History of Freeborn County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota, and outline history of the state of Minnesota, Part 88

Author: Neill, Edward D. (Edward Duffield), 1823-1893. Explorers and pioneers of Minnesota. 1882; Neill, Edward D. (Edward Duffield), 1823-1893. Outline history of the state of Minnesota. 1882; Bryant, Charles S., 1808-1885. Sioux massacre of 1862. 1882; Bryant, Charles S., 1808-1885. State education. 1882; Minnesota Historical Company
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Minneapolis : Minnesota Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 576

USA > Minnesota > Freeborn County > History of Freeborn County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota, and outline history of the state of Minnesota > Part 88

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NUNDA TOWNSHIP.

Iowa and Minnesota State lines; is the smallest in town, covering about 400 acres of land, mostly in section thirty-three; from this flows a creek bear- ing; the same name and entering Iowa. All of these lakes abound in fish of various species, among which we notice pickerel, sucker, bass, and bullhead, and are much frequented by pleas- ure seekers in quest of "finny sport."

Almost all of the land in the town is under a high state of cultivation, and as the soil is rich and well adapted to the crops and modes of cul- tivation of the day, as a natural sequence, the farmers are all in comfortable circumstances, not- withstanding they have had serious drawbacks in the last decade in the way of drought, failure of wheat crop, etc., and they are now turning their attention more toward stock-which exist almost solely on the rich prairie grass -with the most satisfactory results.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The early or earliest settlement of Nunda dates back to 1856, and was rapid and constant until all the vacant land was secured and occupied.

As it nearly always gives rise to controversy and contention in a work of this kind, to state that any one of a party, made a claim or secured a farm, first, we have adopted the plan, for this township at least, of merely giving the date of arrival of early settlers as given to our interview- ers; so that one reading it can come to his own conclusion as to who was first, etc.

Among, if not the first settlers in the township, were James Wright and Anthony Bright, who came in the winter of 1855-56, and commenced what was known as the Bear Lake Settlement. Wright took a claim on section sixteen and remained until 1857 when he sold to John V. Wohlhuter who still occupies it. Anthony Bright took a place in section twenty-one, south of Wright, and in 1857 sold out and left.

Patrick Fitzsimmons, a native of Ireland, made his appearance from Winneshiek county, Iowa, and joined this settlement in May, 1856. He took a claim in section sixteen, where he lived up to the time of his death, which occurred on the 18th of July, 1866. It was he who named the town- ship Nunda, in honor of towns of the same name in which he had lived in New York and Illinois. He was a prominent man in the township and bis death was much regretted by all who knew him.

About the same time came Fred McCall, another

native of the Emerald Isle, who made himself at home about one mile east of his fellow-country- man, in section fourteen, where he still lives, one of the public-spirited men of this locality, and one of the oldest settlers in Nunda.

Nels Bergeson and Nels Walaker, natives of Norway, came to Minnesota in 1856; the first came direct to this town and took a place in section twenty-eight; the latter did not arrive here until 1860.

It should have been mentioned in connection with the above, that Charles Fitzsimmons and Irvin Elsworth came in the early part of 1856, and it is claimed by some that they were the first. Fitz- simmons placed his signet upon a quarter of section sixteen, where he remained until 1868 and then removed to Martin county, Minnesota. Elsworth enriched himself by pre-empttng a place in section fourteen, where he lived for about one year when he sold, and now sojourns in California, from last accounts.

In the fall of this year, 1856, Harry Brown rifted in and made a habitation in seetion seven, where he remained until 1858 when he sold out.

Seneca Stockdale was a native of Ohio, having been born on the 26th of March, 1801, and after attaining the age of fifty-five came to the township of Nunda, where he was among the first; arriving on the 14h of July, 1856. He took a farm in sec- tion one, where he remained for about thirteen years, and then removed to section three, remain- ing here until the 7th of February, 1871, when, at the ripe old age of seventy years, he passed peace- fully away to that land where the "wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest."

A few more came in this year, but they were merely transients, and only remained a short time, and their names have been forgotten.

The following year, 1857, the emigration to this locality seemingly commenced in earnest, and, although to name them all would be almost im- possible, as many of them as are remembered will be given. As will be seen, there were already several settlements in the town, and those coming this year were not subjected to that, ( as an old set- tler termed it ) "solitary confinement" inevitable to the pioneer times of those who were already in, and waiting for the neighbors whom the arrivals in 1857 furnished.

Nelson Boughton, a native of New York, came this year and took a farm in section thirty-five,

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where he lived until 1859, when he was murdered by a man named Kreigler, which is mentioned in au- other place.

Alonzo White, of Vermont, came about the same time and settled in the same section, where he lived until 1859, and then went back to the East.

James Carle, of the same nativity also came at the same time and took land in sections thirty-four and thirty-five, where he lived uutil 1860 when he sold and followed his friend east.

Lafayette Hall, of New York, came and settled in this vicinity; in 1860 he went to the eastern part of the State, where he now lives.

Michael Donahue had arrived in the spring of 1857, and settled a mile or so north of this little settlement, in section twenty-three, where he still holds forth.

Martin Forbes also came at the same time and settled on the same section.

John Honan, a native of Ireland, came in 1857, an settled on section twenty-four.

John M. Geissler, a native of Germany, and one of the pioneers of Freeborn county, came to Nun- da in 1857, and selected the place he now occupies in sections three and ten. He has probably been the most prominent man in the township in public matters and has held many offices of trust and importance.

John V. Wohlhuter, a native of Germany, came to America in 1847, and in the fall of 1857 to this township and purchased the farm he now occupies near Bear Lake.

R. A. White made his appearance in the spring of this year, and settled on section nine, where he still remains. William White came to this coun- try at the same time.

George Hall and Johnson Hall, from the eastern States came to Nunda in the spring of 1857, and took farms in sections three and four, where the latter lived for a time and then went east. Mr. George Hall is still on his farm.

John Donahue, originally from the Emerald Isle. but late from Illinois, arrived in July, 1857, and settled with his parents on section fourteen.

'I'nere may have been others who came this year, but this is enonoh to indicate the rapidity with which the unoccupied land was taken. A few of those who have since arrived will be noted.

In 1858. Mr. Cunningham, a native of the land of the Shamrock, made his appearance and secured land in section twenty-three.

Narve Esleson, of Norway, lost no time in secur- ing a habitation in section thirty-three, where he now lives.

Knudt Oleson, in 1861, had also seenred land, and has since been joined by a small army of his countrymen.

John MeGuire, a native of Ireland, on the 23d June, 1860. made his appearance, and settled on section fourteen.

B. H. Carter, a native of the eastern States, ar- rived in Nunda in 1861, and made himself at home in scetion one, where he still lives. a prominent man in the township.

This quite extended list embraces the most of the early settlers, and many of them who are not found here will be seen under the head of Bio- graphical.

EARLY SETTLERS WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY.

WILLIAM WHITE, one of the pioneers, was in- ducted into this life on the 8th of September. 1796, at Bemis Heights, on the battle field where the English, under General Burgoyne, surrendered to General Gates, in the town of Saratoga, New York. When two years of age his father went to Clinton county, in the same State. In the war of 1812 he served as a teamster, and so received a bounty land warrant. In 1814 his father and himself went to Tioga county, and on the Sus- quehana he was in business for forty-one years. He married Margaret Love, and they had four sons and five daughters. all living when he died on the 17th of January, 1876. He came to Nunda on the 7th of June, 1857, so that he had been a resident of the town for nineteen years. A few days before his death he was seized with a sensa- tion of numbness in his left foot, in which the circulation stopped, and gangrene supervened with a fatal result. An able and prominent man, he was for six years County Commissioner, a JJus- tice of the Peace, and in other public positions.

ERICK ERICKSON. - Mr. Erickson commenced building in section thirty-three in the town of Nunda, on the 25th of June, 1856, and there he wrought up to the time of his final exit from this sphere of existence, which occurred on the 14th of December, 1877, at the age of 55 years. Hc hac opened a fine farm and was an honest and upright man.

THOMAS MORRISON, having nearly filled up the measure of his one hundredth year, was gathered with the innumerable host from whence no tidings

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NUNDA TOWNSHIP.

come, on the 8th of November, 1876. His birth was in Belfast, Ireland, on the 12th of Septem- ber, 1777, and came to America in 1811, and was a soldier in the war of 1812. In 1861 he came to Minnesota. He was a member of the Baptist church and had six children. His wife had pre- ceded him but two months.

FREDERICK H. WHITE came with his father in 1857, and captured a farm in Nunda. Himself and two brothers were in the war of the rebellion. He was next to the youngest of thirteen child- ren. While in the service he contracted a cough which finally terminated fatally. His kind dis- position and gentle manners hrad drawn to him large numbers of friends. It was on the 17th of February, 1879, at the age of 32, the recall was sounded for him for the last time.

MRS MARY WALKER, wife of Hon. Asa Walker, aged 60 years, went through the final transposi- tion on the 20th of January, 1869, at Nunda. Mrs. Walker was one of the pioneers, and a faith- ful member of the Congregational church, and had a firm faith that "it is not all of life to live nor all of death to die."

EVENTS OF INTEREST.

EARLY BIRTHS .- One of the first births in the town was the ushering into existence of Louis H. Emmons, on the 30th of December, 1856, who is still in the land of the living.

On the 24th of February, 1858, a similar in- stance occurred and brought into existence John David McCall, who grew to manhood and still lives in the town.

EARLY MARRIAGES .- It is reported that the first couple to be joined in wedlock within the limits of the township, were Mr. Lonis Proebstein, (or some such name ) and Elizabeth Banning, in the fall of 1856. This date is pretty early early; but we give it to our readers just as given to us.

Another early marriage was that of Isaac Ken- dall to Miss Christina Clark, in April, 1858, by Frederick McCall.

DEATHIS .- An early, if not the first death in the township, occured on the 23d of March, 1858, and caaried Jacob Zimmerman, age 23, to that land "from whence no traveler returns." He was the first person buried in the Brush Hill Cemetery.

Hulda, wife of Patrick Fitzsimmons, died on the 28tlı of November, 1858.

TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.

Politically speaking, the residents of Nunda first came together in 1857, late in the fall, for the election of a representative in the territorial legislature, and in the spring following, an organ- ization of the township was effected, whereupon, on the 11th day of May, 1857, they again as- sembled, and made their organization substantial by the election of town othcers.

Among the first officials were: Supervisors, Patrick Fitzsimmons, Chairman, J. V. Wohlhuter, and Henry Tunell; Clerk, William B. Spooner. This meeting was held in John Hoffman's house, in section twenty-two.

In government, the township has run along very smoothly, with no jars, embezzlement, or in - efficiency to disturb the tranquility of matters, and the management has always been in capable and honest bands.

At the 24th annual meeting, held in the spring of 1882, the following officers were elected: Su- pervisors, L. Marpe, Chairman, E. T. Yeadon, and John F. Wohlhuter; Clerk, John M. Geissler; Justices of the Peace, H. Rasmusson and R. A. White; Treasurer, John Donahue; Constables, T. Swenson and Hugh Donahue; Assessor, T. Swenson.

STATISTICS.

The object of presenting these few figures is not so much on account of the intrinsic import- ance of knowing how much was raised this par- ticular year, or the kind of crops cultivated, al- though this knowledge is valuable, but more as a basis of comparison in future years.

THE YEAR 1881 .- Showing the acreage and yield in the township of Nuuda for the year named:

Wheat-3,962 acres; yielding 40,698 bushels. Oats-744 acres; yielding 23,082 bushels.

Corn-942 acres; yielding 30,662 bushels. Barley-50 acres; yielding 934 bushels. Potatoes-90 acres; yielding 7,248 bushels. Total acreage cultivated in 1881, 5,788.

Wild hay-3,086 tons.

Apple trees growing-1,704: trees bearing, 249; apples, 90 bushels.

Grape vines bearing-8.

Tobacco-126 pounds.

Sheep-257 sheared; yielding 1,028 pounds of wool.

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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.

Dairy-499 cows: yielding 44,594 pounds of butter.

THE YEAR 1882 .- Wheat, 3,834 aeres; oats. 734: corn, 942; barley. 50; potatoes, 96; total acreage cultivated in 1882, 5,756.

Apple trees growing-1.662; trees bearing, 244; grape vines bearing, 8.

Milch cows-551; sheep, 297, yielding 1,148 pounds of wool.

Whole number of farms in 1881-100.

POPULATION .- The census of 1870 gave Nunda a population of 675. The last census, taken in 1880, reports 777 for this town: showing an in- crease of 102.

BUSINESS AND OTHER MATTERS.

A manufacturing establishment, in which the man with the anvil and bellows manouvers, was commenced in the spring of 1866 on section four, in a shop 12x16. The proprietor of this was William Pickle, and times have evidently been flourishing with the establishment, as it is still there. now occupying a shop 16x20.

In 1876 a similar institution was started in a building erected for the purpose, in the north- eastern part of section thirty, by H. H. Edwin, which is still in full blast.

In September, 1880, a general merchandise store was started by George Emmons, in section thirty-two. This was continued until the 6th of December, 1881, when it was moved to Norman, Iowa.

A blacksmith shop was established in the south- western part of section nine, by John Bettner, in 1875, and it is still in good running order, with Mr. B. still at the anvil.

In the spring of 1872, Mr. George Reim erected a shop and commenced blacksmithing in section eight. He still continues the business, now be- ing in a shop 16x20 feet, which was crected in 1881.

A sorghum mill was started in section eight in 1873, which is still on the ground, having a ca- pacity of about forty gallons per day.

The first Post-office in the township was estab- lished in the spring of 1859, and Patrick Fitz- simmons was appointed Postmaster, with the otlice at his house in section sixteen, where mail arrived ouce each week. Here the office remained until the 21st of June, 1866, when Frederick McCall was appointed mail handler, and the office was re- moved to his residence in section fourteen, mail at

this time being carried once each week by Albert Davis. In 1877 it was again removed, this time to Twin Lake in section twelve, and on the first of July, 1881, the name was changed from Nunda to Twin Lake, under which name it is now known. Mail now arrives twice each day. When the office was moved to the village, in 1877, B. H. Carter was appointed Postmaster, and held it several years, when Mr. McCall was again appointed, and is still the incumbent.

State Line Post-office .- The citizens of the southern portion of the town first indulged in this hixury in 1864, on the first of August, in which year this office was established by Congress, and Mr. II. G. Emmons was appointed to handle the mail, with the office at his house in section thirty- two, mail arriving once each week from Albert Lea. In November, 1879, Mr. Emmons resigned his position as Postmaster, and the office was re- moved to Norman, Iowa, where it is now kept by Mr. Thomas Wangsness.

RELIGIOUS.

GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH .- The first services for this Society were held in the summer of 1862, at the residence of Mr. John Wohlhuter, in section sixteen, by Rev. Mr. L. Scheor. The Society was organized in 1866, with John Wohlhuter, John Tunell, and Mr. Fink as Trustees. Services were held in private houses until the schoolhouse of District No. 42 was ereeted, and this was then used until the summer of 1881, when their pres- ent neat church was erected near the center of section four, size 28x40, at a cost of about $2,300. At organization the Society had thirteen members, it now has. thirty, the present pastor being the Rev. Ferdinand Tiede. The Trustees are John M. Geissler, August Linderman, and Henry Dron- merhausen.

LUTHERAN CEMETERY .- This ground was laid out in December, 1875, by John M. Mertz, near the center of section four, containing 126 lots, 10x15 fect. The first burial here was William White, who died on the 14th of January, 1876.

BRUSH HILL CEMETERY .- The land for this ground was donated as a cemetery ground by Christian Hogen in 1859, the first burial being Jacob Remmermand, in March, 1858. Although the land was given, verbally, no deed was made. and the farm changing hands the new proprietor refused to recognize former arrangements, and in 1879 the land was purchased at a cost of $100.

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NUNDA TOWNSHIP.

The ground is located about the center of section fifteen.

BEAR LAKE CEMETERY. -- This was platted on the 8th of December, 1875, and recorded on the 8th of March, 1876. The trustees were R. J. White, William P. Pickle, S. F. Foster, William P. Spooner, and John M. Geissler.

STATE LINE CEMETERY .- This burial ground is located on the Iowa and Minnesota State line, in section thirty-two, containing about one acre of land surveyed into lots. The ground was platted and laid out in 1861, on the land of Mr. T. Nel- son, but did not receive an occupant until Febru- ary, 1863, when Christina Emmons passed to that unseen world, and her remains were interred in this as her last earthly abode.

CATHOLIC SOCIETY CEMETERY .- Located in the central part of section twenty-four, was laid out · and dedicated to burial purposes on the 29th of August, 1876, land being donated by John Honan; and was divided into 126 lots, 24x23, in all two acres and a half. The first person so unfortunate as to need burial here was John Honan, who passed away on the 9th of September, 1876.

TWIN LAKE VILLAGE.

This is the only village in the township, and is located in the northeastern part of Nunda, at the outlet of the lower lake bearing the name of the village, in section twelve: and although its growth up to this time has been slow, being situated upon a main railroad thoroughfare, it has a chance yet of making a healthy and moderate sized village.

ITS EARLY DAYS .-- The land upon which the village now stands originally belonged to Mr. Wil- liam Wilson and Mr. Tanner. The first plat came into existence in 1858, at the instigation of Augus- tus Armstrong, and was laid into lots on the land of William Banning, but as no growth was devel- oped, and no interest in the little burg manifested, the lots and blocks were finally reclaimed as a farm. Matters ran along in this way, nothing being done in regard to it, until 1869, when a surveyor again made his appearance and the lots and blocks of the village were again brought into existence, about eighty rods north of the old plat, on land of Mr. Wilson and Mr. Tanner as above stated, and in the fall of this year John Donahue and William Knudtson erected the first business house and opened a stock of groceries and general merchandise.

A store was opened by Frederick MoCall, in

March, 1863, at his residence in section fourteen, and the original Twin Lake Post-office was also kept here. In 1877, the business was moved to the village; and for a time groceries were kept; but finally all was discontinued except the tin shop. The Post-office is also kept here.

In the fall of 1875, Peter Donahne laid the foundation of his present general merchandise store by placing a stock of groceries upon the shelves.

In 1870, Mr. William Beatty assisted in the growth of the village and erected a hotel which he ran nntil 1877, and then sold it to Ole Nelson who still continues it as a boarding house.

In 1868, a building was erected and a black- smith shop put into operation by a Norwegian whose name is forgotten. In a few years it was transferred to the Booth brothers, who ran it for a year and then sold to B. H. Carter and John Don- ahue, who operated it for several years in partner- ship, and then Mr. Donahue purchased the entire business and still manages the concern.

A mill was erected at an early day, and later, a schoolhouse. The railroad pushed its way through the village, and a depot and elevator followed, with the accompanying advantages, until the place now contains three general stores, one grist mill, an elevator, depot, schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, a shoe shop, and ten or twelve dwelling houses.

TWIN LAKE MILL .- In 1857, a saw-mill was erected in the northern part of the southwest quarter of section twelve, where the village was afterwards laid out, by William Banning and a Mr. Forbes, and commenced operations with a forty horse water-power, making a capacity for cutting 1,000 feet per day. Matters got compli- cated with the managers and the mill remained idle most of the time until 1863, while the propri- etors engaged in a long legal controversy out of claims of each upon the mill site. In 1863, David Perry, who owned an interest in the mill, took charge of it, employing B. H. Carter to straighten it up, increasing the capacity to 1,500 feet per day. After running it a short time he transferred it to Augustus Armstrong and J. M. Tanner. After this Mr. Tanner ran it. for a time and in 1868 sold one-half interest to Mr. William Wil- son, and soon after the other half was also trans- ferred. The latter gentleman at once commenced the erection of a flouring mill which was comple- ted in due time and is now a valuable enterprise

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HISTORY OF FREEBORN COUNTY.

in the village; having a capacity for grinding 120 bushels of wheat per day.

The mill is equipped with modern machinery, deriving its power from the Goose Creek, which furnishes a power of forty horse, or 1812 feet of water head. Altogether the mill is the main and principal enterprise in the surrounding country.

MEDIUMS OF EDUCATION.

Realizing that "knowledge is power" the citiz- ens of Nunda have fortified themselves against that curse to civilization, ignorance, by dividing their territory into eight school districts, with numbers and locations of schoolhouses as follows: No. 42, with building on section four; No. 43 on section sixteen; No. 44 on section thirty-two: No. 45 on section twenty-four; No. 76 in Twin Lake village; No. 99 ou section six; No. 105 in section thirty-four; No. 108 in section four- teen; a short sketch of each of which is given in connection herewith. It is unnecessary to state, knowing the enterprise of the people liere, that the distriets are all in good financial condi- tion with neat buildings, and ably managed.

DISTRICT No. 42 .- Embraces the territory in the northern part of the town toward the center. The first school was held by Miss Mary Ann White, in the winter of 1858-59, at the residence of Samuel Clark in section three, with twelve juveniles upon the hard benches. School was continued in the houses of various farmers throughout the district until 1870, when the pres- ent frame building was ereeted at a cost of $550 in section four. Miss Eva Morey first opened school here with thirty-five scholars in attendance. The present officers are: R. A. White, Clerk: August Linderman, Director; and William Lenz, Treasurer.

DISTRICT No. 43 .- The first school held within the territory comprising this district, was at the residence of John Hoffman in seetion twenty-two, in the spring of 1858, by Joseph White, with an attendance of twenty schol- ars, and the district effected an organ- ization by the election of the following officers: Clerk, P. Fitzsimmons; Director, V.

John Wohlhuter; Treasurer, Michael Donahue. 1868 the present school edifice was erected in the western part of section sixteen, at a cost of $400, where the first teacher was Isabell Wilson. The present school board consists of: Alfred Emery,

Clerk; Christian Yost, Director: and Fred H. Yost, Treasurer.

DISTRICT No. 44 .- It is stated by some that this district etlected an organization in 1858, the first clerk being D. G. Emmons, and the same year the first school was taught by Miss Sarah Emery in an empty house belong- ing to N. Asleson on section thirty-two. After this school was held in private residences ulitil about 1870, when they erected a frame schoolhouse in the northeastern part of seetion thirty-two, at a cost of $650, in which Miss Robinson first called school to order. The present officers are: Messrs L. Emmons, A. Free- mott, Nels Nelson, respectively Clerk, Director, and Treasurer.

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