USA > Minnesota > Morrison County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume I > Part 13
USA > Minnesota > Todd County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume I > Part 13
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In the spring of 1878 H. B. Morrison built a large lumber-mill here, which gave employment to many workmen. During the same summer a school was opened and a term was taught by Mrs. Frank Severance. It was only a subscription school. The following year a district was formed and better advantages were then had. In all matters of public interest Pioneer Morrison was a leader and captain in all industries and enterprises. He, however, met with discouragement and reverses, in that his first mill was burned a few months after it was in operation, and one of his faithful workmen lost his life in the angry flames. But he went ahead, rebuilt and put in steam power instead of water. He was enabled with his last mill to cut forty thousand feet of lumber in a ten-hour run. He made lumber, lath and pickets, and employed from ninety to one hundred workmen. In 1881 he opened a brick yard, in which twenty men found employment during the brick-making season.
About one mile from the village another lumber-mill was established in 1881 by Curtis & Lawrence, with a daily cut of twenty-five thousand feet, including shingles and lath. In 1881 Motley had three iarge general stores and two hotels, with corresponding shops. Its population was then about three hundred. Its population in 1910 was four hundred and twenty- five. Its business interests are now as follow: Auto garage, Charles W. Aiken, James H. Francisco; blacksmith, Harry Nogan; Central Minnesota Farmers' Co-operative Shipping Association, stock and potatoes, John Schmit, secretary; creamery, Farmers' Co-operative Creamery Company, Homer Lawhead, secretary; drugs, the Defenbaugh Drug Company, D. D. Defenbaugh, manager; dray line, Clinton Mosher; elevators, the Monarch Company, with Eugene Seely as manager; furniture, hardware and imple- ments, V. Lockwood; general dealers, O. O. Torgerson, Motley Store Com- pany, John O. Johnson, B. F. Cale; hotel, by James H. Francisco; lumber dealers, Dower Lumber Company, Charles Beirwatger, manager; mills, (feed), Fred Sears; millinery, Motley Store Company; newspaper, The
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Mercury, by E. G. Haymaker; meats, Watzha Bros .; shoe and harness repairs, Ole Olson and D. Palmer; restaurant, George Davenport; real estate dealers, Thompson Land Company, Clement Thompson, manager ; Timber Land Company, D. A. Robinson and Charles Watering; Hennepin Lumber Company has a saw-mill, though idle now ; planing mill, with saw- mill, Alfred Wilson; photographs, A. L. Linquist; the Motley Telephone Company, organized 1907, V. Lockwood, president; S. W. Jacobs, secretary and treasurer ; postmaster, E. G. Haymaker, who has been in charge since 1909, and was preceded by George Mosher, Emma Daily and Frank New- kirk; stock dealer, George Palmer; Exchange Store-little of everything- J. R. Webster, who also sells feed, groceries, etc .; physician, Dr. George McCollough.
MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
About thirty years ago Motley village was incorporated, but, for some reason unknown, it was never legally recorded in the county records. The present officers are as follow : President, Fred Sears; recorder, R. L. Bene- dict ; trustees, John O. Johnson, George Palmer, Louis Brower ; constables, Ralph Lyon and C. W. Aiken; justice of the peace, G. B. Gregory. The village has street and private wells for their only water supply. Mounted hand pumps and a hook-and-ladder apparatus, with a volunteer fire con- pany, protect the buildings fairly well from fires. The streets and business places are illuminated by use of gasoline, through the medium of the appli- ances provided by the American Gas Light Company.
The churches of the village are the Methodist Episcopal, Free Metli- odist, Norwegian Lutheran, German Lutheran and Catholic. The lodges are the Odd Fellows, Modern Woodmen of America, Modern Brotherhood and Grand Army of the Republic. A twelve thousand-dollar school build- ing was erected in 1909, by borrowing from the state funds, in way of issuing bonds drawing four per cent, payable in fifteen years.
BELLEVUE TOWNSHIP.
Bellevue is the southeastern township in the county, on the east bank of the Mississippi, and constitutes township 39, range 31 and a part of range 32. It is bounded by the Mississippi on the west, by Buckman town- ship on the east, Little Falls and Pierz on the north and Benton county on
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the south. It formerly ran east to the county line and contained at one time twenty-eight thousand acres. It was organized in the spring of 1858, when it was six miles wide from north to south, and extended to the east a dis- tance of twenty-eight miles. A tract eighteen miles long was detached in 1874 and formed into Buckman township, and in 1881 eighteen sections were taken from the east side and added to the latter township, thus reduc- ing Bellevue to its present limits. Among the first township officers were : R. Lambert, chairman of the board of supervisors; D. McDougal, clerk; William Trask, treasurer; J. H. Hill, constable; John McGilles, justice of the peace; and John Frye, assessor. The population of Bellevue township in 1910 was eight hundred and thirty-two.
The first settlement was effected by John McGilles, a Scotchman, who made a claim in 1852, but soon sold to John B. Dearing and moved to Crow Wing. Duncan McDougal and Hugh Patterson made claims in sec- tions 20 and 21 about the same date, but removed to other parts subsequently. Rev. R. D. Kenney was for many years a missionary among the Indians, and settled in section 35 about 1853. He was a Vermonter. P. A. Green, of New York, came in the fall of 1854, taking a claim in section 35, on part of which the village of Royalton is now situated. Other pioneer settlers were: Richard Lambert, Daniel Lambert, William Trask and Stephen Hill. These all located near the Mississippi river, but within a few years the settlement extended toward the interior and the township was finally well settled up.
The first school was at the house of Jasper Hill, in section 22, in 1857.
ROYALTON.
This is the only village in the township, and is situated on the south line of the township and county. Its population in 1910 was six hundred and seventy-six. It dates its history from 1878, when it was platted by P. A. Green on his land in section 35. It was named Royalton, but seems not to have been recorded. In 1879 J. D. Logan purchased a part of section 35 and had it surveyed and platted into a village called Royalton. Subse- quently, Green recorded his plat, and although it was the original place, it bears the position of an addition. It is located on the Platte river, on the line of the Northern Pacific railroad, near the south line of Morrison county. In 1881 it is said to have had a postoffice, two churches, shops, grain ware- house and other business factors. At present it has six hundred and thirty- six population.
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The saw-mill of J. D. Logan & Company was built in 1879, and had a daily capacity of fifteen thousand feet. It also had one run of stones by which feed was ground. The mills and other interests of the village have been of material value to the neighborhood.
Among the persons residing in this enterprising hamlet in the eighties were James Borden, James Chapman, Eugene Bowers, Robert Brown, Ira IV. Bouck. Charles A. Green, Jasper Hill, Sylvester Henenlotter, a Prussian born in 1801 and the oldest living settler at one time; also Henry S. Hill, Mark Kobe, R. L. Lambert, Isaac P. Lambert and Stephen H. Muncy.
Royalton was incorporated in 1888 and its present officers are: L. J. Dassow, president ; J. J. Chirhart, E. A. Russell, F. G. Noggle, trustees ; N. E. Pettitt, recorder. The village is supplied with electric lights by a current from Little Falls.
The following are the business and professional factors of Royalton at the present date: Automobile agents, Logan & Wilson: attorney-at-law, Byron R. Wilson ; banks, Farmers and Merchants State Bank, First National Bank ; blacksmiths. D. L. Allison. E. A. Stein ; confectionery, W. H. Gilmer, J. F. Ziegler, Ed Lakin, H. M. Logan; clothing, Joseph Garber ; creamery, Royalton Farmers Co-operative Association; drugs, A. O. Heiberg; dry goods, Joseph Garber; dray, Herman Meyer; elevators, Powers Elevator Company, J. G. Bargabos & Son; farm implements, C. D. Bourke, George N. Chirhart, F. H. Lakin : flour-mills, Daniel Fussy; furniture, C. C. Lisle; general dealers, J. H. Russell, R. Wilde, Jolin Welna: grocer, Fred Galley; hotels, Ole Isaksen, Matt Newman, Joseph Orth; harness, John Schwartz ; hardware, Albert C. Bouck, Barney Fietsam; ice dealer, B. H. Cornell; jewelry. F. B. Logan; lumber, Rudd Lumber Company ; livery. A. L. Arm- strong, Joseph Newman ; millinery, Mrs. Harris Noggle : meat markets, Will- iam Sparrow, C. H. Werner; photographer, William Getzkow; painter and paper hangers, H. T. Gilbert, George Miller ; Royalton Power and Light Com- pany : newspaper, The Banner: notary public, George E. Wilson ; physician and surgeon, Dr. A. M. Watson; real estate, Frank T. Johnson, M. Dunlap, R. K. Carnes; shoe store, Gustav Kern ; saloons, George Armstrong, M. K. Shroch, W. J. Broker, J. A. Hemberger ; postmaster, W. L. McGonagle; tailor. A. Halverson; barber, Ed Lakin; veterinary, Dr. A. M. Brolling; well drillers. C. H. Dawley. J. H. Miller.
The churches are Methodist Episcopal, Episcopal and Catholic.
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BUCKMAN TOWNSHIP.
Buckman township, which formerly included Lakin and Morrill town- ships, is in range 30 and half of range 31 and embraces fifty-four sections of land within its present borders. It is south of Agram and Pierz town- ships, west of Morrill, north of the Benton county line and west of Bellevue township. The surface of most of this territory is undulating, the greater portion being made up of prairie and oak groves. The soil varies from a light sandy to a dark loam with a gravel sub-soil.
In 1910, the population was eight hundred and forty-eight. This sub- . division of Morrison county was organized into a civil township in 1874, and derived its name from Hon. C. B. Buckman, one of the early settlers. At first it contained three congressional townships, but in 1881 it was reduced by the formation of other townships to its present limits, and is now six miles by nine miles in extent. The first election was held in August, 1874, when the following officers were elected: C. B. Buckman, chairman; A. Skinner and William H. Young, supervisors; J. C. Johnson, clerk; G. W. Harvey and E. J. Verback, justices of the peace; J. H. Docken, treasurer ; William H. Young, assessor; G. F. Geer and Henry Love, constables.
The first child born in Buckman township was Charles H. Johnson, on November 28, 1872. John Ebert was first to die in the township, in 1874. A postoffice was established called Buckman, in 1879, with Ed. Arnold as postmaster.
SETTLEMENT.
The original settler in the township as now constituted was Joseph Mishkee, a Polander, who located in section 4 in 1871. William H. Young, a native of Maine, settled in section 22 the same autumn, but moved to Mis- souri in 1877. About the same date (1877) came John L. Finch a New Yorker, who located in section 22. Norway sent its settlers here in the per- sons of J. C. Johnson and J. H. Docken, both coming in 1872, and these were soon followed by C. B. Buckman, Michael Sand, A. B. Skinner and Edmund Geer. Also later came James H. Morton, A. B. Skinner and Andrew Mccutcheon.
The churches and schools are treated in separate chapters, hence not mentioned in this connection.
The village of Buckman, in section 4, range 30, has a population of
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about one hundred and forty, and has the usual number of shops and stores for a place of its size.
Among the present business and social interests may be mentioned : The fine new Catholic church built of brick, erected in 1903; its basement is of solid granite walls six to eight feet thick. The general merchandise store is kept by John Schmolke, who also deals in real estate. Another substantial business firm is that of Brande Brothers, John and Joseph, who carry harness goods, shoes, etc. A saloon is operated by Lawrence Billig. Mueller Brothers carry a general merchandise stock and run a saloon. Joseph A. Janson is village blacksmith and recorder. Implements are sold by James A. Dengel, and implements and hardware by Mrs. Frank Mischke. A racket store is operated by John Hesch. In 1913 the Buckman Farmers Creamery was organized, with first officers as follow: John Kelzenberg, president ; John Poster. Peter J. Mueller, George Docken, directors; Joseph Hortsch, treasurer, and August B. Dehler, secretary.
The 1910 census gave Buckman as having one hundred and thirty-seven population.
LITTLE FALLS TOWNSHIP.
Little Falls is one of the central townships in Morrison county and at one time had a vast extent of domain. West of the Mississippi it included one entire township and a fraction of another, in all about forty-one miles, while on the east side of the stream it extended to the eastern line of the county, but after Pierz was cut off it left it twelve miles to its eastern border on that side of the Mississippi. Its north line is a correction line by govern- ment surveys, which leaves the territory about one mile less in width than a regular congressional township. Through an error when laying out the township of Pierz, twelve sections of Little Falls were left where now is situated Hillman and Mt. Morris townships, hence Little Falls was really in two parts of the county for a time, with Pierz township between them.
That part of this township lying west of the Mississippi is level timber land and meadow land, and possesses a soil seldom excelled for its richness.
ORGANIZATION.
The township was organized in 1858. and an election was held on May 11, when these officers were elected: P. B. Thompson (chairman) ; J. R.
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Perkins, Nathan Bates, board of supervisors; William Morse, clerk; T. M. Smith, assessor; F. X. Gravel, treasurer. The meeting was held at John Ault's hotel, later styled the Vasaly House, and the number of votes cast was eighty-two.
Outside of the city of Little Falls, the 1910 census returns gave the township's population as three hundred and fifty-six.
SETTLEMENT AND NATURAL FEATURES.
The early settlement on the east side of the river is treated in the city history. The first to locate on the west side of the river, was Milo Porter, who moved from the village on the east side, in 1868.
The main stream on the west side of the Mississippi in this township is Pike creek, which flows eastward through the central part. Little Elk river crosses the extreme northeastern portion of the township and affords a fine water power. To the east of the Mississippi river, in the township, the surface is quite level, or gently rolling, save along the streams east, where it is quite broken. The soil is sandy loam-both light and dark loam-with here and there streaks of clay.
EARLY FERRIES NOTED.
A ferry was started just above the village of Little Falls in 1857. by William Sturgis, which was in use three years, then abandoned. One was also established at Swan river by William Aitkin, soon after his location in 1848. and was continued until 1863.
The suspension of the ferry above mentioned caused much trouble in crossing and recrossing the Mississippi at this point. There was no crossing within the county limits below Ft. Ripley, where a ferry was established by the United States government in 1849-50. For several years the principal means of crossing the stream was by fording near Swan river, which, how- ever, was not unattended by danger. and could only be accomplished during low water. April 1, 1868. the board of county commissioners of Morrison county passed a resolution appropriating six hundred dollars for the estab- lishment of three ferries in the county, the points designated being Belle Prairie, Little Falls and Bellevue, each to have one-third of the amount named. Little Falls and Belle Prairie united their funds and secured the establishment of a ferry at the former place, just above the town site. This
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remedied what had come to be a great draw-back to trade and travel to and from the county seat.
PIERZ TOWNSHIP.
Pierz is one of the central-eastern civil townships in Morrison county, and is made up of congressional township 40, range 30 and part of range 31, and has fifty sections of land. When first formed it had much more terri- tory within its limits. That portion now known as Rich Prairie was what attracted settlers to this portion of Morrison county. This lies in the south- western part and is about three miles wide from east to west and from seven to eight miles long. The soil is a rich, dark loam and very productive. Aside from this tract the township is, or was, mostly all timber of the heaviest pine forest type. It was not improved until in the nineties.
PIONEER SETTLERS.
T. Elwell, later of Minneapolis, was the first man to locate within this township as now bounded. He undertook to build a city near the southwest corner of this township-41 north, range 29 west-on the banks of Skunk river, in 1858. There he constructed a large saw-mill and a commodious hotel. He sold a goodly number of town lots. He named his place "Granite City," for granite rock were scattered here and there near his cherished loca- tion, and he designed to use his material with which to build a city. He failed in his enterprise and not a vestige of a town remained in the eighties -not even his mill improvements. Many claims were selected at that date and many contemplated building for themselves homes in this wonderland. The land was well calculated for successful agricultural purposes; but the Civil War came on and checked immigration.
It was in the autumn of 1865 when Herman J. Billing, a German, went in with his family and spent the winter at Granite City in the old hotel build- ing. The spring following he took a claim in section 8, township 40, range 30, but did not remain long, moving to Otter Tail county. Chris Verning. William Bergenhausen, Frank Yeager, John Roch, Nicholas Meyer, Rein- hart Stumpf. Frank Konen, and others all settled in the township in the spring and summer of 1866. Rich Prairie was their choice. In 1880 the United States census gave this township a population of almost one thou- sand people. The 1910 enumeration gives it as six hundred and thirty-one.
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MORRISON AND TODD COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
ORGANIZATION.
Morrison county, noted for its numerous and very large civil sub-divi- sions, had as one illustration of vast civil territory, Pierz township. The records show that when it was organized in 1868 it contained townships 40 and 41, range 30; but in 1874, townships 40 and 41, range 29, were added, and this continued to be its domain until Hilman and Mt. Morris were created from a part of its territory. Its present territory is about one half its former extent. The Soo line of railroad runs through the township from northeast to southwest. It was cut down to its present boundaries in 1902. It was named in honor of that famous, faithful old Catholic priest, Father Pierz, who was instrumental in inducing Germans to settle there. The first election was held at the house of Nicholas Meyer, where the following were elected to township offices: Herman J. Billings, John Roch and Frank Yeager, supervisors: Frank Konen, clerk; Christ Virning, treasurer; R. Stumpf, assessor; William Bergenhausen, constable; Nicholas Meyer and Frank Konen, justices of the peace.
FIRST EVENTS.
Father Pierz held the first religious services, and built a church in 1868. The same season a school was taught by Frank Konen. In 1880 the town- ship had two general stores-one by Blake & Bentfelt, and the other by Frank Yeager.
A saw-mill was constructed in 1874 by T. Casper on the Skunk river. Its daily cutting capacity was two thousand feet of lumber. In 1876 grain grinding machinery was added and in 1881 steam power was furnished.
The Pierz postoffice was established in 1873, at the house of Frank Konen, who was postmaster three years, when James Hall was appointed. Following him came George Whitney in 1876, when the name was changed to Rich Prairie. In 1878 the office was moved to the house of Peter W. Blake, who was merchant and postmaster in 1881 and possibly much later.
VILLAGES.
By reason of the establishment of a postoffice called Pierz, there sprung up a hamlet by that name on the north line of the township in section 8.
(II)
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MORRISON AND TODD COUNTIES, MINNESOTA.
Upon the building of the Soo railroad in later years, a station was estab- lished about the center of the township, known as New Pierz or Pierz sta- tion. Another change is being effected this season (1915), the name New Pierz having been changed to Genola. The station on the railroad and the bank both made this change in the month of July.
TOWN OF PIERZ.
Pierz, a town of five hundred and forty-five population in 1915, was platted in section 8, of Pierz township, in October. 1887. but what is now known as Pierz was platted in 1891 by forty-three persons. It is situated in the north half of the south half of section 8. township 40, range 30, and in sections 34 and 35. of township 41, range 30. It was re-surveyed and cor- rected to date in 1903. Its present commercial interests are as follow : Physicians, Drs. E. H. Kerkhoff, R. T. Healy; Model Clothing Company. Joe Ries, proprietor : real estate. Joseph H. Grell; hardware, etc .. J. H. Grell; garage and automobiles, Henry Gau: jeweler, F. J. Gilbride ; harness goods. William Eller ; shoes and furnishing goods, Herm Koering: blacksmithing. John Dombovy; Columbia Hotel. M. Wermskirchen, proprietor: general dealer, Frank Grell; general merchandise, P. A. Hartman; opera house, Frank Faust ; Pierz Hotel, H. Bares, proprietor; clothing and furnishing. Barney Burton: German State Bank. A. R. Davidson, president; "Golden Rule" dry goods store. F. X. Viring & Company : hardware and groceries. Pierz Mercantile Company; groceries, Faust Brothers; Rich Prairie Milling Company ; meat market, John Gassert, proprietor : millinery, Clara Nohmer. Mrs. Anna Vanderhoor: blacksmithing. Meyers Brothers: saloon. Hoheil & Gross, John Grell; barber, Frank Broude, John C. Boehme: hardware and groceries. Jacob Neisius ; drugs. R. M. Duncon ; general merchandise. J. B. Hartman. The newspaper is the Journal. E. H. Kerkhoff, publisher.
Pierz was incorporated in January, 1892; water mains were put in some time in 1895: electric lights and power transmitted from Little Falls first operated in 1912. Ten cents per kilowat is charged by the council, but they obtain a rate in its purchase amounting to only four cents.
VILLAGE OF GENOLA-RECENTLY NEW PIERZ.
Genola was platted in 1908 and is a railway station on the Soo railroad in Pierz township, two miles from the northern line of the township. in sec-
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tion 18. It is a good small trading point-a hamlet of good promise. Its present business interests are as follow: First State Bank; Peter Bekka, blacksmith ; Handy Litke, saloon; Harsch & Grell, hardware and groceries ; Peter Kelgenberg, hardware and groceries; F. O. Bolster, general merchan- dise : New Pierz Grain Company, Peter Solinger, manager ; J. M. McGentry, of St. Cloud, operates a potato warehouse.
TWO RIVERS TOWNSHIP.
On the west side of the Mississippi river and in what is described by government survey as parts of township 127 in ranges 29 and 30, is Two Rivers township. The surface of the land is undulating and the soil is light near the river but darker as one goes farther back. The eastern part is prairie land and originally had light brush growing on it. The central and western portions are heavily timbered and the soil varies from light to dark, rich loam.
Two Rivers township had a population of eight hundred and twelve in 1910. It derived its name from the stream Two Rivers, which flows through its limits and mingles its waters with those of the Mississippi.
ORGANIZATION.
The organization of this subdivision of Morrison county was author- ized by the county commissioners, September 5. 1865. The first officers were: George Borman (chairman). Charles Austin and John Betzoldt, supervisors ; Aaron Canfield, clerk ; William Trask, Sr., treasurer; Alexander D. Cash and Nicholas Kinzer, justices of the peace; Allen Blanchard and Jacob Thramer, constables.
Originally the township included two and one-half congressional town- ships, but was reduced to its present size by the formation of Elmdale in the spring of 1881. by which over half of the original territory was detached.
SETTLEMENT.
The pioneer settler is believed to have been William Trask, a native of Kennebec county, Maine, who settled here in 1861, and died at the old home-
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