History of Goodhue County, Minnesota, Part 29

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

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location, Smith, with his rude enthusiasm, told them that he had just the spot for them; that the place where they now were was the promised land. He expatiated upon the fact that the center of the valley was just the place for a town; that there was an abundance of vacant land all around; pointed out the further fact that that particular point was the natural center of travel from St. Paul to Dubuque, Wabasha to Faribault, and Red Wing to Mantorville, and other points to the southwest which made Red Wing their shipping point. But our travelers were too

weary and discouraged to listen to Smith's suggestions and propo- sitions. Samuel Chaffee, one of the three, an elderly man, was not only weary but sick. It was with difficulty that he could travel at all. He reached Red Wing the next day and died a few days after. As the trio ascended the northern slope of the val- ley Mr. Chaffee, in his weak condition, sat down to rest. Turn- ing his eyes toward the river, as the sun was casting its last rays upon the landscape, the view that met his gaze was one of un- equalled beauty. So impressed was he that he called out to his associates to stop and look at the landscape as he was doing. At first they chided him for delaying their progress, but at his solicitation they returned to his side. He exclaimed to them, 'Ilow beautiful! Why is not that the spot we have been looking for?' Ilis companions became interested also. As the shadows of evening began to fall the three men arose with a profound conviction that the beautiful valley before them was their Canaan. It continued to be the theme of their conversation while picking their way along the faint wagon tracks on the prairie, and at their lodging place. During the next day. with more hope than they had felt before. they made their way to Red Wing-Goddard and Bailey weak and footsore, Chaffee sick unto death. At Red Wing they found several of their associates awaiting them. They reported what they had found in the val- ley of the Zumbro. It was resolved by all of them that the place should be visited the next day. The other members of the party were Josiah Thompson. T. P. Kellett, Albert Barrett and Dr. Fra Perry. On the following morning, leaving Goddard to take care of his sick companion, Chaffee, the others chartered a conveyance and repaired to the valley of promise. It was afternoon when they came in sight of it. The whole party were in eestasies over the view that met their eyes, and all with one accord exclaimed that it was the place for which they had been seeking for so long.

"They were soon in conference with Smith and Doty. The 100 acres preempted by Doty was negotiated for at a low price. each retaining an interest with the company. which was denomi-

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nated the Strafford Western Emigration Company. Smith, who knew every acre of land in the valley, pointed out to them the claims, very few of which had as yet been taken. Three or four pioneers had settled in the valley besides Smith and Doty, but they were soon bought out. Each of those present selected a claim for himself and one or two of his friends, who in some cases were real and in others imaginary. The land office was at Winona. where all those who had selected claims repaired and made the necessary filing. On their return the party fell in with several persons who were seeking places in the West where they could settle, among them JJ. A. Thacher, a civil engineer and surveyor. He was induced to go along with the company. Mean- time they had found a surveyor by the name of Beckwith, whom they had engaged to survey their townsite. Upon the return of the party from Winona, the townsite was surveyed and platted under the auspices of Messrs. Beckwith and Thacher. The shape of the original townsite was unique. It extended from the Zum- bro river, one mile in length and about seventy rods in width. It is a matter of tradition that the reason for laying out the town in this shape was that the town would eventually grow to large dimensions and would extend across the river. The townsite was bounded on its west for its whole length by a school section which was not then available. The 160 acres east of the surveyed townsite was claimed by S. P. Gambia. of Red Wing, who had be- come a member of the company and who had promised. so far as he dared to do before getting the title to his land, that he would turn it in to the company and have it laid out in lots. One of the members had purchased of a settler a quarter-section, north of the school section, which some of the party alleged was to be turned in to the company and become a part of the extensive townsite, while Joseph Bailey and Tra Perry, getting possession of the adjacent land across the river, were to turn in that, in due course of time, to the company for a further addition to the townsite. Alas. for human expectations! The north quarter of the original strip of land laid out for a townsite was all and more than was needed for town purposes for many years after the events here narrated.

"Smith and Doty's shanty soon became a hotel. Travel had set in over the new road and many wayfarers were glad to avail themselves of the hospitality of the hostelry. Most of the mem- bers of the company lodged in the board shanty across the river, but took their meals at Smith's. Smith's hotel for several months was the center of interest and influence in the embryo city. A description of it may not be uninteresting : In dimensions it was 12 by 18 feet on the ground, and 12 feet to the eaves. It was

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built of poplar logs about 8 and 10 inches in diameter, roughly hewn on the inside and outside. The interstices between the logs were filled with clay, according to the most primitive archi- tecture. The floor for the upper story was about eight feet from the lower Hoor, and both floors were rough boards. The upper story was used exclusively as a sleeping room. There was a small window in the east gable. In this attie there were as many beds as could be placed, some on rude bedsteads and some on the floor. These beds were made of prairie hay, and the bed clothes were mainly cheap blankets. There were also two beds in the lower room, standing end to end. During the autumn the cooking and much of the housework was done in a lean-to shed at one end of the cabin. Soon after the location of the company, new arrivals were frequent. until Smith's hotel was filled to overflowing. The table fare was abundant, if not always palat- able. But in those days appetites were good and the food was eagerly disposed of. The fare consisted mainly of bread made from wheat flour, mixed with the fry of pork and baked in large iron pans; salt pork, occasionally boiled : fresh beef or venison. which sometimes was allowed to remain out in the sun until it became slippery before it was cooked. Vegetables were rare; butter likewise. and when furnished was, in strength, about five horse power. Molasses was a staple article. Coffee, or a decoc- tion which went by that name, was an ever-present beverage. Those who lodged at Dr. Perry's shanty over the river had com- fortable beds and pure air. at least. All was activity and stir. Everyone was eager to secure a claim and get his shanty up before winter. Soon all the travel from Red Wing to the south- ward passed through the new settlement. The amount of team- ing increased daily, and in a few weeks the new road became a busy thoroughfare. Trouble about this time arose over the claims which settlers had selected for friends, as they pretended. One of the settlers saved a claim near his own ostensibly for a friend, and then sold it for $350. This caused all kinds of trouble. Smith was indignant, as, in his interest for the settlers, he had given up the chance of making many a fat fee for locating casual settlers. The matter was finally adjusted to the satisfaction of Smith and of the company; but soon outside parties learned of these claims. held for so-called but largely imaginary friends. and began to settle on them, as was their legal right to do, and soon no claims were held except such as had been filed on ae- cording to law.

"The question of naming the new town was the cause of no little diseussion. Zumbrota was finally decided upon. The orig- inal members of the company were not men of practical ex-

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perience and broad views in the matter of town building. The trustees, especially, were very narrow and short-sighted. They placed an extravagant price upon their town lots and were not liberal enough to devote any for much desired and needed im- provements. One of the most important needs of the new town was a hotel. Ezra Wilder came over from Oronoco to build one. The trustees gave him no attention and were unwilling to make any concessions to him. Doty finally sold him two lots at a reasonable price in an undesirable location. He proceeded to erect a building for a hotel late in the fall, which he was not able to make comfortable till midwinter. although it was actually occupied at the beginning of the winter. The frame of the build- ing was put up and it was sided and the roof shingled by De- cember 1. The weather was extremely cold and a considerable depth of snow was on the ground. Into this he moved his wife and several children. Smith's cabin was full to overflowing. Another family besides Smith's occupied the lower floor, while the attic was filled with lodgers. Wilder laid a loose Hoor in the second story of his building over the cook stove, and hung up sheets to keep the snow out. Upon this Hoor a bed. filled with prairie hay. was laid and two men lodged there for some weeks, with the mercury outside at 30 below zero, and but a trifle above that indoors where they slept. Wilder's family consisted of his wife and two daughters. How these women endured the rigors of that terrible winter in the half finished building has ever been a mystery. So cold was it that, within four feet of the cook stove where these women cooked. water would freeze in the men's beards while washing. A few families came on in the fall. but they suffered many hardships and deprivations, which can scarcely be realized at this day. There were many cases of sick- ness and much discouragement. Dr. Perry's wife was sick all winter and nearly insane. Others were similarly affected. One poor fellow was taken down with typhoid fever at Smith's; the. house was full of boarders: he soon died from want of care-it could not be given him. All travel soon ceased. Occasionally someone would go to Red Wing for the mail and needed supplies. T. P. Kellet had opened a store with a small stock of goods. No postoffice was established until the following spring. Locomo- tion on the prairies was made on snow shoes. Those remote from timber found it difficult to keep warm during the winter Snow fell about November 20 and remained on the ground until May of the following spring. Notwithstanding the setting in of winter, all parties were eagerly planning to advance the interests of the new town. It was determined to change the route of the

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St. Paul and Dubuque stage through Zumbrota, and to open a road from Wabasha, on the Mississippi river, to Faribault.

"The few members of the company remaining all the winter in Zumbrota were busy planning for the opening of spring, when large accessions of settlers were expected, and the parties who had gone east were expected to return with their families. The first important end to gain was to open the St. Paul and Dubuque stage road through Zumbrota. The stage company had promised to make the change if a passable road could be made. To open this road it became necessary to break a new track from Lee's, four miles southeast of Zumbrota. to Hader. eight miles to the northwest. All the inhabitants in the settlement and along the proposed new route turned out on an appointed day, with shovels and axes, to cut down the brush and break through the snow crust, and a few yoke of oxen to tread the snow crust into some semblance of a road. After several days of hard work the road was declared passable and. to the unspeakable delight of all, the stage for the first time made the trip through the incipient town. This was a great event. The next move was to secure a post office. This was eventually done and T. P. Kellett appointed post- master. The next important enterprise inaugurated was a bridge over the Zumbro at the foot of Main street. This bridge con- sisted of stringers of oak laid from bank to bank, upon which were laid for a floor poplar poles, hewed flat on the upper and lower sides. This primitive bridge was the only one for several years. After the middle of March old settlers began to return and new ones started to come in. The ice did not break up on Lake Pepin until May 1. so that many of the families of the settlers were obliged to remain at the foot of the lake for days and weeks. There was a rush of people to Zumbrota in the spring. Many found claims on the prairie, a few settled in town. A large number. finding no chance of employment and no build- ing material at hand, left for other parts. Those who remained exerted themselves to the utmost to boom the new town. A flour- ing mill was built, other enterprises inaugurated, high hopes were entertained and the prospects bore a roseate hue. The financial panie of 1857 blasted the hopes of the settlers, and it was many years before the town regained its prosperity and courage."

The first town meeting in Zumbrota, including what is now the township of Minneola. was held July 5, 1858, in the public hall over T. P. Kellett's store. in the village of Zumbrota. The officers elected at this meeting were: Supervisors. I. C. Stearns (chairman), T. D. Rowell and George Sanderson: clerk. Charles Jewett; assessor. James Cram; collector, C. S. Spendly; over- seer of the poor, Albert Barrett: justices, Albert G. Hawkes and

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Charles Ward ; constables, C. S. Spendly and Henry Shedd. The supervisors since the organization of the township have been : 1858. I. C. Stearns ; 1859-60-61, J. A. Thacher; 1862, T. P. Kellett ; 1863. J. A. Thacher : 1864-65-66, H. Blanchard; 1867-68-69-70-71. J. A. Thacher; 1872-73-74-75-76, S. B. Barteau; 1877-78, S. C. Holland; 1879-80-81. W. B. Diekey; 1882-83, S. S. Dam; 1884, S. B. Barteau; 1885-86-87, Ed Woodbury: 1888. Freeman Pearson (died in office) ; 1889. W. B. Diekey; 1890-91, Bond Olson ; 1892- 93-94, E. A. Bigelow ; 1895-96. Bond Olson ; 1897-98-99. T. J. Mar- tin ; 1900. L. E. Cook (removed during office ) : 1901-02-03-04-05-06. Charles A. Nelson; 1907-08-09. M. G. Morgan. The clerks have been : 1858-59, Charles Jewett; 1859-60, I. C. Stearns (appointed July 1. 1859) : 1861, A. W. Williamson; 1862. 1. C. Stearns; 1863 to 1870. Charles Ward : 1871-72, M. Il. Thorson : 1873, O. H. Par- ker; 1874-75-76-77, Charles Ward: 1878 to 1883, D. B. Scofield ; 1884, John English; 1885 to 1891, Charles Ward. Since that date Charles A. Ward has served contimonsly as clerk, with the ex- eeption of a small part of the year 1895, when HI. Runnells served.

Those who enlisted from here, who are still remembered by the old settlers. were: James L. Batty. William A. Bickford. Nathan Buckingham, William E. Barnes, Joseph Bonney, Ed- ward E. Davis, William Dowling. II. K. Eggleston, Sanford C. Holland. F. C. Ilill. Orrin (. Leonard. J. H. Miner, Leonard B. Morris. John A. Merrill. William McDonough, Lieut. Bond Ol- son, Hiraman B. Patterson, George Reeves, James Reeves, Will- iam Reeves, Benjamin J. Smith, Thomas Edwards, Francis Wyman and Daniel D. Michaels. Others who were credited to this village but who are not now remembered are: Goswin Dumers. Christian Ewen, Oswald Ewen, Michael Honan, John Howes, George W. Knowlton, David C. Grow, Thomas Foster. James H. Giles, Cabel Plant, George K. Clark, Patrick McCarty. William J. Weston, Josiah Whitford, Amund Amundson, Chaun- rey Pugher. Peter J. Hilden. Edward Lauderdale and Charles Root. In explanation of these latter names, practically none of whom are connected with this village, it is said that Joseph Thacher, then state senator and deputy provost marshal at the recruiting station in St. Paul, persuaded a number of recruits to give Zumbrota as their residence, thus filling the township quota, even though the recruits had never resided in this locality.

William F. Bevers is one of the well known men of the county. having in succession been a prominent citizen of Welch, Red Wing and Zumbrota. Ile was born in Jacksonville. Ill., March 31, 1845, son of Benjamin and Jane (Hall) Bevers, natives of old Yorkshire, England. After leaving their home land, their first location was in Illinois, where they farmed on the fertile prairie

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lands of that state from sometime in the early forties until the spring of 1855. They then came up the river to Red Wing. bringing with them their son, William F. The father, after landing here, May 10, 1855, secured employment in the stone quarries, in the meantime looking about for a suitable farm loca- tion. The valleys of Welch, which were not settled as soon as the other townships, attracted his attention, and in 1857 he took his family there and staked out a claim on section 10, where he broke 280 aeres, built a home and carried on general farming on a large scale. Later he rented his farm, and purchasing ten acres of land near Red Wing. lived a life of comparative retirement until his death in 1877. The mother died in Novem- ber, 1855. William F., brought up on a farm, received his educa- tion in the public schools and at Hamline University, at that time located in Red Wing. Ile then continued farming with his parents until reaching his majority, at which time he purchased 120 acres on section 10, Welch township. Of this tract Mr. Bevers broke every foot, and carried on general farming with much success until 1881, when he moved to Red Wing and asso- ciated himself with the HI. S. Rich & Co. hardware concern, for whom he handled farm implements and machinery. After five years of residence in Red Wing, he came to Zumbrota and acted as general manager of the branch store which the Rich company established here. So greatly did his accommodating spirit and honest dealings commend themselves to the people of the village and township, that after nine years with the Zumbrota branch of the Rich company, his friends persuaded him to make a venture on his own account. This he did, succeeding the company of which he had for so many years been the general manager. The firm was continued until 1908 under the firm name of W. F. Bevers & Son. A branch under the same title has been established at Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, with the son, William A., as general manager. Mr. Bevers has now practically retired from active business life, still retaining his extensive interests in the Red Wing Manufacturing Company, the Red Wing Union Stone- ware Company. the First State Bank of Zumbrota and the Secur- ity Bank of Zumbrota. His political career. which has been both distinguished and honorable, includes two years as president of the village council of Zumbrota, three years as an alderman in Red Wing, and four years as president of the Zumbrota board of education. For two years he was second lieutenant 10th Regi- ment. State Militia. William F. Bevers was married February 23. 1872, at Lake City, Minn., to Sarah Linn, daughter of John and Catherine Linn, natives of Ohio and early settlers of Welch. They afterward removed to Marshall, Minn .. and finally went

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east to Maryland, where they both died. To Mr. and Mrs. Bevers were born two children. William A., born December 4, 1874, married Luella Grover. Mary E., born October 9, 1879, is the wife of Roy Sigmond, of Zumbrota. Mr. Bevers is a Republican in politics and a communicant of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Bevers died in the summer of 1909, and her death was a severe blow to her family and friends.

CHAPTER XVII.

COUNTY SCHOOLS.

First School Taught-First District Organized-Anecdotes of the Early Days-Statistics-Summer Schools-Library Asso- ciation-High Schools-Church Schools-City Superinten- dents-County Superintendents-Sunday School Work- Hamline University-Red Wing Seminary-Villa Marie- Lutheran Ladies' Seminary-Orphans' Home-State Train- ing School-Business Colleges-By Prof. Julius Boraas.

The first settlers of Goodhue county had a strong faith in the value of an education. Those who came from the New England states brought with them the noble ideals of early New England traditions, according to which the first things a community thought of as a community was its school and its church. The immigrants who came directly from Europe came from countries in which education was valued highly and schools well developed. It was natural, therefore, that as soon as a settlement was made anywhere in the county some provision would be made for a school. Even before any public schools could be organized private schools were taught, the first one of which any record is known being held in one of the old Indian mission houses in Red Wing during the year of 1853 and taught by Mrs. H. L. Bevans.

The first school district organized was District No. 1 at Red Wing. in 1854. Then followed in the order of townships the organization of districts in Wacouta, Burnside, Welch, Stanton, Cannon Falls, Vasa, Featherstone, Hay Creek, Florence, Central Point, Belvidere, Goodhue. Belle Creek, Leon, Warsaw, Holden, Wanamingo, Minneola, Zumbrota, Cherry Grove, Pine Island, Roscoe, and Kenyon.

It was natural that the conditions of the schools during the first years of pioneer life should be rather primitive. Schools were sometimes kept in private buildings. One is mentioned as being kept in a "lean to," a sort of summer kitchen; another was kept in the attic of a small log cabin where the rafters were so low that the superintendent had to beware of bumping his head when visiting the school. One school was kept in a large

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barn in the basement of which were the stables for horses and cattle. Benches without backs were the only seats, and the door had to be kept open to afford light. Shooing chickens and ducks and pigs was part of the program. Quite commonly the schools were kept in log cabins which had been used while pre-empting some claim. One of these cabins is described as follows: "The house stood alone on the prairie, which was somewhat rolling. and entirely out of sight of any neighboring house. There was a large square opening. left for a window, on one side. About the middle of the roof there was a smaller opening, which had been used to accommodate a stove pipe. These were used to let in the light. There was also a door at one corner of the building, where light would come in when the weather was pleasant. The door itself had neither hinges nor fastenings. The young lady teacher had plenty of exercise in removing and replacing the door in windy weather. She said in answer to some inquiries of the superintendent that she was obliged to place a large prop against the door oftentimes to keep out the wind, and in case of a hard shower, "we huddle together in the dryest corner."

In 1864 there were nominally one hundred districts in the county, but only eighty-seven of these were organized. There were fifty-six school houses owned by districts ; thirty-four frame and twenty-two log buildings. According to the superintendent's report only six were really good buildings. Home-made seats and desks were the order, and many schools were without black- boards, maps, or globes. There were at this time only two dis- triets which employed more than one teacher. They were Red Wing, employing five, and Cannon Falls, two. The total enrollment was 2.450.

During the year of 1864-65 there were in the county 101 teachers, of whom twenty-five were men and seventy-six women. Three held first grade certificates : fifty-seven. second grade; and forty-one, third grade. M. P. Ilubbel was the first man and Mrs. Julia B. Nelson, then Julia Bullard, the first woman to receive a first grade certificate.

The earliest statistical report of the county superintendent kept on file is from the year 1883. At that time there were four special or independent districts and 143 rural schools, of which five were joint distriets with their school houses in the adjoining counties. The total enrollment was 7.494. During the year seven districts had three months of school; fifteen had four months; twenty-four, five months ; thirty-two, six months ; forty-five, seven months; eleven, eight months; two, nine months; and one, ten months. Many of the schools were very large. Thus District No. 24 shows an enrollment of ninety-one: District 54. seventy-

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nine: District 56, seventy-nine; District 63, seventy-five; and District 121, 128.

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History of Goodhue County, Minnesota, Part 29

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