoy- ment of human life on the 21st of July, 1814, at I1AYWARD VILLAGE. Stowe, Vermont, and at the age of twenty-six was A village was platted here in 1869 by H. C. married to Anu Morrison, of his native town. | Lacy. Martha P. Gibbs was the proprietor and
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.
it was recorded on the 20th of December. Morin & Armstrong, of Albert Lea, took an interest in the village in 1870 and erected a warehouse on the railroad grounds. The next building put np was a store and dwelling by Oliver Nelson in the fall of 1870, In 1877 he sold to R. Campbell and went to Lake Mills, Iowa. In 1870 the depot was built.
It is a mere hamlet, and to-day is made up of a good sizel store. kept by Hanson brothers; two blacksmith shops; a boarding house kept by William Hoyt; two warehouses, and two dwelling houses. The population consists of five families. The location is in section nine, and it is six and one half miles east of Albert Lea.
POST-OFFICE.
This perquisite of civilization was established during the war, in 1863. The first man entrusted with the key to unlock the mail pouch was M. W. Campbell, who received and distributed the mail in his house on section four. In 1870 it was transferred to the village, to Oliver Hanson's care, in the store, and after a time it was turned over to H. T. Hanson, who is still entitled to write P. M. after his name. It has a daily mail each way, from the train.
WIND FEED MILL.
"There is a feed mill, driven by wind, on the railroad in section eight. It was built by M. M. Luce in 1877, and is 18x32, two stories high, and has a capacity, when there is sufficient wind, to grind two hundred bushels a day. It is one and one fourth miles west of the village.
PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.
A Grange was instituted on the 9th of Decem- ber, 1874, in the schoolhouse in district number sixty. The prominent officers were, Luther Phelps, Wm. Bragg, and G. Y. Slocum. At first there were thirty members and meetings were kept up until some time in 1879, when the char- ter was surrendered. At one time it was flourish- ing, having seventy members. A hall was built in 1876, 20x40 feet, one story high. It finally passed in the hands of Robert Campbell, Jr., and is now owned by Hanson & Brother who use it for store purposes.
CEMETERY.
The city of the dead, where all mortality tinds a home at last, is on section nine, south of the |
village of Hayward, on a commanding piece of ground. The association was organized in June, 1874, the first officers being Olson Nelson and Andrew Gilbrandson. There are four acres. The first one to leave his earthly remains here was Arne Overby, in the winter of 1874. He was a native of Norway and lived on section twenty- three, being one of the early settlers. At the time of his demise he was about forty years of age. There are now sixteen graves here.
EARLY EVENTS.
Ole P. Lund, son of Peter and Else Lund, as is reported, was the first settler to arrive by birth in this town. It was on the 27th of May, 1858, and be still lives here and is himself a married man.
The first known death was that of an infant child of Philo Butts, in the winter of 1858, who at that time lived in section seventeen, but in 1862 he returned to Wisconsin.
STATISTICS.
THE YEAR 1881 .- The area included in this report takes in the whole town, as follows: Wheat-3,858 acres, yielding 40,132 bushels. Oats-787 acres, yielding 25,283 bushels. Corn-612 acres, yielding 25,340 bushels. Barley-91 acres, yielding 2,055 bushels. Rye-33 acres, yielding 354 bushels. Buckwheat-6 acres, yielding 47 bushels. Potatoes-37 acres, yielding 3,682 bushels. Sugar cane-2 acres, yielding 420 gallons. Cultivated hay-66 acres, yielding 98 tous. Flax-20 acres, yielding 193 bushels. Other products-5 acres.
Total acreage cultivated in 1881 -- 5,517. Wild hay- 2,075 tons. Timothy seed-7 bushels.
Apples -- number of trees growing, 1,251; num- ber bearing, 307, yielding 124 bushels.
Grapes-242 vines, yielding 210 pounds.
Sheep-117 sheared, yielding 497 pound of wool.
Dairy-282 cows, yielding 24,625 pounds of butter and 200 pounds of cheese.
Hives of bees-9, yielding 100 pounds of honey.
THE YEAR 1882 .- Wheat, 2,898 acres; oats, 848; corn, 932; barley, 178; rye. 69: buckwheat, 20; potatoes, 82: beans, 3; sugar cane, 1; cultiva- ted hay, 149; fax, 30; total acreage cultivated in 1882 -5,210.
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HAYWARD TOWNSHIP.
Apple trees growing-1,196; bearing, 489. Grapes-vines bearing, 245.
Milch cows-243.
Sheep-135, yielding 581 pounds of wool. Whole number of farms cultivated in 1882 -87.
POPULATION. The census of 1870 gave Hay - ward a population of 382. The last census, taken in 1880, reports 659 for this town; showing an increase of 277.
SCHOOLS.
The first school taught in this town was in the north part, in section three, in a timber building which was put up for that purpose. Miss Olive Callahan was the first to teach the young idea how to shoot under this roof, and B. Lamb taught here from 1864 until 1875. It was finally removed to the village, and is now District No. 34. The first school here was held at the Grange hall on the 2d of October, 1875 The officers elected were E. A. Campbell, Lars Lund, and Peter Lund. The present building cost about $700, is 24x36 feet, and has seats for about forty scholars. The first school here was managed by W. Cooley in the late autumn of 1875 at $32 per month, with forty pupils.
District No. 35 .- This was organized in 1866 at the house of Watson Brown. The first officers were O. Andrews, James Andrews, and Watson Brown. In the summer of that year they succeeded in getting up a log house, 16x20 feet. In 1880, the old house becoming inadequate to the wants of the district, a new one was built, a frame struc- ture, 18x30 feet, with room for eighty scholars, at a cost of $700.
District No. 36 .- In 1864 this district assumed form; the meeting for organization being in the house of Peter Lund, on the 12th of April, and a log house was soon rolled together on section eighteen, 16x18 feet. The first school had four- teen pupils. It was called to order and managed by * Miss Esther Lowry, for $20 a month. The first school officers were Peter Lund, Andrew San- derson, and L. R. Luce.
District No. 60 .- In 1864 this was taken from No. 35, and created into a new district, the first meeting being held at the house of Daniel Chute, on the 2d of June, 1864. The first officers were Daniel Chute, Luther Phelps, and David Ansley. They proceeded to build a log house without floor, and with a sod roof, and dignified it by calling it a schoolhouse, but it was the best they could do,
and here Miss Emma Fenholt got togethes thir- teen pupils and taught them ten weeks for $2 per week and boarded herself. The house now there was constructed in 1875 at a cost of $400. It is 20x26 feet and can seat thirty-five. The last school was taught by Miss Hellen Hare, at $22 per month, and there were twenty-three scholars; considerable more difference in the wages than in the number of pupils.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
ROBERT CAMPBELL, SR., one of the pioneers of this connty, is a native of Vermont, born in Ches- ter, Windsor county, on the 7th of September; 1795. His father was a revolutionary soldier, and drew a pension until the time of his death. In the spring of 1855, Mr. Campbell came to Wis- consin and resided on a farm in Janesville, Rock county. until coming to this township in 1858. He drove here with an ox team, and staked out a claim in section ten where he has lived ever since. He was appointed Postmaster in 1865, and has held other local offices. The maiden name of his wife was Belinda Woodward and of ten children born of the union, six are living. One son was killed in the army, and had he lived would now be sixty- one years old.
ROBERT CAMPBELL, JR., a son of the subject of our last sketch, was also born in Chester, Windsor conuty, Vermont, his birth dating the 14th of March, 1836, and at the age of nineteen years came with his parents to Wisconsin. He went from there to California in 1859, and was engag- ed in the mines and in the lumber business for eight years, then took a trip to Oregon and Washington territories and returned to San Fran- cisco. In 1867 he came to Minnesota and located in section ten, Hayward. The following year he was married to Miss Isadore A. Luce, the ceremo- ny taking place on the 23d of March. After living on his farm some years Mr. Campbell removed to Albert Lea, and started in the machin- ery business with Gilbrandson and Bro., and remained with them for five years, then returned to this place and in the autumn of 1877 bought Granger's Hall, converted it into a store building and commenced trade. In March, 1880, he sold to Hanson Bros. and moved to section four, where he now lives. His farm contains five hundred and forty acres and he also owns a warehouse and haypress in the village. He was Postmaster from
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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.
1877 to 1880, and has been Town Clerk since 1878. He is the father of five children.
NEHEMIAN W. CAMPBELL, deceased, was a na- tive of Vermont, born on the 29th of April, 1823. He married the daughter of Amos Robbins; she was born on the 25th of November, 1825, in Ver- mont, the marriage ceremony taking place on the 30th of September. 1849. In 1857 Mr. Campbell moved with his family to Wisconsin. and the fol- lowing year he came to Hayward, located a farm in section four, and brought his family the follow- ing year. On the 7th of November, 1864, he en- listed in Company C, of the First Minnesota Heavy Artillery, under Capt. George S. Ruble, and served until the 18th of May, 1865, when he died in the hospital. His widow lives on the old home- stead with Elbridge A, the oldest son, who was born on the 18th of February, 1851. He has been Justice of the Peace and school Clerk, each, several years. Mrs. Campbell has another son and two daughters.
JOSEPH FEARN, was born in England on the 20th of June, 1832. He came to America when eighteen years old and remained in Ohio one year, thence to Illinois, and in a year enlisted at Chicago in the regular army for a period of five years. During the time he was in several skirmishes with the Indians, then went to New Mexico and accom- panied emigrants across the plains to California. During the Mountain Meadow massacre he was for nine days buried in the snow with nothing to eat but horse flesh. After receiving his discharge on the 15th of August, 1860, he traveled through Kansas to Ohio, and on the 20th of June, 1862, married Miss Sarah MeClum, who was born on the 5th of June, 1825. In 1869 Mr. Fearn came to Minnesota, and for some time was engaged in keeping a boarding-house at Armstrong, then re- moved to Hayward and located a farm in section twenty, which is well improved with a fine orchard. He is the father of one child.
A. P. HANSON is a native of Norway, born on the 6th of May, 1849, and emigrated with his parents to America when twelve years old. They came directly to Minnesota and resided in Ban- croft for one year, then came to Hayward and lived on a farm a number of years. In 1870 Mr. Hanson was married to Miss Oleana Hanson, and they have five children. In 1880 they moved to the village and his brother bought the Campbells' store where A. P. has since devoted his time. keep-
ing a line of general merchandise on the corner of Main street. The Post-office is located at their store.
EDWARD W. KNATVOLD was born in Norway on the 11th of April, 1851, and came with his par- ents to America when cleven years old. They came directly to this township and took a home- stead in section eighteen where Edward assisted in the farm labor until twenty-three years old. He then bought a farm of his own, has twice added to it ind now owns three hundred and forty acres containing good buildings. He was mar- ried on the 16th of November, 1874, to Miss Nettie Barny and the union has been blessed with four children. Mr. Knatvoll is a partner of Robert Campbell in a hay press and warehouse in the village of Hayward. His father came from Norway to this country and immediately en- listed in the army, served one year and settled on his present farm. He is now sixty-five years old.
SAMUEL T. KIRKPATRICK is a native of Pennsyl- vania, born on the 1st of May, 1836. At the age of thirteen years he left home and worked on farms until sixteen years old when he served an apprenticeship of two years in a blacksmith shop. He then moved to Armstrong county, worked three years and in 1856, came to Utica, Crawford county, where he erected a shop and remained several years. On the 17th of December, 1857, he was joined in matrimony with Miss Nancy Davis. In 1864, Mr. Kirpatrick sold his shop. bought a farm and carried it on in connection with another shop for six years. In March, 1870, he came to this place, purchased eighty acres in section thirty-three, and in June returned for his family, settling on the farm the same year. He how owns two hundred and forty acres all im- proved, with a fine grove all around his house. Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick have a family of five: Mary Ann, twenty-four years old; Martha J., wenty-two; Leonard C., nineteen; Robert T., Courteen: and Frank J., twelve.
MILTON M. LUCE, one of the early settlers of this place, was born in Vermont on the 21st of September, 1843. He resided with his parents on farm in his native State until 1855, when they noved to Clayton county, Iowa. In the spring of 1857. his father came to Minnesota, left his family in Albert Lea and pre-empted land in Hay- ward where they have since lived. In 1861, Mil-
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HAYWARD TOWNSHIP.
ton enlisted in the Fourth Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Compiny I; at the fall of Vicksburg he was transferred to the Invalid Corps, sent to Rock Island and remained during the winter of 1863 and '64. In October of the latter year, he went to Chicago where he received an honorable dis- charge and returned home, remaining until March Ist, 1865, when he went to St. Paul as a veteran in Company A, of the Ninth Regiment, Hancock's First Veteran corps; was mustered in on the 10th of March and witnessed the hanging of Lincoln's conspirators. He was sent to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he gnarded Gov- ernment stores till March, 1866, when he was mustered out. The same month he was united in marriage with Miss M. E. Stulty of the latter place. Mr. Luce returned with his wife to his home and remained until 1869, when he moved to Albert Lea where he was constable four years, and also worked at the carpenter trade; was elec- ted City Marshal in 1874; in 1877, he returned to his father's farm where he still resides.
SAMUEL LANDIS was born on the 4th of May, 1837, in Ohio, and lived with his father until of age, when he came west. After a residence of two years in Iowa he returned to Ohio and in the fall of 1861. came to Blue Earth, Faribault county, Minnesota. He soon after enlisted in the First Minnesota Mounted Rangers, Company K, went to St. Peter, thence to Missouri River and fought the Indians, participating in eight battles. After receiving his discharge he went to Ohio and re- enlisted in Company H, of the One Hundred and Ninty-seventh Ohio Regiment; was sent south to Virginia and remained in service until the close of the war, receiving an honorable discharge on the 31st of July, 1865. On the 21st of December following he was married to Miss Eva Smith, by whom he has three children. For four years after his marriage he lived in Michigan, then came to Freeborn county and bought a farm in section twenty-six, Hayward, moved his family here in October, 1869, and has since made it his home. He and his wife are members of the United Brethren Church.
PETER LUND, one of the pioneers of this place, was born in Norway on the 13th of June, 1820. He was married in his native place on the 16th of June, 1846, to Miss Elsie Gravli, and they have two children. In 1850, he came to America, loca- ted first on Rock Prairie, Wisconsin, and a year
later moved to Iowa county in the same State, where he worked in lead mines three years; then moved to Iowa, and a year afterward to "Minne- sota. He came to this township and selected claims in sections eighteen and eight, returned to Iowa for his family, whom he brought here with an ox team, arriving on the 1st of July, 1856. Mr. Lund now owns three hundred and twenty acres, a large portion of which is cultivated. He was the first Town Treasurer, and held the same several years.
JOHN PARK is a native of Huron county, Ohio, born on the 23rd of May, 1833. His mother died when he was nineteen years old, after which he came to Winnebago connty, Wisconsin, and after a residence of eight years moved to Waushara county, where he took a claim and remained two years. He was married to Miss Elizabeth Rice, from New York, and they have a family of nine children. In 1861, Mr. Park came to Minnesota, lived on a farm near Albert Lea one year, then moved to Hartland, and the same year came to Hayward, first bought railroad land, and in the spring of 1866, purchased his brother's farm in section twenty-nine, which is well improved and contains a good frame house.
EDMUND TOWN is a native of Vermont, born on the 26th of August, 1822. When twenty-one years old he removed to New York where, on the 12th of December, 1843, he married Miss Betsy E. J. Lyon, formerly from Vermont. In 1854, they came to Minnesota, arriving in Shell Rock on the 2d of May. Mr. Town purchased a hotel, of which he was landlord until 1876, then traded it for a farm in this township, and moved here on the 14th of November of that year. While at Shell Rock he served as Justice of the Peace two years. Mr. and Mrs. Town have a family of five; their oldest son served in the late war, enlisting in Company C, of the One Hundred and Eighteenth New York Regiment in 1863.
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