USA > Minnesota > Morrison County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume I > Part 14
USA > Minnesota > Todd County > History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, their people, industries and institutions, Volume I > Part 14
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stead in section 5, in 1876, and was buried in Bellevue cemetery. Jacob Thramer, a German, located in section 17, in 1865, and was still a resident of that location in the eighties. Nicholas Kinzer, another German, came in 1864, locating in section 20. John and Jacob Betzoldt, Germans, also came in 1864. Calvin A. Tuttle, born in Connecticut in 1811, settled here in 1867, in section 8. He came to Minnesota in 1838 and was intimately associated with all the early history of Minnesota Territory.
FIRST EVENTS.
The first marriage in this township was performed in February, 1867. and John Bocknech and Susan Simon were the contracting parties. The husband died on June 26 that year, being among the first to die in the town- ship. The first white child born was John Thramer, July 27, 1865. The earliest school taught was in the dwelling of John Betzoldt in the autumn of 1866, and the next in a log school house in section 20. Rev. Father Buch, a Catholic, preached the first sermon in the same building. The first saw-mills here were owned and operated by C. A. and C. J. Tuttle. About 1880 a flouring-mill was erected by Capt. Robert B. Young and son.
Among the residents of this township in 1881 may be recalled the fol- lowing: Henry Armstrong, of Holland; George Borman, of Ohio; Frank- lin P. Farrow, a native of Minneapolis; I. L. Foster, of New Brunswick ; John George Greissel, of Germany; Michael F. Gessner, of Baden, Germany ; Elijah D. Goodwin, of Nova Scotia; Calhoun Hays, of West Virginia ; Samuel W. Muncy, of Maine: Alexander McLeod, of Scotland: Paul Noe, of Bavaria; Silas S. Parmeter, of New York state; Henry A. Rhoda, a Ger- man ; James Stanley, of Iowa; Richard L., Samuel M. and Daniel Trask, all of Maine; Calvin A. Tuttle, of Connecticut; Capt. Robert B. Young, of Pennsylvania. Thus it will be observed that all sections of this country and many foreign lands were represented in the first settlement of Two Rivers township.
VILLAGE OF BOWLUS.
Bowlus is one of two villages within Two Rivers township. Its popula- tion in 1915 was reported as being one hundred and sixty-five. It is a station point on the Soo railroad and is situated in section 12. Its business interests serve well the immediate needs of the farming community surrounding it.
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It still retains a postoffice. notwithstanding the numerous rural free delivery routes which have in recent years been established.
The other hamlet is North Prairie in section' 20, which is smaller than Bowlus.
SWAN RIVER TOWNSHIP.
Swan River township is in the southwestern part of Morrison county, north from Two Rivers and Elmdale townships, and comprises township 128, range 30 and a fraction of 29, along the west bank of the Mississippi river. It at one date included the present domain of Two Rivers, except a strip two miles wide at the north which was detached from Little Falls. It took its name from a stream of that name within its borders, which stream is the out- let of Swan Lake, which water sheet was named by the Chippewas, "Wabazu Zagiagun," the first word meaning "Swan" in Indian dialect. The United States census gave the population in 1910 as being one thousand two hundred and twenty-five.
Legally the township dates its history from December, 1874, when the county commissioners, in response to a petition of the qualified voters of the district, ordered a township set off and an election held the January following, at which officers were chosen as follow: F. X. Ladoux, Hans C. Hanson and Milton Cahorn, supervisors ; H. S. Clyde, clerk ; F. S. Flint and J. Mason, justices of the peace ; an assessor was not elected until later in the year in the person of F. S. Flint ; and also a treasurer, which position was first held by Henry Coe.
PIONEER SETTLEMENT.
Swan River had for its first settler, George Rice, who located in section 2, in 1856, and Hiram Sanders took a claim in section 8, in the same year. In 1857 came Samuel Lee, later of Little Falls, who located in section 8. It is thought there were several transient settlers prior to any of these dates, but none who made permanent homes for themselves. The opposite side of the Mississippi had been settled as early as 1849. It was stated in 1881 that the oldest living settler was James Green, a native of Somersetshire, England, who came to Minnesota in 1855, locating at Little Falls, but removing to Swan River township in 1858. He served in the Union cause during the Civil War.
Henry Meyers located here in 1865, taking a homestead in section 8. He was a native of New York, born in 1811, served in the Seminole War, came
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to Minnesota in 1838, and for three years was a soldier in the Civil War. Robert Lewis, of Pennsylvania, born in 1822, arrived in Minnesota in 1855. and came to Swan River township in the autum of 1865. Charles Gilpatrick, born in Maine, came to Minnesota in 1865, having served in the Civil War three years.
The first birth here was in the family of Samuel Lee. on July 2, 1859. The child was named George Silas Lee. He was later in company with his father in the milling enterprise at the old Village of Swan River, near Little Falls.
Among those owning lands and residing in this township in the early eighties were these : Oscar L. Clyde, of Mercer county, Pennsylvania : Henry S. Clyde, of the same place : Dura Corbin, of Chautauqua, New York ; James Green, of English birth; John Hamlin, one of the organizers of the township: Robert Lewis, of Beaver county, Pennsylvania ; Charles W. Lakin and George WV. Muncy, of Maine ; N. M. O'Donnell, of Ireland; Levi T. Smith, of Johnson county, Iowa ; Henry Vanzile, of New York state.
Being so near to Little Falls city there are no villages within Swan River township, except the hamlet of Ledoux, in the north part. Its interests are identical with that of Little Falls township.
PARKER TOWNSHIP.
The central township in Morrison county, along the western line, is known as Parker. It constitutes congressional township 130, range 31. It was detached from old Grand Prairie township in 1880. It was named for its first settler. G. F. Parker. Its population in 1910 was four hundred and seventy-nine. The surface is gently rolling, and was originally covered with a dense growth of excellent timber, mostly of the hardwood varieties, yet a fair growth of stately pine trees. The soil is clay and black loam. It is drained and watered by the South fork of Little Elk river, along which stream and branches may be found extensive tracts of marsh lands or wild meadow. There are numerous small lakes within the territory, most of which are stocked with excellent fish. In 1880 there were already thirty homesteads taken up and being improved by sturdy husbandmen.
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ORGANIZATION.
Parker was organized in the spring of 1880, when a town meeting was held at the cabin home of J. W. Manbeck, in section 26, at which time and place the following were elected township officers: R. W. Jones (chairman). H. A. McCrary, and a Mr. Snow, supervisors; J. W. Manbeck, clerk; J. W. Jones, assessor ; G. F. Parker ( for whom the township was named ), treasurer.
The gentlemen just named constituted about all the settlers at the time of the organization of the township. The founder, George F. Parker, was a native of Bridgewater, Massachusetts, where he was born in 1846. He served as a soldier in the Civil War, one year in the Forty-second Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. and nineteen months in the Second Massa- chusetts Cavalry, five months of which he spent in Andersonville prison, Georgia.
Other prominent and early pioneers here were: Windsor L. Boyce, of York state; D. M. Brooks, of Kentucky; James W. Manbeck, one of the organizers of the township, from Harrison county, Ohio; and Henry A. McCrary, of Gibson county, Indiana.
The first school district was formed in the spring of 1881, when a small school house was erected in section 22, in which Mrs. Aaron Boyce had the distinction of being the first teacher. A postoffice was established in 1880, in section 14, with D. M. Brooks as postmaster. Mail was received via Little Falls. The earliest birth here was Hattie Jones, April 14, 1880.
SCANDIA VALLEY TOWNSHIP.
Scandia Valley township was organized as the result of a petition pre- sented the commissioners and granted by that body in October, 1893, and constitutes township 132, range 31. Its population in 1910 was one hundred and fifty-eight. Its early settlers were included in the list given for Motley and adjoining townships, at present constituted. There are no towns or vil- lages within this township, except the hamlet of Lincoln, near Fish Trap lake.
NATURAL FEATURES.
The surface of Scandia Valley township is undulating, mostly timbered and has excellent pine land. There is also some of the finest hardwood timber
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to be found in Minnesota. Wild meadow, light brush land-almost prairie- make up the balance. The soil is mixed and varied owing to location. On the uplands, the several grades of sandy loam, with occasional tracts of clay loan, are found. It is an excellent agricultural district for Morrison county,
Lake Alexander is in the south-central portion, and it is a beautiful sheet of water ; among the most charming of all the many thousands of lakes within the borders of Minnesota. It is six miles long, and from one to three miles wide. Its shores and timber skirts have long attracted the hunter and fisher, for here they get game and fish to their heart's content. Northwest of this is Fish Trap lake, a smaller body of water, and north of this is still another lakelet known as Black Bass lake, but known to the Indians as Lost Alexander.
ELMDALE TOWNSHIP.
Elmdale township is the extreme southwestern township in Morrison county. It comprises all of congressional township 127, range 31, and half of range 30. The surface of this portion of Morrison county was originally, and is yet to a large extent, covered with excellent timber, with an occasional patch of brush and prairie land. The soil is of a rich, dark loam. Two Rivers, that beautiful stream, meanders through this section of the county on its way to the great Father of Waters. Along the stream are found many fine native meadows.
ORGANIZATION.
Elmdale was a part of Two Rivers township until 1881, when it became a separate civil division of the county. The organization was effected on April II, when these were elected township officers: Joseph Thomas, Benedict Thompson and Andrew Ferrell, supervisors; J. J. Jacobson, clerk; J. H. Mitchell, treasurer; M. P. Hansen, assessor; F. F. Thornberry and J. N. Ferrell, justices of the peace. The schools and churches are mentioned in special chapters on these topics.
The "settlement" is not fully known to present residents-many are the changes wrought out in forty or fifty years in this portion of the county. It is known that a few had settled here before the Civil War, but just who they were and where they located it is not easy today to ascertain. In 1880 the oldest living settler was known to be William Boyle, who made his claim in
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1865, in section 8, but later removed to section 17. Peter Hansen came in the same season, locating in section 8. Andrew Ferrell located in section 24 in 1870, and was succeeded by John Buckley and J. J. Jacobson. Other set- tlers were those already mentioned as having been elected as township officers when the organization was completed in 1881. Another hardy pioneer here was Knud Hans Gunderson, a Danish settler, born in 1841, located at St. Cloud in 1867 and in Elmdale township in 1871. He bought a farm in sec- tion 8, and in 1878 put a stock of goods on sale in his residence and later in a store building.
The population of Elmdale township in 1910 was, according to the United States census returns, one thousand five hundred and seventy-four. There is a small trading point known as Elmdale in this township. It is situ- ated in the northeast corner of the township. The village of Upsala is in section IS, and is a convenient trading point.
THE 1915 INTERESTS AT UPSALA.
The following business and professional interests obtained at the village of Upsala in the month of August, 1915: Farmers State Bank, A. M. Borg- strom, cashier ; creamery, Peter Viehouser, butter-maker ; Elmdale Telephone Company, Mrs. A. M. Borgstrom, operator ; lumber and furniture dealers, J. S. Borgstrom; dry goods stores, Charles Swedback, Reuben Erickson; grocery, Henry Hedin, C. J. Erickson, Alf Pehrson; confectionery and millinery, Mrs. A. M. Borgstrom; blacksmithing, Alexander Bergman; feed mill, Alex Schultz ; meat market, George Schultz ; garage, Erick C. Anderson ; implement and harness shop. Anderson & Erickson.
The present churches at Upsala are the Swedish Lutheran, with Rev. P. S. Miller, pastor ; the Swedish Mission, with Rev. John Peterson in charge ; and the Baptist church, which has no pastor at this time.
GREEN PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP.
Green Prairie township comprises a part of township 130, in range 29, and at one time contained three full and a fractional congressional townships, but at present contains only about fifteen sections of land along the west bank of the Mississippi river, north from Little Falls city. It was named for its
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first settler, Charles H. Green, a native of Glens Falls, New York, who came here in 1855, settling in section 5. At the time of the breaking out of the Civil War, he enlisted in the Third Regiment Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. In the awful fight at Murfreesboro, while defending the colors, after the sur- render of his regiment, he was struck by sixteen Rebel bullets and pierced by a bayonet.
In June, 1855, George G. Kimball became the second settler : he located near Green's place. He was from Maine and was also a soldier in the Rebel- lion, enlisting in 1861. He never returned to his claim, but located in Belle Prairie township.
William Rasicot settled in section 32. of what was then Green Prairie, in May, 1857. He went to the war and served as a gallant soldier, returned and took up a homestead in the autumn of 1865. There were several other settlers, but all went to the war or removed about war days and never returned. The cabins they deserted were found and some of them occupied by newer immigrants.
The first school was taught in this township in 1867 by Miss Mary Denny ; this was in a rude, frame building, built by subscription, in section 17.
ORGANIZATION.
Green Prairie township was organized in the spring of 1868, and then embraced all of Morrison county lying west of the Mississippi river and north of township 129. It had formerly been a part of Belle Prairie township. In 1879 all that part lying north of township 131 was organized as Motley town- ship, and in the spring of 1880 Green Prairie was reduced to its present limits, Parker township being the last territory taken from it. The churches and schools of this territory are treated in separate chapters.
Green Prairie postoffice was established about 1869, with Martin Hall as postmaster. Mail was obtained once a week from F't. Ripley, and after the abandonment of that military post, mail was received from Little Falls office semi-weekly.
In the present and former territory of this township quite early settlers included these: Ephraim Bates, of New York; John Denny, of England : August H. Dorman, a German ; ex-Sergeant Edward Davis, of South Wales : James Finney, Martin Hall, of New York: Rufus Henderson, of Canada; Moses Miner, of Michigan; John Pennock, of Bradford, Pennsylvania ; Will- iam Rasicot, a Canadian; George Swindell, an Englishman; and Gilbert T. Smith, of New York state.
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The present township of Green Prairie had a population in 1910 of two hundred and twenty-six. It is well developed, and while its territory is small it has many beautiful farm homes and a contented, happy people.
CULDRUM TOWNSHIP.
The third township from the south and the fourth from the north line of Morrison county is known as Culdrum. It was cut off from Little Falls township in 1870 and then extended to the county line on the west, but since then Pike Creek has been taken from its eastern portion. As now constituted it comprises simply congressional township 129, range 31 west, hence is six miles square. Its first township election was held on June 2, 1870, when officers were elected as follow : Daniel Campbell, W. W. Bain, and William Krueger, supervisors; W. W. Bain, clerk: John Workman, treasurer ; Will- iam Rhoda, assessor; W. W. Bain, justice of the peace.
The first school was taught in 1868, by Mrs. Edna A. Barnard in a small log building.
Early settlers included these: William W. Bain; Nazair Blais, a Can- adian; Fred Henry Billings, of Wisconsin; Daniel H. Campbell, of Ireland; Martin Kinney, an Irishman ; John Kinney, an Irishman : Frederick Muskey. a native of Germany: William Rhoda, a native of Berlin, Germany; and John Wendt. The first settler was J. C. Stebbins, in 1859. The next year came John Shanks. The war caused the settlement to be suspended.
The population of Culdrum township in 1910 was eight hundred and sixty-eight.
The southwestern branch of the Northern Pacific railroad runs through the southern part of the township, with a station point named Flensburg. situated in sections 31 and 36 and sections 23 and 24. It is merely a hamlet station point, having less than fifty inhabitants.
It may be added that after the Civil War ended a new settlement sprung up in which William Rhoda was first, and he was followed by D. H. Camp- bell, John Workman and W. W. Bain.
RIPLEY TOWNSHIP-OLD FT. RIPLEY.
The name of Ft. Ripley was originally Ft. Gaines, and it was located on the Mississippi river, in the northern part of what is now Crow Wing
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county, but because of its nearness to Ripley township and its intimate asso- ciations in days gone by, it will here be mentioned as a part of the annals of Morrison county. In fact, a part of the government reservation was within Ripley township, and consisted of over fifteen hundred acres of land and two miles of river front. It was established in 1849, and used as a military post of the United States government until July. 1878. Just above the fort, proper, a ferry was established, by the government with eight hundred feet of strong cable, at a cost of two thousand five hundred dollars. When the fort was abandoned, this was sold to D. S. Moore, and was subsequently operated by him. The original barracks were built of logs, many of which were in existence in the nineties, and possibly some are still to be found, though greatly decayed by age and exposure to the elements.
The later buildings, those in use until its abandonment, were three double sets of officers' quarters, one large hospital erected at a cost of four thousand five hundred dollars, barracks to accommodate two full companies, a bakery, powder magazine. three blockhouses with the necessary portholes for cannon and musketry, bathhouses, carpenter and blacksmiths shops, guardhouse, warehouses, two sets of laundress quarters, wagon shed and stables for thirty mules, twelve horses, four oxen, and officers' horses. Several buildings were destroyed by fire in 1876. Another fire occurred in June. 1868. when Ordnance Sergeant Frantzkee with his four children per- ished in the flames. His wife escaped only to live a hopeless lunatic.
A cemetery was laid out an early date and enclosed with a high picket fence. Private Burns was the first to be laid to rest in that sacred enclosure. In all, up to 1880, there had been buried there fifty-two bodies, including soldiers and members of their families. Many of these were subsequently removed to the National cemetery at Rock Island, Illinois, with those of other abandoned military posts.
When the post was finally abandoned ex-Sergeant Davis was given charge of the place, to prevent pillage of property. In the "olden days," there were many happy gatherings at the fort, citizens from other points joining with officers and soldiers in social dances and general merrymaking. A library was also maintained. and theatres held frequently, and thus many a long winter night was spent on the wild frontier.
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LATER TOWNSHIPS OF THE COUNTY.
At present there are thirty-one civil townships in Morrison county, many, of which are not very well settled and have but little routine history, such as their organization and a few points worthy of preservation in the present- day annals of the county. Others have been treated as being settled and as a part of some one or more of the older townships in the county, hence will necessarily be much shorter than those heretofore mentioned. The sub- joined include such townships.
AGRAM TOWNSHIP.
Agram township is just to the east of Little Falls, and is a part of congressional township 40. range 31. The Soo railroad line runs in a diag- onal course through its territory from southwest to northeast. It has no towns or villages and trades at both Pierz and the city of Little Falls. It was originally a part of Little Falls township, also of Pierz. It was first known as Fish Lake township, but in July, 1886, the county commissioners changed its name to Agram. It had a population in 1910 of two hundred and ninety-two. Its surface is somewhat broken. Farming is the chief occupation and is carried on to a very high state.
RAILS PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP.
Rails Prairie township was created by the commissioners on January S. (890, when its territory had only twenty-three voters. Its domain consists of township 132, range 30-thirty-six sections of land. The first election, was held at the house of Case Rails, for whom the township was named. He resided on section 18, and this election was held on January 27, 1890. It is in the northwestern part of the county, with the Mississippi river for its. eastern boundary, and is south of Rosing township, east of Scandia and north of Clough township. Its population in 1910 was two hundred and ninety- six. At one time it belonged to Motley township. It is without villages, and is a fairly good agricultural section, with much rough land and timber.
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CLOUGH TOWNSHIP.
Clough township, is situated on the western bank of the Mississippi river and comprises forty-two sections of land, in both ranges 29 and 30; in township 131. Motley once embraced this territory. Its population by the 1910 census was two hundred and seventy-two. It is void of towns. villages or railroads; is south of Rails Prairie township, north of Darling and east of Cushing township. It was organized in October, 1890. Its northern part, being close to old Ft. Ripley, in Crow Wing county, was set- tled quite early, but the pioneers were driven off or scared off by the Indian, outbreak in 1862 and settlers did not come in then till long after the Civil War period.
DARLING TOWNSHIP.
Darling township is congressional township 130, range 30, and was, until October, 1907, known as Randall township. It was originally made a township for civil and election purposes on January 7, 1891. In 1910 its population was five hundred and thirty-six. It is situated south of Clough, west of Green Prairie, north of Pike Creek and east of Parker township. The village of Darling in section 35, and Randall in section 4. are both station points on the Northern Pacific railroad. The latter has a population of two hundred. Elk river flows meanderingly through this township, emptying into the Mississippi just above Little Falls city. Just who first located within this part of Morrison county is now a disputed question, hence the historian will not undertake to decide.
CUSHING TOWNSHIP.
Cushing township was created by act of the board of county commis- sioners on October 12, 1891. It comprises township 131, range 31. The first election was held at the house of G. W. Wilson, October 30, 1891. It is situated on the west border line of the county, with Todd county at the west, Clough township at the east, Scandia township on the north and Parker township at the south. The population in 1910 was three hundred and thirteen. The Northern Pacific railroad runs through this township diagonally from southeast to northwest, with a station at Cushing. The villages of Lincoln and Randall are the nearest trading places for its people. Its territory was once embraced in Motley township.
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MOUNT MORRIS TOWNSHIP.
Mount Morris township was created by act of the board of county commissioners in March, 1897. It originally belonged to Little Falls or Pierz township. It is not yet well developed, has no towns or railroad facilities, and is not well located for profitable farming. It is situated in township 40, range 28 and contains thirty sections. The first township meeting was held at the house of G. W. Sisler, March 17, 1897. In 1910 its population was only fifty-four. It is bounded on the east by Mille Lacs county, on the south by Lakin township, on the west by Hillman township and on the north by Mille Lacs county and Leigh township of Morrison county.
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