USA > Minnesota > Otter Tail County > History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Volume I > Part 24
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ers and came into existence at the same time as Norwegian Grove. But even though it was organized early, the settlements in this township were not so rapid as in some of the others. This township lies in the extreme southeastern corner of the county and is bounded on the west and south by Wilkin and Grant county, respectively. On the north it is bounded by Orwell and on the east by Aastad township. This township is out of the immediate range of the lake region yet it has one rather large lake within its limits, namely Upper Lightning lake. This has a very peculiar shape. It is long and very narrow, extending over four sections in length, yet the widest part is very little over one-half mile.
It was in the month of May, 1871, that a colony was formed in St. Lawrence county, New York, with the intention of settling upon railroad lands in the southern portion of Becker county, and the northern part of Otter Tail county. The colony arrived in June, but were dissatisfied with the location selected by their agents, and spent some time in looking around and choosing a location for themselves. Some returned, a portion sought other sections of the West, but ten families settled in the southwest corner of Otter Tail county, in what is now Western township.
At that time there were no houses nearer than Dayton, but they brought with them stout hearts, vigorous bodies, and those habits of industry, econ- omy and perseverance which they had acquired in the East. They imme- diately set about building houses, living in the meantime in tents and straw shanties. In due time ten neat houses dotted the prairies which had hitherto presented only one unbroken carpet of green verdure.
The lateness of their arrival and the time consumed in building houses for themselves and shelter for their cattle, prevented their breaking much that season, only about fifty acres being broken in the township that year. The next spring they broke about one hundred and fifty acres more, and in the fall the crops resulting from their first year's labor were as follows: Wheat, 940 1-2 bushels: oats. 363 bushels; barley, 54 bushels; corn. 50 bushels; beans, 20 bushels; potatoes, 2,000 bushels. Total crop in 1872, 3, 427 1-2 bushels.
In 1873 four more families joined them and built houses and barns. More land was broken, a greater area was sown to grain, and in the fall over five thousand bushels of grain alone was threshed.
The township. which in 1871, was without a single inhabitant, in 1874 numbered about two hundred people and cast forty-one votes. The town- ship was divided into two school districts in 1874 and a neat, tasty school house 16x24, and a handsome church, 24x36. were erected the same year.
Over three hundred acres of new land was broken in 1874, which made about one thousand broken since its first settlement. It was the intention
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of the early settlers to turn a good share of their energies to dairying and stock raising. They came from a section of New York famous for its but- ter and cheese, and they intended to win for Otter Tail county butter and cheese as wide a fame.
As early as 1874 it was said that there was not probably in the county another township, which, in proportion to its number of inhabitants, could show as large a number and as fine looking stock. The Fergus Falls Adro- cate, in its issue of June 17, 1874, says: "Already quite an amount of golden butter and delicious cheese is manufactured there, and in less than two years Western will boast a cheese factory and a butter factory second in appointments and facilities to none in this or any other state."
This township is rather sparsely settled, as evidenced by the farms which range in size from eighty to six hundred and forty acres, with the greater percentage containing one hundred and sixty acres. There were two postoffices in this township until the advent of the rural routes, but these have long since lost their identity. The former of these, Western. was located in section 14, and the latter, Roberts, was located in section 2. The town hall for the accommodations of the people of this township is located in section 22, in the northeastern corner.
The nearest approach to a village in this township might be said to be at the corners of sections 14, 15, 22 and 23, where are found two churches, four residences and the town hall. In addition to the churches at this place there is another church in the southern part of section 27.
DEER CREEK TOWNSHIP.
The township now known as Deer Creek (township 134, range 37) was organized by the county commissioners on July 1, 1873. The petition for the organization of this township bears the date of August 13, 1872, and contains the following names: Orin Hoyt, John Moore, T. F. Moore, Ferdinand Regan, T. Buckley, James Lamb, Zach Briner, Alex Watson, A. M. Stillman, Aleck Buckley, Ben Stillman, C. Morrison, James Gorman and J. H. Saunders.
The first election was held at the house of J. M. Brainard on July 26, 1873. Township 134, range 38, was at that time attached to Deer Creek. The name applied to the township was given it on account of the numerous deer which were formerly found within its limits. The pioneer or pioneers who designated this township by this name were evidently so enamored with it that they not only gave it to the township but also to the village and stream in it.
This was the twenty-fifth township settled in this county. It is free from lakes and although well drained by Leaf river and its tributary, Deer creek, this township has a greater acreage of good tillable land than any
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other township in the country. The farms range in size from eighty to five hundred acres, with the greater percentage containing eighty, one hundred twenty and one hundred sixty acres. The farms are well improved, with good buildings and the farmers are ever striving for the betterment of their land and the improvement of their farming methods. This township is bounded on the north by Newton, on the west by Leaf Lake, on the south by Inman and on the east by Compton. Leaf river enters it from Leaf Lake township in the central part of section 19 and flows in a northeasterly direction through the entire length of the township from west to east, enter- ing Compton from the southeastern corner of section I. It receives one tributary from the north, Bluff creek, which rises in Newton and runs south- westerly through that township and sections 3, 10 and II of Deer Creek township. The entire eastern half of the township is drained by the waters of Deer creek. This small stream rises in Inman township, entering Deer creek in section 35 and flowing into Leaf Lake river in section I just before the latter river leaves the township. Another small stream rising in Inman township, flows through the southwestern part of Deer Creek township, and empties into Leaf lake. The latter lake just cuts the western border of this township and covers probably twenty acres of land in section 30.
This branch line of the Northern Pacific railroad from Wadena junc- tion to Fergus Falls passes through this township. This road has proven a great help to these farmers in furnishing easy access for their farm products to foreign markets.
The present township officers are as follow: Supervisors, A. H. Knoble, J. F. Johnson and Charles Kasma; clerk. Thomas Carew; treas- urer. P. M. Howard: assessor. Frank Gates; justice, Milton Smith; con- stable, Fred Truppuka.
Deer Creek.
The village of Deer Creek is the only urban center in the township of the same name and is located on the branch line of the Northern Pacific running between Wadena junction and Fergus Falls. It was platted by its owner, Francis McNamara, and recorded in the office of the register of deeds at the county seat on May 23, 1882.
As a result of an election held on December 26, 1899, the town was incorporated. There was considerable opposition to incorporation, as dis- closed by the fact that the final vote showed thirty-three for and thirty-one against making the village a distinct political entity. The petition set forth that the village had a population of two hundred and fifty-eight, scattered over a territory of twenty-five hundred and sixty acres.
There were thirty-six signers of the petition and their names are here given that future generations may read the names of the men who started
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Deer Creek on its urban career. The list follows: William Stewart, D. M. Arbuckle, H. J. Erickson, M. O. Hagler. L. G. Melius, J. W. Kramer, Jr., Frank Scott, George Stewart, William LaHarge, Charley Helmbreck, E. W. Keplinger. E. I. Miller, C. B. Coule, W. L. Junkin, W. H. Wahlfell, I .. S. Howell, Charley Thrall. H. W. Freeman, John Wigfield, E. Way, O. B. Spiekerman, H. Robbins, F. O. Carew, Alfred LaBarge, Jay Dewey, Nate Davis, Fred Hammond. Joshua Mead, N. L. Snow, A. L. Burger, N. H. Clemmer, J. M. Regan, John Danner, John Johnson and Fred Peck.
The village, which is just ten miles west of Wadena, has a population at present of three hundred and fifty. There are two churches, a Methodist Episcopal and an Evangelical church. The industries and chief business interests of the town consist of a bank, hotel, creamery, flour-mill, brick plant and grain elevator, also a weekly newspaper, The Mirror. The pres- ent postmaster is I. A. Tuffs. The present village officers are as follow : President, A. D. Baker; council, Hartwig Nelson, F. Wagner and William Holthuson ; clerk. B. A. Hompe: treasurer, F. F. Petzold; justice. T. H. Hastings; constable, J. Hammond.
OSCAR TOWNSHIP.
Oscar township (township 134, range 44) was organized by the county commissioners on July 1, 1873. and given the name of Christiana. The petition for the organization of this township was dated June 20, 1873, and contains the names of forty-three signers, the largest list on any of the early petitions. The list of names follow : A. O. Lastern, Telver A. Moe, Martin Trenne, Adolph Wallen, John Danielson, Charles Danielson. August Johnson, Casper Lein. Anders Johnson. A. Anderson, Knut Olson. Ole Knutson, Johan A. Dornstad. Amund Olsen, Gilbert Christianson, Louis Engstrom, Mekkel I. Sen, Michael A. Backen. John Snigedaklen, Ole Hough, Engebret Olsen, Johana Olsen, Edward Olsen, Peter Gilbertson, Peter Leies, S. Olsen, Hans P. Petersen. Jacob W. Chaffen. John Lies, Ole Johan Stras, Lars Parlson, Peter Chrestenson, Ole Christensen, Gilbert Hansen, Carl A. Bakken, Johan J. Jlares, John Jacobson, Ole Peterson, John Engebrights, Amun Mortensen, Morten Johnson and Reed Helgesen.
The first election was held at the house of Ole Sletvold on July 25. 1873. and the following resolution was passed by the commissioners on Sep- tember 4, 1873, but was rejected by the state auditor: "Resolved, that the name of the township 134. of range 44, shall be Sletvold instead of Chris- tiana." Until 1872 this township was a part of Wilkin county, but by the legislative act of that year and the subsequent election provided by the act, it was attached to Otter Tail county along with the five congressional town- ships of range 44, and has since remained a part of the county. Oscar was organized at the July session of the county commissioners along with
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Trodhjem. This township is bounded on the north by Trondhjem, on the west by Wilkin county, on the south by Carlisle and on the east by Eliza- beth. There are some fifteen lakes in the castern and southeastern part of the township, but these are all small except Haldorsen on the east, Oscar on the south, and Christopherson in the northeastern corner. The general surface of this township is very broken, ranging from one thousand one hundred to one thousand four hundred feet above sea level. There are no streams flowing through this section and the lakes have no outlets. The western side, however, is less broken and the farms on the latter side are much better. There is no town within the limits of this township, although there was formerly a postoffice called Oscar located in section 15. but with the advent of the rural routes this has ceased to exist. It seems rather strange that there has never been a town platted in this section, as the main line of the Great Northern railroad passes diagon .. "y through the town- ship. Carlisle, in Carlisle township, is just across the line on the south and is a great benefit for the inhabitants of this section; Elizabeth, on the east. is another small village which serves the people of this township. The town hall is located in the center of the township, in section 16. One of the many Indian mounds in the county is found in section 9 of this township. There are four churches in this township, located as follow: Sections 30, 35, 27 and II. There are three schools in sections 8, 32 and 11. A ceme- tery is located in section 19 and another in section 27.
The present township officers are as follow: Supervisors, Peter Loken, August Korth and Henry Haldorson; clerk. C. O. Kantrud; treasurer. John E. Sletvold; assessor. C. O. Kantrud; justices, C. F. Braatelein and C. O. Kantrud ; constables, O. K. Asberg and Carl A. Sateren.
TRONDHJEM TOWNSHIP.
The commissioners created the township of Trondhjem on July 7. 1873, and so named it at the request of the petitioners, practically all of whom were Norwegians. The first election was held on the 25th of the same month at the house of a man by the name of Petersen. The town- ships of Norwegian Grove and Oscar had both been organized this same year, the former at the January and the latter at the July session. These three townships, as their names indicate, were settled by Norwegians.
The petition organizing the township was dated March 25. 1872, and contained the following names: H. O'Grina, Sivert O. Hammer, Theodore Tollovoson, Ole M. Tommerness. Nils Olsen Hagen, Hans O. Lunder, Ole L. Loger. Stasius Nordgaard, Lous A. Velo. Anders Larson, Gulbrand Larson, Anders Jorgenson Satrang, Lars E. Bilden, Christoffer E. Warre- rud and Iver Wateerud.
Trondhjem township has more than a score of lakes, none of which
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AN ORIGINAL INHABITANT.
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are more than a half section in size. The eastern part of the township drains into the Pelican river, while the western part is drained by the tribu- taries of Buffalo river. The township is comparatively level, with practi- cally no land which cannot be cultivated. The soil is very fertile and yields bountifully year after year without the necessity of using fertilizers.
Probably the first blacksmith shop in the township was the one located in the southwestern corner of section 17. The first church stood in the southeastern corner of section 9. The only postoffice in the township was at Stod, but it was discontinued in 1905, upon the introduction of rural free delivery from Pelican Rapids. It stood in the eastern part of section 9. Rothsay, in Wilkin county, section 30, adjoins Trondhjem township.
In March, 1916, O. F. Juvrud announced that he would plat some ground in Otter Tail county just east of the Nordlie property. His object is to place the lots on the market as soon as possible and it is thought that it will be but a short time before the corporate limits of Rothsay will be extended to include a strip of land in Otter Tail county. There are already a number of houses on the Otter Tail side.
GORMAN TOWNSHIP.
Gorman township first appears in the commissioners' records Septem- ber 6, 1871, when it was attached to the newly created Hobart township for civil and criminal jurisdiction in response to a petition dated August 1. 1871, which contained the following signatures: T. H. Whipple, O. Ben- son, James Hendry, John Gorman, Michael Gorman, Lewis B. Hendry, Martin B. Hendry, James Nash, Frederick Mattfelit, Martin V. Clarny, Ezra Blanchard, Sandy Clary, Monroe Brewster, E. N. Hendry, Thomas Brigham, Edward Leitz, H. Sweeney, James D. Goodhue, John Smith and Walter Gorman.
It was not organized as an independent civil township until Septem- ber 4, 1873, when it was made a political entity bearing the name of Nash- ville. The fact that the first election (September 22, 1873), was held at the house of J. O. Gorman, evidently a substantial citizen of the township, may account for the fact that the township was subsequently rechristened in his honor.
This petition organizing the township contained the following signa- tures : John O. Gorman, James, Nash, Walter Gorman, Barney Griffith, Michael Gorman, Daniel Gorman, Thomas Griffith, Domnicks Dinpey, John Smith, James Moores. John Work, Sam Rasmuson, T. Johnson, Peter Paulson, Thomas Frothowske, H. Tigems, Martin Brand, Hubert Poulus- sen, P. Y. Johnson, L. Pollom Partyhee, Tdor Mats, F. Tietfens, M. Kraus, Fred Sholes, Theodore Shagens, Frank Segigel, J. Danberg, S. Mardjinski,
(15)
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Charley Schulz, J. D. Goodhue, Lorenz Weess. E. Blanchard and Bartholo- mew Deaby.
When the county commissioners submitted the name of Nashville to the state auditor for his approval, he notified the board that there was another township by the same name in the state and, consequently, a new name would have to be chosen. Accordingly, on January 7, 1874, the com- missioners. evidently without consulting the citizens of the township. selected the name of Fox Lake. This name did not meet with the approval of the citizens of the erstwhile Nashville and they presented a petition on March 18, 1874, asking that the township be called Gorman. The request was granted and so it still remains.
Gorman township has six lakes which are cut by its boundary limits, namely : Dead, Silver, Forget-me-not, Devil, Mud and Little Pine. Red river enters the township from Hobart in section 18. and meanders through sections 18, 19, 20, 28, 34 and then runs into Mud lake. Toad river enters the township on the east in section 12 and leaves the township in section 13. A small creek rises in a lake in section 9 and flows in a southerly direction until it empties into Little Pine lake in section 26. Silver lake has an outlet to Red river which meanders through sections 6, 7, 8, 9, 21 and 20.
One of the first saw-mills in the township was located in section 18. on the north side of Red river. Early in the history of the township a brick yard was in operation on the shores of Devil's lake.
The Northern Pacific passed through this township in 1871, and this fact accounts for its early organization. The first station was called John- son, which, when platted, became known as Luce.
The present township officers are as follow: Supervisor, Alex Ebber- son ; clerk. Roy Reff ; treasurer. H. C. Mattfeld: constable, C. M. Young.
Luce.
Luce. the only village in Gorman township, is located on the Northern Pacific in section 30. It was platted by D. G. Keefe in the spring of 1884 for Johan and Caroline Dinehart, the owners of the townsite. The town plat was recorded May 25, 1884.
In the spring of 1905 the inhabitants of the village decided to ask the commissioners for the privilege of voting upon the question of incorpora- tion. In their petitions presented to the commissioners May 6, 1905, they stated that the thirty-eight hundred and forty acres which they ask to be incorporated contained a total population of one hundred and fifty. The legal voters who signed the petition were as follow: Mike Durkin, C. A. Grinnell. Grant Woodard. Patrick Murphy, George Smithlim, Fred Kretzsh- mar, Arthur Woodard. John Ebberson. C. Roxstrom, W. H. Klug. W. H. Parks, F. E. Murphy. James Woodard. Joseph Shaske. Fred Meyer. . Joseph
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Ebberson, Anton Silbernagel, A. A. Roxstrom, Herman, Hendry, H. N. Woodard, Michael Utz, Mike Smith. John McLaughlen, Joseph Reff, Albert Wiese and Alexander Ebberson.
This petition was presented to and granted by the commissioners on May 6, 1905, and an election ordered for the 13th of the following month. Of the twenty-five votes cast on the question of incorporation all but five were in favor of the proposal.
Luce is at present a village of about one hundred and eighty inhab- itants. It has grown from a small hamlet to a very respectable center of trade for this township. The Luce Co-operative Creamery Company and the Monarch Elevator Company are the two largest industries in the vil- lage. These are conducted for the benefit of the farmers and bring quite a great deal of trade to the town which otherwise might go to other larger towns in the county. Mrs. M. E. Durkin keeps a general store and Michael Durkin is the present postmaster.
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CHAPTER XII. TOWNSHIPS OF OTTER TAIL COUNTY, 1874-77.
LEAF MOUNTAIN TOWNSHIP.
Leaf Mountain township (township 131, range 39) was organized on January 7, 1874, under the name of Dovre Fjeld, a name which would indi- cate that a majority of the petitioners were Norwegians. The first election for township officials was held at the house of Ole Bakke on the 29th of the same month. The present name of the township was given it by the commis- sioners on March 18, 1874.
The petition for the organization of the township was dated September 6, 1873, and contained the following signatures: Ole Amundson Bakke, Lars Aslesen, August A. Rauben, A. E. Rauben, Emil Bern, Iver Olsen Marftad, Nils Olens Haugen, Martin Iversen, Theodore Iversen Morstad, Iver T. Morstad, John Bjeaketvedt, Robert Halverson, Peter Strobuk, Benj Storbuck and Luis Hansen.
Leaf Mountain is one of the most rugged townships in the county and, with its many lakes, precipitous hills with their corresponding deep valleys and with stretches of prairie land, this township presents a varied topography which is ever a delight to the eye. Scattered over the township are Lakes Spitzers, George, Jessie, Samson, Tom, Johnson, Olson, Line, Christian, Monstad, Edward Moling, St. Mary, Joseph and Belmont, while many others of lesser size may be found here and there. The township is drained toward the south, although there are many landlocked lakes with no outlet.
No railroad has ever broken the quietude of this township, no village has ever reared its head, and the one postoffice, located in the northern part of section 9, has long since disappeared. With no urban population this township has remained essentially a rural district and its people have devoted themselves to agricultural pursuits altogether. With the introduction of improved methods of farming those who engage in this most ancient of occupations have been able to wrest from the soil a comfortable living and the many thrifty farmers to be found here bear ample witness to success which has attended their efforts. Many years ago some one made the start- ling announcement that gold was to be found in the township, and for a short time the people had visions of wealth floating before their eyes, but with the discovery that the supposed gold was nothing other than pyrites, the bubble burst.
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FRIBERG TOWNSHIP.
The township known as Friberg has the unique honor of having had three names within the first year of its existence. Organized as Florence township on January 6, 1874, it was changed by the county commissioners to Woodland on the 18th of the following March, and finally given its pres- ent name on the Ist of the following June. It was organized in response to a petition of twenty-five legal voters, residing in township 134, range 42. The commissioners' records fail to state when and where the first election was held, but the names of the petitioners follow: Ferdinand Peters, W. Schmidt, Frederef Grusentroy, Ferdinand Schmidt, John H. Laplin,
, Adolph Virause, Wilhelm Danow, Frederick Eichstadt, Charts Mery, Will Holder, Ralph Roxbar, August Leutwig, Conrad Munz, Sofia Peters, M. Vollmers,
Wilhelm Ludivigg, J. S. Wensthrom, John
Seeba, John Frigberg, Peder Olsen, , Christian Kappler, F. B. Price, John Johnson and Martin Johnson. Several of the names in this list were written in German script and very illegible. <
It is interesting to note that the southern tier of sections in that part of the township lying south of the Otter Tail river was attached to Aurdal town- ship January 3, 1872. The commissioners had authorized this change in response to a petition of Andrew Johnson, which is given here verbatim: "The undersigned asks that all the sections on the south side of the Otter Tail river, in township 134, range 42, be attached to the township of Aurdal for the reason this part of the first named is not settled yet except by the undersigned and the greatest portion of the township will not probably be much settled in the first ten years. Now, to make it a little convenient for me, I pray you will attach the above described territory to the organized township of Aurdal. Your obedient servant. Andrew Johnson."
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