History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 23

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

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In 1853 or 1854 Jacob Bush built a dam across the creek in section 26, and nearly completed a sawmill 24 by 40 feet, of very heavy timber 18 inches square. A wheel was ready to be placed in position, when a sudden freshet proved too much for the dam to resist. The mill stood for years as a monument of the dismal failure, and its timbers finally lay scattered about the place.

In 1856 a second attempt was made to build a mill to saw lumber and grind grain. Abraham Milhauser was the moving spirit in the enterprise. A dam was thrown across the Dayville or Hanson Creek, in section 22, but the first rise in the stream carried it away, and so this attempt to utilize the water power of the town proved likewise a failure.

At a later date a feed mill was established by James McLaughlin, who called horses into requisition, having a contrivance not unlike that em- ployed in running a threshing machine of the olden type. Four horses were used, and he had a feed mill of his own invention so constructed that corn in the ear was ground in one operation, without preparatory crushing. The stones had a diameter of three feet, four inches, and were taken from the sandstone bluff nearby. They had a capacity for grinding 150 bushels of corn a day, and a larger amount of small grain.

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At quite an early day a store was opened by Charles Chase on the Sheldon farm, and the firm afterwards became Chase & Andrew Orr. While the railroad was building, D. J. Cameron had a small stock of goods near the station. In 1868 J. A. Eberhard opened a store at the station in a small building. A store has since been maintained at this point.

The Lorette House was a well known landmark in the early days. It was on the old territorial road from La Crosse to St. Paul, and was the first principal stopping place after leaving La Crosse. It was constructed by Seth Lore and kept by him until 1861. After that his daughter, Mrs. C. B. Carpenter, became the hostess. It was a log house, 18 by 20 feet, with three rooms on the ground floor and a chamber above, and an extension back of the building as a cook room. In early times this was a stopping place for three lines of stages, and not unfrequently seventy people would be accommodated with dinners. On the old register may be found the names of General Sibley, Governor Ramsey, Judge Goodrich, Major McCul- lom, Captain Rollins, Colonel Allyn, Lords Cavendish and Groesnor, Sir William Ashley, with numerous Indian Chiefs, including Hole-in-the-Day, Bastie, and others. The house was noted for its immense fireplace, which took up one half of a side of the building. In 1859 a frame addition was built, 20 by 30 feet, and two stories in height. When the railroads began operations this old hostelry, around which clustered so many associations, was discontinued and left as a solitary landmark of an age gone never to return.

MONEY CREEK TOWNSHIP AND VILLAGE

The township of Money Creek is located in the northwest corner of the county, with Winona County on the north, Houston Township on the east, Houston and Yucatan on the south, and Yucatan Township on the south, and Yucatan Township and Fillmore County on the west. It is eight miles long in its greatest length from east to west, and five miles wide, and contains about 35 square miles.

The Root River meanders along its southern border, which approxi- mately follows the river. The creek from which it takes its name comes into the township by several branches from the north, in the eastern part, which, uniting, flow south into Root River. There is more valley than ridge land in the township, particularly in the eastern and southern parts. It is well settled and has many fine farms. The Southern Minnesota Divi- sion of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway passes through the southern part of the township at several points as it follows the Root River Valley.

Money Creek was settled in 1853. Early in that year came John Campbell and Nathan Vance who had previously been here several times looking for a mill site. Campbell took 320 acres, including the site of the mill and hamlet of Money Creek. Vance took a claim adjoining. In the same year, Willis Thompson settled in section 19 and James Campbell in section 26.

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Captain Bates, a river captain, came in the spring of 1854 and settled on section 8, at the same time, Charles Williams, a millwright, took land in section 5, and Russell Thurber, a claim adjoining the town site, each remaining a number of years.

Another settler in the spring of 1854 was Cyrus B. Sinclair, a native of Maine, who came here from La Crosse, and entered a claim in section 7. An enterprising man, he helped in the development of the town, was the first postmaster, and did the first blacksmithing. He was a member of the Territorial legislature. After eight or ten years he moved to Winona County, and was subsequently a member of the state legislature. His son, William, in 1857, opened the first regular blacksmith shop in Money Creek, and operated it for many years subsequently.

Stephen Robinson, who came here with Mr. Sinclair, bought the im- proved claim on section 19 from Willis Thompson. He had previously taken a claim in Goodhue County, but remained here instead. Mr. Thomp- son took another claim on section 30, which had a waterpower that was afterwards transferred to John Stewart, who improved the property by building a saw-mill, and subsequently a grist-mill. Mr. Thompson, with hopeful anticipations, platted a city, which he named Christiana, but which never got beyond the parchment stage of existence. Other settlers in the eastern part of the township about the same time were Noah F. Berry, with his father and brothers, Noah taking a claim in section 1.

While the above mentioned pioneers were taking possession of their claims, other colonists were arriving and taking lands in the Root River Valley, most of them being Norwegians. Prominent among these were Martin Christianson and Ole Omodt, who located on section 26, the latter buying out James Spaulding. In the following year, 1855, Samuel Nichols, his son, S. A. Nichols, Phil. Mohan, J. McLeod, and others, settled on the ridge toward the northwest corner of the township.

John Campbell erected the first mill in town, starting in 1854. It was much like other pioneer mills, with no bolting arrangements, and but a single run of stones. But when the settlers succeeded in raising grain, they resorted to this mill, and as the number of pioneers increased, they came in ever augmented numbers. Sometimes, the people bringing their grist to be ground had to wait several days for their flour, and those who could not find accommodations in his small log house had to sleep in the mill itself, or sometimes out of doors, in or under their carts. Soon after putting the grist mill in operation he erected a sawmill. The latter, which contained a single sash saw, remained in operation for fifteen years. In 1859, Mr. Campbell put up a flouring mill, with one run of stones, a smutter and a bolter.

John Stewart, who about 1857, as mentioned, built a sawmill on sec- tion 30, some two years later built a grist mill with a single run of stones, and with bolting facilities. It later became quite an important flour mill.

Many years ago Stephen Robinson commenced the manufacture of brick on his farm, which proved to be of good quality. At first they were moulded by hand in the old fashioned way, but about 1870 he procured a

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machine, and since that time the manufacture has been extensive. The brick used in the construction of the county jail in Caledonia were from this yard, and numerous other buildings in Caledonia and other towns in the county were thus supplied.

A tannery was established by John Emery, near Money Creek, in 1866. In about two years the business was closed out.

The hamlet of Money Creek, at first called Clinton, was platted in the fall of 1856 by John Campbell, the pioneer. He sold the first lot to Mr. Stolls, who erected a tavern, which he kept for several years. Soon after the hamlet was surveyed a half was sold to Mr. Goodrich, of the firm of Draper & Goodrich, who built a store, the beginning of the mercantile business here. Other early merchants here were G. Bissell, Wood & Vance, Corey & Emery, and A. W. Wheeler.

The first town meeting was held May 11, 1858, at the house of Enoch Gould, E. D. Northrop was chairman and C. B. Sinclair, clerk. The fol- lowing officers were unanimously elected, each having received 37 votes. Supervisors, O. P. Gates, chairman, Charles Gyle and C. Anderson; clerk, C. G. Berry; assessor, N. Whittemore; collector, H. Mills; overseer of the poor, Enoch Gould; constables, H. Mills and Stephen Van Horn; justices of the peace, Charles Smith and E. D. Northrup.

The township of Money Creek was originally called Hamilton, but when the act was passed by the legislature forbidding the use of the same name for more than one town or city in the state, and it was found that the name of Hamilton had been previously appropriated, this township was obliged to take a new name, and chose one that was not likely to have a duplicate. Some man, having got his pocketbook and its contents wet in the Creek, and spreading out the bank notes on a bush to dry, a sudden gust of wind blew them into the water again, and some of the money was never recovered; so this circumstance suggested the name of the stream, after which the town was named.

MAYVILLE TOWNSHIP

The township of Mayville is bounded on the north by Union; on the east by Brownsville and Crooked Creek; on the south by Winnebago, and on the west by Caledonia. It is the southeast of the four central town- ships of Houston County, its northwestern corner being exactly in the center of the county. It is a government township, with the exception of sections 24, 25 and 36, and one-half each of sections 23, 26 and 35, which were added to Crooked Creek.

Crooked Creek Valley extends up into this township, coming in at sections 23 and 26, and extending northwest to section 18, where the head of the valley is well elevated. Another depression comes up through sec- tion 26, carrying a small branch, which makes its appearance in section 29. There is another little stream rising in section 9, which finds its way into the creek in section 16. Away from these valleys the land is what

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may be called table land, but by the inhabitants is usually termed "ridge land," and supports many good farms. In the northern part the ridges are broader than elsewhere. The eastern central part is mostly made up of high abrupt bluffs and narrow ravines. The southwest part of the town is rolling and embraces a strip of prairie land, with some brush land, as it is called, and some timber, particularly in section 14 and the imme- diate vicinity. Nearly the entire northwest part is well timbered. The soil is of a clayey character, except in the prairie region where black loam prevails.

Crooked Creek flows eastward through the central part of the town- ship, deflecting toward the south as it leaves to enter the town of Crooked Creek. Along this stream are high bluffs, with narrow ravines coming in at the sides. At a certain elevation rock crops out in a shelf-like way. These ravines seem altogether out of proportion to the size of the af- fluents of the main creek, and in the far west would be called gulches, with more or less picturesque names attached.

There are no villages in the township, except Caledonia, which is mostly in the township of that name, but laps over into Mayville on sections 18 and 19.

The names of the first white settler in Mayville Township is not now known, but among the earliest arrivals were John O. Herron, who located on section 14; P. Kelly, Jerry Hooley, T. J. Murphy, Edward Buckley, Thomas Moriarty, Winston Taylor, Martin Rohan, and Thomas and James Kennedy. Of these Mr. Hooley and Mr. Murphy arrived in the fall of 1854, the former settling on section 9, where he remained until 1868, when he returned to Illinois. Mr. Murphy removed from his original claim to section 28, where he resided for many years. Most of the others mentioned above came in 1855 or 1856. Mr. Buckley located first in section 9 and later in section 4, where he remained. Mr. Moriarty took land in section 8, but later went to Fillmore County. Martin located on section 8, but after- wards removed to section 5, where also the Kennedys established them- selves in the spring of 1855. J. J. Reinhardt came to Mayville in 1856 and located on section 21, where he remained. Mr. Cashman settled on section 4 in 1855.

In the northwest part of the town the first settler was Charles Klein, with his wife, five daughters and four sons. John Mann located on section 4. Gasper Molitor, who arrived from Germany in 1856, bought a claim in section 17. John Meade came at an early date and secured a claim on section 19. Nicholas Neu pre-empted a claim in section 20 in 1857, and paid the government price, but sold in 1866 and removed to section 19. For four or five years after the first immigrants arrived, there was a con- siderable influx of others, mostly from Ireland and Germany.

In the fall of 1857 the first marriage occurred, that of William Schminden and Catherine Reinhardt. The first death was that of John Spoeden, in May, 1856. In the early history of this township there seems to have been no very startling events. Those who colonized it came with the honest purpose of securing homes, in which they succeeded.

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SHELDON TOWNSHIP

The township of Sheldon is one of the four interior townships of the county, and corresponds to a government township, except that its first six sections are in Houston, the township to the north. It is bounded on the east by Union, and a part of Mound Prairie; on the south by Caledonia, and on the west by Yucatan. Its southeast corner is but a mile or two from the exact center of the county. The northwestern part of the township is crossed by the South Fork of Root River. Starting in the upper part of section 34, Badger Creek flows in a northerly direction to join the South Fork in section 9, while Beaver Creek runs north in the western part of the township. These streams flow through valleys bordered by bluffs and ridges, while another valley on the extreme east adds to the variety of the landscape, its hills and dales being the most conspicuous features.

Beaver Creek has long been noted as a stream possessing excellent water-power. It is formed from large springs, and has a western and southern branch which unite and form a single stream about a mile from the village of Sheldon. The stream varies in width from 20 to 25 feet, and has a depth of about 18 inches, with a fall of about two feet to the mile.

The honor of being the first settler in Sheldon undoubtedly belongs to a Norwegian named Gutorm Guttarsen, who arrived in June, 1853, from Rock County, Wis., and located 160 acres in sections 7 and 8. He, how- ever, was not much ahead of two brothers, Michael and Andrew Michael- son, and a man named Andrew Jermonson, who arrived within a week or two, at most, of Mr. Guttarsen. These men were also Norwegians.

Michael Michaelson, then 25 years old, took a claim in section 21, and became a permanent resident. He helped in the construction of Brown's mill, the first erected in the township, and helped to build one of the early school houses. His brother, Andrew, settled in section 16, but in nine or ten years removed to Dakota. Andrew Jermonson died two years after his claim.

In the spring of 1854 Ole Targeson, another Norwegian, came to Sheldon with his family from Dane County, Wisconsin, and taking a claim resided here until his death in 1881, at the age of 87 years, the homestead coming into the possession of his son.

The first man to take up land in the southeastern part of the township was John Brown, and his cabin was the first house in the village of Sheldon. He also built the first sawmill in the village. Mr. Brown, who was a Scotchman, remained here until about 1874, and then went to the Red River, where he was killed in a runaway accident in 1880. Soon after his arrival here came Benjamin Swan, in 1854. He started a farm just to the north, and married a daughter of Ole Targeson. In 1873 or 1874 he removed to Iowa.

In 1857 a Mr. Seeley built a grist-mill near the sawmill, being assisted by John Phelps, who afterwards became the owner of the mill, and op- erated it for several years. Both mills were purchased by Joseph Schneider in 1868, and in 1875 they were replaced by another mill, with four run

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of stones and up-to-date machinery, which was operated for a number of years as a first-class mill.

About a year after Mr. Brown's arrival, a Mr. Cook came to the locality and built a house, which was subsequently enlarged and converted into a hotel, being operated by Martin Neubury.

The first store in the village was opened by Moses Woods, a miller, in 1856. It occupied a small slab building, which he erected, and was run for about a year when insufficient custom caused him to abandon it.

In 1857 John Paddock arrived from Illinois and started a better store with a good stock of merchandise. About the same time the postoffice was established, with Mr. Paddock as postmaster. The first religious service was also held at his house, and he was the first justice of the peace. After remaining in trade for about two years, he changed his occupation for that of a hotel keeper. He remained in town for about ten years, when he returned to Illinois. His daughter, Adeline, married Lewis Herring, about the fall of 1856. Another early store keeper was George Brenneman.

In 1856 John E. Homme, a Norwegian, took 120 acres in section 18, and at a later date bought 175 more. He was a carpenter by trade, and had previously resided in Dane County, Wisconsin. He developed a good farm here, on which he lived for many years. One of his sons, E. J. Homme, became a prominent Lutheran minister, the editor of a periodical, and founder of a Home for the Friendless.

In 1855, Henry Wilson, who had traveled all over the world, bought 160 acres in section 19. Subsequently he became a prominent citizen of the township, serving a number of times in local office.

The first settler on "the Ridge" in the eastern part of the town was Jerry Cunningham, an Irishman, who had arrived in New York in 1851, and after working in different states, arrived in Houston County in 1854, the year of the first land sale. He bought 160 acres in section 13, where he subsequently built a log house in which he and his family lived for several years. It was afterwards replaced by one of more modern style and structure. In 1857 he married Ellen Haggerty, and they reared a family of children.

Another Irishman, named John Murphy, settled in Sheldon township at an early date, but in 1859 he went to Dakota. Among the pioneers or early settlers of the township who stayed, built homes and became more or less prominent, with the dates of their arrival, were: George Brenne- man, 1857; Christof Evenson, 1857; G. Guttesen, 1853; John N. Ingham, 1856; Levi Olson, 1854; Moses Woods, 1856; J. B. Williams (came to Houston County in 1852, and opened the first dry goods store in Sheldon in May, 1857) ; Hans Hogensen, about 1868; Mikkel Eastonson, 1863; Leander G. Carpenter (came to the county in 1869) ; Hiram Knox, 1863; George W. Mills, 1876; Joseph Schneider, 1875; Edgar E. Webster, 1876; Jasper M. Know, 1877; and Frederick Pieper, who came to Houston County in 1866, and to Sheldon Township in 1881.

The town of Sheldon was organized May 11, 1858, at a meeting held in the village. The officers elected were: Supervisors, John Brown, chair- man; Steiner Knudson and Henry Olson; town clerk, James Patton; as-

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sessor, Michael Ryan; collector, Lawrence Lynch; justices of the peace, Lyman B. Jefferson and Ch. Fetsan; constable, Bartholomew Henry; over- seer of the poor, John Paddock.

The village of Sheldon derived its name from Julius C. Sheldon, previ- ously a resident of Suffield, Connecticut, who anticipated a large and steady growth for the place, and with others, did much to promote its in- terests. For some years the prospects were quite encouraging; but the village met the fate that has befallen so many others of like promise, when the railroad left it six miles to one side, and its trade was diverted to other points. It is beautifully situated in the valley of Beaver Creek, on a broad bench of land running back from the creek, about a mile in width, and generally level. Though surrounded by bluffs, it is connected by various roads with the other towns, and is easily accessible when the roads have been rendered impassible by heavy snows or rains. The village, as laid out, had 16 blocks, with eight lots in each and cross alleys. Five streets ran north and south, and five east and west.

SPRING GROVE TOWNSHIP AND VILLAGE (Riceford and Newhouse)

The township of Spring Grove lies in the extreme southwestern corner of the county, and is identical with a government township. It has an area of about 23,000 acres. On the north is the township of Black Hammer, on the east is Wilmington, the State of Iowa is on the south, and I'llimure county on the west. The township was at first known as Norwegian Ridge, the name being especially applied to the whole elevated region which extends over into what is now Wilmington. When first organized Spring Grove was much larger than it is now, taking in a part of what has since been organized as Black Hammer. There are two villages, Riceford, on a creek of the same name, in section 6, and Spring Grove and Newhouse, on the C. M. & St. P. Railway (formerly the Narrow Gauge) in section 11.

The only stream of any importance is Riceford Creek, which courses along the western border of the township near the county line, running north, to finally unite with Root River. This township, taken in connection with its neighbor, Wilmington, has some special geological features worthy of notice. Most of the other townships in the county are gorged with deep valleys and ravines, cut in alternating strata of sandstone and limestone, below the general level of the country; but here, the prevailing features in the county are reversed, as a connecting series of elevated ridges forming broad uplands rear their water-sheds nearly 200 feet above the surrounding prairie country. One common ridge a mile or more in width extends in a diagonal direction from the southwestern part of Spring Grove to the northern part of Wilmington. From this main upland ex- tending in various directions, numerous spurs project, some of them for two miles, with sequestered valleys between. The widest of these are two miles across. As mentioned in the geological account of the county, these peculiarities are not due to upheavals but to erosion.

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In several places from elevated points some remarkably fine views are obtained. Looking northward, nearly the whole of Black Hammer township is spread out like a panorama, to the west is a depression, with an elevation far beyond. The prospect looking south is only interrupted by the highlands beyond the Iowa River, and whichever way one turns there is hill and vale, prairie and woodland, with dwellings dotting the landscape, and an occasional spire above the intervening groves pointing to the plue vault above.

This region is called the hill country, and embraces ten miles or so from east to west, and six or seven from north to south. The surface drainage is in all directions, and the top of the watershed is remarkably level, and carries the railroad bed with little grading. The slope either way is quite gradual, and what may be deemed remarkable, the whole region is overspread with a rich clay loam, and being mostly open country is occupied by numerous farms, some of them on an extended scale. The dwellings are usually in sheltered nooks among the groves or below the brow of a protecting declivity.

The village of Spring Grove is quite pleasantly situated on a high part of the main ridge, on nearly level ground, on the southern part of the water- shed. The buildings are well set apart and are neat and substantial.

Along the table lands the early settlers found beautiful groves of oak, without underbrush, interspersed with maple and black walnut, and in the shady aisles of these overhanging boughs, clear and sparkling springs bubbled up in the most inviting places, urging the seeker after a home to make this spot his abiding place. Much of the timber is now gone, but enough remains to give a good idea of the delightful prospect that greeted the early explorers.

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History of Houston County, Minnesota, Part 23

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

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