History of Rice County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota and outline history of the state of Minnesota, Part 104

Author: Neill, Edward D. (Edward Duffield), 1823-1893. 1n; Bryant, Charles S., 1808-1885. cn
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Minneapolis : Minnesota Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 626

USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota and outline history of the state of Minnesota > Part 104

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SHIELDSVILLE MILLS .- This enterprise was founded in 1856, when the Delaney Brothers erected a saw mill on the same site the preseut mills occupy; and putting in a moderate steam power and a circular saw commenced running with a capacity of 2,000 feet per day. It did not prove an entire success and in 1858, General James Shields and others took pos- session of the property; and putting in new and more modern machinery, increased its capac- ity to 6,000 or 7,000 feet per day. In this shape it was continued until the 16th of April, 1864, (in the meantime the firm of Russell, Tenny & Co. had purchased it) when it was destroyed by fire,

together with 25,000 feet of valuable lumber. Soon afterward the firm of Hagerty, McAvoy & O'Hearn erected the present mill with a capacity of 6,000 feet per day. This firm continued the business for about two years, when Mr. Hagerty went out and the other two gentleman managed the establishment until 1877, when Dooley, Tack & MeAvoy attached a two run grist and feed-mill to the concern. Since that time the mill has been managed by different firms until 1881, when the present firm of Patrick and Daniel Dooley, under the firm name of Dooley Brothers, purchased it and still continue the business.

The mill makes good flour, with a capacity of 250 bushels per day, not as much in quantity as other mills in the county, but equal in quality. The saw-mill is equipped so as to be able to ssw 6,000 feet of lumber per day. The establishment is run by steam and is in good condition.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

THOMAS COLEMAN was born in Ireland in 1843, and lived in his native country until the age of seven years. He then came to America with his parents and located in Dunkirk, New York, where he attended school; five years later moved to Ga- lena, Illinois, and completed his education. In 1856, Mr. Coleman's father came to Shieldsville and was one of the first settlers in the place. Thomas was married here in February, 1863, to Miss Ann Murphy a native of Ireland. She died in 1876, and in 1877, he married his present wife, formerly Miss Eliza Braman, a native of Wiscon- sin. He had three children by his first wife, two of whom are living, and also three by his present wife, two living. Mr. Coleman has held the office of Assessor and was commissioned Postmaster in 1878, still holding the latter.

JOHN FINLEY, one of the pioneers of this place, is a native of Ireland, born in 1820. He was mar- ried in 1845, to Miss Mary Tuey and resided in his native place until the age of thirty-two years. He came to America and first located in Rockland county, New York, engaged in brick making. In 1856, he moved to this place and located in section three, where he still resides. He has been Chairman of the board of Supervisors six years, Justice of the Pesce six years, and has been a member of the School board several terms. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church. They have had four children, three of whom are

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HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.

living; James, aged thirty-five years; Ann, twenty-nine years, and John, twenty.

PATRICK MCKENNA is a native of Ireland, born in the parish of Ardstree, county Tyrone, on the 15th of April, 1829. He received a common school education and at the age of seventeen years emigrated to America, locating in Quebec, Cana- da. He was engaged in rafting timber for ships five months, then removed to Toronto and worked on a farm a year and a half. In 1848, he had charge of a sail vessel which he run during sum- mer months for four years and during the winters was in the lumber business. On the 23d of Sep- tember, 1849, he married Miss Susan McKenna. They resided on a farm four years in Canada West and in October, 1856,came to the territory of Minnesota and directly to Shieldsville. There were then but four white families in the place. They moved to Erin township but soon returned to this place, bought lots, built a house and start- ed a grocery store. In 1876, Mr. McKenna erect- ed a hotel called the North Star, which he now keeps. He held the office of Town Clerk, Asses- sor, and Constable all at the same time for twelve years; in 1874, was elected Justice of the Peace and still holds the office and in July of the same year was appointed Notary Public by Gov. Davis. Mr. and Mrs. McKenna have had fifteen children, seven of whom are living; John, thirty years of age; Charles, twenty-five; James P., twenty-three; Catherine, twenty-two; Mary Ella, seventeen; Ed- die, thirteen; and Daniel, ten. The family are all members of the Catholic church.

JOHN NAGLE, one of the earliest settlers of this place, was born in Ireland in 1830, and resided there until eighteen years old, attending school. He came to America in 1840, and settled in Wash- ington county, New York, where he was engaged in farming until 1855, when he moved to Shields- ville. He was married in New York to Bridget Murphy, who has borne him six children, four of whom are living; Richard, aged twenty-five years; Thomas, twenty-three; John, twenty-one, and Mark H., eleven. Katie died in May, 1882, at the age of twenty-seven years. She was the wife of James Finley. Dennis died in infancy and both are buried in the cemetery at this place. Mr. Nagle has been a member of the school board sev- eral years and always takes an active part in all school matters. His second son is studying law at Faribault.

REV. JOHN J. SLEVIN was born in county Longford, Ireland, on the 4th of March, 1855. He attended St. Mary's Seminary in his native place and afterward All Hallow's College at Dub- lin and was ordained Priest on the 24th of June, 1878. He then came to America to St. Paul, Minnesota, from whence he was sent by the Bish- op to Shakopee, where he built a parsonage cost- ing $1,600. In 1880, he came to Shieldsville, since which time the Catholic church has been completed at a cost of $1,600. Father Slevin has four brothers and four sisters in Ireland and one brother and one sister in the state of Missouri. His father died in Ireland in 1882.

MORRISTOWN TOWNSHIP.

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MORRISTOWN.

CHAPTER LXVII.

DESCRIPTIVE - EARLY SETTLEMENT-RELIGIOUS --- EDUCATIONAL - INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES-VIL- LAGE OF MORRISTOWN-BIOGRAPHICAL.

Morristown is the southwestern corner township of Rice county ; being contiguous to the counties of Le Sueur and Waseca on the west and south, with the towns of Shieldsville and Warsaw on the north and west. It is comprised of thirty-six sec- tions, or 23,040 acres of which 20,503 exclusive of town lots, are taxable lands; 900 are covered by its lakes, and a large part of the balance is under a high state of cultivation.

The Cannon River crosses the township from west to east, and seemingly divides the different classes of land, as all the territory north of the river is covered with timber of common varieties, while that to the south is principally prairie land interspersed with fine groves of timber, combining to make a beautiful and picturesque country, which, in connection with its fine soil, excellent water and water power, soon attracted the atten- tion of those seeking homes. The soil is mostly a dark loam, with a blue clay subsoil, this apply- ing particularly to the prairie, while in the tim- ber, a tendency to sandiness is visible, and a sub- soil of clay or gravel.

The township is abundantly watered by rivers, creeks, and lakes. The Cannon River has been mentioned above, it enters the town in the form of Lake Sakata, which it forms in sections nine- teen and twenty. A mineral spring bubbles up on the south side of this lake, which, although not at all notorious, is supposed to be valuable for medicinal purposes. Sprague Lake is a small body of water covering portions of sections twenty- eight and twenty-nine. Pat's Lake lies nestled in the midst of the timber in the northeastern part of the town. Mormon Lake, so-called because in an early day the Mormons used it for baptismal

purposes, occupying a few acres in the south- western part of section twelve; while Bonesett Lake is located just north of it. Devil's Creek rises in Mud Lake, in Shieldsville, and flowing southward, is joined by several small streams be- fore it joins Cannon River. Dixon's Creek finds its source south of the boundary, and wending a northern course mingles its waters with those of the Cannon in section twenty-three. Horseshoe Lake infringes on the town in the northwestern part, and is the source of a small stream which connects it to Cannon River by way of section eighteen and seventeen.

A sketch of this township published by F. W. Frink in 1868, says: "Morristown, the south- western township of Rice county, comprises with- in its boundaries both prairie and timbered lands, with a larger proportion of the latter. All the country north of the Cannon River, which enters the township in the shape of a lake, a little south of the center of its western boundary, and flows in the first two miles of its course in a northeasterly direction, thence southeasterly to near the center of the township, aud from thence until it leaves it on its eastern boundary in a direction north of east, being heavily timbered. South of the Can- non the land is chiefty prairie and meadow, with frequent groves of timber intervening. But a small proportion of its inhabitants are foreign- born, and a majority of those are Germans. It contains 20,503 acres of taxable land, exclusive, of town lots, the remainder of its area is divided as follows: about 900 acres occupied by its lakes, five in number, 80 acres of unsold school lands 427 acres of railroad land, 360 acres belonging to State University, and 320 acres still belonging to the government. Unimproved lands of either timber or prairie are held at prices ranging from $5 to $15 per acre." The above is still true in regard to population, but the unsold land mentioned has long since passed into the hands of actual settlers;

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HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.

and the price varies from $15 per acre upwards. In 1860, the population of Morristown was 438; in 1865, 822; in 1870, 1,084; and in 1880, as per last census, 1,939, of which 517 represented the village, and 1,422 the township.

As to the values in Morristown, from the census returns of 1870, we glean the following returns of property, as given to the census takers: Real property, $356,225; personal, $162,905; total, $519,130. For the same year the total assessed value in Morristown was $169,611. In the year 1882, after taxes had been equalized, the total as- sessed value was $323,181; of which $69,362 rep- resented the personal, and $253,819 the real prop- erty. This shows the creditable increase of $153,570 during the past twelve years. The val- ues in the village of Morristown, as assessed for 1882, are as follows: Real property, $43,100; personal property, $24,546; total, $67,646.

CANNON VALLEY RAILROAD .- This line was sur- veyed through the town several years ago, but no actual work done until the spring of 1882, when grading commenced in earnest. At the present writing the line has been finished, except the lay- ing of iron, and it is expected by the time this work shall have been issued that the iron horse will be treading the pathway, and doing the work heretofore done by cumbersome stages. The road enters the town from the east, in section thirteen, and passing through the township and village in a westerly direction, leaves to enter LeSueur county through section thirty.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

As to the date of the steps and early movements leading to the subsequent development .of this thriving township, it will agree with a majority of the sub-divisions of Rice county. It required no prophetic vision to foresee the ultimate concen- tration of capital and energy which have placed this naturally favored spot among the foremost and most prosperous inland towns, and given to it superior manufacturing and industrial facilities, and when the Cannon Valley railroad which is now being constructed reaches and connects it by rail with the leading markets of the Northwest, marvelous things may be expected.

The earliest settlement was made in the fall of 1853, when Johu Lynch and Henry Masters came from St. Paul in a buggy, and on reaching the town determined to stay, and erected a log house, taking claims in sections twenty-three and twenty-

four, just east of where the village now is. Mas ters was a native of Illinois, and the following spring returned to his old home and brought back a team. In January, 1855, he was joined in wed- lock to Miss Anna Randall, by Walter Morris, this being the first marriage in the township; he re- mained until 1865, when he removed to the Southwest, now living in Kansas. Mr. John Lynch was a native of the Emerald Isle, and is still a bachelor, yet lives in the town on section four- teen, having never been out of the county since.

Shortly after the settlement of Messrs. Lynch and Masters, in the spring of 1854, Andrew Story with his wife Mary E., and son Charles, four months old, made their appearance, Mrs. Story being the first white woman to set foot in the town, and took a claim in section twenty-two, just west of the settlement above mentioned. On the 21st of August, 1855, a child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Story, the first in the town; it was chris- tened Ellie, and is now a married woman, residing in Kansas. The Story family remained in Morris- town until 1862, when they removed to Kansas and are now living in Osborne county in that State.

During the month of August, 1854, William and Bartemus K. Soule, brothers of Mrs. Story, came on from the East and selected claims south of Mr. Story's place. William took a farm in sec- . tion twenty-three, but was too young to hold it and was bought out by Mr. Morris in the spring of 1855; he then went to section thirty-three where he now lives. His brother took a claim in section thirty-four and remained there until 1861, when he enlisted and went to the war; returning he settled in Chippewa county, Minnesota, where he now resides.

In the month of September, 1854, three broth- ers named Benson, Marshal, John, and C. M., natives of Vermont, having stopped for a time in Indiana, arrived in the township. Marshal se- cured a home in section twenty-one, where he re- mained until 1865; then left and now lives in Waterville. John drifted into the southwest quarter of the same section and remained on it for ten years; he now sojourns in Idaho Terri- tory. C. M. secured a place on section twenty- three, but as he was too young to hold it, some one jumped the place, and in 1855, he took a farm in section twenty where he yet remains.

An incident in connection with the settlement

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MORRISTOWN TOWNSHIP.

of the Benson brothers is worthy of notice. A man by the name of Drake, sometime during the summer of 1855, at the place now known as Waterville, thought he would be able to divert the travel from the present site of Morristown by constructing a road south of the old Indian trail. About the time he had completed his road, the Bensons went to work and constructed a good wagon road along the old Indian trail, and Drake's road was ever after untraveled. The Benson road was probably the first improved high- way in the county.

The following spring the Messrs Morris located ou section twenty-three, and the village of Morris- town was brought into existence. Their meander- ings are noted at length in another column. They were followed by Robert Pope, a native of Cana- da, who made a claim on section twenty-nine, where he remained until 1857, when he joined his amative Mormon brethren in Utah. Mr. Wilson soon after made himself a habitation in section thirty, where he remained until 1866, and left. Joseph Ladoux, of France, joined him and took a quarter section number thirty, where he died in 1856, and his family, in 1857, went to Utah.

Mr. David Springer and family also came early in 1855, and took a habitation in section twenty- three, remaining there for a year and then return- ed to Pennyslvania, his native State.

Joseph Dixon and family, in company with bis father-in-law, made their appearance about the same time. Their child, Clarissa Dixon, born on the 24th of August, 1855, in John Lynch's cabin, was the second while child born in the township, and is now Mrs. Albert Wolever, in the village.

Others came and have since gone, and the in- flux became so great that it is almost impossible to note them. The prairie land was taken very rapidly, and in 1857, but few farms of much value were left in the timber. Many of the early and most prominent arrivals are noted under the head of "Biographical," to which we refer the reader.

JONATHAN MORRIS .- This early pioneer and im - portant personage in the early history of the township bearing his name, was a man of consid- erable note in various places before he came to the West. He was born in the state of Pennyslvania, on the 9th of January, 1804, and when four years of age his father died, and his mother moved the family to Ohio in 1809. In this early day the

means of education were limited, and it is a fact that the subject of this sketch did not know his letters at the time of his marriage. He had fine natural abilities, however, and by energy and hard study, acquired a good general idea of the com- mon branches of education, and entered the minis- try of the Christian or Disciple faith, preaching for twenty-five years through the states of Indi- ana and Ohio, and was undoubtedly the medium of 10,000 conversions. In the meantime his mar- riage had been blessed with children, and in 1853, in company with his son Walter, he came to St. Paul, Minnesota, where the son remained during the winter, in the State Executive Department, and he went to Hastings. In the following spring, -- 1854,-he joined his son, who had left the de- partment at St. Paul, and purchased an interest in the town site of Faribault, removing to the latter place. Here they remained until the following spring when they started up the Cannon River in search of a mill site, as related elsewhere, and located at Morristown, where he remained until the time of his death which occurred on the 27th of November, 1856. He left a wife and seven child- ren to mourn his loss. His widow still lives in Morristown with her son Walter Morris, and men- tion is made of the parties elsewhere.

POLITICAL.

Morristown effected an organization in 1858, the first township meeting being held on the 11th of May, of that year, at the Delaware House. After the usual preliminaries, James R. Davidson was appointed moderator, and William P. Heydon, clerk. 'The meeting then proceeded to the election of town officials for the ensuing year, resulting as follows: Supervisors, Isaac Hammond, Chairman, "Henery" Bassett, and John D. Benson; Clerk, Charles D. Adams; Asssessor, John S. Pope; Collector, D. G. Wilkins; Overseer of the poor, Reuben Morris; Justices of the Peace, Walter Morris and Willard Eddy; Constables, Wil- liam P. Heydon and Samuel Clark; Over- seers of roads, O. K. Hogle and Nathan Mor- ris. All of these officers qualified except Samuel Clark and John S. Pope, but their places were soon filled.

On the 24th of August, 1864, bonds were voted at a special meeting, to pay the sum of $25 to each man who would volunteer to enlist in the army, under the Presidents' call for 500,000 men; the bonds to bear 12 per cent interest. The proposi-

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HISTORY OF RICE COUNTY.

tion carried by a vote of 58 for, to seven against; the committee men were, C. D. Adams, T. McClay, and Isaac Pope.

On the 9th of February, 1865, a special meet- ing was held at which it was voted that bonds to the amount of $300 should be issued to each man who would volunteer to enlist, and fill the quota. This was under the Presidents' call for 300,000 men. This supplied the deficiency and no draft was made. George Bassett and William Adams were among those who volunteered, and they found graves in southern soil.

At the twenty-fourth annual town meeting, held in the spring of 1882, the following officers were elected who still are incumbents: Supervisors, John Hile, Chairman, Samuel J. Chapman, and A. H. Greene; Clerk, Walter Morris; Treasurer, Chris- tian Hershey, Jr .; Justices of the Peace, Isaac Hand and J. N. Powers; Constables, Isaac Newell and Chas. H. Grant, Jr.

RELIGIOUS.

The first religious services in the township were held by Rev. Jonathan Morris, of the Disciple faith, at his residence, where the village now is, in 1855; the same fall he organized his church at the same place, with ten members, and continued holding services in his house until 1856, when the congregation became too large for the limited ac- commodations, and a frame church was erected at a cost of $350, with a seating capacity of 150. This building was destroyed by fire in 1874, and since that time they have had preaching in vari- ous places. The membership at the time the church was burned was 100, with Walter Morris as minister.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- The first services by fol- lowers of this belief were held in the Morristown hotel in 1858, by Rev. J. L. Breck. Organization was effected shortly after with thirty members, and in 1864, they erected their present church at a cost of $2,600 in the village, it being a neat and commodious structure, capable of seating 200 per- sons. The Rev. Mr. Bills, of Faribault, is the present pastor, there being twenty members, and services are held once in two weeks.

METHODIST DENOMINATION .- This society was organized at the house of Hilton Bloomer, on sec- tion thirty-four, in 1856, by Rev. A. V. Hitch- cock, and the first services were held just previous to it by the same minister in the boarding house of Walter Morris, in the village. At organization

there were eight members of the society. As soon as erected, the denomination used the Christian or Disciple church building until it was burned in 1874, and they then commenced the erection of their church, in the village, which has already cost $600, and is not yet finished. Rev. J. Whitney is the present pastor, and services are held every Sunday evening; Sunday school every Sabbath, and prayer meeting Thursday evenings. The so- ciety is in good financial as well as spiritual con- dition, evidently considering true inward worth as of more value than mere outward show and pomposity.

UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH .- Effected an or- ganization at the house of Hiram Erickson, on section eighteen, where the first service was held, with Rev. Daniel Reed officiating, in the summer of 1867. There were at organization fourteen members, and services were held in private resi- dences until 1870, when a log church was con- structed at a cost of $150, on the shore of Horse- shoe Lake, in section seven. Rev. Uriah Cook is the present minister.

THE ALBRIGHT SOCIETY .- This denomination effected an organization in 1863, and in 1873, erected their present neat and substantial church edifice, at a cost of $1,400, in the southeastern part of section thirty-four; there is now a mem- bership of thirty on the church rolls. There is also a cemetery ground platted adjoining the church, in which peacefully repose the remains of about fifteen departed friends.

GERMAN LUTHERAN .- This society effected an organization in 1868, at the house of John Weber in section four, and services were held at various places in the northern part of town until 1881, when their church was erected in section four at a cost of $600. There is a burial ground con- nected with this church, located in section five, called the Weber cemetery, that was laid out in 1874, at the time of the demise of John Weber, who was the first to find a last resting place in it.

EDUCATIONAL.

Morristown is well up to the average towns in educational matters, and many neat and commo- dious schoolhouses dot the surface of the town- ship. Not much can be said of them in general, except that these districts are all in good condi- tion, and are ably and efficiently managed. Be- low we give a short sketch of the organization of the various districts, together with their locations

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MORRISTOWN TOWNSHIP.

MORRISTOWN GRADED SCHOOLS .-- The first school held in the village of Morristown was in a little log shanty, 12x14 feet, and was taught by Isaac Hammond in the winter of 1855-56, there being twelve scholars present. In 1857, the district in the meantime having been legally organized, a frame schoolhouse was erected, 24x40 feet, at a cost of $800. This building served the purposes for which it was erected until 1873, when the present neat and substantial building was erected at a cost of $2,000. It is a two story building with a seating capacity of about 120. The first officers of the district were, Messrs. Andrew Story, Levi Coen, and Hilton Bloomer. The present offi- cers are: Director, Charles Grant; Clerk, Baron Hopkins; and Treasurer, William Crawford. The principal of the school is C. A. Sheridan.

DISTRICT No. 7 .- This was about the first dis- trict to effect organization in the township, dating its existence back to 1856, when officers were elected to take care of school matters, as follows: Director, H. Blanco; Clerk, Uriah Northrup; and Treasurer, C. M. Benson; and Mr. Joseph Baker called school to order the winter following with fifteen pupils in attendance. The district now has a neat and commodious school building in the northern part of section twenty-nine. The Sak- ata Literary Association was organized at this schoolhouse in February, 1877, and is a meritori- ous and commendable institution.

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History of Rice County, including explorers and pioneers of Minnesota and outline history of the state of Minnesota, Part 104

Author: Neill, Edward D. (Edward Duffield), 1823-1893. 1n; Bryant, Charles S., 1808-1885. cn Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Minneapolis : Minnesota Historical Co. Number of Pages: 626

Author: Neill, Edward D. (Edward Duffield), 1823-1893. 1n; Bryant, Charles S., 1808-1885. cn
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Minneapolis : Minnesota Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 626