History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 18

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1919
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1343

USA > Minnesota > Houston County > History of Houston County, Minnesota > Part 18

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

District No. 41, Caledonia Township, was organized about 1866, when school was held in a log house on section 22, with Margaret Murphy as teacher. In 1868, school was held in John Burns' house, on section 23. In 1869, C. Madrill taught in the Bugbee homestead on section 14. A school- house was built in 1870.

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District No. 42, is the village school of Caledonia. Its history is found elsewhere.

District No. 43, Mayville Township, was organized in the late fifties. The first school was held at the home of Charles Murphy, under the instruc- tion of Mary Murphy. The first schoolhouse was built in 1859. The first trustees were Henry Wiltgen, James Connolly and T. J. Murphy.

District No. 45, the village school of Freeburg in Crooked Creek Town- ship, was started in 1857, when school was taught by Mrs. Charlotte Bayne, in the slab shanty of David Snyder. The first trustees were Phillip Schaller, George Powlesland and William Powlesland.

District No. 46, Crooked Creek Township. Mrs. Charlotte Bayne taught the first school in this district. A schoolhouse was erected in 1856, one of the earliest in the county.

District No. 47, Jefferson Township, was organized in 1863, the first teacher being Anna Johnson, who taught in the summer of 1864. The schoolhouse was a log structure, and was built about the time the first district was organized. In early days the school terms were usually from three to four months each year.

District No. 48, Jefferson Township, was organized about 1860, when a summer term was taught by Mary Donahue at the residence of John Cauley. Afterwards a school was taught in Mr. Collins' claim shanty. In 1864 a schoolhouse was constructed, and the following year B. Gertrude Hackett taught the first term in the new house. This schoolhouse, which was the first one erected in the district, was of moderate size, and was in use for many years.

District No. 49, Winnebago Township. The first school in this district was commenced in January, 1862, and was taught by Michael McNamara, for the not to be despised sum in those days of $14 a month. The first schoolhouse was of logs, and was built in 1864 on section 17, but it was afterwards moved to section 7, where it stood and did good service until the winter of 1876-77, when it was consumed by fire, and a new frame struc- ture replaced it in the fall of 1877. In accordance with the state law passed in 1861, providing that every township should be a school district, to be sub-divided in accordance with local requirements, Winnebago was made into four districts, and numbered accordingly. The next year, or the year following, the law was changed, requiring the county to arrange the school districts, giving them consecutive numbers regardless of town lines. The new allotment gave No. 1 the number of 49; No. 4 became No. 50; No. 2 became No. 51, and No. 3 was transferred into No. 52. No. 81 was next formed.

District No. 50, Winnebago Township, was organized in 1857. On January 31, James Langmuir, Jacob Tippery, and T. E. Smith were elected trustees, and C. A. Coe clerk. The school was first taught for two years in a log house rented from C. A. Coe. Nine and a half months' school was taught in 1858, divided into three terms, the teachers being Sarah E. Mc- Nally, G. G. B. Boomer, and Miss Emily Pope, who later married E. E. Stewart. The schoolhouse was built in 1859-60 on section 23. When the question of building it arose trouble began as to the location. Every mem-

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ber of the district of course wanted it near, but not too near, and after a few special meetings the site was fixed in the northwest quarter of section 23. The building cost about $700.

District No. 51, Winnebago Township, (Merged in District No. 52). In 1857 or 1858 a private school was opened at the house of L. Houghton, near the south line of section 21, and was taught by Mrs. Houghton. This was a two months term. Later a school was opened in the house of S. Graves, which was taught by Annie Johnson. This school held several terms, and in 1865 a schoolhouse was put up on the southwest quarter of section 35, where school was kept until 1873, when the district was merged into No. 52.

District No. 52, Eitzen Village. School was first opened in the old Laflin log house, and was taught by Lizzie Williams, who later became Mrs. Eugene Marshall, of Caledonia. In 1866 a stone schoolhouse was erected in the center of section 32, near Eitzen. The first school in that building was taught by Miss J. C. Jones, at $18 a month, and began Aug. 12, 1867. This house was subsequently burned, but was rebuilt in 1875.

District No. 53, Wilmington Township, was one of the original dis- tricts. The first school was taught in a building owned by A. Gilbertson in 1857. In a year or two a stone schoolhouse was put on section 6, which served for school purposes until 1872, when a frame building went up.

District No. 54 is the village school of Spring Grove. In the early days, Norwegian school was held in the homes of the pioneers. In 1857 a frame schoolhouse was erected about 18 by 24 feet. This building was used also as a church and public hall and was afterward converted into a town hall. In 1872 a two story frame building was erected.

District No. 55, Spring Grove Township. A Norwegian school was commenced in a very primitive way at a very early period of the history of the colony. Cornelius Narveson was the first teacher. For a while sessions were held in the house of Ole Amundson Berg on section 16, and afterward a room was rented from John Myhro on section 8. The school was held in various places, until a small frame building was constructed on section 8. This must have been about 1867, although there is a wide difference in the recollection of the citizens as to the exact time. Afterwards the original structure was doubled in size.

District No. 56, Spring Grove Township. The first school was held on section 30, in an old log house of Abner Aiken, which had been his residence. It continued there for some time, but was not very popular. In 1866 a comfortable house was put up, on the west line of section 29, at a cost of about $800.

District No. 57. This was organized in the spring of 1857, and the first officers were: Andrew Hanson, clerk; Hans P. Rosendahl, treasurer, and Teman Gilbertson, director. The first funds were raised by subscrip- tion, and Ole Ulen and Andrew P. Kroshus cut and had sawed the timber for the erection of the first schoolhouse, which was ready for occupancy in the fall of 1857. This building was 14 by 18 feet, and was constructed by Embrick Olson and Gilbert N. Myrha. Mahala E. Rowe taught the first school in this house in the summer of 1858, and as an interesting fact, it

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may be mentioned that the last school was taught in the building in the winter of 1880 by her son. It was then superceded by a new schoolhouse erected half a mile east, near the southeast corner of section 26.

District No. 58, Wilmington Township, was the first district in the township in which a school was held, and it was in a private house before a schoolhouse was erected. It was Norwegian in its attendance and teaching and was sustained by subscription. It was migratory, being held at the houses of Thomas Anderson, A. Swanson and others, until 1857, when the Norwegian schoolhouse was built, each settler having been put under con- tribution for two logs. All turned out to assist in putting it up, and it continued as a schoolhouse, church, and public hall until 1878, when a build- ing was constructed on section 27.

District No. 59, Wilmington Township. This is on Portland Prairie. The first school was in the house of T. Aldrich, on section 25, in 1857, and was taught by Mary Ann Cook, who subsequently became Mrs. Amos Glan- ville. The first schoolhouse was erected not unlike the one above described, on the community principle. This was in 1858, and on the farm of T. Aldrich on section 25. Schools were kept and religious services held there. In 1868 the old schoolhouse was replaced by a frame structure.

District No. 61, Brownsville Township, was organized in 1857. The first teacher was Mary Ruddy. The first trustees James Ruddy, John Deiuch and John Flannery.

District No. 62, Mound Prairie Township, was organized in 1866, and a log house put up in the same year, 20 by 16 feet, and paid for by volun- tary subscriptions. It is located on section 26. Miss Ella Looney taught the first term, and the officers were: Director, George Senn; treasurer, C. Lehman, and clerk, John Smith.

District No. 64, Brownsville Township, was organized in 1857, and a schoolhouse built that year. The first teacher was John Duggan. The first trustees were John Hall, John Sullivan and Patrick Long.

District No. 66, Wilmington Township. This was in 1866 set off from District No. 59, a schoolhouse was soon erected on section 24, and was first taught by Ellen H. Cass.

District No. 67, Wilmington Township. The first school was held in a shed attached to the house of Mathew McGinnis, in 1865, and was taught by Miss Dora Quinland, who later became Mrs. William Murphy, of Cale- donia. The school was also held in Mike McGinnis' house. In 1867, a schoolhouse was built on section 30, and in 1880 it was moved to the south line of the same section.

District No. 68, Brownsville Township, was organized in 1867, and the first school was held in the pioneer home of Patrick Sweeney. The first trustees were Patrick Sweeney, James Daily and Jacob Sharrard. A school- house was erected in 1867.

District No. 69, Black Hammer Township, was set off from District No. 37, May 18, 1865. The first officers were: Julius Billings (clerk), Joseph Haninan (director), and Tolef Hogensen (treasurer). The first term was caught by Maria O'Connor at the residence of Julius Billings in 9

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1865. The schoolhouse was completed in 1867 on section 28, on land of Lars Ericksen.

District No. 70, Wilmington Township. In 1867 this district was set off from No. 59, and the next year a house was built on section 31. Ellen Healy was the first district teacher here, although a private school had previously been taught in settlers' houses by Norwegians in their own tongue, by the use of their own text books.

District No. 72, Crooked Creek Township, was organized in the spring of 1868. The first school was taught by Ellen Conley in the home of L. Yohe. The first trustees were Jacob Walter, Joseph Bigley and Patrick McCarthy.

District No. 73, Hokah Township came into existence in about 1866, the initial school being in an old log structure belonging to Ira Butterfield, and was presided over by Helen Butterfield. About the same time a school- house was built, at a total cost of $100. The settlers turned out, bringing the material, and put up the building, which is on section eight.

District No. 74, Black Hammer Township. Sept. 9, 1868, this district was organized at the home of E. H. Solberg, the officers elected being Elling Anderson (director), H. B. Allen (treasurer), H. E. Solberg (clerk). The following year a schoolhouse 16 by 24 feet was completed on section 35, on land of Helge Olsen. School was taught in the winter of 1870 by Lena J. Heaul.

District No. 75, La Crescent Township, was organized about 1870, and was first taught by Ella Richardson. For some time school was held only during the winter, but later a summer term was introduced and main- tained. The first building was of hewn logs.

District No. 76, Spring Grove Township. On April 24, 1869, a regular meeting was held for the purpose of organizing a school district from ter- ritory taken from No. 57. The meeting was at the house of John Erickson, and the following year the house now there was erected at a cost of about $700, and in 1870 the exercises of the school began, under the rule of Ella M. Dibble.

District No. 77, Spring Grove Township, was first organized about 1870, and a building put up on section 18.

District No. 78, Jefferson Township, had originally been in a district connected with a southern part of Crooked Creek Township. The earliest teacher was Theresa Manix, of Caledonia; the second was B. Gertrude Hackett. Anna Kelliker had previously taught in the house of P. McCauley, on the Crooked Creek side of the line.

District No. 79, Yucatan Township. Originally this was a part of No. 17, but a division was finally made and a house put up at a cost of $350. It was built in 1871 by Donald Chisholm. Agnes McInnis was the first teacher.

District No. 80, Black Hammer Township, was set off from District 37 by the County Board at the March session in 1870. The schoolhouse was completed that fall. The first term was held in the spring of 1871 by Ella Dibble. The first officers were Alex. Simpson (clerk), John Soutu (treas- urer) and John Cunningham (director).

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District No. 81, Winnebago Township, was organized from a part of No. 49, on Aug. 16, 1870. The first officers were: William Gallagher, director; John Connell, treasurer, and G. M. Holliday, clerk. The school- house was a frame structure, built in 1871. Sylvia Johnson took the ini- tiative as a teacher.

District No. 82, Jefferson Township, in the old village, in section 35, was organized in 1870. The first school was taught by Ella Haines, of Dorchester, Iowa.

District No. 83, Houston Township, was a part of District 15 for many years. It was set off about 1871. The first school was held in the Swedish Baptist Church with Miss Sheldon, of Mound Prairie, as the teacher.

District No. 84, La Crescent Township, was set off from District 2, in 1871, and a frame schoolhouse put up on section 6. M. Emery was the first teacher.

District No. 85 was instituted in the spring of 1873. A house was put up on section 21. The first teacher was David I. Vinge.

District No. 86, Winnebago Township. About 1874 this district was set off from No. 52, and a schoolhouse put up the same year by a man who received $100 for laying the stone work, the district furnishing the mate- rial. Annie Anderson was the first teacher.

District No. 87, Money Creek Township. The first schoolhouse was built on section 6, about 1874, with Sarah Cameron as first teacher.

District No. 88, Spring Grove Township. This district was taken out of No. 57, in 1878. The first school was held at the residence of Knud Gilbertson, on section 23, in the winter or late fall of 1878. In the summer of 1879, a pretty schoolhouse now used was erected on section 24, on the farm of Knud Gilbertson.

District No. 89, Money Creek Township, had its first school in 1876, with Thomas Lane as the first teacher.

School District No. 90, Mayville Township, was set off from District No. 34, in 1876, and took the site of the original schoolhouse. The original district had been organized in the late fifties, and school held in various available houses until 1865, when a schoolhouse was erected on section 4.

District No. 91, Hokah Township. A German subscription school was first taught here by Miss Hafner, at her brother's house on section 29, about 1861. A few years later, probably about 1865, the Rev. Father F. X. Neubrandt had a school a single winter. The district itself was organized in the latter seventies, and a frame house was erected for school purposes at a cost of about $400.

District No. 92, Crooked Creek Township, was taken from District 46 in 1876, and the schoolhouse built the following year. The first school was taught in the Hurdelbrink home by Mary J. Finney, of Lansing. The first trustees were Carl Baeske, Frank Hurdelbrink and John Brown.

District No. 93, Mound Prairie Township, was provided with a log schoolhouse in 1877. The first instructor was Mary Harris.

District No. 93, Mound Prairie Township, is the Lorette District. The first meeting was held at the Lorette House, for organization, Sept. 7, 1876. Mrs. Anna M. Carpenter donated one-half acre of land, the northeast of

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the southeast of section 8. There was at once erected a neat white frame house, 18 by 30 feet, with green blinds, and is furnished with plain desks, a fine teacher's desk and chair, a portable blackboard, full set of the largest size Camp's outline maps and Holbrook's 12-inch globe. The cost of the house, including the furniture, was $578. The first enrollment of scholars was 59, the first term being taught by J. W. Gleason. The opening session was held Dec. 18, 1876. Anna M. Carpenter was clerk, John Frey, director, and August Trenske, treasurer. Mary Keup, of La Crescent, was the first lady teacher. Three weeks from the time the first nail was driven, 38 scholars were seated in this flourishing schoolhouse.

District No. 96, Money Creek Township. A school was first taught in this district in 1879, in an old log house belonging to Ole R. Berland. Dur- ing the summer of 1881 the schoolhouse was erected, a building 16 by 24 feet. The first teacher was Jennie Winslow, who was later succeeded by her sister.

Houston County has been fortunate in its supervision of schools. In the early days, each of the five districts had a school examiner. The first ories were appointed by the county board on Sept. 5, 1862, and were as follows: 1, William H. Lapham; 2, John Ewing; 3, Rev. James Frothing- ham; 4, Lyman Loomis ; 5, David Temple. The first county superintendent was the Rev. James Frothingham, appointed by the county board May 2, 1864. At the beginning of the fall term of that year, Mr. Frothingham resigned, and W. J. Parrott was appointed. He was followed the next year by David P. Temple, who in turn was succeeded by W. H. Harries. Then came J. B. Le Blond. In 1876, W. D. Belden was appointed. But the legis- lature had passed a new law making the office elective and providing that the then incumbent should continue to serve until a successor was elected. The matter went into the courts. In the fall, however, D. C. Cameron was elected. He served for many years. Following him the superintendents have been : 1887, James Brady ; 1889, F. W. Noyes; 1891, Fannie Lapham; 1897, George H. Kuster; 1901, S. N. Ristey; 1905, Georgia Lommen; 1913, Marie Otterness ; 1919, Mary C. Weida.

At the present time the schools of the county are in a most flourishing condition. There are in all 105 districts. Houston, Spring Grove and Caledonia have high schools, a special feature of the first named being a Teachers' Training Department which grants to its graduates a first grade teacher's certificate, and is doing some excellent work in furnishing the country schools with competent teachers. Hokah has a graded school. La Crescent with four departments, Brownsville with three departments and Eitzen with two departments are semi-graded schools. In addition to the three semi-graded schools the districts that were rated as Class A in 1918 were: 5, Houston township; 8, Money Creek township; 9, Money Creek township; 10, Houston township; 11, Mound Prairie township; 19, Yucatan township; 26, Sheldon township; 27, Union township (not in session this year) ; 35, Caledonia township; 36, Caledonia township; 43, Mayville township; 49, Winnebago township; 59, Wilmington township; 62, Mound Prairie township; 64, Brownsville township; 66, Wilmington township; 73, Hokah township (children transported to district 12 this year) ; 85, Wil-

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mington township; 87, Money Creek township; 89, Money Creek township; 90, Mayville township; 94, Mound Prairie township; 103, Yucatan town- ship; 107, Mayville township.

The Class B districts are as follows: 2, La Crescent township; 13, Hokah township; 17, Yucatan township; 18, Yucatan township; 20, Yuca- tan township; 25, Sheldon township; 29, Union township; 32, Brownsville township; 37, Black Hammer township; 39, Caledonia township; 40, Cale- donia township; 45, Freeburg; 48, Jefferson township; 50, Winnebago township; 53, Wilmington township; 55, Spring Grove township; 56, Spring Grove township; 60, Riceford; 61, Brownsville township; 65, Black Hammer township; 67, Wilmington township; 69, Black Hammer township; 74, Black Hammer township; 79, Yucatan township; 81, Winnebago township; 84, La Crescent township; 95, Jefferson township; 96, Money Creek town- ship; 98, Sheldon township; 99, Spring Grove township; 105, Caledonia township. To this list 67, Wilmington township, and 98, Sheldon township, are added this year.

The three high schools and one graded school are of brick as are thirteen of the rural and semi-graded schools. Eighty-three of the rural and semi-graded schools are of frame and five of stone. No log schoolhouses remain. The average length of the school year in the high and graded schools is nine months, in the rural and semi-graded districts a little over seven months. The average number of voters attending the annual school meeting in 1918 in the high and graded school districts was 62, in the rural and semi-graded districts it was a little over eight. The average rate of special tax in 1918 in the high and graded school districts was 18.2 mills and in the semi-graded and rural schools, 5.17 mills.

Considerable community work is being done in the various schools, and the teachers are co-operating with the agricultural agent in his work. A Public Health Association has been organized to provide the school system with a visiting and examining nurse. County teachers' meetings and several sectional teachers' meetings are held each year, as are school officers' meet- ings. An annual teachers' meeting and an annual teachers' institute are held. An annual graduation for those completing the course in the rural schools is held with appropriate exercises at Caledonia.

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CHAPTER XI

EARLY TOWNSHIP HISTORIES

Houston County is divided into seventeen townships. The Mississippi Townships are La Crescent, Hokah, Brownsville, Crooked Creek and Jef- ferson. Next west are Mound Prairie, Union, Mayville and Winnebago. Next west are Houston, Sheldon, Caledonia and Wilmington. The most western townships are Money Creek, Yucatan, Black Hammer and Spring Grove.

The seventeen townships in Houston County date back to the early election precincts. When, on July 9, 1853, Fillmore County, then includ- ing Houston County, was divided into precincts, one was named the Root River Precinct, and included all of what is now Houston County north of a line drawn due west from the mouth of the Root River. The land in Houston County south of that line was not placed in an election precinct until Aug. 27, 1853. When Brownsville Precinct was created it included all the part of the county south of a line drawn due west from the mouth of the Root River.

May 26, 1854, at the first meeting of the county commissioners of Houston County, five election precincts were created: Brownsville, Pine Creek, Root River, Spring Grove and Caledonia. Brownsville consisted of all of the county east of the middle line of range 5, and south of the Root River. The election was to be held at Brownsville Village, in charge of Matthew Alexander, John Montgomery and Edward Thompson. Pine Creek, changed Jan. 7, 1856, to Manton, consisted of all of the county east of the middle line of Range 5, and north of the Root River. The election was to be held at the home of Harvey Gillette, in charge of Francis Dia- mond, Peter Cameron and Harvey Gillette. Root River, also called the Looneyville Precinct, took in all the county west of the middle line of range 5, and north of the middle line of township 103. The election was to be held at the home of Ole Knudson, in charge of Ole Knudson, John S. Looney and Joseph Lovesee. Spring Grove consisted of all of township 101, range 7, and the south half of township 102, range 7. The election was to be held at the home of James Smith, in charge of James Smith, William H. Roe and Sibeon Peterson. Caledonia consisted of all the county east of the middle line of range 5, south of the middle line of township 103, and west of the line between ranges 6 and 7. The election was to be held at the home of James Hiner, in charge of James Hiner, Samuel McPhail and Samuel Armstrong.

Four more election precincts were created during territorial days, Hokah and Winnebago on April 2, 1855, Money Creek on Jan. 7, 1856, and Yucatan on April 7, 1856. Hokah consisted on the northern twelve sections in township 103, range 4; the southern twelve sections in township 104,

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range 4; the east half of township 103, range 5, and sections 25, 26, 27, 34, 35 and 36 in section 104, range 5. The election was to be held at the house of John N. Stewart, in charge of George House, Jaon N. Stewart and Levi West. Winnebago consisted of township 101, ranges 4, 5 and 6. The elec- tion was to be held at the home of Eliakim Laflin, in charge of Eliakim Laflin, E. B. Eaton and Gershom Pope. Money Creek consisted of every- thing west of the middle line of range 6, and north of the Root River. The first election was to be in charge of Nathan Vance, C. B. Sinclair and Rus- sell H. Thurber. Yucatan consisted of the south half of township 103, range 7; the north two-thirds of township 102, range 7, sections 5, 6 and 7; township 102, range 6, and sections 19, 20, 29, 30, 31 and 32 in township 103, range 6.

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History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 18

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1343

Author: Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge
Publication date: 1919
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1343