History of Houston County, Including Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 84

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

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CEMETERY.

At an early day a burying place was selected on the farm of H. N. Narveson, which was on the southeast corner of section ten. Between forty and sixty were buried here, and at the time it was expected that the church would be built near it, but the persistent energy of those living further east carried it on to section eleven. The old lot is now used as a cultivated field, and soon every vestige reminding one of a final resting place for human remains will be effectually oblit- erated. Many of the present residents have the remains of departed friends deposited here. The first interment at this spot was Hans Ostensen Melbranter.

The other cemetery is the church yard above alluded to, which, in obedience to the European tra- dition, adjoins the church.

NEWSPAPER.

Spring Grove can boast of once having had a newspaper. In the spring of 1880, an enterpris- ing young man named Sven H. Ellestad, started a small folio 10x24 inches and called it the "Spring Grove Posten." He was editor, proprietor, pub- lisher, and printer. Mr. Schmidt Nilson was in- terested in its success, and contributed most of the editorial work to its columns. It had a local habitation in a small frame building back of T. T. Bergh's hardware store. His press was a small one and is said to have cost $180. The paper suc- ceeded with great credit to itself in breasting a tempestous and unfeeling world for twelve months, when it gracefully yielded to one of the diseases of newspaper infancy, and passed away.

LITERARY SOCIETY.

In 1880, an association was organized in the basement of the church with the euphonic name of "Fremad" which indicates progress, onward, or excelsior. The following officers were elected:

J. Paulson, President; O. Henderson, Treasurer;

Charles Hoegh, Secretary; and Rev. Styrk S. Reque, Janitor. This Society has been thus far for mutual benefit to its members, but it is "yet in its infancy, and will, with the prospect now before it, and judging by the character of the members, have a brilliant future; as it is in contemplation to have lectures, addresses, and essays, with dia- logues, readings, and music, and whatever of an entertaining character may be suitable for healthy presentation to the public. At their annual meet- ing on the 21st of November, 1881, the following list of officers were elected: I.' Muller, Presi- dent; Charles Hoegh, Vice-President;" O. Stener- oder, Treasurer; Rev. Styrk S. Reque, Secretary; and O. Stensrud, Janitor. The meetings'of the Association are set for once a week.

POST-OFFICE.

The Post-office was established in 1854, through the exertions of Mr. James Smith, who was ap- pointed Postmaster, and the office was opened at his house, which was a tavern at that time. He continued to hold the place until about two years afterwards, when Embrick Knudson was ap- pointed, and he removed the office to his house near the old Hinkley place. In 1861, Mr. Mons Fladager was appointed deputy, and kept it in his store for about a year, when Mr. Prentiss suc- ceeded to the position and removed the office to his hotel, the old Hinkley store, and now on T. Gilbertson's place. Mr. Prentiss is now in La Crosse.

After a time Dr. T. Jenson was commissioned Postmaster; he appointed J. C. Tartt as deputy, who took the office into his store in the east part of the village, near the old McCormick place. The office was kept in this way up to 1865, when Mr. Nels Olson Onsgard was commissioned, and is still Postmaster.

THE VILLAGE SCHOOL.

This is in District No. 54 of the county. system. In the early times here a Norwegian school was started in the houses of the colonists of that na- tionality, and in 1857, a frame school house was built, about 18x24 feet, costing from $350 to $400, and a school was kept in it for part of each year, ranging from two to six months. Mr. Mc- Donald was the first teacher. Sometimes the teach- ing was English, and sometimes Norwegian. At first this building was a general meeting house.

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It still stands and has been already alluded to as the Town Hall.

In 1872, the present school building was erected at a cost of about $1,800. It is two stories, and 30x40 feet. At present two departments are main- tained during five months in the year in the Eng- lish language, and one department four months in the Norwegian language.

INDUSTRIES.

BRICKMAKING .- Most excellent clay for brick- making is found in various places in the town, and the large and elegant church in the village was constructed of bricks manufactured near by. The success of this venture stimulated Mr. J. Schneider to put in a kiln and commence the manufacture of brick. This yard has already turned out hundreds of thousands, which have been used for building purposes throughout this whole region, and particularly for the brick stores in the village.

BREWERY .- About the year 1866, Mr. J. P. Murray built on a twenty-two acre lot, which was a part of the old Embrick Knudson farm, and which he had purchased of Mr. Hinkley. He started the manufacture of beer and run the brew- ery for several years, but the business finally col- lapsed. The old building still remains.

LUMBER YARDS .- After the completion of the railroad, Day Brothers, of Decorah, Iowa, opened a lumber yard here. Previous to this time Browns- ville, or some place in Iowa, got the lumber trade from this region. The first transaction on the Day Brothers' books was October 20, 1879. After about a year the firm sold out, and James Vincent & Sont, soon after became the owners. They had started a like business a few weeks after Day Brothers, the first entry being November 13th, 1879. Some time in 1880, Mr. L. Budahl took charge of the business and has since managed it for the Vincents. A good stock of seasoned lum- ber is kept on hand.

GRAIN ELEVATORS .- The first elevator in town was built by the railroad company at the time of the completion of the railroad to this place. It was leased to A. & T. McMichaels, who began to receive grain on the 25th of October, 1879. The capacity of the building was at first about 10,000 bushels, but an addition was subsequently built adding 3,000 to this amount. The first year it handled 49,000 bushels; wheat, oats and barley.

Another elevator, was soon built by McCor-

mick & Co., with a capacity of about 8,000 bush- els, and it has been in operation ever since.

HOTELS.

Teman Gilbertson, the well known and genial landlord of the principal hotel in the village, kept a public house at the old Hinkley building for several years, and in 1879, he erected his present large brick house, which is situated some distance from the depot, in the western part of the village.

Charles Hoegh also accommodates the weary traveler at his residence in connection with his hardware store.

RAILROAD TRAFFIC.

On the 13th of October, 1879, the railroad had reached this point, and a station was opened for general business. The next year the line was pur- chased by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Rail- road Company, who assumed full charge in Nov- ember, 1880. The first and only agent here is Frank Bartholemew, a native of Vernon county, Wisconsin, who came here from Lansing, Iowa, where he had for three years been in the employ of the old company. To this obliging and effi- cient officer we are indebted for interesting infor- mation regarding the business done at this station. During the year 1880, the shipments here were nearly ten per cent. in excess of any other point on the line, the number of car loads of grain and stock amounting to five hundred and seventy-two. The total freight forwarded was six million seven hundred and forty-eight thousand four hundred and thirty-four pounds, and the total freight re- cieved, two million nine hundred and nineteen thousand six hundred and eighty-nine pounds.

The village is now one of the most thrifty in the Northwest, having tour general stores, two drug stores, two hotels, two restaurants, three blacksmith shops, hardware store, one church, one school, a harness shop, shoe shop, lumber yard, two elevators, a furniture shop, etc. A physician is also located here, Dr. T. Jenson.

NEW HOUSE.

This is the name of a little place on the line of the railroad, which is quite a shipping point for stock and other farm products.

This station was established with the completion of the road in 1879, and a grain elevator built by the railroad company. A store was soon after opened by Johnson & Halverson, which, however,

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was not long continued. Tollefson & Co., mer- chants at the newly established station of Mabel, opened a branch store here, but soon withdrew to their principal trading place.

It would seem from the character of the sur- rounding country that one or more stores with gen- eral merchandise here, would command a good trade, as it would certainly be a great convenience to the farmers in the vicinity. There is a single store on the Iowa side of the line, which receives supplies from this depot.

The place was at first called Newport, but as it might be confounded with some of the numerous Newports in other States, it was soon changed to New House, in honor to Mr. Nyhus, on whose land it stands. The technical description of the frac- tion of a section on which it stands is the south east of the northwest of section twenty-nine.

POST-OFFICE .- The first Postmaster was Ole B. Nelson, who kept it at the station. Ole T. Nyhus Is now Postmaster, and he has a deputy who keeps the office at the depot.

RICEFORD.

This is one of the Houston county villages in the town of Spring Grove; its position is on Rice- ford Creek, and lays mostly in the southwest quar- ter of section six. It is regularly laid out, and has the mill-pond on the south, from which the river curves around toward the north and skirts the village on the east. The streets running east and west, beginning at the north side of the village, are Richland, Elm, Mill, and Vine. The other way, beginning at the river, there is Main, Second, Third, and Fourth. None of these streets are very thickly settled, except Main street, and that can- not be said to be crowded. Before the town was located here, some idea was entertained of estab- lishing it on the flat about half a mile north of where it was finally placed. This would have been near the Crystal flouring mill, but this pro- ject was finally abandoned.

It seems that the name was given in 1856, in this way, Hon. H. M. Rice, of St. Paul, visited the locality about that time, and following an Indian Trail forded the river about twenty rods from the Crystal mill, and from this circumstance the place was called Riceford.

ITS EARLY HISTORY .- It was first taken from the government by Wm. D. Van Doren, in the fall or winter of 1854, and he put up a log shelter. He was originally from New York State, and after

stopping awhile in Michigan, came on to this region and spent a few weeks about three miles south of here, at the residence of W. H. Rowe, and then came to this place and planted himself. The next year, 1855, he sold out to Job Brown, the original pioneer who seemed to have been on the alert for eligible points for town sites.

Among the first to be attracted to this then promising place were S. W. Wilcox, J. Shaw, Ed- ward Coffee, J. Muns, Charles H. Brown, John Watson, A. Mosher, and Rollin Dunbar, each of whom erected a dwelling, and some of them other buildings. Just south of the above claims, on section seven, Orin Chatfield had taken some land, and in 1856, he commenced the erection of a

saw-mill, he built a dam and thus created a fall

that gave him power sufficient for his purpose. This mill was about sixty rods above the present mill. The mill could turn out from 700 to 1,000 feet of lumber each day, and from its product the village was built, and the neighboring farmers supplied with lumber from the native timber. This mill kept up its vibrations for ten years when it was secured by the flour-mill company, the mater- ial going into their flume and dam.

A village, which at one time was an ambitious suburb of Riceford, called South Riceford, was laid out on the side hill south of the creek; it had its Main street, its Water street, and its Line street, on the northern border, but it was finally abandoned, and the dwellings removed or torn down. The property changed hands many times, and is now owned by M. A. Colt. In 1856, Job Brown began the erection of a flouring mill on his property here. It was John Muus who brought the first load of tools and material to build this mill. The dam was placed about forty rods below the saw-mill. The building was of stone, 24x40 feet, two and one-half stories high, with two run of stones, one of them being small. The fall secured was nine feet, and a turbine wheel was put in. The machinery, at this day, would not be con- sidered very grand, although the mill had a daily capacity of 250 bushels. It was overrun with grists to grind, and was often filled with sacks awaiting their turn, which would not be around for weeks perhaps. It had but a single bolting cloth, but did a very profitable business.

In 1860, Mr. E. Thompson, now of Hokah, pur- chased the mill and run it for a time, when it was finally leased to Mr. V. T. Beeby. In 1866, Mr.

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M. Bernatz became the owner, and soon transfer- red it to his sons, Anthony and George. In 1875, it passed into the hands of Oatman & Co., who, the following year, made important improvements, putting in a new dam of a substantial character, and increasing the head of water to sixteen feet. When Brown sold out he had taken out one run of stones, but they were replaced by Bernatz. What is most remarkable. the identical stones used by Brown for grinding wheat are still used here for the same purpose, as they are of a very supe- rior quality, and other millers have offered as high as $1,000 for them.

THE FIRST STORE.

Soon after Mr. Brown came here he opened a store in a small building just north of the mill. In 1858, he erected a frame building opposite the mill, and soon put his goods in that. It was on or near the site of the first Van Doren habitation. Since Mr. Brown sold out there have been many changes in the personnel of the trade here. At one time there were two stores with general mer- chandise, two hotels, two mills, two blacksmith shops, two shoe shops, a foundry, wagon shop, and other concomitants of a thriving village. These were palmy days for Riceford, for then it caught business from the north and from the south, and the traveler from the east or west was put under contribution for refreshment and sleep. The town was a business center. The stores were busy, the hotels were full, the mills were crowded with grain, the shops were occupied with business, and to use a modern phrase, everything was "booming."

At first, several failures of the wheat crop, and then the building of the railroad, which inaugur- ated a new order of things which finally gave the village the coup de grace. At present there is the mill, a store, a foundry, a blacksmith shop, and a stopping place for itinerants. Who can tell when again the hum of industry shall enliven this vil- lage which once seemed so promising ?

THE CRYSTAL MILL .- On section six, in the southwest quarter, may be found this mill. It is on a forty acre lot, purchased by W. H. Rowe, cf Dexter & Ripley, in the winter of 1869, and by him conveyed to his daughter, Mrs. S. M. Beeby, wife of V. T. Beeby. In April, 1869, the improvements began, with the construction of a damand the erection of a mill. Two run of stones

were put in, and a turbine wheel, and on the 9th of November, 1869, it went into operation. The dam, however, proved incompetent to stand the spring flood, and in March, 1870, it went out; and having thus contracted a bad habit, it was kept up, and each season with the breaking up of the ice the dam regularly joined the procession in its aqueous march to the sea. But in 1876, the monotony of this proceeding was summarily in- terrupted by the construction of a substantial stone dam, which has been thus far able to with- stand the annual invitation to join its predecessors down below, and it bids fair to remain a permanent structure.

The mill is now operated by V. T. Beeby; is first-class in all respects, and contains, besides the two run of stones, three sets of rolls, two bolting chests of three reels each, middlings purifiers, and all the modern appliances for the manufacture of the finer grades of flour. There is a fall of ten feet, and the power is communicated by two tur- bine wheels. The capacity is now 160 bushels a day. In an addition to the mill there is an engine lathe where iron work can be done.

FOUNDRY .- In the year 1869, Mr. D. A. Sher- wood erected a building 18x30 feet, put in a cu- pola furnace and begun iron casting. He did a very good business, amounting to three or four thousand dollars a year, but since the decadence of the village began, there has been a regular fall- ing off, and $800 worth of work would cover the year's operations. There is a wagon and repair shop in connection with it which does some work.

SCHOOL .- The first school was taught by Mr. V. T. Beeby, in the summer of 1858, in private houses. There was a building called the Slab schoolhouse, over in Fillmore county, where the children sometimes went.

In 1868, the present frame building was con- structed; it is 20x30 feet, is surmounted by a belfry and a bell, and cost about $600.

SUNDAY SCHOOL .- A Sunday school is in opera- tion under the auspices of the American residents; its sessions are at the schoolhouse, and from four- teen to sixteen scholars are regularly taught.

Mr. C. G. Guttman was the first superintendent, and he was quite instrumental in inaugurating the movement.

RELIGIOUS.

Mr. G. W. Wilcox, who was a Methodist, did the first preaching in the village, in his own dwelling

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in 1857; no organization was had, but meetings were held quite regularly and some interest worked up. It seems that Job Brown was brought under this influence, became concerned for his spiritual welfare, and finally began to preach himself.

THE QUAKERS .- Daniel Haviland, who was from Michigan, had a leaning toward the tenets of this faith, and several meetings were held at conser- vative intervals, not oftener than once or twice a year. No growth or organization ever occurred.

ADVENTISTS .- This modern denomination se- cured quite a foothold here in 1866. An itiner- ant pilgrim, imbued with this faith, held meetings in the schoolhouse, secured a good hearing and considerable interest in the subject. Mr. G. W. Wilcox turned his attention in this direction and continued the meetings for some time after 1867, when a large tent was pitched, and at the meet- ings quite a feeling was wrought up and several were baptized. The schoolhouse was afterwards used as a meeting house.

NORWEGIAN LUTHERAN CHURCH .- The congre- gation gathered under this name was formerly a part of the Spring Grove church, Rev. F. C. Clauson holding the first meetings here in the schoolhouse across the line in Fillmore county.

Under the ministrations of Rev. Styrk S. Reque, of Spring Grove, the church was organized in 1877, and their present church was built at a cost of about $3,000. It is a neat frame structure with a suitable spire. Meetings are held every third Sunday by Rev. E. P. Jensen, who also has the churches at Black Hammer, and Newburg in Fillmore county. This church has about thirty families attendingupon its ministrations.

POST-OFFICE .- Mr. William VanDoren was ap- pointed Postmaster in 1855, when the office was first established, and it was opened in a house op- posite the stone mill. Job Brown had the con- tract for carrying the mail through this section. The office finally fell into the hands of G. W. Wil- cox, who distributed the mail at his residence. W. J. Jackson next wrote P. M. after his name; then Charles H. Brown held the mail pouch key, and next came V. T. Beeby, who stamped the let- ters awhile, when O. V. Tone tried his hand in Uncle Sam's business, and finally John Rank suc- ceeded to the position and he proved to be a "sticker" as he remains there still, having the office in his store. The mail service was at first weekly, and was on a route from Brownsville to

Preston. Afterwards it became a "star route," and came through tri-weekly. The railroad destroyed this line and finally a cross route was put on be- tween Houston and Decorah, and this gives a daily mail which, however, now is via Mabel sta- tion and Houston.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

FINGAL ASLESON, one of the early settlers of Spring Grove, is a native of Norway, born in De- cember, 1827. He came to America in 1850, and located in Wisconsin, about eighteen miles from Milwaukee, remaining until June, 1852, when he removed to this place. He pre-empted land and erected his house near a ravine which affords water for family use and also for his stock.

V. T. BEEBY was born in Delaware county, Pennsylvania, on the 12th of December, 1839. When very young he entered the employ of a drover for whom he worked seven years; first driv- ing, and afterward buying stock. Then, after clerking in a store at Templeville, Maryland, one season, he came to Riceford and was employed in the mill of Brown and Thompson until 1861, when he rented the establishment, operating it about six years. In September, 1861, Miss Sarah M. Rowe became his wife. She has borne him six children, five of whom are living. With the exception of a few years spent in Hokah, and in Lansing, Iowa, Mr. Beeby has run the Crystal mill since 1869. He is Justice of the Peace, having held the office for the past four years.

THORE T. BERGH, a son of T. A. Bergh, one of the pioneers of Spring Grove, is a native of this vil- lage, his birth dating the 14th of May, 1854. His father is a native of Norway, born on the 10th of June, 1828; and came to America, locating in Rock county, Wisconsin in 1848, and in 1852, moved to Minnesota and located on the farm where he now lives. Thore attended the public schools of this place till 1871, when he entered the La Crosse Business College from which he was grad- uated in 1875. The following winter he continued his studies at the Janesville Academy, Wisconsin, after which he returned home, working on the farm in summer and selling sewing ma- chines during the winter months. Miss Christi O. Guelsen, of Oxfordville, Wisconsin, became his wife on the 7th of October, 1879. In 1880, Mr. Bergh opened a fine stock of hardware and agri- cultural implements, in which he does a heavy business. Mr. and Mrs. Bergh are the parents of

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two children, whose names are Thomas Oliver and Guia Caroline.

LARS BUDAHL, a native of Norway, was born on the 11th of March, 1851, and came with his par- ents to America at the age of five years. They settled in Winneshiek county, Iowa, where Lars attended school until fifteen years old, then en- tered the Lutheran College at Decorah, and re- mained four years. He afterward attended the Normal school at Winona, Minnesota, for two terms, after which he taught school in Iowa, and also in this county. In 1872, he married Miss R. O. Rudlang. During the year 1879, Mr. Budahl had charge of Day Brothers' lumber yard, but since 1880, has transacted business for James Vin- cent & Son. Mr. and Mrs. Budahl have been blessed with four children.

FRANKLIN BARTHOLOMEW was born in Vernon county, Wisconsin, on the 6th of July, 1857. His father enlisted in the Forty-third Wisconsin Vol- unteer Infantry, Company F, and after serving about a year, was taken sick and died, leaving a wife and three children, of whom Franklin was the eldest. He resided with his grandfather for a time, but soon after the age of nine years found employment in warehouses at Victory, from which source he obtained money to educate himself. He attended the graded schools of La Crosse, and afterward the Business College, graduating in 1876. He then learned telegraphy at Janesville, and in 1877, entered the employ of the Chicago, Clinton, Dubuque & Minnesota Railroad Com- pany, residing in Lansing, Iowa. Since the com- pletion of the road to this point, the office being opened the 13th of October, 1879, he has been the popular station agent of Spring Grove. Mr. Bar- tholomew was united in marriage, on the 15th of January, 1880, with Miss Ida Travis, of Lansing. She has borne him one child, Edith.

MARTIN H. BAKKE is a son of H. H. Bakke, one of the early settlers of this town. He was a na- tive of Norway and came to Wisconsin in 1840, passing through the present site of Milwaukee when there was but one log house in that place. He located in Racine county where the subject of this sketch was born on the 1st of April, 1855, and three months after, the family came to Spring Grove. In February, 1876, Mr. Bakke was united in marriage with Miss Olive O. Duklith, who has borne him three children. Since his father's death,

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History of Houston County, Including Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Part 84

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

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