USA > Minnesota > Morrison County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume I > Part 10
USA > Minnesota > Todd County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume I > Part 10
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Little Falls, there is a work carried on by this church at Green Prairie, once a week.
GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN ZION'S CHURCH.
The German Evangelical Lutheran Zion's church, at Little Falls, was organized in 1890, by Rev. K. Reuter, with membership as follows: F. Woehlert, F. Hobz, Robert Diedrich, John Schulz, of Little Falls, and R. Kriefall, Herman Kuschel, Carl Kuschel, of Buckman; at Randall, there were August Schwanke, Emil Rebischke, Adolph Fregin, Herman Lemnitz. These constituted the members at first in each of these places, Little Falls being the parent church. The same pastors have served all and are as fol- lows : Revs. August Kollmann, K. Reuter, A. Englert, Paul Beck and pres- ent pastor, Rev. F. J. Oehlert. There are now forty-five members and church property valued at six thousand dollars. Parochial schools are con- ducted in behalf of these societies.
EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.
There are three Episcopal churches in Morrison county-one at Little Falls, one at Royalton and another at Swanville. The oldest of these churches is at Little Falls, where the church was organized on December 19, 1858, by Rev. E. S. Peake, appointed by Right Rev. J. Kemper, missionary bishop of the Northwest. The charter members were: Mrs. Catherine Jan- ner, Mrs. Lydia Cash, Mrs. Nancy Stillwell and Mrs. Proctor. The mem- bership in August, 1915, is one hundred and four.
The first building, in 1879, cost seven hundred dollars; it was sold in 1903 to the Swedish Methodist congregation. The present church building had its corner-stone laid on September 15, 1903, costing ten thousand dollars and was dedicated on January 24, 1904. The present church property is valued at fourteen thousand dollars.
The following have served as rectors: Rev. E. S. Peake, from date of organization until November 1, 1862, at which time he became a chaplain in the Civil War; Rev. John Elwell, December 19. 1862, to February 22. 1869; Rev. S. N. Stewart, October 22, 1869, to December 11, 1871; Rev. J. T. Chambers, December 11. 1871, to June. 1872; Rev. J. A. Gilfillan, June, 1872, to August, 1876; Rev. G. H. Davis and Herbert Root. August 14, 1876, to August 26, 1881 ; Rev. F. Hawley, D. D., 1881 to May, 1883, and from September. 1884 to May, 1886; Rev. J. F. Tassell, May, 1883, to
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August, 1884; Rev. Lewis Birch, May 2, 1886, to September, 1887; Rev. Andrew Harper, April 5, 1888, to June 1, 1889; Rev. A. A. Joss, July I, 1889, to June 1, 1889; Rev. William Walton, September 1, 1889, to July 20, 1902; Rev. Francis Alleyne, October 12, 1902, to May 25, 1905; Rev. R. S. Hannah, 1906, to September, 1907; Rev. George Platt, December, 1907, to 1912; Rev. A. O. Worthing, December, 1912, to December, 1914. The present edifice is among the finest in this county.
At Royalton, a Protestant Episcopal church was formed and a church edifice built in 1880. It was then attended by the rector from St. Cloud.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.
There are a few small Presbyterian congregations in this county-one at Little Falls, with a good building, and one at Royalton, erected in 1880.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES.
At Belle Prairie, Rev. Frederick Ayer formed a Congregational church, in connection with his Indian school. The mission or school was founded in about 1849 and the church in 1854. Services were held in the Green Prairie settlement as early as 1870, by Rev. William Cutler, a Congrega- tionalist ininister, but no church was organized.
The Little Falls church of this denomination was organized on June 6, 1859, by Rev. E. Newton, F. J. Farrand and Ezra Hicks were chosen trustees. Rev. W. B. Dada succeeded Mr. Newton in 1860, remaining until the fall of 1862, when rumors of an Indian outbreak caused a sudden and final departure of the reverend gentleman: The church was then without a pastor until 1870, when the Rev. W. A. Cutler assumed the charge of this and the church at Belle Prairie, remaining until 1875. He was followed by Rev. D. W. Rosencranz in January, 1876. During the first year of his ministry here, a good church building ( for those days) was erected. Rev. J. S. Hull succeeded Rev. Rosencranz in January, 1881. The membership at the date last named was thirty-seven.
The old church building is said to have been the first Protestant edifice in Little Falls and also in Morrison county. It was later sold for other uses. The present church on Fourth street was erected in 1893. A gyin- nasium, completely equipped, was completed in 1912 and at present a large, modern parsonage, to cost five thousand five hundred dollars, is being erected
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near the church building. All Congregational church property in Little Falls is estimated at twenty-six thousand dollars valuation. The present membership is two hundred and nineteen.
The pastors since those already mentioned have been, in order, as fol- lows : Revs. M. K. Pasco, J. S. Hull, O. O. Rundell, D. Donovan, W. Moore, F. A. Sumner, W. A. Waller, C. Billig, W. North, F. Atkinson and the present pastor, Rev. Philip Gregory.
OTHER CHURCHES.
At the village of Upsala are found three churches, Swedish Lutheran, Swedish Mission and Swedish Baptist churches.
At Little Falls there are the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran and the Swedish Congregational churches.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, LITTLE FALLS
EPISCOPAL CHURCH. LITTLE FALLS
CHAPTER XII.
CIVIC SOCIETIES OF MORRISON COUNTY.
Wherever civilized men live, there are found fraternities, churches and schools. There was a time, not many decades ago, when secret societies were not in universal favor with the people, especially with the strict denom- inational workers of both the Catholic and Protestant religious faiths; but these ideas have become modified and today the great fraternal orders are looked upon as benefactors to the human race. In the most enlightened parts of the globe we find the greatest number of lodges and associations of men and women, all working together for one another's uplifting.
Morrison county being largely of the Roman Catholic faith, it would not be supposed that the number of secret societies here would be as great as in other communities, for Catholics, as a rule, are not in sympathy with such orders, especially outside the societies of their own congregations. How- ever, their own denomination favors and fosters a very large society which has its secret work-that of the Knights of Columbus.
MASONIC ORDER.
In Morrison county the first fraternal lodges to be formed was the Masonic. It was Little Falls Lodge No. 140, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, organized under dispensation in the summer of 1879, and which received its working charter in January, 1880. The charter members were eleven in number and included these officers: J. H. Rhodes, worshipful master ; A. Tanner, senior warden; L. Segnor, junior warden; L. G. Worth- ington, secretary, and J. Root, treasurer. In 1882 the lodge had a member- ship of only fifteen. Year by year it has steadily increased and today it has a membership of seventy or more and is in a healthy, growing condition. The order leases a hall, as do all the civic societies of the city. There is also a chapter of Royal Arch Masons in Little Falls, and a chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star.
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INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS.
Royalton Lodge No. 224, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Royal- ton, Morrison county, was organized on November 1, 1907. The charter members included the following: M. Bouck. A. Halvorsen, George Muncy, W. A. Trask and A. W. Holliday. Its present membership is forty-one. The degrees here worked are the initiatory, first, second and third. A hall is rented. The officers in July, 1915, were: J. P. Jensen, noble grand; Andrew Thoen, vice-grand; A. C. Bouck, secretary; Charles R. Rhoda, treasurer. The following have served as presiding officers since the institu- tion of the lodge : M. Bouck, A. C. Bouck, A. Halvorsen, A. Hingum, J. P. Jensen, H. M. Logan, C. Rosenmeer and A. M. Watson.
Swanville Lodge No. 258, at Swanville, Morrison county, was organ- ized March 14, 1903, with twenty-two charter members, as follows: C. J. Saunders, B. B. Cox, W. H. Cox, John Stroman, J. D. Stith, S. F. Campbell, J. Pearson, C. E. Sanford, C. D. Barber, A. W. Zarnes, R. E. Moore, A. Pretzel, M. Pillen, E. D. Smith, A. J. Showen, C. A. Smith, Fred Garling, G. Stromen, D. H. Campbell, J. Perkins, H. Haskett and J. S. Borgstrom. The total membership today is sixty-one. The officers were given in August, 1915, as follows: Otto Kreusey, noble grand; Nick Treug, vice-grand; Dr. I. C. Wiltrout, secretary; J. D. Stith, financial secretary. The presiding officers have been : C. J. Saunders, B. B. Cox, W. H. Cox, John Stroman, J. D. Stith, S. F. Campbell, J. Pearson, C. E. Sanford, C. D. Barber, A. W. Zarnes, F. Kreutzer, E. Stergeon, J. Ware, A. J. Gibson and W. Anderson. A hall is leased from J. D. Stith, over his store on Main street, in the cen- ter of town. Four degrees are worked here.
Rebekah Lodge No. 126 was organized in 1906, with a membership of fifteen, but has increased to fifty-seven members.
Little Falls Lodge No. III, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organized in March, 1886, and now has a membership of eighty with elective officers as follows: J. L. Metcalf, noble grand; Albery Eue, vice-grand ; Andrew Johnson, secretary, and N. N. Bergheim, treasurer. This order meets in a leased hall, which they have occupied twelve years and sub-rent to almost all other orders in the city. Four degrees of Odd Fellowship are worked at Little Falls.
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GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC.
Morrison county has had a number of active posts of this order of Civil, War soldiers, but time has made sad work with most of them. But few, of the brave, daring and loyal men who went to the Southland in the days of that terrible conflict are left. There are a few posts in the county which, are still keeping up their meetings, aided by the loyal spirits possessed by the ladies of the auxiliary order, the Woman's Relief Corps.
At Motley, Stannard Post No. 161 was organized on April 15, 1887, but has now only six comrades left as members. The charter members were as follows : C. H. Hodge, lieutenant Ninth Vermont Volunteers; Owens Davis, Signal Corps; H. O. Francisco, First Wisconsin Cavalry, A. J. Compton, Eighty-seventh Wisconsin Infantry; E. P. Jones, I. F. Weston, Company, A, Thirtieth Wisconsin Volunteers; F. N. Lawhead, Company A, Third Ohio; F. A. Cliffad, Eighth Minnesota; W. H. Hardy, Company C, First Minnesota Heavy Artillery; A. N. Summer, Company A, Sixth Illinois Infantry ; J. L. Critchlow, Eighty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers; A. Hull, Company E, Seventh Minnesota; James Pashee, Company A, Twenty- seventh Wisconsin Volunteers ; Dillon Asher, Company F, Fortieth Wiscon- sin ; L. Scott, Company F, Eighth Minnesota; C. Taylor, I. H. Dawers, Third Minnesota; George Lewis, Company T, Sixth Illinois Volunteers; Charles WV. Seaton, First Wisconsin Infantry ; A. B. Seaman, E. E. Reinachl, W. B. Senff, C. W. Baker, W. H. Wagner, S. W. Reezer, W. S. Graves, E. R. Luttley, Samuel Marten, R. W. Sipes, W. McLead, Barney Tully, Ninth Vermont Volunteers; E. H. Hunter, J. E. Davenport, Company K, Wis- consin Volunteers.
The officers of this post in the autumn of 1915 are: George Lewis, commander; Isaac F. Weston, quartermaster; R. Penfield, chaplain; C. Richardson, adjutant; E. J. Barnett, junior vice-commander ; J. La Fars, senior vice-commander.
Of the Womans Relief Corps, the quartermaster of the post writes the anthor that, "Corps No. 18 is made up of a very fine set of women and are doing all they can for the good of the Grand Army of the Republic and the post at Motley. They also send a good lot of fruit and other things that please the old comrades at the Minnesota Soldiers' Home."
Workman Post No. 31, Grand Army of the Republic, at Little Falls, was organized on June 8, 1883, with fifty members. The original officers were: H. B. Tuttle, commander; Jonathan Taylor, senior vice-commander ;
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Lyman W. Ayer, junior vice-commander ; E. H. Farnham, adjutant; WV L. Dow, quartermaster; Wilson Kunney, chaplain; O. L. Clyde, officer of the day; F. Ward, officer of the guard; W. O. Hardy, surgeon; Robert Jones, sergeant major; Fordis Averill, quartermaster sergeant. This post now has a membership of thirty in good standing. The comrades meet in Maurin hall, on First street, on the first and third Saturdays of each month, at 3 P. M. The officers of Workman post in September, 1915, were as follow : James C. Burrall, commander; George W. Keeler, senior vice-commander ; Paul Noe, junior vice-commander ; Dura Corbin, adjutant ; John J. Clark, quartermaster ; John Docken, chaplain; Charles Friend, officer of the day ; A. St. Antoine. officer of the guard.
The Woman's Relief Corps, of Little Falls, is a fine auxiliary to Work- man post, and has about forty active members.
There are now posts at Royalton, Motley and Swanville, in this county. the Woman's Relief Corps at Swanville is now very active and strong.
Several of the fraternities in the county failed to respond to a call made for data on their local lodges. In the city of Little Falls the following soci- eties were in working order in September, 1915: Masonic, Odd Fellows, Elks, Moose, Red Men, Modern Woodmen of America, Yeomen, Foresters, United Order of Foresters, Grand Army of the Republic, Eagles, Macca- bees, Modern Brotherhood of America, Ancient Order of United Work- men, St. Joseph's Benevolent Society and Knights of Columbus.
CHAPTER XIII.
BENCH AND BAR OF MORRISON COUNTY.
From members of the present bar and from notes left in scrap-book form, as the result of Hon. Nathan Richardson's thoughtfulness in 1876, the author has been able to collect the following concerning the bar of Morrison county :
The pioneer attorney was James Hall, who came to Little Falls in 1856. He practiced until 1863, when he caught the Pike's Peak fever and went to that famous spot in the Rocky mountains, where it is related he became quite wealthy from his gold mining and other operations. He returned to St. Cloud. Minnesota, and again entered the practice of his chosen profession. Again in 1871, having property interests in the vicinity of Pike's Peak, he went there and on his return trip died at Cheyenne. At the first state election he was elected as district judge, but soon thereafter resigned in favor of Hon. E. O. Hamlin.
In 1857 came William Moore, who remained at Little Falls two years, but, finding legal business "poor picking," removed to St. Cloud, where he built up a lucrative legal practice and after three or four years removed to St. Paul, where he was in practice many years. Up to 1871 there was little legal business in Little Falls or Morrison county. During that year came E. S. Smith, a young and promising attorney, full of vigor and young manhood's energy and ambition. He remained four years. He went away, but returned later and engaged in practice until his death, in about 1902. Next came W. G. Woodruff, a young attorney from Crookston. He was appointed county attorney and then became a candidate for that office, but was defeated at the . polls. In 1875 he returned to his former home in Crookston and there took up his practice as a lawyer.
In 1876 there was only one lawyer in Morrison county, A. J. Clark, of Little Falls. In 1879, during the month of July, came Alfred F. Storey. In a short time he was appointed county attorney and in 1880 was a candidate for the office of probate judge and was elected. He left Little Falls sometime previous to 1887. In the eighties came D. T. Calhoun, one of the best lawyers
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that ever graced the Morrison county bar. He moved to St. Cloud and died at that city about 1907 or 1908.
Hon. C. A. Lindbergh, present congressman, came to Little Falls to prac- tice law about 1884. His record is well known and is mentioned at length elsewhere in this work. He purchased the business built up by Mr. Lamb, which left only two lawyers in the county, Lindbergh and E. S. Smith.
In March, 1887, came A. P. Blanchard. He had been admitted to the bar in Illinois, and practiced here until his death in 1910. He was a good attorney. He was in partnership in law with C. A. Lindbergh from 1904 to 1907, when Lindbergh was elected to his seat in Congress. He served twice as county attorney of Morrison county. Crawford Sheldon came here about the same date of Mr. Blanchard's coming. After two years he was elected justice of the peace; for several terms he held this office, then abandoned law and was elected county superintendent of schools, after which he retired to his excellent farm home in Belle Prairie township, where he still follows the less harassing occupation of agriculture. In the summer of 1887 came Frank Lyon, who is still engaged in legal practice at Little Falls. He has served as county attorney for a number of terms. His former home was Illinois.
It was about this date when J. H. Rhodes came to Little Falls and engaged in the drug trade in company with John Wetzel for a number of years. He possessed a large farm near Little Falls. He went to St. Cloud, read law a few months, was admitted to the Morrison county bar, in about 1889, and then was made county attorney here in place of "Roll" Worthington. He served as county attorney by election for two terms and died in 1900. He had a large rice plantation in one of the Southern states.
Hon. Nathan Richardson was admitted to the bar of this county long after lic had held county office and been counted an "old settler" many years ; he was not a well-read attorney, as the term now implies, but managed to transact much legal business. His admission was in 1885. Donald Trettel, born in Poland, but reared in this county, read law with Hon. C. A. Lind- bergh. He was educated at the Catholic schools, had a fine education and practiced law in Little Falls until his death a few years since. At one time he was judge of probate court here. A. Grethen was in practice at Little Falls two years about 1900. As the partner of Judge Baxter. of Fergus Falls, he had received a good understanding of the law. He finally removed to Dakota and there formed a partnership with his son in the law business and was, at last accounts, still living.
E. A. Kling came from Wadena, Minnesota, in 1899 and is still in prac-
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tice. He has held a term in the Minnesota Legislature and was clerk of the courts in Morrison county by appointment a few years ago. About 1900 came Don N. Cameron and Nels N. Bergheim, both graduates of the Iowa University law school. Cameron was county attorney three terms here, and both he and Mr. Bergheim are still actively engaged in their chosen profession at Little Falls.
C. Rosenmeier came from some one of the southern counties of Minne- sota to Royalton about 1906, and was elected county attorney of Morrison county in 1913, being the present incumbent of that office. E. F. Shaw came here about 1891, from Baltimore, Maryland, and practiced for a time being now judge of probate court.
Louis W. Vasaly and brother, Stephen C. Vasaly, were admitted to the Morrison county bar about 1896. They were born in this county. Louis W. has served two terms in the state Legislature and been county attorney of Morrison county. The latest addition to the Morrison county bar is A. H. Vernon, from St. Paul, who arrived here in 1910. He has been city attorney several terms.
Last, but not least, in the honorable role of attorneys in Little Falls, is E. P. Adams, to whom we are indebted for many points in this list of lawyers in Morrison county. He came here in the month of April. 1887. from Illinois, in which state he was reared. He was educated at the University and Law School, graduating from the former in 1875 and from the latter in 1878. He has practiced alone, except from 1889 to 1892, when he was the partner of Hon. C. A. Lindbergh. He has held the office of city attorney for Little Falls. He is a well trained, able counselor and has won the esteem of the county of his adoption and has a paying clientage.
J. N. True practiced in Little Falls from about 1900 to 1905, then moved to Oregon, but is now again practicing in the courts of this state. He was an excellent lawyer and a good citizen. Clarence Yetter practiced here about 1907-8 for a short period. E. B. Prebble came here in 1887 and practiced law until 1890. He was county attorney three months, but resigned his office and located in St. Paul, where for a time he practiced. He then removed to Washington state, where he amassed a handsome fortune and has been judge of the superior court for about a dozen years.
There have doubtless been a few more who sought to practice law in this county, from time to time, but not for any considerable time, and these names have slipped from the memory with the flight of years. These named above, however, are the principal attorneys who have made a record worth remembering at the Morrison county bar-past and present.
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ATTORNEYS OF 1915.
At present the members of the bar practicing in Morrison county are as follows : E. P. Adams, Nels N. Bergheim, E. A. Kling, Don M. Cameron, Louis W. Vasaly, S. C. Vasaly, F. W. Lyon, E. F. Shaw, A. H. Vernon, C. Rosenmeir.
BAR ASSOCIATION.
In the spring of 1915 there was formed a Bar Association for Morrison county to which all attorneys subscribed their names. Its officers are : President, E. P. Adams: vice-president, F. W. Lyons; treasurer, Stephen Vasaly; secretary, Nels N. Bergheim. If well attended and fostered, this association will be of great mutual good to members of the Morrison county bar. Its history, however, is yet to be made and written by some future county historian.
CHAPTER XIV.
MILITARY AND INDIAN AFFAIRS OF MORRISON COUNTY.
It will be remembered that, while Minnesota was the first of all the loyal states to forward men to the front, after President Lincoln's call for troops to suppress the Rebellion at the South, in April, 1861, the part of the state in which Morrison and Todd counties are situated was but thinly set- tled, hence did not furnish many soldiers for that conflict. There were, however, a few here who went at their country's call, including Lyman W. Ayer, who is still a resident of the city of Little Falls. The exact number who enlisted from this county is unknown, owing to the fact that the state's military reports do not give soldiers' names by counties, but by commands in which they served. But after the end of that war many soldiers came here and took claims and homesteads, and became prominent in the first events of the two counties. This is certain, from the fact that numerous Grand Army posts were organized all over the territory of the counties named, some few of which are still active, while others have gone down, as the comrades have nearly all passed to the other shore.
At the time of the breaking out of the Spanish-American War, because of the fact that so few were needed to make up the quota in Minnesota and that those sections where National Guards were stationed furnished most of the men needed for the state, Morrison county did not send many to that short, though decisive conflict. A few, however, enlisted from this county. As Minnesota failed to publish a full report of its part in that war, we are unable to give details concerning the enlistment of the few who did serve from here.
The most interesting chapter on military affairs in this section was made by the Indian outbreak of 1862, commencing at New Ulm and winding up at the North, with the final execution of thirty-eight Indians at Mankato in December. 1863. by order of President Lincoln. The following is an account of such warfare, and will interest every Morrison and Todd county reader.
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MORRISON AND TODD COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
THE INDIAN OUTBREAK.
After the fearful massacre at New Ulm, Minnesota, in August, 1862, the military department of Minnesota and the general government were busy at organizing and equipping a military force to proceed against and if pos- sible punish the savage Sioux for the awful crimes they had committed upon the innocent citizens of Minnesota. The suddenness of the outbreak found them totally unprepared for any emergency. The Sixth Regiment was in, barracks at Ft. Snelling, nearly full and partially organized. but its field officers had not yet been appointed nor had the men received their arms. The Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Regiments were also partly recruited, but not mustered in. Skeleton companies were at Ft. Snelling, but none had been organized, and all the men were undisciplined. Large numbers had been let off on furlough, to complete harvesting their crops. All the arms due the state had been drawn and issued to the old regiments. The general government was so hard pushed that even the blankets and tents could not be furnished to the new troops. Immediately on receiving the news, Gov- ernor Ramsey appointed Hon. H. H. Sibley, of Mendota, to the command of such forces at Fît. Snelling as the commandant there, Col. B. F. Smith, could organize on the instant. Colonel Sibley was admirably qualified for such a responsible position. His long and intimate acquaintance with the Indians and their character and habits (and especially was this true of the bands now in rebellion), together with his knowledge of military matters and his familiarity with the topography of the country, enabled him to either meet the savages in the field successfully, or to treat with them to advantage.
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