History of Goodhue County, Minnesota, Part 17

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1264

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The first separate town meeting of the voters in township 11, range 14 (Belvidere), was held April 5, 1859, and the following officers elected : Supervisors, Horace W. Twitchel (chairman), Marcus Eggleston, Mason O. Eggleston; town clerk, Hubert Eggleston ; assessor, G. D. Post : collector, J. S. Thompson ; over- seer of the poor, Nelson B. Gaylord; constables, Jacob Church, George Gay; justices, Marcus Eggleston, B. R. Prinee. In the following list, the first named under each year is the chairman. 1860-Supervisors, Horace W. Twitchell, George Gaylord, Knut Knutson: clerk, Hubert Eggleston; assessor, Marcus Eggleston ; treasurer and overseer of the poor, N. B. Gaylord; justiees, Mar- cus Eggleston, B. R. Prinec. 1861-Supervisors. Horace W. Twitchell, William Thomas, Mason Eggleston; elerk, Reuben Ward; assessor, Marcus Eggleston ; treasurer and overseer of the poor. Nelson B. Gaylord ; justices, Marcus Eggleston, Ben Prince. 1862-Supervisors, J. S. Thompson, George Stace. William Perly; clerk, Halvor Knutson; treasurer, H. W. Twitchel; assessor, B. F. Chase ; justices, Peter J. Hilden. Marcus Eggleston ; constables. John C. Johnson, Frank Lane. 1863-Supervisors, J. S. Thompson, William Perly, George Gay; clerk, Oliver Knut- son ; treasurer, II. W. Twitchel; assessor, Mareus Eggleston ; over- seer of the poor, J. S. Thompson ; justice, Peter J. Hilden. 1864- Supervisors, J. S. Thompson, C. C. Roberts, Halvor Knutson; clerk, Ruben Ward; treasurer, H. W. Twitchel : assessor, Julius Munger; constables, Caleb Reynolds, William Thomas: justices, G. H. Gaylord, P. J. Hilden. 1865-Supervisors. J. S. Thompson, William Thomas, Daniel Mallan; clerk, Oliver, or Halvor, Knut- son ; assessor. George Staee; treasurer, H. W. Twitchel; justices,

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Marcus Eggleston, John Alley; constables, Ole Knutson, John Lucham. 1866-Supervisors, J. S. Thompson, William Thomas, John Lucham; clerk, A. W. Fountain ; treasurer, H. W. Twitchel; assessor, S. R. Ward; justices, Star Dennison, John Alley; con- stables, B. R. Prince, J. S. Thompson. 1867-Supervisors, M. O. Eggleston (failed to qualify, and J. S. Thompson held over), William Thomas, Halvor Knutson ; clerk, A. W. Fountain, treas- urer, C. C. Roberts ; assessor, Star Dennison ; justices of the peace, Marcus Eggleston, P. J. Hilden ; constables, R. W. Dewore, J. C. Maybe. 1868-Supervisors, John Alley, George Stace, E. North- field ; clerk, Stephen Roberts; treasurer, C. C. Roberts ; justices, H. N. Eggleston, Edwin Bullard; assessor, Star Dennison; con- stable, Albert Pratt. 1869-Supervisors, John Alley, Walter Brown, John C. Johnson ; clerk, Stephen Roberts ; treasurer. N. B. Gaylord; assessor, Star Dennison; justices, Star Dennison, H. N. Eggleston : constables, William Kinney, B. R. Prince. 1870-All the old officers held over except John Alley, who resigned as chairman of the board of supervisors and was replaced by Mason O. Eggleston. 1871-Supervisors, John Alley, Peter J. Hilden, Walter Brown; clerk, B. R. Prince: treasurer, N. B. Gaylord ; assessor, H. N. Eggleston; justices, John Alley. B. R. Prince; constables, William Lane, William Kinney. 1872-Supervisors, John C. Johnson, J. S. Thompson, Stephen Redding; clerk, Peter J. Hilden : treasurer. C. C. Roberts ; assessor, Walter Brown ; jus- tices. Walter Brown, George Stace; constables, William Lane, S. Mageras. 1873-Supervisors, John C. Johnson, J. S. Thomp- son. S. Redding: clerk. T. J. Hilden; treasurer, N. B. Gaylord ; assessor. George Stace; justices. George Stace, Walter Brown; constables, James Arden. E. Fountain. 1874-The same board was elected : Walter Brown did not qualify, and A. W. Fountain was named as justice of the peace in his stead. 1875-Super- visors. William Thomas, Perry George, Martin Johnson; clerk, T. J. Hilden : assessor, George Stace; treasurer, C. C. Roberts ; justice. John C. Johnson; constable, R. Mallan. 1876-Super- visors, William Thomas, Perry George, George Stace ; clerk, Peter J. Hilden: treasurer, C. C. Roberts : assessor. John (. Johnson; justice, Stephen Redding: constable, John Mageras. 1877- Supervisors, Perry George. Martin Johnson, John Shafer; clerk, T. J. Hilden ; assessor. John C. Johnson ; treasurer, N. B. Gaylord ; justices, John C. Johnson, Peter Krall ; constables, C. A. J. Han- son, Hubert Mageras. 1878-Supervisors, Perry George, Stephen Redding. Olaus Johnson ; clerk, P. J. Hilden : assessor (appointed), George Labbitt; treasurer. N. B. Gaylord : justices, John C. Johnson, P. Krall; constables. C. A. J. Hanson, S. Mageras.

During the Civil War the town raised bounties to the amount

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of $3,500 by private subscription, and a larger part of the adult male population enlisted. The following list of those who enlisted from this town during the war is larger than the official list, owing to the fact that some of them, though living in Belvidere, enlisted from other places. The list: Hubert Eggleston, William S. Kinney, John Arden, James Arden, Michael Corcoran, T. Erick- son, John E. Olin, James N. Wood, Peter J. Lotty, F. Snidert, R. J. Daniels, Bent E. Olin. Benjamin Chase, B. R. Prinee. Walter Brown, William Parsons. John Alley, Cyrus Klingenschmidt, Ole Syverson, Timothy O'Regan, Timothy Houson, John Wayze, W. S. Williams, Svenom Hendrickson. A. C. Amundson. John Amundson. John C. Johnson, Jacob Wohlers, Peter J. Hilden, John Bomback. Fred Bomback, Joachim Holst. Jacob Holst, Claus IIolst. William Buckholst. N. B. Gaylord, George Gaylord, John Arden, Thomas Booth, Peter Swetchser. William Suchhaa, Fred- eriek Luchan. James T. Bowker. William Berley, Ole Nelson. John Nelson, Watson Devore, Frank Lane, Peter Wagoner, Nicolaus Lippert. R. Kolby. Andrew Baker. Ammond Larson and Samuel Church. Some of these died in the army, and others returned, to become prominent citizens of the township.

At one time there was a postoffice at Thoten. in this township.

BURNSIDE TOWNSHIP.

Burnside lies along the Mississippi river, with Red Wing on the east. Featherstone on the south and Welch on the west. It has undergone several changes of area since its organization ; all of its territory in range 16 having been set off as Grant flater Welch) in 1864. During the same year it was increased by the addition of sections 13 and 14. in township 113. range 15, pre- viously a part of Red Wing. The surface is much broken by hill and valley, and there is a wide belt of bottomland and terraced flats along the Cannon river and the Mississippi, some of which is timbered. One of the most beautiful landscapes in the county is visable from the high point in sections 16, 17 and 18. The tim- bered region in sections 7. 8. 17 and 18 is one uniform Hat sur- face of loam-covered drift. Burnside includes a large portion of an island. known as Prairie Island, on its northern border. The soil of the township, notwithstanding the irregular surface. is for the most part. rich. deep and fertile. Cannon river flows from west to east. and Spring creek through the southeastern part. both emptying into the Mississippi. Numerous springs of clear water gush forth from the base of the bluffs. affording abundant water for stoek and dairy purposes.

In the early days the town was known as Spring Creek, but Union was the name given by the committee which, in 1858. had

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charge of designating the townships. This, at the request of the state authorities, was changed to Milton. by reason of the fact that there was another Union in the state. The same objection was urged against the name of Milton, and in 1862 the name became Burnside, the name of the general who at that time was winning fame in the early campaigns of the Civil War.

In the fall of 1853 there came to this township a clergyman, who looked over the land and decided upon a suitable location for a claim. Authorities differ as to whether this clergyman was the Rev. David Wright or the Rev. Resin Spates. At any rate, the three brothers, John, Resin and Charles Spates, settled here the following summer, and during the same year Andrew Cottar, John Leason, Matthew Streetor, James Shaw, John Bronson, and with the widow of the Rev. David Wright and her family. In 1855 came John E. Eggleston, Joseph Eggleston, Willard Wood, Kingsley Wood, Rev. J. C. Johnson, Marshall Cutter, and prob- ably Leland Jones, Rev. Norris Hobart and several others. These settlers were seattered over the township, but in those early days were considered near neighbors.

The wife of David Bronson died in the spring of 1855. In July of the same year Flora Cutter (or Cora Cutler) was born, also John II. Spates. The first marriage ceremony performed was that of J. P. Enz to Mary F. Wright, in October, 1855. Another early marriage was that of William H. Wright and Mary Chamberlain, in 1859, the ceremony being performed by Justin Chamberlain, a justice of the peace. The first school in the town was taught by J. E. Eggleston, during the winter of 1756-57. The first sermon was preached by the Rev. Resin Spates at the house of John Leason, in 1854.

The Rev. Hancock relates an interesting incident of the carly days : "The widow of Rev. David Wright, with six children, had removed from Illinois and settled on the place that, previous to his death, her husband had selected on Spring creek, near where John Leason dlocated his claim. They occupied a log house which was divided into suitable rooms for sleeping and family use; the four boys sleeping in the two rooms of the upper floor, while the two girls and the mother occupied the lower floor. They were comfortably arranged for the night of June 11. 1855. when a storm of lightning and rain came on with such terrifie peals of thunder as to awaken the family. One of the older boys was so much frightened that he left the bed and went downstairs. While he was being told that there was no more danger in one place than another by his sister, Susan, a sudden crash came, which frightened everyone in the house. Mrs. Wright, the mother, was the first to regain consciousness. She saw the flames devouring the bed where lay her two daughters, still unconseious. Pres-

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ently the water came down through the floor above in such profusion as to quench the fire. Soon one of the boys came down- stairs drenched with rain, bringing in his arms the youngest boy, Wilson, dead. The same stroke of lightning had killed one of the girls, who were in the bed on the lower floor, immediately under that of the boys' in the chamber. The boys in time had become conscious, and these three-William, Beverly and James-with their mother, laid the boy, Wilson, by the side of his two sisters, Mary and Susan, and began chafing them, in order to restore them, if possible, to consciousness: After some time, Mary, who later became Mrs. Enz, of Red Wing, was restored to health, but Wilson, aged six years, and Susan, a young lady of twenty-one years, had been instantly summoned to the world above during that terrible storm."

In the month of June, 1856, a terrific storm of wind passed over the town, doing great damage to the growing crops and destroying buildings. One or two lives were lost. Matthew Streetor was at Justin Chamberlain's when the storm came up. Mrs. Chamberlain, seeing the storm approaching, ran to the cellar, and called to Streetor to follow her, but being old and feeble, he failed to reach safety. and was taken up with the house, being so badly injured that he died a day or two after. The same storm overtook Sheriff Chandler, who was on his way home with his horse and carriage. but seeing its approach, he sprang from the carriage and threw himself flat on the ground, and the storm passed over without doing him injury. After the tornado had passed Mr. Chandler looked for his horse, but could not find him. However, after diligent search in the direction the storm had taken, the horse and carriage was found about a mile from where he left them, lodged among the tops of some small trees.

A flouring mill was built in the south part of the town, on Spring creek, by Stearns & Ilobart. in the year 1856. This mill was carried away by a freshet in June, the following year. It was rebuilt soon after by the Hon. W. W. Phelps. with three run of stone and a capacity for grinding 65,000 bushels annually. Mr. Phelps operated this mill with success for a time, and after- ward sold it to William Featherstone, who in turn sold it to M. Herschler.

An early history says: "The first Methodist service held in the township was by the Rev. G. W. T. Wright, at the house of his mother, Mrs. Amelia Wright, in May, 1855. The persons that formed the elass at that time were Resin Spates, Margaret Spates, Justin Chamberlain, Maria Chamberlain, John Leason, Mary Leason, Amelia Wright, Mary F. Wright, James A. Wright, William H. Wright. Beverly M. Wright, Samuel F. Hardy and Mary Hardy."

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At the first election, held in 1858, there were fifteen voters : John Thomas, Justin Chamberlain, J. G. Johnson, John Leason, B. H. Munroe, S. B. Harding, W. S. Grow, John Sterns, M. Streetor, Charles Spates, A. O. Moore, J. Eggleston, Thomas Leason, William Thompson, Seth Barber and John Quinnell: Among the early supervisors were W. S. Grow, Timothy Jewett, Leland Jones (four terms), J. G. Johnson, A. Coons, R. HI. Knox, Q. Bunch (two terms), L. Jones. Among the early town clerks were J. G. Johnson, Leland Jones, Norris Hobart, S. Barber, T. J. Leason (two terms), Leland Jones (two terms), William H. Ben- nett, Leland Jones, John Leason, J. G. Johnson.

The contribution of Burnside, including what is now Welch, to the Civil War was as follows: Joseph S. Abels, William Brown, Lewis Cannon, Harlan P. Eggleston, Ira Eggleston, John S. Hobart, Robert W. Leason, James A. Leason, Thomas J. Leason. John P. Leason, Charles B. Noble, Lewis Quinnell, Thomas Quinnell, John . Richards, James Shaw, Ira Tillotson, James A. Wright, William H. Wright, John Williams, Edward Coller, Nathaniel Brown, Augustus C. Baker. Dennis O'Loughlin and Orrin A. Phelps.

To Rev. J. C. JJohnson is accredited the following narrative : "I built a claim house, 16 x 20, in the town now ealled Burnside, commencing it in January, 1855, and moving into it in the follow- ing August. I found out that naked nature needed more clothing than a newborn child-first a hen-roost, then a pigsty, a stable, stock-yard, corn-yard. a forty-acre pasture, one hundred acres encircled with a wooden fence, breaking costing five dollars per acre ; school houses to be built, cemeteries laid out and enclosed, bridges everywhere to be built, highways surveyed and worked. The winter of 1855-56 was a rough one. As a member of the Minnesota Methodist Episcopal conference, I was trying to sup- ply the work of preaching at a point five miles above Hastings in the forenoon, at Hastings at 2 P. M., and at Ravenna, seven miles below, at 'candle light.' Late in the fall, one of the darkest and most stormy nights known to men, overtook me on the open prairie below Hastings. The only way to find the path and keep it was to feel it out with the feet. After a while a distant light appeared in view, and, thoroughly drenched, I soon found shelter in a small house occupied by two families. But the poor pony had no shelter and scant food.

"One Monday morning of that winter, in trying to get home from my appointment, a blizzard commeneed raging. Scarcely any travel on the road except one stage through. About forty degrees below zero of cold came on. The wife and two little children at home alone, neighbors few and far between. stern Necessity says, 'You must get home,' but that open. bleak prairie

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in the town of Welch, then unoccupied, was a precarious place for night to close in upon a wayfaring man with a dubious track to follow. Yet, at about 9 o'clock in the evening. we were all made unusually glad that the storm had been weathered and the harbor safely reached.

"In the summer of 1856 I raised two acres of wheat. Thirty miles away, at Northfield, there was a mill. With a one-horse load I reached it at sundown. to find the mill full of grists and the water too low to run on full time. The only chance was to exchange a few bushels of my wheat for flour, receiving thirty pounds for each bushel. The rest of my grist I brought back as far as Cannon Falls and left to be ground without bolting. Winter soon came on, and no roads opened on my route hither. I found my wheat, which was left there, the next spring, musty. My next milling was done at Kinnickinnie, eight miles beyond Prescott. Wis .. a four days' journey, going around through C'annon Falls and Hastings.

"The early settlers wanted church privileges. A meeting was held at the house of Mr. Moore, near Cannon river bridge, at Burnside. Moore had an awful poor house. He had also the inflammatory rheumatism. He lay flat on his back on the loose boards of the only floor except bare ground. The people had brought all their young dogs to the meeting. In the midst of the services the dogs became unseemly unceremonious. Moore evi- dently felt his responsibility for better order, and, rising with difficulty, in apparent wrath, he took his own dog by the neck, dragged him to the door, and. with a toss and a kick, sent him yelping out. At that all the dogs rushed out in sympathy, and the man took his lowly place again. All reverence and devotion fled. and appointment was not renewed at that place.

"We had frequent visits from the Sioux Indians, who often killed deer in the neighborhood. On one occasion three of these animals were shot by an Indian without moving from his secluded position. This occurred near where T. J. Bryan's house now stands. Our women, although alone generally through the day, were not disturbed in those early days by the visits of the redmen."

The poorfarm, an institution of which the county has reason 10 be proud, is located in this township, under the charge of a superintendent appointed by the county commissioners. The farm is about three miles from Red Wing on the road to Hastings, and contains 183 acres of land. The buildings were erected in 1867 at a cost of about $6.000. The furnace. heating system and furniture cost about $4,000. The main building was accidentally destroyed by fire in the fall of 1889, and soon after rebuilt. At this farm the worthy poor of the county, mostly the very aged

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and a few young children, are given shelter and food, care and attention, as wards of the county.

On Prairie Island there are located a number of Indians. They have a small church of the Episcopal denomination, and have, in a measure, learned the arts of civilization.

Eggleston. a small village, is located on the edge of this town- ship.

CHERRY GROVE.

Cherry Grove is one of the southern tier of townships in the county. It is bounded on the north by Wanamingo, on the west by Kenyon, on the south by Dodge county, and on the east by Roscoe. One complete government township, No. 109, range 17, constitutes its area, which has remained unchanged since the township act of 1858. Its surface is that of a high prairie, with low, broad, undulations of surface. The drainage is toward the north and south, from the elevated central portion. A branch of the Zumbro winds through the southern portion of the township, and along its valley are some wooded portions. although for the most part the township is under cultivation. The soil is excellent for agricultural purposes, and a specialty is made of dairy farm- ing in that vicinity, the residents being a progressive set of peo- ple, who have adopted all the latest methods in agricultural operations.

. The territory comprised in the township remained practically an unbroken wilderness until 1854, when, in the spring of that year, Madison Brown located a claim on section 31. In the fall of the following year, however, he sold his claim to Silas Mer- riman, and went to Jowa. Of his subsequent career nothing is to be learned, although it is supposed that he was killed in the Civil War. In the fall of 1854, Reading and Benjamin Woodward selected claims adjoining that of Brown. Benjamin soon after went to Iowa, where he died, while Reading remained as a perma- nent settler. In the following year came Silas Merriman, already mentioned, Samuel and William Shields, Joseph Seymour. Wilson Kelsey. Thomas Haggard, and John and Charles Lent. In the spring following came E. G. Comstoek, Israel T. and Taft Com- stock. Samuel Winston, John Nichols, J. A. Ray and others. It will be noted that the majority of the settlers were eastern people, and a number of their descendants still maintain the New England and New York traditions of their ancestors. These settlers, in the earliest days, were made the subject of consider- able annoyance. Marauding bands of ruffians created acute apprehension. and the choicest claims were constantly being jumped. In the winter of 1855-56 a claim meeting was ealled and an organization effected for the protection of the settlers.

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T. B. Haggard was appointed captain. This force was soon after called together to protect the settlers, which they did so effect- ively that thereafter the residents were allowed to pursue their various callings in peace. The setlement in the northern part of the township was started in 1856, when Darius Johnson made a claim on section 6. He was followed by Payington Root, and soon after by many others, mostly pioneers from Norway.

In 1857 a village was platted in the southern part of the town and called Fairpoint. The proprietors were Thomas Haggard and a man named Beckwith. In 1863 several buildings were erected in this village. A postoffice was established there in 1858. Silas Merriam was the postmaster. Owing to the small amount of mail received, this office was discontinued in 1861. Some years later it was re-established and Herman Eastman named as postmaster. In 1867 Herman Eastman and E. B. Jewitt opened a store in the village, and a year later David Haggard was appointed postmaster.

A log cabin schoolhouse was built in 1857, at the edge of a cherry grove in the central part of the township, and the first school session was taught by E. G. Comstock that winter. In 1861 a stone schoolhouse was erected on the site of this old log structure. The first church organization was effected in 1856, when the Christian Disciples met at the home of James Haggard and listened to a sermon by David Haggard. The first service by a regularly ordained clergyman was by the Rev. J. M. Gates at his own residence in the spring of 1857. The first marriage in the township was between Elizabeth, daughter of T. B. Hag- gard, and John Hart, in August, 1857. The first death was that of Fliza Jane. daughter of T. B. Haggard, December 16, 1857. The first town meeting was held May 11, 1858, at which time officers were elected as follows: Supervisors, Benjamin Wood- ward (chairman), Cyrus H. Burt and David Simpson ; town clerk, E. G. Comstock; assessor, Francis A. Crebb ; constables, James Haggard and Peter Stagle; justices of the peace, John Haggard and F. A. Crebb ; road overseers, Israel T. Comstock and Reading Woodward. James Haggard was appointed collector in May, 1858. There being a tie vote, no supervisor of the poor was elected.

The official list of the men who enlisted from this township during the Civil War is as follows: F. H. Bullock, William Catlin, Jr., Ryal Catlin, Alva K. Eastman, Edward Hudson, Jesse T. Hamlin, Rufus Hart, Me. D. Willoughby, Orville Ames. Dan- forth W. Cook. Theodorick Drum, William Forsyth, Thomas E. Gillett, Thomas B. Haggard. George Hanlden, Simeon Steemer, Uriah Hopkins. Francis E. Presley, Jonathan Dibble, Alvin Davis. Abram Doner. Hans Jordt. Ferris Johnson, Charles C. Lent,

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Henry Nesson, Henry O'Kane, Hiram E. Perkins, William Perkins, Herman A. Perkins, Leander Root, Captain A. N. See, Daniel C. Smith, Clymen Sherwood, Terence Thompson, Terence Thompson 2nd, Lyman T. Ward, William F. Ward, John Wood- bury, B. C. Wait, James Haggard, James Holloran, Hiram Leach, Washington Roster, Frederick Robohm, G. H. Mayheigh, Benton Merse, James Seurry, Isaac Wilmer, Martin Whalton, Henry Kuhns, Christ Phillips, Peter L. Slagle, Charles D. Ward, Her- bert Drake, John Lloyd, Charles Lloyd, Davis Johnson, Alexander McKinley, Lyman Sackett, Stephen Van Gilder, William William- son, Card Burfrind, A. C. Bennett, Nelson Gaylord, Charles Hick- man, George Johnson, Gottlieb Persig, Orville Rogers, James E. Smith, A. D. Thayer, Thomas Thompson, Frederick Walters, Frank Yager.

Cherry Grove has four large and commodious churches-one Catholic, one German Lutheran and one Norwegian Lutheran. There have been postoffices at Ayr. Fairpoint and Spring Creek.

CENTRAL POINT.

Central Point, the most easterly as well as the smallest of Goodhue county townships, lies in a bend in Lake Pepin directly above Lake City. It contains one complete section and several fractional ones and is bounded on the north and east by the lake, south by Lake City in Wabasha county, and west by Florence. Its surface is broken. An isolated bluff rises in the eastern part, and its peculiar shape has won the name of Sugar Loaf. A point of land extending some distance into the lake about midway between the head and foot of same gives the town its name.

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History of Goodhue County, Minnesota, Part 17

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago, H.C. Cooper Number of Pages: 1264

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago, H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1264