History of Houston County, Including Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 63

Author: Edward D. Neill
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 547

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The virgin soil used to produce thirty-one bush- els of wheat to the acre, as one man says, he raised 500 bushels on sixteen acres, which he sold for twenty cents a bushel in the stack.

The first threshing machine used by the early comers, was a double affair, composed of two pieces, with an eel-skin attachment between them. It was a one man power, and many of the present generation have never seen one like it; it was called a flail.

The earliest settlers had some trepidation as to the Indians, and unusual noises at night would create some alarm. Occasionally a belated traveler would lose the trail, and his shouting to attract at- tentio 1 would be taken as the distant reverberations of the sanguinary war whoop.

The first comers supposed as a matter of course, that water could be procured at reasonable depths, but it was soon found that a successful well with ordinary digging, was far from being the rule, and building cisterns and making artificial ponds was resorted to for a water supply. On one occasion some new comers borrowed Wm. F. Dunbar's ox team, to haul some water from the creek, just at dark, and, on attempting to return, the party got lost, and Mr. Dunbar started to find them. After venturing as far away as he dared without being lost himself, he succeeded, by vigorous shouting, in making them hear, but it was ten o'clock when they got back.

In the fall of 1854, more of the recruits from New England arrived, and were assisted to make themselves comfortable for the winter. The for- eign element began to appear in 1856. The Irish were the first, then came the Norwegians, and lastly the Germans.

It must be remembered that the land was not in the market until 1854, when the first land sale was held in Brownsville. All the settlers were at that time squatters, and realizing their sovereignty, a mutual protective associatiou was organized, and a manager appointed to look after the interests of members, whose duty it was to attend the land sale, and when any section, or fraction therof, was put up, to announce that "that property is occupied and has been improved by Mr. so and so, and he will in due time file his claim and attend to the payment for the same."

This was long before the passage, or rather the enactment of the homestead law, which was vetoed several times in the interest of monopoly before it

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HISTORY OF HOUSTON COUNTY.

finally became operative. The laws were then in the interest of speculators. A man might break up and improve a quarter section, build a dwell- ing, barns, and fences, and there was nothing in the law to prevent any one from attending the land sale, or going to the land office and buying it in; and the settlers, to preserve their rights, which in equity they had, banded themselves together, and the penalty for an infraction of their simple rules was, that the offender should be crowded into the Mississippi River. The horde of cormorants who came with the words "let us prey," in every linea- ment of their features, very judiciously waited for a more favorable opportunity.

This part of the county was surveyed in 1853-54, and as soon as this was done, each settler, learning the description of his land, and adjusting his boundaries, would file his claim, get a certificate, and in due time have a patent signed by the President of the United States.

The first winter here, Mr. W. F. Dunbar had a yoke of oxen, and let them out to the neighbors to do hauling for their keeping.

Mr. J. J. Belden, who has always been a promi- nent citizen, came with his family from Connecti- cut, arriving at Brownsville on the 10th of April, 1854, on the steamer War Eagle, it being the first trip up that spring, from Galena, near where they met the steamer Greek Slave, going down. There were eighty persons got off the boat at Brownsville, or Wild Cat Bluff, as the steamboat Captains called it, to locate in various places. There were then about three log cabins there. The party for Caledonia moved in that direction in a procession headed by two ox-teams. Mr. Belden located on section twenty-four and still lives there: the original log-cabin yet remains as a si- lent reminder of those early struggles to plant a home in the wilds of Minnesota.

Hugh Brown located on section eleven in 1853. He was a native of Scotland.

Daniel Kerr came in 1854, and took a claim on section three. He was originally from Scotland, and had a family of ten children, eight of whom are still living.

Patrick Jennings came to Caledonia in 1856.

Henry M. Rollins came to Caledonia in 1855, from New Hampshire.

John Burns, a native of Ireland, located on sec- tion twenty-two, in 1854, and raised a family of nine children.

Robert Lewis moved here in 1855. He still has the team of horses, twenty-three and twenty-four years of age, respectively, that took himself and family away at the time of the Indian panic in 1862.

At a "candy pull," alluded to elsewhere, there were present: Mr. and Mrs. McPhail, at whose house the sociable took place, Mr. and Mrs. James Hiner, Mr. and Mrs. J. Dunbar, Anthony Huyck, Peter Swartout, Joseph Pendleton, Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong, Mr. and Mrs. Finn, Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, and Henry Parmelee, with their chil- dren and others who were here at the time. It was an enjoyable affair, for the first union gathering, and numerous reunions were held afterward, which afforded rare enjoyment for the settlers, as they relieved the monotony of pioneer life.

Amasa Mason came to Caledonia in 1855, and located on section thirty-six. He was originally from New York State.

The first religious services held in the neighbor- hood of school district No. 39, was at the house of Nelson Haight, in 1855. Prayer meetings were held there for some time, and Rev. John Hooper sometimes held meetings in the neighborhood.

Eugene Marshall came to Caledonia in April, 1853. He was the first County Surveyor, and laid out the village.

Daniel Hainz came in 1855, and started a boot and shoe shop.

Reuben Rollins settled on section thirty-five in 1855.

Jedediah Pope was here in 1854, and took land in sections thirty-one and thirty-six.

Elkana Huyck, from Albany county, New York, came in 1855, and bought 100 acres in section twenty-seven, but did not live on it for ten years or so afterward.

Milton B. Metcalf arrived in Caledonia on the 10th of April, 1854.

Charles W. Metcalf was also among the comers of 1854.

Wm. H. Bunce located on section three in 1855. Mr. Bunce acted as agent for Mr. McPhail in sell- ing lots, etc.

Jesse Schofield arrived here in 1856.

Oliver Dunbar and family came in the spring of 1854.

Wells E. Dunbar came in 1854, in April, hav- ing landed at Brownsville and walked the weary road with many others.

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CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP.

Wm. W. Willis was also an early comer. There is no pretense in this volume, of mention- ing all the pioneers or early settlers of any town or village, for, naturally, there are many persons who come along with the crowd in a quiet way, and who, on account of their circumspection, never attract particular notice. Not unfrequently large numbers of the best citizens, of those to whom the community is indebted for its prosperity, never have their names before the public. What is de- sired here is to give the reader a truthful idea of the settlement and the progress of events up to where we find them now.

THE FIRST SCHOOLHOUSE.

The First attempt to build a schoolhouse was on Belden's Hill. Mr. Dunbar, Mr. Belden, and others in the fall of 1854, commenced the erection of a log building in their neighborhood, and got it ready for the roof, when Mr. McPhail and others, with an eye to securing every advantage for the embryotic village, made a proposition which was favorably received, to build a schoolhouse in the edge of the village, toward the Dunbar place. So the schoolhouse was built there, and it served a good purpose until about 1864, when it was re- moved to make room for the present structure. The old building is still in existence as the brown house nearly opposite Sprague's hardware store.

THE FIRST MARRIAGE.

The question is whether James H. Williams and Martha Hiner, or Henry Parmelee and Miss Mag- gie Armstrong were married first. Both couples were married before the county organization, and it matters little which is given priority.

TOWN ORGANIZATION.

The initial meeting to organize the town, took place on the 11th of May 1858. It was called to order by Samuel McPhail. Nelson Haight was chosen moderator, and Eugene Marshall, clerk. The whole number of votes cast at that election was 126. The officers elected were: Supervisors, Stephen Bugbee, Chairman; John Dorsch, and Oliver Dunbar; Town Clerk, Truman B. Neff ;. As- sessor, William McGinnis; Justices of the Peace, Thomas Abbott and J. Webster; Collector, Wm. W. Willis; Overseers of the Poor, Samuel Arm- strong and Jedediah Pope; Road Supervisors, James H. Williams and Peter L. Swartout.

The affairs of the town have been carefully at-

tended to by the various persons who have had town offices up to the present time.

The officers for 1881, are as follows: Super- visors, B. W. Andrews, Chairman; Henry Becker, and C. W. Wheaton; Clerk, Hugh T. Brown; Treasurer, Theodore Schmidt; Assessor, Mathias Schlitz; Justices of the Peace, Patrick Jennings and Reuben Rollins; Constables, Halvor Wisland and Samuel N. Wheaton.

VILLAGE ORGANIZATION.

Caledonia was organized as a village in accord- ance with an act of the State legislature, approved Feb. 25th, 1870: and the first election was held on Monday, the 2d of May of the same year. M. M. Wooden and Thomas Abbotts were Judges of Elec- tion. At 10 o'clock, N. H. Kemp was chosen moderator, and Nicholas Koob was appointed clerk. At 4 o'clock the polls were closed, and a canvass . of the votes showed the whole number cast to be forty-five. Each of the following persons received a unanimous vote for their respective offices: Trustees, D. L. Buell, Thomas Abbotts, and Nich- olas Koob; Justice of the Peace, M. M. Wooden; Treasurer, T. W. Burns. The trustees appointed Nicholas Murphy as Village Clerk. Michael Lally was appointed Surveyor of Highways. Hon. D. L. Buell was appointed President of the board of trustees.

The first ordinance was in relation to drunken- ness and disorderly conduct, fixing the penalty be- tween five and twenty dollars. The second ordi- nance related to licenses, fixing the fee at $40. The third related to the obstruction of streets. The fourth, to the hitching of horses, oxen, or other draft animals to trees, gates or fences. The fifth provided a pound, and the sixth regulated the lay- ing down of sidewalks.

This brings the village around to near the end of its first year, when it began to feel metropolitan and no more ordinances were passed until more than two years afterwards. Various ordinances have since been passed, however, some amended, and some repealed. The whole number, consecu- tively arranged, comes up to thirty-three.

At the second election, in the spring of 1871, the following persons were elected: D. L. Buell, President; N. Koob, and N. E. Dorival, Trustees, and James O'Brien, Village Clerk.

In 1872, the officers were: D. L. Buell, Presi- dent; Joseph Vossen and Nicholas Arnoldy, Trus-

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HISTORY OF HOUSTON COUNTY.

tees; N. Koob, Treasurer; C. A. Coe, Assessor; M. M. Wooden, Justice of the Peace; N. H. Kemp, Constable, and E. W. Trask, Clerk.

In January, 1873, Mr. E. W. Trask resigned as Village Clerk, and N. E. Dorival was elected in his place. The village license was raise to $50; and additional restrictions enacted. On the 6th of March, 1873, a petition was presented to the village board, asking that a special election be held to vote on the question of issuing bonds to assist in the construction of a Court Couse, for the use of the county. The petition was signed by, Thomas Abbotts, Wm. McGinnis, Nicholas Koob, N. E. Dorival, James O'Brien, Daniel Hainz, Peter Rob- erts, D. C. Spragne, J. Scofield, and A. D. Sprague. An election was accordingly ordered for the 17th of March, when the following ques- tion was voted on :

Yes or No. "Issue of bonds to aid in the erec- tion of county buildings." The sum was not to exceed $5,000. The result of the election was 90 votes, all in favor of issuing the bonds. A formal proposition was then made to the county board, to donate this amount on condition that the build- ings should be commenced at once and not to cost less than $15,000.

The Caledonia and Mississippi Railroad Com- pany, through the friends of the enterprise, peti- tioned the board to order a special election, to see if the Village would aid the construction of the road by voting bonds to the amount of $12,000. And in response to this request an election was or- dered, and held on the 11th of March, 1874.

There must have been considerable interest in the proposition, as the whole number of votes cast were 143, of which, 124 voted for the proposition, and some of the minority voted on a modified plan. So the proposition was declared carried.

At the elected on the 6th of April, 1874, the fol- lowing persons were elected village officers: Trus- tees, Thomas Abbotts, Jacob Bouquet, and Jos- eph Vossen; Village Clerk, Thomas Ryan, Jr .; Treasurer, N. Koob; Justice of the Peace, O. J. Weida; Constable, H. K. Belding.

In the fall of 1874, the Trustees made a vigor- ous attempt to secure water by sinking wells.

Another proposition was made on the 17th of March, 1875, to further aid the Caledonia and Mississippi railroad, by voting $8,000 additional. The question was submitted to the legal voters of the Village on the 30th of March. The polls were

opened at 10 o'oclock, A. M., and closed at 4 o'clock P. M., and the result of the election was as follows: whole number of votes deposited, 184; 103 in the affirmative and 71 in the negative. So the proposition, "Shall bonds be issued," was de- clared duly carried.

At the regular election on the 5th of April, 1875, the following were the successful candidates: Trustees, J. H. Cooper, Joseph Vossen, and J. J. Belden; Village Clerk, Thomas Ryan, Jr .; Treas- urer, Nicholas Koob; Assessor, John Aiken; Con- stable, J. B. Davidson.

In 1875, several stone cross walks were laid by order of the board.

At one time a well was sunk at the junction of Marshall and Main streets, and a pump applied to be worked by a windmill. It was in operation for some time with more or less success, but on ac- count of the expense involved by frequent repairs, necessitated by the great distance the water had to be raised, it was finally abandoned.

On the 25th of March, 1876, a proposition was made by Oliver Dunbar to have the board pur- chase & Fire Engine at a cost of $283.82, but nothing came of it.

At the election on the 3d of April, 1876, the following persons were chosen as village officers: Trustees, J. J. Belden, Walter Goergen, and Jos- eph Vossen; Treasurer, Nicholas Koob; Assessor, T. W. Burns; Justices of Peace, O. J. Weida and M. M. Wooden; Village Clerk, Thomas Ryan, Jr .; Constable, S. W. Walker. This was an unevent- ful year, the most noticeable thing in the proceed- ings of the board being allowances for sidewalks, and bills for the repair of the windmill and pump.

In 1877, the election was on the 2d of April. The officers elected were: Trustees, Joseph Vos- sen, J. J. Belden, and A. J. Flynn; Treasurer, Nicholas Koob: Assessor, James McMahon; Clerk, Thomas Ryan,Jr .; Constable, D.C. Thompson. On the 27th of April, C. A. Coe was appointed Village Clerk in place of Mr. Ryan, who had removed from the village. This year the Pound was re- moved to a lot purchased by the village. A peti- tion was received on the 14th of Angust, 1877, signed by leading citizens, asking for an appro- priation to sink an artesian well, and a special election was held to determine whether a tax amounting to $3,000, to defray the expense of sinking a well, should be assessed. The result of the balloting was 35 votes in favor and fifty

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against. So the proposition was rejected. On the 5th of January, 1878, the license fees were fixed at $100, payable half yearly in advance. On the 21st of January, 1878, the trustees adopted a resolution that: Unless the Caledonia and Mis- sissippi railroad should be completed by the 25th of January, 1879, that the bonds voted for that purpose, to the aggregate amount of $20,000, should be forfeited, and the company was so notified.

In March, 1878, W. C. Pidge was employed to resurvey the village plat, to establish boundaries at the street crossings, and make a complete map of the village, for the sum of $110, to be completed by the first of May.

At the village election held on the first of April, 1878, the following persons, having received the largest number of votes, were declared duly elect- ed as village officers: Trustees, James J. Belden, P. J. Pallen, and Michael Lally; Clerk, A. J. Flynn; Assessor, Walter Goergen; Justices of the Peace, O. J. Weida and Wm. Weigand; Treasurer, N. Koob; Constable, J. P. Bessen.

On the 28th of December, the resignation of J. J. Belden, as president of the board, and trustee, was accepted, and Charles A. Coe was appointed to fill the vacancy. A petition with eighty-three signatures was presented asking that the time for building the railroad, to secure the village aid, be extended, which was unanimously refused.

At the April election in 1879, the whole number of votes cast was 185, and the following persons duly elected: Trustees, J. C. Keirn, President, S. Williams and Jesse Scofield; Clerk, A. J. Flynn; Treasurer, N. Koob; Assessor, N. H. Kemp; Con- stable, John C. Bessen.

At a meeting of the village board, held on the 12th of May, 1879, a petition was presented, signed by twenty of the leading citizens, asking that another election be held to see whether the village would issue bonds to the amount of $20,- 000, to aid in the completion of the Caledonia and Mississippi railroad. The conditions being that the road shall be running to a point west of Kingston street by the 1st of October, 1879. The bonds to be executed and placed in escrow in the hands of D. L. Buell. An election was accord- ingly ordered for the 23d day of May, 1879. A canvass of the votes revealed the whole number to be 193,of which 112 were in favor of the propositon, and 81 against it, the majority for the proposi-

tion being thirty-one. The proposition being carried, the bonds were accordingly issued. The authority for this action was found in an act of the State legislature, approved March 4th, 1875. Authority was given the company to occupy Grant and other streets necessary to get into town.

At the election held on the 5th of April, 1880, the following gentlemen were duly elected: Trus- tee, Joseph Vossen, President; W. H. Bunce, and Daniel Hainz; Clerk, A. J. Flynn; Treasurer, N. Koob; Assessor, N. H. Kemp; Justice of the Peace, C. S. Trask; Constables, N. Weigand and G. A. Lindley.

In the spring of 1881, it was determined to set aside two-thirds of the license money received, toward paying the indebtedness for railroad bonds, and accordingly, the fees for selling spiri- tuous and malt liquors was raised from $50 to $100 per year, and as there were fourteen licenses granted, this realized quite a sum as a sinking fund.

The election in 1881, was on the 6th of April, and the officers elected were: Trustees, Joseph Vossen, President, D. L. Buell, and W. H. Bunce; Treasurer, N. Koob; Clerk, A. J. Flynn; Assessor, N. H. Kemp; Justices of the Peace, J. Vossen and C. S. Trask; Constable, J. P. Bessen ;. Little of public interest has been transacted up to January, 1882, where our record closes.

SCHOOLS.

The schools of Caledonia village are in old Dis- trict No. 42, of the county system, which was or- ganized into an independent district in 1880, pre- vious to which time the schools were under county supervision and were well up to the requirements as county schools usually go. The first attempt at building a schoolhouse was made on Belden's Hill, as has already been stated. Mr. J. J. Belden donated the lot for the purpose, and the logs were laid up ready for the roof, meantime, however,a log house was built in the town, so that the building southwest of the town was never completed for that purpose. About 1864, a new building was constructed where it now stands, opposite the Pres- byterian Church. Before the old one was torn down, it had to receive, it could hardly be said to accommodate, 110 pupils, three being often crowded into a seat designated for two. But as that was during the war, and they had a patriotic teacher, Mrs. Sheldon, who. encouraged military drilling by

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the boys, and red, white, and blue embroidered aprons to be worn by the girls, there was sufficient out-door exercise to counteract the in-door crowd- ing.

The first teacher was Reuben Rollins, in the store first built by O. W. Streeter or Mr. McPhail, it was a mere log cabin, on Kingston Street. The schoolhouse was built in the fall of 1854, and Truman B. Neff was one of the early teachers, and Miss Sarah McNelly followed. In 1857 or '58, Mr. David M. Farr opened a private school. Mr. Farr was a Sleight-of-hand performer, a pro- fessor of legerdemain, of an itinerant turn, he after- wards went west, and it is understood located in Moscow, Mower county.

To give a list of those who taught, up to the time the village was organized as an indepen- dent District, would be to present quite a galaxy of names, and it would embrace some of the best ladies in town, the leaders in society at the pres- ent time, as well as others who have joined the procession that is marching away never to return.

The Independent school district was inaugurated in this way: On the 25th of February, 1880, a notice was posted, requesting the voters of the district to assemble at the schoolhouse on the 8th of March, to determine whether, in accordance with Chapter 36 of the general statutes of 1878, an Independent district should be organized. The notice was in conformity to law, and was signed by O. J. Weida, A. D. Sprague, Daniel Hainz. A. J. Flynn, C. W. Metcalf, D. G. Sprague, and W. H. Harries. The legal voters of the district ac- cordingly convened. W. H. Harries, Esq., called the meeting to order, when E. P. Dorival was elected Chairman, and A. J. Flyun was appointed Clerk. After the object of the meeting had been stated by the chairman, Mr. Harries read the law applicable to the case, and recommended the for- mation of an Independent school organization. Prof. A. H. Belding coincided with this view in a few pointed remarks, deprecating the State law in relation to books, and expressing dissatisfaction with their quality as furnished. The final result of the balloting was twenty-two for the proposition aud twelve against, so the plan was adopted.

The second meeting, to complete the organiza- tion, was held on the 20th of March, when W. H. Harries was Chairman, and A. H. Belding, Clerk. The following board of Directors was elected: to serve three years, W. H. Harries and P. J. Smalley ;

to serve two years, D. L. Buell and J. H. Cooper; to serve one year, A. J. Flynn and E. P. Dorival.

The board of education subsequently organ- ized, D. L. Buell was made President, and A. J. Flynn, Clerk of the board; E. P. Dorival was elected Treasurer, Various committees were ap- pointed, and the school machinery set in motion. It was found that the number of scholars in the primary department of the public schools was sixty-eight, average attendance, forty-four, seat- ing capacity, forty-eight. In the intermediate department, total number of scholars, seventy- two, average attendance, forty-six, seating capac- ity, sixty. In the grammer school, the average attendance was twenty-eight, seating capacity, forty-six.

At a meeting held on the 3d of April, 1880, Mrs. J. S. Kilbourne, Miss Florence Bunce, and G. J. Lomen, were appointed on the board of examiners. On the 14th of April, A. H. Belding was appoint- ed Principal of the public schools for the remain- ing term of the school year.

At a meeting on the 17th of April, Miss Fannie E. Dunbar was appointed teacher of the interme- diate school for the ensuing term, and Miss Fannie Lapham was appointed teacher of the primary department. The salaries were fixed as follows: Mr. Belding $55.00, and the ladies $35.00 per month.

At the commencement of the next school term, it was voted, on the 31st of July, to employ four teachers, and A. H. Belding was afterwards ap- pointed as Principal, and Miss Josephine A. McCan, Miss Eva Burns, and Miss Mary E. Anderson as assistants.

The annual meeting of the independent district was held on the 4th of September, 1880. J. J. J. Belden was moderator. The report of the board was received. E. P. Dorival and A. J. Flynn were elected directors for three years.

At a meeting in December, the school property was ordered insured for the sum of $1,200 on building and furniture.

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History of Houston County, Including Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 63

Author: Edward D. Neill Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Number of Pages: 547

Author: Edward D. Neill
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 547